Theme of the Day: Death Has Lost Its Sting Death can sting in many ways. First, death can sting by casting a shadow over every moment of life. No matter what earthly joy you are experiencing, death guarantees it won’t last. Second, death can sting by separating loves. There are no phone calls or hugs […]

Theme of the Day: A Service of Seven Words from the Cross Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Luke 23:32-34 Luke 23:35-43 John 19:25-27 Matthew 27:45,46 John 19:28,29 John 19:30 Luke 23:44-46 John 19:31-42 947 – Lamb of God, Pure and Holy 436 – The Seven Words 437 – Rest, O Christ, from All Your Labor Prayer of the […]

Theme of the Day: A One-Time Substitute Buries All-Time Guilt On Good Friday we remember the crucifixion and death of our Lord both with sorrow and solemn joy. Though the events of this day fill us with horror, the implications of those events give us every reason for praise. Jesus’ death had this breathtaking significance. […]

Theme of the Day: A New Covenant Buries An Old Contract On Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus began to execute the terms of the New Covenant. This New Covenant replaced an old one and was fundamentally different from in it every way. While the Old Covenant was more like a contract, the New Covenant is […]

Theme of the Day: Surrender Buries Seizure As we begin Holy Week, we see Jesus bury humanity’s endless attempts at seizing power. In our world, power dynamics are almost always in play. Those who don’t have power want it, often more than anything else. Those who have power are willing to do anything to keep […]

Theme of the Day: Hiding Treasure In The Trash This week we see how our Father makes the treasures of his house available to any and all. He places them in the last place we’d expect—the trash. In God’s family, the things the world prizes and pursues are counted as worthless. Conversely, what the world […]

Theme of the Day: Grace Instead Of Condemnation We assume people get what they deserve. We assume that what goes around comes around. We assume God helps those who help themselves. Those assumptions are false. God does not operate on the principle of merit but of grace. No one is beyond the reach of God’s […]

Theme of the Day: Always Present, Always Patient The heavenly Father is always present in the lives of his children. He sees every sorrow we endure. He also sees every sin that we commit, even if it’s only in our thoughts. He is always present. Yet, he is also always patient. God does not snap […]

Theme of the Day: No Detours Allowed The door to God and the glory he has prepared for us stands wide open. However, he has mapped out a very specific pathway to that door. It is not an easy one. As it did with Jesus, this route takes us through opposition, suffering, and even death. […]

Theme of the Day: One Stands; Everyone Else Sits Normally in a family everyone must do their part. . . pitch in. . . pull their weight. In God’s family, he assigns and accepts the work of one on behalf of all. In God’s house, God’s Son—our brother, Jesus—stands alone on the field of battle […]