1 Thing Matters

Virtually everyone has some thought or opinion on what church is or isn't, or what it should or shouldn't be. There's one perspective that matters more than all of them, though, and it belongs to the One who established the church in the first place. This is the third in a five-week series that focuses on the church and God's purpose for it in our lives.  The church could attract so many if o...

Virtually everyone has some thought or opinion on what church is or isn't, or what it should or shouldn't be. There's one perspective that matters more than all of them, though, and it belongs to the One who established the church in the first place. This is the second in a five-week series that focuses on the church and God's purpose for it in our lives. While we are used to the limitations of ti...

Virtually everyone has some thought or opinion on what church is or isn't, or what it should or shouldn't be. There's one perspective that matters more than all of them, though, and it belongs to the One who established the church in the first place. This is the first in a five-week series that focuses on the church and God's purpose for it in our lives. Today God answers the question, "Who is his...

When you're feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place, do you go with your gut or with God? Follow Pharaoh's final footsteps and you'll see the clear answer.

Does God Really Love You?

God promises to work out ALL things for the good of those who love him, but... can he really make good on that promise?

You didn't want to... but you did it anyway. Why? Why do we struggle with doing what we know we shouldn't and not doing what we know we should? Knowing the answer to these questions is not nearly as important as knowing the solution to the problem.

In the midst of such deep division in our world, we look to Jesus for unity, and what he promises is... more division?

Got fear? Get Jesus. If he was able to address your biggest fear, then rest assured, he can handle your ongoing and daily fears as well.

Jesus told his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" (Mt. 9:37). Why? Why aren't there more workers, and what does it take to be numbered among them?

Are you building on a foundation of rock or sand, and how do you know?

Sure, Jesus says "Watch out!", but how... and why? This is the first of a two-part series, "Fruit and Foundations."

Anxiety has been described by many different people in many different ways, and they all have something in common: none of them are pleasant. But you don't need me to tell you that. You undoubtedly know from experience. Whether you suffer from chronic anxiety or deal with it periodically, you've experienced how suffocating it can feel. But there is hope - hope for anxiety. While I will always poin...

Whether you have 20/20 vision, are legally blind, or are somewhere in-between, we are all born blind when it comes to our spiritual sight. But that doesn’t mean we’re lost. God offers a way for those willing to see how blind they are.

We know that heaven isn’t earned, right? We know that our works count for nothing as far as our salvation is concerned, don’t we? So we say. Nevertheless, our way of thinking and our very lives themselves often reveal otherwise. This morning we take an honest look at our works and where they really rank in our lives.

Calvary was not the only battlefield on which our Savior handed Satan defeat, nor was it the first. Jesus’ duel in the desert with the devil put the devil in his place and showed that our Savior had what it took to take down temptation.

What is the best way to live for the Lord? There is no better way than to start by listening. Listening to the Lord and living for him are inseparable. Do you really want to live more for him? Start by listening. This is the final sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living.

We crave affirmation. A child obeys his father in an effort to receive it. An employee works hard for her boss to receive it. Do we live for the Lord for the same reason, or is there more to it? This is the fifth sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living.

Knowing the Lord is key to loving him. What do we do for those we love? We live for them. In the second half of our series, our focus shifts to living for him who loves us most. This is the fourth sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living.

Living for God depends on knowing him better. In addition to knowing our Savior as the Lamb and the Light, we also rightly call him Lord. But… do we even know what that title means? Do we really know what we’re saying when we call him our Lord? This is the third sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living.

Living for God depends on knowing him better. One of the more common names given to Jesus is the Light. If you want to live in the light, the key is greater focus on its source. This is the second sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living.

How you live depends on who you know. To know and care only about yourself is to live a life of selfishness - one which will be empty of real joy and purpose. If you want more than that for your life, get to know the One who can make it possible - the Lamb. This is the first sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living .

Will you ever be good enough? What if you have all the right resolutions and actually keep them this year - will that be enough to find favor with God? The bad news? The answer is no. The good news? In Jesus Christ, the answer is a resounding yes! Relying on his righteousness is better than good enough.

Though some may frown on the practice of re-gifting, there is an appropriate place for it. When it comes to God's gift of grace, each of us can say along with Paul, "God has given it to me, for you." Grace in Christ Jesus is for everyone, and it was revealed to us in part so that we can then make it known to others. So then, grace is meant to be re-gifted. 

Paradox: "a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well-founded or true." What do we do when we come across a paradox in Scripture? Avoid it? Discard it? What if instead, we chose to study it? When we study it, we allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten us with a deeper understanding of any supposed contradictions. The world h...