Witness To The Glory of God
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
Romans 15:14-21 | Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
More Than Conquerors
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Promises Fulfilled
More from this series:
Walk By The Spirit, Not By The Flesh
Galatians 5:16-26 | In Galatians 5 we see Paul advocating for believers to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. This was during a time when they were being taught that walking by the flesh is your way to salvation. God has provided a way of justification through faith that should lead to an overflow of walking by the Spirit. He also presents a warning to abstain from the flesh. Walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh will produce the best results in our life.
Galatians 5:16-26 | In Galatians 5 we see Paul advocating for believers to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. This was during a time when they were being taught that walking by the flesh is your way to salvation. God has provided a way of justification through faith that should lead to an overflow of walking by the Spirit. He also presents a warning to abstain from the flesh. Walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh will produce the best results in our life.
APPLICATION GUIDE | SERMON SLIDES | SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES
More from this series:
Romans 14:17 | There seems to be a connection in scripture between the work of the Holy Spirit and the joy of the believer. Followers of Jesus are to be a people marked by a prevailing joy. The Holy Spirit is working for our joy in the Lord. We need to understand the connection between the Holy Spirit and our joy in Christ. Let's look at this together.
1 Corinthians 12:1–13:13 | The Spirit is always working for the greater good of the body of Christ. He gifts every person who is in Christ with gifts that we are to use to build up the body of Christ. What are the gifts the Spirit has given you? How do you know? How does God want those gifts exercised? What is at stake whether we do or don't exercise the gifts from the Spirit?
Ephesians 5:15-21 | In the Bible we see people described as being filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5 lays out a command for us to be filled with the Spirit. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? What does a life full of the Spirit look like? How might we hinder the fullness of the Spirit in our lives?
Galatians 5:16-26 | In Galatians 5 we see Paul advocating for believers to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. This was during a time when they were being taught that walking by the flesh is your way to salvation. God has provided a way of justification through faith that should lead to an overflow of walking by the Spirit. He also presents a warning to abstain from the flesh. Walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh will produce the best results in our life.
John 14:15–31 | Last week we established the truth that the Holy Spirit is fully God as the third person of the Trinity. This week we turn to this awesome reality that this Holy Spirit dwells in us as followers of Jesus. We need to know that, and we need to know the ministry the Holy Spirit is actively working as he dwells in us. This is where we turn our attention this week.
John 16:5–15 | We all want to walk deeply with the Spirit. We want to live a Spirit-filled life. We want to know the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We begin a series seeking to understand the Holy Spirit and what life in the Spirit looks like. Before we can understand what life in the Spirit looks like we must understand who the Holy Spirit is. This is where we focus to kick off our series.
Wisdom People
Exodus 18:1–27 | Exodus 18 reveals a foundational truth to our faith. After a period of conflict, Moses shares a conversation with Jethro, a Midianite whose faith was not in God, but Jethro acknowledges the power of God on the journey of the Israelites. We learn through this chapter that people of wisdom declare God as the one true God and guide us as we guide others to believe the same.
Exodus 18:1–27 | Exodus 18 reveals a foundational truth to our faith. After a period of conflict, Moses shares a conversation with Jethro, a Midianite whose faith was not in God, but Jethro acknowledges the power of God on the journey of the Israelites. We learn through this chapter that people of wisdom declare God as the one true God and guide us as we guide others to believe the same.
APPLICATION GUIDE | SERMON SLIDES | SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES
More from this series:
Exodus 33:1–34:35 | If you could have all the blessings God can give without God's presence, would you be okay with that? This is what the Israelites were faced with. God has made a way to lead them to the promised land, promised protection from enemies, and laid before them a land flowing with milk and honey, but there was one major problem. He said he wasn't going with them. They knew that was a disastrous word. Would we know that as well? This Sunday, we look at five reasons we are desperate for God's presence in our lives.
Exodus 32:7-35 | While Moses was quite literally on a mountaintop moment with God, the people back in the camp turned to another god. The golden calf idol of the Exodus story isn't just some crazy act of an ancient people, but rather everything about it reveals how our hearts make idols. More importantly, this chapter also helps us know how to break these idols. This Sunday, we look at how idols are broken in our life.
Exodus 32:1–6 | While Moses was quite literally on a mountaintop moment with God, the people back in the camp turned to another god. The golden calf idol of the Exodus story isn't just some crazy act of an ancient people, but rather everything about it reveals how our hearts make idols. More importantly, this chapter also helps us know how to break these idols. This Sunday, we look at how we make idols so that next Sunday, we can understand how we break them.
Exodus 31:1–18 | The instructions for the tabernacle are clear, but who will build it? God clearly tells Moses whom He has called for the work and how he has empowered him for the work. We might not be called to build a tabernacle, but there is work God has called us to, and if God has called us to it, He has empowered us for it. Let's find out how together!
Exodus 28:1–4 | The high priest was a big deal throughout Old Testament history. He was the one who had access to God in the Holy of Holies. He was the mediator between the holy God and His covenant people. This week, we unpack the roles of the high priest and the garments he wore to reflect the glory of God. And we see the life-changing connection that Jesus came as a new, greater High Priest, so that we will forever be reconciled to the heart of our loving Heavenly Father.
Exodus 25:1–27:21 | The tabernacle communicates something remarkable: a holy God delights to dwell with sinful people. This is truly remarkable. What is even better news is that we see God making a way to dwell with His people in all of history. This week we take a deep look into the tabernacle and how the elements show us God's desire to manifest His presence among His people. We will also see how each element of the tabernacle points us to Jesus Christ as the greater Tabernacle.
Exodus 21:1–24:18 | What do you do when you come to the large sections of the Bible that list a bunch of Old Testament laws? Have you skipped past them? Be honest! Have you skimmed them with the thought that there really isn't anything in there for you? We absolutely know that we are saved by grace through faith and not through law-keeping, but why is there so much in the inspired Word devoted to the law? What if God's law shows us God's heart?
Exodus 20:1–26 | What has been your relationship with the Ten Commandments? Are they merely a list of rules? What do they mean for us who have been redeemed on this side of the cross? If all of them have been fulfilled by Jesus, and we are now in Christ, what importance should they have in our life? We continue Part 2 of our study on the Ten Commandments seeking to understand what marks a community of God's people that love Him and love others.
Exodus 20:1–26 | What has been your relationship with the Ten Commandments? Are they merely a list of rules? What do they mean for us who have been redeemed on this side of the cross? If all of them have been fulfilled by Jesus and we are now in Christ, what importance should they have in our life? This week we seek to define the relationship between the ten commandments given to God's covenant people then and what they mean for us as His covenant people now.
Exodus 19:1–25 | After the Israelites' departure from Egypt, we find them camped out in the wilderness, looking up at Mount Sinai, and waiting for God to speak. The Lord calls to Moses from the mountain, and Moses must deliver a message to the people: to obey the covenant they will receive from the Lord. Exodus 19 tells the middle of the story between God's deliverance of Israel and Israel's dwelling with God.
Exodus 18:1–27 | Exodus 18 reveals a foundational truth to our faith. After a period of conflict, Moses shares a conversation with Jethro, a Midianite whose faith was not in God, but Jethro acknowledges the power of God on the journey of the Israelites. We learn through this chapter that people of wisdom declare God as the one true God and guide us as we guide others to believe the same.
Exodus 15:22-17:16 | We have seen God's leading of His people, but it is good to know that as God leads, He does so by providing and protecting. All of our provision comes from the Lord, and all of our protection is ultimately found in the Lord. We see the provision and protection of the Lord over His people in this week's passage, and it should bring deep worship, comfort, and trust to our hearts.
Exodus 14:1-15:21 | At the pinnacle point of the exodus from Egypt, we see how a good and mighty God leads His people out. As we study this, the Word of God will unpack for us six faith-growing truths of how God leads. This is a catalytic study for us to grow our faith in following our good and mighty God.
Exodus 13:1-22 | The command to remember is important to God. Again and again, in His Word, He tells us to remember what He has done and how he has saved us. This remembering of the past has the power to help us faithfully follow His leading in the present. This week, we see how God has called us to remember His saving work in the past and follow His leading in the present.
Exodus 11:1-12:51 | Who do you really believe is in control of your life? In this passage God will show his authority over life and death through the passover. As we examine each Passover element, we cant help but see Jesus, which leads us to greater worship!
Exodus 17:1-10:29 | God will inflict ten mighty plagues on the land of Egypt. What is his purpose of the plagues? What is He declaring? Is this just some cat-and-mouse game He is playing with Pharaoh? No, this is massive. In the sending of the plagues, God is saying something powerful we all must hear and heed.
Exodus 5:1-6:30 | Obey God and everything in life is easy, right? Well, not quite. Obedience is a blessing for sure, but we need to define what that means. Oftentimes, obeying God can make life heavier and criticism from others harsher in the near term. So why obey? Because He is worthy and because the blessings of obedience always outweigh the costs. Exodus chapters 5 and 6 are a great teacher of this.
Exodus 3:1-4:31 | The greatest need of the human heart is to bow in wonder and worship at the greatness of God. Exodus chapters 3 and 4 are a gift to this end. This week, we tackle part two of the sermon: Our Great God. May God lead us to a place of reverent worship over who He is.
Exodus 3:1-4:31 | The greatest need of the human heart is to bow in wonder and worship at the greatness of God. Exodus 3 and 4 are a gift to this end. This week, we tackle Part 1 of The Greatness of God asking God to lead us to a place of reverent worship over who He is.
Exodus 2:11-25 | A season of suffering is awful. A season of suffering with no hope of its end in sight is worse. The circumstances of suffering are hard, but it is even worse to have no hope that the suffering will end soon. What do we do when we are here? Where do we anchor our soul for rest, worship, hope, and peace? In this week's passage, there are four verbs used to describe God in the midst of His people suffering with no end in sight. These four verbs are anchors for our soul when we are in the midst of suffering that just won't cease.
Exodus 1:1-2:10 | It is not enough to know things about God. We must know God. A.W. Tozer wrote, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." This is emphatically true. Who is God? And how do we know Him? And how does He interact with us as sinners and sufferers? As we embark on our study through Exodus, we set out on a journey to know our God. What we will find is that our God is a God who sees us in our bondage and delivers us from it so He can dwell with us as we worship Him. As we see Him for who He is, may we respond like Moses who worshipfully bows in his presence.
Humility or Humiliation
Luke 14:7-11 | This week, we took a look at the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Luke 14:7-11. In this section of God's Word, He reveals a truth that is so critical for our culture. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Luke 14:7-11 | This week, we took a look at the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Luke 14:7-11. In this section of God's Word, He reveals a truth that is so critical for our culture. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
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Luke 15:1-32 | What is the heart of God toward those who wander? Have you ever been so focused on the task in front of you that everything else fades so far into the background and you miss something important? In Luke 15, Jesus responds to the grumbling of the Pharisees: “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Jesus tells three parables that reveal what they missed, leading us to ask: “What is the heart of God toward those who wander?” And more importantly, “Do you have it?”
Matthew 13:44-46 | There is a lot of wisdom packed into just a few short verses. In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value, God reveals that when we live with open hands and faith, we can discover the priceless gift of His Kingdom.
Luke 18:9-14 | This week, we dive into a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee approached God with a "holier than thou" attitude, saying, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector." The tax collector, though, begged for God's mercy to save him from his sin. Through Jesus's words here, we learn that self-righteousness and godly righteousness are very different.
Luke 10:25-37 | What if a 60-second story Jesus told has the power to change how you love people for the rest of your life? In one of Jesus's most famous parables, The Good Samaritan, he replies to a lawyer's question, "Who is my neighbor?" with one of the most powerful truths of what a life of love for people looks like. Hear what a life of loving our neighbor as ourselves truly looks like lived out.
Matthew 20:1-16 | What if God doesn't always act fair as we define fairness? And what if that is really good news for us people desperately in need of His generous grace? Let's rest together in a parable that unpacks for us truly the generous "unfairness" of the grace of God.
Luke 14:7-11 | This week, we took a look at the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Luke 14:7-11. In this section of God's Word, He reveals a truth that is so critical for our culture. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Matthew 13:1-23 | Why is it that a group of people can all hear the same things from the Word of God and have vastly different reactions to it? Why is it that the Gospel for some is the greatest news they have ever heard and for others, the offense of it makes them deeply angry? This week, we look at the Parable of the Sower and gain a deeper understanding of how the Word of God is heard by hearts in different places.
Men Who Pray
1 Timothy 2:8 | In the church of Ephesus there was a charge for men and women to pray. In verse 8 Paul turns from men and women and specifically targets the men to step up and pray everywhere in the church. The men were lacking in this area because they were not praying when needed. There were issues taking place in the church where the men would look to argue instead of Pray. As we key in on this one verse we see Paul address the Men of Ephesus to turn from quarreling and lift holy hands in prayer, challenging all men to be praying men.
1 Timothy 2:8 | In the church of Ephesus there was a charge for men and women to pray. In verse 8 Paul turns from men and women and specifically targets the men to step up and pray everywhere in the church. The men were lacking in this area because they were not praying when needed. There were issues taking place in the church where the men would look to argue instead of Pray. As we key in on this one verse we see Paul address the Men of Ephesus to turn from quarreling and lift holy hands in prayer, challenging all men to be praying men.
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1 Timothy 6 | How do you find contentment? This passage tells us godliness with contentment is great gain. How do we experience that life of great gain? In this passage, we will unpack the heart, threat, pursuit, and practices of one who is living a life content in the Lord.
1 Timothy 5:17-6:21 | Honor seems to be a big deal to God. Three times in this part of 1 Timothy we are told to honor certain groups of people in the household of God: widows, elders, and masters. This week, we look at what it looks like to honor the authority God has put over us in the church and in the workplace. To obey God by honoring those He calls us to ultimately honors Him as the Most Honorable One. So let's look together this week at how to honor elders and bosses.
1 Timothy 5:3-16 | From cover to cover in the Bible, this is very clear: God has a huge heart for the care of widows. In this week's passage, we get clear instructions from God's Word on how the widows of our household are to be cared for. If this is such a big deal to God, it must be a big deal for God's household. Let's understand what all this passage says so our hearts match God's heart in the care of our widows.
1 Timothy 5:1-2 | One of the most beautiful and often taken for granted times is when the many generations of a family gather together. The joy of a loving family interacting cross-generationally often turns out to be some of our riches memories in life. If we are a family as God’s household, we must know how the gospel shapes us to interact cross-generationally. This week’s passage guides each generation of the family to love one another like family.
1 Timothy 4:6-16 | We all desire to be good servants of Christ, but do we know the costliness to which a good servant of Christ is called? Are we prepared for the life of diligence and discipline Jesus calls his servants to? Do we know what we must train in to steward the call to follow Jesus? Empowered by His grace, we look at the High Call To Christ’s Servants
1 Timothy 3:14-4:5 | Paul warns that in later times some will depart from the faith and be led astray by gospel undermining lies. This later time he talked about is our time now. What are the means of grace God has given us to cling to truth in the whirlwind of lies? This passage will guide us into the pillars of truth in the whirlwind of gospel undermining lies.
1 Timothy 3:8-13 | What comes to mind when you hear the word deacon varies widely based on your past church experience: from never having heard the term, to viewing deacons as those that care for the facility and provide food, to experiencing the deacons as the governing body of a church. Paul wrote this letter to Timothy so that “you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God.” (1 Timothy 3:15) So regardless of our past experiences, or even church tradition, we want to ensure we are following God’s model for the role of deacon in the household of God. And what we will find when studying the text of 1 Timothy 3:8-13, and also looking at a story in Acts 6:1-7, is that when deacons serve well in the household of God, needs are met, the Word is proclaimed, and the body is unified.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 | Healthy households have healthy leadership. The household of God must be led by leaders God calls and qualifies for the task. So who are the overseers of the house to be? And how do we know who is qualified for the task? These seven verses from 1 Timothy provide the answers for us.
1 Timothy 2:9-15 | The women in the household of God get a special opportunity to shine the light on the gospel in a deeply counter-cultural way. As we come to this section of the letter, we dive directly into one of the most controversial parts of scripture. Can women wear braids? What does Paul mean that he doesn't permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over men? What is cultural for the church in that day and what is true for our church today? We want to behave the way God calls his household to behave, and so Sunday we journey through this passage together.
1 Timothy 2:8 | In the church of Ephesus there was a charge for men and women to pray. In verse 8 Paul turns from men and women and specifically targets the men to step up and pray everywhere in the church. The men were lacking in this area because they were not praying when needed. There were issues taking place in the church where the men would look to argue instead of Pray. As we key in on this one verse we see Paul address the Men of Ephesus to turn from quarreling and lift holy hands in prayer, challenging all men to be praying men.
1 Timothy 2:1-7 | Have you ever been at a restaurant when the server walks by with a fresh tray of fajitas? The steam rising off of the platter. The scent of deliciously marinated meats and peppers wafting past. The crackling sizzle of the hot plate. I swear they walk through the whole place just so everyone else wants fajitas too. Seeing that food when you’re this hungry, makes you want to choose it.
This is the call for every Christ-follower. We are called to pray and live in such a way that others are drawn to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Believers are charged to live with gospel magnetism. Open up to 1 Timothy 2 as we see 3 factors that will help equip us and motivate us to live a life of gospel magnetism.
1 Timothy 1:8-20 | With a succinct and simple power, John Newton, the writer of the famous hymn Amazing Grace said, “Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”
This week we will see, in the course of three back-to-back, beautiful paragraphs in the book of 1 Timothy that this is in fact true: We are great sinners. Christ is a great Savior.
This simple gospel truth can never depart from the center of the household of God, and so once again we set it as the centerpiece and let it lead us to worship our God.
1 Timothy 1:1-7 | Every household has some expectations that the head of the household lays out. These expectations are to guide and promote what that household will look like when it is operating at its best. As the head of the household of faith, God lays out for us he desires his household of faith to function. In 1 Timothy we take a deep dive together in seeking to understand what it looks like to "behave in the household of faith." Nothing is more important than your life with Jesus, and one of the most important realities to your life with Jesus is you being part of a healthy household of faith. We begin the journey together to seek to hear God's heart for what this looks like in deeply practical ways.
Godly Living During Godless Times
2 Timothy 3:10–4:5 | Living life as a Jesus follower is like trying to diet when no one else is. You are trying to eat right, meanwhile, your wife decides to pick up baking as a hobby. It's almost impossible to resist, therefore it requires the right discipline and encouragement to stay away from temptation. This week in 2 Timothy 3 and 4, we see Paul encouraging Timothy to live a Godly life during godless times. The hope is that we can be encouraged by this to stand for Jesus in times such as ours. By doing this, we will honor God and be the appropriate light to the world in which we are called.
2 Timothy 3:10–4:5 | Living life as a Jesus follower is like trying to diet when no one else is. You are trying to eat right, meanwhile, your wife decides to pick up baking as a hobby. It's almost impossible to resist, therefore it requires the right discipline and encouragement to stay away from temptation. This week in 2 Timothy 3 and 4, we see Paul encouraging Timothy to live a Godly life during godless times. The hope is that we can be encouraged by this to stand for Jesus in times such as ours. By doing this, we will honor God and be the appropriate light to the world in which we are called.
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2 Timothy 3:10–4:5 | Living life as a Jesus follower is like trying to diet when no one else is. You are trying to eat right, meanwhile, your wife decides to pick up baking as a hobby. It's almost impossible to resist, therefore it requires the right discipline and encouragement to stay away from temptation. This week in 2 Timothy 3 and 4, we see Paul encouraging Timothy to live a Godly life during godless times. The hope is that we can be encouraged by this to stand for Jesus in times such as ours. By doing this, we will honor God and be the appropriate light to the world in which we are called.
The Parable of the Great Banquet
Luke 14:15–24 | This week we are in Luke 14:15-24. We'll focus on the Parable of the Great Banquet and how the banquet is an invitation from Christ. This invitation is not to be ignored but acted upon. Christ calls us to say "yes" as well as share the invitation with others so that they may come to experience this great banquet with Christ.
May we all be full with more of Him.
Luke 14:15–24 | This week we are in Luke 14:15-24. We'll focus on the Parable of the Great Banquet and how the banquet is an invitation from Christ. This invitation is not to be ignored but acted upon. Christ calls us to say "yes" as well as share the invitation with others so that they may come to experience this great banquet with Christ.
May we all be full with more of Him.
More from this series:
Luke 10:25–37 | Have you ever used the phrase “where the rubber meets the road?” It’s a fascinating idiom. It’s first credited to Firestone Tires in the 1950s, though it’s possible it was used earlier than that. It couldn’t have been too much earlier though, because the automobile manufacturers hadn’t been too concerned about traction or tires until around this point. Cars were getting bigger. Faster. More powerful. More maneuverable. Yet, all that power and engineering came to a single (or four) point(s) of contact - the tires. Literally everything about a car is channeled to where the rubber meets the road. If there’s a failure there - no amount of horsepower matters. In our final parable of this series, Jesus encounters a brilliant expert in the law. He knows everything that he’s supposed to know - and can parse it out at a moment’s notice. What Jesus will ask him next, however, will reveal whether he’s got it where it counts. He’s got the knowledge. But what happens when the rubber meets the road?
Luke 15:11–32 | The Prodigal Son...
Many of us are familiar with the story. And oftentimes as we read or recount this story, a lot of attention is put on the younger brother. His wasteful living. His lostness. His rebellion. His reckless and wild decisions. But what if the older brother is just as lost and rebellious as the younger brother? And what if the story of the prodigal son is not even primarily about the sons? What does this story have to do with my life today?
Let's get ready to hear from the Lord together through one of the most amazing stories Jesus told.
Luke 14:15–24 | This week we are in Luke 14:15-24. We'll focus on the Parable of the Great Banquet and how the banquet is an invitation from Christ. This invitation is not to be ignored but acted upon. Christ calls us to say "yes" as well as share the invitation with others so that they may come to experience this great banquet with Christ.
May we all be full with more of Him.
Matthew 25:14–30 | Imagine you’re a teenager. Your mom has just left you at home alone for the weekend and you’re in charge of the house. You can’t believe you finally get to decide for yourself what to do. The possibilities are endless! Mom has just a few chores for you. Of course, you can decide when to do them, but they will obviously need to be done before she gets back. What’s your first move? Do you get right to the chores? Do you go off and have a good time and hopefully remember in time? Or do you just decide to forget about it and hope you don’t get into too much trouble? We’d all probably agree which of those is the most responsible choice. We’d probably also agree that we wouldn’t all have chosen that one! But what do you think you would choose today? And what does that have to do with your faith in Jesus? Join us this week as we continue our study in the parables with “The Parable of the Talents” from Matthew 25.
Luke 16:1–13 | This week we will begin a 6-week journey into the parables of Jesus by digging into the Parable of the Dishonest Manager found in Luke 16:1-13. This parable may be one that you have read several times and yet still don’t fully grasp. But when we are finished, it is our prayer that the way we view the money and possessions that God has entrusted to us will be forever and eternally changed.
Christ Is Preeminent
Colossians 1:15–23 | Preeminent: surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way.
Christ is preeminent. He has been since the beginning of creation. All things were created through Him and for Him and in Him, the fullness of God was "pleased to dwell."
But is He preeminent in your life? Is He seated on the throne of your heart? Let's take a deep look into the preeminence of Christ, and how that should bring us to all-out worship of our Supreme Savior.
Colossians 1:15–23 | Preeminent: surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way.
Christ is preeminent. He has been since the beginning of creation. All things were created through Him and for Him and in Him, the fullness of God was "pleased to dwell."
But is He preeminent in your life? Is He seated on the throne of your heart? Let's take a deep look into the preeminence of Christ, and how that should bring us to all-out worship of our Supreme Savior.
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God Our Refuge
Psalm 16:1-11 | Growing up I was blessed with a wonderful father. He was a very nice man, loved Jesus (When he got saved around my teen years), and loved his family. While being the great man that he was, he also was a man that you did not want to mess with. He is the only human I know who had a healthy balance of being loveable, yet intimidating. My father holds a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, Brown belt in judo, spent years teaching firearm classes, can break bricks with his bare hands, and he's BALD! (Because being bald adds an element of toughness that just isn’t fair). He reminds me of Denzel Washington in “Equalizer”, a mysterious man who leads a normal life.
With all of this being said, my father made me feel safe. No matter if a grown man was harassing our family or a hurricane was coming with the capabilities to potentially blow over our house, I knew everything was going to be okay because he was there to bring protection. There is no way I would replace him with any other dad in the world. He was a refuge for my family and I growing up.
Likewise, God is our refuge. He is a place that we can run to and find protection and peace, no matter the circumstance. We wouldn’t want to trade that relationship for anything in the world, no matter how strong the pull of temptation is to do so. In this message, we will look at three benefits of having God as our refuge.
- Pastor Cory
Psalm 16:1-11 | Growing up I was blessed with a wonderful father. He was a very nice man, loved Jesus (When he got saved around my teen years), and loved his family. While being the great man that he was, he also was a man that you did not want to mess with. He is the only human I know who had a healthy balance of being loveable, yet intimidating. My father holds a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, Brown belt in judo, spent years teaching firearm classes, can break bricks with his bare hands, and he's BALD! (Because being bald adds an element of toughness that just isn’t fair). He reminds me of Denzel Washington in “Equalizer”, a mysterious man who leads a normal life.
With all of this being said, my father made me feel safe. No matter if a grown man was harassing our family or a hurricane was coming with the capabilities to potentially blow over our house, I knew everything was going to be okay because he was there to bring protection. There is no way I would replace him with any other dad in the world. He was a refuge for my family and I growing up.
Likewise, God is our refuge. He is a place that we can run to and find protection and peace, no matter the circumstance. We wouldn’t want to trade that relationship for anything in the world, no matter how strong the pull of temptation is to do so. In this message, we will look at three benefits of having God as our refuge.
- Pastor Cory
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Psalm 88:1-18 | What comes to mind when you think of the word lament? We typically use the word in expressing sorrow or regret. For example, “I’m lamenting that I didn’t join them for the weekend retreat,” or “I lament the loss of our friendship.” However, lament is a specific language that God has given us to bring our sorrows before Him. In fact, the Bible is full of examples of lament. A full 1/3 of the Psalms are considered Psalms of lament. The reality is that life is hard, and we will face trouble and sorrow on this earth, and yet we look forward to a time when we will dwell with God, where there will be no more tears and no more suffering. But until then, lament is a language given to us by God to navigate the reality of the present with the promise of the future. In this message, we study one of the darkest and saddest Psalms of lament in the Bible. And yet, we will find in this Psalm some surprising truths that will lead us to trust and hope in the sovereign God of our eternal salvation, even in the midst of sorrow and suffering.
Psalm 16:1-11 | Growing up I was blessed with a wonderful father. He was a very nice man, loved Jesus (When he got saved around my teen years), and loved his family. While being the great man that he was, he also was a man that you did not want to mess with. He is the only human I know who had a healthy balance of being loveable, yet intimidating. My father holds a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, Brown belt in judo, spent years teaching firearm classes, can break bricks with his bare hands, and he's BALD! (Because being bald adds an element of toughness that just isn’t fair). He reminds me of Denzel Washington in “Equalizer”, a mysterious man who leads a normal life.
With all of this being said, my father made me feel safe. No matter if a grown man was harassing our family or a hurricane was coming with the capabilities to potentially blow over our house, I knew everything was going to be okay because he was there to bring protection. There is no way I would replace him with any other dad in the world. He was a refuge for my family and I growing up.
Likewise, God is our refuge. He is a place that we can run to and find protection and peace, no matter the circumstance. We wouldn’t want to trade that relationship for anything in the world, no matter how strong the pull of temptation is to do so. In this message, we will look at three benefits of having God as our refuge.
- Pastor Cory
Psalm 125:1-5 | In this life, we will always come across opposition or obstacles. And most of the time we anticipate this. But what do you do when you find that your opposition or obstacle isn’t going away? Or the breakthrough you have been asking the LORD for doesn’t seem to come? The scary reality is that when these times come, we sometimes can sense our trust in Jesus beginning to waver. And it must be noted that this is when Satan often moves in closer to whisper lies to us like, "God isn't there with you," "God doesn't care about you," or "God is holding out on you." Can you relate? We will open up God's Word together and look through the portals of time and see what previous generations of God's children did to experience unshakable trust in the LORD in the midst of unstable times in their lives.
Psalm 56:1-13 | Proverbs warns us that the fear of man is a snare in our life, and yet I think all of us have struggled at times with fearing man more than God or seeking man's approval above God's. Some of us may even be controlled by the fear of man. Maybe for you, it's as if someone has strings connected to your back, puppeteering your every move through life as you live too afraid to say no or stand up for what you ultimately know God would want.
How do we have victory over the fear of man? How do we walk in the freedom of a God-fearing life, not controlled by the trap that is the fear of man?
Psalm 34:1-22 | When we think about blessings and the Lord we often think about how the Lord blesses us. What does it mean for us to bless the Lord? In the first line of Psalm 34, David writes, "I will bless the Lord at all times..."
What does it mean to bless the Lord? And why is the Lord worthy of our lives being lived as an offering of blessing back to Him?
Psalm 27:1-14 | We are all scared of something. Come on, admit it. The toughest person who walks into church on Sunday is scared of something. Fear can manifest in our life as a subtle undercurrent of worry and anxiety or it can manifest as an ever-present crippling paralysis.
In this message, we look at one fear crushing reminder and 5 outcomes for our life when our heart is clinging to this reminder!
So...let's walk away from this like Kevin from Home Alone walked down his front sidewalk shouting, "I'm not afraid anymore! Did you hear me? I'm not afraid anymore!"