The good news message about Jesus stresses faith so much that people can think that God sends people to heaven as long as they’re not atheists. As a result, you have mobsters who pray before they commit murder and people whose lives seem to completely contradict what they say they believe. This message looks at how James clarifies saving faith in contrast to dead faith and the faith of demons. In the process, we learn how to evaluate our own faith and find assurance that we don’t cling to a false hope.
James 2:14-26 // [outline]
So much of our lives can be traced back to a hunger for acceptance. We devote ourselves to people and causes to show that we’re worthy of acceptance. And we fixate on things that we’ve said or done that might threaten our acceptance. But how does God see us? How can we know if God will accept us? What standard does He use? This message looks at one of Jesus’ famous stories about a Pharisee and a tax collector and considers what it teaches us about our yearning for acceptance and the grace God offers us.
Luke 18:9-14 // [outline]
Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon thing to see people who grew up in the church and always had the right answers walk away from their faith completely. This message looks at how although Solomon had all the right answers, was a great leader, and heard from God directly, he still didn’t get a free pass. This should serve as both a warning of what things do not equate to salvation and a reassurance of what it is that we can truly trust in.
1 Kings 8:54-9:9 // [outline]
We often find ourselves waiting for God’s help and wondering why. God could solve our problems instantly, but often He doesn’t. This message looks at what God is doing when we have to wait.
John 11:1-16 // [outline]
Stress, isolation and uncertainty have led many Christians to pull back from Christian fellowship during the pandemic. In the first century, Jewish Christians faced the temptation because of persecution. This message looks at the reasons they were given to persevere and how they can help us finish the race in our day.
Hebrews 10:19-25 // [outline]
We imagine ourselves to be rational people who take precautions in responding to warnings, but the Bible makes it clear that there are many things that keep us from the truth. This message looks at the last days before the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem and the reasons people ignored the warnings and the courage one man showed in responding to them.
Jeremiah 38:7-13; 39:15-18 // [outline]
There are many terms we can use to describe the various fears which we have in our lives. But all the way from the time of today’s passage to the present day, one of the most powerful kinds of fears we have is the fear of other people. This message looks at the only true way we can conquer this fear in our lives - through a different kind of fear.
Genesis 32:1-21 // [outline]
Easter for many people is a celebrated holiday and a family tradition, but according to the Bible it is central to the Christian faith. Even for people who love to celebrate Easter, it’s easy to miss the implications of Jesus’ resurrection. This passage considers how Easter ought to define our faith and shape how we live.
Romans 10:5-13 // [outline]
The stage is set for the birth of the Messiah, but the baby is in danger of being abandoned. In order to accept Jesus, Joseph has to deal with ridicule from others, his own preconceptions and the fact that he will no longer be in control. To receive Jesus’ work in our lives today, we face the same challenges. This message looks at how Joseph responded to the obstacles that almost kept him from accepting Jesus and how we can overcome them ourselves.
Mathew 1:18-25 // [outline]
The Centurion was generally hated by the Jewish people. He was a professional soldier who is said to love the God of Israel and the Jewish people. He built a synagogue in Capernaum with his own resources because of that love. The leaders of the Jewish people overcame their prejudice because of his faith in the God of Israel.
Luke 7:1-10 // [outline]
It seems that every few years, another person is making another prediction about the end of the world or the return of Jesus. What does the Bible really teach about Jesus’ return and why is there so much confusion? This message looks at what God wants us to know about the end and how to prepare for it.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 // [outline]
Today, people like to say, “It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.” But if that’s true, how important could the content of those beliefs really be? In this message, Jesus addresses some people who appeared to be sincere but were sincerely wrong. He explains why and gives us some ways we can test our own beliefs and discern whether they’re worth being sincere about.
John 8:39-47 // [outline]
Life can seem awfully dark at times. But Jesus claimed to be the light of the world. This message looks at the hope that He offers and the things that keep us from entering into the light that He seeks to shine into our lives.
John 8:12-30 // [outline]
We all long for fullness in life and we seek it in different places. But Jesus claims to be the One who can truly fill us. This message looks at God’s plan to fill the hole in our lives and what we can do experience His filling.
John 7:37-52 // [outline]
Death is like cement to our disappointments. But Easter gives a promise of life. This message looks at the first person Jesus revealed Himself to after He was resurrected – a grieving woman – and shows how Easter can turn our tears into joy.
John 20:11-18 // [outline]
Painful experiences can fuel doubt about God and where we stand with Him. But God meets us in our questioning and can lead us to a place of hope and peace. This message looks at how God responded to Abraham’s doubts and shows us what we can do when circumstances overwhelm us.
There’s a spiritual dimension to life that many people are blind to. Faith helps us to see decisions more clearly and understand reality in all its facets. This message looks at how to engage our faith to see life more clearly.
When we experience a series of losses and things don’t seem to go our way, it’s easy for self-pity to take over. But an encounter with God can move us to hope and courage as we see what is possible with God’s strength working despite our weakness.
Judges 6:11-24 // [outline]
The Bible presents a radically new way to live - a life of faith, energized by God’s power. But old ways die hard and many Christians live more by self-effort than faith. This message looks at how to live the life God calls us with the power that He provides.
Galatians 3:1-14 // [outline]
