Friendship is incredibly rewarding but not always easy. Friendships can be durable, but they are fragile, too. God can do a lot through a healthy friendship and can even work through a broken one. Broken friendships provide opportunities to start new friendships. The story of Paul and Barnabas provides instruction and encouragement as we navigate friendships.
One of the most significant conflicts between Jesus and religious leaders relates to Sabbath observance. Jesus argues that they had missed the point and forgotten the intentions of the day. By doing so, ministers in a way that looks wrong, but aligns with God's heart.
Recent figures indicate that 36% of Americans struggle with deep loneliness, while the number goes up to 61% for those 18-25. This message shows how the formation of community is central to God's creative purposes in the world and to the nature of the gospel.
The Bible tells us to be mercifull. But mercy can be really difficult to show, since mercy is not contrasted with hate or greed. Instead, mercy is contrasted with things that normally sound good, like righteous acts, judgment (justice), and sacrifice.
Life is about choices. And one of the choices a disciple must make is to deny themselves. But this isn't just about suffering for no good reason. Instead, Jesus teaches us to deny ourselves in hopes of gaining something better in the end.
Paul is teaching the Philippians that salvation is a group effort. He tells them to work out their salvation in fear and trembling. We cannot work out our personal salvation in isolation from one another.
There is a great deal of wrong things going on in our world today, but the Psalmist reminds us to also be mindful of the wrong things that are going on within ourselves.
In this historic moment the churches of Christ must assertively remind our fellow citizens that the only remedy for today’s social ills is not simply the love of God, but the love of God as we see God existing in our neighbor.
Those rebuilding the wall experience financial hardship during a time of famine. Nehemiah attributes the hardship to an economy where the wealthy prey on the poor. In this message, Bob proposes that an economy rooted in self-interest will always divide the people of God. But practices of sharing and generositiy can bring God's peace.
It only took 52 days to build the wall. Nehemiah relied on the power of God and the unity of the workers. Workers were merchants, goldsmith, politicians, and even a perfume maker. This church and city will be rebuilt when we focus less on our personal gifts and more on the mission that God has put in front of us.