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Peninsula Bible Church
The latest sermons from Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto California.nnThis podcast is no longer updated. Search for the new podcast by looking for "Peninsula Bible Church sermons".
Jesus gave us to celebrate is meant to be one that unites us. What happens when it doesn't? How do we get back to the celebration of unity?
Many years ago, women would regularly wear hats to the worship services at Peninsula Bible Church. Today, not many women deem it necessary to do so. What happened?
What is it okay for Christians to do? Are there limits to freedom in Christ? These questions frequently arise as we figure out how to follow Jesus within our culture. The first century Corinthians asked the apostle Paul a similar question. In his response, he reorients their focus. Instead of giving them an answer, he points them to better questions.
Sometimes we find ourselves walking the line between following God and chasing after the idols of our culture. God, however, is not looking for halfhearted disciples. Rather, he calls us to flee from idolatry and run to Christ.
We often hear that Christians should be selfless, giving up their rights for the sake of others. But what if that's only half the story? In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul passionately defends his rights, revealing a powerful truth about sacrifice and the radical life of faith. His example can lead us to rethink our understanding of freedom, responsibility, and the joy found in wholeheartedly following Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul warns us about knowledge but also informs us that knowledge has its place, especially knowledge about God. In fact, he imparts to us critical knowledge about God that we need to live for him and for others.
Jesus calls it the greatest commandment, but we frequently have difficulty grasping it, much less living by it. What is God looking for? What are we afraid of? We shall see.
In the face of uncertainty and disappointment, some are tempted toward despair, while others find comfort in naive optimism. The Christmas story offers us a better way: the way of hope. Because our King took on flesh and dwelt among us, we can embrace hope this Christmas and always.
In the end, it's all a love story. It's the story of Christmas. It's the story of God in the world. It's the story of Psalm 118. In our last messianic psalm for the season of Advent, we see the love of God breaking into the world in a great reversal. The unlikely has become essential. God has acted to save. By the time we work through the psalm we realize that God doesn't just love the world. God loves us.
Your life is like Psalm 110. Your life is a mystery, unfolding chapter by chapter. Psalm 110 can inspire you to enjoy the mystery that is your life.
The young church in Corinth had written Paul a letter asking specific questions regarding sexuality in the context of marriage. In response to their questions, the apostle Paul addresses four different categories of people: those who are married, widowed, struggling in their marriage, and married to an unbeliever. He gives specific advice in each case, but underlying it all is a rich theology of mutuality in marriage and the importance of encountering Christ in all circumstances.
In both testaments, a male-female relationship in marriage mirrors God’s relationship with his people. God is the husband; we are the wife. Christ is the bridegroom; we are the bride. Practically, what does this mean for us as members of God’s wife, as members of the bride of Christ, both married and single? It has a great deal to do with what we do with our bodies.
After spending several chapters on the issues of divisions within the church, in 1 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul moves on to the topic of sexual brokenness within the church. His correction of the young church in Corinth can help us to think about how we deal with sexual ethics within our community. Do we actively encourage each other toward sexual health? Do we judge outsiders instead of focusing on ourselves? Do we have blind spots that have gone unnoticed?
The apostles were entrusted with the mysteries of God. Has something been entrusted to us? If so, what is it? And how can we go about finding what it is?
Growing spiritually can be challenging. Many of us have felt frustrations around faith, prayer, community life, and how to be open to the Lord’s growth in our lives. The church of Corinth can relate. Today, we will dive into several aspects of spiritual growth that Paul shared with the Corinthians and can be helpful for us today.
In 1 Corinthians 2, the apostle Paul not only discloses to us what God is really up to, he also tells us how we got the Scriptures and how we can understand the Scriptures.
Do you want to be wise? Do you seek after power? We all do to some degree, but we often misunderstand what true wisdom and power are. In this passage, “earthly” wisdom and power are turned on their head as true wisdom and power are defined in a person: Jesus Christ, the wisdom and power of God.
In the introduction to the book of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul addresses a young church who have struggled to find their way. They have become conformed to the culture around them and formed divisions based on leadership personalities. The apostle celebrates God's work among them and points them back to what forms the center of their community: the cross of Christ.
Another election is upon us. Who and what should we support? How should we go about doing it? We all have our blind spots, don’t we? Therefore, we all need to do our best to visit and revisit the Scriptures and have our minds renewed.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is among the most well-known stories in the Bible, yet it is also one of the most challenging to practice. How do we truly love people as we love ourselves, despite how unlovable they may seem to us? We start by loving God and being loved by him.
Within three short parables, Jesus communicates a deep message about the value of his kingdom and what it takes to be a part of it. These stories challenge us to take stock of our lives and notice what we really value . They also caution us against judging too quickly and inspire us to invite others into the kingdom of God. In the end, our response to the kingdom is simple: seek, receive, and invite.
What motivates us to do good things? Though our motivations are usually mixed, those good things can sometimes distract us from our need for mercy and the Lord. Through this parable, we will explore how our need for mercy is a gift and how it changes the posture we take in life.
On the surface, if you look out on our world, there is more than enough to depress you all day, every day. But we all know that appearances can be deceiving. Jesus told a story to help us understand what’s really going on in our world, appearances notwithstanding. We call it the Parable of the Sower.
What does Jesus think about the way we use our money? In the parable of the rich fool, Jesus uses strong words to warn us against the dangers of hoarding money for ourselves rather than orienting our lives towards God and his kingdom.
You may have heard that God's love is given to everyone equally. You may know that no one actually deserves God's love, but he pours out salvation as a free gift of mercy. But many of us don't realize how controversial or unsettling God's generosity really is. Without knowing it, many of us begrudge the generosity of God. To help diagnose our hearts, Jesus tells a story that makes it clear how we feel about the scandal of grace.
Have you ever lost something of value, and when you found it, celebrated with others? This week, we will look at Luke 15: 11-32 into the window of a father and his two lost sons. How the father responds to his sons will show us a picture of God's heart, and how the sons respond to the father will be a mirror to our hearts.
Sometimes, the most unassuming things have the most potential for pervasiveness and impact. Together we'll explore one of Jesus' shortest parables in Matthew 13 and discover that small hidden things can grow, permeate, and even overwhelm their surroundings.
Throughout the early chapters of the book of Genesis, we have seen God's intentions to bless the world. From Creation to Noah to Babel, God has been working to overcome the obstacle of evil and allow his blessing to flow to the world. As we wrap up the series, we look ahead to the introduction of Abram to discover the next stage of God's plan to bless the world. We will find out that this plan involves us!
As Genesis 1-11 nears its climax, we are given one final story: the dispersion of the people at Babel. This story serves as both a warning and a promise and helps us live well in relation to ourselves, God, the diverse people of God, and all the nations.
Our lives are governed by agreements we make with each other. After God saves Noah and his family from the devastation of the flood, God makes such an arrangement with Noah. As we observe the dynamic and interactive relationship Noah has with the living God, we will be invited to deepen our own faith in response. Will you accept and live by the arrangement God has made with you?
Isaiah tells us that “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,” that their spiritual strength is renewed not when the Lord acts but as they wait for the Lord to act (Isaiah 40:27-31). How do you respond to this?
We’re all control freaks, aren’t we? However, because there’s so little that we can control and so much that is out of our control, we live anxiously. Would it help us if we got into an ark?
From the first act of rebellion against God in Genesis 3, sin spreads quickly throughout creation. In Genesis 6, evil reaches a head, and God steps in. Through a surprising act of salvation, we learn that the judgment and mercy of God are both necessary for God to stop evil in it's tracks—in the past, the present, and the future.
The Bible has several examples of genealogies: lists of family generations. The one in Genesis 5 is meant to help us notice how the blessing of God will eventually overcome the curse of sin. We see the overall faithfulness of God over time, but we also see a few notable examples of out-of-the-ordinary blessing. How can those stories encourage us and inform our life today?
God created humans to be creative. Although Genesis 4:17-26 mostly exposes the dark side of human creativity, in the end it shows us how we can be creators who have been created in the image and likeness of God.
As we dive into the first story told from life outside the garden, we see how deep and fast humanity can fall into sin and God’s loving responses amidst our sin. We see how both sin and God’s healing start and grow from the inside out.
The creation story in Genesis ends in tragedy. The man and the woman have disobeyed God. He has read them the verdict of the consequences from sin. Now, he enacts their sentence: exile from the Garden of Eden. But even in this tragedy, there is hope. God shows his mercy by protection for the present and hope for the future. Because of that, we can learn to live well in the exile of our lives today.
Many people recognize that the world is broken; few truly understand why. The biblical story, beginning in Genesis 3, shows us how deeply sin has fractured creation and what God is doing to redeem and restore it.
When the first humans chose against God, they opened the door for evil. Now we live—and die—in a world of sorrow, suffering, and loss. How do we live in such a world? To answer the question, let’s go back to the beginning, when Eden sank to grief.
As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we'll follow the story of Thomas' response to the news. Over the course of a week, Thomas transforms from a skeptic who demands proof from God to a believer who is overcome in worship. What changes Thomas? How can we encounter Jesus in the same way? Is faith even possible in an age of skepticism?
Jesus evokes many different responses from different people. Some love him. Some hate him. Some are ambivalent towards him or just confused by him. As we look at Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we will consider the various ways we respond to Jesus and the ultimate response that our King deserves—a response of praise.
We want not only to be informed but also to be inspired. The word of God informs us. Does it also inspire us? The imagery of Joel 3 is especially inspiring.
In the middle of a book of warning and lamentation comes one of the most powerful promises in the Bible. God promises his people an experience of presence and unity with him that will completely transform their lives and communities. As we explore this offer, we will see a new experience with God offered to everyone who desires it.
We read in Joel 2:18-27 that the Lord deals “wondrously” with his people. Some of us might want to say, “Really?” How can it be said that the Lord deals wondrously with us?
Who knows what kind of days we will encounter? But we know this: “the Lord disciplines the one he loves” and that discipline, whatever form it takes, presents us with the opportunity to “return to the Lord.”
The book of Joel describes a terrible locust invasion which causes devastation to the people of Israel. Everything is lost. But in their tragedy, we can find hints of our own suffering. And in Joel's suggestions for how to invite God into their pain, we can find an invitation to a deeper journey with God.
Luke 18:10 is a powerful gospel declaration: the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost. The sorrows of this lost world—loneliness, insecurity, despair and anger—are more evident every day. As Jesus’ disciples, recipients of amazing grace, we are called to follow him and give away what we have been given.
To finish our series in the sermons of Acts, we return to the beginning of the book and look at Jesus' commission to his disciples. His invitation to become witnesses is ours as well, as we follow the leading of the Spirit to the ends of the earth and to the end of time.
In a world that is moving faster than ever, patience is becoming a lost art. And yet, the work of evangelism is something that requires great patience. As we look at Paul’s final speech in the book of Acts, we are reminded that mission requires patience and persistence, and we need to be in it for the long haul.
We who follow Jesus belong to “the Way”: the way of salvation and the way of the Lord. We walk in the Way, moving toward a destination, the New Jerusalem. How do we make our way in the Way?
If your life hasn’t gone according to your plans, perhaps it has gone according to God’s plans. Such was the case for the apostle Paul, who tells his story in Acts 22:1-22.
As Paul speaks to a crowd in Athens, he follows a surprising strategy. Instead of criticizing their idolatry outright, he affirms the good parts of their religion and then seeks to show how the gospel of Jesus Christ provides a fuller picture. By understanding how he applies this strategy in Athens, we can use the same strategy in our culture. As a starting point, we'll consider how the love of work in Silicon Valley can be an opportunity for the gospel.
As we go about our daily lives interacting with people, we often find ourselves keeping to familiar topics of conversation, avoiding any urges to go too deep or spiritual. But is this really an urge we should resist? This week, we will explore a message from the Apostle Paul and how he approached sharing the gospel. Paul knew that people were more likely to listen to him if he started with what was familiar to them. However, he did not resist the urge to lead the conversation to Jesus.
In God’s plan to reveal His rule and reign to an unbelieving world, every one of His people plays a part.
This week we will Journey with Peter as he makes his way to Cornelius’s house to share the Gospel with the Gentiles in Acts 10. We will see that God has made room for all nations to have the opportunity for new life through Jesus. How might we make room for others who are different than us?
What do we need to share the gospel? Maybe we need a little inspiration. A little inspiration is what the story of Stephen can give us. In the end, Stephen gives us one of the most inspirational images in all of Scripture.
We live in a world where people need healing from so many different things. Yet, there is a general resistance to seeking healing in the name of Jesus. In the second sermon of Acts, Peter explains how Jesus offers healing to all who would believe and gives them times of refreshing. Isn't that what everyone wants? How can we communicate that message in a way that resonates with our culture?
In recent decades, people from all over the world have flooded the Bay Area. What does this mean? In light of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14-41, it means we have an opportunity.
In the last scene of the book of Exodus, we see God move into the home that his people have built for him. All the uncertainty regarding God's faithfulness to his people and their faithfulness to him has been resolved. The people of God are free. God lives among them. He will lead them into the Promised Land.
As we near the end of the book of Exodus, we see the actual construction of the Tabernacle. By watching the newly formed people God work on such a significant project, we can learn a lot about how our efforts go toward bringing the presence of God into sharper focus on earth.
Beholding Jesus—even beholding the face of Jesus—is a key component of becoming more like Jesus. How then can we behold his face? Join us for Pastor Scott’s message “Beholding the Glory” from Exodus 34:29-35.
How would you describe God in one sentence? What do you think are the most important things about God? When God reveals himself to us, he make it clear: He is a God overflowing with mercy and grace, looking for every opportunity to show his love. If we can grasp the depth of this truth, it will change our lives forever.
And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”Sermon Summary:Do you ever wonder if your failures will keep you from receiving God’s love and blessing? After Israel breaks God’s covenant by worshiping the golden calf (Exodus 32), we are left wondering if they have gone too far to be forgiven. In Exodus 33, we see that Israel’s failures—and ours—do not negate the promises of God.
In the story Exodus God creates his people. He frees them, gives them a law, and teaches them to worship. But very early on, they make a major mistake which threatens to ruin everything God has been working toward. In turning away from God and all the plans he has for them, the ominous question emerges of whether their mistake can be repaired. Is there a way forward? Can God forgive?
Where does God dwell? Looking back and looking ahead, we can see that God has dwelt, is dwelling, and will dwell in at least six different places. A tour of the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, will help us look for God.
After Moses went up to Sinai again, God gave him instructions for the building of a holy building. This would be a place where God Himself could dwell among his people and they could worship him. As we read the instructions and consider the construction details, we will learn how to come close to God in worship.
Is there a wrong way to approach God? In Exodus 24, we find specific instructions on how Moses and the people can come before God. The story is full of reverence and fear. In the midst of this story, we will hear the invitation of Jesus: Draw near to God through me.
Do you feel unknown? Do you feel that no one really understands you? Feeling unknown and misunderstood is part of what C.S. Lewis calls “our inconsolable secret.” The resurrection of Jesus Christ means that someone knows us and understands us better than we know and understand ourselves.
his week, we conclude our Lenten sermon series “Suffering Servant, Conquering King” with a message from Scott Grant in the book of Mark.
In the penultimate act of the Savior's journey to the cross, Jesus finds himself on trial before the highest court of the land in a seemingly no-win situation. Spoiler alert: Jesus wins. Join us for “Are You the Christ?”
In this scene, we see Jesus making two requests: one of his disciples and another of His Father. Each ask is vulnerable and raw. Both of them are denied. As we marvel at Jesus' capability to trust God and move forward, we will be challenged and encouraged to follow the pattern that he lays out for us. We too can be honest with God. We too can submit to His will.
In Mark 12, Jesus tells a story about a farmer that so reflects an otherworldly kind of love—the kind of love that can heal the ache in our hearts.
In Mark 9, the disciples get a glimpse at the full glory of Jesus. This is truly a mountain top experience. Have you had a mountain top experience with God? Do you long for such an experience? What can we learn about Jesus—and about our...
During the season of Lent, we will be reflecting on passages from the book of Mark that highlight the dual themes of Jesus as suffering servant and conquering king. For the first week, we look at three different predictions Jesus makes about his...
As we seek walk with God, we must learn some information about God and what he expects of us. However, that information is not likely to result in action unless it is accompanied by motivation. In Exodus 23:20-33, God gives the people of Israel some...
We were born with spiritual thirst. Spend a few minutes alone without doing anything, and you’ll probably feel it. What do we do with it?
The Ten Commandments are some of the most well-known words in all of Scripture, and yet they are so easy misunderstood. As we look at these words, we will discover that they are not threats, unreasonable demands, or outdated requirements. Rather,...
We are about to arrive at the most important chapter in the book of Exodus: the giving of the Ten Commandments. But before we get there, God must make sure his people are ready to listen well to his instructions. As we watch him prepare the people,...
Do you ever do things, especially too many things, because of what people expect? Do you ever do things, especially too many things, because you think you’re most qualified and no one else can do them as well as you? If so, you have much in common...
A few of us, for whatever reason, care little what other people think. Most of us, however, are not immune to expectations. Some of us, in fact, are tyrannized by them. What can we do to be free? We need a vision of God. Exodus 17, as it leads us...
We pick up the story of God's people right after they are freed from slavery in Egypt. They have been given a new life, but they don't know how to live it yet. So God begins to teach them by providing for their needs in miraculous ways. Water....
A new year presents opportunities as well as uncertainties. Would what we have been praying for finally come to fruition in 2023, or would our lives be turned upside down by events we have not planned for? We will look at a story recorded in II...
Especially at Christmastime, we remember that God has given us his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. What then remains for us to do? Paul addresses this question in 2 Corinthians 8-9, a passage that features one of the most profound expressions of...
We live in a culture that tells us that happiness comes from the stuff we buy and the experiences that we have. According to Jesus, that’s not the way life works. If we are going to experience abundant life in Jesus, we need to learn to cut out...
During the Advent season, we are reflecting on God's purposes for the things of this earth. After considering the place we find ourselves, we move on to thinking about the stuff we surround ourselves with. What do we do with the plenty of stuff that...
As we begin the Advent season, we'll be reflecting on how the birth of Jesus changes the way we think about the things of earth. Jesus was born in a particular place. What does that mean for how we think about our physical place in the world? Does...
After the Egyptian army is drowned in the sea, Moses and the people sing a song of praise to God for his victory over evil. Their song is meant to be our song as well as we rejoice in the victory of God.
We look out at life, and it looks like chaos. We can’t make sense of it. It’s confusing. We wonder if we’ll get swallowed up by the chaos if we move forward into it. The Israelites looked out at a sea of chaos. Nevertheless, the Lord commanded...
This is the climax of the story of the Exodus. God's people leave their slavery in Egypt. As God executes the tenth plague on Egypt, the Israelites are given instructions on how to find protection from God. Intermingled with the story in Egypt are...
After suffering through nine terrible plagues, Pharaoh is still unwilling to let God’s people go. Why has his heart remained so hard? He is obsessed with his own glory. In Exodus 11, God shows us what he will do to win glory over Pharaoh. As we...
After suffering through nine terrible plagues, Pharaoh is still unwilling to let God’s people go. Why has his heart remained so hard? He is obsessed with his own glory. In Exodus 11, God shows us what he will do to win glory over Pharaoh. As we...
In the book of Exodus, the people of God are in bondage. In Egypt, even though Moses has returned in obedience to the Lord to deliver the Israelites, things have gone from bad to worse. What now? What does the Lord do in the difficult places of our...
In the book of Exodus, the people of God are in bondage. In Egypt, even though Moses has returned in obedience to the Lord to deliver the Israelites, things have gone from bad to worse. What now? What does the Lord do in the difficult places of our...
We've already seen several of Moses's objections to God's plan for delivering the Israelites from slavery. In this chapter, as Moses takes steps in obedience, he stumbles and brings one more complaint to God. In response, God speaks to Moses about...
We've already seen several of Moses's objections to God's plan for delivering the Israelites from slavery. In this chapter, as Moses takes steps in obedience, he stumbles and brings one more complaint to God. In response, God speaks to Moses about...
When Moses returned from the wilderness, the people of Israel responded positively. Things were looking up. Then they weren’t. What do you do when things go from bad to worse?
When Moses returned from the wilderness, the people of Israel responded positively. Things were looking up. Then they weren’t. What do you do when things go from bad to worse?
In Exodus 3, Moses is given a clear yet difficult call from God. In Exodus 4, Moses tries to resist this call. Do you ever find yourself resisting God’s call? What are the factors that tend to keep us from following God in faith? As we explore...
In Exodus 3, Moses is given a clear yet difficult call from God. In Exodus 4, Moses tries to resist this call. Do you ever find yourself resisting God’s call? What are the factors that tend to keep us from following God in faith? As we explore...
After meeting Moses in chapter 2, we see God find him in Midian and call him to a monumental task. Understandably so, this causes Moses to ask deep questions about who he is and who God is. In the answers, we find powerful help for our own struggles...
After meeting Moses in chapter 2, we see God find him in Midian and call him to a monumental task. Understandably so, this causes Moses to ask deep questions about who he is and who God is. In the answers, we find powerful help for our own struggles...
Sometimes it’s hard to hang onto hope. This is how the Israelites must have felt after Pharaoh ordered the death of all of their newborn sons. Yet, in the midst of their fear, God began to break through and plant some seeds of hope. That same God...
Sometimes it’s hard to hang onto hope. This is how the Israelites must have felt after Pharaoh ordered the death of all of their newborn sons. Yet, in the midst of their fear, God began to break through and plant some seeds of hope. That same God...
The book of Exodus tells the story of how God freed his people from slavery and gave them a new life filled with direction and purpose. In the first chapter, we hear of three separate challenges that face the people of Israel. Each of them raises...
The book of Exodus tells the story of how God freed his people from slavery and gave them a new life filled with direction and purpose. In the first chapter, we hear of three separate challenges that face the people of Israel. Each of them raises...
We live in an age of instant gratification where we are encouraged to do whatever feels good to us. Against this idea, the Spirit wants to grow us into people of self- control as we restrain our unhealthy desires, retrain them in healthy ways, and...
Our culture is anything but gentle. Disagreements quickly become divisions. Conversations turn into conflicts. Questions feel like interrogations. Misunderstandings give birth to outrage. But our God describes himself as "gentle and lowly". How do...
The tide of our culture threatens to slowly pull us away from God. In the face of this tide, God calls us to be faithful — faithful to him and faithful to each other. Are you ready to grow in faithfulness?
This Sunday, guest pastor, Susan Van Risen of Palo Alto Vineyard Church, will be preaching a message about God’s Purpose for Marriage.
The sixth aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that grows within us as we walk by the Spirit is goodness. But what does it mean to be good? And how does goodness get cultivated in our lives? As we explore this biblical theme, we'll discover a God who...
“Patience is a virtue,” the old saying goes, and some of us would respond, “It’s not a virtue of mine.” However, patience is also a fruit of the Spirit. How would you like a little more of it?
One main issue with the Galatian church was that they had forgotten truths that they had once known, a dynamic that we often overlook as forward-thinking Americans. There are three truths that the Galatians (and we) have to remember time and time...
The third fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is “peace”—that is, peace with each other. How do we in the church live in peace with each other. The New Testament has some answers for us.
Joy is one of the qualities that is meant to characterize followers of Jesus, yet many people have a hard time truly finding joy. What is the key to experiencing more joy in life? The answer might be different than you think.
The first fruit of the Spirit is “love”—that is, love for other people. What motivates us to love, and what, practically speaking, can we do to express love?
As we kick off our summer series on the Fruit of the Spirit, we want to see what it takes to produce this fruit in our lives. We'll learn that followers of Jesus don't aim for a certain kind of life, they aim for walking by the Spirit. When that...
Aren't most of us concerned about being productive and efficient? In the last of his seven statements about himself, Jesus offers an image which transforms how we think about our lives. When he claims to be the vine, he gives us a simple command...
It is easy to lose our way in life. It is even easier to be lost without knowing it. Jesus, as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, helps us find our proper destination and provides the way for us to get there.
In the fifth of Jesus' seven statements about himself, he addresses one of our most primal concerns: the fear of death. Jesus claims to be "the resurrection and the life" during a series of events which prove the truth of that claim. One of his...
There are certain people and institutions who should care for people but don’t. Jesus calls them “hired hands.” By contrast, Jesus defines himself as the “good shepherd.” What makes him good? And how can we benefit from his care?
What makes life worth living? Some would say pleasure. Others would say power. Still others might say fame or success or even love. In the most obscure of the “I am” statements, Jesus corrects our misunderstandings about the good life and shows...
Everyone, it seems, is looking for something. Jesus asked two men who started to follow him, “What are you seeking?” What are you looking for? Do you know? The audacious promise of the Scriptures, coming from God himself, is that those who seek...
In order to celebrate the events of Palm Sunday, we'll watch Jesus enter Jerusalem from two different perspectives. In the book of Ephesians, we saw how Jesus brought peace between Jews and Gentiles. To understand the radical nature of that unity,...
The apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians insists that all of us are in a worldwide war and that battles are being fought right here where we live. We are at war with the devil and his demons. What is their objective? What are their tactics?...
In the second part of his "household code", the apostle Paul addresses the realms of family and employment. His commands to children, fathers, bondservants, and masters echo many of the same themes from his earlier instructions to wives and...
As the apostle Paul continues practically applying the truth of the gospel, he arrives at the topic of marriage. Separate instructions are given to wives and to husbands, but the underlying message is the same. Instead of focusing on their partner,...
As followers of Jesus, we are called to imitate the love of Jesus. While this calling is simple, it is not always easy. In Ephesians 5:1-21, we explore the obstacles that keep us from truly loving people and find the key to growing in Christlike love
In Ephesians 4:25-32, Paul spells out in specific terms what’s life-diminishing and what’s life-enhancing. He gets practical. He tells us what to do and what not to do. What to do and what not to do have very much to do with how we treat people....
Sin has its allure. We have all heard it, felt it, and capitulated to it at least to some degree. Some have capitulated to sin in ways that changed the course of their lives—and not for the better. How do we resist sin, and what measures can we...
The primary biblical metaphor used to describe the church is a body. Often times, however, we don’t understand how this body really works. What is its purpose? How does it grow? What happens when it gets sick? We find the answer to these questions...
To wrap up the first half of Ephesians, the apostle Paul offers a beautiful prayer. At the heart of his request is for followers of Jesus to know the unknowable love of Christ. But he acknowledges that we need strength from God to do so. Let's see...
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul has been building up to this. There’s a mystery that he reveals in Ephesians 3:1-13. He calls it “the mystery of Christ.” Well, what is it?
These verses provide one of the richest explanations of unity in the entire New Testament. Using the imagery of a building, the apostle Paul describes how two groups of people, separated by centuries of hostility, are brought together as one new...
Do you find yourself living anxiously? Does everything seem to depend on you? Are you trying hard and wearing yourself out? Ephesians 2:1-10 can bring about a soul-transforming reorientation.
Do we appreciate what we have in Christ? Do we even know what we have? Thankfully, God gives us his Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of our hearts.
As we kick off a new series in the book of Ephesians, we immediately encounter the mystery of God's will. This book focuses on who we are in Christ and how to live out that identity. But it also describes a mystery that is bigger than grander than...
In Psalm 23, David uses first-person singular pronouns such as “I,” “me,” and “my” a staggering seventeen times in a mere six verses. It’s an intensely personal psalm, which means it can be an intensely personal psalm for us.
A savior is born, and invitations go out—who is invited? This morning we look at the invitation to meet this savior given to very unlikely candidates and discover how long the guest list truly is.
Joseph was betrothed to Mary. He expected to marry a non-pregnant woman, but his betrothal turned into something else. What do you do when your expectations turn into something else?
When the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary, he brought a message of hope: the Messiah was on his way! This message of hope is for us as well, but we must be humble enough to receive it.
For the season of Advent, we will be looking at announcements of the Christmas Story. As we track different proclamations of the event that is to come, we'll see how each of them communicates something unique about the Good News that leads to great...