Sermon Audio Podcast: Recent Episodes
Providence Church
What happens when we die? Who can answer this question with any credibility? As we look at the last two articles in our statement of faith, we will see that Jesus speaks authoritatively on Heaven and Hell and His return as judge of all. The certainty of Christ’s return should fill the believer with hope and a sense of mission.
The crucifixion and resurrection happened so long ago, how can anyone have a relationship with Jesus? The answer to this question is the work of the Holy Spirit. This week we will explore the person and work of the third person of the Trinity. May we depend on His ministry among us.
At the center of the Christian faith is the person and work of Jesus. This week we will explore why Jesus Christ can do what He does because He is who He is. I pray that we have increased confidence in our Savior. We will see that telling others of Jesus is the most loving thing we can do.
It’s common to wonder what an expert thinks on a particular subject. Because God is the creator of and, therefore, the expert on life, it is right and wise to look at what he has said. This sunday we’ll be looking at the second article in our statement of faith. We’ll be considering how God has spoken to us and the implications for our lives
A theologian is someone who speaks about God. In this sense, everyone is a theologian, there are just accurate ones and inaccurate ones. It is important for us to know what we believe. In order to grasp “sound doctrine in accordance with the gospel”, the church needs confessional boundaries derived from Scripture. In this series, we will explore our Statement of Faith so that we might be faithful representatives of the God we praise.
As we come to the close of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we see he ends where he started. No one can come to God on their own merit, so we rely on His grace displayed in the cross of Christ. By faith, we become a new creation and are called to live in the community of faith that we call the local church.
Every Christian struggles between life according to the flesh and life according to the Spirit. This week we will explore how we “keep in step with the Spirit” and how He leads us to bear fruit for the Kingdom. As we walk with the Spirit, our lives become a greater reflection of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus said, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Born physically at birth and born again spiritually at conversion. Paul in his letter to the Galatians is pointing to this born again salvation as a work that only God can do. We should not go back to the old way of doing it our way when God’s way has been so graciously provided. As Paul wraps up this section of scripture, he uses a famous story from Genesis to point the readers to the Gospel of peace. (If you’re not familiar with the story of Abraham and Sarah, read Genesis 12-22 before Sunday. These chapters would have been well known to the Jewish believers in the 1stC. and are important background for the passage.)
There are pastors who plunder congregations and congregations who destroy pastors, both scenarios are devastating for our witness. In our passage this week, we learn about a healthy relationship between pastors and a congregation. God intends His family to be marked by mutual sacrifice and increasing conformity to the Lord Jesus.
What’s the difference between a slave and a son? The former is in bondage and receives no inheritance, while the latter enjoys the full benefits of the father. Paul uses the categories of slave and son to draw a contrast between a man-centered and a God-centered salvation. Our passage this week ends on the re-assuring truth of adoption into the family of God.
In this week’s passage, we once again confront the basic choice: a self-centered and futile attempt to earn God’s favor or surrendering to our gracious God. In this section of Galatians, we see that God has always dealt graciously with those who are His, prompting a reply of faith in the Lord Jesus. This section ends on the encouraging note of the unity of God’s family.
How can we maintain confidence in Christ?
This week, our study in Galatians examines our inclination to control our lives, exploring how personal encounters with the Holy Spirit, God’s work through Abraham, and the theological truth’s of Christ fulfilling the law strengthen our reliance and faith in Christ alone.
Many of us find conflict unpleasant but sometimes necessary. In this week’s passage, we come to an historic conflict between Paul and Peter, the two leading figures in the early church. God’s preservation of this confrontation comes to us as a source of clarity on the “truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2.14). Moreover, we see how our behavior can reinforce the truth of what we believe.
Many of us find conflict unpleasant but sometimes necessary. In this week’s passage, we come to an historic conflict between Paul and Peter, the two leading figures in the early church. God’s preservation of this confrontation comes to us as a source of clarity on the “truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2.14). Moreover, we see how our behavior can reinforce the truth of what we believe.
We are so excited to continue our study in Galatians this Sunday. Last week, we heard from Pastor Austin that the Gospel can be summarized by one word, “Grace”. As we continue to examine this letter to the Galatians, we will see the heart of the True Gospel compared to “other gospels” that can subtly creep into our culture and our theology.
We know that this is an election year and that America is divided politically. How can Christ-followers bear witness to Jesus in this fractured age? We will spend the next two weeks thinking about how the current political atmosphere is, in fact, an opportunity for the church to show the non-believing world that we have a King who is the Prince of Peace.
Paul’s farewell to and a re-commissioning of the Elders of Ephesus in Acts 20 is full of instructive examples. It is a great source for learning godly living, as well as pure methods, and motives for ministry.
As we come to the end of Luke’s Gospel, we will explore Jesus’ bodily ascension. This oft neglected doctrine testifies to the reality of heaven and encourages the Church in its mission. We will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper and be reminded of Jesus’ ongoing presence with His people by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Does God reveal Himself through Scripture? Can God’s Word change lives? Is all of the Bible important? In what the commentator William Barclay called one of the “immortal short stories of the world”, Jesus’ encounter with two disciples on the road to Emmaus shows us the power of Scripture. God graciously opens the eyes of these disciples to the reality of our life-giving Lord.
In the hours before his crucifixion, Jesus experiences near universal rejection. He is dismissed by the religious leaders, the crowds, the Roman establishment, and the regional Jewish leader, Herod. In a moment of sad irony, the crowds reject Jesus in favor of a “notorious prisoner called Barabbas” (Matthew 27.16). In this narrative, we have an illustration of the gospel, the one righteous man in exchange for the wretched sinner. May we appreciate what Jesus accomplished for those who believe in Him.
As Jesus is apprehended by authorities, we see Peter reject him. Even in his failure, we see the grace of our Lord and the invitation of repentance and restoration for the seemingly disgraced disciple. In one of the great truths of our faith, God uses our weaknesses to strengthen others and build His kingdom. As we examine this passage and witness baptisms this Sunday, we reaffirm that to be a Christ-follower is to be a redeemed sinner.
On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He instituted a practice to be enjoyed by all His followers. Taking the common things of bread and wine, Jesus made them signifiers of His atoning death. As His disciples, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper because it reminds us of what Jesus did for us and who we are as His people. May we prepare ourselves accordingly to study and then receive the Lord’s Supper.
When we hear the name Judas, we often place him in a special category of evil for the treacherous role he played in Jesus’ suffering and death. Instead of dismissing Judas as an outlier on the sin spectrum, we do well to use his failures as a chance to examine our own sinful proclivities. In so doing, may we follow Christ as true disciples.
People find catastrophe alluring. We have no shortage of doomsdayers predicting the end of the world as a result of nuclear war, climate change, food shortages, or plagues. This week’s passage in Luke features Jesus’ Olivet Discourse where He tells His followers that history is moving in a direction and that He will come again. While the end of this age ought to be a fearful prospect for non-believers, it fills the Christ-follower with hope and mission.
We often think about our significance and our culture’s many status indicators. This week’s passage will remind us that while we focus on externals, God sees our hearts. The poor widow that Jesus observes teaches us to give willingly and sacrificially. How are our hearts before the Lord?
In a desperate effort to discredit Jesus, the cultural elite sent spies with a calculated question about taxes. Jesus’ answer not only informs some aspects of our political involvement, but it also reminds His followers that we are made in God’s image and can render our lives to His service.
As the tension grew between Jesus and the religious leaders, our Lord told a parable stressing God’s patience, the consequences of rejecting God’s call, and the importance of fulfilling His mission. What we’ll see is that it is impossible to build a worthwhile life without the Lord Jesus.
As we move back to Luke’s biography of Jesus, we come to the passage known as the triumphal entry. While the crowds have expectations of their king, Jesus shows us that his kingship transcends territorial categories to extend into our hearts. I pray we have the right expectations in our following Him.
How could J.I. Packer, one of the towering evangelical intellectuals of the last century, say “the whole of the Christian life is viewed through adoption”? This Sunday, Tom Petersburg, a founding member of Providence and an active teaching elder will preach on this important truth of our standing with the Father. Let’s not miss the impact of our adoption into God’s family.
As we enter the last Lord’s Day of 2023, it provides an opportunity for us to pray for our future as a church family. How can we best honor God in the New Year? May the Lord be our strength as we strive to form families, equip the saints, and multiply churches to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1.12-14).
Having studied Jesus as Savior, Lord, and King, we will spend Christmas Eve exploring His deity. Christmas celebrates a gracious God who sent His only begotten Son into our fallen world to give light and life to all who trust in Him. As we read John 1.1-18, may the faithful glorify God for the gift of salvation.
What does it mean to say Jesus is the Christ? On this third Sunday of Advent we will explore Jesus as King. Matthew 2 reveals how the Magi from the east set an example of service for God’s people.
A person’s title both tells us who they are and how we should respond to them. This Sunday we’ll look at one of the titles given to Jesus at his birth: lord. We’ll look at Luke 2:1-20 to discover what it means that Jesus is lord and how we should respond.
How interesting that after raising tough questions and receiving unexpected answers, Habakkuk decides to pray. The last chapter of this short prophecy teaches us to call on God as we remember His promises. The Lord’s people do well to reflect on the reconciliation of all things through God’s anointed, the Lord Jesus.
If you had to choose a key verse from the Bible to explain what God desires in His people, where would your mind go? I think a strong case can be made for Habakkuk 2.4 “the righteous shall live by faith”. We should recognize that to be human is to have faith in something, but the object of that faith is what counts. We will explore what living by faith means for Christ-followers.
I think we all have questions for God. Why is there so much violence in the world? Why do Christian believers experience pain? Why does it seem so many people are trying to create division? This week we will begin a series on the 7th century BC prophet Habakkuk whose prophecy begins with similar questions. Ultimately he resolves to wait on a sovereign, holy, and good God.
The Spirit of God is not done with us when we are saved. In fact, that is where His ongoing work begins in our life to make us more like Jesus. What does the ongoing work look like? How do we participate in this work? God is at work in our lives both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Sunday we will finish our five-week series on “The Work of the Holy Spirit” exploring this process of sanctification.
What better way to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit than to examine what Jesus says about Him. In John 14-16, Jesus describes what the Spirit will do in the life of the disciple. I hope we better understand God’s Spirit as our Helper, Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter. May we be a Holy Spirit dependent congregation.
Before Jesus’s return to the Father, he promised that his followers would receive power to do greater things than he did through the Holy Spirit (John 14:25; Acts 1:8). However, many Christians live defeated lives. How can we live Holy Spirit-empowered lives and experience the power Jesus promised?
This week we begin a new series on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Our temptation is to dampen His influence and rely on our own efforts. I pray that we increasingly become a church dependent on God’s leading and His sanctifying work in the body.
Having studied males and females within God’s design and within the family, we will take one more week to look at His plan for us within the church family. Again, in a time of cultural confusion, may we, the men and women of our church, cheerfully embrace our roles to God’s glory and for the hope of others.
We experience the most freedom when we embrace God’s good design and live within His framework. This week we will see God’s plan for males and females in marriage. Accompanying the sermon will be a testimony of God’s restorative grace and healing power.
One of the most obvious distinctions in life is that between males and females. That said, we live in a time when these fundamental categories are being destabilized in the name of freedom and, consequently, causing much pain. Over the next three weeks, we will re-examine God’s design for men and women. We will see that living within God’s order is actually the place of freedom and love.
It’s been firmly established that wisdom is something we all want. The question is, how do we get it? This Sunday, we’ll explore how Solomon says we gain wisdom by fearing the Lord.
The book of Proverbs serves as an invitation to wise living. What is wisdom according to God? How does a person become wise? What does it look like to make godly choices? The collection of Proverbs helps us navigate this life in a God-honoring way.
In what Luke records as Jesus’ last teaching before He enters Jerusalem, we have a particularly poignant parable about the responsibility of the Christian life. This passage teaches us how to be faithful disciples of Jesus.
Can I really be forgiven? Are people really changed by the Lord Jesus? As we read Luke 19.1-10, one of the most beloved scenes in all of Scripture, we will see how Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ life. This selfish and crooked businessman became generous and just. Marvelously, our Lord extends the same grace and forgiveness to all those who receive Him.
This week’s passage might be framed around the idea of seeing clearly. Jesus once again predicts His suffering and death but the disciples struggle to believe it. Amazingly, a blind beggar provides an example of spiritual sight, coming to Jesus by faith. When we realize who Jesus is, we follow Him and glorify God.
Questions reveal much about who asks them. Two questions asked in today’s passage (Luke 18:18-30), one by a rich young ruler and one by Jesus’ disciples, reveal not only what matters to them, but also to us - Eternity.
In Luke 18.15-17, Jesus tells His followers that they need a child-like attitude to enter the Kingdom of God. We will see what He means by this. Also, this passage gives the church a strong mandate to minister to children.
How a person prays shows us the condition of their heart. Luke 18.9-14 tells of two men offering two different prayers. One receives acceptance from the Lord Jesus while the other proves offensive. The difference is an understanding for the need of God’s mercy. May we have a humble awareness of our need for God’s grace.
It’s easy to be discouraged when we examine current events. When we feel powerless in these times, we should remember the great promise of Luke 17.20-37. Jesus will return in power to execute perfect justice. Here is a passage that ought to alert a non-believer while comforting followers of the Lord Jesus. We will celebrate what He did for us by taking the Lord’s Supper.
Luke 17.11-19 features an encounter between Jesus and 10 lepers. While our first reaction might be the remoteness of the past, I hope this narrative provides an appreciation for our need before God, how we’re made right, and the appropriate response of praise and thanksgiving. Ultimately this text will force us to think about gratitude.
As Jesus continues to mold His disciples, we will explore His mentioning of duty in Luke 17.10. While duty is not the primary motivation for Christian conduct, it will help us see how forgiveness, prayer, faith, and service are essential responsibilities of the Christian life.
Why does Jesus deliver this short saying on divorce and remarriage? The placement of Luke 16.18 reinforces his point in the previous verse on the timelessness of God’s moral law. This week we will explore the importance of marriage, the reality of divorce, and the implications for our church.
Given the richness of the parable of the prodigal son, we will revisit Luke 15, this time examining the nature of repentance. Turning from the world and towards the Lord is the daily posture of a Christ follower. How does the church “bear fruit in keeping with repentance”?
As we come to Luke 15, we find Jesus explaining why he spends time with sinners. But this text contains more than an explanation of Jesus’s mission. So join us this Sunday as we explore the rest of the story.
Everything worth doing comes at a cost. In Luke 14.25-35, Jesus wants to make sure that those who truly follow Him understand the implications of the mission. Unlike our culture that favors loose adhesion and half-hearted commitments, Jesus speaks plainly about the cost of discipleship. As we follow Christ together, are we prepared for the mission?
What’s been your most awkward dinner party? Jesus sure had a way with the people he interacted with. To the poor and needy he was gentle and caring, gracious, and compassionate. But he had harsh words for those who believed they were righteous and would challenge their long-held values and beliefs. This Sunday in Luke 14, Jesus uses a dinner banquet at the house of a Pharisee to share how his love goes out to all the most unlikely people. He challenges us to love those who are the untouchables in our society as we recognize our own brokenness and need.
In Luke 14:11 Jesus delivers a famous paradox “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”. How do we humble ourselves? Does the truly humble person know he is humble? We will explore this important truth and celebrate the Lord’s Supper this Sunday.
Jesus preached often about the Kingdom of God. In this week’s passage, Jesus reveals what it means to be saved, how we enter God’s Kingdom, and His attitude towards the lost. It is a reminder to the church to strive towards true discipleship.
Last week we saw how Jesus used the suffering in this world as a signpost for the need to repent and be right with God. In this week’s passage, Luke 13.10-17, we will see how Jesus’ compassion cuts through religious legalism to promise believers full restoration in God’s Kingdom. How comforting to envision God’s putting all things right in Christ.
As our series Mind the Gap comes to a close, the question before us is, “how do we keep going? How do we keep pursuing God’s call on our lives?” The answer is we remain vigilant otherwise a new gap opens up in our lives that can sabotage what’s been previously accomplished. And so this Sunday, we’ll be looking at Acts 20:7-12 to look at how we can bridge the vigilance gap.
New Hampshire’s state motto is “live free or die.” The Christian’s motto is “Christ died that I might live free!” But how exactly do we live free? This Sunday we’ll turn our attention to Galatians 5:13-24 to explore how freedom misapplied can create a gap between us and our calling and what can be done to bridge that gap.
If there is one thing that seems to be universally true of Americans, it is that we are over-committed. We have too much on our plate, and the thought of adding something else seems impossible, even if it’s a good thing. However, our text for this Sunday, Luke 10:38-42, proposes that it’s not our commitments that are the issue, but our valuation of them. Join us this Sunday as we explore how we can bridge the value gap in our pursuit of where Jesus is calling us to be.
We are all creatures of habit. So much so that we typically sit in the same seats each Sunday. So as we explore the love gap, which shapes our habits, from Deuteronomy 6:4-15, we’d like you to try and break a habit.
Physical hunger can have a profound effect on us. It can bring about intense emotion (hangry), become a consuming drive, and if not dealt with, it can rob us of the strength to go on. So too the hungers of our heart. This Sunday we’ll be looking at the hunger gap from 2 Timothy 4:1-5 and see how we might bridge that in pursuit of where God’s calling us to be.
Over the next six weeks, we’ll be looking at how we can bridge where we are and where God calls us to be. But in order to do that we need to be clear on God’s calling on our lives. This Sunday, we’ll be in Acts 2:42-47 exploring how the early church pursued their calling and how we can as well.
As we spend the first morning of the New Year together, we will look at the church’s primary mission, to make disciples. 2 Timothy 2.1-7 will serve as our primary text as we unpack what discipleship entails and think about how we can move forward together in 2023. My prayer is that we are open to taking discipleship more seriously.
When God sent His Son to assume a human nature, He dignified so much of our earthly existence. Amazingly, Jesus spent the majority of His life at the carpenter’s bench. This forces us to reconsider the importance of our work. As we read 2 Thessalonians 3, and do so against the backdrop of Advent, we will explore a sound theology of work.
What is the basis of our faith, hope and love? Is it not the gospel of the Lord Jesus and the grace of God that brings eternal comfort? As we continue to prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus at Christmas, this Sunday we look with eager hope and expectation toward the second coming. Jesus will return in power and will destroy those who set themselves against God and his kingdom. 2000 years later we continue to stand firm in the foundations of the gospel- grace, faith, hope and love!
Pastor Ian reminded us this week of just how many Christmas hymns connect Jesus’ first coming, what we celebrate at Advent, with His second coming. We cannot separate the Son who came to the manger from the Son who will return in power. So, while 2 Thessalonians may seem like an odd text for Christmas, it is quite fitting to see how it frames our mission. This week we will see how God’s justice encourages us to glorify Jesus.
When Peter Drucker said “culture eats strategy for breakfast” he reminded us of just how important it is to have a healthy ethos in a church. In what appears to be a list of injunctions in 1 Thessalonians 5.12-28, Paul actually gives us a glimpse into how a healthy church should interact. May the Lord strengthen and sustain us to this end.
Having stressed Jesus’ visible return, Paul now addresses our next question: when will this happen? In 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11, we learn that we are to prepare for Jesus’ coming rather than become distracted with its precise timing. We prepare for Jesus by practicing faith, hope, and love.
What happens when we die? We spend too little time contemplating this question because of the serious implications of the answer. While many of our peers think the answer is either unknowable or a matter of speculation, we will see that Jesus speaks authoritatively, granting the church hope and encouragement.
As we read 1 Thessalonians, we might find it shocking that Paul turns to address sexual ethics halfway through the letter. In our culture, many wonder why God would be concerned with our sex life. We will take two weeks to study this passage considering why God’s design for sex is both counter-cultural and Kingdom-oriented.
Each local church is known for something…the service-oriented church, the praying church, the loud music and lights church, the church full of grey-haired people…what was the church in Thessalonica known for? For that matter, what is Providence Church known for? In our text Sunday, Paul is overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness for the faithfulness of the church in Thessalonica. We’ll see how faithfulness is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Christian and how God calls us to walk in faith with each other.
What role does prayer play in the life of the local church? Many of us struggle with prayer. I am hoping as we continue to look at 1 Thessalonians we come to see prayer as a gracious invitation from God rather than another thing to jam into our busy schedules. May ours be a local church dependent on God alone.
When the Thessalonians became Christ-followers, they immediately faced pressure from the dominant culture. Interestingly, Paul tells them this is an indication that they’re on the right track. Since every Christian will face hardship, this week’s passage helps us prepare for the times of trial.
We’ve all been hurt by sinful behaviors under the pretense of ministry. How does Scripture see healthy patterns of Gospel work? In our passage this week, Paul outlines the conduct and approach of godly ministry. Far from applying only to full-time clergy, this picture of God’s work done God’s way relates to all Christ-followers.
Positive examples are instrumental in doing life well. As we begin our study of 1 Thessalonians, we will see how this young church “became an example to all the believers” in their region. How encouraging to see that, despite their flaws, God used this group to advance the Gospel. Our prayer is that God will grant us understanding so that we might emulate the faith and mission of the Thessalonians.
What is the church? We want to revisit this question regularly. Far from a building or an institution, the church is the people of God on mission. This week we will look at Ephesians 4 and the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 to stress our call to “follow Christ together”. May this unify us as we enter an exciting season of ministry.
In all the big decisions of life, our choices lead to loyalties. In the challenging passage of Luke 12:49-59, Jesus shows us that following Him will inevitably lead to a clash of loyalties. This teaching will once again stress the urgency of true faith.
While family, work, and fun are important parts of life, none of these domains can sustain our overall purpose. In our passage this week, Luke 12.35-48, Jesus charges His followers to stay on mission, steward all with which we’ve been entrusted, and to be ready for His return. We will see how His framing life’s purpose around His second coming directs our steps.
This week Jesus continues to prepare his disciples to follow him. Despite the hardships they may face, it’s still possible for them to have a life worth living. But the path to a wonderful life is an unconventional one. Join us as we explore how we can have a life worth living from Luke 12:13-24.
There are a lot of things that people are afraid of. In our text this week, Jesus explains what we all should be most afraid of and his answer is as surprising as it is troubling. He says that we should be most afraid of God! How is that an encouragement to us?
Many of us have faced the criticism of hypocrisy in the church. When we say “Jesus is Lord”, this entails a specific lifestyle. We want congruency between our profession and our conduct. As we study Luke 11:37-12:3 we will see how Jesus addresses religious hypocrisy and encourages us to live with sincerity.
Isn't it true that what you see isn’t always what you get? Our eyes can be deceptive, tempting us toward pleasure or tricking us into lesser ventures. The eye too is a window into our souls. This Sunday Pastor Brian will be continuing in Luke 11:29-36 looking at the importance of repentance when we see clearly with spiritual eyes.
While we might have a tendency to underplay the role of the demonic world, this week’s passage shows us the reality of the spiritual battle in which we are engaged. In Luke 11:14-28 Jesus calls us to true discipleship in His Kingdom.
Many of us find it challenging to maintain a healthy prayer life. In our passage this week, we can take comfort that Jesus’ disciples asked for help in this area. We will see how what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer” sets a pattern for our communicating with God. Above all, prayer is an invitation to fellowship with our heavenly Father.
Having studied Exodus for the better part of 9 months, we will spend one more week examining just how important this is for our church. The Bible is one story of God redeeming a people for Himself. We will see how every key aspect of Exodus is fulfilled and embodied in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. As we think about the supremacy of Christ, we will celebrate communion together, a visible reminder that we are God’s people.
Following the idolatrous betrayal of Exodus 32, we saw that God responds graciously to sinners. It is also in this moment that Moses faced his most significant crisis. What would he do? At this crucial moment, Moses prays a bold prayer “Lord, show me your glory”. Why does he mean? This week we will see that Exodus concludes with a promise of God’s presence among the people.
Exodus 32 features a great betrayal on the part of God’s people. They worshipped an idol after all God had done for them. The real question is how would God respond to such rebellion? To answer this question we will focus on Exodus 34:6-7, what Luther called “a sermon on God’s name”. It also happens to be the most frequently cited truth in all Scripture.
Did you know that more than a quarter of the book of Exodus describes the construction of the Tabernacle and the making of its furnishings? Why does God preserve this for us? This Sunday we will see that the Tabernacle reminded Israel that God dwelled among them. Amazingly, Jesus fulfills the role of the Tabernacle and then dwells in us (John 14:23). All of this points to the importance of the gathered church.
I often hear people call for the crucial DTR “define the relationship” talk. We all know it’s important to understand the state of relationships. Exodus 24 marks a pivotal day in the history of God’s people when the God’s covenant promises and demands are ratified. This chapter will challenge us as a local church family and point towards our need for Jesus.
What role does God’s law play in the life of the Christian? While a casual reading of Exodus 21-23 may leave some thinking it’s irrelevant, this Sunday we will see how this section of God’s Word reveals His character and shapes His people to be faithful.
Tom Petersburg will be preaching this Sunday from Colossians 4:2-6 and reminding us all that evangelism is a key part of the Christian life as laid out in our Six Pillars of Following Christ Together. Tom and his wife, Joanne, are founding members of Providence Church and Tom served faithfully as an elder for many years. He currently leads Catapult ministries, following over 40 years of service with Cru and Athletes in Action.
From the earliest times of the church, “to preach Christianity meant primarily to preach the resurrection”. So wrote C.S. Lewis in his work on miracles. The outlandish claim of the bodily resurrection of the tortured and defeated Jewish carpenter is the bedrock of our faith. This Sunday we will celebrate God’s raising Jesus from the dead, granting His followers hope, victory, and purpose.
Have you ever been tempted to say untrue things about someone else? Why is it that we think portraying others negatively will make us appear better? These sentiments are addressed in the 9th Commandment where God encourages His people to speak truthfully about others. Here are the sermon notes and order of service.
This week we will look at the 8th and 10th commandments that reinforce the idea that God’s Law is spiritual in nature. If we steal something, the real problem is rooted in our hearts. We will see that these commandments call us to wise stewardship and godly generosity.
We are blessed to have Kerry Doyal, our EFCA district superintendent, preaching this Sunday. He and his wife, Robin, have served at churches in New York, Illinois, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania since 1994.
Upon reading the four simple words “You shall not murder”, we might dismiss the 6th Commandment as irrelevant to a congregation like ours. When we see Jesus’ interpretation of this commandment, however, it opens up its significance.
This Sunday as we gather, we will turn our attention to the 5th commandment in Exodus 20:12, to honor our father and mother. Why is this important to God? We will see how this commandment is linked to God’s plan for His people.
This Sunday, we’ll be looking at a command that we can all get behind, take a day off from your work each week. But God is doing more than just instituting a lazy day. He is restructuring our lives in light of his work.
As we look at the Second Commandment this week in Exodus 20.4-6, we will examine how what we worship has practical consequences for our lives. How can we worship the one true image of God, the Lord Jesus? When we worship Jesus, God’s people live-out their distinctive calling.
The event at Sinai escapes us. How can we fathom something so remarkable as hearing the thunderous voice of God amidst a fiery mountain? Yet, the Lord here personally gives His law to Israel. Two questions arise: Why this awesome display from God? And why this law? Join us as we consider the hope available to lawbreakers.
Exodus 19 is a turning point in the book. Having redeemed Israel from bondage, God now shows us that He did this for a purpose. In a passage that includes “the Great Commission of the Old Testament”, we will explore what it means to be God’s treasured possession.
Even great leaders need help. Our passage in Exodus this week will show us how God provides people to sustain us as we lead for Christ’s sake. We often hesitate to ask for help because we think we are self-sufficient and because we want control. Hopefully we will all see how those in the church family are a blessing on the faith journey.
This week we find ourselves in Exodus 17, where the Israelites have had enough desert and decide to take legal action against their leader.
Having sung in response to the Lord’s deliverance, the Israelites now face hardship in the desert. Exodus 16 will remind us that God is our gracious provider. Even when we grumble, He meets His people in kindness. Most importantly, we will see how the manna in the desert points us towards the real “bread of heaven”, the Lord Jesus. The sermon notes and service order are attached.
We look forward to gathering for the first Lord’s Day of 2022. We will return to our study of the book of Exodus, looking at the song in chapter 15. Why are the Israelites singing? What model does this provide for the church? Hopefully we will have a greater appreciation for praising God for His steadfast love.
As we approach the celebration of the incarnation, may we stay focused on God’s dwelling with us. In recent weeks we have examined God’s appearing in fire, as a warrior, and as exalted king. This Christmas Eve we return again to the most important truth in the world, that God appeared as a person – the Lord Jesus – to show us what He is like. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow night at 4p or 6p for our family carol service.
As we enter the fourth week of Advent, we will continue to think about the implications of God being with us. Having looked at God’s appearing in the garden of Eden, in fire, and as a warrior, we will now examine God’s appearances as an enthroned king. What does it mean to have God as our king? How refreshing for the saints to know that our Lord will vindicate His people. As always, the sermon notes and service order are below.
As we celebrate the third week of Advent as a church family, we will continue to think about how often and in what ways God appears among His people. Having looked at God appearing as fire last week, this week we will see His appearing as a warrior. What does it mean to say that God fights for His people? What does this mean for our church? Most importantly, we will see how God triumphed over the powers of darkness by sending forth His Son.
This week in Exodus we come to the famous crossing of the Red Sea. As we read chapter 14, we will see how Israel is taught to “fear God” rather than material obstacles. In a time when people are increasingly fearful, how can our trust in the Lord be a blessing to others? As always, the sermon notes and service outline are below.
This week in Exodus 12 we will study the event that finally accomplishes Israel’s exit from Egypt. For our purposes, we will see how God delivers judgment and salvation. God’s justice and mercy are not in competition, but work together to establish His people.
This week in Exodus chapters 7-11, we will look at God’s response to Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness and see how the 10 plagues establish that there is none like Him in all the earth.
At the end of Exodus 5, Moses wants to quit. He is questioning God and his calling. This week in Exodus 6 we will see how God promises His power and His presence as He acts to liberate His people. This points forward to the liberation we experience in the Lord Jesus. The sermon notes and order of service are below.
This week we will see how easy it is to think that obeying God will result in more comfort. Exodus 5 will help us think about how we define success and how we can remain faithful in the peaks and valleys of the Christian life. Please see the sermon notes and order of service below.
Through the first two chapters of Exodus, the focus has been on the oppression of God’s people. As we study chapter 3 this Sunday, we will see the transition towards God’s deliverance. This chapter’s famous scene of the burning bush that does not burn shows us what God is like and how He calls us to ministry. The sermon notes and order of service are below.
This week in our study of Exodus 2, we meet Moses, the man God chose to lead the Israelites out of bondage. We will see how God prepares Moses for the difficult journey ahead. God develops Moses for this particular task, even redeeming past sin for ultimate good. What a reminder to us that God prepares His people for ministry.
There are many causes and movements around which people unite. And many around which people divide. In a day of much division, what brings true unity? How might unity in the Church be a hope for a divided world?
The Beatitudes are the beginning of a rich and beautiful sermon from Jesus related to the pursuit of His Kingdom that is both “present” and “not yet.”
I think it is true that we learn a lot from failure. In Luke 9.37-62, God, in His infinite wisdom, allows us to learn from the failures of the disciples and would-be disciples. We will go further in understanding what it means to follow Jesus.
We all wonder whether people can change. Are cosmetic alterations our only hope for transformation? Do we have anything beyond “behavior modification”? As we read Luke 8.26-39, we will see the stunning power of Jesus to change us from the inside-out. I pray we all appreciate His sanctifying work.
This week we will read Luke 8:1-15 and encounter one of Jesus’ more famous parables. This illustration forces us to think about how people respond to the message of Jesus. We look forward to this time of worshipping together. Our candidate for worship pastor, Jim Pavkov, will also be joining us.
This week we will witness a powerful demonstration of Jesus’s words that “whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). Our passage will warn us against self-righteousness and show us that Jesus forgives even notorious sinners.
This Sunday we’re looking at Luke 7:18-35 at a time where Jesus failed John’s expectations of him and what we should do when he fails our own.
This weekend we celebrate the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We cannot separate the events of Good Friday from Easter morning. As we think about the Lord Jesus paying with His life for our rebellion, we also anticipate the great victory when God raised Him from the dead.
This week we celebrate Palm Sunday, the commemoration of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before He went to the cross. We can see how important these events are for the Christian based on the attention they attract from the Gospel writers. A quarter of Matthew’s Gospel is devoted to the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. So, we will read Matthew 22:1-14 this Sunday and see why Jesus delivers these challenging parables.
In the closing of the Philippian letter, Paul thanks the church for their sacrificial giving. So, reading Philippians 4:10-23 teaches us many truths about stewardship and how we should view a partnership for the Gospel. Understanding the generosity of God will produce a generous people.
We live in a time when anxiety is on the rise. As we read Philippians 4:1-9, we will see how our faith in the Lord Jesus will lead to resting in God’s peace.
This week we will read Philippians 3:1-11 and see how all of Paul’s accomplishments are a liability to really knowing Christ. Does our own prideful striving inhibit our fellowship with the Lord Jesus? Would our deepest longing be “to know Christ”?
This week we will be looking at four examples of what it looks like to be others-focused and how relational depth and proximity play in emulating their examples.
Having charged the church to be of the same mind as Christ, this week we will read Philippians 2.12-18 and see how the Paul calls Christians to increased obedience as we work-out our salvation in a world that does not honor the Lord Jesus.
This week we will read Philippians 2 and receive a charge to model Christ’s humility for the sake of unity and joy in the church.
This week we have guest Pastor Kerry Doyal, Superintendent of the Allegheny District (EFCA), preaching from Colossians 1:28–29.
What is the central message of hope you share with people? How do you help people grow up in their faith? How familiar are you and committed to God’s sovereign Son, His sole means of redemption and adoption? “Jesus” may sound like a simplistic answer, but He is the fullness of God’s truth and mission. He is to be what we are all about.
This week we will unpack one of the more memorable verses of Philippians when we study 1:19–30. For Paul, the joy of serving the Lord Jesus now is only surpassed by being with Him in the life to come.
In this sermon, pastor Caleb looks at Philippians 1:12-18 to discover how we can find joy in our hardships because of the gospel’s advancement.
As we continue our series on Philippians and standing firm in the faith, This Sunday we will study Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving in 1:3-11. We will see a number of practices central to healthy Christian fellowship.
This week we will begin a new series in the book of Philippians. Much beloved as the “Epistle of Joy” or the “Epistle of Excellent Things”, we will see how so many of the themes are relevant to our times. We will have an encouragement to stand firm in the faith. Paul will start by having us think about Christian distinctiveness.
Tonight, Christmas Eve, we will be thinking about that great promise of Christmas in Isaiah 9. Here we will see how Jesus is the long-expected Prince of Peace in whom we can rest. How timely for the end of a stressful year.
This week we will continue our Advent series celebrating the Long Expected King. We will turn to the book of Zechariah and see how the promise of God’s forgiveness in chapter 3 is fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. We hope that this series encourages us to read the minor prophets and to marvel and God’s faithfulness and all we have in Christ.
For the third Sunday of Advent, we will once again look at an 8th century BC prophet to see how his message pointed forward to the coming of Christ. As Hosea taught us about God’s love and Amos about God’s justice, we will now see that Micah comments on God’s rule.
This Advent we are looking at how Jesus’ coming fulfills the promises God made throughout history. In this sense, we celebrate the long-expected King. This week we will look at the book of Amos and see how God’s righteousness is displayed in the Incarnation of His Son.
This Sunday is the first week of Advent, the celebration of the coming of the Lord Jesus. This year’s theme is The Long Expected King. We will look at a number of Old Testament prophets and see how the coming of Jesus at the first Christmas fulfilled God’s promises. This week we will look at Hosea and see how the love of God is on display in Jesus.
This week, we look into a heavenly conversation between God and Satan as it relates to the lifestyle of Job. How will Job respond to what happens to him? Will he remain faithful and thankful to God in the midst of hardship, or will he curse God and long to return to the days of his prosperity? This is a timely message as we look forward to Thanksgiving and reflect on what we are thankful for in 2020.
In this sermon, we are going to look at the disobedience of King Saul in 1 Samuel 15; so we can explore how to live lives totally obedient to God.
This week we will return to Genesis and our study on origins. As we read 3.14-24, we will better understand the consequences of human rebellion and why we all sense that things are not as they ought to be. Wonderfully, this passage also testifies to God’s mercy and His rescuing of creation.
Given where we find ourselves as Christians in America, this Sunday we will take a break from our study of the doctrine of creation to think about political theology. Political theology explores how we ought to behave as thoughtful US citizens under the authority of the true King, Jesus Christ. We will look at several passages in hopes of putting this election in the right perspective.
The opening chapters of the Bible describe a highly integrated world where humans enjoy a covenant relationship with their Creator and are called to the purpose of administering His creation and representing Him. As we know, this pleasant arrangement is far from what we experience today. This week we will read Genesis 3.1-13 and see how it all goes so wrong and how Christ will restore all things.
This week we will look again at Genesis 1.26-2.17, this time focusing on our purpose. We will see that the call to responsible stewardship helps us understand what we are supposed to do with our lives.
Marriage = a life-long, exclusive covenant between one man and one woman which is the natural relationship for the conception and nurturing of new human life. Marriage is a God-ordained, pre-political institution and the foundation for civil society.
Psalm 139 marvels over the majesty of God’s being and models how we should respond to this God. Yet, David’s awesome prayer at the close can be intimidating, even terrifying to a believer. We’ll explore why we struggle with being fully known and seen by our Sovereign God.
Human dignity is anchored in the Scriptural truth that we are “made in God’s image.” As we study Genesis 1:26–2:17, we will see how this important concept proves timely for our current affairs and heightens our call to represent the Lord.
Sadly, some refer to the different interpretations of Genesis 1 as the “seven days that divide Christendom”. This week we will continue our series on the doctrine of creation to see that this passage shows us how God fashions the natural world and gives us the gift of order.
Understanding how something began is vital to apprehending its purpose and meaning. This week we will begin a series in Genesis 1-3 to see what Scripture teaches about the origins of our universe.
In a time when many wonder what it means to be a Christ=follower, Luke 6 shows us the marks of true discipleship. This week we will study verses 43–49 to see that following Christ is a lifestyle.
This passage of Scripture is described by one commentator as one of the most misunderstood in the New Testament. We’ll consider what this passage means in the context of the entire chapter.
We cannot watch a news cycle or read the papers without being reminded of the deep division in our communities. In a time when we often confront (or feel) hate and anger, how timely is Jesus’ charge in Luke 6:27–36 to His disciples to “love our enemies.”
Jesus begins an important sermon by preaching on the attitude of His followers. Jesus, (un)surprisingly, prioritizes different virtues from those of the world.
Jesus comes as the true fulfillment of the jubilee year—as one who binds up the broken and sets captives free.