Central Community Church | Sermon Audio

How should we think about suffering?  Suffering both on a global and on a personal scale seems at the outset to be a problem for God.  Yet as we look into God’s word, he gives us not only answers for our suffering but incredible hope through it.  A theology of suffering prepares us for both the questions that can be asked of our faith as well as hope when we face it in our own...

Revelation 20:7-15 Time is quickly moving forward to a day when all must give an accounting for their lives. Scripture teaches that we are judged according to our deeds. While Satan is a real and formidable adversary in the end we need not fear him; God will conquer him. What we do well to consider is which of two books we will use at the last judgment. The book outlining the deeds of our lives, o...

Revelation 20:1-6 The “Come, Lord Jesus!” refrain at the end of Revelation captures the tension of Lent: Sin has been paid for, death has been defeated, the new heavens and new earth are coming…but not yet. Present difficulties beckon us to pray “Come, Lord Jesus!” because of the bright future that is ours in Christ because of all that He has accomplished for us. Whi...

Revelation 20:1-6 The millennial reign of Christ is one of the most hotly contested passages in Scripture. Despite the questions and debates, what all followers of Christ can agree on from this text is that there is great hope for the follower of Christ because Jesus has decisively won the victory over Satan on the cross.  

Revelation 20:1-6 As we begin this Lent season, we do so focusing on the hope we have in Heaven.  Nothing makes the fruit of sin so distasteful as seeing and savoring the rewards that God has placed before us.  As we start this season we do so looking to this strange passage of the reign of Christ on earth.  While many disagree on how to interpret this confusing passage, the hope we...

It is fascinating how complex and intricate creatures we are; we have our secret longings and preferences that trample our conscious and smart ones. That’s one of the reasons why we procrastinate! We know the smart thing would be to use the couple hours we have available to finally clean up the garage, but in the inner chambers of our hearts lies anything else and everything else but what we...

Acts 28:17-31 How often do you share your faith in Christ with others? What are your greatest barriers that hinder you from engaging in evangelism? In this sermon we explore how Paul’s example in Acts 28:17-31 gives us compelling answers for how we might overcome our hurdles and fears, so that we might follow Paul’s example of bold, unhindered Gospel proclamation.

Acts 28:17-31 The abrupt ending to the book of Acts leaves room for endless, open-ended opportunities to declare the Word of God and His gospel without hindrance. Like Paul, we are invited to waste no time, opportunity, words, or resources in the spread of the gospel from our corner of the world to the end of the earth.

Acts 28:17-31 The finale of the book of Acts is one that beautifully encompasses the story of the church.  Jesus sends out his disciples to take this good news to the ends of the earth and we close the book we realize there is still so much left to do.  Paul has made it to Rome, yet the call is to pick up the story and carry forward the good news of Jesus Christ to all the nations. ...

Acts 27:1-28:16 Jesus told Paul that he would go to Rome to testify about Him. What He didn’t tell him was how difficult it would be for him to get there. This sermon explores what to make of the fact that we get to our destination through the seas of trouble.

Acts 27:1 - 28:16 Being in the center of God’s will and following His plan for your life does not guarantee “smooth sailing”, but His itinerary for the journey will be filled with His surprising provision, protection, opportunities to share His goodness, and the encouragement of His family.

Acts 27:1 - 28:16 Like many of the storms we face in life, Paul’s Shipwreck comes unexpectedly. Yet God sovereignly works through this historical grand adventure to guide us in how live attractive and faithful lives to those around us.

Acts 27:1 - 28:16 Do God’s promises still hold true?  We very often begin to ask that question when we face a major problem in our life.  But as we see Paul’s journey to Rome we realize that God doesn’t make fair-weather promises, but his word holds true no matter the circumstance.  We can rely on God’s promises in our life even in the face our most difficult...

Acts 25-26 How do you feel when an injustice is done to you? When you are powerless to demonstrate the truth and yet everyone around you teams up against you, sometimes even against logic, evidence, or reason… As we look into Paul’s trial before Festus and Agrippa we’ll consider the practical applications to our own Christianity, our perspective on injustice, the dazzling pleasu...

Acts 25 & 26 In our text this morning Paul finds himself on the receiving end of more false accusations. At this point the Jewish leaders want him dead, and set forth another plan to see that this happens. But God has other plans for Paul. In this seemingly bleak scenario God in his providence protects Paul, who although is standing in the face of injustice again, stands firm in his faith and...

Acts 25 & 26

Acts 23:12-24:27 Whether you like it or not, if you call yourself a Christian, gospel opposition is a certainty not a probability. And while it seems more blatant recently, this is not a modern phenomenon. From the day Jesus ascended to heaven, the good news of Jesus Christ has been opposed at every turn. So how do we as the church respond? In Acts 23 and 24, Paul gives us a masterful example to f...

Acts 23:12-24:27 Injustice is part of the world we live in. We’ve all experienced injustice in different ways. Paul experienced more than his fair share of injustice for being a follower of Jesus. In fact, he begins and ends this text unjustly bound in prison. But through Paul’s example and the work of God, we learn how to hold firm to our faith, even in the midst of great injustice.

Acts 23:12-24:27 As God’s purpose that the Good News about Jesus be given to the Gentiles prevailed, so did the bizarre persecution that Paul faced. And in it all, God’s powerful providence is seen – His beautiful (and maybe just as bizarre!), protective care and provision.

Acts 23:12-24:17 Courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to act in spite of it.  Paul’s courage is on display in this passage, not because he is courageous, but because Jesus is with him.  In the same way we can be courageous knowing that God is with us as we share the gospel and even as we wait. 

Acts 22:22-23:11 This section of Acts reminds us that the gospel extends to people we assume are beyond reach, comes down to the resurrection, and brings comfort even in the midst of our greatest hardships.

Acts 22:22-23:11 Sharing Christ in an increasingly post-Christian culture can be difficult. These challenges are why Jesus sent his disciples out with the encouragement to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” In Acts 22:22-23:11 Paul demonstrates how followers of Christ are called to live and share about Jesus strategically, with a deep confidence of Christ’s presence wit...

Acts 22:22 - 23:11 How should we go about sharing the gospel?  God has called us to spread this good news, but what is necessary for us to do so?  As Paul is on trial, we see his courage to speak clearly and winsomely in a difficult situation because God is standing with him. 

Acts 21:12-22:21 In faith, Paul, confident of his calling and filled with conviction, arrives in Jerusalem where things quickly go sideways. Unintentionally creating division in the Jerusalem church, Paul humbly submits to the Elders with a heart for unity in the face of diversity. In a fulfillment of the warnings he has received from the Spirit, a riot breaks out, Paul is falsely accused, beaten...

Acts 21:17-22:21 Paul’s final days in Jerusalem are filled with turmoil and uncertainty. Devout jews are spreading false ideas about Paul and his ministry, which is causing turmoil inside and outside of the church. As a confrontation comes to a head at the temple, we gain a glimpse into the disposition and priority of Paul’s ministry: Authenticity, Reality, Compassion, and Conviction.