Highlands Baptist Church Sermons (Centennial, CO)

Seeing Clearly in the Sanctuary

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:56:12 -0600

Psalm 73, written by Asaph, explores the crisis of faith caused by the prosperity of the wicked. The psalmist almost abandons his faith out of envy but regains perspective by entering God's sanctuary, ultimately realizing the eventual downfall of evildoers and the eternal reward of the faithful.

Victory is the Lord's

Wed, 27 May 2026 01:14:23 -0600

The closing chapter of Micah shifts from the theme of impending judgment to a renewed focus on hope in the Lord’s leadership and provision. Though God’s people will endure and face judgment, their suffering will not last forever. God is compassionate and forgiving, and He promises to vindicate and restore the remnant who trust in Him. The hope that rises in Micah 7 ultimately points forward to the greater redemption found in Christ's sacrifice upon the cross.

Micah 6-7:7

Mon, 18 May 2026 14:43:10 -0600

In a divine courtroom setting, God indicts His people for injustice, idolatry, and covenant breaking. He tenderly reminds them of His past faithfulness to their nation—urging them to remember His goodness. Instead of repenting, the people offer escalating sacrifices to appease God. But the Lord declares what He truly requires: “to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Amid widespread corruption and Micah’s lament over a broken society, the prophet chooses hope declaring “As for me, I will look to the Lord.”

The Promised Ruler from Bethlehem

Mon, 18 May 2026 14:09:21 -0600

Micah Chapters 4 and 5 bring hope for the promise of God’s future kingdom and the coming Shepherd-King Messiah born in Bethlehem, who will gather His people, reign in strength, and Himself become our peace. Despite the impending and righteous judgement for Israel’s sin, and idolatry, God’s redemptive plan continues to unfold – purifying and sanctifying His remnant people. As Christians, we thank God for his steadfast faithfulness and love – that He sent His son Jesus Christ to fulfill His plan and bring us restoration and reconciliation in Him.

Micah 3

Tue, 05 May 2026 23:33:38 -0600

Book of Micah, Chapter 3 delivers a sharp rebuke of Israel’s leaders—rulers, priests, and prophets—who are accused of exploiting the people rather than guiding them with justice. The rulers are described as devouring those they should protect, while prophets mislead for personal gain. Because of this corruption, Micah warns that God will withdraw guidance and judgment will come. The chapter ends with a stark prophecy: Jerusalem will be destroyed, reduced to ruins because of the leaders’ injustice and false confidence in divine protection.

Micah 2

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:23:31 -0600

A Holy Judgement

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:12:59 -0600

In Micah 1, God’s just and holy character stands front and center. Both Israel and Judah had abandoned the Lord, chasing after sin and idolatry instead of remaining faithful to the one true God. Because of this rebellion, Micah delivers a sobering warning: God’s judgment will fall on the land as the rightful consequence of their sin. Micah 1 reminds us of God's character: He is perfectly holy, and no sin escapes His righteous wrath.

Restored by Grace, Sent to Shepherd

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:57:31 -0600

Chapter 21 brings John's Gospel to a close by showing that the risen Christ not only saves but continues to shepherd, restore, and send His people. Jesus reveals Himself as the living Lord who meets His people in ordinary life, provides for them, and commissions them for His purposes. Christ redeems Peter and charges him with shepherding His flock. The chapter emphasizes that discipleship is personal, calling each believer to follow Christ with obedience regardless of others’ paths or outcomes.

A Blessed Believing

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:23:15 -0600

In John 20, we see that the risen Jesus defines what it truly means to believe. Christ calls us to respond to His resurrection with genuine faith, and in that faith, we receive new life from Him. Belief is more than knowledge—it is a genuine relationship with the Triune God.

It is Finished

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:56:23 -0600

This week’s sermon on John 19 reminded us that the cross of Christ is not a tragedy, but a glorious triumph. In the moment when Jesus was rejected, mocked, and crucified, He was in fact accomplishing God’s sovereign plan of redemption in fulfillment of Scripture. At the center of the passage is His declaration, “It is finished,” proclaiming that the work of salvation is complete - sin atoned for, justice satisfied, and grace secured for all who believe. As followers of Christ, we are called to behold our King and rest fully in His finished work.

Almost Home

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:23:52 -0600

Psalm 84 teaches us not only that true happiness exists but shows us where to find it. It’s a psalm that’s especially helpful for saints who find themselves struggling to fight for joy. Even when life seems full of hardship and suffering, we can find strength in the joy of knowing Christ and belonging to him. For the blessed life is the life most satisfied in God.

The King on Trial

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:03:47 -0600

In John 18, we witness Christ wrongfully arrested, tried, and condemned. The perfect Son of God is handed over to those demanding His death. Yet, knowing the cross awaited Him, Jesus willingly embraced it, fully aware that through His sacrifice all who believe in Him would receive forgiveness and salvation. The cross stands as the climax of God’s redemptive plan.

John 17

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:42:18 -0600

The seventeenth chapter of John’s Gospel is often called the “High Priestly Prayer.” In this passage, Jesus prays to the Father shortly before going to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He will be arrested by a mob, beaten and tortured, and eventually nailed to a cross.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:57:23 -0600

In John chapter 16, we see that Christ had to depart from the world so the Holy Spirit could come and enter into the lives of every follower of Christ. Thus enabling the gospel and the power of Christ to be taken to the ends of the Earth, ultimately drawing people to the Lord and giving glory to God.

John 15

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 04:18:20 -0600

The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:41:02 -0600

Chapter 14 begins a series of remarks meant to encourage the disciples, in the face of dire warnings. Among these are reminders that Jesus is planning to bring them to be where He is, assurance that He is ''the way, the truth and the life'' and the first explicit promises of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

John 13

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:08:51 -0600

In John 13:34 Jesus announces a “new commandment” to love others as He has modeled. Human hearts over the centuries had pared down the scope of love commanded in Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus loved the unlovable when he washed the feet of his betrayer. Jesus loved when he had every excuse to say “not now, I’m going to suffer and die in a few hours.”

The Gospel enables us follow his new commandment “that you love one another: just as I have loved you.”

A Few Good Men

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:08:00 -0600

In Philippians 2:19-30, the apostle Paul puts forward two ordinary, faithful Christians who lived a life poured out in service to Christ and his people. Timothy genuinely cared for the spiritual interests of the Philippians, and Epaphroditus risked his life to serve Paul. In doing so, both men imitated our Savior, Jesus Christ, who sought us out in our time of need and gave up his life on the cross so that we might be saved. As we consider the lives of Timothy and Epaphroditus, we are called to follow their example and to live a life worthy of gospel imitation by pouring out our own lives in service to Jesus Christ.

Rejoicing to Rejection

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:54:57 -0600

In John chapter 12, we see the dramatic shift from rejoicing to rejection as the crowds welcome Jesus into Jerusalem with palm branches and cries of “Hosanna,” only to later turn away in disbelief when He reveals that His mission is not one of political liberation, but sacrificial salvation. The people’s expectations of a conquering king collided with the reality of a humble Messiah who came to be lifted up on the cross, defeating sin and Satan through His death and resurrection. We are reminded that we do not get to define the Messiah—Jesus defines Himself—and through His sacrifice, He offers eternal life to all who believe.

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:08:43 -0600

In John 11, Jesus reveals that he is the Resurrection and the Life by showing that He is the source of it. The raising of Lazarus stands as Jesus’ final miracle, unmistakably revealing His full deity and true humanity, while also setting in motion His own path to the cross. At the heart of the chapter is Christ’s call to personal faith: eternal life is not found in good works, but in trusting in the Son of God, who has absolute authority over sin, death, and the grave.

John 9

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:51:59 -0600

We approached the ninth chapter of John using a method valuable for personal Bible study. This approach involves five steps: observation (what does the text say), interpretation (what does the text mean), generalization (what is the main idea of the text), application (what difference does it make), and implementation (what must I change based on this text for my ongoing sanctification).

Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, which emphasize what Jesus did, John’s Gospel focuses on who Jesus is. In John 9, Jesus heals a man blind from birth—an act believed to be possible only by God and one that fulfills Isaiah’s messianic prophecy that the Messiah would give sight to the blind. This miracle functions as a sign pointing to Jesus’ divine identity.

Jesus reinforces this truth by declaring, “I AM the light of the world” (John 9:5). The man’s physical healing illustrates a deeper spiritual reality: Jesus alone gives true sight. As the healed man faces opposition from the Jewish authorities, his testimony grows bolder.

The Light of the World: Full of Grace and Truth

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 17:59:09 -0600

In John 8, Jesus stands at the center of accusation, controversy, and longing, revealing who he truly is. He refuses the false choice between grace and truth, exposing religious hypocrisy while removing condemnation from the guilty and calling sinners into real transformation. Declaring himself the light of the world, Jesus identifies himself as the returning glory of God. God’s glory is no longer distant or dangerous because Jesus makes God’s glory approachable through the cross. Jesus also redefines freedom, showing that it is not found in self-rule or religious performance, but in being set free from sin by the Son himself. In John 8 we see Jesus is the “Light of the world.” The question is no longer, “Is the light real?” The question is: Will you step into the light?

The King in a Manger

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:54:57 -0600

In Luke 2:8–16 we see the humility of Christ, who entered the world not in power or splendor but as a baby in a manger, announced first to lowly shepherds rather than rulers or kings. The angel’s message of “good news of great joy” revealed that the Savior had come for all people, and the heavenly host confirmed His glory with praise. Christ, who humbled Himself at birth, later humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross to rescue us from sin. The Christmas story reveals God’s astonishing love through the humility of Christ, calling us to respond with faith, gratitude, and lives marked by forgiveness and grace.

If Anyone Thirsts

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:54:15 -0600

John 7 presents Jesus as the one who refuses to be managed by human agendas and instead calls for a decisive response to who he truly is. Misunderstood by his own brothers and debated by the crowds, Jesus exposes the difference between worldly belief that wants to use him and true faith that submits to him completely. As opinions swirl, John makes clear that neutrality about Jesus is impossible. The chapter reaches its climax at the Feast of Booths when Jesus declares himself to be the true source of living water, fulfilling everything Israel’s wilderness story pointed toward. Struck at the cross like the rock in the desert, he now invites anyone who thirsts to come and drink, promising not only forgiveness and life, but the indwelling Spirit who brings deep renewal and overflowing life to others.

The Bread We Need

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 01:19:22 -0600

John 6 moves from a miracle the crowds loved, to an encounter with Jesus the disciples feared, to a teaching many rejected. All together these accounts reveal Jesus doesn’t just give bread, he is the Bread of Life. In the feeding of the 5,000 he shows he is not simply sufficient but overflowing and abundant. When he walks on the water he reveals himself as the divine “I AM” who rescues. In his Bread of Life teaching he confronts our shallow cravings and offers himself as the only food that truly satisfies. Jesus alone can meet the deepest hunger of your soul. Come to him hungry, take him into your life, and feed on him as the One who is your sustenance, your Lord, and your life.

Jesus: Equal with God

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:20:37 -0600

John 5 summarizes Jesus's miraculous healing of a 38-year invalid at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, sparking conflict with religious leaders who accused Him of law-breaking, leading Jesus to assert His divine authority and unity with God as the source of life and judgment, and culminating in His discourse on the testimonies (works, Moses, John the Baptist) proving His identity and the call to believe for eternal life.

The Insider and the Outcast

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:15:51 -0600

John 3–4 brings together two very different people: Nicodemus, the respected religious insider, and the Samaritan woman, the broken moral outsider. While these people appear to be stark contrasts the conversation shows both share the same spiritual need: a Savior who can give new birth and living water. Jesus exposes the emptiness of self-salvation, whether through performance or desire, and offers them both the miracle of grace. Salvation is life received, not achieved. Nicodemus shows us no one is too good for grace and the Samaritan woman shows us no one is too broken for grace.

The Wine and the Whip

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 01:36:48 -0600

John 2 reveals that Jesus came to replace empty religion with a joyful, transforming relationship. At the wedding, he turns the water of ritual cleansing into the wine of abundant and joyful grace. and in the temple he removes everything that blocks true communion with God. Jesus turns over the tables in our lives not to harm us but to heal us. Jesus is the true Temple—the One who brings eternal joy, cleanses our hearts, and invites us into life with God.

The Meaning of Life

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:55:48 -0600

John 1 reveals the stunning truth that the meaning of life is not found in abstract principles or personal achievement, but in a person. Jesus Christ is the Logos – the reason, order, and purpose behind all creation. He entered our world so we could know God personally and experience true life in Him. In Jesus, we find the light that darkness cannot overcome, the love that defines reality, and the relationship that gives life its deepest meaning.

The King the World Longs For

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:17:35 -0600

Psalm 72 paints a breathtaking vision of the King the world longs for—a righteous, peaceful, universal, and compassionate ruler whose justice flows from God himself. This psalm finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true Son of David, whose reign brings healing, wholeness, and blessing to all nations. Under Christ's rule, majesty is displayed through mercy, and peace abounds as creation is renewed. Because of Christ, we can look back with thankfulness, look forward with hope, and live now with purpose until the whole earth is filled with His glory.

Faith for a Lifetime

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:56:19 -0600

Psalm 71 is a heartfelt testimony of faith that endures through every season of life from youth to old age. This psalm calls believers to see aging not as decline but as opportunity to declare God’s faithfulness and hand on hope to the next generation. Because of Christ, you can look back with thankfulness, look forward with hope, and live now with purpose. Whether in strength or frailty, we can say with confidence, “I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.”

O Lord, Do Not Delay

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 22:36:48 -0600

Psalm 70 is a brief but powerful cry of urgent faith. We see David, pressed by danger and sorrow, calling upon God to act swiftly—not in panic, but in trust. Even amid persecution, David turns from fear to worship, urging all who seek the Lord to rejoice and proclaim, “God is great!” His honesty in prayer, his confidence in God’s justice, and his humility in dependence all point to a greater Deliverer—Jesus Christ—who endured the ultimate darkness for our salvation. Thus, believers can pray urgently, wait patiently, and rejoice steadfastly, knowing that the God who made haste to save us at Calvary will surely deliver us again for His glory and our eternal joy.

Finding Hope in the Midst of Distress

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 22:55:33 -0600

Psalm 69 is a prayer of distress and deliverance, that expresses David's suffering caused by his enemies. He feels like he is drowning in despair and appeals to God for help and justice against his persecutors. The psalm also contains messianic prophecies about Jesus's suffering, his zeal for God, and his crucifixion. The psalm helps us remember that personal suffering can be seen as part of God's plan and how even in deep despair, faith and praise are still possible.

How Much More in Christ

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 23:52:26 -0600

In Psalm 68 David labors to inspire the praise of God’s people. He does this by reminding them of God’s righteous character and his past saving acts – beginning in the Exodus and wilderness wandering, the conquest of the land of Canaan, and culminating in God’s arrival in Jerusalem. He then anticipates God’s future victories when all nations will lift their hands to the Lord.
As Christians, we have all the more reason to praise the Lord because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus delivers us from bondage to Satan, sin, and death through his substitutionary atonement and victorious resurrection. He dwells within us through the gift of his Spirit and promises future victories when sin and death will be no more. May these truths pass from your head (acknowledgment) to our heart (treasuring) and overflow in joyful worship of God. In all that we do this week, may the name of the Lord be praised!

From Concern to Comfort

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 15:00:29 -0600

In this chapter Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that he had sent Timothy from Athens to Thessalonica to encourage them, and to learn how they were getting along in the Christian life. He reminds them that his sufferings were not unexpected but were predicted.

Paul states that Timothy had returned with good news about the Thessalonian believers' enduring faith and love. Paul indicates he has comfort and great joy in knowing the believers at Thessalonica were doing well spiritually. He says he is praying around the clock to see them face-to-face and to address any deficiencies in their faith.

The chapter closes with Paul praying that the Lord would make the Thessalonian believers' love overflow to one another and to others, as Paul's love overflowed to the Thessalonians.
Ultimately, God works in both pastors and the broader church family to have this kind of enduring faith and love.

Let All the People Praise You

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 22:30:36 -0600

Psalm 67 envisions a world where God’s blessing fuels mission, drawing all nations to know his salvation and rejoice in his presence. The shining face of God—secured for us through Christ—brings true joy, security, and deep transformation. This psalm reminds us that God blesses us not to hoard happiness but to share it, anticipating the day when every tribe and tongue and nation will join together in a global chorus of glad praise.

How Awesome Are Your Deeds

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 02:57:27 -0600

This Psalm of thanksgiving highlights God’s awesome power, faithfulness, and redemptive purposes through the lens of worship, suffering, and deliverance. The message emphasizes that God is not only worthy of praise for His acts of salvation but also for His sanctifying work in the lives of His people. Whether reflecting on Israel’s rescue through the Red Sea or personal seasons of hardship, the psalm teaches that suffering refines rather than crushes, and that God's power is always working for the good of those who trust Him.

Psalm 66 foreshadows the ultimate deliverance found in Jesus Christ. Just as God delivered Israel, He now offers eternal salvation and abundance through Christ’s sacrificial death and victorious resurrection. In both trials or abundance, the call is to trust, praise, and draw near to a holy yet compassionate God, who is not only awesome in His deeds, but personal in His love.

Praise is due to you, O God

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:27:24 -0600

Psalm 65 is a song of praise overflowing with joy in God’s grace, presence, and generosity. It begins by celebrating the God who brings sinners near by atoning for sin. It then lifts our eyes to the One who formed the mountains and calms the seas, reminding us that his presence brings stability in the midst of chaos. Finally, it paints a rich picture of God’s abundant provision, where the earth itself shouts for joy under his blessing. In Christ, this Psalm finds its fulfillment as he is the One who bore judgment so mercy could flow giving abundant life to all who trust in him.

From Desolate to Delight

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:09:33 -0600

Psalm 63 and 64 show us both the joy of longing for God and the reality of facing enemies and hardship. In the wilderness, David expresses a deep thirst for God’s presence, describing God’s steadfast love as “better than life” and finding satisfaction and joy in him alone. At the same time, David acknowledges the anguish caused by enemies and their schemes, yet takes refuge in God’s justice and protection. Together, these Psalms invite us to make God our deepest desire and greatest delight, to trust his steadfast love in Christ, and to find confidence and refuge in him no matter what troubles surround us.

Psalm 62: God, our Rock and Salvation

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 02:42:45 -0600

Psalm 62's central message is to trust in God with all one's soul and to wait silently for him. Throughout this Psalm, God is described as a rock, a fortress and salvation to those who trust in him. David also contrasts God's reliability with the unreliability of people, who may be deceitful and may be overcome by worldly pursuits of riches. The psalm concludes with a reminder that God exhibits an enduring and merciful love, while also offering a hopeful assurance of divine justice.

From Distant Cries to Divine Refuge

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:36:36 -0600

Psalm 61 provides some strategies for enduring seasons of discouragement and distance from God by showing us how to cry out in prayer and take refuge in him. David reminds us that God is both strong and tender—our rock, tower, dwelling place, and sheltering wings. God is experienced as a refuge through his promises which find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Christ was the one who experienced the ultimate exile from sin so that we would never have to. In the gospel of Christ we find security, hope, and joy that leads us back to God in worship.

Responding to Hard Things

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:34:27 -0600

In Psalm 60, David provides a roadmap for dealing with hard things. While it can be difficult to understand, God is ultimately in control of what a person faces in life and often uses times of struggle to reveal sin, build faith, and strengthen our trust in Him. During suffering and setback, God’s people should not lose sight of their purpose in the world – to faithfully proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ until he returns. Recalling God’s sovereignty and past goodness can help us endure suffering while we patiently wait for God’s deliverance. And finally, our ultimate hope in the midst of hard things is God alone, who will someday restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us (1 Pet 5:10).

The Realness of Resurrection

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 21:59:02 -0600

In Luke 24:36-53 we learn how the resurrection of Jesus is both a historical reality and a deeply personal, transformative truth. The resurrection turns sorrow into joy, affirms the hope of a real, embodied resurrection life for believers, and commissions us as Spirit-empowered witnesses to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations. Far from being a distant theological concept, the resurrection has profound implications for everyday life. It assures us of peace with God, promises redemption of our deepest pain, and invites us to live with hope and purpose as we await the return of our King.

When the Stranger was the Savior

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:34:19 -0600

In Luke 24:13–35 we follow two discouraged disciples traveling on the road who unknowingly encounter the risen Jesus. Through their story, we are challenged to consider how our expectations and misunderstandings might blind us to Christ’s presence in our lives. What kind of Jesus are you looking for? Are you seeking someone to help you or someone to redeem you? As Jesus opens the Scriptures to these travelers their hearts burn within them, and they finally recognize him during the ordinary act of breaking bread. This invites us to recognize the risen Lord not only in dramatic signs, but in the quiet, faithful rhythms of Scripture, community, and grace. Have you encountered the risen Christ? If so, who can you tell?

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 15:37:50 -0600

Luke 24:1-12 captures the moment when a group of women were stunned by what they didn't find in the tomb of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus shook the world with life. This means Christians have much more than the profound sayings of a religious leader who died long ago. Christians relate with a living Lord through the living word. The Lord still speaks, transforms, and calls each of us into new beginnings. The empty tomb means the story of Jesus isn’t over and there is room in his story for you. What do you see when you look in the empty tomb?

An Earthly Cry Brings Eternal Hope

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:36:10 -0600

As Jesus breathes his last breath in Luke 23:44–56, his death is marked by signs that prove its profound significance: darkness covers the land, and the temple curtain is torn. Jesus, the Light of the World, enters into the darkness of sin and death so that we might enter into the light and life of God. His final cry is not one of defeat, but one of trust in the Father and triumph over evil. His death cry was not one of earthly defeat but eternal hope. What do you hear in Jesus’s cry? Do you hear a man defeated, or do you hear the voice of a Savior?

Love and Forgiveness Demonstrated Through the Crucifixion

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:12:27 -0600

Luke 23:26-43 describes the crucifixion of Jesus, focusing on his suffering, the reactions of those around him, and the interaction with a repentant thief. It highlights Jesus's forgiveness of his executioners, the mocking of the crowd and soldiers, and the promise of paradise to the thief who confessed faith in him.

As Jesus is being crucified, he tells the crowd not to weep for him, but for themselves and their children, as difficult times are coming. The passage emphasizes Jesus's role as a suffering servant who, even in his final moments, offers forgiveness and salvation. It also highlights the contrast between the mocking and unbelief of many and the faith of the repentant thief.
Are you showing love and forgiveness toward those you come into contact with this week?

Gospel Opportunity Through Difficulty

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:13:43 -0600

In Acts 28:1-16, Paul concludes a long and tumultuous voyage to Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. Along the way Paul experiences trial and suffering in the form of shipwreck and snake bite. Despite these difficulties, that are both real and painful, God brings Paul safely to Rome where the gospel continues to advance. The various difficulties Paul endured along the way opened the door for gospel opportunities. Let Paul’s journey be an encouragement to you that through suffering (individual or corporate) God will bring about gospel opportunities. Our trials are never meaningless; God will use them for his glory and purpose. Where can you step into occasions for gospel ministry this week?

Jesus on Trial

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 23:51:41 -0600

In Luke 23:13-25, Jesus is on trial before Pilate. In a shocking reversal, Pilate finds Jesus innocent while the Jews demand his crucifixion. Even a historically ruthless and pagan governor can see Jesus’ innocence, while those who were supposed to recognize their Messiah condemn him to death. Although Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered against Jesus, God ultimately determined that it would happen this way. How the Scriptures describe this event reveals that God sovereignly ordains all that comes to pass, yet people still freely choose what they want and will be held accountable for their choices. Exactly how this works is beyond human comprehension; God is infinite, we are not.
This section of scripture concludes with Barabbas, an insurrectionist and murder, being released while Jesus is condemned. In the release of Barabbas, we see a powerful picture of the substitutionary atonement of Christ in which the record of debt that stood against God’s people with its legal demands is set aside, as Jesus is nailed to the cross (Col 2:13-14). Who can you tell about the good news of Jesus this week?

Jesus Meets with Politicians

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:28:28 -0600

In Luke 23:1-12, Jesus stands before two powerful Roman politicians, Pilate and Herod. Pilate, wrestling with political convenience, finds no guilt in Jesus but refuses to act justly. Herod, craving entertainment, mocks Jesus when he doesn't speak or perform miracles on command. Through these encounters, we see the innocence of Jesus affirmed even by hostile figures. We also witness the sovereignty of God orchestrating redemption through even human injustice. This passage challenges us to confront our response to Jesus —not as a figure to manipulate for personal gain, but as the true King who invites us into his kingdom through repentance and faith.

Jesus on Trial: Denied, Mocked, and Undefended

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 01:48:24 -0600

In Luke 22:54-71 we see more responses to Jesus. Peter denied, others mocked, and some accused. Through all of this we are also able to observe Jesus's response. When given the chance, he doesn't defend himself. In a way, he provides the testimony that brings about his conviction. In a theological sense Jesus is on trial for us. He stands on trial where we ought to be standing. The judge becomes judged so sinners can be rescued from judgment.

Betrayed, Yet Sovereign: Trusting God in the Hour of Darkness

Tue, 27 May 2025 14:34:23 -0600

The betrayal of Jesus in Luke 22:47-53 reveals both the pain of betrayal and the sovereignty of God. Judas’s act of betrayal underscores the deep emotional wound caused when trust is broken, especially by someone close. Yet, in the face of this treachery, Jesus responds with compassion, healing the ear of the servant and demonstrating that his kingdom is not advanced through violence but through sacrificial love. Even as the forces of darkness appear to prevail, Jesus acknowledges their limits, declaring, “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.” This evil moment unfolds under God’s sovereign plan, turning betrayal and suffering into the means of redemption. Jesus’s response challenges us to face wrongdoing in the same way, while his acknowledgment of God’s control assures us that no trial or evil act lies outside God’s redemptive purpose.

Endurance: The Bridge from Suffering to Joy

Mon, 19 May 2025 23:30:52 -0600

Life’s trials are unavoidable, but they are not without purpose. Romans 5:1-5 reveals a transformative pathway through suffering: endurance builds character, and character nurtures hope—a hope that is secure because of God’s love poured out through the Holy Spirit. This message unpacks how God uses suffering to sanctify His people, conforming them to the image of Christ while equipping them to serve others. It challenges us to embrace endurance as the bridge between pain and joy, grounded in the unshakable truth of the Gospel, and empowered by the example and strength of Jesus, who endured the cross for our sake.

God's plan fulfilled through Jesus

Mon, 12 May 2025 14:28:02 -0600

In Luke 22:35-46, Jesus begins by telling his disciples to rely on God’s provision, while reminding them that all of their needs will be supplied. He goes on to say that he will be falsely tried as a transgressor or criminal, even though he is sinless. This is a reminder that these false accusations and his ultimate crucifixion were all part of God’s plan. This led the disciples to want to use swords against these accusers, to which Jesus urged them not to. We then see Jesus going to his customary place of prayer, the Garden of Gethsemane, to ask the Father if there was a way to spare him from the suffering and death. Even though Jesus was in great anguish and literally sweated drops of blood, he ultimately submitted to the will of God the Father. Finally, he used his time of praying as a teaching moment for the disciples to remain vigilant in prayer so as not to enter into temptation.

The Foolishness of God is Wiser than Men

Mon, 05 May 2025 23:28:07 -0600

In 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 we learn how the message of the cross, though seemingly foolish to the world, reveals God's ultimate wisdom and power. Human wisdom falls short of knowing God, because salvation doesn't come through impressive signs or intellectual pursuit. God brings salvation through the simple yet profound proclamation of Christ crucified. Even though many perceive the message of a crucified Christ as foolishness, it is actually powerful and wise because through it God saves sinners. God's cruciform wisdom overturns and subverts worldly wisdom and by doing so God receives eternal glory.

Biblical Greatness

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:23:47 -0600

The teachings of Jesus in Luke are often countercultural. In Luke 22:24-34, Jesus reveals how the worldly view of greatness contrasts with his own; those who are great should be as the youngest and servants at heart. Jesus not only taught what it means to be great, but modeled it by laying down his life for his people. These passages exalt Christ’s example of greatness (to be followed), diminish the worldly view of greatness (to be avoided), and reveal the failure and limitations of human leaders (to be acknowledged).
While pride often prevents us from serving others, looking to Christ’s example of humble service can help overcome this obstacle. In what ways can we be servant-minded followers of Jesus this week?

How an Empty Grave Gives a Full Joy

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:34:01 -0600

In Romans 8:28-30 we learn two promises that provide Christians with a joy that cannot be taken away (John 16:22). Because of the resurrection of Jesus, 1.) your bad things will turn out for good, and 2.) the best is yet to come. Bad things turning out for good doesn't mean bad things are somehow reclassified as good. It does mean that if the worst thing to ever happen in the world – the execution and death of the Son of God – worked out for good, then Christians can be assured all of their bad things will turn out for good too. And knowing the best is yet to come means all the good things in this life are gifts, not gods. All of the joys, delights, pleasures, and loves of this life are precious gifts from God given as a taste, an appetizer, of an eternal and glorious life to come. A life so glorious that "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).

Behold the King: The Lion and the Lamb

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:35:11 -0600

Palm Sunday is all about the fact that Jesus is King. But what does the kingliness of Jesus consist of? Luke 19 and John 13 give us three vignettes about the kind of King we have in Jesus. In Luke 19:34-41 we learn we have a king who weeps. In Luke 19:45-46 we learn we have a king who has anger, because he wants us. And in John 13:1-5 we learn we have a king who loves us to the end. In all of your efforts for true love and for the deepest kind of friendship, in all of your efforts to find a genuine and true leader you can follow, Jesus is the one you ultimately seek. Jesus is everything you need and all you want. He is a lion and a lamb.

Practicing Lament: A Biblical Guide

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 02:37:56 -0600

When pain and anguish and feelings of betrayal and disillusionment flood our souls what are we to do? Thankfully, God has given us the resource of biblical lament. Lament is not a denial of faith; it’s actually an expression of it. It is what happens when people who believe in God turn to him with their pain—not to hide it, not to fix it quickly, but to bring it honestly before Him. In a world that often rushes past grief or avoids it altogether, lament invites us to slow down, speak the truth, and be held by a God who listens. This sermon offers practical guidance in learning what biblical lament is and how to do it.

Broken and Poured Out For Our Cleansing

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:48:26 -0600

Judas, Satan, and the Suffering Servant

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 22:12:43 -0600

The Son of Man, and the End of the World

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 16:15:25 -0600

Jesus: Greater Than David, A Better Ruler, and The Beautiful King

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:06:29 -0600

In Luke 20:41-21:4 Jesus asks a question of his own to invite his adversaries to give deeper reflection to who the Messiah really is. When Jesus quotes from Psalm 110 he reveals the Messiah is much more than simply a descendant of David. He is the Lord over all who will overcome the worst of our enemies - sin and death. When he warns his disciples not to become like the Scribes he demonstrates he is the better ruler. The Scribes were looking for too little in a Messiah. They couldn't see that in Jesus God had given them a beautiful King. A king who gives instead of takes. A king who sacrifices himself instead of exploiting others for gain. A king who gives his life so others might live. Is this the Jesus you know?

Responding to Those Who Twist Scripture

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 01:06:14 -0600

In Luke 20:27-40 the Sadducees confront Jesus about a core doctrine of the Christian faith — life after death. In this third confrontation in the Temple, Jesus responds to an influential group who twists the Scriptures to make a particular belief look ridiculous. A few lessons we can learn as we confront scoffers in our day are: (1) be biblical, (2) be gentle and respectful, and (3) be direct. Christians should respond to those who misinterpret the Bible by being well-grounded in Scripture, confident in both Jesus’ and Scripture’s authority, convinced of the truth of the resurrection, and characterized by gentleness and respect in all discussions.

Without the resurrection, concepts of judgment, accountability, and eternal life lose their meaning. The call is to trust in the authority of God and to present the truth boldly and lovingly, ensuring that our defense of the gospel remains rooted in Scripture.

The Healing of Naaman

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:09:03 -0600

In 2 Kings 5:1-19, Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, travels into enemy territory to be healed of leprosy. Naaman nearly didn’t experience healing when he stormed away in proud anger when the prophet Elisha told him to wash himself in the dirty Jordan river seven times. But the path for salvation always requires humility. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Have you experienced God’s saving work in your life through humble repentance and faith? When Naaman discovers he has been completely healed, he is stunned and realizes the God of Israel is the one true God. He alone is to be feared, obeyed, and worshipped. Do you know this? Does your life show that?

The King Without A Coin

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:26:50 -0600

Big Idea: One is to give to God what belongs to Him—oneself.

Summary: In Luke 20:19-26 the religious leaders attempt to trap Jesus by spying on him and pinning him down with an ‘either-or’ question. Through the issue of “tribute” tax they hope to condemn Jesus either to the Romans politically or the Jews religiously. The king without a coin asks to borrow one so he can teach us something we all tend to miss. Jesus wisely responds to their ‘either-or’ question with a ‘both-and.’ This passage is not primarily about what is owed to the state, but what is owed to God (much like the vineyard owner and the fruit that was rightfully his - Luke 20:9-18). The real questions is this: “Since you have the image and likeness of God inscribed on you, have you given to God what is his?”

Next Steps: Consider the following questions as you read the Scripture and listen to the sermon:

What does this section mean?
What does it teach about God?
What does it teach about Jesus and the gospel?
What is my next step as a follower of Jesus?

The Parable of the Defiant Tenants

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:19:51 -0600

In Luke 20:9-19 Jesus tells a parable of a master who owns a vineyard, cares for it, and leases it to tenants. When he sends messengers to them to gather what belongs to him, they mistreat, shame, and beat them. When he finally sends his son to collect what belongs to him, thinking they would honor the heir and not kill him, the tenants murder the son. Jesus asks a riveting question, “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?”

From Jesus’ teaching we learn about the forbearance and patience of God in the face of judgment (Romans 2:4), the goodness of God when we overlook his care (Isaiah 5:4), and God’s love for us even while we are still sinners (20:13; John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8). We also come to find out that the stone the builders rejected (Christ Jesus) has become the cornerstone, and eternal life hinges on him (1 Peter 2:6). This is a reference to Christ’s resurrection. Peter quotes Psalm 118 (the very Psalm Jesus quotes in 20:17) in Acts 4:10-12 after the cripple man was healed: “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

A Cleansed Temple and a Questioned Savior

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 21:11:37 -0600

In Luke 19:45-20:8 we learn about a cleansed temple and a questioned Savior. Jesus throws the sellers out because the temple was supposed to be a place to worship and communion with God; not a busy marketplace of big business. This shows us it's possible to be busy about religious things and still miss what's most important -- worship of God from the heart. When the religious leaders questioned Jesus's authority they reveal their own hardheartedness and blindness to the many demonstrations of divine authority he had already given. Do you see and believe who Jesus really is?

The King of Peace

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 20:20:47 -0600

In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem as the promised Messiah (Zechariah 9:9), and his coming as King brings joy or calamity, depending on how he is received.

In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells a parable about a throne claimant who goes away and returns as king. Luke tells us the reason for this parable was twofold: he was approaching Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. Two major themes surface: (1) Jesus’ authority as king, and (2) the accountability of all to him. If faithfulness is rewarded by an an evil tyrant king, how much more will that be true for the Prince of Peace?

After Jesus tells this parable, he enters Jerusalem as king (19:28-40), but not a king of war and slaughter, but one of peace (Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 9:6). Jesus looks over the city and weeps, for he knows their rejection of him as king will result in the desolation of Jerusalem within just a few decades. They neither knew the things that made for peace (v.42) nor the time of their visitation (v.44). The king has suddenly appeared at his temple (Malachi 3:1; Luke 19:45-46).

We will not have peace with God, peace with others, peace in the world, or peace within our own heart until Christ becomes our peace (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:13-14).

Live, Serve, and Grow Together

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:37:46 -0600

Probably no other passage is more descriptive of the church in action than Ephesians 4. Ephesians breaks into two segments of three chapters each. Ephesians 1-3 is the gospel story. Ephesians 4-6 explains how the gospel story should be lived out together as a church. How are we, as Christ’s church, to live, serve, and grow together? The surprising answer is, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3). This unity, built on core doctrine (4:4-6) overflows into service towards one another that builds up (4:7-16).

When the church walks in a manner worthy of the calling to which they’ve been called (4:1), they are the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Jesus Seeks and Saves Zacchaeus

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:56:22 -0600

In Luke 19:1-10 we meet Zacchaeus, a man most of us have heard about in Sunday School. Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus counterbalances Jesus’ confrontation with the rich young ruler (18:18–30). Both men are described as rich and both hold high office (“ruler”, 18:18; “chief tax collector”, 19:2). One walks away from Jesus sad, for he was extremely rich (Luke 18:23). The other received Jesus joyfully and started giving away his wealth. Jesus called Zacchaeus by name. He is known by the community as a sinner, but more importantly he is known by the Son of God as forgiven. They’d never met before, but the Lord knew Zacchaeus before Zacchaeus knew the Lord. Jesus came to seek and to save lost people like Zacchaeus.

Do You See What the Blind Man Sees?

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 16:54:12 -0600

In Luke 18:35-43, we learn about a blind beggar meeting Jesus on the roadside. Not only is this blind beggar destitute and entirely at the mercy of others, he is also an outcast and excluded from the worshiping community. He cries out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" This blind beggar stands in marked contrast to the rich ruler (Luke 18:18-24). The rich man had everything the world could offer, but he could not see that Jesus was the greatest gift he could ever have hoped for. In contrast the blind beggar has nothing, yet he saw in the darkness of his blindness the light of heavenly promise in Jesus. Do you see what the blind man sees?

The Child and The Dragon

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 22:21:36 -0600

If you’ve never considered the dragon at Christmas, you’re missing how John presents the birth of Christ in the apocalyptic book of Revelation. Revelation 12 looks at Christ’s incarnation of Jesus from a global, cosmic perspective. The dragon becomes a central part of the Christmas story, as it depicts one of the purposes of the incarnation — the defeat of Satan. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

The dragon bears the title of "ancient serpent” (Revelation 12:9, 20:2) calling to mind the time when he devoured Adam and Eve in the garden, tempting them to disbelieve the Word of God and disobey God’s command. From that time Satan has engaged in war to prevent the fulfillment of God’s promise that the seed of the woman would crush his own head. What the dragon could not prevent was the birth of a champion-king dragon slayer — “the name by which he is called is The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). This is the one of whom John said in John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

Listen to the following sermon to discover the meaning of Revelation 12 as we consider the sign of the woman, the sign of the dragon, the male child, God’s power to preserve, and the dragon’s defeat.

Believe

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 02:32:33 -0600

In Luke 18, after a rich young ruler walked away from the greatest gift in the world, Jesus addressed his twelve disciples. Rather than elaborate on the young man’s departure, Jesus prophesied about his own death and resurrection.

Christmas creates a crisis of sorts — a series of questions. Is Jesus the Messiah, the Christ (God’s anointed rescuer of sinful humanity), or not? Is Jesus, the one born in Bethlehem and placed in a feeding trough, truly the eternal Son of God? Can Jesus forgive sin and grant eternal life? Is he the only way to the Father rather than one of many ways? The response to each of these is to believe, and this belief is based on the fulfillment of prophecies concerning Christ’s birth, death, and bodily resurrection.

One of the purposes for Luke providing “an orderly account” is that we “may have certainty concerning the things” we “have been taught” about Jesus (Luke 1:3-4). John said his purpose is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

Walking Away From the Greatest Gift

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 15:13:32 -0600

In Luke 18:18-30 we find a man who had it all – wealth, youth, and authority. Sadly, he lacked what was most important and he walked away from the greatest gift in the world. Jesus exposed the real treasure of his heart by telling him, "Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor" (Luke 18:22). This man refused to loosen his clutch on wealth and would not receive the kingdom like an infant (Luke 18:17). He came to the right person with a searching question, but he had a wrong understanding of eternal life (John 17:3). Jesus said it's difficult for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. Here's the good news. Jesus said, "What is impossible with man is possible with God" (Luke 18:27). Don't walk away from the greatest gift in the world.

Two Prayers, Two Destinies

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:07:59 -0600

In Luke 18:9-17 Jesus teaches a parable about two people and two destinies to confront any notion that we can trust in ourselves to be righteous. The Pharisee shows us doing good things does not get you into God's Kingdom. The Tax Collector shows us even the worst of the worst can enter God's Kingdom. Entering God's kingdom doesn't require our self-righteous efforts, it requires depending on God's work of atoning mercy. You will only experience God's Kingdom if you depend entirely on God's mercy like an infant depends entirely on its mother. Do you?

Don't Lose Heart, Justice Will Be Served

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:15:44 -0600

Luke 18-1-8 contains a parable and an application that continue the theme of Jesus’ return. The parable forms the conclusion of 17:20-37. Jesus asks a searching question at the close of the parable — “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8). What’s the point? Disciples must pray with persistence while waiting for final vindication lest they become despondent during the period of delay when injustice abounds. Don’t lose heart, for justice will be served.

The Day When the Son of Man is Revealed

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 17:56:03 -0600

Are you living in the reality of Jesus’ return? Luke 17, instead of providing a timeline of future events to the question of “when the kingdom of God would come” (17:20), Jesus admonishes us to live in anticipation of his return. The world has a track record of being indifferent and smug in the face of imminent danger. To illustrate this, Jesus uses two OT allusions. First, the days of Noah before the flood, and second, the days of Lot before it rained down fire and sulfur. Jesus does not call attention to any specific sin, but rather highlights how they were living normal life without any regard for God and his impending judgment. Jesus warned, “so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:30). Are you living in the reality of Christ’s return? Jesus emphasizes the importance of being ready.

The Lord of Mercy and the Faith of a Foreigner

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 04:23:35 -0600

In Luke 17:11-19, as Jesus enters the outskirts of a village, he is met by ten lepers. Rather than cry out “unclean” as the Law commanded (Leviticus 13:45), they cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (17:13).

The request for mercy comes often to Jesus in the Gospels: Matthew 9:27; 15:22; 17:15; 20:30–31; Mark 10:47–48; Luke 18:38–39. Whether the suffering is leprosy, blindness, demon oppression, or demon possession, and whether it’s for you, your son, your daughter, or another loved one, an appropriate cry to Jesus is “Have mercy on us.”

All ten lepers were healed, but only one turned back with gratitude. The Samaritan leper who had been healed “…fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.” The distance had been closed. To him Jesus said, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (17:19). This is a response of faith to God’s mercy and grace. Sin, like leprosy, isolates. Jesus, through healing and forgiveness, brings us near to God.

“Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper! You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” (Psalm 30:10–12).

Sin, Faith, and Duty

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:26:45 -0600

In Luke 17:1-10, Jesus teaches on three topics related to Christian discipleship. These texts should be read in context of the Gospel, which gives weight and motivation for Christians to obey.

While temptations to sin are sure to come, we should never entice others to sin. We should pay attention to how our conduct may be leading others into sin (vs 1-4). While it may be difficult, Christians should rebuke their brother or sister when they sin, and forgive them as many times as they repent. As God through Christ forgave us, we should forgive others.

To genuinely forgive others, we need faith in the person (Messiah, God incarnate) and work (atoning sacrifice for sin) of Jesus Christ. Jesus is both author and perfector of our faith, so seek him in times of spiritual weakness. Remember, God can do the seemingly impossible through small, yet genuine, faith (vs 5-6).

Lastly, Jesus makes clear that no matter how well we serve God, he is never indebted to us as we are simply doing our duty (vs 7-10). Continue to serve faithfully and humbly, remembering that God gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord; our service is in response to his grace, not a cause for merits. With the gospel of Jesus Christ as our foundation, let’s be people who fight sin/causes of sin, forgive others, trust in God for faith, and serve humbly.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 02:19:56 -0600

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus teaches a parable about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. In this parable Jesus confronts the Pharisees' love of money. While the rich man and Lazarus seem to be extreme opposites in life, what they do share in common is they both die. Jesus shocks his listeners with surprising outcomes for these characters after their death. The rich man is in torment and anguish while Lazarus enjoys the peace and comfort of God's presence. The point of this parable is that the rich man experiences eternal torment because he delighted more in luxuries for himself than in love for others. In other words, to claim an eternal future in God's kingdom means you must embrace the values of God's kingdom today. Have you?

Kingdom Minded Management

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:06:38 -0600

In Luke 16:1-18, Jesus teaches a parable about the values of his kingdom in regard to wealth. Jesus surprises us by commending the dishonest manager. Jesus isn't commending his dishonesty; rather, he commends his shrewdness. He's saying that the people of this world exercise shrewdness and forward thinking about their money. Citizens of God’s kingdom should do so even more. This parable reminds us that God is the owner; we are not. This means that if we are not generous towards others, it isn't merely an issue of being miserly. It's robbery. Thankfully, we have the perfect manager in Jesus. He gave more than his wealth to make us into his friends. He gave his life. The gospel provides the motivation and inspiration for Christ's people to use money in accord with the values of God's kingdom.

Lost and Found

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:57:11 -0600

Luke 15 is Jesus’ response to Pharisaical grumbling (15:1-2). He responds with a parable (a simple story that conveys spiritual truths). It’s one parable (15:3 “So he told them this parable”) with three different episodes — a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. The actions of the shepherd, woman, and father become illustrations of God’s character, and what God is doing through his son, Jesus — Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” In the third episode of this parable (the lost son), Jesus expands the story. Parables are about contrast. This is not a story about one son, but two sons (a younger and older son) and more importantly, a father. There are beautiful lessons in the younger son’s departure and return, the father’s welcome, the older brother’s anger, and the father’s entreating love. In this episode we get a consistent view of God’s character. We see the patience and love of the father toward both sons.

This Man Receives Sinners

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 17:24:12 -0600

Luke 15 is Jesus’s response to Pharisaical grumbling (v.2). The entire chapter is a response in parable form. It’s one parable with three different episodes. It’s his explanation for why he “receives sinners and eats with them” (v.1). There’s the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost son. Both sons are lost in different ways. What the religious leaders meant as derogatory and a character assassination is actually good news! The actions of the shepherd, woman, and father become illustrations for what God is doing through his son — Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” The mission of seeking and saving the lost is so wonderful that twice tells us to rejoice, "for there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents" (vv.6-7, 9-10).

Here’s the reality —“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Who is Isaiah talking about? Jesus Christ (Messiah). He alone is the answer to our lostness. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). As the Good Shepherd he allowed himself to also be a sacrificial lamb. John states the necessity for this in John 1:29 “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This is the gospel — the “good news!!!”

Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:47:05 -0600

In Luke 14:25-35, Jesus is very clear about the cost of following him. It demands much more than learning to become a Pharisee, a scribe, or a ruler of the synagogue. It doesn’t hinge on family name, tribal identity, or education. Discipleship involves hate, cross-bearing, counting the cost, and renouncing all to follow Jesus. At one point, Peter seems to have laid his cross-beam down. He had boasted in Mark 14:31, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” Yet, he denied even knowing Jesus. In a beautiful picture of grace, Jesus gently restored Peter back to usefulness. Do you love Jesus more than anything or anyone else? Have you counted the cost? Have you taken up your cross to follow him? Have you renounced all? If not, Jesus said twice in this passage, you “cannot be my disciple.”

An Invitation to God's Great Banquet

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 15:35:34 -0600

Luke 14:1-24 is an invitation and a warning. There are four sections that warn how selfishness can keep us from entering the kingdom, and from accepting an invitation to God’s great banquet.

Selfishness in relationship to religion (14:1-6)
Selfishness in relationship to position (14:7-11)
Selfishness in relationship to giving (14:12-14)
Selfishness in relationship to priority (14:15-24)

The parable of the Great Banquet shows us that God's kingdom is a celebratory feast, but it’s not the kind of feast you’d think. Instead of a feast for the rich, affluent, entitled, and proud (those who offer to be excused from God’s banquet), it’s a feast for the humble (those who are surprised and glad to be invited).

The Narrow Door

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:19:54 -0600

In Luke 13:22-35, Jesus’ first response to the question about whether or not it will be few who are saved is to compare the kingdom to a narrow door. It’s not a complex interstate highway system with many ways and options for entrance and exit. It’s a single narrow door. Jesus then explains that this narrow door, which has been left open to all who would strive to enter, will one day be shut. Behind the shut door is an amazing banquet. Yet, this feast, intended to bring joy and satisfaction will be a moment of despair for many who did not enter through the narrow way. Jesus’ compassion is evident as he explains that he must continue on to Jerusalem where certain death awaits him.

There are many wide open doors, but inside there’s no banquet and no eternal life — only death. Jesus said in Luke 13:24, “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” He also said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Kingdom Is Not What You Expected

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:42:25 -0600

Luke 13:10-21 combines the healing-exorcism of a woman on a Sabbath day with two short parables. It’s a conflict story, in a religious environment, on a religious day, with a religious ruler. But the Jews recognize neither the kingdom of God, nor the King himself. Instead they fixate on violations of law. Jesus is provoking them to answer this question — “Why am I healing this woman on this day?” It’s not about demon possession or what is permitted on the Sabbath, but rather about the identity of the King and the nature of God’s kingdom. God’s Son, the King, delivers and rescues from slavery (Deuteronomy 5:15). Jesus follows his miracle with two parables explaining how God’s kingdom, imperceptible at first, grows upward and outward as well as inward and through. This miracle and these parables lead us to identify the King and better understand the kingdom. Paradoxically, life is given through death, and the kingdom will grow worldwide after the seed has germinated. Jesus said in John 12:23-24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Eventually, safety and rest will be found by many throughout the world in the branches of the tree.

Unless You Repent, You Will All Likewise Perish

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 18:42:06 -0600

Jesus did not hesitate to preach about topics that are largely avoided in today’s church. Sin, judgment, and repentance are unpopular but vital truths for believers and unbelievers. Twice Jesus says in Luke 13:1-9, “I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (vv. 3, 5).

In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance has fruit, that is — it will result in a change of actions. Having been compared to two sides of a coin, repentance and faith are distinct but inseparable.

Repentance is not a work of righteousness that we do to earn salvation (Titus 3:5). No one can repent and come to God unless God first convinces of the sin of unbelief (John 6:44; 16:7-11). Repentance is something God gives, and it is only possible because of his grace (Acts 5:31; 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:25). No one can repent unless God grants repentance. All of salvation, including repentance and faith, is a result of God drawing us, opening our eyes, and changing our hearts. God’s longsuffering leads us to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), as does his goodness and kindness (Romans 2:4).

The 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith (chapter 15, section 3-4)
3. Although repentance be not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ; yet is it of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it.

4. As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation, so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.

a. Mat 12:36; Rom 5:12; 6:23.
b. Isa 1:16, 18; 55:7; Rom 8:1.

Be Ready!

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:02:08 -0600

In Luke 12:35-59 Jesus tells his followers to be ready for the return of their master by faithfully serving others. Those who he finds ready are given a promise of joy. Joy will be theirs because when he comes he will dress himself to serve them! Jesus also explains that when he comes he will bring God's perfect justice. God's justice might seem severe, but it is also wonderful. It is wonderful because the new heavens and earth he brings with him will have no evil, no decay, no death, and no injustice. He will accomplish this by plunging himself into God's justice, paying the debt for all who come to him in faith. Jesus finishes this section by urging his listeners not to delay in making a decision to embrace him as God's Messiah. Have you?

A Disciple's Relationship With Wealth and Possessions

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 18:10:32 -0600

Luke chapter 12 explores and exposes whether we seek affirmation vertically from God, or horizontally from people, possessions, and false security. Jesus’s message and life are counter-cultural to everything we’ve been taught:

Life Is Much More Than the Abundance of Possessions (12:13-21).
Anxiety Is Closely Connected to a Fixation on Stuff (12:22-31).
Treasure on Earth Is Corruptible and Insecure (12:32-34).

John Purdy, in his book Parables At Work, offers a challenging contemporary application of this parable to the modern pursuit for materialist success and happy retirement years. He says, “If we hold that true wisdom is to be rich toward God, then work will have a limited place in our lives. We shall work hard enough to provide the necessities; we shall leave the future in God's hands. We will not make work a means of securing our lives against all possible calamities.”

A Disciple's Relationship With Fear

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 18:34:34 -0600

In chapter 12 Luke continues to show us the urgency of responding rightly to Jesus. What or who we fear reveals what or who we value most. The word “fear” is used 5x in this passage. Fear is directional, and like love and anger, the direction that fear moves reveals what we love and find most important. In this passage, Jesus instructs us to fear God’s omniscience (12:1-3), to fear God’s judgment (12:4-7), to remember that God cares for us more than many sparrows (so “fear not” 12:7), and then to go out and provide a fearless witness (12:8-12).

Something Greater is Among You

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:41:18 -0600

Luke 11:14-36 highlights the need to respond to Jesus. Jesus teaches there is no neutrality between his kingdom and the kingdom of darkness. Two things indicate the crumbling of Satan’s kingdom. First, the defeat of demons (11:14, 15, 18, 19, 20). Second, the undermining of Satan’s fortifications (11:22).

Jesus then refers to, “the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation” (Luke 11:29-30). The sign of Jonah includes three elements: the preaching of repentance (5:32; 13:3, 5; 15:7, 10), the preaching of judgment (13:1–9, 23–30, 34–35; 20:9–19; 22:20–28; 23:28–31), and divine rescue (24:5–7). Even though there are obstacles to following Jesus, he is the stronger man, greater than a human king or prophet, and the light that penetrates darkness. Therefore, follow him.

Woeful Religion

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:03:17 -0600

In Luke 11:37-54, we see one of the strongest condemnation discourses by Jesus, aimed at the Pharisees and Lawyers. Jesus opens with a principal statement highlighting their religious hypocrisy (vs 39-40). A person cannot expect to please God if he or she is externally obedient yet internally cold, unrepentant, and unloving. God made (and cares) about the outside and inside of a person.

Jesus elaborates by issuing three “woes” aimed at the Pharisee and three at the Lawyer. These denunciations are grounded in heartless legalism, pride, and false guidance/teaching that not only affect themselves, but their followers too.

Jesus offers us a better way; right religion is the outflow of a transformed heart that loves God and loves people. Jesus is the only way to the Father, the key to the knowledge of God, and the door to eternal life. Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him has eternal life, and will be raised up on the last day (John 6:40).

Marks of a True Disciple

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 22:36:40 -0600

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? In Luke 10:39 we learn that Mary was focused on the Lord, whereas Martha was distracted, anxious, and troubled about many things (10:40-41). The problem is not Martha’s hospitality or service, but what was revealed in Martha’s comment to Jesus about Mary. Through Mary we learn something about discipleship — we are called into a close personal relationship with Jesus.

Following this scene, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray (11:1). Jesus provides an example (11:2-4), then follows it with two exaggerated illustrations (11:5–8, 11–13) that argue from the lesser to the greater. Both illustrations begin with a question. The answer is that a friend will wake up at midnight to help, and a good father would never replace something good with something harmful. Therefore, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened… If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (11:9–10, 13).

God's Plan for the Nations

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 05:43:56 -0600

In Genesis 11 people gathered to build a tower and a city rather than disperse as God instructed them. This event reveals humanity’s propensity for self-exaltation (tower) and self-preservation (a city). In God’s wise sovereignty, he has used the confusion of languages to disperse and protect us rather than destroy us. In Acts 2 we get a glimpse of God miraculously reversing the linguistic barriers to allow people from every nation to hear the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. We are then given a future glimpse of God’s redemptive plan in Revelation 5:9-10 where “they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” God’s plan for the nations has always been the church, one kingdom and one unified people in Christ.

Who Is My Neighbor?

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 02:32:17 -0600

After summarizing the entire Old Testament Law with the statement “love God and love your neighbor as yourself,” the lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” His motives are revealed by the word “test” in Luke 10:25. The lawyer had people he wanted to exclude from his obligation to love and still be considered legally righteous.

Jesus answered his question by telling a story. A man was traveling to Jericho and was beaten, stripped, and left for dead on the side of a road. A priest and Levite came across the man in misery but passed along the other side of the road to avoid him. A Samaritan, however, displayed love in action as he cared for the man and paid for the expenses. Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of the story to expose the Jewish lawyer's prejudice and reveal that he was asking the wrong question. The real question is not, “Who is my neighbor,” but rather, “Am I a loving neighbor to all who come into contact with me?” Jesus told him, “You go, and do likewise” (verse 37).

Messiah, Son of God, and King

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:51:48 -0600

"Who is Jesus?” In this sermon we continue to answer that question by examining three different titles used of him: (1) Messiah (from the Hebrew, or Christ, from the Greek), (2) Son of God, and (3) King. Read the following passages and note how each title is used:

John 20:30-31 — our eternal destiny hinges on two of the titles;
Matthew 26:57-66; Luke 22:66-72 — the High Priest Caiaphas as well as the Sanhedrin (the “supreme court” of Judaism), use two titles to condemn Jesus;
Luke 23:3 — one of the titles forced Pilate to execute Jesus.

It should come as no surprise that all three titles are presented in the twelve short verses of Psalm 2, a messianic-prophetic psalm. The psalmist concludes by telling us — we serve God by worshipping the Son (Psalm 2:12). The psalm ends with eight of the most important words found in all of the wisdom literature—and perhaps in all of the Old Testament: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” This word “refuge” in Hebrew implies trust, confidence, and hope. The way we serve God the Father, is to place our trust in God the Son — the Messiah, Son of God, and eternal King.

Messengers of Good News

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:24:23 -0600

In chapter 10 of Luke, Jesus sends out 72 disciples to prepare the way before him. We learn that every disciple has a mission, an exclusive message, and a high motivation. Our message is exclusive because that is what Jesus taught. He said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” The apostles taught, “there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we can be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is only one way to the Father. Therefore, we reject pluralism (several ways) and inclusivism (all will find their way).

If you have seen Jesus clearly you should proclaim him boldly (Luke 10:23-24). We are called to share the good news victory, the life-shaping history-changing event of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:56-58).

The Call to Believe and Follow Jesus

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:46:19 -0600

In chapter 9 of Luke, Peter confesses that Jesus is not merely one more in a row of prophets — Elijah, John the Baptist, or some other prophet. Peter says, you are “the Christ of God.” What’s interesting is that after Peter gets the person of Jesus correct (his identity), he immediately gets a revelation of his work (sacrificial death). At this point Jesus says, “Follow me.”

In chapters 1 to 8, Luke is answering the question, “Who is Jesus?” Chapters 9 through 19 answer the question, “If he is the Christ of God (the Messiah), what does it mean to follow him?" The word follow is a key word for the next nine chapters, and this chapter lays out the basics and pitfalls of it. In this section we get to observe the disciples struggle with pride, tribalism and sectarianism, vengeance and racism, and the subtle dangers of comfort and security.

Jesus continues to press upon their heart what he already told them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 17:03:44 -0600

In chapter 9 of Luke’s Gospel account, he continues to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?”

After explaining the cross work he must accomplish (9:22) and the cross-bearing awaiting those who follow him (9:23-26), Jesus provides hope. “But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God” (9:27).

In the middle of a string of inquiries about who Jesus is (Herod, popular opinion, the disciples, and Peter himself) three men are taken to the top of a mountain to get a glimpse of the kingdom and the king. It’s certainly not what they expected with Jesus’ appearance being altered and his talking with two Old Testament leaders (9:28-36).

A glimpse of the kingdom (the transfiguration is a prolepsis) is intended to provide hope, just as a glimpse of the kingdom provided hope to Daniel and Ezekiel. Piercing all the other opinions and perceptions comes the Father’s estimation — “a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!’” (9:35).

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Hope is a confident expectation in something (some future event) or someone (some deliverer-rescuer king) or some place (a kingdom paradise) bigger and more sure than our current reality.

Jesus Supplies and Satisfies

Tue, 28 May 2024 15:54:04 -0600

In Luke 9:1-17 we learn more about who Jesus is and we begin to see how the message of Jesus's kingdom will spread. Jesus sends the 12 out to proclaim his kingdom and to heal. Their empowerment to heal reminds us God didn't make the world the way it is today. The miracles aren't primarily an interruption of the natural order, but glimpses into his plan to restore it. He shows us the kind of kingdom God promises to give his people. When Jesus tells the 12 to feed the crowd they feel the impossibility of his instruction. Yet, he shows how he will provide what they need to obey him when the 12 miraculously distribute the bread and fish to the entire crowd. Jesus is the one who supplies and satisfies.

Jesus Can Deliver: A Collage of Rescue

Mon, 20 May 2024 21:26:13 -0600

Luke puts together a collage of four pictures; four miracles; four portraits of people in need. These people are hurting, in trouble, and in need of rescue. The disciples are rescued from the storm, the man from demons, the woman from an illness, Jairus from agonizing grief, and his daughter from death itself.

This collage of rescue, the context of each involving desperation and danger, helps answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” That’s exactly what the first miracle presses upon us — “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (8:25). The demons answer with a precise Christology — “Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” (8:28).

Jesus exercises authority over four different realms: nature, the unseen spiritual realm, disease, and death to reveal that he truly is the Son of God and Creator, the Light of the World, the Great Physician, and the Resurrection and the Life.

Jesus is Lord of the Storm

Mon, 13 May 2024 16:43:53 -0600

In Luke 8:22-39 Jesus shows he is Lord over the storm and Lord over demonic evil. Jesus must be more than a mere teacher if seasoned sailors turn to him for help in the storm. His simple command calms the storm and invites their faith. When Jesus meets a man possessed by "Legion," although he is outnumbered, he is certainly not outmatched. Jesus has all the power. The demons obey his command and the man is delivered. The man is completely changed and given a new mission — tell everyone all that Jesus (who is God) had done for him. How have you experienced the saving power of Jesus in your life?

Be Careful How You Hear Jesus' Words

Mon, 06 May 2024 20:25:04 -0600

In Luke chapter 8, Jesus tells the parable of the soils in order to help us know whether or not we truly belong to his kingdom. It tells us how the kingdom of God begins in the heart. The emphasis is on hearing (8:8,10,12,13,14,15,18, 21). The parable of the lamp (8:16-17), that follows the parable of the soils, introduces the element of seeing. Hearing and seeing correctly are imperative.

Be careful of listening to Jesus with a hard heart.
Be careful of listening to Jesus with a shallow heart.
Be careful of listening to Jesus with a distracted heart.
Be careful to listen to Jesus with an attentive heart.

The three women in 8:2-3 are living illustrations of what happens when the seed finds good soil and sinners embrace the light. Jesus’ pronouncement that “those who hear the word of God and do it” are his mother and brothers (8:21) means that the women mentioned in 8:2-3 are now family members. Judas Iscariot, on the other hand (one of the Twelve mentioned in 8:1), refused to let the seed of the word bring forth life in his heart. He rejected the light.

The kingdom of God comes by hearing, so be careful how you hear Jesus’ words.

Two Debtors

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:09:01 -0600

In Luke 7:36-50 Jesus teaches about debt, forgiveness, and love. Two people find themselves in the same room with Jesus, one was invited while the other was not. Why is one coldly religious and detached from the teacher, while the other passionately and unashamedly worships her Savior? Why is one unchanged and left sitting at the table, while the other is sent out at peace with God? Jesus' parable of the two debtors answers those questions. We either have a little debt we think we can eventually pay off with our own self-righteousness, or we have a big debt we could never pay off.

Are You The One?

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:38:12 -0600

In Luke 7:18-35 we are surprised to hear John the Baptist wrestle with doubt about who Jesus is. This teaches us something about doubt. If the prophet John can doubt, anyone can wrestle with doubt. John's question, "Are you the One?" offers insight into our deepest needs and longings. And Jesus's response further reveals his true identity while also exposing how we are often offended by his true identity as "the One." Is Jesus "the One" in your life?

A Marvelous Faith

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:16:06 -0600

What would make Jesus say, "Wow"? In Luke 7:1-17 we are told Jesus marveled at someone's faith. A centurion had a terminally sick servant. Some Jewish elders begged Jesus to come and heal the servant because the centurion had done good things for Israel. In other words, they believe he is worthy (vs. 4). But the centurion disagrees. He tells Jesus not to come because he isn't worthy (vs. 6). Who is right? What does this story teach us about the nature of true faith?

Two Trees; Two Foundations

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 18:01:28 -0600

Jesus concludes his sermon on the plain (Luke 6:17-49) with two poignant illustrations: two trees and two foundations.

The fruit of a tree reveals the root — its nature (verses 43-45). It’s the same with hearts. The heart produces fruit after its true inner nature. Houses reinforce the point further. The foundation is what matters most, not the above ground appearance. Similar to fruit, which can help identify the nature of a person’s heart, the storm (verses 46-49) ultimately reveals the eternal stability of a life. The reason you often cannot tell the difference between true faith from a false profession is that the deep foundations of people’s lives are often hidden from view. The storm, that will eventually come upon every life, will reveal what sort of spiritual house we have.

The Sermon on the Plain is not meant to serve as an ethical manual as a pathway to God’s grace. It’s an ethical reversal to expose the foundation of our life and lead us to salvation in the gospel of God’s grace alone.

Jesus' Resurrection and Why It Matters

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:44:54 -0600

Is Jesus Christ the anointed Promised One or not? In Luke's gospel we see Jesus made numerous claims that all proved he is indeed God's Promised Anointed One. These powerful claims are confirmed in two ways: (1) Jesus repeatedly predicted his own resurrection (Luke 18:33, 24:7); (2) The Apostles saw undeniable proof of Jesus' resurrection and believed in it so tenaciously they died for this belief (Luke 24:11-12; John 20:6-8, 24-28; Acts 1:3, 17:3).

Why does this matter? Simply stated, Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Do you believe?

A Different Kind of King

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 22:48:25 -0600

Jesus orchestrated the details of his entry into Jerusalem. It is highly symbolic. Jesus presented himself as a different kind of king. In Luke 18-19, we see Jesus as the promised Messiah-king, a humble king, a compassionate king, and a sacrificial king who is also the coming king.

The Upside-Down Values of God's Kingdom

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:57:51 -0600

In Luke 6:20 Jesus begins to teach how radically different the values and priorities of his kingdom are compared to this world's kingdom. The Kingdom of God is an alternate community where radical, generous, self-sacrificing love is extended, even to our enemies. This kind of love is vastly different from the "love" so commonly demonstrated in this world's kingdom. How is this kind of radical love possible? Because of Jesus. Jesus became poor so you might be rich in him. He experienced thirst and was forsaken on the cross so you could be brought near to God. God's kingdom is marked as a community of people who treat others the way Jesus has treated them - with self-sacrificing love and mercy.

Solitary Prayer and Twelve Ordinary Men

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 21:41:27 -0600

What Jesus does in the context of growing opposition in Luke 6 is not only instructive, it’s surprising. First, he withdraws to a mountain where he spends the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Second, he calls twelve men to assist him in his mission (Luke 6:13). Third, he preaches the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20).

Jesus, The Lord and Object of Worship

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:52:03 -0600

Jesus is the Lord and object of worship. Whether fasting and praying, or eating and drinking, our worship should focus on Jesus Christ (5:33-34). The natural tendency is to focus on form rather than substance and religious structures and liturgy rather than God himself.

Jesus taught that we should love God and others rather than fixate on the strict mechanics of the law (6:1-11). Jesus exampled this on a Sabbath in the field where his disciples picked and ate grain (vv.1-5), and on another Sabbath in the synagogue where he healed a man with a withered hand (vv.6-11).

Whether fasting and praying or eating and drinking, stillness or dancing, singing or silence, at school, work, play, or gathered as a church — our worship should focus on Jesus Christ. God longs for a heart that celebrates his presence by responding to him and caring for others.

From Old to New in Jesus

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 22:47:44 -0600

In Luke chapter 5 we get a more accurate glimpse of who Jesus is. That’s Luke’s primary pursuit, “Who is Jesus?”

Jesus has a holiness that provides us an accurate self-awareness (Simon-Peter in Luke 5:1-11). Jesus’ salvation transforms our relationship to ourselves (a biblical psychologically).
Jesus has a holiness that cleanses us before the Father (the leper in Luke 5:12-16). Jesus’ salvation transforms our relationship to others (sociologically).
Jesus has a holiness that can forgive sin (the paralyzed man in Luke 5:17-26). Jesus’ salvation transforms our relationship to the Father (spiritually).
Jesus has a holiness that overcomes what religion thinks of socially and politically unclean people (Levi the tax collector in Luke 5:27-32). On this point, Jesus provides four illustrations to the scribes and teachers of the law: (1) the physician, (2) the bridegroom, (3) the patch of new cloth on an old garment, and (4) new wine in an old wineskin.

Jesus makes all things new and better!

Jesus Cleanses And Forgives

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:28:43 -0600

In Luke 5:12-26, we read two accounts where Jesus cleanses a leper and heals a paralyzed man. Luke provides this historical record to show who Jesus is. When Jesus cleanses the leper, he touches him. Surprisingly, instead of Jesus becoming contaminated (an outcome Old Testament code taught) the leper is cleansed and healed in an instant. And when Jesus sees the faith of the paralyzed man when he is lowered through the roof, Jesus tells him his sins are forgiven. Who can make the unclean clean? Who can forgive sins? The answer is Jesus — who is God with us!

Fishers of People

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:11:01 -0600

In Luke 5:1-11, Jesus turns an amazing catch of fish (the miracle) into a parable about catching people for the kingdom (the universal lesson that applies to everyone). In other words, Jesus was not merely teaching the word of God as he sat in Peter's boat (5:1,3), he was demonstrating something by his actions and with his words. He showed how he means for his followers to catch people for the kingdom of God. This is what fishing for people entails:

1. Teach the word of God (Luke 5:1, 3)
2. Obey Jesus (Luke 5:4-5; Matthew 28:19-20)
3. Humble yourself (Luke 5:5, 8)
4. Leave the Results to God (Luke 5:6-7)

Here we see two pairs of brothers, four sunburnt fisherman with calloused hands longing for true spirituality who were washing their nets after a long night of failure. They weren’t there for the sermon on the beach, but Jesus caught them to be fishers of people.

Jesus Reveals His Authority

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 17:48:48 -0600

Who is Jesus? That is what Luke is answering for us, and that is the most important question you will ever grapple with. In Luke 4:31-44, Jesus reveals himself as the Son of God who has authority in three domains:

Teaching (vv. 31-32, 42-44)
Demons (vv. 33-37, 40)
Sickness (vv. 38-39, 41)

Jesus has authority in every single realm both seen and unseen, physical and spiritual. “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:46:40 -0600

In his first sermon (Luke 4:14-30) at the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus claimed to be the Servant of Yahweh described in Isaiah 61:1-2. Initially, the people spoke well of him. However, when Jesus illustrated his ministry and who the Messiah came to deliver, the people were murderously furious. Why? Jesus referenced two Gentiles (the widow of Zarephath and Naaman). Jesus made it clear that the kingdom of God has no ethnic, gender, political, or economical boundaries. In the end, there is only one boundary/distinction that matters: those who accept Jesus and those who reject Him. Jesus’ teaching revealed that he came for those who are spiritually poor, like the widow of Zarephath and Naaman. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4).

God's Son Resists God's Adversary

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:07:03 -0600

The wilderness scene in Luke 4 teaches us something about the identity of Jesus, the identity of our enemy, and the identity of our struggle.

The Identity of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God. This was pronounced at Jesus’ baptism, and seen in how the devil attacked Jesus in the wilderness. Twice the devil says, “If you are the Son of God” (Luke 4:3, 9). The Son stands in our place to defeat the devil and the temptation that so often defeats us. He did not necessarily do this to be an example — as if merely quoting the Bible always defeats temptation. Instead, we find in this story a source of endless hope. When we fail, we are assured Jesus has defeated the devil. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
The Identity of Our Enemy. The devil is a transcendent evil intelligence. Satan may not replicate the same exact temptations with us — especially since we are not the unique Son of God. But, he does use the same tactics to exploit our inclination to act independently from God. It’s about faithfulness. Jesus’ responses are insightful (Luke 4:4,8, 12).
The Identity of Our Struggle. We so often misdiagnose our real problems and struggles. The baptism (“you are my Son”) and the temptation (“if you are the Son of God”) are never separated in this life. As children of God, our ultimate enemy is not physical. Our struggle is primarily spiritual. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus responded to each of the three temptations with scripture which teaches us that loyalty to God involves loyalty to God’s Word.

John Prepares the Way

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:47:05 -0600

In Luke 3 we learn how the prophet John prepares the way for God's Messiah. John's ministry is embedded in world history (vss. 1-3) and biblical promise (vss. 4-6). He calls people to repentance with water baptism being a sign of that repentance. He also gives a stern warning (vss. 7-9, 17). John is not after cheap success with a bunch of false converts whose hearts have not repented and truly turned to God. And then we found some surprising encouragement and good news in the genealogy that concludes Luke 3.

My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 14:12:18 -0600

The Promised Messiah-King Arrives

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 15:48:31 -0600

Christmas Purpose

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 15:10:34 -0600

The Christmas Holiday is centered around God sending his Son into the world. It’s important that we not only remember the “what” of Christmas, but also the “why”.

We find in scripture that God sent Jesus into the world as an ultimate sacrifice for sin to:

·         show God’s truthfulness and faithfulness to his word and promises (Rom 15:8)

·         be glorified among the gentiles for His mercy (Rom 15:9)

·         show God’s righteousness (Rom 3:25-26)

·         to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15)

This time of year can be very chaotic, stressful, and anxiety laden. Let’s remember to keep our eyes fixed on the main thing; Christ! And remember God’s good purposes and blessings that accompany the baby in the manger. What a privilege it is to know and serve a truthful God who is righteous and just, and who made a way for sinners to be reconciled to himself. Let us glorify His name forever!

Anticipating God's Work With Praise

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:57:44 -0600

Luke 1:29-56 focuses on two women, cousins who are both unexpectedly and miraculously pregnant, and who both anticipate God’s work with praise. This section contains two parts: (1) the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth, where Elizabeth confesses this about Mary’s baby — “my Lord,” and (2) Mary’s hymn (the Magnificat) where Mary magnifies God by confessing — “God my Savior.” As God works in our generation, and as we look forward to Christ's second advent, let us also anticipate His work with praise.

Responding in Faith to God's Promises

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 16:37:02 -0600

The first section of Luke covers two miraculous pregnancies, and contrasts two different responses to God’s words. First, God miraculously opens the womb of an old woman named Elizabeth, but the focus is on Zechariah’s response of doubt. Second, God miraculously opens the womb of a virgin girl named Mary with a focus on her response of faith.

Zechariah (1:5-25): We may disbelieve God’s plan because we don’t understand it. Zechariah was a righteous man, a priest at the temple in Jerusalem, performing a religious duty, and elderly. Zechariah “did not believe” (1:20).

Mary (1:26-38): We may believe God’s plan because we trust God’s character. Mary was a young lady, held no religious title, was in a rural northern town, and seemed insignificant. Mary said, “let it be to me according to your word” (1:38).

Certain Truth in Uncertain Times

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 14:47:27 -0600

One of the most important questions you can ask about anything, especially a faith claim, is whether it’s true or not. One of the purposes for Luke providing “an orderly account” is that we “may have certainty concerning the things” we “have been taught” (Luke 1:3-4).

The theme of Luke is: The joyful news that God’s anticipated Messiah-King has come to seek and save sinners, and this salvation is available to all who respond in faith, whatever their past life, social status, or ethnicity.

This sermon gives an overview of the Gospel According to Luke where he proves the expanded kingdom of the Savior King (1) is for all people, (2) has no ethnic or geographic boundaries, and (3) was the reason Jesus came to the earth.

The Hope of a New Heaven and New Earth

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 01:47:47 -0600

As believers, we have a hope (confident expectation) in how things are going to end. Or even better, how the end of redemptive history is the beginning of an even better story! The Apostle John is writing to real people gathered as real churches (Rev 2-3). They are about to experience a brutal persecution under the reign of the Roman Emperor, Domitian. Revelation is intended to give Christians hope. So how does he encourage believers who are about to suffer? By providing them with a beautiful promise from God of a new heaven, earth, and city of God. A place where "death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore” (Rev 21:4). Everything will be new (21:5a), it is certain (21:6), we will be completely satisfied (21:6b), and we will be God’s sons (21:7).

Faith Excludes Human Boasting

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 14:54:45 -0600

In Romans 3:27-4:8 justification by faith is contrasted against boasting. The problem is that everyone wants to boast in themselves or to receive praise and accolades from others to have courage and confidence for the battlefield of life. This internal thirst for affirmation isn't necessarily bad. What's bad are all of the godless ways we go about trying to satisfy this internal thirst. If justification by faith excludes human boasting, then what can we boast in? The answer is Jesus. Self-centered boasting or the praise of others can't be compared to the roaring approval of God given to all who are united to God through faith in Jesus.

Saved By the Blood of Jesus

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:15:56 -0600

In Romans 3:21-26 we find several different terms that help explain the gospel.

1. Righteousness (3:21, 22, 25, 26). This term describes right conduct in relation to God and others. It means, “fulfilling our obligations.”
2. Redemption (3:24). The word redeem means “to buy out.” It can also mean deliverance or riddance. The term was used specifically in reference to the purchase of a slave’s freedom.
3. Propitiation (3:25). This term carries the idea of appeasement or satisfaction, specifically toward God. Propitiation is a two-part act that involves appeasing the wrath of God and the restoration of a close and safe relationship with Him.
4. Faith (3:22, 25, 26). Faith is belief, trust, and confidence.
5. Justified/Just/Justifier (3:24, 26). A legal term meaning "declared righteous."

No One Seeks God

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:10:37 -0600

Romans 3 makes this stunning declaration, "No one seeks God; no one does good, not even one.” How does that hit you? Our heart reaction will expose whether we live by the law (justifying ourselves) or by grace (justified by God as a gift of grace).

We’re looking at the storyline of the Bible. Rather than the Bible being a connection of disconnected stories, or a collection of moralistic lessons, it’s a single storyline that tells us (1) what’s wrong with the human race, (2) what God has done about it, and (3) how it’s all going to turn out in the end.

Listen to the following sermon about the good news of what God has done about what’s wrong with the human race.

Religion and Righteousness

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:04:27 -0600

In the first two chapters of Romans, Paul recounts the human dilemma in a profound way. While we might like to turn the chapter and focus on the good news, Paul instead reiterates the problem. Everyone sins, and all are responsible for their sin – religious (Jew), irreligious (Gentile), the churched (those with God’s Law), the unchurched (those without God’s Law). In chapter 2, Paul highlights a less obvious form of sin; hypocrisy and moral superiority that judges others while committing the same sins (Rom 2:1). Are you presuming on God’s patience and kindness, reasoning that your sin (even sin in the heart) is not a problem (Rom 2:4)? Are you relying on religious acts or religious status for righteousness before God (Rom 2:17-24)?

Jesus Christ is the only one who fulfilled the law perfectly. Every person desperately needs His righteousness to stand before God on judgment day. Christ’s righteousness (the righteousness of God) is made available, for free, through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Rom 3:21-22).

What Has God Done?

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:57:09 -0600

So far in our series on the big story of the Bible we’ve learned in Genesis about the problem of sin – an explosion of evil into the world that has devastated our relationship with God and us as a human race. How are we going to solve this problem? We find an answer in Romans. We can't do anything to solve our problem of evil and sin. Only God can do something and he has in the gospel. In Romans 1:16-17 we learn...

- The gospel is good news (not advice) - have you received it?

- The gospel is God’s justification/righteousness (not ours) - have you accepted it?

- The gospel is God’s power - have you experienced it?

What is Wrong With the World

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 14:49:38 -0600

Something is clearly wrong with the human race. There is daily evidence provided in our world, our homes, and our churches. The Bible’s clear and single answer is sin. Sin is deadly and deceptive, but it will ultimately be defeated. Whereas Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground condemning Cain’s murderous anger (Genesis 4:10), Jesus’ blood “speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24). Jesus’ blood cries out to the Father “mercy, forgiveness, pardon, cleansing, and salvation to all who believe.”

Three Trees

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:34:51 -0600

There are three trees that explain redemptive history.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil: This tree presented a choice. Genesis 2:9 says that "out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
The Tree of Life: (Genesis 2:9; Revelation 22:2). This tree also represents a choice, because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
The Tree of Christ: Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree." We need the third tree. It also represents a choice (Romans 10:8-10).

The Image Marred and Paradise Lost

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 14:15:32 -0600

Even though we have been created in the image of God, something is wrong. Somehow the image of God in humanity has been marred, even shattered. The Muslim, Atheist, Hindu, Buddhist, irreligious, and all of humanity recognize something is wrong. Wars continue, racism is rampant, hate crimes cover the earth, and criminals run free. Even in our own hearts we find discontent, greed, jealousy, dissatisfaction, anger, slander, and a hundred other stains. What went wrong? Genesis helps answer that question. It also points us to the remedy — a good news promise (Genesis 3:15).

In the Image of God

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:11:04 -0600

What does it mean to be made in God’s image, to be created in His likeness (Genesis 1:26-27)? Every person, born and unborn, gives a particular and unique likeness to God. The word for “image” (Hebrew, tselem) has the meaning of something that is carved or cut out. What are the implications of this truth? The image of God matters for identity, value, the sanctity of life, self image, gender, work, purpose in life, and the need for a re-creation of the shattered image.

In the beginning, God

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:13:18 -0600

The single story line of the Bible moves from creation to the fall, from the devastation caused by sin to the rescue and the redemption accomplished by Jesus, and it finishes with the complete restoration of all things at the end. This amazing story begins in Genesis 1:1 with, "In the beginning, God..." In John 1 we see hints of the creation account picked up where we learn, "In the beginning, God is love." These two truths have profound implications for understanding who we are and how we fit into the story of the world.

Four Basic Questions

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 15:11:01 -0600

Like Adam and Eve, all boys and girls are created by the direct act of God and in His image (Genesis 1:26). As such, they have great value. The first Adam who failed points to the last Adam who was perfect, Jesus Christ. Genesis answers four basic questions:

Where do I come from? (the question of origins).
Who am I? (the question of significance).
Why is the world in such a mess? (the question of evil).
Is there a future? (the question of purpose and destiny).

Does Your Church Pass The Test?

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 17:21:56 -0600

Christ’s evaluation of the church matters most. Christ evaluates seven real churches, at real locations, made up of real people. What does Jesus value? There is a mix of affirmations and rebukes that form Jesus’ assessment of these churches. For example, neither love-deficient doctrinal purity (Ephesus) nor apathetic self-sufficiency (Laodicea) are affirmed by God. However, both a faithful witness amidst suffering (Smyrna) and faithful service (Philadelphia) do receive his affirmation.

When you evaluate a church, what do you look at? Do your values and assessments align with Christ's who is the exalted Son of God, the slain Lamb who purchased the church with his own blood, and the Head (leader) of the church? God evaluates his church through a very different lens than the one we often use.

Does your church pass the test?

How Churches Grow

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 17:41:23 -0600

First, in Matthew 16:18, Jesus said he would build his church (his community of called-out people). He is the architect and he engineers its growth. It’s an indestructible community, for he said, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Christ’s church has something to do with life and death, and the good news of rescue both locally and globally. But how does Jesus build his church?

Second, Ephesians 4:11-16 is a single sentence with a subject and a verb. Christ (the subject) gave (the verb) something to the church, and those gifts are to result in its growth. The emphasis of Jesus and Ephesians 4, and therefore the emphasis of verbally gifted leaders, is love and unity (John 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:2-3, 15-16). Doctrine certainly matters (Ephesians 4:4-6), but love-deficient doctrinal separatism was rebuked in the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7).

Church growth is not really a secret. Jesus said, “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Mission Affirmed: Preach the Word

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:57:09 -0600

God gifted every believer to serve for His glory. That is what we are designed for, and one of our purposes in life. Most will not “preach the word,” but everyone should be using their gift to build up the body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10-11). How are you using your gift? If you’re not serving, but only attending, let us help you know the joy of serving Christ’s body that gathers as Highlands. Every member ministering nurtures a healthy gospel culture. This fall we will have a Ministry Fair to help make you aware of the variety of opportunities to serve.

There are no spectators in the church. Spectators become critics. If a spectator’s team is having a losing season they can quickly become dispirited and bitter. Let’s encourage one another with this — every member ought to be serving somehow and somewhere for God’s glory, “Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5).

If Anyone Thirsts Let Them Come

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:27:52 -0600

In John 7 Jesus cries out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” Many years before Jesus shouted this invitation, in Exodus 17 we read how Israel was thirsty in the wilderness. God promised his presence would go before them and rest on a rock. He told Moses to take his staff and strike that rock. Moses did this, water gushed from the rock, and the people were saved. Jesus invites us to come to him and drink because he is the rock of living water (1 Cor. 10:4). He took the stroke of our punishment that we deserve for our rebellion against God. On the cross his blood flowed so we might be saved. "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 16:06:17 -0600

John gives us a clear and distinct thesis in John 20:30-31. We can summarize John’s thesis in one word: believe. He says, “I’ve written this book, including these particular signs, so that you might believe.” In the course of twenty-one chapters, John will answer three questions: (1) What do we need to believe? (2) What does it mean to believe? (3) Why do we need to believe? There are seven signs in John’s account of the gospel (what he calls the things that “are written”) to help us answer these questions.

Jesus, the Lamb of God

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 16:53:34 -0600

John the Baptist pointed to the one who can fulfill our greatest hopes and satisfy our deepest longings. What does John mean by calling Jesus “the Lamb of God”? At the center of the Passover celebration (Exodus 12) was the sacrifice of a lamb, which served as a reminder of God’s deliverance of Israel from captivity in Egypt when the death angel passed-over the homes where blood was applied. The Passover lamb links the two key events of biblical (and human) history that mark the theological focus of each Testament. God has provided a lamb for deliverance, a sacrifice for sin, a perfect substitute, and complete satisfaction. Are you pointing other people’s attention to Jesus? People need hope and long for satisfaction. What opportunities exist for you to tell people about Jesus?

Jesus, The Eternal Word Became Human

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 16:08:53 -0600

The eternal Son of God, "the Word" (John 1:1-3, 14), took on flesh and lived among us. He ate our food, breathed our air, walked our paths, suffered, and died. He was full of grace and truth. God's gracious disposition towards sinful humanity was most clearly seen in his sacrificial death for us. Not only do we have life in Christ, but we can know the joy of having the same mind of Christ as we follow his example (Philippians 2:1-7).

The Prayer Life of an Exile

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 14:40:37 -0600

On Sunday, we learned from Daniel 6, how Daniel's habit and dependance on God through prayer enabled him to live faithfully as an exile. We, too are exiles — citizens of Heaven who live in a sin cursed world. As exiles in this world, Daniel 6 teaches us that we must cultivate a life of prayer for three reasons:

To live with faithfulness to our calling and to the word of God (vs. 1-5).
To live in communion with God (v. 10).
To live with victory over trials.

The Scripture Had To Be Fulfilled

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:43:54 -0600

It's often easier for us to believe God's sovereignty when things go well in our life. But, when things go bad, when there is lying and mistrust, and betrayal and death, then our confidence in God's invisible purposes starts to get shaky. In Acts 1:15-26 we learn the ugly and tragic story of Judas's betrayal and death was actually part of God's invincible purposes in accomplishing salvation. The Scripture had to be fulfilled and God can be trusted to provide everything we need to be witnesses of Jesus.

The Launchpad of Christianity

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 16:10:42 -0600

What truths and realities lay behind and motivated the first century Christians into the risky and courageous obedience of spreading the message of Jesus to the ends of the known world? In Acts 1:1-14 we learn about the launchpad of Christianity. The launchpad of Christianity is uniquely built by God on the historic fact of the resurrection of Jesus, the priority of God’s kingdom, the empowerment of God’s Spirit, and the humble prayer dependence of God’s people.

An Introduction to Acts

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 17:19:25 -0600

On Sunday we looked into the exciting story book of Acts. The death of Jesus is a main emphasis in the book, but even more so is the importance of the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples spread the message of Jesus far and wide. But, they did more than speak about Jesus. The message of Jesus was accompanied by the honest, gentle, cheerful, and courageous lives that compelled the attention of their cities. Acts shows us that while the mission Jesus gave his church is big (go and tell the world!) God is sovereignly at work in and behind it all. God grants repentance, appoints people for eternal life, and opens people to respond to the gospel with faith. A firm belief in God’s Sovereignty is exactly what encourages the Christians in Acts to engage in evangelism. Will you pray for God to use our study in Acts to encourage us, challenge us, and change us?

My Shepherd, Jesus

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 15:55:47 -0600

The picture of a shepherd with his sheep is a beautiful image of our relationship with God. Thankfully, the metaphor is not a cowboy rounding- up cattle, or a bookish theologian merely providing right answers. We don’t need to be driven like cows and we desperately need more than accurate information. We need the experiential loving care of a good shepherd. In Jesus, we have a good shepherd who cares for his sheep by leading, providing, protecting, and laying his life down as a sacrificial Lamb for sinners (John 10:11-15). “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall never lack what I need.”

Lost, Found, Forgiven

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 14:50:36 -0600

In Luke 15, Jesus teaches a trilogy of parables. In each parable, something is lost (a sheep, a silver coin, a wayward child). In each parable, there is also great rejoicing (the shepherd, the woman, the father). In the third parable, the wayward son returns home and is joyfully received by and restored to the father. The older son, however, who remained geographically near is also distant from the father, and Jesus does not say whether he was ultimately restored to a close relationship with the father, or not. It’s designed to make us wonder. The father meets both sons in their need — he sees the younger son far off and runs to him, and he notices the older son is not in the house so he goes outside to entreat him. The unconditional love of the father is what is highlighted as he relates with both sons.

To younger wayward children, the invitation is to come home to the father. He is watching and waiting to receive you. To older children who have remained geographically near the father through religion or morality (Luke 15:1-2), the invitation is to come inside with the father. In both cases, the need is to be rightly related to the father. Thankfully, Jesus truly is a friend of tax collectors and sinners!

The Challenge and Blessing of Christian Unity

Sun, 28 May 2023 14:42:44 -0600

In Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8, we learn how the early church worked through internal controversies about religious convictions on disputed matters. Instead of dividing and polarizing around our specific convictions, the welcome we have received by God in Christ enables us to live in peace and serve together in love. The gospel of Jesus enables us to study the Bible together, worship together, and fellowship together so that we "may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 15:6).

Generous Gospel Partnership

Sun, 21 May 2023 14:11:41 -0600

In Philippians 4:15-23 we learn about the importance, the joy, and the promise of financial ministry partnership. The Christians in Philippi did more than support Paul's efforts to advance the gospel. Their gifts would actually be a means God would use to provide them a reward of increased spiritual fruitfulness. In addition, as they give, they can trust God to provide for their needs in accordance with his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Don’t Forsake Your Mother’s Teaching

Sun, 14 May 2023 17:49:50 -0600

King Solomon enjoyed honor, fame, and extraordinary wealth as arguably one of Ancient Israel's greatest kings. While everyone bowed to him, there was one person to whom he bowed — his mother, Bathsheba (1 Kings 2:19). In Proverbs 1 Solomon specifically warns the reader not to forsake their mother's teaching. Motherhood is one of God's ordained means to teach children in the "fear of the Lord" (Prov. 1:7).

Walk in a Manner Worthy of Christ and the Gospel

Sun, 07 May 2023 15:19:05 -0600

In Ephesians 4 we find three attributes or attitudes that are necessary to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace - humility, gentleness, and meekness.

It's important to understand unity does not hinge on uniformity or unanimity. Nor does disagreement demand disunity. Doctrine rightly divided does divide, but it should divide between believers and unbelievers, between false teachers and teachers of truth — not between Christians who land on different yet faithful interpretations of scripture (where different interpretations are understandable and permitted because they are not fundamental core doctrines). Sadly, some doctrines divide that shouldn’t divide. First Timothy 1:1-7, “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, (different doctrine, not false doctrine but different. Non-essential, heterodox teachings — teaching logical extensions of truth as truth itself).

Let us renew our commitment to be walking with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Contentment

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 17:51:43 -0600

In Philippians 4:10-14 as Paul gives thanks for the ministry partnership of the Christians in Philippi he writes about a secret he has learned. It is the secret of Christian contentment — learning how to be content whether experiencing a little or a lot, whether facing plenty or poverty. Paul explains the only way this is possible is through the strength found in Christ (Phil 4:13).

Our Cry to Our Creator

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:47:19 -0600

In Psalm 86, David cries out to God with a heart distressed by trouble and anguish. Yet, woven through this cry are confessions and celebrations of God's graciousness, goodness, and steadfast love. The attributes of God provide David comfort, joy, and thankfulness even though he faces times of trouble. In this prayer David shows how God wants us to pour out our hearts to him and to rely on his perfect character.

Battle For The Mind

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:06:33 -0600

The Christian life is a battle. Believers must be prepared to fight every battle that life brings and the Apostle Paul knows that many of life's battles are fought in the mind. Philippians 4:8-9 is a call for Christians to do battle in their minds. In these verses, Paul has given a list of virtues that Christians are to think on, which in turn will result in peace; the God of peace being with them. Furthermore, Paul instructs believers to practice what they have learned, received, heard and seen in him. In other words, Christians are to example Paul as he exampled Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Much of the experience of a Christian's life is a result of their thought life. Philippians 4:8-9 instructs us to think about all that is good in Jesus. This is the antidote to a lack of peace.

Turning Sorrow Into Joy (Easter)

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 14:56:05 -0600

Goodbyes are difficult and often a source of sorrow. In John 16:16-22 the disciples were wrestling with a goodbye of their own as they pondered Jesus's announcement that they will not see him for a little while. Jesus encourages them by giving them a promise. He promises to turn their sorrow into joy (vs. 20). This is the power of the resurrection. The eternal joys offered by God and promised in Christ are rooted in the resurrection of Jesus for all who are united to him by faith.

Jesus Is King (Palm Sunday)

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 15:19:14 -0600

The "Palm Sunday" events recorded in John 12:9-19 happen shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Jesus enters the city declaring his kingship by fulfilling a prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. Riding into the city on the "colt of a donkey" instead of a war horse showed he is a gentle and lowly king. And yet, He is the powerful king we all need. He alone can overcome the curse and condemnation of death that we deserve.

Do Not Be Anxious

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 17:29:17 -0600

In Philippians 4:6-7 Paul gives some direct instruction that both amazes and irritates, "Do not be anxious about anything." He goes on to explain the way we obey that command is by "praying about everything." This is the only path to experiencing the peace of God (vs. 7) in the midst of anxious circumstances. God's peace is what we need most because it alone is able to "guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Rejoicing through Difficulty

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 17:05:11 -0600

In Philippians 4:2-5, Paul entreats two ladies who were leaders in the church to put aside their differences and agree in the Lord. In addition, despite being imprisoned, he exhorts Christians to rejoice in the Lord at all times. Finally, he encourages Christians to have a reasonable or gentle spirit, knowing that the Lord's presence is near.

Citizens of Heaven

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 14:10:32 -0600

In Philippians 3:17-4:1, Paul invites his readers to imitate his example and not be deceived by other so-called Christians who show their spurious faith by living as "enemies of the cross." Instead of having a mind "set on earthly things" true Christians live with a conscience awareness their "citizenship is in heaven." In other words, Paul wants Christians to primarily live according to the politics of heaven. The politics of heaven are glorious, indeed! How might you remember your citizenship in heaven this week? Will you pray about this?

Press On

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 17:07:51 -0600

In Philippians 3:12-16 we learn Paul's "pressed on" and "strained forward" for the "prize" and "goal" of knowing and enjoying Jesus more fully. Why did Paul have such single-minded focus to press on to know Christ? Because Christ Jesus had made Paul his own (3:12). God's gracious pursuit of us through Jesus's saving power and love is what secures and motivates our energetic pursuit of Christ. Here are some questions you might to yourself apply this text:

Is there sin you need to repent of that is hindering you from pressing on to know Christ?
What is one practical action you can take this week to "press on" to know Christ?
Who in your church family can you invite you join you?

Knowing Christ

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 15:40:30 -0600

The focal point of Philippians 3:8-11 is Christ. What a privilege we have to know Jesus in a personal and relational way. The value of an abiding relationship with Jesus should greatly surpass the value of all things in this present age (Phil 3:8-9). Verse 10 tells us we can know Jesus by experiencing the power of his resurrection (through his indwelling Spirit), and by sharing in Christ’s sufferings. Both are necessary to know Jesus as we ought. What do you hold of higher value than knowing Christ? Let us seek repentance where necessary, and pray for ongoing clarity to see the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 16:40:45 -0600

In Philippians 3:1-11 Paul gives harsh warnings against putting any confidence in the flesh concerning one's relationship with God. Paul had an impressive resume of his own that he once thought were spiritual assets (Phil. 3:4-6). That all changed when he encountered the "surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:7-8). The perfect resume of Jesus Christ is what we need, and that is what God gladly gives us by grace through faith.

Exemplary Ministry Partnerships

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 14:32:23 -0600

In Philippians 2:19-30, Paul gives an update about the travel plans for two of his ministry partners. By doing this, Paul provides two practical examples of what it looks like to "live worthy of the gospel" (1:27). Both Timothy and Epaphroditus model in different ways what it looks like to "look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (2:4). We see a picture of true biblical Christianity in their “genuine concern for the welfare” of others (2:20) that presses forward through costly and sometimes risky sacrifice. The challenge for us is to admit how shallow American Christianity often is in comparison.

Lights in the World

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 17:40:46 -0600

Philippians 2:14-18 teaches us several truths that are vital to the Christian life. We are told to do all things without grumbling and disputing, while living a life that is blameless, innocent and without blemish. Doing so will produce a testimony that will be a light to the world. Paul emphasizes also to treasure the Word of God and share it with others. Ultimately doing all of these things is pleasing to God and will lead to gladness and rejoicing among believers.

Salvation That Works

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 17:54:36 -0600

Philippians 2:12-13 is a very important text relating to Christian sanctification. This text does not indicate that salvation can be earned or worked for, but that God expects those who have been saved through faith alone, to live out that salvation through obedience to Christ and his word. Our joyful, faith-filled obedience is motivated by Christ’s example of obedience, and the knowledge that God is working in us to supply the desire to obey, and the power to carry it out. The Christian is responsible for obedience, yet it is God who empowers it. Therefore, let us earnestly seek God as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). We can have full confidence that he who began a good work in us will bring it to completion (Phil 1:6).

To Live is Christ

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 16:15:29 -0600

In Philippians 1 the Apostle Paul explains how he defines life - “to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). What this teaches us is that if you have a proper definition of life, you’ll be able to face anything in life - even death. But, if you don’t have a proper definition of life, you won’t - your life will collapse. This text calls you to convert your purpose and meaning in life to something greater, something better, something that can endure the worst — even death — and still not be taken from you. “To live is Christ, to die is gain.”

Our Good Shepherd

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 16:39:11 -0600

None of us know the twists and turns that await us in this new year. Something you can know is that whatever twists and turns are ahead, if you are in Christ, you have a Good Shepherd. In John 10 we learn that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He loves us, he goes before us, and he leads us with his word toward a wonderful and glorious eternal future.

Christmas Devotion

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 17:44:36 -0600

The Advance of the Gospel

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 15:13:11 -0600

Abounding In Love As Partners In The Gospel

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 14:13:02 -0600

Partners In The Gospel

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:38:48 -0600

Servants and Saints, Grace and Peace

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 15:03:43 -0600

Jesus Forgives Sin and Sinners

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 17:20:48 -0600

An Overview and Reading of Philippians

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 17:48:38 -0600

The Only Unshakeable Refuge

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 16:27:50 -0600

God’s New Humanity

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 17:51:43 -0600

When Your Eyes See The King

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 14:18:37 -0600

Balaam and Balak

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 14:51:28 -0600

The Wisdom, Presence, and Power of God

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 17:27:41 -0600

Let Love Cover It

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 15:08:49 -0600

Abounding in the Lord’s Work

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 16:38:33 -0600

The Freedom of Christian Relationships

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 14:29:52 -0600

Divine Detours

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 15:11:53 -0600

The Prayer of Jesus

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 17:56:49 -0600

True Spirituality

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 17:15:25 -0600

Jesus Teaches About Kingdom Values

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 17:59:55 -0600

Citizens and Saints

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 17:17:12 -0600

Him We Proclaim

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 15:37:55 -0600

Caring for the Church of God

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 16:05:52 -0600

Seek God’s Wisdom During Testing

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 14:21:39 -0600

Psalm 59: My God, My Fortress

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 15:30:43 -0600

A Cry Against Injustice

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 14:22:27 -0600

Living in Times of Trouble

Sun, 29 May 2022 14:24:43 -0600

Gospel Praying

Sun, 22 May 2022 16:04:04 -0600

Women Who Trusted God

Sun, 08 May 2022 14:09:50 -0600

Hope as a Result of Righteousness by Faith

Sun, 01 May 2022 17:40:55 -0600

It’s Not About You

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 15:18:18 -0600

Does Jesus’ Resurrection Really Matter?

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 14:42:46 -0600

King of Peace

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 17:25:18 -0600

The Witness of Christian Unity

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 15:30:10 -0600

Christian Unity and Gospel Doctrine

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 15:05:55 -0600

A Christian’s Response to Global Conflict

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 17:53:57 -0600

Live Worthy of the Gospel

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 15:02:28 -0600

From Creation to the Cross to New Creation

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 17:29:04 -0600

The End is Not Yet

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 16:33:30 -0600

Learning to Live Under the New Covenant

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 16:25:52 -0600

Heaven: Dwelling With God and the Lamb

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 17:06:15 -0600

Jesus Brings Us From Creation to New Creation

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 17:04:52 -0600

The New Covenant Sacrifice

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 14:54:14 -0600

God Keeps His Promises

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 17:51:23 -0600

The Promise of God’s Son, The Messiah

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 17:36:21 -0600

The First Adam Needs the Last Adam

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 15:19:44 -0600

God’s Ordinary Means of Grace

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 15:15:04 -0600

A Christian’s Source of Christmas Joy

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 17:11:54 -0600

Mary: The Mother of Jesus, Jesus the Son of God

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 17:51:18 -0600

A Baby Fulfills Prophecy

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 16:46:28 -0600

Advent: I Was Born to Bear Witness to the Truth

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 15:05:44 -0600

Give Thanks In All Circumstances (Joseph’s Life Situation)

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 16:00:33 -0600

Christian Thankfulness

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 15:22:39 -0600

Because We Are the Body of Christ and The Household of God

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 14:50:48 -0600

Because the Church Is Commissioned to Proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Nations

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 14:40:02 -0600

We Belong Together

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 15:35:16 -0600

Because we are a Distinct Community Shaped by the Preaching and Teaching of God’s Word

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 15:42:11 -0600

Participating Together in the Gospel

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 16:13:05 -0600

Why Bother With the Church? Because of What the Church is

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 16:01:38 -0600

Why Bother With the Church? Because the Gates of Hell Will Not Prevail Against It

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 14:34:09 -0600

Remembering God’s Faithfulness

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 14:46:20 -0600

When I am Afraid

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 14:14:26 -0600

The Hope of the Broken Hearted

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 17:09:45 -0600

Foolishness and Wisdom

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 16:01:50 -0600

God Always Wins

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 17:03:36 -0600

Cleanse Me From My Sin

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 15:36:10 -0600

Psalm 50: The Mighty One Speaks

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 15:48:01 -0600

When Mine Eyes Shall Close In Death

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 17:12:53 -0600

The Father of Mercies & God of All Comfort

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 17:52:40 -0600

King Over All The Earth

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 14:41:40 -0600

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 15:25:14 -0600

Your Throne, O God, Will Last Forever and Ever

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 16:57:39 -0600

Why Are You Sleeping, O Lord?

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 14:56:39 -0600

Turmoil and Hope

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 17:30:02 -0600

Who We Are: Ministry

Mon, 31 May 2021 15:18:08 -0600

Who We Are: Mission

Sun, 23 May 2021 17:14:43 -0600

Who We Are: Community

Sun, 16 May 2021 16:11:18 -0600

God In Everyday Life

Sun, 09 May 2021 16:02:37 -0600

Who We Are: Worship

Sun, 02 May 2021 15:36:13 -0600

Who We Are: Scripture

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:22:14 -0600

Who We Are: Our Mission

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 17:04:16 -0600

Walking in Truth

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 16:04:13 -0600

Jesus’ Resurrection and Appearances

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 14:20:36 -0600

Preach The Word!

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 15:25:03 -0600

Practicing Godly Discernment by Walking in Love and Truth

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 15:30:23 -0600

Knowing You Have Eternal Life

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 16:20:29 -0600

Six Witnesses That Testify Jesus is the Son of God

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 17:48:32 -0600

The Birthmarks of Being Born Again

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 16:43:34 -0600

Not Every Spirit Is From God

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 14:48:42 -0600

Christian Assurance Through Love

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 14:55:50 -0600

God’s Plan For Church Growth

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 14:25:42 -0600

Help For A Condemning Heart

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 15:31:34 -0600

Do Your Actions Past the Test of Love?

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 17:45:15 -0600

Destroying The Works of the Devil

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 14:46:40 -0600

Christ Was Rejected So That We Can Be Accepted

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 17:26:58 -0600

The Great Prophet Brings Good News of Salvation

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 14:20:43 -0600

The Vision of the King of Kings

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 17:23:43 -0600

You Are Children Of God

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 16:00:21 -0600

The Final Hour

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 15:14:31 -0600

Giving Thanks In All Circumstances

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 17:53:52 -0600

Christian Gratitude

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 16:15:49 -0600

Do Not Be Infatuated With Temporal Worldly Godlessness

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 16:47:23 -0600

Praise God For His Sovereign Goodness

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 17:11:45 -0600

Christian Assurance of Obedience and Love

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 14:07:24 -0600

God Is Light

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 14:24:33 -0600

The Word of Life

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 16:46:52 -0600

An Overview of 1 John

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 15:45:48 -0600

The Simple Yet Serious Call To Follow Christ

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 17:33:51 -0600

Mercy, Slander, Betrayal, and Delight

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 17:00:39 -0600

The Joyful Experience and Hopeful Expectation of Deliverance

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 16:39:30 -0600

The Brevity of Life

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 17:30:47 -0600

The Pain of Sin

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 16:25:02 -0600

When Evil Seems to Win

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 14:13:30 -0600

God’s Steadfast Love

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 15:00:24 -0600

Prayer for Justice

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 14:35:08 -0600

Praise For God’s Deliverance

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 14:34:15 -0600

Praise of God’s Perfections, Word, Works, and Ways

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 16:00:47 -0600

The Path to Human Flourishing

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 17:37:16 -0600

Enduring Times Of Distress

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 15:29:19 -0600

Praise For Deliverance From Death

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 15:39:27 -0600

Declare The LORD’s Glory And Strength

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 16:52:45 -0600

God, My Rock and Shield

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 15:19:29 -0600

Confidence Over Life’s Anxieties

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 17:18:46 -0600

My Foot Stands On Level Ground

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 14:44:29 -0600

Trusting God’s Guidance

Sun, 31 May 2020 15:32:13 -0600

The all-creating, all-holy, and all victorious God

Sun, 24 May 2020 17:25:35 -0600

Jesus Is My Shepherd

Sun, 17 May 2020 17:44:05 -0600

Episode 08: On When Should Churches Practice Civil Disobedience?

Wed, 13 May 2020 17:50:46 -0600

How A Woman Who Fears the Lord Can Respond To Difficult Circumstances

Sun, 10 May 2020 17:45:29 -0600

Episode 07: Discovering Unexpected Blessings

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:08:22 -0600

Confidence in the Protective Care of God

Sun, 03 May 2020 17:56:44 -0600

Episode 06: Walking with God through Death

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 16:46:56 -0600

Walking With God Through Death

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 15:37:42 -0600

Episode 05: Walking with God through Doubt

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 17:51:06 -0600

Walking With God Through Doubt

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:37:25 -0600

Episode 4: The Relationship Between Faith and Fear

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 14:38:32 -0600

The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus. So What?

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 15:03:37 -0600

Episode 3: How Might the Church Change After COVID-19?

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 17:12:04 -0600

The Triumphal Entry

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 15:52:14 -0600

Episode 2: Walking with God through Difficulty and Depravation

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 15:42:31 -0600

Walking With God Through Difficulty and Deprivation

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 16:28:40 -0600

Episode 1: A Christian Response to Uncertainty

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:33:38 -0600

Walking With God Through Disease and Sickness

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 14:22:12 -0600

Walking With God Through Fear and Uncertainty

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 16:03:43 -0600

Put On All Your Armor, and Stand!

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 14:32:45 -0600

Be Strong In the Lord

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 14:38:30 -0600

Spirit-Filled Submission in Family and Professional Relationships

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 15:02:12 -0600

Spirit-Filled Husbands and Wives

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 15:46:36 -0600

Look Carefully How You Walk In An Evil World

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 15:25:58 -0600

The Results of Justification by Faith

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 17:56:45 -0600

What is Man? Destined for Glory and Honor

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 17:37:28 -0600

Walk in Love and Light in a Lustful and Dark World

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 17:40:40 -0600

A Worthy Walk Imitates God

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 16:00:44 -0600

Betrayed, Broken, and Poured Out

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 16:52:06 -0600

Living Our New Identity in Christ

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 14:52:20 -0600

The Son of God Appeared to Destroy the Works of the Devil

Sun, 22 Dec 2019 14:54:36 -0600

The Baby Born in Bethlehem is Eternal God

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 17:55:32 -0600

Living Out Our Calling

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:37:46 -0600

The Challenge of Proclaiming the True Gospel

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 17:33:45 -0600

A New Humanity Of Peace

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 17:40:14 -0600

From Death To Life By God’s Grace Alone

Sun, 03 Nov 2019 15:52:05 -0600

A Prayer to know God

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 15:32:31 -0600

Every Spiritual Blessing: Sealed by the Holy Spirit

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 16:09:44 -0600

Every Spiritual Blessing (Part Two)

Sun, 13 Oct 2019 17:04:47 -0600

Life in the Spirit

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 15:32:09 -0600

Every Spiritual Blessing (Part One)

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 14:06:17 -0600

Summiting Ephesians: An Overview Of Paul’s Letter

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 17:55:19 -0600

A Psalm for the Abandoned

Sun, 08 Sep 2019 16:33:57 -0600

Rejoice in the LORD’s Strength

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 14:53:09 -0600

The Law of the LORD Is Perfect

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 17:32:50 -0600

A Royal Song of Praise

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 15:35:10 -0600

A Prayer for Deliverance

Sun, 04 Aug 2019 17:57:58 -0600

Fullness of Joy and Pleasure Forever

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 16:54:45 -0600

Dwelling with God

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 16:34:10 -0600

The Fool’s Worldview and God’s Response

Sun, 14 Jul 2019 16:31:57 -0600

How Long, Oh Lord?

Sun, 07 Jul 2019 17:05:26 -0600

Human Deception and Flattery Exposed By The Flawless Word Of God

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 14:11:17 -0600

Take Refuge In God

Sun, 23 Jun 2019 17:49:39 -0600

Psalm 10: Why, O Lord?

Sun, 16 Jun 2019 15:20:48 -0600

The Tragedy Of Building Foolishly

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 15:14:32 -0600

Beware Of The False Path, False Prophets, and False Professions

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 14:07:50 -0600

Ask, Seek, and Knock

Sun, 19 May 2019 15:06:53 -0600

Kingdom Citizens Exercise Proper Judgement to Help and Protect Others

Sun, 12 May 2019 16:00:01 -0600

Response of Kingdom Citizens to Wealth and Anxiety

Sun, 05 May 2019 14:23:33 -0600

The Lord’s Prayer

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 17:44:47 -0600

Signs That Validate Jesus’ Radical Claims (The Gospel According to John)

Sun, 21 Apr 2019 15:22:17 -0600

Who Is This? (Jesus’ Entry Into Jerusalem)

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 17:17:26 -0600

Hypocritical Versus Authentic Religious Practice

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 14:10:34 -0600

The Internal Lawfulness of Kingdom Citizens

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 14:46:23 -0600

The Need For Internal Righteousness Examined

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 14:15:57 -0600

Jesus Came To Fulfill The Scriptures

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 17:04:41 -0600

The Qualities of Kingdom Citizens

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 15:43:17 -0600

Kingdom Citizens

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 14:46:02 -0600

Accept Life’s Limitations

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 15:49:15 -0600

Respond to God Carefully

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 17:25:58 -0600

Reverently Accept God’s All-Inclusive Plan

Sun, 27 Jan 2019 16:32:55 -0600

Enjoy Life as a Gift from God

Sun, 20 Jan 2019 16:30:53 -0600

We Exist To Display God’s Glory

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 14:48:16 -0600

The Gospel And Two Implications For The New Year

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 17:24:16 -0600

God’s Grace Displayed In Jesus’ Genealogy

Sun, 23 Dec 2018 14:59:23 -0600

The Word That Became Flesh Is Eternal God

Sun, 09 Dec 2018 15:22:29 -0600

The Identity and Mission of the Messiah King

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 15:23:12 -0600

Why We Can Trust God While Suffering

Sun, 25 Nov 2018 14:33:08 -0600

Why We Can Give Thanks In All Circumstances

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 15:43:29 -0600

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 14:39:13 -0600

The Parable of the Lost Son

Sun, 04 Nov 2018 16:08:52 -0600

The Parables of The Two Son’s, The Evil Tenants, and The Wedding Feast

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 14:09:38 -0600

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 17:39:10 -0600

The Parable of the Soils

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 17:13:39 -0600

The End Is Now

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 14:25:43 -0600

We Will See His Face

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 15:37:41 -0600

The New Jerusalem: God’s Presence and Glory

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 17:14:37 -0600

Behold, I am Making all Things New

Sun, 19 Aug 2018 15:47:06 -0600

Final Vision: Hope Fulfilled – A New Heaven, A New Earth, A New City

Sun, 12 Aug 2018 16:06:15 -0600

Jesus Christ in Revelation

Sun, 05 Aug 2018 14:59:31 -0600

The Final Battle, Part 2

Sun, 29 Jul 2018 14:41:05 -0600

Captured by the Gospel of Grace

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 17:00:12 -0600

Finding our Sufficiency in Christ

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 16:47:48 -0600

The Final Battle, Part 1

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 15:04:21 -0600

The Marriage of the Lamb

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 17:23:14 -0600

The Mission Entrusted to Older Men

Sun, 17 Jun 2018 17:42:44 -0600

Responding to the Supremacy of Christ

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 16:21:38 -0600

The Judgement of the Great Prostitute

Sun, 20 May 2018 15:45:30 -0600

The Mission Entrusted to Older Women

Sun, 13 May 2018 16:42:09 -0600

Who is Jesus?

Sun, 29 Apr 2018 14:47:27 -0600

The Bowls of God’s Wrath are Emptied

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 16:46:58 -0600

Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 17:32:56 -0600

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Why it Matters

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 15:13:05 -0600

The Call to an Extraordinary Life

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 15:24:54 -0600

The Lamb and the 144,000

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 15:07:58 -0600

Another Beast (The False Prophet)

Sun, 04 Mar 2018 17:07:20 -0600

Satan’s Beast

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 14:19:47 -0600

The Great Commission

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 16:48:17 -0600

The Woman, Her Child, and the Dragon: Conflict in Heaven and on Earth

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 16:54:51 -0600

The Kingdom Belongs to God

Sun, 04 Feb 2018 14:19:06 -0600

Word and Witness

Sun, 28 Jan 2018 17:02:57 -0600

Locusts, Warhorses, and the Refusal to Repent: The Fifth & Sixth Trumpet Judgements

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 15:50:11 -0600

The First Four Trumpets: Silence then Partial Devastation

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 16:41:23 -0600

The Blessedness of Being Forgiven and Forgiving Others

Sun, 31 Dec 2017 14:22:06 -0600

Amazed by the Truly Amazing

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 16:54:24 -0600

The Wealthy Man, The Pharisee, and the Sinful Woman

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 14:05:48 -0600

The Greatest Expression of God’s Love

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 16:15:45 -0600

The Prince of Peace: The One Who Makes Peace

Sun, 03 Dec 2017 15:12:14 -0600

The Coming of Christ Generates Hope and Expectancy

Sun, 26 Nov 2017 15:13:44 -0600

The Lord is God and He is Good

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 14:20:52 -0600

A Multitude without Number

Sun, 12 Nov 2017 14:46:50 -0600

Sealing the Saints

Sun, 05 Nov 2017 16:55:26 -0600

Solus Christus

Sun, 22 Oct 2017 15:27:50 -0600

Sola Fide

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 17:04:49 -0600

Sola Gratia

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 15:40:46 -0600

Sola Scriptura

Sun, 01 Oct 2017 14:58:56 -0600

The Best Worst Trade

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 17:43:54 -0600

The Lamb Opens the Fifth and Sixth Seals

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 14:20:33 -0600

The Lamb Opens the First Four Seals

Sun, 10 Sep 2017 15:07:30 -0600

God and the Lamb

Sun, 03 Sep 2017 17:27:07 -0600

Twelve Lessons from Revelation Chapters 1-3

Sun, 27 Aug 2017 16:59:12 -0600

Warning Against Apathetic Self-Sufficiency

Sun, 20 Aug 2017 16:38:09 -0600

Confirmation Amid Faithfulness

Sun, 13 Aug 2017 17:16:41 -0600

Rebuke for Lifeless Nominalism

Sun, 06 Aug 2017 16:37:56 -0600

Perseverance Without Compromise

Sun, 30 Jul 2017 15:35:05 -0600

In Spiritual Drought, Hope in the Lord

Sun, 23 Jul 2017 16:24:48 -0600

Confrontation for a Compromised Testimony

Sun, 16 Jul 2017 15:54:01 -0600

Encouragement for a Fearless and Faithful Witness to the World

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 14:17:52 -0600

Rebuke for a Love Deficient Separatism

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 17:57:33 -0600

Spirit-Controlled Fathers and Children

Sun, 18 Jun 2017 16:13:01 -0600

Vision of the Exalted Christ

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 17:05:14 -0600

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Sun, 04 Jun 2017 17:22:17 -0600

God’s Covenant Love

Sun, 28 May 2017 14:06:46 -0600

The Sufficiency of Scripture

Sun, 21 May 2017 15:55:01 -0600

God Who Gives Life

Sun, 14 May 2017 16:15:40 -0600

The Restoring Power of God

Sun, 07 May 2017 16:40:09 -0600

The Empowering Presence of God

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 17:57:25 -0600

The Purifying Love of God

Sun, 23 Apr 2017 17:28:45 -0600

The Beauty of the Cross

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 14:52:49 -0600

The Glory of the Resurrection

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 15:06:08 -0600

Encouragement for Suffering Saints

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 16:03:41 -0600

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

Sun, 02 Apr 2017 17:41:01 -0600

Comfort for God’s Oppressed People

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 15:50:55 -0600

Who Is Like the LORD?

Sun, 19 Mar 2017 16:10:33 -0600

Salvation Is of the LORD

Sun, 12 Mar 2017 15:44:04 -0600

Pride Goes Before Destruction

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:59:52 -0600

The Righteousness of God

Sun, 26 Feb 2017 15:50:12 -0600

The Day of the Lord

Sun, 19 Feb 2017 14:55:26 -0600

God Loves With Loyal and Unfailing Love

Sun, 12 Feb 2017 16:00:22 -0600

The True Grace of God

Sun, 29 Jan 2017 17:02:11 -0600

Shepherd-Leading and Responding With Grace and Humility

Sun, 15 Jan 2017 16:55:40 -0600

Rejoicing In Suffering With Christ

Sun, 08 Jan 2017 15:04:40 -0600

Value and Benefit of God’s Word

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:18:43 -0600

Doing the Will of God In Light of Christ’s Return

Sun, 11 Dec 2016 16:50:46 -0600

Stand Firm In God’s Grace Even When Suffering Comes

Sun, 04 Dec 2016 15:22:23 -0600

Gospel Conduct Between Husbands and Wives

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 17:55:26 -0600

Our Good Works and the Glory of God

Sun, 20 Nov 2016 15:59:15 -0600

Live and Love According to Our Identity In Christ

Sun, 13 Nov 2016 15:49:34 -0600

The Gospel Changes Everything - Living According to Our Identity

Sun, 30 Oct 2016 16:53:40 -0600

Born Again to a Living Hope

Sun, 23 Oct 2016 15:19:23 -0600

Pray for Global Missions

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 15:30:20 -0600

Stand Firm in Grace – 1 Peter Overview

Sun, 09 Oct 2016 14:42:18 -0600

The Fall and Restoration of Peter

Sun, 02 Oct 2016 14:46:05 -0600

Taste and See

Sun, 25 Sep 2016 17:14:08 -0600

God Reigns Now and Forever

Sun, 11 Sep 2016 17:07:24 -0600

The Majesty of Our God

Sun, 04 Sep 2016 14:52:27 -0600

The Righteous God Is a Refuge for the Righteous

Sun, 21 Aug 2016 17:49:29 -0600

In Steadfast Love, God Hears the Cries of the Broken

Sun, 14 Aug 2016 17:49:20 -0600

A Morning Prayer Anticipating the Presence of God

Sun, 07 Aug 2016 15:55:41 -0600

In Distress but Confident in the Lord; Evening Prayer

Sun, 31 Jul 2016 17:46:12 -0600

Sermon: July 24, 2016

Sun, 24 Jul 2016 16:29:44 -0600

The Reign of the LORD’s Anointed King

Sun, 17 Jul 2016 15:32:24 -0600

The Blessed Way of the Righteous

Sun, 10 Jul 2016 15:38:56 -0600

New Life in Christ

Sun, 03 Jul 2016 14:53:30 -0600

Leading With Love

Sun, 19 Jun 2016 15:22:30 -0600

The Spirit’s Desire

Sun, 05 Jun 2016 15:58:13 -0600

The Fruit of a Spirit-Led Life

Sun, 29 May 2016 16:19:09 -0600

Signs of New Life in Christ by the Spirit

Sun, 22 May 2016 14:39:16 -0600

Growing Together in Grace

Mon, 16 May 2016 17:03:54 -0600

The Sufficiency of Jesus Christ

Sun, 08 May 2016 17:57:01 -0600

Freed From Sin and the Law Through Christ

Sun, 24 Apr 2016 15:46:39 -0600

Restoring Christian Hospitality to the Church

Sun, 10 Apr 2016 14:59:44 -0600

Living Out Our Union With Christ

Sun, 03 Apr 2016 16:39:21 -0600

Worship the Real Jesus

Sun, 20 Mar 2016 15:21:47 -0600

The Lord of Reconciliation

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 17:40:37 -0600

Jesus’ Resurrection and Appearances

Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:24:05 -0600

The True King Rejected

Sun, 28 Feb 2016 15:35:37 -0600

Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer

Sun, 14 Feb 2016 17:19:48 -0600

A Church on Mission

Sun, 31 Jan 2016 14:53:44 -0600

The Misery of a Sinning Saint

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 17:40:48 -0600