College Creek Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
College Creek Church
Hear weekly sermons from College Creek Church in Annapolis, MD. Taking the Gospel to Heart, to Annapolis, and to the World
The Watchman of the Lord warns of the judgement of the Lord, so we will surrender to the Lord.
The reality and truth, the outcome and consequence, and the hope in the midst of idolatry.
We see in the call of Ezekiel an encouragement to make the following our personal mission statement: Taking the Gospel to heart, and sharing it with others, whether they accept it or not.
In the midst of tragedy there is hope to be found when we see the glory or God and hear the voice of God.
Kevin McGhee from Converge International Ministries comes to share with us about Converge's commitment to missions. in our partnership with them, we are asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group—in our generation.
In this final sermon in our series through John's Gospel we are faced with this question, Are you following Jesus? Not do you believe in him, and not do you worship him, but are you following him?
In John's account of the first easter morning, we see four responses to the empty tomb. We still see these responses today. How will you respond?
The Crucifixion shows us that Jesus can empathize with us in our suffering, he can show us how to live in it, and he has won victory over it.
Jesus our eternal God possesses the eternal treasures of heaven. Jesus has eternal victory, eternal authority, eternal glory, and eternal life, and he shares these treasures with us.
We need not be anxious because we are going to the father, following of the son, filled with the Spirit.
Jesus loves you enough to tell you no
Jesus loves you enough to let you doubt
Jesus loves you enough to be with you in your suffering
Jesus loves you enough to show you his glory
Jesus loves you enough to lay down his life for you
God sees us, he loves us, and then he does the unimaginable in our lives that we might believe in him, worship him, and tell others about him.
Pastor Tom Hooe brilliantly discusses this difficult conversation between Jesus and the Jews of his day, and challenges us to consider how the same questions of their day are questions for us as well.
Jesus is inviting us to follow him on the greatest adventure of all time. It won’t be easy, but it will be glorious. Hardship will come, but you’ll never face it alone. To paraphrase Giuseppi Garibaldi, Jesus is calling “Let him who loves me with his heart and not with his lips only, follow me!” You will find in following Jesus not only a great savior, but a great adventure, a great life. An eternal, abundant, life of adventure is found in following Jesus, nowhere else, no one else can offer such a life.
The purpose of the signs of Jesus in the book of John is that we might believe, that we might have life. Not that we might raise from the dead, but that we might have life in the name of Jesus.
There are two reasons this is important to remember. 1) If resurrection is our hope then we have to wait until after we die to experience it, but the hope of life in Jesus begins now. 2) Resurrection isn’t always even good news. According to this passage some will be resurrected not to life, but to judgment. For those, the prospect of resurrection is not a hopeful or comforting thought. Those who die without following Jesus will resurrect to an eternity of separation from Jesus an eternity utterly separated from love and goodness. All that to say, resurrection isn’t our hope, life is.
As we examine the story of Jesus' healing at the Pool of Bethesda, we consider the parallel in our own life. while Jesus surely offers physical healing, there is a far better thing that he offers as well, forgiveness of sins.
What does it mean to believe? What is faith? As we come to understand what faith is through our passage this morning, we are prompted to consider how we might grow in our faith, by taking steps of obedience to follow God into the unknown.
So as we consider a story about a miracle today, we are reminded that our faith should not be primarily in the miraculous, but in the character and promises of God.
When Jesus is approached by a prestigious, learned, and noble teacher of Israel, his response is not to say that he needs mild correction, but that he must be born again. This is the call in each of our lives, we are not simply spiritually sick, but spiritually dead and in need of rebirth. Today we look at one of the most famous passages of Scripture and find that each of us must be born again, of the Spirit of God, through the love of God, into the life of God, by believing in God.
In our passage today, we see Jesus inviting us to come and follow him. If you are wondering if you should then remember whatever you’re looking for, Jesus has it! But it is found when you follow him.
Pastor Dave Castle shares with us from the story of Jesus' first miracle at the wedding at Cana. And challenges us to consider how we might do whatever Jesus says and find ourselves filled with the wine of gladness that only he provides.
On Christmas Day we consider that Jesus didn't just come to give us a nice Holiday, but he came to change everything in our lives.
John the Baptist was a self-proclaimed nobody, who was telling everybody, that somebody was coming to forgive their sins. We look today at the testimony of John, and consider how we might join him in the work of making much of Jesus.
The Glorious Mystery of Christmas is not a baby in a manger it is God in human flesh. We follow the story of John 1 on three movements. The Son (Jesus) was in eternal perfect relationship with God, He experienced complete separation from God, So that we could have eternal perfect relationship with God.
We begin our new series through the book of John, not at the beginning of the book, but at the end, where John tells us his purpose in writing, that we might believe and that we might find life in Jesus. We discuss that the life in Jesus is eternal and abundant, but it is also radically different the life this world would offer and celebrate. So how will we each respond to the claims and calls of Jesus?
We finish our study in the book of Joel looking ahead to that glorious day of the Lord still yet to come. A day of great salvation for all who follow Jesus, and great judgment for all who reject his reign.
It is the day the promises of God will be fulfilled for his people, but we must consider whether we are his people.
Repentance changes everything for the people fo Israel and for us as well. As God's mercy for His people leads Him to restore all that has been stolen by sin and brokenness.
In Joel 2 the prophet turns from the current day crisis, to point the people forward to a greater crisis coming, The Day of the Lord. And he pleads with the people to repent, because where there's no repentance, there's no salvation, but where there is, there is.
As we embark on a four week journey through the book of Joel we consider the question, how ought we respond when crisis hits? We will see that crisis is an opportunity for us to reevaluate and reengage with God. It is an opportunity for us to repent and run back to God. As bad as it may seem, nothing is bad if it drives us to God.
Stephen Covey says "The main thing, is to keep the main thing the main thing." Paul agrees and emphasizes here that the Main Thing is the Gospel, truth that leads to Godliness.
The radical transformational work of Jesus in our lives is not just for our sake, but for the sake of the world. We are saved by the love of God and then sent out to display that love to the world. Saved by love; saved to love.
We consider together the work of Christ in our lives, past, present, and future. Specifically his work fighting sin for us and in us. Not just fighting, but claiming victory over sin. The work of Christ deals with the penalty, the power, and the permanence of sin in our lives.
Titus is instructed to teach what accords with Sound Doctrine. It isn't enough to teach sound doctrine, we must also be instructed in how to live those truths out. Because if the Gospel isn't lived, it isn't alive.
How do we transform a culture like the one in Crete? Here in the book of Titus we are told that we can silence false teachers, and transform culture, through living lives of truth and godliness.
We begin our series through the book of Titus, Truth and Godliness. In these opening verses Paul demonstrates that right beliefs will lead to right behavior. So we should press in to the truth, and we will see the fruit of Godliness borne in our lives.
Brian Weber (Executive Minister Converge Mid-Atlantic) joins us to share about how we as individuals and as a church can be a difference maker in our community.
In this final episode of the book of Genesis, we again see Joseph's incredible faith in God. His ability to see God at work even in the midst of trial, has set him free to be used by God in the life of his brothers. Because God is working he is set free to be a conduit of salvation, to offer forgiveness, and even bless those who've hurt him. How might we be set free to love and serve others, if we saw God at work in our live?
How do we press on in the midst of suffering, we remember God's promises and blessings. The blessing of God is for us to be who he created us to be. His promise is that one day we will be with him eternally. See this in the life of God's people in Genesis, but cling to it in your life as well.
The sons of Jacob have sold their brother into slavery, and have no hope of seeing him again, but God is going to do the impossible and reconcile this family. In the same way he does the impossible in our lives by reconciling us to himself. Join us as we explore the journey from sin and brokenness to grace and restoration.
As we turn our attention to Joseph, we consider what it looks like to have the favor of God. Jospeh experienced God's favor in slavery, in prison, and in a pit all alone. Because the favor of God isn't about our circumstances, it is about God's presence with us no matter our circumstances. God's favor is his presence.
Genesis takes a dark turn in chapter 38, but in the midst of the darkness we still see the light of God breaking through, proving to us again that God can and will use anyone and anything to advance his kingdom purposes the salvation of his people.
God is providentially moving in our lives and in our world. The question we are again faced with is will you trust him?
Continuing on the theme of last week, we consider the faith of Abraham. Last week, we say his faith in the power and promises of God, and this week we consider his faith in the provision of God. It is in this passage in Genesis 22 that Abraham's faith is tested, and he declares the LORD will provide. And indeed the Lord has provided.
Patient, Persistent Faith in the Power of God Produces Patient, Persistent Faith in the Promises of God. If you find yourself doubting God's promises, take time to reflect on his power.
We turn the corner in the book of Genesis as the story focuses in on the line of Abram. Abram is called by God to leave everything behind and follow him into the unknown. Trusting in God, he goes and finds that the other side of obedience is always blessing.
We explore the story of the Tower of Babel asking the question of our own hearts, Whose kingdom am I pursuing, and whose name am I glorifying? We also see how God in Christ is reversing the curses of Babel, and in our own lives as well.
Sin is more extreme than you thought, judgment is coming quicker than you think, but God's grace is bigger than you imagined.
We have a guest preacher from our sister church Allelon Community Church share from the end of Genesis 4.
The Story of Cain killing Abel, is really a story about God's loving and persistent pursuit of Cain. In the same way, God is in passionate pursuit of you and me, even when we sin. Even when it seems like we've run too far, God pursues all the way to death.
We look at the first sin in the Bible, and see the fallout of it. God's response is to come after us with salvation, hope, and promise.
From the very beginning, God's love for his people has been seen in him graciously giving us gifts.
As we start our new series in the book of Genesis, we consider three questions: Who is God, Who are we, and How are we to live in the world?
Jesus is always present with all power, so I can go all places, and talk to all people about all that he commanded, and about how we all only have one hope, and that is faith in Jesus Christ.
Mother Theresa says "Loneliness is the greatest poverty," yet we are facing an epidemic of loneliness in our world today. But perhaps there is hope to be found when we look to Christ all alone on the cross. No matter the pain, suffering, trauma, temptation, exhaustion, or loneliness you are facing, Jesus has been there too. He has faced it fully, conquered it completely, and gives that victory to all who trust in him.
The most important and consequential trial in the history of the world was the trial of Jesus before the Roman governor Pilate. It was in this trial that Jesus was condemned and criminal was set free. And what a picture of the Gospel it is for each of us.
The tension between the religious leaders and Jesus is building in this last week before his crucifixion. But he still finds time to give his disciples one last profound teaching. With three stories he gives a startling picture of what is to come. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins he reminds them to always be ready because they don't know when the kingdom will come. In the Parable of the Talents he tells them that when that day comes they will be held to an account for how they have lived for the kingdom of God. But what does it mean to live for the kingdom? He answers this question by explaining what the final judgement will look like. Today we examine this picture and consider how we live like citizens of God's kingdom.
We find that while the root of our salvation is God's love for us, the fruit of our salvation must be our love of others. Followers of Jesus have been given the heart of God and his heart is a heart of love.
The story of Jesus' Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem has been recited over and over again, but what is little know is the story of the other triumphant entry around the same time. But it is this other parade that forms the backdrop of the counter example to Jesus. It is in taking these two side by side that we see the difference in the kingdom of Jesus and the kingdoms of this world. And it is then that we are faced with the question of whose kingdom we will serve.
See how Jesus is presented as the humble king of peace for all nation and all peoples. We are invited to join in following him, but we must remember that following Jesus will put us in direct confrontation with the kingdoms of this world. Whose kingdom will you choose?
When Jesus is asked what we must do to have eternal life, he offers an interesting answer. First, he questions why they would ask him. Then he points them to the commandments. But none of us can obey the commandments well enough, especially when Jesus points out that we need to give away everything in pursuit of him. So what hope do we have?
Jesus gives that hope elsewhere in Scripture when asked the same question. What must I do to have eternal life? Believe in Jesus!
Jesus and his disciples travel to Caesarea- Philippi, a place full of the worship of other gods, so that Jesus can ask his disciples who they believe him to be. Peter powerfully confesses, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God." This week we explore together the truth of that statement, the origin of it, and the power that comes from it.
Jesus, the Christ of Heaven has been revealed by his Father in Heaven, and has empowered us in the Kingdom of Heaven.
How do we persevere in faith in the midst of the storms of life? This week we find the disciples of Jesus in the midst of a storm, when Jesus comes walking to them on the water and delivers them from it. The same Jesus that worked then is still working in the lives of his followers today.
Honored to have Pastor JR Pinkney (Judah Temple Ministries and First Baptist Church Annapolis) open the word for us this week. A tremendous explanation of the plan of God and how we see that his plan is for unity.
When Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees about breaking the law, he points out that the law is really all about love. The question we are faced with even today is what are the religious excuses I make to keep me from having to love other people.
What do you do when Jesus doesn't live up to your expectations of him? We look at the example of John the Baptist and how he dealt with missed expectations of Jesus and try to discover how we ought to respond as well.
Last week we saw Jesus' authoritative teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, but as you turn the page to chapter 8 we will see that he is not only authoritative in word, but also in deed. This begins a section of Scripture on the miracles of Jesus and we are faced with questions about how we should respond to miracles in our lives, but we also explore how we should respond when we don't see the miracle we are asking for.
Perhaps all our picking apart of certain sections of Scripture, prevents us from hearing it rightly and as powerfully as it was intended. While there is much to be discovered in a verse by verse analysis of the Sermon on the Mount, there is also much to be gained by listening to it in its entirety in one sitting. This week, we get to do just that. Soak in the words of Jesus and consider the high calling He has placed on all his disciples.
When Jesus calls us to follow Him, he calls us to join Him on an epic faith filled adventure. This week we consider how Simon, Andrew, James, and John responded to the call of Christ. They responded immediately and left everything, and in the years that followed they saw Jesus do incredible things, and were empowered to do incredible things themselves.
We too ought to respond in this way, and if we will, we will discover that there is nothing more excited than following Jesus.
What makes temptation so tempting? There is far more at stake than the action itself. If we dig a little deeper we find big questions about what we believe about ourselves and God. In looking at the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, we find these same questions. As we consider the commonalities in our temptations, we discover how we can fight like him against them.
We jump ahead about 30 years as we move from chapter 2 to chapter 3. Here we meet the adult Jesus, but before that we meet John the Baptist who is paving the way for the coming of the Christ. John tells the people to "Repent, because God is coming in judgement." But then Jesus goes into the waters of baptism, and later he will go under the earth in death. While we are still called to repent, now it is because God came and took the judgment for us.
Often at Christmas, we think about the coming of the Wise Men, but the story of their coming, actually shows us three different responses to the coming of Jesus. What is your response to the coming of King Jesus?
This week, as we prepare for Christmas, we think about the importance of the Virgin Birth and explore the beauty that, in Christ, God is with us, and because he is with us, we can live lives of obedience and love.
For all the obsession with Ancestry.com these days, you'd think it was new, but the Bible was tracing out lineages long ago. While we would expect the lineage of Jesus to be a list of the holy who's who, that's not what we find. Instead, Jesus comes from a long line of outsiders, and sinners. He comes from people like us, and not only did he come from them, but he came for them and us as well.
Today, we begin a new series through the book of Matthew called As It Was Written. This week we examine only the first verse fo Matthew, but we discover a great deal of depth, promise, and encouragement in it. Join us as we see what it means for Jesus to be the Son of David; the Son of Abraham.
Pastor Tom Hooe shares with us this week a very personal and powerful sermon from Psalm 103, in which David urges us to not forget the benefits we have from God.
As we close out our series in the book of Ruth, we see how the author begins to zoom out from the particulars of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, and show that the grace shown to them, expands to the whole people of Israel, and ultimately to the whole world.
What if we've been reading this story wrong? The beauty of the story of Ruth isn't that the worthy and commendable Ruth is redeemed, but that Elimelech, who abandoned God, is redeemed. The story isn't about a husband for Ruth, but a son for Elimelech. This sort of redemption gives us hope that we too could be redeemed. But this sort of redemption, and our redemption, is costly.
The call of God on our lives is not that we simply don't do wrong, but that we act with radical righteousness. However, radical righteousness is only possible when we are filled with hope. This week we see Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz acting in this sort of way, we are reminded that it is the way Jesus lived as well, and we look within to see how we can take steps to do the same.
As we continue in the book of Ruth, we are introduced to a new character this week, a relative of Naomi's named Boaz. Boaz is unique in his time, a worthy man in a time when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. We see Boaz in this chapter not as the future husband of Ruth, but simply as a conduit for God's kindness in her life.
It seems the Lord may be calling us as well to be conduits of kindness in a world full of despair. If we take Boaz, or God, as our example we will find three important aspects. Our kindness must be intentional, abundant, and lasting. Join us as we examine this story and see how we too can point people to God by demonstrating his great kindness for them.
Satan is the father of lies, and we are far too quick to believe them. In this short passage from the end of Ruth 1, we see Naomi giving her self over to lies and half truths. But the community around her, refuses to let her dwell in bitterness. Instead they become a community of truth tellers to this dear woman. Join us as we examine the lies and half truths we believe, and as we consider what it would be like to be a community of truth tellers ourselves.
This week we start a new series in the book of Ruth called Hope from Despair. This week's sermon examines the loving loyalty of God even in the midst of the tragedies of our life. No matter what is happening in your life today, the Lord is also at work bringing goodness out of your grief and hope from despair.
The Bible and Psalm 1 in particular seem to say that there are only two types of people (the righteous and the wicked) and only two ways to live. We examine three differences between these two types of people: They have different influences, which produce different character, and lead to different outcomes. While there are two ways to live, there is only one way to life.
In the end, though, we see that while we all want to be identified as righteous, There has only ever been one who is truly righteous, Jesus Christ, and it is he that is the only way to life.
When we are faced with the high calling of following Christ in the midst of our broken world perhaps the greatest encouragement we can receive is that we are not alone. This is perhaps why Paul ends almost all his letters by sharing greetings from other Christians to remind us that we are all in this together. Colossians is no different as this final chapter includes at least ten people and two churches that are with the Colossians in their pursuit of Jesus.
Join us as we examine Colossians 4:2-18 and find not only that we are all in this together, but also these two final instructions: talk to God about people, and to people about God.
This week we look at an uncomfortable and controversial passage of Scripture (Colossians 3:18-4:1), and find that it was perhaps the opposite of what we thought. As Paul give specific instructions to wives, husbands, children, fathers, bondservants, and masters, we consider how what he is mostly saying is that Jesus above all means Jesus above you.
So join us as we think about the specific instructions Jesus is giving to you for living in your relationships under his lordship.
As we continue in our series in the book of Colossians, we are now encouraged to live into the reality of our life in Christ. If we have really been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Jesus, if we have really died with Christ and been raised with Him, then it is time for us live like those things are true.
Colossians 3:5-17 encourages us to do just this by putting off the old way of living and putting on the new, which is being renewed. Explore this radical transformation with us as we examine these verses more closely.
Jesus' first words in the Gospel of John are "What are you seeking?" Colossians 3:1-4 points us to asking the same question. What are you seeking? and Do you know where to find it? Of course Paul's encouragement to followers of Jesus is that they seek Christ.
As we continue our series in Colossians, we examine what it looks like to seek the Things of Christ, the Protection of Christ, and the Glory of Christ, and we remember the promise of Christ the those who seek will find.
As Christians we are in Christ and called to grow in Christ. Yet far too often we run to legalism instead of Christ. In this sermon from Colossians 2:6-23 we discuss the three ways legalism is opposed to Christ and why it should be avoided.
Continuing our series in Colossians we see Paul willingly suffering and prayerfully proclaiming the mystery of God in Christ. And this is the same call on all of our lives. What is the mystery of God? It is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The most important question any of us will ever answer is Who is Jesus? This week, we explore the Bible's answer in Colossians 1:15-23. As we continue our series in the book of Colossians "Jesus Above All", we see in this passage that Jesus is God, the creator, sustainer, and savior of the world, and of you, if you trust in Him.
We hope that this week you will examine this question in your own life, who is Jesus, and who is He to you?
On this launch day of College Creek Church, we launch a new series in the book of Colossians, Jesus Above All.
Paul writes this letter to a church he has never visited and people he has never met to encourage and bless them, and to remind them of the supremacy of Jesus. As Paul begins this letter, the first thing he tells the church of Colossea is that he is praying for them, thanking God for their faith, love, and hope, and asking that God would give them more. Faith, love, hope, and more of it!
College Creek Church exists to be a place where we celebrate the faith, love, and hope we see in each other and ask that God would give more.
God’s vision is sure because it is rooted in His character, secured in His covenants, and accomplished by His power. This week we are drawn to consider together the vision of God in Revelation 21:1-8 and to examine why His vision can be trusted. But as we see His glorious vision, we are also invited to examine our own vision and how it aligns with God's.
In Christ, our God has graciously welcomed us into His family. Now we are instructed to do the same, to welcome, like Christ, for God's glory. This week we examine who we are to welcome, how we are to welcome, and why we are to welcome.