6/7 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

The Transfiguration reveals Jesus as the radiant, beloved Son, with Moses and Elijah present as witnesses—not equals—while the Father commands the disciples, “Listen to him.”Peter’s impulse to “do something” nearly causes him to miss the moment, highlighting how our drive to be useful can drown out God’s invitation to simply receive, be still, and listen.Jesus meets the disciples’ fear with mercy, stooping, touching them, and saying, “Get up… Don’t be afraid,”

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5/31 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

  Jesus calls him “Peter… load‑bearing rock” even though Peter will immediately misunderstand Jesus’ mission.Jesus corrects Peter without rejecting him.  When Peter rebukes Jesus, Jesus repositions him saying, “Get behind me,” not “Go away,” showing that correction is part of discipleship, not disqualification.Following Jesus requires ongoing surrender and transformation.  The Christian life is a rh...

5/17 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Jesus models a faithful rhythm of life: He withdraws to grieve, shows compassion to others even in exhaustion, and then returns to God as His source of strength.Compassion doesn’t mean endless availability: Jesus meets needs, but He also sets boundaries — sending the disciples away and dismissing the crowds so He can rest and pray.God multiplies what we offer, even when it feels small: Like the loaves and fish, abundance comes not from having no limitations but...

5/10 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Suzanne talked about how the “mercy lens” from Hosea 6:6 is essential for reading Scripture, especially difficult passages.This parable teaches that evil is real but not from God, and that God’s patience is protective, not indifferent. Pulling weeds too early harms the wheat because their roots intertwine—God refuses collateral damage.Humans are not qualified to sort “wheat” from “weeds.” Sorting is God’s job alone.Pastor Suzanne apologized to those who ...

5/3 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Suzanne talked about how Jesus confronts the Pharisees not to reject Scripture, but to show a deeper, mercy‑shaped way of reading it.Hosea 6:6 (“I desire mercy, not sacrifice”) becomes the interpretive lens Jesus uses to reveal the heart behind the law.Rigid, literal readings can harm people when they prioritize rules over human need, dignity, and flourishing.Followers of Jesus are invited to hold the Bible tightly but their interpretations loosely, read...

4/26 Sermon Recap & Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Aaron Vis joined us from Renew Community Church to preach on the Old Testament story of Samuel the prophet anointing David as king.He reminded us that even when we are stuck in our disappointment, God is still moving forward.He reminded us that while humans look at outward appearances, God looks at the heart.Finally, he encouraged us to consider if there are people that we overlook because they don’t come from the right group. These people may have uniqu...

4/19 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Sara talked about Jesus’ proclamation that “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”She talked about how our level of humility and desperation often correlates with the level of transformation that happens.She used the example of 12-Step programs whose first steps is to, “Admit we are powerless over our addiction and that our lives have become unmanageable.” These programs are some of the most transformational processes precisely because o...

4/5 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Christ the Lord is Risen! So death is real, but it is not final.

Sermon Reflection Questions:

How would you live your life if you we’re afraid of death? ...

3/29 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Suzanne talked about the passage for Palm Sunday about Jesus arriving in Jerusalem on a donkey.She invited us to remember and reflect on the character of a God who enters not as a violent warrior, but as a humble king weeping over a city and longing for peace for the people who misunderstand him.She reminded us that as we think about our mortality, we ought to be comforted by the fact that God is a God who loves us first, who comes to us with open arms, ...

3/22 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Suzanne interviewed Connie Adams about her experience with chronic pain following a number of complications with surgeries.Connie shared honestly how difficult that season was for her and talked about how Psalm 139 and the bridge to “I Trust the Lord” helped ground her and focus on the character of God in the midst of her pain.She reminded us that (as a gardener) you are never closer to your plants than when you are pruning them. In times of pain, God is...

3/15 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Sermon Recap

Pastor Suzanne talked about the parable where Jesus instructs his servants to be actively prepared for his return because we do not know the day or hour that Christ will come back.

She talked about how often our human nature tempts us to put off for tomorrow something that we should do today and that often leaves us with regret.

She encouraged us to live with a sense of urgency and intentionality about living in line with our values while also acknowledging that

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3/8 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Pastor Bep talked about the parable of the “talents” in Matthew and encouraged us to consider the quote, “Blessed is the one who plants trees under whose shade they will never sit.”She encouraged us to be faithful to invest in the people God has placed around us. She challenged us to be faithful in taking risks with the gifts God has given us for the sake of building his Kingdom. 

Sermon Reflection Questions:

What gifts have you been given?Who has God placed arou...

3/1 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Pastor Suzanne talked about 1 Corinthians 13 and how Paul makes the case that when we stand before Jesus, the only thing that will last is love. She challenged us to consider how we are tempted to pursue the values that the culture places as significant more than we pursue love (i.e. promotions, achievement, busyness, etc.).She reminded us that that it will mean for each of us to love the people around us will look different, and encouraged us to take time to r...

2/22 Sermon Recap & Reflection Questions

Pastor Tony Vis was interviewed by Pastor Suzanne about his health journey, and particularly how he is living with intentionality now that he has started hospice care and is more aware that his days are numbered. If you didn’t get a chance to hear the conversation, we strongly encourage you to listen to both that sermon and the podcast interview we did with Tony earlier in the week (linked below).

Series Reflection Questions:

How are you feeling about the idea of...

2/8 Sermon Recap and Reflection Questions

Pastor Aaron Vis (from Renew Community in Ames) preached on the Beatitudes. He talked about them as strange and radical ways of living in the world. He talked about what it means to choose mercy instead of retribution. He talked about the meaning of “purity of heart” as having a heart that is undivided in desiring the things of God. He talked about the difference between being peacekeepers verses peacemakers. And he asked us to consider if we are actually ready...