“How Long? How Long Must We Sing this Song?” Text: Isaiah 64 & Psalm 40 As we begin the season of Advent, we sing the familiar song “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” And while we might love the song: the lyrics, the haunting melody, the poetry; we also long for the day when we no…

“People of Generosity” Text: Philippians 4:10-23 We conclude our series in Philippians by looking at the ways that the believers in Philippi were generous toward Paul. We are reminded that our generosity is rooted in the character and nature of God – who is generous toward us. As we look forward to our Faith Promise…

“People of the Future” Text: Philippians 3:12-4:1 Building on last week’s lesson about being People of Confidence, today we explore the source of that confidence. Paul indicates that we can “stand firm” because we look forward to the future. We know the end of the Story! Our eye toward the future helps us to navigate…

“People of Holiness” Text: Philippians 2:12-18 People of God are people of holiness – and people of holiness are people who shine in the darkness. Pastor Jon continues our study through Philippians with a look at what it means to shine like stars, and how our holy living ought to emulate the life of Christ…

“People of Unity” Text: Philippians 1:15-30 Stories of those who have been persecuted for being the People of God remind us that we need have no fear when we are unified as the Body of Christ. By looking at the stories of Corrie ten Boom, Joseph and his brothers (Gen 45), and the Apostle Paul,…

“We Belong to the Lord” Text: Romans 14:1-12 As we conclude our study in Romans, we look at what it means to live for the Lord and to die for the Lord. Paul’s concluding remarks help us to understand what it means to be the people of God, and how we are to live in…

“Overcoming Evil” Text: Romans 12:9-21 Paul begins to move toward practical teaching toward the conclusion of his letter. Here in Romans 12 he offers advice on how to relate to evil in the world around us. Recognizing that the Roman Christians were in conflict with their Empire, Paul tells them that they cannot overcome evil…

“Wild Olive Shoots” Text: Romans 11:1-6, 13-24 As we continue our journey through Romans, Paul writes about the unique relationship between Jews and Gentiles. We are reminded that we are “wild olive shoots,” grafted into the tree. Paul points out that the wild olive shoots can be cut off, and that the cultivated branches could…

“Children of the Promise” Text: Romans 9:1-8, 25-33 Paul helps us to understand how it is that gentiles can claim to be children of Abraham and heirs of the promise. We recognize that we obtain righteousness not by a pursuit of the law, but through faith. Pastor Jon reminds us that being children of the…

“The Spirit of Adoption” Text: Romans 8:12-25 What does it mean to call God “Abba, father”? Perhaps more importantly, what does it mean to recognize that we’ve been adopted–and that adoption comes with certain obligations and expectations? Pastor Jon continues our look at Paul’s letter to the Romans, considering the ways in which we may…