The Way of Dependence Text: Mark 1:35-45Rev. John Downs In our culture, we tend to elevate independence and the self-made person who pulls themself by their bootstraps. Yet boot-strap spirituality is very self-centered, deluding us into believing we can be …
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January 8, 2023
The Way of Redemptive Authority Text: Mark 1:14-34Rev. John Downs Based on prior personal experiences or the post-modern spirit of the age, we may not have a favorable view of authority or even consider it oppressive. However, the gospel shows …
January 1, 2023
The Gospel Way Text: Mark 1:1-13Rev. John Downs Today we begin a sermon series through the gospel of Mark. In contrast to the habit of New Year’s resolutions that typically focus on our deficiencies and reflect our self-interest, the gospel …
December 25, 2022 – Christmas
The Son and the Sign Text: Luke 2:1-20Rev. John Downs At the time of Jesus’ incarnation, the world was entering into the Pax Romana, an extended period of secular flourishing in the Roman Empire under the Caesars who were considered …
December 18, 2022
Restoring Life Text: Ruth 4:13-22Rev. John Downs Since sin entered the world in Genesis 3, what all of humanity has needed is not a self-improvement program but rather new birth. The good news is that our sovereign God’s gracious and …
December 11, 2022
Redemption in Public Text: Ruth 4:1-12Rev. John Downs In the post-enlightenment world, our faith and identity have become very privatized. This was not at all the case throughout the scriptures and the pre-enlightenment church. Today’s passage displays the very public …
December 4, 2022
The Redeemer’s Rest Text: Ruth 3Rev. John Downs All of us have a desire for a settled place where we can put down roots, and yet we may look to things that can never satisfy. As today’s story from Ruth …
November 27, 2022
Favor to the Foreigner Text: Ruth 2:1-23Rev. John Downs A merely academic, critical reading of today’s narrative misses a fundamental and important truth: this passage is not only about Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. It’s also about how God is sovereignly …
November 20, 2022
Coming Home Text: Ruth 1:6-22Rev. John Downs Longing for home is a universal part of the human condition. Sometimes, however, we are tempted to make our “home” or to seek our identity in earthly things that can never truly satisfy. …
November 13, 2022
Faithful Through Famine to Fullness Text: Ruth 1:1-5Rev. John Downs Today we begin a series on the book of Ruth which anticipates the birth of King David, even as we move toward Advent which points to the birth of the …