Does it seem sometimes like no matter what you do there is always someone out there who will criticize or judge you for it? Even the most trivial things? No one likes to be judged, but we all like to judge don’t we? The Bible has a lot to say about judging and being judged. Sometimes judgement or criticism have their place, but those times are few. Join us this morning as we look at what Romans 14 has to say about Christian judgment within the community of believers, and the call to unity.

According to recent statistics, American household debt hit a record of $17 trillion at the end of 2022. With all of that debt it’s no surprise that a popular topic in church circles is what the Bible has to say about staying out of debt. And that is great. But there is one place in Scripture where it tells us explicitly to stay in debt; to take joy in our debt. And not just that, but it tells us to try to get into more debt! And furthermore, to rejoice as you watch your debt grow into an out of control debt spiral! Let’s see what kind of debt the Bible is talking about as we continue in Romans 13.

There is no topic as divisive today as politics, politicians and political parties. The world around us is sharply divided around the area of politics, and each election promises to be more divisive than the last. And in the past number of years the Christian community—the body of Christ which Jesus commanded to show the world His love by their unity—has also been sharply divided around the area of government and politics. Sometimes for good reasons, sometimes not. Today, and especially after the COVID crisis, many Christians are quick to dismiss Paul’s command to have “every person be subject to the governing authorities”, rather applying it ONLY if the one governing is thought to deserve honor and respect. But is that really what it says? If so, it wouldn’t be any radical new teaching by the Bible, but just another human doctrine; respect those in authority when they deserve it. But the book of Romans tells us something different, so let’s see what Paul has to say to us in Romans 13.

Sacrifice is not a popular word today. There are few things as foreign to modern man as sacrifice. In a culture where we make our own truth, where we reign supreme, and we rarely say no to what our heart or our bodies long for, the idea of living a disciplined life or a life of sacrifice sounds like a prison. But the ancient wisdom of Scripture tells us that when it comes to our bodies and our souls, the things that really matter, we owe God total sacrifice rather than just lukewarm commitment. I believe that our passage today is the key to understanding what it means to be a human being, what it means to worship God, and what it means to belong fully to Christ. To live the satisfying and abundant life Jesus talked about, and to save our souls from the wide path of destruction that constantly beckons to us and our children to follow down its road. Romans 12 invites us into the life of being a living sacrifice to God.

Luke 15 is a precious stone at the center of the gospel showing off the beauty and the authority of the kingdom of God. Join us as we observe these three parables that highlight God’s passionate pursuit for the lost, and His extravagant, prodigal delight in the found (ft. Ryan Beerwinkle, Deacon at Elevate Hope Centennial).

What is temptation? How do we avoid temptation? And how do we overcome temptation when sin is crouching at the door? Join us as we look at the life of Abraham and Jesus’ own wilderness temptations to discover the means to avoid and overcome temptation (ft. Colin Campbell, Member at Elevate Hope Centennial).

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Join us this morning as we look at Luke 24 and see how the risen Jesus reveals Himself to some of His disciples who were wrestling with apparently unmet expectations of who they believed Jesus and His mission to be (ft. Wes Calton, Campus Minister of RUF at Colorado State University).

How do we fight against the power of envy and the covetousness of our depraved hearts? Join us this morning as we look at Psalm 73 and its encouragement to take on an attitude of humility and gratitude, that we may echo the psalmist: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (ft. Chad Donohoe, Pastor of Community Life at Deer Creek Church).

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (ft. David Rapp, Church Planting Resident at Deer Creek Church).

Some of the most dreaded words for any parent are: “But you promised!” And trying to weasel out of it with a spineless “maybe” always backfires. “You promised we would go to the park!” “No, I said maybe we would.” “You promised we would have ice cream after dinner.” “No, I said we might.” “You promised I wouldn’t get a shot at the doctor!” “No, I said it was a slight possibility.” So what about God? Does God try to weasel out of his promises by making His Word vague? How often my accusation against God comes when something doesn’t turn out how I thought it would. Romans 9 and 11, our texts for this morning, were written to answer the accusation against God: ”But you promised!” Or an even more probing question, “Can God’s promises fail?” Because sometimes it looks like they have. Let’s read because this is God’s Word, and we need His help in understanding it.

As we read the Bible from start to finish, it shows itself to be a lot of things. It is a story of creation. A story of wandering and loss. A story of redemption and glory. But it is also, and maybe most of all, an adoption story. An adoption story with unexpected twists and turns. A hopeful beginning, a devastating middle and a glorious, redemptive ending just as we are tempted to give up hope. This morning we look at one of the New Testament’s best descriptions of our own adoption story in Romans 8.

“You are no longer condemned.” That is the opening line of what has been called the crowing jewel of the book that is often called the pinnacle of the New Testament: Romans 8. And it opens with, “You are no longer condemned.” How does that phrase make you feel about yourself? About God? “You are no longer condemned.” We all have times when peace is fleeting, when hope is a phantom. When life’s pressures mount, when our sins and failures are put on display. When joy seems so buried it would take a lifetime just to uncover it. And in those times, our first thought is often, “How did I screw this up?” “What did I do wrong?” “I’m sorry, God.” We often don’t quite know how to let this opening line settle into our soul and quiet the accumulating accusations of failure that condemn us throughout our life. Therefore, we often don’t experience what Romans 8:1 is saying to us on the page of God’s written Word. Let’s read the whole passage together and ask God to help us see what He has for us in here this morning.

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed Him, for they were all expecting Him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. Then He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, He did not let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. But He took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but He ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. - Luke 8:40-56 (ft. Tim Sin, English Ministry Pastor at New Life Mission Church).

We are in a three-week series getting ready for summer, looking at three things in our relationship with God that are easy to let fall away this summer. What if our summer was intentional and purposeful for, yes, recreation, but also something greater than that? We have talked about Giving and Growing, and today we are talking about an area that we also often forget about in the summer—Going. Going to those around us as messengers of the hope that we have found in Christ. If you are a follower of Christ here this morning, then just like the topics of the past two weeks there is something unnatural about talking to others about the hope that we have in Jesus; something intimidating. But unlike the past two weeks, there is also something more natural about it. Giving and resting don’t come naturally to us. But spending time with people is natural for most of us during the summer because summer is a natural time to hang out with those we love and like. So in a way, we just need to let Jesus work in what we are already doing, rather than adding something new to our lives. This morning I want to look at why Scripture says we share Christ with those around us. And why sharing the hope we have with others is something relatively easy to do. And at the same time, why sharing the hope we have with others is always really hard to do.

We are in a three-week series on how to thrive in three areas that typically fall by the wayside in our walk with God over the summer. Last week was Giving; this week is Growing. We will only grow in summer by having a proper view of rest. In the Bible, rest is an invitation by God into something more than just ceasing from labor or of just substituting recreation for work. God both calls us and commands us to rest in a deeper way than we thought possible. In the bible, rest a gif; it is purposeful and sacred. It is what the Bible calls Sabbath. I am convinced that true, Biblical rest is a spiritual habit that the people of God in the suburbs need to develop if we are going to look more like Jesus ourselves and help others to know Jesus well. Let’s take a look at some texts in the Bible that talk about the specific kind of rest called Sabbath rest.

We will be in a three-week series looking at maintaining a healthy walk with God this summer in three areas that we tend to let go over the summer: Giving, Growing, and Going. This morning I want to talk about giving and generosity. Why talk about money and giving at all? For one, Jesus talked about money and generosity more or nearly more than any other topic in His recorded ministry; He spoke of money more than the topics of faith and prayer combined. 11 of His 40 parables were about money or used money as a way to teach us spiritual truths. And yet Jesus never pursued wealth or money Himself, and didn’t even have a place to lay His head or many earthly possessions. He depended on the giving of others Scripture says. The other reason we need to talk about money is that it is flat out important; money is a huge part of our lives. Most of the worry and anxiety in our lives is caused by wondering if we have enough of it. Arguments over it are among the leading causes for marital, friendship, family and roommate problems. It is the reason for most of society’s crimes. It's been called The Root of all evil but also the means of great good! So no matter how much of it we have or what we decide to do with it, the one thing we can’t afford to ignore, and the one thing we can all agree on, is that money is important! I know there can be some different attitudes on giving and finances. Maybe you are a follower of Jesus but have heard money talked about poorly or abusively by the church. Or maybe you are not a follower of Jesus and your impression of Christians and churches is that they just want your money. But let me say this: It’s important that we filter our past experience through what Jesus actually says about money in His Word rather than filtering God’s Word through our past experiences.

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God, He is greatly exalted. (ft. Aaron Ellis, Worship Director at Deer Creek Church).

Last week we looked at the glorious truth of Romans 6 that all those in Christ Jesus are no longer slaves to sin. We don’t have to obey it anymore. We can be alive to God in Christ Jesus and live as a new creation. And yet, I still struggle with doing things I don’t want to do. I still struggle with some of my past sins even as I consider myself a deep follower of Jesus. So what’s the deal? If sin is no longer my master, and the Bible keeps telling me I am free to pursue the goodness and righteousness of Christ, why does my life still seem like a tug of war between victory and failure? A battle between my sin and Christ’s righteousness? Is my life really an equal struggle between sin and obedience? Is it anyone’s guess which one wins on any given day? Is there any reason why I am a patient father one day, and a grouchy perfectionist parent the next? Why am I jealous, vindictive and insecure one moment, and full of faith the next? Let’s see what God’s Word says as we proceed to Romans 7.