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This week, Nick Ventresca, pastor of The Barn Community Church in Doylestown, PA visited to talk through the hope we can find and revel in through the Advent season. We talked through one of Jeremiah's prophecies to God's people - that one day hope would break-in to their world and deliver them from oppression. It's a prophecy that reminds us hope is hard won and fought for. It comes to us and for us in seasons that are challenging, difficult, dark, and troublesome. Yet, the promise is real and it's for everyone - God is coming for His people.
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We don't lament enough. When people hurt us, when we experience distress, when we feel insecure or vulnerable, when we've been hurt, wounded, or discarded, when we experience abandonment, when we feel like we're surrounded by evil and see or experience oppression or exploitation, we're invited to turn to God and trust Him to do what only He can and should do. But, lament is not a practice we frequently engage. Instead, we oftentimes try to push through and solve whatever problem we're facing in our own strength and wisdom. But, Psalm 120, the first of the Psalms of Ascent, provides a framework for how we can lament in the face of difficult, frustrating, and trying times. We can turn to God, name our complaint, ask God to intervene, and choose to trust Him.
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The Presidential election was this past Tuesday. It's true the election of Donald Trump as President for the second time will shape the context in which individual Christians and the church are to live out Jesus' mission in meaningful, tangible ways. Yet, the church's mission remains the same. The person who wields Presidential power doesn't have power over Jesus or the work Jesus' people do. This week, Pastor Dennis talked about how, through our homes and in our neighborhoods, we're still to build active Kingdom outposts that take on Jesus' work of reconciliation, repair, and renewal. It's work that is inefficient, slow, and oftentimes foolish, where sometimes only one good deed out of every thousand seems to make an impact. Yet, the slow work of repair and renewal is ours to do, day after day, week after week, year after year, until we return home to Jesus.
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This week, Dennis Allan talks through the ways Jesus' "city on a hill" language has been co-opted by American political leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, to ascribe to America a divinely mandated role in the world similar to Old Testament Israel. But, Jesus wasn't talking about Israel, and he certainly wasn't talking about any modern nation-state, including America. He was talking to His closest followers, the disciples, about their individual and communal lives. He was talking about how they were to live out their faith in a way that every person could see. He was inviting them to live distinctive, counter-cultural, revolutionary lives rooted in the Kingdom's subversive ethics outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. We must never ascribe to America (or its political leaders) divine mandate Jesus never gave to it. Instead, it's the church who is now supposed to be like a "city on a hill" for all the world to see because Jesus is the hope of the world, not America.
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This week Julia Allan walks us through why, as citizens of the Kingdom, we are to develop and hold a consistent ethic of life. This means we're invited by Jesus to value life at every moment and in every context. And it's a reminder that the value we place on every human life is too big, too robust, and too expansive to be contained within a political party or represented by a political leader. It's also a challenge to evaluate the effectiveness of our public witness through a different lens. We shouldn't only be thinking about the intent of our public and political actions, but also the fruit. If in an attempt to preserve vulnerable life we support, advocate for, or enact policies that increase death rates, then maybe those policies should be revisited and reimagined. Because Jesus valued every life, all of the time.
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This week, Pastor Shaq Hager talks through the story of God's people beginning in Genesis, through the prophets, and into the New Testament to chart a biblical theology of seeing, caring for, and uplifting the vulnerable. To be people of the Kingdom, we must take the work of justice seriously, especially for the marginalized and oppressed. American society, more often than not, exploits the vulnerable and our political system offers promises, but rarely delivers. As followers of Jesus, we're not supposed to look to or wait on the political system to take up the work of justice. It's our work to do. It's Gospel work. It's Kingdom work. To become the church Jesus intended, we must reclaim Israel's ethic for caring for those in need and, to do so, we must take on the posture of being poor in spirit.
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We're not supposed to be lovers of money, and we are supposed to be generous. Oftentimes, this is where teaching on what financial stewardship means for citizens of the Kingdom. But, as Benjamin Chua talks through this week, Jesus has much more in mind in Luke 16. Jesus says people of the Kingdom can't serve God and Mamon. If Jesus was simply saying we can't be lovers of both God and money, He'd have said that plainly. Instead, He intentionally used the word Mamon, because Mamon was understood by Jesus' original audience as a "power" or "force." In other words, when we serve Mamon, we participate in idolatry. And, every day we uncritically participate in the Western financial system, we participate in and prop up a structure that trusts and idol to meet our financial needs. So, what does this mean for us as people of the Kingdom? What does it mean for how we think about our financial resource or even our 401K? We cannot serve both God and Mamon.
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This week, Dennis Allan continued our series by exploring what it means for followers of Jesus and the church to cultivate a prophetic voice in today's culture. In the Hebrerw Scriptures prophets functioned as God's spokespeople, speaking God's words and communicating God's will to God's people. In the Gospels we see Jesus function in a prophetic role by speaking God's words, living as God's Word, communicating God's will, and foretelling the future. And now, in our post-Pentecost world, every person is empowered by the Spirit to call God's people back to covenant faithfulness, remind God's people of their true citizenship in the Kingdom, prompt God's people to return to right relationship with their King, and to declare to God's people, the powers, and the powerful that the Kingdom is at hand. And, Jesus' invitation is to take up this task even if it means sacrificing our reputations, finances, security, safety, or even our very lives. Because our neighbors and the world are searching for Jesus, and we don't find Him inside a politcal party or by electing a particular candidate.
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Today, we celebrated as one, extended family dedicated four children and seven people were baptized. Which is why this week's conversation, lead by Dennis Allan, is more a sermonette focused on baptism as the Christian's pledge of allegiance. Baptism is a choice we make where we are naturalized into a new way of living and being, and where we pledge ultimate allegiance to King Jesus. When we're baptized we join into what the apostle Paul refers to as a “new humanity.” According to Paul, in this “new humanity” there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither slave nor free. These groups of people who had intentionally been separated from one another were now being joined together through Jesus. In baptism everything we are is subordinated to Jesus. Our identity. Our mission. Our way of living and being. Our financial resources. Our loves. Our affections. Our desires. Everything is now submitted to Jesus, because He is our King, and we are His Kingdom people.
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We are supposed to be political, just not in the ways we think. We tend to think the primary vehicle for our political expression are political parties and elections. But, if we're citizens of the Kingdom living in America as exiles, then shouldn't the church by our primary vechicle for our political expression? The New Testament authors used the word "ekklesia" to describe the church, a word that carried clear political overtones. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, outlines how to live as Kingdom citizens within an empire. We don't overpower and crush our enemies, but instead love them and sacrifice for them. We don't use our money to acquire more cultural power, but to care for the under-resourced. We don't create stories to gain attention, but instead tell the truth and practice integrity. This is how the church develops and lives out an alternative political ethic that subverts the powers of the empire and proclaims the hope of Jesus to the world.
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Benjamin Chua continues our series, "People of the Kingdom." If we are first and foremost citizens of the Kingdom of God, then the country we find ourselves in is not our true home. As citizens of the Kingdom we live in America as exiles, not dissimilar from the Israelites who were exiles in Babylon or how the early church identified as exiles within the Roman Empire. We are foreigners and strangers on earth. And yet, as Christians we've sought to make our home in America by adopting a Christianed version of the American Dream and claiming it as God's promise to us. So, if we're exiles, what does that mean? How are we supposed to live here and now if we're active outposts of the Kingdom? If we can live out Jesus' words as Kingdom-minded exiles distinct from American culture we'll get to watch God's rule and reign spread all across our neighborhoods, cities, and country.
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This week, we start a new series titled, "People of the Kingdom." Over the next eight weeks we'll explore the idea that the church in America's first political task is to become the church Jesus intended. And that starts by recovering our true citizenship. As the people of God we are citizens of the Kingdom, first and foremost. Only secondarily are we citizens of the country we live in. Our first and primary allegiance is to Jesus and His Kingdom. Our ways of living and being are to be shaped exclusively by the Kingdom, yet many of us have been profoundly formed by the empire we live within. How do we live as citizens of the Kingdom and as an active outpost of the Kingdom in the places we find ourselves today? It all starts in Philippians when Paul reminds the women and men in Philippi that their citizenship has its roots in a heavenly commonwealth.
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This week Pastor Shaq Hager introduces us to Junia, an apostle, who helped lead and build the early church. Junia's status as an apostle, however, has been questioned. From approximately the 13th centurty until about 1980 Bible translators added an "s" to Junia's name, making it Junias, which was a male name. Yet, early Christian writers like John Chrysostom make it clear Junia is a woman, and Origen even states that Junia was one of the 70 who were also called apostles. Paul describes Junia as a person who was imprisoned and "in chains" for the Gospel. In Junia, we have an example of a courageous woman who lived into her gifts as an apostle and helped advance the Gospel and build the early church.
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This week, Carrie Bucker walks through Priscilla's story. Paul identifies Priscilla as a co-laborer in the ministry of proclaiming and living out the Gospel. He even identifies her and her husband, Aquila, as having protected his life and saving the early church, ensuring it was able to thrive and flourish. There's even a story about Priscilla taking aside a young, charismatic, and gifted teacher named Apollos, and identifying some of his theological weaknesses and teaching him. Priscilla being a woman was not a hindrance for Paul or God. She was living out the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in her leadership and teaching, and she was performing her role in the body of Christ for which God had equipped her.
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This week we start a three week series focused on women leaders in the early church, and what their lives and ministries can teach the church today about following Jesus. Phoebe was entrusted by Paul with carrying, arguably, Paul's most theologically substantive letter. Not only was she expected to deliver Paul's letter to the Romans, but she was also expected to teach and discuss it with the church in Rome to ensure they understood it. In a sense, she was a physical representation of Paul's teaching and ministry for the Roman Christians. She was a servant-leader, a protector, and a provider who used her life and resource to advance the Gospel and build the Kingdom.
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This week we take a look back across sixty-three sermons and our study of the book of Acts to identify major themes and what they mean for us today. In particular, the conversation focuses on the expansive and inclusive nature of the Gospel, the Kingdom of God breaking into and challenging the kingdom of man, the call to go to our neighbors, what it means to wait on the Spirit, and how everywhere we find ourselves is an opportunity to be a signpost to the hope and love of Jesus.
Every one who taught as part of the series was included in the conversation: Reverend Eleanor Williams, Carrie Buckner, Julia Allan, Benjamin Chua, Pastor Shaq Hager, and Pastor Dennis Allan. Katie Long facilitated.
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Luke ends the book of Acts with Paul in Rome, imprisoned, meeting with a group of Jewish people. He shares the Gospel with them, proclaiming the ways the Old Testament foretold Jesus as Israel's true Messiah and prophesied that, through Jesus' death and resurrection, the Kingdom of God had been inaugurated. While some chose to believe the Gospel, most did not. Even the people most committed to following God's laws are capable of missing out on what God's doing. Paul's vision of the Kingdom is a scandal to many. It's a Gospel that's radically inclusive, wildly expansive, and it lifts Jesus high. The invitation Luke extends to all of his readers is this: Jesus' ministry and Paul's ministry are now ours to continue. We are to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom to everyone, everywhere we go. Because God wants all His kids to come home.
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Sometimes we're so convinced we're right about a particular belief, a specific way of seeing or understanding the world, or, even, a way of interprepting a particular portion of Scripture that we tell ourselves it's more Jesus-like to remove ourselves from relationship with people who think or believe differently than we do. In essence, we can believe purity of doctrine or adherence to biblical interpreptations is more important than extending love and relationship to those we disagree with. This week, Pastor Shaq Hager focused on Acts 28:11-22, leading to a congregational conversation focused on three questions:
What beliefs do you find problematic in other Christians?Which of your own beliefs do you think other Christians might find problematic?How can we, as Jesus prays in John 17, be one as followers of Jesus while also holding space for our disagreement?*In the podcast, you'll hear Pastor Shaq set-up the discussion and then you'll hear a few seconds of quiet. Then, Pastor Shaq will lead a brief prayer. Feel free to pause the sermon after Pastor Shaq introduces the conversation questions and reflect on them on your own.
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What happens when things start feeling out of control and chaotic? When it feels like the ship of your life is caught in the midst of a storm? How do you respond? How do you find and remain in Jesus throughout the storm? What happens when everything feels like it's falling apart and you just want to get off the ship? This is the story of Paul in Acts 27:33-44 (NIV). Reverend Eleanor Williams walks us through the passage and helps us understand how to anchor our lives in Jesus no matter what is happening in the world or in our lives.
Reverend Eleanor is a member of Garden City Church. She was a special education teacher in Pittsburgh Public Schools for more than thirty years, earned an M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and is an ordained pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Northside Partnership Project.
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This week, Julia Allan walks through Paul's story, just before he's shipwrecked on his way to Rome in Acts 27. Paul, who first heard Jesus' voice along the Damascus Road, heard from the Lord that everyone on the ship would survive the storm. Paul said to the crew, "Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve..." Even in the midst of an incredible storm Paul could hear and discern Jesus' voice. And that ability to know Jesus' voice is cultivated through belonging and service. Paul belonged to Jesus and served Him. Paul knew the sound of Jesus' voice, even when a literal storm enveloped him. How can we also hear and know Jesus' voice in the midst of the storms in our lives and society? And, in our own and the world's storms, what might God be saying to us?
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