Denver Community Church

February 18, 2024: Under Arrest - Hannah Thom

It was night, there were torches, a dispatch of soldiers, swords, groggy disciples and a kiss of betrayal. What a painful moment for Jesus. He knew where this was all going. In the midst of the scene of Jesus being arrested, a disciple grabs a sword and cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Why this? Well, apparently it was a repeat of history: generations before, Antigonus cutting off Hyrcanus’ ears to prevent him from serving in the Temple. It seems the disciple’s action was no accident; it was a retaliation.

In the midst of the commotion Jesus demands a halt to all of this. He is not leading a rebellion, and there is no need for swords and clubs. He knows what he has been called to do, and he is willing to go to the place God has in store for him. He does not blame, condemn or even retaliate. This teaches us something about the heart of Jesus – a heart that is set on the things of God – not on the ideas of human beings.

In this teaching, we will dwell on the heart of Jesus revealed in this story. In the midst of betrayal he calls Judas “friend.” In the midst of violence against his enemies, he announces peace and pardon. For Jesus this is the start of the manner in which he will walk to the cross. One defined by love.

February 11, 2024: You've Got to Let it Go - Michael Hidalgo

Jesus uses the metaphor of the narrow door as the way to life. While this may seem as though it makes things more difficult and demands more of us, it’s possible there is another way of seeing this. If one is to make it through a narrow door, it suggests we cannot carry much through it at all. We will need to lay things down and let other things go if we have any hope of making it through.  Perhaps this is the subtle invitation Jesus offers to those who wish to follow him. God does not need or want our talents, our accomplishments and all the things we have done “for him.” God only wants us. Maybe this is what the nonreligious have insight into in a way religious people don’t: they come as they are without anything. Perhaps that’s why they make it through the door.

February 4, 2024: Growing Everywhere - Mattie Motl

The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds – yet the mustard plant is the wildest of all plants. One cannot control the mustard plant, no matter how hard they try, and once it is planted and has grown the area in which it was planted can never be cleared of the plants as they will grow again and again. Jesus uses an example that defies the logic and the rule of his day. It was clearly stated in Mishnah that one could not plant mustard seeds in a garden (Kelayim 2.8; 3.2). This is because the plant would end up taking over the whole garden – it could not be controlled. Jesus’ point seems to be not a challenge of the rules – but an observation of the kingdom. It starts small – a little yeast or a little seed. When one observes the pattern throughout scripture of who Jesus chooses it is always the last, the lost, the least. They are the ones that Jesus uses. From the acacia tree to build his throne (the ark of the covenant) to the nation of Israel itself. We continually see that God chooses that which is small. The beauty of this is that once it takes root – it becomes out of control.

NOTE: Unfortunately, our building experienced a total power outage for several minutes near the beginning of this message, so you will notice a section missing near 5:42.

January 28, 2024: A Religion of Liberation - Michael Hidalgo

This week, we consider how unhealthy religion adds burdens to people- it can be something that binds people up in an oppressive way rather than liberating them.  The Torah seems clear regarding work on Sabbath. So when Jesus heals a woman who has been oppressed by diseases for 18 years, we should not be surprised the legalistic religious types in the room take umbrage with Jesus’ actions. It is their uncompassionate response that leads Jesus to ask, “Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?” This is a nod to Exodus 23 (and Deuteronomy 5) which insists Sabbath is even for the rest and renewal of animals. Simply put, Sabbath is a gift. Sabbath is also a day of liberation: it is to remind the Israelites of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Thus, for Jesus, this day was about liberation. His words point seem to point toward how something good, like religion, can become something that oppresses rather than liberates. 

January 21, 2024: Wake Up! - Hannah Thom

In Luke 13.1-9, Pontius Pilate had just done the unthinkable. Apparently, his soldiers attacked worshippers in the temple while they performed their sacred rituals. One might expect heartfelt compassion from Jesus, but he doesn’t respond that way at all; rather he gives a warning of sorts. One that might lead the listener to think that maybe God was punishing people for their sins- you know, the sort of thing modern preachers do when a natural disaster causes the death of “sinful people.” Before the listeners can get their head around what Jesus is saying, he launches into a parable.

The parable is about a fig tree that doesn’t bear fruit. And at the end, it sounds like the tired caricature of an angry axe-wielding God who wants to cut the whole thing down. But what if Jesus’ parable was intended to wake the listener up? And what about the gardener in the story who defends the tree? The one who wants to give it a whole year to tend to it, to see that it will bear fruit? Maybe this parable shows that bad things don’t happen because God is angry. For whatever reason they do happen, and they have a chance to wake us up. And when we do awake, maybe there is a gardener who wants to tend to us – so that we can bear the fruit we were made to bear.

January 14, 2024: The Pain of Reconciliation - Michael Hidalgo

Reconciliation is so difficult; at some point you have to admit you are wrong and work toward forgiving the person who did you wrong.  For as difficult as this is, Jesus sees this as an essential part of living.  The downside of this is that it can fly in the face of what we might want or even demand.  It challenges all of us, whether we are those who want to be right, or those who do not want to be wrong.  But Jesus is tapping into something deeper here: he points toward people who are willing to reconcile at any cost.  How do we live as a people willing to reconcile always? We must begin by remembering this is what has the power to bring peace and healing.

January 7, 2024: It’s Not Going to be Like That - Paula Williams

According to Luke 12:49-56, when one chooses to take a stand- to go in a direction, make a decision- division will often follow. This is true even of Jesus and the direction he takes.

December 24, 2023 (Christmas Eve): Right Where You Cannot See It - Michael Hidalgo.

Shortly after mentioning God’s presence, both Genesis 1 and John 1 speak of darkness. It is in the darkness where we find the Spirit, wind, breath of God fluttering over it like a mother bird watching intently to ensure her chicks don’t fall out of the nest or hit the ground in their first attempted take off. It is in the darkness where we find the light of Christ shining. Notice, the Divine Presence not only proceeds the darkness but is also found within it, and out of this he brings light and life. 

December 17, 2023: The Lack of Denial - Michael Hidalgo

So many circumstances surrounding the first Christmas recorded in Matthew and Luke were fraught with harsh circumstances. Rather than paint an idillic picture like Norman Rockwell may have, the gospel writers point to the reality of a dark world filled with dark powers at work.  Against this backdrop we learn of the birth of Jesus, and even after his birth we quickly learn things were still not okay. There is no sanitizing this Christmas story which tells us about a candle lit in a dark room. While we still attempt to light up the dark nights in December, in some ways that may be a small way of denying the darkness that remains in our world. It may even drown out the real light that came to us on that sacred evening thousands of years ago. In this story, we find that the Bible does not shy away from the reality of pain, sorrow and darkness, but plunges headlong into it. This is what the Christmas story teaches us: God does not stand off, but is there in the midst of it all – vulnerable and with us.

December 10, 2023: And Then I See a Darkness - Hannah Thom

With every bit of revelation we receive from God, with everything that is made known there are also some things that remain hidden in the dark. We see this when God comes to his people Israel when they are at the base of Mt. Siani. At no other time in their life had God revealed himself so completely, and yet there was darkness.  The writer of Exodus tells us plainly after God had spoken the Ten Words, “The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20.21). This specific Hebrew word araphel speaks of a darkness reserved for God. One that reveals and conceals. Which, if this teaches us anything it is this; even the darkness can reveal God to us.