In 2024, my wife and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary with a trip to Alaska. What I learned while there was that their motto, "Alaska: the last frontier," lives up to the hype! This state, larger than California, Texas, and Montana combined, is immense. Mountains, glaciers, rugged coastline, and wildlife are abundant. We spent 11 days traveling the wilderness in a camper van. We were kid-free, with no reservations, and nowhere we had to be. It was the freest I've ever been in my life. But it was on this trip that I learned pursuing limitlessness has a lot to do with following Jesus.

We all need a fresh start, and a new year usually brings that opportunity. So, what do you want 2026 to look like? What’s one thing you want to do differently? How do you want to act? Will you take a relationship with God into the new year? If you have a relationship already, will you grow more in that relationship in the coming year? The truth is, there are moments in life when the ground under us feels unstable – when circumstances shake us, relationships disappoint us, or fear creeps in like an unwelcome guest. With a new year coming, we can decide what ground we want to put our feet on. In Psalm 62, David centers his soul. He anchors himself not in changing circumstances but in an unchanging God. This Sunday we’re going to get a real picture of who God is and what can come from seeing Him. Ultimately, we learn to trust Him and pour out our hearts to Him. There are other things we’ll see in the text to help us understand why we can trust Him and pour out our hearts to Him. Join us as we learn more together and prepare ourselves for the new year.

Every Christmas, we celebrate by giving gifts. Some say the tradition began with the Wise Men, who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn King. Others point to the story of St. Nicholas, known for quietly giving gifts to children. But long before either of those stories, the true tradition of Christmas giving began with God Himself. Christmas started with a gift from heaven — when God gave His only Son. Tomorrow, “The Way in a Manger” series continues as we pause and look again at the gift that started it all. Not just a gift wrapped in paper and ribbon, but a gift wrapped in love, sacrifice, and purpose. It challenges us to rethink what makes a gift truly great. Is it the size? The price? The presentation? Or is it the heart behind it? In the message, we will explore why Jesus is called “The Gift of Gifts” — and why no other gift, past or present, can ever compare. This message will be an encouragement for all of us as we enter this Christmas week. If your friends can’t join you on Christmas Eve next Wednesday at 4:00 or 6:00 PM, tomorrow would be a great day to invite them as well.

In John 13, Jesus gives His disciples a new command. “Love one another.” That wasn’t actually a new command. What made it new was what Jesus said next: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” This was a raise the bar, sacrificial kind of love. And His followers took this command very seriously. First century Christians developed a reputation for taking in abandoned babies. Infanticide was not only legal throughout the Roman Empire, but it was widely practiced. Parents who abandoned their children were considered guiltless. Babies were abandoned for a variety of reasons, including economics, gender, suspicion of infidelity, or birth defects. The primary way this would take place was called Exposure, where babies were left outside to starve, freeze, or be eaten by wild animals. Christians rejected infanticide from the beginning, taking in these abandoned infants in huge numbers. But here is what is so interesting. Rescuing babies isn’t commanded in the New Testament. Food was scarce and expensive, and another mouth to feed was often seen as a liability. Christian Scripture didn’t specifically require it. The Old Testament didn’t specifically require it. But these first century followers were convinced that LOVE required it. And this kind of love would eventually catch the attention of the whole Roman Empire. So much so that Rome is now a tourist attraction while the church of Jesus is still growing today. Join us this weekend as we talk about the Way of Love, the central and over-arching command of King Jesus.

Relationships in the Kingdom of God are of the highest value. Nothing is more important. Seriously. If you don’t believe me, check out what Jesus teaches in His biggest sermon. “So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23–24, CSB) In that day, the most important moment in one’s spiritual life was bringing a gift or sacrifice to the altar. It was the most important part of one’s relationship with God, which means Jesus is saying that whatever is most important in your spiritual life… • Prayer. • Service. • Worship. • Bible Study. …is less important than doing all you can to restore any broken relationships in your life. This means if you have a spiritual “to do” list, the most important thing on that list just became the second most important thing. Is there a relationship in your life that needs some work or forgiveness? Join us this weekend as we discuss the how central and important habitual forgiveness is to anyone who would call themselves a follower of Jesus. For the believer, forgiveness is the way.

Have you ever had someone pray for you? How did that make you feel? Did that have an impact on you? Jesus did that for YOU! He took time out of His life to stop and pray for YOU. Take that in for a moment. Jesus not only loved YOU so much that He went to the cross for YOU, but He showed YOU He loves YOU by stopping to pray for YOU. In John 17, Jesus knows His time has come. Prior to this moment He spent a lot of time teaching His disciples the last things He wanted them to know before His death. Then He takes this beautiful moment to remind us all it always comes back to the Father and that we can go to Him at any moment with any need, even in our darkest season of life. In that moment, Jesus stops and prays for His current and His future disciples (YOU and I). This Sunday we’ll learn more about this prayer and what it means for us today. We’ll also see a connection between this prayer and the prayer He teaches His disciples in Matthew 6.

In John 16:33, Jesus said: “in this world you will have suffering.” My oldest son is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. His job is to predict the weather. It’s a good job, because nobody expects him to get it right all the time. If my son, the meteorologist, was giving a forecast for our lives, here is what he would say: “There is a 100% chance that trouble will come into your life. Your forecast is trouble today and trouble tomorrow.” Happy Thanksgiving. This leads to a tension that we’ve all felt at one time or another. “Is God good when life is bad?” Is God good when you or someone you love gets a bad health diagnosis? When you have a relationship that is coming apart? When there are more bills than income? When you lose your job or get laid off? Let’s dig a little deeper. Is God good if life is bad…and it doesn’t get any better? Do you subscribe to the version of faith that would say, “I just have to pray harder or be more faithful and then God will turn things around? Well, is God still good when things don’t turn around? The Apostle Paul would say that He certainly is good. But the thing you need to know about Paul is that his life did not have a resolution. Things didn’t turn around for him. Things didn’t all come together for him at the end. And yet for him, Christ was more than enough. Join us this weekend as we discuss the Biblical tension that God is good in a world where suffering and trouble exist, and sometimes it doesn’t all just work out at the end.

Throughout the book of John, Jesus just can’t stop talking about the Holy Spirit. In fact, when you get to John 16, Jesus says something that is jaw-dropping. “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7, CSB) Jesus, what did you just say? Imagine for a minute that you’re in their place. You’ve left everything to follow Him and be with Him -- family, career, friends, and now you tell us you’re leaving? Then he has the audacity to add, "And it’s a good thing for you that I’m going." Uh hu. What do parents always say to kids before they spank them? It’s going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you," and every kid thinks, "Well, spank yourself, then, if that’s the way you feel about it." I used to think, “I’d give anything to have lived back when Jesus lived, to hear His voice, to see His face, to touch Him.” But Jesus says it is better to live in the era of the Spirit than it is to walk with Him on this earth. Jesus is saying that you and I are more fortunate than His disciples were. We have the advantage over those that lived with Him. Said another way: “The Holy Spirit inside of you is greater than Jesus beside you.”

As Jesus prepares his disciples for life without Him, He spends significant time emphasizing one important point. Before we are asked to do anything for God, He invites us to be with Him. Intimacy with Jesus is the goal. But so often, sitting with God takes a backseat to performing for God. There is work to be done, accomplishments to be won… and we forget the truth of Psalm 46:10 — that we know God best when we are still before Him. We will never stumble into godliness. To be transformed by Christ requires daily presence with Him. Make your home in Him, and He will make His home in you.

In John 15, Jesus teaches us the secrets of the vine. In verse 5, He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.” (John 15:5, CSB) This passage is often taught as if there is only one condition for fruit bearing: remaining in Jesus. But notice that there are two conditions to growth and change here, not just one. There is remaining in Jesus, and then there is Jesus remaining in us. Said another way, Christian growth is is a combination of doing two things at once. We grow and bear fruit by resting in Jesus (Christ in me) while also chasing after Jesus (Remaining in Christ). Join us this weekend as we discuss the secret to growth and change, and notice it has everything to do with remaining or abiding in Jesus as He abides in us.

Every good thing you have in the Christian Life comes through the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture and history, the Spirit of God has been actively at work. In the second verse of the Bible, we read these words: “The earth was formless and void and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) It was out of that hovering of the Spirit that Creation burst forth. The rabbis in Jesus’ day loved this picture of the Spirit of God hovering over the waters. They used to reflect on it and write about it. They would compare the Spirit to a bird because of that word “hovering.” One ancient rabbi wrote, “And the Spirit of God was brooding over the water like a dove which broods over her young.” Another wrote, “The throne of divine glory was hovering over the face of the waters even as a dove hovers over its nest.” There is a long period in the history of Israel when the Spirit of God seems to be quiet and the voices of the prophets cease. They wonder: “Will the Spirit ever hover again? Then this man, Jesus, comes. He goes to be baptized by John the Baptist in Luke 3, and God is once again creating something new. “And the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”” (Luke 3:21–22, CSB) The writers of the New Testament wanted to be clear. Once more, the Spirit of God—in the person of Jesus—is hovering over the waters. God is once again creating something new, creating something the world has never known before, and it has everything to do with Jesus. He is creating a new opportunity for life with God with complete access to the resources of God, just like that original couple in the garden. Join us this Sunday as Jesus will teach us about the role of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.

Baptism is a picture of a new life! This weekend we have the amazing opportunity to celebrate what God is doing here at SCC through the ancient practice of baptism. We’re used to thinking that baptism day is about us or the other people who made their declaration of faith alongside of us, but nothing could be further from the truth. Baptism is a celebration and picture of Christ’s loving work of salvation on the cross. It points us to His grace and power in our lives. For this reason, baptism is a reminder to keep our spiritual appetites sharp. It reminds us to never stop pursuing Christ, seeking to know Him, and letting Him fill us with His grace and mercy. Scripture reminds us: “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time–to show us His grace through Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:9).

This Sunday, you don’t want to miss a powerful message about peace in troubling times—the kind of peace that doesn’t depend on what’s happening around you, but what’s happening within you. In a world filled with chaos, worry, and uncertainty, God offers a calm that defies all understanding—and we’re diving deep into how that actually works. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold on to peace when life feels heavy, this is your moment. Don’t sit this one out—come experience what could be the turning point your heart’s been waiting for. Your seat—and your peace—are waiting for you!

Why do 4 letter words have such power, and yet bring such confusion? I remember a time in my marriage that I believed I was “Help” my wife, only to realize what I meant by “Help” was not the same way she was defining “Help”. I had to learn what this 4-letter word meant for her and learn how to live in that with her. Love is another 4-letter word that has the same impact. I can say I “Love” someone, and yet by my actions they may not believe it. In any given moment, how I define “Love” may change because of what I want or how I want it to look. Culture tries to define “Love” for us through movies, music, books, and other means. No wonder why so many people get confused and hurt. The truth is, we always have to come back to the Bible to know what “Love” really is and what it looks like to live it out. The interesting part about this particular word is not only does Jesus define it, but He adds it is a command. By being a command, this isn’t about how I feel, or I get to choose if I do it or not. No, we are to love. We must love. This Sunday we’ll learn more about what this means and looks like. We hope you’ll join us as we continue to do this life together and learn together what it means to truly love, why we love, and how we are to love. We’re grateful for each and every one of you!

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the story of the football game between the large animals and the small animals. It was incredible. The large animals, as you might imagine, were just cleaning up on the smaller animals. It was no contest. They would kick the ball off to the rhino, he would receive the ball in the end zone and just rumble down the field. Nothing could stop him. Squirrels were hanging on his legs for dear life, birds were pecking at his horn, but nothing could stand in his way. At the end of the half it was 40-0, large animals. To make matters worse, the small animals had to kick off to the large animals to start the next half. So they kick off, and the elephant receives the ball in the end zone. He starts to rumble down the field, and BAM! He’s dropped dead in his tracks at the 5 yard line. The first play from scrimmage they hand off to the rhino, and BAM, he’s stopped immediately. The next play, they hand off to the lion, who runs off the tackle, and BAM, there is nowhere for him to go. Then they try the cheetah, cause, you know, they are the fastest runners in the world. But even the cheetah is brought down hard. On fourth down, the gorilla takes the handoff. He scrambles into the end zone to throw, gets hit, and the ball comes loose. There’s a mad scramble in the end zone. There are animals all over the place. The referees start pulling animals off this pile, until the last animal is left. It’s a tiny little centipede. Touchdown, small animals! The small animals can’t believe it! They say to the centipede, “Man, was that you that hit the elephant on the kick-off?” He goes, “Yeah, that was me.” Was that you that hit the lion in the backfield? “Yeah, that was me.” Was that you that hit the gorilla? Yeah, that was me.” They go, “Where were you in the first half?” And the centipede says, “I was getting my ankles taped!” Here is why I tell that story. This weekend, Jesus will call us to serve one another and show us the way. And some of us have waited far too long to get in the serving game. If you wait until you feel capable or ready or qualified to serve, you will never get in the game. But the good news is, there is another half of the game left. It’s not too late to begin to serve as our master has asked us to serve. It’s not too late to serve Our King by serving others. Because that is what our King has done for each of us.

There's an old story. A Sunday school teacher is explaining to children how they cannot get to heaven through human effort. They can't earn their way. So she begins by asking them some questions. "Can you get to heaven if you go to church often enough?" They said, "No!" "Can you get to heaven if you give enough money?" Again, they all say, "No!" "Can you get to heaven if you obey your parents and teachers enough?" For the third time, they all say, "No!" Then she asked them, "Well then how can you get to heaven?" One of them says, "You have to die first." That is certainly true. That is the way it works! One day Jesus made an observation about the way the world works that is so powerful, it will literally change your life. Here it is: “Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24, CSB) Notice this isn’t a command. It an observation based on the way of things. And this observation will reveal so much about Jesus and it will also reveal so much about each of us. Join us this weekend as we ask what you may need to die to so that you can begin to really live.

In John 12, Mary, having witnessed Jesus raise her brother Lazarus from the stench of grave, brings a very expensive perfume to dinner and pours it over Jesus’ feet. She then bows and begins to wipe His feet with her hair and her tears. What is Mary doing exactly? What is the point? Well, it’s certainly an extravagant act of worship. That is clear. She loves Him. She believes He is the Christ, the Son of God, and in her worship, she is incredibly generous. We’re told in the story that this perfume was worth an entire year of wages. Think about a years-worth of your salary being poured out on someone’s feet in about 5 minutes. Who does that? And why? What Mary was doing in this story wasn’t just an act of worship, or the offering of an extravagant gift, or even an act of devotion to Jesus. It was certainly all of those things, but it was also something else. Mary was anointing Jesus. But to what purpose? Join us this weekend as we discuss the purpose of this anointing and the implications for each of us and all of us.

This Sunday, we're stepping back into our study in the Gospel of John! And we're picking back up with one of my favorite stories in scripture, the resurrection of Lazarus. The last time I taught from this story was when I officiated my grandma's funeral. And this story is so powerful when it comes to finding hope in a season of grief. But more than that, it's a story of how Jesus wants to use his people in the every day resurrection of those around us. Join us this Sunday as we talk about waiting, grief, and role we play in Jesus saving work in our world.

People sometimes say and do stupid things. Larry Walters was a truck driver who wanted to be a pilot, but he couldn’t pass the eye exam. So one day he went down to the local army navy surplus store and bought 45 weather balloons and a tank of helium. When he got home, he attached those balloons to a lawn chair, anchored the chair to the bumper of his jeep, and inflated all the balloons with helium. Then he packed some sandwiches and drinks, placed his BB gun rifle in his lap to pop a few balloons to help him return to earth, and cut the anchor cord to his chair. Larry’s plan was to lazily float upward a few hundred feet while sitting in his chair, but it didn’t work out that way. When Larry cut the cord, he shot upward as if shot out of a cannon! Nor did he just go up a couple of hundred feet. He kept climbing until he reached an altitude of 11,000 feet. At that height, he didn’t dare pop any balloons, so instead he floated for about 14 hours until he eventually drifted into the approach corridor for Los Angelos International Airport. At one point, a Pan Am pilot radioed the tower about passing a guy in a lawn chair, drinking beer with a gun on his lap. By late in the evening, Larry began to drift out over the Pacific Ocean, so the Navy sent a rescue helicopter out to get him. Unfortunately, the wind from their propellers kept sending him further out to sea. Eventually, they were able to get a rescue line down to him from above. The moment the helicopter landed, Larry was immediately arrested. As he was being led away in handcuffs, a television reporter asked him, “Why did you do it?” Larry replied nonchalantly, “A man can’t just sit around.” This is where something called self-control comes in. Join us this weekend as we discuss the fruit of the Spirit known as self-control. You may not have ever floated in a lawn chair for 14 hours at 11,000 feet, but I’ll bet you’ve said or done some things you regret.

In Colossians chapter 2, Paul commands us to be a people who are gentle with one another. He begins the command to gentleness this way: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy, and dearly loved…”. We are told three things about ourselves here as followers of Jesus. We are chosen. We are Holy. We are dearly loved. I don’t know if you feel chosen today, but God has chosen you. I don’t know if you feel holy today, but God has made you so. I don’t know if you feel deeply loved today, but nothing can separate you from the love of God. Some of us may even find these three truths hard to believe. This is why you may have to repeat those three truths to yourself over and over again. Every single day. “I am chosen. I am Holy. I am deeply loved.” Back in 2011, an excellent movie came out about life in the south in the early 60’s. It was called “The Help.” It is a story of the black maids of Jackson, Miss, and their struggles while working for upper middle class white women during the civil rights movement. In some cases, these maids would actually help raise the children for their employers. In one scene, one of the maids, Aibileen Clark is talking to little Mae, who is a part of the family she works for. Little Mae is sitting on her lap and Aibileen is leading little Mae through a kind of a mantra that went like this: “You is good. You is kind. You is important.” Like little Mae, you may have to repeat these truths to yourself daily: “You is chosen. You is holy. You is deeply loved.” Here is why that is so important. In order to practice gentleness, we first need to see ourselves and to see the world around us the way that God does—we need to see others as chosen and holy and dearly loved. And when we do—when we realize how God sees people, we will begin to believe that we must be gentle when we bump into people at church, or in the grocery store, and especially the ones with which we share a home. We will treat people as God has asked us precisely because we will remember that everyone we meet is dearly loved by God, and He has been so gentle with each of us.