Living Savior Podcast

Today we see what truly makes us fortified. Whether we securing our assets, looking after loved one, or pursuing better health, everyone is after so, if not ever, sort of protection. And although everyone is after that in life, there are no guarantees. You are only as protected as what you can provide. How different is life inside the gate of our Good Shepherd! Nothing can harm his sheep, for he l...

This week we see what it means to truly have fulfillment. Normally finding fulfillment means arriving. It means reaching some goal or achieving some success. Not so in the economy of the resurrected Savior, as we see in all of our lessons today. It was God’s power that made the lame walk (Acts 18). It’s God’s forgiveness that makes us humble to confess (1 John). Only the risen Savior could bring p...

This week we see the same old fears that every human has without the eternal truth of Easter. What we empirically experience in life is more than evidence. It’s all that we know. But that leads to a reality like that of Thomas, namely, one without peace. Yet out of pure grace and power Jesus made his resurrection credible. For Thomas and the rest of his disciples, Jesus tied this eternal truth to...

Today is just the beginning of the comfort God has for you. Join us for the whole series which continues through the next six weeks — “THAT LIFE.” As in, “It’s that _____ life.” Maybe it’s that job life, that mom or dad life, that vacation life, that teen life, etc. Whatever fills that blank for you and brings fulfillment in life, there’s a reason for feeling like you’ve arrived. We are hardwired...

What does strength really looks like? Normally, we understand strength as something you assert, something you impose. The same is often (and unfortunately) seen in the church. Each of us has strengths that can be seen, but the danger is that they benefit only the strong. Note how clear Jesus’ strength is on this special day. He demonstrates humility not only in how he is perceived but in what he w...

This week we see what true connection is like. Normally, what you know and who you know determines how you can have influence over others. In almost every way in the world, influence is everything. Therefore, your connections are everything. Not so in the kingdom of God. Jesus glorified his Father’s name not through influence of power but in sacrifice. Therefore, his connection to his Father is no...

This week we see what truly gives us status, not just in our eyes, but in God's eyes. Usually, so much depends on what people think about us. And what people think about us determines where we stand with them and many others. And yet, study after study has proven how unhealthy it is to determine our status upon what other people think. The solution? Care less about what others think. Does that wor...

This week we take a look at the common thread through all religions—faith. Faith is trusting/believing is something that we don’t see. And although there are a whole host of things that we struggle to believe, arguably the hardest thing to believe is that the faith of our religion isn’t about us at all. Religion is personal. Obedience matters. The truth of the matter is that we can never do enough...

This week we see how the worldly concept of life and identity must be turned upside down. We must completely lose ourselves, even in the face of suffering. That’s not a welcome thought naturally, especially not in our Western culture. We put a lot of emphasis on “Finding yourself” and “Being yourself.” Individualism is praised and pursued. Yet, the Christian knows that whatever you set aside for t...

This weekend we saw how “off” the worldly concept of love is. Normally we think that the more you love someone, the more your life must revolve around them. You see that with spouses, children, and friends. But is that actually helpful for you? . . . for them? For the believer, there is more profound and beneficial love when God remains first. In fact, by properly ordering our loves, only then are...

This weekend, the sixth and final in our series entitled Quest, we see that God's great pursuit for us rests in the one authenticated as his Son. While everyone is after some kind of glory in life, the shining brilliance of Jesus provided in that glimpse of his divine power far supercedes what we could ever find or attain on our own. And as glorious as that was, he didn’t stay. That's what we see...

When we hear about mission work, we often think of bold evangelists trekking through the forest in South America or going village-to-village in the African wilderness. That's not the way the Bible describes mission work. First, consider the great pursuit that God has had to reach you. He has literally moved heaven and earth for you, so that you would know that death is not your demise and righteou...

In our worship this past weekend, we saw the importance of Christian community. We weren’t made to be alone. We weren’t made to grow in faith in isolation. Not only is it impossible to find one example in Scripture, but consider how the gospel works. God brought the good news into our hearts and lives to gather us together as a Christian community. He joined us with brothers and sisters locally, w...

How do you define yourself? Is it what you do for a living? ...where you come from? ...your race, gender, family, financial security, or faith? No surprise, everyone has a lot of advice on how you answer that. But God weighs in with an answer about what truly defines a believer. Instead of some job title or new location, this change brings heaven. Better than any title this identity changes our et...

When we think of quests, we imagine ancient kings or explorers embarking on long, arduous journeys stretching the limits of their maps, all in search of something rare, prized, and worth the sacrifice. Although today we might not embark on quests like that, we are all in search of something that's hard to find... something that transcends time, supersedes success, and outlives life. And while we a...

Do people generally look at Christmas the same as they are older? It's not just the presents. It's the whole picture. The way we look at the lights, the decorations, the joy in others, the songs... everything. Most importantly, the truths that are central to Christmas itself. When you consider the glimmer in the eyes of others, do we still marvel the way we once did? It's not just because we have...

If you were in the driver’s seat on a major, earth-shattering issue, that affects thousands, millions, or more, would you do things differently than the way people who are in charge do them? Of course, we consider this not because you or I would be in that spot or could do it, but simply to put ourselves objectively on the outside looking in. In this way we can consider the size of the issue and a...

Conventional wisdom suggests that, in order to avoid disappointment, we ought to expect less out of Christmas. If we prepare less and expect less our overall experience will be more blessed. In this way, less is more, right? God suggests just the opposite. Less is more, unless, of course, more is better. In the centuries leading up to the first Christmas, God revealed the truth about the coming Me...

Thanksgiving can easily look much the same for many. Yet, of all the things we are thankful for, there are some not-so-positive parts of this past year probably don't make the list. We usually don't think of being thankful for the pain and the problems, the diagnoses and disease, the loneliness and the loss. One might reasonably wonder, "How can anyone be thankful for/in moments like that?" But it...

It's one of the most common phrases said and heard. When we are overtired and overworked, it's either an explanation or an excuse. The phrase is, "I'm too busy." In many respects, it's okay to say. Maybe even, at times, we should. Other times. it's both unhelpful, or maybe even untrue. So, how are we supposed to view our life in between the mundanity of this world and the eternity that God has pre...

There is a real tension between what we see in our earthly experience and what is our eternal reality. The struggle is real. This life in between… in between this current life that is very rugged and rough around the edges and the eternal realization of God’s perfect and radiant glory. Yet, in order that we properly understand and work through this tension in between earthly appearances and eterna...

Can you think of a scenario where you give up absolutely everything that you have and you get more in return? That just doesn't happen in life. In order to become something and to get something you need to be something and take or get more. But what if I told you that this paradox was the premise for the Reformation that changed the world 500 years ago? What if I told you that it was the sum and s...

So much of life can easily pass by without much pause for hugely serious. It can seem to be a bit easier to walk through life not talking about or finding answers to questions regarding God, death, and what comes next. Although that might seem to be simpler, the time comes when we must have some kind of hope that doesn't disappoint... some kind of peace lasts. What is that for you? It needs to be...

If God’s grace is for all, then it’s for you. It’s also for the person who has done incredible wrong by our own measures. How is this so? Is God really just over things that seem to be so wrong? Or is he merely gracious and loving with no regard for what is wrong? What’s the catch? Something’s got to give. See how in this sermon.

It's the big idea above and beyond all others: how do I stand right before God? Is there something, even in the slightest, that I must do or decide or prove? This big idea has done more than just impact those who are Christians. It is at the heart of the struggle of every single person, including you. How so? See how in this sermon.