Bible Text: 1 Samuel 18:1-5, 19:4-6, 20:40-42 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By
We’ve all seen the headlines: loneliness is on the rise; communities are fragmented; adult friendship is harder than ever. Most of us have felt those headlines personally and deeply. We know the pain of isolation and the unrequited desire for companionship. Many of us give up on friendships and pour ourselves into work and busyness instead. Is there a better way?
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 17 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By
Many of the problems we face are simply beyond us. I suppose this is the reason we love hero stories. It is also why we live in fear. We relate to the need to have someone who can fight our battles and rescue us from danger. But, unfortunately, in the real world such heroes do not exist. Even when we initially think we have found a savior, we are often left dissolution when they turn out to have clay feet. But the Bible tells us that God’s people don’t have to live in fear.
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 | Preacher: Joshua Burdette | Series: The Stories We Live By
We know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we do it all the time. At times, our first impressions are accurate, but often, they mislead us. God seems to like surprises. He often binds the best stories in dusty old books with tattered covers. Join us this Sunday as we look at the story of a surprise new king and his anointing.
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 8:4–7; 10:17–19, 22–24; 13:1, 13–14 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By
Some of us have the tendency to take credit for our successes while blaming circumstances for our failures. But if God is sovereign, we must see our best traits—even our hard work and determination—as gifts that are not earned but received. Join us this week as we learn from the story of a king named Saul the danger of entitlement and the reward of trusting God.
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 4:1-11 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By
Some people carry a rabbit’s foot for good luck; others call upon a favorite saint to give them fortune; others still suppose that a cross around their neck will ward off calamity. Yet the God of the Bible cannot be conjured or manipulated. How can we trust a God whom we cannot control?
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 2:12, 17, 22–35 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By
Abuse of power, hypocrisy, absence of leadership—these realities seem to mark our world. Sadly, tragically, they also describe the church. In such a situation it is easy to become cynical and hard to trust authority. And yet, it seems, that at a fundamental level people cannot exist without leadership. In these dark times of scandal and abuse, where do God’s people turn? How can they move forward in the face of so much corruption. This week we will see that these are the exact questions that 1 Samuel asks and answers.
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 3:1–10, 19–21 | Preacher: Joshua Burdette | Series: The Stories We Live By
2020 was an especially disorienting year. It was difficult to discern truth from error, reality from fiction, and where to be confident and where to show circumspection. The good news is that we are not the first or only people to experience this. When we open the book of 1 Samuel, Israel is in a very similar situation. This week we are reminded that even though we live in a world with varying shades of gray, God does not leave his people without a clear witness to the truth, and is faithful to provide his word, which is a light in the darkness.
Bible Text: 1 Samuel 1:2-28; 2:1-2 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: The Stories We Live By
It’s the new year and everyone is looking to the future. We’re all hoping this year will be better than the last. But what if God is able to redeem good things out of all the hardships and pain we suffer? What if he is able to use even our failures to achieve his purposes? Join us this Sunday as we begin a new series looking at the stories of 1st and 2nd Samuel and how God brings good things out of hopeless situations again and again and again.