“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the … Continue reading The Sermon on the Mount: An Invitation to Human Flourishing
In our sermon series through the Sermon on the Mount and our Closer Look videos through Matthew, we've highlighted quite a lot about the person and identity of Christ. Who Jesus is, of course, matters quite a lot for our understanding of the gospel. Fundamental to our discipleship is the recognition that the gospel isn't … Continue reading Identity with Christ in Matthew
As we observe Holy Week, we pause and reflect on a series of events that radically altered the course of history and changed many of our lives forever. If you grew up in a church tradition that followed the liturgical calendar, all of the events and language surrounding Holy Week might be familiar. However, there … Continue reading What is Maundy Thursday?
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13 Hiddenness is a way of life nearly as old as time. After Adam and Eve were deceived and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, … Continue reading Anonymity
"I have tried drugs and a little of everything else, and there is nothing in the world more soul-satisfying than having the kingdom of God building inside you and growing." - Johnny Cash When we read through Matthew's Gospel, it is unmistakable that the Kingdom of God has an incredible significance in his account of … Continue reading The Person of Jesus and the Kingdom of God in Matthew
For better or worse, we are finding ourselves in the midst of this pandemic with an unprecedented period of time at home. Whether that time has been restful for you or even more busy than usual, we’re all similar in that we’re adapting to a new way of life. In this new season, we are … Continue reading Some Reading for Your Self-Quarantine
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep." Psalm 127:1-2 In the days of self-quarantine and working from home, … Continue reading The Case for Rest
"casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" - 1 Peter 5:7 That’s a word we’ve heard a lot recently – anxiety. Whether we are speaking about a global pandemic like COVID-19 or about just the general course of life in the 21st century, we can’t seem to escape the reality that people are anxious. … Continue reading THE GOSPEL & ANXIETY
These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are … Continue reading These Look to You
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Not without good reason, the phrase "gospel-centered" has become a prominent feature in the latest slew of … Continue reading What is a gospel-centered life?