Soma Waxahachie: Recent Episodes
Soma Waxahachie
What does it mean for us that Jesus is king and that he is reigning over his kingdom of heaven? In this teaching, we attempt to answer that question. And the answer means a whole lot more for us than you might think.
This is the final sermon from our pastor Josh Elsom.
In this week's teaching we take another look at John 18 but this time from a slightly different direction.
When Jesus announced to the cohort of Roman soldiers that came to arrest him that he was Jesus of Nazareth something very peculiar happened. The soldiers are immediately thrown back and to the ground and Peter responds by pulling out his sword and slicing off the right ear of the High Priest's servant, Malchus. Very peculiar, indeed! But was this the first time that something like that has happened in the story of Israel?
There is another story in 1 Samuel 14 that shares a lot of similarities to this story that we find in John 18. And when we compare the two we come away with a greater appreciation for who Jesus is, the revolution he began, and what Peter did not yet understand.
This week we looked at John 18:1-27 when the betrayal in Judas' heart against Jesus had finally reached its full climax in the Garden of Gethsemane. But who was actually in charge in that situation? Was it Judas, the Romans, the High Priest, or Jesus?
We continue our look at John 17, Jesus' prayer for his betrothed people whom he was about to leave, and we focused in on the oneness that he wanted for his people.
The unity that Jesus desires for his people is far more than simply wanting us to get along with one another so that unbelievers would see that Christians are a nice group of people and want to join our churches. That kind of unity is not uncommon and not compelling enough to prove that Jesus actually loves the world and was sent from the Father to save it.
The kind of oneness that Jesus is praying for has to fit within the larger goal that John has for his Gospel. Namely, proving that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. And to prove those things to enquiring Jews meant that Jesus had to fulfill prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures that looked forward to the time when God would reunite the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah and cause the nations to stream into them.
It is this context that helps us understand how we should live as one today and bring outsiders who are different from us into that communion.
John 17, commonly called the High Priestly Prayer, wraps up Jesus' farewell discourse to his disciples. While John 17 is aptly named, High Priestly may not say enough about what is happening in the chapter. This prayer is the prayer of a husband for his betrothed as he prepares to leave her for his father's house to prepare a place for them to live. And it tells the story of a marriage arranged by a father for his son.
This prayer of Jesus for his chosen people in John echos the story of the Lord and his chosen people in the Hebrew Scriptures. What the Lord does for Israel in the old creation Jesus does for Israel in the new creation. This is how John shows us that Jesus truly is the Christ and the Son of God.
In the last half of John 15, we find Jesus preparing his disciples for the inevitable persecution they will have to experience as his followers. They are not of this world just as Jesus is not of this world. But because they remain in the world they will face trouble on their kingdom mission.
What does that mean for the church today? Who hates us? And what is an appropriate reason to be hated? Those are a few of the questions that we attempt to answer in this teaching.
This week we jump into John 15.
When Jesus says he is the true vine and that you are the branches, what do you think that means?
It might not mean what you think it means.
When Jesus says that if you abide in him you will bear much fruit and branches that do not bear fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire, what do you think that means?
It might not mean what you think it means.
This passage is easily misunderstood. And that misunderstanding has created a lot of dread and hopelessness in the hearts of God's people. Don't let this passage confuse you any longer. There is life, joy, and love for you in John 15.
This week we return to John 14.
Jesus has been with his disciples for 3 years. He has been their friend, he has trained them, and now he is going somewhere that they cannot go. And now he begins to explain to them what they need to know about what is about to happen and how they should prepare themselves for the work ahead of them.
Jesus has been with his disciples for 3 years. He has been their friend, he has trained them, and now he is going somewhere that they cannot go. And now he begins to explain to them what they need to know about what is about to happen and how they should prepare themselves for the work ahead of them.
In this teaching, we talk about the darkness that swallowed up Judas and how that darkness may be looking for us.
Judas followed Jesus for three years when he sold him for 30 pieces of silver. Why would he do that? How could he do that? And how might we be in danger of becoming someone just like Judas?
Washing one another's feet?
Why did Jesus do that? What does it mean? And why should we do it?
In this teaching from John 11, we discover that the resurrection is not merely an event somewhere off in the future but a person. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
This week we looked at the last half of John 10.
To truly appreciate what happens in this passage we looked outside of Scripture to the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees to understand the story of Hanukah that underlays this fascinating chapter in John.
Have you been bullied, abused, or hurt by a person in a position of authority over you? Jesus sees that and he will vindicate his abused lambs.
This week we are in John 10 and looking at the Good Shepherd discourse. There is far more to this passage in John than meets the eye. It is a passage that you cannot fully appreciate unless you understand Israel's story. Listen along as we explore the backstory that allows us to see the real story of what Jesus is saying.
This week we jump back in the Gospel of John after a four-month break.
John 9 gives us the very unusual episode of Jesus healing a blind man using mud and spit. As weird as that might at first appear not everything is at it seems in this story.
Listen to find out why and how Jesus used dirt and spit to prove that he was Lord God Almighty.
In this one-off teaching, we take a bird's eye view of Jesus' unorthodox discipleship strategy.
While every other rabbi in Jesus' day chose their disciples from the Crème de la Crème of Jewish society —the smartest, the well connected, and the most likely to succeed— Jesus chose his disciples based not on their qualifications but their disqualifications. And the men he gathered were the kind of people who made his ministry most likely to fail. But Jesus did not fail.
Jesus is still calling and leading disciples today and his strategy has not changed. Often that puts us in proximity to people within the Church with whom we share little in common and have major differences of opinion. That is not by accident. There is a purpose to it. It is to model a new creation society for the world, where unity in Christ overwhelms every disagreement and difference of opinion.
Our goal is to find and fight for that unity.
We take a moment to reconsider a passage in the Gospel of John that we have previously covered. Jesus' cleansing of the temple in John 2.
In this teaching, we think about the deeper theological reason why Jesus cleansed his Father's house and how it may be connected with a very strange but important passage about leprosy that is found in Leviticus.
America is being stretched to the point of seeing the political bonds of the republic broken. What responsibility, if any, does the church in America bear for the state of the culture as it presently exists? If we do, what are our rules of engagement moving forward?
We answer these questions and more as we consider a church in trouble in Revelation 3:13-22.
This week we consider finish out John 8. Jesus finally reveals himself to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus is not simply a man and he is not merely a prophet, priest, and king. Jesus is God Almighty.
This week we consider the nature of belief in John's Gospel as we make our way through John 8. There is a lot riding on our understanding of what John means when he says that certain people believe in Jesus because we see some who believe unto life and others who believe unto their own destruction.
This week we take a step back to examine a controversial passage of the Gospel in John 7:53-8:11. Many scholars today doubt the authenticity of the passage, whether it was originally part of the Gospel story or a later addition based on a tradition in Jesus' story. We examine the story and find some remarkable insights in this passage that connects this episode in the John back to the Old Testament and paints a beautiful portrait of God's mercy towards sinners.
This week in John 8 we find Jesus teaching at the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles and calling himself the Light of the World. Dan helps us understand the historical and Hebraic significance of what that claim meant to the people Jesus was speaking to and what it means for us today.
This week in John 7 we find Jesus leaving Galilee for Jerusalem for the last time and entering the city during the Feast of Tabernacles. This is not insignificant. In this chapter, we have Jesus declaring that he is the Living Water that could fully satisfy their longings for salvation, their hope for a future in God’s kingdom, and to fulfill the expectations that the Feast of Tabernacles had created in their hearts.
We apologize for the audio this week.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This week Dan Hutchins wraps up John chapter 6 with a look at verses 47-71. What we discover is the shocking claim that no one comes to Jesus unless the Father has given them to him. No one works or believes on his own without the Father who gives life.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This week we use John 6:35-51 to take a peek back at the underlying context of John 6 and Jesus' “Bread of Life” speech, the Exodus story found in Exodus 14-17. If we are to properly understand what is happening in John 6 we must understand the backstory that Jesus is hi-lighting for us.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
In this teaching on John 6:22-36, we find Jesus in synagogue worshipping with his disciples the day after he walked across the lake. But they are not alone. The crowd that tried to take him as king the day before have chased after him and found him in Capernaum. And now they are looking to be fed by Jesus again but he will not have any of it. Find out why he will not feed them and how we are often just like these men.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
In this teaching on John 6:15-21, Pastor Josh teaches us why Jesus walked upon the water. Jesus was not simply trying to get people to believe what he said about himself by doing extraordinary displays of power, he was doing what he did to show his people who he actually was.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This week we experienced John 6 in a way that we typically don't experience the story of the Feeding of the 5000. Rather than experiencing it through the eyes of Jesus’ disciples, we experience it instead through the eyes of the 5000 men who followed Jesus into the wilderness. And what they wanted from Jesus might surprise you.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
In this Sunday’s teaching, we discovered that the saying is true, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The Pharisees get a bad rap but they were not always the bad guys. They started off well but ended up in a really bad place. And though our situations look different today and many centuries have passed, there is significant potential that yet exists for us to make the same mistakes that the Pharisees made.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This morning we jumped back into our study of the Gospel of John. And we looked at Jesus and how he watched his Father work so that he would understand where and when he should be working. We also talked about the injustice of fatherlessness and the effect that it has on society, and what our responsibility and role are as a church, to watch and join the Father as he works in Waxahachie.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
In the week since George Floyd’s tragic death our nation has been thrown into chaos. And there seems to be no end to the violence in sight.
This week we ask ourselves what our responsibility is as Jesus’ family in our current cultural moment. How do we respond to what we are seeing and experiencing? What must we start doing and what must we no longer do? And how can we bring the light of our good works into this dark situation?
The answer to those questions and more is to put our hands to Jesus’ plow and to never look back, no matter what it costs us; and to summon all people —regardless of the color of their skin— to repentance and submission to King Jesus and his offer of grace.
This is a stand-alone teaching.
As we moved our worship back into our building, we remembered the moment when God moved inside of us by looking at Acts 1 and 2, and 2 Kings 2.
This is a stand-alone teaching from our Pentecost service.
This is our eighteenth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching Pastor Josh, looks at John 5:1-15 and tells John’s story of Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is our seventeenth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 4:43-54 and the story of the healing of the official's son.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
Sermon Video
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𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚝 𝟷𝟶𝟷 𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚎
𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝟷𝟶𝟷𝟶 𝙰𝙼
𝚠𝚠𝚠.𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚡𝚊𝚑𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚎.𝚌𝚘𝚖
This is our sixteenth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, Rich Hart looks at John 4:27-42 and continues the story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, this time from Jesus’ perspective, as he leads his disciples to reorient their hearts around his love for those who are lost.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is our fifteenth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 4:1-26 and the story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is our fourteenth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 3:22-30 and the corrosive sin of jealously.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is sermon thirteen in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 3:16-21 and consider those who love darkness and those who live for God and love Jesus.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
As providence would have it, we find ourselves as a church in a very interesting passage of Scripture on Easter morning as we inch our way through the Gospel of John. It is a single verse that Martin Luther called the Bible in miniature because it sums up, in condensed form the essential truths of the entire story of redemption in 24 words. Namely, that God loves bad people and that he was willing to give his life, to give his Son over to death so that sinners might live.
This is the eleventh sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 3:14-15 and Jesus as the exalted Son of Man.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the tenth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 3:1-13 and consider what it means to be born again.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the first sermon in our new normal as we worship remotely and wait for this time in our quarantined exile to end.
In this teaching, we look at one of the most oft-repeated sayings of God in all of the library of Scripture, "Take heart, don't fear, it is I!"
This is the ninth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we look at John 2:12-25 and consider the cleansing of the Temple.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the eighth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we see the first of Jesus's signs that lead us to believe that he is the Christ the Son of God. We find that Jesus is the one who brings the better wine that never disappoints.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
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𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚝 𝟷𝟶𝟷 𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚎
𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝟷𝟶𝟷𝟶 𝙰𝙼
𝚠𝚠𝚠.𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚡𝚊𝚑𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚎.𝚌𝚘𝚖
This is the seventh sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we close out chapter 1 by taking a look at verses 34-51 and considering the evangelistic chain reaction that happened as a result of John the Baptist's witness about Jesus.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the sixth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, Dan Hutchins leads us through John 1:19-34 where we are introduced to John the Baptist.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the fifth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we discover the fourth of several themes that are presented in the prologue of John's Gospel. This week we discussed Jesus as the new and better tabernacle of God dwelling with his people.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the fourth sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we discover the third of several themes that are presented in the prologue of John's Gospel. This week we discussed Jesus as the one who gives life to those who are born of God.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the third sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we discover the second of several themes that are presented in the prologue of John's Gospel. This week we discussed Jesus as the light of life for the world.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the second sermon in our series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we discover the first of several themes that are presented in the prologue of John's Gospel. This week we discussed Jesus as the Word of God and what that means for the world.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This past Sunday we listened to Rich Hart teach on what it means to live a surrendered life from Mark 8:31-38.
This is the first sermon in our new series on the Gospel of John. In this teaching, we learn the purpose for which John has written his Gospel, the way he wants us to understand what he has written, and the effect his Gospel will have upon those who will believe it.
The Gospel of John is the second stop on our 52-week journey through the story of Scripture focusing on the theme of New Creation.
This is the tenth week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we completed our journey from Creation to Christ and explored the story of Jesus and his family tree.
This is the ninth week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we explored the story of Moses, the Exodus, and God's New Creation Nation, Isreal.
This is the eighth week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we explored the story of Abraham and God's promise to bless all the families of the earth through his family.
This is the sixth week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we explored the story of Noah, de-creation and new creation.
This is the fifth week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we explored the birth story of Noah.
This is the fourth week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we explored the story of Cain and Abel.
This is the second week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we explored the significance of what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God.
This is the first week on a 52-week journey through the story of Scripture to discover God’s redemptive work and relentless pursuit to set the world to rights.
The first stop along our journey will focus on the story of God from Creation to the birth of Christ, spanning Autumn to Advent.
This week we began where all good stories begin, in the beginning. And what we discovered was that God didn't simply create a place for humans to live, he created himself a temple where he could live with his people.
This is the third sermon in a teaching series that will frame the basic essentials of what makes Soma unique and what we do as a church.
This week we learned about the three relational environments that Jesus used to prepare his disciples for the mission they would continue in his absence and how we implement these same environments as a church family.
This is the second in a teaching series that will frame the basic essentials of what makes Soma unique, and what we do as a church.
This week we learn what a disciple is, what discipleship means, and what it is all about.
This is the first in a teaching series that will frame the basic essentials of what makes Soma unique, and what we do as a church.
This week we ask the simple question, "What does the word 'church' actually mean?".
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the final message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 8:4-9:15.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the tenth message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 7:1-8:3.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the ninth message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 6.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
eighth message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 5.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the seventh message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 4:4 through verse 13.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the sixth message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 4:1 through verse 3.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the fifth message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 3:9 through verse 15.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the second message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 3:1 through verse 8.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the second message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching, we consider Amos 2:4 through verse 16.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
This is the second message in our summer series on the book of Amos. In this teaching we consider Amos 1:3 through 2:3.
The Book of Amos is an intriguing Scripture from a unique individual, Amos, a shepherd and fig tree farmer dwelling in southern Judah who is called by God to go to Bethel and announce warnings of judgment to the northern kingdom of Israel.
Join us as we allow the prophecies of Amos to examine us this summer.
This is the final teaching in our series on the church and our transition into our new base for gospel mission. It is also the first sermon in our new building.
In this week's sermon, we look at 1 Peter 2 to see that the church is not made of brick and mortar but made up of living stones, built upon the foundation of Jesus.
In this week's teaching, Pastor Jeremy wraps up our series on Jesus' words, "I will build my church." It is all about Jesus, he is both the architect and the cornerstone of the church and the gates of hell cannot withstand the family that God is building.
We aren't just called to gather as a church on Sundays, we are called to a particular place to partner with Jesus in his renewal of all things in the everyday.
In this week's teaching, Josh teaches about the necessity of doing good things for our city. We don't do good stuff merely to please God, we do good things so that by our good works we create a light that draws people into the truth of the good news we proclaim and profess to believe.
Church is not a building that we go to or an event that we attend, it is a community to whom we belong. In this week's teaching, Jeremy shows us how we've been created for community, how sin makes genuine community difficult, and what we must do to know the belonging community that Jesus has saved us to experience.
“I will build my church..."
What did Jesus mean when he said this? That is the question we’re attempting to answer as we prepare our hearts to move our services into our new home base for missions.
This week, Jeremy lays the foundation for what it means for us to be the church for Waxahachie. The church is who we are and disciple-making is what we do.
In this week's teaching, as we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem we find an interesting connection between Daniel 10 and John 12. We discovered that one of the many things that happened as a result of the glorification of the Son of Man was that the ruler of this world was cast out and his tyranny over the nations was finally ended.
In this week's teaching, we understand more fully the reason for Israel's deportation and how their exile in Babylon was ultimately ineffective to purge their hearts of sin. Then we look at Daniel's prayer of confession and his mediation for his people. And lastly, we consider the enigmatic 70 Weeks prophecy found in the last half of the chapter and how it points us to the coming Son of Man who will finally and ultimately put an end to Israel's rebellion by offering his life as an atonement for their sin.
In this week's teaching, we had some bad news, some good news, and some new news. The bad news is that this teaching does not —contrary to what was promised in the previous week— reveal the hidden identities of the 4 kings of Daniel 7, the good news is that the Son of Man and the kingdom of heaven has finally come in Jesus and his kingdom has been shared with his people, and finally, the new news is that Soma Waxahachie has a new place to call home!
Daniel 7 is new territory in the story that Daniel is telling. Chapter 7 through 12 is different from the chapters that have come before it. We've left the familiarity of historical-narrative and found ourselves in the odd world of apocalyptic literature. It's for that reason that we have slowed our walk through Daniel down.
In this week's teaching, we look at the beastly kings of Daniel's dream, the mystery of the empty throne sitting beside the Ancient of Days, and the Son of Man who is given authority over an everlasting kingdom.
Daniel 7 is new territory in the story that Daniel is telling. Chapter 7 through 12 is different from the chapters that have come before it. We've left the familiarity of historical-narrative and found ourselves in the odd world of apocalyptic literature. It's for that reason that we have slowed our walk through Daniel down.
In this week's teaching, we consider the beasts that are presented in Daniel 7 and we look to Genesis to discover why beasts are used as a symbol in Daniel's terrifying dream. What we discover is that when we sin against God we abdicate our authority to rule as God's image over the beasts to become like beasts ourselves.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses how the biblical themes of Covenant, Exile, Redemption, and Return are found throughout the biblical story. We look specifically at Judah's return from exile, how Daniel experienced his own private Passover in the lion's den, and how his night with the lions ultimately points us to the greater Passover of Jesus's death and resurrection.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this week's teaching, we look at chapter 5 and learn about the blasphemy of Belshazzar's arrogance, the providence of God in history, and the hope of a greater exodus.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this week's teaching, Jeremy discusses how to be a faithful gospel witness while in exile.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
This week's teaching centered on Daniel 3 where we considered the worship of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image and Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego's refusal to bow. Then we explored the dangers associated with nationalism and the worship of empire and nation.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses how knowing our story and the identity that our story provides us gives us what we need for life-long obedience in exile. Daniel knew his history and it kept him faithful. He knew his future and it gave him boldness. And as we come to find that Daniel's future is now our past, we have all that we need for faithful obedience and bold witness in our present.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this second week in our Daniel series, Josh develops the historical backdrop and cultural situation of Judah's exile in Babylon that brings Daniel chapter 1 into sharper resolution. From here we try and understand what it was about Daniel and his friends that gave them the strength and resolve to say no to the influences and cultural pressures of Babylon when so many of their contemporaries could not.
Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this week's teaching, we discuss the biblical theme of exile, the circumstances that surrounded Judah's exile and captivity in Babylon, and in particular, the steadfastness of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in the face of unbelievable suffering and temptation. Then we consider how we too may live faithful uncompromising lives as followers of Jesus as we wait for our return from exile.
This is the fifth and final message in our Advent series for 2018. This year we are allowing Jesus to tell us why he came. Then we are taking what he tells us and connecting it back to the tapestry of the Old Testament that provides the backdrop for his arrival and ministry.
In this teaching, we look at Acts 1, where we have the promise that Jesus will come again. We talk about what it looks like for us to wait upon his return. We find out that Jesus is the true and better Joshua who will lead his people to a certain victory. And, as his kingdom people, we discover that we are participating with him in his global gospel conquest.
Finally, there are some announcements about the direction of Soma for 2019.
This is the fourth message in our Advent series for 2018. This year we are allowing Jesus to tell us why he came. Then we are taking what he tells us and connecting it back to the tapestry of the Old Testament that provides the backdrop for his arrival and ministry.
In this teaching, we look at John 14:18, where Jesus tells his disciples, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." Then we examine the importance of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
This is the third message in our Advent series for 2018. This year we are allowing Jesus to tell us why he came. Then we are taking what he tells us and connecting it back to the tapestry of the Old Testament that provides the backdrop for his arrival and ministry.
In this teaching, we look at John 18:37, where Jesus declares, "...I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world." Then we consider the Davidic Covenant and the careers and failures of Israel's kings. Finally, we see how Jesus was born as the better David, as the true head crushing hero we have been waiting for. He's the one who can get us back to the garden.
This is the second message in our Advent series for 2018. This year we are allowing Jesus to tell us why he came. Then we are taking what he tells us and connecting it back to the tapestry of the Old Testament that provides the backdrop for his arrival and ministry.
In this teaching, we look at Luke 4:18, where Jesus proclaims that the Lord, "...sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives…” Then we trace the theme of liberation from slavery back to Exodus, where we find God's third advent at Mt. Sinai. Then we watch as God liberates his covenant people from the bonds of their slavery in Egypt. Finally, we see how Jesus was born as the better Moses, as the true head crushing hero, and the leader of a greater exodus than freedom from slavery.
This is the first message in our Advent series for 2018. This year we are allowing Jesus to tell us why he came. Then we are taking what he tells us and connecting it back to the tapestry of the Old Testament that provides the backdrop for his arrival and ministry.
In this teaching, we look at John 10:10, where Jesus says, "I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly”. Then we are tracing the theme of abundant life back to Genesis, where we find God's first advent at the beginning and the creation of his image bearing creatures. Then we follow that theme forward through the fall of the humans, the curse of sin, onto the promise of blessing made to Abraham. Finally, we see how Jesus was born as the better Adam and the true offspring of Abraham.
First John was a letter written to a family of churches that had recently experienced a split over a major theological heresy. John is writing these churches to assure them that it is they, and not those who had left the church, who actually possess eternal life.
In his letter, John offers his audience three tests: the test of truth, the test of life, and the test of love. Those who take these tests and pass them may be confident that they have taken possession of the eternal life promised to everyone placing their hope in Jesus.
In this teaching we recap the last 5 weeks.
First John was a letter written to a family of churches that had recently experienced a split over a major theological heresy. John is writing these churches to assure them that it is they, and not those who had left the church, who actually possess eternal life.
In his letter, John offers his audience three tests: the test of truth, the test of life, and the test of love. Those who take these tests and pass them may be confident that they have taken possession of the eternal life promised to everyone placing their hope in Jesus.
In this teaching we consider the test of a love.
First John was a letter written to a family of churches that had recently experienced a split over a major theological heresy. John is writing these churches to assure them that it is they, and not those who had left the church, who actually possess eternal life.
In his letter, John offers his audience three tests: the test of truth, the test of life, and the test of love. Those who take these tests and pass them may be confident that they have taken possession of the eternal life promised to everyone placing their hope in Jesus.
In this teaching we consider the prologue of John's letter and the test of an obedient life.
First John was a letter written to a family of churches that had recently experienced a split over a major theological heresy. John is writing these churches to assure them that it is they, and not those who had left the church, who actually possess eternal life.
In his letter, John offers his audience three tests: the test of truth, the test of life, and the test of love. Those who take these tests and pass them may be confident that they have taken possession of the eternal life promised to everyone placing their hope in Jesus.
In this teaching we consider the prologue of John's letter and the test of truth.
We are diving into our core convictions as Soma Waxahachie and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our eighth teaching in the series, we discover the meaning and significance of the communion meal.
We are diving into our core convictions as Soma Waxahachie and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our seventh teaching in the series, we discuss our vision for ministry.
We are diving into our core convictions as Soma Waxahachie and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our sixth teaching in the series, we discuss the what we believe about baptism.
We are diving into our core convictions as Soma Waxahachie and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our fifth teaching in the series, we discuss the why and the how of our Bible teaching.
We are diving into our core convictions as Soma Waxahachie and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our fourth teaching in the series, we discuss how we make disciples at Soma.
We are diving into our core convictions as Soma Waxahachie and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our third teaching in the series, we discuss The Nature of a Disciple.
Last week we began to discuss who we are as Soma Waxahachie by diving into our core convictions and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our second teaching in the series, we discuss The Nature of the Mission.
This week we began to discuss who we are as Soma Waxahachie by diving into our core convictions and seeing how they play out in how we gather, worship, relate, and equip one another in the mission of making disciples in the everyday normal stuff of life.
In this, our first teaching in the series, we discuss The Nature of the Church.
In this week’s teaching, our fourth and final sermon in our Four G’s series, we considered how God’s grace keeps us from trying to prove ourselves.
In this week’s teaching, our third sermon in our Four G’s series, we considered how God’s goodness keeps us from looking elsewhere for the satisfaction that Jesus alone can provide.
In this week’s teaching, our second sermon in our Four G’s series, we considered how God’s glory keeps us from fearing others.
This week we begin a new short series on four great truths about God that help us diagnose our hearts. This week's teaching is that God is great so we don't have to be in control.
This is the fifth and final week of our Gospel Fluecny series. In this teaching we discover that Jesus has called us to live lives that only the gospel can explain. We are both a proclaimation people and a demonstration people.
“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you...”
1 Peter 2:12, 3:15 ESV
Part of becoming a gospel fluent people includes understanding our hearts. That's more difficult than it at first sounds, because as Jeremiah writes, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Our hearts long to be filled with hope and meaning. But more often than not we find ourselves running to things that promise life to find satisfaction but soon discover that these things do not actually satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. They bring death. It is the behavior that extends out of our pursuit of illicit satisfaction that we call sin. In this teaching we learn how to better understand our hearts by examining the fruit we produce. Trees that produce the fruit of the Spirit give evidence that our roots have dug deep into the nutrient rich soil of the gospel. While branches laden down with the fruits of the flesh show us that our hearts have been contaminated by the poisoned soil of lies and unbelief.
Everyone has a story. Stories form us, they tell us who we are and how we fit in the world. God is no different. He has a story too. The difference though, between our stories and his, is that we don’t really know whether the stories that we believe about ourselves or our world are true until we actually begin to understand HIS STORY.
To become gospel fluent people, we must understand God's story and how we apply the truths of that story to the everyday normal stuff of life.
What Does It Mean to Be Gospel Fluent?
A person is gospel fluent when the gospel becomes their "mother tongue." They see the world through that filter, they hear the world through that filter, and they know how to speak the truths of the gospel—the truths of Jesus— to those around them.
On a practical level, “gospel fluency” is the ability to speak the gospel to the real brokenness and longing of people’s souls in a way that they can hear—a way that sounds like the good news of Jesus for them and their present situations.
In order to do that we must become gospel “fluent” people. Over the next five weeks we'll explore the grammar and syntax of the gospel and learn together how to immerse ourselves in the truths of Jesus.
Pastor Jon Marq Toombs of Christ Covenant Church leads us this week from 1 Peter 1:1-3.
"Theology leads to doxology. When you feel the mystery of God’s heartbeat for you, when you feel his trinitarian grace pulsating in your life, you cannot help but declare the praises of him who brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light!"
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” — 1 Peter 1:1–3 ESV
The Epistle to the Ephesians did not fall out of heaven and land in the leather bound libraries that we call Bibles. It was a letter written by Paul to a group of his friends. Friends who were trying to figure out what life looked like in the new creation reality of their new found humanity in Christ Jesus. And that letter has been preserved for us.
It's easy to miss that. We often read and study Paul's letters as though they were something other than just that, letters. We spend months dissecting them and in so doing run the risk of missing the forest for sake of the trees. In this, the last teaching of our five month walk through Ephesians, Dr. Adrian Smith leads us to lean against that tendency and experience Paul's letter to the disciples in Ephesus as it was intended to be experienced.
If Jesus is reuniting heaven and earth and transforming this world into the new creation reality of the world that existed before sin and the Fall, then we should not be surprised to discover that Satan, who came to sow chaos into God's good creation at the beginning would come again to sow chaos in among his new creation people.
That is why we, as Jesus’ Church —his body— must put on his armor to make war against the enemy of our souls. But it is not by our strength that we engage in this battle. It is by Jesus —and in Jesus— that we find our hope and strength.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
(Ephesians 6:10–20 ESV)
The good news of Paul's letter to the Ephesians is that all things are being brought together in Jesus, things in heaven and things on earth. And all those things are being brought together, back to their proper order. That includes relationships between parents and children, masters and servants, relationships that were prone to abuse and brokenness after the fall.
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),“that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.”
(Ephesians 6:1–9 ESV)
In Ephesians 5 Paul is teaching the church how taking off the old self and putting on the new affects marriage. He shows us that the problems that exist in our marriages today actually happen as a result of the first sin committed long ago by our first parents in the Garden. Paul instructs wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives, and in so doing, points the church back to the curses that entered the creation as a result of our fall. Women are cursed with a tendency not to submit to their husbands and men are cursed with the tendency not to love their wives. But in the new creation reality of Ephesians, which is a return to the life that existed in the Garden before the Fall, husbands and wives both submit to and love one another, looking to Jesus as their perfect example of loving submission.
“...submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
(Ephesians 5:21–33 ESV)
An old old story about Israel has become the new story of everyone who has put their hope in the Jewish King, Jesus. And this old and new story is the only hope for humanity that is able to extinguish the hostilities that exist between the tribes and nations on the earth.
“For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”
(Ephesians 3:1–13 ESV)
We are the Temple of the living God being built by Jesus our King. In this teaching we discover what the Temple meant to the people living in Jesus' day, how Paul's audience would have responded to learning that they were the Temple of God, and how that informs us as a community of faith and how we ought to live out this reality as God's Temple in Waxahachie now.
“And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
(Ephesians 2:17–22 ESV)
The gospel isn't just saving people from judgement. It's also saving the world from the blight of sin and the destruction that sin brings upon human culture. In particular, with relevance to this text, we learn that Jesus came to destroy the dividing wall of hostility that existed between Jew and Gentile in his body upon the cross. But it isn't just that hostility that Jesus destroyed. It's also the walls of separation that exist in our own culture today that he comes to knock down. Hostilities between races, culture, the sexes, and politics, they're all knocked down because of what Jesus has come to do.
In this teaching Pastor Josh is joined by Andre Grey.
“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostilityby abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”
Ephesians 2:11–16 ESV
The good news that Paul is proclaiming in his letter to the disciples at Ephesus tells us what Jesus has rescued us from. We've been saved from God's wrath against sin, we've been rescued from death, slavery to the evils of corrupt culture, and that lies of Satan himself. But that's not where the good news in Paul's letter stops. He does tell us what Jesus has rescued us from, but he goes on to explain what we've been rescued by and what we've been rescued for. And if you slow down to listen, you might discover that Paul's news is much better and much bigger than you might have at first thought.
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sinsin which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
(Ephesians 2:1–9 ESV)
In this teaching we discover the power of story and how it shapes the way we live our lives. The Father is writing a new story for his people different from the story that the world is telling. We are chosen by him to be holy and blameless in his sight. We have been destined by him to be adopted as his children. And this all is made possible through the redemption that takes place in Jesus and the power of his Spirit.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”
(Ephesians 1:3–7 ESV)
This week we began a new series on Paul's letter to the disciples at Ephesus. In this teaching you will find an overview of the letter, paying particular attention to the theme found in Ephesians 1:10.
Jesus has sent his Church to continue his mission of making disciples in the power of his Spirit for the glory of God the Father Almighty. In this teaching we consider the gift of prophecy, what it is, what it is for, and whether it is a gift for the Church today.
In this, our fourth teaching in the series Knowing God, we learn about God and his presence by considering how he has dwelled with his people Israel. And how he now dwells in his people the Church in a special and unique way.
Week 28 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we looked at Matthew 7:1-5 and considered Jesus' command that we not judge one another with improper motives. Instead we are to make righteous judgements regarding our sins first and our brother's and sister's sins second. Jesus doesn't say to point out the speck in your brother's eye, he says take it out. And to take out sin that present in another's life, we must judge rightly and walk alongside our brother or sister to gently remove the sin that's present.
Week 7 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we considered the blessed life of those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Not all who are persecuted are blessed by God. Only those who are persecuted for righteousness sake and on account of Jesus are blessed by God.
Week 6 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we considered the blessed life of the peacemakers by looking at Matthew 5:9. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. Peacemakers are people who work for peace, not through vindication but through reconciliation. The people of God's Kingdom work for peace, not to earn their way into his kingdom, but as members of his kingdom their natural disposition is to work for peace because they belong to the God of peace.
Week 5 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we considered the blessed life of the pure in heart by looking at Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. We asked the following questions about this beatitude: What does it mean to be pure in heart? What does it mean to see God? And how are those two things connected with one another.
Week 2 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we took a brief look at Matthew 5:6, and how those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are both satisfied and blessed by God. Then we spent some time considering the blessed life of the merciful and the holy reciprocity of God toward his people in verse 7.
Week 2 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we considered the first three beatitudes of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. These first three beatitudes are an integrated whole. The person who understands their spiritual poverty before God will mourn their sinful condition. And the person who is mourning their sinful condition before God will become meek. And it is these people who are blessed, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, they will be comforted, and they will inherit the earth.
Week 1 in our series The Sermon on the Mount: A Manifesto on Life in the Kingdom
In this week's teaching we take a bird's eye view of what the Sermon on the Mount is about. From the beginning of human history it has been God's purpose to fill the earth with his image bearing people, who would extend the dominion and influence of his kingdom throughout the creation, to all creatures everywhere. But, because of sin and the curse, it became necessary for God to bring about the redemption of our fallen images and the restoration of all things through his Son Jesus. Now, as the perfect image bearing King, Jesus comes into the world to save us and to teach us how to live in his newly established Kingdom.
Soma Waxahachie launched services with a look at Matthew 13 and the parable of the Mustard Seed, and by baptizing three, who moved from friends to family.
Ben Connelly from the City Church in Ft. Worth speaks with us before we re-launch our services Oct. 2nd, 2016.
The world is a dangerous place for disciples who chose to live outside of the protection of an interdependent mutually committed gospel community.
There are a lot of things in this life, that are infinitely less amazing than Jesus, that will seduce you away from gathering with God's people. Workaholism, sport, recreation, and a thousand other voices will lure you away from gospel community and into the hazardous life of Christian isolationism.
Will you commit to follow Jesus with us here?
Text: Matthew 4:12-17
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: January 10, 2016
Text: Matthew 4:1-11
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: January 3, 2016
Text: Matthew 3:13-17
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: December 27, 2015
Text: Matthew 3:7
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: December 13, 2015
Text: Matthew 3:1-12
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: December 6, 2015
Text: Matthew 2:19-23 / Isaiah 11
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: November 29, 2015
Text: Matthew 2:13-23 / Jeremiah 31
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: November 22, 2015
Text: Matthew 2:13-15 / Genesis 21:1-21 / Ephesians 2
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: November 15, 2015
Title: Out of Egypt
Text: Matthew 2:13-15 / Hosea 11:1
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: November 08, 2015
Title: Little Town of Bethlehem
Text: Matthew 2:1-12 / Micah 5:2
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: November 01, 2015
Title: A Star in the West
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: October 11, 2015
Title: Herod the Great Fool
Text: Matthew 2:1
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: October 4, 2015
Title: God is with Us
Text: Matthew 1:22-23
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: September 27, 2015
Title: What's in a Name
Text: Matthew 1:21
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: September 20, 2015
Title: Eight Miraculous Births
Text: Matthew 1:18—2:12
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: September 13, 2015
Title: Royally Bad Blood
Text: Matthew 1:1-17
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew.
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: September 6, 2015
Title: A Kingdom Primer
Text: Matthew 1:1
Series: A King and His Kingdom Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew.
Speaker: Joshua Elsom
Date: August 30, 2015