FCC Etown Podcast

We can’t fathom that he loves us that much but he does. We live with regrets because we’ve convinced ourselves that he can’t love us that much. But He does. He loves lost people and confused people and addicted people and sinful people and immoral people and rebellious people and people who think they are good people. Jesus says, “All of you who are burdened, worried, sleepless at night. Come to m...

Our worries, concerns, and sleepless nights about parenting are greatly reduced when we are serious about fun, trust them with responsibility, discipline them with love, help them see the future, and point them to Jesus. That's what we do during the day, so it doesn't keep us up at night.

Jesus never promised an easy life, but He guaranteed that He would be with us no matter what. So, when the fear comes and we, like Peter, feel like we are drowning, all we need to do is look up and find His hand waiting to pull us up and onto firm footing.

When you've been hurt and there's bitterness and you want to hold a grudge, the way of Jesus is forgiveness. And when it wakes you up at night, the answer is forgiveness. Rest is found in forgiveness. Forgiving someone doesn't mean that you invite them back into your life. Forgiving someone doesn't mean you set yourself up to be hurt again. The whole point of Jesus's way is to move forward, not to...

There are numerous evangelism styles: In your face style, life story style, serving style, intellectual style, relational style, invitational style. Which style are you? Remember you don’t have to be who you are not. But he has made you who you are so that armed with the power of the Holy Spirit the you that you are will be a powerful witness for him in your Jerusalem.

“Go and do likewise.” Jesus didn’t say to sit and think about what I’ve explained. He said Go and do. From the story of the Good Samaritan, we can take away this reality: Unleashing compassion is almost always inconvenient; it’s almost always messy. See the need and serve. Go and do likewise.

The Person/sinner/Tax Collector Matthew was loved and connected to Jesus. Matthew was not an outsider by his own doing. His career path and actions had disconnected him from his own people. His nationality had disconnected him from a government that paid him. But Jesus made all the connections work in the life of the disconnected.

Timothy is part of the world changers. Paul’s fingerprints are all over the first century, the first years of the church, and the New Testament. Timothy and his generation of leaders are why we’re still talking about it all. Timothy imitated Paul, who imitated Jesus. But some people imitated Timothy, and people imitated them and imitated them. We get to continue this great tradition of the faith.

Maybe you’ve been following Jesus for a long time and you’re exhausted from your fight or you’re struggling with friends leaving you or what people have said about you or you’re dealing with something that is beyond what you can bare, remember that Jesus died so He may be with you in your suffering, and remember that He rose again and will redeem your suffering.

Holy is not a simple word. It’s a weighty word, a heavy word. Holy isn’t just an adjective. Holy means “Set Apart.” When you live for the purposes of God, you are set apart. You may have all kinds of plates spinning and other things that fill your days, but they are all under the umbrella that you have been set apart—you have a holy purpose, one worth living and dying for. And Paul makes it clear....

Even when there is a separation between how we want to live and how we’ve been commanded to live, even when we disagree with truth, there is love that continues to draw us closer and closer to Jesus. Truth doesn’t call for hatred of those who aren’t following the truth. Truth is a standard set in motion for us to obey. When my kids don’t obey me, I don’t hate them. I love them. I hurt for them, an...

The ability to look like Jesus doesn't take a program or an organized event. We’re provided with moments, little moments, non-headline moments, to serve others. We are on mission when our lives reflect Jesus. When we serve others like Jesus served others in the little things and in the details of life, we are on mission. FCC seeks to be a place that serves others.

The aroma of love can brush by the senses of the people in the world, and we are drawn to it. Most of all, it is who God wants us to be. We love because he first loved us, and we honor him when we love. That fragrance is not just attractive to the world around us, but it's pleasing to God. This is who we should be.

Why do we love God, Why do we gather to sing songs, learn from his Word, pray to him and worship him in everything we do? From the moment we ever knew him he has been all of these roles for us. He is savior from the moment he is also creator and teacher. Most importantly he loved us first.

What does it mean to be first? Were we first in town? Are we #1? Or is first about service, witness, and mimics of Jesus? Through Jesus' teachings on connection and humility, we begin to see who we truly are and why we truly are.

This world tries to offer us hope through a lot of broken avenues and they all, every one of them, come up short of providing us sustainable hope. God is saying, "I promise I have something WAY better than the stuff of this world! You can't see it, but trust me!" When we think about heaven and think about it, we see the world differently. We start living as citizens of heaven, living for eternity....

You are already blessed with every spiritual blessing. This is the Christmas Bonus Jesus provided for us all year round. It's not that God will give you what you need, but He already has given you these things. He has already blessed you with every spiritual blessing and it brought Him great pleasure to do so. So, this week, when you look in the mirror, remember how God sees you. Because that is w...

Stop complaining and start delegating. Start letting go. Start leaning into the things that matter and release those that don’t. And in that, you will receive the riches of life. I love this quote by Ben Stein. He said: “I cannot tell you anything that, in a few minutes, will tell you how to be rich. But I can tell you how to feel rich, which is far better. Be grateful. Be grateful about everythin...

Who is that person who encouraged, supported, challenged, or lifted you up? If you were to sit down and write a closing to a letter and you wanted to pay tribute and honor to those who you are so grateful for, people who have brought great meaning to your life, who would they be? Think about it. Who would you thank God for? Is there someone out there who would write your name down?

The Word of God is not a burden or a task. When the seed falls on your life, does it take root and grow in you? When you spend time in God's Word -Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control, start to show up in your life. That's the goal. It's not about a quota of chapters or finishing the pages in a certain number of days. It's about letting the see...

Ponder the achievement of God. He doesn’t condone our sin, nor does he compromise his standard. He doesn’t ignore our rebellion, nor does he relax his demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes our sin and, incredibly, sentences himself. God’s holiness is honored. Our sin is punished… and we are redeemed. God does what we cannot do so we can be what we dare not dream: perfect before God. -Ma...

Baptism is the culmination of unwavering trust in Jesus. It is going all in with Jesus. After all he's done for you, it is your commitment and unwavering trust in him. This is not just a ceremony or some optional event. This is how Jesus asked us to express our belief in him.

Does forgiveness mean that you step right back into a hurtful relationship? No. Does forgiveness mean that you just forget what you learned from an experience? No. But you forgive because it was modeled for you and you forgive because forgiveness will set you free.

May we live uncommon lives filled with joy that exceeds our current circumstances. May we live uncommon lives filled with peace amid great uncertainty? May we live uncommon lives that cling to hope in the midst of fear? May we live uncommon lives for God's sake to draw a watching world to the hope we've found.

Men and women just like Peter who failed, had flaws and sins, and were shaky on their own, that God started and built his church. So many people just like Peter started to make sure people heard about Jesus, and all these years later, it's because of Peter and people just like Peter who were used by Jesus that the news of Jesus' grace has reached your ears right here at First Christian Church.