Grace at a Glance Podcast: Recent Episodes
Grace Church Lititz
Listen in to hear sermons from our wonderful team of pastors, stay up to date on events at Grace, and hear from some awesome guests! New episodes come out every Monday!
In our immaturity, we believe others should know what is expected at all times.
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Most people do not understand the role of expectations and have not been trained to clarify expectations - for themselves and for others in their life.
There's a reason why so many marriages (and entire families) get frustrated and eventually explode, like a stick of dynamite.
February 4, 2024
What has the power to make something Holy? What has the power to make something defiled? Obedience to the commands of laws of God does not make one holy and righteous. Jesus is the sacrifice made holy to make you holy.
Sermon from January 28, 2024
From Sunday January 7, 2024:
If God tells you to do it, listen! We have no idea how God is going to work behind the scenes.
Pastor David Hardie
It is in the human Christ Jesus that the reconciliation takes place between them. It is by this human being that the nearness is to be maintained for ever. He is the bridge, the ladder, the chain, the golden clasp that is to knit together the heavenly and earthly regions and races. Round this human center the universe is to revolve.
The King both of earth and heaven is to be son of David and son of Abraham. The "human Christ Jesus" is heir of the throne of David as well as possessor of the throne of heaven. The crown of all the earth is to be placed on the head of a man. Human hands are to wield the scepter of the universe.
God's purpose is to judge by a human. The Father does not judge, but has committed all judgment to the Son. Judgment is given to Him because He is the human being (John 5:27). It is as a human being that He sits upon the throne of his glory (Matthew 25:31).
Earth is to have a human, not an angelic prophet. From human lips are all our lessons to come. He who was to teach humanity, was to be a man; He who was to say, "Learn of me," was to be one of ourselves. It was in a human that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were to be hidden for us.
FROM DECEMBER 10, 2023
Join us as Pastor Tim breaks down John 10:27 as he shows how Jesus is our ultimate shepherd who knows and loves His sheep!
From Sunday August 13, 2023.
We live in a world where people are struggling with their identity. Whether it be self-esteem issues, gender issues, faith issues or something else entirely, the Christian must first and foremost understand how God views them, and from that perspective build a biblical identity of who we are in Christ. Today we will continue in our series in Ephesians to help us begin building or perhaps rebuild our identity in the Lord!
We live in a world where people are struggling with their identity. Whether it be self-esteem issues, gender issues, faith issues or something else entirely, the Christian must first and foremost understand how God views them, and from that perspective build a biblical identity of who we are in Christ. Today we will begin a series in Ephesians to help us begin building or perhaps rebuild our identity in the Lord!
While the “regular people” rejoice, the religious and cultural elites have the opposite response. God does not oppose people with position and power in this world. However, the elites of this world are often so proud they live as if they don’t need God. That’s the meaning of verse 30. The religious rulers didn’t think they needed John’s message of repentance and preparation for the kingdom. They assumed they were just fine the way they were. In the process they “rejected the plan of God for themselves”. Can you think of a more devastating statement than that? God had a plan for them, but they chose their own plans and purposes. Many people make that same tragic mistake every day. They become the kind of people Jesus describes in verses 31–34. It doesn’t matter whether an evangelist comes in a happy, kind way with the message of the gospel or if a preacher comes in a stern, direct way. Either way they reject the message, just as these Pharisees did with John and Jesus. They become the kind of people who commit themselves to unbelief and doubt.
Jesus blesses those who continue to believe in him even if they experience some doubt along the way. What a tender and compassionate Lord! Do you have doubts? You can safely bring them to Jesus. Do you have questions? You can raise them in the Scriptures. I really dislike that strain of “Christian” teaching that demands we never doubt or question God. The Lord is the kind of Messiah that doesn’t simply talk about being the Messiah; Jesus will prove it to you by raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, preaching the gospel to the poor, and giving evidence on which to base our faith. The way to happiness is not to give in to your doubt. The way to happiness is to answer your doubts with the evidence we have in Christ. Never treat your doubts with certainty. Always doubt your doubts. Never let your doubts have the last word. If they are truly doubts, then seek answers on which to stand. Find evidence.
Jesus is not merely Lord over the living. He is also Lord over the dead! He has authority to reverse the power of death and to give life again. Raising this man from the dead is another commercial of what Jesus will do in the end. He himself would be raised from the dead for our justification, and in the end he will raise all men—the righteous to heaven and the wicked to hell. The people declare that Jesus is a prophet. He is that, but he’s so much more! They declare that “God has visited his people”—by which they mean a miracle has been done. But their words were truer than they knew. God was with them.
What we need is faith. That’s what amazes Jesus about this centurion in this passage. Yes, the centurion is a wonderful guy, but what Jesus notices is his faith. Jesus “was amazed”. That’s a stunning statement on at least two levels. First, Jesus recognizes that the quality of this man’s faith is extraordinary. Second, Jesus recognizes that this man’s faith surpasses the faith of all God’s chosen people. This is all the more amazing when you read what Jesus asks about his followers in Luke 18:8: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Faith is a wonderfully miraculous thing. The ability to believe ought not be taken for granted. It’s amazing that anyone believes. And it’s even more amazing that there are unbelievers with greater faith in Jesus than some believers. There are unbelievers who more firmly believe that Jesus is Lord of all than some believers who profess the same.
Jesus' resurrection from the dead stole the power of death. His coming forth from the grave put an end to fear and the power of the enemy to control our lives through the fear of death. Jesus stole the power of the law and the power of death. His actions gave us hope instead of fear.
We can understand the crucifixion of Jesus better, when we see it through the eyes of the three men crucified at the place of the skull. We can then ask ourself the question: Which view do I have?
Pastor Dan brings us an overview of the blessings of Marriage and God’s design for it. This week, we will specifically look at how marriage can help us understand the unity of the trinity, and the love Jesus has for his church.
Radical Surrender to Jesus means that I must lay down my own agenda for life, surrendering my plans and my dreams to Him. This can be incredibly hard when things don’t go according to plan, but it is in these moments that I must yield my desires to Him and trust in His perfect love and faithfulness.
How does the Gospel apply to everyday Christian life? How does the blood of Jesus and the resurrection from the grave empower us for godly living? How do we get free from the patterns of sin that have caused heartache, distance, and difficulty in our lives? This week, we will learn from Pastor David about God's power to surrender, given through the Gospel of Christ.
The Bible often uses analogies to proclaim truth. Today we will look at how God uses two mountain analogies to help us understand that what happened on the mountain of Jesus is better that what happened on the mountain of Moses. What are they two mountains but two choices. Let's be sure to make the right choice as to which covenant we will follow!
Throughout the book of Hebrews Jesus is compared to Old Testament ideas. In every instance the author says Jesus is a better option. In today's sermon, taken from passages found in Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 10:22-23 the author says Jesus is a better High Priest. He is better because he is called "great". He is better because he has passed directly through the heavens to the throne of God. He is better because he is both God and man. Jesus, his earthly title, and Son of God his heavenly titel are used together back to back to emphasize why Jesus is better. This of course prompts a response from us. Tune in to find out what our responses should be to this great truth!
God is calling Christ-followers to steward their resources, and part of that stewardship is the act of generosity. Generosity is the only antidote to potential greed and the worship of money, regardless of your income level. The act of generosity is not just for Christian individuals alone, but is also an activity that churches, networks, and denominations can participate in to extend their Kingdom-building work far beyond their circles.
Saving is not something that’s talked about much in church. Of course, financial gurus the world over would instruct you to build a sound savings plan in preparation for retirement. But where is the balance between being a wise saver or a simple hoarder? On the other end of the spectrum, we’re told that our generation, and the ones after us, won’t be able to retire because we’ve entirely neglected the principles of saving and investing. The question then becomes not how much money you should have, but how to honor God with the money you do have.
God invites you to a better way of working. A way where you earn money through purposeful work, through serving God, rather than chasing money. Both ways—the relentless chase and the purposeful service—involve work, but the pace is different, the pursuit is different, and ultimately the posture of the heart is different. Both ways result in income, but God’s way doesn’t come at the expense of all of the people and things most important in your life.
We are called to evaluate the product of our lives. Are those we led to Christ now leading others to Christ? We have made a disciple, when a disciple makes a disciple.
Jesus asks us to demonstrate what we hope to see in others. What example are you showing others as you live to make disciples for Jesus? People will almost always do what you do rather than do what you say.
Are You Trying to Live without the Holy Spirit? Jesus knows you cannot do the work of ministry in your own power alone. He has given you a helper to get the work done. Where are you at in your relationship with the Spirit of God?
Following Jesus in disciple making might take more time than you are presently dedicating to your faith walk. Are you willing to consecrate Jesus as the center and priority of your life?
Who Are You Discipling? Jesus had a plan to select a few disciples and to pour His life into them. He knew that to make this work he would have to spend time and associate with them in their everyday life.
You can have all of the armor of God, and still lack the courage to stand firm for him. We'll explore the necessary foundation of the human heart in standing firm against the attacks of the evil one.
Every other part we have been looking at provides a protection for the body as a whole or particular parts of the body. But this is not true of the sword of the Spirit. It is defensive in the sense that it keeps back the enemy as a whole rather than some particular aspect of his attack. . The sword serves a dual purpose, defensive and offensive. It is something whereby we can not only repel the enemy but also attack him.
Every part of the body has to be protected and covered. This is true in ordinary warfare and it is equally true in spiritual warfare. The helmet worm by Roman soldiers was made of leather, but the leather had been strengthened and ornamented with plates of metal to offer protection. The spiritual application of the helmet is obvious: the Apostle Paul is drawing attention to the head, mind, understanding, and thinking of the Christian.
In examining the whole armor of God in our fight against the devil, the principalities, powers, and rulers of this dark world we are reminded by this piece of armor that the entire personality is engaged in this Christian warfare and therefore nothing must ever be neglected. Nothing is more important in the Christian life than balance.
The breastplate is the portion of our armor that covers our heart. Understanding how righteousness protects our heart is imperative in a spiritual battle.
The belt of our spiritual armor represents whole truth. The foundational piece in our armor is not our own sincerity and truthfulness; it cannot be. The Apostle Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 6 that this armor is provided by God. The armor is therefore not primarily a part of ourselves, but something we are given and that we are able to put on.
God is passionate about conflict in the Church. He has given clear instructions on how to respond to difficult relationships in a healthy way. Unfortunately, we often react in ways that give Satan an edge and damage unity rather than restore it. This week, God is inviting us to begin building unity by responding to conflict God’s way.
Unresolved pain is a roadblock to Christian oneness. Just as God has graciously forgiven us, we are expected to forgive other people. Living in faithfulness and truth demands that we work through pain and land in a posture of grace. This week, we'll be invited by the Holy Spirit to take a step toward healing and forgiveness.
Jesus prayed that his earthly followers would experience unity with one another. But did you know that his prayer for unity included those who had not yet been born, but who would one day follow Him? Just as our children found out this week in VBS that following Jesus is Monumental, so also your decision to follow Jesus and unite with His other followers will have Monumental results in your life.
As American consumers, we have certain expectations of the people and organizations with which we affiliate. But are our expectations of church healthy, or are we often viewing the Bride of Christ through the lenses of American consumerism? Jesus calls us to lay down our personal preferences for the sake of others and for His glory! Come this week ready to be challenged from God’s Word to submit to one another in love.
Paul left no room for divisiveness in the Body of Christ. As believers, it is our job to fight for unity in the Church. How do we do that? What actions have we normalized that erode unity, and what can be done to advance it?
Every thinking person sometimes wrestles with doubt. That is true not only for thinking Christians, but also for atheists and agnostics. Sometimes they wonder, “What if I’m wrong? What if there really is a God? What if there is life after death and I have to stand before God?” And, every thinking Christian sometimes wonders, “What if Christianity is not true?” The apostle Paul said that the entire Christian faith rests on this single foundation, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Cor. 15:13-19). If that fact of history is true, then our faith has a solid footing in spite of difficult matters that we may never understand fully in this life. The most famous expert on doubt is the man whose name is always linked with it, Doubting Thomas. His story shows us that we can overcome our doubts when we connect to the risen Lord Jesus.
Jesus is the Lord of every realm. His work of redemption is to insure that each dominion of life is in compliance with God's design. Therefore, when we are citizens of heaven, the domain that encompasses and rules over all other domains we will be the kind of citizens who please God in every realm that we occupy.
Why is Jesus Lord of the Sabbath? How, when Pharisees challenge Jesus with the letter of the law is He able to respond with truth. These questions are answered when we see that the Lord created the law, He is able to interpret the law, and how He ultimately fulfills the Law.
It is great to know you are protected from danger. The last step in eliminating anxiety is the knowledge that your heart is safe and God is in control. He protects it through the powerful strength of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ by means of the peace He supplies to you in prayer.
Phil 4:6 - "...keep your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus."
We must be open to receive what God wants to give us as we eliminate anxiety and receive peace. Once you have let worry go, you must receive His peace and not pick it up and worry again! Phil 4:6 "and the peace of God which passes all understanding."
Worry and anxiety simply cannot be removed from our life. They must be replaced with something instead. The goal we are aiming for to replace worry is peace. Today we will look at the four ingredients in a divine prescription that will allow us to achieve the replacement of worry with peace.
From the sermon series Toxic Waste:
There is a first step to getting rid of the worry in your life. You must identify what God will permit you to worry about. Phil 4:6 says "Be anxious for nothing". Today we will explore why anxiety and worry plague us so much as we prepare to understand how to identify, remove, and overcome this plague of the soul.
Abraham was confronted with a fearful reality. Famine in the promised land felt dangerous. Instead of trusting God to provide, he went to Egypt, where his fear turned into folly. If you have been wandering from the Lord because of your fear, its time to return to the fullness of the Lord’s call and to TRUST in Him!
Exodus means you are moving from something that is not permanent and moving towards something that is promised to be permanent. The thing that makes you move from the one to the other is faith in the person who made the promise! Only then can you begin to make the journey from the one place to the other. Find out what the Christian’s exodus entails, and why, like Abraham, God is calling you to exit the temporary provisions of this world and journey toward a promise that will last forever!
Many people visit churches to worship during Easter. It was the same during the lifetime of Jesus and the apostles as many would visit the temple on special occasions. God welcomes those worshippers who inquire of Him or want to know His truth during this holiday. This Holy Easter season if you are worshipping and seeking God's truth then our Sunday message, taken from Acts 8:26-40 will provide three reminders for you to ponder about how God responds to those who worship Him.
How does transformation happen in the Christian life? As disciples of Jesus, we are the biggest influencers of our own spiritual development. This Sunday, we will gain a deeper understanding of how to be changed by God as we walk with Him in submission to the Holy Spirit’s voice.
Pastor Mike wraps up our "True Worship" sermon series with a message on the importance of enjoying the presence of Jesus.
With so much pain and suffering in the world, how can we maintain a heart of worship? This week, Pastor Steven takes us through the story of Paul and Silas worshiping even while imprisoned.
WHY does God care about how we position ourselves during worship? Why do people in the Bible lift their hands? kneel? What does our posture represent? What is the proper response to the greatness of Almighty God?
Pastor Dan introduces our new series 'True Worship' and takes us through Revelation 5 to show why the Father is worthy of our worship.
The greatest commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Join us as Pastor Mike breaks this down and gives us an invitation to adore the Father with all that we are.
Pastor Dan shows us what the scripture tells us about what it means to truly worship. From January 30, 2022.
God clearly indicates that His love for us will never end. Our passage of study will show us this truth. However, our feelings might not seem to match what God's word tells us about His love. We might not feel loved at all. Join us Sunday to learn how to feel the love of God so that the words on the page become the fire in your heart!
Join us as Pastor Mike takes us deeper into what it means to be sons and daughters of God.
(This is a re-upload of last week episode due to audio issues).
Grace Lititz's first podcast ever! Listen in as Pastor Mike brings us the message from January 2, 2022.