Fellowship Bible Church, Tacoma - Weekly Sermon: Recent Episodes
Fellowship Bible Church
These are the Sunday Morning sermons from Fellowship Bible Church in Tacoma, WA. Give us a listen for solid teaching straight from the Bible!
As modern people, we don't know what to do with our feelings. Do I stuff them? Do I numb them? Do I wallow in them or let them define me? The ancient wisdom we see in Psalm 42 and 43 models something better: expressing and examining our feelings in the presence of God. As we examine this Psalm together, we'll consider how to incorporate this pattern of lament into our personal life of prayer and see how the good news of Jesus provides the ultimate promise to stand on in times of sorrow.
Last week, we examined what the new life in Jesus looks like at home. Here, Paul points our eyes to look outside the home and ask: how are we supposed to live in the world? What principles should guide our interactions with our neighbors, coworkers, family members - anyone who doesn't yet believe in Jesus? Contrary to mistaken extremes some Christians have adopted (withdrawal, antagonism, accommodation, etc.), what we see commended by Paul is a model of prayerful, careful, winsome engagement. And once again, it's a model that looks like Jesus himself.
What does love look like in action? It's easy to believe in the idea of love, or "love" in the abstract...it can be really hard to love the real-life people you live with. Here, Paul describes what love should look like in the typical Roman home. The categories may be different today, but the relevance remains. As does the goal: to live our lives in way that ends up looking like Jesus Himself.
You've been given a new life in Jesus. So now you need a new look to go along with it. Not the old look of living in anger, lust, restlessness for stuff you don't have - but a new peace in your heart and peace with other people that comes from knowing how much God loves you and accepts you through Jesus. The end result? A new life, with a new look, that ends up looking like Jesus himself - a whole new way of being human.
In Jesus, we are totally secure. In Jesus, we are radically free. Those two ideas form the pillars of Paul's argument in Colossians 2:16-23. So then when someone tries to tell us otherwise ("no, you have to eat these certain foods..." or "you have to say these certain kinds of prayers"), we will know to ignore them and shrug it off. The ultimate result? A community of people who are the most secure, in themselves, and the most non-judgmental of others, in matters of freedom, than you'll find anywhere else on this planet - because of Jesus.
In this text, Paul gives two commands: walk in Jesus, and watch out for false teaching. As motivation for both of these, Paul invites his readers to ask a question: do we know how much we have already been given in Jesus? Defeating evil powers, giving us new life, inviting us in to a whole new family, wiping away, forever (!), every sin we've ever done...this text is like a rich gospel buffet from which we'll leave filling stuffed: overflowing with gratitude and awe for all that God has done for us in Jesus. So let's sit down and feast.
Church is a place of suffering, service, and toil. Paul doesn't downplay this reality. In Colossians 1:24-29, he leans into it, describing clearly the cost of his commitment to the church of Jesus. But he also shows us the glory. If you're a person who's getting burned out on church, or even considering giving up church altogether due to discouragement, or hurt, or whatever - this is the passage for you. Because in this passage we see the motivation to stay committed to church even when it's hard. Not because the church is so great, but because Jesus is, and he's the one who suffers, and serves, and toils for us.
There's one clear theme for today's section in the Colossians: the unrivaled supremacy of Jesus. In Colossians 1:15-20, Paul shows how Jesus is Lord of Creation and New Creation and everything in between. But this isn't just abstract theology. It's exultation. It's poetry. And Paul's hope is that by seeing the glory of Jesus, we'll be spurred on to deeper devotion and abiding joy as we look forward to the day when Jesus himself will make all things new.
What does the flourishing Christian life look like? And where does it come from? In Colossians 1:9-14, we get to hear Paul's prayer for the Christian community in Colossae. Along the way, we'll get some healthy reorientation regarding what "our best life" looks like and discover how the basis of our ongoing wellbeing is found in knowing God.
In this kickoff to our Colossians series, we take a close look at Paul's opening word of the letter. In them, we find not just valuable info regarding the context (setting, history, purpose, geography, etc.) - we also find valuable info about ourselves. Who does God say we are as followers of Jesus? What does it mean to be a community of "saints"? And "brothers"? As we explore this, we begin to get a glimpse of the profound new identity given to those who belong to Jesus.
There's one clear main point to this passage: Jesus is not guilty. So why do we need to see this? What would we miss if this passage was missing from our Bibles? By the end, we'll observe four reasons why we can't understand the message of the cross unless we first see Jesus's innocence. And how, for all of us who ARE guilty, the message of the cross is very, very good news.
We are drawing into one of the darkest sections of the story of Jesus. In Luke 22:54-62, we see one of Jesus's top disciples (arguably THE top disciple) desert Jesus in his time of greatest need. So what can we learn from Peter's example? We learn plenty about temptation, tests, and how to fail. But even more importantly, against the dark backdrop of Peter's faceplant, we see the faithfulness, power, and grace of Jesus shine out all the brighter, even for failures like us.
The world, as we know it, is going to end someday. In the second half of Jesus's famous "Olivet Discourse" (go back and listen to the first half from Bruce last week!), Jesus tells his followers what that end will look like and, more importantly, how to prepare right now.
There is one clear theme in our passage today: Jesus is Lord. Once again, he faces challenges (this time about taxes and marriage), and once again - Jesus emerges victorious. In the process, he addresses questions like "Do we have to pay taxes?", "Will there be sex in heaven?", "What's the point of marriage if it's going to end in eternity?" and more. Jesus then ends with one of the most thrilling declarations of Lordship in all of scripture, prompting all who listen to respond in submission and rest.
It's not the parable of the prodigal son...but TWO lost sons. And in Luke 15:25-32, the elder brother steps on the stage. What's the danger of "moralism" apart from the gospel? How can we spot the angry, entitled elder brother spirit in ourselves? And if we do, indeed, see our reflection in this elder son - what hope is there for our escape?
In the first half of Jesus's famous Prodigal Son story, we hear one clear message: God will restore any sinner who comes to him for rescue. But as we'll see, that title is a bit of a misnomer. There's not one lost son in this story, but two. The focus is on the younger this week as we consider the futility of living life "your way," the shape of true repentance, and the abundant grace of God for all who come to Jesus with their need.
It's natural to reflect on the passage of time around Christmas: past, present, and future. This can also be unsettling (right, Scrooge?). In this sermon, we'll see from the scriptures how the incarnation of Jesus Christ can change forever how we experience time. We'll learn to see our past without guilt, our future with hope, and our present with a deep sense of comfort - because Jesus is with us.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells a series of three stories: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son...or is it "sons"? What we'll see as we walk through this passage is that there is more than one way to be lost. These stories call us to look in the mirror, assess our hearts, and turn to Jesus for grace.
In this passage, we hear a clear call from the lips of Jesus: consider the cost. Prospective followers will be warned - and current followers reminded - that following Jesus means putting him #1. Over family, over reputation, over possessions...even over your very life. We'll consider this cost as we go through this passage, then end with four additional considerations that help us see: 1. The cost of NOT following Jesus. 2. The purpose of following Jesus. 3. What Jesus gave up for you. 4. The gain of following Jesus.
It's Thanksgiving week - so why not talk about feasting? In our passage today, we hear Jesus (at a feast!) talk about the great Messianic feast. What constitutes true honor? Who should you invite when you throw a party? What kind of people will God invite to His great party? These questions and more are answered by Jesus, leading us to a place of thanksgiving as we consider the mercy of God in making a place at the table for people like us.
Why did Jesus die? This is one of the driving questions throughout Luke's gospel, and quite possibly the most significant question in all of scripture. In our little passage today, we see the outlines of several answers to this question - leading us to understand not just why Jesus died, but believe that he died for YOU. And therein find freedom and rest for our souls. BONUS: a brief sidebar on whether Christians are required to keep the Sabbath today.
In this section of Luke's gospel, we hear a classic question and a cryptic answer: why is one person saved and another not? To those of us who live in an age of unlimited choices, Jesus's response may sound surprising and unsettling. After all, is it all up to God to determine who gets rescued and who doesn't? Or is human choice the primary factor? Bruce walks us through the tension in this passage and points us to the path of salvation found only in Jesus.
It's election week in the United States. There's an ambient sense of dread in our communities. So what topic does the text draw us to consider today? The kingdom of God. In this text, we see the heart of God regarding people with disabilities. We also hear teaching from Jesus that should lead us to recognize two realities: 1. The kingdom of God is big. 2. The kingdom of God is certain. When these truths are pressed into our hearts, we can enter election week (and any week!) with peace, security, hope, and joy.
There is a clear call to repentance running through Luke's gospel. But what is repentance? And is repentance just for unbelievers - or people who are already following Jesus, too? Westin answers these questions and more as he walks us through the words of Jesus in Luke 13:1-10, helping us see that on the other side of repentance is rich, transforming grace.
It's possible to be both very smart and very wrong when it comes to the question of Jesus. Why? How do we explain why the most obviously compelling and beautiful person that has ever been laid before the eyes of men can be rejected by a majority of logical, even brilliant, minds? The words of Jesus in Luke 12:54-59 provide some insight on this question and point us toward some compelling indicators that should prompt every person who hears about Jesus want to follow Him, worship Him, and give up everything for Him.
If you were to sit down in a counseling office with Jesus and admit, "I'm anxious about money"...what would Jesus say to you? In Luke 12:22-34, we get an idea of what his answer might sound like. And for those with ears to hear, we find the basis to relate to money in a way that is progressively 1.) less anxious 2.) more generous with each passing paycheck.
The Bible has a lot to say about about money, greed, and covetousness. So how come so few of us confess the sin of greed? Or see greed as a major spiritual threat? In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and his bigger barns to expose the foolishness of our perspective on money - and point us to something of eternal value.
How can we live as faithful followers of Jesus in a culture that might view Christians with suspicion? Or mockery? Or outright hostility? In Luke 12:1-12, Jesus warns his followers of the dangers they will face, but also equips us to faith in these challenges courageously, faithfully, and joyfully - because the Triune God is with us.
"Pharasaism" is one of the most deadly sins because it's so hard to see in yourself. It's like carbon monoxide: deadly, but invisible. So what's the solution? In Luke 11:37-54, we hear some of the strongest words from Jesus in all of scripture as he rebukes the Pharisees for their pride and hypocrisy. We'll consider ourselves in light of these words ("am I a Pharisee?"), and then consider how the path to "curing" a hard-hearted Pharisee is not guilt or hard work - but grace. And grace is exactly what Jesus is happy to supply in abundance, even to Pharisees.
In this oft-neglected section of Luke's gospel, we see how Jesus is both greater than Solomon, greater than Jonah - and worthy of our full and attentive listening. Bruce ends with telling us why he wants, more than anything, to see Jesus personally someday.
We are in a battle between good and evil. In this section of Luke's gospel, Jesus confronts this evil head on, and - in a preview of what's to come - wins. In doing so, he offers each of us a choice: are we with Jesus or not?
Why should we pray? What sort of God do we pray TO? In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus teaches us to pray. As we go through this passage, we'll address questions like: is the "Lord's Prayer" only for Christians? Do I really need to ask God to forgive my sins if I've already been been forgiven? What about unanswered prayer? Do I need to just "wear God down" until He finally says yes? In the end, what we'll see is not just a model for prayer - but the generous heart of God the Father, who will give to His children what we need most.
What does it mean to "love your neighbor?" And who is my neighbor, anyway? In this section of Luke's gospel, Jesus answers these questions with a surprising, subversive story that not only challenges familiar categories - but presses us to appreciate the merciful, self-giving love of Jesus for all of us who fail to love others as we should.
If you spend much time getting to know the teachings of Jesus, you will find there are times he asks you to do things you don't want to do. Like a fork in the road, you'll have to ask: will I listen to Jesus or not? Luke 8:16-21 is intended to prepare us to listen to Jesus and obey. We'll note four different questions we can ask ourselves to help us make the right decision at the fork in the road, and thereby experience the joy in Jesus for those who hear his voice and obey.
What's going on with the "parable of the soils?" In this sermon, Bruce explains how Jesus prepares us for varied responses to the gospel - and resets our expectations for what Christian faithfulness and Christian fruitfulness might look like in an increasingly hostile culture.