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.
In Esther 5 we see a stark contrast of two powerful people. One wields her power humbly for the good of others. The other grasps onto his power for his own sake at all costs. In this text we'll observe the enslaving trap of pride in Haman and the courageous glory of humility in Esther so that we might guard against pride and grow in humility together.
In chapter 4, Esther undergoes a transformation from subservient daughter and spiritual compromiser to courageous leader prepared to risk her life to save her people. This Sunday, we'll see not only what changes in Esther but also how we can prepare ourselves to stand for the Lord in the defining moments of our own lives.
Our passage this Sunday concludes with the whole city "bewildered." Has life ever left you lost and confused? Perhaps you've been overlooked, mistreated, or even oppressed? Esther 3 is for you. We'll see how to trust the hidden hand of God in the midst of even the darkest difficulties of our lives.
This week is the once-a-year time in our church when we focus on our finances. We call it Stewardship Sunday. No, this isn't about raising money for the church. It's about prioritizing what God's word prioritizes: More than 2000 verses, including nearly a third of Jesus' parables talk about money! So this week we'll see why God cares so much about our finances and how we can respond.
