The Town Church / Fort Collins

This week, we dive deeper into the ways God’s mercy is on display in this text and explore what it reveals about who He is. What stood out to you from the text this week?  What is God like and why does that matter? 

Luke 1 concludes with the birth of John the Baptist. Through John’s birth and Zechariah’s prophesy, we see clear evidence of God’s mercy at work.  This leads us to the question guiding our time in the passage: What does the birth of John show us about God’s mercy?

The theme of this week’s prayer is a plea for God to answer us and act when it feels like he has been distant and unresponsive for an incredibly long time. 

Joy and faith can be difficult to fully grasp, yet they are essential to the Christian life. In our discussion of Luke 1:39–56, we explore how these two themes and more shape the lives of God’s people. Other questions:  What stood out to you from this passage?  What is God like and why does this matter? 

Luke 1:39–45 highlights the responses of Mary, Elizabeth, and John as God’s work continues to unfold through the arrival of the Messiah. 

A prayer for justice from God's hand.

Our new host, Rex, leads us through some helpful questions as we dive deeper into this week's passage.  How can we walk alongside those who are struggling to trust that God is still at work when their prayers seem impossible? What do we learn about Mary through her response to Gabriel's message?  What is God like according to this text? Why does that matter?

Mary, an unlikely and undeserving choice, was used by God to reveal His promises to the world. Through Gabriel’s visit, we see that God chooses to extend His grace to the humble and invite them into His redemptive plan.

A prayer of praise rooted in the All-Mighty Creator caring for us who are the not-all-mighty created. 

Rex is back!  As we look at the context of this passage, we ask what it really means that Zechariah and Elizabeth are described as blameless and how that shapes the way we think about God giving or withholding good gifts. Once again, we focus on these three key questions:  What parts of the context need closer attention? What is God like according to the text?  And what difference does that make? 

A prayer for protection and salvation from overwhelming enemies.

Luke begins by setting the stage for the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah God’s people had long been waiting for. Through the angel’s visit to Zechariah, we see that God is preparing the way for the One who will meet the deepest needs of all people.

The AfterWord is back with a new season!  We kick back off with three questions that will be central to our discussions moving forward:  Is there anything about the context of the passage to explore?  What is God like according to the text? What difference does that make? 

The gospel is for everyone .  As we begin our journey through Luke, this truth sets the tone for everything that is to come.

God has graciously given us many means of grace to help us know Him more deeply. One of those gifts is prayer. This week, we consider what God truly desires from us as we come before Him in prayer.

We wrap up our Advent series by looking at the hymn O Holy Night . Though it was written by unexpected authors, it beautifully proclaims the reality that on this most holy night, our Savior came to earth.

Jesus offers us true, eternal joy. Joy to the World turns the truths of Psalm 98 into a hymn that proclaims who Christ is and what He offers to the world.  So we should respond in one way: with joy!

Inspired by the angels’ appearance to the shepherds in Luke 2, Charles Wesley composed this hymn about the Savior King.  We zoom in on this hymn with one important question in mind: How does it help us see Jesus?

This Advent hymn has withstood the test of time, sung for centuries and still echoing here in Fort Collins, Colorado. The main theme it proclaims is that Jesus, our Savior, has come to release us from the captivity of sin and from Satan, our enemy. And our response is simple: rejoice! 

In 1744, Charles Wesley published the hymn Come Thou Long Expected Jesus . This hymn, rich with theological truth, reminds us of the King who came and who will return, bringing true rest and freedom for His people.

It's our final AfterWord of 2025!  This week, we wrap up our series, The Common Thread , by looking at the Minor Prophets.  What struck you this week? What was surprising about our look at these books?  What will stick with you about tracing the thread of Jesus in the Old Testament? What is God like according to the Minor Prophets?

Our final week in the Old Testament brings us to the Minor Prophets. These twelve books speak against the rebellion of God’s people, yet they also reveal God’s heart to draw His people back to Himself.