Sermon Series

Christmas didn’t begin in the obscurity of a manger in Bethlehem, but in the mystery of cosmic origins. Our Advent messages this year will give special attention to the perspective of the Apostle John, who had a front-row seat to the life and teaching of Jesus.

We are all complex people who wrestle with God. While faith can be a uniquely refreshing and stabilizing lifeline in a person’s  life, it is not easy. Though there are many peculiarities to modern life that make it especially challenging, the life of faith has always been fragile. This is evident from the earliest days. Take Abraham, for instance.

Can we believe and not believe at the same time? That seems to have been the experience of a desperate father who brought his troubled son to Jesus for healing:  “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). The more we look at the Bible, it turns out, the more we’ll see this man’s experience might have been the norm rather than the exception. 

How do we make sense of life when it doesn’t make sense? Where is God in the midst of it all? How does he work in our lives, relationships, families, and in our city? Does the church even matter any longer? Answers to each of these questions are found in Ephesians, an ancient reflection on the mystery of grace. 

While the Bible is considered to be the most published book of all time, those who would describe their reading of it (or attempts to do so!) as enjoyable is almost certainly far less. Reasons for this abound. But a curious ramification of Christ’s resurrection at Easter is that it opens up a way of reading the Bible that turns out to be a deeply pleasurable experience. 

Lent, the roughly six weeks leading up to Easter, is an opportunity to give heightened attention to our spiritual health. If you don’t believe or aren’t sure what you believe, Lent is an excuse to explore—a season for asking questions, searching, and considering the possibility of belief.