Hello Friends -

This past weekend I had the opportunity to make some new friends at Sebastopol Christian Church and share a sermon meditating on the Christmas story. Advent of Hope is a reflection of the depth of the Christmas story in three movements...The Wait. The Hope. The Call.

The Wait.

Christmas is about waiting. It is about the people of God clinging to the promise of God that one day he would send a Savior. At the time of the Jesus' birth, the Jewish people were being marginalized by the strongest empire the world has ever seen, Rome. From England to India, Rome ruled by sheer terror, killing or enslaving anyone who opposed Rome's rule. It is here the people of God find themselves crushed by the weight of oppression. We all feel The Wait. We feel it in the brokenness of relationships, the loss of loved ones, or the death of our dreams. We feel it when we hear news of another shooting or act of terror. All of us sense that the world is not as it should be. This is the pain of the wait.

The Hope.

But the story doesn't end there. God isn't removed and distant. John writes, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." or as Eugene Peterson writes in The Message, "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood." Christmas is the reminder that the story is going somewhere. That God entered the story and is starting a new thing. It is the reminder that Rome doesn't always win, that darkness gives way to light. Christmas reminds us that one day "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" (Revelation 21:4-5)

The Call.

But we too have a role in Christmas. As Jesus embodied hope and entered the story, so we are to embody hope and enter the story. Jesus in John 20:21 says, "As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." As Jesus entered the waiting of a weary world, we enter the waiting embodying the hope of Christmas. We become present in the brokenness of the world. We sacrifice in the way Jesus sacrificed, and we love as Jesus loves.

Christmas is about our hope in the waiting, calling us forward to love as Christ loved. May we this Christmas experience the hope of God "moving into the neighborhood." May we embody Christmas for our neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and families.

Merry Christmas friends!

Video - Advent of Hope

January 20, 2019

5 Quotes from MLK's - "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution"

As a student of theology and ethics, MLK Day is a sort of sacred day. I usually do two things, every MLK Day: first, I read through King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and secondly, I set aside time for deep reflection on what it means to animate our faith in light of current social issues and repent for my own failure to embody Jesus’ vision for the Kingdom of God here-and-now.

It has been said that “many who quote him now would have hated him then”, and I think there is a lot of truth to that critique.

January 12, 2018

A Voice for Today: 5 Sermons by Martin Luther King Jr.

Among the most influential American figures stands Martin Luther King Jr. His courage and conviction continues to speak volumes for our current cultural moment. And every year when we celebrate MLK Day I make sure to spend time reading through sermons, writings, speeches, delivered by King and each year I am inspired by his ability to stand for nonviolence in the midst of violence, justice in the midst of injustice, and love in the midst of unthinkable hate. Below are 5 links to sermons written by Martin Luther King that I believe offer an enduring prophetic voice for our day.

May 23, 2017

A Story in Motion - Philippians: Part 2

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 1.3-6

For Paul, joy is the outworking of the Christian experience, it is not the end goal but rather a by product of the Christian experience. In this way, joy transcends circumstances. For Paul, this expression of joy in the midst of trial proves true in two ways, the present reality of God’s work and a future hope.

March 24, 2017

Grace. And. Peace. - Philippians: Part 1

Grace. And. Peace.

These are the opening words of Paul to the Philippians. In some sense it is Paul's traditional greeting, found in nearly every letter he writes in the New Testament. But in another sense, it is a complex and inspiring opening and of all the ways to open a letter Paul chooses, grace and peace.

First, grace.

Now, Paul is creative. The typical greeting in the Hellenistic world was the greek word, chairein - which simply means “greetings.”The word Paul uses is similar in sound but more layered in meaning, charis - which translates to “grace.” Traditionally understood, grace is the unmerited favor and acceptance given from God. And while certainly not wrong, if we stop there we are left with a flat understanding. For Paul, grace has layers, depth, and nuance.

January 10, 2017

One for the Lowly

On New Year's Day I had the opportunity to preach at Central Peninsula Church's North Campus. It was a part of their series answering the question "What child is this?" exploring the Christmas story through Jesus' embodiment and fulfillment of Old Testament texts.

December 28, 2016

Top 10 Books I Read in 2016

Certainly my love for reading is no secret, and one of the aspects of my time in seminary I have enjoyed the most is being exposed to an entire world of authors and thinkers I may or may not have come in contact with before. Natural this has caused my personal library to grow. Below are the top 10 books I read in 2016. Some are from required class reading, others are books I read for my own enrichment. Each title links to the book on Amazon, and below each title are a few quotes that I snagged as I flipped through my highlights from when I originally read the book to give you a taste of the book's focus. Would love to hear your favorite reads from 2016 that I can add to my reading list for 2017!

December 20, 2016

Advent of Hope: The Wait

Advent is about, the wait. It is about recognizing that the world has grown weary and is longing for something more. It is the recognition that something has gone wrong and we wait for a new day.

Advent is about, the hope. It affirms that God is not distant, but present and active. God has not abandoned his world.

Advent is about, the call. It is a story that we are called to embody. As God entered our story, we too enter the brokenness around us bringing hope and a new tomorrow.

August 31, 2016

5 Things Worth Your Time - Part 15

Every Wednesday I post a handful of articles, blog posts, videos, columns, books or anything I find interesting and worth your time. Ranging from thought-provoking to funny to ridiculous, most are things I stumbled upon in the past week. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading along!

"Short Read" = 10 Minutes or less. "Long Read" = 10 Minutes or longer.

February 10, 2016

The Slow Work of the Heart - Latest Sermon

A few weeks back I was able to share a message I wrote that explores the process by which transformation takes place. For followers of Jesus, we often find ourselves struggling to embody the same ethic, grace, and compassion that Jesus embodied. We struggle, we work, we battle ourselves all in an effort toward Christlikeness. However, in Matthew 11:28 Jesus says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." How does one find rest in the pursuit of Christlikeness? Dallas Willard says it best...