Denver Community Church

In this podcast, we explore the ancient practice of Lent and why it still matters for Christians today. Rooted in the 4th century as a time of preparation for Baptism and restoration for those who had wandered from the faith, Lent has always been a season of intentional return. Ultimately, Lent invites us into the ongoing call of the Christian life: to identify what must die in us so that Christ can live more fully. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In Acts 7:9-16, Stephen recounts the story of Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery out of jealousy. Rather than demanding the justice he was owed, Joseph surrendered his "right" to retribution, trusting that God was the ultimate judge and provider. This posture of forgiveness not only saved his family from famine but became the very means through which God's redemptive plan unfolded, demonstrating that releasing our grip on vengeance opens the door for God to work in ways far greater than our own retaliation ever could. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In Acts 7:1–8, Stephen begins his defense by recounting how God appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia and called him to leave his homeland in faith. Though Abraham had no child, God promised him land, foretold 400 years of slavery in Egypt, and assured eventual deliverance, establishing the covenant of circumcision through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs. Stephen reminds us that God's redemptive plan unfolds across generations and that His faithfulness is never confined by geography or circumstance. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Stephen does great wonders and signs. Men from Synagogue of the Freedmen argue with him, can't withstand his wisdom and Spirit.  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In Acts 6:1-7, the Hellenistic Jews complain their widows neglected in daily distribution. The apostles say "it is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve tables." The community chooses seven men "full of the Spirit and wisdom" (including Stephen and Philip). The apostles pray and lay hands on them. Word of God continues to spread; many priests become obedient to the faith. How quickly even in an inclusive environment we are to find ways of categorizing those who are "in" and those who are "out" this is a problem older than the church? How do we be people who are cautious not to overlook those who wouldn't naturally fall into our tribe? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In Acts 5:41-42, the apostles leave rejoicing that they were "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name." Every day in temple and house-to-house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. Sometimes we have been given the vision in the Western church that being a Christian means living the good life… but here the disciples rejoice because they have been considered worthy of suffering. How is suffering something we rejoice over?  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

The apostles find themselves before the Sanhedrin again, the High priest asks: "We ordered you to stop!" Peter responds: "We must obey God rather than men." he goes on to describe Jesus' resurrection, exaltation. The leaders furious, want to kill the apostles. Gamaliel intervenes: "If this is from God, you can't stop it; if not, it'll fail on its own." The leaders are persuaded and the apostles are flogged, ordered to stop speaking about Jesus, and are then released. There is a sense in this passage that God can work however God wants to. There is also this element of exploring the movements that went before the Jesus movement--the ways they missed it, and the ways we are still missing it 2000 years later.  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In Acts 5:12-26, we see the community grow despite what is referred to as "fear" in the text. Simultaneously, Peter's shadow heals people, signs and wonders are present. In the midst of this, Jewish religious leaders throw the apostles in prison. An angel breaks them out at night, and tells them  "go tell the whole message."  This text encourages us to consider the church as a "brave space" rather than "safe space." The invitation toward healing in community can be messy, and scary, and sometimes we find ourselves as an instrument of invitation for someone else's healing. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Join us this winter solstice for our immersive podcast, The Longest Night.  In this liminal space for worship and reflection, we remember the returning of the light after the darkness. Click here to access our accompanying companion guide to support your time of reflection and engagement.

Have you ever noticed that those who have experienced great suffering, are also those who often seem to have a greater capacity for joy? Those who have wept bitterly, are often those same ones who laugh most sincerely. Perhaps there is some nugget of this truth being revealed as Jesus looks to John, the life he led and tells us "yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. In the 3rd week of Advent we light the Candle of Joy. We take joy in the nearness of Christ. But, joy breaks in not by eliminating pain or doubt, but by transforming it. Even John questions Jesus, and Jesus calls him great. Joy grows in wilderness soil.  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

This week we reflect on the peace brought through Christ's coming kingdom. But, Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice. In our text, John the Baptist's fiery confrontation is the necessary disruption that prepares us for God's true peace. God's Peace calls us to address the violence within us all. There always seems to be something about the season of Advent that heightens for us the absence of "shalom" or fullness of peace we ought to experience in this world. This season invites us to listen afresh to the prophets, and to ignite our prophetic imagination for the peace to which we are ultimately called.  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

On the first week of Advent we light the Hope Candle. We are invited to Hope in the coming of Christ... But, Hope is not passive; it calls for our attention. Isaiah's vision of swords into plowshares requires us to "walk in the light of the Lord" — not a soft image, but one that disrupts our violence. For Matthew, divine timing is placed in this image of a thief in the night. Why a negative vision for the hope that we have? How is Matthews invitation one that calls us not towards a passive hope, but one that invites us towards wakefulness? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 4:32-5:11 contrasts two responses to the Spirit-filled community. The believers live in radical unity, sharing possessions so no one is in need. Barnabas is highlighted for his generosity. In contrast, Ananias and Sapphira secretly withhold part of a sale of their property while pretending full generosity. When confronted by Peter, both lie and fall dead, causing great fear in the community. Whose story is this actually? As modern readers coming to this story do we miss the "justice" of sorts the first hearers may have heard?  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 4:23-31 describes the believers' response after Peter and John are released. They gather with the community, pray together, and affirm God's sovereignty. They ask not for safety, but for boldness to continue speaking God's word and for God to heal and perform signs through Jesus' name. Their prayer is answered immediately—the place shakes, they are filled with the Holy Spirit, and they speak with boldness. What a fascinating reality--in the midst of a seemingly dangerous situation where John and Peter only narrowly escape persecution the believers pray not for their safety--but for their commitment towards their mission. They pray for courage and are met with the Holy Spirit not dissimilar to the story we see in Acts 2.  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 4:13-22  describes the leaders' reaction to Peter and John. Amazed by their boldness—despite being unschooled men—and unable to deny the healing, the authorities command them to stop speaking in Jesus' name. Peter and John refuse, saying they cannot stay silent about what they've seen and heard. The leaders, fearing the people who praise God for the miracle, let them go without punishment. So often status, the "right" training, or a fear of failure keeps us from the work God has called us to. How do we be a people who discerns our seasons for preparation, and our seasons for stepping out against the odds towards the work God is inviting us into?  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Here the text recounts Peter and John's trial before the Jewish leaders. When questioned about the healing, Peter—filled with the Holy Spirit—boldly declares that the man was healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom they crucified but whom God raised from the dead. He asserts that Jesus is the cornerstone rejected by the builders and that salvation is found in no one else. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 3:24-4:4 continues Peter's sermon and describes the response. Peter declares that all the prophets—from Samuel onward—foretold the days now being fulfilled in Jesus. He reminds the people they are heirs of the covenant made with Abraham, and that God sent Jesus first to them to bless them by turning them from their sins. However, as Peter and John speak, the temple authorities—disturbed by their teaching on resurrection—arrest them. Despite this, many who heard the message believe, and about 5,000 men come to faith. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 3:17-23 is part of Peter's message following the healing of the lame man. He acknowledges that the people and their leaders acted in ignorance when they rejected Jesus, but he calls them to repent so their sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come. Peter says Jesus is the promised prophet like Moses, and warns that anyone who does not listen to him will be cut off from God's people. How does resurrection invite us all back towards the cycles of death, resurrection, and new life continually as we are confronted with our own ignorance time and time again? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

While Acts 2 proclaims resurrection in response to Pentecost, Acts 3 proclaims resurrection in response to healing. And just like in chapter 2, Peter interprets the event through the Hebrew Scriptures and calls for repentance—but this time with an even more compassionate tone. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

they enter the temple, the man asks for money, but Peter offers healing instead, invoking Jesus' name. The man is miraculously healed, begins walking and leaping, and praises God. The crowd is filled with wonder and amazement at what has happened. What does the kingdom offer those on the margins, what is our role in not overlooking those in need?  ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 2:42-47 describes the shared daily life of the early church community. The believers devote themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They live in unity, sharing possessions and meeting needs. Their communal life is marked by joy, generosity, and praise, and their numbers grow daily as others are drawn to their way of life. We often picture this as an idyllic, utopian system, but what if this was actually more about economic justice than idealism?    Shared life forms us. We are formed not just by ideas but by the things we routinely do--relational rhythms shape our identities. ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Acts 2:36-41 concludes Peter's Pentecost sermon with a direct call to action, declaring that God has made Jesus—whom the people crucified—both Lord and Messiah. The crowd is cut to the heart and asks what to do; Peter tells them to repent and be baptized in Jesus' name for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. He assures them the promise is for all generations. About 3,000 people respond and are baptized that day. "Both Lord and Messiah" This isn't a ticket to heaven—it's entry into Spirit-filled community and new creation life. What if this is not individualistic escape, but an invitation to resist the dehumanizing systems of the present age (Rome, religion, nationalism). ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

This is the heart of Peter's Pentecost sermon. He declares that Jesus' death was part of God's divine plan, but humans are still responsible for crucifying him. God raised Jesus from the dead, freeing him from death's power—fulfilling David's prophecy. Peter argues that David wasn't speaking of himself, but of the Messiah, whom God would raise and exalt. He affirms that Jesus is now exalted at God's right hand and has poured out the Holy Spirit, which the crowd is witnessing. How should we understand the upside down nature of the kingdom and the kind of power we are called to pursue? How does Jesus' resurrection and exaltation redefine power, kingship, and God's faithfulness? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Peter explains that the outpouring of the Spirit fulfills Joel's prophecy, signaling the last days. He begins proclaiming Jesus as the one sent by God, validated through miracles and divine power. Here, those called are likewise validated by the Spirit moving in and through them. Joel 2 which Peter quotes here, talks of a radical inclusion. The vision for all people--this extends beyond Jew vs. Gentile, but also includes social boundaries of gender, age, etc. The Spirit of God is the great equalizer and is poured out on all people.   How does the Spirit reframe our experience and expand who belongs?  How does Peter use and understand Joel 2? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

This is the undoing of the Tower of Babel… if the story of babel is that of an ancient people invoking a ziggurat (a temple used to bring the gods to earth to serve man)…this story is God coming to man to prepare him for the service of God. The power the disciples had asked for in Acts 1--will instead be the power given by the Spirit in Acts 2, not the political power and prestige they wanted, but a subversive power that calls for the service of all. A power that empowers the powerless. This will be not an elevation of Israel a division like the tower of babel, but a bringing together of a diverse group of people to be the People of God--this is not eradicating Israel but fulfilling the call the be a blessing to all peoples.    What does Pentecost teach us about the nature of the church as the Spirit of God is poured out on all of God's people? What does this pouring out of the Spirit mean for us as the body today? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

If Acts 1 holds the disciples' question, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?,” as a longing for political or social power, Acts 2 answers not with domination but with Spirit-filled community, mutuality, and witness to the margins. Willie James Jennings says "The Book of Acts...[is] ... A call to Christians to be open to the action of the Spirit, not only leading them to confront values and practices in society that may need to be subverted, but perhaps even leading them to subvert or question practices and values within the Church itself." (Bible for Normal People, Episode 188) What if our deepest transformation comes not through conquest but through communion? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

After wandering in the wilderness, Israel is on the cusp of a new beginning. Deuteronomy retells their story- not to rehash the past, but to remind a new generation of who they are. It's a call to choose life, to love God and neighbor, and to remember the long road that brought them here. Deuteronomy was likely compiled or finalized during or just before the Babylonian exile. It reflects a community in crisis trying to reimagine faithfulness without land, temple, or power, and inviting a return to covenant rooted in love and justice. What do we carry forward—and what do we leave behind? What kind of community are we becoming as we step into the future? ---------- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Exodus is the defining story of freedom in the Hebrew Bible. God hears the cries of the oppressed, confronts empire, and invites a people into a new way of living. But freedom isn't the end; it's the beginning of becoming a people shaped by justice, generosity, and divine presence. In remembering, we are transformed. This text was central to Israel's communal identity—especially in exile. God is shown as a liberator, not just from slavery, but from the dehumanizing stories of empire. The giving of the Law is framed not as control, but as a path to life. What does it mean to be free, and how do we use that freedom for good? What stories of liberation do we need to remember today? ----- Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In Genesis 12-22, God calls Abram and Sarai to leave everything familiar and walk into an unknown future—one where their story will bless the world. It's a story of deep faith, devastating detours, and divine promise. For a people emerging from exile or navigating change, this was more than history—it was a script for what it means to trust, wander, and hope. These chapters represent the beginning of Israel's covenant identity. In post-exilic contexts, Abraham and Sarah became symbolic ancestors of faithfulness in uncertainty and courage in displacement. What do we need to leave behind in order to follow the call? How might God's promises shape how we live even when we don't see fulfillment? Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Floods. Towers. Scattered languages. These stories are not meant to be read as history, but as theological reflection. They echo the fears and hopes of people living in empire—longing for justice, worried about human pride, and desperate for a God who remembers them. In a world still marked by violence and power-hunger, these stories invite us to imagine something different. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

This week, we examine the theme of humanity's tendency toward hiding and God's relentless pursuit in Genesis 3. This story has often been read as the origin of sin—but it is also deeply human portraits of fear, shame, blame, and broken relationships. Adam and Eve hide. Cain lashes out. And yet, God keeps showing up. These ancient stories wrestle with the same questions we do: Why do we hurt each other? Why do we run from vulnerability? What would it take to be seen and still loved? Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Genesis 1-2 was likely written or compiled during the Babylonian exile—a time when Israel had lost land, temple, and national identity. Framed as a poetic and liturgical text, the creation story stands in contrast to Babylonian myths of violence and domination. Instead, it offers a radically different vision: a world made in love, by a God who blesses and invites. In exile, this was not just theology—it was resistance, hope, and the reimagining of identity. Even today, when we find ourselves in the midst of chaos, change, or staring into the unfamiliar, these ancient words invite us into the same sacred imagination. What if this story offers us hope, resistance, and a chance to reimagine who we are—and who God still calls us to be? Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

We are a community being healed—personally, communally, historically. And we're called to participate in God's justice-making work in the world. This is the unfolding love story between God and creation—and we get to play a part. Invitation to Practice: Reflect on your own healing story. Where is God inviting you to join the work of restoration and justice? Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

The Church is called to reflect the mindset of Christ—emptying ourselves for the good of others, considering one another with deep care, and living in unity that is born not from sameness but from shared love. Christ's humility becomes our pattern for being in community. Invitation into Practice: Practice Christlike humility this week by noticing when you're tempted to place yourself at the center— your preferences, your perspective, your power—and choosing instead to uplift and honor another. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Just as the body is one and has many parts, so it is with Christ. We were all baptized into one body—regardless of race, class, gender, or background—and each of us matters. Diversity in the Body of Christ is not a problem to solve but a gift to receive. Every part belongs. No one can say, “I don't need you.” True Christian unity means we suffer and rejoice together, valuing the voices and experiences that differ from our own.   Invitation into Practice: Listen to someone's story who experiences the world differently than you. Practice making space at your table—literally or figuratively—for those who've been left out or overlooked.   Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8  

We are part of a long line of people who lived by faith—imperfect, courageous, often misunderstood, and deeply hopeful. Our identity as Christians isn't built on superiority or certainty but on joining this great cloud of witnesses in running the race marked out for us, with our eyes on Jesus. He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, the one who endured suffering for the sake of joy, and now calls us to be his Body in the world. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

In his last teaching as Lead Pastor at Denver Community Church, Michael's final sermon concludes our study of the Book of Luke and invites us to consider the words of Saint Francis, who said “Let us begin again, for until now, we have done nothing.” Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Jesus appears to the disciples much to their shock, fear and disbelief. But he comforts them and reminds them not to fear; he even moves toward them inviting them to touch the wounds if that's what they need. And then, like college student coming home after a semester away he asks for something to eat. This may not be for his benefit, but for their's, because ghosts don't eat food. Once the shock of it all begins to wear off, he begins to teach them telling them they will be the ones to bring this good news to the world.  And it's good news, because in Jesus we see all that was promised and a glimpse of what it to come. In Jesus we have the hope of the reconciliation and unity of all things. It's a work he wants to do and is doing in each of us. A work he is doing in every single place of the mutliverse – from the atomic level upward. And we are invited not only to join him in that work but have that work happen through us. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

When the two travelers reach their destination, they invite this stranger to enjoy a meal with them and stay the night. Apparently, he was not interested at first, because they had to urge him to stay. They prevail and he agrees and they find themselves around a table. In an unexpected move, the stranger takes the place of the host.  He takes the bread, gives thanks, breaks it and gives it to them. Suddenly their eyes, which had been closed, are opened and they recognize him just before he disappears from their sight. What is it about the bread that points to the identity of Jesus? What does this sacred meal we participate in reveal about the Christ? This is what we will explore together. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

We will walk toward the tomb with the women expecting to anoint the body of the crucified Jesus, only to be astonished with them when the they discover the tomb is empty. We will be invited to respond to the question asked of them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” In this, we will consider where we look for life – in places of death or life. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Have you ever had moments when you think it's over? That nothing can ever rise from the dead? Such was the state of mind when they placed Jesus in that tomb. It was a moment devoid of hope, when everything had fallen apart. Who can blame them for thinking this way? The idea of resurrection was not on their minds, at least not in this way. This is why “They went home and prepared the spices and perfumes.” All they could do was honor the dead in the way they always had. All they could do was mourn and grieve as the Sabbath approached. Because nothing would ever be the same. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Just before Jesus breathes his last, he quotes the Psalmist, “Into your hands, I commit my spirit.” This Psalm is one that extols the goodness of God; speaking of God's refuge, protection and salvation. What a curious thing. Jesus, at the point of his death after enduring torture and hours on the cross conjures words that point to that? Perhaps there is something worth meditating on here as Jesus, even at death, shows his total trust in God. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp

Jesus is nailed to the execution stake where passersby hurl insults at him and mock him. Crucifixion was not just the most horrifc forms of execution ever created, it was designed to be humiliating as well. This is why crucifixions were such public affairs. For those who wanted Jesus dead all along, they now had the chance to watch this man - who seemingly attempted to upset the prevailing order – die. But for some reason that was not enough. So they mocked him, laughing in the midst of his suffering. But in the midst of it all, the writer is whispering to us that it is precisely because he is king, because he will rebuild the temple, because he refused to save himself that he is saving others – these are the very reasons he stayed on that cross. This, proclaims the crucified Christ, is what the love of God looks like. Click here to access resources for supporting immigrants: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9suVgJsS8X6TdH6ec2TBRKTz3dCqzQ2dPzUor4TKHc/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ejsud9n02yg8 Thank you for joining us today! If you feel led to give to DCC, you can do so here: https://pushpay.com/g/denverchurch?src=hpp