Spark Cast

The "kingdom of God" is often spoken of in terms of the afterlife, or what happens when you die. Digging deeper, we discover that the "Kingdom of God" is actually about here and now, the very presence and closeness of God's rule and reign.

There are two possible interpretations of Jesus's welcoming of children in Matthew 18, both are profound and important for followers of Jesus. The first is to actually recapture the characteristics and values of the young, not to be childish, but to regain the wonder, awe, and enlivened sense of wonder that is found in children. The second, according to cultural backdrops, is to eliminate any status that may hinder anyone from full validation and welcome into the Kingdom of God.

Jesus's use of parables is a powerful way of sharing multiple layers of meaning in one story. In Matthew 20, we find the parable of the workers in the vineyard and the wildly lavish generosity of the vineyard owner. Through this parable we come to understand God's grace in new and grand ways, but also discover the poor attitudes of those who feel they ought to be treated differently. In other words, true lavish grace is quite amazing; it can also be infuriating.

The short question and answer time at the end of this week's message.

Jesus's teaching on "greater and lesser" commandments is a brilliant framework for shifting our thinking and believing in multiple ways. First, it equalizes the value of my neighbor and myself, and it equates loving my neighbor with loving God. Second, it provides a central driving ethic that informs all other commandments and interpretive applications of those commands. Embracing "greater & lesser" will help us live better with these brilliant teachings, and ensure that we avoid a moral rigidity that is incapable of true love.

We begin our Jesus Ethics series with the phrase, "Do not resist an evil person." In this teaching Jesus's well known phrases of "turn the other cheek," and "go the extra mile" mean something far different than the popularly understood meaning of "just take it." Once we engage with the culture and context, we see that far from simply being a passive victim of violence, or a vengeful retaliator, Jesus is providing a "third way" of opposing evil without mirroring it. By doing so, we restore the dignity and humanity of both the victim and the oppressor. Brilliant!

As we come the close of our Genesis series, we have to ask the question, "How do we end the story?" Even in the midst of the dynamic ups and downs of Joseph's life, he decides to sum it all by saying, "God intended it for good…" This phraseology hearkens back to Genesis, where the entire creation was "all good," and provides the reader a way of framing the entire Genesis experience.

As Israel is now heading down to Egypt as a result of the famine, God gives him this promise: "I will be with you." As "going down" in the Bible symbolizes distance from God, or departing a familiar place, these verses highlight the difference of Israel's God from all other gods; namely, that God's presence has no boundaries. In all of the ups AND downs of life, God's promises and presence remain true.

[This is a re-recording of the live message] The dramatic unfolding of Joseph's encounter with his brothers exposes the hurts and pains of Joseph as he is faced with his brothers many years after they sold him into slavery. Now the second in command of the world's greatest empire, Joseph's actions and attitudes betray the reality that his present dysfunction is a manifestation of past family hurts and pains. In the end, Joseph's choice of believing in God saves his soul, redeems his family, and preserves his calling. For us, may we, too, believe in God's purpose and plan for our own salvation and redemption.

Our understanding of Joseph as a dreamer and interpreter of dreams is not the only lesson that is being conveyed through the Biblical narrative. Joseph is also a leader, though not one in the conventional sense. Without status, title, authority, Joseph leads with the grit determination and integrity to still influence the world around him, regardless of opportunities or circumstances. May we also lead in the same way.

The Judah and Tamar story of Genesis 38 interrupts our Joseph narrative, and for good reason. It points out a contrast of righteousness that will be thematic throughout the rest of the Bible. However, we need a little historical and contextual help to understand what is really going on in a story that is often perplexing and confusing for modern readers.

We come to chapter 37, the beginning of the Joseph story, which does not start off really well. If this story were to take place today, we would invest in serious therapy for the parties involved. Yet, these dysfunctions are the very vehicles through which God is continuing to write His story. We too, therefore, can see our pasts, histories, and current dysfunctions as avenues of God's grace and redemption.

Why does the Bible tell so much of the complicated, sordid, and frankly embarrassing elements of dysfunctional family life? Well, perhaps it is because the Biblical view of family and story are really important to describing our place and calling in this world. This message encourages us to take into full consideration all of our family's stories to bring fresh meaning to our identities and our legacies.

If we're going to do a Genesis series, we can't skip over the "tricky bits," as in Chapter 34 and the "ravishing of Dinah." In this message, Pastor Danielle explains why this story is in the Bible and how it is illustrating the delinquency and consequences of irresponsible caretakers. We can all agree that today, as it was back then, abdicating our responsibility to care for our girls is most definitely a "thing not to be done."

On this Mother's Day, we reflect on the feminine side of God as described in the Bible. We are challenged to think of gender, not as two, as reflected in humanity, but as one, as in God. As we do, we are drawn into an understanding that a compassionate God carries each of us deep within God's womb. It is by believing in this that we hear God's heartbeat, become familiar with God's voice, conform our rhythms and patters of behavior to God's ways, and find our identity and security in God's loving compassion.

Special guest musician Tyson Motsenbocker shares a special song, "Path in the Weeds." Visit www.TysonMotsenbocker.com for more on his music.

Pastor Mark Arevalo shares a wild and crazy teaching full of lots of interaction, making the case for Church as an intergenerational experience. We are reminded of how God has created each generation to serve the Church and how we need each other to experience the fullest expression of our faith.

Human dysfunction begins when a person feels unloved, and unworthy of love (shame). As a result, the ways in which we function in this world lead us to blame others and game systems in order to protect our hearts and souls. This is poignantly illustrated in the narrative of Genesis 3. But what is also there is God's redemption, speaking deep into our identity, grounding us once again in love and worth. In this message, we are reminded once again of the power of love to transform all human relationships, starting with our own identity.

The celebration of Palm Sunday was not a happy event, but rather one deeply imbued in the soul's cry for freedom. Just as Passover was being celebrated, commemorating freedom from Egypt, Jesus's entry during this festival evoked a similar cry for freedom, now from under the oppression of Rome. Through a variety of historical events, we see that this is actually a cry that is deeply embedded in soul of humanity. The question for us is simply, How shall we respond? How shall we explain to our children what we did to expand freedom in this world, God's freedom for humanity, and for each of us?

This audio clip includes the introduction before the sermon, "Encountering God," and then a brief Q&A after the sermon.