Joy!cast

Sermon Text: Luke 24: 1-12 Easter means our faith isn't futile, our failures aren't fatal, and our death isn't final. Faith: Jesus is alive. Our faith isn't futile. If it's false, it's foolish. If it's true, it is the foundation for a life that is powerful and positive and productive forever. Failures: We are an Easter people. We follow a living Lord. We believe in the redeeming power of God. Our failures aren't fatal; they are opportunities to learn and grow into the likeness of Christ. Death: Easter means that our death isn't final. Jesus was not held by the prison of death, and in his resurrection, he paves the way for those who believe in him to inherit eternal life. Because he died and rose again, so can we. To Know: Jesus death and resurrection gives us a powerful, positive, productive life forever. To Feel: Our failures are overcome by Easter To Do: When you trust that your faith isn't futile, that your failures aren't fatal, and that your death isn't final -- then you can hav

Sermon Text: Luke 19:28-40 What is success? It is the end for which we strive. It is the affirmation toward which we live that we believe once attained, will finally make it all worthwhile. The success of God is revealed as our Lord rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. It is the agenda of life and peace, the agenda of redeeming love. All the success of that first Palm Sunday, the power and acclaim given to Jesus, was held accountable to the cross which was to follow. Jesus willingly sets aside the temporary exaltation of women, men, and even children for the sake of God's eternal agenda. The story could have turned out so differently. He could have seized the moment, struck while the iron was hot, and taken control of the city. There was so much good that could have been done that he didn't do�it was because the immediate was held accountable to the ultimate�the temporary to the eternal. To Know: Jesus gave up success (by the world's definition) in order that success would be about the changed liv

  Jane Jebsen, who leads Joy!'s adult discipleship ministry, discusses the NextStep worship experience that will launch at Joy! on Saturday, April 14. The opening message series is titled, "Amazed!" The word, "amazed," is used 39 times in the gospels and the Book of Acts. This message series will look at what is amazing about faith in Jesus, according to the Bible. Come and explore whether you find faith in God to be amazing, or unremarkable--and how the answer to that question impacts your life.

Judas and Mary show us diverging roads. Judas travels the road of greed. Mary is on the road of generosity. We can only imagine the tension in that room with Mary, Judas and the others. There was a discomfort with the actions and extravagance of Mary, but Jesus was calm. He received her gift as an incredible act of love. Surely they knew Jesus life was threatened. She must have been overwhelmed by some certainty that Jesus would die, so her deep love spilled out as the nard was poured. When Judas saw it, he was disgusted. To him it was a waste…he could see nothing good in her actions. To this day, of course, we see these two in marked contrast. Mary gives humbly from what she has and Judas’ greed tries to control not only his wealth, but the gift anyone else would give. Mary couldn't help herself...Hers was a response of love. To Know: We have a need to give. To Feel: The love of God that inspires our giving. To Do: Give generously. Tithe.

The Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32 Guest Pastor Al Caldwell invites us to return home to: ...be reconciled with family ...become a whole person and “meet yourself" ...to find the great treasure buried in your own home & family

Scripture Focus:  Luke 13:1-9 Is your first reaction in tough times to blame?  If it is you join a whole culture looking for someone on whom to hang all of the struggle and pain.  When you see someone suffering, is your tendency to blame them for the suffering they face?  Again, you will find yourself in the heart (or lack of heart) of the culture. This is the easy road.  On this road we cut out people from our lives who do not produce what we want.  On this road we can also cut ourselves from life with others or life with God because of our failures. The road less traveled is the road of mercy.  It seeks not to blame but to help.  It looks for forgiveness and readily gives others mercy in time of need.  Not only can we see Jesus do this in the Gospels but we experience it as we are joined to his death and resurrection. What is so important to people of faith is that we know the one who will give it when no one else can or will. Jesus is the gardener who takes on the fate of all huma

Scripture Focus: Luke 13:31-35 There is a lure in taking risk.  Youth culture is focused on the X games and extreme sports where one's life and health is at stake in order to feel alive and receive the adulation of friends. Danger meets us as we travel on busy streets and yet we engage in the risk.  We follow financial schemes that put our assets at risk.  We take a chance that by accepting the new job or starting a new business we will have a better and more fulfilling life.  Fear is met either by the devaluing of life or by the thrill of living on the edge.  Is this really the life we want to live?  There is a lure in avoiding any risk.  Many of us avoid accidents by driving back roads and byways.  We avoid the pain of broken relationships by avoiding relationships.  We seek the safe way in work, money, family and even faith.  Fear is met by controlling every circumstance and encounter.  Is this really life?  The road less traveled entrusts our lives to God who wants to keep us saf

Scripture Focus:  Luke 4:1-13 When we are moved from those places and passages that are comfortable we find ourselves in wilderness.  We seldom travel this road of our own choosing.  It comes when things in our life break down or unexpected forces take over. It comes when the road before us seems unclear and we diverge from the original path.    There are two paths in the wilderness.  One is a self reliant path.  You look for strength within you and with all of your wisdom and cunning try to find a way out.  You seek for the easy way, the path of least resistance and find yourself covering the same ground again and again.  Fear grows. Defensiveness grows.  Physical forcefulness grows.  But exhaustion leads to despair as you move deeper into wilderness with no hope.  The other path looks always for resources outside you.  It is the path that recognizes weakness and knows that the wilderness cannot be conquered alone.  You look for wisdom beyond yourself.  You know that the tests you face are

Scripture Focus: Joel 2:12-13, 15-17 The road most traveled is the road of recognition and self-glory.  We want to receive credit for a job well done.  We feel like we must offer lavish praise upon people in order to receive their best.  We know also that when recognition is not available we can avoid doing the right thing.  We become discouraged when no one notices our good work and feel unappreciated to the point of giving up.   The less traveled road is the road of humility that does what is right when no one is looking.  We trust that our treasures are in heaven and thrive in pleasing God as we serve our neighbor.  On this road we practice our faith without a fanfare knowing that the immediate reward comes in having a life worth living; a life of God given identity and purpose.  To Know:  We will never receive accolades enough to fill the empty places in our lives. To Feel:  The good and faithful things we do are received by the God who loves us. To Do:  Engage authentically in

Scripture Focus: Luke 9:28-36

Scripture Focus: Mark 2:1-12 Imagine the scene...a huge crowd gathered around Jesus, making it impossible to get anywhere near him...the room and surrounding area completely full of people wanting either his healing touch, to hear him preach, or simply to be in his presence. You can almost feel the crush of the crowd. And then some men, determined to help their friend, get creative about how they are going to get him close to Jesus. Not only do they fight the crowd, carrying a cumbersome load, but they, when met with difficulty, refuse to give up. All for the sake of their friend who so desperately needs their help. Are there people in your life who would do that for you? Maybe they already have. Are you a friend like that? What about to those you don't know? Are you one who goes the extra mile for people in need? Do you see the incredible need to connect with others in faith, both to share and receive.  Sometimes it's easier to turn the other way and pretend we don't need others; b

Scripture Focus: Luke 5:1-11 Jesus is clear about the purpose of his disciples.  They will fish for people.  It is our calling.  The net we cast is the Word of God that reaches the eyes and ears of people.  It is important that we grow to maturity in our faith life so that we see beyond our needs (catching fish to simply sustain our own lives), to the needs of the other's body and soul. Jesus is also clear that we will not fish for people on the side of the boat that we think should be fished, but where he directs us.  We impact others in many ways not the least of which is to put our resources where Jesus tells us to put them into an effort to reach the people of around us.  Giving is a response to Jesus' call to fish.  All that we are and all that we have is being asked of us to reach others.  We give (money, time, talents) in response to the one who gives us purpose.  We give generously because of the one who has generously given us our lives and everything that sustains us

Scripture Focus:  Luke 4:14-21 The first thing Jesus does after his trial in the wilderness was to go to the temple to worship and there he read the scripture.  Jesus reveals himself as the one that the prophet spoke of in Isaiah 61.  We learn that his words are powerful and that he teaches with authority, even for those who don't know him. First things for followers of Jesus are worship, scripture reading and prayer.  Last week I focused on worship.  On this day we will focus on the practice of reading scripture and prayingâ�¦habits that build a real faith for real life.  Through the reading of scripture we know God more fully.  Prayer gives us a way of speaking to God and makes us more aware of God's presence and power.

Scripture Focus:  John 2:1-11 John 2:1-11 is part of a larger section in the Gospel of John that has come to be known as "The Book of Signs." It runs from the middle of chapter 1 all the way through the end of chapter 12 and is full of interactions between Jesus and groups and individuals that all point to the bigger, wider, grander coming of the Kingdom of God. The last verse in this section--verse 11--adds even more intensity to the story as the wedding at Cana begins both Jesus' public ministry in general and his demonstration of miraculous signs in particular. "Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him." Jesus' signs reveal his glory.  We will use the idea of signs to think about our identity as followers of Jesus.  As Jesus becomes known by what he does in these signs, our identity is made known in what we do.  Our actions are also signs that reveal who we are.  We will begin to unfold the adult discip

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 43:1-7; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 We begin a new year with expectation.  We think about what has happened in our past and we hope for change.  We wonder what will unfold before us.  The people in the reading from Luke had the same feelings.  What unfolded before them is God's love in the person of Jesus. Jesus' identity is revealed through John's prophetic words and then by a voice from heaven.  He comes with power to judge (fire).  It sounds threatening, and yet we discover that his judgment is filled with mercy and love.  It is that judgment that shapes us and gives us identity. In our baptism that judgment is made known.  Like Jesus, we are assured that we are known fully, treasured deeply, loved completely. We are identified with Christ in baptism.  God comes to us and says to us, "You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Leftovers - whether you love them or throw them away - they are a part of our daily lives!  The same is true for Christmas.  Our culture would have us believe everything is done and over with once December 25th passes and all the presents are opened.  But after all the rush of December, there are Christmas leftovers... What are they? What remains after Christmas Day?  As Christians we need to realize there are some significant gifts which remain with us and the most important one is the baby who will grow to be our Savior.  Will we lose Him as we throw away the wrappings and bows?  Will He be boxed away with all the decorations?  Will he be relegated to the back, lower shelf of the refrigerator until some future day? This weekend as we look to the wise men and their gifts - the late-comers to the Christmas party - we will see the magnificence of the gifts left for us even after Christmas is "over"

Perhaps we need Santa at Christmas to help us be merry and joyous because we have a flawed understanding of Jesus. From today's gospel text we learn that the first reaction to Jesus' presence on earth, of God-in-our-midst, was joy. John the Baptist jumps for joy in the womb of Elizabeth as he first connects to the joy of Jesus' presence, still in Mary's womb. This is a joy so tremendous, joy so utterly overwhelming that it must somehow escape the bounds of earth itself and jump towards the heavens

Go Tell It on the Mountain, Silent NightHark the Herald Angels SingO Come, O Come EmmanuelLesson 1     Isaiah 9:2,6-7Emmanuel/Come Thou Long Expected JesusLesson 2     Isaiah 11:1-9 "The Branch From Jesse"Lo How A Rose (JN)              Lesson 3     Isaiah 40: 1-5 "Comfort for God's People"Prepare the Way of the Lord Lesson 4     Luke 1:26-38  "The Birth of Jesus Foretold"The King of Us All Lesson 5     Luke 2:1-7 "The Birth of Jesus"O Little Town of Bethlehem              Infant Holy, Infant LowlyLesson 6      Luke 2:8-16 "The Shepherds and the Angels"Angels We Have Heard On High The First NoelLesson 7    Matthew 2:1-11 "The Visit of the Magi"We Three Kings       Lesson 8     John 1:1-5, 10-12, 14  "The Word Became Flesh"Joy to the WorldO Holy NightO Come All Ye Faithful