Luke 4:16-30

"Dear Friend of Grace, Some reactions are predictable, but still hurt. At first, the people of Nazareth — the town where I spent most of My..."

Do you ever get a glimpse of God behind the stories we hear everyday? Ron Rose reminds us that God stories are everywhere, but don't make the press because God's work can't be nailed down to a snippet, a spin, a sound byte, or a headline.

"When [Jesus] came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures....."

"When they heard [what Jesus said about Elijah's ministering to foreigners], the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed him and...."

"[Jesus continued,] "Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a...."

"Everyone spoke well of [Jesus] and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. "How can this be?" they asked. "Isn't this Joseph's son?"..."

"[Jesus, in the synagogue, reading from Isaiah:] "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to..."

Where can I find true freedom? Tom Norvell thinks about July 4th and reminds us that freedom is found in Jesus.

"None but Jesus can give deliverance to captives. Real liberty cometh from him only. It is a liberty righteously bestowed; for the Son, who is Heir of...."

How do they do it? I see them, am amazed by them, and want to be more like them. Tom Norvel sees the folks who face uphill challenges and yet keep on keeping on and is amazed and thanks them and affirms them and wants to be more like them.

Is there hope for these kids? A description of the Dry Bones minsistry and a hard night a kid died.

With all the crazy stuff going on, how am I supposed to know what to do? Tom Norvel reminds us as leaders that we are promised wisdom, we just need to pray for it and ask for it genuinely and in faith.

"Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and stories about him spread all through the area. He began to teach in their synagogues,...."

When sports fail to bring us together as one, then what will we do? Rubel Shelly reminds us of MLK, Martin Luther King, Jr., and how he taught us we were all equal in God's eyes and that Jesus was the answer to uniting us into one people under God.

What do all these events in Jesus' life have in common? Phil Ware continues his series on Luke 8 and 9 and this week he focuses on what each of these events has in common -- in each one, someone falls at the feet of Jesus.

We are Jesus' heart, hands, and feet. Let's remind each other that we should bless the broken, forgotten, left out, and needy. Phil Ware and Demetrius Collins lead us into worship through songs, Communion, and the Word God, inviting us to experience, proclaim and rejoice in the love of God for all people and to be stirred to share that love with others.

Take time to reboot and let God do the rest with you. Patrick Odum reminds us of the importance to rest, to have a Sabbath, to reboot.

How dark is it in your world? Phil Ware continues his series called Light on the Dark Side of the Mountain and reminds us that risky faith is rewarded.