ReNew Ames Messages

Yeah...I don't know about this one. As we start by retelling this story, we're going to focus on the line, "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Why are we dealing with this idea just five weeks after Easter? Easter is like the most obvious proof that Jesus was and is the Messiah - and yet, the church assigns this story just five weeks after Easter. Already? We're questioning who Jesus is already? Well, maybe it's perfect timing. The life of faith, more often than not, isn't a simple movement from unbelief to belief and then that's it. It's a constant oscillation between those two things. So it's appropriate that we go from "Christ is risen, he has risen indeed" to "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." We often don't believe - faith can be and often is a constant struggle. The story moves on. Jesus says, "I have told you, and you didn't believe. You do not believe because you are not my sheep.": What the what? Ouch. Does that mean that if we don't believe we don't belong? That's only if we make belief primary here, which Jesus doesn't seem to do. What Jesus seems to be saying is belonging comes first - maybe what he's saying is that belief can't come first - belonging leads to belief. To believe in the Bible is to trust - to depend upon - to throw our lot in with. It's an orientation of our hearts - a willingness to stake everything we have on the person, the life, death, and resurrection of God's Son. It's not an abstract thing - it's a thing best learned (maybe only learned) through relationship. BIGGEST IDEA HERE - We belong to each other, and together we belong to the divine. So even if belief, trust, faith falters - we still belong. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 10:22-30 http://bible.com/events/49437424

Jesus is the gate. Once you walk into a relationship with Jesus the gate, there's a transition that takes place. You go from one place to another - you walk across the threshold. This is like the story of when Saul turned into Paul. In Paul's words, "If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" Walking into a relationship with Jesus the gate - there's new life ahead - a life that is abundant. This is where we can talk about what abundance means - it comes from living the Jesus way - love God, love people. We experience that through this community of Jesus people. It is a life that is full - abundant, as we give ourselves away to one another and together to the world. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 10:1-10 http://bible.com/events/49434224

These first 4 verses are a jumbled mess. It's really one run-on sentence with a bunch of dependent clauses at the beginning and doesn't get to the main subject and verb until what we have as verse three. In other words, John is really excited to write about what he's writing about. So instead of going verse by verse, we'll talk about the main things he's trying to convey. 1) This Jesus thing really happened. They saw it. Heard it. Touched it. It really happened. John is writing in the late first century to 2nd and 3rd generation Jesus people. By the time they learn about Jesus, it's been 50 years since Jesus physically walked on the planet. You can imagine them having questions - did this really happen? Was Jesus real? Are these stories real? John is giving them reassurance as someone who was with Jesus. He understands it's hard to believe - so he's saying, trust me. I was there. Doubt is there - for all of us. Especially 50 generations or so later, if I have my math correct. Lean into doubt, but don't go alone. Lean into questions, but do it in community. 2) We experienced him. I'll do some 'spaining about the grammar here. He's using the perfect tense - that is, talking about something in the past that still continues to have an impact in the present. 3) John wants them to experience, too. John's experience of the joy that Jesus brings is incomplete unless he shares it with community. It's one of the reasons we gather week after week. It's a shared experience of the divine that continues to transform us in the present. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4 http://bible.com/events/49430871

What is this story about? It's about failure and forgiveness - not one or the other, but both. The disciples spent three years with Jesus; in that time, they learned from him every day and spent all their time with him. After Jesus left them (after giving them his Spirit - his presence), they went back to the way things were - fishing. Sometimes we do the same - we experience the presence of God - we know what to do next, know the changes we need to make, know the conversations we need to have, and then we don't - we forget - we lose the nerve. Then there's Peter - Jesus asks him three times if Peter loves him. Echoes the three betrayals. Jesus meets Peter right where he failed him. God meets us in our failures, too - with his nonjudgmental presence offering grace, love and forgiveness. This story is also about going where we might not want to go - and it's in those places that God meets us. In fact, it's in those places where God becomes flesh again - this time in us. Finally, this story is about a sense of calling. Not in a big sense - like, you're now a missionary on fire for Jesus saving the world overseas. No, not like that. Jesus calls us to feed his sheep - show love like he showed love. No matter where we are - we have a calling to love. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 21:1-19 http://bible.com/events/49427418

It's Easter Sunday! We're getting started here with a brief retelling of the story. Then we get to the part where the angel says, "Do not be afraid." I have trouble with this. Maybe we all have trouble with this. There's so much in the world that causes us fear. So what makes this angel think he can come into our place of worship, look us straight in the eye and say with all seriousness, "Do not be afraid?" After he tells us not to be afraid he makes an announcement and then a promise. An announcement that, if true, changes everything. He is risen. What if that's true? If it's true, it changes everything and all things are possible. Then he makes a promise: Jesus is ahead of you. Most of what causes us fear is in the future. It's an uncertain tomorrow. Jesus is ahead of us. Jesus promises to be with us in whatever we face in our uncertain future. And that gives us hope. Of course, hope isn't something we can just sit back and enjoy. Welp, I hope everything turns out okay tomorrow! Welp, I hope God shows up tomorrow. That's wishful thinking. Hope, real hope, is to throw ourselves into the struggle for the realization of that hope. And that's how Matthew's story about Jesus ends. It ends with an invitation to live into resurrection - to live into hope - an invitation to let it define our lives. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10 https://www.bible.com/events/49422813

A note: there are some audio issues in this one that are unfixable in editing. Our apologies! Palm Sunday! There's a connection between Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, and Palm Sunday, as the season of Lent draws to a close. Both will lead us into contemplating our own mortality - the fact that all of us will one day die. THAT always leads us to the realization that we live in a complex, uncertain, and sometimes unfair world. That's what makes Palm Sunday so odd. It starts with a celebration - a parade - then ends in the unjust death of Jesus. And the entire parade - the entire celebration, Jesus knows what's ahead, knows he's going to die. So we're going to notice how Jesus carries himself as he makes his way in a complex, uncertain, and unfair world. We'll notice that he comes to bring peace and reconciliation. Jesus rides into the city on a donkey, not a horse, indicating a nonviolent intention. He didn't come looking for a physical fight, so does he force the issue? Yes, but the world didn't have to kill him - and yet it did. This leads us to notice that Jesus was going to fulfill the Father's call on his life no matter the consequences. What does that mean for us? If we're following Jesus and living as passionately and as fully as he did when he walked on this planet - it'll look like we don't quite fit in - like we're fish out of water. We live in a world where violence and aggression rule the day - if we're living like Jesus we're living on a different plane of existence, where peace and reconciliation rule the day. How do we do that? We pay attention to our cultural moment. That's what Jesus was doing. He was protesting Roman occupation - he was protesting empire - he was protesting might makes right. What does that look like in our day? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 19:28-40 https://www.bible.com/events/49420259

Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Philippians 2:12-18 http://bible.com/events/49416767

The story of Jesus and Nicodemus. In order to understand this, we have to know a little bit about Nicodemus. John gives us some clues. He's a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. Smart. Well respected. His whole life was dedicated to understanding and living up to Torah - becoming as holy and righteous as can be in order to honor God. He comes to Jesus under cover of darkness. Perhaps he didn't want to be seen by his fellow Pharisees. Maybe his faith had become stale - like it wasn't giving him life. But he notices that Jesus lives differently - he wants what Jesus has. A vibrant life. A vibrant faith. Jesus tells him he must be born again. And like a good fundamentalist, Nico reads him literally. Doesn't understand the metaphor. So Jesus talks about the Spirit - the wind. He still doesn't get it. So Jesus pulls an obscure story out of Numbers about biting snakes, dying people, and salvation by way of a bronze snake up on a stick. Weird, I know. If you look up at the snake after being bitten - you live. Look up and live. Why don't we look up and live? Well, sometimes we don't look up and live because we're afraid - sometimes we're filled with shame because of the image of God we've been given. But sometimes we don't because we think we can take care of our own problems all on our own. Jesus tells Nico this story so he'll understand that a relationship with the Divine is founded on love and grace. That's how transformation takes place. That might have been difficult for Nico to hear. Maybe he felt like his whole belief system had been a sham. But this wasn't condemnation - this was an invitation to start again - to be born again. Maybe "born again" is an openness to this Spirit - maybe it's an openness to change and growth. Maybe it's to see the world with wonder and curiosity. Maybe "born again" is a willingness to trust God with your life - your future - like a newborn trusts mommy and daddy. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 3:1-21 https://www.bible.com/events/49413343

Jesus weeps over Jerusalem as a mother hen - calling her chicks back and yet, they were not willing. We're going to spend some time thinking about this image of the mother hen. What in the world could this story be saying to us? 1) Maybe this story is inviting us to embrace a vulnerability not often embraced in this world. Jesus doesn't offer to get rid of the "fox" (Herod). What Jesus does offer is his presence, his life, his very body to give protection, shelter, and warmth - even in the face of danger - even if it would cost him his life. What would it look like to embrace that vulnerability in this world? We're talking about chicks and children - some of the most vulnerable in the world. What would it look like for us to stand in front, offering protection? How does this change how we see the body of Christ - the church? How does this change how we view politics and the policies we support? 2) Maybe this story is inviting us to create space for lament. Jesus laments that his children will not come home. So we're going to create space for lament. 3) Maybe this story is an invitation to return. The image of the chicks with their mother hen is an image of gathering, community, intentional oneness. What is it in our lives preventing us from coming home? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 13:31-35 http://bible.com/events/49410046

We live in a world that is obsessed with knowledge - which is a good thing. Knowledge gets you ahead. Knowledge is power. That's what we say. And we experience that, too. It worked for Paul. He really was THE MAN, when it came to all things God. For a lot of us who grew up in the Church, head knowledge of the contents and principles of the Bible was something that we valued highly. Memorization, then being able to recite on the spot, or at least be able to talk about it with certainty. Paul called all of that stuff "garbage" when compared to knowing Jesus. Garbage. Rubbish. Actually, the best way to translate that word is, "shit." It's all a bunch of BS compared to knowing Jesus. Okay, poop - let's talk about poop. This is now the second sermon I've preached about poop. Yay! All that stuff we know about Jesus is like manure - it fertilizes the heart and soul to prepare us for knowing Jesus. The head stuff is great. But it's also BS. It has to fertilize the heart so that we can actually know the divine. And knowing Jesus has a transformative effect on our lives. We become a gracious presence. We become a healing presence. We become a loving presence. We become a welcoming presence. And most importantly, we become a loving presence. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Philippians 3:1-14 http://bible.com/events/49406721

It's Lent time, baby! It always starts with an examination of this particular story in Luke. Today we're talking about how we can approach it - from an individual perspective - how does this impact each of our lives? AND from a communal perspective - how does this impact us as a community? Temptation one is to go after the short-cut - to take the easy way - to go after instant gratification. We're always looking for instant gratification. But the slow, hard work of building relationships, establishing trust, and invitation is the only way things go well. Temptation two is to compromise in order to grasp after power. Yeesh, this one is tempting all the time - compromise our integrity in order to get ahead. But there's a flip side to this. We hold a different view about human sexuality and gender. It would be easy for us to be self-righteous about it - to be militant about it - to try and force others to come to the same conclusion - but that's not how God works. Temptation three is to make fear the basis of faith. This can be used to manipulate and control. If we just have to believe the right things and believe in them hard enough then God will protect us. You can be coerced into believing some pretty crazy things if fear is the basis of faith. But the cross teaches us something different. God's beloved still get hurt and ache and bleed and die. But we have a God who suffers alongside us. This is good news - because we also have a God who resurrects. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 4:1-13 https://www.bible.com/events/49403199

This morning we are doing something a bit different once again, with a panel of therapists who are in our community. A huge thank you to Sarah Fleming, Holly Thompson, and Jason Stark for sharing their time and wisdom with us today! Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Psalm 13:1-6 http://bible.com/events/49399816

Luke's version of the Beatitudes - except he includes some "woes." The first thing we notice is that this is all backwards - Jesus has things all upside-down. What our world thinks of as blessed usually involves prosperity linked to wealth, comfort, no lack of possessions or materials to get what we want. Yeah, it's the opposite of what Jesus says. I'll admit that I don't quite know what to do with these things. I'm tempted to edit these things. I'm tempted to see them as metaphors. Poor? Hungry? Mourning? Hated and excluded? Jesus must've been exaggerating. But he wasn't. The crowd Jesus was talking to were the sick, the lame, the demon possessed. They were the marginalized - the outcast. And Jesus calls them "blessed" - says that God is on their side. When you've got nothing left - end of the line - you are now closer to the kingdom of God than ever before. You are blessed. God is on your side. Of course, there is the other matter of the woes. Most of us live cozy and comfortable lives. For the most part we're not in dire need of anything. There isn't much in our circumstances that can lead us to a sense of urgency about ultimate things. We can go days without talking to God - days without thinking about God. It's not because we don't want to, yearn to, desire to, it's just that - in the words of Jesus - we've already been comforted. We're full. So maybe what Jesus is saying is that for most of us, we have something to learn about following Jesus - about blessedness - that our life circumstances won't teach us. Maybe we have something to learn from people who don't have what most of us have. Maybe it's our turn to shut up and listen. But humanity doesn't want to listen. We don't listen to the poor, the hungry, the immigrant, and all the others who've been marginalized by the powers that be. Humanity doesn't want to listen. Why should we? We're already full. Woe to us. What do we do? Maybe step into that calling. Maybe we do listen and learn and stand in solidarity with those who've been pushed out. All we have to do is let go of power and privilege. All we have to do is give away all of our love. Maybe then we'll experience this thing called the kingdom of God. Maybe then we'll experience the fullness of what Jesus calls "blessed." Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 6:17-26 https://www.bible.com/events/49396230

What does this story say about us human beings? I love how this story talks about failure so honestly. We've been out all night and haven't caught anything! I know nothing about fishing, but I do know what it's like to put a lot of time and energy into something important and not get anything out of it. And I love it that these are the people Jesus calls - they're just like us! What does this story say about God? God calls people. God calls people in a way that honors who they are. I love the abundance we find in the divine. Yay! Food for all! What does this story ask us to do? What's next? For us as a group, and for individuals? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 5:1-11 https://events.bible.com/en/event/edit/49392799

This is the story of Isaiah's vision in the temple and his calling and commissioning as a prophet. At first, this story seems inaccessible. It's not like we're all seeing heavenly beings flying around all the time. So this raises all sorts of questions. And maybe we don't have answers to some, or all of those questions! But the story is still worth thinking through. So in examining it, we're going to notice some things. First, this story seems to be telling us that God is a God of encounter. God actually shows up. "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord." God shows up in a time of chaos - crisis. I wonder, as we look at our world, personal, political, cultural, what does it mean for God to show up? Scripture and the witness of others tells us that God does show up - that God is a God of encounter. Next, this story seems to tell us that worship is dangerous. "Woe to me!" A hot coal touches his lips. Transformation happens. What would happen if we came to worship trusting in the power of this vision? How do we feel about forgiveness being painful? Are we ready for change? Do we want transformation? Finally, this story measures success differently than we do. God chooses Isaiah to speak the truth. The truth is so real and raw and reorienting that people won't want to hear it. They choose not to hear it. And they walk away. Success here isn't popularity and a mega church. The promise here is a stump, a remnant, a holy seed. It might not be much, but it will be just enough. Do we dare trust in the God of tiny seeds? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13 https://www.bible.com/events/49389384

This week's all about deacons, elders, and how we are organized with those structures in place. Sound a little dry? Well, let's talk about why it's actually exciting, and why we already have those systems in place, even if we haven't been using those labels. We're walking through the responsibilities of those roles, as well as talking about how we can all participate within this structure we call ReNew. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16 http://bible.com/events/49385640

This week looks a little different! We spent the sermon time working on a practice from the book Praying In Color by Sybil MacBeth. Our own Sarah Fleming walked us through the practice and then we spent some time together in the room actively participating in this form of prayer. This is more of a visual activity, obviously, so head over to ReNew Ames on YouTube for the full experience. Speaker: Sarah Fleming http://bible.com/events/49382473

Jesus enters a synagogue and teaches with authority - the people are amazed. Next a man with an impure spirit recognizes Jesus and Jesus casts out the spirit. The people are amazed again and Jesus becomes famous throughout the land. What a weird little story. How much of this can we relate to? Well, if we use our imaginations - we can. We'll imagine what it was like for the people in the synagogue. They were amazed. They came to worship minding their own business and suddenly they have an encounter with the divine they can't explain. "Whoa, what is this?" they asked. There's something more going on here. Have you ever had an experience like that? Next, we imagine what it's like to be the man with the impure spirit. We really don't know what this is. But maybe it doesn't matter. We all know what it's like to be possessed by something (I promise it doesn't get weird here) that takes away our agency and our dignity. The impure spirit recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God. And puts up a fight. But Jesus brings healing. Finally, we'll imagine what it's like to follow Jesus. He didn't use his authority for himself. He didn't consolidate power - he gave it away, He used his authority to free, to liberate, to heal. He had an integrity and authenticity that made people want to follow him. He also walked straight into the pain and the horror and wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid to confront anything that kept the man from living a flourishing life. Wherever the darkness is, the struggle is, the pain is, this story seems to be telling us that's where Jesus is. Maybe we ought to be there too. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 1:21-28 https://www.bible.com/events/49379057

The story of the calling of Phillip and Nathanael - but mostly about Nathanael. This story is not about what Nathanael sees - it's really first about what Jesus sees. It's only when Jesus sees Nathanael for who he truly is that Nathanael experiences transformation. He tells him is is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Let's unpack that here. Deceit is a concept we we get. Nathanael is a real one - he's an authentic one. But the first person to ever be called "Israel" is a guy named Jacob. Now, there is irony in this statement and we're gonna do some nerdy Bible work. The gist of it is this: the people of God are meant to be people of deep and profound integrity - real, authentic, honest. When they have doubts, they express them - when they're skeptical, they're honest about it - they truly wrestle with the divine and it's so good. Jesus sees that in Nathanael and names it. He could have named any number of things about Nathanael that would have brought out things like shame and embarrassment. But he doesn't. He sees and names the quality in Nathanael that he want's to nurture and cultivate. And because of it, Nathanael is transformed. What would it be like if we saw others the way Jesus sees? Jesus sees you for who you really are at your core. Sees the goodness - your capacity to love others. It's only when Nathanael is truly seen that he is able to see who Jesus is. In other words, it's only when we have been seen to our core in that personal way that we can see others. It's only when we have been loved right down to our core that we can love others and God does. You are seen. You are known. You are loved. Now, let's do the same. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 1:43-51 https://www.bible.com/events/49375616

We'll start out here by talking about the false narrative around prophets. They were not fortune tellers or predictors of the future. They were primarily truth tellers. We are jumping into the first of a four part sermon series that Isaiah gives on The Servant of the Lord. First, the context. The Israelites were in Babylonian captivity - living in a foreign and dangerous land. And Isaiah says that God is sending a servant who will bring justice and God's teaching to the world. But who the heck is Isaiah talking about? First, he's telling the truth about Israel. Israel is the chosen nation that will represent God in the world. They will bring about justice - they will bring God's teaching. And of course, we know they did because we still know about God and God's relationship to Israel and the world. Second, he's telling the truth about Jesus. Now, did Isaiah know about Jesus? No. But because God's truth is timeless it gets fulfilled in Jesus as well. This passage connects to the baptism of Jesus passage in Matthew - many of the same words are used to describe Jesus. Finally, he's telling the truth about us. We are now the body of Christ. We now bring God's justice and teaching into the world. Did Isaiah predict that? No. But we now get to embody Jesus in the world. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9 http://bible.com/events/49372073

The way God came into the world was not what the people wanted or yearned for or prayed for. The way God showed up to rescue was unexpected. God often shows up unexpectedly. This is a paradox, God showing up unexpectedly. The all-powerful one shows up as an infant, the very essence of weakness and vulnerability. But it's also the one human reality that calls out of everyone who witnesses it a love that hadn't been there before. That's what this story is about, love. Then Jesus grew up and became a man who taught the people about how much God loves them. But he didn't just tell people of God's love. He embodied it and showed us what it really looks like to be a human being. He showed us love and how to love. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 http://bible.com/events/49366288

This is the story where Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. It starts with Gabriel meeting Mary and goes through Mary's stay with Elizabeth. Traditionally it's called The Visitation. This story gives us three gifts to think about during the season of Christmas. First, the gift of community. Mary goes to see Elizabeth. Why? She needs someone. She needs safety. She needs affirmation. She needs someone to recognize, deepen, and celebrate the work of God in her life. She needs love, not judgment. And in Elizabeth, she gets all of that and more. Is there a better vision for what the church is called to be? What would it look like if we provided a place like that? I think we're trying here. Second, the gift of blessing. Mary shows up all confused and scared with questions and doubts. Elizabeth gives her a blessing. What does it mean to bless somebody? To give life to them. It's an art we should all strive to be better at! Last, the gift of hope. Hope that God will fulfill his promises to us. That God is already out there fulfilling his promises to us. All we have to do is look for it and we'll find it. In a world where tough things happen - a world filled with unknowns. Let's lean into community, blessing, and hope. I don't know for sure, but I think it's one of the best ways to live. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 1:39-56 http://bible.com/events/49362755

This story about John the Baptist centers on the question from the religious authorities: Who are you? J the B answers it by talking about who he is NOT. He is NOT the Messiah. I wonder if we should start where he starts. We are not the Messiah. One of the worst mistakes the church has made throughout history is claiming an identity and power that just isn't ours. When we have messianic ambition, people get hurt - the Crusades, the Inquisition, the many times native lands have been stolen and native people have been displaced or killed; the list goes on. So instead, we look to John. He chooses humility from the jump. He's in the wilderness, away from the temple, away from power. We start where he starts - we define ourselves by who we are not. We've all done this. I'm a Christian, but not THAT kind of Christian. I go to church, but I promise it's not THAT kind of church. We read the Bible, but we don't read it THAT way. That kind of thinking can be helpful and clarifying. But we can't stay there. "Who are you?" is a question that asks us to do some deep work. It invites us to examine what we hold dear, what we trust, what we love and who we love - and why. Once we've stripped off all that, we are not, what's left? What good do we offer the world? John's answer is clear - humility. He doesn't point to himself - he points to the one who is on the way. So, who are you? Maybe you can't answer that question right now. And maybe that's okay. Maybe that makes you ready to answer J the B's invitation to make a way for the Lord. Maybe that's all any of us needs every once in a while. Permission to stop pretending - permission to start again. Maybe what we need is someone to tell us to turn around so that we don't miss the new thing God is about to do. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 1:6-8, 19-28 http://bible.com/events/49359539

"Come, thou long expected Jesus," the old Christmas carol says. We anticipate the story of a vulnerable family, an ordinary family of no consequence, in a stable. We talk of the arrival of a king, *the* king, so that we might celebrate God becoming flesh and bone in the form of a baby. Commonly the kingdom of God is talked about in future tense. Many of us were raised to think of heaven as the kingdom of God. But the words of Jesus are clear: the kingdom of God is right here, right now. It isn't waiting to be built, it is waiting for us to participate in it. Like Jesus was already God before he arrived on earth to proclaim that his kingdom was here, we are already living in the kingdom now, we merely have to step into active work in it. Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 http://bible.com/events/49356150

There's a Rob Bell quote that talks about how Scripture is like a gem - you keep turning it and new and different things come out of it. It's a good quote and a good way to think about scripture. There are sooooo many ways that people have interpreted this story for like 2000 years. It's a frustrating story for me. So today we're turning the gem and looking at the different ways people have interpreted this story in the past. It all hinges on what Jesus means when he says, "You are worried about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better." I'm not going to throw in those interpretations here, you can listen to the sermon to find them. And at the end of it - I'm not quite sure that we'll agree on what Jesus meant when he said the thing he said about the one thing needed. Maybe that's okay. Maybe that's Luke's point - maybe that's Jesus' point. Maybe they're both trying to start a discussion - wrestling of sorts. Maybe this Christian faith thing - this following Jesus thing isn't as black and white as we'd like it to be. Maybe it's deliberately ambiguous. Maybe that's intentional. Maybe it's in the pushing against and pulling at God and having God push against and pull at us - maybe it's in that action that transformation happens. So is it better to serve, or sit at the feet of Jesus? I don't know that I/we know. But they're both important and we probably ought to pay attention to both. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 10:38-42 http://bible.com/events/49353051

Last week was the most important commandment - this week we go waaay back to the basics and talk about the ten commandments. We're starting by talking about the story of God saving the Israelites from Egypt. Basically a summary of the first 19 chapters of the book of Exodus. God parks them at the base of a mountain and says, "Okay, after I saved you, here's our arrangement. Here's how you live in relationship with me and with each other." A few thoughts about the commandments as a whole. The first thing is - this wasn't anything new for the Israelites. If you go back through the book of Genesis, you'll find all the commandments represented there. Cain, don't kill Abel. Abraham, put away all your false gods, etc. It's nothing new. And they're nothing new for us, either. It's not that we don't know them - it's just that we don't follow them. It's the same with the greatest commandment - love God, love people - it's not that we don't know it, we just don't do it very well. That's why this second idea is helpful. The ten commandments - just like the greatest commandment - is like a mirror in front of our faces. God sets the bar too high for anyone to attain. They're not there so we reach perfection; they're there so we can see how we're doing. It's a tool for self-examination - self-reflection. This is why we can't put them up on the wall and force others to live by them. That's disrespecting them by making them into something they are not. They're a reminder that we aren't perfect. The reason the bar is set so high is so that we'll come to the understanding that we're gonna need God's help to become the kind of people God wants us to be. Last idea: this is the first time that God speaks to the entire nation of Israel at one time. We get the sense that God is speaking directly to us. God is saying, "Look, I made you. I love you deeply. I know what it takes for you to live well with each other and what it will take for you to live well with me." Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Exodus 20:1-21 http://bible.com/events/49349548

There are a range of feelings in the room after last week's events. To ignore that would be unfair and dishonest. Let's talk about this story, though. We're near the end of Jesus' life on earth, for context. He's asked a question: What's the most important commandment? If you truly want to live life to the fullest - what's the most important thing? Jesus responds, love God - love people. That's it. Simple. Basic. We should also think about the environment in which Jesus lived and loved and taught and healed. It's an occupied land. They see Roman soldiers every day. They live under an authoritarian power. Which means underneath their lives - all the time - there's a sense of anxiety and fear and an uncertainty about the future. It's into that environment that Jesus says, "The most important thing? Yeah, love God and love people." Love God. Jesus says start with worship. It's how we are reminded of who God is and what God is all about - love and grace and healing. It's into that environment that we're reminded that we belong to a God who apparently doesn't care to move large levers of power, but instead chooses to live and love and work among the vulnerable - the people who have been pushed out and forgotten. Worship also reminds us that our lives are to be a reflection of God's life since we're all made in the image of God. Love people. Live and give our lives for the flourishing of others. How do we love people well in a time of uncertainty, anxiety and fear? Back to the basics. Love God, love people. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 12:28-34 http://bible.com/events/49346204

Paul says to Timothy in this letter that he's the worst sinner ever. Yeah, ever. So, this is when we talk about his story back when he was Saul and how maybe he was right. Saul was a really bad dude. He was a religious extremist who sought out followers of Jesus so he could get them arrested or kill them. But then Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (where he was going to go find more followers of Jesus) and Jesus made him Paul - their two stories become one story. Turns out, God was looking for someone like Saul. Let's talk about the stories within our community of Jesus followers, though. Paul's story can become our story - stories of transformation. We know that kind of transformation happens because God loves us in spite of our past. And God will work with us in spite of our past. The question is, are we willing to surrender our stories to the divine? Are we willing to surrender our lives and become the kind of people who transform the lives of others? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 http://bible.com/events/49342864

Yay, Zacchaeus! Okay, did this one about five years ago - now we're taking a totally different angle. Zacchaeus wanted desperately to see Jesus. Questions it raises: when was the last time we felt that kind of desperation to see Jesus? When was the last time we wanted more? More meaning, purpose, significance - more life? He couldn't see because of the crowd. When was the last time we pondered the things that are getting in the way of us seeing the divine? He ran ahead and climbed the tree. He recognizes that he needs to move. He needs to shift. He needs a new perspective. When was the last time we recognized that we needed to move? That we might not know all the answers and we need a new perspective? When was the last time we risked looking foolish for our faith? When is the last time we tried something unconventional? Jesus looked up and saw him, said, "Come down, I gotta spend some time at your house." Do we know that we are seen? In all of our foolishness, Jesus sees us. But it's more than that. He wants to come home with us. When was the last time we allowed Jesus into our homes without him giving us time to clean things up first? Do we understand that it's okay to let Jesus into all of our mess? Think about who Zacchaeus is - his house was definitely not in order. And yet, there's no judgment - there's just, "I gotta spend some time at your house!" The religious people mutter - of course they do. But not Jesus. He chooses to see the beauty in Big Z - the potential. Do we hold people hostage to the versions of themselves they are seeking to outgrow? Are we willing to see the beauty? The potential? Because Jesus seeing those things allowed Big Z to be transformed and to change. If there's one thing I've learned it's that this faith thing is evolutionary in nature - it's a change and grow or regress and die kind of a thing. Salvation has come to this house. Wait, dude climbs a tree and gets to go to heaven? Maybe salvation is more than where we end up when we die. What if it's also about experiencing healing now? And once we've experienced a bit of healing, what if it's about becoming a part of the healing of the world? And if that's true, what are we going to do about it? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 19:1-10 https://www.bible.com/events/49339420

Short little parable: two people go into the Temple and pray. A Pharisee and a tax collector. The tax collector goes home justified. Let's walk through this parable slowly and talk about how easy it is to think that we're "not like the Pharisee." Now there are also two words we should talk about: sin and sinner. Yeah, we have an aversion to those words for various reasons. BUT, Jesus insists on using that word, "Sinner." So then we should talk a bit about what the Bible says about sin. There are different perspectives of sin we have in this parable. The Pharisee sees sin as something you do - he makes a list. It creates an us versus them kind of scenario. The tax collector, however, does not make a list. He simply calls himself a "sinner." For him, the concept of sin is more than just the "wrong" things that we do. It's deeper than that. Sin is something he has - it's like it's infected him. From his perspective, sin is something that has become a problem for everyone. And when we have a problem, we typically want to do something about it, right? What do we do with our sin? Well, we have some options. First, we can avoid it or say that we don't have it and that other people do. That's what the Pharisee does. Problem is, it doesn't do anything for us. We remain unchanged. Next, we can obsess over it. The tax collector could have done that - his list of sins was a mile long. We can wallow in our guilt and our shame. We can beat ourselves up for it. Problem is, when we do that we wind up cutting ourselves off from the divine and from other people. We don't want that. There's another option - we can confess it. We can be honest about it. Jesus insists on us talking about it and confessing it because there's power and healing that comes along with honest confession. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 18:9-14 http://bible.com/events/49336012

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Such a good story. I used to think I knew what this story was about - that I had it all figured out. But this story has depth, and layers, and we can learn so much more from it than we maybe expect. The basic read is that we should all be like Philip and courageously tell people about the good news of Jesus so that unacceptable outsiders might be changed and become insiders. Hmm...does that interpretation sound familiar? Yeah, there's so much more going on in the story - more than just the eunuch's conversion. The narrative changes and turns and moves forward when someone asks a good question. Just before sabbatical, I talked about how important questions are - they're doorways that can open up lots of possibilities. This is another example. So we'll pay attention to the questions. So here's some context to the eunuch's story. He can't practice his Jewish faith on account of his eunuchness. Spell check is saying I made that word up. Who cares? Now we get to the questions... 1) "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" A doorway is open and on the other side is community, relationship, people, help. We all long for it, need it. So we'll talk a bit about that. 2) Is he talking about himself or someone else? The eunuch was struggling with some verses in Isaiah. So Philip connects it to Jesus. It's likely the eunuch saw himself in Jesus - someone who had been pushed aside and rejected. But resurrection, new life is possible through Jesus! 3) "What's preventing me from being baptized?" Yeah, lots of things. He's a queer black foreigner from Ethiopia. He's a eunuch. Don't you know your Hebrew scriptures, Philip? He doesn't belong. We have rules, man. But Philip says nothing. No religious test. He just baptizes him. So the eunuch isn't the only one converted that day; Philip was also converted. He recognizes that Jesus changes everything - that the resurrection changes everything. The Spirit is going to do what the Spirit is going to do - conquer isolation and fear and welcome any one the Spirit wants into the Kingdom of God. The eunuch and Philip were both transformed all because someone asked a good question. We're left with a question of our own. And it's not a question about how wide God's embrace is. It's not a question about who's in and who's out. The question for us is, will we participate with the wild Spirit of God in our day or not? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Acts 8:26-40 http://bible.com/events/49332573

Mark skips any kind of birth narrative in his story about Jesus. He starts with John the Baptist. And J the B is all about preparation. If you want to meet this messiah, you've got to be prepared! John was probably a member of the Jewish sect known as the Essenes. Too much to write in here - suffice it to say they were kinda like the Jewish version of the Amish - only super extreme! They focused on a strictly ordered life of spirituality off in the desert. They wanted to be ready when the messiah came - they wanted to be ready. We do the same when we are preparing to welcome a baby, either through birth or adoption. How do you prepare for a baby? First, you prepare to have your life completely changed - totally transformed. That's what this idea of repentance is. We don't turn our lives around because we're afraid of the divine. We turn our lives around because God is so good. We turn around because we're confident that God will forgive us and offer us grace that transforms. How do you prepare for a baby? You create an environment that is best suited for the baby to grow. How do we prepare our lives so that we're in the best position to grow and experience transformation? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 1:1-8 http://bible.com/events/49329292

Today we're talking about the story of the workers in the vineyard. We human beings have this sense of fairness deeply rooted within the human psyche. Which is why when we read this story it immediately doesn't seem fair. Why did Jesus tell such a story? Probably because he wants us to stop and think - maybe see the world differently. It's always what he wants when he tells a story. It's why he tells so many of them. First, this story is about God's generosity - not about fairness. And God's generosity is real generosity - pure grace - no earning here (even though the story is about payment of wages). Next, this story seems to indicate that God's heart is bent toward the marginalized - the leftover people in the world. The landowner in the story goes back and gets the people no one else would hire. Sounds super Jesusy to me. Last, the only way this story isn't uncomfortable to us is if we become more like the divine and show generosity to all people. The story has no ending. We don't know how the people in it responded. Jesus leaves it as a cliffhanger letting the listeners decide how they will respond. Which will it be? Bitter and jealous? Embarrassed by extreme generosity received? Or becoming more like God and offering generosity. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16 http://bible.com/events/49325867

I'm gonna talk about who the best people in church are. No spoilers, you'll have to wait. There's a story where Jesus says that whoever welcomes a little child welcomes God. Whaaaat? What did he mean by that? I have three suggestions: 1) Maybe Jesus said it because kids teach us that our imaginations can help us understand the things of God. Jesus tells his followers that he will suffer and die and rise after three days. Jesus invites them to imagine a world where death doesn't have the last word, a world where the hardest suffering can lead to unthinkable joy. But the disciples can't seem to imagine it. Can we open up our imaginations? How can the world be different? How can we make it different - more just and generous for everyone? 2) Maybe Jesus said it because kids teach us to ask the hard questions. Again, Jesus tells them he'll suffer, die and rise again. They didn't understand and were afraid to ask. You know who isn't afraid to ask questions? Kids. They'll ask all the hard questions. Good questions lead to a deeper understanding of the divine. 3) Last one - I think Jesus said that about children because they show us what divine power and greatness look like. Children are completely vulnerable - in every place in the world they're vulnerable. Power and greatness are found in vulnerability. Greatness is defined by serving others and sacrificing ourselves so that others might flourish. We know this in the deepest parts of ourselves. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 9:30-37 http://bible.com/events/49322529

Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Philippians 1:18-26 http://bible.com/events/49315663

Speaker: Holly Thompson Scripture: John 13:18-30 http://bible.com/events/49305374

Speaker: Marlin Vis Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-9 http://bible.com/events/49302038

One of our current focus team members, Brian Gelder, brings us perspective on the history of soil in the lands of the early Old Testament stories, and what questions some of those stories raise for us when we examine the full context of the culture and history surrounding them. There is benefit in taking a bird's eye view of these lands and stories, rather than just the Sunday School answers or the Hollywood portrayals of their characters. Just like the soil changes over time and needs adjustments and cultivation, we grow and change with the shifting of time and historical perspective we gain on the cultures and environments we find ourselves in over the course of our lives. Maybe we will walk away with more questions to ponder, and some added color to the pages. Speaker: Brian Gelder Scripture: Leviticus 25:1-7; 26:3-6, 18-20

Paul responds with joy and in faith when in a tight circumstance. While imprisoned in Rome, awaiting judgment from Nero, he writes this letter to the church in Philippi. In the same fashion, we are meant to reflect before a watching world what God's intentions and character are. Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Philippians 1:12-19 http://bible.com/events/49295510

We're talking about what forgiveness actually is, and what it ISN'T. Forgiving others who have hurt us isn't easy, and a lot of us were taught that it means forgetting the fault and harm done to us in favor of being in relationship with that person again. In reality, forgiveness often is not a once and done deal, and it will have to happen over and over. Like every spiritual practice, repetition is good and healthy. But we don't always have to be back in relationship with someone when they have hurt us. Boundaries are healthy, accountability and admission of wrongdoing are necessary parts of forgiveness, too. Our responsibility begins with naming what harm has been done, and ends with letting go of resentment and anger in favor of the restoration of *ourselves*. Speaker: Jason Stark Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15; 18:21-35 https://www.bible.com/events/49292324

Here's a weird one to tackle before sabbatical! It's an odd little story about the Sadducees confronting Jesus with a question about marriage after the resurrection. Here are some things that I notice about the story that might be helpful. First, I notice that just like the Sadducees had questions, we also have questions. The thrust of this part is this: it's okay to question spiritual things. It's okay to question your beliefs - to interrogate what's been handed down to you. In fact, I think Jesus invites us to ask more questions. We do not need to be afraid. Sometimes great questions can lead to lots of growth. Second thing I notice, privilege can be dangerous. When we read stories about Jesus in the Bible we notice how privileged people are always using, manipulating people on the margins to discredit Jesus. People in pain don't matter to people with privilege. But maybe it's the people on the margins who understand resurrection better than anyone. They're the ones who need resurrection now - not just after they die. Lastly, I wonder if we really want this place Jesus is describing (effectively describing heaven). People won't marry and won't be given in marriage after the resurrection. For these people, the woman belongs to the husband - the wife is his property. Jesus says that won't happen in heaven. No one belongs to another person because all are children of God. He's describing a place where things like sex, sexuality, gender, class, and status no longer define people. If that's the case, then churches shouldn't be involved in any kind of discrimination whatsoever. Lastly...communion - which is a foretaste of heaven. We all gather around the table together. There is no hierarchy here - we're all on the same level because we all belong to God and we're all in need. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: http://bible.com/events/49285865

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD." He's asking for mercy - you only ask for mercy if you've done something wrong. So I ask the question: why do we even care about something written by some king over 2000 years ago? There are all kinds of things in this world that indicate it isn't what God intended it to be. The Psalm starts as a personal lament - then it turns into a national lament. What he's recognizing is that his heart is just a microcosm of what's happening in the rest of the world. No one is innocent. We all have a part to play. But this is a Psalm of ascent. That means the tone starts on a somber note. But as it moves along, the notes get higher and lighter - filled with hope. There's hope because he's not at the end yet - there is still time to turn things around - still time to make necessary changes. Not only do we have time left - but we have a God who is on our side - a God who listens - a God who isn't content to let us stay where we are. We have a God of redemption. When God looks at any one of us - God doesn't just see what we've become. God doesn't just see all the stuff that's wrong. God sees a fully formed Jesus-like human being ready to come out. So we continue to pray, and worship, and serve the world and God's people because we have a God of forgiveness - a God of unfailing love - a God of redemption. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Psalm 130:1-8 http://bible.com/events/49282757

Jesus is sending out the disciples to do what they've seen him doing for some time now. But there's a danger here in taking his words too casually. When we put them within the context of the whole of chapter 10, they begin to carry a bit more weight. So if we read these words a little more deeply - and NOT a simply casual reading - here are some things I think we'll notice: 1) Jesus people are meant to do their Jesus thing from the margins. Now, I'm certain that this would come as a surprise to a lot of Jesus people today. We're used to being in the center. But this wasn't the case for the earliest disciples. They were sent out as vulnerable outsiders - people on the margins. What does this mean for us? Well, maybe we need to reexamine our yearning to cozy up to people in power. Maybe we need to rethink how we operate and instead operate out of a posture of extreme humility. 2) The small things become big things in the kingdom of God. Notice, it's the small things that get rewarded. Jesus doesn't care about our hierarchies - like, at all. We don't tend to glamorize the small little behind the scenes work. But that seems to be the work that God cherishes. Small things become big things. It's why Jesus talked about seeds and yeast, etc. 3) We represent Jesus whether we like it or not. This is staggering. What Jesus is offering his disciples and us is his reputation - his character - his standing in the world. Whoa. What if we took this literally? How would this change the way we act, speak, think? This idea could and SHOULD change everything. The church in our world has a lot of rethinking to do - maybe it starts in a little place like this and others like it. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Matthew 10:40-42 http://bible.com/events/49278279

Without joy, there is little fulfillment in belief. Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Philippians 1:1-11, 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 https://www.bible.com/events/49275906

It's pretty clearly established that Jesus is a terrible salesman when he tells people to follow him. He has 4 conversations that challenge people with what he's selling. But what is he selling? 1) He's selling rejection and extreme patience. Jesus gets rejected by Samaritans - a bunch of people who believe different things about all the things. James and John want to call down fire from heaven to burn the village (WTF, right?). Jesus rebukes them. Just like the disciples we have the capacity to lead with anger instead of love. Jesus rebukes that. I imagine he reminds them that to follow Jesus is to bring life, not death - even if it's to people who disagree with us. 2) Jesus is selling movement and constant change. He has no place to lay his head. Homeless Jesus. The call to follow Jesus is the call to always move, always learn, always grow, always change. Change is hard - not sure I'm buying what Jesus is selling. 3) Jesus is selling disruption and disorientation. Dude just wants to take care of his family obligations before following. I think the thing Jesus is selling here is a testing of our loyalties. Following Jesus comes with a certain detachment to all other commitments. Jesus if primary. That means our families and other relationships. even prior beliefs may be disrupted. 4) Jesus is selling a sense of urgency. We always have excuses for not following when the call of God comes. Jesus is all, don't hesitate - if you're gonna hesitate, don't follow. Sheesh! Look, Jesus might be a horrible salesperson – but at least he's honest. And if we're honest, we know he's telling the truth. We know that Jesus has the cure for our boredom and hunger. He knows we have this deep hunger for a sense of real value and purpose in this life. Jesus seems to be so hard on us because he too has a sense of urgency on our behalf. He knows that what we really yearn for is transformation and renewal. So Jesus says, “Follow me. Come, die with me. Die to all of that other stuff so that you can truly live.” Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 9:51-62 https://www.bible.com/events/49272456

In several different places in the gospels, Jesus shares what his purpose is. Here's one from John 10 - he says, "I have come so that you may have life and have it abundantly." Then a little later on - in John 15 - he tells his followers that if we want to have abundant life, we need to stay connected to the vine. Problem is, that's not always that easy. That picture of abundance isn't the only one offered to us. Our world gives us plenty of ideas for living an abundant life. Most of it has to do with the accumulation of stuff and status. But those things don't last. So Jesus gives us a different view of abundance. He says, "I am the vine and you are the branches - remain in me and you will bear fruit - fruit that will last." In a sense, what Jesus is saying is that if we stay connected to him and allow God to work in us and through us, we will bear fruit. The fruit we bear looks a lot like the list that Paul gives in his letter to the Galatians. Most of us have this sense that our lives are only characterized as abundant when we display and create that kind of fruit. Are we connected to the vine? What are the ways we can stay connected to the divine? How else do we create fruit that will last? We ask God to do a little pruning. In a world of addition, what might God be asking us to cut out? Let go? What might God be pruning in our lives so that we can become fruit-bearing branches - so that our lives can truly be abundant? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 15:1-8 https://www.bible.com/events/49268391

Pentecost - birthday of the church - the day the Spirit came. All of that. Wind is unpredictable. I think one of the best ways to describe wind is that it's powerful. We've been harnessing the power of wind for a really long time. Windmills - sails - etc. As we enter the story of Pentecost, here are three things to think about: 1) This wind power - spirit power is creative power - it can bring something out of nothing. I'll connect it to the creation story. The Spirit can still do that for us today. 2) This spirit power is unsettling - can make us uncomfortable. Yet it still draws you in and has this intoxicating effect. We have tornados and wind storms and derechos that are fascinating in a horrifying way, we often stare at them in awe. This spirit can sometimes be unsettling. It can transform us and sometimes that can be uncomfortable. The Spirit can also sometimes lead you to change what you believe. There's the story in Acts 15 when they disregarded a whole bunch of the OT to let non Jews into the movement - literally changed their beliefs all because it seemed good to the Spirit. 3) This spirit can make God's future for creation real in the present. There will come a time when God's kingdom will come - when God's dream for the world will happen. The prophets talked about what that looks like. And every time we follow the Spirit, we help make God's dream for the world real in the present. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 http://bible.com/events/49262237

If you knew you were about to die, what would you say to those in this world you love the most? What hope or dream would you share? What advice would you give? That's essentially what we get in Jesus' words. He knows the end is near. So what dream does he give them? A command and a promise. The command - love each other. Jesus doesn't say, act as if you love each other. He doesn't let us off the hook. He means really love each other - as he has loved us. Man, it seems like he's asking the impossible. Important questions for us to ponder - again, I don't know if I have the answers. What would it look like if we took this seriously? Do we know how to love as Jesus loved? Do we know how to feel the kind of compassion he felt? Do we hunger for justice so fiercely that we'll reorder our entire lives just to bring it about? Do we want this? Most of the time we don't. We'd rather be safe and keep our circles small and manageable. We'd rather love people based on shared values and preferences and beliefs and not on Jesus' all-inclusive command. And yet, love is the thing Jesus calls us to. As he's headed for death - love is the thing he commands. The promise - everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another. Love is the litmus test. Love is THE identifying marker. NOT beliefs. Not doctrinal or personal purity. Not any of the other things we argue about and split over. But love. Jesus seems to be saying that if we fail to love one another then the world will not learn what it needs to learn about who God is. And if we're honest, we've done a whole lot of failing. Fortunately, Jesus doesn't leave us alone. He gives us a road map. As I have loved you. Live and love as I have lived and loved. Weep with those who weep. Laugh with those who laugh. Touch the untouchables. Include those who have been pushed out. Feed the hungry. Visit the prisoners. Free the captive. Confront the oppressors. Stand with the oppressed. Wash each other's feet. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 13:31-35 http://bible.com/events/49258770

The image of the good shepherd brings up complicated feelings for me. I'll explain why - hoping everyone else sort of feels the same way. I don't have answers in this message. All I come with is a bunch of questions. I'll ask them and I'll try to answer them. 1) Why does Jesus use this metaphor for himself in this particular setting? A lot to explain here in the email so I'll boil it down. Given he's in the temple and the people are celebrating the Feast of the Dedication, it seems as though Jesus is equating his presence with the very presence of the divine. This is one of the I AM statements that Jesus makes. OR, it could be that God's presence doesn't dwell in the temple. It's out in the wilderness with the sheep, the hired hands, and the wolves. In other words, God's with the outcasts, the unclean, the nonreligious. 2) What does Jesus mean when he says he knows his sheep and they know him? This part makes me uncomfortable. In my experience, a life of faith isn't quite this straightforward - not this certain. 3) Who are the hired hands in our lives? The hired hands don't have skin in the game. They're in it for themselves - personal gain. When danger comes, they run. Who are the voices we listen to that might be doing us harm? Who are we letting shape us and mold us? 4) What does the church soften this image so much? Yeah, look at those pictures of Jesus as a shepherd. They don't match what Jesus says. The good shepherd is gritty - has skin in the game - even lays down his life for his sheep. How do we embody this kind of love in the wilderness? How do we embody this kind of love for each other? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 10:11-18 http://bible.com/events/49255244

There are lots of things we do without thinking about the reason we do them. A relevant example on a Sunday morning is how we order our worship services. Why do we worship? More specifically, why do we do the certain things we do in worship? It's called the liturgy - which means the work of the people. There's an intentionality to it - a reason - a purpose for the order in which we do things and this Hebrews passage helps us think through it. Act one of worship is The Approach to God. There's a welcome - an invitation to stand and sing. We're approaching the divine. In Hebrews, it talks about two mountains - one is wild, the other is sort of mild. The first mountain represents the tangible presence of God through symbols - fire, darkness, gloom, storm - it's the untouchable untamed presence of God. The other mountain is invitational - it's almost like there's a party going on. The Approach to God - it's fear and awe inspiring and yet at the same time it's invitational. It's like Niagra Falls, or the Grand Canyon. From far away, it's beautiful - but get too close and you realize it could kill you - you're mortal. Or it's like a lion - from far away, it's beautiful. But you get close enough and you realize your life is frail, imperfect, small. When we approach God, something like that happens. We recognize the sheer beauty while at the same time recognizing our smallness and our capacity to make a mess of things. This is why we leave room for confession of sins in the prayer - that's why we open ourselves up for receive forgiveness. Act two of worship - the Word of God. Now we're in the position to listen to the divine. Verse 25 - see to it that you do not refuse the one who speaks. Some how, some way, through some miracle of the Spirit, God speaks. And when God speaks, shaking happens - verse 27. God shakes loose those things inside of us that don't belong. Transformation happens. Act three - the Response to God. The bulk of this act of worship happens on the outside - the way we live out our lives as transformed people - we become the presence of Jesus where we are whenever we are there. The benediction isn't an ending - it's a sending. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Hebrews 12:18-29 https://www.bible.com/events/49251772

So Jesus has been gone, his disciples aren't with him anymore. Peter says, "I'm going fishing, who's with me?" And they all go back to their previous way of life. We often do this, too. God reveals something to us and we're sure of what next steps to take. But life hits us hard and we end up not doing what we just committed to doing. We revert back to the safe and comfortable. Then Jesus shows up again and offers them hospitality. He makes them breakfast! He's already conveying forgiveness without saying a word. Then he walks with Peter. They have the whole "do you love me?" conversation. Three times, Jesus asks. Three times, Peter answers, "You know I do." It's the flip side of the previous story, where Peter denies Jesus three times. Jesus knows that Peter needs to accept that he's forgiven before he can move forward. Will we go back to our old way of being, after we have committed to one way of living and walking alongside Jesus? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 21:1-19 http://bible.com/events/49248269