Matthew: The Power of the King (Chris)

In this lesson, we resume our study of the Gospel of Matthew by exploring Matthew 8–9. After teaching about the character of the kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus demonstrates the authority of that kingdom through a series of amazing miracles. We will see how Christ reveals His power over sickness, nature, evil, sin, and even death — and how these moments show both the authority and the compassion of the King. Join us as we consider what these signs teach us about who Jesus is and why we can trust Him with every part of our lives.

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Matthew: Trusting the King (Randy)

In this leasson, we explore Matthew 6 and Jesus’ call to trust in the King. We’ll look at what it means to live before an audience of One, to examine where our treasure truly lies, and to confront the worries that reveal what we trust most. We’ll revisit the question, “Who is the king you depend on?”

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Matthew: Salt and Light (Randy)

In this lesson, we explore Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13–16, where he calls his followers the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” We consider what it means to live distinctly yet faithfully in the world under the reign of King Jesus, and how grace empowers our influence.

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Matthew: The King's Vision and Values for his Kingdom (Randy)

In this lesson, we take an overview look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), exploring what life looks like under the reign of King Jesus, and why this “kingdom vision” reveals both God’s absolute ideal and our need for grace. I encourage you to reread the Sermon in preparation for this lesson!

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Matthew: Launching Christ’s Ministry (Chris)

Two important events launch Christ’s ministry in the Gospel of Matthew: his baptism and his temptation in the desert (chapters 3-4).  This week, we will consider why these experiences are so important, how they are connected, and what they mean to us as followers of Jesus.

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Matthew: The Upside Down Kingdom of Christ (Chris)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reveals a kingdom that reverses the world’s values: humility outranks power, service defines greatness, and grace replaces status. Together we’ll examine how Christ’s teachings challenge our assumptions about success and call us to live as faithful citizens of His kingdom. Join us as we learn what it means to “seek first the kingdom of heaven.

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Matthew: Saving the Biggest Sinners (Chris)

Underlying the Gospel of Matthew is the powerful story of Matthew himself: a hated and ostracized tax-collector who became a beloved apostle of Jesus Christ.  Matthew's Gospel focuses on Jesus's fulfillment of all God's promises in the Old Testament to redeem Israel and the world.  Animating the text is Matthew's own salvation and the intense commitment to Christ it produced.
 
This week, we will consider the power of God's love and grace to overcome the largest sins and to redeem the biggest sinners.  Alongside Matthew's own story, we will consider two other arch-sinners turned agents of God: King David and the Apostle Paul.  We will see further how God's love in Christ saves each of us and offers us an amazing life of gratitude and joy. 

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Matthew: Birth of a King (Randy)

In this lesson, we will continue our series on the Book of Matthew by studying Matthew 1–2 and the birth of Jesus. We’ll explore what it means to follow a King who enters the world in weakness rather than power, and consider where God may be calling us to obedience before full clarity.

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Matthew: An Introduction to the Book of Matthew (Randy)

This Sunday we begin a new series on the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus is introduced not merely as a teacher or savior, but as King. We’ll look at how Matthew’s opening verses and genealogy invite us to move from observing Jesus to living under his reign in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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The Joy of Advent (Randy)

In this short Advent devotional, we explore how biblical joy is not found in perfect circumstances, but in recognizing God’s presence and grace given to us through Jesus at Christmas. It will be a chance to slow down, welcome Christ, and rediscover the joy grounded in God’s gift of grace.

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Closer to God: Living Generously (Chris)

Chris shares perspective from his book WISEgenerosity on how the five types of generosity (possessional, personal, social, emotional, relational) lead us towards faithful discipleship and being more like Christ in our lives.  You also will learn your own Generosity Personality Type as a way to better experience and express giving that is W.I.S.E.: Well-grounded, Inspired, Satisfying, and Effective.

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Closer to God: W.I.S.E. Generosity (Chris)

Drawing from his book WISEgenerosity, Chris leads us in considering how giving and altruism in all of their forms are essential virtues for full and faithful lives.  We are made to be generous because God is generous, and Christ modeled perfect generosity.  For us to experience the full transformational potential of generosity, it must be W.I.S.E.: Well-grounded, Inspired, Satisfying, and Effective.

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Closer to God: Living Generously (Randy)

In this lesson, we continue our Closer to God series by exploring generosity as a whole-life response to God’s love. Building on last week’s discussion of financial generosity, we’ll look at the beautiful story of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus’ feet and discover how her bold act models seven forms of generosity: time, attention, wealth, talents, possessions, reputation, and comfort.

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Closer to God: The Grace of Generosity (Randy)

In this lesson, we explore how the gospel reshapes our relationship with money, possessions, and giving. Looking at Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler in Luke 18, we’ll examine why money holds such power in our lives, how it can subtly become an idol, and how true generosity can only flow from a heart transformed by Christ’s generosity toward us.

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Closer to God: Faithful and Grateful (Chris)

This week concludes the middle section of our series on grief, gratitude, and generosity by exploring the connection between faith and gratefulness.  We will contrast the world's view of gratitude and a Christian understanding.  We will consider the example of Jesus's mother Mary from the Bible.  We will outline methods for pursuing gratitude more fully in our own lives.  Ultimately, we will recognize the love of God expressed through the cross of Christ as the ultimate reason for thankfulness.

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Closer to God: Gratitude as Worship (Randy)

Continuing in our theme, Closer to God, tomorrow we’ll explore “Gratitude as Worship.” Our culture talks a lot about being thankful, but rarely directs that gratitude to God. Psalm 100 reminds us that true thanksgiving always leads to worship. We “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.” Join us as we learn how Jesus reorients our hearts from self-focus to genuine worship, where gratitude becomes an act of praise to the Giver of all good things.

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Closer to God: Gratitude and Hope (Chris)

Our series this season is exploring three universal parts of the human experience: grief, gratitude, and generosity.  This week, we will consider gratitude.  "Thanksgiving" is a constant theme in Scripture.  Like us, however, our forebears in faith were not always celebrating success and good fortune.  They faced adversity and difficulty, and yet maintained an attitude of appreciation for God.  We will reflect on their experiences and the lessons we can apply in our own lives. 

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The Seven Holy Feast Days (Bob Daffer)

Bob Daffer begins a two-part lesson on the Seven Holy Feast Days of the Lord and how they relate to Christ's first and second coming.

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Closer to God: The Gift of Gratitude (Randy)

In our Closer to God series, we contemplate “The Gift of Gratitude.” We’ll explore why gratitude is so challenging in our modern, self-focused world and why many people feel thankful without truly understanding whom they’re thanking. Scripture reminds us that gratitude is not just good manners or an abstract feeling, but rather a proper response to grace.

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Closer to God: Grieving Well (Chris)

Following up last week's program on "Lamenting," we will review examples of good grieving and not-so-good grieving from culture and the world.  We then will consider how the ultimate example of both grief and overcoming grief came through Christ and the cross.

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