Christianity is not a spectator sport. From the start, we’re called to make an impact. Specifically, Jesus gives us two pictures (salt and light), two warnings, and one goal. Last week, we saw Jesus’ vision for a new kingdom community in his famous Beatitudes poem. And this Sunday, we’ll see that we’re called to bring the blessing of Christ to the world around us.
Has God blessed you? Do you have some savings in the bank, educational opportunities, a loving family? Is this what it means to be blessed? This week, we arrive at perhaps the greatest sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus introduces his sermon with a poem about the blessing of God, though it is perhaps not quite what we would expect when we think of being “blessed.” Jesus shows us here where God’s blessing is found: in his kingdom.
The Gospel of Matthew is all about Christ’s kingdom coming, but how is his kingdom expanding today? In the midst of the chaos of our world and the anxieties of our lives, how can we see God making progress? And how can we join him in bringing light to the darkness around us? This Sunday’s passage is about how Jesus’ ministry starts and spreads. We’ll see the surprising power of where he begins, who he recruits, and how he works to inaugurate heaven’s reign on earth.
What is the hardest test you’ve ever taken? In our passage this week, Jesus goes from being declared beloved by his Father and empowered by the Spirit, to being led into the wilderness to be tested (or tempted) by the devil. We’ll see in this rich text the reality and strategy of our adversary and the power we have to pass the spiritual tests we encounter in our lives through the victory of Christ.
What do you think God is like? In this week’s passage, we’re finally introduced to Jesus himself. We hear Jesus’ first words and see his first actions. What is the first thing he does? He insists on being baptized by John. But if baptism is only for sinners to repent, why does the sinless Son of God enter the waters? This simple, humble action shows us what kind of King Jesus is and how he will bring his heavenly kingdom to earth.
Whether it's a birthday party, a vacation, a dissertation defense, or a new baby, significant events in our life require preparation. In fact, the more significant the event, the greater the preparation needed. This week we jump back into the Gospel of Matthew. During Advent we covered the Introduction: The Promised King. Now we'll begin the body of the Gospel with Part 1: The Announcement of Christ's Kingdom. Now that Jesus the King has arrived, his new kingdom is proclaimed and the people are called to prepare for his rule. How do we make sure we're ready to receive him?
This month we're in a short sermon series exploring the rhythms of the early church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” As we embark on the new year, let’s plan to prioritize and grow in these means of God’s grace together.
This week: The first Christians were devoted to prayer together. Are we? What gets in the way of our praying? How can we practically incorporate more consistent prayer into our lives? We’ll address these questions and more in the final week of our Devoted series.
This month we're in a short sermon series exploring the rhythms of the early church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” As we embark on the new year, let’s plan to prioritize and grow in these means of God’s grace together.
This week: One of the most striking activities of the early church was the priority of the Lord’s Supper (“the breaking of bread”) in their gatherings. It’s placed alongside Scripture, fellowship, and prayer as the lifeblood of the first Christians. Why was this so significant for them, and for us today? This week is all about the Lord’s Supper—what it is, why Christians do it, and how we should practice it. Plus, we’ll celebrate it together!
This month we're in a short sermon series exploring the rhythms of the early church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” As we embark on the new year, let’s plan to prioritize and grow in these means of God’s grace together.
This week: Our passage this week paints a beautiful portrait of Christian community, as the early church devoted themselves to fellowship. What a vision for us to strive for! And yet inherent in the text is that this incredible community only comes through great cost of each individual member. And yet the cost is worth it! We'll see in this text why Christian fellowship is worth devoting yourself to in this new year and new decade.
This month we begin a short sermon series exploring the rhythms of the early church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” As we embark on the new year, let’s plan to prioritize and grow in these means of God’s grace together.
This week: Devoting ourselves to God’s word—why we should do it and how we can do it practically.
We just celebrated Christmas with the birth of King Jesus in the town of David, Bethlehem. Surely, he is to be raised there and rule with strength as any king would. But instead, he is sent away from Bethlehem to a town of nowhere called Nazareth. Was this God’s plan gone wrong?! This week our passage tells us that this is the expected plan and that Jesus of Nazareth (not Bethlehem!) is the Messiah who has come to redeem the world. We hear how Jesus saves thru weakness and humility, with implications of what it means to live as a Nazarene in our Christian lives.
Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ's coming, give gifts, and spend time with family and friends. But that's not all. There is a darker part of the Christmas story that is often overlooked or avoided, because it doesn't seem to fit in with all of the rejoicing of the holiday season. But this piece of the story--our passage this Sunday--illumines the reality of our world and the purpose of Christmas perhaps more than all of the others. Jesus, the King of Light, came to fight and defeat the powers of sin and darkness in our world and our hearts.
Christmas is an event that brings joy to many today, be it the decorations, the carols, the family reunions or the good food. However, the event by which Christmas celebrates was very polarizing to those around Jesus. This Sunday, we'll see how different people responded to the birth of the true King, with implications for our own responses to Him.
Ready or not, it’s election season. Now through next November, candidates will propose their solutions to our nation’s problems. It’s fitting, then, that we find ourselves in Matthew 1, where Jesus is declared to be the true solution to all of the world’s problems. This Sunday we’ll see how the origin of Jesus—including his bizarre and controversial virgin birth—presents him as the only hope for humanity, including you and me.
This weekend marks the first Sunday of the Advent season, a time of remembering Christ's first advent (i.e. "arrival" or "coming") as we look forward to his second advent. We'll begin a sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew, which emphasizes Christ's coming as king to establish his kingdom rule over all the earth.
This Sunday, we're introduced to King Jesus through his family--and meeting someone's family is one of the best ways to get to know someone.
A common objection to Christianity is how a loving God could allow so much evil in the world. How do you respond to that? We’re reminded as the history of Esther comes to a close, that God always triumphs over evil and ultimately gives his people victory. Yes this is in the future, but in many ways we have victory over sin and evil in our lives even today.
As we dive back into Esther this week we arrive at the great salvation moment for the Jews. It comes through a dramatic reversal--all of Haman's evil edict comes untrue. Instead of death, there is life! Instead of sorrow, there is rejoicing! In this passage, we'll be reminded of the promises of God for our salvation in Christ and observe how we can persevere in walking the upside-down way of Jesus as his disciples.
This Sunday we are thrilled to welcome Neel and Chalor Roberts, missionaries to Thailand. Neel will preach from Haggai, share how the Lord is working in East Asia, and encourage us to be missions minded here in Boston.
Did you know that we worship a God who is angry? Hundreds of times in Scripture God is described this way. Certainly God is gracious and compassionate and slow to anger, but that doesn't discount his righteous wrath. Our passage this Sunday emphasizes God's judgment against sin and sinners. We'll see that God's wrath is actually a necessary part of God's salvation, and why, even if it seems counter-intuitive at first, God's anger is a very good thing for us.
The climax of the story of Esther isn't what you'd think. It's not when Esther first enters the throne room or when she finally appeals to the king for her people. The central turning point of Esther comes in a seemingly innocuous scene in the middle of the night when the king can't sleep. And it's in this scene the author gives us a glimpse of the glorious, absolute sovereignty of God--not just in the story of Esther, but in our stories as well.
