Downtown at Austin Christian

As we continue our study of Jesus' final words before he died on the cross, we come across these three words Jesus uttered: "I am thirsty." It seems so basic, yet as Christian breaks down in today's sermon, there is more to it than meets the eye. In today's lesson, Christian breaks down these three words in a way that helps us to grasp how to live life to the full.

Of all the things that we are asked to do as followers of Jesus. Forgiving those who wrong us is probably one of the hardest ones. Whether it is from a trusted friend who deeply wounds you to the guy who cut you off in traffic this morning, we can struggle to forgive those around us. Yet while He hung on the cross, Jesus showed an incredible example for us as He forgave those who crucified Him and...

Jumping into a new series as a lead up to Easter, we are looking at the last words spoken by Jesus before he dies on the cross. Today, we cover Jesus' words, "Woman, behold, your son!" While he hangs on the cross in agony, Jesus still takes the time to ensure that his mother is cared for in his absence. Dave unpacks what this meant in that time and culture while also connecting the c...

(Apologies in advance for sound quality. Our primary recording system failed.) Have you ever been called to do something before you felt like you were ready? Maybe it was stepping into a new role or position, entering parenthood, moving away from home for the first time? Maybe it was God calling you to take a step of faith in something? How do we move forward when there are so many things that mig...

There are many things we like in theory. I like the IDEA of getting in shape, but when the time comes to order a salad or head to the gym, we can find ourselves promising, "next time." We can also find ourselves in this situation when it comes to our walk with Jesus. Following Jesus' teachings sounds great, but when He calls us to forgive our enemies or to deny ourselves, this become...

In today's culture it is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate how to live and practice Christian values without compromising to match the values of the world. We are told to follow our hearts and to not speak of objective truth. How do we stand firm in Biblical truth while still holding a posture of loving others as Jesus called us to? Darren preaches about this topic today and gives 3...

As Christians, we were called to be on a mission with Jesus: to spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth and to make disciples of all nations. But how do we live that out on a day to day basis? What if we aren't extroverts or are petrified of the idea of talking to strangers? What if we've been struggling in our faith and don't really feel like our light is shining at the moment? Are...

There are so many ways we can identify ourselves today. What we do for a living, our roles in our families, political ideologies, race, hobbies and so much more. These identities shape how we see ourselves, how we see others, and factor into the decisions we make. But what happens when these identities become disordered? When something becomes primary that should be secondary? As Christians, our p...

What does it mean to walk with God? As we start our new series: Revive, we explore 4 pillars of spiritual formation. Where and who we spend our time with, shapes who we become. If we desire to become more like Jesus, then we need to walk with Him! But, if you've ever walked with someone else before, that is easier said than done! How do we walk with God in our day to day lives? Join us today a...

As we start off the year, one of the questions we probably ask ourselves is: "What is my purpose?" We are always searching for our purpose. Why do we exist? Why were we made? Today we explore our purpose as Christians. What did God make us for? Why do we exist and how do we find our purpose?

Hope is one of the hallmarks of Christmas. The hope of that gift that you've been wanting. The hope of a new year. And of course the hope that comes with Jesus being born. As life goes on though, it can be harder to be hopeful. We can become jaded or cynical like Scrooge. How do we continue to take the hits that life hands out without becoming cynical? Today we look at Simeon and Anna's st...

Life throws all kinds of curveballs, interruptions, and disruptions our way. How do we deal with repeated discouragements and broken dreams? Today we start our new series: Christmas Stories - Their Stories Tell His. We dive into other people's stories that were involved in Jesus' story and how their faith and experience reflected Jesus' story. This week, Joseph, Jesus' earthly fath...

Confidence is good, but we've all made the mistake of being overconfident before. It usually doesn't play out well. That can also happen in our spiritual walk. The church in Laodicea didn't need anything or anyone, but that was the issue. They had gotten so confident in themselves that they've stopped relying on Jesus and pushed him out. How do we avoid making the same mistakes in...

Has anyone else noticed how much Thanksgiving has been sidelined? Overtaken by Christmas and Black Friday sales, most of the thoughts toward Thanksgiving are focused on what we are going to put on our plates first. But maybe there is more to Thanksgiving than that. The Bible certainly has a lot to say about gratitude and giving thanks, but why is it so important? Today we take a brief detour and t...

It is easy when we are surrounded by our own worries and problems to stay focused on ourselves. But as christians, we know we've been given a mission to spread the gospel to the rest of the world? How can we make sure we see the doors that God is opening around us? This Sunday, our guest speaker Moses Kalala shares stories from the church in Kinshasa, DRC as he reminds us that Jesus has opened...

Complacency doesn't usually strike us as the worst thing in the world, yet in Jesus' letter to the church in Sardis, he seems to take it pretty seriously. Today we look at the history of Sardis and discover why complacency was an issue there and how to deal with complacency in our own lives today.

Compromise can be a good thing. Rather than have to choose one or the other, why not have both? But in the case of the church in Thyatira, this was the issue Jesus pointed out in his letter. There are some things that we simply cannot afford to make compromises. How do we hold on to our convictions when the world around us is trying to sell us on compromise?

Today it can become harder and harder to tell what is real. This isn't a new problem. The Christians in Pergamum were dealing with false doctrines and teachings coming into the church. As they lived with the reality of being ruled by the Roman Empire, temptation to compromise their convictions for the sake of even being able to make a living was very real. How do we draw lessons from the churc...

What is worth dying for? It is an intense question, but it is a critically important one, because it determines our priorities and therefore how we make decisions and choose to live our lives. The church in Smyrna was faced with this question on a daily basis. Would you be willing to give up your life? Or would you give up your faith instead? Though we don't often have to face this choice here...

What would Jesus say to us if he visited our churches today? Are we on track? Have we lost our way? Today we start our series Letters & Lampstands. We look at the seven letters Jesus wrote to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation and see if there are any points we can consider for ourselves today. Ephesus was a wealthy port town saturated with idol worship. The church had endured hardship a...

We've all done difficult things before. We subject ourselves to hardship and suffering in pursuit of a higher goal. Whether it is enduring school to get a better job, or long nights as a parent to raise our children, we all understand choosing the more difficult path in service of the greater good. So when it comes to our discipleship, to following Jesus, are we also willing? God calls us to b...

Join us as Austin Christian Church celebrates our 30th Anniversary! Today David talks about crossroads moments. The Israelites stand on the edge of taking the promised land. Before those fateful steps across the Jordan River, Joshua calls the people to prepare themselves. As we stand at crossroads moments, as a church and in our own lives, how do we take those first steps of faith into the unknown...

As followers of Christ, we are called to give. "Not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver." But how do we get there? What happens if our hearts aren't in the space to give? How do we become cheerful givers? Often times we just feel guilted into giving, but that isn't what God wants for us! Today we dive into the heart behind giving and the incredible...

When difficult times come, we know we are supposed to trust God, but how do we actually do that? Why is it something that is so difficult? Today we look at the story of Joseph and try to find out how he was able to trust God through all the ups and downs of his life. (Sorry the first 5 minutes were lost due to audio issues!)

As we head into the fall season, things can get so busy that we often lose sight of what we are trying to accomplish or what we want to focus on. That is why it is so important to maintain clear vision. But beyond what our vision for the fall or even the rest of our lives might be, what is God's vision for our lives and for His people?