The Weekly Word from Burns

When God Stops Time (Joshua 9 & 10)
Can your God stop a raging river? Yes. Can he collapse a fortified city? Yes. Can he stop the sun and moon?
This week, we confront the most mind-bending miracle in the book of Joshua: the day God literally extended time to ensure Israel's victory. While the enemy kings believed in God's power from a distance, the Israelites themselves struggled to grasp the scale of his ability.
If you've ever let your own imagination limit your faith, this sermon is for you. We explore the terrible irony of "Christian atheism"—the subtle way we say we believe in a supernatural God while living as if his power is limited by physics or our problems. Discover why believing in the Resurrection means there's nothing left you can't imagine God doing.

The Fatal Flaw (Joshua 7)
How did the army that just toppled the mighty city of Jericho get routed by a tiny, forgotten town?
This week, we confront the stunning defeat at Ai. It wasn't about superior strategy or bigger numbers—it was about a single, hidden sin that had a catastrophic impact on the entire nation.
Dive into this crucial sermon as we explore the deadly concept of "breaking faith." Discover why a seemingly minor act of greed by one man ("Achan's sin") was called an "outrageous thing," and learn a difficult, yet vital, truth: your relationship with God never just affects you. This message challenges us to examine the foundation of our own lives and community before the next battle arrives.

The Step After the Step (Joshua 4 & 5)
You took the step of faith, the miracle happened, and you saw God move... Now what?
We all experience "mountaintop moments" with God, only to quickly descend back into forgetfulness and fear. This week, as Israel stands triumphant on the other side of the Jordan, we look past the miracle itself to discover the vital, often-missed second step: Celebration.
Join us as we explore how Joshua deliberately shifted his people from the anxiety of walking into a flooded river to the joy of setting up a monument—not for sadness, but for celebration. If your faith life feels too serious, discover the power of celebrating God's faithfulness to fuel your courage for whatever step comes next.

How do you conquer an intimidating, giant-patrolled Promised Land? You start by walking straight into a raging, flooded river.
In this powerful message, we dive into the incredible story of Israel crossing the Jordan—a journey that required them to take a physical step into the water before the miracle happened.
If you're waiting to "see before you believe," this sermon is for you. Learn why God often asks us to act on faith before he reveals the outcome, and discover three practical ways to find the strength and courage to take that scary, necessary first step into your own promise.

Before the Promise, there was the preparation. Moses is gone, the wilderness wandering is over, and an entire generation stands on the edge of the Promised Land. The baton is passed to Joshua, but how did this "assistant" get ready for the biggest leadership role of his life?
Dive into the first sermon of our "Stepping into Promise" series as we explore the surprising power of preparation and the urgent, time-sensitive job of "interning" the next generation—a task far more vital than just academics or athletics. The clock is ticking. What are we doing with our 940 weekends?

What Do Jars, a Rock, and a Trumpet Have in Common?
 
If you were facing an army, a giant, or a walled city, what weapons would you choose? A missile? A tank? A machine gun?
In this message, we dive into five crazy Biblical battles where God's people faced impossible odds armed with the most ridiculous weapons: jars, a rock, a farmer’s oxgoad, and even a pitch pipe!
Stop believing the lie that you're not strong enough, smart enough, or rich enough. These stories of Gideon, David, and Jehoshaphat prove that God consistently uses the unconventional and the inadequate to achieve spectacular victories.
Discover why your most challenging situation doesn't depend on what you have in your hand, but on Whose hand you're in. Learn to see the power of God unleashed through the things the world would dismiss as foolish.

The Aroma of Life 🌸👃
 
We've walked through Holy Week, experiencing the sorrow, service, and sacrifice. Today, we stand at the empty tomb!
Did you know the Bible is a smelly book? From the pleasing aroma of Noah's sacrifice to the holy incense God prescribed, smell is deeply connected to memory and emotion. But what does the Cross smell like?
It should smell like blood, sweat, and death. But because of Christ's Resurrection, that's not what we smell anymore!
In 2 Corinthians, Paul says, "We are the aroma of Christ... to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life."
Today, we witness a transformation, turning the musty wood of the cross into a fragrant symbol of hope and unfailing love. This is the Easter Message: When you encounter the moments of life that smell like death, the Resurrection means that life might be right around the corner.
Celebrate the Risen King with us! Come smell, remember, and find the aroma of life! 

It’s Good Friday—the pivotal moment of Holy Week. Today, we pause for a reflective "Sermon in Song" to sit with Jesus in His darkest hours.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was "sorrowful and troubled, even to death." His friends slept, and He begged His Father: "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."
👉 If you have ever been failed by a friend, begged God for another way, or felt such deep sorrow you thought you could die—Jesus knows exactly what you’ve been through.
On the Cross, amidst unimaginable pain, He demonstrated His greatest love: forgiving His insults and looking out for His mother. At His worst moment, He was at His most lovable.
This story is the reason we have church. It's the reason we love Him.
Take a moment, listen, and truly feel the depth of His sacrifice.

Today, we pause on Maundy Thursday to reflect on Jesus' most radical act of service: washing the feet of His disciples (John 13).
We often admire the symbol of foot washing, but Jesus' command was clear: "I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." We're called to do the reality, not just admire the symbol!
From a 3 AM feeding to picking up trash that isn't yours, humble service is what Jesus meant. It’s what you do when someone might whisper, "Isn't that beneath him?"
Join us to challenge the idea that service is for other people. As Jesus said, if you want to be like Him, you must be the servant.
Listen now and learn how we truly wash feet in the real world.

A Year’s Wages Wasted? Love vs. Logic at the Dinner Table.
It’s Holy Week Wednesday, and Jesus is at a dinner party in Bethany—a room packed with people who have literally been brought back from the brink of death: Simon the former leper, and Lazarus the man raised from the dead.
Amid this atmosphere of life-changing gratitude, Mary pours out a flask of extremely expensive ointment on Jesus' feet. It was a radical, costly act of reckless worship.
But right there in the room, someone snaps: "Why this waste?"
Today, we look at the incredible contrast between Mary's extravagant love and the cold, logical indignation of Judas (and the other disciples). This story forces us to face a difficult truth:
If you’re not the person falling down in reckless worship, are you the person most likely to betray Him?
Find out which category you fall into and why Jesus says: "He who is forgiven little, loves little."