Christ Church Rapid City Weekly Sermon Podcast: Recent Episodes
Christ Church
Despite the most difficult times of our lives, we can rest assured that God is on His throne and still working in the lives of His people. This fact is readily borne out in today's message by Pastor Golden from the 19th chapter of the book of Acts verses 23 - 41.
Planning a successful trip requires foresight and hard work, and even with the "best laid plans", things often happen that turn our "best laid plans" into seeming confusion. The Apostle Paul faced this problem too while planning to visit Jerusalem. Listen today as Pastor Golden recounts Paul's plans and what we can learn from times of trouble.
God sometimes uses miracles to demonstrate His mighty power and authority in the spreading of the gospel around the world. In the message today, Pastor Golden explains many wanted to work great miracles in the name of Jesus, but that didn't always work according to plan for the Jews and other non-believers who tried to emulate the Apostle Paul.
Nearly all Christians are familiar with the Jesus' Great Commission statement in the gospel of Matthew. But as our guest speaker, Jamin Eben, from Teaching Truth International so passionately highlights, the Great Commission is more than just spreading the gospel, it is also about making disciples - followers of Jesus Christ.
Acts 19:8-10. In this section we see how God's Word spread quickly throughout Ephesus and the region nearby. The Apostle Paul didn't let the rejection of some people thwart God's plan of salvation for the gentiles. Instead, God used what we view as an obstacle and turned it into an effective means of witnessing to more people than seemed possible. Praise the Lord, God still does that today!!
Acts 19:1-7. In Pastor Golden's message today, we see how God moved in the life of the Apostle Paul to change "incomplete" believers into "complete believers". These Ephesian believers didn't know about the work of the Holy Spirit and only knew about John's Baptism of repentance. Becoming a Christian involves not only turning from sin (repentance), but also turning to Christ in faith.
Acts 18:24-28. In this portion of God's Word, we discover that God uses believers in various places to accomplish His Will in spreading the gospel message. Like those early believers, God can use us (if we're willing) to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God by being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
A message from Acts 18:18-22. While the Apostle Paul travelled widely spreading the message of the gospel, he never wavered from his message to the gentiles and never forgot who or what he was. Like Paul, when we find ourselves in different and difficult circumstances, we too can remain strong and faithful to the message of the gospel by keeping our focus on Christ.
Oftentimes the Lord's Supper can lose some of its significance or relevance when we observe it without meditating upon what the 'breaking of the bread and drinking of the cup' means. In today's message, Pastor Golden provides a detailed background and scriptural foundation for observing the Lord's Supper in the proper context.
While Fatherhood has never been easy, today it suffers seemingly unending attacks. Fortunately, today's message by Pastor Golden, gives fathers some 'Lessons Learned' to help deal with the pressures that dads face today.
Success in ministry - like success in secular activities - involves teamwork and encouragement. Listen as Pastor Golden reveals that no one can "do" ministry by themselves - we need the Holy Spirit to help us and encourage us. Yes, teamwork is vital, but so is having the right partner - Jesus Christ!!
When we think of missionaries, we often think of traveling to distant lands ministering under sometimes difficult and dangerous circumstances. But in today's message we find that being a missionary doesn't always involve distant lands - it can mean being used right where you live, work, and play. Listen as Pastor Golden explains what being a true missionary means.
Today our guest speaker, Eddie Childers, uses the opening verses in the Gospel of John to highlight that even before the event known as creation occurred, Jesus Christ existed. What a marvelous thought and encouragement that Jesus came to dispel the darkness with the light of His being.
Today's guest speaker, brother Ron Stradinger, uses Psalm 19 to explore God's amazing creative power, but more importantly His great love and compassion for us even though we don't deserve it. Listen and be encouraged!!
Often, the largest influence on a child's faith is the child's parents - especially the mother. In today's message, Pastor Golden relates the story of Timothy, the young man mentored by the great Apostle Paul. Pastor Golden shows that the influence of Timothy's mother and grandmother would have lasting and powerful effects on young Timothy's faith and life.
What makes a great preacher? Listen as Pastor Golden explains that God uses the preaching of His Word - even in difficult circumstances - to accomplish His Will. Facing hostile crowds and persecution wasn't new to the Apostle Paul, yet God strengthened him and used him to plant the seeds of the Gospel in the face of persecution.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most transformative event in the history of our world. Listen today as Pastor Golden reveals three important truths manifested by Jesus' resurrection on that first Easter Sunday!!
All of chapter 17 of John's Gospel is Jesus' Prayer. In this chapter we learn that a tremendous battle is being waged between God and His Saints (believers) and Satan. Jesus prays for himself, his current disciples, and his future disciples. He asks that his followers would be glorified and unified. Jesus prays that God would keep his followers safe from Satan's power and set them apart for the work they are called to do, making them pure and holy in the process.
Jesus' last thoughts were not just on his current disciples, but also on all those who would follow in the disciples' footsteps in the future!! Jesus wanted the best for all believers. He prayed for their unity based upon the unity between Father and Son and he prayed they would receive glory just like He did and that one day they would behold His glory forever.
Pastor Golden continues his message about Jesus' prayer for his disciples in the chapter 17 of Saint John's gospel. This wonderful section of scripture has been a blessing for God's saints down through the centuries and continues to bless us and encourage us despite the problems and burdens we might face.
Listen today as Pastor Golden draws inspiration from Jesus Intercessory Prayer in chapter 17 of the book of John. We, like the disciples, can draw encouragement from Jesus' prayer that we will be kept safe from Satan's power and that we can be unified together through the truth found in Jesus Christ.
As we approach this Easter Season, listen as Pastor Golden explains the significance and import of Jesus entry into Jerusalem prior to the Passover.
In today's message, Pastor Golden explains from the Apostle Paul's ministry how the gospel can change the lives of anyone no matter what their circumstances are!!
Listen as Missionary Mark Phillips explain how the gospel is continuing its long history of spreading around the world changing lives for the Kingdom of God.
In today's message, Pastor Golden explains that even when circumstances and people are annoying, God can use that to build His Kingdom. Listen as the Apostle Paul deals with a slave girl that hinders his ministry by talking too much!!
Thankfully we are not responsible for converting anyone, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Listen today as Pastor Golden explains that the people we encounter on a daily basis are often God's opportunity for witnessing even if they are not the people we expected.
In today's message we find the gospel of Jesus Christ at work in the life of the Apostle Paul. What is striking is that the Holy Spirit directed Paul in a direction opposite from what Paul originally thought. Listen as Pastor Golden explains how God often works the same way today!!
Our world is awash in "gloom, despair, and agony on me" to quote the words of an old song. Many of the characters in the bible faced similar circumstances, but in today's message from Pastor Golden, King David finds comfort, confidence, and joy in God's love and protection.
Many of us today desperately seek for a refuge from the troubles and problems of this life. In today's message, Pastor Golden shows us that the only true and strong refuge for the problems we face is Jesus Christ.
In today's message we hear how King David faced overwhelming and depressing issues in his life. We need to learn to respond to these tough problems like David did by crying out for help, learning to find confidence in God, and committing to praising God!!
Often in life we get ourselves into a jam and need help. Psalm 60 recounts a time in the life of King David when he needed help - in fact he needed God's help. Check out Pastor Golden's message about how you can call out to God like David did and you too can say like David "I will rejoice!!"
For over two thousand years wise men (and women) have sought Jesus Christ. While the reasons are varied and many, the goal is still the same - to respond to His call and fully know Him as He reveals Himself in scripture as our Savior and Lord.
While genealogies might seem boring and irrelevant, the gospel writer Matthew includes one in the Christmas story to highlight that God takes the initiative to draw near to those who are far away and to demonstrate that our past doesn't have to determine our present and future lives!!
One of the signs of a healthy, growing church is its focus on discipling believers. During the second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul, he was focused on the twin priorities of planting churches and discipling believers. Today, Pastor Golden shows us five truths about the work Paul accomplished and how 2000 years later our priorities should be the same.
Even with the best of intentions, disagreements are sometimes unresolvable. When this occurs, you may be tempted to throw up your hands in disgust and walk away from the situation, However, as Pastor Golden explains, God's work and purpose continues despite our failures and inability to resolve an issue.
As in all relationships, there is a right way and a wrong way to approach conflict. In this second part of the series, How to Handle Church Disagreements, Pastor Golden lays out a biblical pattern for protecting and enhancing relationships while resolving issues through guidance from the Holy Spirit and God's Word.
While disagreements in our world are commonplace, it surprises many to learn that disagreements occurred in the early church too! So, how do you handle disagreements within the church? Pastor Golden explains in this first of a two part series that there is a right way to handle disputes and resolve disagreements.
Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ? That's the foremost question that Pastor McCraw wants to address in today's message from 2 Timothy 1: 8-12 in which the Apostle Paul writes to his young protegee Timothy. Listen today as Pastor McCraw tells us not only how to know Jesus, but why it is so important.
Listen today as Brother Richard Burton explains that trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ is the true way to contentment and that - at the same time - the only way to contentment is found by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 6 of the book of Isaiah reveals a vision of God to the prophet which gives us clues as to what the true worship of God should entail. Pastor Golden explains that in Isaiah's vision we can learn three things about worship: First, the essence of worship is seeing God as He is, Second, when we worship we see ourselves as we really are, and Third, true worship results in surrender to the Will of God.
We oftentimes find ourselves in places that seem inescapable - we end up digging ourselves a hole from which we can't escape. Thankfully, the Lord Jesus Christ can lift us out of any hole we dig for ourselves if we're only willing to let Him. Listen today as Pastor Golden explains that no matter how bad the situation we face, God extends mercy to us and desires to rescue us if we let Him!
Pastor Golden continues his excellent series on repentance from Psalm 51 with today's message (Part 3) on what repentance is and where repentance leads!
Psalm 51 is the heart-rending cry of a man out of fellowship with God. As Pastor Golden explains today, the lessons King David learned and how his relationship with God was restored can be your story as you too follow the Path of Repentance - Part 2. You will be blessed!!
The story of David's sin with Bathsheba and his confession found in Psalm 51 is an example for us of the devastating consequences of sin in our lives, but also the restoration we can find in Jesus Christ. How do we find restoration? Listen today as Pastor Golden describes for us the "Path of Repentance".