October 13, 2024 "The Radical Welcome Of Jesus"

ReNew Ames Messages

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<div class="span index">1</div> <span><a class="" data-remote="true" data-type="html" href="/series/the-head-start-embracing-the-journey">The Head Start: Embracing the Journey</a></span>

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The Head Start: Embracing the Journey

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We’ve all had a moment where we arrived at the grocery store and can’t remember passing any of the stoplights along the way. We’re halfway down an aisle and scrambling to remember what we even needed. Our mind is in overdrive trying to sort through our ever-growing to-do list. We’ve been there when just making it through the next task is hard. But the normal stresses of life aren’t the only thing YOU have to deal with. Nora McInerny hosts The Head Start: Embracing the Journey, a new podcast from iHeartRadio and AbbVie, a space to share open and honest conversations acknowledging the struggles we all face, while leaning into the hope and optimism we all share. We’ll hear from doctors, experts, and everyday people who will be sharing their experiences, migraine coping strategies, and major wins, all while building a community of support around an invisible disease that makes every day uncertain: Chronic Migraine. Click here for Product Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide, or visit https://bit.ly/3BlbaHG

منذ عام واحد 32:22

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Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Such a good story. I used to think I knew what this story was about - that I had it all figured out. But this story has depth, and layers, and we can learn so much more from it than we maybe expect. The basic read is that we should all be like Philip and courageously tell people about the good news of Jesus so that unacceptable outsiders might be changed and become insiders. Hmm...does that interpretation sound familiar? Yeah, there's so much more going on in the story - more than just the eunuch's conversion. The narrative changes and turns and moves forward when someone asks a good question. Just before sabbatical, I talked about how important questions are - they're doorways that can open up lots of possibilities. This is another example. So we'll pay attention to the questions. So here's some context to the eunuch's story. He can't practice his Jewish faith on account of his eunuchness. Spell check is saying I made that word up. Who cares? Now we get to the questions... 1) "How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?" A doorway is open and on the other side is community, relationship, people, help. We all long for it, need it. So we'll talk a bit about that. 2) Is he talking about himself or someone else? The eunuch was struggling with some verses in Isaiah. So Philip connects it to Jesus. It's likely the eunuch saw himself in Jesus - someone who had been pushed aside and rejected. But resurrection, new life is possible through Jesus! 3) "What's preventing me from being baptized?" Yeah, lots of things. He's a queer black foreigner from Ethiopia. He's a eunuch. Don't you know your Hebrew scriptures, Philip? He doesn't belong. We have rules, man. But Philip says nothing. No religious test. He just baptizes him. So the eunuch isn't the only one converted that day; Philip was also converted. He recognizes that Jesus changes everything - that the resurrection changes everything. The Spirit is going to do what the Spirit is going to do - conquer isolation and fear and welcome any one the Spirit wants into the Kingdom of God. The eunuch and Philip were both transformed all because someone asked a good question. We're left with a question of our own. And it's not a question about how wide God's embrace is. It's not a question about who's in and who's out. The question for us is, will we participate with the wild Spirit of God in our day or not? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Acts 8:26-40 http://bible.com/events/49332573

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October 13, 2024 "The Radical Welcome Of Jesus"

ReNew Ames Messages

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328 حلقات

#Religion #Worship Services #ReNew Ames

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ReNew Ames Messages

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May 18, 2025 "We All Belong" 27:50

منذ 13 يومًا27:50

27:50

Yeah...I don't know about this one. As we start by retelling this story, we're going to focus on the line, "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Why are we dealing with this idea just five weeks after Easter? Easter is like the most obvious proof that Jesus was and is the Messiah - and yet, the church assigns this story just five weeks after Easter. Already? We're questioning who Jesus is already? Well, maybe it's perfect timing. The life of faith, more often than not, isn't a simple movement from unbelief to belief and then that's it. It's a constant oscillation between those two things. So it's appropriate that we go from "Christ is risen, he has risen indeed" to "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." We often don't believe - faith can be and often is a constant struggle. The story moves on. Jesus says, "I have told you, and you didn't believe. You do not believe because you are not my sheep.": What the what? Ouch. Does that mean that if we don't believe we don't belong? That's only if we make belief primary here, which Jesus doesn't seem to do. What Jesus seems to be saying is belonging comes first - maybe what he's saying is that belief can't come first - belonging leads to belief. To believe in the Bible is to trust - to depend upon - to throw our lot in with. It's an orientation of our hearts - a willingness to stake everything we have on the person, the life, death, and resurrection of God's Son. It's not an abstract thing - it's a thing best learned (maybe only learned) through relationship. BIGGEST IDEA HERE - We belong to each other, and together we belong to the divine. So even if belief, trust, faith falters - we still belong. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 10:22-30 http://bible.com/events/49437424…

ReNew Ames Messages

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May 11, 2025 "Jesus Is The Gate" 31:18

منذ 20 يومًا31:18

31:18

Jesus is the gate. Once you walk into a relationship with Jesus the gate, there's a transition that takes place. You go from one place to another - you walk across the threshold. This is like the story of when Saul turned into Paul. In Paul's words, "If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" Walking into a relationship with Jesus the gate - there's new life ahead - a life that is abundant. This is where we can talk about what abundance means - it comes from living the Jesus way - love God, love people. We experience that through this community of Jesus people. It is a life that is full - abundant, as we give ourselves away to one another and together to the world. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 10:1-10 http://bible.com/events/49434224…

ReNew Ames Messages

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May 4, 2025 "Don't Do It Alone" 33:41

منذ 27 يومًا33:41

33:41

These first 4 verses are a jumbled mess. It's really one run-on sentence with a bunch of dependent clauses at the beginning and doesn't get to the main subject and verb until what we have as verse three. In other words, John is really excited to write about what he's writing about. So instead of going verse by verse, we'll talk about the main things he's trying to convey. 1) This Jesus thing really happened. They saw it. Heard it. Touched it. It really happened. John is writing in the late first century to 2nd and 3rd generation Jesus people. By the time they learn about Jesus, it's been 50 years since Jesus physically walked on the planet. You can imagine them having questions - did this really happen? Was Jesus real? Are these stories real? John is giving them reassurance as someone who was with Jesus. He understands it's hard to believe - so he's saying, trust me. I was there. Doubt is there - for all of us. Especially 50 generations or so later, if I have my math correct. Lean into doubt, but don't go alone. Lean into questions, but do it in community. 2) We experienced him. I'll do some 'spaining about the grammar here. He's using the perfect tense - that is, talking about something in the past that still continues to have an impact in the present. 3) John wants them to experience, too. John's experience of the joy that Jesus brings is incomplete unless he shares it with community. It's one of the reasons we gather week after week. It's a shared experience of the divine that continues to transform us in the present. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4 http://bible.com/events/49430871…

ReNew Ames Messages

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April 27, 2025 "A Calling To Love" 30:29

منذ 5 weeks30:29

30:29

What is this story about? It's about failure and forgiveness - not one or the other, but both. The disciples spent three years with Jesus; in that time, they learned from him every day and spent all their time with him. After Jesus left them (after giving them his Spirit - his presence), they went back to the way things were - fishing. Sometimes we do the same - we experience the presence of God - we know what to do next, know the changes we need to make, know the conversations we need to have, and then we don't - we forget - we lose the nerve. Then there's Peter - Jesus asks him three times if Peter loves him. Echoes the three betrayals. Jesus meets Peter right where he failed him. God meets us in our failures, too - with his nonjudgmental presence offering grace, love and forgiveness. This story is also about going where we might not want to go - and it's in those places that God meets us. In fact, it's in those places where God becomes flesh again - this time in us. Finally, this story is about a sense of calling. Not in a big sense - like, you're now a missionary on fire for Jesus saving the world overseas. No, not like that. Jesus calls us to feed his sheep - show love like he showed love. No matter where we are - we have a calling to love. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 21:1-19 http://bible.com/events/49427418…

ReNew Ames Messages

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April 20, 2025 Easter Sunday "Let Resurrection Define Our Lives" 32:50

منذ 6 weeks32:50

32:50

It's Easter Sunday! We're getting started here with a brief retelling of the story. Then we get to the part where the angel says, "Do not be afraid." I have trouble with this. Maybe we all have trouble with this. There's so much in the world that causes us fear. So what makes this angel think he can come into our place of worship, look us straight in the eye and say with all seriousness, "Do not be afraid?" After he tells us not to be afraid he makes an announcement and then a promise. An announcement that, if true, changes everything. He is risen. What if that's true? If it's true, it changes everything and all things are possible. Then he makes a promise: Jesus is ahead of you. Most of what causes us fear is in the future. It's an uncertain tomorrow. Jesus is ahead of us. Jesus promises to be with us in whatever we face in our uncertain future. And that gives us hope. Of course, hope isn't something we can just sit back and enjoy. Welp, I hope everything turns out okay tomorrow! Welp, I hope God shows up tomorrow. That's wishful thinking. Hope, real hope, is to throw ourselves into the struggle for the realization of that hope. And that's how Matthew's story about Jesus ends. It ends with an invitation to live into resurrection - to live into hope - an invitation to let it define our lives. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10 https://www.bible.com/events/49422813…

ReNew Ames Messages

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April 13, 2025 "Rejecting Empire" 29:57

منذ 7 weeks29:57

29:57

A note: there are some audio issues in this one that are unfixable in editing. Our apologies! Palm Sunday! There's a connection between Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, and Palm Sunday, as the season of Lent draws to a close. Both will lead us into contemplating our own mortality - the fact that all of us will one day die. THAT always leads us to the realization that we live in a complex, uncertain, and sometimes unfair world. That's what makes Palm Sunday so odd. It starts with a celebration - a parade - then ends in the unjust death of Jesus. And the entire parade - the entire celebration, Jesus knows what's ahead, knows he's going to die. So we're going to notice how Jesus carries himself as he makes his way in a complex, uncertain, and unfair world. We'll notice that he comes to bring peace and reconciliation. Jesus rides into the city on a donkey, not a horse, indicating a nonviolent intention. He didn't come looking for a physical fight, so does he force the issue? Yes, but the world didn't have to kill him - and yet it did. This leads us to notice that Jesus was going to fulfill the Father's call on his life no matter the consequences. What does that mean for us? If we're following Jesus and living as passionately and as fully as he did when he walked on this planet - it'll look like we don't quite fit in - like we're fish out of water. We live in a world where violence and aggression rule the day - if we're living like Jesus we're living on a different plane of existence, where peace and reconciliation rule the day. How do we do that? We pay attention to our cultural moment. That's what Jesus was doing. He was protesting Roman occupation - he was protesting empire - he was protesting might makes right. What does that look like in our day? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 19:28-40 https://www.bible.com/events/49420259…

ReNew Ames Messages

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April 6, 2025 "A Life Of Joy And Laughter" 34:05

منذ 8 weeks34:05

34:05

Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Philippians 2:12-18 http://bible.com/events/49416767

ReNew Ames Messages

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March 30, 2025 "Look Up And Live" 30:11

منذ 9 weeks30:11

30:11

The story of Jesus and Nicodemus. In order to understand this, we have to know a little bit about Nicodemus. John gives us some clues. He's a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. Smart. Well respected. His whole life was dedicated to understanding and living up to Torah - becoming as holy and righteous as can be in order to honor God. He comes to Jesus under cover of darkness. Perhaps he didn't want to be seen by his fellow Pharisees. Maybe his faith had become stale - like it wasn't giving him life. But he notices that Jesus lives differently - he wants what Jesus has. A vibrant life. A vibrant faith. Jesus tells him he must be born again. And like a good fundamentalist, Nico reads him literally. Doesn't understand the metaphor. So Jesus talks about the Spirit - the wind. He still doesn't get it. So Jesus pulls an obscure story out of Numbers about biting snakes, dying people, and salvation by way of a bronze snake up on a stick. Weird, I know. If you look up at the snake after being bitten - you live. Look up and live. Why don't we look up and live? Well, sometimes we don't look up and live because we're afraid - sometimes we're filled with shame because of the image of God we've been given. But sometimes we don't because we think we can take care of our own problems all on our own. Jesus tells Nico this story so he'll understand that a relationship with the Divine is founded on love and grace. That's how transformation takes place. That might have been difficult for Nico to hear. Maybe he felt like his whole belief system had been a sham. But this wasn't condemnation - this was an invitation to start again - to be born again. Maybe "born again" is an openness to this Spirit - maybe it's an openness to change and growth. Maybe it's to see the world with wonder and curiosity. Maybe "born again" is a willingness to trust God with your life - your future - like a newborn trusts mommy and daddy. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 3:1-21 https://www.bible.com/events/49413343…

ReNew Ames Messages

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March 23, 2025 "Creating Space For Lament" 30:28

منذ 10 weeks30:28

30:28

Jesus weeps over Jerusalem as a mother hen - calling her chicks back and yet, they were not willing. We're going to spend some time thinking about this image of the mother hen. What in the world could this story be saying to us? 1) Maybe this story is inviting us to embrace a vulnerability not often embraced in this world. Jesus doesn't offer to get rid of the "fox" (Herod). What Jesus does offer is his presence, his life, his very body to give protection, shelter, and warmth - even in the face of danger - even if it would cost him his life. What would it look like to embrace that vulnerability in this world? We're talking about chicks and children - some of the most vulnerable in the world. What would it look like for us to stand in front, offering protection? How does this change how we see the body of Christ - the church? How does this change how we view politics and the policies we support? 2) Maybe this story is inviting us to create space for lament. Jesus laments that his children will not come home. So we're going to create space for lament. 3) Maybe this story is an invitation to return. The image of the chicks with their mother hen is an image of gathering, community, intentional oneness. What is it in our lives preventing us from coming home? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 13:31-35 http://bible.com/events/49410046…

ReNew Ames Messages

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March 16, 2025 "When Knowledge Grows Love" 32:09

منذ 11 weeks32:09

32:09

We live in a world that is obsessed with knowledge - which is a good thing. Knowledge gets you ahead. Knowledge is power. That's what we say. And we experience that, too. It worked for Paul. He really was THE MAN, when it came to all things God. For a lot of us who grew up in the Church, head knowledge of the contents and principles of the Bible was something that we valued highly. Memorization, then being able to recite on the spot, or at least be able to talk about it with certainty. Paul called all of that stuff "garbage" when compared to knowing Jesus. Garbage. Rubbish. Actually, the best way to translate that word is, "shit." It's all a bunch of BS compared to knowing Jesus. Okay, poop - let's talk about poop. This is now the second sermon I've preached about poop. Yay! All that stuff we know about Jesus is like manure - it fertilizes the heart and soul to prepare us for knowing Jesus. The head stuff is great. But it's also BS. It has to fertilize the heart so that we can actually know the divine. And knowing Jesus has a transformative effect on our lives. We become a gracious presence. We become a healing presence. We become a loving presence. We become a welcoming presence. And most importantly, we become a loving presence. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Philippians 3:1-14 http://bible.com/events/49406721…

ReNew Ames Messages

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March 9, 2025 "How Does God Shape Us?" 35:16

منذ 13 weeks35:16

35:16

It's Lent time, baby! It always starts with an examination of this particular story in Luke. Today we're talking about how we can approach it - from an individual perspective - how does this impact each of our lives? AND from a communal perspective - how does this impact us as a community? Temptation one is to go after the short-cut - to take the easy way - to go after instant gratification. We're always looking for instant gratification. But the slow, hard work of building relationships, establishing trust, and invitation is the only way things go well. Temptation two is to compromise in order to grasp after power. Yeesh, this one is tempting all the time - compromise our integrity in order to get ahead. But there's a flip side to this. We hold a different view about human sexuality and gender. It would be easy for us to be self-righteous about it - to be militant about it - to try and force others to come to the same conclusion - but that's not how God works. Temptation three is to make fear the basis of faith. This can be used to manipulate and control. If we just have to believe the right things and believe in them hard enough then God will protect us. You can be coerced into believing some pretty crazy things if fear is the basis of faith. But the cross teaches us something different. God's beloved still get hurt and ache and bleed and die. But we have a God who suffers alongside us. This is good news - because we also have a God who resurrects. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 4:1-13 https://www.bible.com/events/49403199…

ReNew Ames Messages

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March 2, 2025 "When We Are In Despair" 45:43

منذ 13 weeks45:43

45:43

This morning we are doing something a bit different once again, with a panel of therapists who are in our community. A huge thank you to Sarah Fleming, Holly Thompson, and Jason Stark for sharing their time and wisdom with us today! Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Psalm 13:1-6 http://bible.com/events/49399816…

ReNew Ames Messages

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February 23, 2025 "Blessed Are The Outcast" 28:46

منذ 14 weeks28:46

28:46

Luke's version of the Beatitudes - except he includes some "woes." The first thing we notice is that this is all backwards - Jesus has things all upside-down. What our world thinks of as blessed usually involves prosperity linked to wealth, comfort, no lack of possessions or materials to get what we want. Yeah, it's the opposite of what Jesus says. I'll admit that I don't quite know what to do with these things. I'm tempted to edit these things. I'm tempted to see them as metaphors. Poor? Hungry? Mourning? Hated and excluded? Jesus must've been exaggerating. But he wasn't. The crowd Jesus was talking to were the sick, the lame, the demon possessed. They were the marginalized - the outcast. And Jesus calls them "blessed" - says that God is on their side. When you've got nothing left - end of the line - you are now closer to the kingdom of God than ever before. You are blessed. God is on your side. Of course, there is the other matter of the woes. Most of us live cozy and comfortable lives. For the most part we're not in dire need of anything. There isn't much in our circumstances that can lead us to a sense of urgency about ultimate things. We can go days without talking to God - days without thinking about God. It's not because we don't want to, yearn to, desire to, it's just that - in the words of Jesus - we've already been comforted. We're full. So maybe what Jesus is saying is that for most of us, we have something to learn about following Jesus - about blessedness - that our life circumstances won't teach us. Maybe we have something to learn from people who don't have what most of us have. Maybe it's our turn to shut up and listen. But humanity doesn't want to listen. We don't listen to the poor, the hungry, the immigrant, and all the others who've been marginalized by the powers that be. Humanity doesn't want to listen. Why should we? We're already full. Woe to us. What do we do? Maybe step into that calling. Maybe we do listen and learn and stand in solidarity with those who've been pushed out. All we have to do is let go of power and privilege. All we have to do is give away all of our love. Maybe then we'll experience this thing called the kingdom of God. Maybe then we'll experience the fullness of what Jesus calls "blessed." Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 6:17-26 https://www.bible.com/events/49396230…

ReNew Ames Messages

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February 16, 2025 "ReNew Preaches The Sermon: How God Calls Us" 32:58

منذ 15 weeks32:58

32:58

What does this story say about us human beings? I love how this story talks about failure so honestly. We've been out all night and haven't caught anything! I know nothing about fishing, but I do know what it's like to put a lot of time and energy into something important and not get anything out of it. And I love it that these are the people Jesus calls - they're just like us! What does this story say about God? God calls people. God calls people in a way that honors who they are. I love the abundance we find in the divine. Yay! Food for all! What does this story ask us to do? What's next? For us as a group, and for individuals? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 5:1-11 https://events.bible.com/en/event/edit/49392799…

ReNew Ames Messages

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February 9, 2025 "The Truth Is Reorienting" 28:31

منذ 16 weeks28:31

28:31

This is the story of Isaiah's vision in the temple and his calling and commissioning as a prophet. At first, this story seems inaccessible. It's not like we're all seeing heavenly beings flying around all the time. So this raises all sorts of questions. And maybe we don't have answers to some, or all of those questions! But the story is still worth thinking through. So in examining it, we're going to notice some things. First, this story seems to be telling us that God is a God of encounter. God actually shows up. "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord." God shows up in a time of chaos - crisis. I wonder, as we look at our world, personal, political, cultural, what does it mean for God to show up? Scripture and the witness of others tells us that God does show up - that God is a God of encounter. Next, this story seems to tell us that worship is dangerous. "Woe to me!" A hot coal touches his lips. Transformation happens. What would happen if we came to worship trusting in the power of this vision? How do we feel about forgiveness being painful? Are we ready for change? Do we want transformation? Finally, this story measures success differently than we do. God chooses Isaiah to speak the truth. The truth is so real and raw and reorienting that people won't want to hear it. They choose not to hear it. And they walk away. Success here isn't popularity and a mega church. The promise here is a stump, a remnant, a holy seed. It might not be much, but it will be just enough. Do we dare trust in the God of tiny seeds? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13 https://www.bible.com/events/49389384…

ReNew Ames Messages

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February 2, 2025 "How Are We Structured?" 34:40

منذ 17 weeks34:40

34:40

This week's all about deacons, elders, and how we are organized with those structures in place. Sound a little dry? Well, let's talk about why it's actually exciting, and why we already have those systems in place, even if we haven't been using those labels. We're walking through the responsibilities of those roles, as well as talking about how we can all participate within this structure we call ReNew. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16 http://bible.com/events/49385640…

ReNew Ames Messages

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January 26, 2025 "ReNew Practices Praying Color Together" 31:00

منذ 18 weeks31:00

31:00

This week looks a little different! We spent the sermon time working on a practice from the book Praying In Color by Sybil MacBeth. Our own Sarah Fleming walked us through the practice and then we spent some time together in the room actively participating in this form of prayer. This is more of a visual activity, obviously, so head over to ReNew Ames on YouTube for the full experience. Speaker: Sarah Fleming http://bible.com/events/49382473…

ReNew Ames Messages

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January 19, 2024 "Jesus Confronts The Darkness" 26:31

منذ 19 weeks26:31

26:31

Jesus enters a synagogue and teaches with authority - the people are amazed. Next a man with an impure spirit recognizes Jesus and Jesus casts out the spirit. The people are amazed again and Jesus becomes famous throughout the land. What a weird little story. How much of this can we relate to? Well, if we use our imaginations - we can. We'll imagine what it was like for the people in the synagogue. They were amazed. They came to worship minding their own business and suddenly they have an encounter with the divine they can't explain. "Whoa, what is this?" they asked. There's something more going on here. Have you ever had an experience like that? Next, we imagine what it's like to be the man with the impure spirit. We really don't know what this is. But maybe it doesn't matter. We all know what it's like to be possessed by something (I promise it doesn't get weird here) that takes away our agency and our dignity. The impure spirit recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God. And puts up a fight. But Jesus brings healing. Finally, we'll imagine what it's like to follow Jesus. He didn't use his authority for himself. He didn't consolidate power - he gave it away, He used his authority to free, to liberate, to heal. He had an integrity and authenticity that made people want to follow him. He also walked straight into the pain and the horror and wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid to confront anything that kept the man from living a flourishing life. Wherever the darkness is, the struggle is, the pain is, this story seems to be telling us that's where Jesus is. Maybe we ought to be there too. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 1:21-28 https://www.bible.com/events/49379057…

ReNew Ames Messages

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January 12, 2025 "You Are Known And You Are Loved" 26:31

منذ 20 weeks26:31

26:31

The story of the calling of Phillip and Nathanael - but mostly about Nathanael. This story is not about what Nathanael sees - it's really first about what Jesus sees. It's only when Jesus sees Nathanael for who he truly is that Nathanael experiences transformation. He tells him is is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Let's unpack that here. Deceit is a concept we we get. Nathanael is a real one - he's an authentic one. But the first person to ever be called "Israel" is a guy named Jacob. Now, there is irony in this statement and we're gonna do some nerdy Bible work. The gist of it is this: the people of God are meant to be people of deep and profound integrity - real, authentic, honest. When they have doubts, they express them - when they're skeptical, they're honest about it - they truly wrestle with the divine and it's so good. Jesus sees that in Nathanael and names it. He could have named any number of things about Nathanael that would have brought out things like shame and embarrassment. But he doesn't. He sees and names the quality in Nathanael that he want's to nurture and cultivate. And because of it, Nathanael is transformed. What would it be like if we saw others the way Jesus sees? Jesus sees you for who you really are at your core. Sees the goodness - your capacity to love others. It's only when Nathanael is truly seen that he is able to see who Jesus is. In other words, it's only when we have been seen to our core in that personal way that we can see others. It's only when we have been loved right down to our core that we can love others and God does. You are seen. You are known. You are loved. Now, let's do the same. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 1:43-51 https://www.bible.com/events/49375616…

ReNew Ames Messages

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January 5, 2024 "The Timeless Truth About Justice And Renewal" 30:13

منذ 21 weeks30:13

30:13

We'll start out here by talking about the false narrative around prophets. They were not fortune tellers or predictors of the future. They were primarily truth tellers. We are jumping into the first of a four part sermon series that Isaiah gives on The Servant of the Lord. First, the context. The Israelites were in Babylonian captivity - living in a foreign and dangerous land. And Isaiah says that God is sending a servant who will bring justice and God's teaching to the world. But who the heck is Isaiah talking about? First, he's telling the truth about Israel. Israel is the chosen nation that will represent God in the world. They will bring about justice - they will bring God's teaching. And of course, we know they did because we still know about God and God's relationship to Israel and the world. Second, he's telling the truth about Jesus. Now, did Isaiah know about Jesus? No. But because God's truth is timeless it gets fulfilled in Jesus as well. This passage connects to the baptism of Jesus passage in Matthew - many of the same words are used to describe Jesus. Finally, he's telling the truth about us. We are now the body of Christ. We now bring God's justice and teaching into the world. Did Isaiah predict that? No. But we now get to embody Jesus in the world. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9 http://bible.com/events/49372073…

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December 22, 2024 "God Shows Up Unexpectedly In Vulnerability" 29:21

منذ 23 weeks29:21

29:21

The way God came into the world was not what the people wanted or yearned for or prayed for. The way God showed up to rescue was unexpected. God often shows up unexpectedly. This is a paradox, God showing up unexpectedly. The all-powerful one shows up as an infant, the very essence of weakness and vulnerability. But it's also the one human reality that calls out of everyone who witnesses it a love that hadn't been there before. That's what this story is about, love. Then Jesus grew up and became a man who taught the people about how much God loves them. But he didn't just tell people of God's love. He embodied it and showed us what it really looks like to be a human being. He showed us love and how to love. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 http://bible.com/events/49366288…

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December 15, 2024 "The Three Gifts To Think About This Season" 27:38

منذ 24 weeks27:38

27:38

This is the story where Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. It starts with Gabriel meeting Mary and goes through Mary's stay with Elizabeth. Traditionally it's called The Visitation. This story gives us three gifts to think about during the season of Christmas. First, the gift of community. Mary goes to see Elizabeth. Why? She needs someone. She needs safety. She needs affirmation. She needs someone to recognize, deepen, and celebrate the work of God in her life. She needs love, not judgment. And in Elizabeth, she gets all of that and more. Is there a better vision for what the church is called to be? What would it look like if we provided a place like that? I think we're trying here. Second, the gift of blessing. Mary shows up all confused and scared with questions and doubts. Elizabeth gives her a blessing. What does it mean to bless somebody? To give life to them. It's an art we should all strive to be better at! Last, the gift of hope. Hope that God will fulfill his promises to us. That God is already out there fulfilling his promises to us. All we have to do is look for it and we'll find it. In a world where tough things happen - a world filled with unknowns. Let's lean into community, blessing, and hope. I don't know for sure, but I think it's one of the best ways to live. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 1:39-56 http://bible.com/events/49362755…

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December 8, 2024 "Permission To Start Again" 26:15

منذ 25 weeks26:15

26:15

This story about John the Baptist centers on the question from the religious authorities: Who are you? J the B answers it by talking about who he is NOT. He is NOT the Messiah. I wonder if we should start where he starts. We are not the Messiah. One of the worst mistakes the church has made throughout history is claiming an identity and power that just isn't ours. When we have messianic ambition, people get hurt - the Crusades, the Inquisition, the many times native lands have been stolen and native people have been displaced or killed; the list goes on. So instead, we look to John. He chooses humility from the jump. He's in the wilderness, away from the temple, away from power. We start where he starts - we define ourselves by who we are not. We've all done this. I'm a Christian, but not THAT kind of Christian. I go to church, but I promise it's not THAT kind of church. We read the Bible, but we don't read it THAT way. That kind of thinking can be helpful and clarifying. But we can't stay there. "Who are you?" is a question that asks us to do some deep work. It invites us to examine what we hold dear, what we trust, what we love and who we love - and why. Once we've stripped off all that, we are not, what's left? What good do we offer the world? John's answer is clear - humility. He doesn't point to himself - he points to the one who is on the way. So, who are you? Maybe you can't answer that question right now. And maybe that's okay. Maybe that makes you ready to answer J the B's invitation to make a way for the Lord. Maybe that's all any of us needs every once in a while. Permission to stop pretending - permission to start again. Maybe what we need is someone to tell us to turn around so that we don't miss the new thing God is about to do. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: John 1:6-8, 19-28 http://bible.com/events/49359539…

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December 1, 2024 "The Kingdom of God Is Already Here" 34:29

منذ 26 weeks34:29

34:29

"Come, thou long expected Jesus," the old Christmas carol says. We anticipate the story of a vulnerable family, an ordinary family of no consequence, in a stable. We talk of the arrival of a king, *the* king, so that we might celebrate God becoming flesh and bone in the form of a baby. Commonly the kingdom of God is talked about in future tense. Many of us were raised to think of heaven as the kingdom of God. But the words of Jesus are clear: the kingdom of God is right here, right now. It isn't waiting to be built, it is waiting for us to participate in it. Like Jesus was already God before he arrived on earth to proclaim that his kingdom was here, we are already living in the kingdom now, we merely have to step into active work in it. Speaker: Tony Vis Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 http://bible.com/events/49356150…

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November 24, 2024 "Is It Better To Serve Or Sit At Jesus' Feet?" 26:40

منذ 27 weeks26:40

26:40

There's a Rob Bell quote that talks about how Scripture is like a gem - you keep turning it and new and different things come out of it. It's a good quote and a good way to think about scripture. There are sooooo many ways that people have interpreted this story for like 2000 years. It's a frustrating story for me. So today we're turning the gem and looking at the different ways people have interpreted this story in the past. It all hinges on what Jesus means when he says, "You are worried about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better." I'm not going to throw in those interpretations here, you can listen to the sermon to find them. And at the end of it - I'm not quite sure that we'll agree on what Jesus meant when he said the thing he said about the one thing needed. Maybe that's okay. Maybe that's Luke's point - maybe that's Jesus' point. Maybe they're both trying to start a discussion - wrestling of sorts. Maybe this Christian faith thing - this following Jesus thing isn't as black and white as we'd like it to be. Maybe it's deliberately ambiguous. Maybe that's intentional. Maybe it's in the pushing against and pulling at God and having God push against and pull at us - maybe it's in that action that transformation happens. So is it better to serve, or sit at the feet of Jesus? I don't know that I/we know. But they're both important and we probably ought to pay attention to both. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 10:38-42 http://bible.com/events/49353051…

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November 17, 2024 "Tools Of Self Examination" 27:34

منذ 28 weeks27:34

27:34

Last week was the most important commandment - this week we go waaay back to the basics and talk about the ten commandments. We're starting by talking about the story of God saving the Israelites from Egypt. Basically a summary of the first 19 chapters of the book of Exodus. God parks them at the base of a mountain and says, "Okay, after I saved you, here's our arrangement. Here's how you live in relationship with me and with each other." A few thoughts about the commandments as a whole. The first thing is - this wasn't anything new for the Israelites. If you go back through the book of Genesis, you'll find all the commandments represented there. Cain, don't kill Abel. Abraham, put away all your false gods, etc. It's nothing new. And they're nothing new for us, either. It's not that we don't know them - it's just that we don't follow them. It's the same with the greatest commandment - love God, love people - it's not that we don't know it, we just don't do it very well. That's why this second idea is helpful. The ten commandments - just like the greatest commandment - is like a mirror in front of our faces. God sets the bar too high for anyone to attain. They're not there so we reach perfection; they're there so we can see how we're doing. It's a tool for self-examination - self-reflection. This is why we can't put them up on the wall and force others to live by them. That's disrespecting them by making them into something they are not. They're a reminder that we aren't perfect. The reason the bar is set so high is so that we'll come to the understanding that we're gonna need God's help to become the kind of people God wants us to be. Last idea: this is the first time that God speaks to the entire nation of Israel at one time. We get the sense that God is speaking directly to us. God is saying, "Look, I made you. I love you deeply. I know what it takes for you to live well with each other and what it will take for you to live well with me." Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Exodus 20:1-21 http://bible.com/events/49349548…

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November 10, 2024 "Loving People The Best Way Possible" 27:40

منذ 29 weeks27:40

27:40

There are a range of feelings in the room after last week's events. To ignore that would be unfair and dishonest. Let's talk about this story, though. We're near the end of Jesus' life on earth, for context. He's asked a question: What's the most important commandment? If you truly want to live life to the fullest - what's the most important thing? Jesus responds, love God - love people. That's it. Simple. Basic. We should also think about the environment in which Jesus lived and loved and taught and healed. It's an occupied land. They see Roman soldiers every day. They live under an authoritarian power. Which means underneath their lives - all the time - there's a sense of anxiety and fear and an uncertainty about the future. It's into that environment that Jesus says, "The most important thing? Yeah, love God and love people." Love God. Jesus says start with worship. It's how we are reminded of who God is and what God is all about - love and grace and healing. It's into that environment that we're reminded that we belong to a God who apparently doesn't care to move large levers of power, but instead chooses to live and love and work among the vulnerable - the people who have been pushed out and forgotten. Worship also reminds us that our lives are to be a reflection of God's life since we're all made in the image of God. Love people. Live and give our lives for the flourishing of others. How do we love people well in a time of uncertainty, anxiety and fear? Back to the basics. Love God, love people. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 12:28-34 http://bible.com/events/49346204…

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November 3, 2024 "Our Stories Of Transformation" 29:17

منذ 30 weeks29:17

29:17

Paul says to Timothy in this letter that he's the worst sinner ever. Yeah, ever. So, this is when we talk about his story back when he was Saul and how maybe he was right. Saul was a really bad dude. He was a religious extremist who sought out followers of Jesus so he could get them arrested or kill them. But then Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (where he was going to go find more followers of Jesus) and Jesus made him Paul - their two stories become one story. Turns out, God was looking for someone like Saul. Let's talk about the stories within our community of Jesus followers, though. Paul's story can become our story - stories of transformation. We know that kind of transformation happens because God loves us in spite of our past. And God will work with us in spite of our past. The question is, are we willing to surrender our stories to the divine? Are we willing to surrender our lives and become the kind of people who transform the lives of others? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 http://bible.com/events/49342864…

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October 27, 2024 "Do We Know That We Are Seen?" 28:24

منذ 31 weeks28:24

28:24

Yay, Zacchaeus! Okay, did this one about five years ago - now we're taking a totally different angle. Zacchaeus wanted desperately to see Jesus. Questions it raises: when was the last time we felt that kind of desperation to see Jesus? When was the last time we wanted more? More meaning, purpose, significance - more life? He couldn't see because of the crowd. When was the last time we pondered the things that are getting in the way of us seeing the divine? He ran ahead and climbed the tree. He recognizes that he needs to move. He needs to shift. He needs a new perspective. When was the last time we recognized that we needed to move? That we might not know all the answers and we need a new perspective? When was the last time we risked looking foolish for our faith? When is the last time we tried something unconventional? Jesus looked up and saw him, said, "Come down, I gotta spend some time at your house." Do we know that we are seen? In all of our foolishness, Jesus sees us. But it's more than that. He wants to come home with us. When was the last time we allowed Jesus into our homes without him giving us time to clean things up first? Do we understand that it's okay to let Jesus into all of our mess? Think about who Zacchaeus is - his house was definitely not in order. And yet, there's no judgment - there's just, "I gotta spend some time at your house!" The religious people mutter - of course they do. But not Jesus. He chooses to see the beauty in Big Z - the potential. Do we hold people hostage to the versions of themselves they are seeking to outgrow? Are we willing to see the beauty? The potential? Because Jesus seeing those things allowed Big Z to be transformed and to change. If there's one thing I've learned it's that this faith thing is evolutionary in nature - it's a change and grow or regress and die kind of a thing. Salvation has come to this house. Wait, dude climbs a tree and gets to go to heaven? Maybe salvation is more than where we end up when we die. What if it's also about experiencing healing now? And once we've experienced a bit of healing, what if it's about becoming a part of the healing of the world? And if that's true, what are we going to do about it? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 19:1-10 https://www.bible.com/events/49339420…

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October 20, 2024 "The Power of An Honest Confession" 29:22

منذ 32 weeks29:22

29:22

Short little parable: two people go into the Temple and pray. A Pharisee and a tax collector. The tax collector goes home justified. Let's walk through this parable slowly and talk about how easy it is to think that we're "not like the Pharisee." Now there are also two words we should talk about: sin and sinner. Yeah, we have an aversion to those words for various reasons. BUT, Jesus insists on using that word, "Sinner." So then we should talk a bit about what the Bible says about sin. There are different perspectives of sin we have in this parable. The Pharisee sees sin as something you do - he makes a list. It creates an us versus them kind of scenario. The tax collector, however, does not make a list. He simply calls himself a "sinner." For him, the concept of sin is more than just the "wrong" things that we do. It's deeper than that. Sin is something he has - it's like it's infected him. From his perspective, sin is something that has become a problem for everyone. And when we have a problem, we typically want to do something about it, right? What do we do with our sin? Well, we have some options. First, we can avoid it or say that we don't have it and that other people do. That's what the Pharisee does. Problem is, it doesn't do anything for us. We remain unchanged. Next, we can obsess over it. The tax collector could have done that - his list of sins was a mile long. We can wallow in our guilt and our shame. We can beat ourselves up for it. Problem is, when we do that we wind up cutting ourselves off from the divine and from other people. We don't want that. There's another option - we can confess it. We can be honest about it. Jesus insists on us talking about it and confessing it because there's power and healing that comes along with honest confession. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Luke 18:9-14 http://bible.com/events/49336012…

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ReNew Ames Messages « » October 13, 2024 "The Radical Welcome Of Jesus"

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October 13, 2024 "The Radical Welcome Of Jesus"