There are two important aspects of a trust fall: both the catcher’s A-bility and the catcher’s RELIA-bility to catch the faller. When either of these things fail, bad things happen. When it comes to trusting in God’s promises, we also need to be sure of both His ability and His reliability. Can we trust Him? Most people don’t have a problem with His A-bility (CAN He give me what He promises?) but we often have trouble with His reliability. We doubt, “WILL He give me what He promises?” When it comes to trusting in the promises of God, perhaps no one has been called on to trust God more than Abraham. Abraham’s trust of God when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac so captured the existential philosopher Soren Kierkegaard that he came to define faith as a blind leap into the absurd. But faith in God’s promises doesn’t have to be a blind leap of faith. I think we can do better. The key is knowing both God’s ability and His reliability when it comes to fulfilling His promises.

We are in the midst of studying the book of Romans in the Bible as a church family. The Bible often pits two ideas against each other when it comes to our right standing before God, our eternal life, and our being saved out of our sin and restored to life with God: these two ideas are wages and gift. A gift is something we didn’t do anything to deserve; it’s simply an act of kindness, while wages are what we are owed for our work. Why does Scripture want us to get this idea right, this difference between wages and a gift? Pastor and theologian John Calvin wrote of the doctrine of being saved by God’s grace alone and not our own work: “Whenever knowledge of grace is taken away the glory of Christ is extinguished, religion abolished, the Church destroyed, and the hope of salvation utterly overthrown.” Indeed, it is this idea of grace and justice mingled together that is so antithetical to our nature as human beings and so opposed to all other religions except that of Christ. So let’s take a look at our passage this morning.

There are two major extremes that Christians are tempted to go to when it comes to what the Bible calls the Law: some say now that God has shown us His grace and forgiveness in Jesus, we can just discard God’s Law and live free of it. Others treat God’s Law as if it should still be something to be kept in its old place where it has always been before grace came to us through Christ; something that we still need to cling to in order to make sure we will be saved. We read things like Galatians 3 that make it seem like maybe God’s Law is something we don’t need anymore. But then we also read things like James 1:25 that declares blessing for those that follow the Law. So it seems like if the Law still is perfect, and brings freedom, and gives us blessing, why would we not want to still live by it? So which is it? Can we discard the Law of God in light of grace? Or does it still have a place in our lives? And why does it even matter? Let’s continue in Romans this morning.

According to one recent Barna survey, when asked to describe Christians, 78% of Americans responded with “judgmental.” According to another survey, that number jumps to nearly 90% among Americans ages 16-29. That statement may be true but it also comes from a culture that itself judges and cancels a person without mercy for the smallest perceived infraction against the court of popular opinion. It seems that passing judgement might be a universal human problem rather than a problem only isolated to communities of faith. Why do Christians and human beings in general struggle with sitting in judgement over others? Let’s look at our passage today and see what judging others reveals about ourselves as human beings and if there is a way that the Bible says to put judgment in its proper place in our lives and in our world.

If you have been with us for the last month or so, you know we are going through a book of the Bible together as a church. And I love that because it is easy for me to figure out what to preach each week: we just go where Scripture takes us. This week, we are still in Romans 1 and it is going to talk specifically about homosexuality. And homosexuality is a difficult issue because it is such a divisive issue in the church. And it’s a prominent conversation in our culture: how should communities of faith interact with the gay community? What does the Bible say and what does it not say? Can we love those in the gay community without affirming the behavior? Or is not affirming homosexual relationships in itself an act of hate? And the modern world and increasingly the modern church have both typically had the same spectrum of responses when it comes to the issue of homosexuality: on the one hand, the response is to hate those in the gay community. And the other response is to accept, affirm and advocate for the expression of homosexuality in all of its forms in the growing acronym LGBTQIA+. I believe that the Bible does not allow us to go to either of those extremes of either hate or affirmation. But I believe the Bible and the witness of the early church presents a third way. Let’s see what that way might be together.

We are in a series going through the book of Romans together in the Bible. In Romans 1:16-17 Paul, the writer of this book of the Bible, says: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Most commentators believe that it is the thesis statement, or the driving statement of the whole book. What does it look like to not be ashamed of the gospel? What does it look like for a follower of Christ to not be ashamed of the message of the cross? And why would a follower of Jesus be tempted to be ashamed of the gospel in the first place, if, as Paul says, it holds the power to save? Let’s look at our passage together this morning as we continue through the book of Romans.

Join us this morning for a message on the importance of gratitude in the Christian life as Duane Cory invites us to gain greater awareness of God’s presence and God’s goodness in our lives (ft. Duane Cory, Founding Pastor of Deer Creek Church).

We are going through the book of Romans together as a church. The Apostle Paul, who wrote Romans, has some challenging things to share with the churches in Rome in the chapters to come. But, he says: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:11-12). What does it look like to mutually encourage one another? Sometimes it can be just as hard to give encouragement as it is to receive encouragement from others. And Paul seems to be able to do both because of what he calls a spiritual gift. Hopefully this morning, God’s Word can show us how His grace and how the gospel allows us to be both good givers and receivers of the encouragement that flows out of all that God has graciously given us.

The book of Romans is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to churches scattered throughout Rome. But more specifically, he says that he wrote this letter to saints through whom the light of Christ wants to shine. God has used the book of Romans to change the lives of saints and sinners like you and me throughout history since it was written. It has enough depth to challenge us to a lifetime of deep growth in faith and yet is so simple that even the newest Christian can be transformed by what is in it. Last week, Romans 1:1-4 told us who CHRIST is and who Paul is in Christ. This morning the next 4 verses will tell us who WE are IN CHRIST. Who we are called to be and what we are called to do as saints who are set apart and sent out to let the light of Christ shine through us.

We are starting a new sermon series going through the book of Romans together as a church! Whether you are exploring faith, just starting out as a Christian or wanting to grow deeper in your walk with God, Romans is known for its rich, deep, glorious, and challenging truths about what it means to live life out of the power of the gospel. There is something for everyone in this amazing, life-changing book! Come discover the riches of God's grace in Christ!

How many of you make New Year’s resolutions? Studies have found now that very few people who make resolutions actually intend to keep them. Instead, we use New Year’s Resolutions simply to signal a new start rather than to be a catalyst for real change in our life. It seems the saying is true: “A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” But, in all seriousness….what is it about New Year’s Day that makes us feel like we have a fresh start? A line in the sand of change? What is it that makes me feel like on December 31st, I have to be the same person I have always been but on January 1st, real change is finally possible? No matter what our resolve to change looks like, the Bible gives us an important perspective on resolve and change and our behavior. In fact, if we understand the Bible’s perspective on change, it can make changing an act of joy and delight, rather than filled with guilt, shame and pressure.

The truth about Christmas is that we can so easily miss it as it passes us by because our eyes are fixed on so many other things. It’s not that we easily miss the day. No matter what you believe about Christmas or how much you pay attention to it, it really does completely invade our calendars and our lives once a year. There is no missing the actual day. But often things like presents, family, parties, lights, decorations, baking, preparations, credit card bills and traditions, sometimes all of those things begin to become the only lens through which we view Christmas. And Christmas comes and goes and we miss what we need most about Christmas. And the amazing thing is that the Bible tells us that those who were right next to the events of that first Christmas over 2000 years ago almost missed it too. They really barely noticed it. But when they finally did notice it, it brought them so much joy it could barely be contained. What they almost missed is the same thing that you and I are in danger of missing each Christmas. With our fast paced lives that baby king, that fragile savior in that manger, is still just as ignorable as He was on that first Christmas if we let it. So let’s take a look back at that first Christmas night and see what it has to say about our own Christmas two thousand and twenty some years later.

The Christmas story is one filled with joy and wonder. Over and over in the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke, Scripture says: “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at His birth.” Angels tell shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Mary exclaims, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” When the wise men saw the star they “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” And it truly is a time of joy and wonder when we allow ourselves to stop and consider all that God has done. But embedded in the Christmas narrative is a dark and troubling moment that is easy to overlook amid all the joy: Herod murdering all the male children of Bethlehem. It’s hard to imagine among all the rejoicing something so tragic, and so evil as this. Joy seems to take a backseat to tears and weeping. So let’s look at this part of the story this morning and what it might be saying to us in our final week before Christmas. Because the troubling parts of the story have just as much to say to us as the encouraging parts.

We are in the third week of our advent series, “Missing Home” because many of us miss home during the holidays. But also because with all the frantic busyness of the holidays, it’s easy to miss what Christmas is trying to tell us. One of those things that we can miss is just how unbelievable some of the elements in the Christmas story are. Wise men being led by a heavenly object toward where the Savior lay. Angels and prophecies. But perhaps especially, the virgin birth of Christ. According to a 2017 study, a narrow majority of Americans still believe in the virgin birth but that number has been rapidly declining every year for decades. And some Christians will get mad about that saying, “Christmas is ruined!” or “We need to take back Christmas!” But we need to realize that Mary and Joseph didn’t believe it either! They needed a dream and an angel to tell them what was happening. Because a virgin birth IS unbelievable. Many of the elements of that very first Christmas ARE unbelievable. Even for those who hoped in its coming.

If you are accustomed to hearing the Christmas story you are used to it starting out something like this: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” But what we often forget is that there are 17 verses that come before that familiar start to the the account of Christ’s birth. Granted they aren’t very exciting for us. But Jewish readers and rabbis at the time regarded the first 17 verses of the Christmas account as a miracle on the same level as the parting of the Red Sea. We are in our Advent series leading up to Christmas called “Missing Home,” because many of us miss home during the holidays if we are away. But also because with the rush and busyness of the holidays, it’s easy to miss what Christmas says about our true home; it’s easy to miss what Christmas tries to slow us down to hear in the month to come. And it’s easy to miss all of the hope and fulfillment that are hidden in the first 17 verses of Matthew’s account of the Christmas narrative. So, let’s read it together and see how the Christmas story really begins.

There is another season that we can choose to enter into that comes between Thanksgiving and Christmas: the season of Advent. The word Advent means coming or arrival. And in modern times Christians typically focus the coming weeks of Advent on remembering and celebrating the anticipated coming of Christ as a baby in a manger, the long awaited savior born in Bethlehem. However, Advent was also a term that originally described waiting not just for the coming of Christ’s birth, but also describing our waiting for the coming of Christ’s final return. And we don’t want to miss that aspect of our waiting. That even now, with the hope we have of Christmas, we still await a final and better hope. We await our eternal home which we have been promised where there is no more fear, anxiety, sorrow, pain and exhaustion. We are calling our Advent series this year “Missing Home.” Because this is a time that we often long for home if we are away, but also because it’s easy among all the holiday clatter to miss what this season has to tell us about our true home. The heavenly home we are waiting for made possible by Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection over 2000 years ago. This morning as the first Sunday of Advent we are going to take the morning to look ahead to the hope and the home we are still waiting for in Christ’s return before looking back in the weeks to come to the hope that has already come in the manger.

See the stricken boat as it is tossed upon the sea. Hear the fearful cries that wake the man from Galilee. He stands before the raging, speaks peace and harmony. Winds and waves obey, He is the man who calmed the sea.

God has welcomed us by grace, and because of this grace we have the privilege of welcoming others to be local and native in the city of God. Becoming a citizen of God’s kingdom means receiving His unbelievable love, embracing the diverse membership of this city, and joyfully drinking of the life-giving water God gives to us. Join us this Sunday as we look at the promises in store for those who belong to the city of God in Psalm 87. (ft. David Rapp, Church Planting Resident at Deer Creek Church).