The Pharisees & teachers of the religious law got a bad rap from Jesus because they were imposing man-made rules and customs on the people of God, rather than turning their hearts over to Him. Let's not be like them, but let's give attention to our hearts and remember that what "defiles" us starts in our heart and not external forces.

Like the God of the Old Testament, Jesus is the One who passes by and walks on water. Jesus does stuff only God can do, encouraging us to ask the question, who really is Jesus? Not only does He pass by, He comes near and he has the power to bring good stuff out of stormy stuff.

We may not see it at first glance, but Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 was a revolution... a revolution of compassion. The crowds in the hill country had come to Jesus, hoping he would lead them into a political revolt and willing to make Him king by force. Following Jesus would definitely lead to a revolution. However, instead of distributing weapons, He distributes bread, a symbol of life. In addition, He invites us to join Him in this revolt against sin and death and continue distributing this life-giving bread to those around us.

We don't want to be seated...we want to be sent, 2 by 2 in community to proclaim the Kingdom!

Are we seeing Jesus clearly or has our vision of who he really is been clouded by our expectations, familiarity, or past experiences? We don't want to be like those in Jesus' hometown who missed who Jesus truly was because they were unwilling to change their perceptions. We also don't want to let our past or other's memory keep us from God's promise in the future. You are a new creation!

Pastor Philip Causey

Note: we experienced many technical issues before service; thus the audio is not of our normal quality. Sorry! Hope you still enjoy God's Word to us!

The miracles recorded in the book of Mark point to the person of Jesus...they aren't a prescriptive "how to" receive miracles in our own circumstances. We miss the point when we pursue what Jesus can do for us, rather than seek Jesus himself.

Our God is the God who goes into the mess and rescues people and sets them free. This story happened and it happens all the time.

There is transformative power in the story of Easter! Even when it feels like the pieces aren’t adding up, we can trust that God is working for redemption, renewal, and fullness of life! Join us this Easter as we celebrate the risen King who has come to make all things new. Allow hope to bloom this Easter!