"Be true to yourself.""You do you.""Me, myself and I."But what happens when these aren't good for someone else? Our culture may not value how one's choices impact other people, but Christians are called to live with consideration for other believers. Join us as we continue in our series on 1 Corinthians.Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
There's no shortage of marriage books, conferences, counseling, or other miscellaneous resources available to married couples. In this surplus of media, unintended consequences can emerge: singleness is devalued and too high a premium is placed on marriage. Today's text will help us reach an equilibrium on these topics.Revolutionary thoughts on marriage...1) Marriage isn't everything2) Marriage is distracting3) Marriage is for GodText: 1 Corinthians 7:25-40
Sacraments or Ordinances? What should we call them? How many are there? Do they have any bearing on the local church? Do any of these questions even matter? Join us as we find out why Baptism and the Lord's Supper have been debated throughout Church history and their relevance for us today.1) The biblical pattern of the ordinances2) The theological foundation of the ordinances3) The ecclesiological implications of the ordinancesText: Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Selected Scriptures
How many of us are wearing clothes we bought ten years ago? How many are using computers we bought five years ago? How many of us are driving vehicles more than fifteen years old? Very few of us would answer 'yes' to those questions. The air we breathe is designed to agitate us against the status-quo and implant in us a desire to go over there, up there, under there... anywhere but here.Do you ever find yourself exhausted by this? If so, the apostle Paul has a good word for you: blossom where...
One of the top 5 "sticky wickets" in the church surrounds the complexities of divorce and remarriage. When is it permissible? When is it not? How does one handle an unbiblical divorce and remarriage? None of these are easy matters, but God has spoken and today we'll listen to him.1) Instructions for the unmarried in the church2) Instructions for the married in the church3) Instructions for the married and "spiritually single" in the church4) Divorce and remarriage principlesText: 1 Corinthian...
Same-sex marriage. Sexual orientation. LGBTQ+. These are common words and symbols in our day and age. Even among Christians there is confusion over how to assess the rapid movements of these ideologies. We'll dig into God's Word to mine for God's perspective on these pressing matters.1) The Bible and Same-Sex Behavior2) The Bible and Same-Sex Desire3) Closing ReflectionsText: Selected Scriptures
It's not fun to think about it. It's never enjoyable when it happens. And sadly, it's everyone's destiny. However, the resurrection of Jesus supplies the kind of hope that can look it in the eye and say, "You are defeated!" Come hear about "The Death of Death.”1) The importance of thinking about death2) The reason death exists3) The hope available in the death of deathText: James 4:14; Psalm 90:12; 39:4; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1, 4-5; John 11:25-26
The curtain of the temple was torn in two.The earth shook.The rocks split.The tombs were opened.The bodies were raised.What is going on?On this day, God was "throwing his weight around." The death of Jesus was literally earth-shattering. Why? Join us for a special Good Friday message as we ponder this question.The cross of Jesus Christ...1) The reason for it2) The voluntariness of it3) The results it producedText: Matthew 27:45-56
We all love a good "comeback" story! We love to watch the phoenixes of our world rise back up out of the ashes of failure and soar to victory. We often applaud their strength and envy their success. But what about the "brought-back" stories? The ones where the central figure fails horribly and then gets mercifully picked back up? How do we respond to those stories and what might we learn from them? Let's consider someone who seems to test the limits of how far someone can fall in their faith ...
Seated on high, the undefeated One, there is no other name.Text: Philippians 2:5-11
"Once there was only God." So we should probably ask him about his purposes for sex. Join us as we dive into this "hot topic."A synopsis of the Bible’s teaching on sex:1) Sex and covenant2) Sex and procreation3) Sex and enjoyment4) Sex and the grace of GodText: Genesis 2:24; 1:28; Proverbs 5:18-19; Song of Solomon 5:10-16; John 4:1-26
Red skin. Horns. Pitchfork. What comes to mind? Most likely you thought of the devil. But is this how he is described in the Bible? And how exactly does he operate? Why would God even create him in the first place? Join us as we look at another facet of the glorious gospel!1) The dawn of Satan2) The domain of Satan3) The defeat of SatanText: Genesis 3:15, Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8
In a book dedicated to promoting the holiness of God's people, did you ever think one of the topics Paul would bring up is "marital intimacy?" Even this part of our lives needs to be done God's way. Join us as we continue our "sub-series" on the Christian sex ethic.The Christian sex ethic is...1) Anti-ascetic2) Anti-hedonistic3) Mutually self-givingText: 1 Corinthians 7:1-7
In this message, we begin a "sub-series" on the Christian sex ethic. What is sexual immorality? How do we glorify God in our bodies? It's a thousand piece jig-saw puzzle we'll start assembling.How do we glorify God with our bodies in a sexually disordered world?1) Question the prevailing winds2) Know your enemy3) Give your body an upgradeText: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
"I think we are too ready today to see vindication or vengeance through adversary proceedings, rather than peace through mediation... Good Christians, just as they are slow to anger, should be slow to sue." - Antonin ScaliaThis is a good summary of the apostle Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 6. Join us as we resume our series, "The Book About Everything."Three important principles for the church to faithfully live out when it comes to settling personal grievances:1) Keep it in-house2) Reenac...
Scripture tells us we should be true worshipers. What can we do to move toward becoming the kind of true worshipers that God seeks? Join us as we consider what it means to be an authentic worshiper.1) What is worship?2) What is the kind of worshiper God seeks?3) How do we become the kind of worshiper God seeks?Text: John 4:23-24
There's nothing distinctly Christian about loving people who love you. Christian love is exceptional: it demonstrates love for enemies. Join us as we contemplate one of the most challenging teachings of Jesus to faithfully live out.Christian love...1) The exceptional nature of it2) The motivations for itText: Luke 6:27-36
"And they lived happily ever after."Why do so many fairy tales and children's stories end this way? God put that desire in us. We long for "happily ever after." We hope it's true. Someone is going to get an ending like that. Who? Join us to find out.Four blessings and four woes that together they function to:1) Comfort the disturbed2) Disturb the comfortable3) Forecast the great reversalText: Luke 6:12-26
What do you think will give you contentment? What will provide you the satisfaction you long for? The answer to that could be a lengthy list. But most, if not all, items on that list will disappoint in the end. We settle too easily for secondary things. So what won't disappoint? Join us and find out.Sabbath ("rest"):1) How to miss it2) Tastes of it3) How to get it in fullText: Luke 6:1-11
Some people have the perception that Christians are spoilsports. Perhaps we are. But people never said that about Jesus. If anything, they accused him of having too much fun. Is that the Jesus you know? Join us and come meet Jesus.1) The atmosphere he encourages2) The challenge he issues3) The difficulties he foreseesText: Luke 5:33-39