March 23, 2026
God’s Heart for the Stranger
This talk explores the Imago Dei as a profound mystery, emphasizing that every person reflects something of the divine, especially those who are different from us such as immigrants, refugees, and strangers. Ryan challenges the tendency to define God and the image of God too narrowly, arguing that fear, political rhetoric, and dehumanizing language distort this truth. Drawing from personal travel experiences and the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 25, he highlights that how we treat others—particularly the most vulnerable—reveals what we truly believe about God. The message calls for a shift from fear to curiosity, from exclusion to dignity, inviting us to see the stranger not as a threat but as an opportunity to encounter the divine.