What does it mean to "love this city"? That's the question we're going to be asking & answering throughout this new series in the book of Ephesians. Today, we zoom in on the reality of the amazing spiritual blessings we have received through faith in Jesus and, more importantly, what the purpose of receiving them is. In short, we are blessed only so that we can be a blessing to others as well.
The First Days of the Rest of Your Life (Romans 6; Galatians 5:16-26)
After believing in Jesus, you are changed immediately forever. But what is the goal and purpose of your life then going forward? Listen in today as we lean into the biblical theme of sanctification, and what every day for the rest of your life should be like.
One (John 15:1-15; Galatians 2:20)
When you dress up for Halloween, you get to walk around & take on that identity for a short time by wearing a costume. That concept gets us halfway to understanding the full totality of what it means to have union with Christ. Listen in today as we learn more about one of the greatest theological truths in the Scriptures and why it is life-changing for us today.
The Church: Discerning God's Will (Acts 21)
How do you make decisions? For Christians, how can you know what the "will of God" is? The Bible actually actually has a lot to say about both. Today's passage leads us to a healthy place of learning the craft of Holy Spirit "discernment." Listen in as we see how a disagreement between two parties actually turns into a beautiful portrait of how the church community works - leading others into truth, humility, and dependency on the Lord.
The Church: Sent (Acts 13-14)
At the core of the Church's identity is the idea that it has been "sent out" into the world. This week's sermon focuses on the various "places" that make up how the Church is sent - the place of change, the place of sending, and the place of mission. Listen in as we discover together how the joy of a heart changed by Jesus explodes into the world, fueled by mission and released with grace and purpose.
The Church: Changed by Grace (Acts 4:31-5:42)
The best definition and evidence of the of the Church is "grace." As we listen to a story today that causes fear in the early Church, we see that God takes seriously the genuineness of our actions done in His Name. But He also abundantly pours out His grace on His Church, empowering and changing them into a beautiful outpost of hope and care for our broken world. Listen in today as we explore the two evidences of grace, and the one lurking danger of grace in the story of Ananias and Sapphira.
The Church: On Whom God's Spirit Rests (Acts 2:1-41)
The story of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is both astounding and confounding. What is happening in this unique story in history? Listen in today as we learn how God delights to use His Church for His purposes, by "resting" Himself on the Church.
The Church: Organized for a Purpose (Acts 1:12-26)
As the earliest disciples await the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, a clear question emerges - "What now???" It is in this in-between passage - after Jesus' ascension and before the Holy Spirit's coming - that the Church begins to be organized. In this sermon, we learn that the Church can best and most freely witness to a watching world when it is organized under God’s clear leading.
The Church: Empowered for a Purpose (Acts 1:1-11)
"God is on the move!" As we begin a new series in the book of Acts, we see two primary actors emerge: The Holy Spirit and the Church. These are God's two primary agents of action in spreading the gospel of Jesus all around. Today we look at the introduction, and see how the Church is empowered for a specific purpose. Join us on this journey through Acts as we come to understand what the Church is to be in the world today.