Beltway Weekend Services (audio)

This week we looked at anger in a new way. Instead of asking, "How do I get rid of anger?" we asked, "What do I do with it?" Jesus Himself felt anger, but He never sinned. That shows us anger is not the problem; how we respond to it is. The Bible tells us to “be angry and do not sin,” which means anger can be used for good when it is shaped by God. But when anger is selfish, it often leads us to hurt others, either by what we say or by how we withdraw. God doesn’t want us to ignore our anger, but to let Him transform it so it leads to love, truth, and healing instead of damage.

This week we learned something that may surprise us...God feels. He is not distant, cold, or emotionless. Scripture shows us a God who delights, grieves, loves, and even feels anger. Because we are made in His image, our emotions are not a flaw, they are part of how we were designed. However, our emotions are not meant to control us. Instead, God invites us to let Him shape and guide what we feel. As we grow in Jesus, our emotions are not suppressed, but transformed. When we understand God’s heart, we begin to understand our own and learn how to live with both truth and healthy emotion.

Easter reminds us that the story didn’t end at the cross. It continued with an empty tomb. For the early followers of Jesus, everything felt lost. Hope seemed gone, and they were left wondering, Is this it? But then Jesus rose from the dead, proving that God’s power is greater than sin, fear, and even death. The resurrection isn’t just something we believe, it’s something that changes how we live! Because Jesus is alive, we don’t have to stay stuck. What feels final in our lives isn’t final. Through Him, new life is possible today.

Peter's story reminds us that failure is something we all face, but it doesn't have to define us. Peter loved Jesus deeply, yet in a moment of fear, he denied even knowing Him. Still, Jesus didn’t walk away from Peter. Instead, He pursued him, restored him, and called him back into purpose. The same is true for us. We may fail, feel shame, or want to hide but Jesus meets us with grace. Failure isn’t the end of the story. Through Jesus, we are forgiven, restored, and invited to step back into the life He has for us.

We are blessed to welcome our friend Beth Guckenberger to Beltway Park. Beth is Co-Executive Director for Back2Back Ministries, which is an international Christian non-profit dedicated to meeting the spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, and social needs of vulnerable children and families around the world. They serve the US, Mexico, India, Nigeria, Haiti and Dominican Republic. Beth is an author of many books including adult and children’s titles, and she travels and speaks worldwide sharing stories from her vast field experience as a missionary, Bible teacher and parent.

In Mark 14 we meet Mary of Bethany, a women who clearly understood something many other missed. Just days before Jesus went to the cross, Mary poured out a jar of expensive perfume on Him worth about a year's wages. To many people in the room, it looked wasteful and extravagant. But Jesus defended her and called it a beautiful act. Mary seemed to understand that Jesus was about to give His life, and her response was worship. She gave something costly to show how much she loved and valued Him. Her story reminds us that when we truly grasp what Jesus has done for us, worship becomes more than words or songs; it becomes the way we live our lives. Loving Jesus deeply will sometimes seem extravagant to others, but when we see His worth clearly, nothing we give Him feels wasted.

The story of Lazarus in John 11 reminds us that Jesus has power over death and brokenness. Lazarus had been dead for four days when Jesus called him out of the tomb. This miracle points forward to Easter and shows us something important about the life Jesus offers. Jesus doesn’t just give life for eternity; He invites us to live in freedom now! Lazarus came out of the grave alive, but he was still wrapped in grave clothes and still bound. In the same way, many believers have received new life in Christ but still live bound by shame, fear, old habits, or bitterness. Jesus calls us out of the grave and then invites us to walk in freedom together with the help of others. Resurrection life isn’t just something we believe in, it’s something we live.

John the Baptist was a regular person with a clear purpose: point people to Jesus. In a dark and broken world, he didn’t try to blend in, rather he lived boldly so others could see the light of Christ. His life reminds us that following Jesus isn’t just about what we believe, but how we live. God calls each of us to live in a way that helps others see Jesus through our words, actions, and everyday choices. When we live with a surrendered identity, visible devotion, and as a faithful witness, we help others find the life and hope only He can give.

God's faithfulness is not just something He shows in moments, it is part of who He is. This week's message reminds us that God keeps His promises across generations, even when the circumstances are complicated or confusing. In Romans 11, we see that God has not abandoned Israel. Instead, He is still working through the Jewish people to bring blessing and “greater riches” to the world. God’s covenant with Israel is everlasting, and His faithfulness to them gives us confidence that He will also be faithful to us. When we trust God’s character and anchor ourselves in His Word, we can live with hope, humility, and compassion in a divided world.

Life has seasons where we clearly see God move, and seasons where we wonder what He is doing. This week’s message reminds us that God’s faithfulness does not change based on our feelings, timing, or understanding. In Joshua 21, we see God fulfill a promise He made over 600 years earlier. Not one word failed. That means God keeps His promises, even when it takes longer than we expected. When we remember what God has done, it builds faith for what He will do next. Remembering God’s faithfulness helps us stay hopeful, steady, and expectant for the future.

Life often feels uncertain and overwhelming. Anxiety can rise when we feel like we don’t know what’s coming next or how things will work out. This week’s message reminds us of a powerful truth: God knows, and we can trust Him. Psalm 139 shows us that God doesn’t just know facts about the world; He knows us. He knows our thoughts, our words, our future, and even the things we don’t understand about ourselves. God’s all-knowing nature isn’t meant to scare us, it’s meant to steady us. When we trust an all-knowing God, we don’t have to pretend, hide, or live in fear. We can rest, knowing our lives are held by a wise and loving Father.

Life can feel like it's spinning…overwhelming, confusing, and hard to stay steady. In Revelation 5, God gives John a vision to help believers stop living disoriented and afraid. John sees a throne (God is still in control), a sealed scroll (the world is broken and needs to be redeemed), and then the answer: Jesus. He is the Lion of Judah (strong, victorious, powerful) and also the Lamb who was slain (humble, sacrificial, full of mercy). Jesus is not just gentle. He conquers! And He is not just strong. He saves! When we fix our eyes on Him, we can stand firm even when life feels chaotic.

This week we see God not only as Savior and Helper, but as King of Kings, the One with the highest authority and the final word. In Revelation 19, Jesus is pictured as a victorious King who rules with power, truth, and justice. When life feels confusing, unfair, or out of control, it’s easy to question God’s leadership. But the message is clear: Submitting to the King of Kings doesn’t trap us, it frees us! Salvation is the door, surrender is the posture, and freedom is the fruit.

When we think about God, the first word many people choose is “love.” And God is love. But the Bible’s most repeated description of God is holy; so holy that heaven declares, “Holy, holy, holy” (Revelation 4:8). Holy means set apart, totally different, like no one else. God is not just a better version of us, He is in a category all His own. That changes how we worship, how we live, and how we see ourselves. If God is holy, then following Him will sometimes make us feel “different” in this world (1 Peter 2:11). But that “set apart” life isn’t meant to be strange for the sake of strange. It’s meant to be free, good, and full of Jesus.

This week we reflect on the church’s major achievements throughout 2025, including significant charitable contributions and the expansion of international ministry partnerships. Pastor Geoffrey Turner emphasizes that these successes were made possible by intentional stewardship, prompting a broader discussion on the value of time management. Using the Book of Ephesians as a guide, Geoffrey warns against modern distractions like technology and media that lead to a life on autopilot. He argues that because time is a sacred and limited gift from God, believers must actively choose wisdom over folly. The message ultimately challenges the congregation to evaluate their daily routines as a reflection of their spiritual priorities heading into the new year.

We often ask, “What am I made of?” focusing on our strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. But a deeper and more freeing question is, “What am I made for?” Scripture shows us that we were not created to be the main character of our story, but to reflect the glory of God. Like a mirror, our power isn’t found in shining on our own, but in being positioned to reflect Him clearly. God regularly works through ordinary, unnamed, obedient people to accomplish extraordinary things. You were made for more than just yourself. You were made to reflect Jesus to others!

Pastor Geoffrey addresses the struggle of unmet expectations, illustrating how our disappointments can be an open door to something better through God's perfect provision. He shares personal anecdotes about a plumbing crisis in his 1926 home and an unexpected financial gift from an elder to demonstrate that God provides even when it looks different than we planned. By examining the 80-mile journey of Mary and Joseph and the announcement of the Savior to ordinary shepherds, the message emphasizes that Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide) is present from the "manger of Bethlehem" to the "shadow of the cross," offering the greatest gift of salvation to all people. Like a master weaver creating a beautiful tapestry from seemingly tangled threads, God’s ways are higher than ours, ensuring that even when we feel we’ve "opened the wrong box," His provision remains good and perfectly timed.

Christmas is not only about what Jesus did for us by coming to earth - it's also about what He wants to do through us. God often chooses ordinary, unknown people to carry His extraordinary message. Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, and even the shepherds were not famous or powerful, yet God used them to prepare the way for Jesus and to share His light with others (Luke 1:76–79). In the same way, every follower of Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit and called to help others see Jesus. We don’t have to be Bible experts or have big platforms. We simply love, pray, invite, and share what Jesus has done in us. Christmas reminds us: it’s not just “Jesus for me,” it’s also “Jesus through me.”

God’s timing often feels confusing to us, especially when we are waiting on something important like healing, a job, a relationship, or a breakthrough. We live in an instant world, but the Christmas story reminds us that God is never rushed and never late. Jesus came “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4), at the exact right moment in history, in the exact place God had planned, fulfilling promises that were hundreds of years old. From Caesar’s census to a “no vacancy” sign in Bethlehem, every detail showed that God’s timing is purposeful and powerful. The same God who perfectly arranged the coming of Jesus is still writing our stories today. Our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:14–15), and we can trust that His timing is always good, even when it isn’t easy or fast.

Thanksgiving reminds us that followers of Jesus are called to live with joy, peace, and hope, but many of us struggle to do that. One big reason is that we treat complaining like it's no big deal. Scripture says otherwise. Paul tells us to "do everything without complaining or arguing" (Philippians 2:14), because grumbling slowly steals our hope, feeds a victim mindset, and dims our witness to the world. When we replace complaint with rejoicing and thanksgiving, we remember who our Father is, what He has done, and that our future is secure in His hands (Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11). The Spirit of Thanksgiving is not pretending life is easy; it is choosing to see God’s faithfulness even in hard things, and letting gratitude reshape our thoughts, words, and attitudes.