GrowDeep

This is the first message in the series Mosaic Formation. Part of our vision is to "design creative growth environments." What is that? Why is that important? What does creative growth look like in our Christian Spirituality? This message takes a look at our understanding of the Gospel and what Spiritual Formation is and the role it plays in our walk with God.

We live in a culture addicted to speed. "Time is money," as they say. So we much do more and more in less and less time. However, something happens to the core of who we are when we continue to live at this pace. As Doug King says, "We must learn to pause... or nothing worthwhile will catch up to us." This message deals with the symptoms of a world obsessed with doing more at the service of the "Cult of Speed."

This is a dramatic presentation of the Book of Philippians presented at Calvary Temple.

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For hundreds of years Christians have used the parables of Luke 15, specifically the parable of "the Prodigal Son" to communicate the heart of God for humanity. Interestingly, for hundreds of years Muslims have used the same parables to refute the claims of Christianity. They've used these stories to argue that Jesus was nothing more than a good Muslim, and Christians have turned Him into a Christian. They argue that the boy is saved without a savior. The prodigal returns. The father forgives him. There is no cross, no suffering and no savior. And based on many of the commentaries written in the West concerning Luke 15, their arguements seem to be in fact accurate. But are they? Can the Cross be found in these age old parables that Jesus told? If so, where? Where is the Cross, the suffering, and the savior that is central to the Christian faith. In this message we walk through Luke 15 from an Ancient Middle Eastern Peasant's perspective, looking at the themes of redemption, restoration, suffering and the cross. This "familiar" text takes on fresh breath and new life as we look at some of the ancient Middle Eastern cultural cues that are seemlessly woven throught this amazing story. This is message five in the sermon series "Lost."