Christ City Church, Washington DC

Matthew Watson explains another of Jesus’ bold declarations about who he is and how he alone satisfies. [ John 7:33-41 ]

In light of this week’s happenings, Justin Fung addresses the topic of sexual assault, before talking about Jesus’ difficult-to-accept words and the choice we are offered. [ John 6:60-71 ]

After the miraculous feeding, Jesus explains to the following crowd what real food and true life are. Andrea Ackermann teaches us about some of Jesus’ difficult sayings. [ John 6:22-59 ]

Jesus feeds a large crowd and walks on water. Justin Fung talks about what we learn from Jesus through these encounters. [ John 6:1-21 ] Resources Map of 1st Century Palestine

We step back into the fall and back into the Gospel of John, looking at it as  A Story of Life . Matthew Watson reviews where we’ve been and what we’ll be looking at in the next few months, and asks us to consider: “What is a good life?” [ John 1:1-5, 3:16-17, 20:30-31 ] Resources The Gospel of John: A Story of Life Reading Plan Sabbath Guide

Matthew Watson closes out our Sabbath series and prepares us for our upcoming communal sabbath experiment by asking who we’re becoming and what will help us get there. [ Exodus 20:8-11 ] Resources Sabbath Guide How to Keep Sabbath with Kids

Pastoral Fellow Justin Henry delivers his last sermon before moving to California next week, and he talks about the interplay between sabbath and community. [ 1 Corinthians 11:33 ]

In our third week of the Sabbath series, we preview what’s coming up this fall and Justin Fung considers sabbath as justice, specifically as freedom for ourselves, for others, and for our world. [ Deuteronomy 5:12-15 ]

After sharing a response to the white supremacist gathering taking place in DC this weekend, Matthew Watson explains how conversations about sabbath can easily descend into making rules rather than giving life. [ Exodus 20:8-11 ; Mark 2:23-28 ]

We begin a new series on sabbath rhythm and its invitation to an entirely new relationship to work, to our community, and to God. Matthew Watson begins by sharing just what sabbath could be in our lives and challenges us to try. [ Exodus 20:8-11 ]

Members of the Christ City Church family share a question they’ve wrestled with in their lives recently or over a long period. On this Sunday, those questions were, “Does God embrace all of his daughters?,” “What if Jesus isn’t for me?,” and “How can I be strong and still rely on God?”

Members of the Christ City Church family share a question they’ve wrestled with in their lives recently or over a long period. On this Sunday, those questions were, “Who do You say that I am?,” and “God, can you really transform me?”

Matthew Watson closes out our  Ezer series by looking at the New Testament character Lydia, who has much to teach the Church, including us, about following Jesus. [ Acts 16:11-15]

Andrea Ackermann examines Jesus’ interaction with the Syrophoenician Woman in Mark 7 and discovers the way she, and Jesus, teach us to be aware of the inbreaking Kingdom of God in unexpected, and sometimes undesired, places. [ Mark 7:24-30 ]

Justin Fung shares the lived and spoken demonstration of Ezer that Mary of Nazareth, mother of Jesus, provides to us today. Through her song, the Magnificat, Justin explores The Great Reversal and its implications for us. [ Luke 1:46-55 ]

In our Ezer series, we have been looking at different women of the Bible and noticing ways that they lead us to deeper faith and deeper action of faith. This week, Matthew Watson points out the ways we get a glimpse into the heart of God through the brief story of the aged widow and prophet Anna. [ Luke 2:36-38 ]

This week, Lisa Watson taught us leadership lessons from Deborah, one of the prophets and judges from the Old Testament, and showed us how Jesus embodied those lessons most fully. [ Judges 4:4-10 ]  

Rizpah was ‘only’ one of King Saul’s concubines, but her response to King David’s actions changed the fortunes of the nation. Justin Fung unpacks the story of one of the Old Testament’s lesser-known heroes. [ 2 Samuel 3:6-7, 21:1-14 ] Resources Radical Reconciliation: Beyond Political Pietism and Christian Quietism , Allan Aubrey Boesak & Curtiss Paul DeYoung &#82...

In week two of our Ezer  series, Marisa Stubbs takes a look at Hagar, often just seen as a footnote in Abraham and Sarah’s story, but so much more in the story of God. [ Genesis 16:1-15 ] Resources Micah Bournes, “Freakshow”

We begin our new series looking at some of the women in the Bible. Matthew Watson introduces us to the word  ezer, to our spiritual foremother Eve, and what she has to teach us. [ Genesis 1:27-28, 2:18-3:1 ]

On Pentecost Sunday, Matthew Watson retells the story of the birth of the Church — through the giving of God’s Spirit — and talks about how and why God both gathers and scatters us. [ Acts 2:1-13 ] Resources Call to Worship (inspired by Joel 2 and Acts 2; written by Amy Sawyer) Gather the people, bless your foolish church. Bring together the elders, noisy kids, nursing babies, newlyweds. Let...

Matthew Watson concludes our series on Everyday Battles by reminding us that Christ is with us in the midst of them. We look at what it means to be hard-pressed and struck down but not destroyed or abandoned. Lastly, we identify strategies for looking to Christ for strength in the everyday battles of life. [ 2 Corinthians 4:5-12, 16-18 ]

What’s keeping you busy? And what is your busyness doing to you? Justin Fung talks about the everyday battle of busyness, and Jesus’ invitation to us in the midst of it. [ Matthew 11:25-30 ] Resources Ted Loder, “Calm Me into a Quietness” Now, O Lord, Calm me into a quietness that heals and listens, and molds my longings and passions, my wounds and wonderings into a more holy and human...

If you’re human, you experience worry. And yet Jesus tells us not to worry. How do we understand Jesus’ words and put them into practice? Andrea Ackermann helps us explore this question. [ Matthew 6:25-34 ] Profession of Faith / Benediction Leader: Today’s Profession of Faith draws on the poem, “First Lesson” by Phillip Booth and Philippians 4:5-7. “First Lesson” Lie back daughter, let...

This week we stare down the everyday battle we have with money. We spend our days working to earn money, every day we spend money, and in our off-time we think about ways to get more money. Matthew Watson helps us consider the question, “What story do we want our money to tell?” and we’ll explore whether our money is actually telling that story. [ Proverbs 30:7-9 ] Resources Discipline Budget:  ww...