Denver Community Church

November 20, 2011: Beneath the Surface – Dave Neuhausel

November 13, 2011: Weapons of Peace – Michael Hidalgo

Kings ride horses. Horses are weapons of warfare. They are a symbol of power. They are an honorable animal. Who rides a donkey? A donkey is a humble animal, and a symbol of peace. Why would anyone think of making an entrance this way?

 

It is interesting to note that the Hebrew prophet Zechariah spoke about the King one day coming on a donkey. What is also interesting is the time of Jesus entrance. It was on the same day that the Roman Governor Pilate would have been entering Jerusalem. It was not often he came up from his capital in Caesarea Martima, but when he did, he came with the pomp and circumstance of a king. 

 

When he entered he came on a horse. Jesus came on a donkey. Pilate came showing his power. Jesus came showing his humility. Pilate came riding a weapon. Jesus came riding a symbol of peace. Jesus was acting out what the prophet Zechariah spoke of. 

November 6, 2011: The Blind Seeing Clearly – Michael Hidalgo

In a moment of almost comic relief, Mark relates a story in which a blind fellow knows who Jesus is. The disciples seem to not see it. The religious cannot see it. But a blind beggar on the side of the road can see it – and he yells, “Son of David!” Isn’t Jesus the son of Mary (and Joseph)?

His simple request was for Jesus to “have mercy” on him. He never asks for healing.

October 30, 2011: Urban Entry – Michael Hidalgo and Dave Neuhausel

Someone once asked Jesus, “who is my neighbor?” He answered by telling a story…  

 

The story is about a weak and abused man who is in great need and is ignored by religious people who are too fearful and distracted to help him.  Then a stranger notices the man and with great compassion and care he decides to sacrifice his social and financial status for the sake of caring for the man in need… 

 

Jesus said that the man who had the most compassion is the neighbor.  To say it another way - Jesus said that anyone who is weak and in need around you is your neighbor.  

 

We live in an increasingly urbanized society.  In 2008 a shift took place, a global benchmark for cities occurred.  For the first time in our world there were more people living in urban settings than rural.  Our world is also increasingly diverse and globalized.  That is to say that as much as the world gets bigger, more populated and complex, it conversely is getting smaller through more readily accessible and connected communication, commerce and cultural diversity.  While India is thousands of miles away we make choices everyday that affect people in that country.  Our world is increasingly interconnected.   We have neighbors all around us, some around our home, others just across the boarders of our country, still others over vast seas.  Jesus was always crossing boundaries – cultural, religious, social, etc.  He commanded his followers to do the same.  We want to be a community of exceptional neighbors who dare to cross boundaries with justice and compassion. 

 

So, who then is your neighbor?  

October 23, 2011: Rediscovering the Art of Neighboring – Dave Runyon

October 16, 2011: Bottom Up – Michael Hidalgo

Once again this theme of serving from the bottom up versus power from the top-down emerges in Mark’s narrative. The disciples still seem so dull. Jesus tells them about his impending death and all they can dwell upon is what places of power they will have in the kingdom of heaven. They want to be sure that their name will be remembered. 

Jesus tells them that it is in his death that he will be exalted. Jesus teaches them that the pursuit of the Kingdom is not about getting ahead, but about dying. In his case, the cup that has been given to him is one of suffering and death. Clearly his kingdom is from another world – where as citizens we are those who serve.

October 9, 2011: Young Rules, Dromedaries, and Needles – Michael Hidalgo

There is nothing wrong with being rich. It is was can happen to those who acquire wealth. We can become slaves to it. Instead of owning it – it can own us. This is the reminder that God gives to his people in Deuteronomy 8 when he warns them never to think that they have created their wealth, but to remember that God is the one who has given it to them. 

 

In this story we meet a young, wealthy, influential person who lacks one thing – the ability to walk away from his money. In his exchange with Jesus we see that Jesus loves him. He is not mad, he does not roll his eyes, he does not condemn, rather he loves. He tells the man to give it all away – why? Because you can’t enter the kingdom with all sorts of attachments – which asks the question, “How many times do we walk away from the loving gaze of Jesus?”

October 2, 2011: Let Them Come In – Jon Gettings

Jesus says that "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."  And yet we make our faith journey about maturity, collection of knowledge, mental assent, moving through the stages of faith.  We are unable to live our faith with the wonder, awe, and imagination of a child.  We are unable to view and approach God with this perspective and with this posture.  But, what does it mean to live in this way?  

Does it mean not learning and growing in our understanding of God...staying simple, naive, and immature?  No, it is all about understanding our relationship to and with God. Understanding we are first and foremost His children and that we are in a relationship, not a fact gathering, learn all you can, knowledge based interaction.  What does our faith journey look like if we do this?  And how can we continue to approach God in relationship with a child's lens while living constantly wooed by the kingdoms of this world?  We'll explore these ideas. 

September 25, 2011: Together and Apart – Michael Hidalgo

The topic of divorce is one that has been hotly debated for years. Some day you can, others say you can only if, and still others say “never.” If we look at the words of Jesus he seems to be quite strict. The debate of divorce existed in Jesus’ day too. One side said, “If your wife burns the toast you can divorce her.” The other side said, “Only in the case of marital unfaithfulness.”

When we see other accounts of Jesus’ teaching he too leaves room for unfaithfulness. But what does that mean? We will explore this complex issue not by examining divorce – but examining the implications of marriage and all that entails. 

September 18, 2011: Drowned and Maimed – Dave Neuhausel

Here Jesus is saying some drastic, even scandalous remarks about the severity of our sin and brokenness, particularly when we act out of it toward our own detriment and that of others.  It seems Jesus is speaking in hyperbole in order to demonstrate the serious way in which we ought to regard the slippery-slope of our sinful tendencies.  By contrasting the temporal and fleeting nature of our sinful tendencies with the eternal and significant reality of God’s kingdom, Jesus is cultivating a sense of urgency toward living as those who despise sin and fight for righteousness.