Back Creek Church | Charlotte, NC

Blessed are the pure in heart - those who seek God are blessed to see God, to ascend the hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place, not because we have clean hands and a pure heart, but because Christ does and he came to seek and to save the lost, that we might see God. No one has ever seen God, but Jesus has made Him known.

Blessed are the merciful, who have received mercy from Christ and now look with the eyes of Christ at those in need of mercy, responding with compassion (heart) and action (hands) to the poor, the hurting, and the lost. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness - those who look to Jesus for the righteousness we do not have and find that He has provided for us by satisfying the requirements of God's law in His life, satisfying the justice of God against sin in His death and resurrection, and satisfying out hunger and thirst for a practical righteousness to match our positional righteousness by se...

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Toward God, meekness bows the knee, bends the will, and believes the Word. Toward others, meekness bears mistreatment, bridles the tongue, and binds anger. Meekness imitates Jesus, overcoming evil with good. The meek inherit the earth as they never presume on or demand from God, but recognizing that all is grace, they gladly receive what he...

Note: there are audio issues with the first two minutes of this recording.

As we navigate difficult circumstances in life, Psalm 117 expresses God's invitation to be refreshed as we praise Him.

Those who Jesus says are truly blessed are those who see things as they really are - and as a result, they mourn. And to those who mourn things as they really are, Jesus alone gives comfort: He is making all things new.  Those who mourn see the HOLINESS of God.  Those who mourn see the HORROR of sin.  Those who mourn see the HOPELESSNESS of the world.  But those who mourn see JESUS as he really is...

Being "poor in spirit" means being emptied (in some specific ways) of self, that we might be filled with Christ. The poor in spirit renounce self-reliance and embrace Christ-reliance. The poor in spirit renounce self-righteousness and receive Christ's righteousness. The poor in spirit renounce self-rule and surrender to Christ's rule (receive the kingdom of heaven). 

The world's idea of #blessed usually comes down to power, possessions, popularity, pleasant experiences, and/or prosperity. But what does God say it means to be blessed?  Being blessed is about the disposition of God toward us.  Being blessed is about the orientation of our lives around God and not the world. Being blessed is about the anticipation of eternity.  The problem is that none of us qual...

The best way for God's family to honor Christmas in our hearts and try to keep it all the year is to keep the Lord's Day, every week, all week long. Like the shepherds, we gather. Like the angels, we celebrate. Like the wise men, we give. As God's children, we receive His greatest present, Jesus. And like the shepherds, we go.   Like the shepherds, when we go, our worship and our message go with u...

Jesus is God's greatest present. Have you received Him? 

The best way for God's family to honor Christmas in our hearts and try to keep it all the year is to keep the Lord's Day, every week, all year long. Like the shepherds, we gather. Like the angels, we celebrate. And like the wise men, we give.  Like the wise men, we give our worship, our joy, and our gifts. 

Every week, Christ's Church gathers to celebrate His incarnation. How do we celebrate? Like the angels, we celebrate by announcing the good news, ascribing glory to God, and advancing peace on earth. 

Like the shepherds on the night of Christ's birth, we gather in response to good news. Like the shepherds, we gather because God invites us and meets us. But unlike the shepherds, it's not a one time event for us. We gather at God's invitation and in expectation of God's presence weekly(!) on a day more significant than December 25 - the Lord's Day.

"To all who did receive [Christ], to those who believed on His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."   We who believe are family, not because of natural descent or natural desire, but because of supernatural delivery. 

Yahweh gave His people three offices to help lead them in the way of righteousness: prophet, priest, and king. The problem is that the leaders were as unrighteous as the people. So, God gave His promise: He would send a Shepherd who would be the true Prophet, Priest, and King. He would be Yahweh Tsidkenu: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

Yahweh Shalom provides peace to His people through His presence, His power, His promises, and ultimately, His Person.

"Yahweh Yireh" means The Lord Will Provide. Yahweh Yireh provides the test(s) we need, the faith we need, and ultimately, the Substitute we need.

God's names represent His being, reveal His nature and character, and rescue His people. The name El Shaddai means "God Almighty" and reveals that God is able to reach us where we are, able to rewrite our stories, and able to redeem us forever.

God's names represent His being, reveal His nature and character, and rescue His people. The name Adonai reveals that God is the Lord who rules everything that is, owns everything we have, provides everything we need, and demands everything we are. 

God's names represent His being, reveal His nature and character, and rescue His people. In Moses's encounter with God in Exodus 3, the Lord reveals His covenant name, Yahweh, the self-existent, unchanging, and faithful God. 

God's names represent His being, reveal His nature and character, and rescue His people. Genesis 1 reveals God as Elohim, the transcendent, personal Creator of the universe. 

God's name represents His being, reveals His nature and character, and rescues His people.