Robertsdale Church of Christ: Recent Episodes
Robertsdale Church of Christ
The Robertsdale Church of Christ is located in Robertsdale, AL. Our goal is to be a place where faith is practiced, hope is shared, and love is experienced.
Worshiping together is a sanctifying experience because we are entering into the holy presence of God. It is a moment of transformation and empowerment. Today, and every Lord’s day, we gather to celebrate and remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. This Supper is sacred. There is nothing routine about it because each week this meal should recenter our lives on Jesus. As we gather around the table of communion, we are reminded of several sacred truths:1. We are reminded of God’s gracious presence. 2. We no longer live in the shadow of Friday but in the victory of Sunday.3. We are one body and one family. 4. We have a covenental commitment to the Lord. 5. We have a story worth sharing. 6. We are forgiven.
In Exodus 16, the Israelites had been traveling for roughly a month from the time they left Egypt. They were getting discouraged and hangry (hungry + angry). They found themselves in a spiritual desert. Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual desert? Maybe it was a season where you had no desire for prayer, reading scripture or worship. Maybe it was a season where you felt distant from God. Maybe it was a season where you were doubting your faith or your purpose in life. It’s in these moments that life can feel like a wilderness. But what you will find in that space is the same thing the Israelites discovered: A table in a barren place. A table in the wilderness. Because even in the wilderness, there is an invitation to come to the table.
There are plenty of things in our lives that we can easily take for granted – like clean water, electricity, access to education. And tables. The table is a special place. It is a place of bonding, transformation, sharing and welcoming. The church we read about in Acts 2 understood the power of the table. That’s why the table was a focal point for the health and growth of the church. They learned the power of the table from Jesus. Because Jesus spent a lot of his time (at least what is recorded in the Gospels) around tables. In Luke 14, Jesus told a parable about God’s banquet table. God is inviting everyone to join him at the table. Not everyone will accept. Some will be. distracted. But the invitation to God’s table is for everyone. Including you.
Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. Four preactical habits that will lead to transformation:1. Spending time with God2. Investing in your relationships 3. Sharing your faith story4. Worshipping with your life If we’re all honest with ourselves, starting new habits can be difficult. An effective method for starting new habits is called Habit Stacking. Use a habit you already have to build off of to create a new habit. Before/After I __________________ I will ___________________.
Those of us who are older have stories that we tell on repeat. Some stories that we are really proud of, and some that we aren’t so proud of. Mainly because some of those stories are filled with regret from terrible decisions. As we close the series on “The Road to Better”, how can we make better decisions in the future? It’s difficult sometimes because we are making decisions in emotionally-charged environments. King David is no stranger to that situation. In fact, before he became king, David found himself in a highly emotionally-charged environment. (Also a stinky one.) And David had a decision to make. He could take out the king who was trying to kill him and ultimately become king, or he could trust in God’s plan. Even though he was tempted to take matters into his own hands, David understood a secret to making wise decisions in emotionally-charged environments…“What story do I want to tell?”When you live with wisdom, you will be left with a story you don’t mind repeating.
Have you ever found yourself, after making a major decision, with nothing but regret? Some of those decisions, you’ve turned into stories. But some of those decisions, you are still living with today. The reality is that most of our worst decisions could have been avoided. It wasn’t because of a lack of information. There is more information available to us today than ever before. Many of our worst decisions were made because we weren’t on a journey for truth, but a journey for happiness. And happy today does not always equal happy tomorrow. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, during a very low period in Israel’s history, realized that the heart of mankind is sick. It is deceptive. And it is beyond cure. But thankfully Jesus came with the Gospel – the good news. The good news that our hearts could be cured by the truth that would set us free from the lies our hearts have believed.
Have you ever found yourself distracted from what you should have been doing? Maybe it was checking email or social media when you were supposed to be working on a report. Or a friend sent you a text when you were supposed to be studying for a test. Or you were driving and talking on the phone, not realizing you missed your turn. What you may not have realized is this: Intentional or not, distractions start with a decision. And here’s the even greater truth: Sometimes we take diversions in our spiritual life that we never intended, and it gets us off the right path. They begin with little distractions or subtle temptations that, over time, completely change the direction we were headed spiritually. In today’s message, we are looking at a parable that Solomon told about a young man who took a diversion off the right path. What seemed like innocent fun led him to destruction. Because his diversion changed his direction.
Over the years, there have been some terrible predictions made about the future. For instance, in a 1950s edition of Popular Mechanics, it was stated that we would have flying cars by the year 2000. It’s not easy to predict the future. But that doesn’t keep us from trying. Yet, without success. How many times have you said, “I should have seen that coming?” Maybe it was after a terrible decision. For the next few weeks we are going to consider a principle that, when understood and leveraged, will help us make better decisions and make our lives more predictable. It’s called the Principle of the Path. It’s simple to understand, yet not so simple to live out. Fortunately, Jesus will give us great encouragement and teaching to help us better understand how this principle impacts our lives each day. The principle of the path teaches that our decisions set the direction of our lives which will ultimately determine our destination.
Over 248 years ago, our founding fathers declared their independence from England. The United States of America is not a perfect country. Far from it. We have many problems today. We have many areas that need change. Fortunately, the Bible speaks about what to do when you find yourself living under a government that needs to change. Paul said to pray. But not just pray… He actually told us to do four things:
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Make petitions to God
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Lift prayers
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Make room for intercession
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Give thanks
For the entire summer, we’ve been learning about the covenant name of God – Yahweh. In that amazing text in Exodus 34, Yahweh revealed not only his name, but his character. He described for us what we should always think when we think about God. In another important Old Testament text, Yahweh talked about his name, and the importance of revering his name. Maybe you’ve heard about the command to not use God’s name in vain. There’s a lot more to that command than you may have realized. Here’s what we will see: To carry God’s name in vain isn’t just about what comes out of your mouth, but more so what comes out of your life.
Yahweh is jealous. What feelings, thoughts or images does that statement evoke for you? For some, the idea of a jealous God is difficult because we bring our own ideas of what we think jealousy is to the Bible. But when God says he is jealous, it doesn’t mean that he is afraid or threatened, like our feelings of jealousy. It means he is protective of his relationship with us. He is passionate about his covenant with us. And he is inviting us into greater life and deeper relationship with Him.
For the last five weeks, we’ve beenin a series called “YHWH” where we’ve been learning about not only the covenant name of God, but the covenant character of God. Today we find ourselves dealing with a part of God’s character that is challenging – His Justice. Today you’ll see two things:1. Forgiveness flows from Yahweh’s character. 2. Yahweh is forgiving, but sin is not.
In Luke 5:17-39, we meet a man who was paralyzed that had four amazing friends because they were willing to risk everything to get their friend to Jesus. Will you do the same? Are you willing to risk everything to get your friends and family to Jesus?
Genesis 15 is this powerfully weird story where we learn about an ancient blood-path covenant that God invited Abram to enter. But God didn’t allow Abram or his descendants to suffer the consequences of breaking the covenant. In fact, God in essence told Abram, “Even when you break covenant with me, I won’t break covenant with you. I will never abandon you.”. Because Yahweh is abounding in love and faithfulness. Exodus 34:6-7 gives us two powerful Hebrew words that are translated “love” and “faithfulness.” Each word is rich in meaning. And Jesus, when he entered the world, fulfilled both.
When God was ready to reveal himself to the Israelites, he wanted them to understand his character. And one of the most important aspects of Yahweh’s character is that he has a really long nose. Not literally. He actually said he is erek apayim – slow to anger. But literally it means long of nostrils. Think about it… When you’re slow to anger and you’re tempted to be angry, you breathe deeply in through your nose. You’re long of nostrils. You’re slow to anger. Here’s the big idea – You can make God mad, but you have to really work at it.So if Yahweh is slow to anger, we should be slow to anger.
In the Hebrew scriptures, order matters. Generally, whatever is listed first is the most important. So, when Yahweh described himself to the Israelites, the first thing he mentioned was compassionate and gracious.
What comes to mind when you think about God? Thankfully, God answered that question for us. In Exodus 34:6-7, he told us who he is. And rather than beginning with qualities and characteristics, God began with his name. That’s right… God has a name. And it isn’t “God.” His name is Yahweh. And his name tells us a lot about him.
Paul challenged believers to forgive one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. But how is that even possible? Jesus shows us what it means to forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it. So through our Savior, we can learn to apply undeserved mercy to our undeserved hurts.
Admonishment is high-octane encouragement. It is speaking truth into a difficult circumstance. It means to exhort or counsel other believers with a heart directed toward their spiritual development.
In the early 1500s, an artist by the name of Michelangelo took what was thought to be a ruined slab of marble and turned it into one of the most amazing statues ever created – the statue of King David. Michelangelo could see something within the massive piece of marble that others couldn’t see. He could see what it could become, not just what it was.The Bible has a word for people like this – Encouragers.
In this message, Dillon reminds our graduating seniors, as well as everyone else, that God will lead us into new beginnings.
In James 5:16, we are challenged to pray for one another. In this message, Eric uses a story from the life of Abraham in Genesis 18 to show what it means to stand before the Lord for one another.
In Luke 5:27-32, Jesus did something incredibly scandalous. A couple things, actually. He invited a tax collector named Levi to be one of his disciples. He expected his other disciples to accept Levi as a fellow disciple. He expected them to work through their differences and see Levi as valuable. And if that wasn’t crazy enough, Jesus took his other disciples to a party thrown by Levi with all of his tax collector friends. It was a Who’s Who of the most hated people in the community. And Jesus was loving it. Because they made room for Jesus. So he made room for them. He saw them as people with a story in the making. Jesus expected his disciples to do the same thing. So what do you do with a Levi?
There’s a Greek word that you’ve read in your Bible countless times. It was translated as “one another.” In the Greek, it was a word allelon (ah-lay-lon). Fifty-nine times, this word is used as an imperative, meaning it is a command. And what you’ll find is that when the church lives out the Allelon commands, the church grows and multiplies, and is strengthened in Christ-centered relationships. In this message we will look at the first of six different Allelon commands that we will spend time in during this series. The first one is to carry one another’s burdens. As we consider what it means to carry one another’s burdens, you will find that we have two communal responsibilities:1. Hold one another accountable.2. Be there for one another.
It’s funny how words can change in meaning over time. For example, did you know the word “silly” used to mean pious? The word “awful” used to have a good connotation because you were full of awe. Similarly, the word “fellowship” has changed in meaning. Today the word evokes images of meals, or simply shaking hands, greeting one another, and spending a few minutes in shallow conversation. But biblically, the word is much deeper. Today we will look at the actual meaning of the word “fellowship”, which comes from the Greek word “koinonia”.We are going to paint a word picture of koinonia from the Bible to better understand that koinonia is much more than a meal. Koinonia is more than a handshake. Koinonia is more than a few minutes of shallow conversation. And hopefully when we conclude today, you will better understand your need for koinonia – the fellowship.
The story of Jonah is a story meant to mess with the one reading it. The story of Jonah is inverted, including chapter four. In the last scene of Jonah, we are challenged with two takeaways and a question:1. Your enemies are still God's children.2. Your concerns can be misplaced. Here's the question we are left with: How will you finish the story? Will you learn to love those who are against you? Will you learn to love and forgive those who have hurt you?
Have you ever had one of those moments that you wish you could get a second chance to do things differently? There is no doubt we all have moments like that. Jonah 3:1 might be one of the most encouraging verses in all of the Bible because it reminds us that God is the God of second chances.“The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…”Jonah was given a second chance. As you read the rest of the story, you would think that the story would calm down. But things get crazier. Jonah preached a five word sermon that caused the entire city of Nineveh to break out into revival and to turn towards God. Through their response, we learn three things:1. Turning is trusting.2. Turning is hungering.3. Turning is changing.Repentance isn’t only turning away from things that God doesn’tdesire for us, but it is turning towards the things that God wants for us.
“How can a man be swallowed by a fish?” This is the part of Jonah’s story that gives people trouble to accept. But the big fish is only a problem for those who have a small God. Because it is in the belly of the fish that Jonah realized what was clear in the dark:1. God still listens.2. God still reigns.3. God still delivers.As Jonah so powerfully prayed – “Salvation belongs to the Lord.”
A study in 2017 showed that our brains are hardwired to take the path of least resistance. But the path of least resistance isn’t always the right path to choose. That’s the path that Jonah took in Jonah chapter one. Instead of going to Nineveh to preach, he boarded a ship headed for Tarshish. As a result, he found himself in a physical and spiritual storm. Just like Jonah, when we turn our hearts away from God…1. We turn inward.2. We turn indifferent. But God doesn’t give up on us. Instead, he will try to wake us up. If you think God is trying to wake you up, here’s how to respond:Turn outward. Repent of your inward focus by asking the question: “Who am I overlooking in this world?”
We are beginning a new series called “Turn: The Art of Repentance.” Over the next five weeks, we are going to look at the story of Jonah, a man who was swallowed by a fish, but also a man who was wrestling with being swallowed by the heart of God. It’s a story about a man who needed to repent because he didn’t want to preach to people who he thought would repent. In his story in different ways, we find ourselves. And we learn about the art of repentance because it is not something that comes naturally nor is it easy. Two questions for each of us to honestly ask ourselves:(1) What call of obedience am I running from?(2) Does an outwardly religious but inwardly rebellious spiritlive in me?
In Luke 17, Jesus healed ten lepers. It’s one of the greatest stories about what faith actually looks like because those men had to trust that Jesus had the power to heal them while they were walking to show themselves to the priests. As they were walking, they were healed. One of the ten decided to turn back to thank Jesus and to glorify God. Only one. This story challenges us to think… Am I the one or the nine? Do I express my gratitude to God or do I forget to tell Him “thank you”?In order to walk worthy, we should be people who give thanks. 1. Because giving thanks is a mindset.2. Because giving thanks is healthy.3. Because giving thanks binds us together. 4. Because giving thanks is a weapon.
Did you know there are some man-made things that are practically impossible to destroy? For example, rings made of tungsten, lego bricks, and the Nokia 3210 phone were practically impossible to destroy.There is something that is breakable… YOU.But you knew that. Because it’s possible you’ve reached your breaking point before. Maybe from trauma or stress.I think we would all agree with this statement — Life is hard.When we feel weak and at our breaking point, God wants to empower us. And Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1 and Ephesians 3 shows us how...God will empower you through His Spirit so that you can keep walking when life tries to knock you down.
Marriage is a sacred institution given by God to his people. It is God's gift to us. Do you want to have the best marriage possible? In this message, guest speaker David Sargent from the Creekwood Church of Christ shares with you how to have a cross-shaped marriage that is shaped by selflessness, sacrifice and submission to one another.
There is a prayer for believers in Colossians 1:9-14 to be able to walk worthy of the Lord. In his prayer, Paul says that we can walk worthy as we are growing in knowledge. In this message, Dillon Wyatt reminds us that as people who are devoted to the Word, one of our goals should be to grow in knowledge. If we want to walk worthy of the Lord, then our knowledge of God will be lived out every day through our words and actions.
In Colossians 1:9-14, Paul prays for believers to walk worthy of the Lord. One of the ways he prayed that we will walk worthy is to bear fruit. Rather than focusing on how we can produce more fruit, Jesus reminded us to stay connected to him. Because it's through our connection to Jesus that we will bear fruit from him.
Ever had the feeling where you thought, “I don’t know if I’m cut out for this… I don’t know if I’m good enough to do this… I don’t know if I can handle this…” There's this prayer in Colossians 1:9-14 that can make you feel that way. The apostle Paul prayed for you to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. How can you do that? In this message, Eric reminds you that you can walk worthy of the Lord because you have been rescued by God, transferred into His kingdom, and have been (and are being) filled by the Holy Spirit.
The church we read about in the book of Acts turned the world upside down. How did they do it? According to Luke who authored the history, it was because they were devoted. But it isn't just that they were devoted to the right practices, they were devoted in their hearts to the Lord. To begin 2024, Eric shares a message and vision for the church to restore the devotion of the Acts 2 church.
As the year comes to a close, it is important to look back at the past year and to look forward to the coming year. In this message, Eric looks at Psalm 141 and the reminder to keep our eyes on God by guarding our words, our thoughts, our time and our temptations.
What does the word “peace” mean to you?For some, it means the absence of war. Or maybe watching the sunset at the beach. Or even a calm day of doing nothing. But according to the Bible, peace is so much more. It is a word that means wholeness or prosperity.In Isaiah 9, it said Jesus would be the “Prince of Peace.” At his birth, the angels declared “peace on earth to people he favors” (Luke 2:13-14).From the life of Jesus we learn this truth: Peace is not the absence of conflict; peace is found in the presence of Christ.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Here’s the main question… Howxcan Jesus be called “Everlasting Father”?It’s not the Messiah’s role within the Godhead, but the Messiah’s character toward us that Isaiah has in mind. The mighty warrior God is also tender, compassionate and loving. His compassion for the lost He came to save is evident as you read through His earthly ministry in the Gospels.
In Isaiah 9:6, there are four names given that would shape the identity and mission of Jesus Christ. The second name in the list is "Mighty God." There's a story in Mark 2:1-12 that demonstrates how Jesus is the Mighty God in the flesh. And because he is, he has power over the physical world, the spiritual world, our sin, and death.
Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied during the midst of a dark time in Israel's history that a child would be born, a son would be given, who would change the course of history. But not just any son... the Son of God. In this message, Eric looks at the first name given to the Messiah in Isaiah 9 -- Wonderful Counselor.
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We are more stressed today than ever. Culture says just find something to do that makes you happy. But here’s what you need to understand: Trying to escape stress by chasing happiness is a recipe for even greater stress. What God wants you to have...what the Bible says is the answer to our stress.. is to choose His joy over our stress.
If you can't do the little things right, you'll never be able to do the big things right. Daniel understood this principle. Because when a law was passed forbidding prayer for thirty days, it says that Daniel did "just as he had done before." He went to his home, faced Jerusalem, and prayed three times a day.
In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar received a message from the hand of God that reminded him he had been numbered, weighed and divided. For us as readers of God's Word, it is a reminder to count our days to make our days count, to put more weight in developing strong character, and to guard the location of our treasure because that is where our heart can be found.
In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were commanded to bow down and worship the golden image of King Nebuchadnezzar. This story is a reminder that worship is an expression of what we value most. In this message, Eric considers three false gods that seek our worship and three questions to discover what you are really worshiping.
In Daniel chapter 3, we find one of the most amazing moments of trust and faith in God. It's when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down and worship the golden image of King Nebuchadnezzar. But maybe the most powerful part was when they said, "But even if our God does not deliver us..." In this message, Eric talks about how sometimes God delivers us from the fire. But sometimes God doesn't deliver from the fire, yet he is present in the fire. Trust God. Results may vary.
In Daniel chapter one, we learn a valuable lesson: How can we live with conviction in a culture of compromise and chaos? According to Daniel's life, it will require resolve.
How did we get here? It's a question that Daniel and his friends were asking as they made the 900-mile journey from Jerusalem to Babylon. But their journey to Babylon was predicted long before the Babylonians arrived. So what do you do when you wake up and realize you're living in Babylon?
You have an enemy. He is a spiritual being known as Satan or the Devil. And he's not alone. He is the leader of the forces of darkness. His one goal is to hurt God by deceiving God's children so that you will question the goodness of God so that you will sin against God. In this message, we consider how to fight against the deception from the Devil.
Where do I fit? Do I belong here? It's a question that we are all asking. And in a world that is growing more lonely each day, the Church should stand as a beacon of light in the darkness as a place to belong.
"Just be yourself!" Have you ever been told that? It sounds like good advice, but in reality, it is a little more complicated. Becomes sometimes we don't know who we really are. We are all on a journey to discovering our true identity. God wants to give us a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17) and show us not only who we are, but Whose we are.
This message concludes "The Essentials" series as we consider the hope of resurrection and life everlasting. Hope is the engine that makes our lives go. So where we place our hope is critically important. As followers of Jesus, our hope is in resurrection and life everlasting.
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Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do in the life of the believer?As we continue The Essentials series, we try to answer those two questions to better understand and lean into the amazing gift that God has given to every believer.
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We have a problem, and our problem is sin. Sometimes it seems small, not a big deal. But it results in major devastation and the destruction of the soul. It’s why we need to be forgiven.
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In Ephesians 5, as Paul was discussing how new life in Christ impacts our relationships (and in particular, marriage), he used an analogy of marriage to describe the relationship between Jesus and the Church. It is a reminder that Jesus loves, protects, and sacrificed Himself for the church. As a result, we should live in submission and in preparation to see and be united with Him.
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In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul wrote that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus -- the Gospel -- is of first importance because it is how we are being saved and it is the rock on which we stand.
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What separates Christianity from every other religion in the world is the concept of the Trinity: God eternally exists as One essence in three distinct persons -- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In this message, Eric considers a major implication from the teaching of the Trinity.
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What are the essentials of faith? What are the core tenets of Christianity? In this first message, Dillon Wyatt kicks off the series with a message on the first essential -- Jesus is Lord.
Week 4 of the Watermark Series entitled "I Pledge Allegiance". In this message, Eric looks at how baptism is actually an act of spiritual warfare.
In Week 3 of the Watermark Series titled "Reborn & Renewed," we look at Titus 3:3-8 where Paul reminded Titus that baptism becomes this marker in our lives that divides who we were before Christ and who we are in Christ.
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In Romans 6, Paul was reminding the Roman church of their baptism and how in it they died to sin and were raised to life.
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We are a church that believes in the importance of baptism. In Acts 16 there is a story of a man who is a jailer that learned about Jesus in the most unique circumstances. It is a lesson that baptism is how we accept God's rescue.
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Our tagline as a church is to be a place where faith is practiced, hope is shared, and love is experienced. But what does it mean to be a place where love is experienced?
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Our tagline as a church is: A place where FAITH is practiced, HOPE is shared and LOVE is experienced. But what do we mean by being a place where faith is practiced? Listen to learn more.
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Where do I belong? Aside from food and shelter, having a place to belong is one of our most primal needs as human beings. God, in his infinite wisdom, designed the church to be a place where everyone can belong. But belonging is a perception-based value. No one can tell you that you belong. Only you can determine when you feel like you belong. In this message, Eric looks at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 to show how Jesus helped Zacchaeus feel like he belonged with Jesus.
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What's next?
It's the question that the disciples were asking in John 21. How will disciples of Jesus thrive without Jesus physically present on this earth? Jesus gives three aspects of following him while being empowered by his Spirit: (1) Obedience, (2) Relationship, and (3) Ministry.
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There is a fine line between doubt and discernment. This truth is seen in the story of Thomas from John chapter 20. Thomas wanted to see the risen Jesus so he could believe. He wanted to see the evidence. And so do you and I.
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John 19 describes the crucifixion of Jesus. In this message, Eric points out the two things that John wants the reader to see... (1) Jesus is the crowned and exalted king, and (2) Jesus is in complete control.
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Just hours before Jesus was hung on a cross, he had a conversation with the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Their conversation revealed Jesus' true identity as not only King of the Jews, but the King of Kings. Their conversation is very important for any follower of Jesus.
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The third story in Luke 15 is often called "The Parable of the Prodigal Son". But it might more accurately be called "The Parable of the Prodigal God". In this message, Eric looks at how God is the actual prodigal because he recklessly gives grace and forgiveness to his two rebellious sons.
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In Luke 15, Jesus told three parables. The third parable is about a father with two sons. We spend a lot of time talking about the younger son, but this message looks at the story of the older brother. It's a story that if you've grown up in church or have been in church for a long time, you just might identify with more than you realize.
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In Luke 15, Jesus told a parable about a father with two sons. In the first part of the story, he shared about the younger son who lived selfishly and recklessly. But when he came to his senses, he decided to return home. And along the way, life was sending him alarms to help wake him up to the terrible decisions he was making. In this message, Eric looks at some of the alarms God sends to us.
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In Luke 15, Jesus told a series of parables about lost sheep, lost coin, and two lost sons. In this lesson, Eric looks at how Jesus uses these stories to shatter our categories.
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In the letter of 1 John, the writer uses two examples -- one positive, one negative -- to demonstrate generous love. He uses the example of Cain and Jesus. He then makes the point that generous love has open eyes, open hearts and open hands.
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The story of Nehemiah tells us how the Jews rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days. How did they accomplish this amazing task, even with all of the adversity and opposition they faced? Everyone had someone next to them. God's plan is for you to have someone next to you... a group of people called the church who you can share your life with and grow in your love for Jesus.
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Before telling us what to do, God always tells us who and Whose we are. What does God want you to remember? You are His chosen. You are holy and dearly loved. By remembering this, we can become love because he first loved us.
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What do we want to be known for? Love. Because love changes everything. God revealed and defined his love; then he empowered us to live through and spread his love for the sake of the world. So we want to be people who Live Love.
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"For all of the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus]. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."
In this message, Jeff Braley reminds us that (1) God is faithful, (2) God repeats himself, and (3) God makes things new.
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A little over 2,000 years ago, shepherds were working in the fields one night when angels appeared to them to deliver a powerful message. Somehow, some way, this little baby would bring peace to earth and good news of great joy. How would Jesus fix our brokenness and give us peace? Through the cross. Through the most shameful, humiliating way to die.
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Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die.” In Luke 9, Jesus invites us to exchange death for life. By doing so, we will have made the greatest trade possible.
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Joy is a part of life, but so is sorrow. Sometimes joy follows sorrow, but oftentimes joy and sorrow are experienced together. What Jesus offers to his followers is to take our sorrow and infuse his joy.
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One of the great traditions of Christmas is to exchange gifts. It shows thoughtfulness to pick out a gift for someone else. But have you ever had a bad gift exchange where someone else invested way more into the gift given to you than you invested into the gift given to them? This Christmas season we want to remember the amazing gifts that Jesus has given to us — his peace, hope, joy and life. In this message we consider how we bring Jesus our hurts and he offers us healing.
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What do you do when you just can't decide what to do? It's a scenario that we all face. It is one of the most anxious places we can find ourselves in life. In fact, the early church in Acts 15 found themselves there. We can learn valuable principles from how they navigated a difficult situation to apply to our lives.
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Philippians 4 challenges you to "rejoice always... with thanksgiving..." This was written by Paul from prison. He practiced what he preached because he knew a perspective of praise would unlock our hearts and minds when anxiety tries to lock us in.
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Over 3,000 years ago, King David asked a great question that we are still asking today… “When the foundations for good collapse, what can good people do?” (Psalm 11:3 NCV) David’s question is our question. When the foundation and stability of your life collapses, what can you do? The Bible says to pray, and allow the peace of God to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
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When it comes to your stress and anxiety level, you have a limit. You weren't created to live with stress and anxiety though. If you have ever felt like you can't handle anymore, you're in good company. So did Elijah, God's prophet.
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Fear is an emotion we feel, but not one God wants us to live with in unhealthy ways. Fear shows up in our lives in many ways—through things like doubt, insecurity, worry and anxiety. In Judges 6, we meet a man named Gideon who, while experiencing fear and brokenness, was called to live above his fears.
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Genesis 2:25 tells us that the first humans God created felt no shame. Can you imagine what that must have been like? Shame is an emotion that we all experience, even from an early age. And shame speaks. So we need to learn to listen to the Gospel to hear a different story about ourselves.
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Proverbs 14:30 says, "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot." Envy is a real emotion that we can easily find ourselves feeling, especially since we live in a social media world where comparison is encouraged. But the dangers that envy brings to our life will blind us to God's goodness and hinder our ability to love.
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We were created by God to be emotional beings. But we were not created by God to be controlled by our emotions. Yet, that can quickly happen. During this series, we will learn how to connect our emotions to the One who created us. This message looks at Cain in Genesis 4. Cain became very angry, but God was concerned with how he responded to his anger.
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Jesus prayed for you. How amazing is that?! And his prayer is recorded in John 17. In this chapter, we get a glimpse into the heart of Jesus and a challenge to live for him.
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In John 16:7, Jesus said it would be better for his disciples if he left so the Holy Spirit could come. Would you agree that the Spirit dwelling in you is better than Jesus being with you in person? In this message, Eric looks at the five promises about the Holy Spirit in John 14-16 to see how the Holy Spirit empowers followers of Jesus to live the Christian life.
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Going on vacation is a great experience, but there comes a time when we are ready to go home. Since Genesis 3, we haven't been home with God. Our hearts recognize it through the brokenness and injustices in the world. We don't need someone to point the way, we need Jesus to lead us home.
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It was his last night with his disciples before being hung on a cross. Jesus had a lot on his mind... There was so much he wanted to share with them. But the one thing he knew he wanted to do... He wanted to show them just how much he loved them. So Jesus grabbed a towel and a bowl of water, and he began to wash his disciples feet. Then he challenged them, and us, to do the same.
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When many people think of church, they think of the Sunday gathering. While the Sunday gathering is very important to the identity of the body of Christ, it is not all we are called to be. We are a body of believers who gathers to GO. Our gatherings are designed to recenter our hearts, regrip our hope, and remind us to do good.
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What does it actually mean to be a church member? Because what we experience and what we read about in the New Testament don't always line up.
In this message Eric shares six core behaviors that we want each member to have at the Robertsdale Church of Christ.
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In Matthew 16 Jesus announced that he would build something that would change the world and that the forces of evil could not stop. What was he planning to build? A church.
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Over and over the New Testament uses the image of walking to describe what it means to follow Jesus. When Jesus said, “Walk with me,” he isn't just saying "keep up with me". He is inviting you into a relationship with him.
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Here’s what we know... Unity doesn’t happen by accident. We admire unity when we see it. And we find ourselves longing for it. We need unity – for the sake of our nation, our families, and our church. That is why we must understand that unity is received, not achieved.
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Charles Spurgeon said Psalm 131 is the shortest psalm to read but the longest psalm to learn. Because it is a psalm about pride. When pride has control of your life, your life will be out of control. When you are struggling with pride, check your posture, pursuit and position.
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On the other side of every mountain is a valley. Sometimes we find ourselves living in the depths. Psalm 130 teaches us that God is present in the depths. And while we want to get out of the depths, God steps in to teach us something about Him and about us.
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Imagine going on a multiple day journey – in the desert – in the heat – sleeping in the open – with dangers from weather, robbers, and sickness. The Israelites did this three times each year. Every journey was a demonstration of faith. They were going to worship and they were going to need God’s help to get there. Living the Christian life is just like that. It is a demonstration of faith. You are going to need God’s help to get there.
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A road trip is a time of transition. An experience of being in between. In between the time we leave home and arrive at our destination.Any transition time is like when a gymnast is on the uneven bars and they left one bar and are transitioning to the next. It is a time of danger, of expectation, of uncertainty, of excitement, of feeling alive. We are all on a journey of faith. Your life is headed somewhere. Is it headed the direction you are intending? God is also leading you on a journey of the heart. He is trying to draw your heart more into his. That’s what the Psalms of Ascent were designed to do — draw our hearts more into his as we journey towards God. Psalm 120 reminds us that the first step towards God is a step away from the lies of the world.
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In John 11, Caiaphas the High Priest unknowingly prophesied about Jesus that it was better for Jesus to die than for the whole nation to perish. John used this statement to show how God was using the cross to call all of his scattered children home. It is a reminder that God is building a big family through the cross -- a blood family that is united by the blood of Jesus.
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Lazarus was sick. Mary & Martha sent word to Jesus. They needed him to do something. Jesus waited two days to get there. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Why?
Jesus used this situation to show the power of God and to create belief in the hearts of those present.
By doing so, we find three promises in the things he said...
- Roll the stone away — a word of hope
- Lazarus come out — a word of power
- Take the grave clothes off — a word of freedom
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Lazarus was sick, and there wasn't anything anyone could do for him. Except Jesus. A messenger arrived and told Jesus the news - Lazarus is sick, and the family needs you to come now. So instead Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. What do you do when Jesus doesn't do what you thought he would do? Will you trust him?
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In the second half of John 10, Jesus is back in the temple area for Hanukkah, a celebration that remembered the Maccabean revolt in 167 B.C. Hanukkah was a time of rededication for Israel. Not only did they rededicate the temple, but they would rededicate their hearts. This text reminds us that the summer is a great time to reclaim our faith, consecrate ourselves, and proclaim the goodness of God.
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Doors are metaphorical. We talk about doors that were opened or closed and we are talking about opportunities. In John 10, Jesus is going to use a very simple metaphor to describe himself… He is a door.
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Can you imagine living with absolutely no vision? Your view of the world would be the images someone has patiently painted in your mind. In John 9, Jesus sees a man who was born blind. He heals him of his physical blindness, and also seeks to heal him of his spiritual blindness. What Jesus did for the blind beggar, he wants to do for you as well.
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Every year thousands of Jews would travel to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Each evening in the temple they would light these massive candles which sat atop seventy-five foot pillars. All night long the people would dance and celebrate. Jesus, using this as an opportunity, calls out to the crowd that what they are doing points to him because he is the light of the world and he is inviting us into the light.
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Parenting can be a struggle. A widow that we read about in 2 Kings 4 knew that all too well. She didn't know what to do, so she turned to God. And that's when God, and her community, stepped up.
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Did you know that God gave you an imagination? Sometimes as we get older, we lose our imagination. But Jesus says the kingdom of God belongs to those who become like children. In this message, Dillon Wyatt challenges you to consider how God can use your imagination for His glory.
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What does it look like to live in the reality of the resurrection? That's exactly what Colossians 3 is trying to communicate.
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On Saturday it seemed like all hope was lost. It’s amazing how much can change in a day. Resurrection Sunday brought life and hope… the two things we most desperately need.
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It was time for the Feast of Tabernacles and Jesus went to Jerusalem to the temple where the priests and a crowd were participating in a water-pouring ceremony. This ceremony was a prayer and plea for God to send rain so they could have water to continue to live. It was also a reminder of how God provided water for Israel in the past. During this ceremony Jesus stood up and said, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." It was a powerful statement. A beautiful invitation.
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It’s awesome being a fan of a team. You can wear the shirts, paint your face, scream your head off, question all the calls, blame the refs, and even accuse the other team of cheating. Other than the tickets, the cost of fandom is pretty low. But Jesus is calling us from being a fan to following Him. He is raising the commitment level. How will you respond?
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No one enjoys taking a test. But tests are really important because they reveal something. When you’re in a moment of testing, the source of your faith is revealed.
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C.S. Lewis said, "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." John wants you to marvel in the authority of Jesus as the Son of God, giver of life and judge of all the world.
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Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Sometimes our perception of a person or a situation is off. But it is hard to recognize it. This is why we need Jesus to help us see life and people more clearly.
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"This is going to hurt me more than this hurts you." That may be one of the biggest lies parents tell their children. If you have a wound, the healing process hurts. A lot. In John 4, Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman who has a very real wound. And gracefully, Jesus presses into her wound.
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God is for you. It is why Jesus was lifted up on the cross. It is why God gave his one and only son. It is why God is seeking to save the world instead of condemn the world. God is for you because God loves you more than you will ever know.
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It’s amazing how one trip… one moment… one conversation could change the course of your life. A man named Nicodemus had a conversation with Jesus one night. In their discussion, Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know one thing... God doesn’t want to make you better. He wants to make you new.
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The temple was the epicenter of Jewish life. It was the center of religion, government, and judicial law. It was magnificent to see. It was the heart of Judaism. And everything in and about the temple pointed to Jesus who is the true temple.
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In John 2, Jesus attended a wedding with his mother and his disciples. During the wedding feast, something terrible happened... They ran out of wine. Jesus performs his first sign, and also taught a powerful message through this amazing act.
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John is painting a portrait in the opening chapter of the Gospel of John. Each word is a stroke on the canvas to help you see Jesus and who he is. John wants you to believe in Jesus. And he believes that by believing in Jesus, you will experience life in a way you never have before. In the opening chapter, John is working to craft this image of Jesus by giving the reader seven titles in the opening chapter that he will unpack as you read through the Gospel…
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