Anguish isn’t just a small part of our existence. All of humanity has in common the fact that we come into this world crying; it’s how we start our life. In fact, the apostle Paul says that the entire creation groans in sorrow and anguish (Romans 8:22). We live in a world plagued by emotional and heart struggles. The Bible says depression, anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness, and suicide all affect God’s people too. We don’t like to talk about that in the church because we feel like if we had a vibrant spiritual life, if we really understood the gospel and really had faith, then we shouldn’t struggle with those things; those struggles are only for people without Jesus. The Bible shows us otherwise. A vibrant spiritual life does not always prevent mental health struggles. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts still come and that is why the Bible tells us what to do with them. So join us this Sunday as we look at a kind of prayer that has often been forgotten in the modern church: a prayer of lament.

We are in a series on how we get disconnected from God and how to reconnect with Him. And the answer is prayer. Last week we talked about why we ought to pray; this week we will look at some reasons why we don’t pray. Why do we seem to struggle to have a meaningful prayer life? Why are there seasons where it seems almost impossible to pray or to remember to pray? This morning we will look at three major reasons why it is hard to pray, being encouraged by the fact that Jesus Himself acknowledged to His disciples that prayer is hard.

We have been in a series called Disconnected, looking at how we get disconnected from God and why that is so fatal to our life and our being. And now we will look at how we reconnect with God; how we stay connected to God. And the answer is prayer. We will be talking about prayer for the next several weeks: what is prayer? Why do we pray? Why is prayer so hard? What about all of the hard things Jesus says about prayer? Join us as we become people of prayer and a church that grows ever-dependent on God in prayer.

We are in a series called Disconnected, looking at what happens in our lives when we become disconnected from God, and how to connect or reconnect with God in our lives. When we live life apart from God we begin to slowly lose our life and our vitality; it’s when we disconnect from the life God offers us in Jesus that life begins to not hold together anymore. The Bible talks about those who are not connected to God in relationship as lost. Lost in our sin, lost in ourselves, lost in this world. When the Bible speaks about the lost, it’s an endearing term. A picture of a shepherd distressed because he can’t find his sheep; a woman distressed because she can’t find something valuable to her. If you lose something you don’t care about, you stop looking for it immediately. You are called “lost” only because you are valuable to God. Your friends, neighbors, coworkers, family, who don’t know God are called lost because they are incredibly valuable to God. Our Father in heaven knows us even when we don’t yet know Him, and He is distressed when we are lost and rejoices when we are found.

Think about everything we use our phones for; connecting with our loved ones, building relationships, figuring our what is happening in our world. With all of those things we use our phones for, statistics show that the average person needs or wants something from their phone about 140 times per day; as a result, the average American spends 5 hours and 24 minutes on their phone each day. One of the major problems with us wanting or needing something from our phones nearly 6 hours a day is that our phones were designed to only last 5-6 hours a day while doing those things disconnected from a source of power. Because the moment we disconnect them and use them for life, they begin to die. And if they remain disconnected, they will eventually be completely powerless and dead until we connect them again. The same thing is happening to us as human beings when we live life disconnected from God; we begin to slowly die. So join us as we look at what Psalm 24 and Acts 17 have to say about our connection to God.

Join us this Sunday as we look at how our expectations in Christ change our perspective, our behaviors, and our relationships through the message of Colossians 3 (ft. Colin Campbell, Member at Elevate Hope Centennial).

We have been going through the entire book of Romans together as a church since the beginning of 2023, or for about 8 months. We would be remiss if, after reading this grand letter, we didn’t ask ourselves in light of the previous 15 chapters, in light of the past 8 months in it together, “How then shall we live?” As a church; as people. We find in this final chapter and a half the answer to that question, “How then shall we live?” The answer to the questions we pose to God, “Why am I here?” and “What do you want me to do?” So join us this morning for our final sermon in the book of Romans.

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.