Risen Church NC

In this message, we learn what it means to be transformed by the saving power of God. We don't just need to be freed from sin, but we need to be filled with the Life and Presence of God. We learn from two famous stories from Scripture about the longing within all of us for a real, authentic connection with God. We see what happens when we are filled with all the wrong things, and how only true, lasting satisfaction comes through Jesus.

In this first message of our "REDEMPTION" series, we discuss why we need to be reconciled to God in the first place. Romans 5 explains how sin entered creation, by contrasting Adam's rebellion with Jesus' sacrifice. We come to understand that all that is broken in the world stems from the Fall in Genesis 3. We also realize that the first temptation is a preview of the temptation that we face every single day. The first humans' sin caused a systemic fracture in Creation, setting all of us up to inherit a nature of sin and shame. The fallout from all of this? Well, we all own a piece of our broken world. We all fall short of God's standard. We all hide our sin in shame, until eventually we become defiant and even make excuses for our sin. This is just the beginning of our study on redemption, but even in this first message, we hear the Gospel's invitation to bring our sin to Jesus and find forgiveness. By confessing our sin, we can access and receive the gift of salvation.

In this special message, we look back at the story of Esther and learn about God's sovereignty over the nations and the unique responsibility He has given His people, which He has placed in the various kingdoms of the world. Esther tells of the only time in history where Israel faced oppression from the Persian kingdom. We discus why this is significant, especially in light of a prophetic passage in Ezekiel and recent real-world events. 2500 years later, on the eve of celebrating Purim, this story demands a fresh look...

In this message, we discuss what it's like to feel a sense of urgency while lacking the agency or opportunity to properly respond. We've all felt this tension—knowing that something needs to change, but being unable to make the change. We often face these kinds of waiting periods, where the pressure only builds and builds as time presses on. Listen as we wrestle with this burden and the emotions that go hand in hand. God's Word speaks into this common scenario, by reminding us that we can still honor and serve God in the midst of our waits. We may feel held back by many limitations, but God promises to do much with whatever we have to offer.

In one of the most theological rich passages in all the Bible, Jesus teaches us about the nature of discipleship, the sovereignty of God, and our hope in the face of fears and uncertainty.

We've all sat in plenty of waiting rooms, where it seems like time stands still as we sit on the edge of our seats or pace the floors in distress. Other waits aren't confined to clinics, but still render us frozen and full of emotions. The problem with our waits is that the world continues to turn and life moves forward whether or not we are able or ready to. As ideal as it would be to be able to bring our burdens to God in prayer and sit still until the answer comes, this simply isn't how the process goes. In fact, the Bible teaches us that God uses our waits and is in their midst. Prayer has never been touted as a means of erasing our waits, but rather enduring them and redeeming them for God's glory. Listen to this first message in a series all about life's most challenging waits and learn how Jesus promises to be our source of strength during and throughout our trials.

A look at Jesus' first parables, focusing on the story of the seed and different types of soil.

Peter closes out his first letter by admonishing Christians everywhere to reset their expectations for how the world will treat us and react to our faith. He admits that it may feel strange to expect trials and persecution, but he reminds us of what our ultimate goal should be as followers of Jesus. Jesus called all of us to take up our cross and follow Him. The Way of the Cross is not just a means of salvation, but a lifestyle for all who are saved. In this message, we discuss what it means to bare a cross for Christ and how it should inform and influence our stance and response to whatever the world might throw at us.

If you were in and around the church in the late 90's, odds are you remember everyone being on "Rapture Watch". The New Millennium had everyone on edge, wondering if "the end of all things" was at hand. That fervor continued into the 2000's, but eventually faded into the background. Nowadays the subject is barely breached in the local church, with an emphasis on political and cultural dominance having become the new favorite topic within the evangelical church. The Bible has a lot to say about the Last Days, warning us that we are exiles on this earth and that we should live out every day as if it could be our last. The promise of Jesus' return is certain and the reminder that we are strangers who will never truly belong to this world is stressed particularly by the Apostle Peter. In this message, we discuss how we might conduct ourselves and live out our lives until Jesus returns. He warns us to live with sobriety and seriousness, so that we don't lose focus on who we are and our purpose as missionaries for Christ.

In this message, we learn how Jesus' miracles were signs of an even greater work that He came to do. Our flesh focuses on the sign, but they were always meant to point to God's plan and provision of salvation. We'll unpack how this frames miracles of all kinds, past and present. Then we discuss the way and method in which Jesus welcomed and accepted people, just as they were. When Jesus passed by Levi's house, he was captivated by the matchless grace of God, while convicted by His unwavering truth. Listen as we consider how we might strike the same perfect balance of acceptance and accountability.

A message about Jesus showing us how to navigate to honor God with our daily lives, while also making it clear that He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

A message about the power of a testimony and the transformation that follows an encounter with Jesus.

In this message, Peter shows us how our freedom in Christ should inform us as we face opposition in this world. As exiles, the empires of this world push us to the margins, and thus, to our limits. As believers, we can thrive in the fire and realize that God is using these moments to amplify our witness and shine His light into darkness.

After the resurrection of Jesus, Peter returned to his old lifestyle, assuming the "Jesus Movement" was all but over. However, Jesus came looking for Peter and reminded him that His ministry was only beginning. Peter confessed to Jesus that he wasn't sure he was willing to be as devoted as He was asking and expecting him to be. Jesus informed Peter that in due time, he would come to see the value and necessity to surrender all to God... Years later, Peter sat down and wrote to the churches scattered throughout Rome and called every believer to step into their new identity in Christ. He called them (and us), "a chosen generation", "a royal priesthood", and "a holy nation". He compelled us all to taste and see that there is so much more to life than what this world offers to us. Listen as we hear Peter's invitation and learn what is fully offered to us from our new birth in Christ.

Acts 10 represents a watershed moment in not only Church history, but world history. The Church faced a crossroads early on in its establishment - How would it handle growth and expansion? To whom would it carry the Gospel? How wide-open were its doors? The Apostle Peter is confronted with a divine appointment, wherein he refuses to stand in God's way and takes the church into its next phase. On the other side of the story is a man named Cornelius, who had many reasons to doubt that there would ever be a place for him in the story of Faith and Redemption. Listen as we dive into this incredible story and hear how the meeting of these two men changed the world.

Mark 1:1-14 underscores Jesus as the one and only Savior, emphasizing that He came to save by way of serving, submission, and substitution. Listen as we go verse-by-verse through Mark's prologue to see how he introduces us to Jesus and several core principles of our faith.

1 Peter refers to Christians as both "elect" and "exiles" - two words that you wouldn't think go together. While we welcome being called elect or chosen by God, the thought of being an "exile" isn't the most encouraging notion. Yet, our true purpose and true power from God lies in our accepting and embracing this role. Listen as we discuss how Peter's message would've encouraged his original audience and why it offers both uplifting and challenging truths to modern ears.

In this message, we reflect on the past year and consider what remains unfinished. Perhaps many of our goals, aspirations, and plans didn't come together. Does this mean they are now abandoned or will be forever incomplete? Listen as we remember the story of Joshua and think on some of the challenges, delays, and setbacks that his generation faced. As he resolved to keep pursuing the Lord into the next chapter of his life, so must we as one year transitions to another.

Listen as we take a look at an ancient Messianic prayer that was answered through the birth of Christ. From there, we unpack 3 promises that Christmas brings to all who believe and 3 challenges that it presents to us.

Because of Jesus, joy is obtainable and sustainable. Having been born disconnected from God, we know all too well the struggle to find and keep joy. We battle the enemy day in and day out, as he attempts to suppress and steal our joy. Listen as we discuss our shared quest for joy and how Christmas makes it a reality.