Come To The Table

If you grew up attending church, you probably know the story of Jesus’ birth from memory. Even if you didn’t attend church regularly, the image of Mary and Joseph surrounded by animals and their new baby is familiar. But how much have you thought about Joseph’s role in Jesus’ birth? As Pastor Mark looks today at Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth, he sheds new light on Joseph and his part in the pr...

Have you ever been shocked to see someone at church? It could be that it’s someone you know personally and you are surprised because you know the kind of life they live. Or maybe you don’t even know the person but they just don’t really look, smell, or act the part? Today Pastor Mark begins teaching through the book of Matthew, and you’ll see some interesting characters following Christ! It’s easy...

Pastor Mark has been following Paul through his missionary journeys in the book of Acts, but now Paul is in chains on his way to Rome for a trial. And not only that but he’s been shipwrecked and bitten by a snake! He was in the middle of a trial when things just seemed to keep getting darker. In every dark and frightening step of the way, God was taking care of Paul. Pastor Mark is here to remind...

What is it that God has promised you? He promised Paul that he would get him to Rome. Paul was probably thinking he’d get there through a journey on a ship, but he probably never imagined he would get there through trials and imprisonment and shipwreck and snakebites! Pastor Mark reminds us today that what God has promised to do, he is going to do. But sometimes God doesn’t do things in the way yo...

Is your life a shipwreck right now? Then you’re in great company! The apostle Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome for trial. He washed up on the shore of that island with nothing but the clothes on his back. Now, some people may say that when you’re shipwrecked and everything is lost, you’re not good for much and can’t be used by God for someone else. Pastor Mark reminds us today that God can...

After Paul’s ship was wrecked in a giant storm, he and everyone else on the ship made it safely to an island. Pastor Mark is going to show us today that the island’s name meant, “honey.” The island was a sweet place of refuge after the storm. Pastor Mark reminds us today that God allows the storms in our lives to help us grow, but that after the bitterness of the storm, He also wants to restore us...

There are different kinds of storms. Some of them God allows to come in order to refine and grow us. Some of them simply result from living in a broken world. And some of them we cause for ourselves. Pastor Mark asks the question today, are you in a storm that you’ve caused by your own sinful behavior? There is only one answer for escaping the storms you’ve caused yourself. Repent and run back to...

The loudest testimony you have can be one where you don’t speak a word. Every person on earth goes through trials. That’s just part of being human and living on earth. But when a follower of Jesus goes through the trials, we have an opportunity to show the world who God is by how we respond to the difficulties. Pastor Mark shows us that our testimony rests on our responses to the trouble around us...

Pastor Mark brings up a really great point today about how much of the Bible we choose to believe. When a person picks and chooses which parts to believe or not believe, it makes the entirety unbelievable. When you choose which parts of Jesus you like and others that you don’t, you erode the truth. So when it comes to scripture, take it all! When you take every part of scripture you don’t have to...

Is your God too small? Pastor Mark points out today that we can say we believe in the God of the bible but still forget how great and awesome he truly is. You might believe pretty easily for the small stuff—the headaches of life. But what about when it gets big? Pastor Mark is going to show you today that a headache and a life-threatening illness both answer to the same God. They both answer to th...

When you take a look at the time Jesus spent on earth, you’ll see many, many times where he faced accusations from his enemies. When you look at the lives of the disciples, you’ll see much of the same! So why does it surprise us when we encounter false accusations at the hands of the enemies of Christ? Pastor Mark reminds us today that when we follow Christ everything doesn’t always smell like ros...

When you think about the really difficult seasons in your life, how easy is it for you to say those troubles were “light and momentary?” Pastor Mark shows us from the life of Paul today that even though the trials can be huge and lasting, they’re still nothing compared to the glory God has waiting for you. When you consider eternity, an eternity spent with God, an eternity void of pain or sufferin...

It’s so easy to forget how much God loves your neighbor when he blasts his music at 3 am. It’s easy to forget how much God loves your boss when she is yelling at you. But God doesn’t forget. Pastor Mark tells us today that God loves the people around you so much that he placed you in their lives. So take a look around today. Whose life does God want you to touch with his love? Where are your oppor...

Paul faced some very difficult and trying times, and in the middle of them, he was able to testify to God’s goodness and to the gospel. It seems the harder things got, the more Paul spoke boldly, and the more glory was given to God. No matter what it is you face in this life, don’t lose your boldness for the gospel. Pastor Mark is going to show us today that the reward is worth the trial. That thi...

Pastor Mark is sharing a story of the days right after his conversion when he ended up spending time in jail because of crimes he committed before he came to know Christ. Most people would look at jail time as a horrible event, but Pastor Mark followed the example of Paul and used the time to worship. What are you facing right now? Pastor Mark was facing jail time and he used it to worship and lea...

Have you ever stepped out in faith for something you know God has called you to do? Moses did that once. He tried to use his own power to free the Israelites. He knew he was supposed to do it, he just had the timeline wrong. Way wrong. Pastor Mark asks the question today, what do we do when that happens?

It’s hard to imagine what the apostle Paul would be doing and saying in America today. Would he be at the heart of riots like he was back then? Why did riots and violence always seem to follow the man who came with the message of the gospel? What was it about his message that was so offensive to the world? Pastor Mark is working his way through the book of Acts, and today we’re tracking with him a...

Pastor Mark is continuing through the book of Acts today. Paul is speaking before the governing bodies and begins his speech with “I have a good conscience before God.” Hearing this begs the question, do you have a good conscience before God? Pastor Mark is going to show us from scripture how a good conscience is essential to ministry. So, stop for a moment and do some self-evaluation. Has your mi...

God crafted your story from the beginning with a specific purpose in mind. He has singled you out to reach someone. He prepared each of your steps ahead of time to make you uniquely able to connect with another person that he’s calling. Pastor Mark is going to show you the power of your story today by going through Paul’s story. You may have portions of your life you wish you could forget, but God...

Pastor Mark is diving into Paul’s testimony he shared with the Jews, and he’s going to show you the strategies that Paul used! If you’ve ever shied away from sharing your story with someone else, this is the message for you! Paul was sharing with a hostile crowd in today’s passage, but he skillfully finds the common ground. There is immense power in sharing your story, and Pastor Mark is going to...

The church is one! Today Pastor Mark is diving into the conflict in the early church between Jew and Gentile. The Jewish believers felt that the Gentiles needed to follow the entire law in order to be followers of Christ, but that’s not how it is. God made a way for each of us to be in a relationship with him without the barrier of the law. When Jesus died and was raised to life again, he paved th...

When your eyes are opened and you come to understand the mystery of the gospel, all you want to do is share it with the people around you. In this teaching, Pastor Mark talks about our testimonies and the power that they hold. But they won’t always be received instantly, the way we would want them to be. Sometimes people will think you’re crazy, just like Pastor Mark! But it’s ok! Get out there an...

As in all things, there are seasons in ministry. Pastor Mark is going to talk about the seasons of ministry as they relate to parenting in part of today’s message. Phillip was one of the guys who was chosen to lead the church in the role of deacon. He was active in leadership and was even the one who was moved by the Spirit to the road where the Ethiopian traveled. But as Pastor Mark shows us, lat...

Pastor Mark is talking about what it means to raise your children up within the kingdom of God today. It takes a lot of effort to show them the way! At the end of your day, you can make the choice to kick back and put your feet up. You can zone out to your favorite tv show. Or you can invest in the lives of your kids. Pastor Mark is going to show you today that it’s worth putting off relaxation. I...

Pastor Mark is covering the topic of investing in the kingdom today. We all understand to some degree what it means to save our money in accounts that will create interest. You put your savings into a savings account and gain a certain percentage over time. When we invest in the kingdom, it works the same way. But when you think about the spread of the gospel, it won't be a paltry percentage gaine...