Grace City Denver: Recent Episodes
Matt Hand
Grace City Denver is a community of Jesus followers who are being renewed by grace to renew the city through grace. Our sermons explore and apply Scripture through the lens of the Gospel - and are shared here to help you know, enjoy, and serve Christ in the power of the Spirit. Visit gracecitydenver.com for more information.
The Jewish crowds of Jerusalem have rejected Jesus’ divine identity once and for all. They refuse to believe in spite of many miraculous works that prove his power and authority. Jesus is the giver of eternal life, but they don’t want a messiah who doesn’t play by their rules. Jesus departs Jerusalem for the Jordan, and many who followed John the Baptist believe in him there.
Jesus introduces the metaphor of a shepherd and sheep to describe his relationship with his followers. In contrast to thieves and robbers, wolves, and hirelings, Jesus lays down his life for his sheep. This passage underscores themes of intimacy, protection, provision, and the unique role of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who offers eternal life to His followers.
Jesus heals a man born blind, demonstrating that his condition was not due to sin but so that God’s works could be revealed. After Jesus makes mud and instructs the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, the man gains his sight. This miracle prompts skepticism from the Pharisees, who interrogate the man and his parents. Jesus later finds him, reveals his identity, and discusses spiritual blindness, emphasizing faith and the contrast between true sight and spiritual ignorance.
The Jews of Jesus’ day claimed Abraham and God as their ethnic and spiritual fathers. But Jesus cautioned them that their lives looked more like another father: the devil – and they were enslaved to his sinful patterns of living. Only by accepting that Jesus was the true Light of the world and abiding in his truth could they find true freedom.
At the Feast of Tabernacles each year, the Jews would light four massive menorahs, each fed by four basins of oil, to illuminate the temple. It was a reminder of the pillar of fire that led their ancestors out of slavery. So imagine the uproar when Jesus stood up at this feast and said, “I AM the Light of the world,” and went on to claim equality with the God of their fathers. Discover the real reason why the religious leaders of Israel couldn’t understand Jesus’ identity.
The familiar story of "The Woman Caught in Adultery," at first glance, seems to show us a Jesus who defends a sinner in opposition to the Law of Moses. Many love this story because Jesus confronts the hypocrisy of religious leaders. Others love this story because Jesus tells the adulterous woman to stop sinning. But what is this story really intended to communicate about the Gospel?
After seven days of the water pouring ceremony at the Feast of Booths, Jesus cried out on the eighth day, promising an eternal stream of water to anyone who thirsted and believed in him. This signified that he was not only the source of salvation, but also the source of satisfaction and the Spirit.
When Jesus went up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths, there was significant disagreement over his identity. Many just wanted a Messiah they could use for their own ends. Many were curious, but not convinced. Many more overtly hated and rejected him. But there are three keys in this story to receiving Jesus on his own terms, inviting us to answer, “What will you do with Jesus?”
Community with other Christians sounds easy . . . in theory. But day-to-day life is messy because real people come with real problems. This message explores the kinds of conflict that are common in church life, where conflict comes from (why it happens), and how conflict can be resolved in a way that honors both God and our imperfect brothers and sisters in Christ.
The New Testament is loaded with illustrations and images of church life. Each shares a unique facet of our life together, while also helping to reinforce some basic but vitally important themes about the church. Collectively these images remind us that we are completely dependent on the Lord and we are, by our very nature, connected to one another.
What is the premise of church -- that is, what is the ground, the basis, of our coming together in the first place? And what is our purpose -- what is the objective, the goal of our gathering together? How you answer these questions will set your expectations for what church should be like, what church should be doing and talking about. The Bible is clear that the church exists by the grace of God for the glory of God and the pursuit of Christlikeness.
The root of sin is a heart that doesn't fear the Lord. If God doesn't matter, then the mind thinks selfish and self-deceived thoughts, producing harmful, untruthful, sinful behaviors. In stark contrast, the person who fears the Lord experiences his steadfast love and faithfulness, his righteousness and justice, his costly rescue, and an abundance of blessings.
In this imprecatory Psalm, David asks God to defend him from his enemies and to vindicate him in the end. Instead of taking vengeance into his own hands, he entrusts himself to the future, perfect justice of God.
This fascinating Psalm is grounded in the historic story of David acting like a madman in order to escape from Abimelech (found in 1 Samuel 21). But it's written as an acrostic, designed to teach future generations about the fear of the LORD as the solution to fear.
Waiting is one of the most common -- and often one of the most difficult -- things we do. Waiting can lead to feelings of frustration, stress, discouragement, and resignation. But what if we could recognize who is in the waiting with us and what resources he's given us to utilize while we wait?
Sin is overstepping God's boundaries, missing the mark, and incurring guilt by deceiving ourselves. But our instinct is to cover our sin, leading to more misery, anxiety, and exhaustion. God invites us to confess our sin instead -- to acknowledge to God what he already knows -- and to receive his forgiveness.
Distress can be totalizing -- affecting your body, emotions, mind, relationships, and spiritual life. Often, our instincts are to blame God and look for our own solutions or rescue. This Psalm models a different approach: trusting God to be who he is. Believing that he will be, for you, who he unchangeably is.
This Psalm is about God's loving discipline, particularly for the sin of complacency. While prosperity is a blessing, it can also be a curse in that it distracts us from being desperately dependent on God. It is God's kindness, then, that disciplines us to draw us back to himself so that we might live passionately and dependently on him.
Psalm 29 is a poem of David describing a thunderstorm that brings judgment on the false gods of the Canaanites, as well as all who serve them. But the same glory and strength that bring destruction on idols bring salvation and peace to those who love and fear the true God, Yahweh.
It's hard to pray when God is silent -- perhaps even more so when he seem unjust. How can you turn petition into praise in situations like that? How can you see, through eyes of faith, that God is faithfully doing justice and mercy whether it seems like it or not?
Life is filled with fearful situations and seasons. We encounter opportunities for anxiety at nearly every turn. How do we acknowledge those things that make us afraid, yet live courageously anyway? This psalm has a simple secret to share.
How is a life of integrity related to trusting God? How can one confidently ask God to examine their life and declare them innocent? How can we live stable, fearless lives in a world of sin? This psalm shows us that there's safety in a life of faith-filled integrity.
When trouble comes into our lives, it's natural to assume it's the result of either sin or just plain missing the will of God. In this Psalm, David shares a wise and godly response. Whether you know the cause of your problems or not, you can always focus on and trust the Lord, wait on him, and petition him for your needs.
This Psalm recounts the praise of a victory procession, celebrating the victory of the King of glory. What battle is this referring to? And how do others share in the King's victory and salvation?
From the beginning, God's plan was to redeem a multiethnic people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. This is at the heart of the Gospel and the eternal purpose of God. Because the Gospel announces and creates this kind of reconciled community, we must actively live at peace with one another.
In what’s widely regarded as one of the most shocking, offensive things Jesus said, he told the crowds to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Surely he didn’t mean to violate the Mosaic Law and consume his literal flesh and blood, but what did he mean? How was he connecting himself to the imagery of the Passover lamb? And how can you identify with and “feed on” Jesus today, so that he lives his life in and through yours?
The day after Jesus fed the 5,000 (men, plus women and children), the crowds tracked him down and wanted him to continue to meet their physical demands. Jesus took the opportunity to share “the Bread of Life discourse” instead. Drawing a parallel to the manna that fed their ancestors in the wilderness, Jesus said he was the true and living bread that came down from heaven to satisfy the deepest longings of the human soul.
After feeding the 5,000 (men, plus women and children), Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him across the Sea of Galilee while he remained behind to pray. They encountered a violent storm; so Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. This miracle reveals more about the identity and authority of Jesus and how he shows up in the midst of our “storms” of life.
Thousands followed Jesus to the far side of the Sea of Galilee to hear him teach and to seek his healing. As the day drew to a close, Jesus urged his disciples to feed the masses. How? One boy had five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus took them, miraculously multiplied them, and satisfied the hunger of all who were there. Seeing that he was the Prophet like Moses, the people tried to make him their Messiah-King by force, but Jesus withdrew. His true mission would not be hijacked by others' wishes and demands.
The key to understanding this text is that the Jews have functionally put Jesus on trial, and he’s defending his identity and integrity by calling a series of witnesses. In the end, Jesus warns them that they are not the final judge – he is! So they must either repent and believe, and know him as the Savior who gives eternal life, or they will face eternal judgment.
At one of the Jewish feasts, Jesus goes by the Pool of Bethesda and heals a man who’d been an invalid for 38 years. In an instant, he reverses not only physical impotence and deformity but also social ostracism, ceremonial uncleanness, and hopelessness. And he deliberately heals on the Sabbath day to show the Jews that he’d come to fulfill the true meaning of Sabbath rest.
An official serving in the court of Herod Antipas comes to Jesus with a great need: his son is sick and on the verge of death. But instead of coming to heal the boy, Jesus tells the father to trust him and sends him on his way. That very hour, many miles away, the boy is healed. When the father returns home the next day, his faith in the word of Jesus is confirmed and strengthened.
Let's unpack an Easter sermon preached by a man who was not just a former skeptic, but was violently opposed to Jesus. What evidence changed his mind about the resurrection? What does the resurrection mean for Jesus and what does it mean for those who trust in its message?
While hanging on the cross, Jesus spoke 7 "words" (short sayings) that reflect his heart and mission to fulfill the Scriptures through the salvation of the lost.
After conversing with Jesus at the well of Jacob, the Samaritan woman returns to town and invites others to come and meet him. Meanwhile, Jesus tells his disciples that he’s sustained and satisfied by doing the will of the Father and engaging in his mission. He invites the disciples to come into his field and share in the harvest of souls for eternal life. The Samaritans return to the well and many more believe in Jesus as the Savior of the world.
Jesus “had to go through Samaria” because he was a man on a mission to seek and save the lost. The “woman at the well” had many barriers that prevented her from truly knowing and enjoying God, let alone being a part of the reconciled worshiping community. So Jesus sought her out and offered her the living water that both saves and satisfies. He shared with her the nature of true worship that transcends culture and place, and yields oneself wholeheartedly to the power of the Spirit and the truth of Jesus Christ.
When some of the Jews try to stir up an intense rivalry between Jesus and John the Baptist, John is having none of it. Not only is he not concerned that Jesus has eclipsed him in prominence, that's what he was living for in the first place. He recognizes the surpassing greatness of Jesus and he finds his contentment and joy in making much of him.
Everyone's heard of John 3:16, but few know the context. Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jews, about the necessity of being "born again." As those who are already condemned by our sin, it isn't enough simply to tag along with Jesus because of his signs and wonders; we must receive God's gracious gift of regeneration. We must look to Jesus in faith and live.
At Passover, Jesus enters the Temple complex and immediately flies into a rage, whipping the moneychangers and merchants, dumping their boxes of money, and overturning their tables. How does this angry outburst fit with your conception of Jesus? Why did he do what he did? And what does this story teach us about both the nature of the Temple and the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection?
Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding party. This message explores what Jesus communicated about himself by doing this particular mighty act at this time.
We lost communion with God - and life itself - because of our failure to love; but both life and communion are restored to us through God's sacrificial love.
John uses the call of the first disciples to show us a prototype or paradigm for discipleship in general. It’s assumed that people begin to follow Jesus because they recognize him for who he uniquely is, and they know they need what he alone has to offer. But then the disciple continues the process of becoming like Jesus and bringing others to follow him as well.
In this section, John introduces us to another John: the baptizer. First and foremost, the baptizer was a witness who came to tell others about the person and work of Jesus. A paradoxical mix of personal humility, an eccentric personality, and a prophetic/confrontational style, John just wanted people to experience the forgiveness and Spirit that would come through Jesus' salvation.
John 1 alludes to the story of the Exodus numerous times to make the point that God came and "pitched his tent" in the midst of his people through the incarnation of Jesus. Jesus revealed the glory of God that Moses couldn't see – but he did so paradoxically, through the cross. We're invited to respond in faith to the way Jesus reveals the fullness of grace and truth, and thereby receive adoption into God's family.
Instead of beginning his Gospel with the genealogy or birth narrative of Jesus, John goes all the way back to Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning." But where we expect him to say "God," he instead inserts "the Word" – Jesus. Jesus is the eternal Creator, John says. Jesus is light and life. And Jesus is the full self-revelation of God because Jesus came and lived among us.
There are several common reactions of Christians toward the societies in which they live, ranging from traditional to progressive. Some Christians choose to court the favor of their host culture, while others choose a much more combative or “prophetic” approach. But what if there’s a range of right reactions, rather than a default and permanent posture? And what if those interactions with culture are rooted in our new identity in Christ?
The practices of apprenticeship will not bring you closer to Jesus or make you more like Jesus unless you actually do them, and do them because of the grace of the Gospel. Ritualistic or reputation-enhancing performance will not renew and transform your life. And disinterest with practicing the way of Jesus betrays a functional discipleship to someone or something else. But practicing the way of Jesus with a grateful heart that’s eager to repent and believe more deeply leads to growth and change.
Christians often obsess over finding the unique, personalized will of God for them individually: where should I go to school, what should I major in, what job should I take, who should I marry, where should I live? Many follow a traditional or charismatic method of discerning this detailed will of God. But perhaps there's a better approach: simply knowing the Word of God and walking in apprenticeship to Jesus.
For centuries, no new word came from the Lord to his covenant people. They were scattered and chastised, walking in relative darkness. Then the Light of the world came. Discover what the darkness was and how the birth of Jesus overcame it.
The love of God was never meant to be an abstraction, a mere mental construction. We were made to know and experience the love of God. When sin broke that relationship, God initiated and God pursued an undeserving people so that we might experience the love of his forgiveness and redemption. Advent is the literal manifestation of God's love in the flesh.
God wants us experience happiness and joy even in the midst of the pain and brokenness and darkness of this life – and God will ultimately deliver from anything and everything that could steal our joy.
n his first coming, Jesus party fulfilled the prophecy about the Messiah bringing peace. He brought us peace with God, enabled peace between believers, and brought the possibility for us to experience a "peace that passes understanding." We long for Jesus to return to complete the fulfillment of the prophecy, ending conflict between nations and ushering in an eternity of perfect shalom in a restored creation.
We live in a world where many people are anxious, stressed, exhausted, and hopeless. And it’s easy to see why, given the amount of conflict and brokenness we experience in everyday life. But the Advent season reminds us that hope is a person – a Savior who came and will one day come again.
Every follower/apprentice of Jesus is called to continue his mission. We are disciple-making disciples. The one thing we're sent into the world to do is to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed so that others follow Jesus with us. Whatever else we do must serve this end.
When we are sinned against – and especially when that sin is extra hurtful or harmful – we struggle to forgive. It feels like we’re just “letting them off the hook” for what they did. How will they ever learn their lesson if we don’t teach them? Shouldn’t they have to pay? What does it even mean to forgive someone, given that some things are impossible to forget?
Jesus never told us to express ourselves or simply add him to our already-self-determined lives. He told us to deny ourselves, to lose our lives for his sake. Far from encouraging the life of an ascetic, Jesus was urging us to give up something lesser in order to receive something far greater. Simple practices like fasting remind us of this larger truth.
In modern America, there's no such thing as Sabbath. There's no real rest – certainly no intentional rest in Christ. We just run from one thing to another. God gives us a better way. In his wisdom, we were given the rhythm of work and rest long before sin entered the world. And we're even told why we should rest and what we should do with our rest.
American Christians give on average about 2.5% of their income to charitable causes. They give even less of their time. This is problematic, given that Jesus said what we do with our resources reveals what we treasure. We can’t serve both God and money. But the good news is we can be transformed by the grace of Jesus so we give not only generously, but also cheerfully. It can become a true joy to invest in the things that are near and dear to the heart of God.
Jesus’ disciples often patterned their idea of greatness after their culture: get other people to serve you. Jesus flipped this on its head, reminding his followers that they were servants, just as he himself had come to serve others. Those who follow Jesus will imitate his pattern of looking after and meeting the needs of others. They will invest their own resources in sacrificially serving their families, churches, coworkers, and neighbors.
Worship – what is it? If we think of worship as little more than worship services and worship music, we're barely scratching the surface. Worship is looking to someone or something as our source of identity/self, safety, satisfaction, or salvation. Worship glorifies someone or something by giving it authority in your life. When directed at God, worship is giving back to him everything he is worthy of – which is inclusive of our whole lives.
Christians have a complicated relationship with obedience. Those who strive to obey Jesus in everything at all times are often labeled "legalists." Others acts as if obedience is completely optional, since salvation is by grace through faith. Many are neither legalists nor antinomians, but simply pick and choose which commands of Scripture to obey. Who's right? What are we supposed to obey? And how can we do that?
Praying isn't just "talking back to God." And it's not meant to be a rote, mechanical exercise, let alone a good luck charm. Prayer is a conversation where we learn to pour out our gratitude and praise to God, surrender our will to his, and trust him with our needs – no matter how big or small.
Students must hear the words of their teachers in order to learn. In the same way, you must hear the words of Jesus in order to be his apprentice. Knowing God’s Word and being shaped by God’s Word is an absolutely essential practice of following Jesus. This message explores four ways to read the Bible in order to have the well-rounded approach of a true apprentice.
Many Christians today don't realize that Jesus' discipleship model was based upon the rabbinic model of ancient Israel. This makes it very different than sitting in a modern classroom, learning a subject matter from your teacher. There was this element of learning information, but it was much more about becoming like your teacher and being recognized by your imitation of your teacher. Ultimately, it was about replicating the way of your teacher -- which, in the case of Jesus, means teaching his Gospel and life to others.
We are all always being discipled by someone or something. If we are not deliberately following Jesus, we will follow someone else by default. We must choose: what framework, what ways of thinking, what paradigm, will I build my life upon? Jesus and the apostles said the true Way is a communal lifestyle in which we are learning to live in the reality of our new identity in Christ.
In order to follow Jesus, you have to take the first step. He has provided a clear way into relationship and apprenticeship – and there is no other way than his. Being a Christian is not simply believing in God, going to church, or doing good deeds. It's a lifestyle of repentance and faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. To put it differently, being a Christian means turning from sin, learning to think rightly about God, and fully depending on him for life and godliness.
This is perhaps the best-known and most-beloved Psalm in the psalter. It speaks familiar words of comfort and hope to every generation. But there's even more encouragement here when the ancient/pastoral context is better understood.
This Psalm is about the experience of a humble, righteous man who is abandoned by God and abused by men. In the midst of adversity, he continues to cry out to God in faith. Eventually the Lord delivers him, leading generations to praise God for his salvation. Discover why this is called "The Psalm of the Cross."
A companion to Psalm 20, Psalm 21 looks back on the victory that God has given his Anointed. The people asked God for salvation and trusted in the name of the LORD, and the LORD has answered their cry and exalted their King.
This Psalm is a prayer for the king on the eve of battle. The people of God understand that he is their representative -- and that their fate is tied to his. If the Lord rescues and prospers the king, they will be rescued and will prosper. Discover how this Psalm points to our ultimate hope that the Father would accept the sacrifice of his Son, our Messiah, and that we would be blessed in him.
God reveals himself in a general sense in the created world, which makes his glory conspicuous. God also reveals himself in a more particular sense in the pages of Scripture, which tell his story of redemption. We treasure God's Word because it tells us this true story of creation, sin, and rescue, and makes us wise unto salvation.
In this third-longest Psalm of the psalter, David recounts God's protection and deliverance from his enemies. He links his own rescue to the rescue of the Exodus, and he makes an astonishing claim: God rescued me because I was blameless before him. How? How can a former adulterer and murderer be counted blameless before God? This message unpacks how David ultimately points to Jesus and the grace of our salvation.
Everyone wants happiness and everyone wants to be satisfied. But people take very different paths to achieve those goals. In the end, all idolatry leads to pain and ruin. But putting God at the center of our lives leads to fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.
How is a person qualified to live in the presence of a holy God? On the surface, David seems to provide a moralistic answer: "Do this and don't do this." But digging deeper into the heart of this psalm, we see more gospel and more grace -- and we see the importance of our grateful response.
The fool is the one who refuses to acknowledge God - either philosophically or practically. The path to foolish corruption is the failure or refusal to center life on God. Though we are all guilty of this foolishness, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
This psalm is an individual lament, first complaining about God's apparent lack of awareness or concern over the suffering of the righteous. David is frustrated, even demanding, but he never stops hoping in the character and salvation of God.
What happens when we die? Where do we go? How does our story end? And what difference should that make for how we live our lives here and now?
The experience of pain and suffering is universal. And one of the most basic, human questions is, "Why?" We have an innate desire to make sense of – to find purpose in – our suffering. We don't want pain to be pointless. This is why we respond the ways we do, especially trying to find (or assign) reasons to our suffering. Most importantly, what are the timeless, biblical resources we have when life hurts to help us discover God's meaning behind it?
Everyone intuitively knows that certain actions are good and other actions are evil, regardless of how anyone feels about it. In other words, morality is not subjective and personal, but objective and universal. There is an absolute standard outside ourselves to which we are all held. This standard is an overflow or reflection of God’s character and it’s found in the Word of God. This is a standard we obey by trusting God’s heart and knowing he intends only good.
What is the purpose of human life? We often default to acting like the goal is little more than happiness and health. Or trying to be a good person, whatever that means. Naturalistic evolution says there isn’t a reason or purpose for our lives since we are here by chance. The Bible says we were created to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. It is in savoring God – and being satisfied in him – that we find our purpose.
The human body is made up of numerous complex systems, but are we more than mere machines? And homo sapiens may share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, but are we more than mere animals? The Bible asserts that our fundamental nature is this, that we were made in the image of God. Our identity is not what others say of us – or even what we say of ourselves. We are who God says we are in Christ! And our lives have intrinsic worth because we reflect God, we are loved by God, and we are made to live with God forever.
There are countless myths, theories, and beliefs about the origin of the universe and, specifically, of human life. We either came from something personal (God or gods) or impersonal (a process like evolution). We are either the result of time + chance or we are the deliberate creation of a purposeful God. How we answer this foundational question, “Where did I come from?” is vitally important, because it impacts our view of identity, purpose, morality, and more.
As Paul closes this letter to the Ephesians, we see that he’s not just dispensing doctrine; he loves this church like family. So he reviews these key themes of peace, love, and grace to remind them how they all became spiritual family in the first place. And he sends a faithful and beloved brother, Tychicus, to help them understand and live in light of the gifts of God they’ve received.
Life is filled with conflict and trials, but the people who make our lives hard are not our true or ultimate enemy. The devil and his minions are. The devil schemes and deceives to try to undermine everything good God is building. We must know about him and recognize his tactics so we can oppose him with the strength and resources God supplies.
It wasn't just Jesus' body that was resurrected on Easter morning, it was God's whole purpose for our lives. Everything God created us for was marred by sin, but Jesus' resurrection gave our purpose a second life.
On Good Friday, Jesus died on a cross to save us from the debt, stain, and penalty of sin. He died to save us into a family that includes the redeemed from every people, nation, tribe, and tongue.
When Jesus came to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the presence of God returned – briefly – to the Temple. It was a picture of why Jesus had come in the first place: to restore the presence of God with his covenant people. Though sin and self-righteous, performative religion had long separated people from God, Jesus was coming to be present with us now and forever.
In this challenging text, Paul takes on the institution of slavery with the subversive power of the Gospel. Over and over, he tells slaves to serve their earthly masters with the knowledge that they’re ultimate serving Christ. They can be people of integrity even if their masters are not. And he tells masters to treat their slaves as they themselves expect to be treated. They must use their power and authority to serve others. Paul tells each party to look out for the rights of the other – for, in Christ, they are not enemies, but brothers.
The Spirit-filled life demonstrates a distinctive way of interacting asparents and children, including as adult children.
It's often assumed today that when Paul wrote about marriage, he was simply reflecting the patriarchy and traditional marriage roles of his culture. But closer study reveals the opposite: what he wrote was utterly countercultural - both for his day and for ours. Instead of focusing on their rights, and on what each can get out of marriage, a husband and wife are called to focus on their God-ordained responsibility to give for the benefit of the other. A wife is called to a posture of respectful submission. And a husband is called to a posture of self-giving love. Together, they're called to an enduring, intimate union that reflects the love of Christ for his church. Only when our marriages are about something bigger than our marriages - namely, the Gospel - can we fully enjoy the joy and harmony God intends.
What if you could have something within you that automatically made you the kind of person who was simultaneously wise and joyful? What if the Christian life is less about being an obeyer of a bunch of individual, isolated rules and more about being surrendered to the fullness of God's Spirit? This text explores and explains five hallmarks of that kind of life.
One of the metaphors the Apostle Paul uses to describe our salvation in Christ is the conversion from darkness to light. We were darkness; now we are light in the Lord. As light, we must reflect the goodness, righteousness, and truth of The Light. And in doing so, our lives will illuminate the darkness and expose sin, revealing it for what it really is.
The Apostle Paul now turns to a sixth category of putting off and putting on that relates to sex and sexuality. We must imitate the love of Jesus rather than patterning our “love” after the ways of the world. We are to put away all forms of immorality and impurity, which includes joking about these things. Instead, we are to remember who we are – and whose we are. We are beloved children; we are saints; we are light. As such, we have everything we need to practice the selfless and holy love of Jesus.
The Apostle Paul writes about the importance of putting off our former ways and putting on Christ, continued from the previous section. Now he gets specific, practical, and actionable. He shares five specific categories of sins that must be rejected and five practices of Jesus to put in their place. This section is important for our understanding of inside-out righteousness, as it goes beyond the mere "what" of our obedience to explain several Gospel "whys" and hows" of our obedience.
The Bible assumes Christians will live changed lives. Our former life (whether we sensed our participation in it or not!) was characterized by hardness of heart, imperceptiveness of mind, sensuality, and – ultimately – futility. God wants to redeem our lives through the knowledge of Jesus and re-create us in his image. Christ has objectively saved us by grace, yet we must practice walking in the reality of our salvation by continually putting off our former ways and putting on the new ways that reflect the heart of Jesus.
Immediately on the heels of urging unity in the church, Paul shares several important, clarifying details. Pastors are not called to do the work of ministry while others watch or merely receive. Pastors are called to equip all believers to do the work of ministry together. When each person does his or her part, the church grows in maturity, stability, and interconnectivity. Together we become more like Jesus, which is the end goal of true unity.
In a world ripped apart by division and strife, the church of Jesus Christ is called to unity. In fact, earnestly striving to preserve and practice unity is a key response to the truth and grace of the Gospel. But what are we to unify around? And how, practically, can we enjoy the kind of unity which is objectively ours but often so elusive?
A core part of following in apprenticeship to Jesus is seeking the righteousness of God. Instead of deciding right and wrong for ourselves, we conform our lives to God’s standards. This is not mere external performance; it’s a matter of the heart. We want to please God because he gave us the gift of righteousness – taking the punishment for our sin and blessing us with his own record of perfect obedience. So the righteous live by faith and walk in obedience.
Over the course of a day, week, month, or year, we can't possibly do all the things we want, let alone need, to do. We must set priorities and be willing to live with a lot of things being left undone. So how do we decide what to focus our time and energy on? Unfortunately, in a broken world, we're often controlled by sinful or relatively insignificant things. But Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." That's a great place to start: Pursue the rule of King Jesus in your own heart and seek to advance his kingdom purposes each and every day.
Who were the magi ... and why did they come to worship the newborn King of the Jews? How did they even know to head toward Bethlehem, when none of the Jewish religious leaders did? And what can we learn form this remarkable narrative?
As Simeon waited on the coming Messiah, he saturated his life with the Spirit's presence and with Scripture. He recognized the fulfillment of prophecy because he knew the Lord. Today, we've seen an even greater fulfillment, and we have access both to more Scripture and to more of the Spirit's indwelling presence. We can wait with Scripture-saturated lives that are led and empowered by God's Spirit.
When it was discovered that Mary was pregnant, Joseph knew it wasn't his child. Being a just man, he planned to divorce Mary secretly, so as not to expose her to additional public shame. But an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream and told him that Mary had indeed conceived by the Holy Spirit and that her son would be the Savior of the world. Joseph obeyed the word of the Lord, changed his mind, married Mary, and named the new baby boy "Jesus."**NOTE: First minute of audio is missing.
When the angel Gabriel told a young teenage girl named Mary that she would conceive the Son of God and Savior of the world, she responded with, "Let it be to me according to your word." She surrendered to God's plan rather than pursuing her own hopes and dreams of a normal, quiet life with Joseph. What can Mary teach us about waiting on the Lord's return with surrendered lives?
Paul wraps up the more doctrinal half of his letter to the Ephesians with a prayer and a benediction. He wants to see believers experiencing the fullness of God’s power and love in their inner person. And he believes they will experience exactly that because the Spirit is in them, able to do superabundantly more than they can even ask or imagine.
Paul declares the mystery of Christ to be the Good News that Jew and Gentile are saved by grace alone through faith in Christ alone and are joined as co-equals in one new humanity. This "mystery," now openly declared, gives all who hope in Jesus the same inheritance, the same power, and the same promise of salvation.
In our natural state as Gentiles, we were separated from God and distant from his covenant people, Israel. But we are brought near and reconciled through the sacrificial, atoning death of Jesus on the cross. That death and subsequent resurrection tore down the barriers between us and God, creating a whole new humanity in Christ. That new humanity has been variously portrayed as citizens of a new kingdom, members of a new family, and living stones of a new temple.
The Bible unequivocally teaches that we are spiritually dead apart from Christ. Not only can we not save ourselves, we can't even come to God apart from a regenerating work that first makes us alive to his grace. That's the bad news. But the good news is that Jesus saves – by his love, mercy, and grace. We receive the merits of his death, resurrection, and exaltation through faith. Though we can't be saved by good works, we are saved for good works that reflect the heart of Jesus.
Paul is in the middle of praying that the church might know Christ personally and intimately, and experience his hope, riches, and power at work in their everyday lives. Then in this section of verses, Paul zooms in on this immeasurably great power of God. What is it like? Over whom is it exercised? How can we know it’s for real? And how do we access it in order to live in the fullness of his supernatural strength?
Following immediately on the heels of his hymn to the Triune God who rescued sinners to the praise of his glorious grace, Paul prays that Christians might truly know this God and these blessings. He wants believers to know God not only intellectually, but personally, intimately, and experientially. He wants us to plumb the depths of God’s grace gifts so that we might understand how our future hope and inheritance transform our lives here and now.
In one grand sentence that encompasses twelve verses, Paul shows us how the Trinity collaborated to rescue sinners. The Father initiates our salvation. The Son accomplishes our salvation. And the Spirit applies our salvation. Why? To the praise of his glorious grace. We get the blessing so that we might pour out our blessing in return.
While living under house arrest (probably in Rome), the apostle Paul writes a brief letter to the Ephesian and surrounding churches. His point is to remind them how to live as a marginalized minority in the midst of a pagan and pluralistic society: they must recognize that they're a new humanity in Christ. By the free grace of God they've been set apart for salvation. They must rejoice in that hope and live in a manner that's consistent with that calling.
If we're called to love our neighbor as our ourselves, it's important to ask who is my neighbor? What does it mean to be a neighbor? What are the qualities of a good neighbor? And how do we live like that?
Singleness is often treated as an anathema in the church. "When are you going to get married?" or "Why don't you want to get married?" type questions are common.
How can you use your singleness wisely? If you're interested in marriage, how can you prepare yourself in a way that honors God? How can others in the church support and care for singles?
The family - or household - was the basic social unit in the days of Scripture. But Jesus and the apostles radically reshaped the cultural constructs of family in order to display the richness of the Gospel.
From hookup culture, to porn, to transgenderism, to casual and no-fault divorce, we live in a world where sex, sexuality, and relationships are broken. But why? How did we get here? What's actually off-limits according to the Bible -- and how can we be sure? What do we do if we've already messed up or currently find ourselves with desires, attractions, beliefs, or behaviors that are contrary to God's original and good design?
It would be nice if sex, sexuality, and relationships came with an owner's manual letting us know how their Creator originally designed them to function -- both the what and the why. In a sense, that's what we have in Genesis 1 and 2, where God describes his purpose for male and female, sex, and marriage. What are we meant to learn from God's perfect and original design?
Worldly culture is characterized by deception, duplicity, domineering, and depravity. People readily manipulate and destroy others in order to come out on top. Trying to live a godly life when it seems like you're constantly distressed by godlessness is hard. David shows us here the need to let the voice of God drown out all that other noise.
When trouble comes and we feel threatened, we have a natural "fight or flight" instinct that kicks in. While reasonable in the short run, there's a more faithful long-term response that involves seeing God for who he really is and trusting him. Instead of running from our problems, we can learn to run to God with our problems.
This unique Psalm reflects on both the boastful claims of the wicked and the complaints of the afflicted. They share in common the functional belief that God isn't paying any attention to what's going on down here. They both suffer from spiritual nearsightedness. What is the remedy and how can those who trust in God gain perspective to help them through times like these?
This psalm urges us to sing praise to God for his wonderful deeds in the past, for his presence with us in the present, and for the hope of his future victory. It illustrates what it means to recount the works of the Lord.
God's majesty is renowned throughout the earth. As we look into the sky with the naked eye or the most powerful telescope, we see his power and glory on display. As we study human nature and this unique stewardship we have to govern the earth as God's vice-regents, we see his power and glory on display. But the foremost display of God's glory is in the Gospel. Jesus made himself lower than the angels in order to be the True Man of Psalm 8 - living the life we ought to have lived and dying the death we ought to have died, so we can receive the grace of salvation.
How do you feel when someone slanders you? How do you want to respond to combat that false narrative and defend your reputation? How ought you to respond in faith when you are reaping the unjust consequences of someone else's lies?
David laments some unknown personal sin and its effects on his soul and body. He knows the Lord has chastised him; but at the same time, he trusts God to forgive and restore.
The theme of this Psalm is simple: God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. We'll consider the characteristics, and end, of both persons.
Everyone's pursuing "The Good Life," and many are looking to false and counterfeit gods to deliver it. David exposes the futility of this path and calls us to offer right sacrifices to God instead. He promises The Good Life is a byproduct of...
David is on the run for his life, pursued by the armies of his own son, Absalom. In the midst of overwhelming circumstances, his heart trusts in the character of God, and he sleeps peacefully. He believes God will ultimately save him by rendering his...
The world views God's law and boundaries as oppressive and enslaving. One of the main reasons for rebellion is that people believe they have to cast off God's rules in order to achieve their own freedom and autonomy. But it's a fool's errand. ...
Psalm 1 questions the path we're pursuing in search of the good life: the wisdom of the world or the wisdom of God. Counterintuitively, it is the Law of God -- and delighting in that Law -- that actually leads to a life of flourishing and happiness.
In our culture we expect work to provide for us a measure of autonomy, productivity, impact, and progress. Work is frustrating when we don't experience these things. What are your specific challenges at work - and how can you face them with a gospel...
Though work has been negatively impacted by the Curse, it is being redeemed by the past, present, and future work of God. Work is a part of his restored and final kingdom; thus, our present work should be oriented toward God's purposes, empowered by...
An idol is anything you rely on for some ultimate sense of meaning, approval, comfort, security, etc. Both personal and cultural idols have a significant impact on our work. These idols promise to give us what we want, but they have no power to...
Identity is essentially your sense of self + self-worth. Though we are meant to find these in relation to God, sin has marred our identity. We seek to define ourselves and we seek validation in other things. We do this especially in our work –...
Why is work so hard, so futile, so filled with conflict and frustration at times? If God created work to be good, why is the source and expression of so much brokenness in our world? The answer is that sin entered the world, leading to a curse. What...
In the first two chapters of Genesis, God lays out some foundational first principles about the origin, dignity, nature, purpose, and limitation of work. Work is not a part of the curse or a necessary evil; it is a call to partner with a God who...
On Easter morning, Christ rose victorious over the final enemy, death. What had Jesus accomplished that made his resurrection not only possible, but inevitable?
On the night that Jesus died, he was not as passive as things looked on the surface. In fact, he was engaged in a cosmic battle between good and evil, light and darkness. And by his death, he destroyed the adversary along with his power of death.
At Jesus’ ultimate moment of crisis, Peter panicked and denied him three times, then fled into the night in fear. But, having defeated death, Jesus pursues Peter to the place where he first called him to follow him. Jesus initiates fellowship,...
It’s three days after Jesus’ death, and his disciples are hiding in fear behind locked doors. Jesus comes to them and graciously confronts their doubt. Why did they not believe that he would rise from the dead as he said? Jesus offers clear...
Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus is sick, so Jesus delays his visit until after Lazarus dies. Everyone is confused: if Jesus had come sooner, Lazarus wouldn't have died. But in the end, Jesus does a greater miracle than he healing a sick man; he...
In the familiar parable of The Prodigal Son, one son runs away and squanders his inheritance while his elder brother stays home and works. When the father welcomes home the prodigal, even hosting a feast to honor him, the elder brother loses his...
When Jesus visits the home of two sisters, Mary sits at his feet and listens to his teaching while Martha is busy playing host. Martha finally vents her frustration about having to serve alone, and Jesus takes the opportunity to teach about the true...
When Simon the Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner at his home, the scene is interrupted by a notoriously sinful woman of that town. She lets down her hair and washes Jesus' feet with her tears and perfume. Jesus uses the scandalous incident to teach...
Jesus was surrounded by crowds, but that didn’t hinder two desperate people from getting to him. Jairus, a synagogue ruler, sought Jesus out because his daughter was dying (and subsequently died). A woman sought Jesus out because she had a serious...
On the far side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encountered a demon-possessed man called “Legion.” His life was scarred by the domineering presence of evil, but Jesus had come to break that power and set him free. Once healed, the man found a new...
When Jesus ate with some of the religious leaders of his day, he was immediately confronted by their externalism. They were more concerned with looking good than with being good. Jesus spoke a series of woes, pointing out the hypocrisy and...
Instead of taking the customary Jewish route between Judea and Galilee, Jesus passed through Samaria and struck up a conversation with a woman at a well. He showed her that a series of failed marriages had left her deeply dissatisfied and he offered...
A rich, young ruler approaches Jesus and asks him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Boasting in his performance, he tells Jesus he’s obeyed the commandments of God since his youth. Jesus challenges him to stop building his identity on money...
Life is filled with storms that leave us frustrated and fatigued. We often wonder where God is or where we went wrong. Why is this happening to me? This text is the assurance that God is present with you in the storm, always actively working for your...
What is your most valuable possession? Why that thing? Does it possess intrinsic value, sentimental value, or something else? What would have to change in your life to feel this way about the rule and reign of Christ -- to value his kingship as your...
The kingdoms of this world grow -- they expand in influence, power, and control -- through conquest. The kingdom of God grows, paradoxically, by a very different means. Learn what it means to follow King Jesus in the expansion of his glory and...
After King Jesus laid down his life and then conquered sin, death, and hell by taking it up again, he had a commission for his followers. A key message of Good News they were to take to the world. What does this message say about who gets into the...
If we want the Church to represent the kingdom of God, we need to know, love, and serve the interests of our paradoxical king.
What do non-Christians think of Jesus based on the attitudes and tone of Christians? Are they drawn to lean in and learn more or are they put off by proud, reductionist, hypocritical thinking? How can we strike the right balance so that the manner of...
Christianity is a team sport -- and we find true resilience, substance, and character as we do life with others.
Why do you do what you do? What are you living for? Is the purpose or aim of your life resilient, substantive, eternal? Or is it little more than transient moments of living for self? What is the designed purpose of your life -- and how can you live...
The default for most of us is to rely on our own power and wisdom, and go it alone. We miss out on opportunities for God to work supernaturally in us and through us because we're not even asking him to work.
Does your job/career feel disconnected from your spiritual life? Do you sometimes wonder how to do your work in a distinctively Christian way? Do other people's occupations seem more important or more impactful than yours? Would you like to...
Moment by moment, we're led by our longings. We desire certain experiences, certain possessions, and certain relationships, and so we go after those things. Even when we get what we want, we're often left empty and ashamed. What would it look like...
We all innately desire peace and quiet, harmony, contentment, prosperity. But seeking peace as an end unto itself proves to be quite elusive. We only end up experiencing new and additional conflicts. True peace is discovered as a byproduct of...
All of us are longing for affirmation and acceptance. We want to know who we are -- and that who we are really matters. The world is telling us to find ourselves and achieve this ideal identity; the Gospel is telling us to find ourselves in Christ...
We have an innate longing for freedom, for autonomy. We want to be free to govern ourselves, to call our own shots, to even create our own truth. But how far does this "freedom" actually go? And where does it actually lead? In the end, what does it...
Humans have an innate longing for justice and fairness. But our longing alone cannot solve our injustice problem. We are hampered by limited knowledge and power, prejudice, and disagreement over what's right or wrong in the first place. Our hope is...
Christianity is a team sport. Our spiritual formation, our service, our witness for Christ, do not happen in a vacuum. They happen best in a robust network of relationships that exist for the sake of the kingdom of God.
The Christian life as an ambassador of the Gospel comes down to this: talk to God about people and talk to people about God.
This text on family and household dynamics is often viewed today as traditional and even regressive; but in the time that it was written, it was liberating and empowering. The principles here continue to be life-giving when properly understood.
Christian ethics is not simply a matter of "dos" and "don'ts." We need transformed hearts that automatically produce the kinds of actions and words that reflect Jesus. How do we get that?
Even as professing Jesus-followers, it's all too easy to go back and play around with sins that bring the wrath of God. How do we put these things off? How do we reckon ourselves dead to them? How do we stand firm in the victory and freedom Christ...
Between our deliverance from bondage and our possession of the promises of God, there is usually a wilderness. An experience of waiting and suffering, where our resources are not sufficient. How do we find God's hope and purpose in times like these?
We do what we do because we think what we think. And the only way to ultimately fix our thinking is by fixing our minds on Christ. Thankfully, our union with Christ provides all the resources that we need -- past, present, and future.
Religion, at best, is merely a shadow of the substance that's found in Christ alone. By recognizing this, you can avoid the dangerous pitfalls that are inherent in making your religion the main thing.
Your philosophies - your chosen and accepted ways of thinking - will either lead you to emptiness and enslavement or to freedom and fulfillment in Christ. Learn how the upside-down victory of Christ's death on a Cross is the key to your own victory...
We often overcomplicate the Christian life by making it about literally hundreds of rules and principles to live by. Here's a spiritual life hack: Just do the next right thing to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Many of the so-called "mystery religions" intentionally kept secrets, which were supposedly the key to a relationship with the divine or eternal life. The Gospel openly declares that the mystery is Christ himself, our hope of glory.
Christians believe Jesus Christ is the true God, not just another god/myth amongst many. But what uniquely qualifies Jesus to be worthy of the worship and trust of every created thing?
Do you ever get the nagging sense that God is just perpetually disappointed with you? That you can't possibly please him? What if pleasing God is actually less about what you do for him and more about walking in the fullness of what he's already...
For those who are exhausted, worn out, and on edge, there's only one ultimate solution: we need the kind of deep soul renewal that comes through the presence of God. How do we seek and how do we experience that kind of revival?
Christians are often known for all the things they're against, rather than the things they're for. Instead of merely cursing the darkness of culture, be a light that follows and points to Jesus.
It's no secret that our current culture is plagued with conflict and turmoil. Many of our neighbors are not at peace -- not with God, with others, or even with self. How do we foster a deeper shalom (peace, prosperity, welfare) in this kind of...
With our culture being firmly entrenched in dishonest and divisive patterns of communication, how should followers of Jesus respond?
It's natural to see/hear something we don't like in culture -- a philosophy, idea, or political position -- and to react with angry judgment. A much wiser response is to diagnose the desires, hopes, and fears behind this position so that you have...
How can we know what parts of culture to engage in and enjoy vs. what parts to critique or even separate from? Where is that dividing line when very few things in culture seem to be either all good or all bad?
Without even realizing it, we're all viewing culture (and ourselves) though a number of lenses that color and shape our view of what's going on. The more we are aware of these lenses, the more we can recognize their dangers and allow the corrective...
Who or what are you loyal to - and why? A political party? An ideology? An opinion? A particular brand? What was Jesus loyal to when he came to earth on a mission to seek and save the lost? What would it look like to give our fundamental...
Society is challenging right now on many levels. Very few things are flourishing; many things feel barren and fruitless. We're at a crossroads: we can either recede or reseed.
Months into a pandemic, with economic pressures, racial tensions, urban unrest, and an election year all swirling around us, we feel exhausted. We ARE exhausted. How can we find rest for our bodies, minds, and souls during a season like this?
Our feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are often the result of having put our hope in things that fail us. We make plans. We trust our resources. We know how this self-salvation is supposed to go. And then these things betray us. What is the...
If something sacred is being defiled, silence is sin. We cannot simply ignore the plight of the vulnerable and oppressed, and pretend to be true followers of Jesus. We must cry out in protest and actively do justice and mercy.
Get a mission and a hope that never change, and then constantly find new ways to invite others in. Be willing to adapt and innovate new methods for maximum Gospel impact.
In Christ, your destiny has already been determined. But God isn't in a hurry to get you from where you are to that final perfection. He seems to be as interested in the journey as the destination. How do you worship God in the day-to-day process of...
Times of waiting and suffering can stimulate severe negative reactions beyond the normal doubts, fears, and frustrations. How do you guard your heart to thrive during these times?
When your Plan A fails and there's no way for you to pull the pieces back together, your only hope is a redeemer: someone who can purchase for you a better future and hope.
How do you respond when whole seasons (or chapters) of your life are just filled with difficulty and waiting? When it looks like God doesn't have any real purpose or trajectory for your life?
The longer you have to wait for God to keep his promises to you, the harder it becomes. Trust can easily be displaced by doubt, cynicism, and manipulation. What does it look like to stand on the promises of God?
A question we all ask in our trials, pain, and waiting, is WHY? Why is this happening? What is the purpose or reason? Sometimes God answers, but usually he doesn't. What are we left with in the absence of an answer? Better yet, who are we left with?
People are understandably anxious over the global pandemic of COVID-19. And Jesus' words in The Sermon on The Mount about worry have never been more relevant.
Most everyone has a heightened sense of anxiety and fear due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the devastating death toll continues to climb every day, people are looking for hope, for answers, for a cure. How can God tell us not to be afraid? What is...
One of the best ways we can love our city is by praying for it on a regular basis. What types of prayers does the city need? What are some key topics for praying for the city?
If we can only reap what we (and others) have sown, what are we planting today that's going to make the city a better place tomorrow? What does God call us to plant?
We've got to be different in order to make a difference, but we've also got to be actively engaged in seeking the good of the city. What will this require of us? And what can we anticipate in terms of results?
The Gospel polarizes because it demands a shift of core allegiance from one savior and lord to another.
What is the central promise of the Christian faith? And how does this distinguish Christianity from every other religion in the world? Why does this matter, and how will you respond?
Who do you feel superior to? Who do you feel contempt for? Why? And how does the Gospel of Jesus address topics like racism and prejudice?
Religion, like the rest of culture, is a meritocracy. Good things come to good people; bad things come to bad people. But the Gospel is loaded with paradox because it's based on the free grace of Jesus Christ. And because it's free, it's available...
The Gospel is not impacting our world randomly or haphazardly. Its impact is felt through the providence of a wise and caring God.
The Gospel initially spread beyond Jerusalem because of persecution. But the very winds that sought to destroy the embers of the Gospel only served to unleash it on the rest of the world. What is the source of the Gospel's power? And what are its...
According to Jesus, God has entrusted every believer with the stewardship of extraordinary gifts, abilities, and resources. What will you do with yours?
We're all waiting on someone or something every day of our lives. But we don't tend to wait well. Waiting makes us impatient, irritable, anxious, or angry. We think we're waiting on specific, desired outcomes. But what if we could really just...
The passion and persistence of your prayers is the truest test of your reliance upon God.
Why did God come to earth as a human, Jesus of Nazareth? Why not just send more prophets with more information about how we could be saved? What is the meaning of the incarnation?
Many of us know all about God without actually knowing him experientially. We can recite facts but we don't have a relationship. We don't know what his character has to do with the broken relationships and circumstances we face. How can we learn to...
What does it mean that God is love? How does he feel toward us when we're at our best or at our worst? How does he demonstrate his love, so that we might love and delight in him in return?
God is faithful to both his promises and his people. He can always be counted on, even when circumstances seem to say otherwise.
God mercifully withholds the punishment we deserve and graciously bestows the favor we don't deserve. Discover other ways the mercy of God is for you.
Our culture wants a nice God, not a just God. In fact, many are appalled by the thought that God punishes every sin. But what does the justice of God really mean? And how, in the end, is this actually good news for those who trust him?
Are all events in history and nature the fulfillment of the plan of a perfectly wise God?
Our culture associates holiness with religiosity, being "holier-than-thou," and almost nothing positive. But the holiness of God is something absolutely unique and beautiful and surprising.
One of the most basic facts about God is something we probably take for granted -- that he's alive. What difference does this make in the way you relate to him?
Every moment of every day we are dependent upon the goodness of God. Yet we often miss it because of how we tend to define the good life.
God has the freedom, power, and authority to do whatever he pleases. How is this good news for your life?
The Bible begins with the words, "In the beginning, God." The first thing we learn about God is that he's eternal and self-existent. He's never had a beginning and he'll never have an end. Let's explore how that truth fills you with hope for...
We are who God says we are -- and other people are who God says they are. This is our true identity. So how would you learn to view and treat others as God does?
You don't need to find yourself; you need to find Christ. Then he'll show you who you really are.
You are who God says you are -- but, then, how do you live in light of that truth? Functionally, what does it look like to do the Christian life day by day when other identity scripts try to work their way into your heart and mind?
You are not what others think of you -- or even what you think of yourself. Your only true and enduring identity comes from what God says is true of you in Christ. So what does he say?
If you found yourself seeking your identity in something other than Christ, how would you change if you wanted to? How could you stop living off one script (Traditional or Modern) and start living off another (the Gospel)?
Your self-made, culturally-conditioned identity will motivate you with a deadly combination of duty and desire. You will live for the honor of being a successful conformist or the freedom of being an autonomous non-conformist. But both the...
Everyone wants to know they have value, worth, significance. And by default, we all seek that sense of identity in what we do, what we have, and what we desire. Unwittingly, we end up being controlled by the thing that provides the most powerful dose...
"True grace" implies that there's a counterfeit, a cheap and worthless substitution. What is true grace, why does it matter, and how do we live in light of it?
Who does Christ, the Chief Shepherd, want leading his church and how does he want them to lead? How does the church respond, in kind, to such leadership?
Suffering is a fact of life. You will not eliminate suffering by choosing to follow Jesus; in fact, you may actually suffer more. The question is how can you learn to suffer well?
It's hard to forgive sometimes. It's hard to show hospitality to certain kinds of people. It's hard to serve all the needs around us. So how can we? What if seeing ourselves simply as stewards of God's grace was the key to loving the people God...
I want to stop sinning, but how? I often know the will of God but find myself wanting to do the opposite. Everyone will laugh at me and tell me I'm just being self-righteous. How can I do what God wants?
How well do you understand why you do what you do? Where do sinful attitudes and actions come from? How would we change if we wanted to?
How do you find hope when you're trying to trust and obey God, yet life keeps causing you pain? How do you activate the hope that is available to you in Christ?
It's instinctive to "fight fire with fire" -- that is, to repay evil with evil. But the Church is called to be a contrast community in which grace is the response to provocation and pain.
The more you use marriage as a tool of self-fulfillment, the more dissatisfied and disappointed you will be. Only when you choose to glorify God and honor your spouse will you begin to experience the rich Gospel blessings God intended for your...
How does the Gospel shape the way you approach your vocational and work life? How does it transform the way you handle unjust and unfair circumstances at your job? Aside from the example of Christ, what other resources does God make available to you?
Politics and civic life in our culture are plagued with acrimony, belligerence, and malicious partisanship. How should Christians, then, engage with politics? Do we grapple for power or do we pull away? Do we critique or do we keep silent?
The Christian life is both ethical/obedient and beautiful/attractive. We are not called to be "right" at the expense of being obnoxious, judgmental, self-righteous jerks. And we're not called to pursue the acceptance of the world at the expense of...
Did Moses' mother hide him in fear or in faith? What difference does it make for moms today and what can we learn?
Do you know what you find your identity in? It's what gives you your sense of significance, satisfaction, and security. It's probably also the thing that's actually making you miserable, because it's not the true source of your identity. Discover...
If salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, then why does holiness matter? Why bear the hardships that come along with living counterculturally rather than just going with the flow and going to heaven when you die? What could possibly inspire...
Shortly before rising from the dead himself, Jesus raised another man, Lazarus, from the dead. On that occasion, Jesus claimed, "I AM the resurrection and the life." Discover how the first resurrection foreshadowed the second, and showed us what we...