Denver Community Church

October 29, 2023: A Not So Lovely Dinner Conversation - Michael Hidalgo

Jesus steps into the role of prophet in Luke 11.37-54, speaking to both Pharisees and lawyers at a dinner party. The theme of his words is simple and found right at the beginning; outwardly they are clean, but inwardly they are not. This is an apt description of hypocrisy; what you see is not what you get. Throughout the gospels it seems this is the one thing that angers Jesus more than anything.

Often, when reflecting on this, many have enjoyed pointing the finger at the Pharisees, the Teaches of the Law, the Scribes and the rest of that tribe. Perhaps this is due to the fact that we often enjoy witnessing those who believe they are good and righteous – and who proudly put that on display – get their comeuppance. However, it may be helpful to pause and consider the fact that we enjoy this. Does that not say something about our hearts? While Jesus seems to be angry over this, we must ask: Was he angry at them? Or, was he angry at the systems that enabled them to live this way?

In this teaching, we explore the legalistic impulse all of us have, and invite each and every person to look within and contrast that with what we show to others on the outside.

October 22, 2023: Baptism - Michael Hidalgo

October 15, 2023: This is a Movement - Michael Hidalgo

Jesus’ final words to his disciples as he ascended into heaven were “go.” This reflects something we witness in the life of Jesus that is so compelling that we believe it is the best and brightest hope for the world in which we live. In Jesus, we see all that was promised and a glimpse of what it to come and that we have the hope of the reconciliation and unity of all things.  This is a work he is doing in every single place of the mutliverse – from the atomic level upward. And we are invited to join him in that work.  This is a movement that was started in the backwoods of Northern Galilee and has not stopped since. It’s not about furthering a religion or making our church brand more well-known or being relevant or proving ourselves right. Not. At. All. This is about celebrating the Christ, imitating the Christ, and working together to see the Kingdom of Heaven come on earth as it is in heaven. It is a movement.

October 8, 2023: Parts of a Whole - Jonathan Merritt

In his letter to the church in Corinth Paul expounds at great length about the group of Jesus followers being together in unity- and as parts of a greater whole, also being together in diversity. This was not just diversity in their individual gifts, but also diversity in ethnicity, background, preferences, beliefs and practices. To hammer home his point, he compares this community to the body – a body, which is not their own, but the Body of Christ.  This phrase, which is well-known in Christian circles, points toward an invitation: it invites the reader to recognize we are a part of something far larger than ourselves or any one single local faith community. Paul’s metaphor points toward something as infinite as the universe, which is to say, it points to The Christ. What a powerful thought that we, like Jesus, are the flesh and bone manifestation of what has been true since before the foundations of the world. This is not just about us, our tribe, our way of doing things, our particular philosophy of leadership; together we are those who point toward the deepest of all mysteries by the way we live our lives in community.

October 1, 2023: Hand It Over - Michael Hidalgo

Tradition has long been a part of the Church. Some scoff at it, while others embrace in such a way that it seems they may never let it go. What’s interesting is how Paul speaks to the church in Thessalonica about tradition. He encourages the community there to “hold fast” to the traditions given them. The word he uses for “traditions” literally translated “to give over.” Apparently for Paul neither scoffing at these things and holding fast to them is what we are to do. Rather, like Paul “handed over” teachings to this community, they are to do the same. This makes sense because we are always handing over something to those who follow us. The question is are we doing this with intention? Do we know what we are handing over? In the days of deconstruction in which we find ourselves, this is a pressing and important question for us to consider. As we do we remember the broad, deep stream we swim in when we speak about the Church. We also recognize we do not leave things behind in the way we think we do, rather we carry them with us in new ways. So, what was handed to us, and what are we handing over to those following us? After all, we are all a part of a great Tradition.

September 24, 2023: Eyes Wide Open - Keri Ladoucer

The phrase Jesus uses about the “eye being the lamp of the body” was a Jewish idiom that spoke about generosity; this is why the word “healthy” in the NIV translation can also refer to “generous.”  It seems then, Jesus teaches that generosity brings about light within us, a light that reflects the generosity of God.  Of course, speaking about generosity has fallen on hard times.  But if Jesus is inviting us to be generous, then this is something we need to pay attention to: remembering he is always inviting everyone toward full life – a life filled with light.  Jesus seems to be on to something.  

September 17, 2023: The Only Sign - Michael Hidalgo

In this teaching, Lead Pastor Michael Hidalgo helps us explore dying the rising as a universal pattern that we are invited to join.  Jesus said the only sign given would be the sign of Jonah.  In early literature during and shortly after Jesus’ time, this sign pointed toward resurrection.  Rather than looking for miracles or divine apparitions, Jesus is heading into the belly of the earth.  This sign that he gives, is also one he invites us to imitate.  This is the sign of Jesus. There is an incipient wisdom to this pattern that is seen in and through all things; the dying and the rising.  Perhaps if we only had eyes to see, we would learn to see this mystery in and through all things. 

 

September 10, 2023: Who is the Enemy? - Michael Hidalgo

Jesus presents the religious with a new vision of who he was and what he was going to do in their midst. He uses violent language: "break-in," "tie up," "plunder," which are all illegal activities; yet this is the metaphor Jesus uses, digging into his opponents with this language. He is not simply disagreeing; he is pointing out that they are complicit in the Kingdom that will fall … along with its “house” (a seeming reference to the temple).  In Jesus' time, it was believed that when Israel lost its independence that God relegated the rule of Israel to earthly powers – to the devil and his angels. While it seems that Jesus is speaking philosophically and mythologically, he may also be making a bold statement about the coming destruction of Israel. Jesus, it seems, is going about binding up the strong man, and cleaning house. And what exactly is he “plundering” – Jesus is answering a question posed by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 49: “Can plunder be taken from a warrior …?” God’s reply is a firm “yes.” And the plunder are the captives who are set free.

September 3, 2023: That Sounds Like a Guarantee - Michael Hidalgo

What is our relationship with God when it comes to prayer?  How can we be bold and brazen in this relationship, trusting in who God is?  Initially this seems as though we should to ask God for whatever it is our hearts desire, persistently knocking at God's door.  Is this really how prayer works?  God will deliver something to us, if only to get us to pipe down? Jesus speaks about asking and seeking and knocking, which is an idiom that refers to the study of Torah and how one should approach the text. If we are faithful to pursue the text like this, then we will better understand what it means to ask God for good things.

August 27, 2023: How Do We Pray? - Keri Ladoucer

Luke tells us, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.” It was only when he finished that his disciple asked him to teach them how to pray, which causes one to wonder: what did this disciples see and experience in Jesus’ prayer that led him to make this request?  It’s possible we can know this based on the words of Jesus that follow- an intimate prayer that looks to God and the Kingdom for the present (daily bread), the past (forgive us) and toward the future (lead us not into temptation).  Whether we understand exactly why the request was made we, like the disciples, can learn that this simple prayer covers all of life – our regrets of the past, our immediate needs of the day, our hopes for the future – placing all of it in the hands of a God who listens.