Denver Community Church

August 3, 2008: Pulling Weeds – Brian Gray

July 27, 2008: Paths, Rocks, Thorns, and Dirt – Michael Hidalgo

This parable is more than just a simple commentary on the ability of humanity to respond to Jesus’ message. This paprable seems to be rooted in the prophetic language that Jesus uses over and again in his teachings. 

In his speaking of sowing he is resurrecting the language of men like Jeremiah and Isaiah. The Psalmist sang of sowing and reaping continually. Much of this sowing/reaping language seems to be caught up in Isaiah’s language from Isa. 6 – there the prophet sees the Israel like a tree being cut down in judgment – however the promise is from the stump comes a shoot. Jesus even quotes the prophet after telling the parable to “tip his hand” in a sense. 

It seems that in this parable Jesus is doing what the prophets had warned would happen: He is judging Israel for her idolatry and oppression – at the same time he was calling them to become a new people, a renewed Israel. He was announcing a way out of exile – God was sowing a seed of redemption – would his people hear it?

July 13, 2008: Real and Not So Real – Michael Hidalgo

So often today people talk about praying to see what God wants from them. While sounding ultra pious this can also be a very frustrating thing. It seems obvious what God wants from us. Those that Jesus points to as the ones who claim to have known him are doing many things – but are they really doing what he called them to? They are calling him “Lord” or “Master” yet they are not living in obedience to Jesus. 

So often we claim to follow Jesus – but are we doing what he asks us to do? Are we truly following after him? Jesus seems much more interested in what his people are doing versus if they “look good” to everybody else. 

July 6, 2008: Wolves and Fruit – Michael Hidalgo

There are a lot of people who can do a lot of good things. In our culture much is driven by the way one believes. If we can just get our minds in the right place, then we will be set. However, Jesus says that there are many who can look the part, however, there are few that are the part of which he speaks. It is not just knowing who Jesus is, but doing the will of his father in heaven. 

June 29, 2008: Entrances and Exits – Michael Hidalgo

For so long one group has accused another group of being on a wide road and the group who is accused of being on the wide road accuses the accuser of missing the narrow road. It is used as threat and an accusation. However, Jesus does not seem to be telling anyone who is in and who is out he simply makes an observation about who will discover life. The question then becomes what is the life to which the narrow road leads? We will explore what the Jesus’ idea of “life” is.

June 15, 2008: Two Paths – Dave Meserve

Initially this seems as though we get to ask God for whatever it is our hearts desire. However, Jesus uses the metaphor of fathers and sons. Which, in this case, places the burden on the father, not on the son. It becomes the responsibility of the father to be the one who gives the bread and fish to his kids. A child does not come wondering if his Dad has it, he knows he does. As Jesus begins this teaching he uses terms that refer to the study of Torah - Ask, Seek, Knock. This refers to the way 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. 

June 8, 2008: Specks and Planks – Michael Hidalgo

This may be one of the most misquoted verses in the Gospels. It is great to “off” people who judge us by simply saying, “Don’t judge me, look at your faults you hypocrite!” This feels good and gives us a much-needed excuse to continue acting and behaving however we want. However, when we respond like this we are the ones being the hypocrites! There is an underlying theme from the sages that Jesus seems to be rubbing up against. The rabbis taught people to judge favorably. We who have planks in our eyes make excuses or rationalize our issues. What is we began to ask the question, “What is the reason that person has a speck in her eye?” What if we gave others to benefit of the doubt much like we give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. What if our clarity came by way of offering people a hand because we understand their world - what if we did not judge until we were where they are?

May 25, 2008: Generous Light – Michael Hidalgo

Mother Theresa said, "When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed." Many people often hear words such as these and are racked with guilt and despair. There is a depressing feeling as people begin to think "What have I done?" It seems however, that much of our non-generosity is rooted in blindness - or in unhealthy eyes. So often each day we walk around with money to spare, time to give, and left-overs in the refrigerator. What would happen if we began to think differently about all that we have? What would happen if we stopped feeling guilty about what we have and began to think about what we are unwilling to give away? How much more could we give if we gave out of our excess? 

May 18, 2008: This Is All Connected – Michael Hidalgo

Paul says that the life he now lives in the flesh we live by faith. He seems to recognize that we do live an earthly existence. This is no small thing. We are constantly thinking about the other world - the spiritual world - as we sit here in this physical one. We cannot live as though the physical does not influence the spiritual and vice versa. The two worlds are together and were never meant to be separated - we were created to be one. We will explore the world of spiritual disciplines seeking to understand better why physical disciplines inform our spirituality. 

May 4, 2008: I Am Very Much Like You – Michael Hidalgo

In dealing with forgiveness so often we are left to handle the grief that we have been given by the person who has hurt us, and offended us. However, in the prayer of Jesus we are called to recognize the pain that we have given him as well. “Forgive us … “ This declares that we have done something wrong. We have done something to hurt or to offend. We have caused pain. “… as we forgive” reminds us that what has been done to us is what we have done to the other. In this case, to God. How would we view forgiveness differently if we began to understand it as something we give and receive? How would view hurt differently if we realized it was something we have given and received?