The Better Way
May 5, 2024 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Matthew 9:10–13, Hosea 6:6
To both the religious insiders and the moral outsiders, Jesus gives a goal—a better way to orient our lives. Some people pursue the correct church behaviors, while others are just living for what the weekend has to offer. But what if there’s a better way? What if we were created for more than the weekend? If we’re willing to learn it, Jesus has a life lesson for all of us.
More Than Meets the Eye
April 14, 2024 • Pastor Peter Damaska • 1 Kings 18:16–46
It seems like nothing could be worse than nothingness. Seriously, what good could ever come out of being alone, being in the dark, being out of the loop, being the last one standing? How can something come out of nothing? In counterintuitive ways, God repeatedly teaches Elijah a valuable lesson—a lesson that gives him the perspective he needs to face what is in front of him.
Invited to the Movement
March 24, 2024 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Exodus 35:3–4, Matthew 21:1–6
It’s an (almost) impossible thing to imagine that the God of the universe is interested in people like us. And not only is He interested, but He extends an invitation to us to participate! What could we possibly offer that would please Him? The answer may surprise you, but it won’t disappoint you.
Trust and Obey. Who, Me?
March 17, 2024 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Exodus 20, Exodus 19
Common to each of us is the experience of comparison. And if you’ve ever disqualified yourself from something (either publicly or privately), your reasons likely stem from seeing yourself not as good as ______________. (You fill in the blank.) But we are invited to much more than the habit of personal/early disqualification. Today’s snapshot of Moses at Mount Sinai is filled with encouragement for those moments we want to back away from what is coming our way.
God is Love, But What About Us?
February 18, 2024 • Pastor Peter Damaska • 1 John 4:7–21
Love is a fashionable word. We hear it repeatedly in music, in poetry, in the Scriptures, and even when eating our favorite pizza. If repetition helps get a point across, John is definitely trying to get our attention and educate us about love—true love. God is love, but what about us?
Option BE
January 21, 2024 • Pastor Peter Damaska • 1 John 2:18–27
John describes in stark contrast the present circumstances of a group of believers in Jesus. His words accentuate the pressure they face, he reminds them time is ticking away, and he encourages them to apply the truth they have accepted to their everyday life. But a choice remains. The hours of our days are not unlike theirs, and we too have the same choice—Option A or Option BE.
Finding the Elusive Jesus
December 31, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Luke 2:41–52
Seeking Jesus is an incredible gift from God. Along the way, it means dealing with questions and frustrations. It could even mean we will overlook Him from time to time. That’s not surprising knowing our own shortcomings. But what if it is Jesus who is being elusive? What then? Will we be motived to seek and find Him even when it is difficult?
Discovering How God is at Work
December 17, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Luke 2:21–40
Two simultaneously stunning aspects are true of God. First, He is involved in our lives. How sweet that is! Second, we don’t automatically see His involvement. Ugh! However, as we continue seeking Jesus, we discover how God is at work. Through the snapshot of two individuals in the Scriptures, we see how God is at work in, through, and for us.
We Find Meaning in the Middle
December 3, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Luke 1:1–25
Do you ever feel like the middle has no meaning? The middle of the road trip, the middle of the line, the middle child, the middle of my education/career/life… The middle can leave us wondering, "What’s the point of all this?" The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth helps us know what to do and what to expect as we continue seeking Jesus, even in the middle.
Our Best — What Seems Like Nothing Could Really Be Something
November 19, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Mark 12:40–44, Luke 15:11–32
What comes to mind when someone says, “Give God your best”? Do you start acting better, giving extra, trying harder, attending more? Perhaps it’s opposite — you back away feeling like you don’t have much to offer. The Bible repeatedly expresses to us that God’s best is revealed out of the people and places where nothing good seems possible.
Small Changes the World
October 15, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • James 3:1–12
They say life, like football, is a game of inches. Each of us face “little things” or “final details” which can make all the difference in our lives. The biblical author, James, makes a big deal about a small thing in hopes that we will trust God with the big and small parts of our lives.
When Wisdom Comes to Town
September 17, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • James 1:5–8, James 3:13–18
Regardless of your faith (or lack of faith) in Jesus, we experience pressure, strain, loss, and struggle. We face "trials of every kind." The invitation from James is to welcome wisdom. But what kind of wisdom? The result of that choice will make all the difference in our world, our communities, and our closest relationships.
Effects of Kingdom Resistance
August 27, 2023 • Pastor Peter Damaska • Matthew 6:1–18
When one kingdom rises, others will react. Jesus brings His kingdom toward the kingdoms of our world and our personal lives. He knows there will be resistance – but resistance can become the very thing Jesus uses to bring God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.