"What is the meaning of life?"
"Why do I exist?"
"Why is there evil and suffering in the world?"
"What happens when I die?"
"Is there any hope to be had in this life?"
"Does anything really make sense?
"How do I know what is true and what is fake?"
"How can I actually be happy?"
"Why can't I seem to get anywhere in life?"
If you're human, there's a good chance you've wrestled with these big questions. You don't have to look hard or far to see that there's brokenness in the world around us. Unfortunately, pain and suffering are an unavoidable part of life, and good vibes just aren't enough to counteract it all.
And our world's story of how to fix things just doesn't seem to work. You've heard it before...
Yet, if you're honest, the so-called American Dream increasingly seems unreachable or unattainable. The story the world is telling you about how to find fulfillment, beauty, joy, and peace just doesn't make sense. And even if you do manage to "do everything right" according to that story, it doesn't lead to any sort of happiness that lasts very long. Good grades, the right college, a good job, a nice car, the right partner, the dream house, the perfect family...
None of it offers satisfaction.
It doesn't fill that void inside of you.
But there is a voice from the past that changed the world forever who says they have the answer. There is an ancient story that is different from the one you've been told and sold. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
Jesus taught that there IS order to the universe. That there is a different story than the one you've been told. A story where you were made intentionally, with a purpose, that can give you true meaning, hope, and joy despite the circumstances that you may find yourself in today.
We want to invite you to join us, as Hope embarks on a spiritual journey to explore that story, reading the Bible in 2025. We find this story in 66 separate books of the Bible, in 3 different languages, written over a span of at least 1,500 years, a story told by peasants and princes, doctors and fishermen, with poetry and prose, stories and sayings.
It's a story of Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. It's about Hope. The story of a brave prince who goes into enemy territory to rescue his bride. The story of a mighty king whose subjects rebel against him, but in his incredible kindness he chooses to win his subjects back, no matter the cost to himself. The story of men and women who were broken, imperfect, and often pretty terrible people, but who discovered a powerful and transformative love.
The story of the Bible offers compelling answers to all our questions about life, all our longings, it gives us the story that makes everything else make sense. It is the greatest story ever told. Where together, we'll discover that Jesus is on every page.
So join us! Let's experience this story together! You can find a link to our weekly readings here. You can listen to all the sermons in the series so far here. You can find a group that meets on Sunday mornings here to get together with regularly to explore the questions that this story raises. If Sunday mornings doesn't work, you can find other groups here. And you can join us any Sunday at 9am or 11:30am as we continue walking forward together through this story, finding Jesus with every step of the journey.