Mosaic Boston

As we continue our "Heroes" sermon series tomorrow, we'll be looking at the life and exploits of the epic mega-prophet Elijah. Everything Elijah did, he did big. He stands up to tyrants, stops rain for three years, ravens bring him food, resurrects people (NBD), and wins a showdown against the prophets of the idol Baal by calling fire from heaven. If that's not enough, he was an insane athlete! He ran seventeen miles faster than horses and chariots (#beastmode). His whole life, he was driven by one mission: to help indecisive people commit to the one True God. Tomorrow, we'll be focusing our attention on Elijah's showdown with the the false-god Baal. As Elijah gathers thousands of people together, he tells them in 1 Kings 18:21: "'How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.' And the people did not answer him a word." Ours is the most commitment-challenged culture in the existence of the world. Perhaps we don't worship Baal, but

A couple years ago, when we had just started the church, a first time visitor approached me after the worship service (back when we used to meet in the basement of the YMCA on Huntington Ave). That day I preached a sermon on God's law as given to Moses (the Mosaic law), which showed us our desperate need for Christ. The gentleman approached me with a quizzical expression and asked me: "Is this church actually a synagogue?" "No, we're a church," I responded, "why would you think we're a synagogue?" "Because you're called Mosaic... after Moses, right?" Since I'm preaching on the life of Moses, tomorrow, I think it makes sense to clarify that we're not called Mosaic after Moses (though Moses is integral to Scripture and the Gospel). We're called Mosaic after a literal "mosaic." We love the imagery conveyed through a mosaic and how it beautifully describes our human condition: we're all broken, fragmented, fractured people. However, when we come to Jesus, and accept His work on the cross in our place, God takes

Be sure to join us tomorrow as we continue a new sermon series looking at some of the greatest heroes of the Old Testament and showing how every single one of them needs the Ultimate Superhero. Tomorrow we'll be studying the epic story of Noah and see how Noah points to the greater-Noah, Jesus Christ.

I'm so excited to announce that this Sunday, we're launching a brand new sermon series, called "Heroes." We live in a culture intrigued (obsessed?) with superheroes. Hollywood has released at least 40 mega-budget movies in the last decade, most of which have been huge money-makers. What's the deal? We love superpowers and the supernatural. We love seeing good prevail in the battle against evil. We love having a reason for hope in the face of adversity. We love immortality and sacrificial love. We love adventure and risk. We love seeing the powerful hero save the powerless victim and make all things right with the world. As C.S. Lewis said, the classic myths point people to the ultimate, truth Myth. Superhero stories, wrote J.R.R. Tolkien, are the best way-- and sometimes the only way-- of conveying truths that would otherwise remain inexpressible. Myths may be misguided, Tolkien said, but they steer however shakily toward the true harbor. The superhero stories of our day reveal perennial human longings for

We've had a wonderful journey through the book of James. I don't know about you, but I've been challenged week in and week out to truly put my faith to work. As we finish up the book of James tomorrow, Jesus' younger brother reminds us about the power of prayer. James' big idea comes out in chapter 5, verse 16 where he reminds us that prayer is powerful, but the prayer of a righteous person is especially powerful: "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." How's your prayer life? Would you characterize it as having "great power as it is working?" Be sure to join us tomorrow as we learn how to cultivate a powerful personal prayer life.

It's easy to love and thank God when everything is going well in your life. This was precisely Satan's point concerning Job when he tells God: "Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land." So the Lord allows Satan to storm-test Job's faith. After Job loses everything, his faith gives him the strength to say: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

How does your faith impact your views on money? How do you view and treat those whom you deem "wealthier" than you are? How do you view and treat those who may not be as wealthy as you? Scripture teaches that nothing more clearly reveals the state of your heart than your view of money and material possessions. Do you worship money, or do you worship with your money? Do you love money and use people, or do you love people and use money to bless them? Be sure to join us tomorrow as we worship together and study James 5:1-6, where James teaches us the importance of viewing money from an eternal perspective.

s we set goals and make plans for 2015, we tend to remind ourselves of what's most significant in our lives. In the hustle and bustle of the daily routine and life under the tyranny of the immediate, it's so easy to lose sight of what's truly most important. As we continue our study through the book of James tomorrow, we are faced with several questions: Where is God in your planning process? Does God have any say in your goals? Have you asked God what he thinks of your plans? Do you tend to take tomorrow for granted? What do you know you need to do, but you keep putting it off? Be sure to join us tomorrow as we worship together and study James 4:13-17, where James reminds us to seek the will of God for our lives.

Words are immensely important and infinitely powerful! Most of us underestimate the power of words. "Death and life and in the power of the tongue," Proverbs tells us. Jesus said that we will give an account for every careless word we speak. James tells us that "if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man." Have you considered the power of words? Why do words have so much power? How do we harness that power and use it for good? What can we do to make sure we don't cause destruction to ourselves, or to the people around us with our words? How can we use our words to release the power of life and curb the power of death?

Did you know that over 2.1 billion people in the world would call themselves Christians? On the one hand, this is really encouraging! On the other hand, how many of these people have a real, saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Imagine how different our world would be if they did! Our culture craves authenticity. We don't like posers. We don't like posturing. We don't like pretending. Be you. Be real. Be genuine. In a world of photoshop and plastic surgery, meeting a real person is a breath of fresh air. This is especially true with Christianity. In James 2:14-26, James wants to point out what real faith isn't: it's not just what you say, think, feel. It's not even just what what you believe. Real faith always leads to life, and life always reveals itself in action--because we really only do what we really believe.