Sacred Mission Sermon Audio: Recent Episodes
Sacred Mission Church, Cincinnati
Sacred Mission Church engages the people of North Cincinnati with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Located in Mason, OH, we value families, our communities, and being active participants in making our culture better. Our desire is to establish and multiply gospel centered, city focused, church communities all throughout the Warren and Butler County area.
In the tapestry of life, we often find ourselves weaving between moments of confusion and clarity, sorrow and joy. But what if there was a joy so powerful, so enduring, that nothing could ever take it away? This is the promise of invincible joy – a gift from God that transforms our perspective and fills our hearts to overflowing.
The concept of hospitality is more than just opening our homes or sharing meals—it's a profound expression of the Christian faith. In 1 Peter 4:7-11, the Apostle Peter calls believers to live in a particular way, especially in light of the impending "end of all things." As Christians, we are called to be self-controlled, prayerful, and most importantly, to love and serve each other earnestly. But what is the aim of hospitality, and why is it so crucial for a life of faith?
More and more we live in a land of strangers. Whether it is the growing rate of other ethnicities and nationalities moving into our communities or the cultural strangers who surround us with their foreign worldviews and values… we are living in a land of strangers. How do we live faithful, God glorifying lives in such a land?
Hospitality is a core theme throughout the drama of scripture. It communicates the outsider and sojourner as a welcomed and wanted part of the community. It opens the door to table fellowship, intimacy in relationship, and the dignified care of others. It is also one of the preeminent themes of the gospel... We who were far off have been brought near by Jesus.
Every human created in the image of God was created to worship. We are all worshipers, but bearing the marks of a Christian is uniquely expressed through God’s command for us to worship Him and Him alone through singing! In this sermon we unpack the majesty of our King, the Glory that alone holds, and how we have been saved to sing!
In a world where we often reflect those we admire, the Apostle Paul challenges us to become true disciples of Jesus Christ—people who not only follow Him but also embody His character. Drawing from Colossians 1:24-29, we’ll explore what it means to rejoice in our sufferings, place our hope in Christ, and mature in our faith. Join us as we learn how to live out our calling as disciples, growing each day to be more like Jesus, and showcasing His love and grace to the world.
Missionaries sell everything they own, move to Cameroon, learn a new language, and eat odd foods. Alternatively, Missionaries root themselves in their hometowns, pray audaciously, build relationships with others in the routines of daily life, and regularly initiate gospel conversations with those who don’t yet follow Jesus. Until God calls you to the former, only one good choice remains.
In John 16, Jesus teaches how the Holy Spirit lays a foundation in our souls that undergirds all further moral convictions: the Spirit convinces us of our sin, of Christ's perfect righteousness, and of divine judgment awaiting those who remain outside of Christ.
Christianity often flourishes in the face of adversity. Learn about the cost of following Christ and why He assures us of hope even in a hate-filled world. Don't miss this chance to find strength and encouragement in God's word!
What does it mean to love like Jesus? We might be surprised to find that Jesus’ command requires more than mere obedience. It demands we deeply know the costly love of Christ for us and the assurance he gives in the gospel.
In John chapter 15 Jesus declares that He is the "true vine." The imagery of a vine finds its meaning throughout the entire old testament and would not have been lost on all who heard its declaration.
As Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for his upcoming departure he leaves them with two guarantees. What did this mean for them and how does this impact us today?
As the sun sets on Jesus’ public ministry, he gives his soon-to-be-devastated disciples three promises that hinge on two conditions and lead to one pursuit.
Drawing from John 14:1-14, we will explore how Jesus comforts our troubled hearts in light of life's circumstances. This text will remind us of the profound promises of Christ, encouraging us to trust in God even in our darkest moments, and to live empowered by the Spirit in anticipation of the glorious future He has prepared for us.
Have you ever been hit with unexpected life-changing news, leaving you in shock as everything around you seems to pause? Imagine the disciples' feelings in John 13:31-38 when Jesus, after their last supper together, tells them they can no longer follow Him. These men gave up everything to follow Jesus, and now He prepares them for His departure, revealing how they should live.
In this sermon we examine the calling, ministry, life, and ultimate betrayal of Judas Iscariot.
The story of Judas provides a vivid illustration and stark warning for Christians to abide in Christ as our only hope in life and death!
As Jesus enters the last supper with His disciples, He begins His final teachings before His death and resurrection. The first lesson? Be a humble servant to one another. This serving posture is what lays the ground work for all of the Christian life.
In this sermon we close out the public ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Before he moves into the final moments before Jesus’ crucifixion, John makes a point to tell us about the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah, even though He had been revealed through powerful signs and truth-filled preaching.
Work through the text with us as we discover how God was sovereign in their rejection of Jesus, while in that same sovereignty brought redemption through Him.
Jesus may not be the king we are looking for, but He is the king we desperately need. Join us this Sunday as we jump back into the Gospel of John and take a look at the triumphal entry of Jesus.
In this final sermon in our series “For the Love of ___” we talk about God’s desire for us to participate in joyful generosity toward the purposes and people of His kingdom.
We all have our own views on work—some of us go above and beyond, while others simply meet the minimum requirements. In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, we find guidance on the proper approach to work and the implications it has on our spiritual lives. In this sermon we discuss “A Working Ethic” and how the gospel enables us to work with joy and purpose.
We believe that loss is the enemy of gain. In this life we strive to avoid loss through gaining… gaining prominence, power, wealth, security, comfort, etc. and no cost is too high to achieve it. But what if we misunderstood what true gain is and what if we actually gained “it” by losing…?
In this sermon, we discuss “Godly Gains” and how the gospel equips us to lose with joy.
This Easter join us to discover the truth that Jesus rose from the dead! Because of him, we can look forward to a glorious future that surpasses all that we’ve ever had and all we could ever imagine.
Right before Jesus concluded his last Passover meal with his disciples, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed. This prayer is known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus, because of the way he mediates for his people, before his Father.
In this Sermon, we work to uncover the essential truths of this prayer and how it shows us the eternal love of God for his Son and for his people.
Too often our lives are filled with cheap pursuits that steal from the worship of God that He deserves… and not just worship that He deserves, but worship that will actually satisfy us as His people. Our worship of Him is simultaneous all deserving and fully satisfying.
In this sermon we study the story of Mary’s costly worship and how her actions still impact us today.
Jesus Wept is the shortest verse in the entire Bible. These two words hold so much weight into knowing and understanding the heart of Jesus for his people. A heart that breaks for their despairing state and a heart that moves to redeem and restore the ones he loves.
In this sermon we uncover the heart of Jesus in the resurrection of hs friend Lazarus.
Have you ever wondered why God doesn't seem to answer your prayers? Or why He allows loved ones to get sick, experience deep suffering, and maybe even die? If we're honest, these situations sometimes lead us to question if God really loves us.
In this sermon we unpack the miraculous story of Lazarus, as we aim to discover the connection between God's Glory and our Good, even in difficult times.
Who was Jesus, really? John 10:22–42 narrates Jesus’ unequivocal claims to deity as the Good Shepherd, the Giver of eternal life, and as God the Son with God the Father.
In John 10:10 Jesus said, “...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Maybe you understand Jesus’ promise of life through the gospel, but what does it mean that Jesus promises life abundantly? In this sermon we will examine what Jesus means when he promises the abundant life.
In this sermon, we unravel the impact of Jesus' light on those who claim to see and those who acknowledge their blindness. Discover how the radiant light of Jesus not only grants sight but also exposes the pitfalls of cultural enlightenment and religious traditions
In this sermon, we’ll see how Jesus came to break our chains and give us hope in life. Join us as we explore the real, life-changing freedom that Jesus offers.
Embroiled in debate with Jesus, the Jewish leaders ask: “Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus’ response—which both shocks and infuriates his critics—unfolds in two profound claims: He is both the incarnate messianic offspring of Abraham, and he is the eternal God of Abraham, the “I Am.”
In John 8:42 Jesus said, “If God were your Father, you would love me...” but the Jews having this conversation with Jesus could not wrap their minds around this. They believed they were obedient to “their” father and didn’t need anything to do with Jesus. In this sermon, we examine what it means to be obedient to God the Father through our union with Jesus Christ.
In John 8:12, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” While the pharisees challenge his testimony and disbelieve, Jesus opens the door to many more to believe. Join us as we explore what it means for Jesus to be the “light of the world” and how that truth should lead us to believe.
Inside of marriage it can become very easy to start focusing on ourselves. Even to the point of not caring what our spouse wants or desires. What would happen if we followed the biblical model for marriage? This is what we are going to discover when we understand the duality of humility and exaltation in marriage.
The voice of culture is telling women to find their purpose and worth in their own independence, accomplishments, and social status. The voice of the church is often telling women to diminish or dismiss their purpose and worth by remaining quiet, hidden in the shadows of men, and unused in their God-given gifts. We believe the scriptures present a different way. One removed from the entrapments of both progressive culture and church tradition, that rests and flourishes in the beauty and power of the gospel.
For many, marriage is little more than a social contract in which two people team up to get the most out of life. God, however, designed marriage to be so much more. Marriage is primarily a human picture of the mysterious union of Christ and His Church. As such, our marriages shouldn’t mimic the ever-changing societal norms but echo the eternal love story of Jesus and His Bride.
I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, is it even possible to stop sinning?” The religious will always tell you that it is as long as you “take sin seriously.” Our text this week, “The Woman Caught in Adultery” from John 8, tells the story of how the religious tried to accuse Jesus of going light on sin. What the readers discover is that there is far more power and freedom in the Gospel than there is in religion. In fact, Jesus provides so much freedom that you might just stop sinning altogether.
Man's natural state is described as a parched and dry land absent of the water that would bring him life. Jesus declares himself to be the water we need so that life will spring up from within us. Yet, he doesn't just cause us to be made alive through his living water, he also calls us to be the source of life the people around us need as well. Jesus both is and makes us into a river of life.
There is a primary endeavor in the Gospel of John: that we would know the true Jesus and have eternal life in his name. Many people claim to know the true Jesus, yet the one they claim to know appears very different than the Jesus found in the Bible.
How effective is the will of God the Father and the finished work of Jesus the Son? Are they able to accomplish all that they have determined to? Is human sin or the work of Satan able to thwart the purpose of God in saving His people?
The crowd that followed after Jesus couldn't see or grasp the truth of who He was and what He was doing for them. From an outside perspective it would seem as if Jesus' work was frustrated and had no real guarantee of being fruitful. But Jesus' faith and assurance in His work wasn't ever going to come from the people in the crowd, but it would come from His Fathering Heaven who had sent Him.
When someone talks about the works of God that they should be doing, we tend to hear things like feed the poor, help the widow, shelter the orphan, and so on... However, these works are not the primary work of God we are called to, they flow from a greater work of God in our life. A work that obtains the right standing and eternal life that our lives are working for.
Many of us have heard of the feeding of the five thousand, where five loaves and two fish fed the masses. Yet, hidden beneath the surface lies a profound revelation: the people's deep yearning for a king, but their expectations fell short of the truth about Jesus' true kingship. Discover the heart-stirring revelation that unfolds as their desires clash with the reality of who Jesus really is.
Power & Proof: Why We Affirm the Supreme Authority of Jesus
Christians confess that to Jesus belongs all authority in heaven and earth. By definition, all others object to such a claim. What’s the verdict?
In John 5:19-47, Jesus calls five witnesses to the stand that testify to his true identity and authority as Son of God and Son of Man.
In 1836, William Mote composed a hymn that was originally titled, "The Immutable Basis for a Sinner's Hope". In it was the refrain many of us are familiar with, "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness". Hope in this alone, hope in Jesus alone, is what we as the church so desperately needs right now.
Unfaithfulness tends to come through the means of weariness. Weariness works to convince us that we will never truly be happy, satisfied, or fulfilled. Weariness says that all of this isn't worth it anymore. The times that we find ourselves in make our hearts weary and we begin to believe that it's easier to give up than to keep fighting.
In the cultural moment we find ourselves in, it seems as though our hearts are failing to hold on to faith, joy, peace, and hope. With every headline we read, a new heart wound emerges as our gaze becomes fixed on the brokenness of the world around us. How do we strengthen our hearts and lift up our heads, not to simply "make it through", but to live out the restorative promises of the gospel in our lives and the lives of others?
Join us for our summer vision series "Times Like These" to have your heart strengthened and have faith, joy, peace, and hope restored.
Join us this Sunday as we compare and contrast two miraculous healings in the gospel of John. In chapter 20 we are told that John recorded these acts of grace so that we might have faith, so come expecting your faith to be challenged and to grow in ways only he can do!
In John 4, we see the famous encounter of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Through this encounter, we see an unlikely proposal and immeasurable blessing that Christ offers to each of us.
John the Baptist’s disciples, who were becoming frustrated due to his declining fame, sought guidance from him. In response, John not only helped his followers comprehend the reasons for exalting Jesus but also demonstrated to them what it truly means to do so.
God is the artist, wise and good. We are the canvas, marred and defaced by sin. And on us, God is recreating the likeness of his Son, Jesus. Though we have fallen short of God's perfect design for us as men and women, God's grace and Spirit are redeeming his image in us. Our story is not over. It's only just beginning.
In this sermon, we dive into the unique purposes that God gave women along with the struggles they face in a fallen world.
If we are ever truly going to understand who we are and why we exist, we have to go back to the beginning. The origin of mankind sets the stage and communicates the "why?" mankind exists in the sexual binary. There is a purpose to our existence and that purpose is experienced through our sex and discovered in the beginning of God's word.
One of the most cherished verses of the Bible might just be the most terrifying in all of scripture! Join us as we look at John 3:16-21 and discover how the words of John bring both terror and beauty.
What does it take to enter the kingdom of God? Does it take living a good life, or believing the right things, or some combination of the two? What if it took something completely separate from us? Separate from all of our own actions or beliefs.
Taking whip in hand, Jesus famously ‘cleansed the temple’ in Jerusalem. But more than simply driving out animals and profiteers, Jesus was purging his Father’s house as a preview of both coming judgment and also salvation through his own body, the true Temple.
The first miracle Jesus performed, turning water into wine, is one of the most well known miracles Jesus performed. The gospel writer John calls this miracle a sign. We need to pause and ask, “Why did John include this miracle and what did he intend to. communicate with this sign?”
To be found means that someone was looking, seeking... The scriptures tell us that Jesus came "to seek and save the lost" and we see this happen in the story of a man named Nathanael.
Join us as we dive into the actual narrative of the gospel of John where we are brought into the life and ministry of the "other" John, John the Baptist.
At the end of his prologue, John wants to recapitulate and solidify our Christology. Who IS Jesus? What we come to understand about Him, will be a matter of life and death.
The eternal Son of God entered the world he had made, but most rejected him. By God's grace, all who welcomed Jesus were welcomed into God’s family.
John the Baptist was one of the greatest witnesses to the light sent by God. In the same way, we have been sent by God to be witnesses to the truth of the gospel in our everyday lives.
John's gospel sets forth with the task of fully answering the question posed by Jesus to Peter, "Who do you say that I am?". This is the most important question that, not simply Jesus' disciples, but all of human history would endeavor to answer.
The Apostle Paul is the most infamous missionary in history. While our lives will look radically different than his, we are able to observe what a life on mission looks like in our everyday rhythms.
The gospel is the power to save and it is the means by which God establishes a peculiar people for His glory. A people who are taken out of the world and brought into a community of doing life with one another as disciples of Jesus.
Joy is the fulfillment of something longed for. Christmas is often called "The Season of Joy" because of the fulfillment of God's promises longed for in Jesus.
Who is my neighbor? That is, whom am I obligated to love? In answer to this question, Jesus told the parable of the “Good Samaritan,” possibly the best known and least understood story Jesus ever told.
In today's culture children are often seen as a burden instead of a blessing. The Bible says that we are blessed when our homes are full, not when our social media reels are. In this sermon, we work to reclaim the truth of God's word and the joyous blessing of children.
What does it mean to love unity more? Is our goal to focus on unity? Does God want us to love unity or is unity the fruit of something else? Psalm 133 tells us how good unity is but what does that mean for us today.
Join us this Sunday as we look to understand how to love unity more.
Psalm 84 is a song of deep longing and appetite for God's presence. Composed by men who had at one time dwelled with God in the temple, now in captivity and cut off, this Psalm brings to light the power and beauty of the Gospel.
What does God require of his people? What does he want from us? Throughout the Bible the answer is to follow God's ways in how we love and promote justice for others. How do we do this in light of God's Word?
Join us as we answer the question: "how do we love the sojourner?"
To be able to love God would mean that we are able to know him. To know him would mean that he would have to reveal himself to us. How might we know him, and how has he revealed himself?
Join us as we answer the question of "how can we know God to love him?".
To begin working toward loving God more, we must first assess the authenticity of the love we claim to have for God already. The Apostle John works to help us do just that through a spiritual litmus test he gives to the church.
Our heart's affections are more often stirred by the things of this world than by the things of our Father. We have to train and discipline our hearts to foster a love for the things God's word tells us we should love; things like Him, our neighbors, unity, generosity, and our city.
As Paul closes his letter to the Philippians he instructs them to "greet" all those in Christ. A task only able to be accomplished by both being known and knowing others.
It is so difficult to be satisfied in our lives. Whether it be in our jobs, relationships, health, etc. our propensity is to have hearts that are dissatisfied... absent of contentment. In this, we trick ourselves to believe that contentment is just another decision, action, or plan away, but then we arrive and are quickly as dissatisfied if not more than we were before.
In a world brimming with fear, anxiety, and division is it possible for God's people to live in Peace? Who are we called to peace with, and just what is peace in the first place? In this sermon, we unpack Paul's reminder that as the people of God, it is our privilege to live out the Gospel in true peace.
With the single-minded focus of an olympic sprinter, the Apostle Paul pressed towards the finish line in his race of faith in Jesus Christ.
Our whole lives we work toward building substance into our personhood. A substance filled with accomplishments and accolades that point to some semblance that we have earned a right standing in this universe. But when do we know we've truly earned enough or how do we know we are earning the right things?
There is a common belief in the church that the world is getting darker. While potentially not a false assessment, it shouldn't foster the fear and anxiousness that we see in so many who confess belief in the gospel. We should be a people who walk confidently in this world with courage and strength, because we have been made to be lights that the darkness cannot overcome.
If Paul's writing is true and it has been "granted to us" to suffer and face persecution as citizens of heaven, then what might be the secret to standing strong and persevering through it? How do we come out on the other side reflecting the reality of our citizenship even greater?
An often asked question in Christianity is, "What is the point of living if you will die and go to heaven anyway?". That question only seems probable from a perspective of selfish ambition. The gospel gives us a reason that is beyond our own personal gain.
Advancement takes place when our focus is in the right place. In Philippians 1:12-18, we look at the advancement of the gospel and how our focus on the gospel helps us accomplish the task.
Celebrate Father's Day with us this Sunday! We will work through the story of the Prodigal Son as we are reminded of how God our Father takes deep delight in transforming wayward sinners into beloved children that bear His name.
In the opening lines of his letter to the Philippians, Paul concerned himself with a two-fold vulnerability of the young church: callused hearts, on one hand, and naiveté, on the other. So he penned a prayer that they would grow in gospel-informed, discerning love.
Quite often we believe that we can only have joy when life is going well, but is that true? Can we have joy even when life goes differently than we hoped or planned? The question we must answer is where do we look for joy in our lives?
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We had some technical difficulties while recording this sermon, so you may notice a few portions where the audio skips.
Semper Reformanda is a Latin term the Reformers used meaning "Always Reforming". In essence, since we have a church reformed in the externals of doctrine, worship, and government, let us always be working to ensure that our hearts and lives are being reformed by the Word and Spirit of God.
At the dedication of the wall in Nehemiah 12 it says: "And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.". What was the source of this joy, and how did they discover it?
Jerusalem was reestablished; its walls were reconstructed, God's word reinstituted, and God's people recommitted. But, the city was greatly underpopulated to fulfill all that God had called it to do. In Nehemiah chapter 11 we see the plan of God in filling the city with a people for the purpose of God.
How far does God want us to go in our pursuit of obedience to Him? Is the mere confession of sin enough? What do repentance and obedience look like?
In the valleys of life, we tend to call out to God for help. This is usually fueled by a desire to not have to face the consequences of our decisions and we often fail to reflect and truly learn from the reasons we were in the valley at all.
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul makes this profound statement "because of the great love with which he loved us... made us alive together with Christ... and raised us up with him". God's love for his people caused him to take us from death to life, from a tomb to resurrection, from hopelessness to eternal joy.
In the days leading up to his crucifixion, Jesus took whip in hand and ‘cleansed the temple’ in Jerusalem. But more than simply driving out animals and profiteers, Jesus was cleansing his Father’s house of false worshippers and filling it with true.
Have you ever thought about what is central to your life? When you really value something it impacts what you believe and how you live. In Nehemiah 8, we not only see how important the Word of God was for Israel but also how they responded to the Word of God.
Nehemiah has finally completed the wall, but the real work has just begun. The work of rebuilding was never going to end at the completion of structures, they were means to a greater end; the completion of a people.
God's purpose always brings opposition. One of the biggest oppositions we will face is the lies of the enemy that try to build fear into our hearts to get us to stop the work at hand. We have to use discernment to navigate through the opposition and see the work completed.
What are the distinct characteristics of a godly leader? What separates a godly leader from an ungodly one? In Nehemiah chapter 5, we see first-hand the example and model of godly leadership that we should be striving to see developed in our own lives.
Working to build up a vision means that eventually, you will face opposition. Whether that opposition is internal or external, it will try to get you to quit and give up on the vision. But we only need to remember these simple words in the face of opposition, "our God fights for us".
In Nehemiah chapter 3 we get introduced to 32 verses of names. These names may seem unimportant at first glance, but each one represents a person or group of people who were committed to getting their hands dirty in the work of redemption. Each name represents people taking responsibility in seeing the glory of God and the good of his people be established in the city they call home.
How does one push through adversity and build a lasting legacy?
Facing hostility and hardship, Nehemiah modeled resilience and visionary leadership. In doing so, he points us to the one who overcame all odds to build for us the heavenly Jerusalem.
How does God's work get accomplished? Join us this Sunday as we look at how God accomplishes his work, through the prayer life of Nehemiah. We look forward to exploring how we can be a people who take redemptive action with prayer driven purpose.
Nehemiah is a book about the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem, but more than that, it is a book about a man who relied immensely upon God and bore the responsibility to see righteousness be reestablished among his people.
Often our love for others is calculated by what will be reciprocated to us. This love is really rooted in self-interest and Jesus calls it a love that "even sinners" understand and operate in. We are called to love others in light of a different standard, not calculated, but perceivably reckless to our own good.
We all desire a sense of health, prosperity, and security. These are things we want, but rarely are they things we are willing to build and create. The Bible shows us that the path to obtaining them lies in the work to build them. In living to bless, we become receivers of blessing.
How will the world know that we belong to Jesus? It's not through how generous we are, how inclusive we become, or how humble we may be... Jesus told his disciples that it would be through there love for "one another".
The Bible promises us "inexpressible and glorious joy". A joy that surpasses our circumstances, that transcends happiness, and that has been fully obtained for us in the finished work of Jesus. Joy came to the world in the person and work of God's son.
What is the measure of real love? The biblical answer is not a ‘what’ but a ‘Who.’ Love took on flesh 2,000 years ago and selflessly gave himself for our sins. Our Father displayed unimaginable love towards us in sending His Son, Jesus, into our world to bring us back to God.
How do we obtain peace? The Bible shows us that we obtain it through righteous rulers who love, protect, and care for their people. Only the eternal rule of Jesus offers true peace to His people.
Hope in Christ, and in His coming, and in the victory of the truth. If the night darkens into a sevenfold blackness, believe the morning comes despite the darkening gloom. Do you have faith and trust in Him who lives, and was dead, and is alive for evermore? - C.H. Spurgeon
The oneness of the Trinity, one God eternally existing in three persons, seems impossible to get our minds around, yet this "oneness" is the desire Jesus has for his church. It is bigger than what we understand about unity, but it still entails distinction. Oneness is bigger than human comprehension, but it is the spiritual reality of the church.
Through His High Priestly prayer, Jesus reveals the deep love and care he has for his people.
Since the beginning of time, man has searched for the key to eternal life. Our efforts to escape death have been vanity and our search will never cease when left to our strength or intelligence. In John 17, Jesus prays for our souls. He prays to give us the eternal life that we have been searching for. But this eternal life is sure and true, because it is found in Him.
Many of us have probably heard the statement "doctrine divides" and received it as a call to reject doctrinal teaching at the aim of unity. What we fail to understand in this simplified statement is that sound doctrine is for the purpose of both creating true unity and proper division.
In the closing of his letter to Rome, Paul desires to send his love to certain people in the church. Women and men who were radical risk-takers for the purpose of the gospel. They were deacons, ministers, laborers, persecuted, saints, and more...
𝗟𝘆𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀
𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗘 𝟮 (𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘆) "I, " said the donkey, shaggy and brown "I carried his mother up hill and down I carried his mother to Bethlehem town" "I, " said the donkey, shaggy and brown
Too often we try to separate the spiritual from the material. We act as though they are completely independent of one another and neither have any impact on the other. But the Bible doesn't see them this way. In fact, they both communicate and demonstrate a lot about the other.
We are called to be conformed to the image of Jesus. As we mature in our spiritual life, we will see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives and reflect the righteousness and character of Jesus our savior. This maturity comes in the midst of gospel community where others are living out their ministry and gifts for the building up of one another.
Do you ever feel like you have disappointed God? Our relationship with God and one another can suffer from this feeling of disappointment. It can leave us isolated under a crushing weight. But Jesus comes to give us hope! How? By becoming the "disappointment" for us.
The freedom we have in Jesus is best realized, not in the service of self, but in the service of others. Preferring others over ourselves gives us the freedom to say "no" to certain liberties for the sake of the righteousness of our brother. No matter what we do in our freedom, it is still commanded to be done in love for God and neighbor.