Awaken Community

Micah looks at Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 and how we can choose to engage the world. Do you hold your hands open, ready to give, receive, and be present with all that is happening around you?

Deuteronomy 24: 17-22 - God tells the Israelites to build generosity into their very way of life. To provide care for the most vulnerable among them, lest we forget the generosity we were made from and made for.

Pastor Jenna rejoins us after her parental leave and the birth of her son Caden. Today, she explores Genesis 17 and the promise given to Abram and Sarai and the name that is used for God in this passage - El Shaddai. Please note that this message includes themes of parenthood and childbearing. We recognize that these themes can evoke both joyful and painful emotions.

Micah provides an honest reflection on the significance of Easter and the importance of faith in a story that can at times feel unbelievable.

Micah looks at John 12:12-19 and the paradox of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, not with weapons and war, but in peace and sacrifice.

Matt 13:10-23 Micah explores the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew and what it means to truly listen/hear & understand.

2 Corinthians 8:1 -2: Paul urges the church in Corinth to follow the lead of the Macedonians, who’s desire for goodness was matched by their willingness to give so that the work would be seen through.

1 Kings 19:11-18 - Elijah flees to the mountains for his life, desperate to hear God's voice. God shows up in ways he does not expect, as a whisper of care and provision in the midst of hardship. Micah walks us through the heart of listening and the significance of its practice.

2 Sam 12:1-13, David listens to Nathan the prophet and repents when confronted with the reality of his sin. Are we listening and willing to HEAR correction when it comes to us? What does it take to be a person who is willing to sit in the discomfort of being wrong and repenting instead of defending?

Guest speaker Jim Bear Jacobs sheds light on the complexities of Galatians 3 and Paul’s vision for a kingdom of God that does not recognize difference. How does this vision, written by someone within the dominant culture, impact those who find themselves outside of it? Jim Bear illustrates the difficulty of this passage with powerful stories of the realities of indigenous life and how Creator God shows up.

1 John 4:7-12, John says "no one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Multiple times in John's gospel he says that no one has seen the father and has this idea of the "invisible" God that is made known in Jesus. In so far as we love one another, the image of God lives in us and in the world. It's like an atom...no one has ever seen an atom, but we have this picture that carries the idea.

1 John 3:11, 16-18, 4:18-19 - We begin in love, we don't work for it or earn it or attain it...IT IS. Because this gift is ours to receive/participate in, we should love others which begs the question: what is love and who gets to define it?

1 John 1:5-10, 2:7-11, God is light and that light has appeared. If God is trustworthy and true, then following and seeking after them should lead us to a love and light that illuminates the world around us. How do you know when you’ve seen and experienced it?

The book of 1 John taken outside of it's context can sometimes be counter productive to the heart of the gospel. Micah discusses the fundamental differences in our understanding of 1 John if God's revelation to humanity is limited to what's in the Bible and not also open to the continuous work of the Spirit in us.

1 John 1:1-4, Awaken kicks off a new series on the book of 1 John, 11 years after Awaken's first journey through the text. Micah provides the background and context for the book to set the tone for the rest of our exploration together.

Micah brings our Journeys of Christmas series to a close with the arrival of Jesus into the world.

Luke 2:8-20, The shepherd’s journey from the fields to the manger. Micah introduces the different interpretations of who the shepherd's might have been and how that affects the deeper meaning of the story. How much more powerful is the story when it happens exactly as the angels described?

Matt 2:1-12 - The Magi’s journey to Herod and then eventually see the Christ child themselves. Micah unpacks myths about the magi and then draws attention to the religious leaders and how differently they respond to the reality of the christ. What is religion or faith without a physical embodiment of our beliefs?

Luke 2:1-7, Joseph & Mary journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. What happens when home no longer feels like home? Micah discusses the difficulty of leaving places that feel safe like home and the beauty of the spiritual journey through the process.