Jude 20–25 lays out a steady path for worn-down believers built around three directions: inward, outward, and upward. Inwardly, it calls believers to take responsibility for their faith by building…
Solomon’s experiment in Ecclesiastes 2 explores whether meaning can be found in life lived “under the sun,” apart from God. He pursues every human avenue of fulfillment: pleasure, wine, massive…
Ecclesiastes looks at life “under the sun” and notices how repetitive it feels. Generations come and go, work never really stays finished, and even our greatest accomplishments eventually fade. The…
Prayer is the believer’s primary weapon and constant lifeline, not a last resort but a first response. It reveals real faith in moments of pressure and should become second nature…
The sword of the Spirit shows that the Word and the Spirit work as one. The Spirit authored Scripture and uses it to guide, correct, and protect us, so any…
Ephesians 6 teaches that the helmet of salvation protects the mind, where fear, temptation, and lies begin. Salvation isn’t just a past decision but a daily reality that reshapes how…
Life has a way of knocking us off balance. Stress, worry, and pressure don’t just affect us emotionally and mentally, they shake us spiritually. God gives us two steady “bookends”…
We must be sober and ready, clothed in the armor of God. And today, we heard about the shoes—“the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:14-18). Peace—what…
We must be sober and ready, clothed in the armor of God. And today, we heard about the shoes—“the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:14-18). Peace—what…
Today’s sermon focused on Ephesians 6:10-11, where Paul exhorts believers to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” The message began with the stark reality…
In this sermon, we explored the metaphor of marriage as a garden, focusing on the "weeds" that can choke out the health and fruitfulness of our relationships. Drawing from Ephesians…
In this sermon, we continued our marriage series using the metaphor of a garden to explore the unique design and roles of husbands and wives. Drawing from Ephesians 5:22-24, we…
Today’s sermon explored Paul’s call in Ephesians 5:8-14 to “walk as children of light.” Using vivid comparisons between darkness and light, the message unpacked what it means to move from…
In this sermon on Ephesians 4:25-32, we explored what it means to live out the radical transformation that comes from following Jesus. Using the metaphor of changing our wardrobe, we…
In this sermon, we explored Paul’s use of exaggerated contrast in Ephesians 4:17-24 to highlight the difference between the old life without Christ and the new life in Him. Using…
SUMMARY: In this sermon, we explored Ephesians 4:12-16 and the central theme of maturity within the church. We began by asking why unity, diversity, and theology matter, and discovered that…
In chapter three, Paul the author, pauses to give a snapshot of his life and current conditions to his readers. In this text we get a window into the mind…
In chapter three, Paul the author, pauses to give a snapshot of his life and current conditions to his readers. In this text we get a window into the mind…
Ephesians One was a brilliant overview of God’s plan, salvation and
our eventual destiny with Jesus Christ. Chapter Two is a reminder of the miry clay
we have all been rescued from. While dark, it is vital for the believer to never lose
sight of our own desperate rescue or church becomes an exclusive club instead
of a hospital to meet the Great Physician.
Paul declares to this church that they are doing great and so now he
prays for more. They are ready for all that God has to give to them theologically
and practically. Paul concludes by pointing to Jesus as the example of how all
these graces from God the Father are lived out.
Some people have “miracle” testimonies and it can make the rest of
us feel like we don’t have a testimony. Paul corrects this by theologically telling
us what happens when anyone believes in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians is brilliant. It is the revelation or uncovering of the master
plan of Jesus to unite heaven and earth, Jews and Gentiles, for a lasting mission
of good works. The themes of Ephesians of adoption, heirs with Jesus, Spirit,
resurrection power and so many more enlighten the believer’s faith and equip
them for every good work.
Navy Seal, Chad Williams shared his journey to Christ through his time in the
military. He parallels Naahman’s deliverance from leprosy to his journey to
Christ.
Matthew 3-4 tells us the story of Jesus getting baptized then Jesus being led by
the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The main point of these
stories is to remind believers that we are at war. There is a real enemy; if there
is a real enemy, it helps to be mindful of the typical weapons of the enemy as
well as practical methods of fighting back against the evil in the world.
2 Thessalonians charges out of the gate by discussing two of the
scariest subjects in Scripture: hell and the antichrist. Both of these frightening
subjects carry a message of hope for the church experiencing a sampling of hell
and antichrist-like figures.
In a book about hope, why would the first subject be God’s judgment
in sending people to hell? In this text we learn about evidence of God’s righteous
judgments that will bring hope to every believer.
1 Thessalonians concludes with a to do list of 15 commands for the believer and then states that God is faithful and He will do it. Seems like a contradiction but it is actually the key to growing in our faith.
The end of 1 Thessalonians is the practical boots on the ground portion of this brilliant letter. It gives the church both its marching orders and the plan to construct a community that lives into its given righteousness.
In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holidays we can forget the
supernaturally wondrousness of the birth of King Jesus. Re-read the Bible’s presentation and allow God to rekindle wonder.
The church at Thessalonica was freaked out about the end of days. Paul assures them of the return of Christ and then prepares them to live in the reality of His return.
The church at Thessalonica was freaked out about the end of days. They were uninformed about both the return of Jesus and what happens at death. In this short section Paul brilliantly clarifies these questions to encourage the church.
The church at Thessalonica is first encouraged about the good job they are doing demonstrating brotherly love. Next, they are encouraged to keep going by: living quietly, minding their own business, work with their hands, walk properly, and being dependent on no one.
Ancient Greeks and Romans had a drastically different view of what was allowed sexually. The good news is the Gospel has redefined sex for the entire world and in its sunrise has protected the most vulnerable in a society.
The church at Thessalonica is a model of church success. This leads to the big question: why? At the end of Chapter 2 we get the answer. It is God’s Word, Suffering, War, and the Win.
As we watch our society shift and change it can be easy to want to disengage and run. But is there a better way? Jeremiah the prophet battles this mentality when God gives him the remedy and the recipe for exiles to thrive in Babylon.
One of the themes in the prophets is their call of exhortation to God’s people. The call can be to get back to Torah observance, or justice or it in case of Haggai to stop procrastinating. We get to learn from how God shepherds His people during periods of “we will do it later” and gain wisdom for our own tendencies.
Hosea the prophet’s life and marriage to Gomer the prostitute is both moving and mysterious. There is no happily ever after. Instead we are left to consider how we treat God and if we will be a faithful covenant partner to Him.
After Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom, He then demonstrates He is both the King and the example of a citizen of the Kingdom. Chapter eight presents portraits to instruct and…
Jesus concludes His masterful sermon with a blue collar analogy. Two builders with similar blueprints, materials, methods and effort have drastically different endings because of their choice in foundation. Jesus’…
Jesus finishes the Sermon on the Mount with some twos: two paths: two types of leaders, two trees, two types of followers, and two builders. Each of them targets a…
Jesus begins the greatest sermon with the Beatitudes or blessings. Jesus ends with the bewares. We need both or we will simply be plump snacks for the wolves. Jesus has…
Jesus is concluding His sermon by summarizing and applying His message. He makes it clear that the Golden Rule, verse 12, takes care of all the Old Testament Law and…
Jesus tells his disciples to ask, seek, and knock; they will receive, find, and open doors. The statement is unconditional and extends to everyone. Does this mean we can demand…
Christians are often accused of being judgmental. A favorite retort is to quote Matthew 7:1, saying, “Don’t Judge me!” While there is a partial truth to this response, it must…
Scripture is full of wisdom and practical tools you could call anxiety's enemies. Even more than being the antidote to anxiety, these seven tools help all of us live out…
Jesus’ sermon is pointing believers toward a way of living that prioritizes being rather than looking and the beatitudes over being comfortable. His perspective produces a kind of life that…
Jesus’ sermon is pointing believers toward a way of living that prioritizes being over looking and the beatitudes over being comfortable. His perspective produces a kind of life that culminates…
Matthew 6 probes the motives of the human heart. Are its actions staged to be seen, or do they come from a genuine inner source? Jesus uses prayer, giving, and…
Prayer – what subject has more intrigue and difficulty? Jesus in Matthew 6 gives a model of prayer that a child understands and scholars can study. Before His model prayer,…
Jesus has taught there are six evils that interfere with the kingdom (anger, lust, divorce, lying, vengeance, and hatred). Now, Jesus goes inside the believer to demonstrate that good works…
In Matthew 5, Jesus makes six statements clarifying the Kingdom. In this week's teaching, He makes the hardest of all requests; He tells His followers to love their neighbors and their…
Basic human nature responds to aggression by fight or flight. Neither of these responses build community or have positive results. Jesus gives a third way to respond to aggressive behavior…
Words in Scripture have power to create. Truthful words create reality and trust. Lies create ruin and broken relationships and are from the evil one himself. Jesus’ mandate for believers…
First, it was anger, then lust, and now Jesus talks about divorce. We probably wouldn't have divorced if we had dealt with anger and lust. Divorce, however, is a reality…
Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. Humanity has taken these good gifts; instead of enjoying them, we have abused them. Sex is one such gift that we…
Jesus begins one of the longest sections in His sermon. He looks at the Law and gives us our Creator’s intention for that law. Jesus begins with murder and dissects…
What is this book we call the Bible? The average person may view the Bible as “the good book”, professors see it as a myth, critics see it as a…
In the context of the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us what we are and what we should be doing. We are salt and light. We don’t try to be these two;…
Jesus opens His first recorded sermon with an attention getter. He declares to all who would listen that the path to blessedness is a road less traveled. In stark contrast…
If we want to rebuild, there will be a battle. It doesn’t matter if we are closing our personal gates to evil or helping a community recover their protection from…
In this passage, Jesus shows us that forgiveness is more than just a nice gesture. It is an essential part of being a follower of Christ. We have all been…
Life is fullest when we take the right risks. We will watch Nehemiah put it all on the line for the vision God had refined through four months of prayer…
We struggle making decisions. We struggle to know the wise right path. We struggle knowing what mission God has called us to partner with Him in this broken world. Nehemiah…
The book of Nehemiah opens with a report about a desperate situation in the city of Jerusalem. The people are in great trouble and shame and the wall and gates…
The fuel for the Christian life is Scripture. We are to be people of the book. The Bible is to be read, studied, meditated upon, and memorized. Each of these…
A way our enemy caricatures Christianity is to paint us as fun haters. By no means is this a new tactic but stretches back to the origins of our Faith.…
Motives mold us and the practice of secrecy can refine our motives and prevent us from becoming modern Pharisees who only care about appearing whitewashed. Jesus in the Sermon on…
Jesus is invited to dine with the “in crowd” of religious rulers. It is an attempt to set Him up, discredit Him and bring Him down. Instead Jesus uses the…
