Harvest Church: Recent Episodes
Harvest Church
Modern culture caters to the individual, so it's no surprise that many Christians believe God saved them for no other reason than to do what's best for them. Paul wrote Ephesians 2:1-10 to remind Christians that their salvation was meant for a greater purpose than their own benefit. This sermon highlights the calling that accompanies Christians' adoption and reminds them of the purpose for which God saves individuals.
The God of Jacob became the God of Israel. When we see the second Person of the Trinity's presence in the Exodus story, we can better appreciate the awe-inspiring nature of his incarnation and sacrificial death.
The God of Isaac provided a sacrificial ram so that Isaac could live. Centuries later, he entered humanity and became the final sacrifice so that everyone who believes in him could have eternal life.
Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, existed long before he was born of a virgin. In this first sermon of a three-part series, we examine Jesus' presence and activity in the life of Abraham.
In Philippians 4:10-14, Paul thanked the Philippians for caring for his needs, yet he explained to them that he had learned to be content in all circumstances because he was fully satisfied in Christ. We can experience Paul's unwavering satisfaction only if we go to the Source of it!
In Philippians 4:1-7, Paul gives the Philippians timeless instructions about maintaining church unity and how Christians can receive a peace that surpasses all understanding in the face of life's difficulties.
In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul described what should fill the Philippians' minds because he understood that their ability to become like Jesus depended on it.
In Philippians 4:1-7, Paul gives the Philippians timeless instructions about maintaining church unity and how Christians can receive a peace that surpasses all understanding in the face of life's difficulties.
The Philippians lived in a world of paganism, idolatry, and emperor worship. They had to live intentionally to avoid becoming like the world around them. So do we. Philippians 3:17-21 tells us how to become like Jesus in a world that is far from Him.
Paul resisted complacency and despair, pressing on toward God's call for his life. He told us how he did it so that we can do it too.
Circumstances cannot prevent the good work that God is doing in us and around us. This message is based on Philippians 1:12-26 and was recorded for May 3, 2020.
This Palm Sunday, we look at the agony of Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. This message is based on Luke 22:39-46 and was recorded on April 5, 2020.
All of us desire connection and community, but how do we actually achieve it? This message is based on Romans 12:9-13 and was recorded on March 8, 2020.
Can anything separate us from God's love? This message is based on Romans 8:31-39 and was recorded on March 1, 2020.
How can we be confident of God's promise to work all things together for good? This message is based on Romans 8:28-30 and was recorded on February 23, 2020.
God's Spirit gives us hope for future glory, but also help in our present weakness. This message is based on Romans 8:26-27 and was recorded on February 16, 2020.
We are called to suffer with Christ, so that we may also be glorified with Him. This message is based on Romans 8:18-25 and was recorded on February 9, 2020.
The Spirit of God gives us both the desire and the power to overcome our sin. This message is based on Romans 8:12-17 and was recorded on February 2, 2020.
A Christian is not an improved person, but a new person altogether. This message is based on Romans 8:5-11 and was recorded on January 26, 2020.
The depth of our sin is no match for the greatness of God's mercy. This message is based on Romans 8:1-4 and was recorded on January 19, 2020.
Why did we start a new church, and why do we call it "Harvest?" The answer comes from this wonderful story in John 4. This message is based on John 4:27-42 and was recorded on January 12, 2020.
Jesus came into the world for more than just our forgiveness. He came to give us the gift of Himself. This message is based on John 4:5-26 and was recorded on January 5, 2020.
No matter how we try to romanticize the first Christmas, the truth of Christ's birth still comes as a shock to us. This message is based on Luke 2:6-20 and was recorded on December 15, 2019.
The Christmas story is not the Hallmark moment we often make it out to be. This message is based on Luke 1:26-38 and was recorded on December 8, 2019.
The birth of Jesus means a great Light has pierced through our darkness. This message is based on Isaiah 6 and was recorded on December 1, 2019.
The Bible commands us to "forget none of God's benefits." What does it mean for us to remember God, and why is it essential to the Christian life? This message is based on Psalm 103 and was recorded on November 24, 2019.
How should the church respond when someone goes astray from the truth of Christ? This message is based on James 5:19-20 and was recorded on November 17, 2019.
Prayer is a gift and a privilege. Prayer is also more powerful than we can imagine. This message is based on James 5:13-18 and was recorded on November 10, 2019.
In a world of evil and suffering, God calls us to live patiently. This message is based on James 5:1-12 and was recorded on October 27, 2019.
In our pride we seek a power and position that belong exclusively to God. This message is based on James 4:11-17 and was recorded on October 13, 2019.
Sin is not an issue we can manage. It is our deepest problem, and it requires radical intervention. This message is based on James 4:1-10 and was recorded on October 6, 2019.
What does true wisdom look like, and how does it work in the real stuff of life? This message was preached by Paul Maffin on September 29, 2019.
Our words reveal our hearts, for better or worse. This message is based on James 3:1-12 and was recorded on September 22, 2019.
How do we know what true faith looks like? This message is based on James 2:14-26 and was recorded on September 15, 2019.
What does genuine faith look like? This message is based on James 1:26-2:13 and was recorded on September 8, 2019.
The more we hear God's word and fail to apply it, the more shallow and deluded we become. James shows us a better way. This message is based on James 1:19-25 and was recorded on September 1, 2019.
Only when we own up to the reality of our sin can we really know and follow Jesus. This message is based on James 1:13-18 and was recorded on August 25, 2019.
The gospel of Jesus rearranges how we see ourselves and how we view the world. This messages is based on James 1:9-12 and was recorded on August 18, 2019.
James begins his letter by addressing one of the most difficult questions in all the bible. How are meant to experience joy even in the face of life's struggles? This message is based on James 1:1-8 and was recorded on August 11, 2019.
Do you treat Jesus as your consultant or your King? This message is based on Matthew 13:44-46 and was recorded on August 4, 2019.
Work is fundamental to life, but what is the true outcome of all our labor? This message is based on Ecclesiastes 2:18-23 and was recorded on July 28, 2019.
Wisdom is a good and necessary thing, but what will all our wisdom amount to in the end? This message is based on Ecclesiastes 2:12-18 and was recorded on July 21, 2019.
All pleasure is temporary, and we end up spending our whole lives chasing after it. Where do we find true and lasting delight? This message is based on Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 and was recorded on July 14, 2019.
Can we have true meaning in life apart from God? This message is based on Ecclesiastes 1:1-15 and was recorded on July 7, 2019
No one would ever choose pain and suffering, but life gives us no such choice. How do we trust God when things fall apart? This message is based on Psalm 31:1-5 and was recorded on June 23, 2019.
God's grace saves individuals. His grace also creates a new, interdependent community out of those who have come to follow Jesus. At the end of his letter to the Colossians, Paul shows how these truths join together. This message is based on Colossians 4:7-18 and was recorded on June 9, 2019.
Our faith is both inwardly devoted and outwardly focused. How do those two ideas work together? This message is based on Colossians 4:2-6 and was recorded on June 2, 2019.
Work consumes about half of our waking ours, yet many of us don't see it as deeply connected to our faith. How does God command us to work in light of our new life in Christ? This messages is based on Colossians 3:22-4:1 and was recorded on May 26, 2019.
Marriage and Parenting. Two of God's greatest gifts, but also two areas of deep struggle for all of us. How do we grow into families that better reflect the grace of God? This message is based on Colossians 3:18-21 and was recorded on May 19, 2019.
While our identity in Christ changes our approach to personal integrity, it also changes how we interact in relationship to one another. This message is based on Colossians 3:12-17 and was recorded on May 12, 2019.
We are not meant to manage our sin in hopes of keeping it under control. Jesus calls us to root it out. This message is based on Colossians 3:5-11 and was recorded on May 5, 2019.
What motivates and drives a Christian's behavior? This message is based on Colossians 3:1-4 and was recorded on April 28, 2019.
The resurrection of Jesus is much more than a religious event. It is the ultimate expression of God's power and grace, and for us it changes everything. This message is based on John 20:1-18 and was recorded on April 21, 2019.
How do you know God loves you? The answer is found in how much it cost Him. This message is based on Psalm 22 and was recorded on April 14, 2019.
To many people, the free grace of God seems too good to be true, so we must always fight the temptation to add our own ideas and rules to the mix. In Christ, we truly have all we need. This message is based on Colossians 2:16-23 and was recorded on April 7, 2019.
In a world of countless philosophies and religious beliefs, how can we know that Jesus is both true and sufficient? This message is based on Colossians 2:8-15 and was recorded on March 31, 2019.
How are Christians meant to navigate through a world full of competing beliefs and philosophies? This message is based on Colossians 2:1-7 and was recorded on March 24, 2019.
When we come to the Bible, we are presented with a faith that offers true and lasting transformation. Jesus did not come to improve us, but to change us entirely. This message is based on Colossians 1:21-29 and was recorded on March 17, 2019.
The closer we get to Jesus, the bigger and greater He appears. This message is based on Colossians 1:15-20 and was recorded on March 10, 2019.
Christian faith is not limited to spiritual thoughts and feelings. It is meant to bring change to every area of life. This message is based on Colossians 1:9-14 and was recorded on March 3, 2019.
The gospel of Jesus is something we hear and believe, but that is only the beginning. God's grace must also increase and bear fruit in our lives. This message is based on Colossians 1:1-8, and was recorded on February 24, 2019.
Everyone rejoiced when God showed mercy to the people of Nineveh. Everyone, that is, except Jonah. Why was God's prophet so far from God's heart? This message is based on Jonah 4 and was recorded on February 17, 2019.
When Jonah finally brings God's message to Nineveh, the response is nothing short of miraculous. What does this story tell us about how people actually change? This message is based on Jonah 3 and was recorded on February 10, 2019.
In the belly of a great fish, Jonah came to terms with his sin. He also came to see the depths of God's justice and mercy. This message is based on Jonah 2 and was recorded on February 3, 2019.
Why did Jonah run from God? The answer may tell us something about our own hearts as well. This message is based on Jonah 1 and was recorded on January 27, 2019.
Would we rather God be gracious or fair? The answer is more complex than we might think. This message is based on Luke 15:25-32 and was recorded on January 20, 2019.
All of us have run from God, but there is no sin His grace cannot redeem. The story of the Prodigal Son reveals to us the true heart of our Heavenly Father. This message is based on Luke 15:11-24 and was recorded on January 13, 2019.
We all make resolutions concerning things we hope to improve upon, but these ambitions are usually self-centered. Jesus calls us instead to live on mission for the sake of others. This message is based on John 4:27-42 and was recorded on January 6, 2018.
Why did God announce the birth of Jesus to poor shepherds in a field? What difference does it make for us? This message is based on Luke 2:1-20 and was recorded on December 16, 2018.
As Jesus concludes His sermon on the mount, He issues a clear and decisive call: build your whole life on Me. This message is based on Matthew 7:24-29 and was recorded on December 2, 2018.
To experience true and abundant life, Jesus says we must enter through a narrow gate and follow a narrow path. What does this mean, and how do we know when we've found it? This message is based on Matthew 7:13-23 and was recorded on November 25, 2018.
No one likes a hypocrite, and yet all of us live in hypocritical ways. Here in Matthew 7, Jesus addresses the hypocrisy of judging others and how we can overcome it. This message is based on Matthew 7:1-6 and was recorded on November 11, 2018.
We may not view anxiety as a matter of faith, but Jesus shows us that in the midst of our worry, God shows Himself powerful, loving, and faithful. This message is based on Matthew 6:25-34 and was recorded on November 4, 2018.
Jesus cares deeply about the condition of your heart, therefore He is not afraid to confront what you value most. This message is based on Matthew 6:19-24 and was recorded on October 28, 2018.
Prayer is both basic and essential to the Christian life, but most of us still struggle with it. Here in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes us right to the heart of how and why we pray. This message is based on Matthew 6:5-15, and was recorded on October 21, 2018.
The Christian life is more than personal salvation. It is the offer of relationship with God Himself, and with His family, the church. This message was preached by Paul Maffin, and was recorded on October 14, 2018.
When it comes to the good things we do for God, our motivation is perhaps the most important issue of all. This message is based on Matthew 6:1-6 and was recorded on October 6, 2018.
How is Harvest Church led? What does God require of a leader, and why does it matter to the rest of us? This message is based on Titus 1 and was recorded on our Elder Installation day, September 29.
Of all the difficult commands Jesus gave us, the call to love our enemies probably takes the cake. Why does God require this of us, and what makes it possible? This message is based on Matthew 5:43-48 and was recorded on September 16, 2018.
To be a Christian is to refuse to seek our own advantage. Rather, we are to live with grace for the good of others. This message is based on Matthew 5:33-42 and was recorded on September 9, 2018.
Divorce is a very painful and difficult subject, but one Jesus was not afraid to touch. In His words, we find both a call to holiness and an offer of mercy. This message is based on Matthew 5:31-32 and was recorded on September 2, 2018.
Lust is one of the major struggles of the Christian life, but it is a deeper sin than many of us realize. Thankfully, Jesus not only calls us to root lust out of our lives, but He also gives us the power to do it. This message is based on Matthew 5:27-30 and was recorded on August 26, 2018.
"You shall not murder" is a commandment that most people keep without any problem. Jesus, however, takes us into the heart of this command to show us our desperate need for renewal. This message is based on Matthew 5:21-26 and was recorded on August 19, 2018.
Jesus identifies His followers as "salt" and "light" in the world. What does that mean, and how are we supposed to live it out? This message is based on Matthew 5:13-20 and was recorded on August 12, 2018.
Jesus begins His most famous sermon by proclaiming blessings over people the world does not commend. This message is based on Matthew 5:1-12 and was recorded on August 5, 2018.
Jesus came to earth with a clear and powerful mission, and as His followers we are called into this mission ourselves. This message is based on Luke 5:17-26 and was recorded on July 29, 2018.
To be Christian is not a label or an add-on, but a new identity. We are not just connected to Jesus, but we are now "in Christ." This message is based on 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 and was preached by Randy Boyd on July 22, 2018.
What does it really mean to follow Jesus, and are we willing to accept His terms in place of our own? The answer to these questions is the key to life itself. This message is based on Luke 9:57-62 and was recorded on July 15, 2018.
As Peter brings his letter to a close, he reminds us that our only real power to navigate and overcome the world comes from a firm faith in Jesus. This message is based on 1 Peter 5:6-14 and was recorded on July 8, 2018.
To follow Jesus is to become a truly humble person, and this humility is meant to show itself in everything we do. This message is based on 1 Peter 5:1-5 and was recorded on July 1, 2018.
Peter calls us to rejoice when we suffer for Christ. How do we adopt such an unnatural perspective? This message is based on 1 Peter 4:12-19 and was recorded on June 24, 2018.
How would you live if you knew your time was short? The bible gives us an answer we might not expect. This message is based on 1 Peter 4:7-12 and was recorded on June 17, 2018.
God's grace not only saves us, but also frees us from the life we once lived. This message is based on 1 Peter 4:1-6 and was recorded on June 10, 2018.
Here Peter gives us one of the most confusing, yet uplifting, scriptures in the Bible. This message is based on 1 Peter 3:18-22 and was recorded on May 27, 2018.
Jesus brings transformation to our lives by becoming the center of our lives. This truth changes how we think about our relationships, our morality, and our influence. This message is based on 1 Peter 3:8-17 and was recorded on May 20, 2018.
A husband is called to understand and honor his wife. While that may sound fairly easy, it actually requires a total reversal of a man's heart. This message is based on 1 Peter 3:7, and was recorded on May 13, 2018.
The Christian wife is called to glorify God by being submissive to her husband. How do we make sense of such a command, and what does it really look like within the context of marriage? This message is based on 1 Peter 3:1-6, and was recorded on May 6, 2018.
If our goal in life is simply to be happy, then we must avoid suffering at all cost. But if the goal is to be more like Jesus, then God will give us a radical new perspective. This message is based on 1 Peter 2:21-25 and was recorded on April 29, 2018.
The Christian life is both counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. When we embrace these truths, we are able to point people to the transforming power of God. This message is based on 1 Peter 2:11-20 and was recorded on April 22, 2018.
The Church is made up of "living stones," people whose lives are built upon Jesus. This truth gives us a new identity but also a new purpose for life. This message is based on 1 Peter 2:4-10 and was recorded on April 15, 2018.
We have many shaping influences in our lives. The Bible, however, cannot merely be added in with the rest. It is meant to be the center of our lives, because in it we see and know Jesus. This message is based on 1 Peter 2:1-3 and was recorded on April 8, 2018.
Easter is not just a nice spiritual story, but a real event in history that changes everything. Luke 24 tells the story of two disciples who experienced this firsthand. This message was recorded on April 1, 2018.
The Christian message is both offensive and beautiful. This message is based on Isaiah 53 and was recorded on March 25, 2018.
Love is both our greatest desire and our greatest challenge. What does it mean to sincerely and fervently love our brothers and sisters in Christ? This message is based on 1 Peter 1:22-25 and was recorded on March 18, 2018.
What motivates your behavior? What drives you to obey God and do what is right? The answer to these questions makes all the difference in the world. This message is based on 1 Peter 1:13-21 and was recorded on March 11, 2018.
The prophets longed to see it. The Angels long to look into it. Our salvation makes us the most privileged people who have every lived. This message is based on 1 Peter 1:10-12 and was recorded March 4, 2018.
We may view suffering as something to be avoided at all cost, but Peter tells us that our pain is actually the proving ground for our faith. Moreover, it can be the place of inexpressible joy. This message is based on 1 Peter 1:6-9 and was recorded on February 25, 2018.
The Christian life is not a daily attempt to love God and live as a good person. Rather, it is the gift of a new identity and an everlasting hope. This message is based on 1 Peter 1:1-5 and was recorded on February 18, 2018.
God's love for us is not passive. He actively loves and pursues those who are far from Him, and calls His people to do the same. This message is based on Luke 15:1-7 and was recorded on February 11, 2018.
Our faith is both powerful and personal, but never private. In this message from Acts 8, we see how the great work of discipleship took place in the early church. This message was recorded on February 4, 2018.
Most of us fear failure, but it is in our deepest failure that God's grace is most abundant. This message is based on Luke 5:1-11, and was recorded on January 28, 2018.
Why start a new church in a community where so many churches already exist? This message is based on John 4:27-42, and was delivered on our Launch Sunday, January 21, 2018.
How do we navigate a culture that is increasingly opposed to the beliefs and values of the Bible? This message is based on Jeremiah 29:4-10 and was recorded on January 14, 2018.
One of the most important principles given to us in the Bible is that of sowing and reaping. How does this "law of the harvest" impact us as we look ahead to 2018? This message is based on Galatians 6:6-10 and was recorded on January 7, 2018.
When we romanticize the Christmas story, we risk missing its true depth and significance. Instead, let us ask: how does the birth of Christ connect us to the grace of God? This message is based on Luke 2:7-14 and was recorded on December 10, 2017.
Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. We are engaged in a daily battle that requires God's strength to overcome the schemes of our enemy. What does it mean for us to put on the armor of God? This message is based on Ephesians 6:10-20 and was recorded on December 3, 2017.
We spend the majority of our lives at home and work. How has God called us to live out our faith in these all-important places? This message is based on Ephesians 6:1-9 and was recorded on November 19, 2017.
How should followers of Christ respond to evil and suffering? In this message, we discover that our eternal hope in Jesus produces both grief and courage in the face of darkness. This sermon is based on Romans 8:18-39, and we recorded on November 12, 2017.
What does it mean to be a member of a church, and why does it matter? This message is based on Hebrews 13 and 1 Corinthians 5, and was recorded on November 5, 2017.
What is the church and why does it matter? This is one of the most important questions we can wrestle with as those who follow Jesus. This message is based on 1 Peter 2:9-10 and was recorded on October 29, 2017.
Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. How can men live up to such a high calling, and where do we even start? This message come from Ephesians 5:25-33 and was recorded on October 22, 2017.
The first of two messages on Marriage from Ephesians 5. Here, we talk about the command for wives to be subject to their husbands. What does that really mean, and how can it produce joy and blessing in our relationships? This message was recorded on October 15, 2017.
What does it mean to walk in wisdom and know God's will? Here in Ephesians 5, we discover what makes the Christian life unique and meaningful. This message was recorded on October 8, 2017.
Be imitators of God, as His beloved children. What does that mean, and how do we begin living it out? This message from Ephesians 5 was preached by Aaron LaRue and was recorded on October 1, 2017.
How do we simply and practically live out the new life God has called us to? It's not as easy as it sounds. This message come from Ephesians 4:25-32 and was recorded on September 24, 2017.
How do we live in the newness of the Christian life when sin continues to tempt us? This message comes from Ephesians 4:17-24 and was recorded on September 17, 2017.
Why has Jesus given spiritual gifts to us? What role do we play in the church? This is our study of Ephesians 4:7-16 from September 10, 2017.
How does a person live in light of God's grace? This study of Ephesians 4:1-6 was recorded on September 3, 2017.
Our second core value of Harvest Church: Faith Multiplies. This teaching is based on Matthew 25:14-30.
Our first core value at Harvest Church: Grace Transforms. The primary text for this message is Luke 7:36-50