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The last of the capital sins we are dealing with is sloth. Which seems kind of strange when you think about how ‘crazy busy’ everyone seems to be. Wouldn’t it be nice to be lazy for a while? Being busy has been elevated to a virtue and we are judged or valued for our performance in the culture around us. But maybe then sloth is not about taking a break from work and being busy. Maybe there is a deeper issue with sloth that strikes at the heart of why we are busy and what we are busy with. Let’s explore this on Sunday and see what God wants to speak through His Word. See you Sunday!

The ‘cult of celebrity’ has always been with us. It’s not a new phenomenon to ‘follow’ the lives and work of those famous people around us and we’re not immune from this in the Church either. What is new is how social media has brought this into our hands and minds every second of the day. Social media influencers are telling us where to eat, what to buy, how to look and so on. Do we ‘follow’ these folks because we are envious of the lives they appear to lead? How far will our envy take us? What will we sacrifice to be like other people? Or, do we really want to find true identity and security which will last for an eternity? As we take up our look at the seven capital sins, sins which are the head of a host of other evils, we turn our attention to the destructive power of envy but also to its remedy in Jesus Christ. See you Sunday!

Amanda Marshal once sang “love makes you stupid.” In the case of human love, the rush of intoxicating endorphins better known as infatuation, this can certainly be true. We do crazy things sometimes in the name of love. But this isn’t really love, not the way God describes love. There is nothing irrational or reckless about God’s love. His heart for His people, His desire for justice to be satisfied in order to open the door to relationship with Him, these are what drives God’s love. God’s love promises and opens up the riches of eternity to His people. Mary can sing the “The Mighty One has done great things for me” because her humble state in life was the perfect channel for God’s riches to be poured out. See you Sunday as we celebrate the richness of God’s love.

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary partially defines joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” So, in this season it would stand to reason that people are happier, more joyful, because they know that gifts are coming, gifts they have been hoping for a long time. But what about after Christmas? What about before Christmas in a season in which stress runs high because of expectations and sorrow over loved ones lost, and more? Where do we find joy then? And what kind of joy should we be looking for? The Bible holds out a different definition of joy. God does want His people to be happy but for different reasons than the prospect of getting more stuff. Is your interest piqued at having a joy which runs deeper than shiny wrapping paper? Let’s find out this Sunday.

Peace. It’s what we all want at the end of a chaotic day. Just to sit back, enjoy the silence and try to find some balance once again. The problem? This peace is completely external and dependant on external circumstances. How can we be at peace when there is chaos around us? How can I have the kind of peace described in the Bible? The peace that goes beyond understanding. Advent is a season of ‘expectant waiting.’ We know that something is coming, Someone has come and is coming again, but there are things to ‘do’ while we expectantly wait. As we prepare for Christ, one thing we do is refocus on the peace He brings. See you Sunday!