New Beginnings
NB 01: YOU CAN DO THIS
December 10, 2023 • Garrett Marshall • Matthew 14:22–33
What does this mean about the calling of Jesus’ Disciples? Why does Peter think he can walk on water? Whom does he lose faith in? What does this passage teach us about being called to be Jesus’ disciple? Jesus is calling you to be his disciple. You can do this.
NB 02: Pure In Heart
December 17, 2023 • Garrett Marshall • Matthew 5:8
You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” I’m guessing that most would agree with that statement. It doesn’t really matter how great you ‘talk the talk,’ if you don’t ‘walk the walk.’ However, in the famous beginning of the Sermon on the Mount called the Beatitudes, Jesus states that the “pure in heart” will be blessed, and will “See God.” What does that mean? How does one become pure in heart? Does this call us to something even greater than just “walking the walk”?
NB 03: A New Kind of King
December 24, 2023 • Garrett Marshall • Matthew 1:18–25
Throughout the Bible, God has a habit of circumventing human expectations. Many times, God does not act the way we want or expect. This is never more apparent, than in the Christmas story. God, in his incredible wisdom, flips the script in what true greatness really looks like. Instead of worldly power, he comes to the world in poverty. He tells the tale of two kingdoms, and introduces a new king of King.
NB 04: "They Devoted Themselves"
December 31, 2023 • Garrett Marshall • Acts 2:42–47
In the book In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best Run Companies, the authors do a deep dive into the strategies, culture, and work ethics of what they considered to be the best run companies in the country. They found that one of the most promising indicators for success was that they did “the basics well, almost all the time.” In Acts 2, we see the beginning of the movement that would be called Christianity; a movement that would span continents, go on for thousands of years, and transform the world. And yet today, by most metrics, it is on the decline, especially in “post-modern” cultures. What happened? Perhaps our congregations have forgotten what successful companies have now discovered, to do the basics well. Let’s get back to basics.