City Church Garland: Recent Episodes
Keith Dollar
In this sermon we see that God renews His people when they remember Him, return to Him in prayer, and heed His word.
s redemption story to our children that they might set their hope in God and not be unfaithful to the Lord.
In this teaching, Dr. Justin Bass shares the historical background as to how we got the powerful epistle of 1 John.
God calls his people to give him their highest loyalty and to guard against competing desires, affections, and ideologies.
God has given us great confidence in prayer and assurance of victory over the forces of darkness, and from this position, we must pray for others and abstain from idols.
God has promised eternal life for those who believe in Jesus, and He desires that they be fully assured of this salvation.
The new birth is a powerful and gracious work of God, accompanied by transformative effects such as faith, love, and joyful obedience.
Jesus modeled for his followers love, humility, and service, and called them to imitate his example. Those who do so experience great joy.
The love of God was brought to us through Jesus coming into the world to become the atoning sacrifice for our sins. And the effects of receiving this love are displayed in love for others.
In this sermon, we learn about how the Spirit of God anchors believers in Christ so they can recognize truth, reject error, and remain unshaken in a deceptive world.
In this sermon, it is emphasized that the presence of love in the child of God reveals their new identity and nature and strengthens confidence before God.
In this sermon we hear that God gives warnings and assurances as a means of grace for his people to persevere.
What you love reveals where your heart abides, and only those who love the Father abide forever.
In this sermon, we learn about how the true path of Christianity is one of light and love.
In this sermon we leanr about how knowing Jesus is possible through the revelation of Scripture and is a matter of life and joy.
s people are called to draw near to him, hold fast their confession of hope, and gather regularly to encourage one another and stir up love and good deeds.
s Word and dwells upon it has a blessed life that is rooted and endures in every season.
Prayer is an essential practice of the Christian faith, and the book of Psalms teaches us the language of prayer.
In this sermon, we see how the good news of Jesus has changed the world, especially in the lives of those who believe.
In this sermon we leanr that the coming of Jesus into the world brought salvation and peace, yet it was accompanied with conflict.
s people are called to look to God for mercy, forgiveness, and redemption and wait patiently for Him.
s people are called to gather regularly in corporate worship to sing joyfully, worship humbly, and listen attentively so that they might trust and obey Him faithfully. Failure to do so had tragic consequences.
s benefits, resting in His compassion, and rejoicing in His everlasting love revealed in Christ.
Pslam 33 teaches us that God is worthy of our praise, and it is fitting for those who are recipients of His goodness and observers of His greatness to express praise and thanks to Him joyfully and reverently.
s Peace. Phil. 4:6-7Application exhortations for this sermon are:Enjoy the presence of God and find strength from him through prayer, thanksgiving, and praise. -Phil. 4:6Ponder the reality that God is enough for you and has provided what you need and promises to continue to do so.Resolve to find contentment in Christ so that you can be freed up to live on mission and be joyfully generous.
Joy and peace are vital elements given to the Christian that must also be fought for and through prayer and biblical meditation.
s power that works in you and on your behalf.Be humble and reasonable in your relationships.
s grace to energize your efforts. Reflection Questions What do you need to change in your life in order to pursue the one thing that matters most?What habit is your greatest hindrance to run the race with endurance that is before you?
In this sermon, we see that Christians are called to imitate godly examples of Christlikeness that they see in others.
In this sermon, Jacob Jones explains how the church is called to display Christ-likeness by living humbly together and submitting to his lordship.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explaisn how the gospel will advance even in the face of opposition, and seeing life through a gospel lens, will fuel our joy, hope, and courage.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains through the life and ministry of Paul how prayer and evangelism are the necessary means through which God works for the advancement of the mission of the church.
In this sermon, Pastor Brad Weir explains how we can live with the end in mind by being prayerful, fervently loving others, and sharing our spiritual gifts with others to serve them.
In the sermon, we explore what the Bible teaches about how we manage our money, which has the potential to do either good or harm.
In this sermon we learn that Christ rules over everything, and his kingdom will advance in all the earth until the end.
In this sermon, we see that the wise life is marked by self-control — guarded, guided, and grown by grace.
In this sermon we explore the truth that wise plans and decisions are made by looking to God for guidance and committing to do His will since He is in charge of the world.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains that wise women build their homes, making it a place where their families can flourish through their godly conduct, character, and speech.
In this sermon we see that God has designed us as relational beings who need friendships to flourish, and wise people cultivate faithful and loving friendships.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains that the fear of the Lord is essential for having a healthy relationship with God and making wise decisions. And it is accompanied by great blessings. The questions he answers are: What is Fear of the Lord?Why should we pursue and embrace it?How can we cultivate in our lives?
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that the historical evidence of Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and resurrected is reliable, and He is worthy to receive our response of unashamed faith and joyful and reverent worship.
In this sermon from Proverbs 7 Jacob Jones explains how temptation has a predictable strategy and wisdom can help equip us to resist it.
From Proverbs 6 Pastor Keith highlights how wisdom teaches us to be responsible with our wealth, words, work, and relationships.
In Proverbs chapter 5 wisdom teaches us to take heed to the voice of wisdom to guard your hearts, avoid the dangers of sexual folly, and experience God’s delightful design for marriage.
In this sermon, we learn that wisdom is valuable and it must be sought for diligently in view of God being the source and giver of it.
In this sermon, we see that wisdom calls us to live wisely by choosing the fear of the Lord and considering the outcomes of the way of fools and the wise.
In this teaching we see how the Proverbs were written to give us wisdom and understanding to live well in this world through a proper relationship with God. Pastor Keith also explains what wisdom is and how to get it and what the fear of the Lord is.
In this sermon we learn that in Christ we have a new identity and a new way of living that reflects the beauty of grace.
In this sermon, we explore how God has graciously provided for His people what they need to flourish through their relationship with Him, and He calls them to make grace-empowered efforts to grow.
In this sermon, we see that God calls us to remember His past faithfulness, to rely on Him in the present, and to respond in obedience for what’s ahead.
In this sermon, we see that Jesus is the King worthy of worship and His Kingdom clashes with earthly kingdoms.
In this sermon, we see that the birth of Christ was a miraculous historical event that occurred to fulfill God’s promise to rescue His people.
In this sermon we see that the birth of Jesus was a historical event divinely orchestrated to fulfill God’s promise of sending the Messiah King to rescue His people.
In this sermon we hear how Jesus makes clear the two options set before us all, and he requires us to choose the way of love, life, and truth.
In his sermon on the mount Jesus teaches his followers how to have a dynamic prayer life. He calls his followers to be in persistent prayer, asking, seeking and knocking with the knowledge of God’s Fatherly care and promises for answering prayer.
In Matthew 7, we see Jesus address the destructive nature of judging others, a behavior that can be as damaging as cancer to relationships. In this passage, Jesus calls His followers to avoid harsh, hasty, and hypocritical judgments. Instead, He urges us to prioritize addressing our own sins before helping others with theirs. The tendency to be critical and judgmental is deeply rooted in human nature. Jesus warns against this toxic behavior, which can lead to broken marriages and divided churches.Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:1-5 emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, humility, honesty and mercy. He uses the metaphor of a log in one's eye to illustrate the absurdity of judging others while ignoring one's own faults. This teaching is not a prohibition against discernment or addressing sin, but a call to avoid a fault-finding spirit. Jesus Himself called out sin, but He did so with the intent of bringing people to repentance and salvation, not condemnation.The passage also highlights the need for discernment in sharing the gospel. Jesus advises against casting pearls before swine, meaning we should be wise in how we share the message of the kingdom and how much time and energy we invest on behalf of those who show no interest. This requires both elements of truth and grace, recognizing that not everyone will be receptive to the gospel. Sinclair Ferguson called this principle taught here “The wisdom of appropriate activity” Ultimately, Jesus calls us to love one another as He has loved us. By marveling at God's grace and mercy towards us, we can counter a critical spirit and cultivate a heart of compassion towards others.
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus addresses the heart of humanity, challenging the superficiality of external religion and urging a deeper, genuine worship. He confronts the issues of hypocrisy, materialism, and anxiety, emphasizing the importance of heart motives in our actions. Jesus calls us to give, pray, and fast with sincerity, focusing on God rather than seeking human approval. He highlights the futility of storing earthly treasures, urging us to prioritize heavenly treasures that are eternal and secure. Our relationship with money and possessions often reveals where our heart truly lies, and Jesus warns against the deceitfulness of riches, which can easily capture our trust and devotion.Jesus also addresses anxiety, a prevalent issue in our culture, and offers a kingdom perspective that counters worry. He reminds us of God's provision for creation, emphasizing our greater value and the assurance that God will meet our needs. Anxiety, he explains, is a distraction from kingdom pursuits and a waste of time. Instead, Jesus calls us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, promising that all our needs will be met. This kingdom perspective invites us to live with a generous heart, trusting in God's provision and focusing on eternal values.The kingdom of God is an upside-down kingdom, clashing with worldly values. Jesus teaches us to live with a kingdom perspective, prioritizing eternal treasures over temporary gains. He calls us to cultivate a generous heart, reflecting God's generosity, and to live free from anxiety, trusting in God's provision. By seeking first the kingdom, we align our lives with God's purposes, experiencing the peace and joy that come from living in His will.
In our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, we see the profound teachings of Jesus, focusing on Matthew 5:33-48. This passage challenges us to live radically in honesty, justice, and love, reflecting the heart of God in our daily lives. Jesus calls us to a higher standard, one that transcends mere legal compliance and touches the very core of our being—our hearts. The Pharisees, in their adherence to the law, often missed the spirit behind it, leading to a life of legalism and self-righteousness. Jesus, however, fulfills the law, inviting us to embrace its true intent: a heart fully surrendered to God.The teachings on oaths remind us that our words should be truthful, reflecting the integrity of Christ. We are called to let our "yes" be yes and our "no" be no, embodying truth in all we say and do. This honesty is not just about avoiding falsehood but about living in a way that our words are always trustworthy.In addressing retaliation, Jesus turns societal norms on their head. Instead of seeking revenge, we are to offer grace and mercy, even to those who wrong us. This radical love is not about being passive but about choosing humility and peace over retribution. Jesus exemplifies this through His own life, urging us to follow His example.Loving our enemies is perhaps the most challenging of Jesus' commands. It requires us to extend love and prayer to those who oppose us, reflecting the unconditional love God shows us. This love is not based on feelings but is a deliberate choice to act in love, even when it is difficult.Ultimately, Jesus calls us to be perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect. This perfection is about maturity and fulfilling our purpose as followers of Christ. It is about living out the radical love, grace, and truth that Jesus embodies, empowered by the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts and lives.
In this sermon from Matthew chapter 5, we explore the profound teachings of Jesus on Kingdom ethics, focusing on the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, challenges us to understand the law not merely as a set of rigid rules but as a guide to living a life that reflects the heart of God. His teaching confronts two common errors: antinomianism, which dismisses the law, and legalism, which attempts to earn God's favor through strict adherence to rules. Jesus fulfilled the law by embodying its true intent and purpose.Jesus' fulfillment of the law is multifaceted. He fulfills it predictively, as the law and prophets point to Him as the Messiah. He fulfills it ethically, living a sinless life that exemplifies perfect obedience to God's commands. He fulfills it exemplarily, providing a model for us to follow in holiness and righteousness. Moreover, He fulfills it in His disciples, empowering us through the Holy Spirit to live out the righteous requirements of the law (Romans 8:1-4).The heart of Jesus' teaching is a call to internal righteousness, a transformation that goes beyond external compliance. He emphasizes the importance of the heart's condition, teaching that anger equates to murder and lust to adultery. This internalization of the law calls us to a higher standard, one that values life, integrity, and purity. Jesus underscores the sacredness of marriage, urging us to honor this covenant as a reflection of God's relationship with His people.In addressing sin, Jesus advocates for radical measures, not through physical mutilation but through the mortification of sin in our hearts. The law serves as a mirror, revealing our need for a Savior, and pointing us to Christ, who empowers us to live righteously. As kingdom citizens, we are called to be peacemakers, valuing reconciliation and embodying the love and grace of God in our relationships.
In this sermon we focus on the Apostle Paul's final words to his young protege, Timothy. Paul, nearing the end of his life, reflects on his journey, likening the Christian life to a race and a fight that requires endurance and faithfulness. Paul’s life serves as a powerful example of steadfastness, having endured numerous hardships, yet remaining faithful to his mission and calling.Paul's words from a Roman prison cell are filled with both a sense of completion and a forward-looking hope. He speaks of being poured out as a drink offering, signifying his life of sacrifice and service. He confidently states that he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. This is not a boastful claim but a magnification of God's grace and strength that sustained him through his ministry. Paul's life and letter encourages Timothy to endure hardship, to remain faithful, looking forward to the eternal rewards promised by God.Paul also highlights the importance of Christian community and relationships. He expresses his need for companionship and support, asking Timothy to come to him and bring Mark, who is useful for ministry. Despite being deserted by some, Paul finds solace in the presence of faithful friends and the unwavering support of the Lord. He instructon highlights the important truth that the Christian journey is not meant to be walked alone; we need each other to stay strong and finish well.Paul’s perspective on death is also enlightening. He views it as a departure, a transition to a better place, where he will be with Christ. This eternal perspective fuels his endurance and hope, knowing that his labor is not in vain and that there are rewards awaiting those who remain faithful.
In this sermon, we explore the reality that pastors are responsible for faithfully preaching and teaching God’s word both inside the church and outside it even when it is opposed.Paul repeatedly stresses the need for healthy, biblical teaching. Scripture, being God-breathed, is the ultimate source of truth, profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. It equips believers for every good work.Paul's charge to Timothy is serious and weighty, given in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead. This charge carries tones accountability and authority that come with preaching the Word. Timothy is urged to preach in season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. He msut do this knowing a time will come when people will not endure sound teaching but will seek teachers to suit their own passions, turning away from the truth.
In this sermon, we see that God wants us to have realistic expectations about living in a fallen world and avoid ungodly influences and follow godly examples.In 2 Timothy 3, the Apostle Paul provides a sobering yet realistic worldview, acknowledging the pervasive sinfulness of humanity and the inevitable difficulties that come with living in a fallen world. Paul prepares Timothy for these challenges, Christian or not, wewill face hardships such as financial, health, and relational issues. Paul wanted Timothy to have realistic expectations about life and ministry in a broken world while maintaining hope in the ultimate return of Christ, who will make all things new.Paul warns Timothy about the characteristics of people in the last days, describing them as lovers of self, money, and pleasure rather than lovers of God. These individuals will exhibit traits like arrogance, abusiveness, and a lack of self-control, making life difficult for those around them. Paul advises Timothy to avoid such people and instead follow godly examples, highlighting the importance of discipleship and mentorship in the Christian journey.Paul also prepares Timothy for persecution, stating that "all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus" will face opposition. This persecution can take various forms, from slander to imprisonment, but it is a part of the Christian experience. Paul encourages Timothy to persevere in the faith, reminding him of the power and sufficiency of Scripture, which is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.Paul calls for a balanced approach: being realistic about the world's brokenness while holding on to the hope and transformative power of the gospel. Like in other epistles Paul urges Timothy and believers to avoid being conformed to the world's values and to be prepared for difficult times by grounding themselves in the truth of God's Word.
In this sermon from 2 Timothy 2 Pastor Keith explains how ministers of the Gospel must care about God’s approval more than any other and be diligent in handling God’s word with accuracy, clarity and gentleness. They must bring consistent gospel reminders along with loving warnings
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains how faithfully following Jesus requires strength that God graciously provides and a wholehearted commitment in the face of suffering.
In this sermon we focus on Titus 1, emphasizing the importance of godliness that is to accompany those who know and believe the truth of the gospel of grace. Paul instructs Titus to identify and appoint leaders in Crete who exemplify godly character and conduct, setting a standard for the church to follow. These leaders should be above reproach, not arrogant or quick-tempered, but hospitable, self-controlled, holy and disciplined. Their lives should reflect the transformative power of the gospel, demonstrating that true godliness springs from knowing the truth and believing the gospel of grace.Paul's introduction in Titus is rich with theological truths, He underscores that he was sent by Jesus for the faith of God’s chosen people (elect) and so that they may posses the knowledge of the truth and live godly lives, rooted in the knowledge of the truth. Paul warns against false teachers and apparently a form of legalism, urging Titus to confront those who spread deceptive teachings for personal gain.Paul mentions the hope of eternal life, promised by a God who never lies. He contrasts the trustworthy nature of God with the deceitfulness of the Cretan culture and false teachers. This hope of eternal life that marks Christianity motivates believers to pursue godliness, looking forward to the fulfillment of all that God has promised. Healthy church leadership is crucial for a thriving church. Leaders must model godliness, manage their households well, and hold firm to sound doctrine. They should be able to teach and refute false teachings, ensuring the church remains grounded in the truth.As we grow in our knowledge of God and His promises, and believe them, we are empowered to live in a way that honors Him and benefits the church.
In this sermon from Robert Reid on 1 Timothy 6, he highlights how the Apostle Paul contrasts the destructive path of those who love money with the life of contentment and godliness. Paul warns that the love of money leads to temptation, snares, and ultimately, ruin and destruction. Instead, we are called to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. These virtues reflect a life that is aligned with God's character and leads to true contentment.This sermon also focuses on the importance of recognizing true doctrine and being wary of false teachers who stir up controversy for personal gain. Paul encourages Timothy to focus on the ultimate goal of eternal life and to remain steadfast in his faith, even in the face of trials. This focus shapes our lives, much like an athlete preparing for the Olympics or a soldier readying for battle.Paul's practical advice to the rich is to not be arrogant or set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God, who provides everything for our enjoyment. He urges them to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up treasure in heaven. For those who may not have much, there is also a call for contentment, humility, and trust in God. True gain is available to everyone in God's house, regardless of their earthly possessions. It is discovered in the life of godliness and contentment and is rooted in trust and hope in God.
In this sermon we looked into Psalm 66, a powerful call to worship and praise God for His awesome deeds. The Psalms have long been a source of spiritual nourishment, providing us with the vocabulary to engage with God in prayer and worship. Psalm 66 begins with a global call to worship, urging all the earth to shout for joy and sing praises to God. This call is not superficial but deeply rooted in the recognition of God's mighty works, both in creation and in redemption.We explored how humanity is naturally wired to express joy and excitement, often seen in our reactions to sports events. If we can get so animated over a game, how much more should we express our joy and gratitude to God, who has redeemed us and brought us into His kingdom? The psalmist moves from a global perspective to a national and then a personal one, highlighting that worship is fitting for all because God is the Creator and Redeemer.The sermon emphasized that our joy and God's glory are not at odds. In fact, they are deeply intertwined. The Westminster Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This enjoyment of God is not just a personal experience but a corporate one, where we gather to remind each other of God's greatness and faithfulness.We also discussed the importance of having the right vocabulary for worship and prayer. Just as we search for the perfect words in a greeting card, the Psalms provide us with the perfect words to express our hearts to God. This is crucial for sincere and heartfelt worship.The psalmist recalls God's redemptive acts, particularly the Exodus, as a central theme in Israel's worship. Similarly, for Christians, the Lord's Supper serves as a reminder of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Worship involves sacrifice, not just in the Old Testament sense but in offering our lives as living sacrifices, as stated in Romans 12:1.Finally, the psalmist moves to a personal testimony, which should inspire us to share what God has done for us. This personal experience of God's faithfulness and steadfast love should overflow into our worship and our witness to others.
In this teaching, we learn that healthy leadership in the church is based on Christ-like character and conduct that is shaped by the gospel.
In this message, we explore the truth that a woman who fears the Lord has character and conduct that honors God and contributes to the good of her family and community.
In this sermon, we explore the truth that Jesus established one of the church’s main priorities: To share the Gospel and our lives so that people will be saved, baptized, deepen their roots, walk in power, bear fruit, and tell others the good news of salvation.
In this sermon we explore how God has a good and wise design for men and women as his own image bearers. His design complements each other in their distinct roles and embracing His design is a significant part of our witness and indicator of health.
In this sermon, we see that God calls his people to a godly life of prayerfulness and mission, with the view of His global redemptive plan.
In this sermon we see that Paul’s life was transformed by the gospel he preached and he overflowed with gratitude for the mercy and grace he found in it. He sought to defend the gospel message instructing Timothy to fight for it.
In this sermon we see that the church has been entrusted with the gospel and church leaders must guard the gospel and protect members from false teachers and false teaching.
In this sermon we explore how Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His followers and helped them overcome their doubts & despair replacing it with joyful hope and he commissioned them to spread the good news.
In this sermon, we see that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His followers and helped them overcome their doubts & despair replacing it with joyful hope and he commissioned them to spread the good news.
In this sermon, we learn that we need God‘s supernatural help to see spiritually and understand the message of the cross.
In this sermon we are learn that Jesus reigns as the King and he has given each of us responsibilities to be faithful until he returns. When he returns will give an account of our lives and he will reward the faithful and punish the disobedient.
In today's sermon, we explored the profound story of Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus, as recounted in Luke 19. Zacchaeus, a wealthy chief tax collector, was despised by his community for his collaboration with the Roman authorities and his fraudulent practices. Despite his social status and wealth, Zacchaeus experienced a deep sense of spiritual emptiness and sought to see who Jesus was. His curiosity and determination led him to climb a sycamore tree, as his short stature prevented him from seeing over the crowd.Jesus, aware of Zacchaeus's presence, called him by name and invited himself to stay at Zacchaeus's house. This divine appointment was met with grumbling from the crowd, who could not understand why Jesus would associate with a notorious sinner. However, Jesus's mission was clear: He came to seek and save the lost, demonstrating that salvation is available to the worst of sinners. Zacchaeus's response to Jesus's invitation was immediate and joyful. He welcomed Jesus into his home and, in a moment of transformation, pledged to give half of his possessions to the poor and to restore fourfold to anyone he had defrauded. This act of repentance and restitution was evidence of the genuine change that had occurred within Zacchaeus's heart—a change that only the power of the Gospel can bring about.The story of Zacchaeus teaches us that encountering Jesus leads to a transformation that affects every aspect of our lives, including our moral, social, and financial behaviors. True faith in Jesus results in a love for God and others, a love that is a hallmark of genuine Christianity. As we reflect on Zacchaeus's story, we are reminded of the importance of humility, the joy of salvation, and the transformative power of Christ's grace.Big Idea Jesus compassionately pursues sinners and powerfully rescues them. His salvation is accompanied by a transformation in the recipients of itKey Takeaways:Zacchaeus's story illustrates that no one is beyond the reach of Jesus's saving grace. His willingness to humble himself and seek Jesus, despite societal barriers, demonstrates that the desire to know God is often a sign of God drawing us to Himself. As we share the Gospel, we can be confident that God is at work in people's hearts, preparing them for an encounter with Him.- Jesus's interaction with Zacchaeus shows that He is not deterred by our past or our reputation. He sees beyond our failings and offers us a chance for redemption and a new beginning. This should encourage us to extend the same grace to others, knowing that Jesus's love is transformative and can change even the hardest of hearts.- The transformation in Zacchaeus's life was immediate and tangible. His commitment to justice and generosity was a direct result of his encounter with Jesus. This teaches us that an authentic encounter with Christ will inevitably lead to a change in our beliefs, values, and actions, particularly in how we handle our resources and treat others. - The joy and celebration that followed Zacchaeus's conversion remind us that heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents. As followers of Christ, we should share in this joy and celebrate the work of God in the lives of new believers, rather than being critical or judgmental.- Lastly, Zacchaeus's story is a call to personal reflection on the authenticity of our faith. Are we experiencing the ongoing transformation that comes from a genuine relationship with Jesus? Our love for God and others is a clear indicator of our spiritual health and the reality of our faith.
Following Jesus includes a call to missional living and giving Jesus our highest allegiance and obedience.
In this sermon, Kevin Diaz explains that we must be born again! Understanding what it means to be born again will cause us to discern our own salvation and should either lead us to repentant from our sin or lead us to a life dedicated to glorifying God through obedience and sharing gospel message in hope to lead others to become born again.
From this passage of Scripture Pastor Keith explains that Hell is a real eternal destiny and the snares of wealth can lead one there. Now is the time to repent and believe in Jesus to avoid the torment of Hell.
Jesus calls us his followers to guard against covetousness and worry and counter it by having an eternal perspective and a Kingdom pursuit. A nagging desire for more than what you have diminishes your enjoyment of what you have, it dishonors God who has graciously provided what you have, and it demonstrates ingratitude and discontentment. And Jesus offers us a better way of life. Jesus, who is the source of life, offers us a life that reflects the values of His Kingdom.
In this sermon, Jacob Jones explains how Jesus knows our hearts, desires, and motives. He engages us personally as the forgiver of our sins. Those who have come to know Him and his forgiveness, love, and peace become extravagant worshipers.
In this sermon Pastor Jesus calls his followers to resist hypocrisy and conquer the fear of man by fearing God instead. And this is needed to be a faithful witness.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus exposed self-righteousness as a false path to salvation and taught that the humble who trust in God’s mercy experience justification.
Jesus wants his followers to pray frequently and faithfully, through prayer God brings about his plans for justice in the world, and by it Christians preservere in the faith.
Prayer is a vital aspect of a disciple’s life and Jesus modeled it consistently and teaches us the importance of simplicity and persistency of prayer.
In this sermon on the story of Martha and Mary Pastor Keith Dollar explains devotion to Jesus is the ultimate priority of Christian discipleship and distractions must be resisted.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains how Jesus calls each of us to love those around us both through what he taught and by his example.
Jesus Christ is the eternal word and true light that has come into this world to give us life, truth, and grace and conquer darkness.
During Advent season the church focuses on the coming of Jesus into this world. In this Advent sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus has come as a humble king to rescue us and reign in us and we must receive him and his kingdom with humility and faith to experience salvation and joy.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains that we can learn, as the Apostle Paul did, to be content in every season and situation of life because of God’s gracious provision and presence. Contentment is not automatic rather it something that must be learned and we are given everything we need to grow in finding contentment regardless of life circumstances or seasons. We can be content in every season because:God’s Provision Is Enough For Our Contentment - Philippians 4:13,19God’s Presence Is Enough For Our Contentment - Hebrews 13:5God’s Peace Is Enough For Our Contentment - Philippians 4:6-9God’s Power & Promises Are Enough For Our Contentment- 2 Peter 1:3-4God’s Good & Wise Plans Are Enough For Our Contentment - Luke 12:32, Eph. 1:11-12
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls his people to wait patiently in hope for the return of Christ by learning from examples of patience.
In this Sermon, Steve Kessler explains how import gratitude is in our lives and how we can cultivate it as God calls us to.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains how King David experienced the painful consequences of his sin through trouble from within his family.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains how David was a great leader but also one who committed great sins before God and he tried to conceal his sin making matters worse. His failure is a warning to us and his repentance is an example for us to imitate.
In this message, Pastor Keith explains how Jesus came and displayed the power of His Kingdom and taught the posture of compassion, humility, hospitality, and responsibility. Jesus attended a dinner party with prestigious religious leaders and he displayed his power and compassion by healing a man on there. Because it was a Sabbath day it bothered the religious community. Then Jesus used the occasion to teach a lesson about humility and one on hospitality. After that, a man made the comment “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”V15. In response to this Jesus addressed the assumption that one could make it into God's Kingdom automatically based on his ethnicity, heritage or religious activities. Jesus taught a lesson on responsibility. Every person is responsible for accepting the invitation to receive Christ as their King and every Christian is also responsible for getting the invitations out.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains how God enabled David to be a king who effectively led Israel through war and administrative challenges. He led with justice, equity, and kindness. And his leadership points us to a greater King that would come.
In this message, Kyle Martin shares how God has been at work in the lives of his people Israel in the most difficult of times and they are refuse to be silent by heralding his "good news".
In this sermon, Pastor Kevin explains how God is great, gracious, and faithful in His covenant-making and covenant-keeping with David and His people. And we like David are to respond in humble gratitude, worship, and trust.
In 2 Samuel chapter,1 David shows himself to be noble and fit to lead in his response to Saul and Jonathan’s death. He taught Israel to lament by his example and instruction giving them vocabulary to lament for the death of leaders.
God's word has much to say about worship. In this sermon, Kevin Diaz explains that true worship starts with a recognition of God’s holiness and continues as we respond to His holiness with reverence and surrender
Life has it's mountain tops when things are going great and it has it's valleys when one may lose perspective and struggle to keep moving forward. In this message, Pastor Keith explains how the Lord providentially led David through dark valleys that were accompanied by his own anger, fear & despair. And even through David’s weakness and sins God was with him & brought about His good plans for David.
In this sermon from 1 Samuel 24, we see King David spared Saul’s life when he had the opportunity for revenge. In doing so he overcame evil with good, demonstrated his fear of God, and his trust in God to fulfill His plans for him and bring about vengeance in due time. David's story and psalms teach some helpful lessons: 1. David Teaches Us How To Respond To Our Adversaries: With Mercy- V7,102. David Teaches Us To Respect Authority V6-8 3. David Teaches Us How to Handle the Temptation to Get Revenge; Wait for God- Psalm 37:1-11,344. David Teaches Us To Fear God; Keep A Clear Conscience & Do Good- V4-6, Psalm 34:11-165. David Teaches Us To Trust God’s Sovereignty In Fulfilling Our Purpose- V12, Psalm 57:2-36. David Teaches Us About Healthy Confrontation With Saul - V8-15
In sermon Pastor Keith explains that God delivered David and developed him through difficult circumstances which prepared him for the responsibilities he would bear as king. And during David’s lowest moments, He trusted God and did what he could to survive.
From Psalm 32 Pastor Keith explains that God graciously offers forgiveness of sin to guilty sinners through faith and confession and those who experience it have great joy.
God has designed His people to live together in a united loving community and His blessing and delight is on such communities. This is what Pastor Keith explains from Psalm 133.
Fatih is essential to the Christian life. We began our walk by faith, we continue by faith and we finish well by faith. In this message, Pastor Brad Weir shares about the experience Jesus had with those from his home town limiting their experience of God's power by their unbelief. Jesus was there to help, heal and teach them the way God's Kingdom and their unbelief hindered God's activity among them. And at this, Jesus marveled. We also see Jesus in the gospels marvel at the faith of a Centurion solider (Luke 7:9). Without faith one cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6), yet with it one can live a life that is well pleasing to Him. Faith matters.
The Psalms are a wonderful resource for the people of God. They give us vocabulary for our prayer life and meet us where we are in various circumstances of life and emotions that accompany challenging times. From Psalm 63 Pastor Keith explains that God has given us access to Himself for all that we need in this life, even in the wilderness and He alone can satisfy us. Through dry & difficult times the longing in our souls for God is intensified and we are to seek Him more earnestly and trust Him fully. In the wilderness, when life was most difficult David's life exemplified an earnest desire and pursuit of God, a joyful delight in God and confident dependance of God. God was David's desire, delight and defense. You and I can experience God in this way when we walk through the dry times, the dark times and the difficult seasons of life.
At this men's gathering Pastor Keith addressed the problem of passivity and halfheartedness among men. He explained that God has designed us to live fully by seeking Him and loving Him with our whole heart (Deut. 6:5), and by working heartily for Him (Col. 3:23) with all our might (Ecc. 9:10).
There are great benefits to having your life immersed in Scripture. The Scripture is God’s authoritative word given to us so that we might know Him, walk in His ways and experience the benefits of a Bible-saturated life.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God is to be the center of our lives and when we try to exclude him in our work and family then life becomes restless, meaningless, vain and unpleasant. God works in the world and we must learn to accept His work and allow Him to work in and through us. And we must learn accept the gift of sleep and rest from work that He gives us. Lastly, we must value the blessing of children that He gives and steward well the opportunity we have as parents to shape their lives and send them into the world to make a positive impact.
In this sermon, Brian Durham gives us a glimpse of the good life that the psalmist describes for us. He explains how the good life is attainable and how one can get there through a relationship with God by His word in which He has revealed Himself and His ways. The person who is on the path of the good life experiences joy, stability and fruitfulness though they may also go through difficult times as well. The psalmist describes that person as a "tree planted by streams of waters" that bears fruit in season and flourishes in life.
In this sermon, Pastor Robert Reid explains how God is steady and consistent in His character even through chaotic times. Therefore we can trust Him and ought to praise Him and rejoice in Him even when life is really difficult.
In this message, Dr. Braden Hoelzle teaches about the importance of waiting on the Lord in times of difficulty. God graciously cares for His people and knows what they need and at the right time will answer with His rescue and help.
In 1 Samuel 18 we see that the Lord was with David and preserved his life, giving him what he needed to do the will of God through adversity.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains through the story of David and Goliath that the battle is the Lord’s. He fights for us and He fights through us, so we must stand in His power looking to him for victory.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God in his grace chooses ordinary people and empowers them by His Spirit to do extraordinary things. And He cares more about their heart than their outward appearance.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains that God desires our obedience more than our sacrifices and failure to prioritize it will lead to painful consequences.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that the Lord deserves and demands the highest allegiance of His people, as their True King who has done great things for them, and is committed to their well-being for His name’s sake. And the benefits of following Him are great and the consequences of forsaking Him are severe.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains that God is committed to leading His people and He providentially guides and provides for them even when they reject Him.
In this sermon, Pastor Keith explains how the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical event that brings us God’s salvation, power, victory and hope in this life and beyond.
In this Pastor Keith explains that God desires His people to look to Him for leadership for the sake of their good and His glory. Rejecting God’s leadership by choosing substitutes leads to trouble. In chapter 8 we are back at the point of the cycle of where the Israelites turn from God. But this time it’s more subtle. It’s not by open rebellion that they turn away from God it is expressed through a permissible request for a king. Israel seemed to be minding their behavior on the surface and just simply making a reasonable request for progress in the leadership of their nation. They have already seen repeatedly what life is like with the void of godly leadership in the days of the Judges. The issue isn’t so much what they were asking (a king) but why they were asking for it, namely the rejection of God’s leadership in their lives. Here we have a pivotal point in Israel's history where they move from being a theocracy to a monarchy.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to return to him and rely on Him so that he might be glorified in fighting for them and delivering them. In 1 Samuel chapter 7 we see the Prophet Samuel call Israel to repentance and they respond by turning away from their false gods and turning to the Lord. Under the godly leadership of Samuel we see that he instructed Israel and he interceded for them. He also judged them bring them the leadership that they needed to uphold justice.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God is worthy of our worship rendered in both joy and reverence for who He is, what He has done and said. He will raise up those who represent Him well and respond to His worth and He will remove those who don’t.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains through the life of Hannah that God works through the pain and prayers of His people to bring about His purposes.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God has revealed Himself as the One True God who is merciful, gracious, patient, faithful, loving and just. He desires that we know & enjoy Him personally. *The 2nd half of this audio recording is lower quality due to some technical problems nevertheless it's clear enough to finish listening the sermon.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God has revealed Himself as righteous, just, merciful, gracious, faithful & loving and He desires that we know Him personally. God revealed His ways to Moses and through His relationship with God we too are able to learn God's ways that are recorded and revealed in Scripture.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God cares for & intervenes in the lives of His people to fulfill His plans regardless of the adversity or injustice they experience. The life of Jospeh teaches us these amazing truths about God's goodness and providence.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the early church was committed to pursuing the knowledge of God together in community, loving one another and advancing God’s mission.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God is faithful to His promises & worthy of our trust. Abraham is an example of a life that was convinced of God’s faithfulness & ability to do what He promised.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus is the source of our life so our intimate connection to Him is vital to bear any good fruit in our lives. He also explores what it means to abide in Christ and to bear much fruit.
In this sermon our guest speaker Pastor Adam Wood shares about how it's a dark world in which we live, but God's light is shining. So we must open up an stay near it.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how we can have a more meaningful Christmas season by understanding and resisting the problem of materialism in our American culture. And by understanding and celebrating the purpose of Jesus coming into this world to take away our sins, destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:4-8) and bring us life and love (1 John 4:9-10).
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains the love of God has been revealed to us through the coming of Jesus the Son of God into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. And the effects receiving this love is displayed in love for others.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God was revealed in history through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ so that we might joyfully know Him forever and walk in His light.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls his people to eliminate arrogant boasting and instead boast in their weakness so that His power can be put on display.
Leading is difficult and has all sorts of challenges and obstacles. Conflicts and criticism are among the major difficulties of leading others and the Apostle Paul shows us what it look like to lead well through conflict and criticism. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains true authority comes from God and those who represent Christ are marked by humility, truth and love. We see that true authority has come in humility, truth and love in the person of Jesus and the Apostle Paul imitated the leadership of Christ and was authorized by Christ to preach, plant churches and make disciples.
The Bible has much to teach about how we handle our finances. And in a culture saturated by materialism we need to catch the vision and embrace the Kingdom value of joyful generosity. God is joyfully generous and loves cheerful givers! In sermon Pastor Keith explains that the grace of God generates joyful generosity in the lives of Christians who allow the gospel to be applied to realm of their resources.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to cultivate godly relationships that produce mutual encouragement and require honesty, intentionality, vulnerability, love & repentance.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God has given us so much grace in Christ having forgiven our sins and reconciled us to Himself and brought us into His family. Since He has done this and also given us the privilege of representing Him and working with Him, we must diligently pursue faithfulness and consecrate our lives to Him.
In this message Kevin Diaz explains that Christians are ambassadors for Christ. And as ambassadors for Christ, we are called to be motivated by the fear of the Lord and compelled by the Love of God, to share the gospel message of reconciliation to all.
In this message Jeremiah Meadows shares about what faithfulness looks like through the King Josiah who fervently removed idols and lead His people to worship Yahweh. And he also points us the the greatest king who ever lived and modeled perfect faithfulness for us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that through the gospel of Jesus Christ God has given us good reasons not to lose heart but to faithfully continue in the ministry that He has for each of us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the New covenant has glorious effects upon the lives of those who are graciously brought into it. So God’s people should be encouraged to share the gospel message with clarity and confidence.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that we learn from the Apostle Paul's life that Christians can expect difficulties as they live on mission but they can also be confident in God' guidance and victory. And this gives us reason to be thankful.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God’s saving work in ourselves causes ripple effects of love & forgiveness to flow through us into the lives of others.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the apostle Paul was an example of a godly Christ-centered leader who cultivated a clear conscience and was marked by sincerity, simplicity, holiness and grace.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God is the source of comfort and mercy and He walks with His people through the most difficult moments of life giving His comfort and help so that they might do the same for others and grow in trusting Him always.
In the sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to partner together using their resources and strengths to support one another as they carry our His plans for advancing the gospel.
In 1 Corinthians we’ve learned these things about healthy churches.
That they: * Walk in unity with one another. 1 Cor. 1:10-16, 3;1-9 * Center of the Person & Work of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 1:17-31, 11:17-34, 15:1-58 * Depend upon the Spirit’s power & guidance. 1 Cor. 2:1-16 * Cultivate humility & interdependence towards one another. 1 Cor. 4:1-8, * Address sin within the church through it’s teaching & church discipline.1 Cor. 5 * Foster purity in relationships with those of the opposite sex. 1 Cor. 6 * Embrace God’s design for marriage between a man and woman - 1 Cor. 7 * Avoid letting secondary issues divide - 1 Cor. 8-9 * Learn from both positive & negative examples -1 Cor. 10:1-22 * Use their spiritual gifts to serve and build up one another 1 Cor. 12, 14 * Allow love to be their driving motivation for life & service - 1 Cor. 13, 16:14
In this sermon Pastor John Bower share an encouraging reminder of who Jesus is, who we are as His followers and what we have been called to.
In this sermon Dr. Braden Hoelzle expounds on the hope that Christians have because of the historical event of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In this sermon pastor Keith explains how God has given every Christians the capacity and responsibility to build up their church family by the use of their spirituals gifts in love. This is what healthy Christians do and how healthy churches function.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains how God has called His Church to be motivated by LOVE as we serve and use our Spiritual Gifts to build up one another.
In this sermon Pastor Robert Reid explains how the Body of Christ functions in a healthy way with unity among it's diversity of gifting.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus calls His followers to regularly remember Him & His sacrifice for them, and in view of this, examine their lives in order to align themselves with His sacrificial love.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to live for His glory and the good of others in every aspect of their lives. He also give 9 ways to glorify God:
Exalt God’s name with praise - Psalm 86:9, Psalm 63:3 Enjoy God and the good gifts He gives- 1 Cor. 10: 1 Tim. 6:17, Psalm 37:4 Exercising faith in & obedience to God - Romans 4:20, John 17:4 Engage in doing good works- 1 Cor. 10:24, Matt. 5:14 Express gratitude to God - 1 Cor. 10:30, 2 Cor. 4:15 Evangelize the lost- 1 Cor. 10:32-33, Psalm 96:1-3, Phil. 1:20 Exhibit Christlikeness - 1 Cor. 11:1 Exemplify sexual purity - 1Cor. 6:19-20 Excel in building up the the saints with your gifts - 1 Cor. 14:12, 1 Peter 4;10-11
Christians must learn from both positive and negative examples and heed the biblical warnings to avoid the painful and destructive path of sin. They must run from sin and rely upon the faithfulness of God in order to be a faithful people through testing. This is what Pastor Keith speaks about in this message.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God’s people must keep the big picture of the gospel & our mission in view so that we live purposefully, passionately & faithfully to make an impact with the gospel.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to use their knowledge and freedom to lovingly serve and build up others in their community and avoid creating a stumbling block for others.
Love is to be priority over winning arguments in relationships. Love builds up others while knowledge puffs up. Love is the evidence of genuine relationship with God. Love considers others and limits rights & freedoms to serve others.
Theological Knowledge Is Important & Essential to Experience the Freedom That Christ Died to Give Us but it must be used responsibly, humbly and lovingly.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how marriage is a gift and calling that given by God. Singleness is also a gift. Both must be managed well by honoring God in how we use our bodies and serve others.
In this message Brian Durham explains how followers of Jesus must know who they are and direct their love towards God allowing Him to address their heart affections for the sake of growing in godliness and living for His glory.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God sees, hears and cares for you and you can trust Him to fulfill His good plans for your life.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God’s people must take sin seriously by lovingly correcting those within their church community who are practicing unrepentant sin, for the sake of their restoration, the church’s health and the honor of God’s name.
In this sermon Pastor Brad Weir explains how prayer expresses and grows our faith in God as we seek, trust and step.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the good news of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith and it must be received, believed, remembered and held firmly.
- The Gospel is Central Truth For Christians - V3a
- The Gospel is Historical truth - V5-8
- The Gospel is Biblical truth -V3c
- The Gospel is Theological truth -v3b
- The Gospel is Personal-v1-2
- The Gospel is full of grace & Power -v9-11
- The Gospel is truth that gives us hope- v19-22
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the good news of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith and it must be received, believed, remembered and held firmly.
- The Gospel is Central Truth For Christians - V3a
- The Gospel is Historical truth - V5-8
- The Gospel is Biblical truth -V3c
- The Gospel is Theological truth -v3b
- The Gospel is Personal-v1-2
- The Gospel is full of grace & Power -v9-11
- The Gospel is truth that gives us hope- v19-22
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to humility and to combat pride with the gospel of grace. In 1 Corinthians 4 the Apostle models several ways to combat pride:
- Paul Combated Pride by Pointing to Our inheritance & Our Belonging To Christ ( 1 Cor. 3:21-23)
- Paul Combated Pride by Recognizing His Role & Requirements As A Servant & Steward (1 Cor.4:1-2 )
- Paul Combated Pride By Focusing On God’s Praise 9 1 Cor. 4:3-5)
- Paul Combated Pride By Grasping Gospel Grace (1 Cor. 4:7)
- Paul Combated Pride By Accepting Hardships on the way (1 Cor. 4:8-13)
- Paul Combated Pride By Acknowledging God’s Sovereignty Over His Plans (1 Cor. 4:19)
- Paul Combated Pride By Confronting Sin. (1 Cor. 4:18, ch5-6)
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to grow in spiritual maturity, unity & humility by getting His perspective on life and ministry. The Apostle Paul had to address the problem of immaturity, arrogance and disunity in the Corinthians church. And he have them an alternate perspective that they were to take on so that the outcome would be unity and spiritual maturity. The perspective he gave in this chapter summed up well by one author as:
The Church is God’s family —the goal is maturity (v1-4) The Church is God’s field —the goal is fruitfulness (v5-9) *The Church is God’s building —the goal is quality (v9-23)
Paul wanted them to understand that: Ministers are servants through whom You believed- V5 God is the source of growth- V6-7 God assigns the ministers/ servants -V5 The minsters/servants are one, they are working together -V8 *God rewards faithful servants. V12-14
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God has made us spiritual people by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit who reveals divine wisdom, leads us into spiritual maturity and transforms our hearts & lives.
- People of the Spirit depend on the God’s power (1 Cor. 2:1-5)
- People of the Spirit operate in God’s wisdom (1 Cor. 2:6-16)
- People of the Spirit Posses God’s Spirit & His Perspective- 2:12, 16
- People of the Spirit cultivate holy lifestyles (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
- People of the Spirit motivated by love (1 Corinthians 13, 16:14)
- People of the Spirit aim to exalt Christ (1 Cor. 1:18-26, 10:31, )
- People of the Spirit center on the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15)
- People of the Spirit endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit (1 Cor. 1:10, 3:1-5, 8-9)
- People of the Spirit live in simple devotion (1 Cor. 2:1-5, 2 Cor. 11:3)
In this Pastor Keith explains that that Christian life and message is to be centered on the person and work of Christ and be marked by simplicity and dependence upon the Holy Spirit for strength and wisdom.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Christians are to make much of Christ and His finished work and unite around our common trust & boast in Christ alone. The message of the cross is simple yet profound, it is folly to some and powerful to others. It is the grounds for all Christian boasting.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God has called and created Christians to be his holy people and reflect the beauty of His saving grace in their conduct and relationships.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the Gospel impacts society by changing the lens through which we see ourselves and others and changing how we function in our relationships.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how those who have experienced the grace of God flowing to them are to allow joyful, willing and sacrificial generosity to flow through them.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to missional living and He accompanies us and empowers us for the mission. He explores Paul's Missional What, Why & How in these two verses:
"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. "Colossians 1:28-29 ESV
At City Church we value Missional Living. We are a people on mission with God. God has invited us to join Him in reaching all peoples with the gospel message. So we live with a sense of mission aiming to speak about the good news of Christ.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains that God has graced every Christian with spiritual gifts and we are to use these gifts to love, serve and build one another up.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explain how God calls His people to a posture listening and learning so that they may know what is true and do what is right.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that prayer is essential to our relationship with God. Through prayer we communicate our praise, hopes, fears, pains, desires, requests, confessions, petitions & thanks to God. And through it we encounter God and find the help that we need in this life.
In the sermon Pastor Keith explains what the grace of God is, how is influences our lives and ways that we can grow in grace as Christians.
Here's some of the ways grace influences our lives:
Grace saves us- Titus 2:12-13, Ephesians 2:8-9 Grace sanctifies us- Titus 2:13 Grace strengthens us- 2 Cor. 12:9, 1 Col. 15:10 Grace enables us to serve- 1 Peter 4:10-11 Grace glorifies God - Ephesians 1:6, 1 Peter 4:11 Grace causes gratitude - 2 Cor. 4:15 Grace leads to praise - Ephesians 1:6 Grace humbles us - Ephesians 2:9 Grace comforts us- 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Grace gives hope- 1 Thessalonians 2:16
How Do We Grow in Grace? Faith - Depending upon God -Romans 5:1-2, Ephesians 2:8-9 Humility - James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:6 Scripture - listening to God -Acts 20:32 Prayer - Pouring out your heart to God - Hebrews 4:16 Fellowship- gathering with the people of God Ephesians 4:32, Hebrews 10:24
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what Christian fasting is, why we Christian are to fast, how to engage in a fast and what to expect when you fast.
In this sermon Nathan Forbes shares about necessity of prayer for every Church and every Christian.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the birth of Christ was a historical & miraculous event that took place to fulfill God’s promise of sending a Messiah King to rescue His people & eternally reign in their lives.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Christians are called to live faithfully in light of the first & second coming of Jesus.
Every person needs encouragement to keep going forward in doing God’s will. And Christian’s are called to encourage one another. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the Gospel gives us hope & encouragement in the face of grief, death & persecution and is a source to encourage & comfort others.
In this sermon Brian Durham shares about the ministry of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians. He shares about the heart of his Christian leadership and how we can learn from his examples as well as the Thessalonians who imitated his example.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the Gospel has life changing effects on those who receive & believe it’s message. And ministers of the gospel must be bold, sincere and gracious as they share the message.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus gave His life as a ransom for us through enduring unjust punishment & death. He answers these three questions about Jesus from the Scripture:
What happened to Jesus? Why did this happen to Jesus? How are we to respond?
In this sermon from Mark 14 Pastor Keith explains that Jesus was betrayed, arrested, abandoned & unjustly condemned so that we might be accepted, forgiven, justified and be with Him forever.
In this sermon Dr. Justin Bass explains what it looks like to follow the example of the sons of Issachar in are our current times. The sons of Issachar were said to be “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” 1 Chronicles 12:32 ESV
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus prayerfully bore the painful weight of our sin in obedience to the Father displaying His love for and commitment to us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the loving sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf accomplished for us what we could not do for ourselves and is the basis of our friendship with God. Regular remembrance of it is to be a central focus for followers of Jesus.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains how Jesus is worthy of our worship and those who recognize His worth will offer sacrifices of love, devotion an adoration like the woman in Mark 14 did with her costly oil.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the last days will be accompanied by difficult times and God’s people must be alert and watchful to persevere faithfully to the end. And he highlights the practical truths that Jesus taught in light of those events such as:
- Resist Deception (Mark 13:5-6)
- Resist Panic (Mark 13:7-8)
- Recognize that Persecution Will come (Mark 13:9-13)
- Remember that God Will Help You Advance His Mission (Mark 13:10-11)
- Resolve To Be Awake (Mark 13:33-36)
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus is Lord and Messiah, and in His divine authority He condemned the pretense and pride of the religious leaders yet commended the authentic offering and devotion of a poor widow.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God rightfully requires us to love Him wit our entire being and love other genuinely. And living in this love is what matters most in this life. He also highlights how each of us have failed love God and others as we ought and we must come to know God if we are to love God and others well.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that it is vain to oppose Jesus because He embodies perfect wisdom, truth and divine authority.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains the rejecting the authority of Jesus is rooted in sin and carries devastating consequences. He explores the causes and consequences of rejecting the authority of Jesus.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God has given His people access to great power through prayer but faith and forgiveness must be exercised for it to be effective.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus is full of mercy and He grants His mercy to those who come to Him in faith, like this blind man whom Jesus healed in Mark 10.
In this sermon Brian Durham explains how true greatness and maturity comes through service, sacrifice and humility.
Are you good enough to get to Heaven? Can you do enough good deeds to make God forgive you and allow you into Heaven? In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus is the only Savior who is good to bring us salvation and satisfy our hearts. And He will reward His followers for the things that they do give up to follow Him. It really does take the perspective of seeing Jesus as better and worth it to make the sacrifices that He calls His followers to. But no other sacrifice will be sufficient to redeem lost humanity. Jesus came to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45) and only through this sacrifice of His life & the finished work that He accomplished can one inherit eternal life. We all must turn away from trusting in ourselves or any other functional savior such as money and we must put our trust in Christ alone.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the loving welcome and humility that Jesus expressed towards children is to characterize those who belong or the Kingdom of God.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God designed marriage to be a lifelong commitment and union between a man and a woman, and it is to be protected, nurtured and honored.
In this sermon Pastor Kevin explains that God takes sin very serious and He calls His disciples to be intentional about dealing with their sin and to avoid causing others to stumble.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus demonstrated and called His followers to true greatness marked by humility and service.
In this sermon Braden Hoezle high lights the importance and necessity of prayer and how to actually do it.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus revealed His glory to His disciples so that they would behold it and become more Christ-centered.
In the sermon pastor Keith explains how every believer must come to grips with who Jesus is, what He has done for our salvation and what He demands of us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus patiently dealt with spiritually blind people in ministry and he faithfully shined the light of His truth and demonstrated His power to give sight to blind eyes.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that those who approach Jesus in faith find mercy and grace in their time of need and will even find help for their loved ones.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains how God desires us to worship Him from a genuine (authentic, sincere) heart and obey His word above the traditions of man.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the life of John the Baptist was an example of faithfulness and the cost that accompanies faithfulness to Go
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus faced rejection living on mission and as we follow Him on mission we too will deal with rejection on His behalf.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus showed himself to be willing & able heal & help the sick & suffering. And He calls His followers to trust in His power to rescue.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead three days after He died for the sin of the world. And he calls us to believe in His resurrection and spread this good news all over the world.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus displayed both humility and authority upon his arrival to Jerusalem as the long awaited King. And He calls His people to make room for Him in their lives through prayer and praise.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains from the redemption story in Mark chapter 5 that Jesus demonstrates his power and authority over demonic forces by delivering those taken captive and setting them free to live out their God-given purpose.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus is Lord of all Creation and has authority to bring calm to violent storms by one simple command and He wants His people to trust Him.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus calls his disciples to pay close attention to HIs Kingdom message and bear much fruit reflecting the reality of the Kingdom.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains how Jesus calls his followers to hear, respond and share the Gospel. and that the way a person responds to the Word of God reflects the condition of their hearts.
In this sermon Mike Ward explains how staying focused on Christian mission requires consciously choosing who we will allow to influence us and who we will not. The Lord Jesus defines our mission and models for us those boundaries.
In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights how the Kingdom culture of grace, joy & mercy that Jesus established among his followers provoked ridicule from the religious leaders of his day. Jesus called sin-sick sinners to himself and he rescues and redeems them.
In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights how Jesus displayed the power of the Kingdom message that he declared and it deserves our response. The responses that Jesus calls for is repentance, trust and following Him in discipleship.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus was and is a real person who lived in history and he embodied and proclaimed the good news of God's reign and rescue for the world.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus lived on mission to reconcile sinners to God through his sacrificial death and He call His followers to be His ambassadors with the good message of reconciliation.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to receive and reciprocate His love that was displayed in the life and death of Jesus. He explores what biblical love is, why we ought to love and how we are love each other in practical ways.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus calls His people to follow Him and His way of life, which is counterculture and consistent with their new identity as Christians.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus exemplified humility and He calls His followers to imitate his humble attitude and actions, for the sake of cultivating relational harmony and honor to His name. He explores what humility is, why we should pursue and value it and how we can grow in it.
In this sermon Brian Durham explains the historical reliability of the Bible and the beauty of humility displayed through the life of Christ, in coming to this world to be our Rescuer!
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how knowing the saving grace of Jesus leads to transformation in our lives. He explains what biblical grace is and how it works in our lives to make us who God has created us to be and empower us to do what God has called us to do.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God initiated His great plan of rescue revealing it Mary through an angel and she responded willingly and worshipfully.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains God calls His people to wait, in eager expectation for all that He has promised, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how wisdom teaches us to live well in light of the certainly of death and the unpredictability of life by enjoying God's gifts and working hard.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that wisdom teaches us to live well under the authority of God. And there are 8 lessons explored in this chapter on what wisdom teaches us and brings to our lives.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that wisdom gives us a perspective on life that helps live of life well. And he shares 7 things that wisdom teaches us and brings to our life.
In this sermon Pastor Robert Reid explains the nature of the Kingdom of God and how followers of Christ are to cultivate it’s realities of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains from the book of Ecclesiastes how God’s wisdom teaches us about the limitations and dangers of wealth and how to properly enjoy and steward what we have.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls us to an authentic and reverent life of worship that responds to who God is, what He says and what He has done.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how wisdom teaches us how to view the world and to establish healthy rhythms of life in work and in relationships.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that life involves various changes of seasons and times, in which our Unchanging God is sovereign over, and we must learn to respond appropriately in each of them.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that humanity's search for happiness within creation will not be fulfilled apart from it's Creator. King Solomon shares from his own experience so that you and I may gain wisdom and avoid the pain and distractions of the dead end roads that the world presents us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that how life can be perplexing, painful and meaningless without God. Without having a relationship with God it's easy to conclude that life really doesn't have any meaning and does'nt really matter. As you study the book of Ecclesiastes you will discover that your life really does matter.
Here are some of the ways Ecclesiastes equips us for life & ministry: -It helps us gain a Biblical World View (Perspective). -It helps us Recognize & Face Humanities Dilemma. -It Fuels to Worship Our All-Wise, Sovereign Creator (Praise). -It teaches us to Fear God. -It teaches us Enjoy the gifts of God (Pleasure). -It gives is an appreciation for the Hope of Gospel (Passion). - It teaches us wisdom for relating to & reaching.
In this sermon Mitch Isle gives some practical tools for navigating difficult times from Psalm 42. As a professional counselor Mitch brings out some insights in addressing our inner self. He explains how God wants to connect with us in our pain, reveal more of His character, and transform us and others according to His good purposes.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He will never leave nor forsake His people. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains the unchangeableness of our Lord and how we who are His people are to be anchored in Him.
God calls His people to guard against courteousness and find contentment in all that He has offered in Himself. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that. And he describes what Christian contentment is and how we can experience it.
In the sermon Pastor Keith explains that God’s design for marriage is good and beautiful and we are to honor as such.
Hospitality is the disposition of those whose hearts have been changed by the gospel of grace. It’s something that God has displayed towards us in the gospel and it’s something He demands that we pursue towards others. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what biblical hospitality is and why we should pursue it.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains that sacrifices that bring pleasure to the Lord are singing praises and doing good deeds, through Christ
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the Gospel of Jesus Christ reconciles us to God and one another and it tears down the barriers racism among ethnic groups.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus exemplified a life of perfect love for us and how He calls His disciples to follow his example by humbly & lovingly serving others.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus modeled a life of doing justice, addressing injustice and He satisfied the demands of divine justice for our sin.
It’s been said that “No condition and no period of life is to remain unaffected by the sanctifying influence of the gospel”. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what it looks like to live under the influence of the gospel. He highlights that Christians are to display the beauty of the gospel by devoting themselves to good works that affirm the good news that they proclaim.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to live in the light of His goodness by aligning our attitudes, actions and speech with His. One specific attitude addressed here is an angry attitude. When God his revealed His goodness to Moses He described Himself as being gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Being a person who is slow to anger is one way we can live in the light of God's goodness and reflect God's goodness to others.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to pursue justice in society as a response to who He is, what He has said and what He has done. He explores what biblical justice is, why we should pursue and how we are to pursue justice.
Justice is much more than legal equity; it refers to the entire scope of God’s government of his world. Thus, “to do justice” involves on the part of government a fair and just use of power and proper functioning of a fair judicial system, especially to protect the weak from the strong. On the part of individuals, “justice” involves honest and fair business dealings and faithfulness to keep one’s word, as well as not taking advantage of the poor or those with less power or protection. John Oswalt
Biblical justice seeks to protect individual liberty while promoting personal responsibility. It is the equitable and impartial application of the rule of God’s moral law in society. There is no clear and right definition of justice that excludes God. Dr. Tony Evans
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that God has placed great value on every human life because He created us in His image with purpose.
"Every single human being, no matter how much the image of God is marred by sin, or illness, or weakness, or age, or any other disability, still has the status of being in God’s image and therefore must be treated with dignity and respect that is due to God’s image-bearer." Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
In this sermon pastor Keith explains that God calls his people to actively conform their lives to his character and will. And He has provided the resources necessary for this transformation yet it must be intentionally pursued.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that the Christian life involves parental guidance and discipline from our Heavenly Father, who shapes us through difficult circumstances bringing about good fruit from our lives. Everything that comes into the life of a child of God has ben filtered through their loving, wise and sovereign God.
The Christian life is like a long distance race that requires removing hindrance, endurance and keeping focus on Jesus.
In this sermon Pastor Keith that God calls His people to possess a faith that perseveres and produces obedience, while trusting in God’s promises. From Hebrews 11 we see the definition of faith (V1), the necessity of faith (V6) and the description of faith lived out through Saints of old (V4-5,7-39). Pastor also explains 3 ways that we can grow in biblical faith.
In this discussion between Kevin Diaz & Keith Dollar they address questions such as:
How do we make sense of what is going on with this global pandemic? What does God seem to be doing through this global crisis? How can we respond appropriately and be faithful during this time? What has been the most challenging thing for you during this time? What biblical encouragement have you found during this time?
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that those who know and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ live hope-filled, sober and godly lives that encourage others.
In Psalm 33 David gives a call to worship God joyfully and reasons why we should do so, namely that God is our Sovereign Creator and Savior. During this pandemic you can still find many reasons to praise God. May you cling to Him as your only only for salvation and be confident in in sovereignty over history and nations.
In this sermon on Psalm 23 Pastor Keith explains how the Lord is our Shepherd provides, guides, protects and accompanies us through the darkest of days, the valley of the shadow of death. We live our lives in this broken world in both the accompany of the shadows and of the Shepherd.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how through the gospel of Jesus we have a great confidence, a great hope to confess and a loving community to belong in.
In this sermon Dr. Justin Bass explains the powerful historicity of the resurrection of Jesus and how it has made a difference in the world.
In this sermon on Hebrews chapter 7 Pastor Keith explains that the priesthood of Jesus is superior to the Levitical priesthood. And as our Priest-King Jesus leads us powerfully, permanently and perfectly.
In this sermon on Hebrews chapter 6 Pastor Keith explains that God warns of judgement for those who are unfaithful and He gives assurance of salvation to the faithful. Christians have a sure and steadfast hope in Christ because God is faithful to His purpose and promise.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls all His people to a life of spiritual growth and maturity by paying close attention to His Word and practicing obedience to it. He helps us see through the author of Hebrews a snapshot of an immature and mature Christian. The spiritually mature Christian is skilled with the word of God, stable theologically, the speak the truth in love, see the themselves soberly and they are others-oriented.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains that since Jesus is our Great High Priest all believers have access to God and come with confidence before the throne of grace.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God has promised and provided a rest for His people today. So we must be intentional about entering into by faith.
In this sermon on Hebrews chapter 3 Pastor Keith explains that God calls His people to be faithful to the end by looking to Jesus, listening to and obeying His voice and exhorting one another.
In this sermon Dr. Braden Hoelzle explains 5 reasons why Jesus became human. He became human to be our Pioneer, Sanctifier, Brother, Liberator and Helper. Jesus has made a way for you to experience salvation and rescue that we so desperately need. Jesus liberates us from the crippling fear of death and He aids us in our struggle with temptation. Jesus has brought us into the Family of God. Fix your eyes of Jesus because Jesus better.
In this sermon titled Pastor Keith explains that God has spoken climatically through His Son Jesus, who is more excellent than the prophets and greater than the angels. So we must focus our attention on Him lest we drift spiritually. The book of Hebrews is a Christ-centered, Christ exalting book and it helps us to see Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and practices. Jesus is the substance of the Old testament shadows. Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God. He is greater than the prophets and superior than the angels. Sowe must heed his word to us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how each one of us are created for community and called to live in harmony together for the glory of God. The Apostle Paul calls the church to help one another, bear with one another, be unified with one another and be welcoming to one another for the glory of God. There are dangers in being isolated, some of which are:
Drifting Spiritually Deception - James Discouragement Despair Loneliness Vanity Vulnerability
While, there are dangers to isolation there are also great benefits to being connected to living community within the Body of Christ, and some of those are: Affirmation Accountability Assurance Advance Awakening Accentuated Joy David Mathis wrote in his book Habits of Grace, "The secret to joy in corporate worship is not only self-forgetfulness, preoccupation with Jesus and his glory—but also happy awareness that we are not alone in having our souls satisfied in him."
In this sermon on Psalm 25 Pastor Keith explains how the book of Psalms is prayer book for the church to learn the language of prayer.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains from Psalm 1 that the life of a godly person is a focused life that has it’s direction from God’s word, delight in God’s word and dominating influence from God’s word. Biblical meditation is an important element on the path of the godly. Here are a few ways biblical mediation is defined:
Meditation is “deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer” Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is the activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God. J.I. Packer, Knowing God
Those who have deep roots in their relationship with God have learned the practice of biblical meditation. They are like a tree that is planted and rooted by streams of water.
In this Advent sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus is the True Light of the world who came to bring to give life, conquer darkness and reveal God to us. Many people think they can overcome the darkness themselves by looking to experts, scholars, mystics, to the state, the market & technology. Yet none of these deliver on the light that we truly need or give us the quality of life were designed to experience. And the problem with the darkness is not just that it’s out there in world but it has also crept it’s way into our hearts and lives. So we each need a Savior who can deliver us from darkness, shine the light of his grace and truth in our lives and free us from the domain of darkness. F.F. Bruce wrote that the “light is a synonym for goodness and truth and darkness is a synonym for evil and falsehood.” Charles Wesley wrote about this light and life that Christ came to bring in his famous Christmas hymn Hark The Herald: Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die: Born to raise the son of earth, Born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new-born King !"
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Jesus the Eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He displayed glory that was seen and written about by Apostles so that that we might see it as well and believe in Jesus.
And Pastor Keith also gives seven implications of the incarnation. 1. The Incarnation tells us of the generosity of God (Grace,2 Corinthians 8:9) 2. The incarnation manifests of the love of God (John 3:16 4:9) 3. The incarnation highlights the faithfulness of God (Matthew 1:21-23) 4. The incarnation shows us the humility of God(Philippians 2:5-9) 5. The incarnation points to the sympathy of God (Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:15-16) “Did the Word become flesh? Then He is One who can be touched with the feeling of His people’s infirmities, because He has suffered Himself, being tempted. He is almighty because He is God, and yet He can sympathize with us, because He is man.” J.C. Ryle 6. The incarnation brought us the presence of God. (John 1:14, Matthew 1:23 ESV) 7. The incarnation was a display the power of God. (Luke 1:34-38)
In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights how Jesus invites us to find rest for our souls by coming to Him. Jesus offers to teach us how to live according to His rhythms of grace. Jesus praised the Father for revealing Himself to the childlike and He claimed the divine authority to reveal the Father to anyone He chooses.
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29 ESV
In this sermon preached on the 1st day of Advent Kevin Diaz explains points us to the return of Christ from 2 Peter chapter 3.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God has given everything Christian what they need to grow and flourish however they must be intentional about growing in godliness by making effort to do so. The Apostle Peter gives us the vision for what it looks like to progress and grow spiritually with a list of seven qualities to pursue.
In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights what it looks like to lead and live by God's grace. God is the source of all grace and He calls His people to constantly look to Him for the grace we need each day by living in humility and faith. Peter gives one last exhortation in chapter 5 at the end of his epistle writing "..this is the true grace of God. stand firm in it." His entire letter teaches the saints how to stand and live in the grace of God looking the "God of all grace" to "restore, confirm, strengthen and establish" us (1 Peter 5:10).
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that suffering is a normal part of the Christian life that God walks with His people through. And He calls His people to cultivate joy, trust and good conduct through it.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what it looks like to live for the will of God from 1 Peter chapter 4. For the Christian, discovering and doing the will of God should be top priority. And those who make His will priority will discover that it is good, pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2).
In this sermon Chad Bradley explains how Christians are to conduct themselves before the outside world by being neighborly, reverencing Christ and anticipating vindication that comes from God.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God instructs Christian husbands and wives to live in such way that is consistent with the gospel of Jesus. The God who created us knows how our relationships work best and He instructed wives are to be submissive to their husbands and for husbands to be considerate and honoring of their wives. These are some simple ways that a marriage relationships are shaped by the gospel of Jesus. For more insight on what gospel-centered marriages look life see Ephesians 5:22-33. The Apostle Paul exhorted husbands to loves their wives as Christ sacrificially loved the church. The marriage relationship is ultimately designed to display the beautiful relationship between Christ and His Church.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to live humbly in submission to earthy authorities, following the example of Jesus, so that His name would be honored. The Apostle Peter exhorted the Christians living under the ungodly Emperor Nero to "be subject to every human institution". Peter not only gave Christians the instructions of how they show live and what they should do but he also gave them the why behind their actions. He gave them theological basis for living a life of humble submission and here are some of the reasons why:
A. For the Lord’s Sake (V13). that is so that God’s name would be commended to the outsiders and his name would be glorified by those who observe the good deeds of Christians (V12). B. To Silence the Ignorance of Foolish People- V15 C. To Follow the Example of Christ- V21-23 D. Because God will judge justly -V23 E. Because God is Sovereign, He is ultimately in charge (1 Peter 2:14, Romans 13:1-7)
In this sermon Dr. Mario Ducic calls the people of God to seek God in repentance and faith from the powerful words of Hosea.
"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord that he may come and rain righteousness on you." Hosea 10:12 ESV
We must prepare ourselves by turning back to God in repentance if we are going to see God pour out His blessing on us once again. God rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God has called His people to not only be set apart from sinful behaviors but also to be set apart for His Kingdom purposes of proclaiming His excellencies, offering spiritual sacrifices and doing good deeds.
In the is sermon Pastor Keith explains how; God has redeemed His people and given them a bright future full of hope. So He calls them to live in such a way that reflects that redemption and hope. The Apostle Peter calls suffering Christians to new way of life. He exhorted them to live in hope, live in holiness, live in the fear of the Lord and live in love because they have been born again and have a new identity.
- This sermon was recorded at the chapel service at Dallas Life Foundation.
In this sermon on 1 Peter chapter 1 Pastor Keith explains how God deserves all the praise for giving Christians such a great salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ. What they have now and look forward to in eternity fuels their joy, hope and love even in the face of fiery trials. God has given His people a new identity and inheritance and He is guarding them along with their inheritance. Though the Christian life involves a great salvation it also involves suffering. And the Apostle Peter wrote to Christians who were suffering greatly going through "fiery trials". The words in his epistle were written to encourage and strengthen the faith and hope of those Christians and they can do that for us who are believers today as we read them.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward shared about one of our values here at City Church, Biblical Integrity. Biblical Integrity requires that we set aside our own agendas and diligently study God's word to faithfully obey it and faithfully communicate it to others.
In this sermon Pastor Keith gives 10 reasons to live joyfully generous lives and aims to convince the saints that it truly is "more blessed to give than to receive". Joyful Generosity is a value we have at City Church. God has been abundantly generous towards us and the effect of His generosity on us leads us to be joyfully generous towards others.
Here are two great quotes shared in this sermon: "Giving is the only antidote to materialism. Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him." Randy Alcorn
"The ministry of giving has many goals: spreading the gospel, sustaining the church, providing care for distressed individuals… The ministry of giving in all its forms aims to advance the kingdom of God, which becomes reality in human life whenever the values and priorities of Christ’s teaching are observed. It goes without saying that in this ministry, all God’s people are meant to be involved." J.I. Packer
In this sermon Pasto Mike Ward explains that the essential quality of Christian discipleship is nothing less than a radical, thoughtful and calculated commitment to faithfully following Jesus, even at the cost of our most significant relationships and personal safety.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz gives the basis for participation in the loving community of the local church.
One of our values at City Church Loving Community – Our love for one another is the mark of following Jesus genuinely. We make it our aim to do life together, weeping with one another, rejoicing with one another, praying for one another, encouraging one another & living out all the “one anothers” of Scripture. One of the places this is walked out in our community groups that meet in homes on a regular basis.
In this teach on 1 Corinthians 14 Pastor Mike Ward explains that we must a mature/biblical perspective on the use of tongues and prophecy. And we must have order in the use of these spiritual gifts, with an ultimate submission to authority of Scripture.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God desires the unity and maturity of His people. At City Church we value Unified Diversity. We embrace and honor diversity in our church. Heaven is and will be a place of diversity with people from every ethnic group. There are core truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ that unite us which we refuse to compromise. There are also secondary issues and preferences in which we give one another freedom to believe differently without judging or breaking fellowship.
In this teaching on 1 Corinthians 14 Pastor Keith explains what the gift of prophecy & speaking in tongues is, along with how it's properly used in the church. God has given every Christian the capacity yo build up others in the church through the use of gifts and abilities they possess. And Christian must seek to love and serve those in the church with their gifts.
What Should Our Attitude Towards Spiritual Gifts Be? • Desire them earnestly -14:1, 39 • Don’t Despise-1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 • Don’t Forbid them- 1 Corinthians 14:39 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 1 Cor. 14:1 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 ESV
How Should We Use Spiritual Gifts? • In Love -1 Corinthians 13, 14:1 • In Faith- Romans 12:6 • In Submission- 1 Corinthians 14:29-32 • In Humility- Romans 12:3 • In Order & Decency- 1 Corinthians 14:40
What is Tongues? * Tongues is the Spirit-prompted ability to pray and praise God in a heavenly dialect. - Sam Storms * Speaking in tongues is prayer or praise in syllabus not understood by the speaker. - Wayne Grudem
What is Prophecy? * Prophecy is the reception and subsequent transmission of spontaneous, divinely originating revelation. Wayne Grudeum, The Gift of Prophecy
In this sermon on prayer from the teaching of Christ in Luke 18 Pastor Keith explains how: God desires that His people be faithful in prayerful so that they may experience all the blessings He has for them and see His will accomplished on earth. Jesus told the parable of the widow and the unjust judge to the effect that His people would pray always and not lose heart. May you live a prayerful life fueled with he perspective that Scripture gives on prayer & fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit.
At City Church we value FAITHFUL PRAYER. We are aware of our own limitations and God‘s willingness and ability to do the impossible. So we pray and continue to believe that God hears us and will answer our prayers in His timing. Prayer changes things. It is the means that God has ordained for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. The early church was a prayerful community and as they prayed the Holy Spirit moved powerfully among them.
In this teaching by Pastor Mike Ward he examines what it looks like to be truly spiritual or spiritually mature. In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul describes the truly spiritual person as loving regardless how many spiritual gifts one has operating in their life. Without love we are spiritually bankrupt.
In this sermon preached by Dr. Justin Bass he gives us a glimpse of what drove the Apostle Paul to live on mission for Christ, as he took the gospel around the world. And he also looks at the inspiring example of the Moravian Missionaries who were pioneers in the modern missions movement, through their fervent and constant prayer and passion make Christ known where he wasn't known. May this sermon inspire and challenge you to participate in the mission of God that the Father calls all His children to participate in, whether it's praying, sending, financially supporting or going.
Here at City Church we value Missional Living. We are a people on mission with God. God has invited us to join Him in reaching all peoples with the gospel message. So we live with a sense of mission aiming to speak about the good news of Christ.
In this message shared at our Men's Breakfast by Dr. Justin Bass he challenged men with the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NASB
We live in a time in history when there are numerous men who need to grow up and become responsible adults and contributors to society. The term that has been developed to describe this immature man is "man-child". May God use this message to wake up the man-child who is spiritually asleep and stir the hearts of men to be alert, courageous, strong and loving.
In this teaching Pastor Mike Ward explains the marks of people who are truly spiritual according to Scripture.
In this sermon on one of the core values of City Church Pastor Keith emphasizes the value of AUTHENTIC WORSHIP.
Our worship of God is not merely external but internal from the heart. We not only aim to worship God accurately but affectionally. In our worship we respond to God’s beauty, truth & worth from the inside out. This involves thinking great thoughts about God, feeling affections for God & doing simple acts to obey God.
Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4 “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24 ESV). It is possible to worship God in vain totally missing the heart & aim of worship by merely going through the motions expressing worship externally but not internally engaging. Jesus spoke to those religious folks in his day who did this saying: You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:7-9 ESV).
In this sermon Pastor Keith examines a life of authentic worship from a snapshot of David's life & word in Psalm 34. The main idea is that God desires His people to experience His goodness and respond to Him in worship. David experience the goodness of God through specific deliverance & he called the saints to worship God with him because of His goodness. And David exhorted the saints to experience the goodness of God for themselves and responding by living a life of authentic worship in the fear of the Lord.
In this sermon on Acts 27 and 28 Pastor Keith explains how God preserved Paul’s life through dangerous circumstances so that he could bear witness of the gospel in Rome. The Apostle Paul went through many difficult trials and storms. In Acts 27 there was a literal storm that Paul endured. When others lost hope for any rescue the Apostle Paul rose up in faith having a word that came from God and he encouraged the others aboard the ship.
In the sermon from Acts chapter 26 Pastor Keith give some practical tips on how to develop and effectively share your testimony like the Apostle Paul did with King Agrippa. The Apostle Paul was prepared to testify of God’s rescue in his life and to be effective gospel witnesses we must also be prepared. Paul share with story with structure and purpose. Paul's structure outline for sharing his story was: • Before Conversion- V4-11 • Conversion- V12-18 • After Conversion- V19-23
Paul shared his story with Readiness- V1-2 Paul shared his story with Respect- V2, 25 (most excellent Festus) Paul shared his story with Reason- V25 (I am speaking true and rational words) Paul sought to use language & words that were helpful and made sense to his audience. Paul shared his story with Relevance- V6-7, 27 (King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe) Paul shared his story with Boldness-V26 (the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly.) Paul share his story with Purpose to share the gospel- V24
Paul's purpose in sharing his story was to tell the gospel story of Christ the Savior who suffered and died for us, and who rose again on the third day.
In this sermon preached on Father's Day Pastor Keith seeks to get a high resolution snapshot of who God is and what He does. David gives us a clear view of God's character and deeds in Psalm 103 calling himself and all creation to respond in praise to the excellencies of God. David quotes Exodus 34:6 stating that "the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love". This is the God we love and worship!
In this sermon preached by guest speaker Collin Seitz he highlights the life of the Apostle Paul being poured out for the sake of the gospel. Paul modeled a gospel-centered, missional-focused life and he exhorted other Christians to follow his example.
In this sermon from Acts chapter 19 Pastor Keith highlights how the Apostle Paul demonstrated boldness throughout the story in the book of Acts. And he explains the necessity for all Christians to be bold in order to be faithful gospel witnesses for Christ.
What is Boldness? • Boldness is the willingness to take risks and act innovatively; confidence or courage. Dictionary • Boldness is freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, openly, frankly, i.e without concealment • Boldness is the courage to go where God leads and speak what God says. • "Boldness is acting, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on an urgent conviction in the face of some threat." - Jon Bloom
Why Do We Need Boldness? To go where God leads us and speak what God tells us to speak. It takes boldness to follow Jesus and be a faithful witness. Without boldness we settle for comfortable lives of vanity. We need boldness because there are many threats and adversaries who oppose Christianity and it's message.
How Do We Become Bold? I. Communion With God A. Being Filled With the Spirit - Acts 4:31 B. Prayer- Acts 4:29, Ephesians 6:19 C. Approval from God- 1 Thess. 2:4 II. Conviction- Acts 5:28-29 III. Clear Conscience -Acts 23:1-3, 24:16, Proverbs 28:1
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God desires that each Christian accurately and intimately know the redemptive history of the gospel and fully experience the benefits of the gospel.
In this sermon preached by Pastor Mike Ward he explains how the power of God through the gospel is the power to transform lives and change the world. God has chosen the church to carry this transformative gospel to the world for the glory of Jesus' name.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the Apostle Paul overcame his fears at Corinth. And he explains how we can overcome our fears as well.
In this sermon on Acts 17 Pastor Keith highlights how the gospel impacts people when it is proclaimed and explained, yet there are those who reject the message. In Acts 17 Luke gives us a snapshot of a life, the Apostle Paul, that made a massive impact proclaiming the gospel.
God's people are lead and empowered by the Holy Spirit to meet others in their current spiritual condition and share Christ through the gospel message
In this sermon from Pastor Keith proclaims the good news that Christ is risen from the dead.
The Church must protect the Gospel of Salvation by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, while also expecting its members to display the grace of God through love and holiness
In this sermon on Joshua chapter six Pastor Jeremiah Meadows gives us some insights on how to walk in the victory that God has promised His people. "Joshua didn't let his problems block the promises of God. He was able to look beyond those walls and believe the word of the Lord... Instead of fixing his eyes on his problems, on the obstacles, the barriers in his life, Joshua fixed His eyes on the God of the promise... All too often we let what we see around us overshadow what God has said to us."
In this sermon from Acts chapter 10 Pastor Keith explains how the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. Everyone needs to hear it and believe it to experience forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. The gospel tears down barriers of racial prejudice and establishes peace and harmony among people of different ethnicity.
In this sermon from Acts chapter 9 Pastor Keith highlights in the conversion story of Saul of Tarsus that God is sovereign in salvation of sinners. God sovereignly saved Saul according to His grace and purpose. And immediately in this chapter we see Saul walking in the purpose for which God saved Saul.
In this sermon on Acts chapter 8 Pastor Mike Ward explains that the sovereign Spirit of God directs the Churches mission. And The power of God is freely given to all who receive it by faith. Believers are empowered by the Spirit but they are never masters over the Spirit.
In this sermon Pastor Keith tells the story of Stephen the first martyr, looking at the characteristics of his life and how he responded to his persecutors. He was a faithful witness until his last breathe. God calls all His people to be faithful witnesses even in the face of persecution.
In this sermon from Acts chapter 6 Pastor Keith explains how churches face threats to unity and gospel advancement. And the Holy Spirit helps by leading churches to place the right people in appropriate roles that will promote unity and growth.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains some lessons that we can learn from the early church with both positive and negative examples. Barnabas is a positive example of generosity and Ananias along with his wife Sapphira are negative examples of hypocrisy and deceit. The main idea of the sermon that God desires unity, generosity,sincerity and reverence in His people. And these qualities are generated by the work of the Holy Spirit.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains how the Holy Spirit gives followers of Christ the boldness to testify of the gospel even under the pressure of threats.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains from the story of the lame man's healing in Acts chapter three that God sometimes uses miracles as a platform for gospel proclamation. And he argues that God still does miracles today but there isn't a magic formula by which man can make miracles occur. God alone has the power to do miracles so we are to be open and expectant for Him to do so, asking in prayer that He would for the glory of His name.
In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights some of the marks of a healthy church the first century church displayed. They were a learning church, a loving church, a giving church, a unified church, a prayerful church, a worshipful church and an evangelistic church. May the present day church possess this spiritual health as well and display these characteristics before the world.
In this sermon on Acts chapter 2 Pastor Keith explains how God has fulfilled His promise by giving His people the Holy Spirit for the empowerment of His global mission.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God has a global plan to expand His Kingdom through the entire world through the witness of His people who are empowered by His Holy Spirit.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God calls His people to be persistent in prayer using the prayer pattern that Jesus gave to His disciples, known as The Lord's Prayer. In Luke Jesus taught this way of praying to a disciple who asked Him to teach Him how to pray. If you desire to learn how to pray then you would do well to ask the Lord to teach you and then use the prayer pattern that He gave us in Luke 11 and Matthew 6.
In this sermon Pastor Keith calls the church to seek God. Throughout the Scripture God calls His people to seek Him, and when they do God shows up does great things and fills them with joy and perspective.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains how the gospel is good news worth sharing. In Luke chapter two we see some proper responses to hearing good news of Jesus' birth, namely to ponder, praise and proclaim. We would do well to respond to message of Christmas in this way.
In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights the worshipful response that Mary has to the Christmas message announced by the angel of the Lord. Mary exemplified a worshipful response that was characterized by surrender, trust, joy and praise. We would do well to follow her example as we reflect on the glorious truth of Christ coming into the world to be our Savior.
In this sermon on Pastor Keith explains that the birth of Christ was a miraculous event that points to the deity and humanity of Christ.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Jesus is the light of the world who stepped down into a dark world. And His coming was foretold and fulfilled prophesy.
In this sermon on Philippians chapter 4 Kevin Diaz explains how God desires His people to generous and learn the secret of contentment in every situation.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains how believers are called by God to be joyful in every circumstance by trusting in God's sovereign care and pursuing Christ-likeness in thought and action.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains the view of the Christian life that the Apostle Paul frames in Philippians chapter three. The Christian life is a process of becoming all that God has saved us to be. Our progress in the process doesn't come automatically but requires great commitment and effort from us.
In this sermon on Philippians 3 Pastor Keith explains that God has called His people to be true worshippers who rejoice in and rely upon Christ for righteousness, treasuring relationship with Him more than anything else.
In this sermon from Philippians chapter 2 Paul Keith explains how God has called His people to shine as bright lights in this dark world through: actions, attitudes and words that reflect the beauty and worth of the gospel.
In Philippians chapter 2 the Apostle Paul explains how the Philippian Christians can live out the gospel and walk worthy of the gospel. In Paul's exhortation he bases the reason for the unity of the Church on the union the saints have in Christ. Listen to hear Kevin Diaz unpack these gospel truths.
In this passage of Scripture the apostle Paul exhorts the Philippians church to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ by standing firm together, striving together and being courageous in the face of adversity. This is conduct that is worthy of the gospel.
In this sermon on Philippians chapter one Pastor Keith Dollar explains that the gospel will advance even in the face of opposition and this is a reason to rejoice and not lose heart. This is the perspective that the apostle Paul had which led him to rejoice in his adversity.
In this sermon Pastor Keith Dollar explains from the book of Philippians that God uses gospel partnerships to advance the gospel in the world. Gospel partnerships involve financial support, prayer support, encouragement and working together to be gospel witnesses where God has us.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how Christians are called to major on the message of the cross of Christ and through it die to worldly ways.
In this sermon from Galatians 6 Pastor Keith explains that Gospel-centered relationships are marked by love and service not rivalry and selfishness.
Every Christian has an ongoing internal conflict of desires and must learn to make war on sin by keeping in step with the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians chapter 5 that is what the Apostle Paul explains for us so that we might understand ourselves and our struggle with sin better and know how to walk in victory over the flesh. The works of the flesh are destructive to us and those around us but the fruit of the Spirit is what we really want for us and those around us. When we follow the way of the Holy Spirit the path will be marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Christian, Christ has set you free! In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that Christ purchased our freedom and that we must protect our freedom and use it to lovingly serve others (Galatians 5:1,13)
In this sermon Pastor Keith describes some gospel blessings that every Christian has, which are listed in the book of Galatians. God the Father has richly blessed us by sending His Son to redeem us, His Spirit to reside in us, affirming us of our new status as His children and heirs.
In this sermon Chad Bradley explains the Christian's proper response to being wronged or cheated by another Christian. The Church, based on God's past and future work, is capable of wisely handling Christian disputes internally.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that the law of God can't do for us what the gospel of grace has done for us. We must know the purpose and role of the law to avoid misusing it, living under a curse and we must believe the gospel promise to experience the blessing of God's favor.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains the gospel truth that we are justified by faith alone in Christ alone and not by our good works. Many Christians know this in their head but at a heart level tend operate as legalist trying to earn favor, acceptance or approval with God, when they already have it in Christ. The gospel truth in the book of Galatians has the power to set free those entangled under the weight of legalism.
In this sermon on Galatians chapter one pastor Keith explains how the gospel is a message of grace that originated from God and it transforms the lives of those who accept it and believe it. He also highlights the eternal and tragic consequences for distorting and rejecting the gospel of grace.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains that the aim of discipleship is spiritual maturity i.e. becoming more like Jesus. He shares several characteristics that mark the spiritually mature and spiritually immature. Then he shares some practical ways to grow into a spiritually mature Christian.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains the cost of discipleship from Luke 9. He explains the practical demands that Jesus expects of his followers such as denying yourself and taking up your cross. Following Jesus isn't easy but it's not a joyless experience and it's so worth it.
In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward shares about what it looks like to be a disciple of Jesus. He explains that discipleship is Jesus-centered and fishing-focused. And at the heart of it is a commitment to follow Jesus and gathering people for Jesus.
In this sermon Dr. Braden Hoelzle tells the story of Hannah who was a women that God used to bless a nation though she was barren and humiliated without a title or position. Hannah was a women who walked in faith, integrity and humility. God responded graciously to her prayer of faith and she responded faithfully to God's blessing of a child by dedicating him to the Lord.
In this sermon Nathan Forbes expounds on one of the distinct marks of a disciple of Jesus, namely love. He explains what it looks like to abide in love and how to do it.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz shares about how the Christian's identity is rooted in having God as their Father and it leads them to live a life of obedience.
In this sermon Pastor Keith looks at the discipleship relationship between the Apostle Paul and Timothy and explains how all Christians are called to continue in the truths of Scripture that they have learned, even in the face of opposition. Disciples of Jesus are followers of Jesus who will experience persecution but they must persevere.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains from John 15 how Jesus is the source of our life, so authentic connection to Him is vital for our fruitfulness. He identified two marks of a true disciple in this passage, namely that true disciples have a genuine personal relationship with Christ and they produce much fruit. He explains what it means to abide in Christ or have this genuine personal relationship with Christ. And he explains what bearing much fruit looks like.
If someone asked you what a disciple of Jesus is what would you say? How would you describe the life of someone who is truly following Jesus? In this sermon Pastor Keith explains some of the characteristics of those who are truly following Jesus. True disciples of Jesus prioritize His word, persevere in His word, perceive the truth and progress in freedom.
Why do you do your work? In this sermon Pastor Keith exhorted the church to examine why they do their work. He explained that as Christians we are to do our work as to the Lord, that is for His glory, for the sake of the gospel and for the good of others. And we are to do it with an attitude of submission, respect, sincerity and service.
God has called Christians to help make the gospel look attractive to others through their character, conduct and conversation. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what that looks like in the life of the church from Titus chapter 2. He also explains the theological basis or the why behind Christians living godly lives, namely the grace of the gospel. The same grace that saves believers from the penalty of their sin is also the same grace that empowers and trains them for righteous living. Beware of settling for a Christianity or accepting a gospel that doesn't lead to transformed lives.
In this sermon Kevin Diaz explains how God has called us to impact the world with the gospel by strategically placing us in our jobs to make disciples.
Do you see yourself as a minister in your work place? In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains how every Christian is called to minster to others, being His royal priesthood in the world. God has chosen Jesus to be the foundation of His redemptive program, and the Church to serve Him in the world, glorifying Him by representation, intercession and proclamation.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how the Gospel changes how we view our work, how we do our work and why we do our work. The God of the bible works and He created mankind in His own image with the design to work as well. God is honored through honest and hard work and others benefit from it as well. Your work matters because God has designed you for it and therefore it has dignity and value not just because you get a paycheck from it.
What is the motivation that drives those who are faithful and fruitful in ministry? Christians need all the healthy encouragement and motivation that they can get to fuel them towards faithfulness. And the Apostle Paul explained what it was that motivated him in his ministry in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. In this chapter he not only explained the what of his gospel-centered ministry but also the why behind what he was doing. If you don't get a biblical why that motivates you in ministry then you may be prone to lose heart doing what you are doing in ministry or avert the missional aspect of ministry.
The Apostle Paul had an eternal and spiritual perspective that helped encourage him to stay faithful in ministry and to the mission God had called him to. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 Paul shared some of the reasons why he did not "lose heart" or give up in ministry.
God's glory was displayed through Christ raising the dead and His sympathetic response to those grieving, so that we might get glimpse of glory and believe in Jesus. Jesus is sympathetic, Jesus is sovereign and Jesus is the source of life!
Jesus calls His followers to carry the torch of His ministry. In this powerful sermon Pastor Mike Ward explains the nature of incarnational ministry. He explained that it involves Christ followers embodying the message of Christ, embracing the resurrection of Christ, being empowered by the Holy Spirit and exercising the delegated authority of Christ.
The Apostle Paul imitated the example of Jesus and modeled for other Christians a life worthy of imitating. He told Christians to imitate him as he imitated Christ. In Acts 20 Paul calls the elders of the Ephesian church to reflect on how he lived among them. Pastor Keith highlights some of the characteristics that marked Paul's life from this passage and challenges the church to live a missional life as well.
Jesus modeled a lifestyle of evangelism that we who are Christians are to imitate. In this teaching from John chapter 4 we see a glimpse of the most missional person who ever walked the earth, Jesus, engage in a simple evangelistic conversation. We see Jesus press pass the social and cultural barriers of the 1st century to evangelize a Samaritan woman through a simple conversation.
In this sermon from Psalm 90 Pastor Keith explains how our time in this life is short and we must keep this in perspective to live wisely. And we must pray that God fill our days with His mercy and grace.
God is honored through the wise and faithful stewardship of our money and we save our self pain by heeding the wisdom He gives us about managing money. In this message Pastor Keith highlights five wisdom principals from the book of Proverbs that can help you manage well the money that God has entrusted to you.
This is the 3rd sermon in our series on Stewardship. In the sermon Pastor Mike Ward highlights how God is generous and gracious towards His people and one of the effects of grace in the lives of Christians is radical generosity. Christians are called not only to be recipients of grace but also conduits of God's grace into the lives of others.
There are great dangers and opportunities that accompany wealth.The Scripture warns us against the dangers of wealth and instructs us in how to make the greatest investment with what we have. In this sermon Pastor Keith explores the problems money can bring and the biblical solution to avoiding it's pitfalls.
Recognizing that everything belongs to God is foundational to being a good steward of your finances. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God is the owner and ruler of all things, and all that we have is to be faithfully stewarded under his authority. There are many pains that occur through handling finances foolishly. Having a biblical perspective of money and possessions can help save you much pain and devastation and free you up to be generous with what you've been entrusted with. It can also free you of worry about having enough and from seeking the satisfy the monster of greed, always wanting more.
God has displayed in glory in creation and in the Scripture. And we must give our attention to His beauty and truth revealed so that we might give God the glory He is due.
There is power to change things in prayer that is offered up in faith by the righteous. In this simple and practical message from James 5 Pastor Keith explains how God works powerfully through the prayers of His people.
God calls Christians to be people devoted to prayer who not only petition for their own needs but faithfully and fervently pray for others. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how praying for others is hard work and it is expression of the love of Christ.
Fasting is a practice that has lost popularity among Christians today. It was something Jesus did and the early church did and many church leaders today that we most respect do as well. Jesus taught His disciples about fasting saying that "when' they fast they were to do it secretly to be seen by God and God would reward them. He taught them not to fast be seen by people because that would become their reward.
In this message Pastor Keith explains how and why Jesus came to earth and what our appropriate response should be. Jesus is the King who came miraculously and humbly to the earth to save us from our sins and reconcile us to God.
It is God's will for His people to be filled with joy and His reign in His people brings great joy into their lives, which is also a testimony to the world that God is enough to satisfy the human heart. In this sermon Pastor Keith explained how joy is a requirement for God's people and yet it is result of God's work in their lives. Joy is a commanded by God (Philippians 4:4, Matt. 5:12) yet it is produced by God's Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Joy is a manifestation of the Kingdom of God reigning in His people. The last portion of this sermon did not get recorded. In that part of the sermon Pastor shared how joy is also something that Christians must fight for in their lives.
God has designed His people to display and advance His Kingdom in the world through being peacemakers in every relationship.
The Kingdom of God is to be the priority of every follower of Christ and the point of view from which all of life is seen. In this sermon Pastor Keith addresses the problem of worry and anxiety, which tends to be magnified around the holidays. Looking at the teaching of Christ in the sermon on the mount he explains how we all need a Kingdom perspective to effectively combat anxiety. He also unpacks what it looks like to prioritize the Kingdom of God in our lives.
The gospel leads believers to put off pride and see themselves accurately according to the grace of God. Saints find their value and significance on the basis of the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ not upon their performance or comparison to others. In this sermon Pastor Mike address the problem of pride that even mature saints battle with and he gives reasons why one should live in humility and how they can live humbly in the grace of God.
Every Christian has great reason to be confident in the goodness and love of God towards them. God has been good to them in many ways throughout their life but ultimately God has demonstrated His goodness and love through the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered and died for us. He was raised to life and is at the right hand of God the Father interceding for us in this moment. God has been good to us and He promises to be good to us. In this sermon Pastor Keith highlights the greater lesser logic of Romans 8:32, that if God gave us the greatest gift of His Son than we can be confident that He will also give us all things. God has been good to us by giving us salvation through the gospel, God will be good to us by the glorification that He has promised us and God is being good to us through the intercession that the Son and the Spirit are currently making for us. God is for us! Are you convinced and "sure" that He is for you and that nothing can separate you from His love?
Christians have a glorious and certain future though there is suffering on their way to glory. In this sermon Pastor Keith expounds on what that glorious future is for the Child of God and he gives some frame work for the suffering that we experience in this life from Romans chapter 8.
The Apostle Paul models for us in his ministry many aspects of what it looks like to be an effective minster of the gospel. In this training Pastor Keith teaches on three aspects of Paul's ministry that made him an effective minster of the gospel, namely; simplicity, sincerity and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit helps us Christians be who we are made to be and do what we are made to do. In this sermon on Romans chapter 8 Pastor Keith Dollar explains 5 ways that the Holy Spirit helps Christians be who they are created to be and do what they are made to do.
The Christian life is marked by the presence and work of the Holy Spirit who brings freedom, life and peace. In this sermon Pastor Keith gives hope for those struggling against sin from the gospel truth that there is not only the penalty of our sin (condemnation) taken care of but also there is power to live in freedom from sin dominion through work of the Holy Spirit.
Christian's possess a new life, identity and status in Christ that should lead them to a new way of living. In Roman' chapter 6 the Apostle Paul explains some things that every Christian needs to know, namely that they died with Christ. They must consider themselves to be dead to sin and alive to God and they must respond to this good news by presenting their body to God as instruments of righteousness.
There are glorious results of being justified by faith in Christ. Romans chapter 5 lists several of the effects or results in the lives of those who put their faith in Jesus and are made right with God through faith. Here are some of those effects that Pastor Keith expounds on in this sermon: We have peace with God V1, We have grace sustaining us (V2), We rejoice in hope of the glory of God (V2b), We rejoice in suffering (V3), We have the love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit and we get the indwelling presence of the Spirit (V5), We have assurance of God's love and our salvation (V6-10), We rejoice in God (V11) and we have friendship with God (V11).
Justification by faith is a foundational gospel truth that every Christian must grasp and build upon. In this sermon from Roman's chapter 3 Kevin Diaz explains how God, who is righteous can justify unrighteous mankind.
In this sermon titled "What is the Problem" Pastor Keith explains that the greatest problem of humanity is a rejection of and rebellion towards it's Creator. Humanity has failed to worship of God made creation the object of it's worship. Since God is righteous He must punish this sin. At the end of this message there some answers to questions around how to minister to others living in homosexuality.
Christian ministry is driven by the conviction that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the one and only hope for restoring sinful people to a holy God.
Christ came and died for our sins, was buried and raised from the dead. Those who believe that good news have their lives deeply changed because their greatest problems in this life are dealt with, namely sin and death. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how we who believe in Christ have hope beyond our failures and hope beyond the grave. He also exhorts Christians to boldly share that good news of resurrection hope with others.
Jesus came to earth on a mission, namely to seek and save the lost. Listen to this overview on the first half of the Gospel of Luke taught by Kevin Diaz and be encouraged by the mission of Christ.
In this sermon from Mark chapter 10 Pastor Keith explains why Jesus came, namely to serve and suffer for us to be an example and exchange His life for ours. He also highlights the reality that Christ- followers must suffer, serve and sacrifice for others in order to follow Jesus faithfully.
This was a special sending service for Chad and Nancey Bradley, who are missionaries of CCI Garland to Ethiopia. They are working with SIM currently in Ethiopia to train leaders in the Ethiopian church.
Knowing and following Jesus is at the core of Christianity and it must be priority for every Christian. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what it mean to know Jesus and follow Him.
In the parable of the sower Jesus gave his followers four example responses to the message of the Kingdom and He exhorted His follower to take heed and listen carefully. The Kingdom of God advances in the lives of those who hear the message of the Kingdom, receive it and holdfast to it.
In this sermon the Kingdom Comes Pastor Keith explains how Jesus the King brought God's Kingdom on earth. He also explains what the kingdom of God is and ways that Christians can participate in advancing the Kingdom on earth like Jesus did.
The people of God have great reason to be courageous in the face of natural disaster or world war because God is their refuge, strength and very present help in trouble.
In this sermon on Psalm 95 Pastor Keith explains what worship is, how to worship God and why we should worship God. The big idea of this message from this Psalm is that God’s people are called to worship God with joy, reverence and obedience because He is our Deliver, God, King, Maker & Shepard.
In this sermon on Psalm 145 Kevin Diaz explains what worship is and why God's people should worship Him.
In this sermon Pastor Mike explains some helpful insight for life as you seek to be faithful in following God, yet see the wicked prosper while not following God. In Psalm 37 we are given instruction to not fret over evil doers or envy them. Instead we are instructed to trust God, do good, delight in the Lord, commit our way to God and rest in Him. Believers should resist anxiety and despair by releasing their worries to God.
God calls parents to influence their children by teaching them what He has done and what He has said, so that their children would set their hope in God, not forget His works and obey His commands.
In this sermon on Psalm 67 Chad Bradley highlights the reign of God, the salvation and the blessing of God from the chapter. The Psalmist expresses his earnest desire for the nations to worship God, which is the thrust for global missions. Chad also shares about the mission work that he and his family are preparing to do in Ethiopia.
The book of Job is helpful for those going through suffering or those who have loved ones suffering. Knowing that God is sovereign and good in our suffering helps us to suffer well. And this is something that we learn from the book of Job.
The Bible teaches us to fear the Lord in both the Old Testament and in the New Testament. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what the fear of the Lord is, why we should fear the Lord and ways we can cultivate a fear of the Lord in our lives and in our families.
In this teaching Pastor Keith describes not only what evangelism is and how to do it but he also explains the why behind doing it. He gives ten reasons why Christians should share the gospel with the world.
In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how wisdom teaches us that God is the ultimate source of our satisfaction and that we are to enjoy and be content with the things in life as gifts from God's hand.
In this sermon Dr. Adrian Smith does an excellent job of telling the story revealing the big picture of the message in the book of Ecclesiastes. He articulately expounds on the reality that we all live under in post the Fall of humanity, yet Dr. Smith doesn't leave us in this message without the hope of the resurrection which "solves the riddle of death" that the Preacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with. He said "Without resurrection there really is no answer to the pessimistic sermon of Ecclesiastes, a sermon squarely and solidly based on the undeniable reality of death. What Ecclesiastes observed hasn't gone away; fate, accidents, tragedies, injustice, death. But knowing the resurrection of Jesus enables us to face all of those things with hope".
Wisdom teaches us to live well in this life. To stay on the path of wisdom one must keep their eyes and ears attentive to wisdom and guard their hearts and mouths.
The book of Proverbs teaches us that there are two main paths in life that people follow and pleasant benefits accompany those on the way of wisdom, while painful consequences accompany those who are on the wrong path. In Proverbs we learn how to live well in this world according to our Creator's design and in it we learn why one should seek to live well. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how; wisdom is to be priority for the person who desires to live well, wisdom is to be parentally transferred to the next generation and, wisdom teaches us to ponder which path each of us are on, along with it's outcome.
The workers of Christ, especially devoted to reach the lost of our world with the Gospel, are "few" indeed (and have always been). Yet it has always been through the "few" that Christ has expanded His Kingdom. Christ has invested in these "few" with His authority and as a result they are proven again and again to be more than conquerors. In Luke 10 Jesus taught His followers to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest and He sent out His followers to be among those "few" laborers. Will you take action on His instructions to pray that laborers be sent out and will you be one of the "few" workers of Christ?
The book of Jonah is a comical story of a reluctant prophet who tried to avoid God and His missional assignment. In God's mercy He overcame the resistance of the prophet Jonah, in order to display His mercy not only to Nineveh but also to Jonah. God is a missional God who calls His people to join Him in accomplishing His global mission. God's mission overflows from His character, namely that he is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. When one fails to align with mission of God it reveals a disconnect with the heart and character of God. That's was the case with Jonah. The thing that should have fueled Jonah mission, the mercy of God for sinners, was the reason He avoided the mission. Jonah knew that God would grant mercy to anybody who turns to Him in repentance. God worked with the brokenness and failures of this reluctant prophet. So we can be encouraged that God too will work through us and regardless of our weakness and failures when we surrender to Him. God used a sinful man and a simple message to turn an entire city himself, so that He may have mercy on them. Imagine what God can and will do through you if you listen and obey His voice regarding the mission He is calling you to participate in!
The cross of Christ is central to the Christian faith and one way that Christians can center themselves upon the gospel message is through act of partaking in the Lord's Supper. Christ has called His followers to remember Him and His sacrifice for us, examine our lives in view of that sacrifice and align our lives with His sacrificial love. In this sermon Pastor Keith explains what the Lord's Supper is and means, why Christians should partake regularly of it, who should partake of the elements and how the ordinance is to be practiced.
Those who trust in the Lord will be sustained through dark times by the supernatural power that God supplies. In this sermon Pastor Mike ward explains the hope that we can have in God to strengthen us as we wait on Him. He also explains what it looks like to wait on God. He says that waiting on God is not a passive thing but an active thing that we do not only by trusting God but by being faithful to do what God has us doing.
In 1 Corinthians 15:58 we see that God calls His people to faithfully and increasingly partner with Him in His meaningful work in the world. From 1 Corinthians chapter 15 Pastor Keith explains that the gospel is the foundation for doing the work of the Lord. God's love is the motivator and His grace is the energizer for doing the work of the Lord. Whatever labor that is not done in love, energized by grace and built upon the foundation of the gospel will prove to be vain. But that labor which is done in the Lord will not be in vain because there truly is a resurrection and eternal rewards that will be given at the resurrection. The "work of the Lord" is doing God's will which is revealed in Scripture, following His way with the guidance of the Spirit, all for God' glory and for the good of others.
God loves us more than we realize and He waits for us to return to Him when we stray. He then celebrates when we return to Him. In Luke 15 Jesus told a story about a compassionate father that loved his sons greatly, even though they strayed from him. One son requested his inheritance early before his father passed away and he went and squandered that wealth. When he fell upon hard times he realized that life would be much better back at home with his father. So he returned hoping to just be an employee for his father but his father rejoiced and threw a party upon his return. This son was reconciled and restored to his place in his family upon his return. Though there was a great party over the return of the younger son, the elder brother was angry about the his younger brother being accepted back into the family and getting a celebration. The older brother's response revealed a disconnect with his father who he had served diligently and faithfully for many years. The older son proved to be just as wayward in his heart as the younger son was, though the younger son's waywardness was more obvious. Both the rebellious and the religious people need to repent and turn back to God.
God has called, commissioned and empowered His church to continue His Mission. Being a disciple of Jesus and making disciples who follow Jesus is the core of that mission.
God extends His invitations to His Kingdom through His people and those invitations must go out to everyone with a sense of urgency and be received by the recipients.
Jesus calls His followers to obedience, abandon and mission. The results of heeding that call are amazing. In Luke chapter 5 we get a glimpse of the 1st disciples of Christ being called by Christ and their response. From the very beginning Jesus let the know that following Him would mean that they would be on mission with Him. Make no mistake you can't follow Christ and not join in on His mission to reach the lost.
In the book of Ruth we see a beautiful love story that begins with difficult and bitter circumstances then turns into a sweet redemptive narrative. Ruth displayed faithfulness to her mother-in-law & her God during the most difficult time of her life and God took notice of that and rewarded her for it. The faithful tend to find themselves in the right place at the right time and that was the case with Ruth. Ruth “happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:3). And that is where things started turing around for Ruth & her mother-in-law Naomi. They found a “redeemer” who was willing and able to do something about their circumstances and he did what a godly Israelite was supposed to do in that time. Boaz provided & protected Ruth while she gleaned food from his field and eventually he married Ruth. Ruth got the great honor of being included in the lineage of King David, one of the most important figures in the old testament, and in the lineage of the Jesus the Messiah, the King of Kings. God took a bitter and difficult circumstance that Ruth and Naomi experienced and made something beautiful and sweet out of it all. And He can do the same for you. Know that God will bring sweet redemption out of the most bitter & difficult situations in your life. Do what what is right in God’s sight and live faithful before Him and He will put you where you need to be & lead you to do what you need to do. Look for traces of God’s goodness in your times of trial.
God faithfully cares for His people and He sovereignly works out His good plans in their lives. This is a truth that you can see displayed in Ruth's story. May you experience this reality your own life story.
Lessons for Life & Leadership in the book of 1st Samuel Character is foundational for leadership. Challenges are necessary in preparation for leadership because they can build character. You can flourish into who God had called you to be even under poor leadership. Trust God to bring to pass His plans for your life. Be faithful where God has you & don't give up. Obey God’s voice and wait for Him. Don’t get ahead of God.
God generously cares for the poor and He expects His people to do the same, so we must keep our hearts compassionate towards them and our hands open to them. In this sermon you will hear some of the ways God displays His care for the poor and ways that He communicates that His people should do the same.
God tests His people to develop them, teach them and do them good. In Deuteronomy 8 we see that God led His people Israel into the wilderness to humble them, test them, to expose their hearts and do them good in the end. Remember that God is at work in your difficult times of testing, He is the source of life, He provides, He disciplines His children and He will punish those who forget and forsake Him. These are some of the lessons to be learned in the wilderness.
Our God demands that we love Him with all of our being and that we diligently lead our family in loving Him. In message Pastor Keith aims to describe what it looks like to love God with our whole being and lead our family in doing so.
God is 100% for His people, He is faithful to His people and He fights for His people. We must trust and obey Him and get to know His heart for us if we are to experience all that He has for us.
God's Graciousness nature is one aspect of His goodness that we must become acquantied with if we are to truly know Him.
The 10 Commandments are still relevant to us today. Through them we get an understanding of what sin is, of the holiness of God, the values of God and how we are to love God & others. Listen to this sermon and hear Kevin Diaz preach about the importance & relevance of the 10 Commandments and God's heart behind giving those commands to His people.
In this teaching Kevin Diaz expounds on the some of the details of the tabernacle in the 2nd half of the book of Exodus. God wanted to dwell with His people but how could a holy God dwell among a sinful people? God made provision for that to occur through the tabernacle but there was still something greater that the tabernacle & the sacrificial system pointed to, namely Christ. As Kevin metioned in this teaching, Christ is the fulfillment of the sacrifcial system that God set up with the Israelites. Christ the sinless lamb of God has been sacrificed for our sins so that we can now appoach God with confidence into the holiest place of His presence.
From Psalm 103, we know that our God is merciful and just, and we see this character displayed throughout the pages of Scripture. Listen as Pastor Keith preaches from Exodus 1-4, which shows God's just and merciful character, and learn from these chapters how God desires that we display his character within each of our communities.
God's great story of redemption is powerful. Listen as Pastor Keith walks through the Exodus narrative and tells the story of God rescuing His people Israel out of Egypt with His mighty hand from the opression of Pharaoh.
God cares for and intervenes in the lives of His people to fulfill His plans regardless of the adversity or injustice they may experince. In Jospeh's life we see the beautiful relationship between divine providence and human responsibilty. Joseph lived with integrity, faithfulness and forgiveness towards those who harmed him, while he waited for God to bring about good and fulfill the dream that He placed in Joseph's heart.
God is faithful to His promises and worthy of our trust. The life of Abrahan illustrates the faitfulness of God and exemplifies one who who trusted God to fulfill His promises. God worked through Abrham's faith but God also worked to bring about His plan and fulfill His promises regardless of Abraham's failure.
God invites His people to meet with Him every day in prayer. Jesus modeled for us what it looks like not only to value meeting with His Heavenly Father in prayer but also to prioritize it. In this sermon on Mark chapter 1 Pastor Mike shares on the importance of rising early to seek God in prayer like Jesus did.
The book of Genesis answers the big questions of how mankind got here and why on earth we are here. It teaches that God is the Creator of all creation and the author of all human life. He has beautifully desinged humanity in His likeness with purpose and value. God the Creator designed mankind to reflection His image, reporduce His image, be responsible and relational beings, and get rest. In this sermon Pastor Keith Dollar explains each of these aspects of God's beautiful design for humanity.
God the Father gave the ultimate gift ever given, namely His Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16). And the appropriate response to that great gift is to recieve Him & joyfully worship. In Luke chaper 1 Mary the mother of Jesus modeled this appropraite response with a hymn of praise known as the Magnifact. In it she magnified who God is & the great things He has done.
Everyone's heart longs for peace, especially in times of trouble. The world offers its own solution for peace through selfish actions like the accumulation of material goods or the possession of power. But what is God's solution for peace? God has provided each and every person who has trusted in His Son Jesus Christ with His gift of peace. If this is true, then why are so many Christians filled with such anxiety and worry? Listen as Pastor Mike teaches us about the peace of Christ provided for all Christians and how we are able to live in that peace, even in troubled times.
For many, the Christmas Season is a time of pain and despair as the brokenness of their lives is magnified when contrasted with the happiness of others that seems to surround them. As people of God, let's consider how can we respond to this need in the lives of others this Christmas season. Listen in as Pastor Keith explains to us from Luke 2 and Romans 15 how we can be people of live with hope as we we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus modeled the perfect prayer life by which His followers were not only inspired by His unhindred communion with God by they also experinced the benefits of His intercession. Jesus prayed that His followers would be kept from the evil one, that they would be sanctified by truth and that they would be unified. This prayer not only included the disciples who were with Christ physically while he was on earth but Jesus also included those who would believe in His prayer recorded in John 17. This includes those of us who are Christ follwers in the 21st century. May you be encouraged by the truth that Christ has prayed for you and is at this very moment interceding on your behalf.
In Matthew 6, the Lord instructed His disciples how to pray as citizens of God's Kingdom. The Lord's instructions to His disciples then is relevent and authoritative for us today. In this sermon, Pastor Keith teaches us how we can lead effective and in depth prayer lives according to the instructions of the Master Himself from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus taught His followers to pray to the Father in sincerity, in solitude and with simplicity.
Jesus teaches in Luke 11 and 18 that prayer is vital to the Christian life. Prayer is God's mean of us communing with Him and is how we seek after Him. If it is so important, then why is it that we neglect this component of our walk with God? Listen as Pastor Keith explains to us from Luke 11 and 18 the importance of prayer and why we are to pray.
We are in a spiritual war. We are confident in our ultimate victory because of Christ's victory on the cross. But how do we live our present lives in this daily battle? In Ephesians 6, Paul teaches us about our spiritual armor and how God has equipped us to stand firm against Satan and his demons as well as to prevail so that God's Kingdom is advanced in this hostile world.
The Christian marriage symbolizes the union of Christ with His church. Within the Christian marriage husbands are to love their wives self-sacrificially and wives are to submit to the headship of their husbands. These two roles can be compared to a dance, which takes work, but is beautiful and thrilling when done with care. Also, families and workplaces are to reflect the grace of the gospel and to be orchastrated in such a way that Christ reigns as head over all.
As beloved children, God calls us to imitate him in how we live our lives. When we choose to imitate our heavenly Father, we maximize our joy and God's glory in our lives. In this passage God calls us to imitate him by walking in love, light, and wisdom. Thankfully our walk is not in our strength, but in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
Christ followers are new creations, so they are to live like Christ by renewing theirs minds and decisively put off the old self and put on the new self. Holiness does develop in the life of a Christian by them spiritually coasting along in life rather they must intentionally pursure holiness with the enablement of the Holy Spirit. Christians possess the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, and thus the fruit of His dwelling within them will become more and more evident by the fruit of holiness brought forth in their lives.
God has a purpose and plan that He is working out in history through His Church (3:1-13) & Paul's prayer is for that purpose and plan to come to fruition in the life of the Ephesian church (3:14-21).
The gospel of Jesus Christ tears down walls that separate mankind from God and from one another and it brings reconciliation and peace in place of hostility.
Grace is not something we are accustomed to in our present society. We value hard work and success, but not grace. How do we respond to God's grace that saves sinners. In Ephesians 2:1-10, we will see a major contrast between our old life in sin and our new life in Christ as well as God's purposes in showing us saving grace.
Paul prayed to the Father of Glory asking that the Church may gain deep spiritual insight of who God is, what He has done, what He will do and what the Church has. Paul's prayer was that they might know God and have the eyes of thier hearts enlightened to know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and the greatness of His power that works towards us who believe.
God deserves all praise, glory and honor in view of His gracious blessings of election, adoption, redemption and salvation, which He has graciously given us in Christ Jesus.
A community that is centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ will live distinctively different lives from the world. Because of the work that Christ has done in their lives, they will be increasingly marked by virtues such as humility, love, generosity, hospitality, passion, compassion and many others. In Romans chapter 12 the Apostle Paul gives several imperatives that are to be lived out by those whose lives have been truly impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In it he describes what real Christianity looks like on the ground.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ Powerfully transforms the lives of those who have believed it and have had their minds renewed by it. The gospel leads people to surrender to God and live theirs lives set apart for Him.
Strategic prayer, proclamation and partnerships are essential for the growth of any church.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ changes us and how we relate to one another. The gracious manner in which Christ has dealt with us leads us to relate to others with that same grace and love. As Christ followers who consider Jesus to be "all, and in all" we are to have Christ-centered relationships. Christ-centered relationships are marked by grace, love, peace and gratitude. They are influenced by the word of Christ and they aim to bring glory to the name of Christ.
Since we have a new identity in Christ we must have a new mentality & morality. We are to live in accordance with who Christ has made us & what he has taught us. This involves us making war on sin & actively seeking to be like Christ in our character & conduct.
All that Christ is and all that He has done for us is enough for our salvation. In Him we have a new identity and status before God. Therefore we must be stable and steadfast trusting in Him and we must not deviate from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul's ministry was a stewardship given to him by God for the sake of others. And it involved suffering and struggles in which he had to endure to fulfill his mission of making the word of God known to the Gentiles. Followers of Christ can expect suffering and struggles as well. And they too should see themselves as stewards of the gospel message and seek to be faithful messengers.
Christ is the supreme Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the Savior and Redeemer of all who believe in Him. Thus, He is worthy of our worship, trust and our highest allegiance.
Our proper response to God's sovereign work of grace in our lives is to seek to please Him in every way.
As a follower of Christ you have an identity & purpose in this world that leads you to actions which will have a positive impact on the world and result in good towards humanity & glory to God.
Loving others Like Jesus requires us to humble ourselves & do undesirable tasks to serve others (John 13:1-17). And it requires us to first recognize & receive His love for us (John 13:34).
Those who know Jesus have their values, vision & views changed by Jesus. The Apostle Paul is a great example of a person who had become transformed by coming to know Jesus & yet he wanted to know Jesus more. He counted everything in this life worthless compared to knowing Jesus.He wrote" Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Philippians 3:8
Knowing Jesus is worth more than anything this world has to offer. Knowing Jesus was the passion & pursuit of the Apostle Paul. He counted all of his accomplishments as rubbish compared to knowing Jesus. Once his eyes were opened to the glorious worth of Jesus his value system changed. His pursuit was no longer directed at becoming the most religious guy around. He no longer put confidence in this flesh , trusting in his own righteousness or seeking the glory of what he could accomplish in his own strength (Phil. 3:3) . Jesus became the one he sought to glorify, rejoice in, trust in and aim to know. Living a life to know & glorify Jesus was worth it for the Apostle Paul. He became a true worshipper of the One True God and his former way of trying to worship God in his flesh was exchanged for worshipping in & by the Holy Spirit (Phil. 3:3). Our Vision Our vision at City Church Garland is to Know Jesus, Love People and Impact Your World. We too have been changed by the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ and our value of knowing Jesus surpasses all other things this world has to offer. Knowing & loving Jesus is priority for us and we will commit our time and energy to this pursuit. He is worth it & it’s our joy know Jesus. Knowing Jesus is good for us, it’s good for our families, it’s good for our neighborhood, it’s good for our city. When we know Jesus and continue to grow in our knowledge of him the beautiful and pleasant fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control is displayed and experienced by those around us (Galatians 5:22-23). Who doesn't want that? In the Word So how can we get to know Jesus better? Get in His word. It is essential that we come before God daily spending time reading and reflecting on what God has spoken to us about who He is. The Scripture contains the revelation of God. So if we desire and pray for God to reveal himself to us we must behold God in the Scriptures. Specifically we should look at who is Jesus in the gospels. In Christ we see a perfect display of God manifested in human flesh. Jesus said if you’ve seen him then you’ve seen the Father (John 14:9). Also, I would recommend mediating on the names, titles & attributes of God throughout the bible. Titles like the God of all grace, the God of patience & the God of justice each reveal an aspect of who God is. Phrases like the Lord is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love help us know who God is. Prayer & Worship In response to the revelation that we behold in Scripture we are to approach God in worship and prayer. Beholding & knowing the character of God is foundational & fuel for our worship. The more one beholds God and the beauty of who he is the more that person is able to respond properly worshipping in truth. It’s also foundational in prayer that one know that God is good & God is great. God is a good father and he delights to give good gifts to His children (Matt. 7:11). God is great and strong enough to answer our prayers. He is willing and He is able to answer our requests for deliverance, guidance, provision, wisdom, peace, etc... If we are to know Jesus better we must daily spend time in the word reflecting on who He is, what says & what he does. Saints, let’s make knowing Jesus the priority & passion of our lives. Then we will be able to make Him known and lead others into a genuine relationship with Him effectively. We must abide in Jesus & His word if we are to be fruitful and effective in the mission before us (John 15:4-8). Let’s invest our time in the Word. Let’s give ourselves to prayer. Let’s worship our Lord for who He is. What’s hindering you from knowing Jesus more? Does the use of your time, money and energy display that you value knowing Jesus more than other things?