The Town Church / Fort Collins

Luke 4 begins with Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness. As we explore this passage, we seek to answer one important question: How does the Son relate to the Father? 

This prayer celebrates the awe-inspiring glory of God, zeroing in on the power of simply God's voice.

Luke 3 ends with Jesus's baptism and genealogy. While it seems dry, Luke uses this list of names to establish Jesus as the new Adam and as our hope for new life. 

The dominant challenging human emotion of this prayer is fear in the face of adversaries. But that challenging emotion is held in tension with the strong seemingly opposite heart posture of trust in God as our shelter.

This week, we discuss a few key questions raised by this passage and consider what it reveals about who God is.• Why does repentance matter in the Christian life? • What is God like? • Why does this matter for us?

The life and ministry of John the Baptist are meant to reveal Jesus to the world. In the opening passage of Luke 3, we see that John's mission, message, and ministry are all about Him.

A prayer asking God to treat his people differently than those who are not his own.

This week, we dive deeper into the story of 12-year-old Jesus at the temple and consider what it reveals about who He is.What stood out to us from this text? What is God like? How should these truths impact the way we live? 

Luke 2:41–52 gives us a glimpse of Jesus at twelve years old. As we study this passage, we consider what it means that He is fully God and fully human, living in submission to earthly parents. This truth shapes how we understand His actions and the interactions in the story.

This well-known prayer celebrates God's care for his people.

This week, we explore Jesus' presentation at the temple in Luke 2:22–40. As we consider the faithfulness of Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna, we center our discussion around three questions:What stands out to us from this passage? What is God like according to this text? Why do the truths of this text matter? 

Our study of Luke 2:22–40 is shaped by Galatians 4:4–5. Using these verses as our framework, we see how Jesus is the true fulfillment of the law and the One sent to redeem all people.

This prayer rejoices in the joys and benefits of being kept by God - of being in relationship with him.

Welcome back to the AfterWord! Even though we are in the middle of February, we look at the story of Jesus' birth with a fresh perspective. What did we notice about the text that we haven't before? What is God like? If the birth of Jesus demands a response, how should we respond in light of who God is?

The events of Luke 1 all lead to this moment: the arrival of Jesus, the promised Messiah. In the story of His birth, we see God's perfect timing, true humility, and the reality that the gospel is for all people. 

A prayer to remember God's holiness, what he calls his people to, and the grace of God in Jesus.

This week, we dive deeper into the ways God's mercy is on display in this text and explore what it reveals about who He is.What stood out to you from the text this week? What is God like and why does that matter? 

Luke 1 concludes with the birth of John the Baptist. Through John's birth and Zechariah's prophesy, we see clear evidence of God's mercy at work. This leads us to the question guiding our time in the passage: What does the birth of John show us about God's mercy?

The theme of this week's prayer is a plea for God to answer us and act when it feels like he has been distant and unresponsive for an incredibly long time. 

Joy and faith can be difficult to fully grasp, yet they are essential to the Christian life. In our discussion of Luke 1:39–56, we explore how these two themes and more shape the lives of God's people.Other questions: What stood out to you from this passage? What is God like and why does this matter? 

Luke 1:39–45 highlights the responses of Mary, Elizabeth, and John as God's work continues to unfold through the arrival of the Messiah. 

A prayer for justice from God's hand.

Our new host, Rex, leads us through some helpful questions as we dive deeper into this week's passage. How can we walk alongside those who are struggling to trust that God is still at work when their prayers seem impossible?What do we learn about Mary through her response to Gabriel's message? What is God like according to this text? Why does that matter?

Mary, an unlikely and undeserving choice, was used by God to reveal His promises to the world. Through Gabriel's visit, we see that God chooses to extend His grace to the humble and invite them into His redemptive plan.

A prayer of praise rooted in the All-Mighty Creator caring for us who are the not-all-mighty created. 

Rex is back! As we look at the context of this passage, we ask what it really means that Zechariah and Elizabeth are described as blameless and how that shapes the way we think about God giving or withholding good gifts.Once again, we focus on these three key questions: What parts of the context need closer attention?What is God like according to the text? And what difference does that make? 

Luke begins by setting the stage for the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah God's people had long been waiting for. Through the angel's visit to Zechariah, we see that God is preparing the way for the One who will meet the deepest needs of all people.

A prayer for protection and salvation from overwhelming enemies.

The AfterWord is back with a new season! We kick back off with three questions that will be central to our discussions moving forward: Is there anything about the context of the passage to explore? What is God like according to the text?What difference does that make? 

The gospel is for everyone. As we begin our journey through Luke, this truth sets the tone for everything that is to come.

God has graciously given us many means of grace to help us know Him more deeply. One of those gifts is prayer. This week, we consider what God truly desires from us as we come before Him in prayer.

We wrap up our Advent series by looking at the hymn O Holy Night. Though it was written by unexpected authors, it beautifully proclaims the reality that on this most holy night, our Savior came to earth.

Jesus offers us true, eternal joy. Joy to the World turns the truths of Psalm 98 into a hymn that proclaims who Christ is and what He offers to the world. So we should respond in one way: with joy!

Inspired by the angels' appearance to the shepherds in Luke 2, Charles Wesley composed this hymn about the Savior King. We zoom in on this hymn with one important question in mind: How does it help us see Jesus?

This Advent hymn has withstood the test of time, sung for centuries and still echoing here in Fort Collins, Colorado.The main theme it proclaims is that Jesus, our Savior, has come to release us from the captivity of sin and from Satan, our enemy. And our response is simple: rejoice! 

In 1744, Charles Wesley published the hymn Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.This hymn, rich with theological truth, reminds us of the King who came and who will return, bringing true rest and freedom for His people.

It's our final AfterWord of 2025! This week, we wrap up our series, The Common Thread, by looking at the Minor Prophets. What struck you this week? What was surprising about our look at these books? What will stick with you about tracing the thread of Jesus in the Old Testament?What is God like according to the Minor Prophets?

Our final week in the Old Testament brings us to the Minor Prophets.These twelve books speak against the rebellion of God's people, yet they also reveal God's heart to draw His people back to Himself.

The Major Prophets can feel confusing or intimidating to read. This week, we walk through some practical pointers for how to read through these books. Questions we explore: • How do we see more of Jesus through lamenting and grief (Lamentations)? • How has God responded to situations in our own lives? • According to the Major Prophets, what is God like?

In the Major Prophets, God speaks with authority about His character, His judgment, and His plans for redemption.From Isaiah to Daniel, we see God's longing for His people to turn from sin, and each book points forward to the coming Messiah who will ultimately deliver His people.

The wisdom books teach us a lot about human emotion. We often swing between two extremes: ignoring our emotions or letting them rule our lives. Today, we talk about how to avoid those two ditches and explore a few other helpful topics.What is the "fear of God" mentioned in Proverbs?How do we read through Proverbs devotionally? What resonated with us from Sunday's sermon? Listen until the end for our new outro music!

God intentionally created us as emotional beings.From Job to Song of Solomon, the wisdom books of the Old Testament give voice to those emotions and show us how to bring our whole selves to God. 

In this big picture overview of the History books, we see the continued pattern of a deep longing for Jesus. Is every failing or disappointment in life meant to point us to Jesus and His promised return? How do we counsel someone enduring hardship, knowing that restoration may not come until Jesus returns? What is God like according to these books? 

The History books of the Old Testament continue to reveal that something is missing for God's people—something only Jesus can fulfill.Through the stories of promised lands and imperfect leaders, we see the ache for a greater King and a true place of rest. Every victory, failure, and longing points us to Jesus—the one who fully satisfies.