Lent to Easter 2016 (7 of 7)

Sermon Series:  Living Ink: Learning to Live in God's Story
Sermon Title:  Surprised by Hope (7 of 7)
Scripture Reading:  John 20:1-18; Acts 10:34-43; 1 Peter 1:3-9

Lent is a 40-day season when the church commemorates the time Jesus spent in solitude, in silence, and fasting in the wilderness. Jesus prepared himself in the wilderness for what the Father had for him in his life and ministry. In this season of wandering and preparation, we are invited to make room for God’s Spirit as we allow him to become the source of our strength and the Lord of our lives. In our Living Ink worship series, we will discover through the Scriptures that God is the Author of a grand narrative—a tale that encompasses all our struggles, pain, joys, and victories. This Author calls us to co-authorship, using our very lives to continue the Kingdom mission and vision of Jesus in a world poised for resurrection.

God’s story reaches its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter Sunday is the promise of God to redeem humanity, to stay with us in our darkest moments, and that there can be a happy ending to your story. Just as Mary Magdalene was surprised to meet the resurrected Jesus in her lowest moment, we too can be surprised by the hope of new life, even when we feel we’ve reached an end. In Surprised by Hope (7 of 7), pastor David calls us to believe in God’s good future.

Listen to David and view the slides here.

Lent to Easter 2016 (6 of 7)

Sermon Series:  Living Ink: Learning to Live in God's Story
Sermon Title:  The Testing of Your Allegiance (6 of 7)
Scripture Reading:  Luke 22:14-23, 31-34, 39-46; Romans 1:16; Philippians 1:27-30

Lent is a 40-day season when the church commemorates the time Jesus spent in solitude, in silence, and fasting in the wilderness. Jesus prepared himself in the wilderness for what the Father had for him in his life and ministry. In this season of wandering and preparation, we are invited to make room for God’s Spirit as we allow him to become the source of our strength and the Lord of our lives. In our Living Ink worship series, we will discover through the Scriptures that God is the Author of a grand narrative—a tale that encompasses all our struggles, pain, joys, and victories. This Author calls us to co-authorship, using our very lives to continue the Kingdom mission and vision of Jesus in a world poised for resurrection.

Jesus extended a high invitation and challenge to his disciples all throughout his ministry. He repeatedly proves not to be the Messiah they expected, and so many desert him along the way. This was never more apparent than it was during the hot political climate of Passion Week. In The Testing of Your Allegiance (6 of 7), pastor David encourages us to faithfully live into God’s story by letting the demands of the real Jesus trump all other allegiances. Listen to David and view the slides.

Lent to Easter 2016 (5 of 7)

Sermon Series:  Living Ink: Learning to Live in God's Story
Sermon Title:  The Sixth Sense of the Kingdom (5 of 7)
Scripture Reading:  Isaiah 43:16-21; John 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Lent is a 40-day season when the church commemorates the time Jesus spent in solitude, in silence, and fasting in the wilderness. Jesus prepared himself in the wilderness for what the Father had for him in his life and ministry. In this season of wandering and preparation, we are invited to make room for God’s Spirit as we allow him to become the source of our strength and the Lord of our lives. In our Living Ink worship series, we will discover through the Scriptures that God is the Author of a grand narrative—a tale that encompasses all our struggles, pain, joys, and victories. This Author calls us to co-authorship, using our very lives to continue the Kingdom mission and vision of Jesus in a world poised for resurrection.

The Grand Author works in mysterious ways---ways that we often discover are quite surprising and upside down to the world and its wisdom. You could say that these ways serve as unexpected twists in God’s never-boring story. If we wish to see the wisdom of God, even to intuit how he is at work, we must learn to walk in the Spirit. In The Sixth Sense of the Kingdom (5 of 7), pastor David challenges us to embrace the power and mystery that comes with accepting Christ and the Kingdom.

Listen to David and view the slides here.

Lent to Easter 2016 (4 of 7)

Sermon Series:  Living Ink: Learning to Live in God's Story
Sermon Title:  From Brokenness to Beauty (4 of 7)
Scripture Reading:  Psalm 51:1-17; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Lent is a 40-day season when the church commemorates the time Jesus spent in solitude, in silence, and fasting in the wilderness. Jesus prepared himself in the wilderness for what the Father had for him in his life and ministry. In this season of wandering and preparation, we are invited to make room for God’s Spirit as we allow him to become the source of our strength and the Lord of our lives. In our Living Ink worship series, we will discover through the Scriptures that God is the Author of a grand narrative—a tale that encompasses all our struggles, pain, joys, and victories. This Author calls us to co-authorship, using our very lives to continue the Kingdom mission and vision of Jesus in a world poised for resurrection.

So what if we have grieved the Spirit by running away from God’s will for us, ending up in a pit of sin and despair? Is our brokenness ever too much for God? In the story of the prodigal son, we see that the Father is ready to welcome us home with open arms and redeem us.  In From Brokenness to Beauty (4 of 7), pastor David shows us how Christ revealed the prodigal’s father to be the God who runs after his wayward ones.  Listen to David and view the slides here.

Lent to Easter 2016 (3 of 7)

Sermon Series:  Living Ink: Learning to Live in God's Story
Sermon Title:  His Will Made Manifest (3 of 7)
Scripture Reading:  Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8; Proverbs 3:5-6

Lent is a 40-day season when the church commemorates the time Jesus spent in solitude, in silence, and fasting in the wilderness. Jesus prepared himself in the wilderness for what the Father had for him in his life and ministry. In this season of wandering and preparation, we are invited to make room for God’s Spirit as we allow him to become the source of our strength and the Lord of our lives. In our Living Ink worship series, we will discover through the Scriptures that God is the Author of a grand narrative—a tale that encompasses all our struggles, pain, joys, and victories. This Author calls us to co-authorship, using our very lives to continue the Kingdom mission and vision of Jesus in a world poised for resurrection.

Having entered into God’s story and made the choice to follow Him, we learn to cultivate a habit of seeking God's will and acting upon it. In His Will Made Manifest (3 of 7), guest preacher Sam Winn explores Biblical models of listening and the discerning role of the Holy Spirit.

Listen to Sam and view the slides here.

Lent to Easter 2016 (2 of 7)

Sermon Series:  Living Ink: Learning to Live in God's Story
Sermon Title:  Wherever He Leads I’ll Go (2 of 7)
Scripture Reading:  Exodus 33:1-3, 7, 12-17; Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 14:22-33

Lent is a 40-day season when the church commemorates the time Jesus spent in solitude, in silence, and fasting in the wilderness. Jesus prepared himself in the wilderness for what the Father had for him in his life and ministry. In this season of wandering and preparation, we are invited to make room for God’s Spirit as we allow him to become the source of our strength and the Lord of our lives. In our Living Ink worship series, we will discover through the Scriptures that God is the Author of a grand narrative—a tale that encompasses all our struggles, pain, joys, and victories. This Author calls us to co-authorship, using our very lives to continue the Kingdom mission and vision of Jesus in a world poised for resurrection.

Once we have entered into God’s story, we learn to live in the grand narrative by allowing the Spirit to lead and guide us. We show our dependency and faith in God when we ask him to go before us, even if it means we must walk through a dark valley or weather the storm. In Wherever He Leads I’ll Go (2 of 7), pastor David calls us to trust in Jesus as our shepherd in good and bad times.

Listen to David and view the slides here.