If we look at the biblical story of where God lives – what we discover is that God has lived in a few different places over the course of history. But God’s heart and intention from the beginning was always to dwell with his people… So, Garden, tabernacle, Temple 1 & 2, The Word became flesh Jesus Clears the Temple – John 2:13—21 13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15 Jesus made a wh ..read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:27-35 TPT   Question: When has been a time in your life when you have taken a risk in your faith? Sometimes the biggest mountain to conquer when taking a risk is conquering our fear and doubts.   Focus: Peter a man who was given an opportunity to step out and take a risk in his spiritual journey to leave behind what he knew, what made sense in the natural to move towards something he hadn’t done before. Matthew 14:27-35 TPT 27 Then Jesus said, “Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!”[h] 28 Peter shouted out, “Lord, if it’s really you, then have ..read more

What are the ‘senses’ that tell you that you’re home? What are the ‘senses’ that tell you that you’re lost? Poem: September 1, 1939 – WH Auden Faces along the bar Cling to their average day: The lights must never go out, The music must always play, All the conventions conspire To make this fort assume The furniture of home; Lest we should see where we are, Lost in a haunted wood, Children afraid of the night Who have never been happy or good. Big story: a study in getting lost Luke 15:11-32 Cutting ties Lack of personal discipline Lack of internal resources Questionable relationships And then ..read more

The human heart has been created with connection and purpose in mind. We’ve been created: In the image of God – the desire for belonging (community) To seek restoration (answers to life’s problems) And to desire creativity (to make a contribution) Jesus offers this. So, Why doesn’t every heart come? Why isn’t everyone here? Luke 8:4-15 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 A ..read more

1 big truth about God (theological truth) A life in God is not a prize to be earned, but a gift to be received 1 story : David vs the giant — 1 Samuel 17 “Now the Philistines” “Now David’… ‘For 40 days” “And David heard him”… “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel… “There was no sword in the hand of David” “When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ek ..read more

The 3 Markers of the Loveless Church What You Say is More Important Than What You Do (Eloquence) We are never alone. God’s character remains constant. God’s grace is sufficient. God loves you and he sent his Son for you. God is making all things new. Jesus came to save you. He is the way the Truth and the life. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV Where The Simple Becomes Complicated (Equations) PROPHETIC POWERS + UNDERSTAND ALL MYSTERIES + UNDERSTAND ALL KNOWLEDGE + ALL FAITH + MOVE MOUNTAINS = NO ..read more

John 1: 1-18. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that ..read more

What are the biggest decisions you’ve had to make in your life? Buy or sell? Stay or go? Treat or don’t treat? Marry or don’t marry? Leave or stay? Scripture – Psalm 1 #blessed with context Psalm 1 introduces the whole book of Psalms. Indeed ‘distinctiveness’ is the theme around which the poem is structured. A psalm that is really the key to all psalms… Ash-re: lit. ‘happy’ A1 (v 1) The way of blessedness   B1 (v 2) Continuance in the Lord’s law     C1 (v 3) The enduring fruit tree     C2 (v 4) The impermanent chaff   B2 (v 5) No standing in the Lord’s judgment A2 ..read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12 ESV The context Now Matthew gives us a fix in place and time. Bethlehem, a few miles from Jerusalem, is the birthplace of Jesus. Written to a Jewish audience so the focus on the characters are important. The players ‘wise men from the east’ Herod – the king of Israel The chief priests and scribes The sharp contrast between these well-motivated foreigners and the unscrupulous jealousy of Herod, the official King of the Jews (and all Jerusalem with him), foreshadows the response which official Judaism will make to Jesus, and the future welcome of Gentile believers into ..read more

Isaiah 9:1-6 This passage was written at around the time of the fall of the northern kingdom, to Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah in 701 b.c, to the period of the Exile — around the time of Israel’s exile to Babylon. The first question we might ask is: who is the prophet talking about? Who is the son that will be born? Two ways to understand OT prophecy…two meanings: now and not yet one: the time and culture of the day two: the cosmic meta-narrative ‘in Christ’ Time and culture of the day: The son is most likely Hezekiah, born to Ahaz.  People would look back to his birth as a significant ..read more