Resources
We want to help you go deeper with God beyond our weekend services. Find sermons, discussion guides, devotionals, and podcasts—all in one place, all designed to help your faith take root and grow.
Resource Archive
Beyond the Weekend Devotionals
Worship in Prayer
The psalmist's voice rings out, calling people to attention. In ancient Israel, many of the Psalms are sung as God's people head toward the temple to prepare their hearts for worship. Psalm 95 opens with a burst of joyful noise, then slows to a reverent hush: bow down, kneel, come before your Maker. The psalmist’s words remind people of who God is—the great King, Creator of oceans and mountain peaks—and who they are: his flock, safe under his care. Their worship flows from the truth of who God is...
Skipping Meals
When John the Baptist’s disciples approach Jesus with a question about fasting, there is palpable confusion. Both John’s apprentices and the Pharisees have good reasons for fasting. They want to show God how serious they are about their faith. Like Daniel in the Old Testament, who studied God’s Word and responded through prayer and fasting, these men fast because they want God to return to set up his kingdom ( Daniel 9:3 ). So, when they see Jesus and his disciples celebrating and feasting, they are bewildered. “They must not be desperate for God’s kingdom to come,” they think. Yet, in that accusation, they miss who Jesus really is. The kingdom has come, and it is in him. He doesn’t fit their expectations. While committed to their faith, they miss the object of their devotion...
Tax Collector’s Feast
Before Jesus shares his parable about the patches and wineskins, he joins a feast at a tax collector’s house. The table is set by Levi, a tax collector whom Jesus has just invited to follow him. Levi has dropped everything to do so. The entourage sitting around the table this evening includes the “who’s who” of cheats and hated men. These people cooperate with Rome and steal money from their own people. For Jesus to sit and laugh with them is beyond radical. It’s jaw-dropping! Yet, through his presence, Jesus proclaims that the kingdom of heaven is here. The promised one has arrived. The people around the table, captivated by his presence, will be changed forever...
