Spark Cast

The plagues of Exodus are seen as miracles, judgment, and as a denouncement of the gods of Egypt, including Pharaoh. In addition, the plagues are telling the deeper story that began in Genesis. While Pharaoh's hardness of heart brought about an undoing of God's good creation, corrupt powers of this world do not have the last word. The goodness and justice of God does.

As we enter the section of Exodus that introduces the plagues, we are challenged with the idea that these are not actually "miracles" that necessarily prove God's power. No doubt miracles occur. But these plagues are described in the Bible, not as miracles, but as "signs & wonders," and "acts of judgment." And the reason is profound, for the first act of liberation is not freedom from oppression,...

The Resurrection of Jesus, the most significant event in Christianity, and the most important event in history is about more than the supernatural and miraculous. It is about diverse worlds coming together in one unified existence and reality, old and new, death and life, mind and heart, data and meaning. And as the resurrection brings all of these together, we see just a glimpse of what it means...

We all have expectations. What we think, hope, and presuppose will meet our predictions. But the expectations the people had of Jesus on this day, Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, left Jesus in tears. In this message we discover why, and how Jesus defied those expectations.

All of us have had the "wind knocked out of us," through tragedy, disappointment, or failure. All of us have desired to stand before God and cry out, "Why?!" Not only do the Scriptures permit this, but it is encouraged. And as we cry out to God, we hear back from his reply, "I will free you, deliver you, redeem you, and take you."

In chapter 5, we get a glimpse into the actions and behaviors of Pharaoh. Through this study, we see not only that Pharaoh was a bad leader, but how he exemplifies a human tendency that lives within us all. Our encouragement? Hold up a mirror, and look deeply into how we can respond and be responsible to bring hope and redemption rather than perpetuating hurt and dysfunction.

The enigmatic passage of Exodus 4, with Zipporah and the flint stone immediately causes questions to emerge. Unfortunately, there's a lot we don't really know about this passage. What is helpful, then, is to lean in to what we do know. And, what we should know, is that this passage is brilliant commentary on our personal and private lives and the impact that has in the public sphere. "Here's my he...

In the midst of Moses's call, there is Moses's objections. How God responds shows us how irrelevant our objections are to the purposes and plans that God has for us. Setting aside those insecurities, which is often a focus on self, is one of the brilliant lessons of this passage.

"I will be who I will be." This is the declaration of God to Moses's inquiry, "Who shall I say sent me?" Much has been written and considered regarding the Divine Name. In this message, we try to consider what this phrase, "I will be who I will be," may mean and imply for a God that lives and moves throughout history, to this very day.

The iconic image of the "burning bush" in Exodus 3 invokes a host of imaginative hollywood graphics. Yet, the story is much more than divine theatrics. It is illustrating the character development of Moses and of God. The real miracle is not in the burning bush, but in Moses, who stops, and pauses for quite sometime to see this strange sight. What does he see? The presence of God in the middle of...

The Israelites, in their bondage, cry out. What is amazing about this passage in Exodus 2, is that for every outcry of suffering, God responds with hearing, remembering, seeing, and knowing. We all need a God like this, a God who runs to us, as a parent to a child, in their time of need, hurt, pain, and suffering.

Moses is a Hebrew, adopted into an Egyptian household. Yet, these do not formulate the most important aspect of his identity. The text, through the telling of Moses's intervention in three conflicts, illustrates that the primary identity of Moses is one who cannot stand injustice. It is this identity that positions Moses to be the "hero" of Israel. Yet, even though this identity is true, Moses doe...

Chapter 2 of Exodus introduces us to the dramatic unfolding of hints, clues, and allusions to coming events. Perhaps the most tragic is Pharaoh's actions, and that he receives exactly what he asks for, just not in the ways he expects. For the Exodus story, the opposite of that tragedy is not getting what we want, or receiving blessing, it is being saved from those desires in the first place.

Seldom do we pay attention to the seemingly insignificant details of the Biblical narrative. Yet, we should. There would not be a Moses story without a whole host of "minor characters," and there would not be the movements of justice today without each and every one of us playing our small part. Let us together celebrate the Bible's mentioning of Shiphrah and Puah, and be inspired to live in obedi...

Much of our Christian theology formulaically equates obedience with blessing. While many take solace in this, the opening story of Exodus shows a different picture. Despite the Israelites fulfilling the commission of Genesis, it is their very "fruitfulness" and "multiplying" that brings upon them oppression, making them a target for the powers that be. Many of us experience this, that our lives do...

Welcome to our series on Exodus. While filled with amazing and fantastical features, it is possible to miss the greater story, of which we are invited to participate. Through good study, history, and a recognition that these stories are connected to a much larger story, we will begin to see the themes of justice, liberation, and formation live out in our lives in new and fresh ways. Join us for th...

40% of Americans make New Year's Resolutions. 8% of those that do actually keep them. This common cultural activity is illustrative of something deeper about our humanity, a self-centeredness that is reflected, not just in popular psychology books, but in the ancient work of Ecclesiastes. Through this talk, Pastor Kevin encourages us to not just make resolutions, but rather to also make remembranc...

Live reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas (Spark Edition)" set to the music of Michael W. Smith's Overture/O Come All Ye Faithful, 1989.

Mystery is commonly thought of as a "problem" to be solved. Biblical mystery, however, is about awe, wonder, and amazement. Through the stories we read in the Bible, we see that mystery is the redemptive response to power, the path to discovery, and the way to worship. Let us together trust the mystery.

Jesus calming of the storm in Mark 4 is reminiscent of the story of Jonah. Through both of these stories we see the presence of God in the midst of storms. Let us together hear the words of Jesus, "Peace, be still," through the storms in our lives.

In addition to a few reminders of what this series is about, in this teaching we take a look at what role sleep has played in the Biblical narrative. Through the stories of Adam, Abraham, Jonah, Joseph, and even Jesus, we see sleep as a beautiful metaphorical symbol and activity of refreshment, renewal, and redemption. Daily we are given the gift of sleep. Daily we are reminded to refresh, renew,...

Pastor Mark Arevalo takes us on a musical journey to illustrate the many ways in which we discover God. If we pause, reflect, consider, and listen carefully, perhaps we will hear the song that God is playing in this universe, and find our salvation, hope, healing, and rest, in joining in the tune.

Too often we think of rest as "self-care." In this message, Pastor Danielle exhorts us to think bigger. Not that self-care is unimportant, but that rest comes through exhaustive work. In other words, it is possible to be really tired, yet, because we have lived out a calling of service, we are "good" and tired. May we never lose our connection to our purpose, which is to do good works, and serve t...

This evening, our special guest, Mark Yaconelli, shares stories that illustrate and illuminate how the greatest commandment in Mark 12 lives and breathes today. May we see the other, listen to their souls, and allow our hearts to be moved to action.

Session 5 of Spark's Spiritual Retreat with Mark Yaconelli, Healing Our Image of God and Ourselves