Through the remainder of the year, worship and sermon will take us on a journey through the Bible, focusing on "Questions the Bible Asks." We read the Bible. The Bible also reads us. We bring our questions to God in prayer and in personal reflection and in the faith community. Through the Bible, God brings questions to us. We will hear these questions through the year.

Service of the Lord's Supper (Intinction)

Please read: I Samuel 13:5-15 ~ Acts 9:1-9

Sermon: "SAUL, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" [I Samuel 13:11]

Preparation for Worship:

One of the hardest things to do is to wait patiently—especially in times of anxiety and fear. Samuel was late. Saul was afraid. Saul did Samuel's job. It was a reasonable thing to do perhaps, but not a faithful and trusting thing.

Please read: I Samuel 15:1-31 ~ Matthew 7:15-27

Sermon: "HAS THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES AS IN OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF THE LORD??" [I Samuel 15:22]

Preparation for Worship:

This story is a difficult one to read. It is harsh; it is tragic. Honestly, this story is one of the reasons that people reject our faith path. Yet the story can't be denied. Saul was commanded to destroy the Amalekites. Saul defeated them, but kept some alive and kept the best of the loot. When confronted, he claimed that he was saving those things to sacrifice to God. When that didn't work, he blamed the people. Does it sound familiar? It is as familiar as Genesis 3. The issue here is obedience. The issue here is our consistent human desire to follow our own path.

Please read: II Samuel 7:1-17 ~ Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon: "DID I EVER ASK YOU TO BUILD ME A HOUSE?" [II Samuel 7:7]

Preparation for Worship:

David had secured a capital city—Jerusalem. The people were becoming "settled." It was reasonable to consider replacing the portable tabernacle with a permanent worship structure. The prophet revealed that David's desire was just that: David's, not God's.

Please read: I Kings 18:20-40 ~ Galatians 1:1-10 ~ Matthew 6:24

Sermon: "HOW LONG WILL YOU GO LIMPING WITH TWO DIFFERENT OPINIONS?" [I Kings 18:21]

Preparation for Worship:

What does it mean—really—to obey the first commandment ("You shall have no other gods before me.")? What does it mean—really—to say, "Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior; I intend to be his disciple, obey his word, and show his love"?

Please read: I Kings 19:1-18 ~ Hebrews 11:32-12:3

Sermon: "WHY ARE YOU HERE, ELIJAH?" [I Kings 19:9]

Preparation for Worship:

When we have convinced ourselves that all is lost, that we have come to our end, the Spirit will find a way to come to our hiding place and say (not with earthquake, wind, or fire, but gently), "Why are you here?" Elijah had made two faulty assumptions: (1) that he was the only faithful one left and (2) that if Jezebel did him in, God's cause would be lost. Really?