Sundays at Cumberland

The human soul longs for much more than this world can offer. Jesus presents Himself as the bread of life. Those who come to Him not only find something they want, but also something they never imagined - eternal satisfaction.

The Old Testament framework of sacrifice provides one practical reminder about our access to God - it is costly! Of course, that price is paid through the work of Jesus Christ, but interestingly enough, His sacrificial death leaves an important pattern for our lives. It teaches us to live in a way that continuously chooses God’s will over our own. Jesus died for us, so that we could live for Him.

The wisdom of worship points us to more than just a style of music, or even a moment of reverence on a Sunday morning. It actually reveals a lifestyle. Unfortunately, many have limited their worship expression to whatever occurs in a particular location, on a specific day of the week. The truth is that our God is much greater than what we have given Him. He deserves so much more. Our entire lives...

Worship is always for God. But it certainly holds benefit for us as well. The New Covenant pictures this benefit in ways that OT temple worship seems to miss. And unfortunately, many people default to the same empty patterns of religion, thinking they count as true worship. Still, God wants a quality of relationship with His people that is characterized by something unique, and He gives us a glimp...

Solomon’s temple was one of the most extraordinary facilities ever built. With its meticulous design, its collection of rare and expensive materials, and even the ornate decorations - it was intended to not only house God’s presence, but also to reflect His glory. Anyone who saw it would be left with an obvious conclusion: Where else would God live? Of course, the full implications of this begin w...

There is a definitive reason why we exist. From the garden of Eden to the glory of eternity, the unfolding of time reveals the same expectation - that all of creation would honor the Creator. Needless to say, this opportunity has been consistently mishandled. But even more so, it’s intriguing to consider that it has been so dangerously misunderstood by humanity - the part of creation that is best...

As we look to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor, we recognize that we are all faced with critical decisions along the journey. They seem to show up as moments of difficulty - particularly when we are challenged and stretched beyond our comfort. But what can seem like a very specific decision in response to our circumstances really reveals our true attitude toward God. Following the example of the...

Does God play favorites? Sometimes, it seems like others are enjoying more of God’s goodness than you are. But is that really true? Does God prefer some over others? If you aren’t careful, you can mistakenly view the “favor of God” as no different than the “favoritism of man.” At the same time, you must acknowledge that there is something noteworthy about the manner in which God demonstrates His g...

They will be called oaks of righteousness… Generally speaking, growth is a natural byproduct of health. But in a broken world, our growth must come through resistance. Scripture repeatedly pictures the full development of Christlike character as a giant oak tree displaying the full splendor of God. As such, we must embrace this imagery as the goal of our character: to grow tall and strong, deep in...

One of the most intriguing aspects of the incarnation is the fact that an all-knowing God would reduce Himself to a posture that actually required Him to LEARN. Obviously, He did so for our example. But too often, we allow the thirst for knowledge to work against us, rather than for us. We use knowledge as a pathway to something questionable - motivations that might be less than God-honoring. And...

In basketball, the most impactful contribution a player can make is called a triple double. It’s when a player registers in double digits (10 or more) in 3 different statistical categories. It means they didn’t just do one thing well - they pretty much did EVERYTHING well! When we look at the life of Jesus, we find a similar performance in His development. His life from the age of 12 to 30 is summ...