Mark’s gospel tells of two significant things that happened at the moment of Jesus’ death: the tearing of the veil in the temple from top to bottom, and the declaration of the Roman Centurion. Pastor Ryan tells how these relate to the two previous significant revelations of God in this gospel, and outlines their significance for us.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is the second moment in Mark where we see God revealed in a significant way in Jesus. Pastor Ryan talks about what we can learn from this story.
Mark’s gospel begins with John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. Nothing is said about Jesus before this. So when God’s voice sounds and says that he is please with Jesus, what is he referring to? And what does this reveal to us about God?
“God Revealed in Mark: Jesus’ Baptism” by Pastor Ryan Emmons
Guest preacher Jared LaCoste reminds us that Jesus said we are the light of the world! Light is not just something God gives; God IS light. Jesus IS the light of the world. If we focus on His light, darkness has no authority over us. We are to reflect the light, but we can only do this if we stay close to it.
Light is Christ’s mission, and it is our calling as Christians to shine that light in the darkness. People are looking for hope, and if we are present in their world, where they are, in whatever darkness is around them, we can offer that hope. The fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control) are becoming less common in our world, and if we are full of this fruit in dark circumstances, people will notice it and wonder where it is from. Darkness has a purpose in the world. Without darkness, there is no need for light.
Even when we are focused on the light of Jesus, we are still required to walk by faith. God does not reveal the whole future to us – and that is probably a good thing. We only need to take the next step, knowing that He is the lamp for our feet and the light on our path.
We must remember that the light is not given to us so we can hold onto it and bask in it by ourselves. Jesus said to “go” and we are to do that. We are to come to church, receive light, and then take it out with us and carry it into our various communities. We can’t see the end of our efforts, but we trust that God is leading us into the right place. Pray that our light will grow, that we will stoke the flame so it can be seen, and that God will lead us to the people who are longing for the light.
Guest preacher Randy Chase takes us through the story of the woman who was healed by touching the hem of Jesus’ robe in the midst of a crowd, and reminds us that we can also come to Jesus in faith when we are exhausted by life.
In spring and early summer of 2026, Pastor Ryan preached a sermon series based on what he teaches baptismal candidates about life as a Christian in the church.
Pastor Ryan reminds us that as Christians, our identity is in Christ, not in our accomplishments and that we ultimately belong to God, not to ourselves. These principles are our foundation for knowing how to live our lives.
“Guiding Principles for Christian Living” by Pastor Ryan Emmons
