Sermons
Faith is one of the most fundamental parts of Christianity. But in a world of multitasking, distraction, and competing ideas, having a singular-focus on Jesus Himself can be admittedly difficult. How do we "fix our eyes" on Jesus alone? Listen in today as we learn about how faith invites us to see a new world, to look around at one another without competing, and to run the marathon of faith and not merely short sprints.
"Faith is that which is able to survive a mood." - G.K. Chesterton
What is the most important thing about you? As we arrive at the end of Jonah's epic story, we begin to finally see God reveal Jonah's deepest heart. What does Jonah care most about? Through the object lesson of a plant and worm, God not only reveals Jonah's heart, but ours as well. Along the way, we discover the most important thing about God too - that He loves humans more than we ever thought possible.
In all sincerity, how are you doing today? Is it well with your soul today? How would you answer God if that question was posed to you today? Listen in as Mike Lilley teaches us about how Jonah was doing after God showed great mercy on the city of Nineveh. Why was Jonah so angry? Is God neglecting justice for the sake of mercy? Listen in today to learn how God's deepest character and what makes Him uniquely able to be both just and merciful at once.
In this story from Jonah today, we see a stunning change happen in the city of Nineveh. Jonah gets a second chance at obedience, the Word of God is delivered, and then repentance rolls throughout the city and the great compassion of God is seen. This is a great model for how change happens for us as well. Listen in today then and discover afresh how true changes settles deep into us.
Can you imagine what you would do if you were such a position as Jonah - literally caught in the belly of a "great fish"?! Jonah pours his heart out to God. Listen in today as we learn from Jonah's almost unbelievable experience, and how he can get to the place of saying, "Salvation belongs to the LORD!"
What does Jesus have to do with Jonah? As the runaway prophet gets thrown overboard and hits the water, eventually finding himself famously in the mouth of a great fish, we see the stormy sea between Joppa and Tarshish calmed and the foreign sailors saved. When confronted with troubles and problems of various kinds in our lives, what will calm our troubled souls? Listen in today as we learn about sacrifice, substitution, and satisfaction - the heart of the Christian Gospel.
When the microphone gets passed to you, and the spotlight is on you to speak, what hope would you speak to someone in trouble? When Jonah finds himself in that place, we learn about where he finds his truest identity. Listen today as we see how insufficient Jonah's shallow faith is for the fearful sailors in the storm, and instead what kind of faith the world then and now needs from us. As we learn, it begins with not simply understanding “who” we are, but more so “Whose” we are.
When bad or stressful or stormy things happen to you in life, do you ever find yourself wanting to escape it or just sleep it off? Listen in this morning as we learn about Jonah's deep sleep during the midst of his storm, and contrast it with the sleep of peace that Jesus shows us from a similar story in the New Testament.
When storms come to us in life (pains, troubles, trials, etc.), often we are quick to ask "why?" But as we learn today from God's intervening storm in Jonah 1:4, there is something meaningful for us in the storms of life. Listen in today as we learn about God's character of perfect holiness and love, and how they meet us in grace in the storms of life, helping us to see Jesus clearly amidst the waves and wind.
"Is God really good?" When we scan the pages of Scripture, we find this to be a theme that is repeated in a diversity of ways, by a diversity of people throughout history. In this second sermon in the 11-week series in the book of Jonah, listen in as Mike Lilley traces Jonah's response to God's call. Why does Jonah choose to flee the opposite direction? His refusal to obey exposes his sin before God, bringing about great personal cost. But, more so, what does it show us about God Himself? Is He good? Is there any hope for us as people who are "prone to wander" and "prone to leave the God we love"?
As we begin a new 11-week series in the Old Testament story of Jonah, we ask ourselves, who is the book of Jonah actually all about? Listen in today as we learn from just the first 2 verses about the heart of the pursuing God, the reality of evil, and how God uses a prodigal, flawed prophet to not only bring Good News to an enemy city... but also to change the heart of the man himself.
Epiphany Sunday is the day on the church calendar we recognize the Magi's trip to visit Jesus after His birth. What can their journey teach us about our own spiritual journey? More specifically, how can their insistence on coming to worship Jesus instruct us about what true worship of Jesus is in today's modern times. Listen in today as we lean in to what the true purpose of the church (and our whole lives) really is.
As we begin a new year, 2023, do you want something deeper than another attempt at resolutions? Individual Christians for centuries have compiled a unique "rule of life" to help give intentionality, rhythm, and delight to their journey though life. Listen in today as we are encouraged from Psalm 16 and then walked through some practical ways to begin crafting your own "rule of life."
Credit to Stephen Macchia and his helpful book "Crafting a Rule of Life"
What would you say is the opposite of peace in your life? Whatever you identify as your answer, the Bible promises that Jesus comes to bring not only the fulfillment and completion of that emptiness, but also of every incomplete reality in the world. Listen in today as we learn from the words of the prophet Jeremiah about God's vision for peace, even in the darkest of circumstances in our lives - plans for redemption, restoration, and reconciliation.
Nothing in our world is "everlasting" - not kings, not parents, not batteries, not milk! But the prophet Isaiah tells of a day when a Son is to be born who will be called "Everlasting Father." How are we are to understand how a son can be "Father" and how one born can also be called "Everlasting"? Listen in today as we learn from Jesus' words himself from John 17, and see the powerful relevance of Jesus today being "Everlasting Father."
There are times in life when we are so aware of our weakness that we just need something or someone strong to lean on. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the coming son Savior is the "Mighty God." Listen in today as we learn truly what it means that God is Mighty, learning from a magnificent vision of victory at the end of all things - Jesus as both the Lion and the Lamb.
We live in a time where having a counselor or therapist no longer comes with a social stigma. But still our brokenness, weariness, depression, and anxiety remains. For the season of Advent we turn in hope to the coming Son of God, who was born with titles unmistakably filled with meaning. Today we learn about how Jesus is the true and Wonderful Counselor of the world, and for you and me.
No one likes to be called a nobody. But the reality is that most of us live out our days on earth in relative anonymity to the wider world. Does our life have any lasting purpose then? If we’re not famous or popular, can we make a difference? Listen in today as we conclude our Fall series in the book of Colossians, and learn about obscure Christians who had an extraordinary role to play in God's unfolding drama of redemption.
We can all probably think of some of our favorite foods and meals we've had in life. Is it just the ingredients that make them special or rich, or is it more so about the seasoning that accompanies them? Listen in today as we apply that same logic to some of the core practices (or "ingredients") of the Kingdom of God, and learn from Paul what flavor-filled seasoning brings those practices to life.
What is real family in the Kingdom of God look like? At first glance, it may look totally strange or counter to what we see in our modern culture. But listen in today as Dr. Dan Darko (Professor of New Testament at Gordon College) teaches us more about what true mutuality can look like in all our relationships.
