With bookshelves lined with titles like “Success in 3 Steps” and advertisements boasting “60lbs in 60 days!” we find ourselves in an age of self-help.
Whether you’re looking to get organized, become a millionaire, or find your soulmate, there’s a book for that. From the podcasts we stream to the influencers we follow, there’s no shortage of advice on how to become our “best selves.” As always, “It’s as easy as…”
Or is it?
This weekend we’ll conclude our series, “What Have You Done?,” by examining our innate desire to be a better version of ourselves tomorrow than we are today. The only problem is – with so many options out there – how do we find what actually works?
Through our final message, “Reconciliation: The Goal of the Gospel,” we’ll uncover the answer to the true, lasting change everyone’s looking for.
True Confession
July 30, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 42—44
Brush your teeth.
Say “please.”
It’s time for bed.
Don’t eat that!
Do you remember what it’s like to be a kid and have to do all kinds of things you don’t want to do? Whether getting a shot, eating your vegetables, or having to ask permission to cross the street, it’s tough to be a kid.
But something changes as you grow. At some point, you realize all those things that seemed “mean” were actually for your good. In fact, they’re pretty much the reason you’re still alive.
Kind of makes crying over having to wear pants feel silly, right?
Over the past seven weeks, we’ve faced a few tantrums ourselves as everyone from Eve to Abraham to Laban has resisted God’s good parenting. Tomorrow, we’ll begin to wrap up our series by unlocking the secret of “True Confession,” where we’ll come to a familiar realization: the thing they’ve all been fighting is exactly what we need.
Bitterness: What Have You Done?
July 23, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 31:22–44
“Eh...what’s up, doc?”
If you’re like most Americans, your mind can’t help but read those famous words in the voice of a certain well-known rabbit. Bugs Bunny was king of what some have called “the golden age of American animation” and his perpetual rivalry with would-be hunter Elmer Fudd goes down in history.
This iconic pair was joined on screen by countless other match-ups, such as Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote and Tom vs. Jerry. Each episode brought new antics and (more or less) inventive ploys, but there was one thing you could always count on: the feud never ends.
In the midst of all the anvils and TNT, did any of us stop to ask, “What’s with all this conflict?”
Join us tomorrow as we continue our series, What Have You Done? by watching an age-old rivalry unfold across the pages of Genesis—the feud between Jacob and his uncle, Laban. Here, we’ll uncover the true cause, and solution, for the conflict in our own lives.
Greed: What Have You Done?
July 16, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 29:20–30
If you think your family is dysfunctional, wait until we get into the story of Jacob and Laban! Over the next two weeks, we'll explore their tumultuous family dynamics and apply gospel remedies to our own brokenness. The first topic is greed, which is easily dismissed but lurks in every heart. It shows up when we value things, passion projects, or personal comfort above the people God has placed in our path.
Generational Sin: What Have You Done?
July 9, 2023 • Adam Mashni • Genesis 26:1–11
You’re probably familiar with the phrase, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” It illustrates that children’s thinking and behavior patterns are often inextricably linked to their parents. But have you noticed it is typically used only in the negative sense? That’s because our failures are usually far more glaring than our successes.
As we reach the halfway point of our “What Have You Done” series in the book of Genesis, we’ll explore a topic that impacts everyone - generational sin - and note three change agents that can put us on a path of generational blessing instead.
Fear: What Have You Done?
July 2, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 20
Judges often warn first-time offenders with the phrase, "I don't want to see you in my courtroom again." A mistake can be forgiven, but repeated offenses are not taken lightly by the criminal justice system. In Genesis 20, Abraham makes the same blunder as before by claiming his wife is his sister. This raises the question of whether he didn't learn to trust God because repeat offenses point to a deeper issue within the soul. Our current series has explored shame, anger, and deception. This weekend, we delve into fear and how it can compete with our faith in God.
Deception: What Have You Done?
June 18, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 12:18
Have you ever played a game of "What if?" It's an exercise that can help you prepare for future scenarios by developing a plan for each. However, sometimes it's easy to fall into the trap of assuming the worst and emotionally preparing for something that might never come to fruition. This is what happened to Abraham as he went into Egypt. His fear for his own safety led him to deceive others, causing great turmoil.
As we continue our study in Genesis, we look at another aspect of the broken soul but also, wonderfully, at the faithfulness of God in bringing us deliverance.
Anger: What Have You Done?
June 11, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 4
We begin week two in the book of Genesis, studying a question asked seven times and each time answered incorrectly. The question is: What have you done? It exposes our inadequate responses to the wrong things we do. Last week we explored shame, which continually whispers that we are not enough and prompts us to cover up any inadequacies. This week we’ll see how anger takes things a step further and realize how the gospel can help us overcome three aspects of anger.
Shame: What Have You Done?
June 4, 2023 • Jon Morales • Genesis 3:7–13
"Don't confront me with my failures. I had not forgotten them."
At the ripe age of 16, singer/songwriter, Jackson Browne, penned that lyric. The pang of shame is felt early in life and is foundational to the many dysfunctions of the soul. None of us like to be shown our sin. But fortunately, in the face of our heart of darkness, God makes a way to step into the light.
This week we begin a series, entitled What Have You Done? Spending a couple of months in the book of Genesis, we'll see this question answered incorrectly seven times. But the eighth time, a right answer reveals God's faithfulness to restore relationships.
