New Beginnings Lutheran Church

Prayer. We spell it: T.A.L.K. We could spell it S.E.E.K.I.N.G. Or we could spell it: K.N.O.C.K.I.N.G. However you think about prayer, for most of us it is God-ward looking. Jesus says that's a good perspective to have.

Life experiences are frequently used by God to form and fashion us as disciples. Often these determine our interests and passions. What do you take for granted that may actually be a unique qualification for living out your calling in life?

Square peg, round hole? You know what that means: not fitting in. But we all have a fit. We all have people and places we are meant to be. On the flip side, there are gonna be people and places we do not fit. And that's ok.

One person's treasure is another person's trash? Yikes! Can Christians value different things so vehemently as this adage sounds? Apparently we can. But, after a couple thousand years, we're learning how to better relate, right?

Just in Missouri, 390 birds flit from yard to yard, from bluff to plain. God certainly expressed Himself through diversity. So why do we struggle so much with conformity to a cookie-cutter model of discipleship? Let's not.

Christians are not hamburgers. Ray Kroc leveraged assembly line technology to improve fast-food and then franchised McDonald's. God didn't assembly line you. If God made everybody different, let's not.

Consider the various resurrection accounts. Jesus unveiled the best possible news the world has ever seen with a slow drip method. The Lord appeared to different people differently. How does Jesus relate to you?

There is no Easter without Good Friday. We resume a rich tradition for this service by listening to the seven words of Jesus spoken from the cross and hearing their significance for us today.

We learn how important prayer is even when we know the answer is no. Jesus had the cross in his sights from before the creation of the world, but still He travailed in prayer as He approached it.

How might this enormously familiar event foster greater hunger in our hearts for what Jesus gives? We easily take this meal for granted, but the historical context you may not know brings new flavor.

A woman lavishes an expensive gift on Jesus. She creates quite a stir. Jesus puts it all in perspective, though not all might agree with Him. After all, the same issues continue to create squabbles today.

We are in the middle of a seven day journey over six weeks. One might say what got Jesus killed was what He said. If only Jesus had known the maxim not to talk about politics or religion.

We are in week two of the seven days of Holy Week. Jesus Christ suffered for us; His passion also involved His zeal to provide reconciliation for God's people. Therefore, Jesus clears the way for all people to stand before God.

We will spend the 40+ days of Lent focused on one week: the week of Christ's passion. Palm Sunday will begin five weeks early, therefore, as we join the throng heralding Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem riding upon a donkey.

During our day, we get to hear and see many amazing sights. But, we often wonder if this is real or fake. It may be too good to be true. Sometimes, we also think this way about the truth of God's Word. Is Jesus really God? Did He live and die as the Bible says? Even the disciples had doubts, but in a powerful moment on the mountain, Jesus reveals His divinity. Join us this Sunday as we explore the wonder and awe of His divine revelation.

Jesus' cry is said to have been so loud that it silenced heaven. It is an expression of abandonment, pain, suffering, and anguish. Some say that Jesus's cry was an invitation for people to bring their own questions to God.

There's always gotta be one. And this series would be remiss not to include doubting Thomas' encounter with the resurrected Jesus. We may learn it is safe to be honest, even if we are in a different place than the rest of the group.

Where is God? Even Isaiah the prophet exclaimed God hides Himself. The feeling of God's absence is especially sharp during hardships in life. And when you feel uncertain, you stand in the place of faith… and doubt.

The opposite of faith is not doubt. Doubts are “the ants in the pants of faith.” In fact, God uses unanswered questions, not unquestioned answers, to lead us to places of faith. Put on your singlet.

There is nothing like a shared goal to form a connection between two people. And differences of opinion about how to achieve that goal can break the best of friends. Paul and Barnabas knew this, but that's not the end of the story.

We were made to see and know other people. This requires “attention over efficiency.” The faithful relationship between Ruth and Naomi shows how relationships ripple outward, shaping families and communities.

We were made for friendship. If you want a friend, be a friend because to have a friend you need to be a friend. The famous bond between David and Jonathon demonstrates how a friend can stick closer than a brother.

We spent weeks before Christmas waiting and learning the lessons of expectation. Some wait for the unexpected. Would we miss God if He showed up in ways contrary to our expectations? Or might we learn to see God in the places that we've been conditioned not to look?

Advent season teaches us how to look forward to the future by being joyfully and fully present now. Again, waiting is active. Waiting for the future involves transforming the present. In fact, waiting for Christmas is life transforming so that this time of year is more than a season, but a way of being. Mary, the mother of Jesus, portrays a lifetime of waiting.

Advent is a time we learn (or relearn) how to wait and discover (or rediscover) the art of savoring the future. No expecting parents want to rush their baby's arrival, but want their child to arrive in the fullness of time. Likewise we practice expectancy without seeking to rush the process. John the Baptist embodies how we wait between two times.

Advent involves four weeks dedicated to waiting. Waiting is not about doing nothing, but can be immensely active. Even though some stores stock Christmas decorations beside Halloween candies in September, we practice anticipation in Advent. Isaiah and the prophets exemplify how we wait for the day of the Lord.

Waiting is a counter cultural pursuit today. We live in a culture of immediacy. Advent is a season in church time—appreciated only by those in the church. We get to wait for something that has already happened… and will happen again. Abraham and Sarah show us what it means when God calls us to wait.

“I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.” These words, inked by an apostle, were not intended to be screened onto a powerlifter's muscle-shirt. This Word is about facing bull-and-bear markets in confidence with Christ.

Concern over the economy, inflation, and whether or not we'll outlive our money let alone have too much week left at the end of our paycheck has become the American curse. Are we really as insecure as we have come to believe?

The American Dream has become a story about economic opportunity, freedom and independence, personal fulfillment and happiness. As we spend our lives attempting to fulfill this narrative, when does “contentment” arrive?

Where is God taking you? How do you see your future? The future appears to us like the waves of the sea: always changing. So even as we pursue what we see ahead, we hold loosely and move forward in faith that God will direct us, like Abraham.

Your when measures your success. You'll know it when you see it. When will you know you're accomplishing your mission--when you hit the bullseye? Nehemiah had clear goals and tangible outcomes to pursue. So will you.

Your how is the method you employ to accomplish your mission. Your how is the process that translates into action. Joseph exhibited this strategic thinking and Pharoah set him in place to implement his logic. Are you ready?

Your what is your mission. Your mission is your compass, your guiding north star. Your mission is your God-given mandate. This clarifies what you do. Moses knew what he had to do--God told him. God has told you too.

Your why explains your motivation. Why do you do anything? Or why don't you? Your why also determines how you respond to what life throws at you. Job didn't know why things happened, but he knew his why. Do you?

We've learned in this series that miracles help us see significance (the word “sign” is in significance) in the past, present, and future. Hopefully, we focus not on the miracles so much as the miracle worker. Like a window, we are meant to see through them.

We've learned in this series that miracles help us see significance (the word “sign” is in significance) in the past, present, and future. Hopefully, we focus not on the miracles so much as the miracle worker. Like a window, we are meant to see through them.

Miracles were around before Jesus. And claims of healings and even exorcisms point to more than one source. What makes a miracle work and, just as important, what work does it do in us? Miracles work a variety of outcomes.

People followed Jesus for more than just the catchy stories He told them. Jesus demonstrated authority and power. But the miracles of Jesus are about more than feeding people and curing their diseases. They mean far more.

Jesus cured the sick, cast out demons, and showed power over nature. Accounts like these are not unique to Christians. So what is the meaning for us behind the signs and wonders Jesus performed─both then and now?

Do you believe in miracles? Stories of miracle workers appear throughout the history and various religions of the world─even today. How would the message of Scripture have us see the signs and wonders Jesus performed? What do they mean for us today?

The Bible is not just one book but a collection of 66 individual books written by 40 different authors from all walks of life: shepherds, farmers, tent-makers, physicians, fishermen, priests, philosophers, and kings. Despite the differences in occupations and the span of years it took to write it, the Bible is an extremely cohesive and unified book that leads to Jesus. There is one main plotline weaving the different books and stories together. Once you grasp this core storyline and how all the books fit together, you can pick the Bible up at any point, and you'll know right where you are and what's going on. This week, prepare for worship by picking up your Bible and reading 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Proverbs 3:5-6, and one other chapter of your choosing and ask yourself, “How does what I read point to Jesus?”

THE CROSS IS NOT ABOUT WRATH | Jesus' death on the cross is about redemption and atonement. But why do we need to be redeemed, what is atonement? Because of wrath! Jesus' death and resurrection paid the debt that we had to God. Now we are free to live in faith. During this lesson, we will remember that Jesus' death was because of our sins, not because of anything that Jesus did. The Father killed the son on account of your sin. “The wrath of God was satisfied” and we respond with thanks and praise.

GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES | Poor Richard's Almanac was created by Benjamin Franklin in order for him to make a living. Inside each addition, he would include short ‘proverbs' like this one. But it is not true. While the sentiment might flow out of the thought from our last study, we must understand that we cannot do anything on our own. It is only through the redemption of Jesus and the power of the Spirit that any of our works, prayers, or very lives mean anything. God is the only one who comes to empower, uplift, and sustain our faith for acts of service in His kingdom.

THIS WORLD IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT | Classic inspirational poster material. Rise to the occasion and make a difference. While not wrong on their own, this line of thinking can become our god because we make ourselves to be gods. While it is true God has placed us in this time and place to make a difference, it is not for our glory, for God's name to be proclaimed and worshiped above all things.

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE | Live and Let Die is an awesome song from Paul McCartney that reminds us of this common lie to live your life now. Carpe Diem, the Latin sentiment for “Seize the day,” while inspirational, can lead us to live in such a way that does not display the hope we have of eternal life. If all we are is crude matter, then sure, why not do whatever is going to be best for you in this life? But God calls us to live for a higher purpose to display His power and love to the world. This is why He originally chose the children of Israel so that all people on Earth might be directed to God, but they rebelled and lived life how they wanted to, just as we do today.

JUST LIVE YOUR TRUTH | “What is truth?” (John 18:38) Our lives are defined by ‘truth', and today, that seems harder and harder to identify. Everyone wants their own truth. Paul writes that in these last days people will turn and listen to whatever their itchy ears like to hear. God's truth is not always popular, and it certainly isn't the easiest to follow in our sinful world. In this session, we will analyze the “truths” that surround our everyday experiences and explore how we can share God's ultimate truth with others.

GOD WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY | “Why wouldn't God want me to be happy?” “If God is good, then He wouldn't want anything bad to happen to me.” While this line of thinking might sound right at first, it is false. We are making an assumption about God that is never expressed to us anywhere in the Scripture. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Many times the prophets, the Apostles, and Jesus himself tell us that we will have “trouble” and “suffering” in this world. The devil uses this lie to create a barrier between us and the truth of God's love. God is the good, good Father, creator of all things. Like a good parent, he allows us to experience the consequence of our sin through death and suffering. Feelings are emotions that God has given to us. Our feelings are not always right; sometimes, they are, but other times, they lead us down the wrong path. If our feelings define our reality, then hopelessness and despair will eventually ruin all our lives. But, through this pain, He is refining, molding, and shaping us to be closer followers of Jesus, who gives us faith, hope, and life.

LOVING COMMUNITYWanna see God? Then you best attend this Sunday.

LOVE MINDSETGreat minds think alike? Not often. But grace minds think differently than you'd think! Was that too repetitive?

LONG SUFFERING LOVEThe very first exhortation of Paul's letter to the Philippians (and to us!) is to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel. What is a life worthy of the Gospel?