NJ Mosaic Christian Fellowship: Recent Episodes
Mosaic Christian Fellowship
Mosaic Christian Fellowship exists to be a community that responds to the grace of God in worship, nurture and missions. We believe all churches are called to the worship of the True and Living God, the nurture of His people and the mission to finish the Great Commission.
(Habakkuk) There are moments when God feels wrong—when His silence pierces, His timing confuses, and His ways seem unbearable. Like Habakkuk, we cry out not just in confusion but in what feels like betrayal: "How could You?" But God invites us into the tension—not to suppress it, but to bring it honestly before Him. The answer isn’t always clarity or resolution. The answer is learning to live by faith: to wait on His timing and to anchor our hope in His unchanging character. Even when the fig tree doesn’t blossom and every security fails, we can still find strength in the God who makes our feet sure in the chaos.
God speaks to Zephaniah, and it's horrifying. God has determined that He is going to judge Judah, the nations, even Jerusalem for their rebellion against God. God points out their rebellion in the way they have turned away and worship idols, they compromise and syncretize with false gods, which ultimately leads to the complacent attitude: God is not going to do anything good or bad to me. Judah and the nations dictate their own lives, their own way, in essence believing that it's our day! The LORD declares instead it's My day, the Day of the LORD. We will examine what the Day of the LORD is likened unto: (Zeph:1:15-16). The Day of the LORD shows no partiality to race, gender, socio-economic standing, it will be the day of all encompassing punishment against all sinners. There is no power, possessions, pedigree, nothing that can protect them from the Day of the LORD. His righteousness is as the Sun, consuming all that stand before Him. (Zeph 3:8)
Who wants to hear this, let alone be the one to deliver the message? But who needs to hear this? Everyone. Zephaniah delivers an unpopular message, but it is what God has said, it is what God will do, and it is honoring to God, and one of the most loving things he can do to others is to warn them before they face the edge of the cliff. We who claim to be Christians - we too have a message from God, even more clear and sure! We are called to be Zephaniahs in our day!
Will anyone heed the warning from God, and seek His Kingdom first and humble themselves? For those who do the Day of the LORD will be for them a day of protection (Zeph 2:3) a day of restoring of fortunes (2:7) a day The Lord has rendered His righteous justice (2:8 - 3:8), and the Day when the LORD transforms those who have surrendered to Him. It will be the LORD who will transform them, there will be no division, no deceit, no lack, no fear in them, rather they will be transformed to singing, worshipping, and loud exultation - and the LORD Himself will sing with them and over them. For those who have sought His Kingdom first, the Day of the LORD will be their reward for surely they will be with the One in whom they trusted.
The Day of the LORD, just as He declared had come to Nineveh in 612 B.C., approx. 30 years after Zephaniah had delivered God's Word, Babylon came and decimated them. It was only a 20years later that the Day of the LORD visited Judah as they were conquered and began the Babylonian exile. In the midst of the day of the LORD, we know there are those who have been hidden by God, Daniel, Ezra, Esther, Nehemiah -.So too, the Day of the LORD has come as demonstrated on the Cross as Jesus Christ took our judgment and purchased our salvation, our protection, our justification. But there is still the Day of the LORD to come - just as God has forewarned through Zephaniah, Joel, Daniel, Matthew, Revelation. Let us therefore, heed God and live continually mindful of the Day of the LORD!
Obadiah delivers a scorching rebuke against Edom—not merely for their violence, but for their passive indifference to the suffering of their brother, Israel. They stood aloof while injustice raged, and in doing so, became complicit in it. This message confronts us today: when we retreat behind walls of comfort, affluence, and emotional distance, we risk becoming like Edom—calloused, complicit, and under judgment. But God promises a great reversal where the oppressed and poor will be restored, vindicated, and even rule with Him. The gospel calls us not to climb away from the suffering but to enter in, to see ourselves in the faces of the vulnerable, and to participate—through compassion, justice, and long obedience—in God’s redemptive plan. We must come out from our personal Petras and walk toward Mount Zion, where Christ reigns and restores the broken.
(Nahum 1:1-15) Nahum is writing to a downtrodden, disoriented, and despairing people. God’s people have been victims of oppression for almost a century by the Assyrian empire. The question they were asking was, “Is God present? Is God strong? Will He save us?” Nahum’s response is He is strong and He will save them and Nahum reinforces this truth by pointing them to God’s power, God’s jealousy, and God’s salvation. Nahum teaches that not only is God strong, but He’s also good. And because He is these things, we can be confident that no matter what we face, God will be faithful to save us.
(Haggai 1:1-15a) Into a context of bewilderment, discouragement and spiritual lethargy that the word of the Lord bursts onto the scene with its transforming and life-giving power. Through his prophet Haggai, God declares a word of both judgment and mercy with the result that God's people are transformed and God's city is transformed. God's word is effective, accomplishing the purpose for which he sends it forth (Isa 55:11). Through his word that God reorients his disoriented people, reminding them of who he is as their covenant Lord, and who they are as his covenant people, and what they're called to as pilgrims in this life. Thus, in the midst of their despair Israel is given a reason to trust, and to hope, and to work to the glory of their covenant Lord.
James 1 and 2 explore the dangerous deception of thinking we can follow Jesus without obeying Him. James contrasts “hearing without doing” with the true mark of a disciple—costly but life-giving obedience. We will see that hearing feels like doing. One the other hand, doing feels like risk. This is the barrier we need to cross in order to go from "crowd" to "disciple." The vision of Mosaic is to call men and women to pick up their cross and follow Jesus with their lives- with a clear conviction that risk, obedience and suffering all lead to the life we are promised in Christ.
(James 2:1-8) Embrace lies at the very center of Mosaic’s calling. In this sermon, we discover that embrace is one of the most powerful ways the gospel becomes real—not just intellectually, but emotionally and experientially. When we are embraced, the false stories we tell ourselves—stories of unworthiness, rejection, or shame—begin to unravel, and the gospel rewrites them with truth: you are loved, forgiven, and accepted. But this truth often doesn’t sink in until it is embodied through someone else’s presence. At Mosaic, we play a vital role in helping each other believe the gospel—not just by preaching it, but by living it out in how we see, welcome, and hold one another. When we withhold embrace, we risk distorting the gospel for others. James 2 reveals how partiality isn’t just unkind—it’s gospel-breaking. He calls us instead to live by the “royal law” of love, a law that makes grace visible and believable through consistent acts of warmth, patience, and nearness. This is the culture we are building together: a people whose embrace makes the gospel tangible.
(Matthew 5:13-16) We are called to reach by being salt of the earth and light of the world. Salt and light are powerful metaphors Jesus uses to describe His followers. Just as salt enhances flavor, preserves, and purifies, believers are called to influence the world by pointing others to Christ, especially in broken and decaying places. Light shines in darkness, and Christians are meant to stand out—not blend in—through lives marked by good works, which reflect God’s character and draw others to Him. This calling to be salt and light is not just encouragement, but a command rooted in God’s love, and it’s through faithful living and Christlike action that we help a hurting world experience the hope and transformation found in Jesus.
(Romans 8:9-11) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not merely a future hope but a present revolution that reshapes everything about how we live now. Because Jesus rose from the dead—bodily, visibly, and historically—we are not only promised the same resurrection, but given His very Spirit now, which transforms our identity, rewires our operating system, and sets us free from fear, selfishness, and the frantic need to preserve ourselves. The Spirit who raised Jesus lives in us, giving us resurrection strength and security to love radically, forgive freely, and live courageously. We no longer operate out of scarcity or fear of loss—we live as those with nothing to lose, because in the resurrection, we’ve already gained everything. This Easter, the invitation is not just to believe in life after death, but to receive power to live differently forever—starting now.
(Luke 22:35-38) Jesus is in His final hours with His disciples and gives them a stark warning and tells them what they are going to experience in the next few days during his arrest, crucifixion and burial. There is such a stark contrast between living with Jesus and the darkness the disciples are going to experience. The truth is that when we don’t have Jesus, we only live in darkness - and there maybe flashes of light, but those are just reminders of the Light from which we have fallen. But Jesus, has come and He is the Light. He invites us to live with Him, and He in us that we would no longer walk in darkness, but be the salt and light of the world. This message is to encourage and demonstrate to the listener that darkness is their lived reality, but only for those who choose not to live and follow Jesus.
(1 Corinthians 1:10-18) Division is not just a relational issue—it’s a spiritual attack that desecrates the body of Christ and empties the cross of its power. When we align ourselves with personalities, traditions, or camps rather than with Christ Himself, we break apart what Jesus died to make one. The Corinthians fell into this trap, and Paul reminds them—and us—that the only cure is to return to the foolishness of the cross. The cross humbles every claim to superiority, forces us to lay down our rights, and calls us to remember what Jesus did to reconcile us to God and one another. At the Lord’s Table, we proclaim that Christ was broken for our unity, and we are warned not to break what He died to mend. This is a call to remember Him, discern the body, and restore what the cross has already accomplished.
Even after a powerful season of revival, worship, and recommitment, Nehemiah 13 reminds us that spiritual compromise can still creep in—slowly, quietly, and often through seemingly justifiable reasons like family loyalty, fatigue, or cynicism. We must be vigilant against this drift, because compromise threatens the very holiness God calls us to. The Spirit of God gently convicts us, but we can learn to silence Him—grieving and eventually quenching His voice. But hope is not lost. Like Nehemiah, who corrected Israel’s compromises with fierce love and persistent prayer—"Remember me, O my God"—we are invited to resist compromise by keeping our eyes on the eternal reward. Obedience may bring earthly loss, but heaven holds joy, honor, purpose, and the satisfaction of God’s pleasure. We endure because the reward far outweighs the cost. The miracle of Jesus' finished work is not a license to sin but a motivation to live holy, Spirit-sensitive lives, storing up joy in heaven and stirring the joy of our Father even now.
Nehemiah 12 highlights the importance of our worship gathering. Our Sunday services are not meaningful because we gather but what makes it meaningful is the reason that we are gathered for. The people of God have gathered to celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of God, similarly that's why we 21st century people of God gather together too. The difference is that we have a greater reason than our ancient predecessors. We are not motivated by a finished wall, but by the finished work of Christ.
(Nehemiah 8:1-12) In Nehemiah 8, revival breaks out as the people, freshly restored in their identity prompt Ezra to read and teach the Law. As they hear it, they are deeply convicted, leading to collective repentance, yet Nehemiah and the Levites remind them that sorrow alone cannot sustain devotion. Instead, they must move forward in the assurance of God’s forgiveness, for true strength comes not from endless mourning but from the joy of the Lord. This joy—rooted in God’s delight over His people—propels them into a renewed life of obedience, not out of fear, but with boldness and confidence in His love. Revival is not merely about turning from sin but about stepping fully into the freedom and strength found in God’s joy.
The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls in Nehemiah was not just about protection—it was about restoration. Exile had undone Israel’s identity, leaving them lost, unseen, and defined by failure. But God, in His mercy, renamed and reclaimed them, reaffirming their place in His covenant. Nehemiah’s reading of the genealogy wasn’t mere record-keeping—it was a declaration of belonging, a reminder that they were still God’s people. Just as Peter, after denying Jesus, was restored by Christ’s love, we too are not defined by our failures but by God’s promise. Through Jesus, who took on our shame at the cross, we are named, forgiven, and secured in His hands. Our challenge now is to live into this identity, reminding one another of who we are in Christ and walking in the assurance that He has held us all along.
In this sermon on Nehemiah 6, we see how Nehemiah, undeterred by threats and distractions, models a life of focus and discernment, insisting “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.” He shows us that discernment is as essential as determination—knowing when certain “comforts” or “luxuries” are not ours to take, so we can remain true to our calling. Ultimately, we see Jesus who “set His face like flint” to accomplish salvation, rejecting every shortcut and temptation. We, too, are urged to identify our “great work,” cast aside both sin and unnecessary weights, and fix our gaze on Christ. In doing so, we commit ourselves to building lives—and a church—grounded in relentless devotion and guided by devotion
Ezra was chosen by God to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the hearts of the people. He was able to do so because: 1) The Word of God was in Ezra and 2) The Hand of God was on Ezra. When God does his will through individuals, he will put Hand on those who know his heart.
The lesson we’re to draw from today’s passage is that it’s not only opposition from the outside that threatens the work of God, but it’s also the disunity and the conflict amongst the people from the inside that can jeopardize the work of God. What good is the strength of the wall and its effectiveness in withstanding external attack, if the people themselves whom the wall exists to protect are weak and they destroy themselves? It’s no good at all, it serves no purpose if there is no people to protect. However, if the people inside those walls are strong, together, and unified the wall serves a great purpose. In the same way, if Mosaic desires to be a church who protects its people both spiritually and physically, we who make up this church must be strong, together, and unified. And according to Nehemiah 5, the way we become this kind of people is by restoring the fear of the Lord in our hearts.
Nehemiah 4:15–23 shines a light on the need to be both prepared and persevering when facing opposition. In this passage, enemies threaten the people of God, yet the call is not to cower in fear but to take up both hammer and sword. In practical terms, this leads to two core commitments: Readiness and Resilience. Readiness involves being armed with Scripture, training oneself to know truth well enough to recognize and counter deception, and cultivating a life of prayer that forms a shield against unseen assaults. Resilience grows when trials are viewed as opportunities for spiritual strengthening—much like an immune system that adapts and becomes more robust when challenged. Scripture points out that genuine faith often requires trials in order to mature and emerge refined. Taken together, hammer and sword encapsulate the balance: continuing to build in faith (the hammer) and staying on guard spiritually (the sword). Rather than seeking a life free from stress, believers embrace the reality that adversity can produce perseverance, deeper trust in God, and a more robust faith.
In a world surrounded by discouragement and spiritual attack, Nehemiah 4 challenges believers to confront opposition with faith and courage. We see how mockery and internal doubts often threaten God’s work. But it also inspires us to reject the enemy’s lies, embrace the redemption of brokenness, and become a church that builds each other up through the power of encouragement. Be strengthened by the truth that God’s greatness transforms rubble into a glorious mosaic of His redeemed people.
(Nehemiah 3:1-12) God has a vision for His church, and when His people receive that passion and urgency to accomplish His vision, amazing things can happen for nothing is impossible with God and His people.
(Psalm 78:1-8) The Christian calling essentially involves living as a witness. Jesus called Paul to be “a servant and a witness” (Acts 26:16). Likewise, we are called to testify that God is love, but this doesn’t apply only to the people outside the church. It necessarily involves reaching out to the generations within the community that may be growing more distant from the good of God. As you listen and commit to the call of building the church, I pray that God will direct your attention to the younger generations in your own community. “Tell the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord!”
(Nehemiah 2:1-18) This Sunday's sermon explores the importance of both prayer and action in fulfilling God's mission. We look at Nehemiah's journey from prolonged prayer to decisive, faith-filled action in seeking the favor of King Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, underscoring God's providence and power. The message challenges Mosaic to embrace its unique season of building through prayer, vision, and participation. We parallel Nehemiah's leadership and the church's mission to establish new worship and churches. The sermon calls members to survey the church's needs, engage in prayer, and rise to build together for God's glory.
(Nehemiah 1:1-11) This Sunday we introduce the book of Nehemiah and challenge our congregation to prioritize God’s purpose over personal comfort in the new year. The passage highlights how Nehemiah was deeply moved by the broken walls of Jerusalem, not out of personal gain but out of a calling to rebuild both the physical and spiritual center of worship. This passage wars against the idol of comfort and urges Christians to align their goals with God’s kingdom purposes through prayer, repentance, and devotion. As Nehemiah turned to God in prayer for guidance and strength, believers are called to approach 2025 with clarity of purpose, seeking first the kingdom of God and committing to worship and service. Jesus Christ is presented as the ultimate example, who gave up His comfort for the sake of God’s redemptive plan.
Psalm 103 invites believers to engage in the battle for gratitude, a deliberate effort to recall God's abundant blessings amid life's challenges. David, in this psalm, models how to speak to our souls, urging them to praise God by reflecting on His forgiveness, redemption, and steadfast love. The lies of discontent, much like those Satan whispered to Eve, tempt us to focus on what we lack, but God's truth redirects our hearts to His vast provision and grace. This psalm reminds us that gratitude is not automatic—it is a fight to remember reality, reject lies, and embrace God's mercy. As the year draws to a close, we are called to lift our hearts in worship and declare, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!"
(Matthew 2:13-18) Christmas is not a flimsy celebration of cheer, but the profound story of a Savior who entered into humanity’s deepest brutality to offer us an unshakable refuge of hope. Jesus understands our suffering because He bore it Himself, providing a hope strong enough to stare into the darkness with confidence. Jesus' family was forced to flee to Egypt under the cover of night, seeking refuge. The brutality of Christmas reminds us that the world is filled with darkness and suffering, yet Jesus entered into that pain fully, refusing to turn away. This Christmas, come and hear how the Messiah steps into our darkness to bring a hope that is big enough to overcome it. Jesus is not just a story or sentiment; He is our refuge, our Emmanuel—God with us. Take comfort in the Savior who understands your tears and offers you a deeper hope at Christmas than you ever knew.
The Angel Gabriel comes to a young girl who is to be betrothed. she is living a very normal and common life. unbeknownst to her God has chosen her to be the recipient of the most precious gift of all. but the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and she will become pregnant and bear child in his name will be Jesus. but we will be looking at is her brief interaction with the angel and how her words and inform us of where her heart is. she sees obedience and receiving Jesus Christ as the jewel of greatest prize. she doesn't seem concerned about her marriage, or about her parents, or about the culture or about anything anybody else will think. she simply wants to understand how God is going to do this impossible thing. And after the angel Gabriel explains it to her she is fully submitted and a willing handmaiden of God. We might consider receiving Christ fully into our life as to costly, but Mary tells us that there is no greater price nothing that's not worth giving up in order to receive Christ.
(Matthew 1:18-25) This week we begin our advent series. This Sunday's sermon dives into the profound message of Advent through Joseph’s eyes. Joseph’s story begins with a crisis—unexpected and life-altering—and transitions into an unimaginable celebration as he embraces God’s divine plan. We see that a true reception of the Messiah disrupts and reorients life, demanding a relinquishment of control and submission to His rule. Advent pierces our souls and takes away control but only to bring celebration in the King. The passage calls us to bow down, relinquish control, and allow the Messiah to bring life-transforming celebration.
(Philippians 4:4-7) In the context of the book of Philippians, Paul is experiencing suffering because he is imprisoned. In the midst of suffering and imprisonment, he is able to experience peace. This peace doesn't come from the absence of suffering or God answering his prayer of deliverance, but his peace comes from communing with God through prayer. The result of peace isn't our requests being answered, but comes from being in communion with God through prayer.
(John 17:15-17) In this final message of the (Re)Align series, we explore Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John 17, where He reveals in his prayer that we are sent into the world with a purpose. As we navigate the tension between living in a broken, chaotic world and longing for our true home with God, Jesus calls us to embrace our mission as His sent people. Jesus prays for us to engage with the world in love and truth, without compromising our identity, and to find our witness in the Word of God and Unity. If you’ve ever wrestled with how to live out your faith authentically in a culture that often feels hostile or disheartening, this message will encourage you to rediscover your purpose and find hope in God’s transformative power working through you.
John 15:18-19 - In John 15, Jesus delivers one of His most challenging teachings to His disciples: the reality that they—and we—will never truly belong to this world. It’s a message that confronts our deep-rooted desire to fit in, to be accepted, to call this world “home.” Jesus warns us that because we are chosen by Him, the world will reject us just as it rejected Him. Yet, this rejection is not a sign of failure; it’s a mark of belonging to something far greater—a heavenly Kingdom. It’s an invitation to understand the difference between being in the world and being of it, to "mind the gap" between our earthly surroundings and our heavenly calling. If you’ve ever felt the tension between following Christ and the world’s expectations, this message will resonate deeply. Discover why our true security, our true home, isn’t found in the world but in Christ, who has prepared a place for us with Him. In this sermon, we explore what it means to live faithfully in a place where we don’t fully belong—and why that’s actually good news.
(John 11:1-44) We find Jesus coming to the funeral service of Lazarus, who has been dead for four days. Martha and Mary have lost their beloved brother. Jesus' interaction with Martha and Mary reveal that though Martha has faith, it's an incomplete faith. So incomplete that she actually tries to stop Jesus from revealing and accomplishing God's glory. Through Jesus interaction and the miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead, we are to be convinced once and for all that Jesus doesn't just give us life - He gives us Himself - and therefore eternal Life in us and with us. Let our faith then not be stagnant, nor limit what Jesus can do, rather let us have a growing faith and hunger to know Christ more fully.
(John 8:2-11) The passage we have in front of us is so precious and we should do everything to focus our minds and our hearts to the word of God because it’s pregnant with reason after reason why Jesus is the most perfect judge we are groaning for. And this is because as we will see—only in Him does justice and grace meet in sweet harmony. Jesus never makes mistakes, always makes the right decisions, always judges correctly, and always feels the right emotions at the right time. And because this is true, we should come to Him as our judge who not only defends us from condemnation but also fights for our vindication.
"Our Hunger" challenges us to take a hard look at what we truly crave in life. In John 6, Jesus feeds the 5,000—a miracle that stirred a massive response because people saw it as a chance for economic security. Isn’t that similar to how we live today? But have you ever noticed that even when you achieve those goals, there's still something missing? Jesus teaches us about our true hunger- the hunger underneath the hunger. What if the reason we feel hungry is because we haven’t discovered true food? Through his Bread of Life discourse, Jesus will invite us to find a new hunger and He offers to satiate us with Himself.
(John 5:1-20) As the Body needs REM sleep to truly rest, so our souls also need REM - Resting in our ETERNAL MESSIAH, He is our True Rest
John 4:15 - Are you aware of thirst within you? In this message, we explore the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, who came to draw water from Jacob's well. Like many of us, she was trying to satisfy a thirst she didn’t truly comprehend. But what if your deepest needs weren’t just obstacles to get out of the way, but paths that lead you directly to God? Jesus sees beyond the surface, calling us to understand our real thirst—a thirst for eternal, living water that only He can provide. This thirst is not just about our personal longings but also our relational wounds which Jesus is ready to heal through worship. Worship is where our deepest desires are not only met, but transformed. Learn how to move beyond the temporary "mirages" of life’s quick fixes and come to the true source of satisfaction. Come thirsty, leave fulfilled. This is the water that will never run dry.
As we being the "" series, we explore John 3:16-21, where Jesus is revealed as the light that stepped into darkness. This passage highlights a crucial decision: will we live in the light of Christ, or will we continue to hide in darkness because of sin? We’ll discuss how the pursuit of "hidden knowledge" by the Gnostics parallels today's culture, where many seek enlightenment within themselves, but Jesus teaches us that true light and life are found in Him alone. As we walk through these themes, we will confront the ways we may live comfortably in the world’s darkness, even while professing faith, and how stepping into the light requires bringing every part of our lives—our struggles, sins, and desires—before God. This message calls us to reject the false promises of self-realization and worldly pleasures to embrace the new life offered by Jesus, the true light of the world.
Romans 8:31-39 | Paul's final section in Romans 8 is the mountain of our assurance. Paul glories defiantly in this question, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Paul is considering all that he has said from Romans 5-8 about our life in the Spirit. If all this is true, then what possibly can thwart His people? In this sermon, we consider our doubts about God's love and overcome them with the truth of God's love. If God's love has been considered rightly, then we stand unafraid before this world and celebrate our salvation boldly.
Audio Clears Up @ 9:23 (Romans 8:18-30) We live in frustration/futility- creation also- and we groan, but don’t know that we are groaning for glory but we are groaning about futility. Once we understand that it is glory we are longing for we gain hope. Why? Because when we realize that Jesus has won glory for us then we hope for “what we do not have, we wait for it patiently”
(Romans 8:1-17) If the Bible is considered a Precious ring, then the book of Romans is considered by many the Diamond on the Ring, and Romans 8 as the brightest gleam from the Diamond! In the first part of the three parts of Romans 8, we will examine why this chapter is so beloved and what abundantly amazingness there is in Christ Jesus, and no condemnation is just the tip of His Goodness.
(Romans 7:7-25) This passage is one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament. The controversy arises from Paul's graphic description of his battle with sin. However, this is not a description of Paul as a non-believer. This is the ordinary work of the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sin. Our battle with sin is violent and tumultuous but with the Spirit of God there is victory. Life in the Spirit means to wage war on sin with the power of God- and refuse to die quietly into the night.
After dispelling the notion that the gospel transitions to sin, he addresses our freedom from the Law. The Law is not only biblical law but everything that places inadequacies, expectations and insecurities upon us. Paul says that Life in the Spirit means that we have been freed from these things. The Law has been fulfilled and now we live in the Spirit- we now bear real fruit. (Romans 7:1-6)
Paul is answering the question—Does grace encourage sin? He asks this because he can already foresee the temptation of grace being abused because of the Roman Christian’s failure to understand that grace empowers the upholding of the law, not the dismantling of it. Paul’s answer to this question is “no” and he uses the analogy of slave and master to communicate his reasoning. Grace does not encourage sin because God does not encourage sin. Grace does not make space for sin because God does not make space for sin. Under our old master sin was permitted and in fact encouraged but in light of our new master (God) righteousness and eternal life is the fruit of His lordship. This teaching will explore why God is a better master over our lives and how to live in light of His lordship.
Christians get increasingly despondent when they believe that sin is here to stay. When we believe we are powerless against sin (we can't stop!), we despair and let sin just reign over us. Paul is offering a whole new way of looking at yourself in light of the gospel. We need to shift our mindset to believe God and not ourselves. God says that true reality is that we are dead to sin and alive to God. Without this core conviction, the Christian will never live into Life in the Spirit.
A disciple is an apprentice of Jesus Christ who has seen the worth of knowing Jesus and has decided to pick up their cross to align their life with Him. Paul uses the mindset of an athlete to illustrate what it means to follow Jesus. In order to enter into life alignment with Jesus, we need to pay the price, embody the purpose and see the prize. Mosaic's vision is to be a community who reject the passivity of just getting heaven but suffer the loss of all things to experience the power of the Resurrection in this life here and now. Mosaic refuses to be a community satisfied with church attendance and cognition of the gospel but suffers to obtain the full power of knowing Jesus.
Peter prescribes a household code for the church. This code is what we owe to one another as a people who have been marked with mercy. Once we were not a people, but now we are a people. What defines us as a people then? We are to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. This kind of community is catalyzed by the mercy of Jesus and in turn shapes us as we lean into it. Mosaic seeks to be a church that embraces the sinner, loves the sufferer and commits to one another.
We have to participate in God's call to reach those who don't know him because He has beautifully hidden them for them to be found. The only way they will be found is if his people go looking for them.
Paul writes to the Corinthians that in whichever situation you are in when you are saved, you are to be fully faithful in the circumstance God has placed you in. In the first century, singleness wasn't very prevalent for a religious person and therefore some felt restlessness and anxiety in their unmarried condition. In the gospel, no circumstance is a position of lacking for the believer. In Christ, we are to be fully present and faithful in the situation we are in. This sermon calls singles to undivided devotion to the Lord and hope in the gospel rather than a change in status.
Justin Earley - "Habits of the Household": https://a.co/d/5AzfZKf
In our context, busyness is one of the most prevalent thieves of the Christian home. In this sermon we will first examine how busyness takes the wheel of our family when we intended God to direct our homes. We then learn to number our days and see how godly habits can realign our homes towards God once more. The Ten Commandments gives us a rule of life for forming our families. Let us reclaim our families by committing ourselves unto the Lord again daily!
Live as a child of God and pass on the gifts I have received as an inheritance to my children.
We begin our family sermon series looking at Joseph's family story. Family is both beautiful and broken at the same time. We begin by looking at God's design and intention for family. Family was designed to be our first Jesus community. In this community we were to ground ourselves in God's Word, intimately commit to one another and experience the joy of having all things in common. Sin came broke God's design for family. We see the brokenness of family in Joseph's family story. Joseph had a deeply flawed family who scarred him and wounded him. Despite this, God does not allow Joseph to move forward without redemption for his family. In seeing God's fatherhood and care, Joseph is able to not only forgive his family but move towards them with redemption.
We come to the end of Joshua. The people of God are settling into the land and they are about to start their lives after all this time. But as they were prepared to get on with their lives, Joshua stuns them with a startling ultimatum. He says to them: "Choose this day whom you will serve." Joshua shows them that they cannot make a life without either serving or rejecting God. They will either serve the gods of the world or they will serve God. They don't have the choice not to choose. In this sermon, we will see how choosing ourselves is choosing idols and to try to serve both God and idols is death. We will finally count the cost together as a congregation and see why choosing God every day is choosing life.
Joshua is at the end of his life and now he is no longer the young man leading the charge into battle. Joshua is now an older man and he is to give hsi faith away- his life away. We also are called to give our lives away in the second half of life. We can only do that when we find our home with God. We must wrestle with God and be overpowered by his love for us. Joshua’s inheritance to them is the call to love the LORD. We are also to pass on the way of heaven to others as we get older.
The main theme highlighted here is that God has and is establishing His people as a nation in the land of Canaan. Most of the land has been conquered and now being portioned out to the twelve tribes of Israel. Two things remain. The portioning of the land for cities of refuge and for the levites. Of the 48 Levite cities, six of them, are to become the cities of refuge. God displays His concern for His people by showing Justice and mercy. For the one who accidentally kills someone, they can flee to the the city of refuge and after due process if found innocent will be protected and cared for by the city. The only way the accidental killer can go back to his home town is when the High Priest who was serving passes away. Then that person is able to go back home with no record or fear of revenge. The Church is called to be the city of refuge (little c), because our King is our City of refuge (Big C - Christ).
The main theme that is being highlighted here is God’s unrelenting commitment to His people—that once you are His, you are forever His and there’s nothing you can do that will make Him let go of you. We’re going to read this passage together and I pray that as you read along you feel just how much God is committed to His people. The 3 points that will help us see just how vast God’s covenant faithfulness is: (1)The reach of God’s covenant faithfulness; (2)Our response to God’s covenant faithfulness; and (3)Life in light of God’s covenant faithfulness.
Job is experiences unspeakable suffering but also despair. Job's wife even tells him to "Curse God and die." But Job stands on this hope: "For I know that my redeemer lives and at the last he will stand on the earth." This is Job's solid ground for hope. Resurrection is the solid ground of hope for the Christian both in the world and in our lives. Resurrection isn't just emotional consolation but actual restoration. Beyond answers, it's what we really want and need.
Achan hid his sin before God and Israel. God says that this is the reason Israel could not stand against Ai. Israel experiences the power-sucking effect of sin. When we live in hidden sin, we experience the same spirit-sucking infirmity in our Christian lives. In our passage, we see God exposing Israel’s sin. At first it seems like disaster, but we see his purposes in it. God is drawing them to restoration. At the end of the passage, we see the strangest covenant renewal in the Pentateuch. The people say nothing. They just stand silent. In this passage we will see the surprising plan of God at that renewal that left everyone speechless. It was a shocking message of grace. In our sermon today God will show us the danger of hidden sin, the danger of covetousness and the overwhelming mercy of God.
The battles of Jericho has stark truths for us to digest. The battle belongs to the Lord. The battle is won by God's divine hand. God is for justice and his own glory. In this sermon we begin by dealing with discomfort of God commanding destruction. We see that God does it because God is for good and God is God. We are to hold those truths in our heart and wage our own spiritual battle in prayer and worship
Today's sermon will be an exposition of 2 Timothy 3:1-17 and a testimony of the persecuted church in India. In 2 Timothy 3:1-17, Paul says that believers will be led astray by the love of self and the love of pleasure. The Evil One seeks to creep into our lives and tempt us to live for ourselves becuase it will empty us of spiritual power. He desires that we are Christians "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power." Believers need to see the value of suffering for the gospel and put on the shoes of readiness in the gospel. If we can see the worth of Christ in suffering, we can transform spiritual attack into spiritual blessing
Joshua, and the armies of Israel are ready to go to battle. They have crossed over the Jordan, they have set up monuments, they have circumised themselves, they have kept the Passover, but there is one more thing that Joshua needs to know. The Battle belongs to the LORD, and the LORD fights for His glory alone.
What is the Joshua Generation? God has brought the people Israel into the promised land, and now God is calling them to renew their covenant with Him as His chosen people. In this passage we will see How God establishes His Joshua Generation, and what distinguishes a Joshua Generation. For those who are entering into a new season of God's calling, they will be called to be a Joshua Generation. For those who are not entering a new season, but called to be a Joshua Generation in the midst of dark and sinful society, it will be a reminder and encouragement of God's faithfulness and our proper response.
If the main point of chapter 3 is to trust in God as He leads us into the deepest waters, the main point for us in chapter 4 is to never forget who He is and what He did for us when we find ourselves in the middle of the deepest waters.
Chapter 4 is one of the most important chapters in this book because it so clearly teaches us where our focus and gaze should be. This passage commands us to fix our eyes on Jesus and to remember what He did because if we do, the promise is that we will experience this life very differently. We will be able to experience life and all of its trials with poise, with humility, and with confidence that God loves us and that He’s with us.
We will often be have life changing Christ encounters and miss the moment (road to Emmaus). How do we make sure we don’t miss the moment. What happens when we have a Christ encounter? How do we become a Christ encounter for others? Does that work?
Moses' death left a seemingly insurmountable vacuum for the people of God. Moses was a greater figure than we can scarcely imagine. But God is not feeling a vacuum because He knows that the power for leadership is not lost. The power for leadership is God's presence. Men and women who are led into his presence have the power to lead- even lead like Moses. God calls Joshua into this intimacy with him in order to be shaped into a new Moses. When we discover the presence of God and bask in it, we receive the boldness and wisdom to lead ourselves and others into the presence of God. When we do this, the community becomes a strength to us because they reinforce His presence back to the leaders.
God transitions leaders from Moses to Joshua at the end of Deuteronomy leading into Joshua chapter 1. God is transitioning leaders, but not his good and loving plan for his people. Joshua is now given stewardship and leadership over God's promise. In God's commitment to Joshua, He is showing His commitment to his people. Every good thing that is promised is because God is a giving God. The danger for Joshua is to mishandle that success by divorcing God from the success. This is the danger of wicked success. God calls Joshua to maintain his commitment to God by storing the Word in his heart to allow success to be a blessing and not a curse.
We will be reading the pivotal interaction of the Rich "young" ruler with Jesus Christ. What is it that the Rich young ruler really wants versus what he claims to want. What is it that Jesus commands in order to receive all that He has to offer. As we look at the all too familiar story, we realize that in so many ways we are like the rich young ruler (RYR). Too rich, our hearts too full to surrender and trust the LORD. Our riches can blind us to the wonderous treasure that Jesus IS and that Jesus wants to give. As we close 2023 may we full on confront the RYR in our hearts and set our minds to the LORD, humbling confessing that it's impossible for us to enter the Kingdom of God, it's impossible for us to have treasures in heaven by our own righteousness, but with Jesus all things are possible for You. Help us and have mercy on us.
Before Christ comes into our lives we live in the default pursuit of salvation on our own. Even people who don't think they are religious live with a doctrine of earning their way to goodness. At the same time, modern people believe that we deserve every good thing. This leaves us anxious and entitled. The Christmas gospel comes in and offers peace and grace in a Savior. Jesus comes to us with "grace upon grace," and that undoes our anxious striving while giving us the gratitude of receiving grace. Receive this Messiah, for only in Him is "grace upon grace."
Last week we looked intently at how LOW he came- how SMALL he came. Today we look at how mind-blowingly immense Christ actually is- and it will give depth and truth to the incarnation. We’ll look at it through Colossian 1- where Paul is bringing back the minds of a group of people who have been led astray by the philosophy of a cult. When the Colossians understand the preeminence of Christ- they will- Paul hopes- come to worship him instead of looking for meaning elsewhere. Jesus is the anchor and glory of all creation- this means that he should be unrivaled in our lives as well
Micah the prophet foretold of unspeakable and terrible suffering coming to the people of God. The Assyrians and the Babylonians were coming to lay siege on God's people and make them small and invisible. But there would come a Savior- the messiah for rescue. This messiah would come from a place "too little" among the clans of Judah to save the suffering, small and humble in spiritual exile. This truth is hard to believe for the Jews, but it was fulfilled in Jesus Christ of Bethlehem. This messiah stepped into our situation to cover the small. In order for us to receive this message of hope in a messiah, we also need to become "little" and humble in order to receive a savior. Unless we do, Christmas is not good news. In fact, Christmas is a threat to us if we are not small enough to bow.
Paul was circling back to the Corinthians regarding a contribution they promised for the suffering Jerusalem church. The Corinthians had lost their commitment to give. Paul uses the example of the Macedonian church to remind them of the joy and grace of giving. The Macedonian church had experienced God's grace so profoundly that it moved them to give out of their scarcity. Paul calls the Corinthians to experience that grace and in turn for us to experience that grace because God's plan is to grant us unspeakable joy through our generosity.
This passage is found in the context of discipleship. Being a disciple requires both service and devotion. What we see in this passage that the problem is not Martha's serving but Martha's distraction. In v.40, we see the emphasis is on "me" when Martha is serving but true hospitality is isn't thinking about self, but thinking about their guests, who is Jesus. One of the greatest distractions in this passage is the cultural expectation that Martha and Mary had as women. In Jewish society, hospitality had a high value and the honor and reputation of a woman depended on the ability to manage her household and express hospitality. But Mary breaks cultural norms and decides to sit or "absorb" Jesus' presence by sitting at His feet and listen to His teachings. "Sitting at one's feet" is a classic description of a rabbinic disciple. Mary expressed great faith because instead of being distracted with many things, her desire was to be with Christ and listen to His teachings.
When it comes to the practice of faith and living it out every day, there is nothing more practical than community because that’s always the application of Scripture. When we become Christians, we’re not only saved by Jesus personally but we’re also saved into His community. We’re not only adopted by God as our Father, but we’re also adopted into His family. Our salvation is a communal one not a private one. And we see in scripture that if we want a faith that is “great” or can withstand suffering, loss, and whatever else the brokenness of this world throws at us, we’re going to need help. We not only need the Spirit of God to sustain us through challenging moments but we also need the people of God—God’s very hands and feet to carry us through it. And this is what we see in Luke 24:13-35.
How does it feel for you when someone thinks of you last. There's a party and you are not asked, but when there is an emergency they call you. Does it not feel like you are being used? We are going to look at the heart and action of Jesus when in a sense He is the last option, the last resort. Jesus stops everything to engage a woman with an issue of bleeding for 12 years. She has tried everything, but it's only made her worse. Jesus is her last resort - and Jesus says stop. And as He engages her we discover that though Jesus praises her faith in Him, He also invites her to live with an everyday faith.
John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod. He hears about what Jesus is doing (His ministry), and asks a question that reflects the reality of where his faith in Jesus is/which is in doubt. We will be looking at why John the Baptist is having a crisis of belief or as John of the Cross points out a dark night of the soul. What we will discover is that we all will face a dark night of the soul, but Jesus gives us His Word that we can hold firmly and trust in Him.
The only time in the 4 Gospels we see Jesus’ disciples ask Him to teach them something specific is found here and it’s teach us how to pray. In all honesty, if I were one of these disciples prayer is not what I would ask to learn. I would ask teach us to preach. Teach us to start movements, teach us how to heal, teach us how to walk in God’s power. It wouldn’t have been prayer. But for the disciples to ask him of this meant that they saw how crucial prayer was to the life and ministry of Jesus. They saw firsthand that Jesus’ intimacy with God and access to God’s power flowed from his uninterrupted, intentional, and sweet prayer life. If Jesus’ 1st century disciples knew they needed to learn how to pray, so we 21st century disciples need to learn too. Furthermore, if Jesus emphasizes that praying to His Father is vital for a thriving Christian life, so should we pray to our Father.
The source of true courage is found in the deep assurance that God is present and that He’s mighty to save.
What are you afraid of? Why are you afraid of it? What are you believing in to preserve or better your life? Why do you believe that that will preserve/better your life? As we look at a pivotal moment in Moses' story we can relate to the fear and worry that Moses faced when called by God to go tell Pharoah let my people go. We are often afraid, and sometimes of many different things. However, if we stop and think about why we are afraid, perhaps we will come to the realization that we don't really have faith in a Great God, but God is persistent and wants to reveal His glory to you and through you.
Great faith believes in the power of God. The centurion held an unwavering conviction that Jesus had the power to heal just with His Word. This kind of great faith minimizes our own confidence in ourselves and swells up a great confidence in God. We believe we are the New Creation that God says we are when we believe he can change reality by his Word. When someone has this kind of faith- it becomes "great."
Joseph is one of the Bible characters who examples to all what it means to have faith in the midst of B.S. (Bad Situations). How does Joseph endure betrayal, forced slavery, false accusation and imprisonment, and not become embittered and vengeful? Instead of being a victim he continually is faithful. How? That's what we will be learning from the Bible and the life of Joseph this Sunday.
Jesus commends only two people in his ministry for having "great faith." The Canaanite woman is one of them. This woman with a possessed child comes to Jesus and throws her entitlement on the ground because she has traded it for a deep conviction that Jesus is merciful. Her boldness and self-effacing courage comes from a deep conviction that Jesus will have mercy on her. In order to have great faith, we will also need to develop an intense conviction about God's mercy. When our entitlement is grounded and this conviction of mercy takes hold, we will become courageous people of Great Faith.
Jesus tells us that there is such a thing as "great faith." Great faith is an unwavering conviction of the gospel and acting on it in our lives. We live in an environment that was corrupt and void of faith. We also live in a culture of increasing rebellion aganist God. We will need to look to Christ for renewed convictions of faith.
The breaking of bread is more than having meals, but it is an expression of hospitality. Hospitality is the invitation to one's life, an invitation to do life together. One of the greatest ways to express hospitality is prayer. The utmost important part about expressing hospitality is posture. We must have a posture of shameless audacity. Because Christ had a heart of shameless audacity, Christ expressed hospitality where He invites us to Himself. He does so by being the Bread of Life that was broken so that we may be partakers in His love and grace.
As we examine the hearts and attitudes of those who witnessed Jesus death on the cross when Jesus was in the tomb, versus how their hearts and attitudes are transformed. The obvious answer is that they witnessed something first hand. They go on to simply report the news - the facts of what they had seen. This sermon is an apologetic of why the news of Jesus' resurrection is simply the news. Those who saw it then lived in such a way to tell others the news, for those who believed it is surely was good news - and they were unstoppable in proclaiming it boldly.
In this sermon we reflect on the unity and communion of the church. The Corinthians forgot that their unity was a public matter that affected the spiritual condition of the church. They were desecrating the Lord's Supper by their division. Jesus calls us to "Remember him" in the communion. This meant to remember that the body was one and that the communion was the deepest spiritual sacrament reflecting that. This Sunday we remember Jesus by remembering to guard the unity of the church. When we forget unity, we forget Jesus.
We begin a new series called "The Un-Forgotten Church" where we consider those in the church who can be easily forgotten. We begin with the servants of the church. At the conclusion of Paul's letter to the Colossians, he writes a recognition to all those who serve the church at Colossae. This salutation at the end shows us the redeeming power of serving the Lord. Paul honors those who suffer alongside him for the sake of the gospel. Servants are partners in the gospel. And we find that in our service to the Lord, we find ourselves in God's story once again.
Israel is in danger of small vision- a small life. Understandably so because they are captives! They just want to be free! But God has other plans. And if they want salvation- they will need to care about the same things because that’s the only Messiah God offers- a missionary Messiah to the world. But God has other plans. And if they want salvation- they will need to care about the same things because that’s the only Messiah God offers- a missionary Messiah to the world. We also have a hard time expanding our purpose because of our suffering and selfishness. We are tempted to live a small life and we are SCARED INTO living a small life. But it is in meeting the true Messiah that we find our meaning and purpose. This Messiah expands our purpose for life beyond our own people and in doing so- the Messiah saves us from ourselves.
What is our reason for missions? What is our why? In our passage we hear Jesus explain it to us firsthand. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. This is why the church next loses it's vision for the unreached- because Jesus longs for them and has the power to save
Jesus speaks to us new priorities in regards to family. Jesus is in a situation where he either has to obey God or his family. To the surprise of all those who are around them, Jesus de-prioritizes his blood relatives to obey God. Jesus betrays the American picture of the family-friendly Jesus. This stark picture shocks us but tells us the secret to saving our families. In our time, we say that nothing is more important than family. This has ruined our families. Jesus teaches us how to find the anchor that actually saves our families: faith.
Fathers/fatherhood is God's design. It is absolutely essential in the development of the next generation as well as establishing a life giving culture and society. This message will focus on what happens when we are not fathered by God and godly fathers vs. how the Godly Father fathers even to delinquint and disobedient children. What we will discover is that we all have Daddy issues, and that's why we give thanks to God for the Gospel, because God the Father has adopted us and called us His own - that as He Fathers us - we might in turn as Fathers - father in godliness.
Marriage was designed to be a showcase of God's love and an incubator for holiness. Through the gift of marriage, man and woman were given a powerful vehicle for giving God glory and finding fullness. When we disconnect God from our marriages, we cut off the power source for marriage. Being deceived through selfishness, we dim our ability to glorify God and cut off our own joy. The gospel reconnects us to the power source and resuscitates our marriages
What Romans 12:1-2 teaches us is that the kind of young adult God desires to form in this world are those who are committed to Christ, who resist conformity, and who are radically changed. These are the 3 traits I see our passage highlighting for what a godly young man and woman look like. They’re committed, they resist conformity to this world, and they’re changed by the Gospel.
In our time, the meaning of womanhood is hotly debated. This Sunday's sermon wades through the lies of the secular discussion and looks to scripture to tell us what a woman is called to be. Proverbs 31 presents us with a valiant woman who is marked by the Fear of the Lord. This sermon dives into the essential characteristics of a godly woman and we find out how the gospel creates "valor" in our sisters.
We start a new 5-week series on the family. We begin by asking: "What is biblical manhood?" The biblical call to manhood is lost in our day and getting more obscured with each day. Due to modern distortions, the anchor of manhood is lost or redefined by toxic masculinity. According to the Word, the problem with men is not when they act like women, but when they act like children. The Scriptures call men to righteous and sacrificial leadership. This defines biblical masculinity through leadership, righteousness and sacrificial love. When men take up the call to mature into spiritual manhood, the whole body of Christ benefits.
It’s no secret that life can be hectic and busy, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking there is something better out there than what we have. This can easily lead to discontentment. What’s the secret of being content? In Philippians 4, the apostle Paul shares how, no matter our circumstances, we can find true contentment in Christ.
In John 8 Jesus tells the Pharisee that he is the light of the world. He is saying that without him, we live in the darkness. We can't know who we are or what we want in life without Jesus the light. A life without the truth of Jesus is a life of contradictory desires. What is freedom? Jesus says freedom is not just knowing the truth but abiding in the truth. If this is true, then only true disciples are free. Mosaic's mission is to make disciples and if Jesus is telling the truth, then disciple making is freeing slaves.
This week we continue our 3-week series on Mosaic's vision and mission. This week we focus on Embrace by looking at the Early Church and how they faced opposition and responded to the spiritual and physical needs of the growing number of believers. Some have given up on the church being a truly embracing community, but Jesus has not. All that is needed for us to follow in the footsteps of the LORD and the early church is to EMBRACE the Call Jesus has for us, and the commitment to one another.
This week we begin our 3-week series on Mosaic's vision and mission. This week we focus on REACH by looking at Jesus sending out the twelve. Jesus is very focused in sending out his disciples into familiar territory. He calls them to live uncommon lives in familiar places. The disciples are called to proclaim the kingdom of heaven in familiar places but also to evidence it through miracles. In this sermon we will see the importance of our works of mercy in the places where we live, work and play. In short, our works of the kingdom prove that the gospel of the kingdom is true.
Christians often live in obsession with money but at the same time are grossly misinformed about money. What is God's intention for money? What is it for? How should our redemption redeem the way we steward money? This sermon introduces the concept of money biblically and calls us to redeem money along with us.
Jesus in Luke 14:7-14 tells the parable of a wedding feast and teaches that we should not take the seat of honor but the seat of humility. The reason for this is because we know the host and we know that the host will eventually say to us, "Friend, move up higher." Jesus then calls us to live sacrificially in this world because we will be repaid in the resurrection. Easter introduces a whole new incentive to live differently in this world: resurrection reward.
Zech 9 and Matth 21 tells us to Rejoice greatly and Shout aloud, because the King has come! As we Behold the King, upon His Humble Character, the Victory He has accomplished, and the Triumph He will bring - we can rejoice greatly and Shout aloud the Good News that His Reign and Kingdom has come and endures forever!
Psalm 145 is a declaration of God's immense and immeasurable greatness. Not only that, David proclaims the vast goodness of God. We are to never forget that. We are to commend God's greatness and goodness to our generation. How do we do this? We do this by doing good and not seeking to be great. When God's people are rich in good works, we proclaim His greatness.
Psalm 121 is a precious psalm for those who are in need. We don't like to be in need. Being in need is scary and insecure but being needy is foundational to being human. Psalm 121 shows us that just as foundational for God is to help. This sermon is half teaching and half testimony about hardship and rescue. In the end, we will see that God is the one who keeps our life.
We have heard so much about Fall and Redemption, but as we explore the Full Story of the Gospel, is there more we should be focused on? The Full Story of the Gospel starts with Creation and leads us to Renewal.
Psalm 46 is filled with the powerful language of a God who is present during the storms in our lives, a God who the storms of life cannot move.. These words have moved believers throughout the centuries. The famous reformation hymn, a Mighty Fortress, was penned from the words of this Psalm. These words are powerful, but when the storms in our life begin to rage, do we hold on to this promise? We all experience storms in our lives; some we can see coming from a long way off, and some just appear out of nowhere. The question is not if we will experience storms, but what will you do when the storm in your life rages?
Psalm 86, is called a prayer of David, and it starts off with a deep and humble plea. In a very direct way David is saying to God listen to me and answer. Because You are my only hope and strength, the One that I need to hear from. God answers. This then causes David's heart to turn to praise and worship. Declaring the extraordinary wonders of God, above all nations, and all nations will come and worship You. Teach me Your ways, because I don't want to follow any other ways, nor counsel of the wicked, no seat of sinners, no stand in the way of scoffers, but the way of the LORD alone. Because I know that though there are insolent men around me, ones who don't fear Your Name, You will make me victorious, you will not let me be put to shame - because You have heard my prayers, You are my help!
Psalm 42 teaches us that in a Christian's life there will be moments we feel spiritually dry. But it also teaches us what to do when we feel spiritually dry: (1)Pray your honest prayers, (2)Preach the Gospel to yourself, and (3)Get around people of hope
Asaph is reflecting on a turning point in his life. Asaph was a righteous worship leader who was derailed by an envious heart. He went on his Instagram and Lindedin and was overcome with envy over how successful and comfortable others seemed to be. He looked at all that he had committed his life to: faith, righteousness and praise- and he grew resentment against it all. "All in vain have I kept my heart clean" Asaph says. We see how destructive this is but we then see the turning point in his life: WORSHIP with the PEOPLE of GOD. He felt this way "until I went into the sanctuary of God." Then everything changed.
David in Psalm 51 addresses a huge elephant in the room when it comes to reconnecting with God: sexual addiction. Sexual addiction is one of the great disruptors in our intimacy with God. Psalm 51 shows us the shame and slavery of sexual sin and the path to find release from the shame that drives us further into addiction. Repentance is our decision to run straight at shame to disarm it and when we do, we find the power of sexual sin begin to ease in our lives. As we bring our sexual addictions to light, we find freedom and a new confidence in our intimacy with God
David writes this psalm of praise for deliverance from the depths. In the last two weeks we saw David crying out to the Lord for help in his distress. In this psalm, David cries out in worship because he is delivered from his distress. Secondly, David calls the congregation to find this praise in our own hearts. Let's SING! Let us commit to NO MORE aimless praise or thoughtless worship together!
You want to be near God but are you willing to obey Him? We will never become intimate with the LORD unless we take Him seriously. David calls out to the LORD for instruction but he knows that the fear of the LORD is the key to connecting with God. In this sermon we are called to come near to God with obedience and when we do, we will never be put to shame.
The Psalmist teaches us that reconnecting with God means to be real with Him. To be real with Him means that we need to be able to express ourselves when we are broken up and feel abandoned by God. David accuses God of breaking His promises and abandoning David when he needed him most. Through this psalm we'll learn what it means to go to the messy places with God and reconnect with Him again
The Psalmist teaches us that we are to give thanks and exalt God for all that He has done. What He has done is evidence that He is Seated forever as King of kings and Lord of lords. How many of us have had encounters with God and established altars of remembrance of His deliverance and goodness - knowing and being fully convicted that God is enthroned and judges over the wicked and also a stronghold to the oppressed in times of trouble - He gives us tremendous gladness and our response is praise to His Name.
You will be one year older this year but will you be more mature this year? The Lord calls us to be categorized with the "blessed" people of God. The blessed are characterized by their delight in God's word. In this sermon, we will learn how to be blessed in 2023. We will find maturity and fulfillment in falling in love with God's Word again. His Word is the stream of water that will make us blessed.
Mary if given the news of the immaculate conception and she is perplexed and astounded. She is experiencing the wonder of God become Man. We need to also wonder at the Christmas message if we are going to find our way to joy. We need to wonder and submit to the truth of God become Man- and once we do we will find the joy of Christmas
The promise of Advent is the promise of a Messiah who comes to make all things new. He isn't just coming to bring forgiveness of sin but he is bringing wholeness - the change of our lives through the age of the Messiah. But can we really believe this? Do we still trust it? Or tolerate it? He comes to make his blessing known far as the curse is found- do we believe this still? This sermon calls us to believe in what the Christmas message means: he comes to make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found.
Chapter 11 explained the victories of some of the Old Testament's greatest heroes. It also explained their sufferings and persecution. This chapter uses those examples as a ''cloud of witnesses'' to prove that God does not abandon us when we suffer. In many cases, He uses those hardships/persecutions/offenses to ''train'' us, as if we were athletes, to make us stronger. We then should have proper expectations of suffering for Jesus Christ, and even more so the JOYFul expectation of what awaits us in the Kingdom of God.
The author of Hebrews works through the finality of Christ's sacrifice for us in the beginning of Hebrews 10. In light of that, we are to live with power. He says "do not throw away your confidence." The Christian life is to be one of power, not just knowledge. So we do not "shrink back" like those who reject Christ and take their salvation into their own hands. We live with courage because of the strong and bold faith we have in the gospel. This sermon unpacks the assurance of our salvation in Christ and then propels us to live in courage and power.
We are called to "sitr one another up" towards love and good deeds. The command here is to incite one another through tenacious community and transformed relationships. We can't press on into the most holy place without community. In this sermon, we consider how we can do this for one another. In the end, the Lord will transform your heart to want to create and be strengthened by God's community.
That’s why the title of this sermon is—From Independence to Dependence. Because that’s where Jesus is taking all of us. The moment we place our faith in Jesus, He begins to teach us how to surrender our independence and to practice dependence. Dependence on Him and dependence on others. And I know this is countercultural from what we’ve been told our whole lives because we’ve been told that independence is the goal. That true maturity is financial independence, independence from your parents, and independence from societal norms and some of this is true. But we also believe more destructive lies about independence—That I can only trust myself because others will hurt me, to keep my struggles to myself because I don’t want to be viewed as weak, or to pursue the image of being self made so that no one looks down on me.
But according to Jesus, true maturity is not more independence but it’s more dependence. It’s leaning on Jesus & His community when finances are big question marks. Leaning on Jesus and other redeemed parents when you feel like you’re parenting your children wrong. And leaning on Jesus and His body to heal you and love you when you’ve been burned by people you trusted most. Yes, even if it was done by those who called themselves Christians. And in fact, that’s more of a reason to depend on Jesus because He knows your pain more than you do. And weeps for your brokenness more than you do. The church can be a messy place and we’ve seen what the church has done at it’s worst. But at it’s best, nothing can stop it. When the church is working as the body of Christ together in unity for God’s glory, for our good, and to advance His kingdom we’re unstoppable. But it first begins with dependence. So that’s what I want us to see today and I have 3 points for us: (1)The Call to Dependence; (2)The Language of Dependence; and (3)The Power in Dependence.
Hebrews 9 Reminds the Hebrew readers of the meticulous and fearful process by which access to God (most holy place) had to be done. The High priest had to sacrifice bulls for the sins of the people and their own sins. Year after year, and only once a year. The holy place (inner chambers) represents the present earthly reality, and the Most holy place represents the Kingdom of God/heaven. There is an impossible barrier that separates us and that is our sins and God's Holiness. Only if the sacrifice is acceptable to God does the High priest live, otherwise like the two sons of Aaron, (Nadab and Abihu), the two sons of Eli (Phineahs and Hophni) they will be struck dead in God's presence. What a terror, fear, and burden it is to know how Holy a God He is, and how depraved we are. That's why Jesus is the Greater High priest, that enacts a greater covenant, because it's established not by a temporary temple, but the His very blood and body - which is not made by made, but of God.
Hebrews 8 tells us that Jesus has come with a New Covenant that transforms the heart of his people. This New Covenant blows the old one out of the water not only because of the content of the New Covenant but because of the One who mediates it: Jesus Christ. This sermon explains the KEY INNOVATION in the New Covenant: The transforming power of the Holy Spirit: God Himself. Now that we have this New Covenant, we should strive all the more to KEEP IT lest we miss the power of the innovation and fall back into the old.
The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is not only high priest but high priest in the order of Melchizedek. He uses Melchizedek as a type for who Jesus is for us. Melchizedek is this mysterious figure in the OT who doesn't fit any category but confounds everyone trying to figure him out. He is king, but a priest. A priest, but a king. In the coming of Jesus we see just how much we need him to be both. Because Jesus is priest, we are promised mercy. Because Jesus is king, we are promised goodness. In this sermon we learn about who Melchizedek is, but we are ministered by who Jesus is.
It is a miserable thing to live the Christian life as though you have God for heaven but not here on earth. To enter into God's rest is not only entering into heaven by salvation, but experiencing God here. This is the rest that we should not miss out on. In this sermon, we look at how we miss this rest and how to strive to obtain it in this life
The author of Hebrews is warning his readers from the past the dangers of an unbelieving heart. Instead to listen to the Holy Spirit, Resist Sin, and exhort one another to hold onto Christ
The author of Hebrews is convincing the audience that Jesus is greater than Moses. Moses was for the Hebrews the give of the Law and the Hero of the Past. The author of Hebrews says that Jesus is the Hero of their Future and their eyes should rather be fixed on Him. We also, should not be caught up in the heroic past but see that God is doing a new thing in His Son.
The author of Hebrews transitions from telling us how HIGH Jesus was to telling us how LOW Jesus was. In encouraging the Hebrew Christians, he says that because Jesus came LOW to be with us in suffering, they can be encouraged
The author of Hebrews encourages Christians who are tempted to fall away from Jesus. He begins with the encouragement that we should continue to strive after Christ because He is the truth of God. He is supreme over all things and He is the truth that stands
We are called to encouragement to (a) battle superficiality and create a culture of the Spirit (b) Because we have a powerful discourager and (c) Because encouragement makes us more of who we truly are
In the Garden of Gethsemane we see Jesus struggle to obey His Father. The Lord shows the disciples what it means to be a true disciple and follower. The Lord himself denied Himself to obey. True disciples are those who take on this heart to align their will to Jesus'.
We focus so much on the major milestones and events in our lives and those moments should be celebrated but where God's work is so powerful and evident are the moments in between, when He seems silent and perhaps even idle. We love the victories but we don't like the moments when victories cost us something. In God, we are promised a victory in Christ but He cares about our hearts, the way we live, discipline, and faith. To help us grow, God often uses silence and time to reveal our sins so that it may be cleansed through the blood of Christ.
Church planting is on Paul's heart because of God's heart to save and disciple the lost. This sermon makes a case for why church planting is the best way to do this
The Lord shares with us His heart to bring His presence to the ends of the earth. We will see how this has been his heart from the very beginning and those who He calls to Himself- will begin to develop and reflect the heart of God to stretch His presence to the ends of the earth.
The Lord calls us to pass on our faith to the next generation. There are three things in the passage that we are called to pass onto the next generation: Truth, Wisdom and Wonder
The Author of life does the unthinkable, bends down to wash the disciples dirty feet and some of them dirtier than others. What does Jesus command us to do in the face of betrayal, in the midst of a self-centered culture, and contrary to our sinfulness? Let Him serve you with His unbelievable service, and see what honor and obedience commands our souls.
The LORD judges Cain's heart of service and honor's Abel's. In this sermon we see that the heart of serving the Lord comes from faith- faith that the Lord has given all things and will give all things for those who serve Him. When we lose sight of this we become bitter, angry and despondent in our service to the Lord. The Lord sternly warns Cain about this bitter heart creeping up on him like a predator crouching at his door. In this sermon God reminds us about the grace that re-softens our hearts to serve Him again
Jesus is on His final weeks before going to the Cross, and as He goes to Jerusalem He passes through Jericho. There, He calls out Zaccheus, and a glorious miracle and transformation occurs. What we discover is that the Author of Life, is the One who seeks. We learn again how God's heart is for us to know Him, but also wants us to be thriving in community, and generous in love towards others. But it all begins with God's great seeking love for us.
Jeremiah 31 is the high point of the book of Jeremiah. The Lord gives a promise for the New Covenant- the thing that God's people would wait on for all time. The New Covenant even supersedes His promise that He would bring them back home. The New Covenant establishes a new relationship with His people for all time- it gives a FINAL answer to how God and Sinner could dwell together and a NEW KIND OF POWER FOR LIFE. This sermon will explain the New Covenant and then show how it is the power we have to finally live the Christian life as God desires for us.
The Lord gives promises for His people who are panicked and scared entering into exile. He gives promises because promises are our balm for anxiety. This Sunday, through the eyes of the scared exiles, we see how God heals our anxieties through His promises.
Here are three reminders on how to steward the gift of our children well. First, Redirect Your Ambition. Make sure it aligns with Kingdom Values. Second, Redefine what it means to be great. Lastly, Remember to invest in Prayer.
Mary sat by the tomb of Jesus captured by grief. Grief without hope- as Paul would call it. But in the Resurrection she found a HOPE and JOY that could not be contained
Jesus is inaugurating Himself as King. The Crowds are mixed, some rejoice and celebrate, some confused, and others resistant and reject Him. Who do you say Jesus is? What the sermon covers is the character of Christ in His humility, His compassion in coming to us, and His Divine Kingship in saving us not from temporary hardships to momentary comforts, but to an everlasting salvation and peace with God. The Hope is that all will see Jesus for who He truly is and worship Him as King of kings and LORD of lords.
As we get closer to the Easter season, we are called to be in a season of preparation. How do we do this? The typical answers to this kind of question is some form of, “Pray more, read more Scripture.” While that certainly is a part of the equation, God’s desire is for something a lot more holistic. He calls us to an active state of repentance.
Jeremiah's life is in danger for the first time. His message incites a conversation about the death penalty for the prophet. Jeremiah's faithfulness might mean he will lose his life. The Lord has always called his people to stand for the Word even at high cost. Obedience means suffering. The Lord calls us today to be reminded that faithfulness means suffering. He calls us to count the cost and find that He is worth it.
In Jeremiah 23, God indicts evil shepherds for selfish leadership and devouring Israel for their own gain. God brings indictment, judgment, and confrontation to those leaders and says that He Himself will be the Good Shepherd of Israel. When we experience church hurt, we hold deep scars and we distance ourselves from the church or even hurt the church back because "hurt people, hurt people." But the Lord is calling us back to Him, the Good Shepherd. It's only in experiencing the power of the Good Shepherd that we are healed. The Lord calls us to a full healing- not just experience the Good Shepherd- but in doing so- bringing us to FULL healing by restoring back into intimate community. When we are healed from our scars, we restore our love for the church and even become good shepherds ourselves. All this because He is the Good Shepherd for hurt sheep.
What Jeremiah 20:7-18 teaches us is that as a Christian, when you follow after God He will let you experience dark times, but the Christian needs to know that God uses it for your good and that He is present through it all.
God responds to our faithfulness with grace and sinfulness with discipline. God is shaping us as clay and that is a warning call to repent- but also to hope. For those who have been wayward- God will not WASTE us nor throw us away- but He is able to redeem us and use us in our repentance.
No matter what, high or low, full or empty, we cannot fill our desires and even our deepest needs, without God. Not without you God!
We are a broken people, but Christ doesn't give up on us and will continually disciple His Church / community.
In Ecclesiastes, the preacher is concerned with teaching us about what is worthwhile in life. He tells us that we need community to THRIVE in life and SURVIVE in life. First, we need community for THRIVING. Through community we can build things that last and reap a greater harvest. We need the power of community. Secondly, we need community for SURVIVING. Life has challenges. He uses three challenges that come to a traveler: fall, freeze and fight. In all of these we need community to SURVIVE. The call is for Mosaic to see their need for community and the power it holds if we enter into it.
This Sunday we will be starting our new 3-week series on Community entitled: Not Easily broken. The series title comes from Ecclesiastes 4:12 that says "a cord of three strands is not easily broken."