watershed: a community church

Last week we saw how Jesus is the new Moses ...he came to lead us out of the land of slavery and into a new kingdom where we are free to join God in his work in the world.

I believe that God is still leading people from the Egypt of sin and into a new life in his Kingdom. Christ calls us to follow him as he leads us out. Where is he leading you? What is he asking you to leave behind so that he can take you to freedom? Is it anger, control, debt, a bad habit, selfishness?

On Easter Sunday I invite you to bring something that represents where Christ is leading you from. We'll come together and celebrate the message of Easter - that the power of the resurrection breaks the bonds of sin and death and brings life. As you leave our gathering that day, you'll symbollically leave behind that place, and move out in new freedom.

Watershed is people. We're not an organization with it's own agenda, but a community of people seeking to faithfully follow Christ. At watershed, we value the contribution of every person connected to our church family. We seek to embody the belief that each person is a gift that brings to the whole unique perspectives and contributions that help the church to discern and be faithful to God's work in their midst. As each person pursues their God-given dreams and abilities, we become more of what God intends for us to be. We're better together.

Last Sunday we talked about L-team. As we move forward, it will be helpful to have a team of people within our community that

helps us discern the work of God among us and create a healthy environment for his work to flourish.

This group will include men and women from our church family, representing a diverse group of passions, gifting, and interests, and who demonstrate a growing faith in Christ.

For more info about L-team and the people who are part of it (including some fun pix), please see our Leadership page.

Jesus leads us out from perfection to grace.

This week's reading: Hosea 1-3

The Bible tells us the story of God...a god who wants to be with people and invites them to join in his work. As followers of Christ, we are seeking to understand this story and find our place in it.

While the Old Testament (OT) of the Bible often gets a bad rap, I'm convinced that the God of the OT is the same God we can know today, and that the people we read about in the OT face the same kinds of struggles and joys that we face today. The story of God and people in the OT has much to teach us about the way we live with God today.

Throughout the OT, and even in much of the New Testament, the story of the Exodus is the central story that provides meaning and identity for God's people. While they were slaves in Egypt, God heard the cry of his people and sent Moses to lead the people to freedom (Exodus 3:7-10). God restores their identity as his chosen nation (Exodus 19:3-6) and gives them a kingdom through which they are to maintain justice and righteousness (1 Kings 10:9). However, the people turn their hearts to other gods, and are exiled to a foreign land.

From this backdrop, Jesus enters the scene. God has heard the cry of his exiled people once again and has sent a new Moses...the ultimate deliverer. He has come to lead us to a new kingdom and to find our identity and mission in him. In Christ, we are lead out from the slavery of sin (and loneliness, perfection, control, greed, anger)...and into the freedom of forgiveness and eternal life.

This is the message of Easter. In the resurrection Christ breaks the bonds of sin and death to lead us out to freedom.

As we journey toward our Easter celebration this year, I invite you to consider where Christ is leading you out from, and where he is leading you toward. We'll spend time during each of our gatherings between now and Easter reflecting on how Christ saves us by leading us out...