The MAC Podcast: Recent Episodes
Missoula Alliance Church
For the last week of our Advent series, we will fix our focus on God's love. 1 John 4:9 says, "God showed how much he loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world..." Let us enter God's word together and learn what the Incarnation of Christ teaches us about God's Love and how we may know that love for ourselves 2000 years later.
We are continuing our Advent series by looking at the topic of joy. Jesus tells his disciples in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” How does the season of Advent help us wrestle with the reality of the dark world around us? What does the joy of the Lord look like in practice, and how can we become people of joy regardless of our circumstances?
We are entering the Advent season beginning with a reflection on Peace. Peace is a universal desire felt by us all, and yet why does it often feel elusive, or too much work, improbable, or only comes by chance? If God is a God of Peace, and His goal is for Peace, what seems to be the problem? What we discover in the story of Advent is that Peace is a person who invites us to lean into the story of peace being written for human history.
This is the final week of our fall series where we’ll see that “the last chapter” of our story is simply the first in a far better one! From the beginning to the end of our story, we can see God’s undying commitment to make His home with us. From the garden to the tabernacle to Jesus himself, we can track with God’s active pursuit of humans and His plan to dwell with people (Revelation 21:3). The good news though? We don’t have to wait until the end to make our home with God!
We love plot twists. Some of our favorite books and movies have really unexpected moments. But what about plot twists in our own stories? This Sunday we’ll talk about the moments when things don’t go as we’d hoped. It can be painful, and obviously, we have God’s promises and the reassurance of his presence and purpose in the midst of pain. But in between the pain and the promise is an important (and Biblical) process called lament - expressing grief or sorrow in the face of loss. Here we will look at different Biblical portraits of lament, leading us closer to God’s heart and an application of his promises.
In this message we'll talk about how to find our place in God's Story. How can we "be filled" with His Spirit and used to impact the lives of others?
In this message we'll talk about redemption and radical transformation. How can Christ’s death lead to a better story, and what does this mean for us as image-bearers?
A question we’ve asked recently in our series is “How do we engage people with God’s story?” Last week we looked at John 4 (Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well) and this week, we’ll open to Acts 17 where Paul reasons with the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica and Berea “from the Scriptures.” But in Athens, where the Scriptures weren’t known or respected, he takes a totally different approach.
As we enter into week five of our series, having met the “main character,” identified the “supporting cast” and been introduced to the “antagonist” of our story, we’ll now examine the aftermath of our departure from God’s story. Along the way though, we’ll see God reiterate his original promise (from Genesis 3:15) to send a redeemer and crush the power of the enemy. In this message, we meet this Redeemer! We’ll spend time appreciating how he interacted with those who were far from God.
We’ll continue our fall series by looking at Genesis 3. If God created everything good, how come there’s so much bad in the world? Where does war come from? What about corruption and violence? And is there any hope for getting this story back on track?
Over the last few weeks, we’ve discovered the role God plays as author, main character, and setting of “A Better Story.” But where does that leave us? In this message, we look at the role humanity plays in the story of God.
We’re in a series called “A Better Story” where we’re diving into the Christian story and comparing it to the narratives around us. Our culture often does a better job of telling compelling stories, but these stories are far from better. Most are riddled with empty promises and rife with contradictions. But what the world needs is not to hear how wrong they are, they need to hear a better story. This week, we’ll explore some key elements of our story, starting with the question, “Who’s the main character?”
For the next 10 weeks, we’ll dive into the Christian story and compare it to the stories of the world. Stories grab people’s attention. They activate the imagination and engage our emotions, which is partly why Jesus’ default teaching method - whether speaking on forgiveness or love or caring for our neighbor - was to tell stories. But our culture has recently done a far better job telling stories and capturing hearts and minds than the church. The good news though is that while our culture’s stories may be captivating, they’re far from better. In this series, we’ll unpack the primary elements of this “Better Story,” including an exploration of the main character and the role of humans. We’ll also zoom in on the seditious “rewrites” and role reversals that have taken place along the way. But ultimately, we’ll learn how to understand our own stories (including the unwelcomed “plot twists”) and talk about how to engage with the stories of others. Because after all, what the world needs is not to hear how wrong they are. They need to hear a better story.
For this second week of our “Life Together” series, we’ll focus on what it means to extend the life-changing grace and truth of Jesus.
With all the needs around us, we can easily feel overwhelmed. What do we do when the burdens, either the burdens of others or the burdens we carry, are too much? In this message, we’ll be looking at Mark 6:30-44, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. We’ll see an interesting response to the needs and an unsung hero that Jesus uses.
In the final message of our Summer in the Psalms series, Don Partain preaches on Psalm 139.
Last week we talked about three types of “floods” we experience as humans: Relational conflict, personal sin and societal ungodliness. In this follow-up message from Psalm 85 where we’ll look at several passages and highlight a “counter-flood” of righteousness, justice and the glory of the Lord “covering the earth as the waters cover the seas.” But what is God’s strategy for bringing about this counter-flood?
We’re continuing our way through the Psalms with a look at Psalm 93. Every one of us experiences “floods”- relational conflict, personal sin, ungodliness in the world. We’ll walk through these experiences in light of the fact that “God is mightier than the flood!”
Pastor Micah shares a message from Psalm 62 and gives an update on some recent changes in the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
In this message we explore Psalms 130. The Psalmist leads us into a deep understanding of the weight of personal sin and the even greater weight of God’s grace and redemption, helping us see how God’s redemptive work leads us into a deeper love and deeper fear in our relationship with Him.
In this message we look at Psalm 145, focusing on God as King, the Kingdom that He brings, and what it means to live for that Kingdom.
We’re continuing our “Summer in the Psalms” series this Sunday by looking at Psalms 84:5-7. In this Psalm, the author uses the idea of “pilgrimage” to give us a picture of the work of God across the spectrum of our lives. How can this idea help us recognize God at work in the everyday details of our lives? And what about those places that we’d rather avoid?
Psalms is a rich book capturing the whole spectrum of the human experience. There are psalms of praise, of hope, of crying, of questioning, and psalms of glory. This book shows us how we can worship God through all the circumstances we face and how God meets us right in the midst of them. We will start our summer in the Psalms in the most fitting chapter: Psalms 1.
In this Easter message, we will be focusing on the responses of those who were closest to Him. What does the Bible say about their reactions to this awe-inspiring, life-changing event? How can we be encouraged when we find ourselves face-to-face with the work of God in our own lives?
Palm Sunday - day we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Together we will see Jesus proclaim that He is the King the Jews--and all the world--have waited for. Check out this message as we kick off Passion Week looking at our true King in Matthew 21:17.
Paul has pointed to the humble, obedient life of Christ as the example we are to follow. But how do we live up to such a life? How can we be empowered for a life of obedience, and what is God’s role in the process?
In this message we will open the book of Philippians to chapter 2, verses 1-11. This passage is a wellspring of belief and practice for the Christian faith. Through it, we are given an often missed picture of God. A picture of a Humble God. A Humble Lord who is over all things.
This message is based on Philippians 1:27-30, where Paul reminds the church who they are and how they are called to live together in the midst of struggles and suffering.
If someone were to ask you what your life was all about, how would you respond? What would your friends or family say? The world is offering us a lot of answers to a question like this, but what does the Bible have to say? Paul gives us his answer in Philippians 1:21-26. So what does he mean by “to live is Christ, and to die is gain?”
Don Partain leads us in looking at Philippians 1:12-20, pointing to how God can “turn a disadvantage into an advantage.”
In the third week of our Philippians series, Pastor Kyle Smith from Anchor Church will be sharing from Philippians 1:6, 9-11.
In Week Two of our Philippians series, Paul addresses the church of Philippi over a decade after it was planted. Paul’s deep love and joy for this church are obvious. The first lesson we learn from the book of Philippians is that joy is not found in circumstances. Rather, God leads us to joy in unexpected places.
This message kicks off our new series in Philippians! We will be looking at the birth of the church in Philippi - a group of unexpected people in an unexpected place. How does their beginning help us understand the context of the book, and what can we learn about a God who works in the unexpected?
In this message as we conclude our "Still" series, we will be looking at Psalm 23:1-4. What is it exactly that makes Jesus our “Good Shepherd,” and how do those things allow us to “be still and know that He is God?”
In the third message of our "Still" series we will see how Jesus offers us stillness not only when life is easy but in the midst of life's storms. Wherever Jesus is present, we can know that He is God and "Be Still."
This is the second message in our "Still" series where we're responding to God's invitation to "be still and know." This week we'll look at yet another Psalm (121) where we'll see that even when we're sleeping, God is still working.
We’re beginning a four-week series this coming Sunday called “Still.” In this series, we’ll be exploring God’s invitation for us to “be still and know.” To know that He is God, that He’s working (even when we’re sleeping), that He’s with us in the storm and in “the valley of the shadow of death.” Where are you experiencing anxiety right now? Turmoil? Fear? Kick off the New Year right by entering into God’s rest and experiencing joy in His presence.
Joy can be hard to define, but we know it when we experience it. What does the Bible say about joy, and how can it be something we experience in a broken and fallen world?
We’re continuing in our four-week teaching series in this message with the topic of Love. What is the love of the God? What does it look like?
In the first message of our Advent series we start with Hope - what is it, where does it come from and what difference does it make?
As we conclude our “Woke” series, we’ll finish with a call to love. Specifically, we’re going to explore what it means to live as “the aroma of Christ” in the world (2 Corinthians 2:15). One theologian said, “Apart from a mighty awakening and revival in the church, we are fighting a losing battle because we are resisting on carnal levels.” If we as God’s people don’t wake up, step up, and live out our God-given calling, there will be no hope for our world. In this last message we explore what it means to live as the aroma of victory and love in a world that’s desperate for both.
What does it feel like to experience victory? To really win at something? In contrast, what does it feel like to lose? We can easily tell the difference between someone who's celebrating victory and someone who's experiencing defeat. The question is: Which group are you a part of? For the last two weeks of our "Woke" series, we'll be talking about the victory we have in Jesus, and most importantly, what it means to live as victorious people.
Our next message in the "Woke" series will build on last week's reminder that "He who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world." If this is true, then we should expect divine power to overcome temptation - and that's exactly what God promises! Being aware of our enemy does no good if we're not also engaging the power God gives through his Holy Spirit. We will look at parts of Romans 8 and talk about how to practically "put to death the deeds of the body."
We are continuing our "Woke" series in this message by seeing the "Sword of the Spirit" in action, looking at Luke 4 - Christ's temptation in the wilderness. We'll see Jesus use the Word of God to defeat the enemy as well as answer a question of identity.
As we shift our focus from being "aware," to making sure we're "armed," we'll talk this week about the Armor of God. This is a familiar theme (from Ephesians 6) where Paul outlines several ways we can protect and arm ourselves against the threats of the enemy. But before we talk about our spiritual weapons, we're going to discuss some "fleshly" weapons we often pick up. It's clear that God calls us to fight - but which fights are we to be involved in?
As we conclude the first three weeks of our series and "raising awareness" of our enemy (as well as our tendency to cooperate in his schemes), we shift the focus of being equipped to responding to the world, the flesh and the devil. We'll learn this week that simply being aware of a threat doesn't help unless we're also armed. But before we talk about the tools God has provided, we'll begin with the most basic way we arm ourselves - not with a weapon or a Bible verse, but with a mindset, a willingness to endure the resistance associated with the Christian life.
For the second week of our fall series, we'll be addressing the following questions: Who is our enemy? Where does Satan come from? What is he like? How can we recognize his activity in our lives; in the world around us? Join us for this next message as we seek to be awake and aware of the enemy's schemes and live out our calling as God's people.
Our world is saturated with competing views of what to think and how to act, along with pressure to "stay informed" and ultimately accept culture's view of what's right and wrong. But what does God say about all this? The irony surrounding "woke" is that in all our awareness of cultural issues, we often live unaware of the real threat to our souls. We have an enemy who's working overtime to "steal, kill and destroy." In this message, we start by talking about Jesus' priority related to this enemy. We'll also learn how to respond and not be "unaware of his schemes."
For the second week of our "Life Together" series, we'll be looking at John 1:19-46 and talking about what it means to "Extend Jesus" and live as a witness of what Jesus has done for us. In this passage, we'll see the testimonies of several people and how the message of Jesus rapidly spreads - to friends, family members and even one skeptic.
Pastor Micah shares about who we are as a church - our vision for ministry, our commitment to community, and most importantly, our focus on Jesus. MAC's mission statement includes a commitment to "embracing and extending the life-changing grace and truth of Jesus." But who is Jesus, and how practically do we embrace His grace and truth in our lives?
We are a busy people. Even if you're not busy, you have to admit, our culture does "busy" better than "rest." At creation, God modeled rest for us and then gave us the gift of "Sabbath." Jesus described Sabbath as something God made for man - for our refreshment. But how do we do Sabbath? Is it even valid for today? What specific purposes has God assigned to this ancient practice?
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." Many of you know these words. Some may even be able to quote the next few lines. But what do they mean? For this next message in our series on refreshment, we'll look at Proverbs 3 and three areas where we tend to lean on our own understanding- but we'll also highlight the contrasting Way of Wisdom which leads to life, success and refreshment!
We're continuing our series "Streams in the Desert" where we recently highlighted the importance of God's Word in our refreshment (Psalm 19:7). This assumes we're reading and applying His Word, but what about times when our experience contradicts what we know to be true? We say "God works all things for good," but have you ever wondered whether that was totally true? We know that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," but have you every felt condemned anyway?" This Sunday, we'll look at a brutally honest portrait of this tension: Psalm 42. In this Psalm, we find certain external challenges to our faith, as well as the internal dialogue we all know so well. Most importantly, we also learn how to respond to these challenges.
For this sixth message of this series, we'll be looking at Psalm 1 and talking about the importance of God's Word for our refreshment and flourishing. We'll explore the contrast between the "wicked" (walks according to the counsel of the world) and the "righteous" (delights in God's law).
We will be continuing our "Streams in the Desert" series in this message by looking at "Life in the Body." What role does our physical body play in the need for refreshment? Do the needs of our body impact the health of our souls, and if so, how do we honor the limits God has given us?
Do you ever feel like God is leading you through a desert; through times where there's nothing you can do? We're in a series called "Streams in the Desert," and our tendency is to focus on the word "streams." But how often do we stop to consider God's purpose for the desert in our lives?
Where does refreshment come from? God's Spirit, the One who "hovered over the waters" before Creation, the Wind who blows through the Church and the One who brings the dead to life - He is the One who also wants to replace the musty, stale air in our souls and bring "times of refreshing" from His presence.
With temperatures rising and days getting longer, more and more people are finding time to be near water. Whether floating the river, going to the lake, or drinking a tall glass of cold water, I think we can agree that water is refreshing! This Sunday we'll be continuing our "Streams in the Desert" series as we talk about "the Fountain of Living Water" (Jesus) and our chronic tendency to walk away from the fountain in search of something better. But God continually pursues and is committed to bringing us back to places of refreshment in His presence.
Summertime is here and we are ready to kick off our summer series! As we move into the hottest time of the year, we can count on the fact that we will be looking for refreshment. What are the ways that God brings refreshment? What are some practices we can engage in to be refreshed, regardless of what is going on around us?
In this message we conclude our series on the Kingdom of God as we explore the question of what's coming. Last week we emphasized the importance of being ready, but it begs the question: "Ready for what?" There are many perspectives on end times topics, such as the rapture, the role of Israel, views on the millennium and the nature of heaven. Furthermore, there's far more to this conversation than we can effectively cover in one week. But on Sunday, we'll be exploring and explaining three things that we can know for sure: Jesus' Kingdom will come, death will be destroyed and creation will be redeemed! Our hope is that you've experienced more of God's "color" throughout this series - more of His presence, joy and purpose in your life.
"Are you ready?" To answer this question we have to know "for what?" Ready for church? For retirement? Based on our answer, we can then determine what it takes to be ready. We're nearing the end of our "Colorful Kingdom" series and this week we're talking about how to live ready for the coming Kingdom of Jesus. Our world is flooded with ideas on how to live and what's important but Jesus is coming back and whatever details surround his return, one theme is consistent in his teachings on this event: We need to be ready! But how can we be ready? In this message we will look at two parables from Matthew 24-25 which illustrate two things that Jesus considers to be important for those who desire to live "ready."
Do you ever feel powerless? Against sin in your life? Against evil in the world? Powerless to make a positive difference in the lives of those around you? We often approach the "Kingdom of God" as something to be learned or understood, but the Bible says "the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power." (1 Corinthians 4:18-20). God wants us to experience his sovereign rule and ability to live as citizens of His Kingdom and engage in His work in the world. In this message we will look at Mark 12:28-34.
We will be continuing our series on the Kingdom of God by looking at the values of this colorful kingdom. If you were to describe the kingdom in practical terms, what would it look like? What is the defining mark of someone who is living under God's rule in the kingdom? What are practical steps we can take to allow more color into our lives in this area?
"When is the Kingdom of God? What does it look like?" The Jews in Jesus' day had very specific expectations of what the Kingdom would look like. But rather than the sudden, complete political and national restoration of Israel, Jesus went around healing, forgiving and teaching on the Kingdom. This is one of the main reasons the Jews "did not receive" Jesus (John 1:11). Has God's Kingdom already come, or are we still waiting for it?
Jesus talked a lot about the Kingdom - what it is, who's invited and how to enter. In this message, we're going to look at a parable Jesus told in Mark 4 where the Kingdom of God is compared to a farmer sowing seed. After the parable, Jesus' disciples ask for an explanation, to which He replies, "To you has been given the secret of the Kingdom of God..." What is this secret? Is it the same thing as other secrets (or "mysteries") mentioned in the New Testament ( the mystery of godliness, the mystery of marriage, etc.)? This message continues our series with a discussion of the importance of responding to Jesus' words in our journey into His Colorful Kingdom.
We're in a new series about the Kingdom of God and exploring the nature of God's rule and reign in our lives. We started last week with the basic question, "What is the Kingdom?" It starts with God's rule, but it also represents God's desire for us to acknowledge His rule, come under His authority and actively engage in His work in the world. Jesus promised His followers "abundant life" and Paul described the Kingdom as an experience of "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
Jesus talked a lot about the Kingdom - what it is, where it is, who's invited and how to enter. God's Kingdom is a theme throughout the Bible where it's compared to a feast, a seed and a treasure in the field. Believers in the Old Testament looked forward to the Kingdom but misunderstood the nature of its coming. We today live in the kingdom, yet are still waiting for it. To be sure, the Kingdom is a thrilling subject! But for many, life in the Kingdom (Christianity) feels less like a thrilling adventure with God than a series of obligatory routines. But Jesus came to give us "abundant life!" Paul describes the Kingdom with the words "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." In other words, it's a Colorful Kingdom! We're starting an eight-week series with the same name where we'll dig into the life Jesus offers us now by his spirit, but also the glorious future that awaits us!
In this message we will be looking at the account given in Matthew 21. As we see all the disruption caused by Jesus entering the city, He invites those around Him to be part of something bigger. How do they respond to these invitations? How might the disruptions in our own lives be invitations into something deeper?
As we conclude our series in Nehemiah, we might prefer to find a "happily ever after" ending, but we do not. Instead, the people go back on their prior commitments to God's Covenant. Nehemiah returns to Babylon, and while he's gone, corruption spreads, Sabbath is disregarded, and God's instructions about intermarrying with other nations are ignored. But how does Nehemiah respond? What can we learn about our own sin? This ending might discourage us, but as we've already seen, God is "ready to forgive" - and he proved this to us by sending His own Son to die in our place! No matter how much we've failed, the stain of our sin is gloriously eclipsed by the magnitude of Jesus' love for us at the cross.
As we continue in our series through Nehemiah, we see the people responding to the work of God in worship. But what role does worship play in our lives? How can God's work in our lives lead us to a broader definition of worship? How might that broader definition invite others to experience God?
The exiles are home, the wall is completed and the people are rebuilding their relationship with God. But there's still a lot of work to do. Nehemiah 7:4 says "The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt." You can't have life without people, so Nehemiah's next step is to re-populate Jerusalem. To do this, he employs a kind of lottery system ("lots" - Proverbs 18:18) where one in ten people from the surrounding villages were chosen to move to the city. This week we'll consider what these people gave up in order to live in Jerusalem - and also what they gained. We'll also explore what it could look like for us to relocate closer to God and his presence.
No one likes to admit when they’re wrong, but this is what we’ve been seeing with God’s people in the book of Nehemiah. They’ve finished the wall and now they’re rebuilding their relationship with God, starting with repentance and confession. Last week (Chapter 9) was a “general” confession of wrong-doing (“You have been righteous…and we have acted wickedly”) but this week in chapter 10, the people move into specific things they had done wrong, or failed to do that God had required. This leads the people to recommit to the Covenant in three specific areas- Marriage, Sabbath, and God’s house.
Nehemiah and the people have completed the wall and started rebuilding their lives - beginning with the priority of worship. Chapter 8 tracks the people's response to God's Word ("The Book of the Law of Moses"), which leads to repentance, rejoicing and right living. As we move into chapter 9, there's a new response added, something we haven't seen since chapter 1. It's confession. This Sunday, we'll look at the people's confession of their sin before God, always bookended by His mercy and faithful pursuit of them in their rebellion. Like repentance, confession is a response to God's Word - who God is and what He requires.
We're halfway through a series in the book of Nehemiah where the focus has shifted from the wall (which is done!) to God's people. After prioritizing relationship with God and ensuring connection with God's people, Nehemiah (with the help of Ezra ) then facilitates among the people a process of repentance, rejoicing, and proper response to God's Word. This Sunday, we'll look at chapter 8 where the people request to hear "the book of the Law" (the first 5 books of the Bible) and then demonstrate clear evidence that God's hand is indeed upon them.
The first half of Nehemiah focuses on rebuilding the wall - but if that was their only goal, the book of Nehemiah would have been much shorter than it is. One of our temptations in the church can be to focus on projects (parking lots, building plans, service orders) and in the process lose sight of people. God's aim wasn't just rebuilding a wall but restoring His people. This week we'll be finishing Chapter 6 where Nehemiah seeks to strengthen their relationship with God and confirm their connection to God's people in Chapter 7. We'll also discuss possible evidence that led his enemies to conclude "this work had been done with the help of their God."
The opposition continues this week as Nehemiah's enemies (having failed to get inside or turn the people against each other) attempt to draw Nehemiah out. And this is one of Satan's best strategies: He lies to us in order to lure us out of the safety of community. But Nehemiah doesn't fall for it! Instead, he responds with truth - about who he is, the importance of the work, and God's Word regarding how they're called to live.
We will be continuing our "Rise Up and Rebuild" series in this message by looking at Nehemiah chapter 5. After facing opposition from the outside, we get a glimpse of the internal conflict rising up as the rebuilding continues. How do we stay united when things get tough? What is the real work that God wants to do in difficult times? Who can we look to as an example?
Have you ever been scared to identify as a Christian? Ever felt discouraged by your lack of ability or success in some area of your life? All of us have experienced resistance, felt the struggle and found ourselves discouraged. As we move forward into Nehemiah 4, we'll see not only the reality of opposition for those who walk with God but also our appropriate response to opposition. What do we do when people oppose us? How do we react when conflict comes?
For our series in the book of Nehemiah, we'll be moving into chapter 3 this week where we see the people "Rise up and Rebuild." One thing we notice is that this isn't just a story about Nehemiah but about a PEOPLE who band together to do the work God has called them to do. It's true that God put it in Nehemiah's heart to rebuild, but He also invited every person into the work.
If we take an honest look at our lives, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the mess. How did we get here? We may even seem "put together" on the outside, but a sincere personal evaluation can be too much to bear. If we look further, we can see our country, city, neighbors, and families need help too. Where do we start? How can we recover? Nehemiah has taken a close look around and discovered the true extent of the mess. As we continue our series through the book of Nehemiah this week, we'll see how the rebuilding begins and where we can find the courage to move forward. We are not in this alone.
What's the scariest thing you've ever done? We're continuing our series in the book of Nehemiah, a real life, honest portrait of how to respond when things have fallen apart. Nehemiah humbles himself and confesses his sin, but also musters the courage to approach the king. The fact that he's "very afraid" doesn't stop him from stepping out and trusting God, or from revisiting the wreckage of his homeland in order to assess the damage and start rebuilding.
We've all seen things fall apart and not go the way we hoped. The question is, "What do we do when that happens?" This message is the first in our series in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah provides an honest, real life portrait of how to move forward when things fall apart. He models humility and repentance, but also courage and resolve in the face of opposition. Our hope is that this series will equip each of us to return to whatever wreckage we face, survey the damage, and move forward with clarity in the rebuilding process.
Most of us want more peace - in our relationships, in our country, in our hearts. But how do we find peace? We're in the last message of a series based in Isaiah 9:6 where we learn that Jesus is called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father," and finally, "Prince of Peace." In our quest for peace, we often target symptoms - "Stop fighting! Ban weapons! Pass legislation!" But in this message, we'll look at Isaiah's picture of what underlies peace, two unique elements which enable Jesus' peace to permeate every area of our lives.
We're in a sermon series called "He Shall Be Called" where we're looking at the four Messianic names for Jesus listed in Isaiah 9:6. In this message, we consider Jesus as "Everlasting Father." This can seem like a contradiction since Jesus is not the Father, but Jesus attests in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one." This Sunday, we'll explore three characteristics of our heavenly Father, and also acknowledge our vastly different experiences of "father" on earth. It's obvious that the enemy is strategically attacking this role, which has led to verifiable statistical increases in many personal and societal problems. Nonetheless, our Father hasn't changed. He reveals who He is was, and always will be. He is the one who promises to heal the wounds left by our earthly fathers and meet the needs that have gone unmet.
"Is anything too hard for God?" Most would say, "No, God can do anything." However, in the course of our daily lives, it can be a struggle to believe that God will provide for all our needs. In this message, we look at Jesus as "Mighty God." There is no flaw in His understanding, no limit to His love. He gives strength to the weary and salvation to those in distress. He redeems brokenness and gives us power to comprehend His love and stand firm in our faith. Where do you need God's power today?
This message kicks off our Advent Series titled "He Shall Be Called." We will be looking at four descriptions of Jesus taken from Isaiah 9:6. Our first message is focusing on Jesus as our "wonderful counselor." Why was this title important to the nation of Israel during Isaiah's day, and how might it apply to us?
This message marks the last week of our "Like Jesus" series. After spending two chapters to systematically deconstruct our misguided attempts at righteousness, Jesus in Matthew 7:13 invites us to "enter." Enter life; enter his Kingdom. But Jesus also warns that many who seek to enter won't be able to do so. He warns of those who have the appearance of followers but whose fruit betrays them. He warns, but then also encourages and explains how to enter and how to have a life that's solid and stands the test of time.
In this message we look at Matthew 6:19-34 and ask ourselves the question "What do I treasure?" As Jesus redirects our focus to eternal things, this can lead us to worry about our daily needs. Jesus provides us with much needed relief with an opportunity to trust God like never before.
At the end of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is touching on our universal desire for vindication - in other words, to know that we're justified in God's eyes. But as we turn to chapter 6, Jesus shifts the focus to our desire to be valued. Every one of us wants to be liked, to be noticed and even honored for our accomplishments. These aren't always bad desires, but it's how we go about satisfying these desires that matters. In this message, we'll look at the first 18 verses of chapter 6 where we learn how to Pray Like Jesus. We'll see how the practice of prayer isn't just a box we check but it's the way we experience transformation - not just in our actions, but at the level of our motivation.
We've seen how Jesus interprets the Old Testament commands on how we are to love God and love people, but what about people who are hard to love? How are we to respond when we feel mistreated? What about the people we consider our enemies?
When Jesus arrives on the scene, He announces the coming of a new kingdom. With this announcement comes an invitation to become new people with a new way of life. But how does this affect the old way of relating to God and His commands? Join us as we take a look at how Jesus views and interprets the Bible as we continue our "Like Jesus" series with a look at Matthew 5:17-37.
In this message, we'll be reading Matthew 5:13-16 and talking about what it means for Christians to live as "Salt and Light" in the world.
In this message, we look at Matthew 5:1-12 - what we commonly refer to as the "Beatitudes." Jesus mentions here those who are "blessed" in the kingdom of Heaven. But what does blessed mean? How can we receive a blessing in things that seem so contrary to our view of blessing?
In this message that kicks off our Fall Series, "Like Jesus," we look at Matthew 4, where Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days and tempted by Satan. We can’t LIVE like Jesus if we’re not LED like Jesus. What does it mean to be led like Jesus? Listen to this message to hear how we can take practical steps of faith to be Spirit-led and walk in obedience with Jesus.
We conclude our FaceTime series with a look at how God created us for relationship. The first thing we see in the Bible that God calls "not good" is the reality that Adam was alone, but God's solution for this problem was to create a "suitable helper" for Adam. The word "suitable" literally means "one who faces you," so not just an assistant to help, but someone with whom to share life. Bottom line: we need each other, and not just because of the importance of human relationships, but because the Body of Christ is the primary place where God has chosen to manifest His presence and power. What this means is that the acceptance, encouragement, healing and joy we receive from one another, we're really receiving from Jesus. The opposite though is also true - when we're isolated from the Body, we won't experience acceptance, encouragement, healing and joy in the way God intended.
God wired our brains for recognizing and responding to facial expressions. We quickly discern anger, apathy and disapproval - as well as happiness, joy and approval. These experiences affect us physically, emotionally and spiritually, and God designed it that way. Simply put, we need face time! In this message we'll talk about the importance of face time with God and the connection in scripture between God's face and His favor, as well as our personal experience of joy! But where do we "see" God's face? Can we even expect to enjoy His ongoing favor?
In this final message of "The Gospel Is.." series, we will be looking at the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 and seeing how it applies to us today. What can we learn about the Father's heart towards those who are in need? And how does the gospel message meet us in that place?
We are continuing our series titled, "The Gospel is..." by looking at Mark 16. Pastor Kyle Smith from Anchor Church shares about how the message of the resurrection was a message to Peter in a season of failure as well as the faithful disciples. Whether we're in a season of faithfulness or faithlessness, we all need the message of the gospel.
What's so good about the Good News? In this message, Brian Lee shares on how the Good News radically changes our lives and all that we can experience when we choose to follow Jesus.
In the midst of division, the gospel changes everything. What we have in Jesus is greater than anything that divides us.
In this message we will be looking at "The Gospel is the Power of God" taken from Romans 1:16. What does the Scripture mean by "power"? What implications does this have for our lives as followers of Christ and the world around us?
This message concludes our "All Things" series by looking at the story of Eve. Most of us are familiar with her story, but what does the Bible say about her? The few details given to us paint a picture of someone with whom many of us can identify. We will be looking at her life through the lens of loss, seeing how God responds, and learning how to respond to our own shortcomings and failures.
This message looks at the story of a young Jewish girl named Esther who lived in a foreign land, belonged to an unpopular nationality, and had parents who died. Considering Esther’s experience, it might have been easy for her to doubt God’s promise - that he’s working “all things for good.” But as the story unfolds, God leads Esther to a place where she realized her potential to accomplish good. As we look at Esther’s story, we’ll also be addressing our natural tendency (like Esther) to “stay silent,” but we’ll also be asking what opportunities exist for each of us to bring “relief and deliverance” in our world, to speak up and step out - “for such a time as this.” In the end, Esther did what she could, asked for help, and trusted God with the outcome.
As we continue unpacking the promise that God works in all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28), we’ll be looking this week at the real-life drama of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet who carried God’s message of not only warning and judgment, but also love to a people who had wandered away. Rather than telling Hosea the message, God invites Hosea into the experience of being treated unfaithfully by giving him some…unconventional instructions. Through his obedience, Hosea reminds the people of a God who plants, who punishes sin, but who also pursues unfaithful people and stays faithful, even when we’re not.
The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our freedom and independence as Americans. As we take time to celebrate, we want to ask the question, "what does it mean to be DEPENDENT on God?" We will be looking at a few of our favorite verses and giving some practical tips on ways to rely on Him.
The book of Job chronicles the story of a man who experienced more devastation, disappointment, and disillusionment than most people ever will. But through his experience, Job came to see God in a way he never had before. This message celebrates God's goodness and sovereignty, even in the midst of suffering.
Psalm 40:1-5 In these verses, David describes his experience being in "the pit of despair," but he also reveals what he did in that place - he waited for the Lord. This message highlights four "good things" that came as a result of David's decision to wait for the Lord
Genesis 50 We're in a series called "All Things" where we'll be looking this week at the life of Joseph. Few people in the Bible faced more disappointment, betrayal or injustice than Joseph. But few serve as a more vivid example of God's promise to "work all things for good" for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
2 Corinthians 1 This week as we continue further into this chapter, Paul takes us deeper into his experience of affliction - and deeper into his experience of God. Specifically, in those moments when we feel "despair," God wants to grow our trust and dependence upon Him, as well as our hope for what's coming!
2 Corinthians 1
God's "purpose" is to make us more like Jesus - but what does this mean? For one, we addressed last week the reality of weakness (which Jesus embraced) as a conduit through which God's power is perfected. This message discusses the role of affliction in our lives as one of the ways God "works for good" in preparing us to come alongside others who are afflicted - which again, Jesus did so well.