A God Who Bears Our Suffering for Love
Isaiah 54:10
God is an infinite and diverse being that we are unable to capture in a single description. So Christian scriptures and tradition have employed a variety of metaphors to help us understand God and God's relationship with us. This morning we look at one of the oft ignored metaphors revealing a God who bears suffering because of deep love for us.
Judgement, condemnation, and a God of Love
John 3:16–31
Taking the scriptures seriously means wrestling with the reality of God's wrath. But if we will, we will often find something shockingly hopeful and redemptive.
Would a God of Love send anyone to Hell?
Luke 16:19-31
What do the scriptures really say about hell if we take them seriously? And more importantly, what sort of picture does this paint of the God we serve and worship? And what sort of damage has this done to those outside the church, but also to those within?
Is Heaven for Real?
Luke 24:36-53
What happens when we die but before the resurrection? Does Jesus talk about this at all and how might this change the way we live now?
After Death: Rethinking “Good News”
Mark 1:1-15
I think our misunderstanding of heaven, hell and the afterlife has hijacked what it means to follow Jesus. The Good News of Jesus seems to have shockingly little to death with heaven, or hell. And that makes a huge difference.
The Best News Ever
John 20:1-18
We could all use some good news, but the good news of Easter isn't just good news for the future, it is good news for right here and now.
Renewed in Embodiment: Embodied Life with God
Matthew 21:1–11
Many of us have come to believe our bodies are bad, or at least neutral containers of the real us. But Jesus shows us something radically different, inviting us into a far richer and more holistic understanding of our selves as bodies.
Renewed in Listening: Scripture & Prayer
Matthew 4:1–11
The Scriptures played a key role in the life of Jesus and in the life of God's people for centuries. Is there a way for us to move beyond some of the abusive, simplistic, and cynical ways we relate to the Scriptures in order to recover something redemptive? I think so.
Renewed in Life Together
Matthew 12:46-50
If we are made for love then our relationships are vital to our spiritual life. But what does redemptive, Jesus centered community look like?
Renewed in Fasting…and Feasting
Luke 11:13-19
Spiritual disciplines help us navigate the strong currents of the world. Feasting and fasting give us tools to stand within but in protest of the evil world, in an embodied way, a way that longs for and celebrates the Kingdom of God here and now.
Renewed in Letting Go: Silence, Solitude, Simplicity, and Sabbath
Matthew 11:25-29
Busyness is probably the biggest obstacle to pursuing life with God. But there are ways to foster one while eliminating the other. Here's an invitation from Jesus to let go and rest.
Renewed by Grace: A Life of Prayer
Luke 18:35-43
Jesus invites us to come and follow Him. But what does that look like in the chaos and busyness of our everyday lives? The answer could revolutionize your life.
God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life
Romans 8:28-39
Ready for the most hopeful idea in all of the scriptures? Here is God's plan for your life. And it is wonderful.
A God Who Groans with Us. No…for Us.
Romans 8:26-27
God has a plan for you and pain, suffering, and death aren't it. How do we know? Because of this one magnificent reality.
Living in a World of Pain
Romans 8:18-25
What do we make of a world filled with suffering and pain? Why do we suffer? What does our suffering say about God and us? The answer is not one that allows us to escape our present suffering, but does offer us substantial hope as we endure it.
Sons of God
Romans 8:14-17
Familial language about God can be hard. We import all sorts of baggage and the waters of God's intentions towards us get cloudy. But maybe this can offer a bit of clarity.
Coming Back to Life
Romans 8:9-13
We want to follow Jesus but often feel stuck between religious performance and apathy. Is there another way? Have you tried coming back to life?
A Brave New World
Romans 8:5–8
God's invitation into a brave new world means seeing the world through the lens of God's subversive action at work in it and in you and this changes everything.