Northminster Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
Dr. Bob Jordan & Rev. Jos Smolik
We believe that God has called us to represent His love in the world by building friendships, being transformed as we learn and live His Word and by serving our neighbor with care. We call this moving In.Up.Out. Join us for our weekly sermons as we explore the truth of God’s Word, the beauty of Jesus and how we can follow Him more faithfully IN. UP. and OUT. Northminster Presbyterian Church is an ECO congregation in Peoria, Illinois.
Avoid stubbornly resistant, poser Christians and continue in the way of the saints, guided every step of the way by Scripture. Listen as Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Timothy 3:1-17.
It seems simple, but churches and Christians still get tripped up by it: we are to flee stuff that doesn’t honor God and pursue stuff that does. And it is serious business too— with significant consequences— like the spread of gangrene and escaping the snare of the devil. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Timothy 2:14-26.
The gospel of Christ fundamentally changes who we are and our relationships with each other. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Tim 1:1-2, Titus 1:1-4, and Philemon 1:1-3.
Jesus’ identity as Son of God and King of all is answer to our anxiety, fear and worry. When we don’t understand what God is doing, we can treasure in our hearts WHO HE IS. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Luke 2:41-52.
God’s salvation for humankind comes to us in Jesus. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Luke 2:25-35.
God’s salvation for humankind comes to us in Jesus. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Like 1:67:79.
It’s an act of faith to praise God for who He is, what He has done and what He is going to do. With the eyes of faith, we – like Mary – can “magnify God” with our whole selves, even though our circumstances may be “greatly troubling”. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Luke 1:46-55.
The liberated Church of Jesus Christ continually remains open to his leadership. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Acts 15:1-21.
The liberated Church of Jesus Christ continually remains open to his leadership. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Acts 10:1-48.
We can expect God’s Spirit to be personal, purposeful, providential, and ubiquitous. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Acts 8:26-40.
Even in difficult and uncertain times, we can trust God’s faithfulness to lead as we turn to Him in prayer and Scripture and exercise wisdom in community. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Acts 1:12-26
We’re on a Spirit empowered mission from God. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Acts 1:1-11.
God’s love in Jesus Christ is to impact every single aspect of who we are and what we do. Nothing in our lives is to be shielded from this love. All of who we are and all of what we do is to be our offering of gratitude in response to the new life God has given us in and through Christ. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Colossians 3:17.
Authentic, reasonable worship of God shows itself in all-out living and renewed thinking according to his way and his will. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Romans 12:1-2.
Jesus commissions his imperfect followers to join his mission in the world—to make disciples of all people. Wanting God includes joining God’s mission in the world. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Matthew 28:16-20
The “greatest commandment” isn’t really a rule at all! It is a call to live a life shaped by love toward God and others. Jesus reminds us that we are invited to be in a personal relationship with the God of the universe who WANTS us to love Him. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Mark 12:29-31.
Truly wanting God includes living a life in which we learn to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with him. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Micah 6:6-8.
Christians are saved by grace and called to love—no exceptions. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Revelation 2:1-7.
Instead of being casual about sin, followers of Christ are to prioritize faithful obedience and sincere repentance whenever our obedience falters. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Acts 4:32-5:11.
Can God be trusted? It is not a hypothetical question for most, if not all, of us. We might be quick to affirm that indeed God is trustworthy, only to find ourselves wondering if full faithfulness to him is worth the risk. This study will explore our tendency to distrust God, what motivates us to distrust him, and how we can overcome our distrust. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 1 Samuel 13:1-15.
Recognizing the destructive force of human foolishness allows us to welcome the wisdom of God and its life-giving blessings. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Genesis 3:1-13.
The book of Psalms in the Bible is a collection of 150 Hebrew poems that function as songs and prayers. They are a treasure trove of insight on and pathways to exploring and growing a rich, multitextured, and many-layered relationship with God. During this series, give yourself the gift of not only studying the psalms we cover but also experiencing them, praying them, and letting God speak to you through them. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Psalm 135.
What brings quiet to our souls? How can we learn to turn our back on the chaos of this world and instead turn to God with childlike faith that leads to contentment with our circumstances? Psalm 131 challenges us with this question: Is God himself really all we need, or do we focus more on what God can do for us? Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Psalm 131.
What do you do when you’re afraid, overwhelmed, anxious and alone? Psalm 3 teaches us how to bring our fears to God, work through them in light of His character and move forward with trust in the midst of hard circumstances. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Psalm 3.
In this psalm, our psalmist laments, asks for forgiveness, and seeks guidance and deliverance. Wow! In the process we are gifted with a rich picture of a robust relationship with God and learn that what God does is connected to who God is and that our need for God is great and our path forward is one of full dependence and trust. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan takes us through Psalm 25 in this Summer in the Psalms.
In the few remaining moments before His arrest, Jesus prays; and one of the things He prays for is you and me! He asked God to make us one with Him and with each other and He asked God to make sure we were with Him forever. God gave Jesus what He asked for – and granted His request through the suffering of the cross. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through John 17:20-26.
Our passage answers the question, “How did Jesus really feel about his disciples, those 12 followers who had been with him from the beginning?” In Jesus’ answer, we get a picture too of how he feels about his disciples today, a picture of what divine, mission-of-God love looks like. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 17:6-19.
Our only path to life—true life now and for all of eternity—is fundamentally dependent upon the Father and the Son’s absolute commitment to glorify one another through the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the ascension. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 17:1-5.
What is at the center of all of your feelings, passions, thoughts, opinions, ideas, ideals, and choices? For Jesus, it was and is God the Father. Jesus was and is Father-centric. It could be that today we find Jesus more accessible than God the Father, even to the point of focusing our whole relationship with God on Jesus. For Jesus, however, God the Father was and is at the center of all things, full of love, completely trustworthy and true. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 16:25-33.
Imagine if you were one of Jesus’ disciples as he spoke about his departure and return. You would have been listening without the aid of 2000 years of church history. Leaving? A little while? Returning? Sorrow? Joy? What Jesus accomplished between his leaving and initial returning changed everything—EVERYTHING! This week we embrace the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection—and his promised return at the end of days! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 16:16-24.
Is there someone you’ve lost and now incredibly miss? What if you could have the “spirit” of that person with you always, reminding you and keeping fresh in your mind all the words and love and life of your departed loved one?! That is essentially who the Holy Spirit is. The Spirit’s main job is to proclaim Jesus to the world and to Jesus’ own followers too. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 16b-15.
Those who align themselves with Christ—who abide in him—will be rejected by the world—including by those who vehemently profess they represent God but in truth do not. Jesus wishes us to know this so that when it happens to us, we will continue to abide in him. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 15:8-16:4a.
Jesus has given us the perfect example of friendship – He chooses us, is committed to us, has lain down His life for us and will never abandon us. We DESPERATELY need these kinds of friends, and we need to BE these kinds of friends! Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through John 15:12-17.
Living a gospel-shaped live means attending first to our relationship with Christ. Jesus invites us into intimate relationship with Him defined by constancy, discipline and love. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through John 15:1-11.
He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 20:19-23 this Easter!
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
God is committed not only to your salvation but also to being in intimate and productive fellowship with you and to you being reassured and fruitful in ministry. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 14:15-31.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
The works and prayers of those who follow Jesus are powerfully and positively impacted because Jesus is now with the Father in heaven. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 14:12-14.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
In John 13:31-14:31, we are told of a number of goings, comings and stayings. Jesus tells his followers of his departure, their inability to follow, and the Spirit’s arrival. It is all a part of preparing them to be his witnesses when he is no longer in the world. Therefore, the teachings could not be more relevant for us today, as we too live in the time between the cross and Jesus’ second coming. This set of verses reveals our purpose, weakness, hope, fellowship with God, and God’s provision for us as we represent Christ in this world. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 14:8-11.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
The hope in Jesus is the antidote for our troubled hearts. But more than that, Jesus Is the person who makes that hope a reality through His life, death and resurrection. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through John 14:1-7.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
In John 13:31-14:31, we are told of a number of goings, comings and stayings. Jesus tells his followers of his departure, their inability to follow, and the Spirit’s arrival. It is all a part of preparing them to be his witnesses when he is no longer in the world. Therefore, the teachings could not be more relevant for us today, as we too live in the time between the cross and Jesus’ second coming. This set of verses reveals our purpose, weakness, hope, fellowship with God, and God’s provision for us as we represent Christ in this world. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 13:36-38.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
– In John 13:31-14:31, we are told of a number of goings, comings and stayings. Jesus tells his followers of his departure, their inability to follow, and the Spirit’s arrival. It is all a part of preparing them to be his witnesses when he is no longer in the world. Therefore, the teachings could not be more relevant for us today, as we too live in the time between the cross and Jesus’ second coming. This set of verses reveals our purpose, weakness, hope, fellowship with God, and God’s provision for us as we represent Christ in this world. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 13:31-35.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
During the season of Lent, we will read aloud - without commentary or teaching - large portions of Scripture. We will read Isaiah - a book about our need for a Savior and God's promise to send one; each of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and finally, Romans - a letter about how the good news of Jesus changes the world.
The “upper room” chapters of John begin with Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. In this part of the story, the weightiest and most central teachings of the Christian faith are portrayed: the willing humiliation of Christ, the necessity and sufficiency of his sacrifice, the response of faith, the prevalence of human depravity, and the demise of evil. We will discover our true selves and the true Jesus in this series. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 13:21-30.
Having been necessarily and sufficiently served by Christ, we are called and empowered to follow the pattern he has set for us: humbly serve the wellbeing of others. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 13:12-20.
– The “upper room” chapters of John begin with Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. In this part of the story, the weightiest and most central teachings of the Christian faith are portrayed: the willing humiliation of Christ, the necessity and sufficiency of his sacrifice, the response of faith, the prevalence of human depravity, and the demise of evil. We will discover our true selves and the true Jesus in this series. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 13:1-11.
By far the best thing about Christianity is not in the gifts a Christian receives but the relationship she/he enjoys with the Giver. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Corinthians 13:14.
In Christ, buckets of joy, peace and hope are constantly available, because as it turns out he is our joy, peace and hope.. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Romans 15:13.
God has declared us holy by the finished work of Jesus. We will be completely holy in the New Creation. But here in the middle, we are being MADE holy by the process of sanctification. God is perfecting our character and behavior as we submit to and participate in the work of God's Spirit in our lives. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.
God blesses you with everything good that you need in order to do his will. Period. Seriously, that’s it. We could add other words and make the “main point” longer, but it really is as simple as that. Every good thing required to live according to God’s desires, God gives to you. Sure, we used different words this time, but the truth of it remains the same. You are not lacking a single good thing needed to do God’s will. Now we’ve gone ahead and said it in the negative. Bottom line: God gives everything good for us to do his will. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Hebrews 13:20.
It does not require elevated observational skills to know that Christians hold different ideas from one another on all kinds of topics. Yet there is a fundamental unity those same Christians share at the deepest of levels, a unity that the Bible (1) declares to already exist, (2) instructs us to pursue and increase, and (3) asks God to provide in our midst. This unity’s importance cannot be overstated. In fact our collective ability and practice of glorifying God depends on it. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Romans 15:5-6.
In this world, the “wine”* runs out. We all know it. We all have experienced it. Wine in biblical times was, among other things, a symbol of God’s abundant provision, a blessing associated with remaining faithful within God’s covenant. Wine stood for joy and was connected with secure and fruitful times. For God’s people, before the coming of Christ, the “wine” had run out. But then Jesus showed up, announcing the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. In Christ there is everyday abundance every day. As John states in John 1:14, “We have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” This Jesus is intended for you and for your everyday places and relationships and activities, for Jesus takes water and turns it into wine. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through John 2:1-12.
The Bible passages that tell the stories of Christmas repeatedly mention David and his everlasting kingdom. By looking closely at the promises that God made to David, we can learn more about how Jesus fulfills those promises and how we too can know the steadfast love of God that brings rest and never departs. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through 2 Samuel 7:1-18.
Jesus came with a purpose, and it wasn’t simply to give us a December holiday. He was born under the law to redeem those under the law. God’s law was great, but we humans were unable to keep it without fail. So Jesus came as the ONLY ONE who could and did fulfill the law. He then stood in our place, accepting through his sacrificial death the punishment we deserved. In doing so he set us free! In Christ, you are FREE to live WITH and FOR him! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Galatians 4:4-5
You’ve probably heard someone say, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” It’s a great tag line. It’s short, has Jesus in it, and includes rhyming. Unfortunately, it has become so easy to say that people sometimes use it for everything from a meaningless quip to a mean spirited declaration of war against anyone who happens to say, “Happy holidays.” Thankfully there is another concise description of Christmas we can turn to. We find it in Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as God’s children.” These two verses will serve as our guide through this Advent Season! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Galatians 4:4.
You’ve probably heard someone say, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” It’s a great tag line. It’s short, has Jesus in it, and includes rhyming. Unfortunately, it has become so easy to say that people sometimes use it for everything from a meaningless quip to a mean spirited declaration of war against anyone who happens to say, “Happy Holidays.” Thankfully there is another concise description of Christmas we can turn to. We find it in Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as God’s children.” These two verses will serve as our guide through this Advent Season! Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Galatians 4:4.
Christmas is God’s plan. Way before church leaders adopted the date of December 25, before Christmas cards were a thing and then stopped being a thing, before people hung lights on their trees, before mailboxes were stuffed with envy-inducing catalogues, God planned his work and worked his plan. Jesus’ arrival wasn’t arbitrary happenstance. He came in the fullness of time—intentionally and with purpose. Christmas therefore reminds us that God is indeed in charge and at work and always faithful. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Galatians 4:4.
God loves a cheerful, joyous giver. This type of giving, thankfully, is not dependent on the size of our bank accounts! What God looks for instead is a single mindedness about our relationship with him, about his church and about his mission in the world. This kind of giving goes way beyond what I might have in my pocket at any given moment. Instead it is intentional. It takes into account ALL the grace—the unmerited favor—God has showered on us. This kind of giving excitedly anticipates the many thanksgivings God will receive when people respond to our financial support. In other words, single minded, God-centered giving results in multiplied thanksgivings to God—which only adds to our joy and cheer! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Corinthians 9.
All year long we have been underscoring that in Christ we belong to God. In fact, we have confessed together that belonging to “our faithful Savior” is our “only comfort” in “body and soul, in life and in death.” In belonging to God, we then also belong to God’s narrative, his story, his eternal story. In this way, Christians belong to eternity and not just to the circumstances of the moment. Belonging to eternity actually puts every moment then into perspective. Our moments belong to God and to God’s eternal narrative, his eternal story. Rather than having to construct and hold together meaningful lives of our own, in Christ we already have significance, purpose and direction. We stay close to God—abide in Christ—in part so that we keep living according to his life-giving, life renewing story. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Lamentations 3:19-33.
It is not uncommon for people who follow Jesus to feel like it is solely up to them to become more like him in their attitudes and behaviors. With this perception of the Christian life, people often feel like their fundamental identity is that of sinner rather than saint. The Bible, however, paints a different picture. Instead of God’s children doing their own heavy lifting, it is God who transforms, who works in us the process of each one of us becoming like Christ. Our role is simply to abide in Christ, to cling to him, to listen to and learn from his teachings. As we abide, the Spirit of God builds on the work that God has already accomplished, is now accomplishing, and will one day bring to completion when Christ returns. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Romans 8:28-30.
Our culture puts so much emphasis on achievement: Sit up straight. Do your best. Get good grades. Get into a good school. Get a good job. It is no wonder so many people transfer this thinking to their relationship with God, believing that somehow they have to earn God’s love—an endeavor that is wrought with failure. The Bible declares, however, that it is not by our works that we are saved but by God’s grace and his grace alone. Through faith in Jesus we receive the benefits Christ alone was capable of establishing for us. Fully God and fully human—the perfect human without fault, Jesus died on the cross in our place. In God’s infinite love we are saved through Jesus’ self-sacrifice. Plain and simple. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Holiness is the highlighted fundamental quality of God throughout the Old Testament, an understanding which is then assumed and continued into the New Testament. It stands for both God’s positional separation—his otherness—and his absolute moral purity. God’s holiness presents a problem for humanity—which is incapable of approaching God due to our individual and shared depravity. But God, through Christ and his Holy Spirit, not only addresses the problem of our depravity but then makes us holy and calls us to live holy lives. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Psalm 99.
Love is as love does, and what God has done has revealed just how great his love really is! Christians could be accused of living in the past, given all of the focus and attention we put on Jesus. Yet in the death and resurrection of Jesus, God caused such a universe-altering event that its impact continues with full force even today. Out of God’s great love—his mercy, grace and kindness—he has brought people from death to life and from under the powers of evil to being seated with Christ in heaven. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Ephesians 2:1-10.
God doesn’t just love you – He LIKES you! He delights in you. And because of His generous spirit towards us, we don’t EARN or DESERVE or ACHIEVE the good things God has to pour out into our lives, but we receive them as gifts. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Psalm 103.
Throughout human history, God has revealed Himself as the One who is always faithful; this means we can always TRUST Him. A wise person will build her life on the character, words and promises of God, and NOT on the false security that the world has to offer. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Jeremiah 17.
How can we trust God to do good things? Answer: Because God is good. It is not that there is some idea of good by which we describe or define God, but that God defines what is good. This difference is everything. Since God in his character and actions defines “good,” whatever God does cannot be evil or wicked or mean-spirited or borderline wrong or anything but absolute good. Psalm 34:8 invites us—even exhorts us—to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Our God-given calling is to experience his goodness. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Psalm 34.
James Bryan Smith in his book The Good and Beautiful God asserts, “What we truly desire, what we are most passionate about, will determine how we organize our lives.” With this notion in mind, we ask ourselves, “What are we seeking in our relationship with God?” God already knows what he plans for our relationship with him. One articulation of his answer is found in Galatians 5:22-23, the Fruit of the Spirit. God is committed to working in us through his Spirit the very character of Christ (Galatians 4:19), the various attributes that send us toward one another with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Galatians 5:22-26.
Our circumstances do not reign supreme; God does. It might feel like our life situations come at us with powers to define, whether through promotion or destruction. One person gets a raise and is filled with happiness and hope; another is let go and is shaded by struggle and despair. Yet in both situations there is the God who creates, rules, rescues, sustains, directs, judges, loves, and continually shows up. His voice alone possesses the power to define ultimately and accurately. This good and beautiful God is the one who “does not faint or grow weary,” whose “understanding is unsearchable,” and who blesses those who turn to and rely upon him daily. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Isaiah 40:28-31
When life is harsh—and quite frankly it often can be and often is— Christians are not without options. It is they/we who have One to whom we can turn. This One is both loving and strong—the perfect mixture. Because we belong to this God, we need only be still, silent, waiting, even when we feel like everything, including ourselves, is falling apart. God is our refuge, our fortress; we will not be moved. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Galations 5:22.
There may be aspects about the return of Christ that we do not fully understand, but God has made clear the important elements. The day will come when God will make all things new. Those who have received Christ and follow in his way will be welcomed into an eternal existence with God in a renewed heaven and earth. Those who do not repent will experience eternal separation from God in utter despair. Our job today is to live lives defined by holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. Any apparent delay in Christ’s return is simply God’s long suffering patience born of his desire that none should perish. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Peter 3:1-13
Jesus announced to his disciples that he was “the way and the truth and the life.” Period—no “if,” “and” or “buts” about it. With such absolute clarity, we might be amazed at the amount of distortion we find in the church today, that is if it weren’t so prevalent. Every century, every culture, and at times every congregation seems to come up with an alternative version of Christianity and claims that their false version is the real one. False teaching about Jesus is the original— and the most dangerous—“fake news.” One of the necessary tasks before every community of Christ followers is to be on the watch for false teaching, to call it out and to reject it outright so that the true message of Jesus is clearly embraced and proclaimed. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Peter 2:17-22
There are fantastic reasons for confidence in the TRUE TESTIMONY of Scripture about the reality, worthiness and return of Jesus Christ. Because the testimony is trustworthy, we should pay attention to it, and should live our lives focused on the sure promise that Jesus is alive and is coming again to bring justice and a new creation. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through 2 Peter 1:16-21.
Our fundamental calling in Christ can be described as participating in the divine nature. By this phrase, the author of 2 Peter lets us know that to follow Christ is to pursue a life defined by the very ethics of God—something that makes us different indeed. We are absolutely saved by faith, which is a gift from God. Yet the faith we receive is to translate into a life in which we make every effort to grow in the characteristics that align with God’s own character. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Peter 1:3-15
Christianity originates in God in the form of a gift—the good news of Jesus Christ. This gift is what makes Christians different. With over 4000 religions, one could ask what is so special about Christianity. God’s answer is found not just in his existence, although that would be enough, but that in existing God blesses his creation, extends grace without favoritism, and exclusively offers enduring, eternal peace through faith in Christ. So great is this gift from God that we would be foolish not to embrace it. Listen as Rev. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through 2 Peter 1:1-2
Ongoing, deepening, soul-level distress is not evidence of the absence of a good God. It is an invitation to know, trust and love the covenant-keeping God even more. This Psalm forces us to ask ourselves about where we belong and in what we have placed our trust. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik leads us through Psalm 31.
In our arrogance, we humans have a way of putting ourselves at the center of the universe. We like to make life all about ourselves, whether we do this from a “Yay ME!” or a “Woe’s ME.” perspective. Yet God in all his wisdom, power, greatness, glory and love, possess the unchallengeable right to be at the center of everything, including each of our lives. We would do well to replace our arrogance with reverence, and a path to reverence is the daily decision to trust God and God’s plan moment by moment, hour by hour, etc., etc., etc. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through (Malachi 3:13-4:6).
If we are not paying attention, we might find ourselves, like God’s children during the time of Malachi, experiencing spiritual drift. A result of prioritizing our perspective over that of God, this spiritual drift results in our becoming apathetic about what God desires and completely satisfied with our own approaches. Our approach to giving and generosity is a great example, as it was during the time of Malachi. This week we examine how we might return to God and to his desires for how we worship him in our giving and generosity. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan leads us through Malachi 3:6-12.
When God doesn’t live up to our expectations, we humans have been known to hold him in contempt. Yet God with patience and wisdom continues to work out his plan. Some 400 years after the time of Malachi, God sent John the Baptizer as a messenger and then Jesus as God incarnate. One day Jesus will return, and yes, he will bring with him the new heaven and new earth, but he will also come as judge. Instead of contempt, then, our response should be to fear—not the soul crushing kind that knows nothing of love, but the awe and trepidation kind that respects God’s holiness. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Malachi 2:17-3:5 in this week's sermon.
Apathy, among other things, can lead to complacency, settling, and negotiating away the very faith we claim to hold dear. We become discouraged, disappointed and/or distracted and before long we’ve compromised our faith. In the time of Malachi, God’s children had given up on parts of their covenant with God in the name of better economic gain. The men divorced their wives so they could form marriages with daughters of other cultures, hoping to make a better economic arrangement. Yet they kept making sacrifices to God! Malachi calls them out and tells them to guard themselves. We too need to guard ourselves! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Malachi 2:10-16 in this week's sermon.
Christians today share so much in common with the priests to whom God spoke through Malachi. The first thing we share is being loved by God. In his love, God called the priests of Malachi’s day—just as he calls us today—to speak on his behalf. From here, however, our commonalities with those priests tend not to be something to celebrate. It turns out that we share a similar problem and a similar warning from God. Thankfully the way forward that God had for those priests is not all that different from the way he provides for us: listen to true instruction. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan takes us through Malachi 2:1-9.
God’s love is so amazing that God intends it to be met with passionate, authentic, consistent, fully present surrender. Unfortunately, far too often we drop our focus and turn our attention away from the greatness of God’s love. Disappointments, drudgeries and distractions cloud our vision. Yet they need not win the day! With God being for us, nothing can stand against us—not even our own apathy. In response to God’s life-altering and lifesecuring love, we can CHOOSE to passionately love him in return. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan takes us through Malachi 1:1-14
We return to the Psalms this summer for three different excursions into this amazing book of worship and poetry. We will turn our attention to Psalm 19 today and discover the gifts it contains. Together, we will see how awareness of God’s self-revelation both in creation and through his Word compels the psalmist toward passionate fidelity and joyful living. As we begin to emerge from the woes of the Covid-19 pandemic this Psalm holds keys to embracing the new days God has instore for us. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Psalm 19 in this week's sermon.
People of every generation have run into roadblocks when it comes to being devoted to Jesus. Common things like hurriedness, cultural norms, religious traditions, preconceived notions, and many other obstructions turn devotion from being a rewarding life practice to becoming a frustrating and seemingly unobtainable ideal. The Syrophoenician woman of Mark 7 provides a wonderful example of undaunted devotion—a real life, resolute turning toward Jesus to receive the blessings which God freely gives. Listen as Pastor Bob Jordan explores Mark 7:24-30 in this week's sermon.
THE greatest thing ever in the history of the universe is that in order to conquer death on our behalves and set us right with God, Jesus Christ died on the cross and was raised from the dead. Yet in responding to this amazing act of grace, people can be quite stingy with their responses—including (and maybe even especially) with their monetary gifts. This week we will be inspired by the incredible picture of the poor widow giving her last two coins as an act of worship. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Mark 12:41-44 in this week's sermon.
In this series we will look at five amazing pictures from the New Testament—inspiring pictures of godly devotion in response to engaging the person of Christ. Through these five pictures we will come to envision devotion that is unrelenting, unconstrained, undistracted, unpretentious and undaunted.
In sports, we are told to keep your eye on the ball. A similar statement can be made for Christianity: keep your eye on Jesus. You would think such simple advice would be easy to follow, but experience has shown just how often and far our eyes wander! In this week’s passage, another “woman with a flask of ointment” show’s us a real life example of undistracted devotion in response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Matthew 26:6-13 in this week's sermon.
Have you ever been so affected by something that you find yourself behaving in a way that you wouldn't otherwise behave? Sometimes this can be a bad thing! But for the woman in our story it was nothing short of unconstrained devotion. The scandalous grace of Jesus Christ has a way of releasing the most hardened and sinful and setting them loose to submit freely and wonderfully to full-on worship of God. We too can realize this freedom- the freedom to worship Jesus with unconstrained devotion. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Luke 36-50 in this week's sermon.
The prophetess Anna provides an amazing picture of unrelenting devotion to God. From her example we get a picture of what unrelenting devotion can look like: an every day choice (1) to remain close to God, (2) to worship and serve God, (3) to give thanks to God’s for his acts of redemption—especially his gift of Christ, and (4) to share Christ with others. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Luke 2:36-38 in this week's sermon.
God is both sovereign and holy—not just a little bit, but totally and completely. These attributes mean that without God taking the initiative, we would be eternally and fully lost. Yet even when chosen/elected/predestined by God there remains a choice—will we fear and serve him? Our faith response to God’s love is something we have to choose. It’s where Joshua and God’s people are at the end of Joshua’s life. “Choose this day …” It’s the single most consequential and beneficial choice we can ever make. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Joshua 24:1-28 in this week's sermon.
In the Old Testament history of God’s people, we meet the most unlikely example of faith: a Canaanite woman named Rahab. In Rahab we see the object (God), substance (His promises), act (repentance), evidence (obedience) and cost (everything) of Biblical faith. We also see God’s miraculous gifts of grace, mercy and fellowship to any who trust in Him. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik explores Joshua 2:1-21 in this week's sermon.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is THE salvation event for humankind. Christ alone has the words, the authority and the essential nature that make it possible for people to join him in going from death to life. Even from before the time of Moses, God centered the rescue and restoration of his people on the coming of Christ, his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. To celebrate Easter is to celebrate our rescue unto eternal life. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Deuteronomy 18:15-22 in this week's sermon.
It is not new news to hear that Christians sin and go against what God wants them to do. Some of the ugliest of these acts of disobedience are actually done in the name of the Lord. Of course there are ramifications for these choices we make, as there were for Moses when he sinned against God at Kadesh. This week we get to learn from his mistake! Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Numbers 20:2-12 in this week's sermon.
Faithless faith is when we reduce God and our relationship with him into something we control and manage. Rather than trusting him and his word, we create images and idols that become more important to us than God himself. This was the catastrophe that the Israelites brought on themselves at the foot of Mt Sinai. And God was super angry. Moses’ intercession and intervention resulted in God relenting. The lesson learned: Always trust God with your life and your faith, even when you feel insecure. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Exodus 32:1-35 in this week's sermon.
To say we belong to God is also to say we belong to God’s people, God’s Church. Christians, whether they choose to recognize it or not, are a community, a citizenry, a people. As God’s people, we share faith in common, both as a gift and as a response. Nurturing a healthy shared faith is imperative for God’s people to glorify their God. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Exodus 13:17-14:31 in this week's sermon.
In the account of God’s calling on his life, Moses raises a number of questions that reveal everyday crises we might all have with our faith, but it was his final crisis that resulted in God becoming angry: It was a crisis of reluctance. It’s that place where struggle becomes refusal, where faith fails to blossom into faithfulness. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Exodus 3:1-4:17 in this week's sermon.
God gives great gifts—his Spirit, salvation, the Bible, the Church, etc. It’s widely acknowledged that these gifts are part and parcel of the Christian experience. But what if God were to withhold one or more of them from us or to ask us to give some or all of them up? Would we willingly do so? Or is our faith in God really more about the gifts he gives? Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Genesis 22:1-19 in this week's sermon.
Faith is the response God looks for in us. It is our willingness to TRUST GOD even when we’re disappointed with his sovereign plan for our lives. This type of faith is solely founded in the relationship God permits us to have with him; it is covenant faith. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Genesis 15 in this week's sermon.
In the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has disarmed demonic forces of their power. They might still work to interfere, but they are fully subjected to the authority of Jesus Christ. As people who belong to Jesus, we are fully protected and completely freed from the dominion of the devil. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Colossians 2:15 in this week's sermon.
Our relationship with God only comes about because he has forgiven our sins. Whether we don’t feel like we need to be forgiven or like there is no way we could ever be forgiven, the Bible makes it clear that God forgives sins through Jesus Christ, and this forgiveness is necessary for our relationship with him. He cancels our debt—our inherited and beyond-our-ability-to-pay IOU. It is this forgiveness that results in our transformation from spiritually dead to completely alive in Christ. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Colossians 2:13-14 in this week's sermon.
Colossians 2:11-12 lets us know that in our conversion—through the grace of God—God accomplished the most substantive cutting away and raising up that we could ever have hoped for. The very thing that kept us from even the hope of intimacy with God was removed, and God raised us into actual eternal fellowship with him. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Colossians 2:11-12 in this week's sermon.
That Jesus is God sets him and the Christian faith apart from all would-be gods and human religious traditions and philosophies. Since Jesus is God, just being in relationship with him—belonging to him—also means his followers are filled in him. The Bible describes this fullness in terms of things like salvation, grace, having eternal purpose, being a son or daughter of God, receiving forgiveness, being reconciled, etc. Our relationship with Jesus is everything. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Colossians 2:8-10 in this week's sermon.
God roots and builds us up in Jesus and establishes us in his good news. It’s all a part of what happens when we receive Jesus as Lord. This rooting, building up and establishing, is intended to be total, overcoming and displacing the power and influence of all competing forces which try to mold us and influence us. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Colossians 2:6-7 in this week's sermon.
Belonging to Jesus means intimacy, dependence, provision, protection, and a new eternally secure identity. This belonging changes everything for the Shepherd’s Sheep. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores John 10:25-30 in this week's sermon.
Know What Can’t Be Known – There are two prayers recorded in the book of Ephesians that Paul offers on behalf of his friends in Ephesus. This week and last week we are using these prayers as tools to help us look behind at the year that is closing and ahead to a new year beginning. In these prayers we will find a picture of what God thinks is MOST IMPORTANT for His people. In particular, we’ll see that God desperately wants us to KNOW Him and KNOW His great love for us. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik explores Ephesians 3:14-21 in this week's sermon.
Paul prays that followers of Jesus might KNOW GOD BETTER. And in Knowing God, they will know HOPE for the future, their identity as RICHES, and the POWER of God at work in them and in the world. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik explores Ephesians 1:15-23 in this week's sermon.
The angel declared to the shepherds that he brought good news of great joy, and then announced “Today …” As Jim Edwards points out, this concept of “today” carries with it theological weight in Luke’s gospel. “Today” it seems is full of reason for joy due to specific, life transforming work of Christ. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Luke 2:8-20 in this week's sermon.
God’s work in Christmas isn’t just the birth of Jesus, nor is it simply the provision of a path for the forgiveness of sins. In Christmas, God works a new power structure, a new economy and a new social order. It’s what we know as the kingdom of heaven. In God’s kingdom, the humble and poor are exalted and the rich and proud are sent away empty. In this kingdom, true peace is found—the peace that passes all understanding. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Luke 1:39-56 in this week's sermon.
The story of Christmas includes God reaching out to Joseph and Mary through sending an angel. The angel provided enough clarity on what God was up to so that both Joseph and Mary had the opportunity to place their faith in him—in his working out ancient plans, working new things in and through them, operating through the power of his Spirit and sending Christ to save people from their sins. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Matthew 1:18-23 and Luke 1:26-38in this week's sermon.
Christ’s coming into the world some 2000 years ago was the fulfillment of promises God had made many centuries earlier. While those who originally heard the promises may not have seen their fulfillment in their lifetimes, they were gifted with hope. Today we await the second coming of Christ and the renewal of all things. Regardless of the year in which this second coming takes place, we too have hope, and so we wait with patience, trust with confidence, and hold fast to the love of God. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores Isaiah 11:1-10 in this week's sermon.
God uses us to bring back people who stray from the way of Christ, and when a person returns to faith and faithfulness, there is great rejoicing in heaven. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 5:19-20 in this week's sermon.
Prayer is a tether to the presence and power of God. Prayer is for everyone in all circumstances and we must choose to pursue it. Listen as Rev. Jocelyn Smolik explores James 5:13-18 in this week's sermon.
As followers of Christ we’re called to be truth tellers, letting our “yes” actually mean yes and our “no” actually mean no. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 5:12 in this week's sermon.
The return of Christ is imminent always, and therefore God intends for it to speak determinatively into every decision, every relationship, every conversation, every work, or in other words EVERY aspect of our lives. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 5:7-11 in this week's sermon.
Being rich isn’t a sin, but being self-indulgent and uncaring toward the poor is. God condemned wealth injustices in the first century and he continues to do so today. We can take a clear warning from James 5:1-6, however, and choose to align ourselves with God rather than the economic injustices of our culture. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 5:1-6 in this week's sermon.
We surrender all when we say yes to God—and find we’ve made the best deal of our lives. Yet, we are susceptible to becoming arrogant when we experience wealth and relative power. All our boasting in our arrogances, James says, is evil. Instead, we’re called to—and are better off when we—actively depend on God. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 4:13-17 in this week's sermon.”
God is uniquely the one Judge and Lawmaker. When we speak against others, we’re essentially rewriting God’s command to love our neighbors. Letting God be the judge and lawmaker necessarily entails choosing not to judge others or to establish our own personal laws/demands for others to live up to. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 4:11-12 in this week's sermon.
Loyalty matters in our relationship with God. He wants, calls for, and demands our absolute allegiance—and gives the grace needed for our loyalty to be true. Friendship with the world, however, is the opposite of loyalty; it makes God our enemy. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 4:4-10 in this week's sermon.
To be an active peacemaker, which is our call, we must root out earthly, unspiritual, demonic desires in ourselves and welcome wisdom from above, which is pure and is itself focused on peacemaking. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 3:13-4:3 in this weeks sermon.
James has already instructed, “be quick to hear, slow to speak.” In this passage he takes up the subject of how inherently warped and destructive the powerful gift of communication is. We’re to heed his warnings and beware our words. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 3:1-12 in this weeks sermon.
Faith that doesn’t work doesn’t work. In other words, faith that doesn’t result in daily action that aligns with God’s heart, is not really faith. That kind of faith doesn’t save a person! The belief, trust, faith that is the pathway to righteousness is the faith that results in everyday works that glorify God. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 2:14-26 in this weeks sermon.
With the new reality we have through faith in Christ, we’re to love according to the way of Christ—which includes actively loving and honoring people in poverty and not simply being nice to the wealthy because they’re rich. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 2:1-13 in this weeks sermon.
We have a command and a warning from God: don’t be merely HEARERS of His word but be DOERS of it as well. Listen as Rev. Jos Smolik explores James 1:22-27 in this weeks sermon.
In light of the love we have from God and the mission he has for our lives, we are to steward all of our conversations for his glory. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 1:19-21 in this weeks sermon.
Whether we’re wealthy or poor,we are not our economic position. Whether we’re wealthy or poor, our sole and guiding identity is to come from Christ alone. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 1:9-11 in this weeks sermon.
God is committed to giving those who believe in him the wisdom they need so they can apply God’s character to every situation in life, including when they face trials of various kinds. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 1:5-8 in this weeks sermon.
As Christians even hardships serve as opportunities for joy, knowing that God, who issupremely good and faithful, is at work helping us grow and mature. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 1:2-4; 12-18 in this weeks sermon.
James’ life and writing reflect corequalitiesof living faith: Christ-honoring humility, intimate Christian community, grace-based responsibility, and biblically-aligned living. Listen as Dr. Bob Jordan explores James 1:1 in this weeks sermon.