The first in the series The Quest for Thin Places, informed by Dana Hicks' book by the same name, this teaching introduces the listener to the critical step of thoughtful deconstruction, which should be a normal and natural ongoing part of faith. For more, see the blog: https://www.crosswalknapa.org/blog/deconstruction

Mary found the source of her faithful devotion to all that God invited her to embrace: the magnificence of what the God of Love was communicating to her about her ( and everyone else). Her should magnified that Love. When we build our lives from the Love up, we are able to say yes to the God's invitation to love the world into its wellbeing.

Enjoy this thought-provoking, permission-giving, freedom-yielding teaching from Matt Real!

The Wise Men weren't and aren't the only ones who follow stars. We all are looking to our own respective "stars" for guidance. How do you know if the star you're following is going to lead you where you want to go? What is your assessment criteria? It turns out that the Christmas Story offers some keys that might be helpful in sorting out what to follow and what to let go.

The sermon reflects on the choices we make—during Thanksgiving, in our daily lives, and in our spiritual journeys. Using Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken as a starting point, it argues that choices “make all the difference,” though not always in positive or easy ways. Frost’s poem reminds us that every path taken excludes another and that the consequences of our decisions shape our stories. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7 contrasts two paths: a broad, easy road leading to destruction and a narrow, challenging road leading to life. Unlike Frost’s neutral fork in the woods, Jesus warns that the popular, well-worn way often misleads, while the life-giving path requires intention, courage, and deep attention. Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes this narrow path through practices like nonviolent resistance, countercultural generosity, reimagined prayer, and redefined blessing. His own life embodies the narrow way—one filled with love, resistance to injustice, and even suffering. C.S. Lewis adds that the Christian life is not about managing one’s desires or being “good” in a surface-level way, but about surrendering the whole self so that Divine life can flow through us. This surrender is both “harder and easier” than moral effort because it transforms from within rather than demanding endless self-striving. The sermon then shifts toward Advent and Christmas, noting that every character in the nativity story faced choices when the “star” invited them toward God’s unfolding work—some embraced the narrow path, some rejected it. The star becomes a metaphor for divine guidance still shining today, calling us away from easy, crowded routes and toward the quieter, more demanding way of love, justice, and grace. Ultimately, the sermon invites listeners to consider what the “narrow path” means for them now, how it shapes their lives and relationships, and how the “unforced rhythms of grace” (Matthew 11) can guide them to live more freely, lightly, and intentionally.

At first glance, following the Golden Rule - doing unto others what you would want done to you - seems simple enough. But it's not. To truly appreciate it requires to work and humility.

This exploration of Jesus' teaching on prayer challenges us to move beyond the vending machine approach to spirituality. When Jesus says 'ask, seek, knock,' we often hear a transactional promise—do this, get that. But the deeper translation reveals something more profound: 'keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.' Prayer isn't a one-time transaction but an ongoing process of engagement with the divine. The sermon unpacks how our prayers often mirror our consumer society, where we expect immediate results and feel disappointed when God doesn't deliver like Amazon Prime. Yet when we examine what we're actually praying for—from parking spots to perfect children—we discover something important: our prayers reveal who we are, what we value, and where we need to grow. The invitation isn't to pray less, but to pray more deeply, recognizing that prayer is both a mirror reflecting our own hearts and a quest that transforms us. We're encouraged to pray however we need to, getting our concerns out into the open, while also examining whether our language about God aligns with what we actually believe about divine love and presence.

Where do you cast your "pearls"?  In this teaching, we remember that we holy and beloved, invited to do all the good that we can with all that we are.  Supporting CrossWalk supports doing much good in the world on many levels.  Will you consider supporting CrossWalk with greater generosity than you are currently?

Jesus instructed his followers not to judge others.  How's that going for you? In this teaching we examine the difference between judging and offering constructive criticism and the messiness every human being brings to the equation.

Hear first account experience from one who lived with a Palestinian family in the West Bank.

In our exploration of worry, we discover that it's not inherently bad - it can motivate us and protect us. However, Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6 to 'seek first the kingdom of God' instead of worrying about our daily needs. This isn't a call to ignore real-world concerns, but rather an invitation to ground ourselves in a deeper reality. The kingdom of God isn't a distant realm, but a present reality of love that we're already immersed in. By prioritizing this ultimate reality, we can find peace that surpasses understanding, even in the face of life's challenges. This shift in perspective can transform how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us.

In this powerful message offered by Rev. Dr. Angela Barker-Jackson, we're invited to explore the profound concept of welcoming strangers, rooted in Leviticus 19:34. This scripture challenges us to treat strangers as natives and love them as ourselves, reminding us of our own history as strangers. The sermon beautifully connects this ancient text to Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, emphasizing that holiness is not just an idea, but an active engagement with the world. We're called to embody God's holy character in all spheres of life, creating ripples of change from the inside out. The message encourages us to start by welcoming the stranger within ourselves, those parts we've yet to fully accept or understand. By doing so, we open ourselves to truly welcoming others, expanding our circles of connection and love. This practice of 'revolutionary love' has the power to transform not just individuals, but entire communities and even nations. As we face the chaos of our world, we're reminded that by holding the center together, rooted in God's love, we can create lasting change and pursue God's shalom.

Today, we delve into the profound teachings of Matthew 6:22-23, exploring the concept of the 'eye as the lamp of the body.' This scripture challenges us to examine our spiritual vision and how it impacts our entire being. Are we seeing the world through eyes of generosity and abundance, or through a lens of scarcity and greed? The passage connects deeply with Jesus' warning that we cannot serve both God and wealth, reminding us that our perspective on material possessions can blind us to spiritual truths. As we reflect on this, we're invited to consider: How might our own privileges or financial status create blind spots in our faith journey? By cultivating a 'healthy eye,' we open ourselves to see God's abundance and the needs of others more clearly, potentially transforming not just our own lives, but the world around us.

Consumerism can be exhilarating, but it can also leave us in a perpetual state of never feeling satisfied, in competition with our neighbors, and a little light in our wallet. The Way of Jesus, however, does the opposite, yielding a rewarding life filled with the fruit of the Spirit of God that never runs out. Choose the Way!

This part of the Lord's Prayer seems quite obvious, right? It's airy out to God to come rescue us from the evil that terrorizes us. Well, no. The Aramaic language and Eastern culture of Jesus indicate a different, much more relevant interpretation.

Temptation is a fact of life. How we think about it makes all the difference. Jesus' temptation story provides a framework for understanding categories of temptation and healthy ways to respond.

Forgiving someone who has wronged us is hard work. Not popular. Not fair. Not just. So why are we supposed to do this again?

Jesus taught his disciples to ask God to forgive our debts, trespasses, sins, and more. Easier said than done when done sincerely. Asking for forgiveness implies awareness of our need for forgiveness. That's when things get difficult for us...

Being aware and grateful for our planet's capacity to provide food, and all the hands involved from planting all the way to our meal will help you live in deeper awe and gratitude. Discovering that the Aramaic word for bread is the same as for understanding and wisdom, this line of the prayer takes on new meaning. The Divine Feminine Wisdom is one that is creative, generative, embodying and fostering possibility. Together, we find ourselves full of both kinds of bread, more able to enter the world with strength and direction, both from "above."

Building on the passionate invitation, Thy Kingdom come, the second half of the second line of the Lord's Prayer follows suit, seeking to be fully aligned with the Divine. The more that happens, the more we find ourselves naturally living in response to the winds of the Spirit of God, and less in the way of what Love is trying to build in the world. Less about following rules and sin management, and more about living in deep relationship with the One that unites us all.