Story Church Mayfield Heights: Recent Episodes
Story Church
This week is Mission's Sunday at Story Church, and we look to Psalm 67 to see that it is God's saving power that brings blessing and joy to all the nations.
This week we celebrate Easter by looking at Paul's encouragement to the church of Thessalonians as we see how the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us hope for life after death.
Jesus teaches us to expect opposition when we follow Him. This week we look at the instructions Christ gives us in how we ought to encounter gospel opposition from others and what that means practically for us today.
This week we continue in the gospel of Matthew with Jesus's command to his disciples to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We look at what the message is that we are to proclaim, how Jesus demonstrated God's kingdom through His ministry, and how we can share the good news with the world.
This week we look Jesus's command to his disciples to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest." We see that the harvest is still plentiful - that there are many people who have yet to receive the good news; we see that the first step for us to take is to pray for more laborers for the harvest - that the burden is not all on us; and we see the compassion of our Lord Jesus who longs for us to be united with Him.
This week we focus on Jesus's desire and power to forgive our sins. By first forgiving the sins of the man who was paralyzed, Jesus teaches us that the most fundamental problem that we have is that we've sinned against God, and our most essential need is for God to forgive us of our sins. Praise be to God that He has forgiven us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross!
This week we return to the gospel of Matthew and look at three separate accounts of Jesus healing others. We see that not only is Jesus able to heal us of our physical and spiritual illness, but He also desires to heal us, and He has the power to heal us completely.
Wrapping up this advent season, we look at how Jesus was born the true King over all of mankind. We see this week that Jesus is the king over our lives, over our hearts, and over the nations.
Continuing in our series, we look this week at Zechariah's song of response when his son (John the Baptist) is born. We see in his prophetic message that God visits us with mercy, to fulfill His promise, and to bring His salvation.
This week we look at Simeon's song in response to meeting the infant Christ. We see that for those who long to see Jesus, He can be found by those who are led by the Holy Spirit, those who long for comfort, and those who are looking for salvation.
This Advent Season, we are looking at the songs of joy found in Luke, and we begin this week with Mary's song (The Magnificat). We see in Mary's song that we need to rest in God's promises, reflect on His grace in our lives, and be amazed at His power.
This week we focus on Colossians 3:16 and Paul's instructions to "sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in our hearts to God." We see the benefits of doing so - it fills our hearts with the Word of Christ, it is useful in encouraging one another in our faith, and it allows us to express our thankfulness for the work that God has done through Christ.
This week we study Isaiah's encounter with the Lord and see that when we come and worship God with reverent praise, with honest confession, and with joyful celebration, we will be transformed by God.
This week we look at the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob to see what Christ Centered Worship looks like. We are reminded that we worship God because He saved us through Christ, that we need to worship with a sense of expectation, and that worship is an opportunity to grow in relationship with God.
This week we look at the role that prayer has in the church and see how central it is to our faith. We learn from the early church who prayed together so that they could learn from and encourage one another, who prayed with scripture as their guide, and who prayed for God's Spirit to do the work of His kingdom through them.
This week we look at what it means to be a people holy to the LORD - to be set apart yet in the midst of everyone else. Yet while we are distinct from the world, we are also called to engage with the world to seek out the lost.
This week we learn from the early Christians that fellowship is more than having a bunch of relational programs with other people - it requires us to be aware of other people's needs and to offer ourselves up in order to meet those needs. The depth of our relationships with other people comes from making sacrifices for them, as was modeled to us by Christ when He gave Himself up for the church.
In this passage, Paul assures us that we are secure in God's love and that nothing can separate us from Him. We know we are secure in God because He is sovereign over everything, and we can be confident in what He has promised to us. We know we are secure in God because He is just, and He has looked upon Christ in our place. We know we are secure in God because He is powerful, and He is able to use our painful circumstances to strengthen our faith.
In Week 2 of this series, we look at Isaiah 53 and see that we are like sheep who have turned away from God. We are all guilty of transgression and are broken in a way that cannot be fixed. This is why we need Jesus - He was pierced for our transgressions and by His wounds we are healed. Only once we realize how truly broken we are can we accept that we need God to save us from our sin.
This week we look at this foundational truth of the Bible: that God loves us because of who God is and not because of who we are or anything we have done. There is nothing that we can do to earn or lose God's love. Because God is rich in mercy and because of His great love - He has made all of us who were once dead in our trespasses alive together with Christ.
This week we look at the first appointment of Deacons in the church. We see that Deacons serve the church by meeting the physical needs of the church, supporting the ministry of the Elders, promoting the love and unity of the church, and showing us the heart of Christ.
This week we look at Paul's instruction to Titus concerning church leaders. We learn that healthy leaders are essential to the growth of the church. They remind us of the hope of the gospel through their service and their teaching, they bear the burden of ministry together, and they model for the church what it means to imitate and follow Jesus.
This week we see how Jesus runs the Church through us - He has given us gifts of grace through the Spirit so that the church can be built up and grow, He has given us each other to equip one another for the work of ministry, and He has given Himself as our example to follow.
This week, we look at what Jesus means when He offers us life, why so many people choose destruction instead, and how we can enter through the narrow gate the leads to an abundant life in Christ.
Continuing our series on the Sermon on the Mount, this week Jesus teaches us why we should not worry. Worrying about the future is something we all struggle with, and Jesus does not simply dismiss our worries, but rather encourages us to trust God by reminding us how much our Heavenly Father cares for us.
This week we look at the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the heart behind the lawyer's question "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus's response shows us that those who belong to God's kingdom are marked by compassion and love for others - especially when that love comes at a cost to ourselves.
This week we take a step back to remind ourselves that we are part of a much larger mission in what God is doing around the world.
This week we look at Jesus's radical teaching on forgiving others through the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.
Sometimes prayer is hard - that is why Jesus teaches us how to pray. Here we look at three things: praying for the supremacy of God, the kingdom of God, and obedience to God.
In this first part of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us to approach God as our Father - someone who we can have access to and a relationship with because of the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to us. As our Father, God knows what we need even before we ask (and perhaps despite what we ask), and He is able to give us what we need, when we need it.
When it comes to putting Jesus's words into practice, we need to be mindful of our motivation for obedience. Jesus calls us to be obedient in prayer, in fasting, and in giving - but warns us not to be like the hypocrites who do these things in order to get something in return. Rather, our motivation for a religious life should be growing closer to God.
This week we look more closely at how Jesus wants us to love those around us - especially those who are different from us - and we see that this kind of radical love stands out in our community. We are reminded that the source of great love is God, and that we love because He first loved us.
Jesus commands us to have integrity - to live in such a way that our actions and deeds align with our thoughts and heart. Rather than acting like we are something or someone we aren't, we ought to be honest with who we are - and as a church we ought to be a place where people can come together and take off the masks we have been wearing. God knows our thoughts and our deeds, and yet still He loves us - that is our model and motivation for how we should live with one another.
This week we look at how we can be unified in the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit, but also at the barriers in our lives that keep us from that unity.
Continuing in the sermon on the mount, this week, we look at the beauty of sex, the lies of lust, and the radical path to freedom that Jesus offers.
Building upon the message last week, we see hear that Jesus is teaching a new way to understand the commandment "do not murder" and that it is not enough to follow the letter of the law - we must also obey the heart of the law. Even though our anger towards others isn't judged in a court of law, we cannot hide our hearts from God, and in this passage, Jesus tells us how harboring anger can affect not just our relationships with others but also our relationship with God. Therefore, let us reconcile our sins with those we have sinned against, come to terms with God, and rejoice in the freedom and forgiveness that God has promised us.
In this passage, we see what Jesus has to say about the Old Testament - that although everything that the laws and prophets said was true, it was not enough. Jesus is introducing His radical message that it is indeed necessary to follow the law perfectly, but because we are unable to do so, Christ came to live a perfect life in our place, and His death on the cross allows us to receive His righteousness as our own.
In this passage, Paul refutes the common idea (both in his own time and in our own present day) that Jesus didn't actually raise from the dead. We look at the evidence that points to Jesus's resurrection and also why it is so important to our faith today.
In the final message in this series, we are reminded that God has set His people apart for His glory. Peter reminds us that we are the building blocks for the spiritual house in which God dwells. It is not because of anything that we have done, but only because God desired to show us mercy and because Jesus was willing to die for our sins that we have been pulled out of the darkness into God's marvelous light and have been made His people.
No matter where we are in our walk with God, we need a daily reminder of the gospel - that is, a reminder that we can never earn our way into favor with God and that it is only by our faith that our sins are forgiven. We are often tempted to spend the day thinking about what we need to do and can forget that the work of salvation has already been completed on the cross for us. Resting in this truth is what allows us to be truly free and allow Christ to live in us.
This week we look at a message from Paul to the Thessalonians, emphasizing the importance of being in community with other believers by giving them instructions to encourage one another, respect the leaders of the church, remain in fellowship with one another, and worship together.
This week we look at the Great Commission and learn that the church of Christ will grow as disciples of Jesus obey his commands and continue to make disciples who do the same. For some of us that may mean going to the unreached nations of the earth, and for others that may mean reaching out to our neighbors God has placed in our lives to share with them the love of Jesus. Although sharing the gospel can be intimidating, Jesus tells us not to fear for He has all authority and He has promised to go with us.
This week we are challenged to go from doing nothing to doing something, to form habits of obedience so that spending time with Jesus becomes something we do without thinking about it. In what way this year will you grow closer to Jesus and live a life saturated with His Word?
This week we look at the overarching theme of the Bible - God's work in redeeming/restoring a fallen creation - and ask what is God doing in the world, what is God doing in the church globally, and what is God doing in the church locally? What is our role in the story of God's redeeming work in the world, and how does knowing the end of the story encourage us and give us confidence today?
The final group of people that Jesus says are blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. While this blessing may seem out of place with the other blessings that precede it, Jesus is telling us that the persecution we face as Christians when we live as he has already instructed is a blessing because it reveals that we have genuine faith. If we are going to live as Jesus lived, we can expect to be persecuted as He was persecuted, but we can be comforted even in persecution knowing that it is a blessing to live a life that looks like Jesus'.
In the second half of the opening section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks toward our posture towards the rest of the world. He says that those who are merciful, those who are pure in heart, and those who are peacemakers will be blessed. We should keep in mind, however, that we do not strive to exhibit these qualities in order to earn our way into the Kingdom of God, but rather, because we are adopted into His Kingdom, we are able to follow the example of Christ and through His power we can live the "Blessed Life".
As we continue our series through Matthew, we reach Jesus's Sermon on the Mount. This week we focus on three ways in which Jesus tells us we can have a blessed life: being poor in spirit, mourning our sinfulness, and in meekness toward God. This approach to the "blessed life" is as counter-cultural today as it was back then. Jesus does not instruct us to become self-reliant or to fix our own problems, but rather tells us to be honest with how sinful and broken we really are so that we can learn to rely on Him.
Capping off our series looking at Jesus as our great High Priest and our True Prophet, we look this week at Jesus the King - specifically why we need a king and what it means for Jesus to be the king in our lives today.
God gave His people priests in order to mediate between the people and Himself through sacrifice. In Hebrews we see that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this as He makes atonement for us once and for all on the cross. We can rejoice, therefore, knowing that Jesus has purified us and reconciled us back to God.
In this passage, Paul exemplifies praying for others by praying that the church would know God more deeply through experiencing Him, that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to the work God is doing through the Spirit, and that we would be comforted in knowing that no matter the circumstance, all things must work together for good.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we can always go to Jesus in prayer. Having experienced the trials and temptations of life himself, Jesus is able to be our advocate when we pray. He knows what we are going through, and we ought to go to Him first in prayer.
As Jesus calls His first disciples to join Him, we see the power Jesus has to make immediate, radical change in our lives. As soon as He calls Simon and Andrew and James and John, they leave their lives to join Jesus in His mission. We also see in this passage that Jesus's mission is to care for those who are in need, and that He builds His kingdom through lowly sinners like his disciples and like us.
Coming off of the spiritual "high" of his baptism, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In this sermon, Pastor Jeremy shows us how the wilderness if always a place of testing, to expose where our hearts are at with the Lord. We learn how Satan's main attack is to tempt us to disbelieve the gospel, and how we can overcome those temptations by relying on the Spirit of God, and the Word of God, that reminds us that through Christ, we are the beloved children of God. Matthew 3:13-4:11
Continuing in our series in Matthew, we look at the responses of both King Herod and the three Wise Men to the birth of Jesus, the king of the Jews. Although we don't know much about the Wise Men, we know that they traveled a long distance to come and worship Jesus, and we can learn from their heart attitude in worshipping Him.
This week we look at the miraculous story of Mary's conception and Joseph's response to the news. This story challenges us by reminding us that sometimes what God calls us to is greater than what we can handle on our own, but it also gives us encouragement when we face trials by reminding us that God has already provided the way through.
This week we look at Zechariah 4 and are reminded that it is by God's power (not our own) that the church is built. Even in the small things that may seem insignificant to us, He is building His church. Not only that, but He will continue to sustain the church through His infinite supply of grace and mercy.
Because Jesus is coming back, we as Christians need to live our lives full of love. The message we send to others should be that those who follow Jesus are people who have received mercy and grace and want to share that freedom with others. Because of this, Peter commands us to be hospitable to others and to serve one another with the gifts that God has given us.
This week, we look at the instructions Peter gives to husbands and wives and see how Jesus exemplifies what husbands and wives ought to do by coming "to serve... not to be served." We also see that while husbands and wives serve each other in marriage, the way they serve each other looks different, but both ways reflect the character of Christ who continually sacrificed Himself for us, ultimately giving His life for our sake.
In this section of Peter's letter, he addresses the moral responsibility that the slaves who were members of the early church had to be obedient to their masters, whether their masters were just or unjust. Although it is not easy for us to suffer with patience during times of injustice, Peter reminds us that Jesus lead as an example of this through his life by entrusting himself to the One who judges justly.
In this passage, Peter calls us to submit to our governing authorities, honor our neighbors, and fear God. Part of being resident aliens (as Peter spoke of in the previous passage) is living not only in accordance to God's law, but the laws of man as well. By doing good works in this way, we will be better witnesses of God's truth and kindness to our neighbors.
As Christians, we are resident aliens here on earth, called to live side-by-side with the people who do not share the same faith as us. Our belief in the gospel makes us strangers among our neighbors, but Peter encourages us to wage war against our former, sinful selves so that we might be a light to our neighbors.
In order to live faithfully and on mission in our world, Peter writes to encourage his readers to live holy lives. What does Peter mean when he uses the word Holy? In this week's sermon, Pastor Jeremy unpacks that word, and teaches us that holiness is primarily about our love - our love for God and for our neighbor. We should live lives of Holy Love because we already are holy in Christ, because God himself is holy, and because we have been ransomed by the precious blood of Jesus.
This week we continue on in our study of 1 Peter. As Peter addresses the suffering his audience in Asia Minor is experiencing, he offers hope in the inheritance given to us through the resurrection in the person of Christ.
In the opening of Peter's letter, he addresses those who are "elect exiles," and in this sermon, we learn that Christians are still exiles because our faith is counter-cultural. But there is joy in knowing that we are also God's elect, and that He has chosen us, not because of anything He expects us to do, but because He wanted to set us aside and redeem us. No matter what we face in life, we can always hold onto God's unconditional love.
In our final message from the life of David, we look at David's response to his sin. We learn from his example that we need to deeply examine ourselves and feel the weight of our own sin. But we also see from David that even though we carry the evidence of sin in our lives, the penalty of sin has been removed, and there is joy in the restoration that God has given us. He is able to give us a new heart and make us clean again.
It is difficult when Christian leaders fail, especially when it is someone who we admire and look up to. But in this week's message, we learn that we shouldn't be shocked when Christians do bad things. Using King David as an example, we see that even he, who loved God more than any of us ever could, also had the seeds of sin planted in his heart that we share in our own hearts. And just like Nathan did for David, God convicts us of our sin in order to stop the seed from growing in our hearts, and leads us on the path to repentance and restoration.
Continuing in our series on the life of David, this week we learn about how David showed kindness to the last of Saul's descendants. This kindness reminds us of God's steadfast love, and that even while we were dead in our sin, God still offered us a seat at His table.
This week in our series on the life of David we see his dream of building a temple for God, but God through Nathan tells David that it will not be he who fulfills this dream. God reminds David that is was God himself that has orchestrated events in his sovereignty and is continuing to do so for David's life.
Continuing in this series studying the life of David, this week we look at David's desire to be close to God through the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark gave God's people hope in that they could know God and be known by Him, but it also reminded His people that He is holy and that our sin separates us from Him. But the good news is still that through Jesus, God has forgiven our sins and welcomed us to Him.
Looking at Jesus's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we reminded of the different ways in which we can respond to Christ as King. We can see Jesus as someone who stands in the way of what we want to do in our lives, we can see Him as someone who stands up for the causes we believe in, or we can see Him as the one who sets the standard for how we ought to live. When we see Jesus as the King, we realize that the third way is how we ought to see Him, submitting ourselves to Him, and receiving the benefits of His care and protection over us.
Continuing in this series centered around the life of David, we see another connection to Christ. In this story, we encounter David in a cave, thirsting for water to drink. What is it that you thirst for? Safety? Wholeness? Peace? Restoration? God is faithful to provide, and He has given us living water that can satisfy our deepest needs.
In this week's sermon, we look at the curse of the law. Paul tells us here in Galatians that obeying the law is not what will make us find God's favor, because we can never obey the law completely. Christ, however, has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming the curse himself, and those who accept his sacrifice through faith will be freed from the law and the condemnation it brings.
Very few stories in the Bible encapsulate what true Christian friendship looks like as well as the example given to us in David and Jonathan. In these chapters of 1 Samuel we see the devoted friendship they have for one another, and in this sermon, Pastor Jeremy illustrates how this kind of deep, covenantal devotion is not only something we should seek from our close Christian friends, but also is what Jesus offers to each one of us.
In Psalm 18, David teaches us that we can trust the Lord in the midst of the battle and in 1 Samuel 17, David shows us what it looks like to trust the Lord in the midst of the battle. In this week's message, Pastor Jeremy shows us how this famous story of David and Goliath reveals our tendency to fight our battles on our own, or run away from the battles in fear. Instead, we should see David as an example of standing firm with faith in the Lord and in his deliverance through the battle. But lest we think the point of the story is to be more like David, we see how David points us to a champion of our own, Jesus, who has conquered our greatest enemies (sin, the law, and death), and therefore we can face any battle today. 1 Samuel 17
We begin our study in the life of David by following Samuel in search of a new King for Israel, but soon learn that what God sees in a King is not what man sees. Whereas man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. Although we can't look upon the heart, we do see in David a man after God's own heart, and can learn from him as a model Israelite what it means to be faithful to the Lord. But at the end of the day, what made David so great was that he understood that he was not the hero of the story, but God was - and so, we see in David a portrait of our greater King Jesus. The closer we look at the life of David, the deeper we see the heart of Jesus. 1 Samuel 16:1-13
We finish this series with our Glorification, where we will be raised to a new life like Christ and sin will be defeated in us. We have hope that God's work in our lives will remove our sins and give us freedom. We also have hope that even as we seek to help those in need here on Earth that ultimately God will bring justice in the world. Lastly, we have hope for those that we love, that they might come to know Christ and be glorified with Him also.
This week we continue in our series "From Death to Life" by looking at Romans 5. Here we see three reasons why as Christians we can rejoice in our suffering: we have peace with God, it helps us grow in maturity, and it produces a hope that does not put us to shame. Paul reassures us that even as we encounter suffering in our lives, we can approach it with joy, knowing that it is part of God's process of preserving us for His purposes.
In this week's message, we learn about the doctrine of sanctification. After we are adopted into God's family, He begins the process of making us more like His Son, Jesus Christ. This process of sanctification, however, does not happen overnight, but rather is a lifelong journey that God guides us through.
Pastor Jeremy continues our sermon series looking at God's grace in our redemption by showing us what we receive upon being adopted as children of God. First, we experience a new family, belonging to one another as brothers and sisters. Second, we have access to the Father as one of His sons. And finally, we are given freedom from our captivity to the law through our brother Jesus who fulfilled the law on our behalf, so that through him, the Father looks at us and says - you are my beloved child, with you I am well pleased. (Galatians 3:23-4:7)
This week, we look at justification, which Paul tells us is the gift that God gives as a result of our faith. When God looks at us, He no longer sees all of our sin, and He doesn't give us the judgment we deserve, but instead He sees Christ in our place. We are not justified in God's sight because of the good that we have done, but rather we are justified because Jesus, knowing that we could never earn God's favor on our own, shed His own blood to pay for the penalty and make us justified in God's sight.
So far in this series, we have learned about God's calling, election, and regeneration - and this week we learn about saving faith, which is the result of those three key aspects and the beginning of God's justification, adoption, sanctification, preservation, and glorification of His people. In order to better understand this important aspect of redemption, we turn Hebrews 11 and see that saving faith is substantial, rational, and personal.
In the third message in this series, we see that in order to participate in the future Kingdom of God, we need to experience a new birth. This new birth - or regeneration - offers us a radically transformation, as our hearts are sprinkled clean through the spirit. This new birth is available to anyone who looks away from themselves, and looks to the Son of Man, lifted up on the cross. John 3:1-15
In the second message in this series, we learn about the necessity of God calling us to Him. Jesus tells us that no one would be able to come to Him except those who are drawn in by the Father (v.44). Because we have been separated from God by our sin, the gap is too big for us to come to God on our own. But God, in His infinite love, came to us first, and has bridged the gap in order for us have an abundant life in Him by responding to His call in our lives.
In the first sermon of this series title "From Death to Life", we see the outline of God's plan for us - from God foreknowing His elect through to bringing them to glorification. It is a comfort to those who are God's elect to know that we were chosen by Him before we had done anything to deserve it, for if God's love for us was dependent upon our love for Him, we could never do enough to earn it. Even when we sin and willingly choose to not love God, we can be comforted to know that God chose us, He is still for us, and He will always love us.
We continue to look at Isaiah's promise of God's Messiah to bring the hope of the world. This week, we looked at the promised Restoration that will come when the branch of Jesse springs forth, and who it is that'll bring about that restoration. Finally, we were invited to come, with the nations, and seek after this King, who has been lifted high. When we seek him, we will find him, and find his resting place to be glorious. Isaiah 11:1-10
Although the circumstances surrounding the writing of this poem were dark, Isaiah was able to see hope amidst the darkness by holding onto the promises of God. He had faith that despite all the strife and burdens of our current situations, God would bring peace and joy in the future. Isaiah had faith that God would send our Savior, Jesus, to be our True King and to bring lasting peace to our lives. I
The words of Isaiah in this passage assure God's people of His coming presence - which we find fulfillment in through Jesus Christ. Isaiah tells the people to take comfort, knowing that God has come to gather them near to Him. We can take comfort in knowing that despite our rebellion against Him, God has already come to us and has offered us all the blessings of belonging to Him.
Every week, Christians gather together across the world in order to worship. But have you ever stopped and asked, why do we do what we do on Sundays? Or have you ever wondered if there are proper ways to worship and improper? In John 4, Jesus answers a question about the right way to worship by showing us the essence of our worship, that it is to be done in Spirit and in Truth. Pastor Jeremy concludes our brief series in the Rhythms of Grace, but showing us what the Father is looking for from us, what that should look like, and how that's possible. (John 4:19-26)
Christians of all different backgrounds are part of the same community shaped by the new life offered through Jesus. God designed the community of fellow believers to be a support, lifting each other up and encouraging one another in faith. These passages remind us of the importance and benefits of a strong Christian community in our lives.
Even when we aren't aware of it, the culture we are surrounded by is shaping us. Paul challenges us to be transformed not by the culture of this world, but instead to be transformed by the gospel, through the Holy Spirit, so that we can become more like Christ out Savior.
After the Flood, God called His people to "fill the earth" - but we see instead that the people have gathered together to make a name for themselves. They are congregating together, not to give glory to God, but to give glory to themselves and specifically to deny God's mandate to fill the earth. So God, out of His mercy, makes it impossible for the people to pursue their plans and simultaneously helps them to fulfill His mandate. This passage is a reminder to God's people to live and serve God for His glory, not for our own.
Despite knowing that humanity would continue to live in sin, God makes a covenant with Noah to never again destroy the Earth with a flood. He demonstrates that He is committed to reconciling us back to Him no matter what we do and continues the story of redemption with mankind.
The story of Noah and the Ark is a demonstration of both God's judgment and His love. God displays to Noah His desire for justice when we sin against Him, but also His love for Noah and his family by providing another way, being spared of His judgment. For those in Christ, the ultimate judgment we deserved was taken away through Christ's sacrifice on the cross so that through faith, we receive only the grace and love of God.
As the story of God's people continues through Genesis, we see the good that is being done as people connect with God's creation, the bad as people continue to struggle with sin, and the beauty in the restoration and relationship we have with God.
As history unfolds after the Fall of Mankind, we start to see more of what it means to belong to the people of God. The story of Cain and Abel teaches us that God desires worship accompanied by faith. It also teaches us how God responds to His people when we sin - with an abundance of mercy.
We often find ourselves struggling with the same issue that caused Adam and Eve to first sin - the belief that God doesn't love us and want what is best for us. Failing to trust God in this way leads us to do what we think is best, even when that goes directly against the design God has clearly laid out for our lives. But Christ, who did what Adam and Eve were not able to do, created a path for us to restore our broken relationship with God.
When God created men and women, He also ordained the covenant practice of marriage to unite them together. This covenant not only provides a foundation for family structure, but also serves as a foreshadowing of the closeness we now have with God through the sacrifice of Christ who is the bride of the church.
When God created mankind, He created us to use our hands to worship and obey Him. No matter what field you work in, you can use that profession to labor unto God's glory, and rest in the finished work that He accomplished on the cross.
The Bible begins with the story of our creation. In the first chapter of Genesis, we see that God is at the center of it all - He created all that exists, by Himself, and for Himself. For both the people of Israel who first heard this account, and for us today, this serves as a reminder and a comfort that God is in control - He is the one that brings chaos to order in our lives.
Have you ever tried to read the Old Testament and found that difficult? Or, have you ever wondered why we even have the Old Testament still? Isn't it archaic, backward, and not culturally accepted today? In this week's passage from Matthew, we learn from Jesus that the Old Testament endures, has a purpose, and can lead us to life. Join us starting next week as we begin a new sermon series through the book of Genesis and learn about the foundations of our faith in Jesus. Matthew 5:17-20
What is the mission of the Church? In this passage, we see that Jesus calls his disciples to go and make other disciples. But what exactly is a disciple? And where are we supposed to make disciples? Listen to this week's message to learn not only that, but also how Jesus' abiding presence helps us on this mission, encouraging us to not be afraid as we open our mouths and talk about Jesus with our neighbor. Matthew 28:16-20
Everyone desires to be "great" - but what Jesus tells us in this passage is that "greatness" in the kingdom of God is counter-cultural. Whoever wants to be great must be a servant, following the example of Jesus - even following Jesus through hardship and suffering.
In this segment of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus focuses on how we ought to pray to God. He not only gives us the Lord's Prayer as an example of what to pray, but also teaches us HOW to pray with examples of people who have the right heart in prayer and those who do not.
Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: to love one another, just as He has loved us. God's love expressed through His life and sacrificial death is the example and the "fuel" for us to love one another.
In our busy, non-stop culture, it can be hard to stop and sit at the feet of Jesus, but He is the source of our rest. Even as we seek to serve Him in our lives, this passage reminds us that being WITH Jesus is more important than doing FOR Jesus. (Luke 10:38:42)
When Jesus called his first disciples, He simply said "Follow me", and they dropped everything to follow Him. In Luke 9, however, Jesus reminds us not only of the call to follow Him, but the great cost it will require of us to follow Him. The questions He leaves us with is, "Is it worth it? Is He worth it?" Following Jesus is not easy, but it certainly is worth it. Join us each week for the rest of the summer as we learn what it means to follow Jesus in the School of Grace. Luke 9:57-62
Why are you downcast, O my soul? That is the question the writer of Psalms 42 and 43 asks themselves, and if we're honest, it's a question we often ask ourselves. In this week's message, we learn about the severity of this kind of suffering, the cause of this kind of suffering, and how we can learn from this Psalmist in how to Hope in God! Psalm 42-43
The Apostle Peter calls Christians sojourners and exiles, a reference to God's people living in Babylon. This week, we examine a letter written by the Prophet Jeremiah encouraging the sojourners and exiles to shift their perspective from being refugees to residents, militant to missionaries, and homesick to hopeful. Shifting our perspective like this helps us love our city while living in a land that's not our ultimate home. Jeremiahs 29:1-14
Jesus told his disciples that the world will know we are his disciples by our love for one another. In this week's sermon, we learn what it means to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. This means being willing to open up our lives to one another, just as Jesus did toward us. All this is done for the glory of God. Romans 15:7
This summer, we're learning what it means to be disciples of Jesus marked by Love. This week, we look Paul's Letter to the Romans, where he tells disciples what is our true and proper worship - offering our bodies as living sacrifices. We'll learn that to love God, our worship needs to be Total, Sacrificial, and Transformational. We can do all this in light of the mercies of God, specifically noting that because Jesus gave everything for us, we can give everything to Him. Romans 12:1-2
At Story Church, we want to be disciples marked by Love - Love for God, one another, and our neighbors. The Apostle John says that we love because He first loved us. In this week's message, we examine what it means to experience the love of God, specifically in his forgiving of our sins. As we deepen our understanding of God's forgiveness of our sin, the greater our love for him will be. Luke 7:36-50
Pastor Jon Lilley joins us this morning and encourages us to celebrate God's glorious grace as He chose us for himself! He chose us before the world began, so that we might be holy and blameless, and to be his children. What grace! Let's celebrate. Ephesians 1:4-6
In this famous scene in the church planting work of the Apostle Paul, we see him engage with neighbors in the cultural epicenter city of Athens. As we learn from Paul about the urgency to share the gospel with our own neighbors in Cleveland, we ask of this passage what was Paul's Motivation, Method, and Message? This concludes our study through the book of Acts; we've been marveling at the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Acts 17:16-34
"What must we do to be saved?" That is the question behind Acts 15. As representatives from the Church gather in Jerusalem to consider the matter, we see in this passage the Gospel Threatened, Clarified, and Internalized. Acts 15:1-21
In Acts 14, we find Paul sharing the gospel with various religious communities. What can we learn and apply from this passage for our own context in Mayfield Heights? We see that Paul reached the religious communities with the gospel by: Starting new churches, Seeing where there was hurt, Uncovering their idols, and Giving what their hearts longed for. Acts 14:1-23
In this week's sermon, we're reminded that the Gospel has the power to bring people together who were once divided. We see through Peter's sharing of the gospel to Cornelius what is the root of division, the right way to view others, and the good news of peace. Because we have peace with God in Christ, we have peace with one another through Christ. Acts 10
In the second part of Acts 9, we see Christian friendship on display. In this weeks sermon, Pastor Jeremy shows us the beauty of Christian Friendship (it creates community for those who don't belong to a community), the power of Christian Friendship (it displays the gospel to our neighbors in a way that is attractive to them) and the cause of Christian Friendship (Jesus teaches us what it means to be a friend, and demonstrates his friendship in laying down his own life for his friends). We want to be a community that invites our neighbors to be a part of that kind of friendship at Story Church. Acts 9:26-42
In Acts 9, Luke tells us about the conversion of Saul, a Pharisee who was breathing murderous threats against the early church. In this week's sermon, we learn that what makes a pharisee is holding to strong convictions while looking down on those who don't agree with us, what stops a pharisee is an encounter with Jesus that exposes our sin and our inability to save ourselves, and what saves a pharisee is receiving a new name, a new identity, a new righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. (Acts 9:1-19)
In Acts 8:26-40, we meet a man who's background has led to him feeling like an outsider from God. But as the story unfolds, we see how Jesus orchestrated a divine appointment between this man, who was in a desperate situation, and Philip, who shares with him the good news of a double identification. The Gospel tells us that Jesus came into this world to identify with us, in our shame, guilt, and feeling like an outsider. He so identifies with us that he died in our place on the cross. And through faith in Him, we become identified with him, receiving his honor, his glory, and his righteousness. The good news of the gospel is that because of Jesus, even when we feel like an outsider, he welcomes us in. (Acts 8:26-40)
In Acts 8:1-8, we read about how everyday christians, as they were scattered into the world, went about sharing the gospel because they understood Jesus was sending them for their neighbor's good. The gospel reached the city as it brought about spiritual revival, physical healing, and crossed cultural boundaries. We can have that happen in our own city as we look to Jesus who poured out his life for us, so that we can pour out our lives for our neighbors. Acts 8:1-8
He is risen! On this Easter morning, Pastor Jeremy shows us that because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, if you have hope in Him today, you will have life everlasting. Jesus invites us to find our hope in him now, and not in some future and distant hope. Hoping in Jesus is trusting the certainty of His own resurrection, which has accomplished our own redemption and everlasting life. (John 11:17-27)
On this Good Friday, Pastor Jeremy shows us that when Jesus says He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, he is inviting us to experience the love of the father in Himself. This love was demonstrated to us in his death on the cross, where we see the depths of the father's love for us, and our unworthiness to receive it. Yet, the inviting stands today, to come and find in Jesus the way to God, the truth of God, and the Life of God. (John 14:1-7)
We revise a passage from John 10, but this time examine what Jesus means by calling himself the Good Shepherd. Jesus uses the illustration of sheep and the Good shepherd to invite us to follow him. In this week's sermon, Pastor Jeremy asks us Who do we follow? Why should we follow Jesus? and What does it mean to follow Jesus? (John 10:1-18)
Have you ever wanted to see real and lasting life transformation? In John 15, Jesus offers us a fail-proof way to see the fruit of the spirit produced within you; Abide in Him. This week, Pastor Jeremy shows us that if we want to experience the fruit of the spirit, we need to abide in the life of Christ, the word of Christ, and the love of Christ. John 15:1-13
In John 8 and 9, Jesus claims to be the light of the world, and says that whoever follows him no longer walks in darkness but has the light of life. Why then, do some people not follow Jesus, if what he offers is so glorious? In this week's text, we that because we're born blind and are stumbling in the darkness, we can't follow Jesus on our own. We also see that we need someone who can open our eyes so we can see the truth. Finally, we see that we can have confidence we are following Jesus by looking at the cross. When you look at the cross, is it radiant? Or is it ridiculous? Thanks for listening! (John 8, 9)
One of the more difficult teachings from Jesus is that he is the only way to God. In this week's sermon, Pastor Jeremy shows us how Jesus is unlike other gates; rather than keeping people out, Jesus is the gate that is open, enabling us to come and enjoy life to the abundance on the inside. John 10:1-10
Who do you say that Jesus is? How you answer that question will change your life. In the gospel of John, there are 7 distinct places where Jesus tells us who he is. In this week's sermon, we look at the first of these "I am" statements; Jesus is the Bread of Life. In this passage, we see that Jesus is inviting us to Hunger for Him, Rest In Him, and Feast on Him. (John 6:22-35)
Just before the early church began to take the message of Jesus to the ends of the world, we see in this passage a threat facing the culture of grace that Jesus entrusted to the church. In this passage, we see the threat of moralism, the alternative in the gospel, and how that turns the church into a hospital for sinners. Acts 3:36-5:17)
What happens when the church gathers together and "Worships?" What does it even mean to Worship? In Acts 2, Luke shows us how God used the ordinary things of reading, praying, eating together, and being together, to show his extraordinary grace. Pastor Jeremy, in this week's sermon, shows us what it means to be devoted to worship, and what that looks like at Story Church. Acts 2:42-47
What did it look like to be part of the first church? Luke, the author of Acts shows us that these first disciples of Jesus were devoted to the fellowship; they were committed to one another and to the mission before them - to take the gospel to the ends of the world. In this week's sermon, Pastor Jeremy shows us what it meant to be committed to one another as members of the same body of Christ, and how we can live that out today. Acts 2:42-47
In the early days of the Church, the disciples of Jesus were devoted to three things: The Apostles' Teaching, Fellowship, and Worship. Through devotion to those things, the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. For the next couple of weeks, we'll take a look at what the disciples were devoted to, and what that means for us at Story Church today. Acts 2:42-47
How does the Spirit enable us to accomplish the impossible mission that Jesus has commissioned his church to be part of? What happens when the Spirit fills our lives? We see in this passage that the Spirit provides a power from outside, He comes as a presence within, and He reminds us of the Person on the Mountain. Acts 2:1-21
Although Story Church is a new church, we are joining an old story. It's the story of the unfolding plan of redemption and restoration through Jesus Christ, our Lord. The book of Acts shows us the journey of the early church as it took up its role in that unfolding story and grew into the global movement of grace that it is today. Join us as we learn form the early church what it means to be the church today. Acts 1:12-26
Although Story Church is a new church, we are joining an old story. It's the story of the unfolding plan of redemption and restoration through Jesus Christ, our Lord. The book of Acts shows us the journey of the early church as it took up its role in that unfolding story and grew into the global movement of grace that it is today. Join us as we learn from the early church what it means to be the church today. Acts 1:1-11
We continue the celebration of Christmas by looking at Paul's letter to the Colossians, and learn from him that what God has done through His Son is more than Christmas. Colossians 1:15-23
During this Advent season, we join with God's people all over the world throughout time, who are longing for the Advent of Christ who will bring the final restoration of all things. In this series, we're looking at four familiar stories surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, and learning what it means that in Him, Hope Has Come. John 1:1-5, 14-18. We apologize for the poor audio quality.
During this Advent season, we join with God's people all over the world throughout time, who are longing for the Advent of Christ who will bring the final restoration of all tings. In this series, we're looking at four familiar stories surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, and learning what it means that in Him, Hope Has Come. Mathew 2:1-12
During this Advent season, we join with God's people all over the world, and throughout time, who are longing for the Advent of Christ who will bring the final restoration of all things. In this series, we're looking at four familiar stories surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, and learning what it means that in Him, Hope Has Come. Matthew 1:18-25
We believe the Gospel offers us Rest, compels us to be Rooted, and enables us to be Real. These are the foundations of Story Church. Take a listen to part three of this three-part series taking a closer look at the pillars of Story Church. Ephesians 4:15-16
We believe the Gospel offers us Rest, compels us to be Rooted, and enables us to be Real. These are the foundations of Story Church. Take a listen to part two of this three-part series taking a closer look at the pillars of Story Church. 1 Peter 2:9-12
We believe the Gospel offers us Rest, compels us to be Rooted, and enables us to be Real. These are the foundations of Story Church. Take a listen to part one of this three-part series taking a closer look at the pillars of Story Church. John 4
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parables of the Wedding Feast and the Great Banquet. Luke 14:7-11, 15-24
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parable of the Older Son. Luke 15:11-32
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parables of the Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son. Luke 15:1-24
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parable of the Friend at Night. Luke 11:1-13
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parable of the Rich Fool. Luke 12:13-21.
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:25-37.
Take a listen to this week's sermon from Pastor Jeremy. The Parable of the Sower. Luke 8:4-15.