Highland Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Highland Church Podcast
Each and every one of us was made for God’s mission. We see this mission clearly in the life, death, and new life of Jesus Christ. We believe that at Highland you can find your place in God’s mission. This podcast includes sermons from Preaching Minister, Eric Gentry, and also includes select Wednesday Night Classes and Special Events.
After returning from his sabbatical, Eric Gentry shares a deeply personal message about what it means to love the church the way Christ loves His people. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12:14–15, Eric reflects on the joy of pouring out your life in ministry—not because of what you receive, but because of the people God has entrusted to you. Through stories from his own life, he reminds us that Jesus is the One who fills us so we can faithfully pour ourselves out for others. Listen and be encouraged to love your church, invest in others, and discover the joy that comes from living a life spent for Christ.
In this message, Young Adult and Discipleship Minister Logan Hollinsaid explores how one of Jesus' most powerful ministry tools wasn't a sermon or a miracle—it was a meal. Walking through Luke 5 and the example of Christ's table fellowship, Logan shows how biblical hospitality proclaims the gospel by welcoming people into the family of God. He challenges us to see our homes as places where friendships deepen, faith grows, and lives are transformed through simple acts of hospitality. Listen and discover why the gospel doesn't just come with an invitation—it comes with a house key.
In this final lesson of our Wednesday night study through Jeremiah, Cary Daniel brings our journey through one of Scripture's Major Prophets to a close. As we reflect on God's faithfulness throughout Jeremiah's message of warning, judgment, and hope, we're reminded that His promises endure even in seasons of uncertainty and exile. Join us for this concluding session as we consider the lasting themes of repentance, restoration, and the unwavering character of God that have been woven throughout this remarkable book.
Anxiety has a way of leaving us feeling out of breath, overwhelmed by the pressures and uncertainties of life. In this message, guest preacher Darwin Mason Jr. walks through Philippians 4:4–9 verse by verse, revealing God's invitation to exchange our anxiety for His peace. Along the way, he helps us better understand the context leading to one of Scripture's most familiar promises in Philippians 4:13—that our strength comes from Christ Himself. Through practical examples and biblical truth, you'll be encouraged to trust that God's peace is actively guarding your heart and mind. Take a few moments to listen and breathe deeply in the promises of God.
In this thoughtful and deeply encouraging message, guest preacher and Highland member Dr. Kevin Shelby explores God’s design for the church through Galatians 6:1–10. Drawing from two decades of counseling experience, Kevin shares why healing so often begins when we choose to stop carrying our burdens alone. Through the example of the Good Samaritan, he reminds us that the church is called to be a community that sees people, stays present in their pain, and gently helps carry life’s heaviest loads. Whether you’re carrying a burden yourself or walking alongside someone who is, this message offers hope and a clear picture of what the body of Christ is meant to be.
In this encouraging message, guest preacher Jim Martin walks through Psalm 100 and invites us to embrace a life of defiant gratitude. Rather than allowing our circumstances to determine our attitude, Jim shows how gratitude is a daily choice rooted in the unchanging character and faithfulness of God. Even in seasons of hardship, worship and thanksgiving become a powerful declaration of trust. Listen and be encouraged to cultivate a heart that chooses gratitude, no matter what life brings.
Pride often disguises itself as independence, convincing us that we can navigate life on our own. In this powerful message, guest preacher Josh Jackson traces the roots of pride back to the Garden of Eden, revealing how our desire for self-sufficiency keeps us from experiencing God’s design for our lives. Discover why confession is far more than admitting wrong—it is a life-giving act of humility that opens the door to God’s grace and the support of His people. Listen and be challenged to exchange the burden of self-reliance for the freedom of depending on God.
In this continuing Wednesday night study through Jeremiah, David Jackson leads an exploration of chapters 34–39, a dramatic section that chronicles the final days of Judah before the fall of Jerusalem. These chapters reveal the consequences of broken promises, persistent rebellion, and ignored warnings, while highlighting Jeremiah’s unwavering faithfulness amid persecution and opposition. Join us as we examine the fulfillment of God’s prophetic word and discover timeless lessons about obedience, trust, and the certainty of God’s purposes.
Parenting can feel overwhelming, confusing, and at times exhausting—but what if God never intended children to be seen as a burden? In this encouraging message from Psalm 127:3-5, Eric reminds us that children are a blessing from the Lord, entrusted to us with both purpose and potential. Discover how the treasure of Christ within us gives parents the strength to remain hopeful even when parenting leaves us perplexed. Whether you’re raising young children, guiding grown ones, or reflecting on your own parents, this message offers biblical encouragement for the journey.
What keeps a person from breaking when life applies overwhelming pressure? In this message from 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, Eric Gentry continues the “Treasures in Clay” series by exploring the source of true resilience. While the world searches for ways to become stronger, Paul points us to an all-surpassing power that comes not from ourselves, but from God. Discover how the treasure of the gospel, the death and resurrection of Jesus, provides the strength to endure hardship, persevere through suffering, and remain unbroken in the face of life’s greatest challenges. If you’ve ever felt fragile, weary, or overwhelmed, this message offers hope rooted in resurrection power.
In this continuing Wednesday night study through Jeremiah, Cary Daniel leads an exploration of chapters 25–29, a pivotal section of the prophet’s message. These chapters highlight God’s judgment on Judah and the surrounding nations, the certainty of the Babylonian exile, and the promise that God has not abandoned His people. Along the way, we’ll examine Jeremiah’s confrontation with false prophets and discover enduring lessons about faithfulness, truth, and hope in difficult times. Join us as we continue our journey through one of the Bible’s most powerful prophetic books.
What do you really have, and what are you really made of? In this message from 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, Eric Gentry explores Paul’s powerful image of “treasures in jars of clay” and what it reveals about God’s purpose for our lives. Though we are fragile and imperfect, God has chosen to place the priceless treasure of the gospel, the cross, and the resurrection within us. Discover how God’s power shines most clearly through ordinary people and why we can endure life’s pressures without losing heart. This encouraging message reminds us that what is inside us is greater than anything that threatens to break us.
Why do we often think of ourselves as good people, yet struggle to actually do good when the opportunity is right in front of us? In this message from Galatians 6:9, Eric Gentry explores the difference between talking about goodness and living it out through faithful obedience, love, and service. Along the way, he challenges listeners to consider what true goodness looks like in both our relationship with God and our treatment of others. This episode begins with Highland member Suzanne Avery sharing why Galatians 6:9 has been such a meaningful verse in her life and why she chose it as one of our Memory Verses for 2026. Be encouraged to keep doing good, trusting that God is at work even when the harvest seems slow in coming.
In this message, Eric reflects on the connection between memory and faith through Scripture, stories, and personal moments that remind us how easily we forget the goodness of God. From Israel forgetting the Lord after entering the promised land to the Psalmist choosing to remember God’s faithfulness in the middle of doubt, this sermon challenges us to fight spiritual amnesia with intentional remembrance. Eric reminds us that pride and comfort often lead to forgetfulness, but remembering what God has done strengthens faith and renews hope. Through the image of “Ebenezer stones,” we’re encouraged to build reminders of God’s faithfulness in our own lives. Take time to listen and be reminded of where God has brought you from—and how faithful He has been every step of the way.
In Lesson 4 of our Wednesday night study through Jeremiah, Cary Daniel surveys chapters 16–25, a powerful section filled with warning, prophecy, and hope. This lesson includes Jeremiah’s visit to the potter’s house, where God illustrates His authority and purpose for His people, along with Jeremiah’s prophecy of Judah’s coming Babylonian exile. Even in the midst of judgment, God promises restoration, declaring that after 70 years the people will return and rebuild Jerusalem. Join us as we continue exploring the message and ministry of one of Scripture’s most compelling prophets.
In this special message, we hear from three of Highland’s Outreach Partners who are bringing hope and the love of Jesus to people locally and around the world. David Jordan shares about the work of Agape in Memphis, serving vulnerable and overlooked communities with compassion and care. Ron Wade talks about the ministry of HopeWorks and their new initiative, The Next Story, helping men leaving prison find housing, purpose, and hope in Christ. Nathan Luther gives an update from Bacolod, Philippines, where he and Karen continue decades of ministry through Shiloh Christian School, serving children and families in Jesus’ name. Take time to listen and be encouraged by the many ways God is moving through these ministries.
In Lesson 3 of our Wednesday night study through Jeremiah, Gary Kenley leads a powerful look at chapters 7–15, often called “The Temple Sermon.” This section of Jeremiah confronts empty religion, false security, and the consequences of rebellion against God, while revealing the courage and heartbreak of the prophet’s ministry. Join us as we explore God’s warnings to Judah, the call to genuine repentance, and timeless lessons that still speak to believers today.
In this honest and deeply encouraging message, Eric speaks directly to moms and dads about the beauty, pressure, and difficulty of parenting. Preaching from Psalm 103:8–14, he reminds parents that while parenting is eternally important, it is also impossible to do perfectly—and that’s exactly why we need the grace of God. Through stories, Scripture, and practical encouragement, this sermon points us to a compassionate Father who forgives our failures, strengthens our efforts, and loves us as His children. Whether you’re raising toddlers, teenagers, or praying for grown children, this message is a reminder that God’s grace is big enough for every season of parenting. Take time to listen and be encouraged by the compassion of your heavenly Father.
In Lesson 2 of our Wednesday night study through Jeremiah, Highland Elder David Jackson explores chapters 1–6, including Jeremiah’s powerful call from God and his first message to a rebellious Israel. This lesson introduces the prophet’s mission and the challenging spiritual condition of God’s people, setting the tone for the rest of this dramatic and timely study through one of the Bible’s Major Prophets.
In this message from Matthew 6:25–34, Eric speaks directly to one of the most common struggles we all face—worry. While Jesus’ words “Do not worry” may seem easier said than done, this sermon unpacks the deeper invitation to trust our Father who knows and cares for every need. Through simple but powerful reminders—like birds in the air and flowers in the field—Eric shows how God is constantly pointing us back to His provision and our value to Him. This message offers a practical and spiritual “prescription” for anxiety: pray and look for God’s care all around you. Take a few minutes to listen and be reminded that you are deeply known, valued, and cared for by your Father.
Step into a powerful overview of the book of Jeremiah in this Wednesday night Chapel class, taught by Highland Elder David Jackson. In this nine-week survey, you’ll explore the sweeping story of Judah and Jerusalem through prophetic sermons, historical events, and personal letters from exile. From the fall of Solomon’s temple to Jeremiah’s forced journey to Egypt, this study highlights the depth and drama of one of Scripture’s Major Prophets. This first session sets the stage with a meaningful introduction.
In this special Senior Sunday message, Eric reminds us of the powerful gift of blessing and the role we have in speaking God’s goodness over the next generation. Centered on Numbers 6:22–27, he shows how blessing is more than kind words—it’s inviting heaven to move on someone’s behalf. Through personal stories and Scripture, Eric challenges us to see that the greatest gift we can give isn’t success or comfort, but the presence of God shining on someone’s life. For our seniors stepping into a new season, this blessing is the foundation for true joy and peace. Take a few minutes to listen and be reminded of the power we have to bless others in Jesus’ name.
In this message from our 2026 Memory Verses series, Eric walks us through Psalm 91:1–2 and the powerful promise that God is our refuge and fortress. This psalm has sustained believers for generations, reminding us that while trouble will come, it will never ultimately overcome those who dwell in God’s presence. Eric challenges us to move beyond simply knowing these words to truly trusting them—choosing to dwell with God and run to Him first in every circumstance. It’s a timely reminder that real rest is found not in avoiding hardship, but in resting under the shadow of the Almighty. Take a few minutes to listen and be strengthened in your trust in Him.
In this encouraging message, guest preacher Jim Harbin reminds us that tribulation is something we all face—but we never face it alone. Preaching from Isaiah 43:1–3, Jim points us to God’s promise to be with us through every trial, calling us by name and holding us close. No matter what waters or fires we walk through, God’s presence is our steady hope. This message offers comfort, strength, and a powerful reminder of who we belong to. Take a few minutes to listen and be encouraged right where you are.
This Easter, Eric walks us through Galatians 2:20 to show that the resurrection isn’t just something that happened for us—it’s something that happens to us and in us. Through powerful stories and Scripture, we’re reminded that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, our old life is gone and His life now lives in us. This message invites us to move beyond simply believing in Easter to being transformed by it. If you’re longing for real hope, freedom from striving, and a deeper identity in Christ, this is a message you need to hear. Take a moment to listen and discover what Easter truly changes in you.
On this Palm Sunday, Eric invites us into a powerful time of prayer as we begin Holy Week and reflect on the cross. Centered on Galatians 2:20, this message reminds us that Jesus didn’t just go to the cross out of obligation—but out of love for each of us. Eric challenges us to see how that same love now shapes our lives, calling us to lay ourselves down and love others no matter the cost. Through guided moments of prayer, we’re invited to thank Jesus, intercede for “our one,” and surrender the parts of ourselves that need to be crucified with Him. Take time to listen and let this message lead you into a deeper, more personal walk with Christ.
This week, Eric unpacks what it means that Jesus is our Sanctuary—the place where God truly dwells with us. Walking through the story of the Tabernacle and God’s desire to be near His people, he shows how everything ultimately points to Jesus as the one who brings God’s presence to us in a personal and permanent way. If you’ve ever wondered how you can know God is really with you, this message speaks directly to that question. It’s a reminder that we’re not just guided by God from a distance—we’re invited to live in His presence. Take some time to listen and be encouraged by the rest and assurance found in Jesus.
What if the same God who saved you is also the one who sustains you every single day? In this message, Eric looks at Israel’s journey in the wilderness in Exodus and the question they kept asking: “Is the Lord among us or not?” Their struggle with hunger and thirst reveals a struggle we all know—wondering if God will keep providing after the big moments of faith. The New Testament reveals the answer: Jesus is not only our Savior but the one who sustains all things, as described in Hebrews 1:3. Watch or listen and be reminded that the one who made a way for you is also the one who faithfully holds you up every day.
In this message, Highland Elder, David Jackson walks through the big story of the Bible to help us see God’s plan for humanity. Starting in Second Peter 1:3–4, we’re reminded that God has already given us everything we need for a godly life and invites us to share in His divine nature. The sermon traces God’s original design in creation, how sin disrupted that design in Genesis 3, and how God is restoring His purpose through Christ. Even in a broken world filled with suffering and uncertainty, God’s intention has always been to transform us into the image of His Son. Listen or watch this message to be reminded that God’s plan for your life is bigger, deeper, and more hopeful than you might realize.
In this message, Eric takes us to the edge of the Red Sea to show how God intentionally leads His people into impossible situations—so that His salvation and glory are unmistakable. When Israel was trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s army, the Lord said, “Be still,” and then made a way where there was no way. That dramatic rescue points forward to an even greater one through Jesus, who turns the ultimate impossibility—death itself—into victory. If you’re facing something that feels overwhelming or beyond your strength, this sermon will remind you that salvation comes by grace, not effort. Listen and be encouraged to stand firm, trust deeply, and receive the gift of a Savior who still makes a way.
In Session Three of Finding Light When Anxiety Strikes, Marisol Biser helps parents learn how to guide children toward lasting stability by replacing hurtful or anxious thoughts with words that are true and helpful. This session focuses on helping kids stay grounded during emotional storms through practical tools like the 5-4-3-2-1 method for de-escalation and regulation. Parents will also explore faithful practices such as prayer and fasting, along with calm, consistent parenting strategies that emphasize clear consequences without raising your voice. Marisol offers encouragement for holding your ground with confidence while helping children confront the “dark clouds” of anxiety with truth, structure, and hope. This final session equips families with practical and spiritual tools to continue building resilience long after anxious moments pass.
In this message, Eric walks us through the first Passover in Exodus and reveals how it has always been pointing to Jesus. From Abraham’s promise that “God will provide the lamb” to the blood on the doorposts in Egypt, we see that biblical sacrifice is not about us securing God’s favor—but about God providing protection for us. Jesus is the true Passover Lamb, the sacrifice given once for all to free us from sin and bring us home. If you’ve ever wondered how the cross fits into God’s plan, this sermon will help you see the beauty, purpose, and power of the Lamb of God. Watch or listen and be reminded that your protection and hope rest in what He has provided.
In Session Two of Finding Light When Anxiety Strikes, Marisol Biser focuses on how to help children in the middle of overwhelming anxiety, when emotions feel intense and out of control. Parents will learn practical soothing techniques that help calm a child’s body and mind, creating space for peace to return. This session also emphasizes the importance of helping children name calming truths that anchor them in what is real, safe, and steady. Marisol provides simple, repeatable tools parents can use in the moment to bring comfort, connection, and reassurance. You’ll be equipped to respond with confidence and compassion when anxiety spikes, helping your child feel supported rather than alone. This lesson offers hope-filled guidance for turning anxious moments into opportunities for trust, growth, and emotional security.
Discover the powerful truth behind one of life’s most important questions: Who is Jesus? In this message, Eric Gentry walks through Scripture to reveal Jesus not just as a teacher or prophet, but as the Source—the one through whom all things were made and the one who holds all things together. From the burning bush in Exodus to Jesus’ bold “I AM” statement, you’ll see how the entire Bible points to him and what that means for your life today. This sermon offers both comfort and conviction, reminding us that we were made by him, held together in him, and ultimately drawn back to him. Listen or watch to be encouraged, challenged, and invited to come home to the One who gives everything and needs nothing.
In this first session, licensed counselor Marisol Biser helps parents understand the difference between good anxiety, which can protect and prepare us, and harmful anxiety that overwhelms and disrupts a child’s well-being. She also addresses the powerful role screen time plays in increasing anxiety, explaining how constant stimulation and comparison can affect a child’s emotional health. Parents will gain practical insight into recognizing when anxiety is becoming unhealthy and how to respond with calm, wisdom, and intentional care. Marisol shares simple, actionable strategies families can use to create healthier rhythms, reduce anxiety triggers, and foster emotional resilience. This session offers faith-centered encouragement and practical solutions to help you guide your child toward greater peace and confidence.
Listen to “Welcome to Another Day in God’s Story,” a powerful and deeply honest message from Highland Elder Trent Williamson. Drawing from Psalm 139 and his own journey through suffering, Trent challenges us to shift from living our story with God included to fully embracing God’s story and our place in it. With humility and hope, he explores how suffering can be a gift God uses to refine our faith, deepen our dependence on Him, and remind us of the eternal inheritance we have in Christ. This message will encourage you to trust God more fully, live with eternity in view, and rest in the unshakable truth that because the tomb is empty, everything is ultimately going to be okay.
In “Who’s Your One? – Part 2,” Eric shows how God is already at work in hearts long before we ever start a conversation. Through the story of Zacchaeus and the powerful testimony of Ryan and Trey, we’re reminded that many people are quietly searching for Jesus and are far more open than we think. This message calls us to align our hearts with what Jesus is about—seeking and saving the lost—and to experience the joy that comes from joining Him in that mission. You’ll be challenged to pray with burden, awareness of opportunity, and boldness for your one. Listen or watch and discover how prayer and simple faith can lead to eternal change.
In “Who’s Your One?” (Part 1), Eric opens Luke 15 to show a God who doesn’t just wait for the lost to return, but actively seeks them out—one by one. He shares stories like Olga Barragan’s baptism and the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son, we’re reminded that heaven erupts with joy over just one person who is found. This message challenges our view of God’s heart and invites us to see ourselves as part of His search. As we step into 2026, this sermon asks a simple but life-changing question: Who is the one person God wants to reach through you? Listen or watch and be stirred to pray, trust, and join what God is already doing.
What if church isn’t about obligation or routine—but about joy that lasts? In this stand-alone message launching our 2026 Memory Verses, Eric invites us to consider a powerful truth from Psalm 126:3: “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” This sermon explores the difference between happiness that fades and joy rooted in what God has already done for us—ultimately revealed in Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered, “If Jesus… then what?”, this message boldly answers: If Jesus, then joy.
In “Father and Friend,” Logan Hollinsaid invites us to see Jesus not only as sovereign King, but as the One who calls us friends. Drawing from Isaiah 6 and John 12, this sermon gently confronts the fear and shame that keep us at a distance from God and reveals a gospel that draws us near through atoning grace. You’ll hear a personal story of how intimacy with Jesus leads not to less obedience, but to deeper holiness, freedom, and love. If you’ve ever felt God was just out of reach, this message offers hope—and a compelling call to live on mission as God’s beloved children.
In the closing message of More Than Conquerors, Eric turns to Romans 8:35–39 to answer one of the deepest questions of the human heart: Is God really for us? By pointing us to the cross, Eric shows how God’s willingness to give His own Son is the undeniable proof of His love and commitment to His people. This passage reminds us that no suffering, failure, fear, or power in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Christmas shines brighter here—not just as God with us, but God for us. If you’ve ever wrestled with doubt, pain, or uncertainty, this sermon offers unshakable assurance and lasting hope.
In this message from Romans 8:31–34, Eric walks us through the powerful conclusion of what many call the greatest chapter in Scripture. By asking Paul’s escalating questions—Who can be against us? Who can bring a charge? Who can condemn us?—we’re reminded that earthly condemnation is real, but it is never final. Eric points us to what God has already done through the cross and resurrection, and what Jesus is still doing right now as our interceding Savior. This sermon offers deep comfort for anyone carrying wounds from criticism, accusation, or shame, and anchors our confidence in the unshakable truth that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. If you need assurance that nothing can undo what God has done for you, this message is for you.
In this week’s message from Romans 8:28–30, Eric helps us see that one of the most beloved promises in Scripture—“God works all things for good”—is even richer than we often realize. Rather than getting stuck on the word predestined, Eric shows how Paul is describing God’s purpose for His people: to shape us into the image of His Son and draw us into a Jesus-shaped calling in the world. This passage isn’t mainly about a debate over salvation but about a vocation—God forming His children into people whose suffering, prayers, and Spirit-filled lives help bring His healing to a broken creation. Eric reminds us that every struggle and every interceding prayer is gathered up by God into something meaningful and glorious. If you need encouragement that your life, your pain, and your purpose truly matter, this message will strengthen your faith and lift your eyes.
In this week’s message from Romans 8, Eric reminds us that while the world is groaning and far from what it should be, Scripture names that reality honestly—and then gives us a hope big enough to hold it. Paul shows that our own longing for things to be made right is tied to something deeper: as God’s adopted children and co-heirs with Christ, we are being pulled toward a future glory where suffering gives way to purpose, presence, and renewal. Eric unpacks how Christ’s path from suffering to glory becomes our path too, and how creation itself is waiting for God’s sons and daughters to receive their full inheritance. This message reframes struggle, restores hope, and reveals the surprising connection between our transformation and the healing of the world. If you need encouragement today, this sermon will lift your eyes and anchor your heart.
In this week’s Outreach Contribution message, Eric takes us to 3 John 5–8 to remind us why supporting mission work matters—because we are partnering with the truth itself. Through a powerful look at the cultural moment we’re living in, he asks, “How is the Truth doing?” and shows how God is bringing a surprising comeback as people hunger again for something real, solid, and trustworthy. Eric shares why the Spirit of Truth will never be extinguished and how our support of missionaries allows us to join in what God is already doing in the world. This sermon is a call to invest in what the Spirit is investing in—and to rediscover the kind of truth that lets our hearts finally rest.
This week’s message from Romans 8:12–17 invites us to see the Christian life through two powerful callings—aspiration and mortification. Eric reminds us that while God has made us more than conquerors through Christ, we still face a daily battle with the “kudzu” of sin that tries to reclaim the ground God has freed. But we do not fight alone: the Spirit empowers us to put sin to death and to become who God envisions us to be. And as adopted sons and daughters of God, we fight not out of fear but out of identity—heirs with Christ, led by the Spirit, crying “Abba, Father.” This sermon is a strong encouragement to step into your freedom and live as the child of God you truly are.
In this week’s message, “More Than Conquerors- Part 2” (Romans 8:5–11), Eric explores what it really means to live by the Spirit and how the way we think shapes who we become. Building on last week’s assurance that there is no condemnation in Christ, this sermon moves to the next step—learning to set our minds on what the Spirit desires. Eric reminds us that the Christian life isn’t about willpower but Spirit-power, a divine strength that renews our minds, transforms our hearts, and fills our lives with peace. If you’ve ever struggled to change your thoughts or wondered how to find real life and joy in your walk with God, this message will help you take that next step toward living more than a conqueror.
In this honest and hopeful conversation, Eric Gentry leads listeners through what the Bible says about pornography—its impact, its lies, and the hope that God offers for freedom and healing. This episode creates a safe and compassionate space to bring a hidden struggle into the light of grace. Eric reminds us that no one is beyond redemption and that God’s power can restore purity, trust, and peace. If you or someone you love is seeking hope and healing, this is a message worth hearing.
Conquerors” (Romans 8:1–4), Eric reminds us that what the law could never do, God did by sending His Son. This passage holds the heart of the gospel—there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Eric explores how Romans 8 offers deep assurance to anyone who has ever wondered, “Am I really okay with God?” and shows how Jesus not only removes our guilt but fills us with His Spirit so that we can live with confidence and peace. If you’ve ever longed for assurance, hope, or a fresh reminder of what it means to live “more than conquerors,” this message will speak straight to your heart.
In this message, guest preacher Jonathan Storment challenges us to face one of the hardest truths of all—we don’t like kings… unless we’re the ones wearing the crown. Jonathan shows us how every generation has tried to reshape Jesus into something more comfortable and less demanding. But the Gospel calls us to surrender to King Jesus, not edit Him down to fit our preferences. With clarity and conviction, he reminds us that our King wears a crown of thorns—and His rule brings freedom, not fear. Don’t miss this timely and inspiring message, “The King Jesus Gospel.”
Episode 7: When You Mess Up and Then Own ItIn week seven of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin reminds fathers that mistakes are inevitable—but how we respond to them matters most. This session encourages dads to model humility by admitting when they’re wrong and seeking forgiveness. When fathers own their failures, they teach their children the power of honesty, grace, and starting again.
This Sunday, Eric shared a powerful message from our sixth Memory Verse of 2025 — Isaiah 43:1 — reminding us of the incredible truth that God both defines and redeems His people. Through the words, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine,” we see a God whose love is constant—even when we fail to keep our promises, He keeps His. Eric reminded us that our identity isn’t found in what we do or deserve, but in whose we are. God made us, saved us, and calls us by name, welcoming us into His covenant family with full rights and belonging. No matter how far we’ve wandered, there is always a “But now…” moment waiting for us—because He does not change. Listen to this message and be encouraged by the One who keeps His promises and calls you His own.
Episode 6: An Ordinary Guy’s Guide to Spiritual LeadershipIn week six of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin reminds fathers that spiritual leadership isn’t about being perfect or having all the answers—it’s about being faithful in everyday life. This session encourages dads to lead their families by example through prayer, humility, and consistency. Even ordinary men can have an extraordinary impact when they take simple, intentional steps to point their families toward God.
This week, guest preacher Juan Meza brought an inspiring message called “A Fruitful Heart.” Using Jesus’ parable about planting seed in good soil from Matthew 13, Juan reminded us that fruitful growth doesn’t happen by accident—it takes preparation and care. He used a garden hoe as a powerful visual, showing how the soil must be worked and softened before it’s ready to receive seed. In the same way, our hearts must be tended and made ready for God’s Word to take root. Through hard work, humility, and openness, we can cultivate hearts where His truth grows strong and produces lasting fruit. Don’t miss this message—it’s a powerful reminder that God can do incredible things in a heart that’s been made ready for Him.
In The Shepherd’s Pursuit, Eric closes the series on Psalm 23 by reminding us that God’s goodness and love don’t just follow us—they relentlessly chase after us. Like faithful sheepdogs, His mercy and kindness pursue us through every valley and over every hill, determined to bring us safely home. David looked back on a lifetime of joy and heartache and still declared that only God’s goodness and love had been behind him all along. The Shepherd who leads us also guards our steps from behind, surrounding us with His care. This is the Gospel in motion—God coming after us so we can dwell with Him forever. Watch or listen this week and be reminded that you are never beyond the reach of His pursuit.
In week five of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin focuses on one of the most powerful ways fathers can influence their children—by loving their mother well. This session explores how the way a dad treats his wife shapes how children understand love, respect, and the value of women. Fathers are encouraged to see their marriage as a daily example that leaves a lasting impression on their kids.
Psalm 23 paints a picture not just of a shepherd guiding his sheep, but of a host preparing a table for his guest—and in this sermon, Eric Gentry shows how that changes everything. The Lord doesn’t just lead us through valleys; He personally serves us at His table with goodness, blessing, and overflowing grace. What kings and shepherds would normally delegate to servants, God Himself does for us—preparing, anointing, and filling our cup to overflowing. Even in the presence of enemies, we can feast in peace because of His presence and provision. This is not generic comfort—it’s deeply personal, up-close, You + Me fellowship with the Shepherd. Watch or listen this week and be reminded that with Him, you truly lack nothing.
In week four of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin highlights the lasting impact of simply being present. This brief session reminds fathers that presence matters—not just in big moments, but in ordinary, everyday life. The challenge is to stay engaged right now, resisting the pull of yesterday’s regrets or tomorrow’s assumptions, and to see how even the small, ordinary moments truly shape our children.
In week three of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin explores the power of a father’s words. From encouragement to correction, our voices shape the lives of our children in ways we may not always realize. This session calls dads to be intentional, speaking life, guidance, and truth into their kids’ hearts.
Psalm 23:4 reminds us that the valley isn’t just dark—it’s where ambushes happen. In this message, Eric shows how the Shepherd protects His sheep not with empty hands, but with a rod to defend us and a staff to guide us. Eric explains that our greatest dangers are not just the external threats around us, but also the temptation to wander away from the One who keeps us safe. The good news is that Jesus is both gentle with His sheep and fierce against their enemies—our Mighty Warrior who never loses. His rod comforts us by defeating what we fear, and His staff comforts us by pressing us closer to Him when we stray. If you’re walking through a valley right now, this sermon will remind you that your Shepherd is near, armed, and for you.
In this message on Psalm 23:4, Eric Gentry draws us into the heart of the psalm’s most famous promise: “You are with me.” When life brings its darkest valleys, the gospel doesn’t merely offer abstract comfort — it gives us the concrete reality of Christ’s presence walking beside us. Eric shows how the psalm moves from general provision to an intimate, personal with-ness that changes everything: we’re not left alone to suffer, but held, guided, and comforted. This sermon will help you recognize the Shepherd’s voice in your darkest moments and carry the assurance of His presence into everyday life. If you need to be reminded that you are not alone in the valley, don’t miss this one.
In week two of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin encourages fathers to release the pressure of perfection and instead focus on steady growth. This session reminds us that being a great dad isn’t about getting everything right—it’s about showing up, learning, and becoming just a little better each day.
Episode 1: A Call to Honor – The Father’s AssignmentIn the opening week of What’s a Dad to Do?, Jim Martin challenges dads to take a fresh look at the calling and responsibility God has given them. Whether you’re raising little ones or navigating the teenage years, this session reminds us that fatherhood isn’t about being perfect—it’s about choosing to grow, to honor God, and to commit to being better dads each day. Here a 4 principles that will help you become a better dad.
This week, Eric walked us through one of the most practical and hope-filled verses in all of Scripture: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6–7). In this message, we see that humility isn’t just a personality trait—it’s a daily choice to trust God’s strength, timing, and care. Eric unpacks how pride can show up not only in self-reliance but also in the anxiety we carry when we forget we’re not alone. If you’ve ever struggled with control, worry, or waiting on God, this message will remind you that His hand is strong and His heart is for you. Don’t miss this encouraging word about humility, trust, and the freedom found in casting your cares on the Lord.
In Psalm 23:1–3, David makes a bold claim: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” But how can that be true when we often feel empty, restless, or in need? In this message, Eric Gentry shows how the rest of the psalm explains this radical promise—our Shepherd feeds us until we can rest, protects us when predators circle, and leads us on right paths for His glory. Unlike lions, who are always hungry and vulnerable, sheep with a strong shepherd are fully provided for and secure. Eric reminds us that God’s provision isn’t just about meeting our needs, but about displaying His name to the world through His care for His people. If you’ve ever wondered how to live content, even in seasons of struggle, this sermon will help you see why in Christ you truly “lack nothing.”
In this opening message on Psalm 23, Eric Gentry invites us to slow down and really see the first line: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” At first, it feels impossible—we can name plenty of things we don’t have. But Eric helps us see that the comfort of this verse isn’t in what we hold, but in who holds us. Behind the title “the LORD” is God’s personal name, the great I AM—the One who is completely self-sufficient and unlimited in both resources and love. Unlike us, He never runs out, never tires, and never fails to provide. When Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd,” He is claiming Psalm 23 for Himself, and promising us the same truth: with Him, there is no lack. If you’ve ever wondered how to live with confidence and peace in a world of scarcity, this message will remind you that your Shepherd has everything you need—and He is yours.
Are you moving, heading to college, or starting a new chapter? Then you need a church—and not just any church. In this message, Eric Gentry walks through four ways people approach finding a church, and he helps you shift from asking, “Do I like it?” to “Is God glorified here?” With biblical insight, he gives five powerful questions to help guide your search: Is God the greatest here? Is Jesus the focus? Is the Spirit the power? Is Scripture the standard? Is joy the norm? If you’re looking for a new church—or simply want to think more deeply about what church is meant to be—this message is for you.
In this timely message from John 10, Eric helps us wrestle with a vital question: Is Jesus truly good—even when life feels dangerous, chaotic, or unfair? In a world that questions the goodness of Christianity, Jesus steps forward as the Good Shepherd who doesn’t run when wolves attack—but lays down His life to save the sheep. Eric explores how our culture has shifted the standard of “goodness,” and why God’s character—not our opinions—is the true measure of what is good. Through biblical truth, powerful illustrations, and modern examples, we’re reminded that Jesus’ goodness isn’t just claimed—it’s proven at the cross. When we doubt He is good, we remember: He died for us.
In this message from John 10, Eric invites us to see Jesus not only as the Good Shepherd—but also as the Gate. In a world full of thieves and threats that try to steal our hope and distort our identity, Jesus offers safety, direction, and fullness of life through Him. Drawing from rich biblical imagery and personal reflection, Eric shows how the life we long for comes from staying close to the Shepherd and connecting with Him throughout our day. Just like sheep pass through the gate to find both protection and pasture, we’re invited into a rhythm of daily trust, intimacy, and dependence on Jesus. If you feel scattered, disconnected, or spiritually at risk, this message is a timely reminder: the grace and strength we need are always found through Him.
In this powerful message from John 10, Eric explores what it means to follow the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd who calls his sheep by name and leads them from the front. Unlike cattle who are driven from behind, Jesus leads with care, love, and gentleness—especially for those carrying the weight of parenting, pain, or uncertainty. But how do we recognize His voice in a noisy world? Eric introduces helpful tools like the “Three Lights” and the character of Christ to guide us in hearing and discerning God’s voice. Through stories, Scripture, and encouragement, this sermon reminds us that following Jesus is not about static belief but an ongoing relationship of listening and responding. If you need direction or long to hear God more clearly, this message will help you move forward with confidence and peace.
In this message from John 10, Eric invites us to see the beauty and depth of Jesus’ words: “I am the Good Shepherd.” Far from being just a metaphor, this truth reveals a personal Savior who knows each of us by name and calls us with love, not obligation. In a world where value is often based on achievement or popularity, Jesus flips the script—He loves us first, and that gives us value. Eric explores what it means to be truly known and cared for by the Shepherd who doesn’t run when trouble comes, but lays down His life for His sheep. If you’ve ever felt unseen or unsure of your worth, this message is for you. Come be reminded that to Jesus, you are not just one of many—you are His, and He knows your name.
In this message on Ephesians 1:17, Eric Gentry reminds us that the deepest need in our lives is to truly know God—not just facts about Him, but personal closeness with the Father of glory. Using the metaphor of a telescope turned the wrong way, he shows how easily we shrink God in our minds and let life’s problems grow too large. Paul’s prayer is a powerful one: that God would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we might know Him better. This kind of knowing is a gift, not an achievement—something God longs to give if we’ll only ask. Knowing God transforms our perspective, fills us with peace and courage, and shapes every part of how we live. It’s time to turn the lens, enlarge our view of God, and pray for the Spirit to do what only He can.
In this message, Eric Gentry explores the deep longing we all have to know what to do—and the fear that we may not be good enough to receive God’s guidance. Drawing from Job’s story and Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1, Eric unpacks why even the righteous suffer and seek wisdom without always hearing a clear answer. But through the Gospel, we are given something Job never had—the Spirit of God, who grants wisdom to those made righteous by Christ. Our hope isn’t in our goodness, but in Jesus’ perfect righteousness given to us by grace. Because of Him, we can ask for wisdom boldly, trust that God hears us, and live lives that please Him.
Guest preacher Josh Jackson walks us through Romans 1:14–17, reminding us that the Gospel is not just good news—it’s the best news. In a world full of brokenness and distraction, the message of Jesus brings hope, transformation, and purpose. Josh challenges us to live unashamed of the Gospel and boldly share its redemptive power with those around us.
In this sermon, Eric Gentry explores the moment Jesus restores Peter with three simple yet piercing questions: Do you love me? After Peter’s dramatic failure, Jesus doesn’t dismiss him—He upgrades him, calling him to feed His sheep and follow Him further. We see how love for Jesus isn’t just an emotion, but the essential qualification for leadership, service, and spiritual growth. Eric walks us through how God uses our lowest points to grow deeper love in us, so that we can truly care for His people. Whether your story includes public failure or steady faithfulness, Jesus is forming you into someone who can feed others. This message challenges each of us to let the Lord search our hearts and grow our love for Him above all else.
Today we get to hear from Guest preacher Carter Kiser.Carter brings a powerful message from 2 Chronicles 20:1-12 titled “On Whom We Can Rely.” When crisis strikes, what do we turn to—and what does that reveal about what we truly believe? Carter walks us through the story of King Jehoshaphat, whose moment of fear became a turning point of faith. Instead of relying on alliances or strength, Jehoshaphat turned to God, naming His faithfulness, power, justice, and willingness to act. This sermon invites us to do the same—naming the character of God in our prayers and remembering that even when we don’t know what to do, we can keep our eyes on the One who does. It’s a timely encouragement to rely not on ourselves, but on the God who has always proven Himself trustworthy.
Want to grow closer to God this year? Check out this message from Eric Gentry on Psalm 139:23–24—one of our 2025 memory verses. It’s all about asking God to search your heart, show you what’s holding you back, and help you follow Him more fully. Eric shares real stories, honest struggles, and why God’s love is big enough to handle it all. It’s a message that might just change how you follow Jesus.
Join Smith Hopkins, lead church planter of Oikos Church—a vibrant, 3-year-old church birthed by Highland—as he shares a compelling vision for reaching and raising the next generation. In this inspiring sermon, Smith reflects on the legacy of faith, the urgency of discipleship, and the bold mission of church planting. Whether you’re a parent, mentor, or simply passionate about the future of the church, this message will challenge and encourage you. Listen now and discover how God is moving through Oikos and Highland to impact generations to come!
In this message, Eric unpacks the powerful call in 3rd John to support the mission of Jesus around the world—not out of obligation, but out of love, partnership, and purpose. Drawing from Scripture and real-world stories, he reminds us that while everyone plays a role in sharing the gospel, God still calls and sends a few to the far reaches—and He expects the rest of us to make sure they have what they need. Eric helps us see that providing for missionaries isn’t just generosity—it’s faithfulness to the heart of God. From the hurting in distant nations to the neighbor next door, the need for the gospel is urgent and real. Today’s outreach contribution isn’t about charity—it’s about joining the mission of God with our hearts and our resources. As Eric says, “They’ll give Jesus there—we’ll send the money from here.”
What’s really happening in baptism—and why does it matter? In this powerful message, Eric unpacks the meaning, purpose, and timing of baptism, answering common questions with both humor and biblical depth. Why was Jesus baptized, and why does He command it for His followers? What does it mean to be united with Christ in His death and resurrection through water and Spirit? Eric walks through key scriptures to show how baptism is not a human work but God’s rescue mission—our moment of transformation, forgiveness, and new life. Whether you’re wondering if you’re ready or reflecting on your own baptism, this message offers clarity, encouragement, and hope.
In this sermon, Eric Gentry explores the powerful truth found in Ephesians 2:4–5—“But God…”—two words that change everything. Dead in our sin and unable to save ourselves, we are made alive with Christ, not because of our righteousness, but because of God’s great love and rich mercy. This message unpacks the staggering grace of God—a grace so vast, we need new words to describe it. Whether you feel weighed down by guilt, failure, or simply the weight of life, this sermon will remind you: Grace wins every time.
Have you ever experienced the power of a true blessing? In this heartfelt Senior Sunday message, Eric shares a personal story of being blessed in a moment of fear and uncertainty — a reminder of how deeply the gift of blessing can renew and strengthen us. If you’re new to faith or still exploring, this is the perfect Sunday to jump in: you’ll see the heart of our church’s vision — building up the next generation. Eric unpacks how God’s blessing isn’t just words, but a way to bring heaven’s power into our lives, teaching us how to call down His joy and peace over others. You’ll leave reminded that the greatest gift we can give our seniors — or anyone — is not more stuff, but the shining face of God over their lives.
In this Easter Sunday message, Eric explores the most powerful sign in John’s Gospel—the resurrection of Jesus. From Mary Magdalene’s tearful encounter at the empty tomb to Thomas’s declaration of faith, “My Lord and my God,” this sermon walks through the eyewitness moments that changed history. Eric tackles the honest doubts many have about the resurrection, asking: Did it really happen? With thoughtful evidence and personal stories, he makes the case for a living Savior who conquered death. This isn’t blind faith—it’s belief rooted in history, testimony, and transformation. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s all real, this message is for you.
In this sermon, Eric explores the final moments of Jesus’ life and the deep meaning behind two powerful words: Fulfilled and Finished. He unpacks why Jesus’ death on the cross was not a tragic accident but the very plan of God—foretold in Scripture and completed in perfect obedience. Eric helps us see how the Lamb of God truly takes away the sin of the world. The cross is not the end of the story, but the victorious fulfillment of it. This message will deepen your understanding of why Jesus matters—and why his final breath changes everything.
In this sermon, Eric Gentry walks through John 11 and the raising of Lazarus to show us how Jesus meets us in our deepest pain. Even as we face the harsh truth that death is inevitable, Jesus reveals a greater reality: death does not have the final word. With tenderness and power, Jesus enters our grief not to explain it away, but to transform it with his glory. What looks like delay is actually love—because knowing Him is eternal life. This message invites us to trust the Teacher when our math doesn’t make sense and believe that in Christ, we are made alive—even when all seems lost. Join us as we explore how the resurrection of Lazarus speaks hope into our own stories of sorrow.
Based on John 9, this message explores the miraculous healing of a man born blind and the deeper truth it reveals—Jesus as the light of the world. Through this sign, we see not only physical sight restored but also spiritual blindness confronted. Like the blind man who came to see and believe, we are invited to step into the light of Christ, gaining clarity in a world clouded by darkness. With reflections on Amazing Grace, C.S. Lewis, and the life-changing power of grace, this sermon challenges us to ask: Are we truly seeing? Join us as we seek the light that makes all things clear.
Eric's sermon, “The Signs: Walking on Water,” takes you deep into the miraculous moment when Jesus walked across the stormy Sea of Galilee to reach his disciples. Through John 6:16-21, Eric unpacks how Jesus’ presence in the midst of darkness and chaos brings peace, security, and purpose. He connects this powerful story to Moses’ plea in Exodus 33—a reminder that we should never go where God’s presence does not lead. Just as Jesus calmed the storm and brought his disciples safely to shore, He still does the same for us today. If you’ve ever felt lost, afraid, or overwhelmed, this message will remind you that no distance, darkness, or storm can keep Jesus from coming to you.
Josh Ray’s sermon, “When God Turns Off the Lights,” explores the profound moments when God allows darkness to fall—both literally and spiritually—to reveal His greater purpose. Drawing from 1 Peter 2:9, he reminds us that even in the deepest darkness, God calls His people into His marvelous light. Through the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23) and Pharaoh’s defiance (Exodus 5:2), we see how God’s power is displayed when human pride resists His will. Yet, in Exodus 6:1, God promises deliverance, showing that His light will always overcome the darkness. This sermon will challenge and encourage you to trust in God’s plan, even when the lights go out, knowing He is working for your ultimate freedom and transformation.
Today's message is from one of Eric's good friends, Wilson McCoy. Wilson’s sermon, “Disciples of the Word,” is a powerful call to deepen our relationship with Christ through Scripture. Drawing from 2 Peter 1:1-21, he reminds us that discipleship is not just about knowledge but about transformation—becoming participants in the divine nature and reflecting the light of Christ in a dark world. Through Peter’s journey, from fisherman to bold preacher, McCoy highlights how true faith requires perseverance, love, and an unwavering commitment to Jesus. He challenges us to read Scripture not just for information but for encounter—to see Jesus clearly and be shaped by His presence. This sermon will inspire you to attend to God’s Word with fresh devotion, allowing it to guide your life and prepare you for eternity in His kingdom.
Eric’s sermon, The Signs: Feeding the 5,000/ The Bread of Life, is a powerful message that challenges us to consider what truly satisfies our deepest hunger. Through the miraculous story in John 6, we see how Jesus not only fed a massive crowd but revealed Himself as the Bread of Life, offering eternal satisfaction beyond physical needs. Drawing connections from history, culture, and even Steve Jobs’ famous words, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish,” this sermon invites us to rethink where we seek fulfillment. Jesus’ invitation isn’t just to receive but to participate—He calls His disciples, then and now, to be part of His mission. Don’t miss this eye-opening message that reminds us: staying hungry is foolish when Jesus offers the only bread that truly satisfies.
Eric’s sermon, The Signs: Healing the Lame Man, dives deep into John 5:1-18, exploring Jesus’ miraculous healing and its powerful implications. He challenges us to consider whether we truly want to be healed, recognizing that healing comes with new responsibilities and faith steps. Through the story of the lame man, we see how Jesus exposes the emptiness of worldly solutions and calls us to trust in Him alone. This sermon will inspire you to reflect on your own spiritual journey—where are you resisting healing, and where is Jesus calling you to step forward? Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the transformative power of Christ’s grace and authority!
Eric’s sermon, The Signs: Healing of the Royal Son, is a powerful message about faith, persistence, and recognizing who Jesus truly is. Through the story of a desperate father seeking healing for his son, we see an example of deep trust and transformation—one that still speaks to parents and believers today. Eric explores how Jesus’ miracles are more than just signs of power; they reveal His identity as the Savior of the World. He challenges us to move beyond simply welcoming Jesus into our lives and instead honor Him with true belief. Don’t miss this compelling message that will inspire you to take Jesus at His word and trust Him fully.
Eric’s sermon, The Signs: Water to Wine, reveals the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ first miracle in John 2:1-11. More than just turning water into wine, this moment is a powerful sign—a glimpse into Jesus’ divine power, his desire for our joy, and his grace that takes our emptiness and fills it with abundance. Eric unpacks how this miracle points to Jesus as the Son of God, the giver of true life. If you’ve ever felt like you’ve run out—out of strength, out of hope, out of joy—this message will show you how Jesus steps in at just the right moment. Don’t miss this powerful sermon that invites you to see the signs, believe in Jesus, and experience the life he offers.
Start 2025 with a renewed focus on God’s Word! In this message, Eric Gentry introduces our Memory Verses for 2025, beginning with Hebrews 13:15-16—a call to a life of worship, words, work, and generosity that pleases God. Through engaging stories and deep biblical insight, you’ll discover how continuous praise and daily acts of service can be a living sacrifice to the Lord. This is more than just a verse to memorize—it’s a challenge to shape your everyday life around worship and action. Don’t miss this first step in a year-long journey of hiding God’s Word in your heart!
Are you searching for a deeper sense of contentment in life? Join us for Eric’s final sermon from Hebrews, titled “A Pleasing Life: Content”, where he unpacks the timeless truths of Hebrews 13:5-6. With rich insights from Charles Spurgeon, Richard Burroughs, and stories of faith like Elizabeth Elliot’s, Eric explores how God’s unchanging promise—“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”—offers us all we need. Discover how contentment isn’t about what we have but Who we trust, and how breaking free from the love of money leads to true joy. This powerful and life-giving message could reshape your heart and your view on life.
Discover why honoring marriage and living a holy life matters to everyone, not just the married. Eric dives deep into God’s Word to unpack how purity reflects the loving union Christ shares with His Church. But this message doesn’t stop at why—you’ll gain practical, Spirit-led steps on how to break free from the chains of sin and pursue holiness. This is a kid-safe sermon filled with grace, truth, and hope for all who seek freedom. Don’t miss this chance to draw closer to God’s plan for a life that truly pleases Him.
Start your 2025 with a message that speaks to your heart and encourages meaningful change. In this week’s lesson, Eric looks at Hebrews 13:1-3, exploring the power of love in three vital relationships: siblings, strangers, and sufferers. Eric challenges us to embrace love as an expression of gratitude for all we’ve received from God. Whether it’s deepening family bonds, showing hospitality to those we don’t know, or empathizing with the suffering, this message invites us to live a life that pleases God and transforms others. Don’t miss this chance to begin your year with love in action.
Discover the secret to a life that truly pleases God with today’s lesson called, “A Pleasing Life: To Please God.” Journey through the remarkable faith of Enoch, who was commended by God for his unwavering belief, and explore how this same faith—rooted in trust and endurance—can transform your own walk with Christ. Eric unpacks powerful truths from Hebrews 11, reminding us that pleasing God starts with faith that sees, believes, and perseveres through life’s challenges. Be encouraged by stories of human endurance, like Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic journey, and see how Jesus empowers us to endure and thrive, even in weakness. This message will challenge, uplift, and remind you to live for “One Well Done.”
This lesson is from HYG student, Caleb Jackson. Caleb preaches out of Luke 15:11-32 and asks us to examine our own heart this morning. This message will encourage you to think about where your desires are as we end 2024 and begin 2025.
Have you ever felt caught between the weight of your past and the uncertainty of your future? In today’s message called The Difference He Makes, Eric Gentry takes us on a journey to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas and how Jesus changes everything. Using the five foundational scriptures, he shows how Jesus not only redeems our past but also fills our future with hope and purpose. Whether you’re questioning the heart of Christmas like Charlie Brown or looking to deepen your faith, this sermon invites you to fix your eyes on Jesus—the One who transforms regret into redemption and anxiety into peace. Come and see how the birth of Christ brings the ultimate gift: freedom and hope for today and tomorrow.
Join Eric as he unpacks one of life’s most profound and challenging questions: What does it really mean to have faith? Drawing from Hebrews 11, he explores how faith is not a blind leap into the unknown but a tangible connection between what we see and what we cannot. Through powerful stories, relatable illustrations (yes, even Indiana Jones and spiderwebs!), and Scripture, Eric brings clarity to how faith is more than belief—it’s a response to God’s ongoing presence and promises. Discover how faith bridges the seen and unseen, offering us hope and assurance to stand firm even in life’s hardest moments.
In a world where we’re constantly asking, “Am I doing this right?”, Hebrews 10:36-39 offers a bold and grounding answer: persevere and belong. In our message today, Eric unpacks this powerful passage, showing us how faith anchors us in truth, identity, and hope amidst life’s uncertainties. Discover why perseverance isn’t just about holding on but about drawing near to Christ, the source of all strength. Be inspired by the “Heroes of Faith” in Hebrews 11, not as distant legends but as part of a family you belong to—those who don’t shrink back but stand firm. This sermon will equip you to live out your faith with confidence and clarity, reminding you that you are called to a greater promise and a stronger community.
Today’s sermon from Eric on Discipline from Hebrews 12:4-12 is an exploration of how God uses discipline to grow His children in maturity and faith. He contrasts the Stoic view of pain and resistance with a distinctly Christian perspective, emphasizing that God’s discipline is an act of love rather than meaningless suffering. He expands the concept of discipline beyond correction to include direction, showing how God uses both pain and hardship to guide believers toward holiness and deeper submission. Ultimately, the message is one of encouragement: God’s discipline is not punitive but purposeful, aimed at producing righteousness, peace, and a fuller life in Christ.
In today’s message, Eric unpacks 3rd John 5-8, highlighting the profound importance of supporting missionaries who go out “for the sake of the Name.” Missionaries are uniquely committed to glorifying Jesus and advancing His truth, often at great personal cost, making our support for them an act of partnership with God. Eric challenges us to examine our own motivations, aligning them with the singular purpose of honoring Christ’s name. Supporting missions is not just a calling for the few but an opportunity for all to participate in God’s plan to make His name known to the nations.
Oue lesson today reflects on the call to spiritual maturity and understanding in the Christian faith, drawing from passages in Hebrews. Eric encourages us to move beyond basic teachings and embrace a deeper grasp of God’s word, moving from “milk” to “solid food.” He addresses the risk of spiritual stagnation and urges us to actively engage with our faith, developing discernment to distinguish good from evil. Eric also reminds us that even lengthy teachings are brief compared to the depth of truth available in scripture. Overall, it’s a message that challenges us to avoid complacency and pursue growth in our spiritual lives.
Are you going through some trouble? So now what? Our lesson this morning is from Highland member, Jim Martin. Jim shares an encouraging message that will speak to many of us going through times of trouble. By learning how the children of Isreal responded to times of trouble, Jim encourages us to 1. Bring your anxiety, uncertainty, and dread to God in prayer. 2 Cling to God and he will hold on to you. 3 And to know that the peace of God is possible.
This sermon focuses on Jesus as our eternal High Priest, emphasizing His role as an intercessor who continually advocates for us before God. Eric explores the comfort we can draw from Christ’s “permanent priesthood,” which provides assurance of salvation despite our struggles and doubts. Drawing on Hebrews 4-10, the sermon highlights that Jesus, who understands our weaknesses, invites us to approach God with confidence. We are also reminded that Jesus’ intercession is unending, affirming that He is always “for us.” Ultimately, we are encouraged to hold firm in faith, knowing they are completely seen and saved through Christ’s steadfast intercession.
Today’s message emphasizes the theological connection between law, blood, and forgiveness in the Christian faith. It draws from Hebrews 9:22, stating that forgiveness requires the shedding of blood, and Leviticus 17:11, where life and atonement are linked to blood. Eric explains that blood represents life and that atonement involves offering life for life, preserving the covenant between God and humanity. Ultimately, the sermon points to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling the requirements for forgiveness.
Today’s message emphasizes the importance of drawing near to God and holding firmly to our faith because of Jesus Christ’s role as our high priest. Eric highlights how Jesus empathizes with our weaknesses, as He was tempted just as we are, yet remained without sin. As a result, believers can approach God with confidence, assured of receiving mercy and grace in times of need. We see in the book of Hebrews, stressing that through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been given direct access to the Most Holy Place. Therefore, we are encouraged to remain steadfast in our faith and approach God with sincerity, trusting in His promises.
Our message today discusses a passage in Hebrews 4 that points back to a seemingly random passage from Genesis, but we find out that they are very connected. Eric explores the biblical account of Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek after a victory in battle, highlighting the spiritual significance of Melchizedek as a priest of God Most High. This lesson emphasizes the importance of recognizing these divinely orchestrated moments that reveal God’s hand in our lives. It also concludes with a reference to Psalm 110, which prophesies a future priesthood modeled after Melchizedek that comes to be through Jesus.
Our message today emphasizes the importance of listening to God’s voice, not drifting away, and not hardening one’s heart, referencing Hebrews 3:7-11 and Psalm 95. Eric highlights the faithfulness of Jesus, who was loyal to the one who appointed Him, drawing from Hebrews 3:1. We are all reminded that Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. The condition for remaining part of God’s house is holding firmly to confidence and the hope found in Christ, as expressed in Hebrews 3:6.
This lesson emphasizes the importance of paying careful attention to the message of salvation. Eric stresses the consequences of neglecting this great salvation. The passage from Hebrews 2:1-4 serves as a warning that we must remain vigilant and avoid drifting away from the salvation that has been offered. It calls believers to recognize the greatness of God’s salvation and to respond with reverence. Ultimately, we are challenged to take seriously our salvation and not ignore the grace offered to us.
Today's message is a lesson out of Hebrews that points to Christ being mentioned throughout all of Scripture. Eric explains how Jesus reveals the true nature of God and is constantly being pointed back to in the Old Testament from writers in the New Testament. This is a great message for those who love the nature of Jesus but struggle with the nature of God in the Old Testament.
Today’s lesson highlights how God has spoken to us through Jesus, showing that He’s not just the Son, but also the creator of everything and the perfect reflection of God’s nature. We are encouraged to really focus on the message we’ve heard about Jesus so we don’t lose our way or drift from our faith. The point is made that Jesus is not only our Savior but also the one who represents us before God, so we should keep our minds and hearts fixed on Him. It’s a reminder of how important it is to stay grounded in what Jesus has done and who He is. Overall, we are called to recognize the deep need and awe we should have for Him.
Today's message emphasizes the importance of living a life deeply rooted in Jesus Christ, as highlighted in Colossians 2:6-7. It emphasizes the concept of union with Christ, which brings about various spiritual benefits such as fruitfulness, forgiveness, adoption, inheritance, love, encouragement, and comfort. The message also focuses on the assurance of our union with Christ through the Holy Spirit, based on 1 John 4:13. Finally, it draws attention to the mysterious and powerful work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives, as illustrated in John 3:8.
Author Richard Rohr said, Christianity is basically about two becoming one. It is about uniting with Christ. It's not logical for 1+1 to equal 1, but that is what uniting with Christ is supposed to look like. In this lesson, Eric dives into our need for Christ and the union we form with Him.
God hardwires us, at the level of our heart, for certain desires. And what we should always ask is: How does Christianity offer the heart what the world can’t; something more satisfying? So…What is the Christian motivation of working a job in our community? What we find in Scripture is that we should let God work on our hearts, and he’ll change our experience of work.
Have you ever asked yourself- "Does my work matter? Why am I working? Does God care about my work?" Today we will ask these questions and talk about what the Bible has to say about work. What we find is encouraging to some, challenging to others, but it applies to us all.
We start our lesson today looking at Mary's response to the angel Gabriel when he tells her that she will give birth to Jesus. Mary's humble response shows that she has a maturity marked by trust. Absolute trust in the Lord, despite what comes her way. That's the kind of trust that we all want. To get that trust we have to pass through trouble, or grief, or a struggle that we will call "the wall". Today we will talk about how to pass through the wall.
John 16:33 says that “In this world we will have trouble”. We are people who avoid “trouble”. Who wants grief? Who wants to feel that this is not how its supposed to be? But Jesus says there is courage (take heart) to be had in what he has done (overcome the world). These gains in trouble are not result of self-improvement. Instead, they are Christ-accomplished and Christ-offered. There is great gain to be had if we can break through “the wall” of trouble and grief.
Today, our lesson comes from, Carter Kiser. Carter grew up at Highland, graduated from Lipscomb University, and is continuing his training to become a minister of the Gospel. His lesson for us comes out of John 8:12 and encourages us to be the light of Christ that shines for Him in this world.
Today we look at John 16:16,20-24 and we try and answer the question “Will all grief turn to joy?” The fundamental Christian conviction is that the shape of Jesus life, death, resurrection is applied to every area of our lives. And most importantly to our griefs.
Our world is a pressure-cooker and its power source is hate. The same hate that killed Jesus is what our world is plugged into. And Jesus knows that, sees that, even better than we do. Hate hurts. Those words that you are hated are a joy-killer. Jesus tells us that we will be hated in this world. So if I will have joy in a world where I am hated, I will need help. That's where the friendship of Jesus comes in.
Today at Highland we will hear again from Dr. Kevin Shelby. Dr. Shelby is a Highland member, and licensed counselor. He will speak to us on the topic of helping and comforting people who have addiction in their life. The church should be a place that welcomes and helps those with addictions heal. Kevin will dive into this topic for us today.
Today at Highland we will hear from Dr. Kevin Shelby. Dr. Shelby is a Highland member, and licensed counselor. He will speak to us on the topic of helping and comforting people who have experienced or are experiencing a traumatic event in their life. Jesus lived through and helped people through traumatic events throughout his life and we will look at the way he did that and how the church can do a better job doing that.
Today at Highland we will hear from Dr. Kevin Shelby. Dr. Shelby is a Highland member, and licensed counselor. He will speak to us on the topic of helping and comforting people who have experienced or are experiencing a traumatic event in their life. Jesus lived through and helped people through traumatic events throughout his life and we will look at the way he did that and how the church can do a better job doing that.
Our message today comes from John 15:1-8. We are told that if we stay connected to Jesus then we will bear much fruit. How do we do that? And what are the benefits of staying connected to God? We will look at those question in todays lesson.
In today’s lesson, we discuss John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (14:27) What is this peace that belongs to Jesus? That he offers to give to us, leave with us. It is not an inner-peace, but something external, that belongs to him, that he offers to leave inside of me. This is what is known as the Holy Spirit and we will explore this gift in this sermon.
In today’s lesson we look at the truth that Jesus says we can trust. By definition truth is not truth if you put adjectives like “a”, “my”, “her, “his” or “our” in front of it. Truth is by definition, something over and apart from us. Something which bounds our lives in, or holds our lives up. Not something we choose or create ourselves. The moment you add a different word in front of truth… its not the truth. Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”—the way to a good life is not mysterious. It’s the simple way and truth of Jesus.
John 14:6-7 is the famous verse that states- "6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” You know what may be the hardest word in those sentences? The. There are many who would prefer Jesus said I am a way, a truth, a life. That he’s a good choice, but not the only one. But that's not what he says. In today's lesson we will look at why we can trust what he says in this passage.
In this new series we will explore reasons we can Trust what Jesus says. Today's lesson is out of John 14. “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me.” (John 14:1 Message). John 14-16 is called the “Farewell Discourse”—last words before Jesus’ arrest/death. What Jesus does with his final words, is attempt to move his disciples from being troubled to becoming trusting.
Our lesson today is out of Psalm 23. Jim Martin shares a comforting message about the grace of God from this familiar passage. No matter what you are going through, knowing that God is pursuing you with His overflowing grace is good news for us all.
Today's lesson is out of 3 John 5-8. Eric will talk about the bond we all share through giving to the work of the church. We can develop a true friendship when we participate for a cause like supporting our missionaries and ministry partners. That friendship is so deep—and deepens— because of what they are doing together.
Eric is joined by our Youth Ministers, Ted Crigler, Emily Cochran, and Donnie Stover, to talk about the importance of discipleship. Our vision at Highland is to Build Up The Next Generation and walking along teenagers is a big part of that. In this lesson you will hear some examples and influences in the lives of our youth ministers.
Today, we are finishing the Elder Selection Process that has lasted a year. We will be Installing new Elders, renewing returning Elders, and saying thank you to retiring Elders. God knows we need Shepherds. Today we will look at what we need from our good Shepherds.
Today’s lesson comes from Deuteronomy 6:4-9. This is arguably the most important passage in the whole OT and it is about discipleship. Specifically, family discipleship. Its been called “the Great Commission b4 the Great Commission”. When it comes to forming our children into disciples of Christ, this passage lays out the steps to take.
Today our lesson comes from Josh Jackson. Josh is the lead preacher at Rural Hills Church of Christ in middle Tennessee. Josh gives us a challenging message to give our lives order instead of balance. When we place things in the right order, we are doing things in the likeness of God.
Does Life feels like a hamster wheel? A never ending circle. Harder you try, the faster you spin, but you don’t get anywhere. Problems don’t get actually get fixed, they just get band-aided, and eventually they turn into problems again. Is there another life? Through the resurrection of Jesus we do find another life, that allows us to live a different way. And we start that new life through dying to our old self in baptism.
There’s been times in CoC history where we thought we were the only ones who understood baptism right, and so, our baptism was the only one that counted. That is not us. Eric explains that we agree with many others on these three things. 1. Jesus Saves Me2. I Need to be Baptized 3.My Perfect Understanding of Baptism is NOT what Saves Me. Our lesson today we discuss this and more.
Today's lesson is the first part in a series about baptism. There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Gospel, and how baptism fits into it. We can’t know enough. We can’t be good enough. But we can be saved. By Him. Baptism is something Jesus does to us, a washing of rebirth and renewal he pours out on us. Not something I do.
None of us are promised tomorrow. Each day is a gift. In our lesson today, Highland teen leader, Dagan Hatcher shares a message of the importance of not delaying focusing on your relationship with God.
Part of our time of worship each week is dedicated to taking the Lord's Supper, or Communion, together. This week Highland Elder, David Jackson, led us in a longer time devoted to reflecting on Christ's sacrifice on the cross to die for our sins.
What do Christians do? They make disciples. In this series we have been talking about things that Christians do when they give their life to Jesus. This last lesson of the series focuses on what Jesus commands us to do in Matthew 28:18-20- "go and make disciples".
What do Christians do? They Serve. We get this directly from Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just say this to us. He lives it. Every person he comes across, he stops to receive. To help. To serve. When he’s touched, he doesn’t recoil. When there is a need, he never turns away. The Son of Man—above all others—somehow puts everybody else above himself.
Turning is an essential Building Block. By “Turning”—we mean repent. Turning from Sin, and to God. Today we look at what that means in a very practical sense and how we can set up some ways to fight sin daily.
We think we can do things on our own, but that’s not God’s design. His design for His people has always been to form the church. In todays lesson Eric explains why we should go to church and be part of the Church. You need it. Every Christian does. This is what Paul is talking about when he talks about the body. Different parts, hands, feet, eyes, ears. So Christians “JOIN” together. That’s what we do. By God’s design and for God’s glory, but also for our sakes.
What do Christians do? We Give. In fact, the early Christians gave so much that they had joy in poverty. In crisis they gave even beyond what they were able to. And nobody made them, it was on their own. They said it was a privilege. In today's lesson we look at why Christians give generously and what the Bible tells us about the way we use our money.
What do Christians do? We worship. Worship is a matter of the heart. There are lots of ways we express our worship, but today's lesson Eric talks about worship through singing.
Our lesson today comes from Colossians 3:16- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”. What would life be like if you didn’t have the Bible? Not just your Bible. Really makes you wonder—what do I get from or have in the Bible, I don’t get anywhere else. How does God’s word dwell in us richly? By reading daily and reading deeply.
At the beginning of this year we are talking about the idea of a worthy life—in balance with the good news of our King/Savior Jesus. This series is going to explain the actions we do, as Christians to live a worthy and life and produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. Today's lesson is about prayer and how it can unlock deep meaning and empower a life of action.
What are you thinking about right now, as we head into the New Year? Resolutions about your life. What do we aim for? Scripture tackles this head on. It doesn’t shy from the real questions we are asking. Today we will look at Colossians 1:9-14. Through this passage we might think about our own lives as we head into the new year and ask this question- Does the fruit of my life really show that I understand God’s grace?
Today's passage is from Luke 1:26-38. Jesus is not the result of our effort, strength, labor or worth. He is the Father’s choice. The product of the Father’s initiative. He’s the fruit of Father’s loving favor for those who could not ever free themselves. The light of Jesus comes to us in the darkness. This is what our Father chooses. And this message gives us great joy today and everyday.
John 1:6-8, 19-27. This is the assigned Advent reading for today. Advent is preparation for Christmas—the coming of Jesus Christ. Admittedly a bit confusing that a Sunday dedicated to preparing us for Jesus directs us to a story about John the Baptist. This passage tells us more about who John isn’t than who he is. It’s John’s list of all the things he is not. In this we find one of the most important messages of Christmas and it’s one of the most relieving messages in the Bible.
Advent is a time to think about what’s coming, and what it means to wait. The way that advent does this, is it makes us look two directions at the same time. Backwards and Forwards. At Advent we remember what it was like for God’s people to wait for Jesus for thousands of years. From the beginning, they waited for the coming, conquering son. Advent also reminds us that we too are waiting for Jesus. His future return. We see in both situations that God is patient and we will talk about why that is in this lesson.
Today we finish our Acts Series in Acts 28. This passage makes us ask the question- Is my heart right with God? That’s THE question Acts ends with. As we end Acts, the story of Jesus has been told again and again and heard again and again (much like it is at Christmas time!). And Acts ends by acknowledging—for some that story never makes it to the heart. That’s the case for some of these Jewish leaders. Never made it there. That’s not us! We are here today, probably, because it did make it there at some point. To our hearts! Today we will check on the status of our hearts when it comes to our desire for God.
Smith Hopkins from the Oikos Church in East Memphis joins us today to discuss one of the most powerful tools for God's transformation...asking deeper questions. The life and ministry of Jesus was filled with questions. We will look through Scripture and see how Jesus used questions to change the destiny of others.
Why missions? Why plant more gospel churches in more places for more people? Paul had a grasp on this reason. He saw it as the reason for his whole life, and it shows up repeatedly again and again at the end of Acts during Paul’s trials— “the resurrection of the dead”. We look at Acts 23-26 for our lesson today as we think about our Outreach Contribution that supports ministry in Memphis and all over the world.
Today's lesson comes from Acts 23. Paul is in prison. And if that weren't bad enough, there were 40 men waiting to kill him when he would be released. Sounds like the odds were stacked against him. But God doesn't allow his will to not be done in Paul's story. He wants Paul and us to be courageous in every situation.
Todays lesson is from Acts 21:12-14 and it is a story about sacrificing our own desires and comforts for God’s plan. Paul is heading towards Jerusalem (and ultimately to Rome). All of his friends are trying to stop him. Agabus comes to Caesarea and tells Paul that he will suffer so he should stay with them instead. But Paul is ready to do the Lord’s will, no matter what that costs him. We should all be as ready as Paul was.
Paul says the essence of the good news about Jesus is God’s grace. And this grace has the power to change us. So, if I’m to understand the good news of Jesus, and if I am to be changed by it I must ask: What is this grace, and how does grace work?
Acts 19 is 6 Stories about 1 thing- power. Here’s what at stake here in chapter 19- REAL POWER vs IDOL POWER. Paul is able “to see” the idols of the world around him. We must see them also.
Acts 19 is 6 stories about 1 thing… power. Is Power a bad word? Seems to be today. Who has it, who is abusing it, who is oppressed by it? Sure seems bad. The Bible makes clear its not power that’s the enemy, it’s the self. So the invitation and promise of Jesus given through the Spirit is: with the right power over me, that same power will be with me and work through me.
Jim Harbin, from the Raleigh Community Church of Christ, shares our lesson today. Our lesson comes from Acts 12:1-5 and highlights the importance and power of an earnest prayer from the body of Christ.
Today we will look at two heroes of faith- Priscilla and Aquila. Their story is found in Acts 18. Somehow the two of them together—their marriage—was known and appreciated across all the churches of the ancient world. Before social media & internet or telephones. They are truly together. Scripture never mentions them apart from each other. When Paul called them “Partners in the Christ Jesus” he meant it. Their Partnership for Jesus Christ was legendary, and they were inseparable in it.
Let’s admit this... its hard to talk about Jesus. Actually voicing, proclaiming, sharing the good news, is a huge part of Acts. Look at all the speeches, and conversations recorded. It’s a big chunk of the book. Talking about Jesus to others is important for us, as witnesses. So, how do we do that? There’s a lot of examples given in Acts. Acts 17 might be best for today’s world.
Last week we talked about Gentleness. Because we suffer we need Shepherds, gentle Shepherds who meet our suffering with loving, gentle compassion. But compassion alone doesn’t make a good shepherd. We need compassion, but we also need direction. A good shepherd is also called to be watchman, who watches and warns his flock. Today we will look at this topic.
Today we will look at a passage in Acts 14:19-23 that shows us the need for elders in the body of Christ. We find that because we suffer, we need elders. As we look into the qualities that make good shepherds, we find that one of the major traits is that of gentleness.
In Acts 17:10-12 we find a group of people that do a great job when it comes to paying attention to Scripture. Scripture says that we are members of a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet 2:9). We are set-apart, different in character. Today’s message will look at how we ,as a noble man/woman-, handle God’s Word?
Acts 17:1-9 is our passage today. In this passage we find Paul sharing the good news of Jesus and turning the world upside down by it's message. This is a life-changing truth. The accusers in Thessalonica got that. If people believe this it will change their lives. Sure enough it did change the Thessalonians. Look at how the way the see the world produces different work, labor, and endurance.
“I just want to be happy”—ever heard that? I bet you have. What most of us mean when we say that is that we actually wish for a happiness that circumstances couldn’t touch. The word we have for that is Joy. In Acts 16 we find where the gift of Joy comes from and how we can have it.
One of the deepest human longings is to not just know of God, but to know God. Not to talk to him, but to talk with him. To hear not just what he says, but what he says to me. So, can we hear God? If so, how? In today's lesson we will look at Acts 16:6-10 and see what that passage has to say.
Todays passage continues in Acts 15. The apostles are giving instruction to the gentile believers in this text. The believers want to know what is required of them for unity in the body of Christ. The apostles remind them, since your job now is to worship the true God with your whole life, whatever you do, don’t worship another. Don’t do those things that are really idolatry at their core.
Today's passage is from Acts 15:1-5. We will think about this passage in terms of what it says about what the church is really built on. What really matters? What is of first importance? What doesn’t matter as much? And how to know the difference?
Today we’re gonna explore Matthew 16:13-18 which is passage is full of a lot of important biblical concepts. Jesus asks his disciples about his identity. We will look at how they answer him and why it is so important that we get this answer correct.
We sat down with Mrs. Beverly Midyett a few weeks ago. She’s in a special moment in life, and we wanted to talk to her about that. In many ways she reminds us of Lydia from Acts 16. In todays lesson we will hear testimony from her about the importance of worship, family, and hope when facing death.
Today's passage is from Acts 14:19-23. This passage leads us to ask one of the most common questions that all humans ask- Why is there suffering? We are going to look at three reasons that we suffer and why Paul says "We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God."
Have you ever desired deliverance from something? I’m sure all of us can resonate with this feeling of desiring deliverance from our circumstances. Sometimes, we can take control of these situations, but what about the times we can’t? What are we supposed to do in situations that we can’t control? We take this question with us into the passage of today Exodus 14:13-14. In this passage we find amazing insight in dealing with hard situations.
Is what happens in life the result of chance & choice or design & destiny? Is it my will or God’s will? Is eternal life about our will or God’s will? These are some of the questions that our passage in Acts 13:46-48 addresses. This topic is troubling for many of us but Paul (who is speaking) and Luke (who is narrating) are not. For them: There’s Our Free Will and there’s God’s Sovereign Will. Both are at work, all the time, in this life and the next.
Everything in your life is going to try to convince you that What God thinks of you doesn’t matter? All that matters is what you think of yourself and what others think of you. But neither is what matters ultimately. What God thinks of you is the most important question you will ever ask? Am I good with God? In today's passage we will look at why justification is such an important part of that answer.
Acts 13:4-12 is a story about power and influence. Paul sees this. He recognizes that the governor—a man with great power—is being influenced by an even greater power preventing him from seeing and believing the truth—and he doesn’t know it. This passage is great example of how we need to be aware of the influence this world is having on others and ourselves. And that we need to be influenced by the truth found in Jesus.
If our differences cause us to divide, then the Antioch should have been doomed. But, what we see in the Antioch church affirms what we see here at Highland and fills us with hope. Its that tandem work of rock-solid commitment to Christ, and rock-solid commitment to his work, that binds them and us, not our differences. The Antioch church also shows us the importance of being a "sending" church and we will look at what that means for us today.
Today's lesson will be given by Carter Kiser, Highland's preaching intern, and is out of Philippians 2:5-11. It's a lesson about humility. What Paul is doing in this passage is inviting the church into the practice of remembrance, which indicates that there is something valuable in practicing what seems to be a passive action. But Paul understood that the only proper response to remembering the glory of Christ was living a life devoted to seeking and knowing Jesus. So, when we begin to remember Christ’s humility, two things happen 1. Our affection and appreciation grow. 2. We are humbled.
Back in the time when the Bible was written, the term “Christian” was an insult. They look different, act different, and sound different. If we are going to be known as Christians, then the world must know it by the way we live that out. Acts 11 has something to say about this.
It's mothers day. Our lesson comes from Acts 12 today. This is a Mom you may not know. She is one of 6 Mary's mentioned in the Bible. But this particular Mary get’s one sentence. One mention in scripture: Acts 12:12. The surrounding verses make the story a little more clear for us. In a moment of crisis and danger, Peter—and everyone else—wanted to be at Mary’s house. We don’t know everything about her. We know she was safe and that she prayed.
This Sunday is Life Giving Sunday. Our lesson today is from Acts 10 and is such an important reminder that God does not have favorites and that the gospel is not to be shared with those that are just close to us. Instead it is to be shared all over the world to every nation.
Our vision at Highland is to Build Up the Next Generation. To do that we’ll think about three words: Gospel, Grace and Faith. We want to help every person in the Next Generation…1.Know the Gospel. 2. Experience Grace 3. Have Faith. Today we are joined by HYG Youth Ministers Ted Crigler, Hanna Thrasher, and Donnie Stover to find out how HYG students are experiencing these thing at Highland.
There is certainly debate among Christians about whether Christians can still perform miracles. What everyone agrees on is that the Apostolic period was a special time—the time when the “foundation” of the church was being laid. Part of the problem with miracles is that we don’t have good language to define them. Because miracles are when something unnatural happens. Or better, supernatural. When a power from beyond this natural world, breaks into it, and with power bends or beaks the natural rules at the same time. Todays passage from Acts 9:32-42 will help us see how miraculous things happened in the bible and still today.
Have you ever re-purposed something at home? What about totally changing one’s sense of life’s purpose, which then changes all you do? That’s what’s happened here in Acts 9—complete re-purposing. In this lesson we will think about Paul and how God re-purposed his life, and in a deeper way changed the meaning behind his life and purpose. The resurrection of Jesus can do the same for us.
It’s Easter Sunday and our passage today is from Acts 8:26-39. It’s the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip has the first one on one Bible study and he shares the good news of Jesus with him. As we focus on the resurrection of Jesus and the good news we hope you will experience what the Ethiopian eunuch experienced. His was an experience of being rejected to rejoicing because of the good news of Jesus. It's a story of sadness to joy, because of the good news of Jesus.
It’s easter Sunday and our passage today is from Acts 8:26-39. It’s the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip has the first one on one Bible study and he shares the good news of Jesus with him. As we focus on the resurrection of Jesus and the good news we hope you will experience what the Ethiopian eunuch experienced. His was an experience of being rejected to rejoicing because of the good news of Jesus. It's a story of sadness to joy, because of the good news of Jesus.
Have you ever asked the question, What robs us of peace? Peace is not something the world says I need that I don’t have yet. It’s not something I can earn if I just work hard enough. What robs us of real peace is a real problem inside me, that I cannot fix on my own. I need someone else to fix it. This is the cross of Jesus.
Today is Baby Blessing Sunday. But this message is not just for the parents of babies. It’s for all of us. In Acts 11:22-24 Barnabas is sent to Antioch to check things out. Brand new Christians there. He goes there to encourage new believers to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. We are called to “encourage” these children and each other to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts throughout their entire life.
Today's lesson comes from Acts 8:9-25. It is the story of Simon the Sorcerer. It is a story that forces us to ask, how do we make sense of a baptized believer still enslaved to sin (in his case the desire to be amazing, greedy for power)? Has nothing changed. This story points to the heart and how we should be tending to it.
Today's lesson was given by Dagan Hatcher, one of our teenagers, and son of Highland Worship Minister, Brishan Hatcher. His lesson today is out of Ephesians 3:16-19. The love of Christ is a love without boundaries. And that love is worth pursuing.
There are those that have come to know Christ, not metaphorically, but in real suffering and death. Our lesson today is from Acts 7. It is the story of possibly the first Christian to die for being a Christian. Did you know you come from people like that? People with that kind of faith. People like Stephen. You are filled with the same spirit as Stephen and the martyrs that have followed him. You have the same ally interceding for you everyday.
What’s true of any group, is true of the church: bring together a bunch of different people and there will be conflict. Conflict is happening in our passage today, Acts 6:1-7. We are going to look at how the apostles handled it and what it might tell you about yourself and how you view the church.
Today's lesson comes from Acts 5:1-11. this story is not about giving. Its about lying. About why we do it, and how we prepare to do it. Its about a great war between Satan and Spirit. Its about God’s fierce protection of His Church. And ultimately its about the grace of Jesus and how we experience it.
In this lesson we will look at Acts 5:33-42 and the story of Gamaliel. When trying to understand if something is from God or not, Gamaliel asks: Does it stand the test of time? Does it endure? If so… then its from God. Is Gamaliel right?
How do you make decisions? Especially hard decisions? Part of living a Gospel-Life is learning to make good decisions. In Acts we see the 1st Christians in the small-church of the time making incredible decisions that pave the way for the world-wide church that is today. Today we will discuss how do I make good decisions, that honor Jesus and glorify God the Father.
In this podcast Eric Gentry asks us to join him in reading Luke 18:1-8 about the widow who pleads for justice, and God’s promise to deliver it. This message was delivered the Sunday after the video was released of the beating of Tyre Nichols to the public. You might feel helpless or hopeless. Or waves of both. But Jesus tells us the Lord hears our pleas, and responds in power. So we ask you to be praying and pleading for God’s justice to reign down.
Today our executive minister, Buster Clemens shares about generosity and giving. We need to talk about giving because the Bible talks about money and possessions from beginning to end. It teaches more on money than anything except the kingdom of God. Buster shares some really encouraging and important truths about giving in this lesson.
We live in a time with intense pressure on exclusivity. But what about Jesus? To us, that name is Essential! There is a pressure against exclusivity in all of its forms. And at times that is good and holy. But when it comes to Jesus, it is not. The message is that he is for everyone, but he is a must for each one.
Today we are in Acts 11. Barnabas, from Acts 11, has the kind of faith that is truly living the Gospel Life. Today we look at the way Barnabas' Christian life started and how you can be more like him this year.
For some, the New Year is just another day. Yet, for others it is not. You may even look forward to beginning a new year. As we move into 2023, Jim Martin shares with us a passage that can help guide us through the year from Isaiah 41:8-10. He also share three things that can help us start fresh in the New Year.
Today is the day on which all hopes rest—Emmanuel, God with us. Everything we hope in and for rests on this. The Christmas message: The author of life is right here, with us. He breaks the impenetrable barrier. That’s what we call a “miracle”. And if that miracle has happened, then anything is possible.
This is the radical claim of Christianity, and the one the first Christians spent all their time making: That all the different hopes in Old Testament Scripture, separated threads of meaning, have been woven together into one person—Jesus Christ.
Today's lesson is from Acts 3. Peter and John just stepped out of Utopia where the Church is together, growing, sharing, praising, all with glad and sincere hearts. And what is the first thing God puts in front of them? Brokenness.
Jesus says to his followers in Acts 1: “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” A global mission, that also encounters nearly immediate opposition. This wont get easier, it will get harder. And so, they pray. They devote themselves to prayer. The early church was always praying. Almost anytime you drop in on the church, and ask what were they doing? Well… they were praying. Literally Acts 2:42 reads they devoted themselves “to the prayers.” Today we will talk about why they did this and what it looks like for us today.
We have been studying Acts 2:42-46. Today we will look at the passages that bracket those verses- Acts 2:40-41 and Acts 2:47. Because we want to be cautious of judgmentalism, its easy for a good church to focus on good things: like helping those in need. But in our effort towards good things, we can’t lose sight of the greatest thing—what God wants—to save more people.
We are back in Acts 2 again this week. We are looking at what Peter said the early church was devoted to. These are the practices of the gospel-life that touch the foundation of Christ. A Life that binds us together, brings praise to God and through which God saves souls. This week we will look at how the church submitted itself to the teaching of the Apostles.
Acts 2 is a pivotal moment in the Church. We find some key practices given to Christ followers. These are the practices of the gospel-life that touch the foundation of Christ. A Life that binds us together, brings praise to God and through which God saves souls. Today we look at two of those practices and how to live those out with each other.
This is part 2 in our lessons about adding an instrumental worship service at Highland. Worship is not our idea, its Gods. He made us for it, and tells us to do it. But it's also why what God cares most about in our worship is our heart. God tells us that music and song should be included in worship. What accesses the heart like nothing else? Music and song.
This is part one for lessons about adding an instrumental worship service at Highland. For many of us, Worship is deeply personal. When you talk about worship, you are talking about the core of who we are. And you should. Worship is the way our hearts connect with God. In our lesson today we will talk about how acapella worship (traditionally our worship style in Churches of Christ) and instrumental worship are both good and glorifying to God. For those reasons we are becoming a both/and church.
Our lesson today is about trust. It’s hard to trust these days. Christian leaders continue to fall. Caught in sin. Everytime they do, the name of Jesus becomes harder to hear on their lips. That’s why Paul says watch your life & doctrine closely. It matters that you trust your leaders. I don’t think enough churches hear their preacher say—You can trust your elders. But I want you to hear it from me: I trust these men. I am so thankful to God for them. You can trust them.
Today's lesson comes out of Mark 2:1-12. The friends of the paralyzed don’t view their relationship with their brother—a man in great need—as accidental. They feel a responsibility. They are interested in him. In what hurts him most. In what he most needs to be healed of. And they will do all they can to see it done.
Today we look at what it means to belong to Christ and His Church. Its only by God’s grace that any of us are welcome to the table. Seen by the doctor, found by the shepherd. Only by God’s grace that any of us belong. If we want to belong with Jesus, we must make sure he knows he does too. Belonging does not mean affirming. Levi didn’t stay a tax collector. Zacchaues paid back everything he’d stolen. The leper was healed. The paralyzed man walked. Belonging does not mean affirming. But we have to feel like we belong before we believe and behave.
Paul (and I think Jesus) believed that the single person can give their whole undistracted, undivided devotion to the Lord. Not to the self. And in doing so, communicate to the world, the sufficiency of Christ.
According to the Bible, love has a lot to do with everything. Some version of the word “love” is used 686 times in scripture! We are living in a world with 3 different operating definitions of love. In today's lesson we will explore these definitions and how we are called to love others, even when that love gets messy and creates tension between the people we love.
As spirit-powered witnesses we tell the story of Jesus everywhere. But we must tell whole story. Whole gospel-story produces whole gospel-life. There are 2-dimensions of God’s character, that we see in Jesus, that provoke repentance and belief: God’s Kindness and God’s Judgement. We must share both of these dimensions to tell the whole story.
Is a prayer a guarantee? No. Sometimes it doesn’t seem to “work”—at least right away. But scripture tells us God delights in our prayer. Today we look at Acts 2:15-26 and what that passage tells us about prayer and what else we are called to do alongside of prayer.
What is my purpose? Ever think about it? What does God want me to do, us as a church to do, and would he help? (not my job. My reason to exist. What motivates me. What drives me—and us!) Jesus is clear about his purpose, and he is empowered by Spirit to do it: His purpose is to Proclaim… to witness about God.
When times are hard we have to be reminded of why we trust in God. In todays lesson Eric points to some truths that help comfort us when dealing with loss.
Our lesson today is from Matthew 25:14-23. In this passage we are encouraged to do what is good (not easy) and faithful (not fearful). During this lesson we will hear a testimony from the Nowlin family and how they listened to God's calling and did what was good and faithful in their faith journey.
Today's lesson is from Josh Leow. Josh grew up at Highland and is talking about the importance of discipleship. Josh has a great testimony and is living proof of why discipleship is so needed in our churches.
A few weeks ago we shared our Vision for Highland. We call it Build up the Next Generation. So what does this Vision look like practically? As we stare through the binoculars and it comes into focus, what are the details actually like? We call the details, the 5 Benchmarks of the Vision.
Imagine you had robbed someone you were close too (for 2nd time). Last thing they said to you: “I am going to kill you.” You run away. Build your own family over next 15+ years. But you are coming back home. What do you do? In today's lesson, Jacob—who stole from his brother Esau twice—has finally come around on this. He’s heading home in Gen 32-33, and he knows that he wants to be forgiven.
In today's lesson we look at the story of Jacob and Esau. In this part of the story we see Jacob trade Esau for his birthright. Esau traded his long term blessing for immediate satisfaction. This is the modern problem. Our tendency to choose now (immediate self-satisfaction) instead of better (long-term joy, inheritance), actually inclines us to resent the better. Resent faith itself, the church, that raised us and loved us. Rather than resent ourselves, in our shame, we resent the blessing- just like Esau did.
Many of us feel absolutely overwhelmed by our problems. It’s money and it’s marriage. It’s a problem with a child whether adolescent or an adult. It’s a problem with my job. It’s a problem with a friend or someone in your family. It’s a problem with chronic pain or a disease that has completely altered your life and the life of your family. Problems have a way of stacking up until finally we are totally overwhelmed. We want to trust Jesus but we may wonder: “Will Jesus really help me with my problems?”
Our lesson today focuses on when we feel Irrelevant. We want to matter, but to matter we feel like we have to be who their world tells us to be. And it’ll kill you. That identity-pressure will overwhelm you. Make you do what you thought you’d never. This is a lesson in identity work- who does God say you are.
In our lesson today we see that Jacob gets a promise of a power that will stretch across national lines, uniting people under a common king and his cause—and there is nothing on earth that comes anywhere close to that, except the church—the body of Christ.
This week, we continued our “Build Up the Next Generation” series out of the book of Genesis by noticing the “maturing” faith of Jacob over the course of his life.
Today's lesson comes from Genesis 28. It's the story of Jacob encountering God through a dream... and Jacob's in awe of what he sees in this dream. Awe is life-changing. We want that here in this place, don’t we? Don’t we want this to be where people say: “Surely the Lord is in this place! How awesome is this place!” Don’t we want everyone here filled with awe? Isn’t that why we exist?
How significant are the heroes we remember for the forming of our faith? Remembering is right. We need heroes to remember. Our heroes have big influence on whether we stay faithful. Their impact is multi-generational. Giving us courage to stay in the land, to not give up when someone’s against us.
God promised to make Abraham great, bless him, give him land, make him into a great nation (Gen 12). And he did. In Genesis 24 we see Abraham reached retirement. He’s done all the things. But there’s one thing undone: making sure his son has what he needs. He’s come to the point where it's not about him anymore, it's about the next generation, and the ones after. He’s thinking legacy. Generations.
This Sunday is Life Giving Sunday. This is the Sunday that we collect our Outreach Contribution that goes toward supporting some of the best missionaries and ministries around. We will hear from two of those missionaries today and also present a gift to one of our outreach partners, Hopeworks, for transitional housing for men in Memphis being released from prison. Today you’re going to hear some of the Life that your sharing has made possible.
For Mother's Day we look at the story of Hagar and Ishmael. From the moment the child is in her womb, loving him is hard. But where we have limits to providing what we want for our children and loved one's, God promises to hear us and has the power to make them into something.
Tim Stafford continues our Wednesday Night series on Moses. This week we will look at the Ten Commandments.
Eric is joined by HYG Youth Ministers, Ted Crigler, Donnie Stover, and Hanna Thrasher as we honor our graduating seniors. They discuss what the 5 key factors are for making our teens into resilient disciples.
Gary Kenley continues our series on Moses. This week we will look at the interaction between Moses and Pharaoh.
Its Easter Sunday! So, we talked about the resurrection of Jesus. What else is there? Well, it turns out Jesus’ resurrection means that we can be united to him (Romans 6:5).
On the Sunday before Easter its right to focus on Jesus’ life and his death on the cross. One of the stories that best helps us understand the significance of the cross is the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.
Wilson McCoy from the College Hills Church of Christ in Lebanon TN joins us today for our message. John presents the gospel of Jesus as an act of new creation in our world. His entrance is good news because Jesus comes as light for all people to follow. As disciples to the light of Jesus today, what might it look like for us to follow him in our world? In this sermon we will explore one key implication for our discipleship to Jesus.
Today's sermon is from Genesis 21:1-7 and Romans 4:1-5. Because Abraham and Sarah had Faith, God was gracious and gave them Isaac. So is Faith a precondition for blessings from God? Is grace earned with faith? We will see what Paul has to say about this in Romans.
What is the thing you are waiting on? Or let me put it this way: How would you finish this sentence: I need the Lord and ______________. How would you fill in that blank? Maybe its something at work. Something at home. Something in your personal life. If you could just have that one thing in addition to the Lord, that would be enough. Let's look at Genesis 15-17 and see how Abraham would answer that question.
Our lesson today comes from Jim Harbin who has partnered with Highland for over 24 years to share the gospel in the Raleigh Community in North Memphis. Jim will look at 1 Corinthians 3:6-11 and will show how God’s plans were fulfilled in our work together. The Sovereignty of God was at work to make the work grow. We remain coworkers in the kingdom to this day. We give God the praise for this continued work.
The promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12 is the first that the bible itself labels the Gospel. That means that this passage shapes everything that follows it, from Old Testament to New Testament, to our church today, and to your daily life, and to eternity. The gospel here is the driving force for everything. Our response—our faith—is a critical part of the Gospel.
Today, we’re launching My Part, God’s Plan. We’re emphasizing serving through the church. And we need every person that attends Highland to find their part here. We are on a mission together, and "each one of you is a part of it."
Why doesn’t God like people to work together? Live together? People decide to live together and build something awesome, and God doesn’t like it. Changes all their languages so they can’t talk to each other. Why doesn’t God like teamwork and building great things? That’s a bad reading on the story of the Tower of Babel. And we know that because of what happens later in the Bible in Acts. But lets dig in a little bit more and figure what’s actually happening here in Genesis.
Today's lesson is the story of Noah. Let's be honest for a second, this is a story that challenges the faith of a lot of people. What kind of God would do this? Flood the world, and as he says, “put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am going to destroy both them and the earth” (Gen 6:13) What kind of God would do that? Doesn’t seem right? But in this story we see that God will make things right and evil will not be forgotten. We also learn that God will remember me and I will not be forgotten much like Noah.
Anybody who has boys cannot afford to ignore this story. Maybe you can if you have daughters. But when you have all boys, every time you send them upstairs to play, you say—Don’t Kill each other…because of Cain and Abel. This story of Cain and Abel is really about all of us. Now this story is a little harder to see ourselves in, at least at first, because most of us don’t kill our siblings. Even when they deserve it, and we really want to. But let me show you something about this story that’s easy to miss, and may hit a little closer to home. I know it does for me.
When we don’t know the truth, we do some unfortunate things. Unfortunate is one thing. But harmful, destructive, hurtful? Most of us have not only seen someone do those things, we’ve done ‘em too. What I want you to see today is that those choices are connected in the very same way to our grasp on truth. This is why its so good for us to go back to the beginning of the story, the first chapters of Genesis. What we are after is truth. So, we go back to its source.
You ever had that moment: This… this is the good life. Don’t you want more moments like that? We all do. What actually makes for a good life? That question may be one of the best ways to approach the first chapters of the Bible in Genesis 1-2. In these chapters I think we can find three things that help us to have the Good Life.
A blessing is a sacred thing. The kind of blessing I’m talking about, the kind of blessing the people of God give to one another and even to others, is different. That kind of blessing is sacred because its rooted in God’s blessing, for God’s purposes, and by God’s power. Today we are blessing the Oikos church. And we are simply joining, ratifying that divine blessing today, as we bless and send them.
We live in a time where folks say that everyone deserves to be treated well. And we agree. That seems right. But then people turn out to not be that great, and treating them well… gets harder. The image of God is this thing in us that sticks, no matter what. Its that inherent dignity that every person has no matter what. And that’s what should determine how I treat them.
Today we are starting a series on the book of Genesis—the first book in your bible. But that kind of under-sells what we hope this series is really about. Its about the bigger story that we are part of. One that, as we will see, is good. The one we hope you’ll lose yourself in. To tell that bigger story you have to go back to the start.
Over a year ago we started a series in the book of Mark. We figured it was good time to ask the question we started with again—what is the good news? We think it's this: Jesus is Christ, our King. He is from God, of God, for us. He sees. He provides. He forgives. He frees. Jesus is Christ, our King. And because of this we should listen to Him. This is indeed, good news.
At Christmas, we think about the beginning of the good news, the Jesus story. But in our series I’m at the end of the story. But you might be surprised at how the beginning and end are tied together. We live in a world of bad news, and unending loss, much of it ambiguous. And yet the promise of this story, is that in this man is what everyone longs for most—great joy.
- Note- we lost power during the recording of this sermon so the quality of this audio suffers during that time.
This class is the second lesson in a two part series on the Birth of Jesus. Gary will be discussing the second chapter of Luke.
In this podcast, Eric looks at Mark 15 when the curtain is torn at the death of Jesus. Mark doesn’t explain it all, at least like some narrators might. But he knew when that curtain tore from top to bottom, that the world was different than it had been only a moment before. He knew that when Jesus died on the cross, you and I became different than we had been a moment before.
You ever feel like you’re the bad guy, and you don’t know when you became the bad guy. You were sure you were the good guy, and then all the sudden, you’re on the wrong side. If you are a Christian, if you are a believer these days, you probably know what I’m talking about. For centuries, Christians have enjoyed a moral high ground. Even people who disagreed with many Christian beliefs, still saw Christians as good people with good values. But it doesn’t feel that way these days, does it? Christians are labeled all kinds of things these days. Christians aren’t exactly the good guys anymore. But Christianity is about Jesus. At its core, its about him. And we see him most clearly at the cross—when he gives himself for us. And we know—we just know—this is more moral than anything in this world. Now or ever.
This class is the first lesson in a two part series on the Birth of Jesus. We begin our series be discussing the first two chapter in Matthew.
In this Podcast we are joined by Dan Henley, the director of our ministry partner, Agape's, Faith and Formation Program. Dan is leading an initiative where 365 churches are each praying for the city of Memphis for a day for the year. Dan challenges us to come together as believers in Christ and pray together. He invites us to pray together for the Will of God, Instructions from God, and Motivation to do God’s will.
This Sunday we spent our service thinking about our time of communion. We were led in thoughts by some of our elders, including Sam Leow, Jeff Frizzell, Sean Prine, and David Jackson. We hope this podcast will help you reflect on this important meal that we take together each week.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Tim Stafford will use Hebrews 11:35b-40 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.
Have you ever heard someone say—this is a must. I’m sure you have. You’ve probably said it yourself. Someone says here’s some things they may need, or some things you might do, or some things that maybe helpful. There’s all that—and all that is a maybe. But this—this thing—this is a must. Which brings us to Jesus. I want to pay attention to what Jesus says is a must. On those things there’s no debate. I want to be people who are convicted and compelled by what Jesus says must happen. What we must do. In Mark 13 we find a passage where Jesus says we "must" do something. We want to be a church that does this thing well.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen Black will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.
Today, on Orphan Sunday, we look at what happens when we intercede for vulnerable children. But that also helps us to think about the way Jesus has interceded for us. The most important realities in my life are the result of this divine dynamic between God the father, the son, and the spirit. Someone is interceding for me always, and that changes everything.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Gary Kenley will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.
Mark 13 is apocalyptic—which is a good genre to talk about on Halloween. Apocalyptic is a way of using symbols and metaphors to talk about the world as it really is, both in the future but also now. Sometimes symbols and metaphors make better sense of some things than anything else. And so Mark uses this apocalyptic language to describe our world as growing increasingly dark, and frankly scary. There are a lot of ways we can face the darkness of this world. Fight it. Resist it with beauty and power. Try to scare it away. Hide from it. Or we can be light. The people who stand in the light and offer blessings to those coming from the dark.
Our lesson today comes out of Mathew 5:13-16. 1. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used this practice of curing meat with salt to teach us one of our purposes as believers, and that purpose is this: We are to be salt to an unbelieving world. That purpose is desperately needed by the world because without salt the world will rot. Jesus calls us to make the world a better place for everyone.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen Black, David Jackson, Gary Kenley, and Tim Stafford will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson Tim will look at the faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
What does Jesus do when he feels anxious? He prays. But not just any prayer. Here in Mark 14 is prayer for a special time. This is a prayer that I would say when I am in despair. Sad. When it feels like I am dying. Here in Mark 14, Jesus models how we should pray when we are anxious. And through this prayer we can surrender control to the only one who deserves it.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen Black, David Jackson, Gary Kenley, and Tim Stafford will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson Allen will look at Abraham and his remarkable faith.
Pride is by nature—based on comparison. So when Peter says “I wont” even if everybody else does, that comparison signals to us that what is going on inside him is pride. Problem is pride toxic to our whole system. Discipleship is not only about being with Jesus. To be with him, we must deny ourselves. But that’s hard for the proud. You see its not just that God doesn’t like pride. Its that he favors the humble. Gives power—resurrection power—to the humble. Takes away the anxiety of the humble. Keeps the minds of the humble, clear and alert. And it’s the humble—not the proud—who end up able to stand firm in the faith, against the devil.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Gary Kenley will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson Gary will look at Noah and his remarkable faith.
Its in this chapter full of betrayal, that Jesus institutes a meal of forgiveness. A meal that we take every week. What we call the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, or the Eucharist, has its origin right here. In this moment. So be clear, this meal of rememberence and forgiveness, this meal that reminds of God’s new covenant with us, is given to us, from Jesus, not when we have proven how deserving we are, but in the very moment we have hurt him most.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class David Jackson will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud. In this lesson David will look at Abel who offered a better sacrifice and Enoch who did not die.
The foundation of my relationship with God is prayer, but the essence of my relationship with God is forgiveness. I am only in this relationship, only able to pray to him, because he has forgiven me of so much. And therefore, how can I be in a relationship defined by forgiveness, if I am unforgiving. If I’m holding forgiveness out from someone who doesn’t deserve it, why should God forgive someone like me—who, for the record, doesn’t deserve it. Who do you need to forgive. Its not just your relationship with them that might improve, its your relationship with God that will.
We certainly live in a time when we need encouragement from what Hebrews describes as "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering us on to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12:1). In this class Allen, David, Gary, and Tim will use Hebrews 11 to look at some of the great men and women who lived by faith and make up that great cloud.
Todays passage is from Mark 10:46-52. There is a thing going on with sight here. You have a man who cannot see…who wants to be seen. Who spends his days on the side of the road in the off-chance that someone sees him. And he’s been doing it so long that he thinks it would be merciful for someone to do that. That’s the word he uses. Son of David, have mercy on me. And this story should speak to all of us. I know Jesus cares about His Church with a capital C. I need Jesus to care about me. To see me. To have mercy on me. I don’t deserve it. But I sure need it.
n this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this class Allen examines the passage from John 9:39 that says “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
Todays lesson is from Mark 11:1-11. This is a great story of Hope. This is one of those stories that would work well for a VBS. There is a colt, or a donkey, so it’d be good time to call the petting zoo people. But you go a little deeper, and you see the kind of hope I’m talking about taking shape—unexpectedly.
In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this class Tim Stafford examines the passage from Mark 1:38 that says "I have come to preach..."
Mark 10:17-31 is today's lesson. In this story we find a young man. Not a villain. Not a failure. Not a rich brat. Just a human. One who struggled to walk across the line on which Christ stood on the opposite side beckoning. Come a little farther. Let go. Step out where it’s a little bit riskier. Itll be good for you as you follow me.
In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. Allen will be teaching from John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Allen is also joined by his guest and friend Mani Pagidipalli to hear about Mani's ministry to India.
Todays lesson is from Mark 10:1-12. When Jesus gets asked about divorce, he talks about marriage. Jesus thinks marriage is one of our greatest witnesses to the world of an otherworldly story. And this world needs more talking badgers if they are ever going to believe in Aslan. And when more believe, God gets the glory he deserves. Jesus would say, your marriage isn’t about you. It never has been. Its about him.
In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this lesson, David looks at the passages that parallel in Matthew 9 and Mark 2. In these passages Jesus said "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Today we are joined by Smith Hopkins, the lead church planter for Oikos Church. Existing churches that plant new churches often experience revival and growth. Smith will guide us through Acts 19:1-10 to see what Paul says about planting new churches.
In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this lesson, Allen teaches about what Jesus said about our relationship with our family.
Todays lesson comes from Mark 10:13-16. Jesus is saying that God’s kingdom is not something we achieve, a place we reach, it’s a gift we receive from God. It’s a grace. The great grace that we receive like a child—whose done nothing to earn what is given them—who takes their gift on Christmas morning and treasures it. Savors it. Delights in it. The kingdom of God is a gift, I didn’t earn, but one God just wants to give me. To receive. Like a child.
Everybody leaves. That’s what the world says we should do. But it is not what the word of God says we should do. The world says, if its hard, leave. The Word says, because its hard, stay.
In this Wednesday Night Class Series, Allen Black and David Jackson look at many statements that Jesus made about why he came to the world. In this lesson, Allen teaches on the passage found in Mark 10:45.
Our lesson today comes from Psalm 73. This is the story of someone for whom life has become really hard. In the meantime, this person looks around at others who do not serve God and it seems like they their lives are smooth and get better and better. This person finally says, “What’s the use?” He eventually discovers God when he enters the sanctuary of God (73:17). He comes away remembering four precious gifts that God has given him and each one of us.
Aaron Jones leads us in a lesson from Matthew 4 about where we find our identity. Each day we wake up, we get to celebrate a God who loves us and cares about us. A God who we get to call, Abba, father and find our identity in him.
In this world, we’re told you can’t be a person of conviction and a person of grace—it’s one or the other. Either you’re judgmental and closed-minded, or you don’t take sin seriously. Either you are committed to God’s holiness, or you’re an advocate for God’s love. You can’t do both. Or can you? Let's look at this passage in Mark 9:38-50 and see what Jesus says about it.
What happens when we die? In Mark 12, Jesus addresses a part of that question. I don’t preach about heaven a lot. We used to talk about heaven more when I was growing up in church. Sing about heaven more. But only thinking about heaven can sometimes make us overlook God’s plans for earth. So maybe we talk it about it less than we used to. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it. It’s a big deal. Its forever. And its such good news.
Moments of pain in our lives help shape who we are. In this lesson Aaron leads us through Romans 8 and how God works in our lives, and how he works for the good.
June 27, 2021 Sunday Sermon- There are stories we don’t like, until we do. There are stories we don’t want to be part of, until we do. When Jesus says he is going to be delivered into human hands, killed, and then three days later rise again, he’s telling a story. Not surprisingly, the disciples dont want that story for him…and they don’t want it for them. This story in Mark 9: 30-37 speaks to one defining aspects of the character of God and to one of the deepest truths of the good news of Jesus. Its sometimes called the Great Reversal—God’s commitment to turning the world’s standards, values, and beliefs upside down.
Sunday Sermon- June 20, 2021. Mark 9:14-29
Todays passage is not a story of unflinching faith, but of struggling faith. Which is to say, real faith. This story in Mark—if it says one thing—it says believing is hard. In this passage comes the phrase, I believe, help my unbelief. I don’t think any sentence in all of scripture fully captures the dilemma of the human situation like this one. The dilemma of life lived in the valley.
Sunday Sermon- June 13, 2021. Mark 9:1-10 Mountaintops are synonymous with the highs of spiritual life. If you could, you’d stay there forever. It’s the mountain-top you don’t want to come down from. And Jesus takes these guys in Mark 9 up onto the mountaintop, and God shows them how glorious Jesus is on the mountaintop, and then speaks to them, all so that they will listen to Jesus and do what He says. What good thing is Jesus telling you to do? Are you listening?
Sunday Morning Sermon- June 6, 2021
In Mark 8:22-9:1, Jesus is letting us know something so important here. Discipleship is the process through which Jesus helps us to see more clearly. First him, and through him, everything else. We’ll see sacrifice more clearly. Suffering more clearly. Life more clearly. Shame more clearly. The point—we’ll see it all like he wants us too, once we see him for who he is.
May 30, 2021 Sunday Sermon
We are loved by a God who sees us. This truth can begin the journey of healing from our woundedness, when we experience the one who sees us. From this experience, we are encouraged to reengage a healing community.
Sunday Morning Sermon- May 23, 2021
Today's lesson is from Mark 8, when Jesus feeds the 4,000. This story is very similar to the feeding of the 5,000 in Mark 6. Apparently these miraculous meals were really important to Jesus. And he expected his disciples to understand and savor what these miracles meant, specifically what they meant about him. Here is what I am convinced of: Anytime Jesus Christ takes the little we offer and multiplies it beyond our expectations, he is trying to tell us that he wants to do more. And that he can. Because he is the kind of king who not only has the desire but the power to do exponentially more in and through us.
Sunday Morning Message- May 16, 2021
We believe when we give to support missionaries and ministries in Memphis and around the world, we will give life to someone who needs it. The full life found in Christ. So, we’re now calling our Outreach Contribution our Life Giving Sunday. Our goal—needed to support the life-giving ministries of HopeWorks, Agape, missionaries in 4 countries, and more—is $160,000. Today we will hear from Thud Hill and Linda Bateman, representatives from Timothy Hill Children's Ranch.
May 9, 2021- Sunday Morning Sermon
Our lesson, for Mothers Day, comes from Mark 7:24-30. Jesus is having a little conversation with this mom about a really big topic at a really big moment in history. So something happens in this little conversation with this mom, that signals to Jesus the time is now to move between God’s promise to one people and God’s plan for all people. There’s something about a mom, the thing that God has put inside her from himself, that makes her the right one to walk hand in hand with Jesus into a new world where God’s steadfast love expands to all.
Sunday Sermon- May 2, 2021 (Mark 6:45-52) We can learn a lot from this passage in Mark where the disciples are struggling at sea. No one likes a hardship. No one wants to be out on the chaotic waters, getting pushed backwards. Everyone of us would choose in the moment, for God to pluck us out of there. Or at least part the water, and let us walk through on dry ground. But no matter how hard it is, He is the Lord of the Sea onto which he has sent me. He walks on the water I am fighting, he can calm it, or he can show me his glory. Whichever he chooses, he is the Lord of the Sea onto which he has sent me.
Sunday Sermon April 25, 2021. Eric is joined by Highland Youth Ministers to share an encouraging word to our graduating seniors and our church as a whole. The world tells Christians, especially young Christians, that if you want to avoid being hungry, you better pack your own lunch, or you’ll have to leave and go find some somewhere else. That there will come a point at which Jesus will no longer satisfy the hunger inside. The pressure you’ll feel, or already feel, is not new. But it will press itself upon you, whispering into if you just try a little harder, work a little longer, make a little more money, you can be filled. But you cannot. Jesus will provide and fill you with purpose and meaning.
April 18, 2021 Sunday Sermon (Mark 6:6-13)
We all are ambassadors for Christ. But we haven’t mastered this thing yet… right? Right! But I mean, doesn’t God want us to keep learning, keep growing? Yes? Before he sends me out? No. The myth—that we so often buy as Christians—is that once we master this faith thing, then we’ll be ready to go out on behalf of it. But the example—from the most faithful people the world has ever known—is that this is not something you master. And that if you’re waiting to master it, you’ll never share it. You’ll never go out. As a Christian—a follower of Jesus—I am always an apprentice of Christ and I am always an ambassador for Christ.
Sunday Sermon April 11, 2021
Mark 6:1-6 There’s no place like home. Except—for Jesus—it doesn’t go that way. He is not received when he comes home, he is rejected. He didn’t expect it. He thought he was coming home… to his home. To his people. There’s a saying that familiarity breeds contempt. And that seems to be what’s going on here in Nazareth. But you don’t have to hate Jesus to ignore him. To just take your eyes off of him. To drift. In this lesson we discuss what this story can teach us.
Sermon from Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021
There are a lot of impossibilities in our world but there is one that stands out and always has—people don’t live after they die. Resurrection makes for a nice legend, a good movie, but resurrection is not really possible. It was impossible that death could be beat. Death had the power. But God steals it away in Jesus Christ. Or rather proves death never had what we’ve always thought it did. It’s impossible for death to hold him anymore. That’s why he was raised. Cause death didn’t have the power to stop it.
We need an anchor, a hope on which to tether our whole lives, our souls, that is actually firm and secure. And that’s where we have the word I want to share with you today. It’s a word that’s only used in the New Testament in the context of the cross of Jesus. Nowhere else. Its one word in Greek, but in English it takes three to translate. The word is translated: “once for all”. Something happened at the cross that was “once for all.”
March 21, 2021 Sunday Morning Sermon Our passage today comes from Mark 5:21-43. There are many stories in the Bible about men. But this passage is very specific to women. And to the women, the message is simple. You are the precious daughter of Christ. He sees you. He sees what is unique to you. And, Ladies, he is able to heal it.
March 14, 2021 Sunday Morning Sermon
Todays passage is from Mark 5:1-20. These stories describe with perhaps more realism than any others, what a life apart from Christ is really like—and why we so desperately need Jesus—even as modern people.
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Sunday Sermon March 7, 2021
Fear is the giving of our attention to what we feel is most real. If this is true, then our attention ought to be directed to the one who is most real. Jesus.
Sunday Sermon February 28, 2021
2020 was a challenging year, with all kinds of changing variables. There is an impulse to suspect those challenges mean something has changed about God. But this parable is first of all a reminder that whatever happens in life the sower is going to do what the sower has always done, scatter seed. The sower is not deficient in this story. He’s a constant. You know what else is not deficient, the seed. You see, in this story the sower and the seed—they’re good. But the soil, that’s what changes. So the question this parable raises for us is, Is my soil producing the harvest I know the seed is capable of?
Sunday Sermon- February 21, 2021
With a snow filled week in Memphis, and power outages and water shortages in Texas, Eric is taking a break from our study in Mark to look at a passage from Romans. Is it possible to grow in faith and hope during hard times when it is so difficult to see God working? Today we look at a passage that helps us get through these hard times.
February 14, 2021- Sunday Sermon
Today’s passage has got to be one of the hardest passages in scripture about what it means to be a family—both a nuclear family, and more importantly what it means to be a spiritual family. In fact, by disrupting what we often assume about the smaller family, Jesus actually defines what the purpose of a spiritual family is. And at the same time—he defines the place of the nuclear family in that larger spiritual family. Eric wanted to talk about this as we start coming back together. We know that distance places a strain on the fabric that holds us together. But as we emerge from this pandemic, remember—If my family or your family has a shot, it only has a shot if it is part of the larger family of Christ. Jesus will not be my family’s center unless my family is surrounded by His family.
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Sunday Morning Sermon- February 7,2021
Mark 3:29 says “But whoever insults the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. That person is guilty of a sin with consequences that last forever.” This is troubling isn’t it? That there is something spiritual, something about Jesus, that I cannot afford to get wrong. That I cannot mess up. Because the consequences are irreversible and eternal (“forever”). If that’s true—and Jesus said it is—then the most important thing we can do is figure out what that irreversible mistake is. We have to get this right.
Sunday Sermon, January 31, 2021 Jesus is pulling back a curtain in this short scene. Behind it, the truth of human condition is laid bare. Our great danger, bondage even, and our great need comes into clear focus. The good news is that God has broken into our world in Jesus Christ. That not only does Jesus pull back the curtain and show us the puppet master- Satan. He ties him up, and steals what wasn’t his in the first place. We aren’t good people who needed guidance, or even bad people that needed redirection. We were in bondage, and we needed rescue.
If there has ever been a group of undeserving guys, it’s the twelve Jesus calls to him in Mark 3. When I say these are guys are undeserving, I mean unremarkable. Which is not to say they don’t go on to do some remarkable things… But to be called by Jesus? Set aside. Given world-changing jobs. Special…to Jesus, at this point?!. They hardly deserved that. These guys are largely unremarkable. Certainly unqualified. Undeserving. And Jesus wants them, calls them. You know what we call it when we get what we don’t deserve—grace.
Sunday Morning Sermon_ January 17, 2021
We study Mark 3:7-12 and what it means for us today. Eric challenges us, in this politically charged moment, to cling to the cross of Jesus. No matter what happens this week in our nation, as followers of Jesus, we are called to love those who might think differently than we do and even love those who we would consider our enemies. Cling to the cross this week.
January 10, 2021- In todays lesson, Eric shares from Deuteronomy 30 and how it applies to us in these difficult times. He talks about the similarities between these times and when the Israelites were about to enter the promised land in Deuteronomy. He gives us three ways that we can "Choose Life" in 2021.
Sunday Morning Sermon_ December 13, 2020 A lesson from Mark 2:23-3:6. Jesus gets confronted about the Sabbath, but he is really getting confronted on the importance of Scripture. Eric compares Scripture to a house we live in. Jesus believes in this house. Everyone has to have a home to live in. A worldview. Jesus believes the biblical worldview is the only one that can stand up, especially when the storms come. But he also teaches us to leave the door open.
Jesus is giving our lives context and purpose. That our whole lives are taking place in the context of a wedding celebration, a party. That Jesus—the groom—is being united to his bride, the church, his people. And therefore our purpose is to celebrate, to party. Immauel. God is with us. That should make us want to party.
November 29, 2020- Sunday Morning Sermon
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ is an unplanned pregnancy. It's not just unplanned, its what we might call a crisis pregnancy. Have you ever considered that the good news—the greatest news this world has ever heard—begins with an unplanned crisis pregnancy, with all of its shame and rejection, and two beleaguered parents who did the hardest thing of their lives? The thing they never planned to do. They intervened, loved, fought for this one vulnerable child.
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ is an unplanned pregnancy. It's not just unplanned, its what we might call a crisis pregnancy. Have you ever considered that the good news—the greatest news this world has ever heard—begins with an unplanned crisis pregnancy, with all of its shame and rejection, and two beleaguered parents who did the hardest thing of their lives? The thing they never planned to do. They intervened, loved, fought for this one vulnerable child.
November 22, 2020- Today we want to provide viewers with a vision of a grateful life. Doing so, understanding how grace deepens are sense of gratitude. What happens when the eyes of our hearts are opens and we begin to take notice of the present reality of God around us?
Sunday Morning Sermon- November 15, 2020 Today is so important. What we do, by giving to our Life-Giving Outreach Contribution today, will last. We are giving of ourselves, we are being selfless, because we believe not only are we eternal people, but that every person outside these walls is an eternal person. Wether the young man struggling to get his life right who ends up at Timothy Hill. Or the Papaua New Guinean who is worshiping tribal Gods, the young mom coming out of incarceration through HopeWorks, the child in need of adoption. We don’t care about these people because we are nice. We care about them because they will last.
Next week is Life-Giving Sunday. We are going to raise $275,000 and give it away to the best life-changing and life-giving ministries we know of, so that more people may have life in Christ. One of those partner ministries of ours is Timothy Hill. Today we are fortunate to have their Executive Director, Thud Hill, here with us. Listen to find out more about the Timothy Hill Children's Ranch.
Sunday Morning Sermon from the Highland Church of Christ in Memphis. Josh Jackson from the Rural Hills Church of Christ is our guest preacher today. He gives us a message out of Matthew 10:1-4. Today we are challenged to live together despite our differences much like the disciples who were called to follow Jesus did.
Sunday Morning Sermon- October 25, 2020
Part of being a disciple is coming to a table every week where I admit that I too have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The power of that, is that when we take this meal confessing our sin to one another, we are reminded that none of us—disciple, sinner, tax collector, preachers—are really any different. To use the metaphor Jesus does—that we all are sick, in need of the doctor. That’s why there’s a meal involved in this whole disciple thing. In this following Jesus thing. A meal specific to our sin. It binds us together. Not in our success, our pride, our achievements. It binds us together in our common need.
Sunday Morning Sermon- October 18, 2020
Think about your car. Your engine is made of all these parts that work together. Each part is following the rules wired into it, so that it all works together. As far as your engine knows, your car is a closed system. But we actually know that we often have to pull over and put gas into the system. We also know we have to change the oil, to keep the system working like it should. You and I actually move in and out of the car’s “closed” system. We come and go from the car, and we actually maintain the system. A car isn’t actually a closed system at al and it can't fix itself. Do you know what faith is? It’s not just accepting that we live in an open system. Its not just believing in the miraculous. Do you know what faith is? Faith is giving Jesus authority over my life (always taking my car to his shop) because I believe he can actually fix what’s broken inside me. That would take a mechanic with an authority beyond any other.
Sunday Morning Sermon- October 11, 2020
Don’t doubt the authority and power you have. It comes from Jesus himself, who you were baptized into. Your sinful flesh was taken off, and you have put on Christ. You wear him into the world. You are filled with his power. Clothed in his flesh. The demons see you and tremble. As you go out to fish, you don’t go out as yourself.
Sunday Sermon- October 4, 2020 Why do we come together? Maybe you’ve been thinking about that question the last 6 months? I know I have. Six months in which we haven’t been able to be together like we were for decades before that. At first, we kind of liked staying in your pajamas for church, but then we felt a longing or ache we couldn’t quite pin down. We missed us. Until we lose something, we often don’t think about what it really means to us? Why it really matters to us? Its just a routine, a habit. Why do you go to church? Why do we come together? Why church?
In the baptism and anointing of Jesus, we see he is not only with us, but that he is so for us, that he is put on this world to fight for us. He is anointed by and empowered by the Spirit to go from these waters into conflict with Satan, who oppresses us all. Hey its one thing to know God is with you and for you. That is a powerful truth that we live into when we are baptized. God loves me. God delights in me. God is for me and is pouring out his spirit on me.
Sunday Morning Sermon from Highland Church of Christ in Memphis on September 20, 2020. In Mark one we learn that Jesus’ compassionate being is what our souls need. Jesus is the compassionate savior we all long for. This same spirit lives within us.
What if we came to the book of Mark with less of an agenda—questions to be answered, news to digest and move on—and we tried to just let ourselves be drawn into this picture of the good news of Jesus the Christ. The wildnerenss is still wild. All around us. Some of it our own doing. But the dawn from heaven has come. A path of peace has appeared. And you can head into it. On the Jesus way. This is good news.
Sunday Sermon, August 30, 2020 at the Highland Church of Christ in Memphis
What if God has scattered us because He wants to grow us? What if this is the beginning of a revival at Highland. Where people let go of any expectation they have on what the church will do for them, and instead they live into the calling that God has given each and every one of them: BE THE CHURCH. Wherever you are. Be THE CHURCH, and there I will be also.
August 9, 2020- Who is worthy of a our memory—so many. But who is worthy of our worship? Only one. Not one who sits on a pedestal of stone, but the one who sits on the throne of God. The lion of Judah, the lamb of God. The one who died on a cross, so that you and I might live. That’s the one, who one day, everyone will worship.
Sunday Morning Sermon from the Highland Church of Christ. The sermon today focuses on the book of Daniel, Chapter 2. Many times in life the mysteries of our lives can cause fear. But we can have hope in the future because we know that Jesus is King.
Sunday Morning Sermon- July 26, 2020. The world tells us resistance is futile. In fact, if we resist, we think we wont receive those riches and pleasures of life that Jesus talked about. We wont get to eat the kings food, or drink his drinks. He wont know us by name. And the response of the gospel is you can resist, because you don’t need any of that. God will give us what we need.
For all our efforts to explain suffering and death, to explain COVID-19, maybe whats most important, is that we are present and praying in the place where the world is at pain. Maybe that’s what you can do right now.
Is the coronavirus a punishment from God? Is it a sign from God that this world needs to repent. Eric walks us through what the Bible has to say about those questions.
In disfunction, in turning points of disorientation, we as believers, can join in the spiritual practice of remembering the name of God. We learn from this psalm, that for this remembering to be transformative or a sustaining moment, it must be authentic it must be like a freewill offering. Given purely out of adoration for who God is. This practice of remembrance is part of the history of God’s people, and it is one we now carry on. In this practice we experience God’s goodness and we are realigned with the only one who can sustain us.
Sermon from June 21, 2020. Do I think God caused coronavirus, as some sort of cosmic punishment? No. Do I think that in this moment, God may be inviting us into the desert for his purposes, to charm us, to speak tenderly to us, to give us hope, to revive us, to revive his church? Yes. That seems like exactly the kind of thing God would do.
It's so easy to minimize the pain of others. Even the people we love the most. We don’t intend to do it, but sometimes we do. But not at church. That’s not how the church works. In a long section on the body of Christ, and how its made up of all types of people, Paul says that in this body: “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part gets the glory, all the parts celebrate with it.” (1 Cor 12:26 CEB) If one part suffers, we all do. Together. That’s church
I know that you, like me, want to be back together. But don’t forget that this right here—this outreach offering— is not the reason we regather, this is the reason God gathers us. For his mission God brings us together. Online or onsite. God is bringing us together for this moment, in this present crisis, for his mission.
What's the key to life? That depends on who you ask. We often put our trust in the wrong things like money, power, or respect. But we are called to put our hope in a greater power...Him. Special thanks to B Chris Simpson for this lesson about Hope.
Sunday Sermon- May 17, 2020. This has been an unfulfilling end to the school year for our seniors. If you have experienced dreams that are unfulfilled, you aren't alone. Seniors, I’m sorry that this is how your year has ended. But don’t forget that this great cloud of witnesses beside you, also knows what it means to be unfulfilled. And it has made us into something extraordinary in our time—patient. You may find out there, wherever you go next, someone or something that will promise what you want quicker and easier. But don’t forget that’s not what you need. You need the church. And we will be here. Patient, for you, and for the one who is above all.
We are rooted in the same truth that those first believers were. Jesus—the same Jesus who was crucified on a Roman Cross and raised to new life after three days, is now the Lord of all, interceding for us and filling us with his spirit. That’s why we look the way we look. That’s why we do the things we do. And it is beautiful.
The Holy Spirit was released when Jesus ascended to heaven. Because of that, we don’t feel alone, even in isolation. Because we are swimming, our hearts are swimming in the presence of the spirit of God. Our counselor is at our side. All Around us. Our advocate. Here with us.
April 26, 2020- Sunday Morning Sermon
Coronavirus is an interruption to our life. A severe one. It may even take our lives. But what we’ve got to do is go back and retell the part of the story that proves coronavirus, cancer, job loss, abuse—that none of that will have the last word. Because Jesus was raised, and raised to the throne of his Father, the power of life will win.
In Jesus we have someone who beats the drum of justice and mercy for us. When God listens to our prayers, and the prayers of millions of God’s people around the world, those prayers are filtered through the sound of the drumbeat of Jesus filling the throne room of God. When God looks at you, he sees Jesus. When he listens to you, he hears Jesus, saying Father, forgive him. Father, remember her. Father, save them. In you he sees his perfect son, who by dying justifies us, and in being raised to the right hand, can ask God on our behalf—for mercy.
Sunday April 12, 2020- Eric Gentry preached this sermon on Easter Sunday. If you are questioning Jesus then there is one thing you have to examine. It’s the resurrection. Take a look at it. If you find that you cannot deny the resurrection, then every other question is answered for you. The resurrection is the exclamation point on every argument and every decision of your life. If he is risen, then he is the only way.
This pandemic feels a bit like a dust storm, like a darkness that won’t lift. Many are losing jobs. Some are losing homes. Some feel like you are beating on God’s door, but its locked. Some are hopeless. What do Christians do when we feel that way? We look to the cross of Jesus.
The criminal beside Jesus on the cross asks Jesus to remember him. In the Bible when God remembers someone, he doesn’t just think about them, or recall them to mind. When God remembers someone he goes into action for them. He saves them. He refuses to leave them alone. He does what it takes to reach them. That’s how God remembers.
You were made for hope, the hope to which he has called you. You were made for a glorious inheritance in his holy people. You were made for an incomparably great power for us who believe. And that power is the same as the mighty strength, he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. You were made for Jesus. So wake up. Wake up to what God has for you.
Freedom points us to God. Jesus death on Passover points us to the God of freedom. Jesus’ death frees us. This is an important message while we deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Hindsight is a major advantage. Jesus condemns the temple (and fig tree) because they don’t produce fruit, and we understand that scene via hindsight. However, we don’t have hindsight for ourselves or our congregation here. Without the benefit of hindsight, the focus must be fruit.
We live in influencer culture. Jesus rejects the temptations of influencer culture. His purpose—like ours—is not collecting the world’s honor, but collecting the Father’s honor. What if we—like Jesus—prayed over everything: Father, glorify your name.
Everyone wants to live a worthy life. If you want to live a worthy life go to church. Paul’s description of a worthy life is a life lived in building up the church. Young and not-so-young people alike should give their life to the church, and then will have no regrets.
We associate maturity with knowledge. So does Ephesians. In Ephesians, the mature recognize the spiritual warfare of our lives. That seems immature in our world. But the mature, knowing this, also know how much they need Christ.
I’m saddened to no longer be doing ministry beside my friend Chris. Many at Highland are probably also discouraged. But this is the Father’s church. The Father will tend to our “inner being” through “love,” and I believe that God will do more than we can ask or imagine here.
God’s ways are mysterious, but his mystery is made clear to us: uniting all things. This begins as God unites people of different backgrounds in the early church. God does this to prove God is uniting all things. The church is a witness to what God is doing in and for the world.
Death is a force of separation and determinism in our lives. It makes us desperate for the intervening grace of God. Fortunately, God gifts us true life through his grace.
We all want to be part of something bigger. We are. Our marriages are part of something bigger too. Our marriages show the world that Jesus is faithful. So, let us help your marriage.
God’s will is to unite all things, to fix the broken world. It brings him great pleasure to accomplish his will. We respond by praising his glory. We—the church—owe god praise because he is worthy.
We think we keep our treasures safe, but really they keep us—our hearts. The church cares about your heart. And our responsibility is to challenge you to guard your heart by investing your treasure wisely. Its preventative work (vs. intervention) but its critical.
Joseph is afraid because he lives in the immanent frame, with no expectation of God. When we are afraid, we long for the presence of someone greater. God cares about us in all of our fearfulness, and ministers to our fear by being present. This is THE message to share with a fearful world.
Lesson 5 in the Vital Signs series. There are some vital signs that a church or person reflects to show a real life in Christ. Join us as we visit I John. There is no better way to prepare for the upcoming year (2020) than to check you own vital signs.
Repentance is not a typical Christmas theme. But John instructs us to prepare for the coming Lord by repentance, because the Lord will judge the world. However, the Lord is not only judge, but also helper (by the power of the Holy Spirit).
Lesson 4 in the Vital Signs series. There are some vital signs that a church or person reflects to show a real life in Christ. Join us as we visit I John. There is no better way to prepare for the upcoming year (2020) than to check you own vital signs.
Isaiah has a vision of the mountain of God drawing all people to itself. He longs for that place, but the places of our longings don’t always match those places in reality. Turns out, Isaiah was not longing for a place, but a person. Jesus is drawing all people to himself.
Lesson 3 in the Vital Signs series. There are some vital signs that a church or person reflects to show a real life in Christ. Join us as we visit I John. There is no better way to prepare for the upcoming year (2020) than to check you own vital signs.
The very point of the Advent season is this, we are waiting on God, God is not waiting on us. That’s why James calls us to wait with patience because how we wait for the Lord, how we wait for our earthly desires—matters. The call for us on the First Sunday of Advent, is simply to ask the indwelling Spirit for the fruit of patience as we endure our lives in the waiting.
God is the ultimate chef, longing to get his food to those most hungry. And the question then is this: how can God get that food to everyone? We’re so used to drawing boundaries and putting up obstacles. But God wants everyone to get this food. So, how does that work?
Eric Gentry and others share about the mission work going on in Papua New Guinea and The Melanesian Bible College. MBC—which Highland supports— is the result of a zeal for the spread of the gospel story and kingdom of God. Your support is proving fruitful. We are building for the Kingdom of God, and our efforts matter eternaly.
Lesson 2 in the Vital Signs Wednesday Night Series with Jim Martin. There are some vital signs that a church or person can reflect a real life in Christ. Join us as we visit I John. There is no better way to prepare for the upcoming year (2020) than to check you own vital signs.
Lesson 1 in the Vital Signs series. There are some vital signs that a church or person reflects to show a real life in Christ. Join us as we visit I John. There is no better way to prepare for the upcoming year (2020) than to check you own vital signs.
Jesus says the kingdom of God is a place for children: “for such belongs the kingdom of God.” Jesus is saying many things with this. One of the things he’s saying is that the kingdom of God is a place where children are centered. And that makes this a gospel issue. Part of being a gospel church is being a church where children are centered.
It’s the way of Jesus that helps us see the humanity behind this issue of immigration. It’s the way of Jesus which is fueling our own efforts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays with Hopeworks and FriendSpeak. We want to be a church that approaches this issue in the way of Christ.
Rick Oster will guest teach the final chapter of Colossians in the chapel class this Wednesday (October 30).
We see the abuse of power in our society and unfortunately in Christians as well: a self-centeredness that uses power--all forms of power--to get what self wants, often regardless of the abuse it causes others. But we are called to use our power and influence to help others. We see far too little of this in the world. And Paul’s concerned that we don’t see enough of this in the church. Consider your power. Don’t consider it something to be exploited. Instead, empty yourself this week. Use your power for the good of others.
The church is a diverse group leaning together to save some. Sometimes politics divide us, and prevent us from leaning together. Well, good Christians can feel differently about politics and still be part of the same church. So, let's seek to understand each other, and promote unity this election year at Highland.
Church should not be the place where we don’t talk about the headlines. Church should be the place where those headlines are talked about and lifted to God in prayer. When we do that, we testify that we, as the people of God, believe that prayer, above all, can affect change in those headlines.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder… but not with God. God’s absence is painful. But God is never really absent, his love never stops reaching us. Specifically, for those risen with Christ, we are located with Christ in God. That means we are never alone.
That’s the vision. Trying, by the power of the Spirit, to be a Christian. Not just on Sunday. Not just in a slice of life. But all day long. We will blow it. We will fail at times. But we must try. That’s what it means for Jesus to be our Lord.
The character, experience, and vision of elders shapes the environment of the church. The biblical passages elevate those three aspects of elders. The biblical passages also point to the contextual needs for elders in different churches. Highland has some specific contextual needs.
Ours is the religion of the Good Shepherd. That’s who God is to us. That’s who Jesus is to us. And that is who our elders, our shepherds, are intended to be to us.
And I think that ‘s what Paul means when he says at the end of Col. 3:11 that Christ is all things. That is, Christ is all the matters. And therefore living out the image of God that we see in Christ is all that matters. Especially when it comes to the way we treat other human beings. Especially when it comes to this issue of racism. Christ is all. He is everything. He’s what matters most. Not the biases shared by our family or friends. Not that prejudices pushed by ours politics or news. Christ is what matters most. And being renewed more and more into Christ’s way of life is what matters most. No matter the cost.
oin us for an exciting journey for seriously dating, engaged, and newly married couples who want to be happy and have a fulfilling marriage. Learn tools that will help your marriage thrive. Our topics will cover areas such as selfishness, choosing love, sex, money, kids, in-laws, roles in marriage, boundaries, expectations, conflict resolution, communication, plus building and maintaining trust.
Paul believes in the transformative power of love. And this is why he hopes for it for his letter-readers. It’s what transforms the world. And notice how Paul believes this is all going to take place. Paul doesn’t just hope for this love. He prays for it.
Join us for an exciting journey for seriously dating, engaged, and newly married couples who want to be happy and have a fulfilling marriage. Learn tools that will help your marriage thrive. Our topics will cover areas such as selfishness, choosing love, sex, money, kids, in-laws, roles in marriage, boundaries, expectations, conflict resolution, communication, plus building and maintaining trust.
Join us for an exciting journey for seriously dating, engaged, and newly married couples who want to be happy and have a fulfilling marriage. Learn tools that will help your marriage thrive. Our topics will cover areas such as selfishness, choosing love, sex, money, kids, in-laws, roles in marriage, boundaries, expectations, conflict resolution, communication, plus building and maintaining trust.
The impossible things we face in life are not physical. They are spiritual. They require spiritual remedies. And it’s time for us to use the power of prayer to do what it’s always been designed to do.
Paul’s experiencing joy in his relationship with God--regardless of what’s happening around him. So how did this happen? Well, it seems to be happening because Paul is doing one thing: he is praying. Paul is talking to God. He’s lifting up requests. He’s giving thanks. He’s praying. Joy with God is possible through prayer. Paul is experiencing joy in his relationship with God because he is praying.
Grace (which Chris introduced last weak) and peace are inseparable. Prayer provides peace because it occurs under the banner of God’s grace. As such, it surpasses understanding. Yet, it is available through prayer—when Gods will becomes our will.
In prayer, we rehearse out loud what God says of us. In prayer we fight the voices within and without that tell us we’re not enough. Prayer is one of the ways we experience this grace.
Churches fight because they care. The world fights because they care, only they have forgotten why they care. Sometimes the church forgets why as well. But Paul reminds a fighting church that unity comes through Christ. That Christ is the reason we care.
Whenever our friends bring us back to the love of God, whenever we are restored, it’s never just a singular restoration, it’s a restoration that reorients our entire way of being in the world. What Jesus does in this conversation with Peter is not only restore the broken relationship between the two of them but also restores Peter’s sense of vocation, his calling
We all need a Bethany friendship. There’s not a person in this room who has not experienced, in some form, rejection, abandonment, or neglect. Everyone in this room needs a Bethany friendship. We need friends who provide a place of belonging in their hearts and lives for us. We need friends with whom we can truly be ourselves, without fear of being hated or hurt. And if you don’t have a Bethany friendship in your life, begin praying for God to lead you to one.
Loneliness makes us weak. People let us down and feel distant, when what we desire most is loyalty and closeness. We can even be lonely with God. All of us need someone who can strengthen our hands in God by pointing to God when we most need it.
Jonah is privileged when compared to Gentiles in Nineveh. And in that position of power, Jonah now sits back and wishes the Ninevites dead. From his privileged spot as a Jew, his bias against this other race leads him to act in ways that demand their death. We see this same sin played out today. There are people today who have power and privilege when compared to others. And, because of their bias against others--this sense that their lives are more valuable than the lives of others, that power and privilege can lead them to act in ways that are deadly.
When Jonah looked at Nineveh, he saw a city without hope. It appeared to have zero potential. There’s no way it’d amount to anything. But, when given a chance, when in the life-giving light of God, Nineveh exceeded even the wildest hopes and dreams. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, even the leader of the city, turned around. Jonah only expected a turn over. God brought about a turn around.
Jonah obeys after hearing the word of the Lord a “second time”. We want to be people who obey the Lord the first time. A good impulse, but also a heavy burden. Jonah’s obedience, the second time around, comes not from anxiety but gratitude, an insight given him in prayer. Instead of a burden, the message of Jonah is one of God’s relentless pursuit of each of us (the hound of heaven). The word of the Lord always comes a second time.
As uncomfortable and unwanted as a belly may be, there is a blessing to be gained. It’s there that we learn, as Jonah states confidently at the end of his prayer, that “Salvation belongs to the Lord.” It’s in the belly that we clearly see the work and hand of God--although sometimes only in retrospect. It’s in the belly that we experience God in ways we may have never experienced him before. It’s in the belly that we find ourselves moved forward in our journey, closer to our Nineveh, than we ever thought possible.
We live in a world that is inherently broken by the sin of us against them. We live in a world that is replete with racial injustice, poverty, abuse, and violence. We live in a world, where evil is consistently rising from sin. So in response to this brokenness, God’s call to us is to come close, to get face-to-face with insiders and outsiders alike. Come close to the person or people in our church who lack connection, come close to the person or group of people we believe to be unworthy. Come close and get face-to-face with our neighbors who are made in God’s image.
It’s one thing for God to know about the evil taking place. It’s another for him to do something about it. And, in Jonah, the story begins with a God who who takes action regarding evil. Here, he sends his prophet. But, eventually, God will take the ultimate action.
I want to make sure this church hears this Great Commission. Jonah had an echo of it. Jesus gave the full version of it. And what it communicates is this: God wants to send his people to foreign places.
Jesus loves by sacrifice. That kind of love marks the people of God. Additionally, the people of God extend that love to the rest of the world. Timothy Hill is one of our extensions of God’s love.
But Paul is praying that the church will be known for something radically different. Paul is praying that the church would be known for what I’ll call “common affection alliance.” What makes the first part of Paul’s prayer--love for one another--is the second part of the prayer--love for all. What bonds us together is that we share affection, not hate, for other people. What unites the church is not common enemy intimacy but common affection alliance.
We are called to believe in our hearts what seems impossible to believe and yet is the key to salvation if we do believe--that God raised Jesus from the dead. What we’ve never seen in any cemetery happened one day in that cemetery. A dearly loved one was raised from the dead. It’s our heartfelt faith in this Easter event that allows us to experience the benefits of all Jesus went through for us.
Jesus lived and died on a cross. But the reason for the cross is not self-evident. In fact, the cross was scandalous and shameful. Still, the church kept the cross at the center of Christian faith. Why? The cross is the way in which Jesus takes on our shame fully.
The reliability of the Gospels is found in the fact that for those who read them and believe them, they encounter a living Jesus. A Jesus who, in our darkest moments, is near. A Jesus who emboldens us to live as we’ve never lived before. A Jesus who will never, never leave us alone.
What do we do about the suffering created by moral and natural evil? If there is a God, and if that God is good, why does he permit moral evil? And why does he allow nature to wreak havoc? Don’t these disprove God, or at least the goodness of God? Christians have traditionally adopted three responses to make sense of all of this evil and the suffering it causes. Our questions about suffering may be addressed through 1) the free-will defense, 2) the natural-law defense, and 3) the soul-making defense.
This sermon, Chris looks into the topic, does God exist? Even as a young child, taught nothing of God, many signs pointed Chris to God. It was here! It worked! It was beautiful! And there had to be, he believed, there had to be Someone behind it all.
Denial of Christ deserves judgement. But all sin is denial of Christ (not the same as saying all sin is equal). For Christians, saved by grace, judgement ensures justice will be done on earth, but also keeps us personally cautious and corporately concerned.
Following Jesus Christ—God’s Son—means not only going up the mountain to witness His glory but entails following Him down to the valley of suffering, death, and (eventual) resurrection.
We ask God to contend for us (He does). Jude asks us to contend for God. Contending for God sometimes includes apologetics and evangelism. But here, contending for God is about our holiness. The standard for our holiness is God’s holiness.
February 20, 2019- Part 7 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
Zacchaeus did not have a chance--rather, his greed, self-centeredness and distraction didn’t have a chance. Because once he experienced the welcome of Jesus, those things about him were washed away and replaced with compassion and benevolence. The same is true for you and those around you.
February 13, 2019- Part 6 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
Jesus welcomed women in ways that far exceeded the norms of his own culture. Jesus made room for women to fills roles that were off limits to women in his own culture. As followers of Jesus, we desire this same thing. We are called to welcome women in the say way Jesus did.
February 3, 2019- Part 5 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
We are dependent. All of us. That we are independent, self-made, strong—its all an illusion. As Paul, who tried to enter Asia, and was prevented by God, will tell you, we don’t go where we want to, we are allowed, much like the children who come to Jesus. And like those children, and as any of you can tell anyone around you, we don’t choose what comes our way in this life, Kingdom or otherwise, we receive it. Not always thankfully. We are not in control. We are not independent.
January 30, 2019- Part 4 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
We don’t know our neighbors. But are called to love them. The Good Samaritan story is told to illustrate this. But the story does much more, modeling how Christ transforms us into people capable of loving—people he calls: “neighbor.”
January 23, 2019- Part 3 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
Hanging in the balance was a life, the life of the servant. Because Jesus took the initiative and acknowledged the strengths of this Gentile, the end result was that this servant was saved. And that’s a testimony to what happens today when prejudice, intolerance, ignorance, hatred, and racism are not permitted among the people of God. What happens when we, like Jesus, take the initiative to close gaps and when we, like Jesus, see strengths is that lives, and souls, are saved.
January 16, 2019- Part 2 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
Jesus is creating a community where the worst are welcomed in. And once welcomed in, they are empowered and encouraged to move toward the center of the circle, which is Christlikeness. No one is invited to the side of Christ to remain as they are. They are invited as they are, but always with the goal that they will become as he is.
January 9, 2019- Part 1 in this Wednesday night class series with Jim Martin. Life is hard. Everyday, ordinary people are called upon to be brave. The Bible is full of people for whom doing the right thing was difficult and challenging. Some give up, some become discouraged, and others learn to be brave.
Sometimes, we tend to push the sick away. It’s hard to be around sick people. They take a great deal of energy. They take a great deal of time. And so, sometimes, we push them away. We try to address their illnesses and ailments by separating ourselves from them and leaving them with experts. But Jesus welcomed this sick and wounded. We should too.
. At some point we have to make a decision that this goal of becoming like Jesus is what we are going to order our lives around. We’re going to stop just playing around with it. Treating it like we do our physical health, hitting the gym once a week, or a couple times a month and hoping we’ll look like The Rock. At some point we have to make a firm decision that this is what we’re going to order our lives around--not our career, not our hobbies, not even our families. But this goal of knowing and becoming like Jesus. Once we do, we’ll then make every effort to achieve that goal.
The Christmas story, and the very first Christmas song, is about a world filled with problems. It’s about a God who used his Spirit of power to send his son to earth as a baby in order to do something about all those problems. But the song and the story doesn’t end there. That same Spirit of power has been given to you so that you might be given to the world, just as Jesus was given to the world. Jesus was not the only gift given at the first Christmas. We, each, are intended as gifts to be given to the world, empowered by the mighty Spirit, in God’s ongoing quest to make this world a better place for all.
It is possible for one person, with the right words and actions, to propel another person down a path where they can accomplish something heavenly, where they can change the world. That’s what Mary needs at this moment. And that’s what Elizabeth’s going to provide.
Our culture is oriented around quick and easy. We want to over overcome anger in one week. We want to become more kind in ten days. We desire spiritual triumph in as little time as possible. But true life-renovation is neither quick nor easy. It is slow and steady. What matters is the compass. Are we moving in the right direction, slowly and steadily?
Wilderness is a disruptive and destructive force in the world and in our lives. Biblically this is true. We look to powerful people to stop a spiritual force. They can’t. We look to scripture for a God who does (and he ultimately will), but we first find a God who does his work within the wilderness. Making a way where there seems to be no way.
God is immense. All that immensity is wrapped up in the person of Jesus, and in those who are one with Jesus. Sometimes we don’t feel that fullness because we chase satisfaction instead. But like Christ, we should embrace God’s fullness, and be thankful because of it.
We’ve been called to declare God’s glory “among the nations.” Highland’s foreign missions are one of the ways we do this. On this Sunday, Chris, Lawana and Sam will share how Highland’s newest mission work is declaring God’s glory in the world. Chris will speak from Ps. 96, the trio of Chris, Sam and Lawana will share stories from their recent trip , and Chris will tell about today’s Outreach Contribution and pray.
Too many churches today are someday churches, satisfied with offering a hurting world the someday of heaven. Jesus is not interested in someday churches--he wants today churches. Jesus wants churches that, like him, bring help, healing and hope to the world today. Agape is a today organization. They are passionately working to do what Jesus did, and to do it right here in Memphis. David Jordan, President and Chief Executive Officer, is with us to share about their ministry.
God has never been interested in one nation. One tribe. One race. Any church that focuses only on itself or only on its own country or only on people who look like them has completely missed the point of the cross and the tomb. God’s concern is for all the families of the nations.
Every day, there’s a voice calling for you. Through Scripture. Through events. Through people. Through creation. Perhaps even through dreams and visions. It’s the voice of your Father, his Son, and the Spirit. It’s a voice always calling you home. Always beckoning you to a warm house. Always eager to guide you and give you what you need when you need it. All you need to do is learn to listen. Learn to pick that voice out. And learn to come when it calls.
God does indeed speak through Scripture. But we have to be willing to put the work in to hear that voice. Given the complexity of Scripture, it takes work to hear God’s voice. The purpose of Scripture is not merely to pass along information. The purpose of Scripture is certainly not to put us in a position of power so we can club others over the head with our superior knowledge or spirituality. The purpose of Scripture is to draw us nearer to God.
God still speaks, though sometimes we don’t know it is God speaking. God speaks through phenomena. God speaks through dreams and visions. God speaks through angels. God speaks audibly. God speaks through humans. And God speaks in a still small voice. The right posture is: Speak Lord, for your servant is listenting.
Believing that God has more than just ears, but also a mouth, and therefore that we can hear the voice of God can seem crazy--literally. But it is biblical. And it is immensely comforting. It means we not only can tell God what’s on our heart. It also means God can tell us what is on his heart. God can communicate his love directly to us. God can guide us. It makes this a living relationship. It makes prayer a conversation.
Allen Black gives us part 4 in this study of the book of James. Believing that real faith is more than just belief and must result in action, the brother of Jesus wrote a guidebook for living the life of faith. He calls us away from our double-mindedness to a pure devotion that changes our lives and the lives of those around us. He encourages us to live as friends of God and not as friends of the world. This lesson tonight focuses mostly on the passage about anger found in James.
Former Highland preacher, Harold Shank, joined us for our 90th Anniversary. He delivered a message about the wonders of God. God can do the impossible and he often does that through improbable people.
Culture thinks sex is good, and often the church says the opposite. But sex isn’t good or bad, its holy. Sex is the union of body and soul, a physical act with spiritual permanence. Jesus warns us about this, but statistics of sexual addiction are rampant. So 1) we & others do get hurt by our sexual sin of our bodies, 2) our bodies are eternal and 3) our bodies are not our own. Accountability helps to control our bodies for the sake of our souls.
The temptation in parenting is that of being a sloth. To just quit. To stop doing the work that has to be done to raise these gifts of children God has given to us. Or, to get busy with other things and not with the work that has to be done to raise the blessings we call children. It’s my prayer that you’ll attend to the work that really matters. The work of parenting. The work of your walk with God. Don’t get distracted by other things. Don’t get fatigued. Keep it up.
Allen Black gives us part 2 in this study of the book of James. Believing that real faith is more than just belief and must result in action, the brother of Jesus wrote a guidebook for living the life of faith. He calls us away from our double-mindedness to a pure devotion that changes our lives and the lives of those around us. He encourages us to live as friends of God and not as friends of the world.
Is it good or bad to be mad? The New Testament says bad, but of course God and Jesus get angry. Jesus gets angry for the sake of a man experiencing injustice. We tend to get angry because of our ego, not injustice. Even when mad for compassionate reasons, we tend to remain inactive. If anger can ever be righteous, it should be rare, for the sake of another, and producing compassionate action.
Allen Black gives us part 1 in this study of the book of James. Believing that real faith is more than just belief and must result in action, the brother of Jesus wrote a guidebook for living the life of faith. He calls us away from our double-mindedness to a pure devotion that changes our lives and the lives of those around us. He encourages us to live as friends of God and not as friends of the world.
Bodies matter to God. And, before our resurrection, right now, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are where the Spirit has taken up residence. And these temples were purchased with a price. When Jesus died on the cross, he didn’t just purchase our souls. He also purchased our bodies. So what does the bible say about food? Jesus didn’t avoid food and drink. He enjoyed food and drink. He just didn’t obsess over them. He didn’t overindulge in them. But he did enjoy them.
"The Story We tell Ourselves" about ourselves can put us in a downward spiral of depression and anxiety. God has hard wired each of us with the ability to change the way we use our minds to create an upward spiral of peace, joy, and well-being. Len Shelby shares some "tools and strategies" on how to change the stories we tell ourselves that create the downward spiral of depression.....to stories that create an upward spiral of faith, hope and love.
Part 4 in this Wednesday Night Series. Most of us are ordinary. We know all too well that our lives, our marriages, and our families fall short of the ideal. The Bible gives us a candid picture of numerous examples of people, who like ourselves, also fall short of God’s ideal. Join us as we talk about some of these families, the God whom we serve, and his overwhelming grace.
Highland was host to nationally known speaker, Mark Gregston, from Heartlight Ministries in Hallsville, Texas. Mark spoke to our parents and grandparents at an afternoon conference from 3:00-6:00. In this session Mark explains a new model for parenting teens. Topics from this session include relating, asking questions, trusting, and fostering independence.
Highland was host to nationally known speaker, Mark Gregston, from Heartlight Ministries in Hallsville, Texas. Mark spoke to our parents and grandparents at an afternoon conference from 3:00-6:00. This session was on the topic why traditional parenting no longer works. Mark talks about parents who focus on perfection, authority, and judgement and how this is impacting our teens.
Highland was host to nationally known speaker, Mark Gregston, from Heartlight Ministries in Hallsville, Texas. Mark spoke to our parents and grandparents at an afternoon conference from 3:00-6:00. This session was all about the difference in today's teen culture. Mark talks about todays teens being over exposed, lacking real connections, gender confusion, and other topics that help parents know the culture our teens are living in.
Highland was host to nationally known speaker, Mark Gregston, from Heartlight Ministries in Hallsville, Texas. Mark spoke to our parents and grandparents during Sunday School from 10:00am to 11:00am. This is the audio from that class. Mark gives practical advice on raising teens in the current culture they are growing up in.
Greed is a disordered desire for stuff. It’s one of those deadly sins that were looking at in our series. We live in a culture so filled with wealth that it’s possible to say yes to all, at least for some. But doing so will lead us away from God. Because our hearts are not capable of double devotion. And doing so will lead to sorrow. Because greed can never be satisfied. In this podcast we will look at two ways to fight greed.
Part 3 in this Wednesday Night Series. Most of us are ordinary. We know all too well that our lives, our marriages, and our families fall short of the ideal. The Bible gives us a candid picture of numerous examples of people, who like ourselves, also fall short of God’s ideal. Join us as we talk about some of these families, the God whom we serve, and his overwhelming grace.
Pride and vainglory are rooted in all the good things people say about us--and all the things we do to ensure those good things get said and continue to be said, and all the ways we value and treasure those sayings over the sayings of God. Pride ultimately destroys us. Silence and solitude are the antidotes to vainglory.
Our culture is a dangerous place for marriages. As Christians living in a mostly secular world, we have to make extra efforts to protect our God- ordained life-time relationships from dangerous outside influences. Many very innocent actions and relationships can unintentionally do great harm to our marriages. Join us for Protecting Our Marriages where we will look at some important warnings and strategies to help.
Lists are helpful in defining persons we want to be like, including Christ. At the same time, corresponding lists describe the kind of people we don’t want to be. The Seven Deadly Sins are one such list. Envy stems from competitive pride and produces malice. Malice prevents us from loving like we should, which is terrible for the church. So we need to derive our identity, not from our stuff, but from the worth God gives us.
This week, we are hearing from Luke Guard & Jermaine Shorter, counselors who will team teach about those things that we don't address in life coming back to haunt us. Join us as we listen to those who deal with life issues. This class is for couples and any individuals wanting to grow in understanding.
Part 2 in this Wednesday Night Series. Most of us are ordinary. We know all too well that our lives, our marriages, and our families fall short of the ideal. The Bible gives us a candid picture of numerous examples of people, who like ourselves, also fall short of God’s ideal. Join us as we talk about some of these families, the God whom we serve, and his overwhelming grace.
We are called to a journey of deeper levels love. There are a lot of ways to think about that journey. The greatest part of our journey is coming to the point where we truly only understand ourselves as we relate to God, and that we only make sense when we are in union with God.
We are blessed to have several outstanding counselors who are excellent teachers. These counselors were asked to talk to us about something present in their practice that they are passionate about. Dr. Kevin Shelby is an Assistant Professor in the counseling program at Harding School of Theology and in this podcast speaks to married couples about intimacy.
Most of us are ordinary. We know all too well that our lives, our marriages, and our families fall short of the ideal. The Bible gives us a candid picture of numerous examples of people, who like ourselves, also fall short of God’s ideal. Join us as we talk about some of these families, the God whom we serve, and his overwhelming grace.
Some think the church is doomed, but not Jesus. Jesus is investing himself in the church, so that it can accomplish the purposes he gave to the church. While we at times prioritize other good things above the church (work, family), Jesus does not. His priority is the church. Can the same be said of us? Are we investing like Christ?
It’s intriguing to me that of all Luke could have included when he wrote his summary of the gospel, the story of Jesus, he included the story of these women. He left out a lot, no doubt. But he included the story of these women who ministered by giving. My hope is that somewhere in heaven there’s a book being written about us. And it’ll include the stories of us who minister by giving. Because that ministry makes a huge difference. The ministry of giving matters immensely.
This Wednesday Night class was led by Chris Altrock and his daughter Jordan. Chris shared eight ways God uses discomfort and pain to help us grow. From her recent month-long mission trip to Malawi, Jordan shared how adversity shaped the people she worked with and how it shaped her.
People are fascinated with heaven, though scripture does not tell us much about it. What we do find in Rev 21 is a guarantee that the sin, despair and suffering plaguing this earth will be no more in the new heaven and earth. This “ending” allows us to wait patiently—a virtue.
We are created to live gloriously. We are crowned with glory. Every one of us. And, at times, we live up to that potential. But the truth is that we usually don’t. We fall short. And nothing we do can make up for that. Nothing we do can absolve ourselves for that. But by faith, we can accept the free gift of Jesus. Like slaves, we’ve been freed. Like worshippers at the temple, our sin has been atoned for. Like defendants in a court case, we’ve been declared innocent. All because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
The power of the Spirit is why Jesus was who he was did what he did. The power of the Spirit is why the early church was who it was and did what it did. Think of those Christians whom you most admire. The power of the Spirit is why they are who they are and why they are capable of all they've done in their lives. If we desire to be like Jesus, like the early Christians, like those we admire the most, we must avail ourselves more and more of the power of the Holy Spirit.
You and I have received the greatest blessing from the one who died on that cross for us. It is all a gift. So don't waste that gift. I beg you do not waste the gift of God's forgiveness. But don't for a second believe that you can earn it. It is a gift. It is the gift. And it is finished.
God's in charge and his reign is expressed even more fully now through Jesus than ever before. And the invitation is to believe this good news. Believe this news that's hard to believe. Trust that once Jesus came, and died, and was raised from the dead, the rule and reign of God was unleashed in the world in a new way. Trust and believe that in Jesus and because of Jesus God's rule of justice and compassion and righteousness was marching toward an inevitable conclusion--the full and complete rule of God on earth.
God sends Jesus in this common and unassuming form so that we know we can go to him. If Jesus came as some larger than life fellow, this one who was overwhelmingly majestic and outrageously glorious, there's no way we'd ever turn to him for help. But as that tiny tree, that little root, that ignoble person, he's exactly the kind of person we unvarnished people can turn to. He's never once wandered off. But like us, there's nothing appealing about him. And I don't know about you, but I'm much more likely to turn to someone like him and admit my struggles and ask for help that I am to turn to someone who looks like the top one percent of humanity and admit my struggles and ask for help.
Jesus calls us to seek, to enter a quest for, the "kingdom of God." This is language of royalty, of kingship. When we decide to follow Jesus, we are following not just a helper, not just taking a walk with a friend. We are submitting to a king. And we are thus engaging on a journey of increasing submission to and obedience to this king and his reign or rule over our lives.
Christians see Jesus-"clues" in the Old Testament. The story of Exodus-deliverance and law-points to Jesus. But we tend to think law conflicts with freedom in Christ. It doesn't. God delivered Israel w/ a substitionary sacrifice, and instilled that pattern in the law. This pattern is what leads us to anticipate and appreciate the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus.
Paul says that this text in Gen. 12 is the first proclamation of the good news, the gospel. It was God saying that through Abraham and his descendents, and ultimately Jesus was one of those descendents, all nations or tribes or clans or families of the earth would receive the blessing of God. God would not privilege on nation or race or clan. The blessing would be given to every race, every nation, every clan and tribe and people on earth.
God's at work in our story so that we have the true freedom to choose. And this week, he's hoping we will choose wisely. He's hoping we won't choose to trying to hold on to everything and cling to everything and assume that it's all up to us and we have to live our life independent from his love and his resources and his presence. Instead, he's hoping we'll choose to let go. He's hoping we'll choose to trust. He's hoping we'll choose to fly.
The Quest class welcomes Highland Missionaries, Nathan and Karen Luther to the class. In this podcast we listen to Nathan and Karen talk about the mission field, spiritual gifts, how they became missionaries, and stories from their ministry.
Chris Shelby guest preaches at Highland about what we learn about the good news of Jesus through marriage.
The Bible can be hard to read. It can raise some questions. But what we want to show in this series is that it is the one story that makes sense of all our stories. Getting our story right is the key to getting our life right. And the Bible is the right story. It's not a collection of commands. It's a story--about God and about us. These 16 texts in the Bible can shape our lives in profound ways if we give them a chance. I hope you will.
Domestic violence is serious, and demands the attention of serious believers. God cares for, and is defending victims of domestic violence through Agape. When we support Agape in protecting women and children, we witness to the Gospel of Jesus’ love for his church.
Mordecai was the one who helped Esther navigate this secular culture. He was the one who helped her through the trauma of losing both parents. He was the one who aided her in dealing with the vulnerability that came with her beauty. Because of the way Mordecai took Esther in and brought her up, she had the chance to grow into the hero whom God needed in the rest of the story.Jerrell Hill was initially a preacher in Riverhead, NY. He and his wife Fern opened their home and hearts to dozens of foster children who were homeless and in need of temporary housing. These were young people who faced odds like Esther--cultural impiety, family instability, and personal vulnerability. Inspired by their son Timothy, they went on to found and build Timothy Hill which opened its doors for the first time on November 15, 1980. It has been a safe haven for hundreds of young people during desperate times of abuse, neglect, and crisis. Their ministry has "taken in" many who were just like Esther and allowed them to go on and take on their role in God's story. They have been the Mordecai in the lives of many Esthers.
We are powerless. Powerlessness is our entry-point into the Gospel. Once there, we realize that so much depends on the resurrection. If Jesus was resurrected there is a source of power not limited by our powerlessness and darkness. So we take comfort in the resurrection, assured that the Jesus can find us in our darkness, and raise us by his power.
The message of scripture, is that we need someone to liberate us. To break us out of this cosmos. So here's the deal: We not only a need a liberator, we need a liberator from outside this world who can actually break the lock. Someone who can call into being things that were not. We need someone who deals in new creation.
Jesus was victorious over God's enemies at the cross. How? No one ever thought crosses could be victorious. But because the Powers are entangling us in a death grip, Jesus died to disarm and triumph over them. Still, we don't readily acknowledge that we needed this. We only acknowledge it when our sin finally becomes unbearable.
We are reaching to explain what is difficult to fully explain. The love the Father has for us is beyond our grasp. Therefore, the injury caused to this relationship by our sins, our misdeeds, is hard for us to grasp as well. It is fatal. But God would rather die than live without us. So he allowed his son, himself, to take that death for us. And in that once for all sacrifice, everything we’ve ever done or will ever do to bruise or scar or rip or tear at our relationship with God has been addressed. We are clean. We are perfect. Our relationship with God is repaired. There’s absolutely nothing we can do but say “Thank you” and work with Jesus and the Spirit in the ongoing process of becoming who the cross has made us.
Look to the cross. Survey the one upon it. And one of the things you’ll find yourself doing as a result is pouring contempt on your pride. No longer wanting to put self first. No longer being arrogant. But inspired now to put others and God first. Even if it costs your all.
Are we willing to subtract anything making it hard for others to come in, leaving only faith and grace?
Your one act of warmth and welcome can be the spark that sets this whole church aflame. When you demonstrate love and warmth, just you, God can take that and multiply it. He can turn this whole church on fire through you. He can turn your whole neighborhood on fire through you. He can warm up your whole workplace through you. He can can warm up your whole school through you.
Saul probably would not have fit in at Highland. He is a crazy sinner. But one quickly realizes, like Ananias and Barnabas, that being a sinner makes Saul just like the rest of us. They welcome him. Similarly, we should be wary of our pride, and welcome others with the same willingness.
We are surrounded by hurting people in need of healing, even here each Sunday. We can be a warmer church by listening for the Spirit who will nudge us in the right direction. The Spirit can guide us to specific people each Sunday to help and heal.
What Jesus and the early church did was heal. And especially today, healing takes time. Real healing takes time. It’s slow and it’s messy. And it means investing in the lives of people. Week after week. But the greater our healing, the greater our heating, and the more we’ll see people drawn to the One in our midst who alone offers the real healing in life.
What we say matters. God gives language as the first spiritual gift at Pentecost, enabling the early church to speak the language of guests. Those guests hear the Gospel and are converted. We need to strive to speak the language of our guests.
The beginning of a New Year is often a time when we are thinking about new things and old things. We are considering regrets from the old year and hopes for the New Year. In terms of prayer, we are often asking for forgiveness for failures related to the past year. And we are asking for help with goals for the New Year. As part of our prayer service this morning, rather than a traditional sermon, I want to lead us through a prayerful reflection on Isaiah 43.
What does it mean to cultivate a relationship with God, especially from a Christian perspective? What does it mean to pursue a relationship with this God for whom we long? Christians often provide different and contradictory answers to that question. I want to use three triangles to answer this question. These three triangles can help us keep some of the most important elements of the Christian spiritual life in balance. And, at the end of this year, and near the beginning of a New Year, these three triangle provide a way of evaluating our life with God.
Christmas can be a real mess. But here’s the truth: Jesus is with us in that mess. Jesus is with us in that disarray. The God who entered life in a manger still enters our lives in their messiest. When we find ourselves in the wilderness, he overshadows us.
The good news of the Magnificat still rings true. God still looks upon women like Mary. Some may coldly pay women no attention. Others may cruelly pay women the wrong attention. But the good news of the Magnificat is that there is a God who always pays women the right attention.
What is Salvation? While on one hand salvation happens in a moment, the Bible also understands salvation as a pathway marked by signposts that correspond to the very character of God—faithfulness, righteousness, peace, and love. The right question to ask is not: can I lose my salvation? The right question is: am I walking in the way of God’s salvation?
That first Advent reminds us of this truth. It was so ordinary--that first grace. God born in a simple and ordinary manger. And God continues to show up in the most ordinary things. But we’re so busy we don’t see it. Take time this week to notice God in the manger. Take time to notice God in the ordinary.
We have stories that define our lives. Israel’s story is the Exodus Story (Christian’s story is the Jesus story). But trauma rewrites our stories. Yet while we await the final revision of the story—on par with the original defining stories of God—we have a father who is healing us.
Hope is the belief that God is directing the course of our lives and our world. It’s the stubborn belief that life isn’t falling apart but is divinely moving in a good trajectory. Hope is rooted in a conviction that God is guiding us and our world toward a satisfying end. This is the course God is charting for every human and all of creation. Our hope is that, in spite of all the violence and all the evil, there is a God who is working toward the restoration of all things so that life and creation are as they were intended to be.
Missionaries like Joe Cannon have always had the fire burning. But how do you pass on that fire after the missionary is gone. Start churches that mature believers, raising them up to spread the fire.
What happens after we’ve been forgiven? Jesus says it’s intended to foster a life of love, especially toward those in need.
This is perhaps the greatest service we can provide our country in the midst of so many difficult cultural issues. What if the church became the place known for hurrying up and listening? Not hurrying up and posting. Not hurrying up and defending. Not hurrying up and making a point. But simply hurrying up and listening.
We don’t have control, but we want it. Our many responses to the NFL protests prove this. But control is a temptation from Satan. It is bad for marriages. Its not the way the church changed the world. It is a spiritual danger. So, turn over control to the Father.
The book of Esther teaches that God’s normal approach to our affliction is not to spectacularly still the storm or finish off the foe. God’s routine approach to our tribulation is instead to humbly send average folks into the fray to make a difference in their own simple yet significant way.
Imagine Highland as a church where every guest is so warmly welcomed they fall in love with us and Jesus. Jon Reed from Los Angeles is here today to make that vision a reality and to reveal your part. Using his experience leading the Hilltop Community Church of Christ, a thriving evangelistic congregation, Jon equips churches across the country in guest relations.
When it comes to Sharing Jesus, the focus of this current series, in the past we’ve tended to focus primarily on declaring and defending. We’ve tried to come up with the best way to summarize the gospel so that we can declare it to others. And we’ve tried to explore all the objections and questions people have regarding Christianity and then have tried to memorize the right answers to those questions. And those two approaches can still be very helpful. But one simple approach that we may have overlooked is the approach of Jesus. The very basic approach of just asking good questions.
Imagine what God might do if we followed Paul’s simple example. If we got down on our knees and started praying these four words for our friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and classmates: Open, Inspire, Incite, Save.
In our society, sex has been distorted in a number of ways. With this distortion, the church has remained relatively silent on the topic often taking the position that simply saving oneself for marriage is the primary task of a Christian. We want to offer a perspective of intimacy and oneness that moves beyond the distorted lens of society and the silence of the church. Join us for part four in this four week series.
What are we doing here? Hard to get to church. What are we doing here? World is crazy and Satan is on the loose. Highlanders are serving in so many ways. Like the believers in Rome did. Paul believed God was destroying Satan by the simple lives of service those Roman believers led. God is destroying Satan through us in the same way.
In our society, sex has been distorted in a number of ways. With this distortion, the church has remained relatively silent on the topic often taking the position that simply saving oneself for marriage is the primary task of a Christian. We want to offer a perspective of intimacy and oneness that moves beyond the distorted lens of society and the silence of the church. In this week's class, Dr. Shelby focuses on the current way our society views sex and sexuality and how that affects us.
We come together as a diverse group of people. We come with different experiences and different opinions. But one thing we share in common. One thing binds us together. This amazing gospel. This good news. This experience of being saved, of being recipients of outrageous divine kindness and generosity. And so we welcome one another. We receive another as guests. Because that’s what we all are. We are all guests of the gracious hospitality of our Father. And despite our differences with one voice we glorify God.
In our society, sex has been distorted in a number of ways. With this distortion, the church has remained relatively silent on the topic often taking the position that simply saving oneself for marriage is the primary task of a Christian. We want to o er a perspective of intimacy and oneness that moves beyond the distorted lens of society and the silence of the church. Join us for part 2 in this four week series where we will look at the history of sex and how the church responds.
Our guest speaker Randy Harris, from Abilene Christian, speaks about baptism out of 1st Peter 3:21.
In our society, sex has been distorted in a number of ways. With this distortion, the church has remained relatively silent on the topic often taking the position that simply saving oneself for marriage is the primary task of a Christian. We want to o er a perspective of intimacy and oneness that moves beyond the distorted lens of society and the silence of the church. Join us for part 1 in this four week series where we will look at the history of sex in ancient cultures.
The future of Israel is unclear. But in summary, Paul says that Israel is still in exile and Jesus is their way home. More importantly, Paul cares deeply for the souls of his fellow Jews. Do we care for those who may be unsaved? Most of the world is attempting to establish its own righteousness and ignore Gods. If we cared for their souls, we would attempt to show them the way that Jesus is the way.
For many of us, the spiritual life is all about rules and commands. If we can just get the right rules down, we’ll finally overcome sin. If we can just try hard enough, we’ll finally overcome sin. But what Paul’s pointing to here is something radically different. If we accept his reality, then what matters most is learning to do life with the Holy Spirit. We live most fully when we learn to do life with the Holy Spirit.
Adversity in the present is easier to endure when we know there is a better future ahead, a future without pain and suffering. When we are able to live with one eye to that future, adversity in the present can lead to maturity.
Romans is about favoritism, or the lack of it. Those of us who feel like God will mistreat or forget us because of who we are or what we’ve done, those we feel God should forget or mistreat because of who they are or what they’ve done, end up receiving the greatest award of all--salvation and the righteousness of God.
Sometimes someone saves us from ourself. David is frustrated and so starts bullying Nabal. Nabal responds foolishly, and David seeks a vengeance that will actually damage his future. Abigail prevents him from taking it. Sometimes we need someone to save us from ourselves. Which is exactly what Christ does.
We need wilderness, we need what it represents. Because these are the places where God’s people have encountered him in fresh ways. Where they’ve been reoriented.
The reality is that we all need help. We all need someone to push us, to pull us. We’re all walking a way that has terrain that is easy at times, but, more often than not, is mountainous and muddy. We’re David’s in need of a Jonathan. We need soul companions.
God knows our heart. He sees what no one else seems to see. He sees all that wonderful stuff that make us who we really all. All those emotions, those thoughts, those intentions, those personality traits of ours. He sees our heart. God sees us for who we really are. And he loves us for it. All of it.
Give God thanks this week for everything you do. Take joy in knowing that your skills, your physical energy, your intellect come from him. He’s the one who’s enabled you to perform well. Give him glory and credit even when it feels like it’s all up to you. Because the truth is that even then it was really all up to God.
Here’s the basic truth we learn from Samuel: When God acts in our lives, we need to set an Ebenezer, we need to record the act in a way that allows us to remember it. For some, this means writing it down in a journal. For some, it means taking a picture that symbolizes what happened. For some, it means posting about it on social media. For some, it means making something--a painting, pottery, or writing poetry. The important thing is to find a way to record God’s act in a way that allows you to go back and remember it. Why? Because we so often forget.
Hannah is broken-hearted and turns to God. Though her approach to prayer may trouble us, at least she is still praying. Though her heart is broken, her heart still leads her back to God. This is the trait all of Israel is lacking in a few chapters when they ask for a king. 1 Samuel is about returning to God when things don’t seem to be working, not looking elsewhere.
Many of us may find great help in fixed-hour prayer--stopping our work, our busyness, our routine at set times and taking a few moments to reconnect with God, using our own words, or the words of others in the psalms or other prayers. Try it this week. Choose a few fixed hours as part of your effort to enjoy Paul’s invitation in 1 Thess. 5:17 to pray without ceasing.
Prayer and rich spiritual conversation with God doesn’t just have to be limited to the major milestones of our lives. It can be experienced in the common minutes of our lives: every time we check our email, each time we eat leftovers, anytime we lose our keys, and a host of other recurring ordinary minutes in our lives. These repeating events trigger moments of prayer and reflection.
This week, practice the presence of God. That is, keep a running conversation with God. Talk to God about everything you're doing every day all day this week. Thank him as good things happen. Lament as bad things happen. Pray for each person you interact with or are around. You’re capable of engaging with God for longer than a goldfish. And God is longing for it. Practice the presence of God. Pray without ceasing.
This work we are doing together with the Lord and for the Lord, this battle in which we are engaged in against the devil and his forces of darkness, is one in which prayer plays the central role from from beginning to middle to end. There is nothing we conceive, there is nothing we continue and there is nothing we conclude without prayer. We conceive everything in prayer. We continue everything in prayer. And we conclude everything in prayer. We pray without interruption. Without distraction. We are called to live in unceasing prayer.
The Gospel involves Jesus destruction of walls that prevent the fullest human potential. Christians have sought to live out the gospel by providing education. Education helps treat the scarcity condition, allowing the gospel to thrive. Education is also clearly connected to human potential. Giving to the outreach contribution is a way to enact the gospel by helping Memphis students reach their full potential.
Chris Altrock and Ron Wade discuss the difference Hopeworks is making in the community and why giving to ministries like Hopeworks is an act of worship.
This is what Jesus has come back from the dead to offer us. A different way of being. Not a career. Not a skill set. But a certain way of be that we carry with us into any job or any role or any place. A way of be that enables us to be salt and light in a dark and hurting world. And the promise that we will never be alone as we live out that way of being. Because not even death can keep Jesus walking with us for the rest of our lives.
Crowds are unpredictable. The crowd following Jesus, with a little time passed and a changed circumstance, turns on Jesus. Likely, the fearfulness of the city has caused some from the crowd to turn. So, the crowd turns on Jesus, and the city rejects him in fear. Is there a third option? Are you open to the coming King?
Jesus is born king. He is a king who suffers with us. He is a king who suffers for us. Have you named him as your king?
Jesus shows us how pray in our toughest moments through the way he prayed at Gethsemane. Be dependent on a soul mate or two. Be transparent with God about how you feel and what you need or want. Be indifferent to those wants and needs and surrender everything over to God. And be a person of act. Act with confidence based on what you’ve experienced with God in prayer.
But here is the truth of the gospel--no matter who you are, no matter how lowly you may feel, no matter how insignificant the culture around you may label you, if you are a follower of Christ, no matter how plain, you are his presence on earth. You are the presence of the King on this earth.
Distraction is dangerous. Distraction causes other sins/symptoms. Jesus prescribes that we clean our inner cup. This requires self examination. Self-examination is only possible through suffering or silence. Here are 2 opportunities for silence.
The recipe for a “good faith” that allows us to impact our culture begins with one key ingredient: “how well we love.” It’s our capacity for love, not our doctrine, our dogma, our orthodoxy or our morality, that will be the gateway into this culture. Not that those other things are unimportant. But they hang on this one thing--how well we love. It’s Highland’s ability to practice these two commands that will enable us to thrive in a hostile culture.
There are places and people in your life that hear on a very regular basis how they’re not what or how they’re supposed to be. Doesn’t that just kind of seem like the rhetoric we hear most of the time? But what if we had eyes like Jesus… to see what could be? What if instead of being just another voice that points out what’s wrong, or unfinished, or incomplete, we tried to develop eyes that were able to see what might be, what could be?
A grieving father, sick woman, blind men, and possessed man all approach Jesus wondering if he cares. He does. He then looks out on the many still suffering and sinful, and is moved, viewing them as a harvest. However, in classic transitory language, he views them as sheep without a shepherd—implying that we, along with his disciples, take up the task of shepherding like he has (i.e. caring).
In a world filled with wounded people, people like me and you, a religion centered mostly on what we believe about God mostly magnifies that misery. It devolves into judgmentalism. It creates shame and guilt. It builds pride and power. It leads to comparison and critique. It can create a toxic environment that only worsens the pain that people already feel before they ever think of coming to Christ or drawing near to the church. But a faith centered on what God believes about us hastens healing.
This is the message that some people get from some churches. You’re dirty. You’re unclean. You’re not welcome here--until you get cleaned up. Jesus challenges that message and that methodology. He challenges us to welcome, to embrace people who might be considered unclean, dirty, or stained in some way. Even if in so doing we might be judged to become unclean ourselves.
When we truly build our lives on the words and the way of Jesus, especially as outlined in his Sermon on the Mount, we find something that no one will want to miss out on. We find the capacity to be calm, to be still, to rest, even in the worst of storms.
Jesus is trying to prevent the way that so many of us rob ourselves of the ability to experience the beauty of today by spending it worrying about tomorrow. Jesus wants us to be freed from this. He wants us to see how beautiful Today is. He wants us to see all the abundant provisions of our father and the opportunities to engage in her father's purposes.
We are shaped by what we pray. If we hope to live the Sermon on the Mount, these are the words we must pray.“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
God’s word acts as a mirror, exposing the spiritual spots and splotches that require renovation. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus holds up a mirror regarding our rage, revenge, and relationships; about keeping our word and keeping our commitments. Resolve to look, be, listen, and do.
The Beatitudes describe the way things are—i.e. people who suffer are blessed by God. This doesn’t make much sense to us. But this is true of Jesus, and so is true of those who are like him. We can face suffering knowing that we are blessed by God.
This is the invitation of Matthew on this Christmas morning. Even if you have dreaded him or disregarded him in the past. He invites us to come to Jesus with great joy. To delight in him. To celebrate him. To find in Jesus our heart’s true desire.
Jesus deserved to be born into luxury. But he chose to be born as a victim, as a refugee and as nobody. Why? To show us that God majors in the margins.
Genograms explain why someone is the way they are. Lets examine Jesus’ genogram to understand him better. In many characters we see traits that Jesus inherits or rejects. Knowing him better makes us long for his return. This is the point of Christmas.
That is the message of Jesus. That is the gift of Christmas. God is with us. He is with us always, to the end of the age. The idea of God’s presence begins and ends Matthew’s gospel. God, it turns out, is the one, the only one, who is fully present with us throughout our lives.
We have lots of voices telling us what to do. Jim Martin tells us about the one voice that matters.
The church in Antioch was a church of prayer. We are surrounding Hunter in prayer and we ask you to do the same. We are excited about what God may do through Hunter.
How do you defeat those who prey on vulnerable children? We tend to think offense will win. But God chooses defense. By defending the orphan, God is destroying evil. When we defend the orphan, we join God in his campaign against evil.
We’ve been brought into a new story, one driven by Christ’s love. This love compels us--we are wrapped up in the story and begin to see and feel what God sees and feels; it controls us--it causes us to do things we wouldn’t otherwise do; and it commissions us--we become ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation, “God making his appeal through us.” Since we’ve been given a new story, we’re in the business of helping others write new stories. That’s why we partner; that’s why we give.
Ego may destroy the world. Humility may save it. Because humility is what we see in Jesus Christ.
We want to be a church that deals with doubt. Even in the midst of darkness, and struggle, and hopelessness; even with your questions, your doubts, your concerns. We won’t darken our doors, we won’t batten down the hatches; no matter how long the night might last, no matter what hour of night you might come--”We’ll leave the light on for you.”
And every day miracles take place in the workplace. Big ones like those in Esther where Mordecai worked. And little ones as well. From the janitor who cleans toilets at the rec center, to the cashier at Kroger, to the accountant, to the teacher, to the lawyer, and everyone in between, miracles happen every day in the workplace. The office, the classroom, the cubicle, the driver’s seat become holy places where God does some of his best work in us and through us. Home and church are not the only place where God is at work. Your work is as well.
Groups shame those who question their concensus beliefs. Like Nicodemus. Nicodemus ultimately overcomes his group’s shame-based pressure in order to follow Jesus. He shows us that conversion is a life-long process of, in part, distancing ourselves from group loyalties that impede our ability to follow Jesus.
Some treat human life as valuable when it contributes to a valuable goal and vile when it can’t.The Father loves us for our intrinsic worth not our instrumental worth, and he calls us to be a community that does the same.
Fearlessness creates a context of conversion. Paul calls us to fearlessness for that reason. Though fear is a real thing, we can refuse to let it determine our responses to the world. When we do, we might save people.
Guest speaker Scott Sager joined us for our Go 901 series to talk about what the church should look like to our community. Listen as he explains the way Paul's missionary journey in Acts should shape the way we live today.
As Christians who are committed to growing in our cross-shaped living, we must be able to demonstrate, to prove that we are lovers of people in unexpected ways. That’s what we signed up for when we were baptized. The cross especially challenges us to love a group of people who we often rarely love in unexpected ways: our neighbors.
We long for heaven. We long for heaven because we don’t experience it on earth, and are disappointed by earth. But Revelation reminds us that we really long for heaven because we do experience it on earth, and participate in brining it to earth.
Again and again John calls for endurance. For us to keep serving. Keep working. Keep praying. This becomes possible because we know that in spite of the fact that so often it feels that this work will never be done, one day it will. One day we will hear the words from heaven, “It is done.”
There are monsters vying for our worship and adoration, idols that would distract us from the One True God. When you feel the oppression of the beasts, remember that it’s not enough to choose against them--you have to actively choose to follow the Lamb.
As we come to Revelation 12, we come to a story which is, in some ways, a summary of the book of Revelation. It stands at the heart of the book and is intended to help us see more than what we may have seen before. Most of us have been living our lives out on a sheltered island. It’s time to board the boat for the mainland. It’s time to open our eyes. Because there’s a lot more to life than we’ve realized. There are forces and events at work that we’ve not seen in our lives. And it’s time to open our eyes.
In Revelation, we get to see the end of the story before the story finishes. It’s a hopeful ending. It’s a joyful ending. People of every color, from every nation, from all backgrounds, standing before the throne of God. How is this unity in diversity possible? It’s possible because of a common cleansing and because of a common cause.
Elders have many important roles. They provide spiritual leadership in a church. They can give wise counsel. They can teach and even do administration. But one of their most important roles is to come to us when we are sick, when we are weak, and to pray over us, to walk with us, to help us know that we are not in this alone, and to regain a sense of God’s presence with us and passion for us.
Singing is not just something we do at a worship service. It’s not just something we do in the shower or in the car. Singing is a revolutionary act. It’s an act of resistance against all other powers. All other thrones. It’s how we stay centered upon the one and only throne in heaven. It’s how we keep the right orientation to that throne. It’s how we stay centered upon that throne. And it’s how we assert our dissent and our protest against all other thrones.
The audacious claim of Revelation is that these little communities of peaceful defiance to the violence all around them are going to overcome the world. The losers win.
The book of Esther seems to have been written for the struggle of dienchanment. It seems designed to help us know how to live with God when God seems so distant and disengaged. It seems to exist to equip us to nurture a relationship with God in the midst of experiences that often make us feel that God’s not even close enough for a relationship.
Esther is the story of a woman who refused to be known by only one name. It is the story of a woman who refused to stand by while others needed her support. It is the story of one who embraced another name and thus embraced a people as her own people. What other name might God be calling you to wear this week?
Every time we find ourselves on a path that feels dark, that seems painful, that looks like it’s just going to end with us feeling unhappy, we need to return to these feasts and reversals in Esther. They remind us that no matter what path we are on God's charting another path. And if we’ll trust him, if we’ll put our faith in reverse, we’ll find our path ending in gladness.
We all like to be honored. Which makes it surprising when someone chooses not to be. Haman wants honor and power. Mordecai seems foolish for not seeking the same things. But downward mobility turns out well for Mordecai. Personal power is better than positional. Personal power comes, ironically, to those who are unambitious.
The book of Esther is the story of how unspeakable evil almost flowed into the lives of an entire race because of money. The rest of Scripture is the story of how unspeakable good can also flow into the lives of the human race also because of money.
Once we know God is intimately involved in the world, we are called to become intimately involved as well--no matter the cost. Esther realizes that because this God, who once seemed so hidden, is truly engaged in the world, she must also engage in the world. Even if it costs her life.
Esther’s been carried away, carried away, carried away. And what does she do as her first act as Queen? What’s her first step after gaining the upper hand over the one man responsible for the darkest time in her life? She saves his life! She doesn’t sit on the information. She tells the king. The assassins are stopped. And the king lives.
God usually works through the normal and ordinary course of human life for me. God’s movement in my life is more often invisible and inscrutable than bold and amazing. And sometimes I’m tempted to think there’s something wrong with that. But when I read a book like Esther I’m reminded there’s something very normal about that.
One of the greatest signs of spiritual maturity is the growth from a concern for one to a concern for the world. As individuals we strive to continue to grow in this area. As a church we strive to grow in this area. That’s why we’ve engaged in missions in places like the Philippines, Ukraine and Papua New Guinea--because we’re called to care for the world. That’s what it means to be spiritually mature. That’s why China matters. That’s why the 30 ministries funded through our biannual Outreach Contribution matter.
The way to honor God well is to take care of the vulnerable people God is listening closely too. If their abusers operate by violence and greed, we do the opposite—nonviolent generosity. If women and children face instability and homelessness we give them the opposite—a stable home.
The Holy Spirit has an amazing mission. His mission is to correct the world’s worst problem: people who do not believe in Jesus. This is the Spirit’s Mission--to lead people to believe in Jesus so they can experience that vindicated way and victory over evil. It’s a mission he’s engaged in everywhere we turn. All over the world.
In the end, Jesus simply wants us to know that no matter how difficult things get between us and our larger culture, we’ve still got the same job: witness. Whether we are in the minority or the majority. Whether we have a seat at the table of power or no seat at all at any table. Whether our voice is loud and respected by all or our voice is quiet and heard by none. Our calling is still the same: witness. Put in a good word for Jesus.
There are things being communicated today, perhaps even right now, by the Holy Spirit which are available to any follower of Jesus. But we have to develop an ability to discern what the Holy Spirit is communicating. We have to become sensitive enough to hear the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has something to say every day. The Holy Spirit is teaching and declaring every day. But we often miss out on it because we have not developed the skill, the sensitivity, needed to hear what he’s saying.
Humans are afraid of being alone. Jesus experienced this fear, and so promises us that we wont ever be alone again—i.e. the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was an unpredictable but essential life-force in the Old Testament. Jesus is the giver of the Holy Spirit now. So, we can have life and comfort—without fear of loneliness—because of Holy Spirit.
They say God is a silly delusion. Religion is for the childish. That the church is irrelevant. The resurrection could not possibly have happened. Well so they say. But we know the tomb is empty.
Time and time again the enemies of Jesus try to stop the people from coming to Jesus and they fail. Eventually, they literally say, “It’s no good; we’re gaining nothing; the whole world is coming to Jesus.” And once Jesus gets lifted on that cross, how much more true will that be. Once Jesus gets lifted on that cross nothing will stop all people from coming. Because no one’s ever seen such power. No one’s ever seen such pardon. No one’s ever seen such passion as we see in the cross of Jesus.
When we are still. When we are idle. When we stop. This God who has always been present becomes more noticeable to us. We see his work. We hear his voice. And you will know, perhaps in a way you’ve never known before, that he is God.
Most of us follow Jesus in helping others as a hobby (when we have free-time). Jesus offers us the gift of Sabbath to become better helpers of others. Sabbath is work-stoppage, but not help-stoppage. So practice Sabbath, and have the time to help others. Its your job, not your hobby.
The only person in life whom you need to please is God. And so the only work you need to do is the work he’s called you to do. Do your own work with your own hands--say “yes” to the work God’s asked you to do, and “no” to the rest, and you’ll have that quiet life.
If we’ll walk through every day letting Jesus set the pace, living at the speed of Jesus, we’ll discover rest. Rested is the result of being leashed to Jesus. Not just physical rest. But rest that reaches all the way down to our souls. And in so doing, while the the world rushes around us, we will finally be normal.
Everyone is busy and tired. Like Israel in Egypt. But God liberated them from that system of scarcity and more. We suffer under scarcity. Scarcity uses shame to keep us enslaved. Like it did Pharoah. But God liberated us from scarcity and shame, so we should try Sabbath as a way to resist them
Guest speaker John Mark Hicks, from Lipscomb University, gives us a lesson on suffering out of John 11.
We are often blinded by the darkness. God does shine in the darkness. But it usually takes time to see in the darkness.
We’re here to help people thrive in Jesus Christ. And we face enormous challenges to that - challenges that seem to dwarf our resources. But the truth is that every time we show up, every time we bring what we have, whatever it is, to every table, whatever that table is, Jesus can do a lot with it. So this week, bring it.
Jesus invites us to come and live where this sick man was living. Jesus invites us to come and live in Bethesda, the house of mercy. Because this house is a wondrous house. It’s a place where the unexpected becomes expected. It’s a place where God’s mercy gets worked into people’s lives in wondrous ways. Jesus wants to replace our weariness with wonder by inviting us to live in the house of mercy
If the Christian life is about resistance to the powers that be. What John reminds us of—is that sometimes the thing we most need to resist is ourselves. That unlike what the world tells us—where self-realization, self-fulfillment, self-expression are the most important things—The Christian must learn to resist the self.
It’s not enough to just be alive. We need meaning. We need purpose. We need perspective. We crave to understand the bigger picture and the reason for our life. We crave to thrive.
Newness can feel good. God promised newness a long time ago. Not everyone probably believed him. The past leaves scars on each of us. But God consistently makes things new, and can make our lives new this year.
Jesus chose to enter into our lives in the most drastic and radical way. That’s what made him such good news. And when the church does the same, we become good news as well.
Jesus was like us in every respect. Every respect. Cut him, he bleeds. Punch him, he bruises. Give him a virus, he gets a cold. He got tired. He knew hunger and thirst. And his young infant and childhood body and mind was just as susceptible to pain and suffering as yours, to discomfort and disease as yours. He may not have faced death. But the fact that so many children then and now do die indicates just how tough, physically and emotionally, it is to be born and to be a child. And Jesus would have experienced those hazards deeply. Yet Jesus chose that path to draw near to us.
Rocks are created to silently sit. You are created to enthusiastically exult. Rocks inspire us to remember that we each come fully equipped with all the bells and whistles needed for one thing: living lives of abundant joy.
Herod is a power that resists the Jesus way. Powers like this only have power because we give it to them. Jesus names the powers (Fox) and resists compassionately. Following in the narrow Jesus way requires not only the boldness to name the powers, but the courage to resist them compassionately.
This story is calling us to turn back. To realize that this thing called faith is not just about getting a little relief from Jesus. It’s ultimately about falling on our face before Jesus. What are you doing to turn back? What are you doing to treat Jesus more than just a dispenser of mercy? How are you falling at his feet?
Moses wants to know God’s name. Lame man healed by the name. There is power in the name. Power for mischief occasionally. But typically the holy power of God’s transformation. Like when Israel was in Babylon and God restored them for his name. The name of God in the world is important. Jews wont say it. Jesus tells us to pray for it. Isaiah is beset when he encounters God’s holy name, and is only ready to go afterwards. Like Brandon. Like us—baptized into the name. We all are live for the sake of the name, but some have to go. We are to help them go. Because the name is enough.
The way for the church to become good news in a world that views it as bad news is for us to share and show the one gospel through many gospels. We’ve succeeded fairly well in sharing and showing a gospel to middle-class Americans. But there are other gospels required. There are others who need to know and be shown that God doesn’t take their face into account either. There are others who need to be welcomed to our table.
The wonderful thing about our God is that he is working to resolve the toughest social issues of our time. He never has to sleep. He never needs a vacation. He never runs out of energy or resources. Day after day, month after month, year after year God is working on behalf of those suffering from the challenges raised in this psalm. This message will focus on what God is doing in the lives of orphans through this church.
The issue Jesus raises in our text is one of generosity or charity. He calls us to have a generous or charitable outlook towards money. The same can be said of our phones. In this sermon Chris talks about how we are using our smartphones and how we as Christians should use and attitude of discernment when we use them.
What is grace? Grace is being given more than we deserve. If we don’t think we need grace, we wont be gracious. Incarcerated individuals really push the limits of our graciousness. We label them as people who have said “no” to God (meaning we are people who have said “Yes”—which is problematic, as stated). Grace is seeing all people—even those in prison—as people who might say yes—not as people who have said no.
God calls us to be unjust. We’ve been called to do injustice. To make sure people are given more than they are due. To give them what they don’t have a right to. That's what God does for us and we should be generous and loving towards others in the same way.
I am the descendent of a refugee. Israel was descendent of refugees, but was always in danger of forgetting that. God reminded them to love refugees as he loves refugees because they were once refugees. But we still tend to forget. Based on what God says in our passage today: indignation without memory will not produce love for these strangers. Anger without an awareness of who we are as Christians will not move towards acts of compassion for refugees in fear for their lives.
We tend to overvalue the God of the mustard tree and undervalue the God of the mustard seed. But God uses seeds. God has great big things he wants to do. Why, he wants to bring heaven down to earth! But he always starts with seeds.
More and more people are asking if faith has any connection to what they might call "real life." Or is faith mostly about what people do one day a week in a building with people just like them? Jesus takes up this issue in a parable in Luke 10.
The question we’ve been asking in this series is “how?” How can we experience that presence? How can we see that beautiful glory more and more? We’ve looked at how we connect with that beautiful presence in created places (nature), in sacred spaces (human-made places and objects) and even in the difficult moments of life. This morning we complete this series by looking at one more avenue through which God discloses his presence and beauty: people.
In Psalm 23, David indicates that darkness is not a sign of God’s disappearance. In fact, he points to three ways in which he experienced God's presence even in the darkness. When darkness falls, we can experience God's presence through his connection, protection, and direction. Let's explore all three.
Guest speaker Stan Granberg delivers a message about sharing Jesus with others in our present situation. He wonders what would happen if we do that.
One way for you to enjoy the presence of God all day, every day is to find and create sacred places where you can behold the power and glory of God, where your God-given senses can be engaged, and where you can be drawn over and over to this God for whom your soul thirst.
We can discover peace in wild places. These are known as thin places—places in God’s creation where God reveals himself more fully. This revelation takes the form of a voice, a piece of a God’s more full revelation (that includes scripture). We can know more about God if we spend time appreciating creation and listening to this voice.
Despite what we may have experienced in the past, it is possible to connect with God’s presence anytime and anywhere. God’s presence is not limited to one spot or one hour. It is there continually. God’s presence is available to us anytime, anywhere. And that means this joy David speaks of in Ps. 16 is available anytime, anywhere.
Early Christians did not expect human institutions to create a Christian world, or enforce Christian values. They knew they were aliens and strangers in this world. And as aliens their job was to trust in the Lord with unfailing hope, be obedient to his will, and pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10 NIV)
During the Maccabean Revolt, Jews told the story of Daniel—who was faced with the exile of his people and chose only to pray in response. This seems like a passive response—that will make no significant difference. But his prayer motivates God to send an angel who wrestles with other powers to accomplish God’s will and free Israel. All Daniel had to do was ask. So, prayer is perhaps the most important task for those who want to “make a difference”
Every command in the Bible ties back to these two. Every expectation communicated in Scripture goes back to these two. Every line on every page in every letter in the Bible goes back to these two. Once you accept and embrace the one sacrifice of Jesus, life becomes simple. Because there are only two things that become central in our lives: praising continuously and giving charitably.
All of us, at one time or another, fall victim to thinking the challenges we face as followers of Jesus are brand new and unique. That as long as people have tried to be weird like this, no one has ever come across what I’m wrestling with right now. And we might search the scriptures, like we should, and still come up with no good answer for what to do. And so let me remind you to “Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb 13:7-8)
As a person, you have been called to live and die outside the camp. You’ve been called to be willing to leave your comfort zone and to extend care and compassion to those who may be distant or different from you. Where is “outside the camp” for you?
Some churches have the courage to say, “What matters here is Jesus. Not our favorite way of doing things. And we’ll put aside any preference of ours if it will help someone center on Jesus.” Those are the churches that have the strength to reach people today.
More and more people today, when you ask them about church, say “Well…” They are likely to love Jesus but not the church. Yet what John sees in the Bible’s last book is a compelling case for the church. Many are tempted to dismiss the value of church, but the church is where the world encounters Jesus and where Jesus enlightens the world.
Friday Afternoon Panel Discussion with the Formerly Incarcerated and Volunteers- With Vernon Perry, Pat Tia Holmes, Clarence Montgomery, Bob and Gwen Coker, and Carolyn Harris
Patricia Bridges and Natasha Morgan- From Prison to Home: What is involved in a Re-Entry plan?
Jennifer Jackson- Cognitive Behavioral Programming for Female Offenders in Prison and the Community
Brandon Gunn- Working with Children of the Incarcerated- The recording of this session was accidentally cut short. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Greg Jasper- The Effects of Incarceration on Children: Trauma, Toxic Stree, and Protections
Thursday Evening Keynote- National Jail and Prison Ministry Workshop- Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell
Jail and Prison Workshop- Everett Huffard- Pluralism- Navigating the Religious Waters to Christ by Highland Church Podcast
William Wall- Corrections and the Chaplaincy: Connection, Collaborations, And Compliance
Memphis Mayor, A.C. Wharton, provided the welcome to the 42nd Annual National Jail and Prison Ministry Workshop held at the Highland Church of Christ June 10-12 in Memphis, TN.
Even to the very end, God holds out for the world. Even to the very end, God gives the world one more chance to see and to believe. God pours out grace and mercy and forgiveness all the way to the very end. Just hoping that when people see Jesus in the clouds, and realize the love he represents, they’ll fall to their knees and fall in love with him.
4 stories of change. Paul wants his church to work at changing, but realizes that they have changed in ways beyond what he caused or they accomplished on their own. The spirit is sanctifying them, he concludes. And he is grateful. So to am I grateful for the way the Spirit is sanctifying Highlanders.
John’s words have a lot to say. Here’s who you are. You are a kingdom—the greatest expression of the greatest power on earth. And you are a priest—capable of speaking the greatest blessing on people all around you.
Because God is, was and is to come, we can experience grace and peace on any day of the calendar.
Many of you on this Mother's Day, can point to a mother or a grandmother who has been absolutely essential to opening your eyes to the person and way of Jesus. Some of you can hardly even imagine what your faith would be like today with out that faithful mother or grandmother. It turns out that the church desperately needs women because they help all of us to see significant things we may have failed to see about who Jesus is and what it means to follow Jesus.
If our heart is never stirred with compassion. If it never breaks for anyone, will we ever send out workers into the harvest? No, but when we see people like Jesus does, see souls behind all those faces that are longing for more, then compassion turns into mission.
Nathan Luther, a Highland supported missionary to the Philippines, preaches a sermon about how God is for all nations.
How wide should a church’s love-radius be? Is it enough to encircle the local neighborhood? Is it enough to encircle the city? When we go to the book of Acts we find a surprising answer. In the early days, churches sought to create circles that were impossibly wide. Early Christians wanted love-radiuses that took in not just neighborhoods but nations.
Most of us want a faith that builds people up. One way this happens is by reading the Bible right.
If you truly believed in a God who can repair whatever is broken when you step out in faith, what would you do? What risk is the resurrection encouraging you to take?
He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19)There are two questions I think this parable and the story before it should leave us with. Maybe more, but at least two. Listen to this podcast to hear them.
Jesus makes us rich and we are most alive when we are rich. But not the kind of "rich" you are thinking. There’s a rich that comes from laying up treasure for you. And there’s a rich that comes with respect to God. When you are generous and use all the resources at your disposal for God’s purposes rather than your purposes, that’s when you become rich.
When Jesus teaches us what to pray in the Lord’s Prayer he doesn’t so much teach us a formula. What he teaches us is what prayer is. Prayer is personal as between a parent and child. Prayer teaches us to depend on God for every fiber of our being. And Prayer teaches us about relationship both vertically between God and us and horizontally between us and the world.
Jesus was a man of prayer. Often times when we think about the prayer life of Jesus we think of the disciples coming to sit at Jesus’s feet as students at the feet of the master and asking for some little but of insight into his prayer life. They knew the prayer of Jesus was powerful and effective and so they asked how? Teach us the words! What we sometimes forget is that the prayer Jesus asks his disciples to pray is not in chapter 11 but in chapter 10. The prayer that Jesus asks us to pray is this “God, send forth laborers into your harvest.”
There’s a lot that won’t matter at the end of our lives. But one thing will. It’s the thing that moves the hearts of people and the heart of God. It’s the kid test.
We expect God to protect us and prevent crisis. Because of that, crisis is crippling to faith, and would have been for the exiled Israelites. But God says that although he may not prevent all crisis, he promises to be present in crisis in a special way. Take hope that God laments in our crisis, because he is present with us in them, making new promises to us as well.
What do you do when it seems you have broken your relationship with God? This lesson from Jeremiah 31 gives some encouragement to you.
How are you reading your Bible? God’s change comes when we read the scriptures like King David did and consume the book or read with a break and conform to the book, rather than reading with a blade and cutting the book.
Not everything we think will happen in the future happens in the future. God is always working toward a future in which everything is returned to the way it should have been all along. This allows us to face the future with faith and persist in the present with peace.
Many of us find ourselves living Plan B. Even in Plan B, God continues to shape us for a purpose.
What is one thing you can do to help race relations in your community? How far have we actually come from the days of the civil rights movement? Just listen to find out what Highland members are saying we can do to help.
When living in flux and life is changing all around us, we may respond in ways that are unhealthy. Jeremiah 29:5-7 shows us a better way to respond.
Beginning something new can be a happy place or a hard place. No matter where we are starting from we cling to the fact that the Lord shapes us, selects us, and sends us.
Jesus’ birth was unnoticed and hard. Makes you wonder about other unnoticed hard moments. Jesus’ birth is set in contrast to the power of the world, proving Jesus’ birth represents powerlessness. But God chooses this moment to invade the world, like he might be doing in our lives.
Sometimes we are not where we would like to be in life, but God has a purpose for you there. God can use you right where you are today. People may find something undesirable about Jesus, but they may also find something undeniable about your life.
Jesus' way will disappoint you. Although Jesus' way may disappoint in the short-term, in the long-term Jesus' way will be proven right.
"Do not Judge." That's what the Bible says, but it's not the only thing the Bible says on judging others. Frank and Zach talk about what the Bible says about how we judge others.
The mission to spread Jesus' greatness is worth all our means. Jesus is the only solution to the deeper spiritual forces causing hurt in the world.
Some people don’t give because the overwhelming need leaves them hopeless. We’ve all experienced the hopelessness of the poverty cycle, for example. Israel had as well—and for that reason might have resisted jubilee year. But God’s vision for a national jubilee year was intended to be orchestrated on an individual level. When you focus on making the life of one person better, you aren’t overcome by hopelessness. This is why our church gives faithfully to the outreach contribution. They ask themselves—whats the jubilee of one person worth? A lot.
In this Podcast, Chris Altrock shares 3 ways that you can be encouraged or encourage others while going through a period of suffering.
Chris shares a passage in Jeremiah that explains how it is possible for us to be at peace and thrive for God even during difficult pain and struggles if we connect deeply with Him.
God calls us to place people like orphans in the parade of our lives. This is an important way in which we obey God. Take one step this week toward placing orphans in the parade of your life.
Guest speaker, Larry James talks about his experience in dealing with poverty and what he believes "Good News" is to the poor.
The self-discipline and single-mindedness exemplified in the best of sports is required to help us achieve our Christian goals.
Frank Bolling discusses the issue of the increasing amount of violence in the world we live in. How does the cross of Jesus impact our view on violence?
Are you feeling overwhelmed with technology? In this podcast Eric Gentry talks about how to start a digital Sabbath.
Hopefully this sermon is the beginning of conversation for you and others about the impact your device is having on you, on your relationships and on your walk with God. The answers for everyone are likely different. We encourage you to spend this week thoughtfully considering and discussing the significance of your digital habits.
We are made to work and find fulfillment in our work through a focus on wholeness, outreach, righteousness and kingdom living.
Guest speaker and former Highland preacher, Harold Shank, speaking on the importance of passing our faith down to the next generation.
In this podcast Chris continues building on his lesson from Sunday. He encourages you to taste the goodness of God in your own way this week.
We are called to corporate worship so that we might leave counterfeit gods and listen to the true God.
In this week's podcast Eric Gentry continues his discussion from Sunday about The Sunday Morning Worship Service and how it needs to be inviting and incorporating for both Christians and Non-Christians. Eric gives some practical ways how you can make your church more inviting to guests.
I thought worship was most about God when it was most about us. In our own case, worship was incorporating others (besides “us”). The same can be said for Israel’s worship—it was invitational and incorporational. Ours should be too.
This week Chris Altrock expands on his sermon from Sunday about finding friends that encourage authenticity.
Jesus intentionally depended upon friendships with whom he could bring his true feelings in time of pain. In this Sunday morning sermon, Chris encourages you to do the same.
20140727- Alien Ethics Marriage, Sex, And A Bad Case Of The Esaus by Highland Church Podcast
How do we live into our identity as “aliens and strangers in the world” (Heb 11:13)? Join us for a 5-week series about who we are and what we do.