Teaching Pastor Tim Ayers kicks off our summer series, Family Tree, digging into the heroes of our faith and the transforming moments of faith in their lives. This week we focused on the story of Abraham.

June 5 | Abraham | Family Tree | Tim Ayers

Founding Pastor Dave Rodriguez continues our Family Tree series by teaching on the story of Joseph.

July 10 | Joseph | Family Tree | Dave Rodriguez

In this second part of making room for different generations, taking all of what has been said so far in the series, we will direct our attention to younger people. We will see how vital it is for the future of our church for younger people to elevate the voices of those who are older and allow their wisdom and perspective to shape them.

February 12 | Making Room for Different Generations Part II | Make Room | Barry Rodriguez

Another common misconception about prayer is that it is “quantity” more than “quality” that matters. Again, this can be a hurtle for those who don’t feel like they have the right words or experience to pray “in the right way.” Rather than “babbling on and on,” Jesus reminds his followers, the best prayers are often simple, direct, and to the point. In this message, we will help our congregation see the value in praying as our true selves, with authenticity rather than flowery or spiritual language.

February 26 | Keep it Simple | How To Pray | Tim Ayers

Continuing the theme of controlling the tongue from week 1, we will now explore how our words have an impact on the world around us. As Proverbs 15:1 wisely explains, “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” Or Proverbs 12:18, “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.” Knowing that our words have the power to transform the lives and actions of others, how might we seek to speak more like Jesus - with love, mercy, and compassion - when facing difficult relational situations, rather than seeking to cut others down to size? What would it look like if we were to genuinely seek to make others’ lives better with our words… even others who have hurt us?

August 13 | The Power of Language in Faith | Speak Life | Maron Gaffron

To kick off the series we will start by setting up the overall plot and themes of the book of Ruth as well as the genre and expectations it presents for ancient readers. We will meet the fascinating characters of Naomi, a widowed Israelite living in a land far from home, and her daughter-in-law Ruth, a widowed foreigner with a tremendous level of family loyalty to her mother-in-law and her people.

We will then discover the tension raised at the very beginning of the book when we see Naomi’s belief that the hardship she has experienced proves that God has abandoned her. But has he? The timing of their arrival in Bethlehem gives us a teaser that God may be working more than Naomi realizes.

October 8 | Call Me Bitter | Ruth | Barry Rodriguez

To Paul, faith in Christ cannot be a half-hearted affair. It must be a whole-life endeavor – one in which we are rejecting the “behavior and customs of this world” and instead offering our entire lives as “living sacrifices” to God. The New Testament scholar NT Wright once said, “Paul's whole written work, in fact, could be seen as an extended application of Romans 12:1-2.” The question is, do our lives reflect the all-consuming passion of ones wholly dedicated to Christ? Or is our faith merely an add-on to a life full of other priorities?

November 5 | A Living Sacrifice | Put Me In, Coach | Barry Rodriguez

Technology and social media are powerful tools which make our lives so much better in so many ways but come with a significant dark side. Left unchecked, they can draw us into addiction, feed our insecurities, and foster the brokenness of our world. However, despite their danger, withdrawing from technology and social media is not an option. They are a part of our world whether we like them or not. Instead of withdrawing, then, we must look for how we can, as Jesus desired, go “into the world” even as we are not “of the world.”

January 7 | You Are On A Mission | Virtual Reality | Barry Rodriguez

Garbage in, garbage out. As much as we might convince ourselves that the stuff we pour into our consciousness daily is harmless, it shapes us in ways we may not even recognize. By exposing ourselves to ceaseless immorality, sexuality, violence, rage, and hatred through the things we watch/read/listen to online, we are losing our moral foundations and living lives which do not reflect Christ’s influence within us. As followers of Jesus, we must be far more intentional about who we are allowing to influence us, what kinds of media we are consuming, and where our mindless scrolling is taking us. This is especially true in a time when artificial intelligence is making artificial information indistinguishable from the truth.

January 14 | Garbage In, Garbage Out | Virtual Reality | Barry Rodriguez

If we want to stay in Christ while moving into our technology-saturated world, we must become far more cognizant of who or what is dictating the use of our time. So many games, apps, social media sites, etc. are geared around keeping you coming back as frequently as possible. The best way to break their hold over us is to have routine “sabbaths” in which we create sacred time to be free from the demands of our world and present with family and friends.

January 21 | Sabbath Breaks Chains | Virtual Reality | Barry Rodriguez

So much of our reputation and self-image comes from other people’s affirmation (or lack thereof) on our social media profiles. We crave likes, retweets, attention, etc. The pursuit of it all leads us to present an untrue image of ourselves online, and to lose sight of who we really are. As Christ-followers, we will only find health by making our core identity who we are in Christ, not who we are in likes. We are new creations in Jesus, and that should be the most important part of our identity!

January 28 | Your Identity Is In Christ, Not In Likes | Virtual Reality | Barry Rodriguez

Despite the fact that we are more “connected” than ever, we are facing chronic loneliness and isolation like never before. Perhaps this is because the “community” we have online is not real community! We are seeing one another’s curated, sanitized selves. Even those who are “authentic” online are more often than not curating and crafting even that so-called authenticity. If we want to experience healing and community, we must seek a different kind of connection with one another. Additionally, if we want to discover the truth of our world through real, genuine wisdom instead of algorithm-driven fluff, we must find that wisdom in lifelong relationships built on trust.  

This will mean pursuing the discomfort of actual, face-to-face relationships and opening others up to the un-sanitized brokenness of our lives, trusting they will love us as we love them. Only then can our online interactions grow out of a place of health and fruitfulness, and not out of insecurity and a need for affirmation.

February 4 | We Heal Face to Face | Virtual Reality | Barry Rodriguez

When Jesus first calls his disciples, his invitation to each of them is unique. He calls Simon “The Rock” (Peter), inviting this uneducated fisherman to a life of greater purpose than he could have ever imagined. He shares intimate knowledge of the private life of Nathaniel, who had expressed doubt that anything good could ever come from Nazareth. And he calls Matthew, a hated tax-collector, demonstrating that God’s love and grace extends even to those the ‘godly’ despise. In every case, Jesus calls his disciples to follow him from exactly where they are and into exactly who he sees them to be. How amazing that the same is true for us today!

February 11 | The Calling of the First Disciples | Witness | Maron Gaffron

Although not often thought of as a “disciple” of Jesus, John the Baptist was one of the first to confess his faith that Jesus was the Messiah. In this message we will explore the unique vantage point John had as “the prophet” who would “prepare the way for the Lord.” Specifically, we will explore his deathbed request to have confirmation that his faith in Jesus was not misplaced. Jesus’ response to him was all the proof John needed that the Son of God had truly come. What might it look like for us to have hope in Jesus even when we don’t know exactly how our story will end?

February 18 | The Hope of John the Baptist | Witness | Tim Ayers

Although lauded in much of the Church for her character, wisdom, and holiness, Mary is not as often recognized for the tremendous burden she carried in being the mother of Jesus. Faced with confounding experiences of a son whose relationship with God went beyond her comprehension and bearing the grief of knowing her little boy was destined to suffer, Mary’s experience of the person of Jesus was wholly unique, as was her steadfast loyalty and love. In his book, The Lord, Romano Guardini says of Mary, “Not understanding, never was she to lose heart, never to fall behind. Inwardly she accompanied the incomprehensible figure of her son every step of his journey, however dark. Perseverance in faith even on Calvary—this was Mary’s inimitable greatness.” What can we learn from a woman who willingly sacrificed it all in her faith for the Messiah she once held in her arms?

February 25 | The Burden of Mary | Witness | Barry Rodriguez

Long before the “Great Commission,” Jesus sends out his disciples to participate in his kingdom mission. His call to them and instructions for what to expect when they go is a fascinating glimpse into what it means to be his messengers of hope and healing in this broken world. Not only is being Christ’s agent a step of tremendous trust and faith; it is also an opportunity to see, as the disciples did, that we have tremendous authority in his name.

March 3 | The Sending of the 72: Part I | Witness | Barry Rodriguez

Although it was clear to Jesus that his path would lead him to a lonely cross in Jerusalem, his disciples struggled to understand. Peter, the “rock upon which the Church of Christ would be built,” struggled most of all. In a rather shocking moment with Jesus, Peter rebukes him for saying that his destiny lay in crucifixion. Peter is rebuked by Jesus in return, whose famous words, “Get behind me, Satan,” still ring in our ears today. How is it possible for disciples of Jesus to become agents of the enemy? And what does it mean for us to set aside our “human point of view” in our attempt to follow Jesus into the unknown?

March 10 | The Sending of the 72: Part II | Witness | Barry Rodriguez

In the days leading up to his crucifixion, Jesus accomplishes one of his most spectacular miracles: the raising of his friend Lazarus from the dead. Although we often talk about the moment of the miracle itself, in this message we will focus on the words and reactions of Jesus’ disciples throughout the experience. What they see and say gives us fresh insight into the person of Christ and what it means to follow a savior with power over the grave.

March 17 | The Raising of Lazarus | Witness | Dr. Milton J Keys

A week before his crucifixion, Jesus enters Jerusalem to great fanfare, riding on a donkey just as the prophet Zechariah had predicted (Zechariah 9:9). Was it possible that the coming of this Messiah was exactly what everyone had been waiting for? Was Jesus going to lead Israel to military victory over the Roman occupiers? These questions must have been ringing in the disciples’ ears as they wrestled with Jesus’ earlier predictions of his own imminent death at the hands of Rome. Which was it going to be? Victory or death? This moment of cognitive dissonance is a wonderful invitation for us to consider what kind of Messiah we are following. Is the Jesus we follow victorious by human standards, trampling down everyone we disagree with? Or is he the one whose victory lies in his self-sacrifice and surrender, and the grace he offers even to the despised?

March 24 | The Triumphal Entry | Witness | Amy Christie

Of all the disciples of Jesus, Mary Magdalene had one of the most troubled pasts. The gospels of Mark and Luke tell us that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her when he called her to follow him. It is little wonder she become one of the most devoted of his disciples. Upon the death of Jesus, it is Mary Magdalene, weeping at the tomb, who first encounters the risen Lord. It is Mary who is first sent out by Jesus with the good news that he has risen from the grave. What can we learn from this remarkable woman about what it means to follow Christ? And what is God’s invitation to us this Easter as we consider not just what God has done for us in the past, but who he longs for us to become in the future?

March 31 | EASTER SUNDAY – The Empty Tomb and Mary | Witness | Barry Rodriguez

After the crucifixion of Jesus, many of Jesus’ disciples were plunged into despair. However, upon his resurrection, Christ began to meet with these beleaguered followers to help them understand what had actually transpired. He appeared to two of these disciples on the road to Emmaus, explaining to them how his death and resurrection fulfilled what had been written in the Old Testament. In this message we will consider the grand story Jesus invites us into and what it means to follow him into his mission to heal the world.

April 7 | The Road to Emmaus | Witness | Tim Ayers

The final disciple of Jesus we will explore is one who may have never met him in person: Saul, later known as the Apostle Paul. Beginning his journey as a hater and persecutor of Christ-followers, Paul would go on to be a leading voice in the Church bringing the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles and establishing Churches across the Roman world. What could have changed such a zealous Pharisee into an apostle zealous for the gospel? And what does the transformation of Paul’s life trajectory teach us about the grace God has for the broken?

April 14 | The Calling of Saul | Witness | Barry Rodriguez

For much of human history, marriages were guided by strict cultural norms rooted in patriarchal expectations of gender roles. Common beliefs, such as the inherent inferiority of women, led to deep inequalities (and often abuse) within marriages. Thus, when the Apostle Paul suggested in Ephesians 5 that husbands should practice self-sacrificing love for their wives, it was a shocking and provocative call. In this message, as we understand the true weightiness of this passage in its original context, we will discover that it continues to be a challenging invitation for husbands today, even in the vastly different context of modern marriage. It is an invitation for the husbands of Grace Church to demonstrate in their marriages a radically different way to live.

April 21 | God’s Invitation to the Husbands | All In The Family | Barry Rodriguez

It is a very difficult time to be a parent. From the deeply powerful technologies monopolizing our kids’ attention to the vile and horrific content they are being exposed to at earlier and earlier ages to the growing isolation brought on by the breakdown of healthy community, the role of a parent has never been harder. Sometimes it seems that no matter how hard a parent works, they are always falling short. Because of this, it is appropriate to consider what God might be saying to the parents of Grace today. Psalm 127 is a passage which famously refers to children as “gifts from the Lord” and compares them to “arrows” in a warrior’s quiver. However, it also makes a provocative claim that “unless the Lord builds a house” (by extension, a family or household), the labor of the builders is in vain. Thus, the question is raised: are we attempting to build our families under our own power? Or are our families being built by God? What might it look like to surrender control and allow God to be the driving force behind the raising of our children?

April 21 | God’s Invitation to the Parents | All In The Family | Maron Gaffron

Every generation in human history has had its own version of elders bemoaning “kids these days” and discounting their passion and new ideas as nothing more than youthful exuberance. Never before, however, has such a deep and profound level of disrespect for older generations become so accepted among the young. Into this context we seek the wisdom of God about how the older generations of Grace can become “worthy of respect,” as Paul exhorts Titus to teach, even when elders no longer have the implicit respect of the culture at large. Perhaps, through the humility and self-giving love of Grace’s elders, we can demonstrate even in our modern world that there is another way for different generations to live together.

May 5 | God’s Invitation to the Elders | All In The Family | Tim Ayers

Continuing with the theme of generational respect (or lack thereof), we turn to the children of Grace Church. Raised in a culture that idolizes youth and disrespects the elderly, “kids these days” – even well-meaning Christ-following ones – have a lot of bad habits and worldviews to unlearn. If the younger generations of Grace want to experience the best that life has to offer, they must learn how to accept wisdom from those who have come before, as Proverbs 4 teaches so well. If the young people of Grace can learn how to humble themselves and learn from their elders who have walked with Christ for many years, they may find new direction and hope in this confusing and anxious time.

May 12 | God’s Invitation to the Children | All In The Family | Barry Rodriguez

With God’s provocative call to the husbands in our minds, we now consider what the Spirit may want the wives within our spiritual family to hear. To that end, we turn to Colossians 3, in which the Apostle Paul speaks directly to the families of the church in Colossae. Yet again, Paul is speaking into a highly patriarchal culture, but his encouragement goes far beyond the customs of the day: inviting followers of Jesus to “clothe themselves” with the characteristics of Christ. As we reflect on our own culture, which so often infantilizes, demeans, and enables unresourceful husbands, the wives of Grace must consider what it would mean for them to be champions of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in their marriages. Perhaps through this posture of self-giving love they can demonstrate to the world that there is, even in marriage, another way to live.

May 19 | God’s Invitation to the Wives | All In The Family | Amy Christie

In the final week of our series, we are going to turn our attention to a demographic quite often overlooked when speaking of families in our suburban context: those who are single or single again. In a culture focused heavily on dating and one in which weddings are a $70 billion industry, it can feel extraordinarily isolating if you are not in a romantic relationship. In his letter to the church in Corinth, however, Paul makes a shocking claim: it is better to be single! His reasoning? That single people have the ability to fully dedicate their lives to God’s kingdom. Although our culture today is quite different than that of ancient Corinth, the invitation to see singles as a gift in our community is a strong one for us to consider. What might it look like for the singles of Grace to serve with wholehearted devotion as their spiritual family surrounds them with love?

May 26| God’s Invitation to the Singles | All In The Family | Barry Rodriguez

In his ministry on earth, Jesus presented a radical vision of an “upside-down” kingdom taking root in human society: a community in which the last were first, in which the poor were blessed, and in which true leaders were servants of all. Yet of all his teachings, one stands out as probably the most shocking and seemingly impossible: that we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. How could this be? Does Jesus really expect us to do this as his followers or is this just idealism? In this message we will explore the basics of Jesus’ most difficult teaching and explore how we might begin to practice it in a nation filled with tribalism and hate.

June 2 | Loving Your Enemies | Love Your Enemies | Barry Rodriguez

The theologian Dallas Willard has been quoted as saying that loving one’s enemies is the true test of Christlike character. It seems that Jesus would agree. As we continue into the next verses of this radical passage, we see that the inverse of Jesus’s teaching – loving only those who love us, doing good only to those who do good to us in return, etc. – makes us no different from the rest of the world. If we truly desire the gospel message of Christ to stand out in a broken society, we must consider carefully whether our actions indicate that anything has really changed in us at all, or whether our behavior makes us indistinguishable from everyone around us.

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