Azure Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church

In Mark 9, we find a father who is desperate to get help for his son. He prays a prayer that we’ve all prayed, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Because our belief is imperfect we cry out for help. But that cry comes from a place of belief in our good and sovereign God. Faith starts by simply turning toward Jesus. Elder Keturah Reed will share the message, "Imperfect Faith."

In Mark 8, Jesus heals a blind man in Bethsaida. Though Jesus had touched Him once, his eyesight was not fully restored until Jesus touched him a second time. Mark 8 invites us to be dissatisfied with superficial discipleship, and to receive a deeper transformation through the uprooting of our long held assumptions, and by embracing the way of Jesus.

What good did it do for Jesus to walk on water? What good did it do to feed 5000 (or 10k+) people? Those amazing miracles didn’t seem to change anything in Jerusalem, or Rome, ...or Washington! Pastor Mike Leno continues the pastors’ sermon series on Mark with “Miracles and Misunderstandings.” This message probes the very human tendency to misunderstand Jesus’ message about his kingdom. Lest we think the Jewish leaders or even Jesus’ followers were the problem, let’s consider our own kingdom goals. What kind of Messiah are we looking for? Are we ready to follow? Or do we want to modify Jesus to match our expectations?

In Mark 7, we continue to follow the Miracles of God as Jesus encounters a man who is both deaf and mute. Imagine the man's confusion, consider his thoughts as friends ushered him over to a stranger, someone he'd never heard of...yet would change his life forever. In this text, we learn about what it means to be a community of miracles, and our response to the Gospel once we've witnessed one! Pastor Linda Biswas will share the message, "Is This Mic On?"

We humans too easily, too quickly find ourselves in situations so low we can’t get out; so overwhelming we are hopeless. Three stories in Mark 5 clearly demonstrate Jesus is more than able to overcome evil. Nothing is too hard for him. He is here to take us back to community. He will come to take us home. At our 9am and 11:45am worship services, Pastor Steve McHan will share a message titled "Leaving Points of No Return."

This week we celebrate the culmination of Vacation Bible School. Our theme this year is Scuba: Diving into Deep Friendship with God! Each day, the kids have focused on a different aspect of friendship with God. As we continue in our series on the book of Mark, we look at a story that takes place on the sea, and a time when Jesus’ disciples learned that their friendship with Jesus can bring them deep peace. Pastor Tara VinCross will share a message titled “Diving into Deep Peace."

Jesus was out of control! People thought it was great that he healed people and even cast out demons. But to many, he was reckless in the way he went about his work. He offended influential people. Even his family thought he was a little crazy at times. They decided that if Jesus was going to succeed, he would need some supervision before he blew it completely. Certainly he needed advice before rashly forgiving sins in front of the Pharisees, letting his disciples eat out on the Sabbath, or doing unnecessary healings on the Sabbath.   Pastor Mike Leno presents a challenging message titled, “Taking Charge of Jesus.” We will then celebrate communion as a sign that we follow the real Jesus, the one who died and rose again—and the one who loved the whole world, not just our little corner of it.

In Mark 2, Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man. In this encounter, we find that the power of friendship can carry us through trying times. We also learn that Jesus isn’t interested in a superficial healing that only affects the body, but a deep transformation that binds the fractured soul. Pastor Gabriel Morales will share the message, "Forgiveness and Healing."

Mark opens the gospel in the most moving way, with the words the beginning of the good news. In Jesus Christ, we orient ourselves to what is true and good. We hold space for beauty and safety, hope and love. Some days, some weeks, it’s a fight to stay rooted and connected to the goodness of God. As Gabor Mate, Hungarian-Canadian physician says, "Safety is not the absence of threat; it is the presence of connection.” Pastor Tara VinCross will share the message, The Beginning of the Good News.

Is there a secret for success in the Kingdom of God? Can you do something truly great for his kingdom? Can you, figuratively speaking, hit a home run for God’s team? James and John had an advantage, possibly a secret to success. They knew the Messiah, quite well, they thought. So they they figured they had an inside track to greatness. They were about to hit a home run. They would be the GOAT (greatest of all time)! Jesus seems to spoil their plans, however, when he tells them, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” What did Jesus mean by that? People who aspire to greatness don’t volunteer to be slaves. So, is it impossible to do something great for God? Perhaps, like the disciples, we need to find out what Jesus meant and what the kingdom of God is all about. Watch as Pastor Mike Leno presents a message entitled, “A Home Run for the Kingdom,” based on Matthew 20:25-28.

Diversity is a beautiful thing. But it is also hard. We need to understand why we celebrate it, because experiencing it can often lead to a fear of displacement. The whole book of Romans is about handling diversity (between Jew and Gentile, but also many other kinds of diversity). Romans 9-11 tackles the Jew/Gentile problem, climaxing in Chapter 12 (One Body, many parts) and Chapter 14-15 (Therefore don’t judge each other). Paul ends the book with greetings to (and from) a wide diversity of people in Chap 16. But before Paul plunges into all this, in chapter 8:14-39 (the focus of this week's sermon), he gives us four powerful reasons why nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. We may fear being displaced, disoriented or dislodged by incoming diversity and change—but Paul assures us that no matter what we cannot be dislodged from God’s heart.

What can we learn from a destitute widow, a mother who could no longer provide for her son? Her willingness to follow an outlandish request led to God's miracle of provision. 

We are God’s handiwork is what Ephesians 2 tells us. But what does that actually mean? Pastor George Tuyu will unpack what that means and so much more in his sermon entitled: “God Prepares, We Practice.”

What do I do now? Will I get through this? Perhaps you have recently asked yourself similar questions. When faced with life’s challenges and crises, it may feel as though you’re permanently besieged. Maybe you have the sense that you have run out of options; the walls are closing in and there does not seem to be an escape route in sight. Amid everything, God invites his beloved children to flourish in their faith experience. Join us as we journey through a biblical story of survival. May God reveal to his beloved that survival and salvation are available.   Dr. Janice De-Whyte is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at the School of Religion, Loma Linda University. She earned a Bachelor of Divinity from Newbold College (England), completed a Masters degree from the Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary (Andrews University, MI), and also holds a PhD in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible from McMaster University.

Living in the reality of the resurrection can be challenging. Thomas’ story teaches us that sometimes the most faithful disciples wrestle with unbelief, and that inner turmoil sticks around despite being surrounded by witnesses to the Risen Messiah. Nevertheless, Jesus meets us where we are and gives us exactly what we need to he restored; He gives us Himself!

Do you ever have a hard time talking about money? Of course, we all do at times. I suspect even Jesus had a hard time with that topic, depending on who his audience was. The poor loved it. The wealthy Pharisees, not so much! One of Jesus' most difficult parables has to do with money—the story of the unfaithful steward in Luke 16. It’s a parable that at first glance seems hard to decipher. But in the context of the Messiah’s message of love, compassion, and justice for everyone, it’s quite easy to understand. So did it help for Jesus to tell the story? The Pharisees sneered at him afterward, so we know that at least part of his audience was not impressed. But how do we react to Jesus’ teaching? We need to talk about that.