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Words. Desire. Sex. Food. Work. Teachability. Wisdom cries out on these topics we’ve covered over the last month. How do we respond? The call is not to be overwhelmed, guilty, or even to be determined to be perfect. Instead, the Proverbs instruct us to take in wisdom and to discern how to live with the God of Wisdom at our side. What is discernment? How do we do it? We’ll walk through how to discern the practical matters of our life - big and small, with the help of scripture, church history, and some testimony. - Series Description -  The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

Proverbs 3 instructs us to “not despise the Lord’s instruction…[nor] loathe his discipline.” This can sometimes feel costly. As we weigh the cost together, we’ll study what scripture tells us about receiving discipline and how we can become teachable people.  - Series Description -   The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

What would it mean to follow the way of Wisdom when it comes to our work? It’s so easy to fall out of balance. Proverbs warns against both laziness and haste. What would it look like to cultivate a wise pace of work? To live in and through healthy habits of work and rest? To be diligent and nevertheless trust in God rather than in our own effort? To cease from striving to produce enough to prove that we are enough? We’ll explore these questions and more on this episode. - Series Description -  The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

Wisdom cries out on the street: she wants to tell you what is worth hungering for and inquire about your desires lately. But many other forces and powers want to know what you’re hungry for, too. Using our appetites of various kinds and our physical bodies, these forces sometimes tempt us beyond what feels fair. Our bodies are not the problem, but they are the site of a battle. The book of Proverbs talks a lot about bodily desire: gluttony, drunkeness, lust. In the words of the Proverbs, "there’s a way that seems right to a person" when it comes to letting base desires rule the day (14:12; 16:25) and then, there is the way of wisdom. - Series Description -  The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

According to the Scriptures, a disproportionate part of wisdom consists of the words we speak. And according to Jesus, the words we speak necessarily flow from the kind of people we are on the inside (Matt 12:33-37).  Join us as we consider the topic of “Words of Grace: Finding the Way of Wisdom in What We Say.” - Series Description -  The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

How does the Kingdom - the government - of God work? Not like ours. The wisdom of the Kingdom shows up to the least, the last, and the lost and is run on servanthood, not lording power over others. This way of the Kingdom is quite different not only from our political rulers, but from us. Where we want to rule with an iron fist and get what we want, Jesus says that true life comes from denying oneself to follow him. Which way will be our way? Come on Sunday to experience God’s powerful upside-down Kingdom. - Series Description -  The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

As we continue our series on The Wisdom of the Kingdom, we'll look at four short parables of Jesus that give us important clues about what both the wisdom of God and the kingdom of God are like. In these little parables, we discover first that the wisdom of God’s kingdom often consists in small and hidden things that ultimately grow into the fullest and most expansive things of all. We also learn that these small and hidden things are of utmost value and warrant our giving all we have to pursue and lay hold of them. So invite a friend and join us this Sunday as we consider “Small Things Big, Hidden Things Known: The Surpassing Value of the Wisdom of the Kingdom.” - Series Description - The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

Yes is a powerful word in God’s Kingdom. More than a perfect track record of obedience, a “yes” to God orients us to whatever God has for us no matter our past choices or our background. In the book of Proverbs, wisdom is personified as someone crying out in the streets (1:20). Most people do not heed her wisdom. Some, however, say 'yes' and listen. God’s Kingdom is similar: the wisdom of the Kingdom involves ordinary scenes — a small seed growing into a large tree or yeast that leavens the dough invisibly. The wisdom of the Kingdom takes ordinary things and makes them extraordinary — a servant that against all odds becomes the greatest. This upside down Kingdom is not obvious, but it is available. As we prepare to explore the wisdom of God this fall, how might we say yes to God’s Kingdom afresh or for the first time? Come Sunday to hear more.  - Series Description - The Wisdom of the Kingdom, explores how God’s Kingdom is not always obvious, but it is always available. Like wisdom crying out in the streets, the Kingdom advertises itself to us through the Spirit’s beckoning: come live a different way — not on your own, but with the help of God. This is the way of wisdom. This first teaching series of the fall will be the foundation for a year of engaging God’s wisdom about the Kingdom, other topics laid out in the Proverbs, and the way those topics impact us today. Wisdom cries out! Let’s listen up.

For many of us, autumn is a time for returning to routines that have faded over the summer as well as establishing new ones. As we move on from our summer in the Psalms of Ascents and prepare for a new sermon series next week, we’ll take time this Sunday to focus on Paul’s words to the Ephesian church to live wisely and make the most of our time. We'll also explore Jesus's parable of the Ten Bridesmaids and their oil lamps and consider some ways to establish enduring rhythms of wisdom and grace as we step together into the season ahead. Bring a friend and join us this Sunday as we lean in together to “Keep Our Lamps Burning in Good Times and Bad.”

This week we bring the Psalms of Ascents series to a close with Psalms 133 and 134, where we read of both the blessings of Christian community and the power of Christian community to bless both God and others. When we give and receive blessing, we play a part in the reverberations of grace in the church, in the world, and back to God, who is himself the source of all grace and all blessing. So come out this Sunday, bring a friend, and learn how we can better participate with God in being both agents and recipients of blessing in the church and in the world. - Series Description - On Sundays this summer, we'll explore the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) together. This particular group of psalms is all about being on a journey with God-- being a pilgrim in pursuit of God’s loving presence. The journey involves heartache, oppression, sadness, hope, joy, and rescue.

As we continue our “Psalms of Ascents” series, we come to Psalms 131 and 132, which help us learn what it means to relate to God with both awe and intimacy. How do we engage with a God who is so far beyond our understanding and yet so lovingly near? Join us this week as we look at how a combination of wonder at God’s majesty and trust in God’s care can lead us into a deep and abiding hope. - Series Description - On Sundays this summer, we'll explore the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) together. This particular group of psalms is all about being on a journey with God-- being a pilgrim in pursuit of God’s loving presence. The journey involves heartache, oppression, sadness, hope, joy, and rescue.

The language of the psalms expresses a stunningly wide range of human experience: rage, sorrow, hope, joy, desperation, and much more. What prayers do we pray when the weight of what’s broken is way beyond what we can carry on our own? The Psalms give us a way forward from these depths - we cry out for mercy; we cry out for forgiveness; and we give our whole selves over to waiting in hope for God. - Series Description -  On Sundays this summer, we'll explore the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) together. This particular group of psalms is all about being on a journey with God-- being a pilgrim in pursuit of God’s loving presence. The journey involves heartache, oppression, sadness, hope, joy, and rescue.

As we continue with our “Psalms of Ascents” series, we come to Psalm 128, which promises blessing to all those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways. But, looking around us, we don’t always see blessings flowing to those who do what is right—in fact, sometimes it can seem like the opposite is true: doing what’s right can seem really costly. So, what does this promise really mean? What does it mean to be blessed? When and where can we expect the blessing of God?  - Series Description - On Sundays this summer, we'll explore the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) together. This particular group of psalms is all about being on a journey with God-- being a pilgrim in pursuit of God’s loving presence. The journey involves heartache, oppression, sadness, hope, joy, and rescue.

As we continue with our “Psalms of Ascents” series, we come to Psalm 126, which begins with the Psalmist either remembering a past or imagining a future where God has restored his people from captivity and back to a life of favor, blessing, and joy. It continues with a prayer for that same restoration again and a reflection that as we walk through extended times of longing and sadness and tears, we still sow seed in hope of a future harvest. Sorrow is real, but despair is not an option. Come out this Sunday and bring a friend as we consider what it is to be shaped by sorrow but living in hope. - Series Description -On Sundays this summer, we'll explore the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) together. This particular group of psalms is all about being on a journey with God-- being a pilgrim in pursuit of God’s loving presence. The journey involves heartache, oppression, sadness, hope, joy, and rescue.

The pilgrims arrived a few weeks ago in Psalm 122: "Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem" (122:2). But having reached the desired destination, there is nonetheless anxiety about whether that blessed state might last: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: '...Peace be within your walls and security within your towers'" (122:6). This week we look at Psalm 125 which draws on a long tradition of confidence in Jerusalem's inviolability on Mount Zion: "Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, not shaken, settled forever" (125:1). But a similar concern to that of Psalm 122 is present here as well; the opening affirmation of trust is followed by a prayer that the Lord would, in fact, "do go to the good" (125:4) and not allow the "scepter of wickedness" to remain in that righteous place (125:3). Join us this Sunday as we explore some of the Bible's traditions about Zion, our longing for a place of lasting peace and our experience of the Lord's presence and protection in our less than perfect world. Ultimately, we look forward to a time when the "scepter of wickedness" will finally be removed from the place of God's dwelling with his people. - Series Description - On Sundays this summer, we'll explore the Psalms of Ascents (Psalms 120 - 134) together. This particular group of psalms is all about being on a journey with God-- being a pilgrim in pursuit of God’s loving presence. The journey involves heartache, oppression, sadness, hope, joy, and rescue.