Either/Or
A Vision Beyond Being Jesus' Secret Admirer
Exam Results
August 28, 2022 • T.D. Davis
Jesus’ declaration of “I never knew you” in Matthew 7 can evoke a sense of insecurity around our faith and "right standing" with God if not examined with careful thought and reflection. Followers of Jesus should always stand firm on the promises of God and the assurance of His work on the cross but also wrestle with the reality that Jesus uses specific language that “many” will think they are His followers to only find out they are in fact, just "secret admirers". In this message, we conclude our series “Either/Or” by giving space for our own personal examination of faith up against Jesus’ priority of intimate and authentic relationship — to know and be known by Him.
Energy Supply
August 21, 2022
Where does our energy come from? In Acts 1, the resurrected Jesus sends His Church on an ambitious mission to impact the world that (from a human perspective) sounds exhausting due to the realistic energy required. As a “so called” secret admirer of Jesus, expending energy that fuels praise and adoration eventually expires because all healthy relationship is energized by reciprocal authenticity and intimacy. In this message, we explore the role the Holy Spirit plays in energizing our faith not only "in us", but "upon us” to impact a world in which God loves.
Don't Get Churchy
August 14, 2022 • T.D. Davis
Like any complex tension in life, having an authentic relationship with Jesus and engaging in religious practices can so easily become imbalanced. The religious elites within the Sanhedrin during Jesus’ ministry represented the epitome of such an imbalance that we could assume was originally born out of a noble cause to live obedient to God. In this message, we explore Matthew 23 and Jesus’ seven “woes” and rebukes which can so easily translate to the current temptation and exhaustion for us to become “churchy” people rather than Jesus people.
So Much More
August 7, 2022 • Kalli Davis
In this message Pastor Kalli Davis discusses Luke 14 as Jesus calls those who are curious to count the cost of being his disciple. Jesus acknowledges that in order to follow Him it will require great love and great commitment. Essentially, Jesus was not concerned about the size of the crowd but about the depth of their commitment. Were they willing to love Him so much more than all others? Was their commitment deep enough that they would forfeit their inheritance, relationships, and all other identities that may be required? However, while the cost was great Jesus was offering a commitment that was secure, an anchor for our souls. A commitment filled with eternal peace.
The "Knowledge Guy"
July 31, 2022 • T.D. Davis
Environments that further and elevate knowledge have become such a normal part of our everyday culture, especially within Christian tradition. But when it comes to faith, you can technically hold knowledge alongside the absence of spiritual intimacy. You can, in a sense, know about God without ever really knowing God. In this message, we examine this "knowledge without intimacy" tendency in regards to two contrasting characters, and Jesus’ confrontational response.
Can You See Me In The Dark?
July 24, 2022 • T.D. Davis
What would it look like to just be Jesus’ "secret admirer"? Nicodemus is an interesting character we see emerge in relationship to Jesus exclusively in John’s Gospel. As a member of the Sanhedrin, an elite religious group, he approaches Jesus in the night attempting to reconcile his status as a privileged cultural beneficiary while taking an interest in this new innovative prophet. What follows is a vision from Jesus beyond simple intellect into a new commitment that informs every area of life.
A Familiar Soapbox
July 17, 2022 • T.D. Davis
Are you a follower of Jesus? At first glance, this question can evoke a quick response based upon the internal bias of our own culturally defined spiritual resume’. But this question carries weight in reference to a soapbox Jesus prioritizes in actually being known by Him as opposed to a “secret admirer". In this first message of the new series “Either/Or”, we unpack the Series Big Idea that "in order for "Jesus Is Lord" to be a lived reality, it requires a close, honest, objective, and ongoing examination of what it personally costs to be a follower of Jesus”.