Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Sunday, December 7, 2014 - Advent 2 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Peace

This is the second Sunday of Advent, in which we reflect not only on God's incarnation in Christ over 2 millennia ago, but also looking forward to Christ's return.

Focus:  On this second Sunday of Advent, our focus is on peace.  It does not take much to realize that we live in a world filled with suffering, calamity and it is difficult to see God's peace amidst the strife and wars.  We complain to God, but the Psalmist calls us to listen to God.  

We are called to listen to God even before we understand God or God's ways.  It is in listening and obeying God, in living out new actions (even before we understand), repenting, walking in the way of Jesus, even before we understand what repentance will bring about in us, or what walking in Jesus' way will bring about in our lives, that we come across peace.

We struggle with listening to God, but as we do, we open our lives to receive the peace of God in a peaceless world.  

Link to message: Advent 2 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Peace

Friday, December 5, 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014 - Advent 1 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Hope

This is the first Sunday of Advent, the first Sunday of a new church year, and the first Sunday of focusing on our Advent texts - not only reflecting on God's incarnation in Christ over 2 millennia ago, but also looking forward to Christ's return.

Focus:  On this first Sunday of Advent, our focus is on hope.  It does not take much to realize that we live in a world filled with suffering, calamity.  We live in the midst of Ferguson, Iraq, Afghanistan, hunger, poverty, homelessness - and we are more apt to cry out, "How long O Lord?" rather than being comforted by God's hope.  And so we pray, "O, that you would reveal your hope."

Link to message: Advent 1 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Hope

Sunday, November 23, 2014 Walk Humbly with God

This message is the last message on a brief series on Micah 6:8.

This focus on walking humbly with God also coincides with our annual Covenant Sunday in which we renew our commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to be stubbornly loyal to one another as a community.

Focus: Walking humbly with God calls us to live mindful of God in every area and aspect of our lives.  It is not about our being "good." It is about recognizing that only God is good and that as we live wide open to God, God's Spirit works in us to shape us and transform us into the image of Christ.

Walking humbly with God is not about us, but about living in such a way that God's presence is revealed in and through us in the going ons of our daily lives.

Link to Message: Walk Humbly with God