MEFC Sermon Audio - Midland, MI: Recent Episodes
Jeremy K. Lobdell
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 2:19-30 in the sermon, Examples to Emulate.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 2:12-18 in the sermon, You Work, God Works.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 2:1-11 in the sermon, Remember Christ's Humble Service.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 1:27-30 and 2:14-15 in the sermon, Citizens in the World.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman teaches from Philippians 1:18b-26 in the sermon, “Live or Die for Profit.”
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 1:12-18 in the sermon, Gospel Advancement.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 1:9-11 in the sermon, The Growth of Love and Knowledge.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Philippians 1:1-8 in the sermon, Thanks and Affections for Partners.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Kurt Gelman preaches from Acts 16:6-40 in the sermon, The Church for Peoples.
Embrace God’s Word with us as we celebrate Children’s Sunday. Greg Langley will teach from 2 Timothy 3:10-17 in the message, “Do We Really Believe It?”
Embrace God’s Word with us as Dave Shumaker (Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Ephesians 6:10-20 in the message, “The Christian Life is Spiritual War!”1) Define the war (6:10-13)2) Understand your Weapons/Armor (6:14-17)3) Paul Models Spiritual Warfare (6:18-20)///// APPLICATION:1) Are you in the war?2) Have you defined spiritual warfare properly?3) Is there a general “truth-i-ness” about you?4) Do we know how to use our sword?
Embrace God’s Word with us as Dave Shumaker (Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Ephesians 6:5-9 in the message, Slaves and Masters?///// FACTS ABOUT SLAVERY:1) Slavery is endemic to fallen humanity.2) Slavery has taken various forms: Kidnap Slavery, War-capture Slavery, Indentured Servitude, Voluntary Slavery (Bond-Servant), and Sexual Slavery (Ancient & Modern).3) Rather than being the source of slavery, the Judeo-Christian West was the first to abolish it.4) The pernicious thing about American slavery was that it made slavery a racial issue.5) Sadly, there are currently more slaves in the world than were ever brought to the United States in all its history.///// WAYS THE SCRIPTURES UNDERCUT SLAVERY: 1) Men and women are all made in God’s Image—and are therefore intrinsically valuable. 2) God’s primary picture of salvation was the delivery of Israel from slavery in Egypt.3) Being a kidnap slaver is a sign of being an unbeliever (1 Timothy 1:10).4) War-Capture slavery seems to be a disincentive for war.5) All Israeli “slavery” was, by definition, indentured servitude.6) God Gives all His children equal access to the Father through Jesus Christ.7) Paul even hints at releasing the slave, Onesimus, in Philemon.///// APPLICATION:1) To those tempted to reject the Scriptures due to misunderstanding its role in history, we would invite you to find true freedom in Christ.2) As Christians, we should be the hardest workers in our respective workplaces because we work for the LORD.3) As Christian “bosses” we should model Christlikeness in how we lead in the workplace.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Shan Mahawon preaches from Luke 5:1-12 in the sermon, Nets and Boats.*1. On the edge2. Stepped into the boat3. Can He use your boat?
He is risen! He is RISEN INDEED! Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Chuck Lloyd preaches from 1 Corinthians 15 in the sermon, The Demands of the Resurrection.*Claims Concerning the Resurrection:1.The tomb was empty.2.Jesus really died.3.Jesus rose from the dead.4.The Roman guard and seal were put in place to debunk false claims.5.The risen Christ appeared to more than 500 people.6.His disciples supported the claims post-resurrection.7.His brothers believed He was the risen Christ.***The Demands of the Resurrection:1.You must accept or reject the claims as truth.2.If you reject the claims as truth, you must explain away some difficult history.3.If you accept the truth, you must surrender to the Lordship of Christ.
Embrace God's Word as Ken Wolf (Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Matthew 21 in the sermon, Purposeful Savior.
Is your experience with God genuine? Do you believe you are “right with God” because at some point in your life you said a prayer, or were baptized as a child, or participated in some type of religious ritual?*How do you KNOW that the experience you’ve had with God is the “real deal” and genuine? Jesus himself in Matthew 7 warns that there are many people who think they are right with God, but truly don’t know God.***In the book of 1 John, we find a series of tests that will reveal the status of our hearts and our true relationship with God. Embrace God’s Word with us as Greg Langley preaches from 1 John 4:7-21 in the message, Because He Loves Us.
Youth Sunday 2023*Embrace God's Word with us as Aldrin Anderson, Noah Langley, and Caleb Kaiser preach from John 14:6 in the Message, "The Way, the Truth, and the Life."***|| John 14:6 ||Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Kurt Gelman (candidate for Lead Pastor at Midland Free) preaches from 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 in the message, Ministers of Reconciliation.*I. Enjoy God: The MotivationII. Embrace His Word: The Message• Colossians 1:21-22• Galatians 3:13**III. Engage His World: The Ministry
Embrace God’s Word with us as Dave Shumaker (Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Ephesians 6:1-4 in the message, Walk Wisely: Children and Parents.*God’s Wise Family Structure (6:1-4)God’s Design for Children (6:1-3)God’s Design for Fatherly Discipline (6:4)***Applications:1. Parents, structure your family according to God’s pattern2. Children, obey your parents3. Children, honor your parents4. Fathers, stop exasperating your children5. Fathers, spend quality time discipling your children
Embrace God’s Word with us as Dave Shumaker, an Elder at Midland Free, preaches from Ephesians 5:15-21 in the message, Walk in Wisdom.*Walk wisely to redeem the time (v. 15-16)Walk wisely to understand God’s perspective (v. 17)Walk wisely by embracing God’s Word (v. 18-20)***APPLICATION:1. What is the driving focus of your life?2. Are you truly seeking God’s perspective on life?3. Are you wasting your life with altered states and drunkenness?4. Are you finding ways to fill your life with God’s Word?
Embrace God’s Word with us as Greg Langley preaches from Luke 15 in the message, There is Great Joy in Seeking and Receiving Sinners.1. The Pharisees’ Response to Jesus’ Association with Sinners (vs. 1-2)2. Man’s Response to the Lost, Compared with Heaven’s (vs. 3-10)3. The Contrast of the Father and the Brother (vs. 11-32)*4×4 PRAYER: 4 PRAYERS, 4 WORDS: • God, Open Their Ears – Matthew 13:14-16• God, Open Their Ears – Matthew 13:14-16• God, Open Their Hearts – Matthew 13:14-16• God, Open My Mouth – Ephesians 6:19
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Chuck Lloyd preaches from Ephesians 5:22-33 in the message, The Marriage Model.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Jeff Koehlinger (Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Genesis 1 and 2 in the message, God’s Design for Marriage.BIG IDEA: God purposefully designed marriage as a lifetime, one-flesh, covenantal relationship between one man and one woman, which is complete in the husband-wife relationship and should be the priority relationship in a family.THREE PRINCIPLES:• Marriage, between one man and one woman, for life, is a God-designed arrangement (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-22; Matthew 19:4-6).• Marriage, by design, is a life-long covenantal relationship between one man and one woman, which God himself performs (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:6).• The marriage relationship, as God designed it, is complete in just a husband and wife and should be the priority relationship in the family (Genesis 2:24-25 & Genesis 1:31).THREE APPLICATIONS:• We must defend, fight for, support, encourage, and live out God’s design for marriage in our lives, churches and society.• Staying married is about covenant keeping, not about staying in love or . . ..• Make your marriage the priority relationship in your family.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Ken Wolf (Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Mark 5 in the message, God Pursues Us.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Dave Shumaker (an Elder at Midland Free) preaches from Ephesians 5:1-21 in the message, Walk in Love, Light, and Wisdom.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker preaches from Ephesians 4:17-32 in the message, Godly Thinking, Holy Living.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker preaches from Ephesians 4:7-16 in the message, The Joy of Living in Community.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Gib Giblin preaches from Psalm 100 in the message, Providence.
Merry Christmas! Embrace God’s Word with us as Campbell Bortel preaches from Matthew 1:1-17 in the message, The Lineage of Hope.
Celebrate Advent with us! We have a reason for JOY – Jesus Christ who forgives our sins and fills us with His joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)! Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Len Bogan continues our Advent series from Luke 2:8-11 in the message, The Gifts of Christmas: JOY.• What is biblical joy? Is it the same thing as happiness?• Why is Joy a theme of Advent?• Where and how can we find joy in our present circumstances?APPLICATION:Where can we find joy:• Prayer• (Bible) Study• Action
Celebrate Advent with us! We praise God that He demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Ken Wolf continues our Advent series with teaching from Matthew 22:36-40 in the message, A Loving God.
Celebrate Advent with us! We have a reason for PEACE – Jesus Christ who forgives our sins and makes peace with God the Father for us! Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker continues our Advent series in the message, Peace FROM God, Peace WITH God.•In Christ, we can find peace FROM and WITH God (John 14:25-27)•We can’t have peace FROM God until we have peace WITH God (Romans 1:18-32). We can’t understand the Good News without first understanding the bad news, and the full scope of our rebellion and sin against God.Applications:•How can I help my children understand through gift-giving, that Christmas is about Jesus coming to earth and dying for us as a gift?•How can I minister to “that person” this Christmas?•Learn how to get a handle on your financial stress by signing up for the upcoming Financial Peace University class this winter.•Now is the time to turn from your sins, trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation, and receive peace WITH God.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Scott Burr begins our Advent series and teaches from Romans 4:18 in the message, The Gift of Christmas: HOPE.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Chuck Lloyd teaches from Galatians 4:3-7 in the message, The Privileges of Adoption.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Shan Mahawon teaches from Mark 2:1-12 in the message, The Heart of Missions.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 4:1-6 in the message, Commit to Unity.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 3 in the message, Your Local Church is a Big Deal. The church is bigger than just the physical realm – the church is cosmic in its scope and purpose, and by God’s grace, we get to be a part of it!
--Ephesians 3 & 1 Peter 1:10-12 --
- The Church is bigger than our Universe (v.1-13)
- God calls believers to Spirit-empowered love in the Church (v.14-19)
- God is able to accomplish unity in our Local Church (v.20-21)
-- Applications: --
- Commit to your local Church, God’s program.
- Commit to/pray for supernatural Church Unity.
- If you are disengaged from your local Church, take one step of engagement.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Exodus 12, Luke 22, and 1 Corinthians 11 in the message, The Lord’s Supper – Past, Present, and Future.
- In the past, God “pre-taught” the Gospel in Israel’s History (Exodus 12).
- In the present, we believers are to memorialize and proclaim our faith through the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22 & 1 Corinthians 11).
- In the future, believers will regularly share the Lord’s Supper with Jesus Himself (Luke 22).
-- Applications: --
- Don’t neglect your Old Testament in your Bible reading.
- Let’s be spiritually nourished together as believers through the Lord’s Supper; remember, celebrate, proclaim.
- Let’s participate, knowing that the Lord’s Supper does not contribute to your salvation.
- Let’s faithfully proclaim Jesus’ sacrificial death and bring more friends into Communion with Christ.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Gib Giblin teaches from the book Luke 5:17-26 in the message, Friends Bring Friends to Jesus.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Chuck teaches from the book of Esther in the message, My God is So Big, So Strong and…. ||
Applications:
- Like Esther, step out in faith and do something courageous for God!
- Look for God’s hand of providence in your everyday life and give Him the glory for how he is working.
- Find rest and peace in the sovereignty of God.
- Reread some of the great stories (historical accounts) from the Bible. Remind yourself how big our God is.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Greg Langley teaches from Psalm 96 in the message, Worship and Witness.
Psalm 96:
A Call to Praise (96:1–3) A Cause to Praise (96:4–6) A Command to the World to Glorify God (96:7–10) All Nature Will Join in Praise (96:11–13)
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Jeff Koehlinger teaches from a variety of scripture passages in the message, Standing in the Gap for Life.
• Genesis 1:27; 2:7; 9:6; 18:1-2; 25:22-23 • Exodus 1:15-21; 20:13; 21:22-25 • Judges 13:3-7; 2 Kings 4:16; Job 33:4-6; Psalm 51:6; 103:12; 127:3; Isaiah 42:5 • Luke 1:13, 36-40, 43; 2:12; 18:15 • Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 1:9
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 2:11-22 in the message, Complete Unity.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 2:1-10 in the message, Receiving Grace, Giving Grace.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Dan Hickman teaches from Genesis 1:1-2 in the message, The Origin of the Universe.
We should study God’s revelation (the written creation account in scripture) and general revelation (His creation in nature) to equip us to worship and glorify God.
Embrace God’s Word with us as Pastor Chuck Lloyd teaches from Luke 17:20-21 in the message, The Kingdom is Now.
- We are the physical manifestation of Christ to the world.
- Our worldview is diametrically opposed to the worldview of unbelievers.
- We have access to the power of the Holy Spirit for righteous living and ministry.
- The family of God is our most important family.
- Worship on earth is a picture of heavenly worship before the throne.
Do you ever feel as if God is far away? Do you wonder why God allows hard times to come into your life? Does it seem as if God is distant or hidden, especially when you are suffering, in pain, or going through tragic circumstances? You are not the only person in history to ask those questions. God does have answers for you!
Embrace God’s Word with us as Greg Langley teaches from Psalm 10 in the message, When God Feels Far Away:
• Faith in Question v. 1 • The Rule of the Wicked vs. 2-11 • The Prayer for Deliverance vs. 12-15 • The Rule of God v. 16 • Faith Restored vs. 17-18
How would you answer people who think that they can get to heaven by their good deeds? If people have to work for their salvation by outweighing their bad deeds with good deeds, how can we ever be good enough? In the book of Ephesians, the Holy Spirit writing through Paul makes it clear that salvation is by grace through faith as a gift of God, and there is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven. As Believers, we have received grace as a gift, so the Lord calls us also to give grace to others.
Embrace God’s Word as Elder Dave Shumaker continues our summer sermon series and teaches from Ephesians 2:1-10 in the message, Receiving Grace, Giving Grace:
• Both the Irreligious and Religious Need God’s Grace • God Offers Grace through Faith • God’s Purpose in Giving Grace
Embrace God’s Word as Elder Dave Shumaker continues our summer sermon series in the book of Ephesians with the sermon, Spiritual Insight – Part II, based on Ephesians 1:15-23.
What does it mean to know God? What is spiritual insight? In the book of Ephesians, the Holy Spirit writing through Paul wants to give us a relational and intimate knowledge of God so we can know Him better. Embrace God’s Word as Elder Dave Shumaker continues teaches from Ephesians 1:15-23 in the message, Spiritual Insight.
Three Spiritual Insights from God: 1. Understanding Our Confidence 2. Understanding Jesus’ Joy in Us 3. Understanding God’s Power Towards Us
Embrace God’s Word as Elder Dave Shumaker continues our summer sermon series in the book of Ephesians with the sermon, A Life of Worship, based on Ephesians 1:13-14.
Do you define yourself by your sin, your status, or comparing yourself to others? As Christ followers, we are defined by our identity in Christ and what He says is true about us. Redemption is God purchasing his sons and daughters out of slavery to sin and bringing us back into a state of freedom! Jesus was the price of our redemption, so our hearts are compelled to worship Him! Listen as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 1:7-12 in the sermon, Ephesians: More Reasons to Worship.
In the book of Ephesians, we’re called to live a life of worship every day – in all circumstances we face in our lives.
We don’t worship God because we can get things or earn salvation; we worship God because of what He has done! He chose us and saved us, so our hearts are compelled to love and worship Him because of His mercy. Listen as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 1:3-6 in the sermon, Ephesians: A Life of Worship.
Cultural Application:
• Think about your identity and where you find your “true self” – are you misplacing your identity in the secular cultural values of performance, achievements, sexuality, or status? • Remember God adopted you and gave you an identity (Ephesians 1:5). • How do you find your identity in Christ and CONTINUE to find your identity in Christ? (Ephesians 1) • Live as a worshiper of Christ in the world so we can point others to find their identity in Him!
Embrace God’s Word as Elder Len Bogan teaches from John 9:1-3 in the sermon, The “S” Word: Suffering.
Ways God uses suffering: • Judgment • To remove an idol • Discipline (unto holiness) • Teach us to rely on God • Teach us our own sinfulness • Teach us obedience • So we can comfort others • So we can know the heart of God • Opportunity to do good • Testimony
Jesus talked about the two great commandments in Luke 10: Love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. What does this mean, and how do you do this? You can’t care for everyone, but you can love the person that God puts in front of you.
Embrace God’s Word as Pastor Gib Giblin teaches from Luke 10: 25-37 in the sermon, “Loving Your God and Your Neighbor.”
- Love God with all my being
- Love Our Neighbor with all our being
- Illustration: We loved our neighbors during the flood of 2020
- Love God and our Neighbors Now and in the Future!
The church is designed by God to be a group of people who take care of each other. As a member of the body of Christ, the Lord has given you a gift, and He calls each of us to pursue unity and participate in caring for one another. All of us are responsible to drive the church forward. Embrace God’s Word as Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 4:1-16 in the sermon, “Care Starts With Me.”
- Pursue unity (oneness)
- Each one of us must plug-in for oneness
God has a purpose for everything that He does. When you go through difficult times, just as Job did, do you fixate on your past (your suffering), or do you gaze into the future to see what purpose God may have for what He is allowing? The greatness and wisdom of God is far beyond us – will you submit yourself to it?
Embrace God’s Word with us as Guest Preacher Ryan Koehlinger teaches from Job 38-42 in the sermon, “Job: Man vs. God.”
- The issue of suffering is better answered in the realm of God’s wisdom, not in the realm of His justice.
- God is great, and you are not.
- This ending tells us not to be fixated on the past (our suffering), but to gaze into the future (the purpose God may have for what He is doing).
The doctrine of omnipresence means that God is everywhere. God is always at work around you (John 5:17), but sometimes it’s hard to see the LORD working among a hostile world of sin, secularism, pagan gods, and humanistic worldviews. How is God active in the world in which you live at your job, in your neighborhood, and in your family? How do we live in this fallen world, and recognize that the Lord has worked and continues to work in our lives and in our church through both the good times and the bad times?
- God is the same God in the past, present, and future.
- God is still working in us as individual followers of Jesus.
- God is still working in us as a church.
What are the points of your Ebenezer testimony? Be sure to share them with your family, small group, or friends.
Do you need a life change? Are you longing for the Lord to give you a new perspective that will change your way of thinking? Embrace God’s Word as guest preacher Scott Burr teaches from Jonah 2:1-10 in the sermon, “This Changes Everything.” Let us fix our eyes on Jesus so we can be reminded of the magnificence of His work to save us which will help us as we communicate with the Father based on Jesus’ example. May we be encouraged to seek Him confidently and expectantly throughout every minute of every day. When we do that, it changes everything.
Embrace God’s Word as Elder Ken Wolf teaches from The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9b-13 in the sermon, “Get Used to Different.”
- Heaven is Home
- Heaven on Earth
- Heaven in Me
Embrace God’s Word with us as Guest Preacher Campbell Bortel teaches from Matthew 14:13-21 in the sermon, “Join the Mission: Lessons from a Compassionate Christ.”
Three Action Steps for True Disciples of a Compassionate Christ:
- Adopt the Ministry Catalyst of the Compassionate Christ.
- Obey the Ministry Commands of the Compassionate Christ.
- Accept the Ministry Call of the Compassionate Christ.
Elder Dave Shumaker teaches from Ephesians 6:1-2, Genesis 2:18-25, Proverbs 23:22-25, and 1 Timothy 5:8 in the sermon, “Honoring Our Mothers.”
- Obey them in childhood: Ephesians 6:1
- Leave and Cleave to form an independent family: Genesis 2:18-25
- Respectfully seek advice throughout your life: Proverbs 23:22-25
- Care for them in their old age: 1 Timothy 5:8
We often characterize families by the things that they do, or the activities they love. Some families focus their time and attention to sports; others on travel or vacation getaways. Still others devote much of their energy on work. What about your family?
What does God say about the family, and more specifically, the Gospel-Centered Family? Embrace God’s Word with us during Children’s Sunday as Greg Langley preaches from Ephesians 6:1-4 in the message, “The Gospel Centered Family.”
The Gospel-Centered Family – Ephesians 6:1-4
- For the Children – Ephesians 6:1-2 (Exodus 20:12)
- For the Parents – Ephesians 6:4 (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 5:22-28)
- For the Church – Ephesians 6:1 (Hebrews 10:24,25)
When life gets hard or bad things happen, how do you respond? Do you blame God? Your theology, or understanding of God, will dictate how you perceive and interpret the events of your life. Listen as guest preacher Ryan Koehlinger teaches from Job 3-37 in the sermon, Job and His Friends: Understanding God. Embrace God’s Word and see how the theology of Job and his friends dictate how they perceive and respond to Job’s situation, and what implications this can have in your life and relationship with God.
Alleluia, He is risen! He is risen indeed! Worship with us as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pastor Jeremy Lobdell leads us through Mark 16:1-8, John 3:14, and 1 Peter 4:19 in the sermon, “Lord of the Cosmos.”
• Do not be alarmed • Go and tell
Why was Jesus crucified? How did he suffer physically and relationally, and what did his suffering accomplish for us? Worship with us as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Pastor Gib Giblin leads us through Matthew 26:53, John 3:16 and 10:27, Luke 23:39, and Romans 3:21 in the sermon, “Jesus Suffering Physically and Relationally.”
Jesus, the Son of God, was born to die. Why? How does Jesus’ sacrifice allow us to be united to the Father? Pastor Jeremy Lobdell continues our Encounter the Incredible sermon series in Mark 15:37-47 with the sermon, “The Son of God.”
• The Cloth • The Curtain • The King
Pastor Jeremy Lobdell continues our Encounter the Incredible sermon series in Mark 15:16-37 with the sermon, “He Took Our Shame.”
Jesus was more than a good man or a respected teacher. Only Jesus was the true son of the Father who was perfect in every way. Only Jesus could pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. He is the Law fulfilled. He is the perfect high priest who makes atonement for our sins before the Father.
May we treasure Christ above everything else!
Listen as Pastor Jeremy Lobdell continues the Encounter the Incredible sermon series in Mark 15:1-15 with the sermon, “Why Crucify Jesus?”
Nate Thornton, Jordan Warner, and Braden Humphrey share about Daniel, King Josiah, and King David and how these leaders followed God with passion.
What do you do when people falsely accuse you, or when it seems like you face opposition all around? Do you write out your rant on social media, lash out against your accuser, or complain and grumble?
Let us look to Jesus and follow His example from Mark 14:53-65. Listen as Pastor Jeremy Lobdell teaches in the sermon, The Son of Man:
• Remember that God is judge. • Remain silent. • The Lord will reward.
What do you do when people falsely accuse you, or when it seems like you face opposition all around? Do you write out your rant on social media, lash out against your accuser, or complain and grumble?
Let us look to Jesus and follow His example from Mark 14:53-65. Listen as Pastor Jeremy Lobdell teaches in the sermon, The Son of Man:
• Remember that God is judge. • Remain silent. • The Lord will reward.
Listen as best-selling authors and researchers Shaunti & Jeff Feldhahn, along with Elder Jeff Koehlinger, share from Romans 2:4, Ephesians 2:4-8, and Luke 6:35-36 in a teaching about Kindness in all Relationships as we prepare for a church-wide 30-Day Kindness Challenge during the month of March.
• A Biblical understanding of kindness • What can make kindness difficult • Some key, practical steps to unlock the supernatural power of kindness in a way that can transform you and the relationships around you
Jesus taught and modeled prayer. He submitted to the will of his Abba, his loving Father. Jesus taught us that through submission comes strength. The most powerful weapon we possess is prayer to our loving and faithful God.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy leads us through Mark 14:10-50 in the sermon, The Peter Attitude vs. The Jesus Attitude.
What do you do when your prayers aren’t answered? What do you do when God doesn’t answer your prayers the way you expect? In all things, even prayer, we should seek to follow Jesus and the example He set for us. • Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Mark 14:132-42 in the sermon, Love and Submission. When we seek answers from God in prayer, it is important to trust His love and submit to His will:
- Trouble & Temptation |
- Power |
- Trust |
- Submission |
What is the purpose of life? Why are you here? Your life at times might feel like a spy novel with mystery, intrigue, and uncertainty, but as a follower of Jesus Christ you have a commission from Him, and a cup that He gives you.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Mark 14:10-25 in the sermon, The Commission and the Cup.
Let us love Jesus with an extravagant love for all He has done to save us, redeem us, and forgive us! Join us as we embrace God’s Word and hear from Pastor Jeremy as he begins a new sermon series in the book of Mark: Encounter the Incredible 5.
The sermon today focuses on Mark 14:1-9 in the message, Extravagant Love.
- Costly
- Beautiful
Listen as Pastor Jeremy Lobdell preaches on the “Gospel-Centered” aspect of our Vision Statement from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.
What does it mean to be content, especially in a culture obsessed with the accumulation of wealth, money, and possessions?
How can we avoid complacency, fatalism, and covetousness and instead live with joyful generosity toward God and others?
Listen as Elders Dave Shumaker and Jeff Koehlinger lead us to embrace God’s Word in the sermon, Pursue Eternal Gain Through Contentment based on 1 Timothy 6:6-19. |
- Pursue contentment to avoid spiritual destruction (vs. 6-10) |
- Flee covetousness by actively pursuing Christ (vs. 11-16) |
- Learn contentment by living generously (vs. 17-19) | • Live generously in your Attitudes (v.17) | • Live generously in your Actions (v. 18) | • Live generously in your Aims (v. 19)
Listen as we embrace God’s Word and hear from Elders Troy Griese and Ken Wolf as they teach from 1 Peter 5:1-4 in the sermon, Shadowing the Shepherd.
Our culture has changed rapidly over the last 10 years. Words are being redefined, people are confused, families and friends are divided, and anger abounds. If only we had a source of TRUTH that is eternal – a truth for all people at any time….
Praise God, WE DO! We have the unchanging, inerrant, promise-filled, eternal Word of God.
Listen as Pastor Chuck begins the new year in a timely sermon from 2 Peter 1:3-4 in the sermon, Keeping a Kingdom Focus in a Whacked-Out World.
What is the duty of humanity? Our duty is to respect God’s ordering of our lives. Because all of our life is lived “under the sun,” sometimes we will have trouble, and yet the Lord is lovingly and sovereignly in control of each aspect of our lives. Our proper response should be one of humble submission to God’s will, knowing that everything we do for Him matters.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy concludes our sermon series in Ecclesiastes 12:9-14:
There is a God He will judge What we do matters
Merry Christmas! Worship with us as we embrace God’s Word and hear from Pastor Jeremy Lobdell as he teaches from John 1:1-14 in the Christmas Eve sermon, “An Origin Story.”
The deity and distinction of Jesus are on full display in the Gospel of John:
- Jesus is God
- Jesus gives life
- Go to Jesus to get life
Pastor Jeremy Lobdell continues our sermon series in Ecclesiastes with a sermon based on Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:7, Remember Your Creator.
The author of Ecclesiastes wants us to trust in the character of God. Why? Because God is faithful! Listen as Pastor Jeremy leads us through Ecclesiastes 9:13-11:6 in the sermon, "Wisdom & Folly."
- Trust the Character of God
- Accept the Nature of our Universe (accept your portion)
- Live Wisely
- Hope Eternally in Jesus Christ
Our faith should not be in the outcome of our efforts or circumstances, but rather, our faith should be in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Listen as we embrace God’s Word and hear from Pastor Jeremy Lobdell as he teaches from Ecclesiastes 9 in the sermon, “The Faith Outlook.”
• LEAVE the unknows to God • CLEAVE to what you have in Christ
Do you believe in a competent God? An all-loving, all-knowing, all-powerful God? If He is who He says He is, then His character is an anchor for our soul. We can completely believe and trust Him.
Listen as we embrace God’s Word and hear from Pastor Jeremy Lobdell as he teaches from Ecclesiastes 8 in the sermon, “God Will Make It Right.”
• Enjoy the Adventure • Be Wise • Trust that God Will Make It Right
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Listen as we embrace God’s Word and hear from guest preacher Dr. Jim Plueddeman as he teaches from Psalm 67 in the sermon, “Why Does God Want to Bless Us?”
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Weird but true.” There are many things in this life that sound strange, but actually happen. Even the Bible gives accounts of events that were weird but true! Similarly, in the book of Ecclesiastes we read about a series of spiritual truths that sound contradictory, but in God’s wisdom and sovereignty are actually true.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy Lobdell expounds on these contrasting spiritual truths in the sermon, “Consider the End” based on Ecclesiastes 7.
- Death is Better (for those in Christ)
- A Rebuke is Better (than a song)
Is it possible to live in this broken world with peace and joy? Many people keep looking for more, striving for wealth, comparing themselves to others, or wishing they had a different life.
Listen as we embrace God’s Word for the answers and hear from Pastor Jeremy with the message, “How to Live at Peace” from Ecclesiastes 5:8-20, Hebrews 12:1, and Matthew 7:11.
• TRUST the race organizer
• ACCEPT the route
• RUN the race
In Christ, we have nothing to fear. But in our state as sinners, we should humble ourselves before our holy God in fear, repentance, and reverence. He calls us to be still, listen, and seek Him.
Join us as we embrace God’s Word and hear from Pastor Jeremy as he continues our fall sermon series with the message, “A Creature's Place” based on Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.
• Recognize our place • Be still • Bow your heart • Listen
What makes work meaningful? Sometimes it seems like our work feels mundane, redundant, or insignificant. As it turns out, it is not WHAT we are working for, but WHO we are working for.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy continues our fall sermon series with the message, "Meaningful Work" based on Ecclesiastes 4:4-16:
• Work HARD • Work FOR • Work WITH
The Lord calls his followers to serve and reach out to others! The Kingdom grows by everyday actions of faithful believers. While good works are part of the normal Christian life, we must remember that we are not saved by our good works, but we are saved for good works.
Listen as Steve Scott preaches in the sermon, “Zoom Out, Zoom In” as part of our GoLocal Sunday outreach:
• What does it mean to follow Jesus?
• Why does the Lord call us to do good works?
• How does each part do its work?
Listen as Pastor Jeremy continues our fall sermon series with the message, Ecclesiastes: How to Pass the Test based on Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3:
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God Tests
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Tests are Good
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How to Pass the Test
Listen as Pastor Jeremy continues our fall sermon series with the message, Ecclesiastes: How to Enjoy Life on Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
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Accept the limits
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Trust the Giver
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Apply your faith
The book of Ecclesiastes is like a science experiment. In chapter 2 we see the author testing to see if anything in the world or “under the sun” can bring fulfillment. Things like pleasure (v 1), achievement (v 4), possessions (v 7), sex (v 8), self-indulgence (v 10), wisdom (v 12-16) or despair (v 17-20).
Instead of sinking into nihilism or hedonism like the author of Ecclesiastes, where should we seek our ultimate fulfillment?
Listen as Pastor Jeremy continues our fall sermon series with the message, Ecclesiastes: Accept & Enjoy on Ecclesiastes 2:
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ACCEPT your current portion
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ENJOY your current portion (v. 24-25)
“The proper response to life’s limitations is not sulking, but an energetic involvement in one’s present task.” ~ Dr. Craig Lobdell
Everywhere we look in our culture, people chase after things that will not last. Vanity. Fame. Social Media Influence. Money. Work. Pleasure. Control. Power.
Where do we find meaning and Truth? What is this life all about and what will come in the end? The book of Ecclesiastes points us in that direction through a very intense and diligent search.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy begins our new fall sermon series with the message, Ecclesiastes: An Eternal Perspective based on Ecclesiastes 1:1-18:
- Who
- How
- What
Why is sin so bad? Why would a loving God get angry about sin? If God is so loving, why does he have to punish sin? If you’ve thought about these questions, or had someone ask you these questions, it’s important to know the Truth!
Listen as Elder Dave Shumaker answers these questions as he teaches us from the books of Romans and Exodus. Before we can understand the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we have to understand the BAD NEWS.
The Gospel we share must be clear and God-honoring. This is the most important message we can offer to a lost world! That’s why it’s so crucial that we REACH OUT to others and share the salvation message about Jesus.
The Gospel summarized in 5 statements (Romans 3:21-25):
• The Old Testament can’t save, but it can tell you how be saved.
• The righteousness we all need comes through faith.
• All people need faith because all sin.
• God declares those with faith to be legally righteous because of Jesus’ redemptive death.
• We can be saved by Jesus’ sacrifice because it satisfies God’s wrath.
In 1 Corinthians 4:1 we are described as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Later in 1 Corinthians 12, we also learn that each member of the body of Christ has an important role, function, and gift given by God so we can serve Him and others. That includes YOU! You have a God-given gift and you are ESSENTIAL to the body of Christ!
We are asking you to re-engage and use your spiritual gifts to plug in here at Midland Free. Listen as Pastor Jeremy leads us in the sermon, Use Your Gifts (Re-Engage):
• Who are we?
• What should we do?
• Why?
There’s no doubt that the past year has fractured our culture, fractured relationships, and even fractured our church. People are hurting and it’s HARD. That’s exactly why it’s important to come back together as one loving community of Christ followers here at Midland Free!
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Romans 12: 4-21 about why we want to RE-UNITE as one church family this fall:
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Formation happens
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Yes, it’s hard
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But, there’s hope
What matters most to Jesus? What impresses Him? Listen as Pastor Jeremy preaches from Mark 13:1-13 about three things that impressed Jesus as he taught about the signs at the end of the age with his disciples:
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Discernment not distractions (v5)
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Focus on a person not a place (v1)
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Faith not fear (v11-13)
The presence of the Holy Spirit means the defeat of the power of sin. Jesus wins! He came and he will come again!
We're getting ready to RE-UNITE to RE-ENGAGE so we can REACH OUT to others in Jesus' name!
Listen as Pastor Gib teaches about the four basics for the Church from Acts 2:42-47 that we want to incorporate into our lives as Christ followers here at Midland Free. These four basics also reflect the Mission of Midland Free:
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Apostles’ Teaching (EMBRACE God’s Word)
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Fellowship (ENGAGE)
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Breaking of Bread (ENGAGE)
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Prayer (ENJOY and Glorify God)
Starting on September 12, 2021 we will transition to a two hour engagement structure on Sunday mornings:
• A fellowship/teaching hour at 9:00 AM
• A worship/serving hour at 10:30 AM
When Jesus walked the earth, the cultural and political environment was even more contentious than what we experience today. The people were looking for a Messiah to conquer and crush their political enemies.
However, Jesus came to be both our Lord and our Savior in the Kingdom of God.
What does is mean to have Jesus as our LORD and King? Are you ready to have Jesus tell you what to do? Are you ready to obey Him in everything? To be part of the Kingdom of God means you must be willing to follow your King and surrender to His authority.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy leads us through Mark 12:34-37 in the sermon, “A Savior Who is Christ, the Lord.”
It’s time to make Jesus our Lord! Seek His blessing, but submit to His authority!
Where is your devotion? Where do you place your love, loyalty, and enthusiasm? These are important questions to ponder as we study Mark 12:41-44.
Listen as Mike Ladenburger leads us through this passage and the example Jesus gave us while He observed the widow’s offering.
What does Jesus do:
• Jesus observed, and He’s still observing
• Jesus called, and He’s still calling
• Jesus taught, and He’s still teaching
As a church, we're gearing up for an exciting fall where we RE-UNITE and RE-ENGAGE, to REACH OUT. With that goal in mind, what does God say about His church?
Listen as Elder Dave Shumaker preaches a message to energize our hearts for God's purpose, "The Church Isn't a Building" based on Matthew 16:17-18, Ephesians 4 & 5, Colossians 3:16-17, and Hebrews 10:25.
Application from Matthew 16:18
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Are you a part of Christ’s church?
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Do We Trust our Savior to build His Church?
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Are we committed to Christ’s Church?
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Are we committed to helping build God’s church?
Application of Ephesians 4-5 and Colossians 3:16-17
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Are you ready to come back to Church?
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Are we committed to “being” the Church?
Final Application
• Are you ready to Re-Unite, Re-Engage, and Reach Out?
In Mark 12, we read about a scribe who asks Jesus about the most important commandment. As Jesus answered the scribe, He emphasized the greatest commandment in Mark 12:29-31. Listen as Pastor Jeremy unpacks this passage:
- The Theology – Our One God
- The Implication – We love God by loving others
How do we love others well?
- Honor others with your words. Use your tongue and your thumbs (online comments) to edify others.
- Let go of anger and do not let it fester. It’s hard to show love when you’re angry.
- Watch out for pride – be willing to admit your mistakes and confess. Practice confession as a way to show love to others.
In the book of Mark we see Jesus’ enemies trying to trap him with a question about paying taxes. In his reply, Jesus reveals three important lessons about God’s priorities and the created order He established.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Mark 12:13-17 in the message: Ownership, Direction and Belonging:
OWNERSHIP – God owns us. We belong to Him and are made in His image. DIRECTION – God’s ownership of your life determines your destiny. BELONGING – If God owns you, then He is responsible to keep you. You can be assured that the Good Shepherd is going to take good care of you.
We want to move one step closer to Jesus everyday. One way we do that is by studying what Jesus teaches us in the Gospels. Listen as Pastor Jeremy begins our new summer sermon series in Mark 12:1-12 in the message, "Marvelous In Our Eyes."
God shows us three things about redemption in the book of Mark:
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God has a plan.
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People reject God's plan.
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God redeems rejection and it is marvelous in our eyes.
What motivates you to obey God? Are you following Jesus for the rewards and blessings He promises? What happens when suffering, trouble, and pain come along in our lives and it is more difficult to obey God?
Christians should follow God not because we get temporal blessings in this life, but because following God is the right thing to do, because God’s greatness demands it, because we love Him, and because His promises will always find their fulfillment in eternity.
Listen as guest preacher Ryan Koehlinger teaches us from Job 1-2 in his message, “Job: Facing Difficulty, Finding Hope.”
• God increases our faith over the course of our lives. • God always gives us the grace we need to endure.
In John 17, Jesus prays for His followers – that they would remain IN the world but not be OF the world. How do we know what the right balance is to be IN but not OF the world?
Listen as Pastor Chuck teaches from John 17:14-21 in his sermon, “In, But Not of the World.”
• We are sent into the world – Don’t ISOLATE
• We are not to be of the world – Don’t IMITATE
• We need God’s help to stay safe from the world – INSULATE so that we can effectively INFILTRATE
Like sheep that wander, we are on our way to destruction unless someone guides us differently. We need the provision, direction, and protection of our good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. What can we learn about our Shepherd and Host as we study Psalm 23?
- A Shepherd (Provide, Protect, Direct)
- A Host (Relax, Refresh, and Renew)
We want to live with joyful and bountiful hearts as conduits of God’s generosity to others with our time, resources, and skills instead of living with closed hands and sparing hearts. We want to be contented people who trust God to supply both what is needed today and what is needed in the future.
Listen as Elder Jeff Koehlinger us leads us through 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 in his message about how to live with an open hand (and heart) as bountiful, generous, and cheerful givers in all aspects of our lives.
• The Characteristics of a Generous Heart (vv. 6-7)
• The Foundations for a Generous Heart (vv. 8-10)
• The Way to a Generous Heart (vv. 8.a and 11)
Our hearts need to trust HIS heart. How much? Much more!
Listen as Pastor Jeremy leads us through Matthew 6:19-34 as we explore what our hearts should treasure:
• Heart DIRECTION • Heart DESIRE • Heart DISTRACTION
SCRIPTURES: Matthew 6:19-34 1 Timothy 6:10 Luke 21:34-36
We want to treasure and value God above all else. We want to love Jesus and not money. We want to be content in Christ and not in what we have. As a result, we as Christ followers want to give generously from a thankful heart. Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from 1 Timothy 6:
- Love of Money
- Contentment
- A Theology of Giving
Contentment is the love of Christ!
The Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 is framed by the Great Commissioner. Christ’s Authority (Power) and his Presence are on full display in the Gospel of Matthew, and He calls us to engage the world to help point people to Jesus.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches about what drives our purpose in global missions from Matthew 28:16-20:
• Christ’s Authority (Power) • Christ’s Presence
SCRIPTURES:
Matthew 28:16-20 Acts 5:31 Acts 5:27-29 Mark 4:39
When you read the Bible and allow God’s Word to saturate your mind, you get cleaner in your spirit and soul! When the Holy Spirit begins to work through the Word, it purifies you, changes you, and draws you closer to Jesus. We want to EMBRACE God’s Word because it is God’s infallible truth and as we read in John 17:3, “…this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us three reasons why we must EMBRACE God’s Word from Isaiah 6, John 17, and 2 Timothy 3: • Purification • Preservation • Sanctification
“Sanctify them in truth; your word is truth.” ~John 17:17
What is the purpose of life and why are we here? As Psalm 63 exclaims, we believe our purpose is to worship God and enjoy Him forever, because His steadfast love is better than life (v.3). Even in our worst moments we can still have joy, because nothing can take God away from us!
So how do we value, treasure, and delight ourselves in God and the infinite worth of the person of Jesus Christ? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us about the ENJOY GOD aspect of our church Mission statement and Psalm 63.
SCRIPTURES: Psalm 63 Ruth Job
Many skeptics have questioned the reality of Jesus’ resurrection over the centuries. Listen as Pastor Chuck defends the historical fact of the resurrection by exposing five flawed arguments that skeptics use to attack the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.
What are the difficult facts you would have to accept in order to NOT believe in the historicity of the resurrection:
• You would have to believe that the disciples stole the body out of the tomb.
• You would have to believe that the soldiers stationed at the tomb were so inept as to sleep through the stealing of the body thus never engaging the thieves, but nonetheless were able to identify the disciples as the thieves.
• You would have to believe that eleven disciples, among others, lived and died for something they knew from personal experience to be a lie.
• You would have to believe that James, the half-brother of Jesus, rejected the faith while Jesus was alive, but after he was killed converted to Christianity with the knowledge that it was a complete hoax.
• You would have to believe that 500 people got together and successfully kept the secret of their lie (we saw the risen Christ) OR 500 people saw a group hallucination at the same time.
The truth of the resurrection emboldened the early disciples to spread out and preach the Good News of Jesus to the world. Even “doubting Thomas” became a missionary to India. May we follow the command of Christ to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth!
Everything changes with Jesus calls your name. Do you hear Jesus calling to you today? After Jesus rose from the grave, Mary Magdalene was the first person to encounter the risen Christ but she did not recognize him at first. Everything changed when He called her name!
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from the book of John about Jesus’ victory over sin and death and how He moves us from our old orientation, through disorientation, to a new orientation.
• Orientation • Disorientation • New Orientation
SCRIPTURES:
John 20:1-18 Colossians 1:20 Psalm 96:1
Pastor Gib delivers a message on Good Friday.
Good Friday is a gift. We can do nothing to gain God’s favor. Christ did it all for us when He died on the cross. It was a gift given to those who believe. Jesus took our sins and gave us His righteousness. Those who don’t yet believe have to choose to believe, accept this gift, love God with all of your mind, strength and heart, and tell someone who can help you grow spiritually. Believers are to love God with all of your mind, strength and heart. Be humble and accept the love demonstrated towards us by God.
Rejoice that we are known and loved by God. Trust, follow, and obey Him, and devote ourselves to drawing near to God.
Colossians tells us that Jesus is the all-surpassing treasure of infinite worth; He is the creater and redeemer, ruler and maker of all things. If you get Jesus and get nothing else, you still get filthy rich. In Colossians 4:2-6, we are given two commands: Walk in Wisdom and Continue in Prayer.
How do we Walk in Wisdom in today's world? Ask yourself these 4 questions: 1. Is it biblical? 2. What are the influences in my life? 3. Is there balance? 4. How is my speech?
Continue in Prayer: When? Constantly What? Pray the Bible. How? The Lord's prayer.
Do you always try your best? Whether you’re working, relating to your spouse, training your children, or serving others, do you always give your best effort? If not, why not? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us about the importance of doing your best in marriage, parenting, work, and service from Colossians 3:17-4:1 in the sermon, “In All things…”
WHAT: 1. Marriage 2. Parenting 3. Work
WHY: 1. The Lord sees. 2. The Lord knows. 3. The Lord will reward.
Are you only going after things that you want, or are you seeking God for the things He has already promised to give you? Do you know what has God promised to give you? Now is the time to fully believe in His promises. Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from Colossians 3:12-17 in his sermon, “Grace Propels Grace.”
- Grace to Us
- God
- Grace to Others
One of our goals as Christians is to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). But before we can overcome the sin in our lives, we have to look our own evil straight in the eye and decide to fight against it. When the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to recognize our own sin, we understand we are not great – we are deeply flawed and in desperate need of a Savior. Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Colossians 3:5-11 in his sermon, “What to Fight and How.”
- What is sin?
- What drives us to sin?
- How do we resist and fight against sin?
SERMON TITLE: What to Fight and How SERMON SERIES: Colossians – Closer to Jesus SPEAKER: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell SCRIPTURES: Colossians 3:5-11 Romans 12:21 James 4:1-3
Will more money solve our problems? What do real riches look like based on God’s message in Colossians 3:1-4? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us how to get rich in Christ.
- Seek Jesus
- Get Rich
It’s time to take our eyes off of the shadows (the fake) and focus our eyes on Jesus (the real). Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Colossians 2:16-23 about the shadows to avoid and the substance to pursue:
- SHADOWS • (v. 18) Mysticism - Watch out for those who downplay Jesus Christ or emphasize external spiritual experiences or angels instead of the person of Jesus Christ.
• (v. 16) Legalism – We want our focus to be on Christ instead trying to be justified by our own works and deeds.
- SUBSTANCE • (v. 17) – Hold fast to Jesus. • Find your identity, worth, meaning, purpose, joy and confidence in Him and Him alone.
Dan Seaborn, founder of Winning at Home, shares from Genesis 18 about the marriage of Abraham and Sarah. They lived in a time of fear. They had problems that they didn’t know how to solve.
Here are a few foundational principles of TRUTH from Genesis 18 and the life of Abraham and Sarah:
• God has a good plan He is revealing in your day to day life that is often invisible. • Press into God on the good days and the bad and it becomes more and more visible. • Go to God with stuff FIRST. Time spent with God will never return void.
Questions to ponder:
• Where in my life do I sometimes rush ahead? • How can I personally spend more time with the Lord? • Work on you!
Your marriage has purpose. Your marriage is significant. Your marriage is not about you. The purpose of your marriage is to honor God and grow closer to Him.
What is the Christian path to victory? As we study Colossians 2:6-15, let’s give thanks for these eight amazing things that God did to win the victory for us, save us from sin, and transform us for His Glory:
• God made us ALIVE (v 13) • God FORGAVE (v 13) • God CANCELED OUR DEBT (v 14) • God SET ASIDE our debt (v 14) • God NAILED IT (v 14) • God DISARMED (v 15) • God PUT TO SHAME rulers and authorities (v 15) • God TRIUMPHED (v15)
SERMON TITLE: How to Win SERMON SERIES: Colossians: Closer to Jesus SPEAKER: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell SCRIPTURES: Colossians 2:6-15
Are the pains and troubles in this life worth it? Is it possible to “rejoice in our sufferings” like Paul says in the book of Colossians?
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Colossians 1:24-2:5 in his sermon, “The All-Surpassing Treasure.”
• Problem – What problem do we face today? (1 Timothy 4:1-2; Colossians 2:4)
• Solution – What is the solution to the dilution of false teachers? (Colossians 1:28)
• Application – Get Jesus at all cost – even if it is through suffering! (Colossians 1:24)
Sermon Series: Colossians - Closer to Jesus Sermon Title: The All-Surpassing Treasure Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell Scripture: Colossians 1:24-2:5 1 Timothy 4:1-2
Why is Jesus the best? He is both our Creator & Redeemer!
In these times of chaos, let’s take time to focus on Jesus. Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Colossians 1:15-23 about Jesus as both the Creator of everything and the Redeemer of all.
Sermon Series: Colossians: Closer to Jesus Sermon Title: Part 2 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23
There’s no question we are living in tumultuous times. Our hope should not be in our government, our culture, or our possessions. God says to fix our eyes on things above (Colossians 3:2). As followers of Jesus our true home is in heaven – we are merely passing through this temporal and chaotic world. How, then, do we live? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches four ways from Colossians 1:1-14 to live in this “in between” time – the time we are living in the midst of trouble and toil on earth and yet longing for our citizenship in heaven: • Increase in knowledge (v 9) • Bearing fruit of hope and peace (v10) • Being strengthened according to His power (v11) • Giving thanks (v12)
In Psalm 95 we see God calling us to joyful and exuberant worship to honor His Greatness. The Lord also calls us to quiet reverence. Regardless of the musical style or volume of our worship, we want to revere and adore Him to the best of our ability. Listen as guest preacher Dave Shumaker teaches about appropriate and genuine worship. He’ll offer us practical applications as we seek to deepen our worship of God in 2021.
If Jesus is the Light and our source of joy, here are a few questions from Pastor Jeremy to focus us as we head toward a New Year:
• Where do you typically go to feel better when you are feeling down?
• How much time do you spend with Jesus?
• Are you excited to talk about Him?
• What are you holding back from Him?
• Is what you watch edifying and bringing you closer to Jesus?
• What regular relational deposits are you making in your walk with Jesus Christ?
You’ve probably heard people call Jesus a ”Savior.” Why would we need someone to save us? Do we really need a Savior? Listen as Pastor Jeremy delivers a powerful Christmas Eve message with three questions about Jesus: • What do we need? • What did He do? • So what?
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ~Matthew 1:21
The birth of Jesus Christ demonstrates three important truths from Luke 1:1-14:
• Our Savior DESCENDS • Our Savior DEFEATS • Our Savior DELIVERS
What makes Jesus the greatest of all time? The Announcement from the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:26-38 gives us at least three things that make Jesus great:
• Jesus is the God-Man; He is fully God and fully man.
• Jesus’ lineage is both divine and royal; He calls us into His royal family.
• Jesus has limitless power and strength.
TITLE: The Announcement SERMON SERIES: Because of Christmas SPEAKER: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:26-38
Can anything stop Christmas? Listen as Pastor Chuck explores Advent from the perspectives of the past, present, and future. How did Herod try to stop the Messiah? Will COVID ruin Christmas? Or will Immanuel, God with Us, bring us the best Christmas ever as we pursue and enjoy a renewed focus on Him?
Scriptures: Matthew 2:1-16 Galatians 4:4-5 Ephesians 3:17
Our new church Vision and Mission can be summarized by this phrase: Enjoy, Embrace, and Engage. We ENJOY and Glorify God, EMBRACE His Word, and ENGAGE His World.
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and Mark 3:23 in his sermon: Gospel-Centered Everything.
God calls us all to work. Even Jesus worked to accomplish the will of God the Father. What does Christ’s work mean for us as individuals and what does it mean for those around the globe? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us about the most important work in the history of the world.
Scriptures: Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 2 Romans 3:23 Romans 6:23
"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15:7)
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches from Romans 15:1-7 about our new church mission statement and what it means to Welcome, Plug-in, and Reach Out.
Part of our new church vision and mission is to EMBRACE God's Word. What does that mean, and how will it change our lives? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from the book of 2 Timothy in his recent sermon, Embrace His Word.
Sermon Series: Vision & Mission Sermon Title: Embrace His Word Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-17 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell
How does God draw you to himself? What can you get rid of to be more satisfied in God? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us about how to Enjoy God from Psalm 37 and Psalm 73.
- Orientation
- Disorientation
- New Orientation
A Global pandemic. Riots. Hurricanes. Hackers. Racial injustice. Social media bullying. When there are storms in life and we want to survive the turbulent winds of change, where should you go? And how do you get there?
Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us how to be Closer to Jesus from John 15:1-17 and Psalm 1.
How do we grow closer to Jesus? • Connect with His Word (the Bible). • Fellowship with His Body (the church). • Follow His Commandments (obey Him).
What is family? What is a church family? The ideal that we aspire to is a Trinitarian image of the home (and the church) where there is equal value, equal essence, and yet different functions among each member. Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from 1 Timothy 3:14 and Galatians 6:1-11 in the sermon, The Church is Family.
Where does your hope come from? Does your hope come from dependency on Jesus? Listen to the recent sermon from Guest Preacher Dan Holman, a missionary with EFCA Reach Global Crisis Response, who spent over 10 weeks with us over the summer during our church flood relief efforts. Dan teaches us about how to Carry THE Hope from the book of Romans, Psalms, and Isaiah.
Sermon Title: Carry THE Hope
Speaker: Dan Holman, EFCA Reach Global
Scriptures:
Romans 15:1-13 Psalm 62:5 Isaiah 40:31
What is the most important thing in the entire world? What does it mean to live Gospel-Centered? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as we begin a new sermon series.
Sermon Title: Gospel-Centered Everything Sermon Series: Vision and Mission Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
- We are a body, not a building.
- We are a family, not a free for all.
- We are a kingdom, not consumers.
Sermon Title: What is the Church?
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3
Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:19; 12:12-27, Acts 20:28, Hebrews 10:19-25
How does Jesus control nature, and why is Jesus more concerned with your spiritual hunger than your physical hunger? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from Mark 11 and learn more about lessons from a fig tree.
Like the game of Stratego or Risk, in the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus strategically arranging the pieces on the board. Jesus is completely and absolutely in control of every single detail… including the details in your life. Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from Mark 11:1-11.
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Sermon Title: Stratego: What is God's? Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell Scripture: Mark 11:1-11
Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:36). Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from the Gospel of Mark and learn about the cup of wrath that Jesus took for you: 1) The Cup we want 2) The Cup we get 3) The Cup that’s best
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible Sermon Title: The Right Cup Scripture: Mark 10:32-45 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell
"Three questions with which we all must wrestle ... " Mark 10:46 - 52
1) Are you “sitting beside the road?” watching Jesus? (vv. 46-48)
2) What do you want Jesus to do for you? (vv. 49-51a)
3) Are you "on the road" walking with Jesus? (vv. 51b-52)
Like the drought described in Jeremiah 17, the current COVID crisis has left us parched. People are polarized, relationships are strained and some are breaking – even in immediate families. Shutdowns, isolation, social distancing, and lack of community have left many of us feeling parched. So what do we do?
• How do we live in an age of COVID, cancel culture, social media, and conflicting views? • How do we relate to the government? Is there ever a time when we should disobey our government? • How do we maintain our spiritual, mental, and emotional health?
Listen as Pastor Jeremy answers these questions and teaches us from Jeremiah 17 in his sermon, “How Should We Respond to Covid-19?”
Is following Jesus worth the risk? What are the stakes? What will we gain? We have to decide for ourselves whether faith in Him is worth the risk. Listen as Pastor Chuck Lloyd teaches us from Mark 10:17-31.
Adults tend to look with skepticism on things that are offered for free. Why? As we age, we often lose the ability to receive something with joy because our culture tells us that nothing is free. But what does Jesus say about His Kingdom and what he offers for free? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from Mark 10:13-16 in his sermon about how to receive the Kingdom of God.
How’s your heart? How’s your heart toward singleness, marriage, divorce, remarriage, or adultery? Jesus had a lot to say about these topics. What is God’s intent for these relationships? Listen as Pastor Jeremy teaches us from Mark 10:1-12 in his sermon: The Trap, The Law, The Loopholes, and the Truth.
Scripture References: • Mark 10:1-12 • Genesis 1:26-27 • Ephesians 5:22-31 • 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3
Sermon Title: Heaven, Hell, and Everything in Between
Speaker: Pastor Jeremy K. Lobdell
Scripture: Mark 9:42-50
Series: Encounter the Incredible 3
Sermon: How to Experience God's Power
Speaker: Jeremy K. Lobdell
Scripture: Mark 9:14-29
• Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 • Sermon Title: For Christ and Kingdom • Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell • Scripture: Mark 8:38-9:14 and Daniel 7:9-10
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Scripture: Mark 8:31-9:1 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Scripture: Mark 8:27-30 Speaker: Mike Ladenburger, Elder
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell Scripture: Mark 8:22-26
Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Speaker: Pastor Chuck Lloyd Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell Scripture: Mark 8:11-21
Sermon Series: Encounter the Incredible 3 Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Lobdell Scripture: Mark 8:1-9
GoLocal Sunday: October 6, 2019
For more information on our GoLocal team, please visit our website at mefchurch.org/golocal or stop by the display in our lobby.