Church in the Basement: Recent Episodes
Maxwell Churm
Paul finally gets to the good part in his letter to the church in Rome. He gives us the good news and breaks down how and why it all works. By grace through faith all can be saved!
How is it that Paul can use such harsh terminology when he talks about humanity? What happened and what missing that would send us into such a state? How do I reconnect with my purpose? Let's explore the Bibles answers to these challenging questions.
In this diatribe, Paul lays out attributes of God that are important to remember as we approach difficult segments of scripture.
Many of us are practicing the dangerous task of working to achieve righteousness. Let's look at Romans 2 to identify who the true worker of righteousness is.
In a world where most move away from wrong doing, we see a pattern within the Bible of Christians breaking this norm and moving towards people and not away.
There is a lot of back and forth in the church on whether we are or are not supposed to judge. Let's see what the Bible has to say and how this helps us to see Jesus more clearly.
Let's clarify the picture the Bible gives us of what the wrath of God is and how it effects us as his creation.
Paul starts off his letter to the church in Rome and reveals the reasons why Rome is on his mind.
After breakfast Jesus turns to Peter and calls him to focus on what true life is all about.
As Jesus reveals Himself to His disciples once again, we learn more about Peters relationship with Jesus and the importance of sharing a meal with others.
Peter and other disciples end up fishing again as they wait for Jesus in Galilee. As they go back to what they know, Jesus comes and calls them out of the norm into the extraordinary in an all too familiar way.
Thomas is usually associated with this moment of doubt, but Jesus sees through to who Thomas really is and reveals Himself in a powerful and personal way.
In this episode we close our walk through Jesus' answer to Thomas' question where Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life".
WE ARE BACK! Let's jump back into John 14v1-7 and talk about what Jesus means when He says "I am... the Life".
Jesus is the true center of reality. Let's discover what scripture says about this truth and how we live in it.
We cannot take for granted the access we have to the Bible today. The first step in understanding the truth of who Jesus is, is reading and treasuring the word of God.
In John 14 Jesus make His famous statement: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Let's start in on "the truth" by meditating on three pieces of scripture to help us frame how we approach the truth of who God is.
What does it mean to walk in the way of Jesus and what does this practically look like in the rhythms of our lives?
The way Jesus interacts with Judas at the last supper helps us to better love and interact with those who are hard to love in our own lives.
Jesus assures Peter of his salvation as He washes the disciples feet. How can we KNOW and be assured that we are saved?
Christmas is a time to celebrate the incredible gift of Jesus! Let's remember together as we enter into the week of Christmas.
Though many of us think that God is a dealer of judgement, Jesus says He came to save and bring eternal life.
We fixate on and seek after the approval of man, but God has glory in store for our lives.
The Biblical theme of light and darkness is so helpful in understanding where we are and what Jesus is.
Jesus gives us a practical picture of what He is about to accomplish on the cross and calls us into the selfless life.
As we look at a famous statement from the text among preachers, how can this statement also spur us on as follower of Jesus in a world that so desperately needs Him?
In this episode, we look at Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the way in which He rode into town. In a time of disunity and divisiveness, how do we usher in the peace of Jesus in the right way?
In John 12 it is the week of the Passover. Let's take a detour to Exodus to explore what the Passover means for Israel and what it means to followers of Jesus.
What will people remember about us? What are the thing that our lives are marked by? Will our legacy be a legacy of worship?
In observing the contrast between Judas and the rest of the dinner party guest, let's takes this opportunity to evaluate our own motivations and heart postures.
On the way to the cross Jesus is at a dinner party with His friends. Let's discover how this meal prepares the way for what is to come.
We have witnessed Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life and what that means to us personally. Now, let's refocus on how that affects the mission of God.
Though we have a tendency to let the "decay" of our live cloud our view of Jesus, He is who He is. The resurrection and the life is calling us to "come out" and live.
For some reason there is a lot of confusion when it come to emotions. Are they good? Are they bad? As we witness Jesus in the midst of a very emotional moment, let's briefly explore what the Bible says about emotions.
The Life that Jesus says He is, is not a life far off in another time and place. The Life Jesus is, is closer than we think.
The fear of death in many ways shapes our day-to-day lives. What would our lives look like if we saw death the way Jesus sees it? As followers of Jesus death is less like dying and more like falling asleep.
For many of us it is hard to imagine an all powerful God as a friend. As we start in on the story of Lazarus we see how Jesus loves His friends and how He loves those who enter into friendship with Him to this day.
Often we feel the pressure of doing "enough" the "right" way. How freeing would it be if all we were asked to do was to point people to the one who has done more than enough the best way possible?
Jesus has left us bread crumbs to follow and those crumbs are His works. If you follow the works of Jesus you will find God.
God is sovereign. God calls us to believe. How do these true truths help us delight in God and drive us into participating in His kingdom?
There is so much that goes into our perception of who God is. Let's challenge our current view of God by looking in God's word and asking the Holy Spirit to guide us into a true view of Jesus.
Jesus makes another "I AM"statement that paints a clear picture of the kind of relationship He wants with us and shows us how He has made it possible.
How do we enter into the life that God created us to live? How do we find security and purpose in this ever shifting and changing world? It all start at the Door!
As we gaze upon the person of Jesus our hearts transition into a posture of praise, but there is one thing that can hold us back from true worship.
What do we do in desperate times? We find the answer to that question in the person of Jesus Christ.
We cannot lose hope in the presence of hardened hearts when God is capable of the most difficult of heart transplants.
When Jesus does the miraculous in your life it is impossible to deny and it changes everything!
The works of Jesus are so often recognized as works of healing, but imbedded within all works of Christ we can find God's creative work. The truly incredible part is God calls us to create with Him.
When we see pain and suffering we tend to have a very negative view of the WHY behind it. When Jesus sees pain and suffering He has something GLORIOUS in store.
The conversation is as heated as ever and Jesus still speaks out of love and compassion.
The attributes of God are clearly displayed all throughout scripture. As we prepare to hear Jesus make a bold statement about one of His attributes, let's take a moment to relish in the Omni God.
Fathers come in many different ways, shapes and sizes, but they are all instrumental in the formation of who we are and what we do. John 8 identifies three types of fathers and their effects on us and Jesus points us to why God the Father is superior to them all.
The glaring reality of the human condition is that we are all slaves to something. Jesus offers us freedom through a simple action: "abide in my word".
In John chapter 8 we get to witness Jesus' compassion as He calls His enemies to the light. Together, we will uncover the important lesson within this astounding conversation.
Though the statement seems simple, let's take the time to meditate on the truth of Jesus being the light of the world and how His light changes everything.
Let's discover together what can be gleaned from this unique story and text that has been placed within the Gospel of John.
What did Jesus mean when he said "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink"? How do we participate in what Jesus is saying here? Let's explore the answers as we zoom in to this powerful statement about who He is, who we are, and the life of purpose that Jesus has established in us.
Placing our feet back on the trail through the Gospel of John, let's position our hearts this weekend as we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As we anxiously await the return to normal, let's take this moment to reflect on what the NEW normal could look like.
As Jesus addresses worry and anxiety in the Sermon on the Mount, He also gives us a beautiful picture of our value to Him through the flowers and the birds.
We take a look at Acts 2v42-47 to find the answer to the question: How do we cultivate and participate in a community lifestyle from home?
In the midst of COVID-19, or really any of life's pressures right now, where do we find peace and joy?