Unveiling Power (Revelation 4-5)

As we enter another tumultuous political season, it is all too easy to get caught up in headlines, polls, and the divisive rhetoric everywhere on display. Amid all the frenzy of campaigns and candidates, an unlikely Biblical text calls us to pull back the curtain on reality, and to center ourselves in a way that truly makes for peace. The Book of Revelation—much misunderstood, much misused, full of visions of dragons and beasts—is actually a subversive, political text, calling the church to resist the siren call of Empire, and to stay faithful to the Lamb-like way of Jesus. In this series, we will seek to understand this text, not as a timeline of supposed future events, but as an unveiling of civic life, helping form our imagination and discernment in our political, religious, and economic life together. Our hope is to lower election anxiety, and turn instead to the hope of a city that is like a garden at peace.

Unveiling the Letter (Revelation 1-3)

The slides for this sermon are available to download here.

As we enter another tumultuous political season, it is all too easy to get caught up in headlines, polls, and the divisive rhetoric everywhere on display. Amid all the frenzy of campaigns and candidates, an unlikely Biblical text calls us to pull back the curtain on reality, and to center ourselves in a way that truly makes for peace. The Book of Revelation—much misunderstood, much misused, full of visions of dragons and beasts—is actually a subversive, political text, calling the church to resist the siren call of Empire, and to stay faithful to the Lamb-like way of Jesus. In this series, we will seek to understand this text, not as a timeline of supposed future events, but as an unveiling of civic life, helping form our imagination and discernment in our political, religious, and economic life together. Our hope is to lower election anxiety, and turn instead to the hope of a city that is like a garden at peace.

Embracing Gift

As our community continues to transition from deconstruction to reconstruction, from a focus on what we are not toward a focus on what we are, we dream of a church that holds up the ancient and historic way of Jesus that is worthy of being embraced. The way of Jesus casts vision for a flourishing life. It is life so immersed in Divine Love that our daily lives are transfigured: no longer are strangers to be feared, they are family to know; no longer is change threatening, it is an opportunity to evolve; no longer is self-giving burdensome duty, it becomes an opportunity to share God’s love that has filled our hearts to overflowing. Family, evolution, the expression of love—these are distinctive of Jesus’ way that, in this series, we will dream about deepening into.

Embracing Change

As our community continues to transition from deconstruction to reconstruction, from a focus on what we are not toward a focus on what we are, we dream of a church that holds up the ancient and historic way of Jesus that is worthy of being embraced. The way of Jesus casts vision for a flourishing life. It is life so immersed in Divine Love that our daily lives are transfigured: no longer are strangers to be feared, they are family to know; no longer is change threatening, it is an opportunity to evolve; no longer is self-giving burdensome duty, it becomes an opportunity to share God’s love that has filled our hearts to overflowing. Family, evolution, the expression of love—these are distinctive of Jesus’ way that, in this series, we will dream about deepening into.

Embracing Strangers

As our community continues to transition from deconstruction to reconstruction, from a focus on what we are not toward a focus on what we are, we dream of a church that holds up the ancient and historic way of Jesus that is worthy of being embraced. The way of Jesus casts vision for a flourishing life. It is life so immersed in Divine Love that our daily lives are transfigured: no longer are strangers to be feared, they are family to know; no longer is change threatening, it is an opportunity to evolve; no longer is self-giving burdensome duty, it becomes an opportunity to share God’s love that has filled our hearts to overflowing. Family, evolution, the expression of love—these are distinctive of Jesus’ way that, in this series, we will dream about deepening into.