New Life Downtown

Our world is divided by rage, and these angry divisions are often justified by what we perceive as the other's foolishness. This is exactly the scene in 1 Samuel 25 with Nabal, David, and Abigail. Pastor Glenn Packiam helps us see how Abigail embodies wisdom by her intervention, offering to take the blame and saving David from bloodshed. This points forward to Jesus, who saves us from our folly an...

David is hiding out in a cave with his band of political refugees when Saul enters unaware that David is inside. David is presented with the opportunity to remove a corrupt king and advance his own position, but he decides not to take justice into his own hands. Pastor Jason Jackson shows how David's response to Saul can guide us when leaders fail today. Sermon Slides: When Leaders Fail

What do we do when the community around us aren't quite the people we were hoping for? Preaching from the story of David in the Cave of Adullam, Pastor Glenn Packiam calls us to cultivate the friendships we have, trusting God to be at work in surprising ways. Jesus Himself gathered all the marginalized and the misfits and brought them in with a healing inclusivity. The Church-the people gathered a...

What does a loyal kind of love look like? We may feel like our early relationships of intimacy - like the homes we grew up in - have doomed us to dysfunctional relationships. Preaching from 1 Samuel 20, Pastor Glenn Packiam shows how the story of Jonathan and David's friendship reveals what steadfast love looks like, how steadfast love for others always points towards God's steadfast love for us i...

As Israel celebrates David's victory over Goliath, 1 Samuel 18-19 spotlights the responses of the royal family. Saul envies David and seeks to destroy him, but Jonathan loves David and seeks his good. Pastor Jason Jackson unpacks these contradictory reactions and challenges us to consider how we respond to the strengths and success of others. Sermon Slides: David and Goliath

The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 is one of the most well known and loved stories in all of Scripture. This week Pastor Jason Jackson looks at David's response to the giant Philistine's threat and - invites us to consider how we should respond to evil in our world. Sermon Slides: The Envy of Saul

How do we actually join God in His work? It's easy to feel like our lives are too small, too insignificant, too invisible to matter. Yet the God who saw David, sees us. Preaching from 1 Samuel 16, Pastor Glenn Packiam helps us discover how we can participate in God's purpose with God's power. Sermon Slides: David's Anointing

Loneliness seems to be on the rise, even in our age of connectedness. But our need for a faithful friend has not changed. Preaching from 1 Samuel 14 about Jonathan's armor-bearer, Pastor Glenn Packiam helps us see our deep need for friends we can trust, friends who know us and trust us, and friends will join us in the fight. Yet friendship alone is not enough. We need friends who will move us towa...

Power often creates problems. The culture around us wants to solve this by eliminating power and flattening out structures. In the story of Saul's failure, Pastor Glenn Packiam helps us notice the ways that Saul mismanaged his power. When we mistake our identity, we mishandle our authority. Yet the Gospel reshapes power by pointing us to its source and its purpose. Sermon Slides: Saul's Failure

Israel insists on having a king - a demand that was a rejection of God and that would not lead to their own good. Teaching from 1 Samuel 8-10, Pastor Glenn Packiam shows how God sometimes gives in to our demands to let us see where that road leads. And yet, even then, God does not give up on us. God is able to redeem even our worst mistakes and get the story back on track. Sermon Slides: Israel's...

First Samuel 4-6 records several unusual and unsettling stories about the ark of the covenant. This week Pastor Jason Jackson demonstrates what these narratives teach us about the God who is enthroned above the ark. He will not be used. He will not be a reserve. He will not be treated lightly. And He will return to restore everything the enemy has taken. Sermon Slides: The Revelations of the Lost...

Samuel was raised to be a priest. He was formed in private where he learned to hear the word of Yahweh. Then God called him to a public, prophetic vocation - to speak truth to power on God's behalf. In this sermon, Pastor Jason Jackson examines how Samuel's call informs our own and points ahead to Jesus, the true prophet. Sermon Slides: Samuel's Call

In this kickoff to the series on 1 Samuel, Pastor Glenn Packiam draws to the questions that will shape the series: Who is running the world? How will God bring His kingdom on earth? The saga opens with an extended story of Hannah's plight, prayer, and praise. As we look closely, we learn that God is not distant or disinterested in our lives, but is present and attentive. Furthermore, the God to wh...

On Epiphany Sunday, Pastor Glenn Packiam shares how the light of God shone brightly through New Life Downtown in 2018, and what our vision for the upcoming year will be. Turning to the story of the Magi bearing gifts, we are challenged to move from seekers to worshippers to obedient followers of King Jesus.

On the sixth day of Christmas we celebrate together God's pursuit and presence with us. Merry Christmas! Sermon Slides: The Christmas Pursuit and Presence

We often hear that Jesus saves, but what is salvation? Why did Simeon associate 'salvation' with the 'consolation of Israel'? When we look more closely at what he meant, we begin to see a wider picture of what salvation is. Pastor Glenn Packiam teaches from the Song of Simeon, and shows us why Simeon was ready to go to his grave after seeing the infant Messiah. Sermon Slides: Songs of Expectation:...

Have you ever experienced a joy that was so deep you couldn't help but sing? Maybe the opposite experience is more frequent: we have lost our song because we have lost our joy. What's worse, we've lost our joy because our lives are broken and we feel forgotten by God. Pastor Glenn Packiam helps us see how the song of the angels to the lowly and unlikely shepherds is a witness to us of the good new...

In this second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Jason Jackson walks us through the song Zechariah sings at John's circumcision. Zechariah sings about a divine visitation - about God coming to save his people. His medley presents a sweeping, breath-taking view of salvation and ultimately invites us to know the God revealed in Jesus. Sermon Slides: Songs of Expectation: Zechariah

In this first Sunday of Advent, Pastor Glenn Packiam explores the message of Mary's song, known as the Magnificat. Mary sings about a great reversal, one that reveals God's might, mercy, and remembrance of us. This song reminds us that Advent is a season of expectation and preparation because it highlights the coming of God and the judgment and justice He will bring. In the end, the Magnificat is...

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In a special conversation between Pastor Glenn Packiam and scientist and theologian Reverend Professor David Wilkinson, we learn about the relationship between science and faith, how miracles don't contradict the laws of nature, and more. We see God as the architect and the artist of the cosmos, creating both order and extravagance. We also are reminded that our hope as Christians is for resurrect...

We want to believe that we have the power to achieve what we aspire to, but when we find ourselves stuck, we are forced to admit that we are powerless to change our situation or to save ourselves. Preaching from the story of the paralyzed man laying by the pool of Bethesda, Pastor Glenn Packiam shows us how the words Jesus spoke to the man imparted resurrection life and empowered Him to end an old...

This week Pastor Jason Jackson re-examines Zacchaeus's encounter with Jesus. This story is not about Zacchaeus seeking to see Jesus but about Jesus seeking to see and save Zacchaeus and ultimately each of us. As Jesus invites himself into our lives, He also invites us into His life and His mission. Sermon Slides: Encounters 3 - Zacchaeus

Re-make yourself, or just love yourself. Those are the conflicting messages we often hear. But Jesus says something more radical and more beautiful; He calls us to be born again. Pastor Glenn Packiam invites us to reflect on how a new beginning means a new birth, a new nature, and a new future.