This week we begin a new series titled, "Redemption's Storyline." Over the next several weeks we will be considering a range of passages from the O.T. As we reflect on what God was doing and communicating to his people in those moments, we will also think about how these stories fit into the larger picture of God's plan as revealed now in Christ. This week we start with the story of creation in Genesis 1. Here we see God's intention for human beings and all his creation. We also are reminded that just as the Lord alone could create us and everything else, so too only the Lord can save us and bring heaven and earth back together.

This Sunday morning we conclude our series reflecting on some of the sayings or teachings of Jesus which are more difficult for us to understand or apply. This week we dive into Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus, a story which might leave us with several questions as to what Jesus is trying to communicate. How literally should we take the things Jesus is saying here? What does he mean by the great chasm which separates the parties in the story? While some of the details are interesting to explore, the overall message of the story is one calling us to see the importance and urgency of how we are responding to God's word in our lives now. There are varying responses to the message of Christ, and these responses will have eternal ramifications.

This Sunday morning we continue our series on some of the sayings or teachings of Jesus that we typically have a hard time understanding or applying. In this passage in Matthew, Jesus tells a parable of a landowner who is hiring workers throughout the day to work in his vineyard. At the end of the day, he pays everyone the same, regardless of how many hours they've worked. The longer-term workers in the story take exception with this, and as we read the story we might as well. Is this fair? What is Jesus communicating here? This teaching of Jesus reminds us that the value systems of our world don't often translate to the way things work in God's kingdom. When it comes to the gifts of God, we can be assured that not only is he completely fair with us, but also generous in his giving.

This Sunday morning we continue our series on some of the teaching or sayings of Jesus which are harder for us to understand. In Matthew 23, Jesus is in Jerusalem and begins speaking out against the practices of the religious leaders there. In contrast to the way they are living, Jesus tells his disciples that none of them are to be called, 'teacher,' and that they shouldn't call anyone on earth, 'father.' What does Jesus mean by this? Are we in error by referring to our earthly fathers with that title? It seems that Jesus doesn't have this in mind as much as he wants us to be clear in our relationship to him that he is our one Lord, and in our relationship to each other that we are not to Lord it over one another.

This Sunday morning we continue our series on some of the sayings or teachings of Jesus which we typically have trouble understanding or coming to grips with. In this text, Jesus has an encounter with a Canaanite woman who is asking that Jesus heal her daughter. To this request, Jesus replies that it isn't right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. What does Jesus mean here and why would he say it? As we dig a little deeper into the story, we realize that this encounter has to do with Jesus' mission and the mission of his church. It is a mission that will confront us, as it did Jesus' first disciples, with some prejudices or conclusions about other people that we've long held.

“We can always count on Jesus to tell us the truth. And when Jesus instructs us about our purpose here while waiting for his return, he doesn’t spare us a full preview of the pain of our mission. This sets us up for one of the “hard teachings” of Jesus. This month we will examine several of these “hard sayings,” that seem difficult to understand. Jesus delivers some hard news, but His words are intended to make us courageous.”

This Sunday morning we conclude our series on food by reflecting on Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew. This event happens because of Jesus' care and compassion for the crowd, and his power to provide all that they need and more. While we sometimes see a scarcity of resources, Jesus reminds us that the Lord is never short on resources, and is ready and willing to provide for us. As we celebrate God's ample provision for us, we are also called to imitate his compassionate and giving heart with our neighbors in this world.

This Sunday morning we continue our series on food by reflecting on an interesting story from the life of King David. In this story, David is about to take vengeance on a man named Nabal because he has dealt with David in evil fashion. However, before David can shed blood, Nabal's wife Abigail meets David and his army with a large meal and other gifts. Through this, and Abigail's wise words, David calms down and avoids bloodshed. We are aware of how hunger can often make us act in rash or poor ways in our lives, and of how eating and sharing a table in good company can give some peace to us. As God provides peace to us through eating, it is a reminder of the larger ways he provides peace to us in our relationship with him and with each other.