The Journey
January - April 2023
The Judgment Seat of Christ | The Journey
April 16, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
At the conclusion of Pilgrim’s Progress, the protagonist, a man named Christian, arrives at the Celestial City. This is a metaphor for heaven, a prepared place for a prepared people. One of the most exciting and sobering events that is being prepared for every believer is the Judgment Seat of Christ. Yet sadly many believers aren’t aware of this event or what will be involved.
Finishing Strong: the Celestial City | The Journey
April 2, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
As we come to the end of the story of Pilgrim’s Progress, we see Christian and Hopeful enter the Celestial City. They have finished strong after facing numerous trials and challenges along the way. As they cross the river and enter into the City, they are greeted by angels who welcome them with songs of celebration.
The Trap of Ignorance | The Journey
March 26, 2023 • Pastor Fermin Garcia
As Christian and Hopeful draw closer to the end of their pilgrimage, they reach the Enchanted Grounds, a place they had been warned about by the Shepherds at the Delectable Mountains. Bunyan describes the Enchanted Grounds as a place where the air naturally tends to make one drowsy. It is a place that is meant to make one tired and sleepy rather than refreshed. In the same way, we will come across seasons in our lives where we are tempted to slumber. Satan’s tactic is that the slumber would lead us to insensibility, inaction and illusions about ourselves and God. Before the Enchanted Grounds, Christian and Hopeful had met Atheist who tried to cause them to not believe in God. Christian and Hopeful refused to yield to unbelief. If Satan cannot cause us to succumb to unbelief, he will cause us to slumber.
Humility Keeps You On Track | The Journey
March 19, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
As the characters Christian and Hopeful journey on they encounter some devious travelers that put their faith to the test. One of the lessons we learn from this chapter is the power of humility in having a safe journey. Humility definition: an attitude of spiritual modesty that comes from understanding our place in the larger order of things, it is freedom from pride or arrogance. This Biblical humility keeps us from walking down the wrong path, from living life how we see fit instead of how God sees it. It ensures that they we are prioritizing other people, not just ourselves. By seeking humility, we acknowledge who God is and His authority over our lives.
Why Sundays Should Be Set Apart | The Journey
March 12, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
As Christian and Hopeful leave Doubting Castle and the giant Despair, they reach the Delectable Mountains. These mountains are a picture of the Sabbath, Sunday the day of rest. The shepherds they meet represent the pastors that God has given the church to care and lead them.
Overcoming Doubt and Despair | The Journey
March 5, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
As pilgrims in this journey of faith it is easy to become distracted and wander off the straight and narrow path. Invariably this leads to doubt and despair in our lives. The sooner we realize we are off course and turn back towards God and His promises the sooner we have our strength and joy restored. As we go through the book Pilgrim’s Progress, this week we discover how Christian and his friend Hopeful escape Giant Despair and the dungeon of Doubting Castle. Their method of escape is timeless and will be sure to inspire you.
A Hope Renewed | The Journey
February 26, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
In the uncertain and changing world we live in we find a desperate search for hope. The key is to have a true hope, a hope anchored to the right source. If you place your hope in the present world, your wealth, or the people in your life, you will be disappointed. But there is a hope that God gives, which like the rising sun brightens your path. The apostle Paul puts it this way: “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting comfort and hope, which we don’t deserve, comfort your hearts with all comfort, and help you in every good thing you say and do.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 TLB)
3 Keys to Escape Vanity Fair | The Journey
February 19, 2023 • Pastor Chris Karuhije
As Christian and Faithful continue their journey, they arrive at a town named Vanity, in which there is an ongoing festival called Vanity Fair. At this fair, all types of lusts, desires, and cravings are on display and the two pilgrims face temptation to stop their journey to the Celestial City and partake in Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair represents worldliness. Every believer lives in the world and is tempted to forsake The Journey and buy this world’s empty treasures. “What will you buy?” is the question the occupants of the town of Vanity asked Christian and Faithful, and it is the question asked of every believer in the face of temptation. Yet with every temptation, God provides a way of escape. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13 In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter also faced temptation to compromise, and through his story, we find three keys we can use to escape from Vanity Fair.
A Faithful Companion
February 12, 2023
God uses relationships with other believers to strengthen our faith. “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:6-9 NIV We all long to have good friendships but a good (God) friend can be hard to find.
Through Dark Valleys - The Battlefield of the Mind
February 5, 2023 • Pastor Kevan Dobsin
When we receive Jesus, we are born again and made new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). However, we still have thinking patterns, mindsets and maybe painful memories that have been with us most of our lives. As we begin the process of renewing our minds in the Bible, we discover that the focus of our enemy shifts to this new battlefield. Here in the battlefield of the mind we can find ourselves in dark valleys that God has empowered us to walk through victoriously on our journey to the Celestial City.
The Hill of Difficulty | The Journey
January 29, 2023 • Pastor Brad Bergman
*The Christian life is filled with challenges, but Jesus has given us everything we need to overcome the hills of difficulty. * May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. – 2 Peter 1:2,3 NLT
The Narrow Gate
January 15, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks about the narrow gate, which is a metaphor for the path to eternal life. The narrow gate represents the path to salvation and leads to the Celestial City or eternal life that is referred to in Pilgrim’s Progress. The function of the narrow gate is to separate those who have chosen to follow Jesus from those who have chosen to follow the ways of the world. Whether you’re a seasoned believer or a newcomer to the journey, this series is sure to capture your imagination and inspire you to pursue your own path to true greatness. Are you ready to join us? Let’s go!
The Adventure Begins
January 8, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop
Welcome to the Journey, today the adventure begins! We will be going through the book, Pilgrim’s Progress written by John Bunyan. This book really does cover the journey of a lifetime. In the pages of this allegory you will be introduced to a cast of unique and memorable characters, each with their own role and lessons to impart. You’ll be able to relate to the protagonist and find yourself encountering the same challenges and obstacles as he did. But with determination and perseverance, you’ll too find God’s strength and grace to overcome them. Whether you’re a seasoned believer or a newcomer to the journey, this series is sure to capture your imagination and inspire you to pursue your own path to true greatness. Are you ready to join us? Let’s go!
Vision Sunday
January 1, 2023 • Pastor Dave Koop • 2 Peter 1
Have you ever gone on a long trip? Maybe it was a holiday to an exotic destination. Possibly time spent living in an unfamiliar place. Perhaps an adventure that was unplanned or unexpected. No matter the journey, it likely took planning and coordination. This process may have been met with certain feelings of excitement, curiosity, even hesitation and apprehension. The truth is, we are all on a journey. This isn’t a surprise. We are sojourners through life. On a quest for purpose, meaning, and identity. Our travels are met with mountain tops and valleys. While it may feel lonely at times, it’s important to remember that we are not alone. At least we don’t have to be.