Jesus Doesn’t Do It Right, Mark 2:18-22
Hi folks-
If you remember, this past Sunday we talked about how Jesus is joyful and so is his Kingdom. We often get this picture of God that He is an austere, overly serious, unhappy, and opposed to joy. Because we think God is all of these things we begin to think we must be these things as well. I have had multiple conversations with people through the years who think it’s actually inappropriate to get excited in church- to be loud, to jump around, to dance. I think in reality Heaven is going to be all of these things and more. We are going to celebrate for the rest of eternity.
Think of something you enjoy in life. I don’t know about you but I’ve often caught myself thinking- I enjoy this thing but I’m pretty sure God either feels nothing about the fact that I enjoy this thing or He actually is unhappy that I enjoy this thing. Maybe He thinks I enjoy it too much? But I would rarely think God is actually enjoying the fact that I’m enjoying this.
I used to go to the beach to play and ride waves. If you were to ask me if I thought God loved the fact that I enjoyed this I’d probably say that I didn’t think God felt one way or the other about it. But as the years have gone by I’ve begun to realize that God is a heavenly Father who loves His kids and loves to give good gifts to His children. Sure He disciplines us at times but He does this because He delights in us. I have begun to realize that my enjoyment of His creation is an opportunity to celebrate with Him. Hey, even God saw what He created and said: “It is good!”
Now one person might say: “What if what you are enjoying is sinful? God wouldn’t possibly enjoy that we are sinning would He?” I don’t think God enjoys us becoming enslaved to things. Certainly, He will call us away from things that are bad or enslave us. And that is where discipline comes in. But so often I’ve found myself thinking God may not even enjoy my laughter or the fact that I’m having fun. No, God only enjoys when we are beating ourselves up, denying ourselves something, reading our Bible and being super Christians doing spiritual disciplines.
We hear the phrase “spiritual disciplines” and it freaks us out because we can’t possibly imagine how the disciplines could be a joyful experience. The word “discipline” is such a heavy word. But even the disciplines can be acts of joy.
I think we need to add the word “delight” to the list of spiritual disciplines. What would it look like for us to intentionally delight in things and let our delight turn us towards God in gratitude and celebration? If you see a great sunset; delight in it, drink it in, and then proclaim with God that His creation is good. We get a great hug from our spouse, or kiss… delight in it! God made this to be a wonderful thing to us. Delight in it and thank God for it. We eat a great meal; delight in it, celebrate the great gifts God gives us in a simple meal.
Everyday there are reasons to be grateful and celebrate all around us. My invitation to you: Let’s delight and celebrate something every day this week. Your celebration can simply be to enjoy and then turn to God with a simple prayer of gratitude. Today I had a great lunch with a friend and during this lunch we spoke about real things close to our hearts. What a sweet time of discussion and being real with one another. I just sat back and enjoyed great food, good laughter, being vulnerable and thanked God for these moments because I think He was very much enjoying that conversation too.
The bible tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from our Father above. Let’s enjoy Him enjoying us this week!
Have a great week everyone!
Pastor Ryan
Jesus Has Authority to Forgive Sin, Mark 2:1-12
Hello SNC brothers and sisters!
For the second look this week let’s focus on a phrase from a verse within the story we looked at on Sunday.
Here is the phrase: “When Jesus saw their faith.”
This is a very interesting phrase that I didn’t have time to dig into during the sermon. What do you think about it? Take some time this week to sit with this phrase. How does it fit within the overall story? What do you notice from this phrase?
It’s amazing how God can so often speak to us from the bible with merely a simple phrase like this. I truly hope God will bless you this week as you consider these words.
Pastor Ryan!
Mary’s Song: A Mother’s Song of Hope and Joy
“He has shown thee, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee. But to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God” Micah 6:8
Think about the three things Micah lists here:
- To do justly.
- To love mercy.
- To walk humbly with God.
Take some time this week to consider what these three things are. Obviously one of our big points on Sunday was about walking in humility with God. What do these things mean to you; and how does it intersect with your life?
Have a great week everyone!
Pastor Ryan
Jesus the Compassionate
Hi friends,
This week I want to invite you to spend some time looking at a teaching on compassion and what it means to be a neighbor. Last Sunday we talked about what Kingdom Compassion (KC) looks like. Jesus teaches on this in Luke 10:25-37.
Here’s a question to consider while you read this: What ways is this man showing compassion to his neighbor? What makes it so difficult to show compassion in this way?
Enjoy this teaching and may God grant you his wondrous peace this week!
Pastor Ryan
Cultivate Contentment
Hi Everyone.
I’d like to ask you to reflect with me upon a passage this week. It’s a beautiful teaching of Christ, perhaps one of the most majestic of all that we have recorded. In this passage Jesus is teaching about contentment and the Kingdom of God. As you read, reflect upon what in this passage can help us to be content.
Have a great week everyone and may God grant you His glorious peace!
Here’s the passage: Matthew 6:19-34
Pastor Ryan
Choose Life
I remember reading that and finding it to be inspiring. From there, the idea of developing something called a “Next Step” group began to grow in my mind. What are the next steps we can take in life? How can we push further, deeper and so on.
This past Sunday we talked about making intentional choices to do life-giving things with our minds and lives. We looked at Paul’s instruction to think about noble, pure, excellent, true, praiseworthy and admirable things. Then I asked the question what it might look like to make intentional choices with our minds to think about these things. This week I want to invite you on an experiment.
Take some time this week to go one step further with your mind, to do something new. To try something that might develop your mind; deepen it; train it. Maybe it involves taking some time to read a book or article on some kind of spiritual topic. Maybe it’s choosing to listen to music this week that uplifts you and challenges you to think about wonderful things. Maybe you choose to watch a YouTube sermon or a podcast this week. There is a variety- but my invitation to you is to take some time this week to intentionally choose to do something enriching with your mind.
Give it a shot. If you need suggestions shoot me, or one of our Elders an email- we’d be happy to discuss them with you!
Ok have a great week everybody!
Next week is our last sermon in the Be@Peace series!
Pastor Ryan
Easter: Resurrected and Resurrecting
Hi SNC Brothers and Sisters!
We had a wonderful Easter Sunday!
Standing up front and hearing many voices singing behind me during worship was truly awesome! I don’t think I compliment you enough on your voices!
Below I’ve given you the link to watch the song on YouTube! It has the lyrics included with the video!!!
Have a great week living in absolute peace with God!
Pastor Ryan
The Key to Peace
SNC Brothers and sisters!
Welcome to this week’s second look.
I want to invite you to take time this week to simply sit and consider Romans 8.
During the sermon this weekend we discussed how God favors us.
I gave a bit of a roadmap of some of the major ways Paul lists that God favors us.
Here’s the roadmap:
Romans 8: The ways God favors us
– We Are No Longer Condemned-
– We Are Given the Holy Spirit to help resist sin
– We Are Made God’s children and heirs
– We Are Given The Holy Spirit who helps us endure
– God Has a great plan for us
– God is FOR US. We are always in His love-
Take time this week to read Romans 8 and consider these ways God favors you. Let these truths be at the forefront of your thinking this week!
It’s amazing how wonderfully joyous and freeing these truths can be. I hope you find them to bring you peace this week.
Pastor Ryan
Relax… He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands

1. On Sunday, DeRon said that “thanksgiving is a big key in God’s peace.” Take some time this week to think about some of the good things God has done in your life.
2. What do you think of the lighthouse picture DeRon brought, and the example that Jesus wants to be your lighthouse?