CCC Sermons: Recent Episodes
Christ's Covenant Church
Weekly sermons from Christ’s Covenant Church in Winona Lake, IN
Reaching the nations and the generations with the gospel of Christ.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on Deuteronomy 24:6-25:19 about how those who have been rescued themselves will respect the vulnerable around them.
Listen to this sermon from Pastor Ken Mellinger as he preaches on 1 Timothy 4:6-16 on being a good servant of Christ Jesus for Jake Osborn’s ordination service.
Listen as Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on Deuteronomy 23:15-24:5 which convey a series of miscellaneous laws, but show us that every realm of life presents us with opportunity to honor the Lord.
Listen as Pastor Larry McCall preaches on 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 on Easter Sunday which answers the question, “what if the resurrection of Jesus was just a hoax?”
Listen as Pastor Jake Osborn preaches on Deuteronomy 23:1-14 about how no one should be included in the assembly of God, but through Christ anyone can be included.
Listen as Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on Deuteronomy 22:13-30 about how we must respect the sacredness of the marriage union through purity, fidelity, and security.
Listen as Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches from Deuteronomy 22:1-12 about why we must live our personal lives for the common good.
Listen as Jake Osborn preaches on Deuteronomy 21:15-23 about how we should live as part of the New Covenant family.
Listen as Pastor Marc preaches from Deuteronomy 20:1-21:14 about how as the people of God, we must engage our enemies with faith, restraint, and compassion.
Listen as Pastor Marc preaches from Deuteronomy 19 about why justice doesn’t allow fatal accidents to escalate or false accusations to stand.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on Deuteronomy 18:9-22 which helps us see a category of people and ideas we should “close our ears” to and points to the one, true Prophet we must “open our ears” to.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches from Deuteronomy 17:14-18:8 which shows us that those who lead must be servants, and those who serve must be cared for.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on Deuteronomy 16:18-17:13 where we see that as the people of God, we should handle accusations and disagreements justly.
In this sermon, Pastor Larry McCall preaches on Deuteronomy 15:1-16:17 which speaks to the topics of servants, sacrifices, and celebrations.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches from Deuteronomy 14:1-29 where Moses gives guidance on how the Israelites must deal with their “funerals, food, and finances” which ultimately shows us that God speaks into every aspect of our lives as Christians.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin explains this difficult text and how, as God’s people, we must actively maintain the purity of our community’s allegiance to Christ.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin shows how the stipulations on worship in Deuteronomy 12 have bearing on us today, as the church, and how we are to worship God on His terms, not our own.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches from Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32 on how our hearts must be changed and only God can be the one to change it.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on the way the Israelites rebelled against God and the importance of confessing our sins from Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” – Listen to Pastor Larry McCall preach on the importance of never forgetting God and His commandments from Deuteronomy 8:1-20.
In this sermon, Adam Penird preaches on the significance of the phrase “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” from John 1:14.
Listen to this final sermon of Advent as Pastor Marc Goodwin preaches on the final two verses of Revelation and why we, as Christians, should yearn for Jesus’ Second Advent.
The Christmas story is not just one of "merriment" and "cheer." In this sermon from Matthew 2:1-23, we see king Herod coming to destroy Jesus and those associated with Him and how we as Christians should respond to this reality of evil & suffering still present today.
Listen to Pastor Marc Goodwin preach from Matthew 1:18-25 on why the birth of Jesus is both surprising and glorious.
In this first sermon of the Advent season, our Student Ministries Director, Jake Osborn, preached on Isaiah 61:1-4 which show us how Jesus came to give us the good news and set us free from our sin and we should wait expectantly for him to return and restore us.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc preaches from Deuteronomy 7:1-26 which shows us how God chose Israel for his “treasured possession” not because they were more in number, but because God loved them and we see how that has bearing on our own “election” as the church.
Listen to this sermon preached by Pastor Larry McCall in which we hear how and why we are meant to live lives of total devotion to God and why we’re to call the next generation to do the same.
Listen to Pastor Marc preach on The Ten Commandments and how the Law of God should serve as a mirror and a window.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc preaches on Deuteronomy 4:1-43 where we learn that God doesn’t simply tell His children, “because I said so,” but He graciously gives us an abundance of good reasons to obey Him.
On this special Sunday honoring Larry and Gladine McCall for 40 years of ministry here at Christ’s Covenant Church, Pastor Ken Mellinger, our denomination’s regional leader, preached on Psalm 92:12-15 as a means of celebrating the McCall’s faithfulness, pointing us to God’s faithfulness, and encouraging us all to be “planted” in the church so that we might continue to “flourish.”
In this sermon, Pastor Marc preaches on the rest of chapter two of Deuteronomy and all of chapter three where we learn that God is kind to give us proofs along with His promises.
Listen to Pastor Marc share how the Father giving gifts to others should grow our anticipation for the gifts we know He will grant to us.
Listen to Pastor Marc share how remembering our past rebellion can be a surprising source of wisdom.
In this first sermon from Deuteronomy, Pastor Marc shares about the context and content of the book, which is a “Farewell Address” from Moses to the nation of Israel. In it we learn that each generation of God’s people needs God’s old words applied to their current context.
In this final sermon from our “Values” series, Pastor Marc preaches from John 15:4-5 about our dependence upon Christ. May our dependence upon Christ lead us to be prayerful, flexible, and thankful as a church.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc preaches on Psalm 16 which reveals to us what joy is, where joy is found, how joy is granted, and how joy is maintained in our lives.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc preaches from 1 Peter 1:13-19 as we come to our 5th “value” in this sermon series: Godliness. In this text, we see that we should pursue godliness in our own lives and promote godliness in the lives of others.
Listen to this sermon in our series entitled “values” where Pastor Marc preaches on our fourth value of “family” from Matthew 12:46-50. From this text, we see the importance and priority of being part of the spiritual family of God as believers and how that effects our life as a local church.
In this sermon from 1 John 4:7-12, Pastor Marc exhorts us to “love the beloved.” As those who have been loved by God, we are called to show that love to fellow believers. Listen to hear how the life of our church should be marked by love in very practical ways.
In this sermon, the second in our “Values” series, Pastor Marc preaches from John 17:17 about truth and how it should mark the life of our church. Our maturity, ministry, and mission must all be grounded in the truth of Scripture.
In this first sermon in our series called “Values,” Pastor Marc shares about the nature of God’s grace toward us in Christ, and how that should lead us to be gracious in our life together as a church.
In this sermon from Luke 2:1-20, Pastor Marc shares the birth narrative of Jesus–focusing particularly on his mother Mary, and how she sought to “treasure up” the things she was experiencing, as fuel for future faith. He shares about how we should follow in her footsteps, both remembering and recounting the works of God that we personally experience.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc recounts Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and her prayer, known historically as the Magnificat. Focusing particularly on her closing words, we see that we can trust God’s promises not because we remember them, but because He does.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc kicks off our Advent series called “Hindsight.” Preaching from Psalm 77, he shares from the experience of Asaph, explaining that “when the present brings confusion, and the future raises concern, the past provides clarity.”
Pastor Marc preaches the final installment in our Daniel series, walking us through the book’s conclusion. The angelic visitor tells Daniel about what to expect at the time of the end: the rise of the Antichrist, the resurrection of the dead, and the resolve of the faithful. And then he leaves Daniel with a reassurance that some day he will “rest” and “stand in his allotted place.”
In this sermon, Pastor Marc unpacks Daniel 11, where an angel tells Daniel (with incredible accuracy) what is going to take place in the centuries to follow. The angel’s message speaks to us in our ignorance, our fear, and our weakness as God’s people.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc unpacks Daniel 10, in which an angel visits an aging Daniel. The angel’s message helps us see that our spiritual enemies are strong, but that our prayers are effective in fighting against them.
There are few things more difficult in life than experiencing the death of a loved one or friend who is young. In this sermon, Pastor Marc shares the heart of Christ for those who are walking through this grief.
Living as exiles in this hostile culture can be full of stress and uncertainty. How do we handle that? Well, even though the Christian life might be hard, it’s not complicated. Like Daniel, we find hope by 1) reading God’s Word, 2) praying to the God of the Word and 3) trusting in the plan of God.
We have already observed a pattern of suffering at the hands of the rulers of this world throughout Daniel’s life, and in Daniel 8, God gives Daniel a vision of more to come. As we look toward Christ’s return, how should we view suffering and the kings of this world?
As we turn to the more mysterious second half of the book of Daniel, Pastor Marc shares about Daniel’s vision of who’s truly in charge. We see dominion taken from terrifying kings and given to Christ. But then we also see rulers continue to harm God’s people until one day, we will share dominion with Christ in a new world.
In this message from Daniel 6, Pastor Larry reminds us that we live under increasing pressure in our culture to keep our religion private, never questioning the validity of anyone else’s faith. To live out our faith in Christ alone, even in a humbly courageous way, invites pressure to conform. Sometimes we live with painful consequences for not fitting in to our current culture. We’re not the first generation to be faced with this. What can we learn from the well-known story of Daniel in the Lions’ Den?
Listen as Pastor Marc preaches from Daniel 5 – a passage that details the fall of Babylon and the judgment of King Belshazzar. Through this text, we see that it’s only in the kingdom of Christ that we will find the security, pleasures, and gifts that we long for.
In this sermon from Daniel 4, Pastor Marc preaches about one of the less commonly known stories from the book of Daniel — the humbling of King Nebuchadnezzar. This prideful king had started to become impressed with the God of the Israelites, but he was still impressed with himself. Listen to hear how God brought him low and how God can teach us the same lesson today: to be truly impressed with God, you must be thoroughly unimpressed with yourself.
In this sermon from Daniel 3, Pastor Larry McCall shares the familiar story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. How does this story impact us today – not only to us individually, but for how we are preparing the coming generations to live as exiles in this increasingly hostile world? What are we living for? WHO are we living for?
In this sermon from Daniel 2, Jake Osborn (Director of Student Ministries) emphasizes that God does not only want to be seen as great, but he also wants us to look at the wisdom and rulers of this world and find him greater.
In this sermon from Daniel 1, Pastor Marc shares about King Nebuchadnezzar’s attempts at re-programming young Israelites and making them into loyal Babylonians. But behind Nebuchadnezzar, we can see our enemy’s tactics, and see how vital it is that we resist.
Pastor Marc concludes our “Back to Basics” series by preaching from 1 Peter 4:8-11 and calling us to use God’s gifts to serve God’s people in God’s strength for God’s glory.
In this sermon from Proverbs 27:17, Pastor Marc shares about our need for spiritual community in the church. He reminds us of our own need of sharpening by fellow Christians and also of our fellow Christians’ need for us to sharpen them.
In this sermon, Pastor Marc aims to persuade you to prioritize the weekly worship service of your local church. If you’ve found yourself either staying away from your church’s physical gathering altogether or going the route of live-streaming from home, he lovingly and humbly recommends that you listen and consider the force of Hebrews 10:19-25.
In this sermon from Galatians 6:1-10, Pastor Larry McCall emphasizes how we can and should be walking in step with the Spirit as Christians/the church, which means that we will be walking upstream in this flesh-dominated world.
In this sermon from Galatians 5:16-26, Pastor Marc Goodwin emphasizes that those united with Jesus are freed…but freed to do what? Listen to hear the apostle Paul’s answer.
In this sermon from Galatians 5:2-15, Pastor Larry McCall emphasizes the need to resist the temptation (or pressure by others) that we need Jesus + something else.
It’s human tendency to think we could do/should do something to make us acceptable to God, but that determination to add a + to Jesus is eternally “fatal.” We must hang on to the gospel during our earthly journey, never getting off the gospel path even when pressured by other individuals or by society itself.
A sermon delivered by Pastor Marc Goodwin on Sunday, July 5, 2020.
A tale of two sons, two strategies and two mothers. The blessing of God is granted by Him through promise, not gained by us through effort.
In this sermon, from Galatians 3:26-29, Dr. Matt Harmon, a member of our church and a Professor of New Testament Studies at Grace College, shares about our identity as "sons of God."
After a few-month break due to COVID-19, we returned to the book of Galatians. In this sermon, from Galatians 3:15-25, Dr. Matt Harmon, a member of our church and a Professor of New Testament Studies at Grace College, shares about the promise God made to Abraham of a "seed," who we now know to be Jesus Christ.
This teaching from Pastor Tom Wallin was the sixth, and final, of our series on the Psalms of Ascent, and was delivered at our outdoor worship service May 31, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc on 1 Peter 2:17 was delivered during our outdoor service as we returned to gathering in-person for worship on Sunday, May 24, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Rod Valentine was the fifth of our series on the Psalms of Ascent, and was part of our Worship Guide for May 17, 2020.
This teaching from Jordan Weddle was the fourth of our series on the Psalms of Ascent, and was part of our Worship Guide for May 10, 2020.
This teaching from Jake Osborn was the third of our series on the Psalms of Ascent, and was part of our Worship Guide for May 3, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Larry was the second of our series on the Psalms of Ascent, and was part of our Worship Guide for April 26, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc was the first of our series on the Psalms of Ascent, and was part of our Worship Guide for April 19, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc on Isaiah 53:10-12 was shared via video on Resurrection Sunday, April 12, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Larry on Matthew 27:51 was delivered over video on Good Friday, April 10, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc on Isaiah 53:1-9 was shared via video on Palm Sunday Sunday, April 5, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc on Hebrews 4:14-16 was delivered over video on Sunday, March 29, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc on 2 Chronicles 20:1-12 was delivered over video on Sunday, March 22, 2020.
This teaching from Pastor Marc on Matthew 6:25-34 was delivered over video on Sunday, March 15, 2020.
In this sermon, from Galatians 3:6-14, Dr. Matt Harmon, a member of our church and a Professor of New Testament Studies at Grace College, shares about how you can become a “son of Abraham” and why that matters.
In this sermon, from Galatians 3:1-5, Pastor Marc shares about we must remember the way our Christian life began if we are to know how it is to continue.
In this sermon, from Galatians 2:15-21, Pastor Marc shares about how if we are ever to be declared righteous by God, it will be because of our union with His Son, not because of our obedience to His Law.
In this sermon, from Galatians 2:1-14, our Director of Student Ministries, Jake Osborn, shares about how the gospel should impact the way that we live and interact with fellow human beings–not just the way that we think or interact with God Himself.
In this sermon, from Galatians 1:11-24, Pastor Larry preaches a sermon that answers a fundamental question that some of us never think to ask: how do we know that we have the authentic gospel?
In this sermon, from Galatians 1:1-10, Pastor Marc shares about why the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians, and why we chose to go through it as a church.
In this sermon, from various texts, Pastor Larry finishes our series called “Soul Winning.” He shares about a few ways to pray for ourselves as evangelizers, and a few ways to pray for our lost friends and family members.
In this sermon, from various texts, Pastor Marc continues our series called “Soul Winning.” He provides an outline that we can use to share the gospel with others: ruin, redemption, and regeneration.
In this sermon, from Matthew 28:16-20, Pastor Marc continues our series called “Soul Winning.” He explores this familiar text, highlighting some of the reasons that we are inactive or ineffective in evangelism.
In this sermon, from Romans 10:13-17, Pastor Marc begins our series called “Soul Winning.” If people are to be saved by Christ, they must hear of Christ…from Christians like us.
In this sermon, from Revelation 21, Student Ministries Director Jake Osborn finishes our 2019 Advent series entitled “God With Us,” by pointing to the time when Christ will return and God will dwell with His people forever on a new earth.
In this sermon, from Matthew 1:18-25, Pastor Marc continues our 2019 Advent series entitled “God With Us,” by showing how Christ became a human being so that we might return to God.
In this sermon, from Ezekiel 11:14-25, Pastor Marc continues our 2019 Advent series entitled “God With Us,” by showing how God went to dwell with His people in exile. He wanted them, and wants us, to appreciate His presence in exile and to anticipate His presence in eternity.
In this sermon, from Exodus 25-31, Pastor Larry continues our 2019 Advent series entitled “God With Us,” by showing how God took initiative to dwell with the people of Israel–in the tent called the Tabernacle.
In this sermon, from Genesis 1-3, Pastor Larry begins our Advent series entitled “God With Us,” by showing how God dwelled with human beings in the Garden of Eden, but how things went terribly wrong.
In this sermon, from 2 Corinthians 8 & 9, Pastor Marc shares how thankfulness should be the fuel, and the fruit, of our generosity.
In this sermon, from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Pastor Marc shares about what the apostle Paul deemed to be “of first importance” for churches–the gospel of Christ.
The audio from the fifth “Exploring the Gift of Prophecy” meeting, held at CCC in November 2019. This time was led by Pastor Marc and included questions from participants. The recording came from a hand held recorder on the podium, so we apologize for clanks at times, and difficulty in hearing questions at others.
In this sermon, from 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, Pastor Marc shares from Paul’s practical instructions about the gifts of prophecy and tongues–how “God’s gifts are to be governed in the gathering for our good and His glory.”
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gave very practical instructions about the spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues–two gifts that seemed to be misunderstood and misused there in Corinth. In this second of three sermons from this chapter, Pastor Marc shares about tongues specifically–providing biblical background and explanation from this particular chapter about what this spiritual gift is and how it “builds up.”
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gave very practical instructions about the spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues–two gifts that seemed to be misunderstood and misused there in Corinth. In this first of three sermons from this chapter, Pastor Marc shares about prophecy specifically–how it was anticipated in the Old Testament and why it was preferred over tongues. He defines prophecy as “the human report of divine revelation” and then shares about how prophecy can be experienced within the church–building up the congregation as it used.
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul talked about spiritual gifts in terms of “now” and “then.” He mentioned how certain gifts were operating “now”–in his own day and time. But then He anticipated a time that would come later (aka “then”), when certain spiritual gifts (namely prophecy, tongues, and knowledge) would pass away. An important question for us to ask as we read Paul’s writings about spiritual gifts is: do we live in the “now” that he was describing or the “then” that he was anticipating? How we answer that question has significant implications for how we think about certain spiritual gifts. Listen to this sermon to hear Pastor Marc ask, and answer, that question from Scripture.
The audio from the fourth “Exploring the Gift of Prophecy” meeting, held at CCC in October 2019. This time was led by Pastor Marc and included questions from participants. The recording came from a hand held recorder on the podium, so we apologize for clanks at times, and difficulty in hearing questions at others.
How are people in the world supposed to be able to tell who are the true followers of Jesus? We might have a number of identifying marks that come to mind (holiness, holding to God’s truth, a concern for the spiritually lost, etc.). All of these things should be true of genuine disciples of Jesus Christ. But Jesus said, “by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Why would He say that? And why would Paul insert a discourse on love right in the middle of his teaching on spiritual gifts?
As children, when Christmas comes along, we typically have a sense of longing for the gifts that may be given to us. Then as we age, that longing for gifts typically gives way to contentment with what we’ve already been given. While that may be acceptable (and even healthy!) when it comes to Christmas gifts, is that lack of longing acceptable when it comes to spiritual gifts? Listen to this sermon to hear how the apostle Paul commands believers to “earnestly desire the higher gifts.”
As we study through 1 Corinthians, we often see that Paul is not only giving instruction on how to use spiritual gifts but on the importance of unity as well. We are to be so unified that we function as one body! That can seem like a lofty goal when we see how different we are, or when we might not feel like we fit. Let’s seek God’s Word to understand how we should fit together as we study 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
Sunday morning, we had Marty Machowski preach for us. Marty is a pastor within our denomination who is widely respected, especially for the way in which he invests in the coming generations and equips other Christians to do the same.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Marc Goodwin, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from the third plenary session, delivered by Marty Machowski, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from the fourth plenary session, delivered by Cavin Harper, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Kip Cone, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Larry McCall, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from the first plenary session, delivered by Josh Mulvihill, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Steve Bice, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from the second plenary session, delivered by Larry McCall, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Cavin Harper, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Note: This recording starts part way through the session. Sorry about that!
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Jere Vincent, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Marty Machowski, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
Audio from one of the breakout sessions, delivered by Josh Mulvihill, at the Gospel Shaped Family Conference–held September 21, 2019.
The audio from the third “Exploring the Gift of Prophecy” meeting, held at CCC in September 2019. This time was led by Pastor Marc and included questions from participants. The recording came from a hand held recorder on the podium, so we apologize for clanks at times, and difficulty in hearing questions at others.
I imagine that nearly every one of us wants to be part of a loving church that is impacting the world for God’s glory. But how does that happen? How does a church become loving and healthy and fruitful for the cause of Christ and his kingdom? Does the “success” of a local church rest on the shoulders of the “up front” people? You know, the people who perform on Sundays – the preacher and the worship team? Well, those people do carry a big responsibility, but interestingly, the Bible says in Ephesians 4:16 that a church’s health and growth happens “as each part does its work.” “Each part” refers to you and me – each of us – all of us! So, what’s your part? We’ll learn about that in practical ways this Sunday as together we explore what God says to us in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. Hope to see you then!
We are kicking off our new sermon series, Building Up, which is focused on 1 Corinthians 12-14. We will be walking through these chapters to learn and to help us better understand the Holy Spirit and the gifts that He gives to the Church!
So, what’s on your “bucket list”? You know, what do you want to do before you die – before you “kick the bucket,” as they say? A Google search turned up lots of ideas of what to put on a personal bucket list – everything from learning a new language to skydiving. But, instead of a Google search, what if we did a “God” search for what he would put on our bucket list? How about this entry from God’s Word? “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation” (Psalm 71:18)?
“Kids these days!” That’s a phrase we’ve all heard, and many of us may have uttered ourselves. I think people have been saying that phrase, or some form of it, since the dawn of time. There has always been generational discord that has existed in the world, and sadly, that exists even in the church. The old look down on the young, and the young lash out at the old. But it doesn’t have to be this way! This Sunday and next Sunday, we’re going to take a look at how Scripture calls the generations to relate to one another, and we’ll begin by seeing how young people can make an impact on those their senior.
The audio from the second “Exploring the Gift of Prophecy” meeting, held at CCC in August 2019. This time was led by Pastor Marc and included questions from participants. The recording came from a hand held recorder on the podium, so we apologize for clanks at times, and difficulty in hearing questions at others.
Prequels are stories whose contents precede those of a work that has been previously released and enjoyed. Think Star Wars: Episodes I-III. At their best, they shed light on famous characters and scenes by providing their backstories to audiences. As we conclude our walk through the book of Ruth, the last few verses will reveal that this story of famine, death, conversion, struggle, generosity, romance, and marriage have all been a prequel–a powerful backstory to the rise of David, the great king of Israel. We’ll see how David’s story was a prequel as well–a powerful backstory to the rise of Jesus, the great king of heaven. And we’ll see that all of our stories, from Ruth and Boaz’s to mine and yours, are sub-stories authored by God to shed light on the greatest story of His Son.
There’s a well-known line from the movie When Harry Met Sally, which might as well have been uttered by Ruth and Boaz: “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
As we read through Ruth 4:1-12, we’ll see this ancient couple rapidly take steps towards marriage. But even in their urgency, their steps toward marriage were taken both properly and publicly. Join us as we learn from their brief engagement–seeing how it provides us with an example and how it points us to our redeemer.
Discouragement and depression can suck the hope right out of our hearts. The 18th Century English poet, William Cowper knew that. He had a really hard life, even after he came to faith in Jesus. With the encouragement of his pastor, John Newton, William Cowper penned these soul-challenging words,
“Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.”
Ruth and Naomi learned that important lesson. As they began to see God’s smiling face, even in their extreme difficulties, the seeds of hope began to germinate in their parched souls. And, that budding hope led to a most unusual wedding proposal.
Typically, in our culture, the wedding comes first, and then the reception follows. In the book of Ruth, it’s just the opposite. There’s a wedding that looms toward the end of the story, but beforehand, there’s a reception. It’s not the reception of a couple to a party in their honor (this couple hasn’t even met yet, in fact). Rather, it’s the reception of a young vulnerable Moabite woman named Ruth into the workforce of Boaz, and by extension, into the broader community of Israelites in Bethlehem. In this sermon, we’ll work our way through Ruth 2, seeing how Boaz received Ruth into his company, how Christ receives us into His, and how He calls us to receive others into ours. Join us as we continue our journey through a beautiful story together!
The audio from the first “Exploring the Gift of Prophecy” meeting, held at CCC in July 2019. This time was led by Pastor Marc and included questions from participants. The recording came from a hand held recorder on the podium, so we apologize for clanks at times, and difficulty in hearing questions at others.
Throughout history, millions of couples have fallen in love, married, and grown old together. Most of their stories (even the best of them!) have long since been forgotten by the generations that have followed. But one of those love stories has been tucked away for us in the Old Testament–the story of Boaz and Ruth. This Spirit-inspired record of the early days of their relationship is beautifully told and is full of dramatic tension. But while their story may have some value in providing a vivid depiction of trust, generosity, and sacrificial love, its greatest contribution is reminding us of this couples’ descendant who would be born generations later–Jesus Christ, the one who’d follow in his great-great-great…grandpa’s footsteps as the redeemer of His bride.
In Acts 13:1-4, we see that the church at Antioch was told by the Holy Spirit to set apart Paul and Barnabas for missionary service; so they did! They prayed for them and sent them off to do extraordinary things. In the next chapter, Acts 14:24-28, after their work was complete, we see those men return to Antioch to celebrate with their church all that the Lord had accomplished through them. This Sunday, at CCC, we’re calling it “Sending Sunday,” because we have the privilege of hearing updates, praying for, and setting apart three couples from our local church for their work in taking the gospel to the nations! Please make every effort to join us, both so you can be an encouragement to them, and so the Lord can use them to stir up missionary zeal in you as well.
If you had never heard the story of Jonah, you may assume that the story would end at the conclusion of chapter 3. Jonah had finally gone to Nineveh, God’s word had been shared, the people had repented, and God had relented of the disaster that had been forewarned. But this Sunday, we will see that there is one additional unexpected chapter to this story. In this final portion of Jonah, God confronts His prophet about his lack of pity, and He challenges His people who read this book to examine our own hearts as well. This story ends with a question mark, not a period–inviting us into the story, to see what may need to change within our own hearts and lives.
In Jonah 3 we witness the largest repentance recorded in Scripture. The most evil in the city turned upside down by the grace of God! As we admire God’s power to save in Jonah 3, we will also learn from Jonah and the King of Nineveh how a heart compelled by the gospel should be transformed.
In this second chapter of Jonah, we see that Jonah’s voluntary dive into the Mediterranean involved weeds “wrapping around” his head (v. 5) and metaphorical bars “closing upon” him (v. 6) as he sunk toward certain death. He survived that near-death experience not because of some cleverly crafted escape plan, but because “salvation belongs to the LORD” (v. 9). In this ancient story, we’ll see incredible relevance for our own lives today!
“Relentless.” Does that seem like a good word to describe God? “Relentless” means “persistent, not giving up.” In the late 1800’s, Francis Thompson wrote one of the better-known poems in the English language, “The Hound of Heaven.” In that poem he describes trying to run away from God, only to find that, like a hound chasing its prey, God never gave up His pursuit of him, the foolish, wayward sinner. Yet, the “Hound of Heaven” was not chasing the sinner to destroy him, but to redeem him in his gracious love. That was Jonah’s experience, too. Is it yours? We try to run away from God, the “Hound of Heaven,” only to experience His relentless pursuit of His glory and our eternal good. And, in the end, when He captures us by His sovereign grace, aren’t we eternally grateful? Join us this Sunday as we see “The Relentless God” portrayed in Jonah 1:7-17.
Speaking of the book of Jonah, G. Campbell Morgan once wrote, “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.” As we begin our five week journey through this little book of the Bible on Sunday, let’s commit together to read and apply this book in a way that has God as its center, not a whale. We will find amazing truths, challenging truths, inspiring truths crammed into this book. What should make us marvel within its pages is not that some fish swallowed and housed a human being for three days, but that God had mercy on Nineveh, on Jonah, on the sailors, and even on us. So join us as we dive into Jonah, and invite a friend to come with you!
Join us as special guest Mark Prater preaches from Isaiah 41, encouraging us to “Fear Not” when we consider all the evidence for trusting God with our lives and our futures, namely His presence & His activity.
One of the last sentences in Luke’s Gospel is “He (Jesus) parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” So, that would be a wrap, right? End of the story of Jesus’ ministry. Wait. Luke wrote a second book of the Bible, too, didn’t he? How does Luke begin his second volume, The Book of Acts? The very first sentence in the Book of Acts is, “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up.” Did you catch that? As Luke begins his second book he refers to all that Jesus began to do before his ascension to heaven. Well, that stirs our interest, doesn’t it? So, what’s Jesus doing now? What sort of ministry does Jesus have now that he has ascended to heaven? Join us as we look for answers to those questions!
If you were asked about areas where you would like to grow in your Christian life, a majority of people would say that growing in prayer would be on that list, and if not at the top, it would be near the top. Prayer is a vital means of grace in our discipleship process as believers. It is an expression of our need and dependance on God, not only as individuals but also as a church. We want to grow in the area of prayer at CCC. Please join us in Luke 11 as we consider the prayer life of Jesus our Redeemer and learn what He has to teach us.
It’s no coincidence that in both the first and the final chapters of the book of John, we see Jesus telling His disciples, “Follow me.” The entire life of a Christian, from beginning to end, is one of following our Savior. But the paths on which we are called to follow Him vary widely from person to person. Some are smooth and easy, while others are dark and difficult. In John 21:20-25, we’ll see our Savior reminding us that He is the one who lays out the path of life before us, and that He can be trusted to lead us through all life’s twists, turns, and trials.
We tend to think that it is only Satan who would want to remind us of our past sins. Surely the God who has forgiven us of those sins wouldn’t want to do that, right? But what if rather than letting us forget about our past sins, God actually wants us to remember them? Could it be that He has redemptive purposes for pointing us to our previous failures? Join us as we look at John 21:1-19. We’ll see Jesus Himself doing that very thing with Peter, and we’ll see why He often does the same with us.
How do we know that Jesus really did rise from the dead – I mean in a real physical body? And, even if he did, what difference does it make? Wouldn’t Christianity be just as valid, just as valuable, even if the resurrection of Jesus were just a “story”? Interestingly, the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins…we are of all people most to be pitied.” This Sunday, we are going to explore John 20:19-31, meeting people whose lives were radically transformed when they encountered the physically resurrected Jesus. How might our lives be changed?
“He is risen!” “He is risen indeed!” Those seven words will be uttered (among the English speaking world, at least!) by countless brothers and sisters in Christ this Sunday morning. You may even hear them around CCC! They’re intended to be echoes of the words of the first eye-witness of the resurrection nearly two thousand years ago, and they’re just as true today as they were then. As we worship together on Sunday, we’ll be in John 20:11-18, seeing Jesus make His first appearance to Mary Magdalene and hearing from His own lips what He was raised in order to do.
Most of us, when we have exciting news to share, find it hard to keep it in! We post it on social media, call our friends, send a mass text. We want others to know what we know and to share in the joy that we have found, so we have an eagerness to make it known. So, it’s fascinating that when Jesus was raised from the dead that Sunday morning long ago, He slowly revealed the reality of His resurrection to His disciples. It was as if He was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for them, building dramatic tension as they tried to sort through what had happened. Join us as we look at John 20:1-10 together and see how Jesus began to progressively and deliberately reveal His resurrection to His disciples.
In the days of the New Testament, Jews would refer to Fridays as their “Day of Preparation.” Each week, as Friday arrived and the Sabbath (Saturday) was looming, Jews would prepare in certain ways to make sure they were ready for that weekly day of rest and worship. The Friday of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial were no exception. In fact, as we look at John 19:31-42 together, we’ll see John refer to that day not as “Good Friday,” but as the “Day of Preparation.” We’ll read about the burial of Christ, how Sabbath preparations impacted the handling of His body and helped to set the stage for the resurrection that would take place on the other side of the Sabbath. Hope you can join us!
We recently put out an Easter Devotional Guide for families, and one of the recommended activities is for parents to take their children on a cemetery scavenger hunt. Some may find that to be a bit strange or even harmful for children, to expose them to the concept of death. But the Christian gospel is a message about the death of Christ and His defeat of death, so that we may be prepared for death ourselves. And if we shy away from the subject, whether with our children or within our own minds as adults, we strip the gospel of its full power and minimize the significance of what Jesus has accomplished for us. Join us in John 19:28-30, as we read John’s account of the moment in which Jesus died, seeing what He meant when He said, “It is finished!”
Was Jesus’ death on the cross the result of things getting out of hand when angry Jewish leaders demanded that Pilate have Jesus executed? Or was there more to it than that? In John 19:16-27 we read such clear, straightforward language – sentences like “So he [Pilate] delivered him over to them to be crucified” (19:16). Yet, Peter would preach just weeks later, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified . . .” (Acts 2:23). Maybe we should read John 19 again. Maybe the Lord wants us to see in John 19 that Jesus’ death was all pre-planned for our sake – for our salvation. Amazing love. How can it be? May the Spirit elevate Christ in our thinking, our affections, and our church!
Have you ever read the Declaration of Independence? Here’s a small sample: “When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government.” This statement demonstrates that our nation began because colonists, experiencing prolonged unjust governance, refused to submit to it any longer. In stark contrast, as we look this Sunday at John 19:1-16, we are going to see Jesus being faced with the most unjust actions imaginable, and rather than rebel against those in authority, he submits to them. In this text, we’ll see our depravity as human beings as we condemned God’s Son to death, but we’ll also see our Savior’s glory, as the King of kings subjecting Himself to Pontius Pilate for our eternal good.
If you’re a parent, you’ll probably agree that an important part of parenting is teaching children how to listen –whether that’s teaching little children to listen to the word “No” or teaching older children to to listen to wise counsel and right sources of truth. We can probably all think of a time when we should have listened to our parents better, where we thought we knew better, so we ignored their counsel. In our text this week, John 18:28-40, Jesus is coming up to the cross, and He speaks to Pilate about who he is listening to: to Jesus himself or to the opinions of others? Join us as we study this passage and ask ourselves the same question.
Have you ever thought about why Peter denied Jesus that fateful Thursday night? After all, just minutes (or perhaps hours) beforehand, he had swung his sword at the head of Malchus in the Garden of Gethsemane in order to defend Jesus! So what changed? What led him to deny the same Savior he’d just tried to defend? As we look at John 18:12-27, we will find out. We’ll see that what motivated Peter to deny Christ was the same motivation that led the Jewish leaders to crucify Him–namely, expediency. I’m confident as we look at this text, the Spirit will shine a light on the danger of expediency in our own lives too and help us strengthen our resolve to press back against it.
What’s the most awful thing that you’ve ever willingly consumed? Perhaps a local delicacy in a foreign nation so you wouldn’t dishonor your host? Maybe a bitter medicine that you choked down so you could start feeling better? This Sunday, as we gather for worship and look at John 18:1-11 together, we’ll hear Jesus talk about a “cup” that He was being called to drink. And though it was a figurative (not literal) cup, its contents would be incomprehensibly awful. So what was in that cup? How would Jesus approach it? And what can we learn from Him as we are called to drink from bitter “cups” ourselves? Join us to find out!
“I’ll be praying for you!” Do you find that somewhat encouraging? Yes, hopefully. Yet, we know that sometimes we forget to pray after we’ve said those words. But what if a friend says, “Let me pray for you right now,” and then does so – right here, right now. What could be more encouraging than having a thoughtful friend or loving family member pray for you in your hearing? Well, how about this: What if we could hear JESUS praying for us? Wouldn’t that be astonishingly reassuring? Join us in John 17:6-26 as we explore Jesus’ prayer with you this coming Sunday. I hope you can be with us for our worship service.
Moses heard God’s voice coming from the burning bush, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). This verse comes to mind as we soak in John 17 over the next two Sundays. This passage allows us to eavesdrop into the personal, profound, and passionate prayer of God the Son talking to God the Father on the night before the crucifixion. This is holy ground.
We’re excited to have theologian, professor, and author, D.A. Carson, share with us on the topic of relativism. The Q&A time is included in the recording, though the last two questions did not get recorded.
While all passages of Scripture are equally inspired and fully profitable for us as God’s people, there are some portions of God’s Word that subjectively seem to carry added weight and should be approached with an added sense of reverence, if that’s even possible. As we come to the end of John 16 (verses 25-33) and look ahead to the next several chapters, we are entering into such “holy ground,” where we’ll read about the events that unfolded in the Garden of Gethsemane, in Jerusalem, and at Golgotha that weekend. In this passage specifically, we’ll get to read what John records as Jesus’ final private words to His disciples that Thursday evening before praying to the Father, being arrested, and getting swept away to face trial. Holy ground indeed. So what did He say to them in that moment? And what can we learn as we listen in? Join us to find out!
Some people consider this past Monday to be “the most depressing day of the year” and refer to it as “Blue Monday.” It comes in the midst of a season where daylight is limited, temperatures are frigid, motivation is waning, and tax bills are looming. Christmas has come and gone; we have often failed at our resolutions; and no vacation is in sight. In all seriousness, many people may be filled with sorrow right now. But thankfully, this Sunday’s passage arrives in timely fashion. In John 16:16-24, we hear Jesus say “your sorrow will turn into joy!” What did He mean when He said that? And how can our own sorrows be turned into joy even two thousand years later? Join us this Sunday morning to find out!
Wouldn’t it have been great to have been there in Galilee when Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount? Wouldn’t it have been great to have been there in Judea when Jesus healed the blind man? I mean, what could be better than to have been present during Jesus’ earthly ministry? But, Jesus himself said, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, (John 16:7, ESV). What? Jesus’ departure would be for our advantage? Why would that be? Join us as we look at Jesus’ words to his followers on the night before his crucifixion as recorded in John 16:5-15.
The Witness Protection Program is something we’ve all heard of, but that we hope to never learn about first-hand. It’s an important program established several decades ago to provide protection to witnesses in court cases where they are under real or suspected threat of harm because of their testimony against highly powerful people. It seems a bit odd then, that if our secular government is willing to use vast resources to shield (sometimes sketchy) witnesses from potential harm, our Lord Jesus, who has all power and authority, would tell His disciples that their witness about Him would leave them under serious threat, even leading to death for some. While at first glance it may seem that Jesus was leaving His disciples vulnerable and exposed, we’ll see in John 15:18-16:4 that Jesus was indeed protecting His disciples–but that it was against something worse than death. Join us to find out what that is and to be encouraged to be a witness for Christ yourself.
The turn of a calendar year provides us with an opportunity to take inventory of our lives, evaluate, imagine, strategize, and plan. We often do this as individuals, making resolutions; or as companies, establishing goals. But this is something we’d like to do as a church family this year! This first Sunday of 2019, we want to pause, and go to God’s Word together to establish a few primary focal points for the year ahead. Join us as we look at Acts 2:37-41, highlighting how some of those earliest priorities of the ancient church are ones that we want to emphasize in the year that lies ahead of us.
How can we have joy when we face trials in our lives? How does the good news of Jesus help us through suffering? Join Student Ministries Director Jake Osborn as we look at James 1.
This Advent season, as a church family, we’ve been looking in Scripture to see how God sent Christ to bring “joy to the world.” A question that’s important to ask, if Jesus is supposed to bring us joy (but that we might not think to ask), is whether He experienced joy in His own life? We know that thousands of angels were rejoicing over Bethlehem when He was born, but His life that ensued was marked by suffering, sorrow, and hardship – culminating in a shameful public execution. Not exactly a recipe for joy! Yet as we open Hebrews 12:1-2, we’ll see that our Savior truly has experienced joy, and that He is more than capable of sharing it with us.
How would you fill in the blank: “I think I would be truly happy if _____________ .” Most of us don’t have too much trouble coming up with something – a change in a relationship, better health, a more enjoyable job, or maybe more financial security. But are any of those things it? Do any of those things bring true joy? God’s angel came to some unsuspecting shepherds one night with this attention-grabbing message: “I bring you good news of great joy.” What news had the capacity to bring great joy? Join us as we look with fresh eyes at the familiar story of the angel’s message to the shepherds that we read from Luke 2:1-20 nearly every Christmas. “Good news of great joy.” Now, that’s something worth hearing about!
Join us as we are challenged by Chris Jones, who has been working alongside his wife Evie and their team with the Pei people of Papua New Guinea the last several years. Chris will share with us from Philippians 2:3-11 about “The Cost of Incarnation,” helping us to see the price Christ paid to come to earth and the privilege we have to take His gospel to the world.
Joy to the World. We’ll hear this phrase countless times this month – in stores, on the radio, and likely from our very own lips. We’ll see it on ornaments, cards, and maybe even on advertisements. As a church family, we want to pause as we approach Christmas and consider what is being communicated in those simple lyrics. The birth of Jesus, His taking on of human flesh, took place in order for God to reconcile sinners to Himself and to bring eternal joy to those who had previously been under His judgment. The scale of this joy, the magnitude of this gift, was not intended to be small; it was to be lavish and widespread! Join us as we kick off the Advent season and revel in the gift of JOY that we have received. We’ll remember together what a wonderful responsibility we’ve been given to be heralds of that message to the world.
Is being a Christian kind of like yogurt? You know, you can get it with fruit or without fruit. We might have some lively discussions on that topic, each with his own opinion. But, clearly, what really matters is what Jesus said on that important issue. Join us as we listen to what Jesus said that night before the cross as recorded in John 15:1-11.
Most of us have probably shared in that awkward social experience of being “on the outside looking in.” At some point we’ve all probably had a friend group, a club, or a team that seemed to be so wonderful that we desperately wanted to be a part of it, yet we could never figure out a way to break into it ourselves. When we consider the Trinity (the Father, Son, and Spirit), we see a “group” whose love and delight in each other is so beautiful that we can’t help but want to join in! Yet, because of our sin, left to ourselves, we could. However, in our passage, John 14:15-31, we’ll see that we actually can become insiders with the Triune God, wrapped up in the incredible, incomprehensible love that they share with one another. Join us as we take a look together at this glorious text and contemplate what an amazing privilege we’re given to fellowship with Father, Son, and Spirit.
We’re so thankful for God’s kindness to Christ’s Covenant Church in giving us Marc Goodwin as our new Lead Pastor. Join us as Pastor Ken Mellinger, the director of our region in the Sovereign Grace family of churches, brings a challenge to Pastor Marc as he “officially” begins his new ministry, and Pastor Larry follows with a message to our church on how we are to receive and support Marc as our Lead Pastor.
It must have seemed as if dark clouds of confusion and uncertainty were looming over the small band of men gathered around Jesus in that upper room. Over the course of the evening Jesus had announced that a betrayer was among them. If that weren’t enough, Jesus then told Peter, of all people, that he would deny even knowing Jesus before that very night was over. And, now, Jesus was also saying that he would be leaving them. Oh, how the men’s hearts were troubled. But then, Jesus gave this gracious command, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” Why would he say that? What cure is there for a troubled heart? What cure is there for our troubled hearts? Join us as we listen to the comforting words of Jesus in John 14:1-14.
There are conflicting reports about how the captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith, handled himself when it became clear that the ship was sinking that fateful night in April of 1912. The director of the now-famous movie version of the story apparently believed the accounts that said Smith froze under the enormity of the tragedy that was unfolding in front of him–failing to give proper directions, share much-needed information, or organize his crew. The effectiveness of a leader is shown in how he prepares for, and leads through, immense challenges such as these. As we continue in the gospel of John, looking at 13:21-38, we’ll see that our Lord did not freeze or isolate himself as the darkness grew thicker and the cross drew nearer. No, He loved His disciples to the end and prepared them for what was about to take place that awful Passover weekend.
John 13 starts the second “book” in the gospel of John – what some have called the “book of glory.” This section will culminate in Jesus being crucified and then being gloriously resurrected, but it starts on quite a different note. In John 13:1-20, we’ll see Jesus humbling himself by taking a basin of water and washing His disciples’ feet. It’s hard to think of a cultural equivalent in today’s world, but this act of our Lord stooping down to wash filthy feet was intended to both a) be a picture of the spiritual cleansing He provides, and b) to set an example for His disciples to follow. Join us as we look at this powerful passage!
This week’s text (John 12:36-50) is one of the most difficult passages from the entire book around which to wrap our modern western minds. In this passage, we’ll see that even after Jesus had performed so many signs, His fellow Jews “still did not believe in Him” (v. 37). But what seems confounding to us is that John says they “could not believe” in Him, because God had blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts (v. 39-40). Not Satan blinding them, but God! Why would He do such a thing, and would he still hold them accountable for their unbelief? Join us to find out, and to see what God may teach us through this challenging but important text.
Join us in John 12:20-36, where we’ll see how the glory of Jesus was seen most clearly in His death upon the cross.
The “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem is probably one of the best know incidents in the life of Christ, maybe superseded only by his birth, death, and resurrection. People across Christendom love celebrating Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter when we recall and even re-enact that day when thousands upon thousands of people greeted Jesus by waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem looks and sounds so festive on the surface, and that’s how we often portray this event in our churches. Yet Luke 19:41 says that Jesus was weeping as he entered Jerusalem. What was going on? Join Pastor Larry McCall as we learn about this well-known, yet often-misunderstood event in the ministry of Jesus from John 12:12-19.
How much is Jesus worth to you? Wait. Don’t answer that question too quickly. Maybe we should think about that for awhile before answering. We’re resuming our journey in the Gospel of John, focusing on John 12:1-11. In this passage you’ll notice the stark contrast between how Mary valued Jesus and how Judas valued Jesus. Why would there be such a disparity between these two people – each of whom had spent time with Jesus? Join Pastor Larry McCall as we look for answers in God’s Word.
Last Sunday, on Labor Day weekend, we opened the Word of God, cover to cover, and learned together about work–God’s design of it, how it’s been complicated by sin, and how God redeems it. This Sunday, as a follow-up, we are going to see what God has to say about rest. Tucked away in the Psalms are two short verses (Psalm 127:1-2) which we’ll unpack together. And those verses have an immense amount to teach us about sleep, our need for it, and our aversion to it.
Though most of us spend a majority of our waking hours at work (or school), interestingly, only a small percentage of Christians report ever being taught a biblical understanding of work. Well, let’s do something about that! This Sunday, Labor Day weekend, we’ll examine what God’s Word says about work. We’ll go from Genesis 1 (work in the Paradise Lost) to Revelation 22 (work in the Paradise Regained) with special application to work here in this era between the gardens.
Many of the stories that we tell children in our culture tend to end with the same phrase: “And they all lived happily ever after.” As we’ve gone through the first twelve chapters of Nehemiah this summer, the story has followed that typical narrative arc, bending toward a “happily ever after.” At the end of chapter 12, we saw God’s people celebrating all that God had led them to accomplish; and the scene is ripe with hope and optimism! But as we open the final chapter, Nehemiah 13, we’ll see that they most certainly did not live happily ever after. And we’ll be reminded of how important it is for us to constantly be pursuing holiness, never resting on the faith and obedience of yesteryear.
God does extraordinary things with ordinary people, doesn’t he? In Nehemiah’s day, Jerusalem would not have been a glamorous place to live. Moving there would have been like moving to a bombed-out city. Yet many of the returnees to Judea did just that. Ordinary people moved to Jerusalem because that was the city of God. It was the “holy city” (Nehemiah 11:1) where God met with his people. You know what? Sometimes the church might not seem glamorous, especially in comparison to what we see the world offering to us. Yet, we are a “holy people belonging to God.” God is working in his church and through his church to advance his glorious kingdom. And, we get to be part of that!
Many of us struggle to make commitments, whether it’s commitment to an employer, a diet, or a significant other. We may feel tempted to think of commitment in negative terms, as if we’re “closing doors,” “boxing ourselves in,” or “eliminating options.” But, as we will see in Nehemiah 10, when it comes to our spiritual lives, it is of vital importance if we are going to remain faithful to Christ, that we make commitments to the Lord and to the fellow believers in our spiritual community.
Everyone loves a good story. We read stories to children before bedtime. When we meet new people we get to know them by telling stories about where we’re from and what we do. When we spend time with family or friends we regularly tell stories, and we often retell old stories. At our very core, we are storied beings. Join us in Nehemiah 9, where God’s people gather to retell God’s story and how they are a part of it. We’ll see why we should regularly retell this same story and how it helps us live the Christian life.
What are you hungry for? Your favorite dessert? A juice steak? Fresh fruit? How about The Word of God? The Holy Spirit was clearly moving in an amazing way among the people of Judah in Nehemiah’s day. Thousands of people of all ages had crowded into the open square near the recently rebuilt Water Gate in Jerusalem. Soon, a cry went up, maybe gaining volume as more and more voices joined in. “Bring the Book!” The people of Jerusalem were hungry. They were hungry for the Word of God. So, Ezra the priest brought the book of God’s Law and began to read. As he read, the Spirit moved among the people in powerful ways. Let’s explore that story together as we look at Nehemiah 7 and 8.
What’s your favorite Olympic sport to watch? Any votes for the steeple chase? That’s probably one of the lesser-known events. The steeple chase is a nearly-two-mile race over various obstacles, including water-filled pits. In some ways, the steeple chase reminds me of life itself. Hebrews 12:1-2 picture the Christian life as a race that we are to run with our eyes fixed on Jesus. But, it’s not always an easy race. There are obstacles and pitfalls along the way. How are we to navigate the steeple chase of the Christian life without getting sidetracked or waylaid? In Nehemiah 6, we see that God’s chosen leader in Jerusalem had to get over several pitfalls. There’s so much to learn from this chapter, especially as we reflect on Jesus Christ who successfully completed his difficult race on our behalf.
When it comes to warfare, the largest and most intimidating threats typically are external ones – nations or groups of people from the outside who seek to harm or conquer. But threats from within can be just as serious, as those who’ve been bound together in their war efforts can be tempted to start seeing each other as the enemy and begin fighting against their brothers in arms. This is precisely what takes place in Nehemiah 5. Nehemiah had led a strong resistance effort against the enemies outside Jerusalem, but now we’ll see him having to put out relational fires inside the city to keep his people from devouring each other. What caused this breaking of ranks, and how might we be vulnerable to similar temptations today as God’s people? Join us to find out!
In a poem called “Cromwell’s Advice,” poet William Blackner attempted to put into verse a phrase that Oliver Cromwell was alleged to have said to his English troops as prepared to cross a river as part of their invasion of Ireland. The last line of each stanza reads something like this: “Trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry.” The sentiment is a simple one: even as Cromwell wanted his men to trust in the Lord for victory, he also wanted them to be vigilant and take responsibility for their own actions as part of the battle. As we work our way through the fourth chapter of Nehemiah, we’re going to see opposition reach a fever pitch against Nehemiah and all those who were seeking to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. And we’ll see how Nehemiah led his people to press on in their work, refusing to let opposition side track or scare them into inactivity. I hope you can join us as we learn together, through this ancient story, about how to face spiritual opposition in our own lives today–seeking to trust the Lord for victory, while still “keeping our powder dry” and being shrewd in the spiritual battles we face.
Are there parts of the Bible that you sometimes find boring? We’re hesitant to admit it – it sounds sacrilegious – but there are parts of the Bible that we would just as soon skip over, aren’t there? Is Nehemiah 3 like that for you? It seems like a bunch of names that sure look hard to pronounce. Yet, 2 Timothy 3:16 says that God breathed out every word of the Bible, and it’s all useful. So, what “usefulness” does Nehemiah 3 have in our lives? It’s packed with reminders of how our gracious God works through his people to accomplish his plan. And, that includes you and me!
The Apostle Paul knew he was soon to be executed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had one last letter to write – to his “son-in-the-faith,” Timothy. We know this last letter as 2 Timothy. In that letter, Paul called on his “son” to live a life “useful to the Master” (2 Timothy 2:21). Captivating thought, isn’t it? To live a life “useful to the Master.” Are you feeling that way about your own life? What would have to happen for that to happen? I’m struck by Nehemiah’s desire to live a life useful to the Master, even though doing so brought great risk. This coming Sunday we’ll focus on Nehemiah 2:9-20, exploring how this part of the book fits into God’s plan of redemption and how Nehemiah’s commitment to God’s plan moved him to live a life useful to the Master.
It’s a stretching question, isn’t it? And, not just intellectually, but emotionally, too. “If God is sovereign, then what’s the point of praying?” While we’re at it, we could also ask, “If God is sovereign, what’s the point of planning?” It’s fascinating to read the narrative of Nehemiah 2:1-10 with those questions in mind. How might our understanding of these important questions get some clarity as we thoughtfully look at this portion of Nehemiah’s story?
What are you passionate about? What would the people who know you best say that you are passionate about? What would they say makes you really happy? What would they say makes you really sad? In Nehemiah 1:4-11, we see a man who was passionate. He really cared. What did he care so much about? About the plan and people of God. How did Nehemiah get that way? How did he develop such a passion for the plan and people of God? It’s so easy to slide into a lifestyle of focusing on our own pain, pleasure, and pursuits. How might our hearts be lifted higher? How might we develop a passion for God’s plan and people? Let’s explore those questions this Sunday as we study Nehemiah 1 together.
This is an important time in the life of our church! It’s a time of transition, but also a time of opportunity for us to keep growing together in Christ. In the current season of our congregational life, we could think of no better book to preach through than Nehemiah. It’s a book about the physical rebuilding of walls around ancient Jerusalem, but it has vital lessons for the people of God in every generation as we seek to build God’s kingdom in our own time and place, facing our own unique challenges. So we’ll start our journey through this wonderful book on Sunday. Even though we’ll just cover the first three verses (1:1-3), we’ll lay the foundation for the season ahead of us!
Probably more than any other day of the year, Americans visit cemeteries across our land on Memorial Day. We do that to honor those who gave their lives in the defense of our country. You know what? It’s good to visit a cemetery. It’s good for each of us to look at the grave markers and reflect on the fact that one day there will be a grave marker with our name on it. Every one of us will die some day. So, as Christians, how am I to think about death? This Sunday at CCC, we’re going to see in John 11 one of the most amazingly encouraging pronouncements ever heard by human ears. Jesus said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.” Now there’s power! There’s hope!
Have you ever shaken hands with someone who seemed to just want to show you how strong of a grip they had? You go in for a normal friendly handshake, and they break a few bones in your hand as they squeeze with all their might. Well, even though situations like that can be a little painful and a bit awkward, there are some times in life where it’s reassuring to know the strength of someone’s grip. And in this week’s passage, John 10:22-42, Jesus makes it very clear that the grip of our heavenly Father is unrivaled. He teaches that the Father is “greater than all” and that “no one is able” to snatch His sheep out of His hand. That is quite a statement and quite a promise for us to hold onto. I hope you can join us Sunday morning as we worship and learn from this passage together!
What welcome words of comfort and acceptance, especially after being treated with cruelty and rejection. The man had been born blind, but Jesus had miraculously given him sight. Instead of celebrating this amazing kindness with the healed man, the religious leaders had mocked him and kicked him out of the synagogue! It was in this context that Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Isn’t that good news? Join us in John 10 as we enjoy the glorious news of Jesus being our Good Shepherd.
Most of us are probably fairly familiar with the way that Jesus healed the man born blind. This fits with what we know about our Lord–His heart of compassion and His power to reverse the effects of the curse. But as we’ll see in John 9:8-41, when Jesus had healed the blind man, He said of Himself that He had come into the world not only “that those who do not see may see,” but also that “those who see may become blind.” What could Jesus possibly mean by that second statement? Join us as we explore this potentially confusing statement of Christ, the one who not only gave sight to the blind but gave blindness to the seeing.
For thousands of years, human beings have been trying to wrap our minds around the reality of suffering–searching for answers as to why God allows awful things happen to certain people. An age-old approach to this issue, which can even be seen in Jesus’ disciples in this week’s text (John 9:1-7), was to assume that if sufferings are brought into a person’s life, it’s a sign of God’s displeasure and His judgment of their sins (or of someone close to them). Thus, when Jesus and His disciples encountered a man who’d been blind from birth, the underlying assumption was that his blindness was the result of someone’s sin; it was just a question of whose. And while Jesus was about to perform a miracle, first He paused to correct their misunderstanding and to expose their assumptions about sin and suffering. As we read this passage, may God address us and help us see suffering and disability in new light, not as a judgment of God, but as an opportunity for “God’s works” to be displayed.
Most people in the world have their own opinions of who Jesus was and, quite frankly, most of them are positive. He was a “good man.” He was “one of the best teachers this world has ever seen.” He was a “great social reformer” or “the best example of a loving person in the history of the human race.” Those are all true. But, do they go far enough? What if we were to listen to what Jesus said about himself? How did He identify himself? Jesus said things about himself that were bold, even audacious. But, probably none was as bold, as audacious, and as polarizing as what He proclaimed in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I Am!” Wow! How did the people respond to that claim? Please join us as we delve into the gripping story of John 8:31-59.
Darkness. What images does this word conjure in your mind? What feelings does it stir in your heart? We might recall being afraid of the dark as a child – or as an adult. In the Bible, darkness pictures danger, ignorance of God and His ways, of sin, of death, and even the “outer darkness” of God’s eternal judgment where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth!” No wonder darkness can bring fear! Then, one day Jesus announced, “I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Isn’t that good news? This (John 8:12-30) is what we’ll be looking at together this week!
There’s a difference between arrogance and confidence. God wants to destroy the one and build the other in its place. This Sunday, we’ll be looking together at John 7:40-8:11, where we’ll see Christ squashing the arrogance of the Jewish leaders of His day, most of whom people would never have dared to confront. And we’ll see Christ instilling confidence in a sinful woman, to whom most would never have shown any grace. And as we do, may the Lord address us about the pride in our own hearts, pride we might not even realize is there.
We may be tempted to think that the Easter story of Christ’s death and resurrection is a historical narrative with little to do with us. But in 1 Corinthians 15:20, we see that His story has everything to do with ours–that Christ’s resurrection guarantees our resurrection. Join us as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection together!
What’s the thirstiest you ever remember being? Maybe you were hiking or running a race, and all you wanted to do was to stop and gulp down some water. Or, maybe you were preparing for surgery, and all you were allowed to have were some ice chips, wishing a nurse would sneak you a tall glass of water. But you know what? As strong as physical thirst can be, there’s a deeper thirst inside us, too, isn’t there? A “soul thirst.” We long to have our “soul thirst” satisfied, but where do we go?
One day long ago in Jerusalem, Jesus shouted above the noise of the crowd, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” Join us as we pause to give thoughtful, personal consideration to Jesus’ amazingly gracious invitation that we find in John 7:37-39.
Stephen Hawking was a famous physicist who died earlier this week – a man who some have compared to Einstein when it comes to intellect and scientific achievement. Hawking was an atheist through and through, and he had very strong beliefs about where we came from and what we are destined for. He believed that “no one created the universe, and no one directs our fate.” And when it came to the question of what happens after death, he compared human beings to deteriorating computers, saying, “There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” As we look at John 7:25-36, we’ll see that Jesus’ view of human origins and human destiny couldn’t be any more different than Hawking’s. Join us to see what Jesus had to say about His own “coming” and “going” from this world and ours by extension.
We’ve all likely heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” and we know exactly what it means. While that phrase itself isn’t “ancient” (since books and covers didn’t even exist in their current form through most of human history”), the concept behind it is. Even Jesus Himself said something along those lines two thousand years ago in John 7:1-24. He said, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” As we open this text and read this portion of John’s gospel, we’ll see a few different reasons that human beings misjudge Jesus, even in today’s world. And we’ll see a way forward, a pathway that can lead us to a right judgement of Christ.
After witnessing Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5000, many of Jesus’ supposed followers walked away, offended at the idea of him being “The Bread of Life.” They were impressed by his power, but they couldn’t swallow that claim. Yet, a comparatively small number of people stuck with Jesus. How did Peter say it? “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Some walked away and starved rather than “eating” of the Bread of Life. But why? “Why was I made to hear thy voice, And enter while there’s room, When thousands make a wretched choice, And rather starve than come?” (hymn “How Sweet & Aweful is This Place”) Indeed. Why was I a guest? Let’s talk about that as we look at John 6:60-71!
How often do we try to fill the hunger of our souls with something that will never ultimately satisfy? We need to listen afresh to Jesus’ clear, bold, gracious declaration, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Oh, how we want to find our satisfaction in him alone! Join Pastor Larry this Sunday as we explore John 6:22-59, “Jesus, the Bread of Life.”
Having already served and played a vital role among the church body here at Christ’s Covenant for many years, Andy and Sara Royer were sent out as missionaries back at the end of 2013 to serve at Peniel Bible Institute in Jacutinga, Brazil. While they have relocated back to the States at least temporarily, if you have ever met them, you know that their heartbeat for the gospel’s advancement around the world will never change! Join as Andy preaches a sermon entitled “Can I Get a Witness?” from Acts 1:6-8. We are confident that God will stir a deeper desire within us to be part of gospel work among the nations as we hear Andy open up the Scriptures!
Have you ever had the experience of being startled by someone, feeling momentarily scared and frightened, only to realize very quickly that it’s actually your spouse or your friend? What a relief it is in that moment when your fears quickly give way to calmness, and you can say, “I’m so glad that was you!” Jesus’ disciples had an experience a bit like that one night, but on a bigger scale, out in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Approaching their boat, in the midst of a storm, they saw a human figure walking on the water, and they were terrified! But soon enough, they heard the voice of Jesus telling them, “It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” And their fears dissolved immediately. Join us as we look at that famous story together in John 6:16-21 and see what the Lord would have us to learn from it nearly 2,000 years later!
We have four records of Jesus’s life in the Bible, yet interestingly, only ONE of Jesus’ miracles is mentioned in all four records: the feeding of the five thousand. John, whose gospel we’ve been working through in recent months, seems to have intentionally included stories in his record of Christ’s life that were not told by the other gospel writers. But when it came to this miracle, John couldn’t help but include it! Join us as we open John 6 together and find out what makes this story so special, so powerful, and so important.
It was an honor to have Bob Kauflin join us at CCC! Bob, who is the Director of Sovereign Grace Music and one of the pastors of Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville, preached in our worship services from Colossians 3:16-17 on the topic of “Why We Sing.” In addition to being a gifted musician, Bob is an excellent preacher, who led us well as he opened God’s Word.
Oxford professor C. S. Lewis challenged his listeners on a radio program 75 years ago with this: “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.” Though probably not Lewis’s actual words, a number of people over the years have presented this trilemma as “Liar, Lunatic or Lord?” In John 5:30-47 we see that Jesus was clear on his claims. So, what will we do with Jesus’ claims of divine Lordship? The answer to that question is eternally important.
When Jesus started to call God “My Father,” the Jewish leaders of His day could hardly believe it. How could this man make claims like that?! Their anger and outrage were so deep that they began to try to figure out ways they could put Him to death. Yet, when we look at John 5:19-29 this Sunday, we’ll see that Jesus did not back down or “walk back” His statements when He was threatened. Instead, He elaborated on them and made even more specific and more sweeping claims about His relationship with God the Father, implying their relationship was so close, that to know one was to know the other, and to reject one was to reject the other. Join Pastor Marc Goodwin as we look at this fascinating passage and get a peek behind the mysterious (but glorious!) curtain of the Trinity!
Some of us have had extra doses of vacation from work and school in recent weeks. If you’re like me, you may have had the unusual experience within that span of time of waking up and not being sure what day of the week it is. When we get out of our usual routines and habits, we can lose our bearings and forget if it’s Tuesday or Wednesday or what… This week we’ll be looking at a passage from the book of John whose importance hinges on which day of the week it took place (the Sabbath day). We’ll see how Jesus chose to do some supernatural work on that day of rest, why it made the Jewish leaders of His day furious, and how He justified doing so. It’s a fascinating story that has more to do with our lives in twenty-first century than you may initially suspect.
Join us as our very own Jake Osborn leads us through Colossians 2-3 and challenges us to set our minds on Christ this new year!
Join us as we wrap up our short Advent series by taking a look at the beginning of Isaiah 11, where the prophet used very vivid pictures to describe the scope of what Christ would enter our world to do.
Gloom, distress, anguish, contempt, darkness. Those were the words used by the prophet Isaiah to describe the minds and hearts of the people of Judah as they believed their lives and culture were about to crumble around them. But, as the people stumbled along in their gloom, God called them to look ahead. There, on the horizon, was a light shining–a light of hope–the light of the coming Deliverer. But, what would this God-promised Deliverer look like? Would He look like a mighty angel? Like some great warrior? Like one of the super-heroes of the movies so popular in our own culture? The answer may surprise you, even as it surely surprised those despairing people who first heard this reassuring promise from God. It caused gloom to lift and fear to flee, and, interestingly, came in the form of a birth announcement! But this was no ordinary birth announcement. Join us as we gaze at this glorious Deliverer promised in Isaiah 9:1-7.
Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” As we begin a short Advent preaching series from some select passages in Isaiah, our first text (7:1-17) will shed light on how we are to face fear as the people of God. We’ll see that the appropriate response to fear is not to downplay the seriousness of the threats and pains that we are facing, but rather to remember the promises of God and His power to come through on them. Join us as we prepare our hearts to celebrate birth of our Savior!
Join us as Pastor Nate McLaurin leads us through John 4, the moving story of the Woman at the Well.
A Christian leader tweeted: “Your life is defined by one or the other: look at me, OR look at Jesus.” That is this week’s sermon in miniature! Join us as we look at the last portion of John 3, how John the Baptist responded when Jesus’ fame started to detract from–and overshadow–his own. John’s response to his own decline in popularity and influence is one that should speak volumes to us as we consider the ways in which we must experience loss so that Christ may experience gain. Hope you can join us!
John 3:16 is perhaps the most well-known verses in the Bible, known even by many people who make no claims to know God at all. We see it on bumper stickers at stop lights and on poster boards at football games. Join us as we take a look at this famous passage, focusing on a very common concept: the love of God. Hopefully, we can move past our familiarity with this text and be reminded anew of just how amazing God’s love is – and be motivated to love others in a similar way!
Witnessing the birth of a child is a nearly indescribable experience. Attempting to fully explain the awe, emotion, and weight of what takes place at birth proves close to impossible. But as amazing and fascinating as the birth of a child is, a far more mysterious, supernatural, and awe-inspiring experience is the “second” birth of an individual – the experience of being “born again” spiritually. We’ll look together at John 3:1-15, where Jesus taught about this very thing in a conversation with Nicodemus.
It’s not everyday that we can celebrate a 500th birthday, but that’s what we get to do this week! It was 500 years ago that Martin Luther inadvertently began what became known as the Protestant Reformation when he nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany.
What was at the heart of the Reformation? A helpful summary can be found in the 5 Sola (“Alone”) proclamations of the Reformers: Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, and The Glory of God Alone. Why are these so significant, and what difference do these 5 solas make in our lives and our church today? Join us to find out!
Many people, when they imagine Jesus, envision a mild-mannered, tranquil, wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly type of man. But, as we’ll see in this week’s passage from the gospel of John (2:13-25), there was something that led Jesus to make a whip, flip over tables, and dump money out in the courts of the temple in Jerusalem! What could have elicited such a response from Jesus? Join Pastor Marc Goodwin to find out! And while there will be no table flipping or whip wielding, we’ll see how this text has implications for our lives today!
Generally, kids aren’t big fan of weddings. They seem boring and require dressing up and being quiet. But often as our friends start getting married or we consider marriage ourselves, our opinions change! This week we will look at John 2:1-12, where Jesus attends a wedding. Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose this setting to perform his first miracle? Join us to find out.
What’s your normal reaction when a friend or family member says excitedly, “Hey, you’ve gotta see this!” Don’t we naturally lean in to see what’s bringing such excitement? In John 1:43-51, we read the story of Philip meeting Jesus. Jesus said simply, “Follow me,” and Philip did. But, do you know what else Philip did? He found his friend Nathanael and excitedly invited, “Come and see!”
“Come and see.” Pretty simple. Pretty clear. Pretty inviting, isn’t it? For those of us who are already Christ-followers, are we saying to our friends and family members, “Come and see!”? Join us as Pastor Larry McCall leads us in exploring the rich encounters that both Philip and Nathanael had with Jesus.
As we continue in the book of John, for the first time in the narrative we are going to hear words from the mouth of Jesus Himself. If you have a “red-letter” Bible, you’ll finally come across some red ink this week! Jesus asks a question intended to cut to the hearts of those He was talking to, and to our hearts as well: “What are you seeking?” Join us as we pause together to ask that question of ourselves – to evaluate what we are seeking in life, why we ought to be seeking for Christ Himself, and how that seeking ought to change us.
Newly-weds are often asked, “When did you know that they were the one?” People are curious about what it was that finally persuaded them that this was the one that they wanted to marry. Although it’s in a very different context, the passage we’ll look at in John 1 gives us a glimpse of what exactly it was that convinced John the Baptist that Jesus was “the one” – the One that God’s people had been waiting for.
As we continue in the book of John this week (1:19-28), we’ll be introduced to a man who was a cousin of Jesus – a man named John the Baptist. He called people to repent and be baptized, because he knew Jesus was coming! He was glad to defer to Jesus and show Him honor. Join us as we learn more about this fascinating cousin of Jesus who had an important message to share.
We’re excited to introduce our new church mission statement this week! As a church, we believe God calls us to “glorify Him by growing together in Christ as a caring community of disciple makers.” That may sound like a straightforward statement, but it’s packed with great truths and challenges for us. So come learn more as Pastor Nate leads us through Ephesians.
If you read John 1:1-3, those verses describe the “Word” (Jesus) as being the divine, eternal creator of the universe. Those verses alone take our breath away. But read down a bit in verse 14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jolting, isn’t it? Why would he do that? Why would the eternal, divine creator become “flesh” and live among us? That’s what we’re going to explore together this week in the Gospel of John.
We’ve probably all faced the reality at some point that something in our life needs a massive overhaul. We may sense something is not the way it ought to be and realize something has to change. As anyone who’s tried it can testify, change is not easy. It requires conviction. It requires intentionality. It requires effort. Sometimes, it even requires sacrifice.
This Sunday, we begin a new series in the Gospel of John. As we journey through this book together, we will come into direct contact with a God who sees things in His world that need to change. So, He makes an intentional effort to overhaul His creation. As we will see, it requires an incredible sacrifice. Interestingly, He’s not the One who needs to change…we do! But, in His great love, He comes into the world to give us what we need to change. Join us as we begin this journey together to see our great God who gives!