Illuminate Community Church

1/18/26 - Amos: God’s Plumb Line - Pastor Jason Fritz

This Sunday, we’ll be diving into the writings of the prophet Amos, whose very name means “burden.” Amos was an ordinary man, a herdsman and gardener, and yet God called him to deliver a message to His people. He was not part of the religious establishment, nor did he have prophetic training, yet God used him to speak truth with authority. His life reminds us that God often works through ordinary people, and that our usefulness to Him is determined not by position or status, but by faithfulness, obedience, and willingness to carry His burden. Amos prophesied during a time of prosperity and stability in Israel, yet beneath the surface, injustice, exploitation, and moral corruption were rampant. He confronts the nation with their sin, showing how they had replaced God’s authority with their own. They had normalized oppression, idolatry, and exploitation. Amos exposes the heart of their rebellion: they decided for themselves what was right and wrong. Through his visions, God demonstrates both His patience and His judgment. When Amos intercedes after visions of locusts and fire, God relents. But the third vision, the plumb line, reveals the unchangeable standard of God’s truth. The plumb line measures Israel against God’s righteousness, showing that cultural approval, personal desire, or convenience cannot define what is right. The message for us today is just as urgent. Culture continues to reject God's plumb lines. Therefore, truth becomes relative, morality becomes personal, and alignment with God is optional. God does not adjust His standard to fit our preferences; He measures us against His Word. As Christians, we are called to honestly examine our lives, our choices, and our motivations, asking whether we are aligned with God’s truth or simply following the crowd. The plumb line is not a suggestion; it is a warning. Our calling is to live lives in alignment with God’s standard, to hate evil, love good, and establish justice, knowing that only by standing straight against the plumb line of God’s Word can we build a life that will endure.

1/11/26 - Jonah - When Mercy Offends - Pastor Jason Fritz

This Sunday, we’ll be spending our time in the small but powerful book of Joel. Though we know very little about the prophet himself, his message could not be timelier. Joel speaks to Judah in the middle of a national catastrophe, a locust invasion so severe that it collapses the economy, disrupts worship, and brings everyday life to a standstill. Rather than rushing to solutions, Joel presses a deeper question: Why is this happening? His conviction is that God often speaks through disruption, using moments we cannot ignore to reveal what we have been trusting in and what has been quietly shaping our hearts. As we walk through chapters 1 and 2, we’ll see how crisis exposes spiritual complacency. Comfort, Joel shows us, can be spiritually numbing. When life is stable, prayer becomes polite, worship becomes routine, and dependence on God becomes theoretical. But when everything is shaken, illusions of control fall away, and honest self-examination becomes possible. God’s call through Joel is not merely to feel bad or perform religious acts, but to return to Him with all our hearts. “Rend your hearts, not your garments,” God says. This is an invitation to genuine repentance rooted in humility and trust in His gracious and merciful character. We’ll also see that Joel’s message doesn’t end with judgment, but with restoration and hope. God responds to repentance with mercy, promising not only physical renewal but spiritual renewal through the outpouring of His Spirit, a promise Peter declares fulfilled at Pentecost in Acts 2. Joel then lifts our eyes to the coming Day of the Lord, when God’s justice and mercy will be fully revealed, and He will be a refuge for His people. My prayer is that this Sunday helps us see disruption differently, examine where comfort may have replaced dependence, practice quick and honest repentance, and learn what it truly means to live each day empowered by the Spirit of God.

1/4/26 - Joel - After the Shaking - Pastor Jason Fritz

This Sunday, we’ll be spending our time in the small but powerful book of Joel. Though we know very little about the prophet himself, his message could not be timelier. Joel speaks to Judah in the middle of a national catastrophe, a locust invasion so severe that it collapses the economy, disrupts worship, and brings everyday life to a standstill. Rather than rushing to solutions, Joel presses a deeper question: Why is this happening? His conviction is that God often speaks through disruption, using moments we cannot ignore to reveal what we have been trusting in and what has been quietly shaping our hearts. As we walk through chapters 1 and 2, we’ll see how crisis exposes spiritual complacency. Comfort, Joel shows us, can be spiritually numbing. When life is stable, prayer becomes polite, worship becomes routine, and dependence on God becomes theoretical. But when everything is shaken, illusions of control fall away, and honest self-examination becomes possible. God’s call through Joel is not merely to feel bad or perform religious acts, but to return to Him with all our hearts. “Rend your hearts, not your garments,” God says. This is an invitation to genuine repentance rooted in humility and trust in His gracious and merciful character. We’ll also see that Joel’s message doesn’t end with judgment, but with restoration and hope. God responds to repentance with mercy, promising not only physical renewal but spiritual renewal through the outpouring of His Spirit, a promise Peter declares fulfilled at Pentecost in Acts 2. Joel then lifts our eyes to the coming Day of the Lord, when God’s justice and mercy will be fully revealed, and He will be a refuge for His people. My prayer is that this Sunday helps us see disruption differently, examine where comfort may have replaced dependence, practice quick and honest repentance, and learn what it truly means to live each day empowered by the Spirit of God.

12/28/25 - Obadiah - Don’t Play God for the Fool - Pastor Jason Fritz

This Sunday, we’re kicking off an exciting new series on the Old Testament prophets. Many of us immediately think of prophets as those who predict the future, but in reality, God raised them up as truth-tellers. Their role was to speak into moments when His people were drifting spiritually, compromising morally, or trusting the wrong things. Over the next several weeks, we’ll explore individual prophets in the order they appeared, stepping into the ongoing conversation God has been having with His people for thousands of years. Each prophet challenges us with the same question: Will we listen, and will we respond? We’ll begin with Obadiah, the smallest book in the Old Testament, just one short chapter, but it has tremendous weight. Obadiah delivers God’s message to Edom, a nation descended from Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. When Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 586 BC, Edom not only failed to help but actively rejoiced in Israel’s suffering. God’s message through Obadiah exposes their pride, their betrayal, and the moral cost of standing aloof while others fall. I’m reminded of the haunting modern parallel in Johnny Cash’s song “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” which echoes the same warning: no one can escape God’s justice. But the prophecy is not only about judgment; it is also about justice and hope. God promises that, in the end, the kingdom will be His, and His people will be restored. This ancient message speaks powerfully into our culture today. How do we respond when others stumble - friends, neighbors, and especially people we disagree with? Do we rejoice in their misfortune, or do we act with compassion? Obadiah challenges us to place our trust not in our cleverness, alliances, or social standing, but in the sovereignty of God. In a world where social media encourages gloating and superiority, this is a timely reminder that true faith responds with mercy, not judgment, and seeks restoration rather than advantage. I hope you’ll read ahead as we dive into Obadiah’s piercing, yet hope-filled word and discover what it means to live faithfully in God’s sight.

12/21/25 - Advent Love - Pastor Jason Fritz

This week in our Advent series, we are reflecting on the love of God revealed in the gift of His Son. John 3:16 reminds us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God’s love is personal, sacrificial, and transformative. He gave what was most precious to Him so that one day we could be where He is. Therefore, the gift of Jesus is the most profound and useful gift we will ever receive. Jesus came to bridge the gap between God and humanity. He became flesh so that we could understand God’s heart. Romans 8:32 assures us that if God did not spare His Son, He will graciously provide for all our needs. God’s love is not only for us to receive but also for us to share, flowing through us to bless others and extend His kingdom. This Christmas, let's reflect on the love we have received and consider how we can share it with those around us. Where do you need to receive God’s love this season? Who needs to experience Christ’s love through you? Let’s conclude this Advent season with hearts ready to receive and hands prepared to share, living as a people transformed by the greatest love story ever told.