Missio Dei: Phoenix

Jesus attracted many different kinds of people with his miracles, his care, and his words. Many of them were looking for the same thing you and I are looking for - the blessed life. How do we find happiness? How do we get fulfillment? How can we truly be satisfied? Jesus' words on this shocked his listeners and they're just as shocking to our culture today. The way to be blessed? Well, start by ac...

The very first miracle where Jesus showed his glory was making wine out of water when a wedding celebration ran out of the good stuff. Was this a random, unplanned moment? Was this a side quest in the real mission Jesus came for? If we look closely and reframe this story away from our context into the people’s who lived it, we just may find how this moment was instrumental in telling the world who...

God’s people had been waiting and holding their breath for the promised Messiah to come and rescue them. They all had different expectations of what to look for. When he finally came into the world, many could not see him because they were searching for something else. Yet, Jesus came just as promised. What are you looking for? What do you seek? Are you able to see the real Jesus and find the hope...

God reveals Himself to the world through His works. All of creation displays a Creator. How have you seen God on display in His world lately? Psalm 19 wraps up our month in the psalms and reminds us how creation points us to the glory of God.

All things were created by God and all creation praises God! Even the parts of creation which seem scary, dangerous, or chaotic. God, the Creator, brings order out of the chaos and creates space for life.

We pray we become a people who experience and display God's power, seek the benefit of the place He has us, and invite others into His presence.

God loves to use the everyday work of humans to complete His own incredible work. In the rebuilding of Jerusalem, this included singers, builders, and even something called a dung gate. How is He wanting to partner with your everyday work?

Temple, Laws, Walls, and... hair pulling?!? The story of God's people returning from Exile to rebuild Jerusalem didn't go exactly as planned. What happens when there is a zeal for God without the wisdom and love of God?

The words of Jeremiah were given by God to prepare His people for exile. You're about to be taken into captivity, forced to live in a foreign land, ruled by an oppressive nation. What should you do? How should you live? God's words delivered through Jeremiah were shocking. Make it a home. Plant and tend to gardens. Enter into relationships and build families. In essence, continue the call given to...

Have you ever been so happy you couldn’t help but to sing? Sing! Rejoice! Because even though this world is broken, life is hard, and you have rebelled, God will come and sing over you with rejoicing — if you have humbled yourself and recognize your need for Him. He will rescue you like a mighty warrior. How amazing is it that God sings over His people?

God’s people were worshipping the gods of other nations along with the God of Israel. As Elijah said, they were hobbling between two crutches. God uses Elijah, his prophet, to show who the true God is during an epic showdown between Elijah and 450 prophets of Baal. It would seem Elijah would be outmatched, but really it was a battle between God and Baal - and Baal would prove to be no match at all...

God's people wanted a king, just like the other nations had. They wanted one who would represent them well. One who was tall, handsome, strong - a natural leader. But God was their true King, and if He was going to give them a human representative it would be one who represented what He is like - not what the other nations were like. This is the context where we find the power struggle between Sau...

Israel had been rescued by God and finally entered into the promised land of rest. But it didn’t take long for them to rebel against Him and worship other gods. So, God would hand them over to their rebellion and let the gods they worshipped and the nations they longed for take them over. They would cry out for rescue so God would send someone as a judge over sin and the other nations. The people...

God’s people had been freed from slavery but had been wandering around the wilderness now for decades. To make matters worse, their leader Moses had passed away. Would this new leader, Joshua, be able to cut it? Would the people finally enter into the land promised to them long ago? Would they finally learn that it was not Moses or Joshua who would rescue them, but Yahweh himself who is their salv...

Once God set His people free from slavery to Egypt, He showed His power to them and gave them a new way to live. In His ways. As His representatives. These commandments were not just rules to follow. They were a liberating new way of life that would display God’s glory and goodness to the rest of the nations.

God has gone head to head with Pharaoh, perhaps the most powerful man in the world. Pharaoh brought all of his gods to the battle as well. God, the Lord of Israel, the Creator of all the universe, has been victorious every step of the way. Nine times, he defeats the gods of Egypt. Then He had one last blow to deal. Yet, even in the brutal discipline and judgment of God, He provides a way out. He g...

Nearly everything humanity has placed our hope in has failed, faded, or passed away. But there is a living hope that will never fail, and it is found in the resurrection.

God has incredible work ahead for His people, but who are we to do this work? There is only one answer to that question that will allow us to go forth...

Could you imagine going somewhere on vacation only to find yourself stuck there for the rest of your life? The vacation spot would turn into a prison. What if then the indigenous people who you once traveled to enjoy their culture begun to oppress you and your family, putting you to work for them, and replacing the once delicious culinary experience with bland food that serves only as sustenance f...

If you read Genesis, and much of the Old Testament, you might come across this reoccurring theme: God calls a human to be His representative, that human fails or rebels against God, God disciplines but also makes a promise to continue. Then, He starts with another human. Is God rebooting His plan over and over again until He finds the right human for the role? Or are we seeing a rerun episode of G...

Israel’s family history is one with a sketchy past. Deceit, manipulation, lack of trust, and outright rebellion are just a few characteristics - many of which can be seen in the man whom the entire nation would be named after. Jacob, is later renamed Israel, grasps for what was not his while his twin brother lets it all go for fleeting satisfaction. And yet, though these two brothers lived thousan...

God just won’t give up on His plan to partner with humanity as His representatives to care for creation. He chose a man, Abram, to grow a family which would build a nation in order to bless the rest of the world. Abram didn’t always come through on his end of the partnership. Neither would his descendants. But there would be one who would come as a descendant of humanity and of God Himself, who wo...

The story of the flood is not a cutesy children’s tale with animals and a boat. It’s a horrific, tragic, true story. Yet, on the other side of the chaotic waters, it is also a true story of hope and restoration. Join us as we look at this story and try to tackle some of the difficult questions it brings up. Recorded on Zoom (please forgive the audio quality)

Chris Gonzalez from Missio Dei: Tempe joins us as we look at Genesis 3 and the rebellion of humanity against our Creator. Chris unpacks the biblical story and how we often minimize parts of the Story to fit our own narratives. Recording from Zoom (please forgive the audio quality)

This week's gathering was a little different as the realities of Covid forced us to all meet via Zoom. Please excuse the recording quality and the tone which was much more teaching and discussion than sermon. God created some great potential in small beginnings, and called humanity to partner with Him in making it all flourish. How has humanity done with this partnership? *Including audio from a v...