Message: The Christian life is about you, and it’s not about you. All of us need Jesus - we need the forgiveness and life he offers us. Once we are saved by Jesus, though, a change happens. Our lives are to be lived for others. In our Scripture today, Jesus starts a new age. It is an age where believers focus less on ourselves and more on showing and telling the life of Jesus to others.

The Extra Mile: Each of the disciples is called to follow Jesus early in the Gospels. They answer and Jesus does what Jesus does. He teaches, heals, and shows the disciples what it is to be a believer. Each of the disciples, however, will abandon Jesus in the events leading up to the crucifixion. Matthew 28 the becomes, a second calling. The disciples are called to spread the Gospel and get a second chance to reclaim their role.

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

God helps those who can’t help themselves.

That includes each and every one of us, but this can sometimes be hard to admit. We like to be in control and feel like we can change even the worst of our situations, but when we come to grips with the fact that we can’t help ourselves into heaven we actually begin to have a deeper relationship with God. This week, be vulnerable with God. Maybe this is centered around something specific that you are going through or maybe it is just needing help in general. Either way, open up your heart and pay attention to how you feel God responding.

Scripture: Romans 5:1-8 CEB

Pastor: Rev. Sean McDonald

The Bible is our sacred book. Within it are countless truths we hold dear. God creates. God loves us. Jesus is the Son of God. The Bible also records failings and ideas that did not work. King David shattered the 10 Commandments. Leviticus offers sacrifices and laws that we do not follow any longer. The Bible has to be interpreted - and that is our theme this Sunday at Munger.

The Extra Mile: While immensely important, the Bible is not the only source of faith. The tradition of the church, our thoughts, and experiences of the Holy Spirt all feed our faith. These three with the Bible form what is called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason all work together to illuminate our path.

Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

Message: They are simple phrases. They sound Christian―like something you might find in the Bible. We’ve all heard these words - passed down over generations. Maybe we’ve said them. They capture some element of truth, yet they miss the point in important ways. We'll spend some time together to search for the whole truth by comparing common Christian clichés with the wisdom found in Scripture.

Scripture: We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord’s angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead. The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. Now hurry!

Tell his disciples he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. This is what I came to tell you.” The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Pastor: Andy Nixon

The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord’s angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead. The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. Now hurry!

Tell his disciples he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. This is what I came to tell you.” The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples.

Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Pastor: Rev. Sean McDonald

It is Palm Sunday where we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem as the start of Holy Week. The crowds expected Jesus to start a revolution, but it did not happen the way many thought it would. Think back. Has Jesus ever answered a prayer in a different way than you asked? It is a hard question. God’s plan, however, is often different than our own and Holy Week is a story along those lines.

The Extra Mile: Do a little online digging into the Feast or Festival of Sheaves or Shelters. Jesus would have traveled to Jerusalem many times and presumably this festival would be one of those occasions. Jesus would have been a part of this, and our Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus entering Jerusalem on this festival day. Jesus was part of a tradition, and our Palm Sunday is an example of Jesus being a part of his heritage.

Scripture: Luke 19:28-36

Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

As the Book of Job closes, God appears to Job and speaks to job from a whirlwind. The words God speaks are one of power. Where was Job when the universe was created? By what power has Job created anything at all? As creations of the Lord, we have to know our limits. We can know in go much, but ultimately we are called to have faith in that the Lord will lead us to all that is good.

The Extra Mile: An interesting part of Job is Job 42:7-9 where God rebukes Job’s friends. The friends have not been quite honest in that they have danced around Job’s suffering where Job has spoken honestly. For us today, God wants us to pray honestly to the Lord. If you feel it, say it. God listens to all prayers, but prefers one that is honest.

Scripture: Job 42:4-6

Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

In our Bible passage today, Jesus is the same and also entirely different. Luke 24:36-49 is a resurrection appearance of Jesus. He died, and now is raised. He is the same and also completely different. When reading this passage notice Jesus accepts his change. He is different now, and is setting the example for who we can be. To really change, you and I ultimately are called to accept the person Jesus is making us into and Jesus also encourages us to accept the change for the better.

The Extra Mile: Spend some time this week thinking and praying about ‘change’. A better word may be ‘growth’ or ‘transformation’, but in the Gospels everyone changes ti some way. The disciples learn, the sick are healed, and we even learn more about Jesus as we read the Gospels and God’s plan is revealed. What next step in faith is God calling you to take? Step forward in faith, and grow.

Scripture: Job 23:13-17

Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

Job and his friends are asking the question that many of ask at some point in our lives; why do bad things happen to good people? Job’s friends are convinced he is suffering because he has done something to deserve it. But in our scripture for this week, Job provides another perspective that can completely change the way we approach our struggles.

Extra Mile: This scripture comes to us in the middle of Lent. A time when we intentionally reflect on our wrong doings. To this point, Job and his friends have done exactly that in an attempt to explain why Job is where he is. But what we learned this week is that doesn’t give them the answers they are looking for. So, as an added practice for us this Lent, let’s also reflect on where we have seen God during difficult times in our lives. What we will begin to realize is that even in the darkest of times, God was right by our side.

Scripture: Job 21:7-9, 32-34 CEB

Pastor: Rev. Sean McDonald

Lament acknowledges the reality of the situation. It opens us up to pain. It revises our assumptions of the world and it helps us to reconstruct our relationship to who/what we have lost. Lament has its crucial place in worship and produces the fruit of hope in a future in which lament will have no place. God may be light, but His best work is always done in the dark.

Scripture: Job 7:1-11

Pastor: Ryan Waller