Spark Cast

The plagues of Exodus are seen as miracles, judgment, and as a denouncement of the gods of Egypt, including Pharaoh. In addition, the plagues are telling the deeper story that began in Genesis. While Pharaoh's hardness of heart brought about an undoing of God's good creation, corrupt powers of this world do not have the last word. The goodness and justice of God does.

As we enter the section of Exodus that introduces the plagues, we are challenged with the idea that these are not actually "miracles" that necessarily prove God's power. No doubt miracles occur. But these plagues are described in the Bible, not as miracles, but as "signs & wonders," and "acts of judgment." And the reason is profound, for the first act of liberation is not freedom from oppression, but empathy, to know that someone has seen your suffering, and understands how you have been a victim of injustice. That is what the signs and wonders do. They communicate judgment to Pharaoh, and empathy to the Israelites.

The Resurrection of Jesus, the most significant event in Christianity, and the most important event in history is about more than the supernatural and miraculous. It is about diverse worlds coming together in one unified existence and reality, old and new, death and life, mind and heart, data and meaning. And as the resurrection brings all of these together, we see just a glimpse of what it means to have hope in the ultimate coming together, heaven and earth. And as God has joined all of these things together in the resurrection, "let no man separate."

We all have expectations. What we think, hope, and presuppose will meet our predictions. But the expectations the people had of Jesus on this day, Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, left Jesus in tears. In this message we discover why, and how Jesus defied those expectations.

All of us have had the "wind knocked out of us," through tragedy, disappointment, or failure. All of us have desired to stand before God and cry out, "Why?!" Not only do the Scriptures permit this, but it is encouraged. And as we cry out to God, we hear back from his reply, "I will free you, deliver you, redeem you, and take you."

In chapter 5, we get a glimpse into the actions and behaviors of Pharaoh. Through this study, we see not only that Pharaoh was a bad leader, but how he exemplifies a human tendency that lives within us all. Our encouragement? Hold up a mirror, and look deeply into how we can respond and be responsible to bring hope and redemption rather than perpetuating hurt and dysfunction.

The enigmatic passage of Exodus 4, with Zipporah and the flint stone immediately causes questions to emerge. Unfortunately, there's a lot we don't really know about this passage. What is helpful, then, is to lean in to what we do know. And, what we should know, is that this passage is brilliant commentary on our personal and private lives and the impact that has in the public sphere. "Here's my heart, Lord. Speak what is true."

In the midst of Moses's call, there is Moses's objections. How God responds shows us how irrelevant our objections are to the purposes and plans that God has for us. Setting aside those insecurities, which is often a focus on self, is one of the brilliant lessons of this passage.

"I will be who I will be." This is the declaration of God to Moses's inquiry, "Who shall I say sent me?" Much has been written and considered regarding the Divine Name. In this message, we try to consider what this phrase, "I will be who I will be," may mean and imply for a God that lives and moves throughout history, to this very day.

The iconic image of the "burning bush" in Exodus 3 invokes a host of imaginative hollywood graphics. Yet, the story is much more than divine theatrics. It is illustrating the character development of Moses and of God. The real miracle is not in the burning bush, but in Moses, who stops, and pauses for quite sometime to see this strange sight. What does he see? The presence of God in the middle of the fire, ensuring that even though it burns, it will not be consumed. So too, are we, when God's presence comes to us through others, that we are "burned, but not consumed." And that, that is a strange sight indeed.

The Israelites, in their bondage, cry out. What is amazing about this passage in Exodus 2, is that for every outcry of suffering, God responds with hearing, remembering, seeing, and knowing. We all need a God like this, a God who runs to us, as a parent to a child, in their time of need, hurt, pain, and suffering.

Moses is a Hebrew, adopted into an Egyptian household. Yet, these do not formulate the most important aspect of his identity. The text, through the telling of Moses's intervention in three conflicts, illustrates that the primary identity of Moses is one who cannot stand injustice. It is this identity that positions Moses to be the "hero" of Israel. Yet, even though this identity is true, Moses does not have the courage to live that out on his own. The deprecating question, "Who do you think you are?" plagues his self-perceptions. In response, God simply ignores that question and replaces it with another question, namely, "Who do you say I AM?"

Chapter 2 of Exodus introduces us to the dramatic unfolding of hints, clues, and allusions to coming events. Perhaps the most tragic is Pharaoh's actions, and that he receives exactly what he asks for, just not in the ways he expects. For the Exodus story, the opposite of that tragedy is not getting what we want, or receiving blessing, it is being saved from those desires in the first place.

Seldom do we pay attention to the seemingly insignificant details of the Biblical narrative. Yet, we should. There would not be a Moses story without a whole host of "minor characters," and there would not be the movements of justice today without each and every one of us playing our small part. Let us together celebrate the Bible's mentioning of Shiphrah and Puah, and be inspired to live in obedience to God ourselves.

Much of our Christian theology formulaically equates obedience with blessing. While many take solace in this, the opening story of Exodus shows a different picture. Despite the Israelites fulfilling the commission of Genesis, it is their very "fruitfulness" and "multiplying" that brings upon them oppression, making them a target for the powers that be. Many of us experience this, that our lives do not fit the "formula." So, what do we do? Let's take a look, again, at this story.

Welcome to our series on Exodus. While filled with amazing and fantastical features, it is possible to miss the greater story, of which we are invited to participate. Through good study, history, and a recognition that these stories are connected to a much larger story, we will begin to see the themes of justice, liberation, and formation live out in our lives in new and fresh ways. Join us for this series on Exodus.

40% of Americans make New Year's Resolutions. 8% of those that do actually keep them. This common cultural activity is illustrative of something deeper about our humanity, a self-centeredness that is reflected, not just in popular psychology books, but in the ancient work of Ecclesiastes. Through this talk, Pastor Kevin encourages us to not just make resolutions, but rather to also make remembrances, to "take note" of God throughout the entire past year. And as we do, we are exhorted to turn our inward focus upward and outward, toward God and others.

Live reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas (Spark Edition)" set to the music of Michael W. Smith's Overture/O Come All Ye Faithful, 1989.

Mystery is commonly thought of as a "problem" to be solved. Biblical mystery, however, is about awe, wonder, and amazement. Through the stories we read in the Bible, we see that mystery is the redemptive response to power, the path to discovery, and the way to worship. Let us together trust the mystery.

Jesus calming of the storm in Mark 4 is reminiscent of the story of Jonah. Through both of these stories we see the presence of God in the midst of storms. Let us together hear the words of Jesus, "Peace, be still," through the storms in our lives.