Grace is unfair. At least it is by human standards. Grace doesn't care about effort or time committed, it doesn't care about qualifications or status. Grace is offered to any who put their trust in Jesus and it doesn't care about how many years of service you have or if you just declared that you believe in Jesus. Grace is unfair because it isn't about what we bring, grace is all about what God gives.
Mercy
September 17, 2023 • Eli Thomas • Matthew 18:21–35
Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Matthew 18:21-35 tells parable of a servant under so much debt he is entirely without means to satisfy it. His master has mercy on him and forgives the debt. This is what God does for us. He knows that our sin has brought us to an impossible spot and he knows we can't find our way out. God's mercy gives us life, and he charges us to share that mercy so those who are still stuck in their sin can see the hope that the Father has for them in Jesus Christ.
Living Upside-Down
September 10, 2023 • Matthew 18:1–5
Status, position, wealth, power- all of these are metrics that we use to measure success. But Jesus doesn't use an earthly measuring stick. Instead he challenges us with words like "the first shall be last" or "only the meek will inherit." These phrases often seem wrong, going against our desire to be strong and secure. Jesus challenges us to live UPSIDE-DOWN, seeking not to emulate the powerful but instead seek to make our lives mirror the weak.
Take Up Your Cross
September 3, 2023 • Eli Thomas • Matthew 16:21–28
Following Peter's confession of faith, Jesus begins to tell his disciples about his coming suffering and death. Peter's response is not one of faith but one of selfish desire. Jesus uses this moment to remind Peter, the disciples, and us that faith means taking chances and being a disciple means holding nothing, including our lives, back from Jesus' care.
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Radical Faith
August 27, 2023 • Eli Thomas • Matthew 16:13–20
Anything that is "RADICAL" is something that is taken to an extreme. Radical faith then is faith that goes beyond what is prudent or reasonable, at least to human minds. Peter's declaration of faith in Matthew 16 becomes the model of faith that forms the foundation of the Christian Church. The Church isn't a place, it is a nation, a people, a group of believers who all place their trust in Jesus and become the light of hope for all generations.
Undeserved Grace
August 20, 2023 • Eli Thomas • Mark 7:24–30, Matthew 15:21–28
Our culture is an entitled one. This mindset often infects our faith leading us to believe that we are owed God's grace. But grace is all about getting what we DON'T deserve rather than what we do! God offers us forgiveness not because we have earned it or somehow deserve it but because we don't!
Overcoming the Waves
August 13, 2023 • Matthew 14:22–33
When Jesus walks on water he shows that he is not like everyone else. When Peter follows his call to join Jesus, he gets afraid of the waves and nearly drowns because he takes his eyes off of Jesus. Walking on water may be dangerous but walking in faith doesn't happen unless we are willing to step out of the boat.
