Creekside Community Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Creekside Community Church
Our sermons from Creekside Community Church, an Evangelical Free Church (EFCA) in Gainesville, Florida
Facing another election, we start our year reminding ourselves were we hope for salvation.
In Christ, we are truly free. May we never add to or take away from the goodness of the gospel.
What does the story of Abraham, Haggar, and Sarah have to say to the Galatian Christians? Follow along as Paul creates an analogy, teaching us that we must not think that we are under the law as a slave, but rather, we are to trust in the LORD and not in our own righteousness.
What does it mean to be an heir in the kingdom of God? We have a full, perfect inheritance through Christ.
Galatians 4:7
[7] So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (ESV)
Paul asks the Galatians, "Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?" Faith comes from hearing and we must trust in this simple message and not ourselves.
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." - v. 13
Why is Paul opposing Peter and why does he say he is condemned? The purity of the Gospel is vital to our theology and our practice.
There is nothing to add to the message of the Gospel. The purity of the message of Christ must be protected and left as clear as the Scriptures make it.
Galatians 2:4–5 [4] Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—[5] to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. (ESV)
Why is Paul so concerned about protecting the Gospel message? The Good News that Jesus died, was buried, and is now resurrected, is a message that must not be corrupted because it is the most valuable thing to us (and to Paul), the foundation of our faith.
How does Exodus end? After the people repent and follow the Lord's instructions in building the tabernacle, we see the Glory of God dwelling among the people in the cloud over tabernacle by day and fire by night, pointing us to the fact that God seeks to be with us, his people, and that believers are blessed by the presence of God in the Holy Spirit.
Do we see ourselves in the people of these chapters of Exodus? We must, as followers of Christ, see the greivous nature of our rebellion and sin against God. But we must also see the love and graciousness of the LORD, who relents from his wrath due to the intercession of Moses, which shadows the work of Christ on the cross and right now in heaven.
As we welcome Hugo Concha, the director of Hispanic Ministries in the Southeast EFCA, and his family, we are taught from Acts 1:1-8. We seek to understand how central our walk with Jesus must be to our lives, looking at the example of the apostle Peter and the evidence of a man who was changed by his time spent with Jesus. Can others say the same about us?
As we celebrate VBS Sunday by welcoming families and their kids who help to lead worship, we turn to a topical sermon to better appreciate the creativity of our God who is the Creator of heavens and earth, and who makes us a new creation through the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
What is happening while Moses is up on the mountain with the LORD? Meanwhile, the people have decided to take matters into their own hands by forming their own idea of who God is and then worshipping it. The first step for us is to identify ourselves with the people and to seek out Jesus as he truly is with humble hearts, knowing that we too have our own idols just like those people, and that only Jesus is worthy of our worship.
How does God conclude his encounter with Moses on the mountain? The goodness and importance of the Sabbath is seen in the punishment for breaking the law and in the giving of this practice of rest to humanity, forcing us to acknowledge weekly that we are unable to earn righteousness through our own efforts.
God wants His people to be 100% committed to Him - to be 'all in.' In today's text, Pastor Eric helps us see four examples from Exodus where Israel truly was 'all in,' and how these ideas apply to our lives today.
How is our faith encouraged by learning of the priestly garments and their detailed and beautiful workmanship? Listen as Pastor Eric takes us through the role and garments of the priests, and how Jesus is our eternal High Priest, calling us to himself as a royal priesthood and a chosen people.
How is furniture supposed to help us worship and live lives worthy of our calling? Join along and see how we learn that the furniture of the tabernacle is the stage on which the story of the Exodus is retold to Israel, and how we can apply that to our lives around 3000 years later.
What can we learn from these (some would say slightly dry) passages regarding the construction of the Tabernacle? Join with us as we begin to finish the last section of Exodus, learning how God must be at the center and how precious His presence was to Israel, and is now to us.
What can we learn from a seemingly strange story in part of King David's reign? Rather than hunting down an enemy to his throne, King David seeks out Mephibosheth to show him grace and mercy as part of covenant he had made. This shows us an image of the love of God to us, who Jesus saved though we were still his enemies.
What does Jesus mean: "Lead us not into temptation"? As we wrap up this series on prayer, we see clearly the path to drawing closer in our relationship to our loving God, the greatest good any of us can have in life.
What does it mean for us to ask for forgiveness as a model for prayer? As we dive into the witness of Scripture, we see that our confession and pleas for forgiveness, always anwered with grace by our Father, help restore us to right relationship with him. But in addition to that, it models the steep call to disciples of Jesus to forgive others in the same way.
What is the "daily bread" that Jesus refers to? As we examine this line of the prayer in the context of Scripture, we are faced with the steep cost and call for all of Jesus' disciples: to rely totally on the Lord for our provision and to stop trusting in ourselves.
How do these three lines teach us to pray? The follower of Jesus must seek first the Kingdom of heaven, and seek to align our lives and desires with the will of our Father in heaven.
How are we to hallow the name of God? We must know who God is, what his name represents, and acknowledge that God's reputation and glory is our highest good.
What does it mean that God is "Our Father in heaven"? Join us as we start on a journey to understand the fundamentals of prayer, through Jesus' teaching, in order that we as a church communtiy may come closer in relationship to the LORD.
Where does the Christian find our joy? Only in complete trust of our LORD who loves us and who watches over us, even in the midst of suffering and anguish.
How is this part of the Covenant brought to a close? God gives his promise of conquest in the Promised Land, covenanting his people to trust him and to obey him, which is still what we must do, trusting that God loves and cares for his children whom he has redeemed. And that our salvation is not earned through obedience, but strengthened and proven through it.
What is God's purpose behind these (sometimes obscure) laws? See how the LORD gives his grace and his justice in his law to ensure a peaceful and just society.
What is the theme for God's law in this section of Exodus? As we here from more of the law codes, we see both God's grace and justice in the codes concerning restitution and restoration, showing the paramount value of human life.
How are we to see the goodness of the scripture in these difficult passages? See how the LORD has made provision for the vulnerable among the Hebrew people in these law codes, to show the dignity of each human life.
Guest Pastor Destin Williams comes to preach from across town and bring us the Word from 1 Peter 1:1-16. Looking at Peter’s reminder to the church that their salvation is held in trust in heaven, giving us great confidence in God’s grace and provision feuding difficult times.
Why does God give his people this good law at this time? As we go through the last of the Commandments, and then see the resulting reaction of the people to God's power, we can understand how we need the right kind of fear of the LORD.
Why does God command the people to 'Remember the Sabbath'? Hear of God's goodness through the command given to the people, to find true life by imitating him.
What are the first instructions on the mountain from the LORD to his people? As we consider these things, let us seek to follow closely after God, recognizing this law for the gift it is in shaping us to be more like God, to be formed more into his image.
Have you forgotten the Holy and Awesome nature of the LORD? As God descends onto the mountain, in holy fire and clouds, the people and Moses must consecrate themselves to be close to God. How much more wonderful it is for us who have the Holy Spirit inside of us, a sign of our redemption and righteousness that Christ given to us.
Ever had God send his provision from an unlikely source? As Jethro arrives at the Israelite camp to see Moses, we see faithfulness from the foreigner father-in-law who praises the LORD for his provision for the people and offers sacrifices, as well as giving wisdom to Moses in how he, and we, should organize our systems for the good of the leaders and for those in the community.
Does this passage sound familiar? As we follow the people throughout their wilderness sojourn where they fail in a familiar way, we see how crucial it is for us react to failure, trial, and hardship, by running into the arms of the Father, approaching the throne of grace through the blood of Jesus.
What is that on the ground? As we dive into a beautiful instance of God's provision for his people, we can see how God uses both the practice of gathering manna that only He can provide, and the practicing of the Sabbath, in order to form his people to be holier and ready to enter the rest of the Promised Land.
What is at the core of our faith and our families, both the biological and spiritual family? As Pastor Mike goes through the essential text of Dueteronomy 16, we see how important it is to trust in God through teaching children (which reminds us as well!) to remember who the LORD is, and how we ought to live faithful lives.
How do the people respond to God's testing when they first enter the wilderness? As we see major themes start to unfold of God's testing (or training), the people's grumbling response, and the continued faithfulness of God, we should be encouraged and exhorted to not doubt the goodness of God and see how we ought to live our lives.
How do Moses and the rescued Hebrew people respond to God's great work for them? Through songs of praise and victory in the triumph of the Lord over evil, which helps us to strengthen our hope in the Lord, who has rescued us from slavery to sin and death and will one day enact final justice on the world.
As we go from one year to another, we are often drawn to bettering ourselves through resolutions. However, if we look in God's Word, we find the true answer to the lasting change is not found in trying to produce good fruit, but it is found in the words of our savior, that we abide in Christ.
Join us as we wrap up Advent series, to hear about Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Even though the world around us is full of brokenness and hurt, the coming of Jesus to earth and his sacrifice for his people shines a light in the darkness, that will one day dispel all sorrow and injustice.
What does it mean for Jesus to be called Everlasting Father? Be encouraged this week as we see how much Jesus cares for and watches over us like a perfect father, and that He has done this, is doing it right now, and will continue to do so, for all eternity.
The LORD is a Mighty God, one who saves his people from their oppression, and ultimately and finally, from our sins. Let us take comfort in the fact the He does indeed save us, and nothing and no one can stand against him.
The King that Israel was waiting for was prophesied of many times, and in this passage we see one who will come and be an advisor with unfathomable wisdom and discernment, who will guide his nation out of darkness and into the light. Join with us in this Advent season as we look into Isaiah 9:6 and all the history that comes with it so that we can more fully anticipate the miraculous birth of Jesus.
As is our annual tradition, we open up the Word to hear from God on the topic of generosity in our lives as believers. Take heart, for though all of us have no hope by ourselves to be saved, Jesus does that work for us, also calling us in this passage to follow in his footsteps of life-giving generosity.
Have you ever felt hopelessness from being trapped? As God brings the rescue of his people out of Egypt to completion, we see how great and terrible his deliverance is, and what hope that gives us as we have been saved into the family of God.
How are we formed today? As we look at God's instruction to his people regarding the Passover and their firstborns, we are reminded that his salvation is open to all, and that we ought to be seeking after him in ways that shape us to live like Jesus and to be reminded that only through him are we cleansed of sin and rescued from slavery.
Have you ever thought that God had stopped watching over your path? Take heart and be encouraged as we hear how the LORD rescued and provided for his people in amazing ways, and how for us He has provided the true Passover Lamb of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.
Hear the Word taught from Exodus 12:1-28 about the interweaving love and judgement of God that is on display for the Passover.
What counterfeit gods are we tempted to worship instead of the LORD? By systematically proving the Egyptian gods to be fraudulent and powerless, the God of the Hebrews, our God, shows us that we too must never trust in the fleeting idols of the age, but trust in Him alone who can save us.
God sets the stage for the showdown that is coming. To a people with almost no faith left to give, God promises deliverance, redemption, and hope.
You know the phrase 'don't shoot the messenger'? As Moses is tasked to bring God's message to the Hebrew people, we see how he had to wrestle with and trust the sovereignty of God even as he was blamed when the circumstances got worse before they got better.
This week we step away from our Exodus series to ask how God has been faithful to us as a church family and to be joyful about the transition coming for our lead pastor position.
What assures us that God is truly going to do as he says? As we witness how Moses responds to and questions the LORD, God responds to Moses with great patience and says that "I will be with you."
How deeply have you considered the captivity of the Hebrew people? As we are given the setting for Exodus, we must see how excruciating life had become for the Hebrew people, in order to understand how great and gracious God is in rescuing those He loves from their captors.
How do we know who God is? Join us in finding out who the LORD reveals himself to be to his people: a God who rescues them from their slavery and teaches them that He is a God that is gracious and merciful. Join us as we journey through the book of Exodus for our next sermon series.
Everyone wants the "why" behind seasons of suffering. What could God be doing that He couldn't do another way? As we look forward to the start of an unpredictable year, we find comfort in the fact that God is doing a great work amidst our suffering.
“They meant it for evil but…” Peter explains that opposition to Jesus it’s not an unusual thing. The amazing thing is that God uses it for his glory and our good.
While Peter exhorts the Elders in the church to be like Christ, the Chief Shepherd, we see how we can honor God in having Christ-like humility in submission to elders as they are tasked with caring for the Flock.
“They meant it for evil but…” Peter explains that opposition to Jesus it’s not an unusual thing. The amazing thing is that God uses it for his glory and are good.
For this summer's VBS Sunday, we take a (partial) break from our Living as Exiles series for a message on part of the letter that the Prophet Jeremiah writes to the exiles of Israel living in Babylon, focusing on the faithfulness of the Lord.
Peter’s End Times To-Do list. Peter writes to let the church know what Jesus wants them to be doing when He returns. It’s not what we typically think of.
How should we live in the midst of reviling and other hardships? Peter encourages the church to live our lives in peace and love despite the temptation to return fire with fire.
Peter finishes addressing the household by encouraging wives and husbands. What kind of marriage is he calling them to have while in exile?
Peter shifts from the public square to the household. He asks believers to follow in the steps of their Savior, but who's the prime example among them?
After reaffirming his hearer's identity as "sojourners" and "exiles", Peter begins to teach them what being exiles in the public square look like, namely: submitting for the Lord's sake. But what does that look like? Peter spends time explaining
Christians should not expect to feel at home where we are. Rather, we are to live lives honoring to God as his ambassadors on this earth, foreigners from the Kingdom of Heaven, where our true acceptance and citizenship can be found.
Jesus is the living cornerstone of our faith and the Church. The passage today reveals the ways in which we must walk with God in holiness, not by our own power but by the work of the Holy Spirit and by the love of Him who called for himself a Holy Nation, a people for his own possession.
Having established the believer’s new identity in Christ Jesus, Peter now begins to explore the implications of being elect exiles – that believers are called to be holy, for the Lord God is holy. This is not moralistic teaching, though; it is the natural outcome of being “in Christ.”
Peter writes to a group of Christians who are facing increasing opposition and reminds them that the Grace they have received in Christ will allow them to stand firm.
Before Peter ever wrote to the churches in Asia minor, he spoke on the day of Pentecost when the church was born. The work that God started the day is still going on in his churches and Peter‘s letter intends to remind them (and us) of that blessed hope.
David concludes his poem by reflecting on the end of his path. If the Lord is his shepherd, where does the shepherding care of the Lord lead?
When the sun rises on David's dark valley, the worst of his fears are confirmed: he is surrounded by enemies. Surrounded by constant threat, he finds himself feasting on the infinite delight God has for him.
As David expresses the deep darkness found in valleys and ravines of life, he reminds himself, and us, of the one core truth of the Gospel that assures our souls in times of distress: that God is still with us.
As David makes a turn from green pastures and still waters to dark valleys and enemy camps, these two lines of poetry give the key insight into how a good and sovereign Shepherd can lead us into times of trial.
If the LORD is my Shepherd, what is the daily experience of His tender care? Through David's poetic imagery, we see that the care of God restores me to the depths of my being.
We all want to live a life that matters. The quest for meaning is one of the most universal human instincts. For six weeks, we explore one of the most famous passages in the Bible and listen as King David reflects on finding and experiencing a life worth living.
Christians rightly celebrate Easter as a day with cosmic implications. And yet, on that first Easter, those first witnesses started the day feeling anything other than victorious or celebratory. On that first Easter, Jesus shepherded with tenderness those first witnesses and shows us the humility and love our cosmic savior displays for those struggling with their faith.
Once again, David speaks to his soul -- this time, he encourages his soul to trust in the LORD, to worship the LORD, and to rejoice in the LORD. The text is incredibly relevant to us today, as David's hopes see their fulfillment in Christ Jesus.
David stands in awe of God's comprehensive, limitless knowledge. Free from the need to run or hide, David has faith that his sins will not prevail over God's love.
We fear the shame of not measuring up. What if there was a way to face that reality with hope for forgiveness and redemption?
The imprecatory psalms, such as Psalm 58, are angry psalms calling for devastating wrongs to be made right. They also help us with our anger and what to do with it.
So many of us have learned to dismiss painful experiences, especially those out of our control. The Psalms give us a better tool to hold the tension of a good, sovereign God and a deeply broken world.
David is no stranger to fear. In Psalm 27, he doesn't avoid his fear or succumb to it. He shows us the reason God created us to feel fear.
In the midst of scary, unpredictable circumstances, David reminds himself what he might otherwise forget.
We are singing people by nature. God created us to express our wonder through song. And it only gets better when we sing praises to God together.
Jesus gave us a tangible illustration of the gospel, something that reinforces the truth of the gospel through the senses of taste, touch, and smell.
What makes a sermon good? Rather than offering our ideas or taking a poll, we turn to the first sermon in the book of Acts for a guide.
Why have Christians always gone to church? Turns out the reason is as important today as its ever been.
It’s here, the answer to all the hardships of 2020: 2021. A new year, full of possibility, hope, reason to believe we’ve left the pain of a pandemic and an election season behind us. But if last year was a lesson to us, hoping in a new year is a fool’s errand. Is there something better?
Jesus begins His most famous sermon with a description of the kind of person who will be right at home in His new kingdom.
Jesus' toddler years show us that Christmas is not a distraction from the evils of this world, but the cure for them.
The far away came to worship. The near and knowledgeable stayed home. Jesus' birth continues to set the tone for a kingdom that pursues all the "wrong" people.
Without context, Jesus' birth might only be inspiring. But when we grapple with the pain of our self-inflicted exile, we can finally understand the true significance of the birth of the one named "The Lord Saves."
Would you want to air all the awful things you or your family has done to the entire world? Matthew's Genealogy of Jesus gives us hope because it shows us that not only are the "good" people included, but even the worst of us can find a place in the eternal family of God's People.
Jesus prays for his followers and all the believers that would come after. What is his prayer? That they may be one.
Jesus's final words to his disciples before his arrest repeat his desire for them to have peace in the midst of the coming storm. He reminds Christians of any time that while we will endure trials, these troubles are in fact birth pains of the coming Kingdom. His final words make it clear that this is certain because He has overcome the world and all of the forces aligned against him.
Jesus must depart because then the Helper will come to us, one like Jesus who will convict the world of sin and who guides those who belong to God in the truth.
We all struggle to deal with being persecuted for Jesus' name. As His final hours with the disciples tick away, Jesus addresses this struggle head on.
When our sense of stability is threatened, we all begin to wander, looking for a place of safety and refuge. As Jesus inches closer to His own death, He encourages His followers to remain connected to Him.
Jesus promises his disciples peace in the present because of the presence of a coming Helper. His promise has tremendous implications for where we find our hope in the midst of our current unrest.
The disciples are distressed. Jesus has just told them they can no longer follow Him. So Jesus speaks comfort by revealing His plan to live with His people forever.
It is good news that the God who loves us perfectly has no need of us. And it models the love we must have for each other.
Jesus gives us the example of how He brings his Kingdom: through selfless and shocking love rather than in exerting power, portrayed in the unthinkable act of the Lord Almighty washing his disciple's feet.
Steve Lammers preaches on the Great Commission that Jesus leaves to the 11 Disciples and to every follower of Christ.
The Great Commandment becomes the Great Setup without the Great Invitation. But the answer to our greatest need is an interesting and unexpected invite from Jesus Himself.
What does God require of us? Depending on who you listen to, all sorts of different answers are given to that question. But when we hear Jesus' response, we find something that is both far more simple and far more difficult than any alternative.
We are aware of the audio issue with this week's sermon. We have addressed the issue, so next week's sermon should be better!
As we close in on another election, and with everything else going on that threatens to divide, we take a look at the power of the stories we tell ourselves about other people.
We wrap up our journey through James by considering James' last major command: be patient.
James exposes the twin evils of arrogance in the future and trust in riches. Underneath it all is the freeing truth that God is in control of it all.
In the face of our sin, a great promised is offered by God. If we humble ourselves, He will lift us up.
Starter of great fires. World of unrighteousness. Stain of the whole life. Fire from hell. James has strong words for a small body part: the tongue.
Faith is the beating heart of the Christian life. This week, James introduces us to the pulse that verifies a healthy heart.
James begins a list of "stains" that will distract the world from God's love for us. The first one out of the gate is not what you might expect!
James shows us the type of life that is considered pure worship: both actively loving our neighbors and keeping ourselves free of sin.
Creekside joins over 20 churches in Gainesville celebrating the fact that we are all children of our One Heavenly Father.
We start a new series in the letter from James by considering one of the most audacious commands in the whole Bible: when you face a trial, count it an occasion for...joy?
We wrap up this four-part series by asking how we can earnestly love each other when we disagree on matters of wisdom...like how to respond to a global pandemic.
None of us wants to miss this opportunity to grow into a better version of ourselves. But how can we wait well when we have no way of knowing when the waiting will end?
We’re in the thick of it. As we battle the emotional effects of the COVID outbreak, where can we turn for hope amidst the anxiety and fear?
Christians are not at home in this world, and never is this more clear during a season of intense disruption. What guidance does the Bible have for us as we wait for our eternal home?
John winds down his letter with a summary of the main points and one key takeaway from the letter. Jesus is coming soon, so now is the time to respond to His information.
As John's visions wind down, we come to his sneak preview of the place Jesus is preparing for His followers. And in that place, God's people will experience their eternal happily ever after.
This week, the end of the story is spoiled. The return of the Jesus will mean the end of all His enemies. The question is this: whose side did you fight for?
The end has come, the battle lines are drawn. This week, as we continue in our series on Revelation, we listen as final judgment is pronounced over the great enemy of God, Babylon.
Jumping ahead in our Revelation series, we see the end to which Jesus' resurrection points: a new heaven and earth. And in the midst of it all, we see the greatest promise possible, the promise of God dwelling with His people.
Mike wraps up a two-part series looking at the virtuous life amidst a global pandemic shelter-in-place order. This week, we consider the second of two virtues: patience. What if we took this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to model the patient love of God for our neighbors?
Steve kicks off a two-part series looking at the virtuous life amidst a global pandemic shelter-in-place order. This week, we consider the first of two virtues: courage. If God is for us, who can be against us? Be strong and courageous, for God is with us.
How long, O Lord? This is the prayer of the persecuted saints. And in Revelation 15 and 16, they get their answer.
Last week, we met the Unholy Trinity, whose attack on the church we must endure. This week, we see why.
As John's visions progress toward the final judgment, he is introduced to the ultimate knock-off, a counterfeit trinity vying for the worship of all people.
Last week, the souls of the saints asked, "How long, Oh Lord?" This week, God gives them the answer by revealing the contents of the scroll, His master plan to conquer evil once and for all.
As the Lamb begins to open the scroll, and God's judgement against sin is partially revealed, the all-important question is asked: Who is able to stand on the day of God's wrath?
As John takes in the vision of God on His heavenly throne, he looks down and notices that God has something in His hand: a scroll. Who can open it? The Lion who has conquered by become a slain Lamb for His people.
Continuing in our series on Revelation, we follow John into the throne room of God. Here we see that the sovereignty of God both destroys our idols and calms our insecurities.
Before the meat of the letter begins, Jesus gives seven words to the recipient churches, words of commendation and challenge. This week, we look at the middle five of these words.
Before turning to the main vision of the letter, Jesus gives a preamble for each of the seven original recipient churches.
John's Sunday morning prayers are interrupted by a startling vision of the risen and glorified Jesus Christ.