When the Stars Fall (A Very Ferguson Advent)

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2014.11.30 - Kevin Makins (with Jesse Korgemaa) - The Church Calendar

When the Stars Fall (A Very Ferguson Advent)

Mark 13

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So I am immediately regretting this whole “following the church calendar and lectionary thing”.

May I present to you THE FIRST TEXT OF ADVENT 2014:

MARK 13:24-37

24 “But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.

27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.

34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

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So what in the world is this Jesus talking about? Is it the end of the world? The rapture? Nicolas Cage?

What do you mean the stars will fall and heavens are shaken? AND WHAT does this mean for us as disciples of Jesus?

And does this text have ANYTHING to do with Advent? Why did they pick this text (hundreds of years ago) to be read at the start of the road to CHRISTMAS?!

Please open your bible to Mark chapter 13, and let’s dive in.

The Church Calendar: God's Redeeming Time

2014.11.23 - Leshia Knopf - The Church Calendar

God’s Redeeming Time

Colossians 1

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We’re spending a year doing WHAT?

That’s right! For the next year we will be following the “lectionary readings” of the church calendar.

The church calendar is a tool used by the church for something like… 1700 years! Christians around the world and throughout time have been on a common rhythmn, telling the story of scripture to one another, year after year. It’s amazing, uniting, powerful… and yet foreign to so many of us!

What is the church calendar? How is it useful? How was it developed? And WHY do we feel God is calling us to follow it for a year?

How a Pinky Feels


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2014.11.16 - Kevin Makins

How a Pinky Feels

Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 12

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The church is called to be a diverse group of people, united across all the traditional tribal lines of age, gender, background, culture, status, etc.

It’s a lovely vision, isn’t it? Only one problem: it’s really, really friggen hard to feel like an outsider, or to feel like you’re just DIFFERENT from everyone else.

What does the gospel say to united groups of diverse people?

The Scapegoated God - The Sign of Jonah

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2014.11.09 - Kevin Makins - The Sign of Jonah

Jonah Epilogue: The Scapegoated God

Romans 1-3, 11, John 11

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Jonah was called to preach to the first empire the world had ever seen. The early Christians also existed under an empire: the Roman Empire. And it’s a small group of Christians, meeting in Rome (in the belly of the beast) that Paul declares: I am not ashamed of the gospel.

What is the good news of Jesus? How does it end hostility between segregated groups? And why does it matter that Jesus was nailed to a cross?

***ALL THIS AND MORE! In the shocking conclusion to The Sign of Jonah!***

"You Christians Are So Unlike Your Christ" (Ya, We Know!) - The Sign of Jonah

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2014.11.02 - Kevin Makins - The Sign of Jonah

“You Christians Are So Unlike Your Christ” (Ya, We Know!)

Matthew 12, 2 Corinthians 4

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As we near the end of the story of Jonah we come to the question: what is the Sign of Jonah?

And what does it have to do with a famous Ghandi quote?