Spark Cast

Healings are manifestations in the physical world of the power that exists in the “spiritual.” “Sickness” and “disease” are real ailments, but also metaphors for the condition of the human soul.

Pastor Tom shares this week on Jesus' announcement in Luke 4. This mission is a global reordering of values, systems and power structures whereby freedom and healing will be good news for the poor and the primary markers of his calling. And, as followers of Jesus, as “hearers” of his message, that’s our calling too, in our time and in our context.

What is going on in with Jesus's temptation in the wilderness, and why is Jesus specifically tempted with bread, fame/worship, and putting God to the test? Perhaps this story leads us to trust in Jesus to do for us what we ourselves cannot do for ourselves.

There is tremendous value and importance in the genealogy, going all the way back to Adam, including all of humanity. This Jesus story is rooted in both Israel's ancestry and in world history. In other words, the Kingdom of God is a “Family Affair.”

The behavior of the people are setting the groundwork for the full expression of the Kingdom of God through the ministry of Jesus. Life is about to change, and that has implications for how we live, and condemnations for those who oppress.

This talk looks at the dedication of Jesus in Jerusalem, and his worship experiences at the Temple throughout his childhood years. What we learn about Jesus, his identity and his religious practice, shapes our own practices today. Like Jesus, may we be found in our Father's house.

This week Pastor Danielle dives into chapter two of the Gospel According to Luke. While the birth of Jesus is commonly known as merely a Christmas story, here we see that this event is surrounded by the ominous presence of Empire and the subtle rumblings of the revolution being birthed right under Caesar's nose. Who's rule and kingdom will we choose?

Zechariah's "Benedictus," (Latin for "blessed be") is his prophetic utterance after Elizabeth gives birth to John the Baptist. In this recitation we discover the usage of Scripture for the sake of paving a pathway of peace, mercy, and justice.

This week Pastor Omair dives into the "song of Mary." Also known as "The Magnificat,” many see this song as a delightful praise. However, we frequently miss the subversive declaration of the usurpation of powers, the announcement of victory over rulers and thrones, and the proclamation of good news to the lowly, the hungry, etc. Also, this comes in a long tradition of women singing victoriously ov...

The stories of Zechariah and Mary are not just characters in a story. They represent the larger frameworks of religion and politics as the areas of human organization that need to be transformed by the lordship of Jesus.

In this introduction to the Gospel According to Luke, we set the groundwork and framework for how we are to even read this text. Recognizing the importance of genre, and the relationship that genre invites us into is critical for centering Jesus and inquiring whether or not Jesus is worthy of imitating.

The closing of Ephesians encourages followers of Jesus to put on the whole armor of God, because there is a struggle against the rulers, authorities, powers, spiritual and cosmic forces. So, what are these things that we are fighting/wrestling against? They are, "structures of earthly existence," systems that need the salvation and redemption of God.

This week Pastor Tom talks on Ephesians 5, and how the Jesus Way upends the social order, a continuation of God's work in dismantling the systems that marginalize people. Through Christ, everything is brought "to the light" and we are "woken up from our sleep" to join in this work of challenging these hierarchies.

This week's news of the death of George Floyd has upended our nation. In this talk, Pastor Marcus shares honestly about the challenge of trying to live the Way of Jesus in world so full of injustice.

When the Bible talks about gifts, there are several questions we should be asking. Who are these gifts given? How are they given? And, for what purpose? In this talk, Pastor Omair addresses these inquiries and encourages us to live into the calling God has given to us all.

Be humble and gentle, patient, and bear with one another. Far beyond a mere set of moral directives, these exhortations advance the Good News in very practical and communal terms, to the actual communities living out the ethics of God's Kingdom.

The love of God set apart the early Christians from their pagan counterparts, and sets followers of Jesus apart still to this day. It is this love that transforms everything.

We have been entrusted with a great mystery, the radical and life changing message of Jesus' inclusion of those who we deemed "outsiders." We are commission to carry this message well, bringing the Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

As we are being built into the "temple" a dwelling for God, we are challenged to tear down all the barriers that separate us, and join in the agenda of Jesus to make us all truly one.

It is possible to be alive, and yet appear as dead. And it is possible to be dead, and still be very much alive. When we are "in Christ," this is the "aliveness" that Paul is challenging and encouraging us all to embrace, and celebrate.

The Resurrection is the most central event in all of history. It has the power, once again, to bring new life today, even in the midst of pandemic.

In this talk, Pastor Danielle takes us through the historical context of Palm Sunday, and its significance. This theme is continued and advanced through Paul's words in Ephesians when speaking of "heaven and earth."

Still meeting remotely, we continue our series in Ephesians. In a culture that discards people for not living up to the standards of beauty, form, and expectation, our gospel declares that we are all chosen, beloved, cherished children of God.

With the directive to "shelter-in-place," Spark ran services completely remotely this Sunday. Pastor Danielle guides us through some reflections and solace during this time of significant disruption.

In the first service that did not gather people together in a room, we share some reflections and updates on Spark's response and responsibility. Then, in the first installment of our Ephesians series, we consider how we should think about and frame our current circumstances, recognizing that we have a much larger context in which we live as followers of Jesus.