Aletheia Sermon Audio: Recent Episodes
Aletheia Church, Adam Mabry
This is the sermon podcast of Aletheia Church and Pastor Adam Mabry. Aletheia exists to bring the truth, grace, and changing power of the gospel for the glory of God and the good of all people. For more information, visit www.aletheia.org
Family is one of God's greatest gifts — until sin goes unchecked. In week two of our Family series, we trace the painful unraveling of one household in Scripture to uncover what happens when tolerated sin and neglected righteousness are left to grow. But even in the most broken families, grace has the final word.
Family is beautiful — and we're pretty confused about what it's for. In this opening message of our new series, Family, we open Genesis to rediscover what God actually designed family to be: companionship, partnership, celebration, and a bond that holds fast. Wherever your own family story has been messy, this is an invitation to see something good, worth wanting, and worth pursuing.
We were made for praise — not just as a feeling, but as a full-bodied response to who God is and what he's done. We close out Summer Playlist, our journey through the Psalms, in the loudest, fullest song in the whole book: Psalm 150. Every instrument, every voice, every breath — all of it, made for this. Wherever you land on exuberant worship, this is an invitation to want it — together, in view of his mercy.
What happens when we finally get honest about how short our days are? In this sermon, we open Psalm 90 — a prayer that doesn't rush past our fragility or our sin, but leads us straight through them into the steadfast love of God. It's not the most comfortable song in the hymnal, but it might be the wisest.
Not every song in Scripture resolves on a happy chord. In this message from our Summer Playlist series, we open Psalm 88 — the rawest, darkest psalm in the Bible — and learn that lament isn't the opposite of faith, it's an expression of it. Our God isn't afraid of your questions, your tears, or your 2am prayers. He already knows what it means to sit in the dark, and He's promised not to leave us there.
The day after America's 250th birthday, we turn to Psalm 72 to ask a bigger question: what would it look like to live under a truly perfect King? This message traces the ache behind every patriotic song to the one Kingdom that can actually satisfy it — pointing us away from cynicism and idolatry, and toward prayer, worship, and allegiance to Jesus, the King every earthly kingdom was pointing to all along.
Weakness is hard to admit — especially when the world around you runs on credentials and performance. But Psalm 41 doesn't let us hide. It invites us into honest, even ugly prayer, and walks us from lament all the way to victory.
In this week's sermon, we dig into what it means to lay hold of God's goodness when you're at your weakest — whether that's poverty, sickness, betrayal, or being quietly pushed to the margins. God's goodness isn't for people who have it together. It's for the weak. And it leads somewhere real.
Psalm 1 opens the entire Book of Psalms with a stark picture: two paths, two people, two very different outcomes — and the only thing separating them is who they listen to. In this sermon, we dig into the ancient songs of Scripture and find that they are not just expressions of devotion, but expressions of reality. One life is rooted like a tree by living water — fruitful, steady, unshaken. The other is like chaff — weightless, directionless, carried wherever the wind blows. The question isn’t which life looks better. The question is: where are your roots?
We close out our 1 Timothy series with one of Paul’s most searching charges: take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. It’s not enough to just have it — we’re invited to immerse ourselves in it. In this message from 1 Timothy 6, we unpack what that looks like through three movements: fleeing the lie that the wealthy life is the good life, fixing our eyes on the return of Christ, and abiding in the grace of God here and now.
Is genuine Christian community actually possible — or is it just a beautiful idea that always falls apart? In this sermon, we dive into 1 Timothy 5 — a passage that gets specific about the areas where honor is hardest: caring for the vulnerable, honoring those who lead, and bringing that same posture into the workplace. This one is practical, a little uncomfortable, and full of grace.
What does it take to actually pursue God? Paul’s letter to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:14–4:16 gives us a clear answer: train yourself for godliness. In this message, we explore four compelling reasons to pursue godliness — because it aligns with truth, because God is worthy, because the counterfeits will destroy you, and because our hope is anchored in a living God. Plus, a practical call to stop merely trying and start training.
The credibility of any church rises or falls with the character of its leaders. In this sermon on 1 Timothy 3, we walk through Paul's qualifications for elders and deacons and discover that the bar isn't about heroic achievements, it's about the quiet, daily faithfulness of a life shaped by the gospel.
What does it actually look like to be in the world without being shaped by it? In this sermon, we dig into 1 Timothy 2 and wrestle honestly with what the Bible says about prayer, political leaders, masculinity, femininity, and the distinct identity of the church.
In this first message from 1 Timothy 1, we discover why the gospel is worth fighting for, what happens when teaching drifts away from it, and how love is both the goal and the evidence of sound doctrine. Paul’s personal testimony of mercy and grace reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God — and that the fight for the gospel is ultimately a fight worth having.
In the final message of God Just Tell Me, discover what it really means to know and follow the will of God. This sermon challenges common misconceptions and calls us away from overthinking, over-spiritualizing, and self-driven motives—inviting us instead into a deeper, obedient relationship with God through His Word.
What do you do when God’s will feels unclear? In Proverbs 3:5–8, we’re called to trust God—but in real life, uncertainty often leads us toward panic, self-reliance, or even patterns that pull us away from Him. This sermon walks us through what not to do in seasons of confusion, and what it actually looks like to follow God with wisdom, discernment, and steady faith.
What are you really seeking when life feels uncertain? In this episode on Matthew 6:31–34, we contrast the anxiety-driven pursuit of earthly security with Jesus’ call to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness. Learn how to discern God’s will through Scripture, the example of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual family—and why what you love ultimately shapes what you seek.
Ephesians 1:11–12 shows that God is not only working all things according to His will, but He is doing so with a purpose: His glory. This shifts how we understand our lives, our decisions, and even our uncertainties. God’s will is not just about direction, but about transformation—shaping us into people who live for His glory rather than our own.
In John 21, the risen Jesus meets His disciples not in triumph, but in the quiet aftermath of disappointment and uncertainty. As He restores Peter after his denial, we see that the resurrection is not just about victory over death—it is about restoration, renewal, and a future rewritten by grace. Jesus is alive, and failure is not the end of our story. The call to follow Him still stands.
In John 12, a crowd gathers to celebrate Jesus as King, waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna,” yet beneath the celebration lies confusion. While the people expect a political savior, Jesus comes to establish a far greater kingdom—one that challenges and reshapes their expectations. This sermon invites us to consider whether we follow Jesus as He truly is, and points us to the King who came not just to reign, but to save.
Acts 4 gives us a compelling picture of the early church—not just in belief, but in practice. They are united, generous, and bold. And what drives it all is not pressure or performance, but grace. In this sermon, we see how the gospel creates a new kind of people—those who no longer cling tightly to possessions, status, or control, but instead live open-handed lives for the sake of others.
In Mark 12:41–44, Jesus observes people placing their offerings in the temple treasury. Many rich people give large amounts, but Jesus highlights a poor widow who gives two small coins—everything she had. In this sermon, Pastor Don Weiss shows that this moment reveals something deeper than generosity. It reveals where our dependence truly lies.
What happens when the work God calls you to begins to face resistance? In Nehemiah 4, the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall is met with mockery, threats, and fear. Yet instead of stopping the work, Nehemiah leads the people with courage, prayer, and perseverance. The call is not to retreat, but to remember who God is and continue the work He has given us.
In 1 Chronicles 29, David gives a staggering personal offering toward the building of the temple. The leaders follow. The people rejoice. But the real story isn’t about wealth—it’s about worship. This sermon invites us to consider what our generosity reveals about our worship—and ultimately points us to Christ. Because of Him, we are free to give, free to worship, and free to build for eternity.
God doesn’t just accomplish His mission alone—He partners with faith-filled people.
In the first message of our Kingdom Builders series, we walk through Genesis 12 and 22 to see how God formed Abraham through testing and obedience. This is not a story about arbitrary suffering—it’s about a God who shapes faithful partners for a global mission. And ultimately, it’s about the God who provides.
What does the future hold for Aletheia Church? In this 15th anniversary message, Pastor Jim Laffoon calls us to look ahead with faith—reminding us that the mission ahead won’t be accomplished by intellect or strategy, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. As God moves again, the question isn’t whether He’s working—but how we will respond.
What is the goal of the mission? In Psalm 84, we are reminded that the mission of Jesus isn’t just what we do—it’s what we’re invited into: the presence of God Himself. In a loud, busy, distracted world, God invites His people to rediscover the joy, strength, belonging, and hope found simply in being with Him—together.
As we kick off the celebration of 15 years of God’s faithfulness at Aletheia, Dr. Stephen Mansfield calls us to recover the biblical meaning of remembrance. Preaching from Luke 22:19, he shows that remembering is not simply recalling the past, but receiving a present impartation of God’s power for what He is calling us to do now. This message invites us to remember who we are—and to move forward in faith.
The mission of the church isn’t optional or distant—it’s urgent and right in front of us. In the final message of The Mission series, we look at Jesus’ words in John 4 as he calls his disciples to lift their eyes and see that “the fields are white for harvest.” We, the church, are also called to join the harvest and faithfully step into what God is already doing right now.
What does it mean to be sent by Jesus with the gospel and the Holy Spirit? In John 20, Pastor Adam Mabry shows that mission doesn’t begin with pressure or performance, but with peace, purpose, people, and the power of the Spirit. As Jesus sends his disciples just as the Father sent him, we too are sent with God’s pleasure, shaped by God’s purpose, surrounded by God’s people, and empowered by God’s Spirit.
At the center of God’s mission stands the cross. In John 12, Jesus reveals that his suffering, death, and exaltation are not a detour from God’s plan, but the very means by which God’s love and holiness meet. In this sermon, we see how the cross glorifies God, defeats Satan, judges sin, and draws the world to Jesus—calling us to see the cross not as tragedy, but as the centerpiece of God’s saving mission.
Where does God’s mission begin? In this opening message of The Mission, we learn that the mission of God flows from the extravagant, undeserved love of the Father. This sermon challenges both rebellious and religious hearts, calling the Church to be shaped by God’s love and sent into the world with compassion, urgency, and grace.
Through the story of Simeon and Anna’s encounter with the Christ child in the temple, we explore the four pillars of a hope that sustains us through every season. Learn why biblical hope isn’t just a sunny disposition—it is rooted in God’s Word, animated by his Spirit, perpetuated by his presence, and fulfilled by his provision.
In this sermon, we look at Mary and Joseph—two regular people caught up in a plan far bigger than themselves. Through their story of obedience, we discover how God’s love for sinners transforms our palpable fear into courageous strength and why your own weakness is actually the perfect canvas for his grace.
How does the Bible define joy? This week, Pastor Don Weiss guides us to a robust, Christ-centered definition of joy. In this sermon, we look at the story of Mary and how she found joy in receiving God’s presence in her life, especially as she sings her famous song, the Magnificat.
Isaiah 7 shows us that God doesn’t wait for life to settle before giving peace—he steps into the chaos with us. Instead of offering quick fixes, he gives us something better: Immanuel. This message is an invitation to stop scrambling, breathe, and receive the peace only God can give, and then bring that peace into the world around us.
As we begin our Advent series, we look at Isaiah 9 and Micah 5 where the prophets show us what God does in the darkest moments: He gives a promise. A Son. A King. A Light the darkness cannot overcome. We are invited to trust God’s promises, turn toward his light, and hold onto real hope this season. Darkness doesn’t get the last word—Jesus does.
As we conclude our journey through the Gospel of Matthew, Pastor Adam Mabry unpacks how the death and resurrection of Jesus fulfill every covenant promise God made throughout Scripture. From the Passover meal to the cross to the empty tomb, Jesus becomes the Lamb, the curse-bearer, and the risen King who launches new creation. This is the greatest moment in history—and it demands our response.
In Matthew 23–25, Jesus confronts his disciples with the truth about judgment, the end of the age, and the choice every person must make. Pastor Adam Mabry walks through Jesus’ warnings, exposing our illusions of control and self-righteousness, and calling us to endurance, clarity, and wholehearted allegiance to Christ. The gospel isn’t something to admire from a distance—it demands a response.
In Matthew 19–21, Jesus overturns what we think we need—achievement, power, and self-made goodness—and shows us what we truly need: Him. Following Jesus means releasing lesser loves to receive the only King who can save and satisfy.
In one of the most dramatic turns in Matthew’s Gospel, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ at the very gates of hell. Pastor Don Weiss unpacks how Jesus builds his Church not on perfection but on revelation—and how he calls every disciple to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.
In Matthew 11–13, Jesus invites us to trust him by coming to him for rest, learning from him in humility, and treasuring him above everything else. The Kingdom of God isn’t a concept to admire but a reality to enter. In this message, we’re challenged to stop striving, surrender control, and choose the King himself. Because to choose the Kingdom is to trust the One who rules it.
In Matthew 8–10, Jesus doesn’t just proclaim the kingdom, he demonstrates it. Through healing, deliverance, and mission, the power and authority of the king become unmistakable. In this sermon, we unpack what Jesus’ authority means for modern disciples: trust his power and sovereignty, submit to his reign, and bring the news of his kingdom to the world.
The Sermon on the Mount changes everything — not just what we believe, but how we relate to God. In this message, guest preacher Pastor Dihan Lee reminds us that Jesus didn’t just give us new rules, he gave us a new reality. God is no longer distant and quarantined in holiness; He’s come near, even to dwell within us.
Jesus opens the sermon on the mount by flipping our expectation of "the good life" upside down. In his kingdom, the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom, the mourners are comforted, and the persecuted are blessed. In this sermon, Pastor Adam walks through Matthew 5, showing how the promise of Christ's kingdom subverts our expectations of what blessing is, and transforms our motivation from one of anxiety and fear to one of love and faith.
In Matthew 3–4, we see Jesus baptized in the Jordan, affirmed by the Father, tested in the wilderness, and calling disciples into mission. Where Adam failed, where Israel failed, where we fail—Jesus succeeded. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us how our perfect Christ pioneers the way for imperfect people like us to know God’s acceptance, fight temptation, and follow him in his mission.
The Gospel of Matthew opens not with a miracle or a parable, but with a genealogy. Why? Because Matthew wants us to see who Jesus truly is. In a world full of opinions about Jesus, the most important decision you’ll ever make is not your career, your relationships, or your future plans—it’s who you say Jesus is.
When the world feels fractured by violence, division, and fear, where can we place our hope? In Revelation 7:9–17, we’re given a heavenly vision: a countless, multi-ethnic multitude gathered before the throne of Jesus, unified in worship. This is not just a future reality—it shapes our calling now: to resist fear, love our neighbor, and live as a diverse, unified family of faith.
What shapes the values of the church? Not preference, not culture, but the gospel story. In this sermon from Ephesians 2:1–10, we continue our House Rules series and explore our church values: Truth, Grace, and Change. Discover how the gospel rewrites our story and calls us into a life marked by humility, freedom, and transformation.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? In this sermon on Matthew 28:18–20, Pastor Adam reminds us that in this house, we are disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus. Every believer has a next step—whether it’s exploring faith, deepening foundations, leading others, or even stepping into ministry. Discover what it means to obey Jesus’ final command and how God’s promise of his presence empowers us to go.
What does it mean to live ready? And why is it worth it? In Luke 12:35–40, Jesus calls his disciples to be dressed for action, keep their lamps burning, and their hearts awake. In this sermon, we learn to identify and fight the enemies of readiness, and to lean into the Spirit’s power as we prepare for Christ’s return and for the revivals he brings along the way.
In Isaiah 6, we see the prophet undone by God’s holiness, cleansed by God’s grace, and compelled to respond to God’s mission. Christians are not just saved—we are sent. In this sermon, discover how encountering God’s presence moves us from hesitation and fear to boldness and obedience.
Saul had everything—status, reputation, religious zeal. But on the road to Damascus, everything changed. Jesus interrupts Saul’s mission and flips his world upside down, turning him from persecutor to preacher. In this message, we see how Jesus still meets people where they are, strips away false identities, and replaces them with the surpassing worth of knowing him. The question isn’t whether Jesus will lead—it’s whether we’ll follow when he does.
In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done. In this sermon, we explore the dangerous but transformative prayer: Lead me. We unpack what it means to truly let go of control and allow God to shape our lives around his holiness, his kingdom, and his will.
What does it mean to pray, “Break me”? When we pray “Break me,” we’re not asking to be destroyed—we’re asking to be released. Released from our past, from false identities, from misplaced security. Because the truth is: your most meaningful ministry will often rise from your deepest breaking. And in the hands of Jesus, nothing surrendered is wasted.
Has guilt, shame, or fear ever caused you to hide? But Psalm 139 ends with a bold and vulnerable prayer: “Search me, O God.” Pastor Adam unpacks how that prayer leads us out of hiding and into deeper freedom.
In Acts 8, we see a powerful moment where God weaves two stories together—Philip’s obedience and the Ethiopian official’s search for truth. In this sermon, we’re reminded to love people and trust God with the story he’s writing. Even when things are hard or unclear, we can obey with confidence, knowing that the author of the big story is the same one guiding our little ones, and his ending is always redemption.
Before Isaiah could be sent, he had to be undone. Isaiah’s story shows us that we’re not ready for the mission of God until we’ve come face-to-face with the holiness of God and surrendered everything. We see how encountering God’s holiness leads to confession, healing, and ultimately, calling. It’s grace that sends us. And it’s grace that sustains us.
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah hits rock bottom. But even there, God meets him with healing, community, and a renewed calling. In this sermon, we explore how Elijah’s story reminds us that we were made for more than just survival—we were made for God’s mission. Through suffering, healing, relationships, and renewed calling, God draws us back to his purpose. Just like Elijah, we’re reminded that our lives matter, not just for today, but for the next generation.
What do we do when we’ve fallen into sin? In Micah 7, the prophet shows us a path that’s honest, hopeful, and anchored in grace. Instead of denying or drowning in guilt, we’re invited to respond with a heart that mourns sin, rebukes the enemy, acknowledges God’s justice, and waits on His mercy. God meets us in our lowest moments not to shame us, but to convict, comfort, and restore.
We all feel the pull to escape into distractions, habits, or anything that helps us avoid the pressure and pace of life. But in Ephesians 5, Paul points us toward something better: life in the Spirit. In this episode, we unpack how being filled with the Holy Spirit empowers you to live wisely, discern God’s will, and find meaning even in the mundane. Instead of zoning out, the Spirit calls us to zone in—to walk in wisdom, gratitude, and purpose.
Pentecost wasn’t just the birth of the Church—it was the beginning of a Spirit-filled movement to reach the nations with the gospel. In this sermon, we look at Acts 2 and how God’s very presence in his people was meant to propel them outward with the good news of Jesus. We’re invited to be part of that same mission today—through prayer, generosity, and a willingness to go.
The Spirit of God isn’t just a vague force, He’s a gift from the Father, given through the Son, and He’s with us, in us, and working through us. We look into John 14 and 16 and talk about how through the Spirit, we’re invited to walk with God, love Him, and love others. And just like Jesus needed the Spirit to live out His mission, so do we.
The Holy Spirit isn’t just a force or a feeling—He is the powerful presence of God, giving us life. In this sermon, we examine Ezekiel 36 and explore why we need the Holy Spirit. He’s the one who gives us life, who regenerates our hearts, and who applies everything Jesus has accomplished to us. Without him, we can’t live, we can’t grow, and we can’t truly follow Jesus.
What kind of work will God reward? In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul reminds us that even as believers, the work we do will be tested. Whether you work in corporate, in ministry, healthcare, or creative space, it’s not just about what you do, but how and why you do it. When your work is rooted in Christ and fueled by love, it’s never in vain.
What does it look like to really do a good job? Proverbs 31 gives us a picture of work shaped by wisdom, integrity, and purpose. In this sermon, we learn how doing a good job is not about hustling for your own glory, but faithful work that honors God and blesses others.
When work is hard, how do we respond? In this sermon, we explore how the frustration we feel in our jobs can actually reveal what’s going on in our hearts. Work was a good gift from God that’s now marked by struggle, but through Jesus, that curse is being healed.
From the beginning, work was never meant to be a burden but a meaningful partnership with God himself — a vital part of what it means to be human. In this sermon, we’re looking at Genesis 2:4–19 and talking about how God made us for good, meaningful, creative work — not just to get by, but to partner with him.
On Good Friday, we remember the depth of God’s love — a love so committed, it faced death itself to rescue us. In this sermon, we reflect on the cross where Jesus became both our Passover lamb and our substitute, cleansing us from sin and bearing the judgment we deserved.
The resurrection changed everything—but what will you do with the good news? In Luke 24:1–12, we see different reactions: the women ran to tell it, the disciples dismissed it, and Peter investigated and ended up marveling. We break down each response and ask: are you telling, doubting, exploring, or marveling? The gospel invites us to consider the evidence and be amazed.
Paul shows us how to gospel well—by letting our hearts be stirred, stepping into real conversations, and pointing people to Jesus. In this sermon, we talk about spotting gospel moments, building bridges, speaking truth with love, and why the resurrection changes everything.
The gospel of Christ is both a comfort and a confrontation, and as we faithfully proclaim it, we can expect a variety of responses. Yet, regardless of how people respond, at the core of our mission is the love of Jesus that compels us to continue sharing his truth. In this sermon, let us be encouraged to faithfully declare the gospel, trust God to bring about transformation, and respond with grace to whatever unfolds.
No one is excluded from hearing and believing the gospel. Looking at the story of Peter and the gentile, Cornelius, in Acts 10:34-48, we see that as God calls us to share the gospel with everyone he is also at work in people’s lives, preparing their hearts to receive the message of Christ.
In this sermon, we explore Acts 2:22-41 and the call to boldly proclaim the gospel—the good news that sinners can be made righteous through Christ. Boldness comes as a gift from the Holy Spirit, empowering us to share the only hope for salvation—Jesus Christ. We learn some practical ways to step out in faith and proclaim the gospel to those around you.
In this sermon, we dive into Numbers 33:50-56, exploring how God’s journey for his people through the wilderness was meant to establish the exclusive worship of him. Idolatry has no place among God’s people, and we must confront and destroy the idols in our lives that compete for our worship. Through identifying, acknowledging, and expelling idols, we learn to embrace the promise giver and live with a heart fully devoted to him.
No matter where we are in life—whether in a season of wandering or on the brink of something new—God’s call remains the same: be faithful, make disciples, and raise up the next generation. In this episode, we explore Numbers 26 and 27 where we see the power of faithfulness, the lessons found in leadership, and the role of God’s presence in shaping those who will come after us.
While sex is a gift from God, mishandling it can lead to devastating consequences. God’s wrath against immorality isn’t out of anger, but out of his deep love for us and his desire for us to be holy. In this sermon, we explore the profound truth that God’s grace is revealed through his jealousy for our holiness.
In this sermon, we explore the profound lessons from Numbers 16-20 and ask the critical question: What does it take to change the world, and who does God use to do that? We dive into the fire of judgment, the fear of God, and the fight of faith, revealing how God's patience leads us to repentance and transformation.
When the spies return from Canaan with a report of giants and fortified cities, fear takes hold of the people, leading them to doubt God's ability to deliver on his promise. We reflect on the story of the Israelites in Numbers 13 and 14, where fear and faith collide in the face of God's promises.
In this sermon, we explore the deeper significance of holiness in the Israelites’ journey. God prepares His people for a journey of rest, but this rest is only found through holiness. Holiness isn’t about rules or being “holier than thou,” it’s about being set apart for God’s purpose, as he leads his people toward peace, blessing, and rest.
In this new series, we explore the significance of God's presence at the center of our lives, drawing from the Book of Numbers. In the wilderness, the Israelites were called to focus on God’s presence, and we are called to do the same today. We dive into the rituals God gave his people—rituals that reveal deep values and help us center our lives around him.
Jesus not only saves us from our past but also gives us new life, new identity, and new purpose. Through the story of Mary Magdalene, we see the transformative power of Jesus’ resurrection and we are challenged to say “yes” to God’s call and to share the life-changing message of Jesus: Go and tell all to come and see that Jesus saves.
How can we honor Jesus publicly? How does the image of the cross give us the courage to take bold risks for the Kingdom, even in the face of fear or opposition? We explore the powerful transformation from passive, private faith to a bold, public mission, inspired by the courage displayed by Joseph of Arimathea in the wake of Jesus' death.
Whether it’s personal doubts, allegiances to something else, or our own religious filters, we often stand in the way of genuine belief. But the cross confronts and overcomes these barriers by revealing God's character, power, and faithfulness through Christ at the cross.
We look into Nicodemus’ conversation with Jesus, where his curiosity was met with the ultimate revelation of God’s love on the cross. This is the same invitation extended to us to shift our focus from the wrong things and onto the right things to truly find life.
How do we arrive at the end of a chapter with faithfulness and purpose? Simeon’s example shows us the importance of trusting God in the hardest of times, and waiting with anticipation for his promises to be fulfilled. We are called to finish well, worship fully, and walk forward in faith!
The arrival of Christ is not just a historical event, but a transformative reality. We reflect on the deep significance of God’s intimate involvement in the world through Jesus Christ and what it means for us personally.
We dive into the powerful truth that the arrival of God’s love in Christ transforms us in every way. When God became human, he demonstrated the ultimate act of love—a love that is worth remembering, celebrating, and sharing.
As we dive into Zephaniah 3:14-20, we see the incredible transformation of fear into joy through the arrival of Christ. God doesn’t leave us in fear—he changes our outcomes and offers his powerful presence, turning our anxiety into unshakable joy.
In this sermon, we learn how the path to lasting joy is through surrendering to the cross, just as Jesus did. True fulfillment comes when we submit our will to the one who is in control—because, in the end, joy follows the surrender.
As we dive into Zephaniah 3:14-20, we see the incredible transformation of fear into joy through the arrival of Christ. God doesn’t leave us in fear—he changes our outcomes and offers his powerful presence, turning our anxiety into unshakable joy.
As we reflect on the darkness that still exists in the world, we see how Jesus’ arrival brings wisdom, justice, compassion, and blessing—offering true peace to those in need of it. And as recipients of this peace, we are to step into the darkness and offer it too.
In a world marked by longing, pain, and the ongoing battle between good and evil, the Bible tells us that the arrival of King Jesus is the foundation for our hope. Jesus’ victory over the serpent is not just a past event—it is a present reality that allows us to persevere amid life’s struggles.
In this day and age of information, we can easily be swayed and overwhelmed by all the news, whether good or bad, that is readily available at our fingertips. But Paul, in Romans 15:8-13, shows us we can still have joy and peace by believing in the hope that God confirmed in Jesus Christ.
As believers, we often wrestle with the question: Why does God allow his people to endure hardships? Paul reminds us that our afflictions are not in vain—they are for our comfort and salvation, and through our own experiences of God's comfort, we are equipped to comfort others who face similar struggles.
Christ’s love compels us to a strange but beautiful ministry—one where we move from seeking God’s approval to living out of the fullness of his love, sharing it with others. We are reminded that Jesus is the great minister of reconciliation, and our own experience of being reconciled to God fuels our mission to reach the lost.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus in a culture that idolizes materialism? In this sermon, we’ll reflect on the dangers of covetousness and we’ll learn to combat anxiety as we seek God’s kingdom through acts of generosity, serving those in need, and cultivating a heart that treasures what truly matters.
Despite the brokenness introduced by sin—affecting marriage, singleness, and the value of children—there is hope that can be found in Christ for redemption. In this sermon, we talk about the importance of pursuing Christ-likeness in our lives and advocating for policies that celebrate and protect the beauty of family.
All human beings bear the image of God. Drawing from Genesis 1:26-27, we are challenged to consider the inherent value of every individual and how this understanding should shape our actions, beliefs, and society as a whole.
All human beings bear the image of God. Drawing from Genesis 1:26-27, we are challenged to consider the inherent value of every individual and how this understanding should shape our actions, beliefs, and society as a whole.
What does freedom mean to you? In this sermon, Paul's words challenge us to understand the true nature of freedom in Christ and how it should shape our lives and relationships.
What does freedom mean to you? In this sermon, Paul's words challenge us to understand the true nature of freedom in Christ and how it should shape our lives and relationships.
As believers, we are made citizens of the kingdom of God and are called to be witnesses of our invincible King. In this sermon, we tackle the topic of faith and politics to understand what it means to follow Jesus in our cultural moment and how we can live as kingdom citizens in a complex world.
Being set apart for God means we are viewed as strange and weird. We are called not to fit into the mold of this world but to be transformed by renewing our minds through God’s truth in the Scripture. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us how to live out our faith in ways that may seem counter-cultural, yet beautifully align with God’s purposes.
One profound truth that transforms and empowers every believer is knowing that Jesus loves us. Pastor Adam unpacks the Apostle John’s words to help us understand the nature and the cost of God’s love for us. By understanding and experiencing this love, we can respond with gratitude that spurs us to generously share God’s love with others.
What we believe about the future will determine and shape how we live in the present. In the last segment of studying our mission statement, we look into how it is the glory of God that is the good of all people. We need God’s vision of his glory to sustain God’s way for our life as a church.
In this sermon, we will look at what we value as a church. Drawing from the imagery and theology of John’s prologue, Pastor Adam unpacks how Jesus, as the Word made flesh, reveals the truth, grace, and changing power of God.
In this new series, we revisit the reason why our church exists and what we value as God’s people. We will look at the story of Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus and how it challenges us to live out our mission of making disciples because making disciples is the mission of Jesus.
How does God balance justice and mercy? In this continuation of Peter’s letter, God brings justice to those who perpetuate false gospels while offering salvation to those who hold fast to the gospel of Jesus. This message challenges us to consider our own lives and faith, urging us to trust in God's ultimate plan of rescue and recompense.
When everything in life suddenly goes wrong, do you struggle to remain steadfast in your faith? Pastor Clayton Bell tells the story of John the Baptist’s faith being tested amid discomfort and how true faithfulness means being committed past comfort.
As the church starts to wane in their faith, Peter reminds them of the trustworthiness of the apostles’ testimonies about Christ and warns them of false prophets and false teachings. When we struggle with our faith, Tyler Parker reminds us that we know God is involved in the world because he has spoken to us through scripture.
At the beginning of Peter’s second letter, we are told how God has done all that it takes for us to participate in his divine nature. Pastor Adam reminds us that God's grace empowers us to strive for godliness, and out of this new nature and new love for God comes fruitfulness for the kingdom.
In this final chapter, James brings the believers’ attention to addressing greed that may arise from the selfish accumulation of money and things. Pastor Adam urges us to assess our attitude towards wealth and things and to align our practices with the teachings of Jesus so that we can transform our relationship with wealth and foster a community grounded in justice and compassion.
Everyone makes plans. Some just for the day, others for their whole lives. Tyler Parker delves into the teachings of James 4:13-17, where we are reminded of the fleeting nature of life and the necessity of humility in our decision-making processes as we learn the importance of anchoring our plans in God's will rather than our own.
The Bible describes wisdom that comes from God as pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. In this sermon, Pastor Don exhorts us to fight for true wisdom in a world that is filled with false wisdom, always drawing close to the Father, and resisting the devil and his schemes.
Our words hold immense power for both harm and good. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the responsibility we carry in controlling our speech and the importance of aligning our language with grace and humility. We learn that taming the tongue can lead to personal and communal transformation.
In this sermon, we delve into a more challenging message from James. Pastor Adam shares with us how true faith in Christ, which justifies us, proves itself good, useful, and alive by its deeds. We are called to live out a faith that is alive and active through works of obedience.
In a society where distinctions based on wealth and status are common, David Fulton reminds us, through the words of James to the early church, to see others how God sees them without judgement and to treat others with mercy guided by the wisdom God gives.
We are so quick to point out the mistakes of others but do we see clearly enough to point out our own mistakes? In this sermon, Pastor Don emphasizes the importance of honest self-reflection as we study and respond to what the Word of God teaches us for us to become people of integrity.
Experiencing trials in life is not pleasant but it is necessary if we are to grow in our faith. Pastor Adam takes us on a deep dive into understanding the kinds of trials we face and how they strengthen our faith and bring us closer to Jesus.
Pastor Don dissects the profound prayer of Paul in Ephesians 3. We will look into how we can be strengthened by God through his Spirit, understand the kind of love Jesus has, and how we can be filled with the fullness of God.
What are you longing for in your life? In this sermon, Chris Johnson sheds light on how desperation can either lead to devastation and separation, or revelation and transformation, depending on whose hands it is in. We will learn how living in the direction of God and his righteousness can result in a deeper relationship with Him.
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.” Tithing is not giving to God but returning what rightfully belongs to him. In this sermon, we look at the importance of tithing in the Christian faith and how it unlocks God’s blessings and purposes in our lives.
In Deuteronomy 8, the Israelites are given a picture of a bountiful promised land along with a reminder to remember the Lord as they enter it. Whether in lack or plenty, how we approach money reflects our relationship with God. In this sermon, we are exhorted to remember God for us to manage our money well.
We're all going to face discouragement. We're all going to have moments of failure. We have to pre-decide to have an eternal perspective. Just like the Apostle Paul, we must fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. We must pre-decide to persevere.
What kind of people do we want to become? In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he discusses the transformative power of love and how it should permeate every aspect of our lives, shaping our actions and attitudes towards others. Listen in and learn how we can live a life led by love.
We're faced with many decisions that need to be made each day. In this sermon, we take a look at Jesus to see how he consistently made good decisions. We find that consistent faithfulness is the key to long-term fruitfulness. If you want to be fruitful, where do you need to be consistent?
Making good big decisions in life often begins with making good small decisions. It’s true with health, with money, and, more importantly, with following Jesus. In this first part of the series, we’re looking at one of the essential pre-decisions—pre-deciding to resist temptation.
What compels you to give your ultimate or final allegiance to something or someone? In this sermon, Pastor Adam invites us on a journey to discover the true meaning of redemption and salvation found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our king.
Have you ever asked, “What is God’s plan for my life?” The Bible gives a clear answer to that question—God’s plan is for his people to be priests. Unfortunately, the job of a priest is less familiar for us than it was for the original hearers of the New Testament letters. But by looking at Jesus’ work as our great high priest, we start to grasp what it means to be his priestly people.
Prophet, Priest, King — these three “offices” of Christ help us understand what it means to be God’s people. The Bible speaks about Jesus as the Great Prophet and we, his prophetic people. How do we live out our calling as his prophetic people? That’s the question we explore in this sermon.
The book of Isaiah ends with a vision of new heavens and a new earth from God for his people. What’s there? What’s not there? How should this vision impact the way we live today? In this sermon, we look to answer those questions and see how the vision of God’s new world points us to the hope we have in Jesus.
At the end of Isaiah 59, God promises to put the Spirit that’s on Isaiah into a generation of his people. Isaiah lived by the Spirit in his day, so what does it look like to live by the Spirit in our day. In this sermon, we look at questions we should ask of a prophetic, Spirit-empowered generation.
The Israelites were in geographical exile, but all humanity is in spiritual exile. We try to deal with our exile through life hacking and technique, but God has a better answer—the Servant. The Servant is the true answer to our exile, and in this sermon, we explore what the Servant does to end our exile.
From chapter 40 onward, Isaiah’s message is addressed to God’s people after the exile. But God wasn’t done with his people. God’s discipline was carried out in love, and his message to the exiles is one of comfort. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry shows one of God’s major promises to his people—his presence.
Every now and then, a story is inserted into the poetry of Isaiah that acts like evidence for the message. This week’s story is about King Hezekiah. He faced odds that were totally against him, but it turns out chance and odds don’t apply to those who are called to trust God.
A “woe” in the Bible is an expression of dissatisfaction, anger, and sadness from God. In Isaiah 28, God’s woe is directed at the leaders of Judah who have chosen to trust political alliances rather than God. God’s woe against them shows us just how fragile and damaging self-reliance is, as well as what God has done to offer us something better.
Priests were an important part of keeping holiness going for Israel, but they were flawed. Whether or not we realize it, we treat certain people like priests, but any priest we trust is flawed…except Jesus.
How do we measure holiness? Many people think that morality is the measure of holiness. That’s certainly part of it, but Paul describes a holy life as one that pleases God. He also describes where we get the power to live that kind of life.
How can a holy God be around an unholy people? In the Bible, when unholy people get around the presence of a holy God, they die… unless there’s atonement. In this sermon, we explore what the atonement sacrifices from the Old Testament point to, and what it means for how people approach God.
Understanding the holiness of God helps us to see our unholiness and how only God can make us holy. God is not so holy that he wants nothing to do with us. But he is so holy he wants everything to do with us.
How do you feel about God’s plan for the future—scared, excited, indifferent? However you feel about it, we can’t ignore it. This future hope that God has given is meant to revolutionize how we live in the present.
When Gabriel announced Jesus’ birth to Mary, he addressed her as “favored one.” What God does for Mary is a small taste of what he does for the entire world through Jesus. In this sermon we look at how God’s favor impacts Mary, because that same favor is available to everyone who believes in Jesus.
There is a deep longing in our hearts for the promises of God. In this sermon, Pastor Donny shares how God speaks to our longing through Jesus, who becomes for us the proof that God keeps his promises.
We love the idea of being helped by others but have we stopped to consider being a helper to others? In this sermon, we will learn about God’s nature as our helper and how it is the foundation of our love, our hope, and our encouragement.
God is a giver. In this first week of our Big Give teaching series, we look at God’s first gift—life itself. What kind of life has God given us? What response is required of us?
Those who love the lofty city with its promises of immediate gratification await God’s judgement. In contrast, those who remain faithful to God will reap the rewards of the heavenly city. God’s message through Isaiah tells us that what we love today, what gives us joy and pleasure, reveals where we live.
Chapters 13–23 are full of judgment passages against seven different nations. The passage addressed to Egypt makes the target clear—pride. God confronts their pride, yet judgment is the very instrument God uses to transform Egypt into a worshiping nation. In this sermon, we explore what Egypt’s story has to do with us.
We all have our coping mechanisms, and so did Ahaz. When Ahaz ruled Judah, he faced a threat from surrounding kings. God sent Isaiah to tell him that he didn’t need to fear, only to trust. Ahaz chose to trust in something other than God. We face the same choice and the same outcomes.
God promised to transform Judah from something rotten into something beautiful. But how? Instead of getting the “how” we get to the “who.” God promises to use Isaiah in the transformation process. Isaiah’s call informs the call of every disciple of Jesus, and shows us how God uses us in his plan to renew our world.
We kick off season one of a series in Isaiah this week. The first chapter introduces us to the book as a whole, and what we see is a promise of transformation for Judah. It leaves us with the question: How will this Judah become that Judah? And that question leads to other questions: How will this church become that church? How will this me become that me? Isaiah 1 points us to the answer.
Sadness is a fact of life for everyone. But sadness doesn’t need to lead to despair. In this sermon, we look at how the Scriptures equip us to deal with the reality of sadness by hoping in God.
What do you do when there’s a big gap between the person you think you should be and the person you are? That gap is called shame, and handling the wrong way will lead us to self-hatred or arrogance. But there’s a better way, a way to be healed of our shame.
You might not think of yourself as an angry person, but we’ve all been angry at someone. Relational anger is a big deal, and if we mishandle it, Paul says we give “an opportunity to the devil.” But there's a better way—a way made possible by the gospel.
Anxiety is something we all experience. Yet just because it’s a normal experience, the Bible says we don’t need to remain consistently anxious. In this sermon we look at where anxiety comes from and how to ensure that it doesn’t stick around.
Staying in a place that does not feel like home can be difficult and disheartening. In this sermon, Pastor Donnell Jones brings us to the story of the exiled people of God, how he called them to stay awhile in their place of exile, and how they can find strength for the difficult season.
As a church we want to see our city and New England changing to look more and more like the kingdom of God. But how does that happen? And what’s our part to play? In this sermon, we look at what it means to walk in the good deeds God has prepared for his people.
What is grace? And why do we need to experience God’s grace? We will look at how we not only courageously communicate the truth about sin and salvation as a church, but we must also bring right alongside that the grace and mercy of Jesus.
Ephesians 2 gives us a picture of what sin is and what it does to our lives. As a church, we believe in courageously communicating the truth about sin as well as the truth about salvation.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to a recording error, the audio is not the quality we would normally share. Thank you for understanding.
What we listen to shapes our hearts and minds. In today’s world, we are constantly fighting the battle against the wisdom of the world. Pastor Adam teaches that in order to win the war we must sing God’s words and God’s wisdom.
The Psalms are not just all about praise or lament, they also recount the history of God demonstrating his faithfulness to his people. Tikae shares the importance of these psalms in our practice of remembering God’s faithfulness as an act of worship.
The Psalms also contain a collection of emotional outbursts not entirely characterized by praise. In this sermon, Pastor Steve Cabral shares a few points on why and how we should lament as Christians, grieving the grievous as we still praise the praiseworthy.
Our perception of praise is usually presented as loud clapping and cheering. However, looking at examples of praise through the Psalms, Pastor Adam shows us how praise can be done in the highs and lows of life and how it is the only way to experience joy in Jesus.
In this sermon, we look at the relationship of children towards their parents. Pastor Adam recounts how obeying and honoring parents is an act of faith for God’s blessing, their benefit, and the beauty of the gospel.
The Bible gives us valuable instructions in parenting our children. Pastor Adam shares with us three points parents need to know in order to fulfill the calling of discipling children toward God’s vision.
In this new series, we first look at God’s design for marriage. Pastor Seth Trimmer gives a glimpse of what marriage is and how the love between husband and wife reflects God’s love for his church.
Concluding the journey through the book of Acts, we find Paul sailing the seas towards Rome. In this sermon, Pastor Adam points out four providences of God and what we can learn from how Paul responded to them as empowered by the Holy Spirit.
How are we to be Christ’s witnesses? Approaching the end of Acts, Pastor Donny points out how Paul responded to the pressure of the situation he finds himself in, what he said, and what we can learn from him in order to effectively preach the gospel.
*Please note that due to an equipment error, the audio quality for the latter half of the podcast is not what we would normally share. Thank you for understanding.
Paul knew the suffering that awaited him in Jerusalem. How was he able to face it head-on? In this sermon, Sarah shares three points on how we, as Christians, can suffer well by holding on to the hope found in Christ.
Approaching the final leg of Paul's missionary journey, we look at the various people he met and how they responded to the gospel. Pastor Donny shares with us how Paul modeled bravery in all his interactions and what came out of each interaction.
Further into Paul’s missionary journey, apart from the persecution he experienced he was also met care and generosity from fellow believers. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us what gospel relationships look like, why is it worth it, and what happens when you find yourself in one.
In this continuation of the story of Acts, we follow Paul and Silas’ missionary journey. Through their work, Pastor Adam helps us identify what faithfulness is and is not to help us become a more faithful church.
How do you respond to troubles in life? Kevin York takes us line by line through David’s psalm and shows us how we can lament before God about our circumstances yet still have confidence in His character.
As the church continued to grow to include gentile believers, the disciples faced the challenge of differing cultural backgrounds and practices. Pastor Adam shares with us how unity may look different than we thought but is more possible than we have imagined.
What purpose do stories serve us? Are they even practical and useful in daily living? Following Paul and Barnabas’ ministry at Antioch, Steve uncovers how God has a plan and His plan is a story—the greatest story that is good news to all of mankind.
When God’s character and the actions He takes seem questionable, what do we do? Pastor Adam uncovers the facts we can get from Jesus’ struggle in Gethsemane on how we can still trust God’s character despite the doubt.
Waiting can be excruciating the more we are used to getting things fast. What do we do when God seems slow in fulfilling His promises? Pastor Adam shows us how we can exercise faithfulness in God’s process rather than taking matters into our own hands.
When our thoughts and prayers seem to bounce off the wall, when we experience God’s sovereign silence what do we do? Pastor Adam shares how we should respond to God’s silence and how we can still have faith in His good providence.
The greatest hope of our salvation is found in Jesus’ resurrection. In this sermon, we learn from Pastor Adam how true change is brought about when this story of resurrection moves from just being a Sunday story to spiritual reality.
Why was the cross necessary? Pastor Adam revisits the story of the cross and its importance to our life as believers, and helps us understand its significance in order to dispel apathy brought about by familiarity.
What do times of refreshing brought about by the Holy Spirit look like? Pastor Jim Laffoon shares stories of how the Holy Spirit moves and brings about revivals and how we must position ourselves to participate in it.
Before ascending into heaven, Jesus left the disciples with one great command—to go and make disciples. In this sermon, Steve takes us phrase by phrase and breaks down the essential points found in the Great Commission.
Jesus gave the simplest yet the most foundational answer when asked about the greatest commandment in the law. Sarah gives us principles we can learn about God’s command on loving Him and loving our neighbors.
As the church grows, and the gospel continues to spread, believers face greater threats and persecution from leaders and fellow men. In this sermon by Pastor Adam, we are shown how God reveals His sovereignty over His mission despite the persecution.
After the Gentiles received the gospel, Peter now faces criticism from the members of the church. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us how the Holy Spirit works to change our perspective on the mission of God.
As the gospel continues to spread, we look at the interesting events leading to Peter and Cornelius’ encounter. Through this story, Pastor Adam shares the barriers we experience to belief and how God provides the solution to overcome these barriers.
No one is too far gone for God to save, and no situation is too bad for God to redeem. As we see the conversion of Saul, Pastor Donny shares three keys that we must take away from this story.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO AN EQUIPMENT ERROR, THE AUDIO IS NOT THE QUALITY WE WOULD NORMALLY SHARE. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.
God has a mission for his people, and he has a people for his mission. In this sermon from Acts 8, we learn that God's heart of compassion is critical to the mission.
Persecution caused the disciples to be scattered into neighboring cities and countries where the gospel is preached to more people. In this sermon we see what happens when the gospel is on the move.
In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrates God’s power over death, and in performing this miracle, brings people to believe in Him.
We can get caught up with chasing miracles that we forget why miracles happen. The gospel of John show us how Jesus performed miracles to draw our attention towards God—our miracle giver.
In the thirty-eight years of living as an invalid, the paralyzed man received healing not in pool water, as the stories say, but in Jesus. He is willing and able to heal us so that we, in turn, could glorify Him in our healing and share good news to the world.
Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana did not only solve a problem but gave rise to belief. For us to be whom God called us to be it’s going to take God’s particular acts of divine power that point us to Jesus.
The role of a prophet is to represent God to the people. Jesus not only came to represent God but through Him we get to see how God’s thoughts and emotions are played out in the Word made flesh.
In this sermon, we learn from Hebrews how God gave us Jesus, our perfect High Priest, so that we can be priests who can give God to the world.
What destruction the enemy has caused during Adam and Eve’s time God interrupts and gives us life through Jesus.
It is God’s will for us to give thanks in a circumstances. Pastor Adam unpacks one simple verse teaching us what giving thanks in all circumstances is and how we can practice it in everyday life.
Upon sharing the gospel, the disciples faced greater risk that came with resisting the established beliefs of their cultural moment. We learn from Pastor Adam that though proclaiming the gospel takes you to unsafe territory you also carry with you its power to save.
When problems arose within the church community a specific type of leadership was needed in order for the church to continue moving forward. Pastor Adam shows us what apostolic leaders need to be able to keep the mission of God moving.
Just like Jesus, the disciples faced persecution and suffering while proclaiming the gospel. We gain hope and encouragement for our own discipleship journey as Pastor Adam shares the disciples’ victory over persecution.
The early church overflowed in generosity not only in serving others but also in giving financially. Pastor Donny shares with us how our generosity plays a part in the mission of God.
From the very start of their ministry, after experiencing the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the disciples began a ministry shaped by boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus. Steve Cabral shares with us how the Holy Spirit empowers every believer to powerfully advance the gospel by declaring Christ to the ends of the earth.
The Holy Spirit empowered the early church to do selfless acts toward others that most would find peculiar. Pastor Adam unpacks the powerful acts of the disciples under the authority of the Holy Spirit and how we can be empowered to do the same today.
After the Pentecost, the disciples were left with questions on what does it mean and what were they to do next. We continue our series with Sarah McCarthy sharing what happens when the Holy Spirit shows up and empowers God’s people.
As we start our journey through the book of Acts, we first look at the events surrounding the Pentecost. Pastor Adam talks about the power that was made available to the earliest disciples to be witnesses for Christ and how that same power is still available to us today.
Paul says, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” In this sermon, Pastor Donny expounds on the power wrapped up in the gospel to bring about lasting change that leads to an abundant life.
Truth alone cannot bring deep transformation. Pastor Adam unpacks what Paul says in Ephesians of God’s grace—why we need it, how do we experience it fully, and how do we respond to it.
Paul emphasizes the importance of the truth of the gospel to every believer. We listen to Pastor Adam as he shares with us the importance of not only knowing the truth of God’s Word but also living it out.
Through the years the mission of family got watered down with the rise of individual opportunities. Pastor Adam unpacks Jesus’ words in Mark 3 on the collective mission of a family and the greater family of God—the body of Christ.
God originally designed marriage to be a reflection of Christ’s relationship with the church. In this sermon, we look into that relationship and how we are encouraged by it in living out a godly marriage.
The Bible gives a vision to fathers and mothers to disciple their children toward God’s vision. Pastor Adam presents us with the steps that we see in Scripture on how we can disciple our children.
As the Bible gives us the command to honor our parents, David Fulton walks us through steps we can take in order to do that, having in mind also the impact it has on the lives of the next generation.
In the first week of this series we take a look at the creation story in Genesis to discover God’s original intent for families and the hope that we have for our own families today.
From persecuting Christians to becoming the greatest evangelist, what fueled Paul’s crazy faith for the mission of God? In the final week of this series, we learn from Paul’s faith how we can also be spurred on to take part in God’s great commission.
The suffering Jesus went through was unimaginable and was only possible to endure through the crazy faith He had in His Father. Pastor Adam shares how we can have crazy faith modeled after the Author of our faith.
When Mary encountered a major interruption in her life how she responded in immediate obedience is admirable. Pastor Adam teaches us a few points we can learn from Mary’s crazy faith displayed in her obedience.
The story of Esther and Mordecai shows us how we can trust God even in the midst of murky situations. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shares with us that even though we may not have a clear view of God’s will, we can direct our gaze to God’s character.
Joshua could have relied on his military expertise in conquering Jericho but decided to obey God’s commands which may have sounded absurd. Steve Cabral shows us in this sermon what we can learn from Joshua’s crazy faith.
Ruth shows her loyalty to God’s people not only in words but also in action. Through Ruth's story, we learn how we can have faithful and flourishing relationships within the body of Christ.
David, in the time before he became king, chose to obey God no matter how contradicting others’ advice were. In this sermon, Sarah McCarthy talks about how we can choose to trust and obey God and His timing through the lessons we learn from David’s patient obedience.
The story of the parting of the Red Sea teaches a number of valuable lessons about our Deliverer, and why we can and should trust him.
How would you respond to a promise that takes too long to be fulfilled? As we journey through a new series on faith, Pastor Adam takes us back to Genesis where God shows Abraham the certainty of His promise to him through a covenant.
In a competitive world, society has formulated its own definition of what winning looks like. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shares that even though we experience countless afflictions that may look like we’re losing in life we’re in fact winning in Christ.
Relationship is fundamental to our very existence but the world in its consumer and individualistic mentality has overshadowed our innate need for community. In this sermon, Tyler teaches us how we can invest in relationships and grow as the body of Christ.
In the creation story, God made Eve to be a suitable helper for Adam. Likewise, as individuals, we were not made to be self-sufficient nor are we to be living our lives alone. In this sermon, David explores the different relationships we have and how vital they are to us in our role as imagers of God.
Imaging God to others may prove to be a challenge most especially when our brokenness and the brokenness of others has formed hurt that is passed on from relationship to relationship. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shares with us the healing power of forgiveness in the prayer Christ taught His disciples to pray.
Bearing the image of God to others has its challenges knowing our tendency to sin. This week we learn from Pastor Nic Gibson as he shares with us how we can experience healing and at the same time bear the image of God as a saved sinner.
As we start this new series, Pastor Adam lays out the foundation of understanding what we are truly created to be in light of who God is as our Creator.
In this sermon we look at the resurrection of Christ through Thomas’ point of view as told by John. Here, Pastor Adam shares with us the kind of renewal that can come to us as believers.
Why did Jesus have to die? In this Good Friday sermon, Pastor Adam shares with us necessary reasons why Christ had to do what He did, why it is important that we know, and what it means to us.
As we end our series on Joel, Pastor Adam takes us back to what we’ve learned from the book of Joel and, looking forward to the New Testament, how his prophetic words are fulfilled in the finished work of Jesus.
As we listen to David, we follow the continuous story of the Bible on how God brings judgment not only on Israel’s enemies but even on the people of God, in the past and up until today, shaking their foundations and freeing them to do the work that He has called them to do.
In this sermon, Steve shares with us God’s call for every believer as messengers of His grace through Joel’s example as he relays God’s promises to the people of Israel.
Joel is not one of the most revisited books of the Bible yet in this new series, we glean lessons from Joel’s method of delivering God’s message to the Israelites as grace-filled truth in order to bring the hearts of His people back to Him.
As we walk with God, have we taken the time to look into ourselves and evaluate how we worship Him? In this sermon, Pastor Jim Laffoon shares in Scripture about the kind of worshipers that God is seeking.
We are wrapping up our series on the Trinity and in this sermon Pastor Donny discusses how the Holy Spirit was sent by God to help us live holy and fruitful lives as Christians.
After learning about the overflowing love of God within the Trinity, this week we hear from Pastor Adam as He shares about how the love of God is revealed in the work of the Son, and in the work of the Spirit, and how it saves us.
In this sermon, Pastor Adrian Crawford of Engage Tallahassee encourages us as the church to keep our feet firmly planted on the plans and purposes of God as He brings us into new things and to a greater calling.
Picking up on what we’ve learned previously about the relationship within the Trinity, in this sermon Steve shares about our relationship with God as our Father and appreciating the evidence of how God’s love overflows over all creation.
Why does it matter that God is one God eternally existent in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? In the sermon, we take a deeper look at Jesus’ prayer for His disciples and how understanding the Trinity impacts the way we understand and relate to God.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus prayed for us to be one, just as He is with the Father. What does oneness look like? In this sermon, Pastor Adam shares how we are encouraged to live a life in unity with Christ and His body.
What does a fruitful life look like? Life can throw us into trials that may cause “our leaves to wither” and in this sermon Pastor Donny helps us understand how we can abide in God that brings fruitfulness in any season.
Why is it important to abide in God’s Word? Pastor Adam helps us understand Jesus’ command to abide in God’s Word and how it transforms the way we think through the truth that it reveals.
Pastor Adam shares with us how Jesus, the bread of life, invites us to feast on Him. As weird as that may sound, we learn that only by feasting on the bread of life can we be fully satisfied.
Looking forward to the future, with all of its uncertainties, can be a daunting thing to do. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to draw near to God and have faith that despite an unknown future His grace still meets us there.
Guided by this short verse in Psalm 9, we look back at the past year in search for evidence of God’s grace to help us look forward with hope and courage to face the coming year.
How long would you be able to wait for a promise to be fulfilled? This week we are told of Simeon's story, how God's fulfillment of His promise to him produced praise not only in Simeon but to all people.
How should we respond when our life is suddenly turned upside down? In the first week of our new series, Pastor Adam guides us through Mary's story and how her humble adoration and obedience towards God caused her to be exalted.
In this last week of our Invincible Joy series, Pastor Adam takes us through Paul's final instructions to the church in Philippi where we look at how we can respond in God's way to circumstances that may cause anxiety and discontent for most.
What makes it hard at times to confess that God is our joy? Steve helps us learn from Paul's exhortation to the church in Philippi on how what we prize the most in life shapes the kind of life we live.
In the third week of our study on the book of Philippians we see how Paul continues to find joy in unexpected places. Pastor Donny shares with us how, as Paul exhorts the church in Philippi, working out our salvation with fear and trembling produces a transformed and better life.
We take a look at Christ's humility as we continue to study the book of Philippians. In this sermon, Pastor Adam enlightens us on how pursuing Christ and humbling ourselves like Christ impacts our community.
In the midst of unfavorable and discouraging circumstances how do we live a life of invincible joy? In his sermon, Tyler shares how communion with Christ and the body of Christ allows us to experience invincible joy.
In this last installment of our series, "Jesus, Justice, and _____", Pastor Adam takes us into the story of the woman at the well and how her encounter with Jesus reveals to us that in Jesus we can experience unity amidst diversity.
Our culture has never had more varied opinions about sex. In This sermon, Pastor Adam shows us Jesus’ beautiful purpose for human sexuality and relationships.
We live in a moment when our abundance threatens to become our source of worth and significance. In this sermon, Campus Missionary David Fulton talks about how we will begin to see how God provides for us as we trust and test Him in the area of finances.
This week we’re taking a break from our normal structure! Rather than being in the Gospels, we’ll be in Acts, talking about church planting. Here at Aletheia, we’re blessed to be sending out our great staff member Kevin McKenzie to plant a church in Savannah, Georgia. We couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity to partner with him to reach a place that needs the good news and justice of Jesus Christ. This week serves as a reminder to us that we are a people called on mission.
Imagine being a non-anxious presence in an anxious political climate. In his answer to a politically-charged question, Jesus explains that a person can live for God while under the authority of human government. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks at Jesus' response and how it helps us to live well for God and with government.
Talking about the marginalized—the poor and needy—has become controversial because we have the conversation along political lines. In this sermon, Steve Cabral looks at Jesus' parable about Lazarus and the rich man, showing us that Jesus engages the marginalized in a very different fashion.
In this first sermon of the teaching series, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the critical necessity of Jesus' lordship for understanding everything else in the Christian life.
In this final part of The Test, Pastor Adam looks at the final days of David’s life. The most important thing for David to focus on is setting the next generation up for success. It poses the following question to the reader: How will we set up the next generation for success in following Jesus?
The later parts of David's life are marked by tragedies—but they are partly of his own making. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks at the rise of Absalom, David's son, who stages a coup. David's apathy created a vacuum into which Absalom stepped. Apathy can do similar damage in our own lives.
David is King of Israel and is meant to be an image of righteousness to the people of Israel - however, when Bathsheba appears on a roof in his Kingdom, David falls short of his call. How does David fail the most important test of his life? In this sermon, Campus Missionary David Fulton examines King David's failures to offer wisdom through the test of Entitlement.
In God's presence there is both joy and danger. In his first major act as king of Israel, David brings the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem—the presence of God to the center of Israel's national identity. Things go wrong when David doesn't follow God's instructions, and David responds by humbling himself. In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks how we must respond to experience the joy of God's dangerous presence.
When facing one of the greatest challenges of his life, David was able to find strength in the face of despair. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks at David's response in the face of despair and looks at how we can tap into the same strength when we face down despair.
When David has the chance to kill Saul and secure the kingship for himself, he doesn't take it. In this sermon, Pastor Donny explains the times when temptation to disobey will be most intense, and where we find the power to trust and obey.
In the familiar story of David and Goliath, Israel is paralyzed with fear at the sight of Goliath but David moves swiftly towards the fight. In this sermon, Operations Director Steve Cabral looks at the beliefs and perspectives that give David a paralysis-defying courage.
David's story begins with God "seeing" him. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores how God's oversight of David is of ultimate importance in his story.
In the final sermon of this series, Pastor Adam Mabry examines Revelation 20 to unveil a biblical vision of God's resounding, eternal victory over every power that has tried or will try to destroy the people of God!
Every one of us has an internal opponent working against the things of God. How do we defeat it? In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul tells us how.
Who gets to tell you who you are? In this sermon, Campus Director Kevin McKenzie explains what it means when Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ." Believing in Jesus gives you a new identity source, and that's really good news.
Where is God when Satan attacks our emotions? In this time of the global pandemic, mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and loneliness are heightened, meaning Satan has more opportunities to wreak havoc on the minds of people all over the world. How does God step into our experiences to meet us in the midst of dark emotions? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Elijah's despair in 1 Kings 19 to uncover how God intervenes in the war for our emotions.
The Bible has much to say about how we use our words, which is odd considering how many of our words we speak with abandon or indifference. According to the Book of James, God cares a lot about how we use our words, and apparently so does Satan. How does God help us use our words to gain victory in spiritual warfare? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores James to uncover how God's power is brought to bear in our world through our words.
How do we respond when the enemy builds strongholds in our thoughts? How do we allow God to enter into and sanctify our thoughts? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores 2 Cor. 10 to uncover how we take every thought captive for Christ in the spiritual war for our thoughts.
Today, we're starting a brand-new teaching series! It can be difficult to fathom the supernatural realm in today's society. Most of what we see in our culture of the supernatural is reality TV shows featuring ghosts or psychics, or people decrying the idea of the supernatural as the stuff of ancient fairytales. However, the Bible has an underlying assumption of the existence of the supernatural. How are we to understand the supernatural in our place and time in society? In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to the book of Ephesians to gain a deeper understanding of the war going on beyond what we see.
Happy Resurrection Sunday! In this sermon, we close out our Road to Resurrection series with a message from the Book of Luke about an encounter with the resurrected Jesus that changes everything for the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
As we continue our journey on the Road to Resurrection, we consider the actions of Jesus and his disciples as Jesus' is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus surrenders to God's will for him to suffer, but the disciples seek violence. Trouble reveals what or whom we trust, so how can we learn to deepen our trust in the Lord and not the sword? In this sermon, Pastor Justin from Aletheia Providence explores Luke 22 to unpack how followers of Jesus follow him into trusting the Lord.
As we approach Easter, we're taking several weeks to look at the events immediately prior to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection in hopes of learning important lessons for our resurrections in Christ! In today's sermon, ENC NEU Campus Director David Fulton explores the story of Jesus giving communion to his disciples to unveil that communion has way more to say about human suffering and its redemptive power than we could have ever thought.
In this last sermon examining 1 Peter, Peter begins to address elders in the church to teach them how to shepherd their congregations in the midst of suffering. Most folks in the church don't hold the title of elder, but many of us will step into leadership, and leadership over people who are younger than we are. What does the end of this letter say about generational unity, leadership, and shepherding folks through suffering? Join us as Pastor Donny Fisher walks through 1 Peter 5 to illustrate Peter's thinking about leading well in God's Kingdom.
It's no secret that the reality of human suffering can make it harder to believe in the goodness of God. However, Peter offers several ways of understanding suffering so that the faith of suffering Christians is bolstered, rather than torn down. In this sermon, Pastor Justin explores 1 Peter 4 to unveil how we ought to understand suffering as we fight for our faith.
What does baptism tell us about the meaning and experience of being a follower of Jesus? In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the various metaphors for baptism, salvation, and liberation from suffering used by Peter in 1 Peter 3 and 4 to explain how baptism proves that God will save us from the floodwaters of life.
The Bible is full of passages involving controversial approaches to social issues, and this week's passage in 1 Peter covers women and slavery, among other issues! Particularly, in these passages, slaves, women, and early Christians face situations of dishonor. What's the Christian response to a situation of dishonor? In this sermon, Director of Discipleship Sarah McCarthy describes from 1 Peter how God enables Christians to show honor in the face of dishonor.
What is holiness, and why is holiness important for God's people? What's God's design for calling His people to be set apart in how they behave and in what they desire? In today's sermon, Campus Director Kevin McKenzie helps us explore 1 Peter Chapters 1 and 2 to discover how a then and now people are defined by their holiness.
Today, we begin a new series in 1 Peter called "A Then and Now People!" In today's sermon, Pastor Justin shows us how to look to the past and to the future to understand how we should follow Jesus here and now.
In today's sermon, Pastor Donny explores the story of Jacob's encounter with God and the subsequent transformation of Jacob's identity. In the Scriptures, a person's identity is often revealed through their name, but Jacob is given two names - one associated with brokenness, and another associated with promise. What do we do with the brokenness in our own lives in light of God's promise of redemption for all of us? Walk with us through a journey through Jacob's life to understand how God can redeem us no matter what we've walked through.
Genesis 22 is perhaps one of the most unsettling chapters in the Bible, but, like all Bible passages, it's in there for a reason. In this sermon, Pastor Adam delves into the chapter to explain what we learn about God as the One who provides.
In Genesis 16, Hagar describes God as "the God who sees." In this sermon, Pastor Justin dives into Hagar's experience to help us understand what it means for God to see and why it's really, really good news.
What is powerful enough to give us peace in the midst of fear? In part two of our Awesome God series, Pastor Adam looks at Gideon's encounter with God. Ironically, it's the fear of God that's powerful enough to give us peace in the midst of fear.
Happy New Year! We thank God for bringing us into 2021 with all its potential and possibilities. We're beginning this new year by kicking off a new sermon series called Awesome God. In the first sermon of the series, campus minster David Fulton explores Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush to help us see the redemption that God wants to bring his good creation by equipping his people with crowns of thorns.
In our final sermon of the Encounters with Immanuel series, Pastor Donny Fisher examines the story of Simeon in the book of Luke, whose bold worship of the baby Jesus shows that when God's promises are fulfilled in our lives, that's the best news ever.
It's Big Give Sunday 2020! In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks at Jesus's words in Matthew 6:19–21. In the passage, Jesus tells us what kind of treasure we should treasure. When that message drops into our hearts, it frees us to give big for God.
How should we react to the fact that God has come to dwell among humans? In Matthew 2, King Herod reacts in a very different way than the wise men who come to see him to inquire about a New King of Israel. In this sermon, Director of Discipleship Sarah McCarthy unpacks this passage in Matthew to show that the right response to Jesus' arrival is not control, but worship.
In this first part of our Encounters with Immanuel series, Pastor Donny looks at the life of Joseph in Matthew 1:18–25. Being a Christian means being willing to give up your plans for God's plan, and Joseph's story gives us courage to do it willingly and joyfully.
This week is the week of Thanksgiving, which also means it's almost time for Advent and the coming of the Christmas season! Today, we're preparing ourselves for Advent by examining the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew 1. What is Advent all about, and what hope do we have in this unusual year of 2020 that Advent will bear a meaning that speaks to our suffering and hardships? In this sermon, Pastor Justin from Aletheia Providence explores how Advent reminds us of God's undying faithfulness to those who belong to Him.
We're wrapping up our series in Daniel this week by examining what it means to have hope in the midst of suffering and waiting. The Book of Daniel ends with layered and intricate visions of kingdoms in judgment and divine beings in action. What can these visions teach us about hoping in God in the midst of cultural and societal turmoil? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Daniel 12 to show how enduring hope is forged in tension.
It's the week after election week, and some folks are joyful, and other despondent. However, the unity of the people of God isn't grounded in earthly political regimes, but rather in the celebration of the Lordship of Jesus. In this sermon, Pastor Tendai explores Daniel 9 to uncover how longing for the right kingdom - God's kingdom - bring true and lasting hope.
It's the Sunday before Election 2020! What better time to dig into one of the most obscure and crucial passages of Daniel? In this sermon, Pastor Donny examines Daniel's vision of the Son of Man with the beasts from the sea to explore how Jesus is Lord over all our beastly nations and desires.
Today we're looking at one of the Bible most famous stories - Daniel in the Lion's Den! What can we learn about emotional maturity, character, virtue, and dealing with evil from this story? In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows, by Daniel's example, that God empowers us to be markedly different from the unstable and unsteady world around us.
As we continue our sermon series in the book of Daniel, campus director Kevin McKenzie walks us through the contrasting stories of King Nebuchadnezzar and his son Belshazzar. One of these kings was received and restored by God; the other torn down from his authority and judged. What was the difference? In this sermon, we observe that the enemy of enduring hope is indeed sin-filled pride.
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is well-trodden territory as an example of biblical loyalty to God, but what can we learn about hope and its sources from this story? What kind of hope would motivate these Hebrew men to accept the death sentence by rejecting the popular idolatry of their day? How can we look to these men for hope as we reject idolatry in our own lives? In this sermon, Director of Discipleship Sarah McCarthy looks to Daniel 3 to uncover how hoping in God proves superior to hoping in idols.
It's election season again, and for most of America, this means days of debates, anxiety-inducing headlines, angry dinner conversations, and all sorts of other turmoil. Elections also inevitably bring the dashing of hopes. How should Christians engage with worldly systems that demand our hope and allegiance? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Daniel 2 to illustrate how our hope must continue and exclusively rest in God.
Have you ever felt the frustration of trying to talk to God and hearing nothing back? How do Christians go about hearing God's voice? In this sermon, campus minister David Fulton offers practical tips about how to cultivate meaningful conversation with God.
As we continue in our series "w/ God," we're exploring why sometimes it feels difficult to experience the joy which is promised to us in Scripture. How do we cultivate a life of joy in the presence of God? In this sermon, Pastor Justin of Aletheia Providence looks to James 4 to help us understand how our habits shape our experiences of joy in Jesus.
How does being with God shape the way we relate to other people? In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to 1 John 4 to examine how being with God produces love in God's people that radically unites us in the mission to love others.
In this sermon, Campus Director Kevin McKenzie explores John 15 to emphasize the essential worship of abiding in Jesus and details practical ways to enter into the peaceful presence of Jesus.
Our new sermon series is about discovering how to spend time with God. Some of us find ourselves chasing after wealth, sex, money, power, and other sources of pleasure in the world. Others of us find it hard to seek because we feel we aren't worthy to seek God, or we bear difficult resentments against God. In this sermon, Pastor Adam examines the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 to show us how we indeed can come home to be with God.
What is the aim of our lives in Christ? Is it evangelism, obedience, righteousness, or something greater than all of these? In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores a number of passages in the Scripture to unveil how the beautiful mission of God calls us to unleash our skills and talents towards reflecting His Image in the world.
This week in The Good and Beautiful Vision, we're exploring God's vision for the family. What does it really mean to honor one's father and mother? And what do we do with the complicated legacies our families sometimes leave to us? In this sermon, campus minister David Fulton examines the commandment to honor one's father and mother and unpacks the truth that maturing into God's vision for the family means redeeming the sins of our ancestors.
Human existence is characterized by suffering, uncertainty, doubt, and powerlessness - so much so that it can be difficult to have hope in the triumphant narrative of the Scriptures. How do we tap into the hope that the Scriptures offer to followers of Jesus? In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the beautiful beginning and end of the Scripture to provide us with a good and beautiful vision of relationship with Jesus in the now.
Being unrighteous doesn’t just mean doing wrong things — although it does mean that! — but also being under the power of sin. But if unrighteousness makes us dead puppets of sin, righteousness makes us alive, kings and queens “seated with Christ in the heavenly places.” In this sermon, Director of Discipleship Sarah McCarthy explores Ephesians 2 to unveil how God meets us in our unrighteousness, and in so doing, gives us new life and a new family.
What if friendship was a vessel of the divine? What if God was going to transform the cosmos through the way you relate to those you love? In this sermon, Aletheia staff member Tyler Parker explores John 15 to uncover the deep, spiritual implications of friendship for developing the Kingdom of God in our world.
Today, we're wrapping up our series in Ecclesiastes and beginning a new, upward-looking series about Good and Beautiful Vision. In this sermon, Pastor Adam draws from the Old and New Testament to offer a hopeful, optimistic understanding of the ways that a good and beautiful vision for anything begins with a good and beautiful vision of God.
Life reveals at least one grim truth: we will all face death at some point. Given that, what is the best way to approach death and overcome fear of it? In this sermon, Pastor Justin explores Ecclesiastes to uncover the Scripture's claims about how we can overcome slavery to the fear about death.
As citizens of one of the most learned cities in the world, we're likely to believe that the Good Life is found in the wisdom of the academy. However, the author of Ecclesiastes proposes a strong challenge to those who would seek salvation in wisdom alone. In this sermon, Pastor Adam navigates Ecclesiastes 7 and 8 to unveil how both wisdom and knowledge without character produce condemnation.
In a thoroughly capitalist society and an increasingly globalizing world, money has attained a kind of divinity. It is the altar at which far too many of us worship. And yet, the worship of money is not a new phenomenon to the author of Ecclesiastes. In this sermon, Pastor Justin unpacks Ecclesiastes' warnings about the futility of the love of money.
Time tends towards cycles, or so implies the author of Ecclesiastes. We've all experienced something like this: we experience ups, downs, highs, lows, periods of great joy, and periods of great turmoil. We may seek stability, normalcy, or consistency in life, but we rarely find any of these for very long. What might the author of Ecclesiastes have to say about our constant struggle to cleave to the peaks of our lives in a world set on cycling? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Ecclesiastes 3 to show that only God can sustain us through life's seasons.
Time tends towards cycles, or so implies the author of Ecclesiastes. We've all experienced something like this: we experience ups, downs, highs, lows, periods of great joy, and periods of great turmoil. We may seek stability, normalcy, or consistency in life, but we rarely find any of these for very long. What might the author of Ecclesiastes have to say about our constant struggle to cleave to the peaks of our lives in a world set on cycling? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Ecclesiastes 3 to show that only God can sustain us through life's seasons.
In a culture obsessed with social mobility, what does the author of Ecclesiastes say about our desire to seek satisfaction from attaining higher earthly heights? In this sermon, Pastor Justin Chapman from Aletheia Providence describes how even the summits under the sun can't be the source of the meaning we crave.
Today, we're beginning a new sermon series in Ecclesiastes entitled "Chasing The Wind." The Bible is full of wisdom and promises, but more often than we like to admit, life doesn't align with our expectations. We invest, we build, and we plan, and yet, our lives are still contain suffering and disappointment. Why? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the wisdom of the writer of Ecclesiastes to help us determine how to respond to the glitches in the systems of our lives.
Many of the established routines of our lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. How can we make sure that we are still being worshipful with the new habits that are developing in our "new normals?" In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows that the good story of the gospel empowers us to build habits of Christlike virtue.
Even before the COVID-19 crisis, anxiety was a defining characteristic of this generation. How does the Gospel speak to anxiety or other thoughts that plague our minds and attempt to distance us from God? In this sermon, Pastor Justin shows us from the Book of Philippians how when we practice gospel thoughts, we welcome in the God of peace.
The COVID Crisis isn't just a public health and economic crisis - it has also been a crisis for the inner lives of many people across the world. In a time characterized by anxiety about so many things, how can we invite the God of peace into our inner lives to so that He can empower us to extend that peace to others? In this installation of This Is Our Time, Pastor Adam interviews counselor and Pastor Seth Trimmer from Grace City Church about taking responsibility of our inner lives, and about taking our inner lives to the King.
Emotions can be tough, and sometimes, we can fail to properly engage our emotions honestly. On the other end of the spectrum, the Scriptures don't allow our lives to be driven entirely our emotions. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the ways in which The Good Story shapes our emotions.
What does holiness look like for God's people during this global pandemic? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores how holiness is of the utmost importance to God's mission in the world, even right now.
As we step into out new series entitled The Good Story, we consider a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees in Matthew. Jesus notes a close connection between the spoken words of the Pharisees and true natures of their hearts. How are our own words connected to the inner substance of our hearts? Do our words glorify God and edify others, or do they debase God and other people? In this sermon, Pastor Justin Chapman from Aletheia Providence shows how the good story of the Gospel should shape our words for the Kingdom.
How can we avoid a tendency to change, soften, or obscure the things about God that we find uncomfortable, especially in the midst of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic? In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows from Job why it's important to renew and refresh our theology.
On this most unusual of Easters in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we remember the unusual, surprising, and altogether earth-shattering story of the event celebrated on this Christian holy day - The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In a time of social distancing, what value does the biblical concept of spiritual family offer to our lives and to the world at large? In the final sermon of our series in Romans, Pastor Adam explores Romans 16 to uncover how Paul blessed and sustained by a God-given spiritual family, and challenges us to embrace spiritual family to help us obey and enjoy God.
What could hope mean for us in a time of great crisis and uncertainty, and how can the Scripture show us what to hope for? As we near the end of our series in Romans, Pastor Adam looks at the fifteenth chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans to uncover what apostolic hope looks like for the people of God.
In the time of COVID-19, it can be hard to live out our faith without fear. But it's not just hard to live out courageous, loving faith in the times of a pandemic: it's a challenge all the time. The Apostle Paul knew that when addressing a burgeoning Roman church in a letter, and in this sermon, Pastor Adam explores that letter to uncover how the Gospel of Jesus Christi enables God's people to live out bold, courageous faith toward each other without fear.
We're doing online church this week on the advice of the government, health care professionals, and the Center for Disease Control, so what better time to talk about honoring authorities? In Romans 13, Paul discusses not only how God would have us honor the authorities around us, but also how God would have us honor anyone around us. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to this passage to explore how exactly God's people should honor people.
We're in a new season of Romans today! This week, we answer several questions: how does the Gospel shape the way people relate to each other in the Body of Christ? How do we discern what we can contribute? Pastor Donny Fisher explores Romans 12 to see how the Gospel produces true unity!
In chapter eleven of Romans, Paul builds into a crescendo and breaks into song. We all want his same experience of awe and wonder, but we need to see that he gets there through the most surprising route—by thinking about God's severity and kindness. In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks what it is about God's severity and kindness that should lead us to worship and humility.
We received a special visit from Pastor Brett Fuller of Grace Covenant Church in Chantilly, VA! In this sermon, Pastor Fuller mines Jesus' words about peacemakers to cast a uniquely Christian vision of stewardship, love and reconciliation in God's multi-ethnic church.
We’ve looked at some mind-bending topics over the past two weeks as Paul endeavors to give us a peak into the mind of God. In the rest of chapter ten, however, he’s going to show us that that the while the inner workings of God’s mind may be complicated, His plan is simple. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Romans 10 to uncover Paul's conviction that the gospel is simple, has a simple message and a simple method, and calls for a simple response.
What does it mean for the gospel to be "a stumbling block of offense?" Is it ever ok for the Gospel to be offensive, and, if so, to whom is the Gospel meant to be offensive? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Romans 9 to unveil how the Gospel is a stumbling block of offense to the self-righteous so that we may receive the righteousness of God.
This week, we begin Romans Season 3 with a stunning passage from Romans 9. In it, Paul seems to imply that God chooses whom to love and chooses others to relegate to destruction. How can a God like this be just or loving? In this sermon, Pastor Adam illustrates how the Apostle Paul explains the Gospel in a way that responds to these objections and expounds upon the striking conclusion that God chooses.
Before we enter into Season 3 of Romans, we're taking a week to recap everything we've learned thus far. Campus Ministry Director Kevin McKenzie leads us through a fly-over of Romans 1-8 and unpacks the life-changing benefits of a new relationship and a new identity in Christ through Jesus.
Suffering is an unfortunate fact of life for both Christians and non-Christians. However, those who belong to Jesus have access to a unique solution in the midst of our suffering - access to the intercession of God's Holy Spirit. What does this mean, and how can we access the peace the Spirit provides? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the second half of Romans 8 to explain how the Spirit sanctifies us through suffering.
We're back in Romans Season 2! In Romans 8, Paul begins to expound upon the concept of the Holy Spirit and its role in salvation. How does the Holy Spirit change the way we relate to God? What does the Holy Spirit produce in our lives? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the first section of Romans 8 to explain what it means for followers of Jesus to be Spirit-filled sons of God.
Where can we find the good life? Money? Security? Fitness? Family? How do we discover that which can provide us with an eternal sense of satisfaction? In this sermon from the Promise Kept series, Pastor Adam explores Revelation to show that the good life is positioned between God's promises, amidst His presence.
In this sermon series Promise Kept, we've been examining promises given by God found in Old Testament prophecies and exploring the ways in which God has fulfilled those promises through Jesus! Today, Pastor Donny digs into Zechariah to show that God is building his Holy Temple through Jesus, and we, as followers of Jesus, represent the stones of this temple.
How do we reckon with God's call to perfect holiness? As humans, we know we're imperfect. We know we don't measure up to God's perfect standard, so sometimes we may try to cover up our imperfections like Adam and Eve or ignore the sins that are endemic to our lives. In this sermon from the Promise Kept series, Pastor Adam explores Isaiah 4 to warn us against mistaking "pretty" for "pure" and to urge to tap into God's cleansing power for our souls.
In the book of Jeremiah, God promises that a Righteous One will arise to create a people of righteousness who will spread God's presence throughout the world. As the people of our world search for meaning and satisfaction, who will share God's redeeming and fulfilling presence with our neighbors? In this first sermon of the Promise Kept series, Pastor Adam explains how we, God's people, are the promised priests who fill the world with the presence of God.
In a city as academic as Boston, it's easy to think about discipleship in terms of classes or theological and theoretical exercises. However, discipleship in the mold of Jesus is a deeply experiential and practical endeavor. Given that practicing discipleship is important in following Jesus, how is it that Christians should approach generosity? In this sermon on Big Give Sunday, Pastor Adam explores Micah 6 to show that the practice of giving generously allows us to practice apprenticeship of Jesus.
In chapter seven of Romans, Paul gets honest about his own experience with sanctification. He wants his fellow disciples to understand why sanctification can be frustrating and slow-going at times, but also how to face it with God's grace. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains how Paul's own thinking about sanctification can help us walk the road of obedience to Jesus.
What's obedience all about? Is obeying God all about avoiding hell, or could obedience be about something greater? In this sermon, campus minister David Fulton explores Romans 6 to show how obedience is about a lot more than rules. After all, obedience leads to life.
God made us to have dominion over all created things, but we lost our right to rule when the first humans submitted their God-given authorities to Satan. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Romans chapters 5 and 6 to illustrate how exactly Jesus's sacrifice restores to us the right to reign.
We normally think of hope as a positive expectations. But what does hope look like when positive expectations are hard to cultivate? Does the gospel provide us with a more durable hope? In this first episode of Romans Season 2, Pastor Adam shows from Romans chapter 5 that the gospel teaches us exactly how to hope.
Each of our elders shared testimonies of God's faithfulness in their lives. In this sermon, Pastor Joseph Maxwell shares his personal experience of what God's faithfulness looks like in action.
Each of our elders shared testimonies of God's faithfulness in their lives. In this sermon, Pastor Ron Echols shares his personal experience of what God's faithfulness looks like in action.
Each of our elders shared testimonies of God's faithfulness in their lives. In this sermon, Pastor Tendai Musikavanhu shares his personal experience of what God's faithfulness looks like in action.
Sometimes, our hard work turns out to not be enough to achieve a desired outcome, and this is never more true than in the story of our salvation. Our salvation is built on trust in God's promises, not in the power of our own works. In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores Romans 4 to uncover what it looks like to have faith to receive the promises of God.
How do we enter into the God's family to become one of His children? Did God change the requirements for salvation between the Old and New Testaments? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Romans 4 to illuminate Paul's claim that we find ourselves (and have always found ourselves) in the family of God by faith.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the last half of Romans 3 to unpack how exactly God's grace, shown through Jesus, reconciles us to God and reveals Him to be trustworthy.
In our lives, we love stories that remind us of hope and grace and kindness. And yet, there's a real possibility that we embrace these stories because they distract us from the turmoil of sin that we create ourselves. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Romans 3 to illustrate that sin is far more dangerous than we ever imagined, and in the face of our sin, God is far more faithful than we ever expected.
We love to love our tribes. Families, friends, races, religions, Republicans, Democrats, rich, poor - we tend, as humans, to embrace those things which distinguish us from other groups. Our problem arises when we set ourselves as judges above other groups, because God is the only one in the universe just enough to judge between the groups of the world. How can we abandon our desires to judge those around us? In this passage, Pastor Adam unpacks our false group identities and shows from Romans 2 that our judging attitudes condemn us when we fail to see that God will judge everyone equally.
When you love someone, but you're watching them hurtle towards self-destruction, you might find yourself filled with anger about the situation. This is something of the substance of the wrath of God. In this sermon on the second half of Romans 1, Pastor Adam tackles the topic of God's wrath and challenges us to respond with repentant obedience at the idea of God's wrath.
For Christians, Romans is the single most important letter ever written. It bears some of the most thorough theological explorations of the Gospel and its implications for followers of Jesus. In the opening of his letter, Paul details the power of the Gospel for all those who believe. What is the power of the Gospel, and what can it do for followers of Jesus? In this sermon, Pastor Adam opens Romans 1 to explore the life-changing implications of believing in and obeying Jesus.
Why does Aletheia Church exist? What do we dream that God would do in our city and all across New England? And how can we live out this vision for the glory of God and the good of all people? In this sermon, Pastor Adam describes the vision given for Aletheia Church, and shows from the scriptures that the vision for which Christ gave his life must become the vision for which we live ours.
Power, success, and worldly satisfaction are ever-present as temptations for those who belong to God, and the Book of Daniel shows things have been that way for a long time. Daniel and his friends were tempted to stray away from their identities as God's own. How did they endure? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the book of Daniel to show how God can equip us to live out our identities in Christ, even in the midst of Babylon.
"Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go now" is a saying from the Southern United States that speaks deeply to our current spiritual condition. Everyone wants a perfect world, but very few people are willing to surrender their lives for true redemption and salvation. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the book of Ezekiel to show how God is bringing about heaven on earth - but if we're going to make it there, we're going to need a new heart and a new spirit.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the work of the prophet Jeremiah to show that God's covenant promises are better than we realize because we're more complicit in our own deception than we admit.
In this short series, we're exploring the four Major Prophets of the Old Testament, and the timelessness of their teachings! First up, Steve Cabral leads us through an exploration of Isaiah's prophecies about Jerusalem, Zion, and Jesus to show how God's judgment is the seedbed of His salvation.
Growing up in Christ isn't easy, it's a fight. What makes it worth it? In this final sermon of the series, Pastor Adam looks at John's vision in Revelation 7 and explains this picture makes the fight to grow up in Christ worth it.
Sometimes, it's really hard to make friends. Whether you're in high school, college, just starting your career, or nearing retirement, we all need to learn how to develop friendships that last and that draw us closer to God. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to Proverbs to provide wisdom about how we can grow up as godly friends.
Food and drink and other substances are given to humans for our enjoyment, but sin creates the conditions for abuses, addictions, and disorders of all varieties. How can we experience freedom from the addictions that promise us control over our lives but rob us of our autonomy? In this sermon, Steve Cabral looks to Paul's Letter to the Ephesians to show that the control and escape promised by substances are poor imitations of what is promised in Christ.
Whether we're single, dating, or married, we all need the truth of the Gospel to shape the way we pursue and receive love. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to Jesus' words about marriage and various Proverbs to illustrate that the Gospel makes sense of romance, and for us, growing up in God means believing it.
Money. We all want it and we all need it. In our capitalist and consumerist culture, we all face the temptation to worship it. How do we learn to submit our money and our resources to the God who meet all of our needs? In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to the generosity of the Church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians to illustrate that if we want to grow up in God, we've got to love God with our money.
God isn't the kind of person who simply wants us to follow His rules. True surrender to God involves our thoughts and feelings and affections as well. How do we learn to offer God our thoughts and feelings? In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to Paul's second letter to the Corinthians to explore how growing up in God involves thinking how God thinks and feeling how God feels.
Who are you, and how do you know? We have tons of ideas about what lies at the center of our identities, but it turns out that who we truly are is reflected not in what we think, but in what we love. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us from 2 Corinthians that if we become what we behold, we must learn to behold God.
We know we need to mature. Americans spend more on self-help than any other country - more than the GDP of the poorest 62 nations on earth! But self, success, and security aren't large enough life-purposes. God has a bigger mission and a bigger vision, and it's going to require our full engagement and maturity. In this sermon, Pastor Adam teaches us from the Scripture that to grow up with time, we must grow up with wisdom.
In this addendum to When God Seems Gone, Kevin McKenzie offers practical wisdom for how Christians can hold fast to faith, hope, and joy in the midst of trial and hardship.
In this addendum to When God Seems Gone, Steve Cabral offers practical wisdom for how Christians can hold fast to faith, hope, and joy in the midst of trial and hardship.
In the final installation of our series in Habakkuk, Pastor Adam explores the reality of disappointment in faith - sometimes, God's answer to our situation doesn't meet our expectations of Him. What do we do in the midst of spiritual disappointment? The prophet Habakkuk answers with praise. In this sermon, we explore what it means to answer disappointment by allowing God's word to redefine our vision of God.
Justice is an essential topic in our culture. Who deserves what, and why? However, Christians have a special responsibility to ground our conceptions of justice in the character of the Ultimate Judge, God. Continuing our series in Habbakuk, Pastor Adam examines the Scriptures to uncover why God allows the wicked to prosper and allows injustice to exist. Most importantly, when God seems unfair and injustice seems pervasive, God's justice is still coming, so wait on Him.
We all face crises of extraordinary odds. How do we surrender to God's perfect plans during theses crises, and what does the Scripture reveal to us about managing our hearts during hard times? In this sermon, Guest Speaker and Aletheia Elder Jim Laffoon looks to the famous story of Joshua and the Walls of Jericho to illustrate how God gives us faith to win victory over the Jerichoes of our lives.
We like God's plans for our lives to come through quickly. That's not always the case. When God seems slow, how do you live with hope instead of frustration? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the second part of Habakkuk's exchange with God to find the answer.
Sometimes, God seems deafeningly silent. In the midst of a world full of illness and senseless tragedy, how can Christians declare God to be good or faithful? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the words of the prophet Habakkuk to show that when we see evil and God seems silent, God sees more and His plan is at work.
Life can feel like a constant succession of battles. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but we never experience the satisfaction of success for long. It's always on to the next thing until we die. Do any of our victories really matter? How can we experience victory of an eternal nature? In this Easter Sunday sermon, Pastor Adam looks to 1 Corinthians 15 to show how the resurrection means final victory over our greatest enemy!
In the United States, there are about 400,000 children in the foster care system, and there are about 100,000 children still waiting to be adopted. In this final sermon of the How To Neighbor series, Pastor Adam illustrates how the Church can step in to embrace the orphaned among us, and shows from the Scripture that if God cares for the orphaned, so must his church.
Loneliness isn't just a matter of the quantity of friendships you have — it's a matter of the quality of relationships. In this sermon, Tyler Parker looks at Jesus's words in John 15 to show us how we can form the kind of friendships that are deep, and how we can extend that friendship to others experiencing loneliness.
In this sermon, we consider those of our neighbors of less means. The poor are always with us, but we often feel shame or guilt around their presence, and many times Christians feel paralyzed by the scale of poverty in our nation and around the world. How can Christians fulfill Christ's instructions to help the poor without robbing them of the autonomy and dignity of personal responsibility? In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the Scriptures that if Christ empowers the poor, so should we.
How should Christians deal with racism in our modern context? How do we atone for our past failures to recognize the inherent dignity of our brothers and sisters? In this first installment of our new series How To Neighbor, Pastor Adam unpacks 1 Peter 2 to show how, despite all opposition, the races must be reconciled in the people of Jesus.
Though Jude takes heresy very seriously, he recognizes that God is able to pull his children back from the reaches of false doctrine. In this last sermon of the Heretic series, Pastor Donny explores the final section of Jude to illustrate how clear-eyed contending for the faith means practicing love in the confidence of grace.
In our modern times, political or cultural blasphemies appear to be far more important than blasphemies against God. However, as Jude warns, blasphemy against God is more serious than we could ever imagine. What is blasphemy, and how can we avoid speaking with with our mouths in our lives? In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us from Jude why we should beware blasphemy, the root of all heresy.
There've been lots of doctrinal disputes in church history, but the greatest threats to the church have always been more sinister: the internal heretics in our hearts. Our internal heretics lead us confess one doctrine with our mouths while declaring other doctrines with our lives. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to the book of Jude to show how we must fight the internal heretic that changes grace into license.
What enables our non-Christian loved ones to accept and believe the Gospel? How does someone experience the transformation of their worldview? How can flawed human beings ever seek to carry out God's work on the Earth? In this final installment of This Is Our Time, Pastor Donny Fisher shows us how Jesus answers all these questions for us through the person of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live out God's mission for the sake of those around us.
Ministry sounds like something that ministers do, but we can wrongly assume that ministers are only paid professionals, like pastors or church staff. In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks at Ephesians 4, where Paul describes how church leaders are meant to equip disciples for ministry. Leaders do the equipping and all followers of Jesus do the ministry.
"There was no king in those days, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25)." These words punctuate a horrific period in Israel's history, and yet, they also seem to parallel our modern world. How can we learn to practice true goodness when our world has so many different definitions of "good living?" In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows that it is only by being established in God's Word that humanity has any hope of escaping enslavement to our desires and the freedom to serve a truly good God.
Just as an engaged couple is in-between dating and marriage, so we, engaged to Christ as His church, are in-between a broken world and the redeemed world to come. Yet, our engagement isn't static. We're called to prepare for the wedding. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores how our engagement to Christ calls us to engage with our world for the sake of the Gospel and the coming Kingdom.
When he was a member of Pharoah's household, Moses had significant political power, extraordinary pleasures, and treasures beyond what most humans have ever seen. Yet, when God called him to identify with God's people and lead them out of slavery, Moses' faith faced its biggest test. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows from Hebrews 11 how great faith calls us to withstand great pressure from the myriad temptations the world offers.
Abraham and Sarah received some of God's most incredible promises, but their faith in those promises was tested in extraordinary ways. What do we do when God has declared his promises, but the world makes us doubt? In this sermon, Pastor Donny digs into Hebrews to show us how Great Faith calls us to follow God in the present while focusing on his promise.
The Bible is filled with faith greats like Abraham, Noah, and Moses. It seems like they accomplished so much for God, and when we compare our faith to theirs, it seems impossible that we could ever measure up. Yet, as Campus and Youth Director Kevin McKenzie shows from the example of Enoch, trusting God with the mundane, everyday tasks of life looks exactly like great faith to the Father.
Christianity isn't easy, so what do we do when following a righteous God leads us into challenging and trying circumstances? In this sermon, Pastor Adam looks to Hebrews to show us how truly great faith helps us endure as we give our trust to a God who is truly good.
It's that time of year again when we anticipate the brand new year and its possibilities, and yet, New Year's Eve can be full anxiety. Each new year, we face more promises, more resolutions, the same sins, the same pains, and potentially all those hurdles with additional problems. How can we escape these yearly cycles of frustration. In this sermon, The Musikavanhus show that a new year under the lordship of Jesus Christ can free us to new life.
Merry Christmas Eve's Eve from Aletheia Church! This Sunday, Pastor Adam turns to John 1 to explore the central mystery of Christmas: what could it mean that The Word - God's Word - became flesh, and how is it that we ought to live if this is true?
When angels began to announce the Birth of Jesus, all manner of persons, from shepherds to teenagers to rulers, were changed by the message. In this installment of The Big Give 2018, Pastor Donny Fisher illustrates how in light of God's power, when God gives, everything changes.
This Christmas, we're looking at the accounts of the Birth of Jesus found in the Gospels! In the first installment of this series, Pastor Adam looks to Matthew's account of the Magi to unveil how the giving of believers is a response to the radical generosity of God through Jesus.
In his account of Jesus's death, Mark stays away from the gory details of crucifixion and focuses instead on the isolation that Jesus experienced. In this sermon, Pastor Adam answers the question, "why was King Jesus forsaken by everyone in his death, including God the Father?"
In lives full of activity, tension, and strife, we can be tempted towards two traps - we either withdraw from our culture out of the sense of being overwhelmed, or we withdraw from Jesus as we set about trying to order the world around our individual notions of right and wrong. In this sermon, Pastor Adam illustrates how Jesus calls us to wakefulness and engagement in anticipation for His coming kingdom.
When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he confronts the Jewish rulers. His accusation is that they're pretending to be all about God but their hearts are really invested elsewhere. They're pretending. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows how the same places pretense used to hide for them are the same places pretense hides for us today.
God is on a mission to bless the world, but Jesus is profoundly disturbed when His people fail to embrace that mission. In this sermon in Mark, Pastor Donny describes the dire consequences of fruitless faith.
Sometimes, everything seems like a ploy for power. Politicians volley for our votes, celebrities demand our attention, and we even seek acclaim for ourselves. In this sermon, however, Pastor Adam explores Mark 10 to unpack how Jesus' views on power upend the expectations of the rich and poor alike.
Have someone ever been too busy to meet with you? Oftentimes, big, important people are inaccessible to average humans. If Jesus is infinitely important person, we would expect the distance between our Lord and ourselves to span an eternal distance. However, using Mark 9, Pastor Adam Mabry shows that Jesus is the kind of leader who wants passionately to commune with His disciples.
In this guest message, Pastor Donnell Jones of Grace Covenant Church in Washington, DC explores what it means to take up one's cross to follow Jesus in the context of our modern world.
Is it possible to respect Jesus' authority and still fail to understand the true nature of his Kingdom? If we fail to see him not as a powerful despot, but rather as a trusted shepherd, then we absolutely miss something essential to Jesus' nature. In this sermon, Pastor Adam uses Mark 6 to show that Jesus is not only the one we obey, but also the one we can follow with joyful peace.
We all have urgent needs, but what do we do when God takes His time to meet those needs? In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the stories of Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue of blood to show that in our times of urgency, Jesus may ask more from us than we plan to give, but he will also give us more than we can ever imagine.
When Jesus first confronts the religious leaders in his day, it showed just how different kingdom life is from a life characterized by religion. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains how religion and the gospel have very different things at their core.
Jesus is pretty neat, but what's up with healing and exorcisms in Scripture? Is any of that stuff real? Do any of those things possibly relate to my life today, and what does it say about Jesus' kingdom that he performs these miracles during his ministry? In this sermon, Pastor Adam addresses these questions and so much more as he explores how Mark shows Jesus to be King over our conflicts.
In superhero movies, only the best and brightest are chosen to lead the battle against evil. Yet, in Jesus' kingdom, things operate a bit differently. In this entry of the UpsideDown Kingdom series, Pastor Adam shows that discipleship is not a matter of merit, but rather the result of the compelling call to follow Jesus.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is extraordinarily rewarding, but it comes at a cost. In this sermon, Pastor Adam details what it means to willingly accept the call, the cost, and the crises of discipleship for the all-surpassing joy of knowing Jesus Christ.
Discipleship isn't easy, but it can transform us into something greater than we ever imagined. In a guest sermon, Pastor Jim Laffoon shows how in under Jesus' reign, discipleship shapes us into citizens with proper character for the coming kingdom.
For many, authority is a tricky subject. So many of our leaders, parents, teachers, and other figures of power have used their privileges to hurt and abuse us. Is there any King who can be good? In this introduction to a brand-new series, Pastor Adam unpacks the first chapter of Mark's gospel to preview how Jesus reveals himself to be the King whose goodness and faithfulness extend beyond our imaginations.
Many Christians consider church attendance par for the course in Christian life, but fail to understand what being in the Church truly means. On Newcomer's Sunday, Pastor Adam uses 1 Peter 2:9-10 to explore answers to an essential question: why does God want us at church?
In a world of counterfeits, many distractions demand our attention and obedience. In this final installment of the Substance series, Director of Youth and Campus Ministry Kevin McKenzie uses the last bit of 1st John to explore how our idols disappoint us, and how our Father God steps in to provide for us where our idols cannot.
A world without substance quickly dissolves into a world full of fear and uncertainty. In this installment of the Substance series, campus minister David Fulton uses 1 John 5 to unveil how the truth of our adoption into God's family delivers us from the fear and uncertainty of our time.
In a world of counterfeits, how can we know who or what is deserving our trust? In this installment of the Substance series, Pastor Adam Mabry helps us understand how true love - God's love - gives us discernment, confidence, and security.
How should God's children treat each other in a world where many people treat each other poorly? In this sermon, Connections Director Sarah McCarthy uses 1 John 3 to show how God expects his children to love each other as His son Jesus has loved us.
Those who put their faith in Jesus are children of God. As God’s children, there are family values to embrace and worldly values to reject. In this sermon, Pastor Adam details John's arguments about what it means to live in the reality of being children of God.
"Antichrist" can be a heavily loaded and cliched term in our modern culture, but the author of 1 John takes the concept quite seriously. In this sermon, Pastor Adam deconstructs our preconceived notions about "antichrist," shows us how to avoid those things which oppose Christ, and offers insights into how to imitate the real and living Christ.
In a society enamored with notions of self-centeredness and selfish passions, John shows us how Jesus makes it possible for us to love others. In this installment of the Substance Series, Pastor Kevin McKenzie walks through 1 John 2 to illustrate how serving a real Jesus means practicing real love with others.
There are two wrong ways to deal with sin — to either be too harsh, or to be too lenient. In his letter, however, John doesn't downplay the darkness of sin. Rather, he shows us what Jesus has done to save us from it. In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks what it means when John says that Jesus is our advocate and our propitiation.
The first words in a piece of writing are always important. In the opening of John's letter to the churches, he explains that his purpose in writing is that they would have joy. In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks John's explanation for how disciples of Jesus gain access to substantive joy.
In an increasingly restless world, God's people are called to embody the solution. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Hebrews 4, explaining what it means to be a people who strive to enter God's rest.
Loneliness and distance from God can reveal our lack of appreciation for holy rest. In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher uses Psalm 116 to show how rest restores our capacity for relationship with God and our fellow man.
Humans were made to prosper and to worship God, but when caught in the intense work rhythms of the world, we can fall into worship of things that are not our God. In this sermon, Pastor Adam shows us how Sabbath rest helps us resist the systems of spiritual oppression that prevent us from deeper relationship with God.
Humans have an extraordinary ability to forget our God-given purpose and worth in a world full of idols. In this installment of The Art of Rest series, Pastor Adam Mabry uses a passage from Ezekiel to illustrates how Sabbath rest reminds us of our identities and our roots in God's grace.
In a world that never stops, how do we take hold of the rest Jesus promises us? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the part of the Bible where Sabbath rest first appears, how it's different than we expect and more important than we ever imagined.
Praise is an expected part of Christian worship, but do we understand why it's so important? In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher unpacks Psalm 145 and explains how important and impactful praise is in the life of a disciple of Jesus.
Most of us, at some point in our lives, have journeyed through the bog of despondency known as doubt. When we don't trust in God or His goodness, how do we learn to turn towards Him despite our feelings? In this installment of the Real Talk series, Pastor Adam walks us through Psalm 73 to illustrate ways to meet God in our doubt.
How do you encounter God during a season in which sin pushes you away from Him? In this talk, Pastor Adam uses Psalm 51 to show how conviction from the Holy Spirit calls us into deeper and more intimate relationship with God.
In life, the dreams of our expectations sometimes run up against the nightmares of reality, and when the going gets tough, God's people must lament and seek the Wonderful Counselor. In this talk, Pastor Adrian Crawford of Engage Church Tallahassee walks us through Psalm 10 to show us how lamenting pulls deeper into intimate relationship with God.
When we face hard situations, it can be difficult to confront our fears in emotionally healthy ways. In this installment of the Real Talk series, Pastor Adam uses Psalm 3 and the story of King David and his son Absalom to show us how we can look fear in the face, weep with God, resist anxiety, and give our fears over to the God who rules over them all.
Running from our emotions makes us miss opportunities to experience the healing power of the Spirit. In this sermon, Pastor Adam kicks off a sermon series about emotional honesty with God by describing what real communion with God looks like.
We often talk about the meaning of the cross — Jesus paying for sin. But often do we think about what the resurrection means for our lives? In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks Ephesians 2:1–10 where Paul explains the significance of the resurrection for those who put their faith in Jesus.
In the midst of racial injustice, partisan division, and societal strife, how is it possible to imagine forgiveness and reconciliation? Teaching from 2 Corinthians 5, Pastor Adam shows how Christ points the way forward for a people on mission to embrace and enact radical, difficult, and necessary reconciliation, both in the church and in the world at large.
Is it wrong to try change someone's beliefs? In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks the mission given to disciples of Jesus to take the gospel into the whole world. In trying to help others believe the gospel, Christians aren't motivated by anything other than the example of Jesus to love others.
Leading isn't comfortable, but change depends on leadership. In this sermon, Pastor Scott explains how we can look to Jesus as an example of true leadership. The true, uncomfortable leadership we see in Jesus isn't just for Sundays either; it's something we can live out at work during the week.
Have you ever felt like an exile in the workplace? Using Daniel 1 and her experiences as a professor and psychologist at Harvard University, guest speaker Dr. Nancy Hill shows how God gives us mission and vocation in spaces in need of the Gospel.
God calls us to use our wealth to participate in ministry of the Kingdom. In this installment of the God At Work series, Pastor Tendai Musikavanhu details how God gives us opportunities to bless the world with our money.
We can't embrace the Gospel and remain the same. In this final installment of the All In Series, Pastor Adam unpacks Acts 2 to show how the lives of disciples of Jesus are filled with deep and lasting change.
Being a disciple of Jesus means embracing the grace of unity and togetherness in a time of division and strife. In this installment of the All in Series, Pastor Adam uses Romans 1 to explore what unity and engagement should look like in the Body of Christ.
Being a disciple of Jesus requires more than a vague knowledge of Christian belief; it involves regularly digesting the truth of God's word. In this sermon, Pastor Adam uses the life of Josiah to illustrate how our interaction with truth is essential to our identity.
In this installment of the Ephesians: In Christ series, Pastor Adam Mabry describes how our God's grace shapes our character to be more like that of his perfect Son Jesus Christ.
It is common in Christian doctrine to learn that we are united with Christ when we become Christians. Less common is the idea that we are also united with others in Christ. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explains the implications of Ephesians 2:11-21 in our pursuit of Christ.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23. As the Apostle prayed for the church in Ephesus, so the church must examine the power available to us in Christ.
After a few announcements, Pastor Adam describes seven blessings that belong to all believers in this sermon kicking off a week of prayer and fasting at Aletheia Church.
How can we have a happy new year if we haven't been able to find true joy in the old year? In this sermon, Pastor Tendai Musikavanhu explores what the Scriptures say about finding true, Christian joy in any circumstance.
Love is a vague word. You can love your spouse, love pizza, or love a certain sport. When the Bible says that God loves the world, what kind of love are we talking about? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores how John 3:16 sheds light on the ways in which God's love is different from our usual definitions and so much better.
What does it mean for King Jesus to return? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Revelation 19-20, and explains how the return of Christ should shape our hope.
When Jesus returns, he will renew the world. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry unpacks John's vision of the renewed world. It is an awe-inspiring glimpse into a world we've never seen before and yet it appears to fulfill the deepest human longings. Those who follow Jesus are elect exiles in this age, but in the age to come, they will find a city to call home.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the strange symbolism of Revelation 17-19. Here, John seeks to explain the way the lamb will conquer the world, and how the lamb sees the world. As we look to this set of images, we learn things about ourselves that we'd rather not see, but better not miss.
We're all familiar with "hellfire and brimstone" preachers who seem to find great joy in telling people they're going to hell. We've also heard those who water down the gospel so much that it lacks potency. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains how we can't water down the gospel, but how an un-watered down gospel is actually really good news, because that's the only way it can clean us.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores the strange and powerful images of Revelation 12-14, and how they leave the reader with a stark choice.
In what is perhaps one of the strangest parts of the book of Revelation, Pastor Adam Mabry explains how these visionary stories give hope to the persecuted church.
As the second judgment cycle in the book of revelation begins, it initiates with trumpet blasts and warnings. The meaning of these warning and the purpose of their sounding is discovered in this message.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the dramatic vision of judgement that John records. As we study, we discover that the victory that God has in store for his people is different than what we expect, but better than any of us have yet imagined.
As we study Revelation 3, we continue to grow in our understanding of what it means to conquer. In the world, winning looks like power, pride, and authority. But in God's new world, winning looks like faithfulness to Jesus.
In this sermon we explore the heavenly throne room, and learn how different it is than our experiences in the world. As we learn from this book how God rules in the chaos, we're faced with a choice: to trust him, or to insist on controlling the world ourselves.
What does "winning in life" look like for you? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores what the second chapter of Revelation teaches us about true victory and true faithfulness. We also see what threatens that true victory.
In this sermon we look into the first chapter of the last book of the Bible. In it, Pastor Adam explains how to read the book of Revelation, and how Jesus is the centerpiece of the book. We hear the words of Jesus in direct proportion to our revelation of him.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explains how the story of the gospel compels us to stay the course. Exegeting Ephesians 1:11-14, we discover many ways the gospel encourages us to keep going, and not to give up.
How does the story of the gospel connect to the way we follow Jesus as disciples? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Mark 1:16-17. We find there that the story of the gospel isn't merely what we believe to be saved, but what we believe to shaped into Jesus' people.
Stories are amazing, because the best ones immerse us in their characters, environments, tensions, and resolutions. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the different stories that we hear, and how the gospel story is the only one that can transform those tensions.
(Nehemiah 12-13) What is the anchor of our hope? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Nehemiah 12-13, and discusses how the unraveling of the temple, biblical obedience, and civil order point to a truer, more firm foundation of our hope.
In this sermon, Sarah Oberst shares an inspiring exhortation from Philippians about how God's peace is available to us in the midst of any circumstance.
(Nehemiah 8-9) What is worship and why does it matter? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the importance of worship, and how worship enables us to fight the spiritual battles in which we are engaged.
(Nehemiah 3-6) What are the responsibilities of a Christian? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores and explains the social responsibilities of God's people in light of the way Nehemiah worked in his city.
(Nehemiah 5) In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores the importance of generosity, and how generosity is critical to the people of God.
(Ezra 9) The topic of holiness has fallen on hard times. Yet, while it may not be popular with us, holiness is something about which God cares deeply. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explains why holiness mattered for the returning exiles, and why it matters for us.
(Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 1) How do you talk to God? As we meet Ezra and Nehemiah, we discover that these two very different men had one important thing in common: honest prayer.
(Ezra 7-8) In our third sermon in this series, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the importance of belief in the truth of the Scriptures in Ezra's time and in ours.
(Ezra 3-5, Haggai 1) When met with adversity, the Israelites abandon the work of rebuilding the temple. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains that all God's people are called to be temple builders. Adversity will try to keep us from the work of God, but God gives us everything we need to persevere in the work.
(Ezra 1-3) In this first sermon of our new series, Pastor Adam explores the opening chapters of the book of Ezra. We discover that the groundwork of spiritual family has to be laid in our lives before God can build something great through us.
In this final sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores John 15 for the practices of abiding with Jesus. What we discover is that abiding with Christ both requires and produces the practices of emotional health.
In this sermon, guest Pastor Seth Trimmer explores the origin of our experience of shame, and explains how Christians are to deal with shame in light of Christ.
What are we to do with our anger? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the emotion of anger and examines how Jesus dealt with it. We discover than anger is a good gift that, if we allow Jesus to redeem it, will work in us for God's glory and the good of those around us.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores how our past pain shapes our present reality. In this sermon we discover that only Jesus can give us hope through both.
Jesus is the embodiment of everything that it means to be fully and perfectly human. That means that his internal life — his emotions — were handled perfectly. In this series, we start off by engaging the idea that Jesus embodies emotionally-healthy spirituality, and enables us to embody it too.
In the second part of our 2-part reflection on the resurrection, Pastor Adam Mabry helps us think about how to apply the accomplishment of the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
As we close out this teaching series in the book of James, we find James encouraging his readers to remain faithful in the midst of many temptations and trials — money, quitting, and undisciplined spirituality. What we discover is what James already knows: gospel faith is expressed in faithfulness — a faithfulness Jesus has provided for in his gracious life, death, and resurrection.
Pastor Donny unpacks James 4, where James, the half-brother of Jesus, has a lot to say to us about our worldliness.
In this sermon, Kevin McKenzie unpacks the teaching of James on the way we use our words. We discover that our words are more directional than we know, more broken than we'd like to admit, and more in need of the redeeming power of the gospel than we're often prepared to pursue.
What is the relationship between faith and works? In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores how, as Christians, we are brought into relationship with Jesus by faith. Yet, once believing, that faith produces a new way of life.
Pastor James takes us to the school of discipleship in this text. As we listen closely to the text, we learn that for the disciple of Jesus, doing displays belief.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam introduces the book of James, and explains the purpose that James has in mind for all people — to be the first fruits of God's new world.
In this sermon, Pastor, Professor, and Co-founder of The Bible Project, Dr. Tim Mackie explores the critical question of biblical authority.
In the final sermon in this series, Pastor Adam Mabry explores how we experience radical life change. Surprisingly, life change turns out to be the fruit of normal discipleship.
Continuing in our teaching series, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the 4th chapter of Acts to ask the question: how to our relationships go from normal to radical? As we study we discover that normal relationships become radical for Christ when we're a family united together on mission.
How do we live radically devoted to Jesus in the midst of a very normal, un-remarkable life? The fact is that most of spend most of our time doing rather mundane, "normal" tasks. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the way our normal can be radical when we've be taught to trust and treasure the truth.
We are story--shaped people. The question is, will we be shaped by God's story of grace, or the false stories we believe about our lives? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the power the story of grace, and how to preach that story to ourselves.
When we think of the word, "generous," we usually only associate it with money. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores how God is more generous that we've ever imagined, but for reasons different than we probably think.
The goodness of God is a mystery to us. Describing it is a bit like taking hold of the wind. Like wind, the goodness of God is more to be experienced than anything. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the six doors given to us in Psalm 34 to experience the goodness of God.
In this sermon, Tendai Musikavanhu starts off our new teaching series by exploring the greatness of God. We learn that our Creator is the One who was, who is, and who is here with us in Christ.
After that fall of Jerusalem, the prophet Ezekiel was visited by the Lord in a great and wonderful appearing. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the meaning of God's appearing in His glorious presence, riding his throne chariot into Babylon.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the significance of God's appearing to Moses in the desert of Midian. In this appearing, God reveals himself as a great redeemer, and one who delights to send redeemers.
Pastor Adam Mabry explores the profound and unexpected way God answered the problem of evil and suffering in the world.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores the appearing of God to our first parents in the Garden.
In this sermon, special guest speaker Pastor Jim Laffoon explores how God takes his people from being disqualified doubters to empowered leaders.
On this baptism Sunday immediately following a contentious American election, Pastor Adam explores the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Here we discover how the gospel is about a better Kingdom, repentance, and really good news.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explains the necessity of strong relationships, and how Jesus not only shows us what they look like, but enables them to happen for us.
We end our teaching series by asking the question — how are we to engage our culture with the gospel? How are we to even engage our neighbors? We discover that the gospel counterrevolution we're all seeking starts where conviction and kindness meet.
What is a family and why does family matter? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores how family is designed by the King to illustrate something of His kingdom.
What is religious liberty and why does it matter? In this sermon we explore the importance of religious liberty, and how the gospel of Jesus flourishes in liberty when church and state are seen as distinct and necessary.
In this sermon, Kevin McKenzie explains the difference between the way we use God to get our self-centered fantasies, and how they must be replaced by a God-centered reality.
What is the mission of the church? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explain the mission of the church — to bring the message of God's reconciling love out into the world.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the foundations of human dignity, as we discover that the gospel is foundation of human dignity, and gospel people must contend for it.
Throughout the history of the Christian church, we've sought to engage the surrounding culture in a variety of ways. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores what a gospel-shaped cultural engagement looks like.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores how the sight and scope of the Kingdom of God must shape those of us for whom Jesus is King.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam preached from Romans 12:1-13, exploring the significance of living a life of sacrifice and service.
None of us like to be confronted with a necessary choice. Most of us will go to great lengths to avoid major choices. Yet, in this passage, Jesus confronts us with a radical choice.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny explains probably the most famous verse of the Bible to modern ears — "Do not judge." What does this mean? How are Christians meant to live and make judgements in God's world?
In this staggering passage of Scripture, Jesus explains how singularly our hearts must be oriented toward him. Either we will be those who seek the Kingdom of God, or we'll end up serving the stuff we seek.
Why should Christians obey? What are we trying to gain? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Matthew 6:1-18, and Jesus' commandments regarding prayer, giving, and fasting.
What is the relationship between Jesus and the law of the Old Testament? In this sermon, Pastor Adam expands on Jesus' teaching from the sermon on the mount about how loving God means loving his law.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Jesus' use of the salt and light metaphor. If Christians are called to change the world, how does Jesus expect us to go about it?
In this first sermon in our new teaching series, Pastor Adam explores the Beatitudes — the first portion of the Sermon on the Mount.
In light of the racial violence of the past week, Pastor Adam preached a message of repentance and forgiveness, from Ephesians 2:10-22.
We were made for God. Learning to rest in God, therefore, is about much more than getting a break from the daily grind. It's about practicing for eternity.
If we're going to have any kind of relationship with anyone, we must learn to rest with them. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explains why rest with God is critical to relationship with God.
In a world that demands so much of our time, attention, and action, how do we rest? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores how sabbath can actually be an act of resistance against this world as we rest the God who calls himself the Lord of Rest.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explored the significance of Sabbath. We discover that Sabbath is different than what we expect and more important than we've probably imagined.
What is godly leadership for? What does being a godly follower look like? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the final chapter of 1 Peter to explore this important topic.
What is a godly perspective on suffering? In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores the topic of suffering from 1 Peter.
This sermon is on one of the more controversial passages in the entire book of 1 Peter, the Apostle's instructions to husbands and wives. As we approach this text, Pastor Adam explains how a grace-filled marriage has the opportunity to tell a great story.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores and explains the concept of submission to biblical authority. The word "submission," has gotten a bad connotation in our ears. But the biblical beauty of the word is greater than we think, and more important than we imagine.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the implications of the powerful grace shown to us in the gospel, and how that forms us into a beautiful spiritual family.
If a Christian has been saved by grace, to what extent should we care for our own holiness? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores a critically important passage of 1 Peter to understanding how we are called an enabled to live lives of fearless holiness.
As we start this new teaching series in the book of 1 Peter, Pastor Adam opens the conversation where the letter starts — standing firm for Christ in the midst of fear, persecution, and marginalization. In this sermon, we begin to understand what God's grace is, and the future grace, present grace, and past grace combine to make us brave in the face of any adversity.
What we believe about the future will deeply affect how we live today. In this sermon, Justin Chapman explores what it means for the Christian to understand the future according to the words of Jesus.
What we believe about the future will deeply affect how we live today. In this sermon, Kevin McKenzie explores what it means for the Christian to understand the future according to the words of Jesus.
God is on an unstoppable mission to love and save those who are far from Him. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores Acts 8 and the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch and Philip. What is the mission of God? Furthermore, how do his people get on mission with Him?
On this Easter Sunday, 2016, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the implications of the resurrection for the life of God's people, and how it secures for us an unshakable hope.
What is prayer? Further, why does it matter that we pray? As Pastor Adam Mabry unpacks The Lord's Prayer from Luke 11, we learn that we pray best when we pray like Jesus.
In this sermon pastor Adam explores the meaning of the lordship of Jesus Christ over all things. What we learn is that the Lordship of Christ is different than we think, broader than we know, and better than we've ever imagined.
The unshakable life can't be lived alone. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the why, what, and how of Christ's unshakable church.
Why has God saved us? What is the purpose of the Christian life? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explains the mission to which God has called the church, and invites us to allow Jesus to renew our reason.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explains the power of the Scriptures, and how the life of a disciple must be built on the unshakable Word of God.
Supernatural power is needed to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the person and power of the Holy Spirit.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explains the Christian way of life. In the face of a culture in which we get no brownie points for looking, acting, thinking, and feeling like Christians, Pastor Adam exhorts us to walk on the only unshakable path — the way of following Jesus.
Every one of us imagines our lives as part of some kind of story. Whether we're Marxists, Liberals, Conservatives, Bhuddists, or Naturalists, all of us take this story to be the "real" story behind all of life and history. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the gospel of Jesus Christ, and explains why this is the only truly unshakable story for all of life.
In this final sermon from our series in the book of Jonah, we find Jonah unhappily bringing God's message to people he thought did not deserve it. But of course, that's the deal with grace — no one deserves it. In this message, Pastor Adam explores the nature of God's grace, and what God's grace should produce in our lives.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores Jonah's song of gratitude. As we examine this text we learn more about the art of true repentance.
As the book of Jonah begins, we meet a prophet who refuses to obey God's call to minister to a foreign people. What does Jonah's rebellion teach Christians today? Caring for "those people" whom we find to be different and deplorable is God's heart and, very often, not what we wish to do.
In this sermon, we discover the way in which Mary and Joseph were willing to lose their good name and reputation in order to bring forth the Christ child. As we do, we learn the wonderful and liberating fact that Jesus is better than a good name.
In this sermon, we discover the way in which Mary and Joseph were willing to lose their good name and reputation in order to bring forth the Christ child. As we do, we learn the wonderful and liberating fact that Jesus is better than a good name.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains the nature of the costliness of God's gift to us in Christ. How do we truly go about honoring God for the gift of his Son? By following him, even at great cost to ourselves.
We've built a mythology around Christmas, and it needs to be broken. From Santa to family rituals, we've so thoroughly covered over the actual, scandalous, and scary story of the advent of Jesus Christ that we've forgotten what it's actually about. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the cosmic battle of the advent from Revelation 12.
In this final part of Exodus we read the account of Moses and the people of God building the Tabernacle. What was this mobile tent all about? And, what does it mean for Christians today? Pastor Adam explores what happens when God draws near to us.
It was a scene of rebellion and rejection — as Moses was receiving the law of God, Israel was worshipping false gods. In this story, we see a picture of the latent idolatry of the human heart. This reveals our deep need for the intercession of a redeemer if we are to have any hope for intimacy with God.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the surprising ways God provides for his people.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam brings us through the story of the crossing of the Red Sea. As we hear the tale of the Israelites walking victoriously through the sea, we explore what it means for Christians to walk victoriously through life.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores the implications of the story of the Passover for the church.
The story of the plagues is a dramatic one. Perhaps you remember that great old film with Charlton Heston playing Moses. Frogs, darkness, blood, and boils ... the movie practically writes itself. But what are these stories for? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains how they, more than other stories, show us the greatness of God.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the meaning and message behind the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. What we discover is that the God who employs this surprising tactic is both good and worth knowing. This is the God who makes himself known.
Many of us spend our lives figuring out who we are and trying to live according to our deep desires. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores God's self-revelation to Moses, when he calls himself, "I AM." We discover that our "I-am-ness" must proceed from God's "I-AM-ness."
In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry exposes the features of a world ruled by any king other than the true king, God. As we begin our teaching series in the book of Exodus, we find the story opening with a dramatic vision of the world after the fall of humanity. God's people, in bondage to God's enemy, are living as they were never meant to. Yet, God is working to bring about their deliverance.
The Christian life is to be lived out in obedience to Jesus — that much seems obvious. So what does the church do? What's the gathering for? In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks the purpose of the church — to honor God and make disciples. We explore this gospel rhythm together, in this sermon.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam relates the way the gospel brings us to points of change. In our church, we want to welcome any and all who come through our doors. Yet, when we do arrive in God's house, we should expect to change. This sermon is about how that happens.
Aletheia exists to bring the truth, grace, and changing power of the gospel for the glory of God and the good of all. But, what does that mean exactly? In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks the meaning of grace by examining a story of man who completely lacked it.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explains what it means for our church to be built on the truth of the gospel. More than just mere facts, we discover that truth is a person, Jesus Christ. Knowing truth, therefore, means knowing him.
There is a difference between being at church and being in church. In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the difference between the two. What we discover is that being in the church means being people of God's great story, the gospel.
What would it look like to live with our deepest emotions wisely. In our day, we find ourselves wanting to stoically push our feelings down or sensually rush toward feelings as if they were always good, right, and true. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains a biblical view of emotion, and how to live with emotions wisely.
What does it look like to approach singleness, dating, and marriage with wisdom? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the book of proverbs for wisdom about these seasons of life.
Whoever first said, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," was wrong. Words have power. What would it look like to become wise with words? In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks some of the wisdom of the Proverbs related to our words.
What is work, and why does it matter? How do we think about our vocations? Is there some dividing line between sacred and secular? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the wisdom of Proverbs related to our work, and how working wisely will change not only our lives, but the lives of those around us.
What does it mean to approach wealth wisely? In a day of bailouts, burnout, class wars, and general anxiety around the topic of money, Proverbs has refreshing wisdom for the people of God seeking to live wisely, and allow Jesus to exercise his lordship over our wealth.
What does it mean to live life with deep, powerful, friendship? This sermon, by Pastor Donny Fisher, explores that very topic.
What is wisdom? In this sermon, Nick Nowalk unpacks the nature of wisdom, and helps us understand how to read the book of Proverbs.
Few issues have caused as much controversy in the modern church than the concept of being filled with the Spirit, and what that means. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and the gifts that flow from that filling.
The Bible presumes a world in which what we see with our eyes is not the only reality. In fact, we are told that the battle that confronts us day by day is one that is spiritual in nature. If that is true, how does the Holy Spirit help us to fight spiritual battles?
One of the more controversial topics in the church is that of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explains the first part of Paul's listing of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12.
So often we Christians attempt to bear fruit for God by growing out of our own efforts. In this sermon, Pastor Donny explains why the deep "root stock" of our souls must be transformed to bear fruit in our character for God.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacked the nature of friendship with God the Holy Spirit. Far from sappy religiosity, we learn in this teaching that friendship with God is critical both to our fruitfulness in the world and happiness in God.
In this sermon we begin our teaching series called, "The Holy Who?" by asking, "Who is the Holy Spirit?"
In our final sermon in this teaching series we examine what kind of life the resurrection creates. Now that Jesus is raised, what does it look like in real flesh and bone to live a life that believes this good news?
On this Resurrection Sunday Pastor Adam helps us understand the resurrection of Jesus and its implications from the perspective of four different characters in John 20. We discover that because Jesus is alive, everything can change.
In this chapter of John's gospel, the Apostle shares with us his retelling of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This event, central to the Christian story, is laden with the deepest possible significance for the Christian. In this sermon, Pastor Adam invites us to look at the cross and consider its centrality freshly.
One of the most common ways we dismiss others is by saying to them, "You don't know what it's like to be me." The eighteenth chapter of John does away with our ability to say that to Jesus. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores all the ways Jesus has entered into our suffering and experience so that, when we look to him, we know that he knows.
As we explore Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, we find that Jesus seems to be preoccupied with the glory of God. Journeying through this prayer, this turns out to be the greatest news possible.
How do you journey from sorrow to joy? In this sermon, Pastor Adam Mabry explores the warning that Jesus gave to his disciples about the sorrow they would experience and the promise of joy that would follow. What we discover is that Jesus knows our sorrows better than we think, and promises joy greater than we've dreamed.
As Jesus guides his disciples through his impending departure, we hear from him some of his most intense teaching yet. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the implications of Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit. Who is He? What does He do?
This passage of Scripture contains some of the most controversial statements that Jesus ever said. Here, Jesus explains that he and he alone is God the Son, and the exclusive way to the Father. In this message, Pastor Adam unpacks the nature of this message as good news and how it changes our lives.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny Fisher explores the implications of Jesus washing the disciples' feet from John 13.
As we watch Jesus come into Jerusalem in his triumphal entry, we see that the way King Jesus obtains his crown is through a completely unexpected way. We see his upside down victory.
Control. We all want it, and many of us will do anything to get it and keep it. But what do we do when Jesus demands it? In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the implications of a Jesus who demands control from us, and demonstrates he's good enough for us to trust him with it.
This familiar story — the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead — displays the love of Jesus to us. But how does Jesus love us? In what way is his love expressed? In this sermon Pastor Adam unpacks the sovereign, suffering, and victorious love of Jesus for his people.
Jesus is the shepherd, so who are his sheep? In John 10:22-40, Jesus gives us two hard truths — that God chooses his sheep, and that he does so in Christ his Son.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks John 10:1-21, where Jesus tells us that he is The Good Shepherd. By drawing out a contrast between himself as The Good Shepherd, he points out what a bad shepherd looks like, and how his sheep can avoid them.
As Jesus heals a man who was born blind from birth, the Apostle John tells us a deeper story of who Jesus Christ truly is.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the controversial teaching of Jesus in John 8, when Jesus states plainly that he is God, to a crowd full of people who didn't want to hear it. What does the supremacy of Christ mean for us? Listen to find out.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacked Jesus' statement, "I am the Light of the World." As we'll see, the good news of Jesus as the light of the world involves the bad news that we are in darkness. But graciously, God doesn't leave us in darkness.
In this familiar story, Jesus feeds the 5,000. But, what is this story really about? Is there more to be learned here than simply that Jesus gives us our "daily bread?"
Authority is a concept that we're all familiar with but few of us are excited about. In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacked the scope and source of Jesus' authority. Why is it good news that Jesus has all authority? As we'll see, it's because only Jesus wields his authority with the heart of a servant.
In this passage of the Scriptures, Pastor Adam unpacks a tale of two very different but very important miracles. As Jesus reveals himself further in these stories, we find him to be more than a miracle worker, but the Son of God, the giver of sovereign grace.
As we continue in the book of John, we come to the story of the woman at the well. This woman represents the picture of someone who seems least likely to qualify for the love of Jesus. And yet, Jesus love comes to least of us. It's been said Christians are spiritual beggars telling other beggars where to find bread. In this text, we find bread.
In this sermon, guest speaker Nick Nowalk takes us through one of the most famous (and most misunderstood) part of the Bible, the third chapter of John. The phrase "born again," has gotten a lot of mileage, but do we really understand what it means? Nick helps us understand that more than simply a personal choice, the new birth is about being completely remade by God's grace in Jesus Christ for a whole new world that Jesus is bringing.
In this sermon, special guest Dr. Stephen Mansfield taught us from John 13-25. In this familiar story, we find not a safe, gentle Jesus, but a dangerous, passionate Jesus. What was the object of his passion? The pure worship of God, the destruction of racist hatred, and the acceptance of the gentile nations into the family of God.
This miracle — one of the most familiar in Jesus's ministry — is among the most misunderstood, as well. Why did Jesus transform the water into wine? What was the point of the miracle? As we explore John 2, we discover that the wine of God's grace in Jesus is better than religious observance or irreligious disobedience.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam continues to walk us through the Gospel of John as we turn our attention to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ — one who delights in dwelling with Jesus and one who desires to declare him to others.
As the Apostle John introduces us to John the Baptist, we discover a humble man whose identity, activity, and story all centered on Jesus.
In this sermon, we begin our new teaching series called, "That You May Believe," a journey through the Gospel of John. Pastor Adam Mabry explores the prologue of John's gospel, 1:1-18. In this passage we discover that the good news of the gospel is that our Maker became a man, so that men and women could be reconciled to their Maker.
In this final sermon in the teaching series, Pastor Adam explores the significance of the doctrine of "the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting." What difference does this make? As it turns out, what you believe about the future deeply affects how you live in the present.
Who is the Holy Spirit? Furthermore, what does he do? In this sermon, Pastor Adam unpacks the person and work of the Holy Spirit as the one who enables us to be disciples of Jesus Christ, and the one who empowers us to make them.
Many of us have said something like, "This is hell on earth," when describing a great trial or tragedy. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the phrase in the Creed, "He descended into hell," and the ensuing victory of the resurrection. What we discover is that because Jesus went to hell for sinners, sinners can enjoy Heaven with Jesus.
As we continue in our teaching series, Credo, Pastor Adam explores what the creed means when it tells us, that Jesus Christ is God's "only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried..." We discover that Jesus is the chief cornerstone of the great foundation which holds the church up. And, that faith in him means standing upon who he is as our most stable foundation and footing.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the meaning of church. Why is the church good news for the world, and why does the creed make such a big deal of it?
In this new teaching series, Pastor Adam explores the Apostle's Creed as a foundational statement of Christian belief. This first week, we unpack the statement, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth..."
In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the question, "Just how much can I get away with and still be a Christian?" Often this question (or a version of it) is raised. The answer, is surprising, and powerful for life change.
In our culture, few topics generate as much passion and friction as the topic of sexuality. Magazines, movies, books, and politics are converging at the moment to bring us into a new sexual "normal." In the face of such a dramatic shift, how does the church respond? Often, we're expected to choose between two options: (1) Accept homosexual practice as normal and celebrate it as good, or (2) be considered a backward, regressive, hate-filled bigot. That's not much of a choice. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the meaning of sex and sexuality.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the question of the Bible — What is it? What are we to do with it? And most importantly, why in the world would we believe it? What we discover is that the Scriptures are true, and that's really good news.
In this sermon, Pastor Donny explores the question, "Just how much can I get away with and still be a Christian?" Often this question (or a version of it) is raised. The answer, is surprising, and powerful for life change.
What is the relationship between science and faith? How are we to think about the claim that science and faith are irreconcilable? In this sermon, Nick Nowalk explores the meaning of Genesis and a biblical understanding of the place of science and scripture in our search for knowledge about God.
On Easter Sunday, 2014, Pastor Adam explores the implications of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for our unbelief. What we discover is that the resurrection is more believable than we thought and more life changing than we've ever imagined.
The cross is simultaneously the ubiquitous and most misunderstood symbol in the world. In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the meaning and significance of the cross of Christ.
In this sermon, Pastor Adam explores the sacrament of Baptism. As we celebrate baptism Sunday, we examine this piece of Christian tradition, asking ourselves what this sacrament means.