Austin Life Church: Recent Episodes
Austin Life Church
We are all about loving God, loving others, and leading people to the fullness of life found in Jesus. We'll do this as we move upward towards loving God, inward towards loving one another, and outward towards leading all people in all places to the fullness of life found in Jesus. austinlifechurch.com
Being a Living Sacrifice for God is not just because of what Jesus has done for us. Wholistically, it is because of what God will do through us!
The kindness of God is that He takes our mistakes, what the enemy means for evil, and leverages it for good. Israel’s rejection of God is one of those events the enemy meant for evil, but God turned around and used for good. For our good. For their good. For the good of the world.
God promised to keep and preserve Israel throughout history for the purpose of His story of salvation. But has He given up? Has He rejected them? No. Even when it seems lost, God is keeping His promise.
The only way we can be made righteous is by making Jesus the Lord of our lives. There's no amount of effort or good deed that will earn us a place with Him; there are no shortcuts, all that is required is faith and devotion to Christ!
In Paul’s focus on salvation being the Lord’s, he asks and answers key questions around if God is just in being in control of salvation. The answer? Yes. Because it is God’s mercy to give in the first place.
Regardless of background, one thing that is certain, and that we must understand, is that salvation belongs to the Lord. It is His choice and promise for us to be saved.
In this spiritual war where we are called to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy, we must learn and commit to putting prayer into our lives. It is not something we “put on” like other pieces of armor, but rather, it is in prayer that we actually put on the armor of God. In prayer is where we find our strength in the Lord.
In this spiritual battle, we must take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, so that we can defend against attacks of the enemy, and go on the offense to push back darkness around us.
Salvation is both a present and a future hope for believers. As we face a very real spiritual battle, Salvation is the hope we have to bring us to victory in Christ!
There is a real enemy whose aim is to bring death and widespread destruction. This enemy is not your neighbor or yourself; it is Satan. Our Faith, when taken up like a shield, defends us and extinguishes the flame of evil attacks.
The Gospel is for you, because it's going to someone else! We must be planted firmly with a readiness of the Gospel of peace. It is who we are made to be!
Perhaps our greatest need is to be in right standing with another, to be fully accepted and approved of. This is what the breastplate of righteousness is - full acceptance and right standing with God. And the devil will do anything, scheme in any way, to keep us from having it put on and from then continually putting it on.
We are instructed to stand firm and make our stand against the devil, against the domain of darkness. And in order to do so, we must be prepared and put on the full armor of God. To start with, we must put on the belt of truth; wrap our lives with God, His Word, and His ways.
We ARE in a cosmic battle between the domain of darkness and the kingdom of the Son. And if we are going to stand firm in this battle against the schemes of the devil, we must know where & when he is engaging in warfare.
The Scripture is clear that we must stand firm, and put on the full armor of God, so that we may resist and defeat the spiritual enemy opposed to us. But before we look at what we must do, we must start with what God has done for us. Because the true secret to our success is not what we do, but what God has done for us.
The reality of life is that we are presently, actively, caught up in a spiritual battle at all times. God is working for good, for life. The devil is working to steal, kill, and destroy. But the good news is that the One who is for us is greater than the one who is against us. So, let’s stand firm and push back darkness!
With all that we have received by faith in Christ, His Spirit living in us, who will complete the good work God has begun in us… if God is for us, who or what could possibly stand against us?
From before time began, God had a plan for us. He knew that we would mess up what He created us for and that Jesus would come to fix what we broke. When we trust Jesus and repent from trusting in ourselves and living our way, the Holy Spirit will come and live in us and do the work of God to not only apply what Jesus did but bring us to the end, when He will transform us into the image of Jesus.
To be adopted as God’s son or daughter, to be coheirs with Jesus, means we WILL suffer alongside Jesus. To follow Jesus is to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. Well, is He worth it?
When we have true faith in Jesus, full belief and full surrender to Him as Savior & Lord, the Holy Spirit comes and lives in us and fundamentally changes us, makes us new. In addition, when the Spirit of Christ lives in us, we become adopted into the family of God as His sons and daughters. Everything in the present and future changes.
Easter is the time when we remember the death, and even more so, the resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus did not die and rise from the dead just to put on a show. There was a reason. And that reason was to set us free from sin that we might live for Him!
At the end of Romans 7, Paul paints a painfully accurate picture of a person who is trapped and defeated by their sin and flesh. Apart from Christ, we too are like this person, but in Christ, we can have real victory over the sins that once trapped us.
As humans, we are all slaves to something. Meaning, something or someone is calling the shots for our lives, telling us what is true and how to live. For those under grace, we are slaves to righteousness, slaves to God and His ways. He calls the shots in our lives now!
In faith, we have shared with Christ a death to sin and resurrection to a newness of life! Sin can no longer reign in our lives. We are set free, so live set free!
Adam was supposed to lead us to a life of knowing, trusting, and following God. Instead, in his own passivity and disregard for God, he and Eve went their own way and brought sin into the world. Jesus on the other hand, did what Adam could not do, and has introduced a new and better way for us.
By faith in Jesus, our position before God is changed, and we are moved to a place of rejoicing and celebration in all that is to come! Praise be to God for His abundant blessings.
Often times when we look to faithful men and women of God who have gone before us, we judge their salvation by what we can see, the fruit in their lives. This was true of Jews with Abraham as well. But Paul tells us that even Abraham, the father of Judaism, was justified by faith alone. True faith. Faith that is fully convinced God is the One True God, that God is true to His Word, and thus surrendered to Him in all of life.
When we’ve believed something our entire lives, it’s difficult to just change what we believe. Can it really be that what makes me right with God has nothing to do with what I do, but wholly on what Jesus has done? Yes. Yes and amen! Our justification is wholly made possible by Jesus alone.
No one is good; no not one. Paul has spent the first 2.5 chapters of Romans communicating that no one - not the religious (Jews) or irreligious (Gentiles) - is right before God. But now, there is good news. Hope has come. God has justified us, made us right, through redemption in Jesus.
Christ did not come to the Earth to condemn us for our sins, but in order that through Him, we might be set free from the bondage of our sins! Paul reminds his Jewish brothers and sisters in Romans 3:9-20 that they are all under sin, just like the rest of humanity. It is because of this sin that we are in need of the Grace of Christ.
Early in the letter of Romans, Paul is wanting all people, whether Jew or Gentile, to know that God will righteously and impartially judge all according to their works. This truth is particularly challenging for the religious to understand and embrace, because they don’t see themselves as those to be judged. But God’s judgement is in fact impartial. Whether religious or irreligious, He will judge each impartially.
We are created to produce Godly fruit with our lives. And to do that, we must abide in Jesus; be connected, and remain connected. And we abide as we trust Jesus, and obey His commands. Well Jesus immediately gives us a command to obey - love one another. We are to love one another as He has loved us.
From the very beginning, God has intentionally designed us to work, to be active, to produce something with our lives. Fruit is what the Bible often calls the results of our work and our living. God has called us to bear fruit, produce good results with our lives that multiply, increase, reflect God’s Glory. How do we do that? We abide in Christ and keep His commandments.
We use the word love to mean many things. But the love of God for us primarily means the intentional choice to think and do what is kind, good, and best for another. God made the choice to love us, to do for us what is best. That is why Jesus came!
In Jesus we remember and celebrate that He is our source of great joy. In this world we all face various trials of various sizes. But in Jesus we have everlasting joy offered to us in spite of our sufferings.
We often times think of peace as the absence of conflict. And that is true. But it’s incomplete. Peace, as understood by the Biblical word peace, is both an absence of conflict, and the presence of flourishing. It is thriving free of stress and worry. And in Jesus we have peace with God, with one another, and within ourselves.
As was revealed to Simeon in Luke 2, Jesus coming to us to live just like us brings the fullness of Hope to believers. Even when we don't have the answers for why things feel hopeless, we can know our Savior stood in the same, difficult circumstances we too stand in. Our God is one who knows our heartache and gives true Hope!
Paul is addressing Jewish Christians in Rome to remind them that they are not "better than" the lost without the power of Christ. We have all sinned and are separated from God, but praise Jesus who lowered himself so we might be made righteous! Remember His holiness at work in you when interacting with others.
Paul is eager to preach the Gospel, for it is salvation from the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. In communicating the good news, Paul wants to help people see the bad news they are living in apart from the Gospel. The bad news being, that we walked away from God, and He let us have our way.
In John 20, the power of Jesus is on display as he calls the name of Lazarus and he comes out of the tomb. We see here that anything is possible when Jesus calls our name. So, how will you respond?
As Paul begins the body of his letter, he starts by telling the Romans why he is so eager to see them in person. He wants to mutually build one another up and reap a harvest among them by preaching the Gospel. The gospel according to Paul is the secret ingredient that brings life and helps a person grow, and Paul is obligated to, eager to, and unashamed to preach the Gospel.
Around the year 55 AD, Paul writes and sends a letter to the church in Rome to help explain the gospel of God so that the church will respond with gospel-fueled obedience - to His glory and their good.
As the story of Esther concludes, we see a great and remarkable reversal take place. What was meant for evil, the Lord turned and leveraged for good. And as people we are instructed and reminded to remember who God is and what He has done on our behalf.
God is a God who saves, who comes to our rescue. And the natural, and appropriate response to our rescue is rejoicing and gratitude.
Whether in this life, or the next, God will always oppose the proud, and lift up the humble. For His glory and the good of all people.
At all times, God is faithfully at work to fulfill His promise and lead us to abundant life in Him. Even when we cannot see Him, even when we don’t acknowledge Him, God is faithfully working for our good. For us, the questions are: Will we trust Him? And will we live in such a way to be ready and be used by Him?
God’s desire has never been for us to settle, to become complacent. God is always interested in us pouring our lives out, here and now, for the increase of His kingdom and for the good of others around us. We believe God is on the move in our body and is calling us to set roots in our city where we can multiply, increase, and bless others around us.
God is a God who relentlessly pursues every single one of us. God is a God who diligently seeks after us. Until we are found. Do we share the same heart as God? Do we relentlessly pursue the one that is in our life and needs to know and find life in Jesus?
We want to be a church, a people, of overflowing, cheerful generosity, giving generously of what we have first generously received from God. We must be these people! Overflowing, cheerful generosity is the way of God, and should be the way of His people – to His glory, to the good of others, and to our own good as well.
In closing this short letter, warning believers of false teaching creeping into the body of Christ, Jude directs our gaze back to Christ. Praise be to the Christ who presents us blameless to The Father with great joy!
As a people called to live under and contend for truth, we must keep ourselves in the love of God, while always showing mercy to those outside of faith and doing whatever we can to bring salvation to all.
While the church is meant to be a safe haven for all, there are those who seek to destroy it from the inside by luring us away from Christ. In this passage, Jude reminds his listeners of the dangers of those who deceive God's people, and he offers guidance for how to identify them from among the flock.
God is gracious, merciful and kind. But God is also just, Righteous Judge, and wrathful towards sin. This is good, right, and loving. We have the opportunity to repent and return. The choice is ours.
If a danger has entered into your presence, you can’t just sit idly by, but you must oppose it. This is the situation Jude is writing about. A dangerous and insidious faction has entered the community - perverters of grace - and it is imperative that they oppose lies for Truth.
Life comes with many challenges. Obeying the LORD even at times is challenging. That’s not a bad thing. It’s actually a good thing. We grow and learn more in the challenge than in the easy. The good news is that even as we traverse forward through various challenges, in the footsteps of the LORD we already have victory. He is a King, and His is a kingdom without fail and without end.
“But from this day on I will bless you.” What does it mean to be blessed by God? How do we get God’s blessing? Do we have to obey to get God’s blessing? The Israelites, in trusting and obeying, were blessed by God. We will be too.
What do we do when the road of obedience ahead of us seems too big to handle? What do we do when we feel small and dejected and defeated? When we are afraid of all that could go wrong? We look to and lean into the One who is bigger than any challenge and obstacle set before us. We keep moving forward no matter what, trusting that God is with us and will never let us down.
As people created for connection, we must learn the ways that God informs us to form, build, and keep those relationships. Today we look at the Biblical commands to honor one another, and to speak what is true and good to and of one another.
Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you did; they’ll forget what you said. But they’ll never forget how you made them feel.” People long to feel connected, long to belong, long to feel seen, wanted, valued. Nothing can make a person feel the complete opposite than not being welcomed in, not being show hospitality. In showing hospitality, we open the front door, pull up a chair, and invite others into our lives where they will find love and acceptance to grow and become all God has created them to be.
Probably one of the most difficult topics to discuss, loving one another. Something that is so simple, yet so complex. How is it that we are supposed to love one other then, and where can we get the power to love those around us? Listen as we look through scripture to see how the Spirit alone empowers us to truly love one another!
We are created for connection. We all long for, because we are designed this way, deep, lasting, secure relationships. But how do we build these friendships? How do we keep them? What do we do? First, we need to look to Jesus and trust Him as friend. But then, we need to commit to being the friend to others that we hope they will be to us.
Jesus wants us to know and be known by him deeply. In this sermon, we look at how Jesus views friendship with him, ad how we are to pursue that connection everyday.
Every single person desires to have deep, safe, lasting relationships. We all want to know and be known. And that’s because we are created for connection. In order to both survive, and thrive, we need relational connection with others. Both God and others. So how do we do this? Build, keep, nurture relational connection?
When we die, we will all face judgement before God. What will He say when we are judged? Guilty, or Righteous (Innocent)? We all know that we are not perfectly innocent before God. So what is our hope? Easter. The death and resurrection of Jesus to pay the price for our sins and justify us, make us right with God.
There are many things in life that can give us a blurry vision of who Jesus is. No matter what those things are for you, Mark 8 shows us that Jesus’s desire is that you may see him clearly for who he is! He tells us that when we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him, we see him clearly for who he fully is and get to live in the victory of his resurrection!
Sometimes, God will call us to receive from others. Sometimes God will call us to give to others. In both giving and receiving, we are to be in need. Why? So that we will learn experientially that He is the one who meets all our needs. So that we can learn to do all things - have or have not - in Christ who strengthens us.
As we press on to know and become like Jesus, we must learn the ways of following Jesus. Rejoice, be reasonable, do not be anxious but rather pray, think about what is good and right. As we establish these rhythms of life, we will better know and become like Jesus.
In our journey to know Jesus and become like Him, we must stand firm, knowing there is an adversary who wants nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy. We must be willing to identify and correct any weak points by which the enemy could attack. One of those weak points - disunity. We must agree in the Lord for the sake of knowing Jesus and becoming like Him.
By nature, we are creatures who observe, are influenced by, and then imitate others. It’s how God formed us. Which is why it is so so important to choose wisely who and what we let influence us and who / what we imitate. Since something is influencing us, we want to make sure we are being influenced toward Jesus, and not away from Him.
We all have goals and ambitions in life. But there is one ambition that is greater than all - knowing Christ. Since we are all a work in progress when it comes to knowing and becoming like Jesus, what do we do? We press on. We intentionally and relentlessly pursue knowing and becoming like Jesus.
How do you know you’re getting the real thing? No one wants to be duped in anything. How do we know that we truly have a relationship with God? Jesus, only Jesus. Jesus is our only and certain hope. Nothing else will do.
Our created purpose is to reflect God’s image with our lives, to become like Jesus. As Paul said in Philippians 2:12, we are to work out our salvation, put in the work to become like Jesus. Ok, I’m in. Now what? What does that look like? “Do everything without grumbling or disputing”. A life free of grumbling and disputing is a life that trusts and honors God well.
We all follow the lead of something, or someone that we believe is true, right, good and best for our lives. It’s just naturally how we are made. But what if we are following the wrong thing? Jesus invites us to follow Him, be His disciple, and thus find life.
Joy is a feeling of happiness, pleasures, and gladness. God is for our joy! In fact, He commands us to rejoice, to pursue and choose joy in our lives. But how? How do we feel joy? How do we pursue joy? “Behold”, the angel said, “I bring you good news of great joy for all people.” In the birth of Jesus, joy came to us. May we be filled with eternal joy in Jesus the Christ.
The Bible defines peace both as the absence of conflict AND the presence of wholeness. Who doesn’t want peace? We all do! Where does this peace come from? How do we get it? That first Christmas, Jesus was born, and He was called by Isaiah, the Prince of Peace. If we want to know peace, it starts and ends with Jesus.
Advent is time of waiting, watching, anticipating Jesus. He came once, as promised. And He will come again, as promised. This is a sure and certain hope. In the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we have a steadfast hope to lean on and carry us to the end. Jesus is our hope.
Paul continues his message to the Philippians that with their whole lives, become like Jesus, work out your salvation. It’s God who first works for us and then continually in us, so that we can actually work out what He has worked in.
In order to live lives worthy of the Gospel of Jesus, lives of loving God and loving others, we must do nothing out of selfish ambition, and everything out of other ambition. We must learn how to consider others as more significant than ourselves and look to their interest and not just our own.
The Church in Philippi faced real, tangible persecution. Paul’s call the them was to be unified by their likeness in Christ to stand firm in the face of persecution. When the church is unified in Christ, His good news is illuminated through them. He is worth whatever cost comes from being unified in Him. We can learn so much from what Paul is teaching the Philippians about living together in unity in the midst of a divisive culture.
"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This proverb speaks to hope, to optimism, to finding good in a sour situation. Paul, while writing in prison, being afflicted by others who should be brothers, potentially facing the death penalty, is still living a life of joy. How? Because what makes a good day for Paul is being able to honor Christ. And he is able to honor Christ regardless of circumstance. And guess what? So can you and I.
Philippians is known to be a letter written with much joy. Why so much joy? Because of love in action. The Philippians are practitioners of love, which compels Paul to pray that they would abound in more and move love. May we be practitioners of love and ask God for love to abound in us, and in others.
The letter to the Philippians was written by Paul, with the help of Timothy, for the purpose of encouraging the church in Philippi to joyfully live their lives in a manner worthy of Christ while maintaining unity and taking every opportunity to advance the gospel of Jesus.
Faith is belief that moves us to action. Faith is not real faith unless it moves us to trust and live according to that belief. Habakkuk is faced with a decision in the midst of calamity: will he trust and follow God even though God’s ways are not how he would have imagined? Spoiler alert - Habakkuk remains in faith. How? What kept Habakkuk faithful even though the ways of God were wildly different than his own expectations?
Looking around, there is much to lament and grieve. Sin is running rampant. But, God promises that His justice will come. Hope is coming. His glory will be known throughout the earth. Today, the justice and hope of God is known in Jesus. We can rest assured justice will come!
There will come times in life when we, finite humanity, do not understand the Infinite and Eternal God. This is where confusion, frustration, lament reside. And that’s ok. It’s part of being a work in progress. But, even when God doesn’t make sense to us, He is and always will be faithful. Therefore, have faith in God and live.
Let’s be honest, there are parts of the Old Testament that are difficult to understand. But, that’s life isn’t? There are parts of life that are difficult to understand. What is happening here? Where is God? If He is good, how does what is happening reconcile? But even when life is far from ideal, heck far from ok, God is worthy of our trust and worship. Even though the night lingers, yet we will worship.
Every church and organization that wants to survive long term seeks to create a culture of unity, but it seems that everyone has a different idea of how to achieve that goal. Today, we dig into Romans 14 to see how Paul addresses unity within the churches of Rome, and how Jesus himself set an example for being united as one.
In a society that is built around the American dream of working hard to gain recognition and growing your bank account, it can be hard to focus our lives solely on the Lord. Meeting deadlines or cleaning the house feels as if they can only be done to please our bosses or families. Our reading from Colossians is directed specifically towards bondservants, but we learn how Christ defines Christians as bondservants to the Lord and how that comparison should affect why we do all things.
We exist for the glory of God and the good of all people. As followers of Jesus and as the people of Austin Life Church, it is our mission to help one another live life to the fullest in Jesus, to become a people who Love God with our whole lives, Love One Another as Christ loves us, and Leads All People to the fullness of life in Jesus. We will become these people as we continually trust Jesus and devote our lives to practices of purpose that make us more like Him.
We exist for the glory of God and the good of all people. As followers of Jesus and as the people of Austin Life Church, it is our mission to help one another live life to the fullest in Jesus, to become a people who Love God with our whole lives, Love One Another as Christ loves us, and Leads All People to the fullness of life in Jesus.
As humans, 100% of us have sinned. In small and big ways. We have all sinned against God, against others, against ourselves. The question is not, will we sin? The question is, will we respond well when we do. The invitation from God to sin is repentance. Repentance is God’s joy and our freedom.
Psalm 121 would be a strange song to sing in church for many of us. It isn’t a song singing praise to God, but instead it’s a song where we sing encouragement to one another. We sing to remind each other that the Lord is the one who keeps our life, despite what Life’s circumstances show.
Jesus told us, “in this world you will have trouble.” How do we respond when trouble comes? How do we get through it? And not just survive, but thrive again? That’s where Biblical lament comes in. The grace of God to make room for us to not be ok, and lead us on the path toward healing with Him.
David invites us to a wholehearted worship of God because of His abundant goodness. He invites us to taste and see how good God is. Not just to hear about it from David. But to know it personally. And then, to worship God in response. But how are we able to taste and see for ourselves? How is this not just wishful thinking?
In Psalm 8, we see that the majesty of the Lord is found through the entirety of His creation. Jesus came as a brother to us, so that we can be the ultimate image bearers of His majesty!
In the 100th Psalm, David exhorts the whole earth to come and give the LORD praise, to enter His presence with a thankful heart. Why praise the LORD? Because He is God, and He is good. Do you gather with the church to worship God? Do you joyfully sing praise to Him and serve Him with gladness?
As we’ve talked about God’s design for topics such as identity, purpose, gender, sexuality, marriage, singles, and so on, it may feel a bit overwhelming. Do we have any certain hope when it's all said and done?
Sex is everywhere. Everything has been sexualized in our culture. Either overly negative. Or, overly positive. But what is God’s design for sex? What does the Bible say of sex? God’s design for sex is to be a good and pleasurable expression of and reminder of covenant love between husband and wife.
Most people dream of their wedding day from the time they were little. The majority of people will get married one day. But in America, nearly 50% of marriages end in divorce. So what do we really think of marriage? Better yet, what does God think? What is God’s design for marriage?
God is the one who designed us for romantic and sexual relationships. But are all romantic and sexual relationships good? What does God and His Word say about same sex relationships?
Most people have romantic and sexual desires. Most people have, or have had, romantic and/or sexual relationships. But are ALL romantic & sexual desires and relationships honoring to God? Do ALL romantic & sexual desires and relationships fit within God’s design? Before we ever get into specifics, we must start with God’s design for every romantic and sexual desire or relationship: Holiness.
Does God have a purpose in singleness? If marriage is good, and I want to be married, why am I not? Singleness is obviously very common . Many people are single. Why is God’s design for those who are single?
What is God’s design for gender. Our biological sex is either male or female. But gender is not sex. Gender is an internal personality that externally expresses our sex. Gender has a myriad of expressions. But what does God say about it?
Paul’s gospel is intentionally organized to show that Jesus is God and that we can have life in him. In this gospel, we learn through the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus’s appearance to his disciples after his resurrection, that Jesus invites us to be a part of a Heavenly Potluck. He is the bread and will always provide for us. He also guides us to join with him in providing for those around us. He has given to us in abundance, so go and “feed his sheep” with the abundance he has given!
What is God’s design for gender? Or should we say, our sex? Either way, God cares, and He has a good design for us. What is it?
The reason we believe we are here on this earth gives us the lens for how we interpret all of life. So what is God’s Design for our life? Who does He say we are? Why does He say we are here?
Every Easter, as Christians we celebrate that Jesus is alive. But why does that matter? Has it become commonplace for us today? Why does the resurrection matter to us today?
We all believe in someone or something to tell us what is true, what is right, how to live our lives. What we believe to be our ultimate authority tells us how to live among and with others, how to identify, how to be a sexual being. What or who do you believe in to be your authority?
There is perhaps no more relevant, pressing, controversial, and challenging conversation than around our design as humans, our sexuality, our relationships. We want to spend the next several weeks asking what is God’s Design for us? But first, let’s talk about why we are talking about this, and how we will talk about this.
We grow up and we fall down, but God is leading the way showing us everything we need to learn.
As humans, we imitate who or what we like, appreciate, value. It is in our nature. Sure, we create some original things along the way. But we never really stop imitating either. Much of how we live flows downstream of who or what we imitate. John writes a short, but powerful letter to Gaius, encouraging him to continue imitating what is good, and not evil. For that which is good is from God.
2 John is a continuation of John’s theme of love. This letter focuses specifically and the protective love of God. This is, to love all, but protect the message of Christ as Savior from those whose aim is to derail the kingdom of God.
John’s aim for us is to know Jesus and the eternal life we have with Him. So often we waste all that Jesus came for us to have. We don’t live in the fullness of Him. May we know Him and live in the fullness of life!
We will all exist for eternity. The question is, will we enjoy eternal life, or eternal death? The testimony of God is that we can enjoy eternal life in Jesus. But why Jesus? How do we know we can trust Him? We’re glad you asked!
The perfect love of God is both perfecting love in us, and driving fear out of us. Fear has no place in the presence of love. In Jesus, we have nothing to fear, and are free to receive and give love as Jesus does.
God loves you. He has given his love to you and me without condition, and without end. But the purpose of God’s love is not to end on you and me. It is to be received, and then given back out. This is how the world will see and know God.
Let us be a people who love one another. But why? Because God is love and He has loved us by sending His Son Jesus that we might have life.
John is again talking about love, reminding us that love is more than just talk, but is action. As Christians, we are to actively love as Jesus loves.
As is true on any journey, there will always be obstacles, distractions, even objections to you reaching your goal. The same is true in our journey to have real, and increasing fellowship with God. We must stay the course. Which means we must keep our eyes on truth, and not be bumped off course by false messages and teachers.
In our pursuit of increasing fellowship with God, John instructs us to not love the world, or the things in it. Love for the world will pull us away from loving God, and thus hinder our fellowship with Him. Instead, love God, and do His will.
When it comes to keeping the commands of God, none are greater than the commands to love God and love others. In 2:7-11, John address the latter of those two commands - loving one another. If we are in Him, and want to walk in the light, we must love one another as He has loved us.
How do you know you know Him? How do you know you really have a relationship with God? John says it quite clearly - those who obey Him, know Him. So, do you keep His commandments? Do you walk as Jesus walked?
If we want to enjoy fellowship with God, which the Bible tells us where the fullness of life is found, then we must know where God is, be where God is, and remain where God is. Praise God for Jesus who puts us with God, and keep us with God!
True Christianity is more than just the teachings of Jesus, it’s a message about Jesus. It’s a message about who he is, why he came, and what he did and continues to do for all those who trust in him.
Hesed is most often translated as steadfast love. It is a love that endures. And it is a love that we can see in action. In Ruth 4, we see hesed in action as one who is resolved to redeem. Hesed is determined to make right that which is wrong at all costs.
Hesed is a steadfast love. Hesed is a love that remains no matter what (Ruth 1). Hesed is a love that generously gives kindness without end (Ruth 2). Hesed is a love that selflessly prefers the other first (Ruth 3). We see in Ruth a love that would prefer Naomi over herself with even the biggest decisions to make.
Why are we here as a church? What are we about?
Today we remind ourselves the vision and mission that God has called us to as Austin Life Church.
Jesus goes to the mount of Olives to pray. During the eve of his betrayal, he commands his disciples to join him in praying to avoid temptation. When disciples of Jesus experience grief, what should we pray for and against?
Many of us know the stories and scriptures that talk about God being with us, so why is it that we often go throughout our days not acknowledging His presence? This week we look at Exodus 19 and 20 to find an understanding for why, as well as look at the big picture of scripture to see God’s plan to be with us.
We are an anxious culture, worried about everything. And yet the Bible commands us as followers of Jesus to not be anxious. How? Freedom from anxiety is found in trusting someone or something bigger than our anxiety - trusting God.
When hope is dead, even though we may physically be alive, we stop living. What is there to live for if we don’t have hope that tomorrow could be better than today? With the death of Jesus, hope was lost. But praise God! Jesus is not dead. He is alive! The light has shone into the darkness and the darkness cannot, will not overcome. Hope is alive!
The cross is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. But why? What is its significance? What does the cross mean to you?
The Son of God offered himself up to die as a rebel so that rebels could become sons of God.
As humans, we are undeserving of God’s grace. Emphatically so. But so was Peter. And yet still, God’s grace extended emphatically to him. And God’s grace does toward us as well. May we receive the grace of God today!
“The poison of hell” is how Andrew Murray describes pride. It is sneaky, and runs deep, and if not remedied by Jesus, will lead to destruction. This is what we see in the life of Judas. We would be wise to identify where pride looms, and put it to death.
We are all trying to move up and to the right in life; live life to the fullest. But throughout life, there will be temptations and trials that have the potential to derail us. How do we stay the course to accomplish our purpose? Keep watch and pray.
The Passover & the Feast of Unleavened Bread have been celebrated for centuries as a reminder of the grace of God to rescue Israel from Egypt and quickly send them away into new life. But things changed when Jesus, the Lamb of God, became the passover lamb for anyone and everyone who places their trust in Him.
Everyone worships. It’s just a question of what, or who, we choose to worship. If we choose to worship God, what does that look like? What would make for beautiful worship to Him? Mary of Bethany demonstrates for all to see what beautiful worship entails. Do what you can, when you can, with all you can.
Mark 13 is a difficult chapter to understand and interpret. Was Jesus speaking of a future day in the lives of His disciples. Or was Jesus speaking of a coming day in the end times when He would return for good? Either way, what is clear is that Jesus doesn’t want us obsessing over the future. But rather being alert, awake, and obedient in the present!
Value in God's Kingdom isn’t found in how much money we give or how talented we are. Instead, our offering to God is greatest when we have a desperate desire to give our all to Him, no matter how great or how small the quantity is.
Leadership has always, and will always be a part of our lives. We are leaders. We follow leaders. The church has leaders. But just because someone is a leader doesn’t mean they are good and trustworthy. Jesus gives us insight in the poor leadership of the religious. He corrects their false teaching, and also cautions those listening of what to look for in a false leader.
When asked what was most central to obeying God, Jesus answered with one command, and two objects of that command. In this order: Love God, Love your neighbor. But what is this love? How do we do that? And how will we measure up?
If we approach something or someone falsely, it’s only a matter of time before we find ourselves at odds, separated from the truth of whatever it is. The same is true of God - if we don’t know the truth of God, we will find ourselves diverging from Him, at odds and separated.
How do we know we trust God and His word? See Jesus. Jesus is the yes to ever promise of God!
Just before Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection He promised His followers that they would receive the power of His Spirit to be His witnesses throughout the earth. That is our calling, and what we are here for with Austin Life. Even with new and upcoming changes, this purpose remains!
In yet another effort to trap Jesus, the Pharisees and Herodians asked Jesus a question about paying taxes to Caesar. While Jesus does answer their question, His main focus is on whether or not the people will give to God what is rightfully His - our whole selves.
As people, we often times hate submitting to the authority of another. We do not want someone to tell us what to do. We can handle it. This is often times prideful. And if this is the approach we bring to Jesus, we will find ourselves digging a hole to our own destruction. May we repent in humility and surrender our lives to Him.
We all want to see the miraculous happen. But how? What is our part, if any? Peter and the crew are stunned by another miracle from Jesus, and in today’s passage, Jesus tells them that they too could be a part of seeing miracles happen around them. Have faith in God!
In today’s passage, we see Jesus curse a fig true for not producing fruit, and then express a righteous anger towards those selling animals and exchanging money in the temple. What’s the connection? Both were outwardly portraying one thing, but upon closer examination, not the real deal. The deception led to the harm of self, others, and the glory of God. And this is what has Jesus so worked up.
This is the moment when Jesus publicly declares Himself as King! Jesus brings victory of life over death, salvation over sin, truth over error, love over hate, and forgiveness over condemnation.
As people we all want to be seen, to be known. We all want to experience progress, healing, growth. And yet the reality is, in the most important ways, we are needy, dependent. But do we see that? Do we know that? The good news is that there is a Grace & Power in and through Jesus that meets us in our humility, and will transform our lives through faith in Him.
Selffish ambition runs deep. It’s innate within us. But for Jesus, His purpose was not selfish ambition, but selfless service. And He served to the point of death, as a ransom for you and me. And now, as a follower of Jesus, my call is a life not of selfish ambition, but selfless service. For His glory, our joy, and the good of the world.
Whether we trust and follow Jesus or not, we’d all be interested to know how He says we inherit eternal life. The answer? That’s what Mark shows us in Mark 10.
God is gracious and patient, eagerly willing to forgive anytime we honestly, and humbly repent and return. His invitation to repent and return is and invitation to return to the fullness of life.
Before we understand divorce, we need to understand marriage. No matter how divorce has affected you, God is merciful and loving to uphold, protect, and purify us.
Jesus does not mince words when He tells us it is better to be drown in the sea or to cut off our hands, feet, or eyes than to cause another to sin or let sin remain in our lives. God hates sin. Will we believe Him? Will we obey?
Christmas is a wonderful time of joy and happiness and festivity. But do you ever wonder if we have drifted away from God‘s original design for Christmas? What really happened on the first Christmas? Why is it so important?
Jesus comes to his disciples in Mark 9:30-37 with the news of His coming death and resurrection, a reality that would later leave Him so stressed that He sweated blood. Jesus uses the humility found in a child to illustrate that the disciples’ prideful ways were stopping them from receiving the totality of Jesus. A humble heart makes room for the Lord to guide our steps.
We all have problems in our lives. Some big. Some small. But in this world, we will face brokeness and problems. And they are real problems. Some pure evil. But our biggest problem is never outside of us; our biggest problem always lies within.
In this turning point in Mark, Jesus returns Peter back to the way of Jesus, and also invites everyone else to follow Him as well. But first, Jesus makes it clear what it truly means to follow Him.
Christ reveals his glory in the Transfiguration as a foretaste of things to come. As we behold Christ’s glory, we ourselves are transfigured from one degree of glory to another, being prepared to inherit immortality with Christ.
Jesus tells us to abide in Him, for apart from Him we can do nothing. He tells us it’s by our obedience that we remain in His love. Simply put, to obey Jesus is to continually abide. To disobey Jesus is to disconnect.
We stumble over Jesus because our expectations are too mundane and the reality is too glorious.
When it comes to abiding in Jesus, one of the biggest battles we face is in our mind. How many times have our thoughts run wild rather than focus in on God? How many of our thoughts are toxic, unGodly, and leading us away from Him rather than to Him? We are called, with the help of the Spirit, to take every thought captive to obedience to Him. And this will help us abide further into Jesus.
One of the primary obstacles to abiding in Jesus is a distraction & preoccupation with doing and getting more of lesser things. We must trust the way and teaching of Jesus that being with God is the most important thing, even more important than doing for Him.
The fullness of life that we all desire is found when we live according to our purpose in life; BEING in a loving relationship with God, and then GIVING that love to the world around us. We only do that as we abide in Jesus. So how do we abide in Jesus? Well it all starts with faith - a trust in Jesus and His ways that moves our lives to follow in surrender and obedience.
The fullness of life that we all desire is found when we live according to our purpose in life. So what is our purpose? It is to BE in loving relationship with God, and to DO what God does (love) toward others. And the only way we can live in this purpose is when we ABIDE in Jesus.
After everything the disciples have witnessed Jesus do up to this point, we see in Mark 8:27-30 a huge moment and a declaration from Peter that Jesus is The Christ. The Chosen One. The Messiah. We have to make a decision for ourselves between Jesus either being Lord or being a liar.
Surrounded by miracles, the disciples and the Pharisees are still not seeing Jesus for who He is. Jesus shows us His desires for us through healing a blind man. He takes him by the hand, brings him to a blurred vision, then heals him to clear sight!
We naturally praise whatever it is that we find great. We talk about it, think about it, devote resources and energy towards it - praise it. Do we praise God? That depends on if we see and experience His greatness or not. So what makes Him great that is worthy of praise?
In Mark 7, we see Jesus test the faith of a gentile woman and she responds with great faith and humility. It’s a lesson for all of us to humble ourselves before God because humility is the way into the Kingdom because of what Jesus has done for us. Our lives are no longer about us as followers of Jesus, but are about Him.
God’s purpose for us is a thriving, loving relationship with Him. Our hearts being connected with His. The shocking reality of Mark 7 is that on the outside, it looked like the Pharisees were close to God. But Jesus saw differently. He knew that their heart were far from God. But why? What about ours?
In this next story in Mark, Jesus does something truly astounding - He walks on water. But what if there is something else in this story that is even more astounding than that? The steadfast love and patience of Jesus is on extra astounding display here!
Tired and hungry, Jesus gives His disciples an impossible task. But why? Ultimately Jesus’ aim is to teach His followers trust Him at all times, for nothing is impossible with God.
The call of being a disciple of Jesus is the call to humility; surrender life our way, and instead trust Him and His way. Pride on the the hand is the antithesis of Jesus, and will always result in destruction. Today, we have a choice. What will it be?
The call of being a disciple of Jesus is the call to surrender life our way, and instead trust Him and His way. Which means, if He says go, we go. That’s what the disciples demonstrated in Mark 6:7-13. Jesus said go, so they went. And this was for God’s glory, their good, and the good of others. The question today is - do we trust Him? Enough to go?
Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth for a 2nd time. Yet again, He is met with hardened, prideful hearts of rejection, pushing Him away. It’s this lack of faith that ultimately removes themselves from receiving the grace of God.
In these two stories Mark sandwiches together, we see again the powerful Son of God at work in the face of extreme desperation. It is through these two characters (Jairus and the bleeding woman) that we see a picture of what true saving faith looks like and what it means to experience the powerful salvation of Jesus. The essence of saving faith does not depend on who we are, but on who Christ is. True saving faith requires our recognition of our own desperation as a prerequisite. And true saving faith means death is but sleep that true believers in Christ will wake from.
God is not the tribal deity of Israel only. He is God over all creation, over all things and in all places. But He is merciful and loving as well, so we can draw near to Him in trust rather than flee from Him in fear.
Mark 4:35-41 teaches us that Jesus is a man on a mission, a son who trusts his Father, and the author of all creation to whom we can entrust ourselves.
In this section Jesus tells a parable regarding the sowing of seed to show how people are spiritually responding to His ministry and His good news of the kingdom of God.
God commands us not to fear. Commands. Not suggests. Commands. But how? Does it ever feel like there is a disconnect in your life from what God says and what you experience? So how do we actually live that out? Or anything else that God invites us into?
God’s love is not one that wants an explanation for why we have messed up, but instead is one that just wants to meet us with a forgiving hug. We see in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, that God meets us where we are once we confess and repent. then, He walks with us back to the party that he has prepared for us.
We are consumers with many things in this world like food, shoes, concerts which is what those things are designed for. But if we treat people as consumers, it will go bad for us, and them. The same is true for the church. We are not designed to be passive consumers in the church, but active contributors to the building up of others into Christ.
Worship is the outward expression of an inward love. It starts in the heart, and then moves outward to our minds, hands, feet, and lives. Jesus tells us to worship God alone. So then what are you worshipping and why worship God?
Mark 3:20-35 gives us the first lesson Jesus teaches His disciples. Jesus emphasizes the importance of surrender through immediately giving up food and even His family. He also shares the good news tied with that surrender. Jesus addresses the scribes' insults to His ministry by proclaiming His victory over the “strong man”. Jesus has bound Satan and our surrender allows us to partake in the plundering of his goods.
Jesus didn’t come to reach only a few men and women a couple thousand years ago. Jesus came to reach the world with the hope of Jesus. He came to invite anyone and everyone to follow Him. This is what it means to be a disciple. So how can we do that today?
Yet again, the Pharisees and Jesus are at odds with one another. The Pharisees, holding tight to the tradition of their laws, and Jesus, urging for the laws to point people to grace. What we see today is that in an effort to maintain control, the Pharisees have hardened their hearts and are dangerously far from truth and what is right.
Spiritual practices of purpose are a good thing. They can be tools to help us grow in love of God, and then obedience to Him. However, if we look to our spiritual practices as necessary in order to be accepted by God, we will find ourselves missing Him all together. Because the only way we are united to God is through grace!
We know that Jesus has come to invite people to follow Him. But who? What kind of people get that invitation? And what is it about Jesus that ultimately compels people to follow Him? Grace. Life transforming grace.
It’s one thing to believe in something or someone. It’s another thing to have true faith. What’s the difference? Faith is God’s love language, and the only way we can truly please God and be in His presence.
How far is the loving reach of Jesus? Who does He reach? And what is a person’s part in that? In Jesus’ encounter with a leper, we see the extravagant reach of Jesus towards all people, and the one necessary component of the recipient; humility.
We all can be easily distracted from time to time. Thankfully, Jesus kept His focus on the great purpose of proclaiming the Kingdom of God, in word and deed, to all people in all places! Now, if we follow Him, that’s our call too!
We are born into the kingdom of darkness. Lost. Without hope. But God, who is rich in mercy and love, sent Jesus, the Light of the World, to come and restore us into the kingdom of Jesus, the kingdom of light. In the resurrection, darkness is defeated, and the light of Christ lives forever, offering real life to anyone who would repent and believe in Him.
Jesus came proclaiming the good news of God that He was King, and He was bringing God’s kingdom to earth, to our lives. But is the Kingdom of God only something that people there & then experienced, or that we will experience there in heaven one day? Or is the Kingdom of God for us here & now, today?
As we continue through the Gospel of Mark, this passage in Mark 1:21-28 points us to surrendering to the saving power of Jesus.
Throughout all of history, and even today, humanity has been on a search to find the fullness of life. We spend much of our time thinking that will be found living our own way, for ourselves, in our own kingdom. But Jesus comes saying that He brings a new kingdom, a new way, where He is king. And He invites every person to shift allegiance from self to Him. The time is now. Will you follow Him?
Whether we recognize it or not, there is a spiritual battle happening all around us. An enemy is continually seeking to deceive us and steal, kill, and destroy. BUT, we do not have to live defeated. Jesus came to bring us freedom, life, for eternity, but also today. In Jesus, we have an overcoming power.
The public ministry of Jesus begins with His baptism. Jesus identifies with us, fulfills old testament prophecy, and is approved by His Father. Here’s why this is so important and what it means for us.
From beginning to end, Mark wants his readers to see, know, delight in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This Jesus must be someone pretty incredible, huh? So incredible, that John the Baptist, a headliner of his day, would voluntarily take a backseat to the person and work of Jesus. Who is this Jesus? And why is His gospel good news to us?
The world and all within it was created by a move of outward, generous love. God did not need anything. Yet His character is that which moves outward to give love to others. God loves all people, and wants all to know and love Him. As Christians, we are His ambassadors, spokesmen to the world of the life that is found in Jesus.
If we love God, we will love others. It is impossible to love God and not love others. This is the second great commandment. But what does that look like? Who do we love?
Order matters. It is important to do the most important things first in life. So what matters most? Jesus answers that question for us as we talk about how we at Austin Life will walk in His answer.
Why is Austin Life Church here? Are we just trying to create a religious gathering? Are we most interested in the 3 B’s - building, budget, and butts? Are we just hoping for good church folk? The answer is a resounding ’NO!’. So why are we here? What is our purpose?
Christmas is a wonderful time of joy and happiness and festivity. But do you ever wonder if we have drifted away from God‘s original design for Christmas? What really happened on the first Christmas? Why is it so important? May we recover the awe and wonder of that first Christmas.
Every single person desires to be wanted, to belong, to be welcomed in. And it is God’s heart to welcome every single person into His life and family. As Christians, we are called to welcome one another just as Jesus welcomed us in. Hospitality truly can, and will, change lives.
We are moving so fast as a culture and in our schedules that we often forget who is in control of our lives. We are called to live with purpose and to place intentional habits in our lives as followers of Jesus. One of these is sabbath. Here’s what sabbath is, why it’s important, and how to start this practice. Exodus 20:8-11
Fasting is the intentional, and temporary removal of something from our lives with the aim of gaining something else, something better. Christian fasting is the intentional, and temporary remove of something with the hopes of gaining more of God. Christian fasting is motivated by a deep, hunger for God. Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-17
In an ever-changing world where every day is approached differently due to our culture's impact, it can be hard to establish normalcy. God, however, calls us to regularly gather together in order to grow one another up in love while advancing the Kingdom of God. Join us as we look at why, what, and how we are to corporately worship God!
Being with God must precede doing for God. When our hearts are connected to God, we will naturally follow Him and obey Him. And we will delight in doing so. This is the blessed life. This is a full life. And the key to walking in this is meditating on His Word.
The second we stop and slow down to read our Bibles and pray, doesn’t it seem all too common for our minds to start screaming, “Do something”. But here’s the reality - the path to the fullness of life in God is built on a foundation of being with God more than doing for God. austinlifechurch.com
With everything going on in our culture such as COVID, the election, job loss, and the end of the year, how do we press on and persevere towards the fullness of life found in Jesus? We must never lose the wonder of the Gospel. Philippians 3:12-4:1
Waaaaaake up! The fullness of life is there to be had in Jesus. A life loving God, loving others, and leading people to the fullness of life in Him. But we have to wake up from the spiritual slumber and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we will just stay put.
We are all seeking the fullness of life; a life near to the presence of God and becoming more and more like Jesus. However, we will never experience more of God if we do not put off any weights or sins that create obstacles and hindrances to being near to Him. We must put off darkness and walk in the light of Christ.
We are all seeking the fullness of life; a life near to the presence of God and becoming more and more like Jesus. Jesus came that we may have it in Him. Yet, so often we miss it. Even when we know the right way. Why? Pride. Only with a heart of humility can we become like Jesus and move closer to God.
Jesus has come to give us abundant life, and at the same time we have a real enemy who is against us. Luckily, we have God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit, to equip us and make us complete in Christ. Here’s how reading the Bible is a battle, but how we can actually read it and apply it to our lives.
We all are seeking the fullness of life. And God tells us in Psalm 16:11 that what we are seeking is found in His presence. Well how do we get there? The answer is not in what we do, but in what Jesus has done for us.
There is within every one of us an active search for the fullness of life, a life that is only found in the presence of God. Psalm 16:11
We all long for community. We all desire real, authentic friendships, the sharing of life that runs deep and lasts long. Why? Because that is how God designed us. So how can we live in this community here at Austin Life?
Life is filled with uncertainty and trial. We all know this all too well. But, we do not have to fear when the storm crashes in. When the earth beneath our feet gives way, there is still a foundation that is sure, stead, and a very present help. Psalm 46
We hate being judged. But honestly, we all judge. We all believe in a right or wrong. There must be an ultimate law giver and judge then. God is that Judge. And this is necessary, and good.
“Trust is the oxygen of relationship.” And trust is built and kept on the firm foundation of faithfulness. Is God faithful? Can we trust Him? The good news is that God is always faithful. We can lean on Him all the time!
God is love. He is a God of abundant steadfast love. But what does that even mean? We see that God is, and always has been, a God of enduring, generous love, that is rooted in His faithfulness.
The Bible seems to contradict itself sometimes in verses that very clearly state that God is for His glory, for Himself, but then also verses that say God is for us. If God is love, can He really be for Himself? Isn’t that selfish, and thus not loving?
God is good. This is crucial to know, because this belief lets us trust all that God does as good. But how do we know God is good? It is most clearly seen in that truth that He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
A lot of times we quickly dismiss the topic of the Trinity as something we’ll never figure out or some strange theological topic out there, but when we do that we miss out on the fact that there’s truly no other God like Him and how we can intimately know Him as Father in our lives.
Names have meaning. Well, most names. But historically, and in the Bible definitely, names have meaning. They describe the character of a person, who someone is. As God reveals Himself, He gives Moses, and us, the name YAHWEH. What does God’s name mean? What can we learn about God from His name?
As people, every choice we make is one we believe is the best option. We choose what we think is better. For Moses and Saul, they had everything the world could offer, and yet they chose to know God, believing His presence to be the better option.
We claim to know God based on His Words, the Bible. We believe that the Bible tells us the way of life and are the full, authoritative words of God. But can we really trust the Bible? Is it really reliable? We believe history and study says Yes.
We live in a broken world, as broken people. There is hope in Jesus for sure. But until He returns, we will continue to endure struggles and hardships. What do we do? How do we handle tragedy, hurts, injustice? The Bible encourages us to candidly and honestly pour our hearts out to God, asking for His help, and trusting Him in His response. This is called lament, and this is how we move towards God during hardship.
There are a lot of definitions of worship. Many are great but how does Jesus define worship? How does it apply to our lives today?
The Bible has strong language for the battles we face and the war we are in with battling sin and our enemy. Especially when it comes to our minds. It’s not enough to simply ignore the lies that come in or to try to stop thinking about them, but we have to respond to lies with the truth from God’s Word. We must continue to renew our minds and discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
There is a problem in our world. And it lies within each of us. Pride. Preferring self over another. The answer to fighting racial injustice, gender inequality, and classism begins in recognizing our underlying, sinful pride, which runs deep in each of us, and in being transformed by the humble love of Jesus.
Paul lived his life in a manner worthy of the Gospel. The way he lived reflected the way of Jesus. Why did he live that way? Grace. God’s grace compelled him to live his life for Jesus. What about you? Acts 26
What do you want to be said of you when you’re gone? How do you hope your life will be defined? For Paul, his one desire was to live a life of faithful surrender. This is a life worth living! Acts 20
There comes a point where in order to grab on to something better, we have to let go of what we are currently holding on to. For those in Ephesus, they could hold on to religion, or wealth, or they could let go and hold on to the Giver of Life, Jesus. The same question is for us today. The result is the same as well - Jesus is better! Acts 19
We all are religious, in that we are all worshippers of what we think is most important. But what if we are worshipping the wrong thing? What if our devotion and affection is set on the wrong end? That is what was happening in Athens as Paul passed through. Thankfully, he got the opportunity to tell them about the God he knew and the life to be found in Him. Acts 17
Continuing our series on Acts, the Gospel is spreading all the way through Europe and three different people get rescued in the process, showing that salvation is available for all people and everyone’s included at Jesus’ table. Acts 16
We all feel hopeless at times. It’s an effect of the broken world we live in. But there is hope today. A Living Hope. A certain and sure promise that will never fail. Jesus is alive, and thus our hope is alive. May we turn to Him, and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
Division destroys. When there is dissension in a relationship, it dishonors God, is destructive to those in the relationship, and is repulsive to those outside. In Acts 15 the church almost divided, broke apart. But thanks be to God that the grace of Jesus won out!
Persecution is forcing the church outward. As Some Of Them moved to Antioch, they faithfully spoke of Jesus to those in the city, and the hand of God moved to start a church. These were everyday people, just moving cities, and taking the hope of Jesus with them! We can be Some Of Them too! Acts 11
One of the worst feelings is being excluded, on the outside looking in. And for generations, this was the case for anyone who was not a Jew. Until Acts 10. When God made clear in dramatic fashion that He shows no partiality, but anyone and everyone is invited to the table through faith in Jesus. Acts 10
While the church is growing, so is the intense persecution against Christians, led by the murder breathing Saul. There must have been a sense of helplessness. But where things seem impossible to us, nothing is impossible with God. Acts 9:1-31
We are all looking to make the most out of life. We believe that life is found in knowing, trusting, and following Jesus in obedience. Stephen lived this life to the very end and lacked nothing in doing so. But rather, he gained everything! Acts 6, 7
We see in Acts 4 what it looks like to be bold and obedient and then in Acts 5 what it looks like to be dishonest and disobedient. At the end of the day, it’s not about our works or outward appearance of obedience, but rather, it’s about our relationship with God and if we are growing in our love for God. Loving God produces obedience. Acts 4:13-21, Acts 5:1-11
God restores us from the inside-out through the transforming power of the Gospel. Acts 3, 4:11-12
Because God is our Father, we are freed to live as a family, encouraging & supporting one another. Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-37
As promised, Jesus sends His Holy Spirit to fill His followers so that they would be empowered as He was to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. They, and we, have all we need by the Spirit of Christ in us. Acts 2:1-41
The book of Acts details how Jesus continues to work through the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of His followers. Jesus commands His followers to be His witnesses of the kingdom of God to all people in all places. And on top of that, He empowers them with His Spirit to live it out as well. Acts 1:1-11
As a result of surrendering to Him, we are made new creations. The old is gone. The new has come. Therefore, now we walk according to the newness of life that is in us through Christ.
The call to follow Jesus is the call to come and die. It is a total surrender of self in place of taking up His way. I cannot hold to myself and Him at the same time. Which will I take up?
Peace is longed for by all. But where does it come from in a world of unrest? God speaks through the prophet Isaiah to look ahead to a coming King, the Prince of Peace, who will bring real and lasting peace to a broken world.
Through our Lord’s death, God has poured out His boundless love for humankind. Christ is the ultimate expression of God’s character: that He is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. His death showed the world's great worth, and how highly we should value not just ourselves, but also others.
We learn in Jonah 3 that God is patient, not willing for anyone to perish, but for all people to come to repentance. We see that take place as he addresses Jonah’s heart and as God uses Jonah to proclaim His Word.
Jonah is sinking down, to the bottom of despair, when he calls out to the Lord. And you know what?! The Lord heard and answered. The Lord delivered Jonah. But the deliverance was not safety - it was the removal of sin, the obstacle in between his relationship with God.
We are all like Jonah at times - running and hiding from God. But we cannot hide from God. Instead, God sees, knows, and pursues us, and all people, in compassionate, steadfast love. And it is only when we stop running & hiding that we will find the mercy, forgiveness, and abundant life God has for us with Him.
Whether we as Christians are to be humble is not really a question according to the Bible. It is a command. We are to put on humility. Among other Christ-like characteristics. But how? Doesn’t it sometimes seem impossible? Well, it is impossible on our own. But we're not on our own. We have Christ in us who enables and empowers us to walk in Him.
Empathy goes a long way in reducing marital, occupational, parental, and relational conflicts. While it’s so powerful for followers of Jesus to give empathy towards others, this type of love requires vulnerability and an effort that truly is selfless motivated. For the glory of God, and for the good of others.
Humility is only truly humility when the chief object is the glory of God. His increase; my decrease. John the Baptist lived this posture of humility perhaps better than everyone. But why? Why did John live with such humility when others around him didn’t? Because his focus was fixed on God rather than anything else.
Humility is the disappearing of self that God may be all in you and through you to others. Humility is the only path to God’s glory and our good. Yet we are utterly hopeless to walk in true humility on our own. Praise be to God that Jesus came to live perfect humility in our place and stands ready to fill us with His humility today.
Humility is the disappearing of self so that God may be all in you and through you to others. And this, humility, is the only path to life. Yet so often, pride leads the way. So often pride leads us to brokenness, to hurt, to separation from God and from others. May we truly be a people that say, “Less of me, more of You”, for the glory of God and our good.
If we are going to lead people to life in Jesus, then we have to build one another up in Christ, to love and follow Him in obedience. Healthy things grow. If we are not growing up, being built up, we will not be healthy and we certainly won’t lead others to life in Jesus.
If we are going to be a church who leads people to life in Jesus, then we must be a people who invite others into our lives, and share the Gospel with those God has entrusted to us. This is what Jesus has done for us, and it is what we are called to do for others.
If we want to lead people to life in Jesus, then we must abide in Him. We cannot thrive spiritually, or lead others to thrive if we are not abiding in Jesus. As a branch must be connected to the vine to produce fruit, so we must be connected to Jesus to produce spiritual fruit.
We all are looking to make the most out of life. But so often we look in the wrong places. So what’s the answer? We believe everything we are looking for is found in knowing, loving, and trusting Jesus, and then in giving our lives away for the glory of God and good of others. Everything we are looking for is found in Jesus. Which is why we are all about leading people to life in Jesus.
We are a busy culture. So busy, that we often times crowd out the time and ability to see and know God. This is why the Sabbath is so important. A regular gift from God to stop working and instead turn our attention to seeing and knowing Him.
The LORD is not a passive or distant God, but is actively engaged in our lives and world. And not only that, He is righteous in all his ways, and kind in all his works. This is comforting news, especially in light of Jesus who is the perfect blend of the LORD’s righteousness and kindness towards you and me.
We all face battles of fear, anxiety, worry. We all look for a new day, a fresh start, a rescue from current situations. So did David. But more than this, we all need an eternal and spiritual rescue. Our answer to all things is the LORD, who is our light & salvation, the stronghold to our lives.
The word holy is tough to fully comprehend. It describes something or someone that is completely unique and set apart from the rest. According to the Bible, the LORD is holy, set apart from all else. And because this is who the LORD is, our lives should respond in worship.
Psalm 32 gives us insight into the ways a sinful heart wrestles before a perfect and holy God. Even in our mess, He is faithful to pursue us in our brokenness and gracious to heal us when we approach him with authenticity.
The command in Psalm 103 is to bless the LORD, with everything within us. But why? We bless the LORD for who He is, and for what He has done.
We are a people who praise. We praise what we love and what we think is good. Which is why we are called to praise the LORD. Because He is God and He is good, He is worthy of our unreserved praise.
In this world, we will face trials. The earth will give way beneath our feet. But, we do not have to fear. Why? Because the LORD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We can rest regardless of circumstance in who He is!
We all experience unrest. There is a longing, a searching for more to fill and satisfy our lives. But most of what we chase after leaves us wanting more. It may satisfy for a bit, but only a bit. David writes in Psalm 23 where the answer lies to for rest in our souls. There is Hope for each of us to be fully satisfied.
As a church family, it's important for us all to know and remember where we are going, how we are going to get there, and what our role is when it comes to leading people to life in Jesus.
We are in a war. Every day. Every moment. There is a spiritual battle waging war all around us. And The Lord calls us to stand firm against any and all schemes of the devil. How? By putting on the armor of God!
The Bible is incredibly clear that our relationships with one another matter. As wives & husbands, children & parents, employees & employers. But no matter what relational context we find ourselves in, we are all called to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Paul continues to teach the church that in response to the new life given through Jesus, we are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. It only makes sense that as we receive new life, we live it out! Paul makes three points of how we are to walk as followers of Jesus: Walk in love. Walk in light. Walk in wisdom.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:17-32 to put off our old selves and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. When accusations come our way from the enemy, we need to replace them with the truth of God's Word. We need to remember we are changed and have a new identity in Christ because of what He has done for us.
We need hope. Without hope, we lose the power in life to keep moving. The light goes out, and we soon follow. But that is not the good news of Easter. The good news of Easter is that in the resurrection of Jesus we can be born again to a living hope, a hope that will never disappoint and never fade.
God’s design for us is to be shaped into the image of Jesus. More and more we are to look like Christ. This is what we are called to as a response to the Gospel. However, we all need one another playing our role in order to best grow up into Christ. Everyone has a part to play in the church!
We all grow weary. Faith is hard. If we are going to follow after Jesus and not lose heart, we will need help. The good news is that we can ask our Father, who gives according to the riches of His glory, to strengthen us for the race He has set before us.
We all love a good suspense story. Moments that we just didn’t see coming. This is what happened when Christ came, and what Paul is focusing our attention to yet again in Ephesians 3. But not only that Christ came, but that in so doing He offered an invitation to anyone and everyone to come as they are in faith, let Him be Lord, and to be united in one family with all who follow Jesus. But it doesn’t stop there either! The mystery continues to unfold to the watching heavenly beings through the lives of the church!
Hostility between one another continues to persist. However, for those who are in Christ, we must realize that we have been brought near by grace alone, and the hostility of Christ’s death has removed any place for hostility to remain among the church. We must pursue harmony in diversity according to God’s design for the church.
The climax of a movie always comes at the moment of greatest despair, when the hero enters to save the day. In our stories, the climax of life is when God in mercy and love stepped into to give life to those who were spiritually dead.
Paul prays diligently to The Lord asking Him to show us who He is - the hope He has called us to, the riches of His inheritance in us, and the immeasurable greatness of His power. What Paul knows it that when we truly see God and His work for us, that everything will change. May He cause us to see and know Him!
The riches of God’s grace are immense, far greater than we can ever fathom. In Christ, we are recipients of those riches, to receive redemption, and inheritance, and the Holy Spirit.
Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with a call to praise God. Why do we praise God? Because in Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
For each of us, there are things that matter most to us that we chase after. But there is only one thing that in this life that truly matters - knowing Jesus. Paul encourages us to Press On after Jesus, the one who first pressed on after us.
Spiritual maturity is God’s work in ours, but that doesn’t mean that it is opposed to making every effort at maturity. The biblical principle of sowing and reaping allows us to make every effort toward spiritual maturity as we live out the Christian life while trusting that God is going to work in us.
After you've been born again, God’s highest priority for your life is your spiritual maturity. Looking at Hebrews 5, we see both a helpful definition of spiritual maturity, and three main diagnoses to help us understand where we might be persisting in immaturity. God is committed to finishing the work He has started in us!
Most of us are not comfortable with chaos. We much prefer the illusion of control. So what do we do when real life shatters that illusion? What Jesus did, at the most chaotic time in his life, gives us a perfect model for what we should do all the time.
On some level, all of us are seeking blessing. And most of us equate that with ease and comfort and success. But is that what is really means to be blessed? In this message, we'll consider one Old Testament character’s pursuit of blessing and what his experience can teach us about God and the blessings He gives.
We live in a day when selflessness seems to be increasingly fading. We “put it on” for the Christmas season, you know Christmas spirit and all, but our hearts are much the same - selfish. But that can change. Because Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and He is willing to serve us and give us a heart of service towards others.
There are multiple reasons Jesus came, multiple things He did. But one that is often overlooked is that Jesus came eating and drinking, a friend of sinners. More than power or position, Jesus was concerned with people. And anyone and everyone was invited to have a seat at the table with Jesus.
Waiting is the worst! We all have to wait on things in life, and no one really enjoys it. Because waiting means we are unsatisfied with the status quo and we are waiting for something new, something better. But there is good news of great joy for all people. Our waiting is over. Maybe you’re still waiting on a different circumstance, but what we are ultimately waiting for has come and is available to us today!
Anxiety and stress seem to be at an all time high for so many of us. We are busy going from place to place, completing one task after another, or experiencing a trial, that we so easily get overwhelmed, worried, and anxious about this life. Jesus personally invites us to come to Him and explains where we can truly find rest.
Scripture Reading At The End:
Psalm 46:10 ESV / “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 37:7 ESV / Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Exodus 14:14 ESV / The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” Mark 4:39 ESV / And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Psalm 62:5 ESV / For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. Philippians 4:6 ESV / Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Isaiah 41:10-13 ESV / Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 32:17 ESV / And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. Lamentations 3:24-26 ESV / “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Romans 12:12 ESV / Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Psalm 62:5-6 ESV / For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Isaiah 26:3 ESV / You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 40:31 ESV / But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Psalm 100:3 ESV / Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 ESV / O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Revelation 21:4-5 ESV / He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
We’ve all felt the feeling of hopelessness. In over our head. Unable to measure up. In need of outside help. This was the problem with the old covenant - it left us hopeless to measure up to God’s standard. But BEHOLD, there is good news. God makes a new covenant, a covenant of grace, that allows anyone and everyone to enter into relationship with God through faith.
The Story of the Bible takes us to David. David, after having received so much, wants to give something to God. But God instead chooses to yet again give to David, and far more than he ever imagined. And today, we too receive the same gift God gave David - an eternal Kingdom with Jesus as King.
It seemed God had abandoned Israel. They were broken, hopeless, and in need of rescue. And it was to these people that God said, “I am the Lord. I see you, I hear you, and I know. And I promise to rescue you to restore you to life with me.” This is the Lord who saves!
God makes a promise to create a new family for His glory. God creates this family through one man's obedience which ultimately leads to another Man's obedience. It is in the second Man's obedience that we can find our salvation and the creation of a new family.
God created everything very good. But we are far from very good today. What went wrong? Adam & Eve chose to trust, love, and live for themselves rather than God, and this sin has broken everything and everyone. But grace enters in to fix what was broken. And not only then, but today as well.
We all want to know what our purpose in life is. Knowing our purpose leads to a place of human flourishing. The Bible teaches that we are made by God, and for God, to reflect His image in our lives and to make His ways known in the world.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The story of the Bible begins here, with God. This is ultimately his story. And how we view God changes everything - how we read the Bible, and how we respond to who He is.
In a culture that is increasingly fragile and unstable with the blowing winds of personal opinion devoid of fact being the primary power and authority, there is a genuine tried and true stability found in the power of God’s Word!
No one wants to be lonely. And that’s in part because we are created for community; community with God and with others. The best community will have a rhythm of Up, In, Out, as together we build one another up in Christ and invite others to join us in relationship.
Last words matter. If we know we only got one more opportunity, we would choose our words carefully and make them count. With Jesus’ last words on earth, He gave His followers one command - Make Disciples. His plan was to entrust those who are disciples to go and make disciples. And this would change the world. Are you a disciple? Are you making disciples? At Austin Life Church we are committed to making disciples of all people in all places.
We are looking to make the most out of life. Every one us. We long for abundant life. And so many of the places we look will never satisfy. BUT there is an answer. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Abundant life is found with God through Jesus!!
Unity is essential for the purpose of the church. For the advance of the Gospel, for Christ to be lifted up, unity among His church must be present. On the other hand, selfishness leads to disunity, and disunity leads to destruction. Whether in a job, or a relationship, or a church, where there is disunity, it’s only a matter of time before destruction follows. Paul’s message to the Philippians in chapter 2, is that Christ is lifted up through lives laid down. That we have unity through humility.
What matters most in your life? If someone were to watch us, listen to us, and examine our lives enough, they would be able to tell us what was most important. Because what matters most is what flows out of our lives.
Blaise Pascal said life is a wager. We are all betting our lives on something. We live life leaning forward, bent on arriving at the place we long for, betting with our lives that what we are heading towards is right. Pascal’s famous wager asks the question, “What if what we are betting our lives on is the wrong thing?” That’s a pretty big wager.
Is there a right answer to lean into with our lives? Is there something that should matter most in our lives? What if we get to the end and realize what we went after was the wrong thing?
In Matthew 22, Jesus gives us the answer to what matters most in all of life. Above all else, this is what we should lean into.
Jesus stood in my place of sin and condemnation so that I could stand in His place of righteousness and freedom. God’s holiness has not diminished one bit. But we have an advocate who suffered in our place. We look to the Gospel, we think on the mercy of God, and that is what changes us.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich." - 2 Corinthians 8:9
As Christians we are called to give and be generous, tithe to the church, support the needs for others, and care for those around us. And our motivation to live as generous people is because we are the greatest recipients of generosity - the free gift of life in Jesus.
So many things we do like supporting and sending missionaries & church plants, ministry teams, hospitality to others, operations, facilities, and so much more all happen through your generosity.
God has invited us all into a life of generosity, to show the love of Christ to others, and to see the faithfulness of God as we hold on loosely to all things.
Because He Is Risen, everything changes. The resurrection proves the fact that Jesus is trustworthy and will forgive our sins and make us right with God. Is your life different today because He is risen? Our prayer and our hope is that this Easter, you would see Jesus, believe Jesus, and trust Jesus with your life. Happy Easter! #BecauseHeIsRisen
What comes to mind to you when you think about community? A few friends? Groups of people? Biblical community has great purpose and value behind it, but oftentimes we miss out on the full meaning of it. Here are 3 main definitions of what biblical community really is and how to live those out.
We believe as a church, to have life in Jesus first and foremost means life through the Gospel. So what exactly does that mean? Here’s part 2 on how we define what it means to live life through the Gospel.
We believe as a church, to have life in Jesus first and foremost means life through the Gospel. So what exactly does that mean? Here’s how we define life through the Gospel.
Christmas brings to the forefront in each of us an unrest, a desire for more. But in reality, it’s more than just Christmas. There is a longing in each of us for something more in our lives. We can hope, look for, wait for many things, but only Jesus satisfied. Jesus is enough. Jesus changes everything.
All of us want to make the most out of life and there’s nothing wrong with that, but oftentimes we look in the wrong places. Whether it’s relationships, jobs, financial security, things to buy, or experiences, these things have a short and temporary shelf life and won’t actually satisfy.
When we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake, that is when we find life. Jesus gives us a new way to live, a better way. When our lives are found in Jesus, we are set free to live and enjoy life today, tomorrow, and forever.
Like Jesus, every believer is sent - by the peace of God, for the purpose of God, with the power of God.
John 20
This was a guest message from UNITE 2017, located at 121 Community Church
This was a guest message at Emmaus Church in Denver, CO titled "Hope In The Darkness." From the series "Songs of the King" on 7/16/17.
Main Passage - Psalm 130.
We are excited to launch the Austin Life Church podcast. Here’s more about what this will look like, the type of content you can expect from us, and what we are all about.