In our fast-paced world, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and stretched thin. We often find ourselves juggling countless responsibilities, chasing after goals, and trying to meet the expectations of others. But what if there was a way to find true strength and peace amidst the chaos? The answer lies in a simple yet profound truth: When we arrange our lives around God's priorities and His ways, we are strengthened.

Welcome to this Sabbath Sunday experience. The concept of Sabbath is more than just a day off; it's a holy invitation to stop, rest, and delight in God's presence. In our fast-paced world, the practice of Sabbath offers a counter-cultural rhythm that can reset our priorities and deepen our relationship with Christ. Today, we invite you to join your church family as we step away from the hustle of daily life and enter into a sacred space of rest, reflection, and renewal. 

Living fully and dying empty isn't about grand gestures or momentous achievements. It is about making steady progress each day on the things that truly matter. It is recognizing that you have a unique contribution to make to the world - one that only you can fulfill. Your days are numbered, and with each passing moment, you have an opportunity to plant seeds for tomorrow in the soil of today's decisions.

How do we leverage these heavy things? It starts with our response. Will we let disappointment have the final word, or will we choose to see it as an invitation to deeper intimacy with God? Will we allow our weaknesses to define us, or will we let them be the very places where God's power is displayed? The beautiful thing is, when we bring our honest struggles to God, something shifts. Our circumstances may not change immediately, but we do. We begin to see our difficulties not as obstacles to avoid, but as opportunities for growth and transformation.

In Jesus' time, it was a preservative, a purifier, and a flavor enhancer. When Jesus calls us the "salt of the earth," He is saying we have the power to preserve what is good, purify what is corrupt, and bring out the best in the world around us. But here's the kicker: salt is only effective when it is in contact with what it is meant to season. You can't influence from a distance.

The way to find "your thing" is by first doing "a thing." Start somewhere. Lean in. God is far less concerned about the specifics of what you are doing than He is about your authenticity, availability, and willingness to be used by Him. Think about the things that make your heart come alive. What are your gifts, talents, and passions? How could you use them to advance God's Kingdom rather than just your own agenda? This isn't about adding more to your already busy life. It is about taking what you are already doing and offering it to God, making it available for Him to use.

Leverage isn't about effort or hustle or making things happen through sheer force of will. Leverage is about posture - the posture of being fully present and offering ourselves as living sacrifices, ready and available for whatever God wants to do through us.

When we avail ourselves to serving inside the church, something profound happens. Our imagination awakens to how our actual lived life can be rooted in an others-focused love. Serving stretches us by taking us out of our comfort zones and disrupting our familiar routines, bringing us face-to-face with needs that aren't our own. In the process, God begins teaching us and revealing the depth of His sacrificial, generous character. The more we sacrificially give of ourselves, the more our hearts slowly become shaped into His image of radical love.

When you decide to start serving at Port City, you're not just taking on a volunteer role. You're embarking on a transformative journey - a journey of grace. On this journey, every misstep is simply a learning opportunity in disguise. Think about it. The disciples were the first to walk this journey of grace with Jesus. He chose them not because they were the best and brightest, but for their hunger and willingness to be shaped. They were rough around the edges for sure - fishermen, tax collectors, zealots. But Jesus didn't expect perfection from them. He just expected their wholehearted participation in the process.

We all struggle with making excuses at times, don't we? Excuses for avoiding things that are good for us, like exercising. Or excuses for overlooking important responsibilities like calling a loved one on their birthday. Nowhere do the excuses seem to come more easily than when it comes to serving at church. "I don't really have any talents to offer." "They've got it covered without me." "My schedule is just too crazy right now." These thoughts have likely run through all of our minds at one point or another. And while they seem perfectly reasonable in the moment, they don't hold up under scrutiny.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by life's challenges and complexities, but the beauty of being part of a community lies in the collective power we possess when we unite our hearts and hands. The mission of reaching people and helping them walk with God is not a solitary endeavor but a shared responsibility that requires the efforts of the entire body of Christ.

In a world obsessed with status and self-promotion, Jesus redefines greatness as servanthood and giving your life away. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds swarmed him - the famous rabbi and miracle worker. People wanted a piece of him, to be seen with him, to bask in his presence. But Jesus saw right through all the celebrity hype. His life was never about being served, but about serving others.

Imagine a big dinner table with lots of chairs and all kinds of delicious food. People laugh and catch up. As conversations break out in the background, the smell of the food makes you want to come and join. This is what true community should look like - a place where everyone is welcome, where there's always room for more, and where all people are celebrated and embraced, no matter their differences. In a world that often separates and divides people, we are called to create spaces where love, understanding, and grace can grow.

Jesus unveiled the mark by which his followers would be known - a radical, sacrificial love for one another. It would not be their knowledge, their morality, or their works that would set them apart. No, they would be identified by their genuine, others-oriented care and compassion. This is the way of Jesus. Love is not merely an emotion or feeling. It is an action - a willingness to give ourselves away for the good of another. When we love, we put the needs of others before our own. We consider their perspective, feel their hurts, and look for ways to tangibly support them, even at great personal cost.

Our shared identity as a community comes with a profound responsibility to care for, uplift, and support one another. Christ-centered community is where God’s love is exchanged, experienced, and expressed. This new type of community demands intentional nurturing and cultivation. Our actions, or inactions, have consequences that extend beyond ourselves, impacting the fabric of our community and even beyond its boundaries.

God's love through Christ is the great equalizer. It reminds each of us that we are all broken people in need of a Savior. This is our common humanity underneath all the external things that tend to divide us. And because of God's love, we can strip off pretenses and insecurities. We don't have to posture or impress. We can simply belong and find freedom to become who we were created to be.

Jesus calls us not just to Himself, but to each other. In our divided world, that is pretty revolutionary if you think about it. God wants us moving toward others, growing in love, and reflecting His image together. As parts of Christ's body, we reflect the integrity of His image and influence of His love. The church is designed by God to be the conduit through which His love is experienced and expressed among us. It's in that community that we find our common identity and foundation for how we relate to one another.

Close your eyes and picture someone running a marathon. What do you see? Is it just one person out there on the course by themselves? Or do you envision a mass of runners, spectators cheering them on, and even pace teams to help them maintain their speed? Walking with Christ is a lot like running a marathon. It's grueling, it takes endurance, and it's almost impossible to do it all alone. We need encouragement, accountability, and support from fellow believers to keep putting one foot in front of the other on the path of faith.

Nothing beats biting into a perfectly ripe peach or strawberry on a scorching summer day. A sweet burst of flavor cools you from the inside out. Savoring fruit at its peak is one of life's simple pleasures - a reminder that the best things come from what's been patiently nurtured. The fruit we enjoy is an outward expression of what was happening unseen down in the roots and soil.

Have you ever stopped to think that God is present in every single aspect of our lives? From the major decisions that alter the course of our journey, to the little mundane routines of each day - it all holds significance in His Kingdom. When we take a moment to pay closer attention, we realize that living out our faith isn't confined to these grand, dramatic gestures. It's about a thousand tiny choices and actions - how we treat our neighbors, the patience we muster, the kindness we extend. We all struggle with our faith journey at times and need support in remaining faithful. We've been rescued by grace, and now we're learning how to live this new life with God.