Denver Community Church

April 14, 2013: Laziness – Michael Hidalgo

Wisdom literature is filled with commands to not be lazy. So how do we receive this without becoming workaholics? Perhaps it is a return to the recognition that work is sacred. Work is holy. And when we neglect engaging with work – we then neglect a part of what it means to be essentially human. After all, we were created for work. For a vocation. 

And when we engage this rightly, we then can celebrate with God as we continue the ongoing process of creation with him. Because when we find that place where we can work and it does not feel like work – that’s the place where we begin to worship. 

April 7, 2013: God and Government – Michael Hidalgo

Some advocate a total obedience to the King and to government in general. There is the conviction that God has ordained them, and they deserve our allegiance. Many quote a text that has echoes of Ecclesiastes 8 in it in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 3. But in all of these contexts there was political leadership that was living evil and corrupt lives. Which raises the question, “How do we submit to those kind of people?”

Maybe we have been misguided in our notion of submission to the powers. Perhaps we need to do all we can to subvert the powers, not through their power games, but through love and peace and humility. How do we respond to not only our government but all government?

March 31, 2013: Life – Michael Hidalgo

What does it mean to live? God speaks in Gen 1 and creates life. God breathes and gives life. Jesus said he came to give life. John said in the Word was light and life. The story of Jesus ends, not in death, but in life. But is that how we live day to day? I mean, what is the real difference between death and life – and do we actually grasp that? Do we ever stop to recognize that we breathe … we have breath. That breath is given to us by God himself. Every second of our day we experience life – God with us.

Is it possible that we live in this world, and we don’t ever really truly live? If that’s the case, what did Jesus mean exactly when he spoke about life? If we are to live in the power of the resurrection these are questions that we have to consider if we are to live as Jesus calls us. After all, we know the tomb is still empty, so perhaps we need to live like it is. 

March 24, 2013: They Never Said It Would Be Easy – Jon Gettings

When we talk about community, and living in vibrant relationships with one another, we can often pretend that because it’s what we should do it will just happen. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is hard work. It’s not easy. And there will be people along the way who will make this difficult for us. All the same – we are called to live this way. 

In the midst of the most difficult circumstances, the command given to us is to “be devoted to one another in love.” Rome was a church torn by strife – and Paul’s advice is love. A willful choice to seek the highest and greatest good of the other. It sounds a lot like Leviticus 19.18. We often say, “love your neighbor as yourself …” and forget the words that immediately precede that in the very same verse. Those words read: “DO not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.” God’s command to love came in the midst of revenge and grudges … no one said this would be easy.

March 10, 2013: God Needs a Body – Brian Gray

There was a man that we know nothing about other than his lineage and his age. God comes to him and asks him to be in relationship with him again. God’s plan is that this relationship would be the thing that would bring redemption and hope to the world. And it’s not just a one-way relationship. God actually invests himself in it, telling this man that if things did not work out that he was willing to give shed his own blood for it. 

Which raises a question: why did God need a person to do this? Couldn’t he just have snapped his fingers and gotten it done? Why does he need someone else to do something for or with him? In answering this question it’s worth noting, that over and over God chooses people to work alongside him on this earth. For it’s through a relationship with God that we can be those who bring his hope and healing to this world.

March 3, 2013: Falling Down – Michael Hidalgo

What God created was good, but it would not last long. The man and the woman chose a path other than the one God intended for them. They walked away from him. As a result their relationships would always be riddled with rivalry and enmity. The husband would oppress the woman … and the woman would long for the man to fulfill everything. They would soon find out that they would eternally be disappointed.

Then, they had two sons – and one murdered the other. Then he asked God the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” In other words, “I am responsible for no one but me.” In just one generation the desire for sin has splintered, fractured, and damaged relationships. And today we are still feeling the ripple effect.

February 24, 2013: Buck Naked and Loving It – Scott Oppliger

“The man and the woman were naked and felt no shame …” What would life be like if we lived without shame? What would it be like if someone could actually see us, know us … everything about us … without us fearing that someone would find something out about us that would lead to rejection? This is the world that was created. No wonder God called it good. 

 

It seems impossible. But what we must remember is this. The connection of the man and the woman was first to God – then to each other. That’s how this whole thing worked. Which raises the question, how are we informed about who we are by God? How do we live out of the reality of being beloved sons and daughters and what would that do for our ever attending shame?

February 17, 2013: God Like Us – Scott Oppliger

God said, “Let us make ...” Us? God is not alone? In fact, God lives in an eternal relationship of divine, mutual, self-giving love. Yes – God is not alone his existence is in community between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As those who are made in his image, we are created for community and meant to live in community.

Why then would we so often go at life alone and not together? More than this, if the example we see in God himself is one of mutual, self-giving love then why do we so often enter relationships only to see what we can get? What we have to remember is the love, community and relationships is a risk for everyone who is involved.

This then explains why a communal God would say, “It’s not good for the man to be alone …” This only came about after the man had named the animals and “no suitable partner was found …” There was no way for him to be in relationship. He could not in fact be like God if he was alone … to be his image we must live in community.

February 10, 2013: The Past is Preferable to the Future – Michael Hidalgo

How many times do we hear people speak about the “good ol’ days” in a way that suggests they’d love things to return to the way they once were. There is nothing wrong with memories, but when those memories are the things we long for, we may be a bad place. 

 

It’s a dangerous thing to be defined by your past – good or bad. This is the beauty of the arc of the biblical narrative is we are pulled into the hope of the future. This is what the prophet Isaiah said to the people of Israel: “See I am doing a new thing …” So how do we remember rightly so that we can live with an eye toward the future?

February 3, 2013: Out of Control – Dave Meserve

God will do what God will do … which raises the question, does it matter what I do?