Isaiah is quoted quite a bit in the Gospel of Matthew. So, it makes sense to go to this Old Testament prophet first if we are going to spend the bulk of the Advent Season in Matthew. Here in Isaiah 7:13-14 is an old, very, very old pregnancy announcement. Specifically, a pregnancy annoucement of a baby boy who will be King. But Isaiah’s words do more than simply announce the birth of King Jesus.
The nature of who God is, both transcendent—above us—and eminent—among us. God shares his personal name and reminds us that he defines himself. We do not define God. Because of this, our identity is found in God not in our own created identities. This is a powerful moment as this is the first time that God speaks in the book of Exodus. In this sermon we will seek to explore the nature and identity of God and how it shapes our identity and purpose.
The average American spends over a full decade of their lives at work. This week we look at what it looks like to work wisely.
One of the most important themes of the writing of Paul is the importance of unity in the church. This is something that we struggle with in a culture that prides itself on individualism and competition, but this morning we are reflecting on how we are unified as one body in Christ.