Northstar Church Blacksburg

This is Session 1 of the Baptism in the Early Church series.

The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is one of the ordinances that the Church has practiced for approximately 2000 years. But, what is the Lord's Supper really all about? In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul gives some stern instructions and warnings to the Corinthians about how they are to take the Lord's Supper, and we can still learn from those lessons today to make sure that we are participating in the Lord'...

What does it look like for a congregation to worship together in a way that is not focused on themselves but on others and God? The "head coverings" passage from 1 Corinthians 11 is one of those confusing passages that is often skipped over by Christians. However, within this teaching from Paul we find some powerful truths about how we should relate to each other as Christians and worship in a way...

Christians have been given freedom in Christ. No longer do Christians have to walk on eggshells, worried about legalistic rules and regulations. However, how should a Christian use their freedom to build up other believers and draw other people to Jesus? In 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1, we see that a preoccupation with personal liberty can hinder a Christian's gospel witness.

What things are so important to you that you really don’t think life is worth living if they go away? In 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, Paul confronts the idolatry that had crept into the Corinthian church. Although these days we probably don't go to pagan temples and sacrifice to pagan gods, we still have idols in our own lives. Even though we may think we have these idols under "control," the harsh but...

Like the Corinthian Christians, we live in a culture with sinfulness all around us. We may even begin to excuse our proximity and familiarity with sin and fall into idolatry, holding onto things and elevating them above God. Even if it means standing alone, Christians need to walk with joyful boldness, being humble enough to realize our own constant need for Jesus.

If Christians are going to be obedient to the call of Christ to make disciples of all nations, we are going to have to commit ourselves to giving up our own rights and disciplining ourselves all for the sake of Christ. In this message from 1 Corinthians 9, Sean asks if Christians are living like they "came here to win," developing life rhythms modeled after Christ that will enable them to be the b...

What are you willing to give up for the sake of the gospel? When Christians cling blindly to their rights and the things that they think they "deserve," we can neglect to realize how laying down some of these things can be a way to show love toward God and others. This message from 1 Corinthians 9 shows us how Paul was willing to surrender his rights that the gospel might effectively be proclaimed...

It may come as no shock to you that Christians disagree on some things! Whenever Christians are together in community, especially when they are at different levels of spiritual maturity, some of these concerns can cause friction within the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 8 shows us how we can "balance" knowledge with love, working toward unity and submission with one another as the body of Christ.

Our culture around us does not understand or encourage contentment. Each day we are bombarded with messages that tell us that true happiness and fulfillment is just around the corner and we SHOULD be discontent with our circumstances. However, if your identity is in Christ, you can be freed from the obsession over where you aren't or what you don't have. Instead you can grow in joyful contentment...

Motherhood can simultaneously be one of life's greatest joys and also at times really...tough. The expectations on mothers, both internal and external, can feel overwhelming. On Mother's Day, we take a look at the true nature of a "Proverbs 31 woman," and the connections we see between Proverbs 31 and an unexpected character from the Old Testament - Ruth! Both mothers and would-be mothers can find...

Marriage is treated carelessly in our culture. Divorce is common, and even encouraged at times! Many couples prepare for divorce even before they are married. How should Christians think about divorce and remarriage? Is divorce ever an option for a Christian? 1 Corinthians 7 shows us how to deal with the tough topic of divorce in a way that is obedient to God, countercultural, but covered with gra...

Marriage, relationships, and singleness can all be confusing to navigate - particularly for a Christian. Cultural norms and expectations, and our own desires, can make all of this even more difficult. Whether one is married, dating, engaged, or single, in this message we see what it looks like for each Christian to have a singular focus on serving the Lord where they are.

On this Baptism Sunday we were able to celebrate 9 different people declaring their faith and obedience to Christ in believer's baptism. Believer's baptism is significant moment in the life of a follower of Christ. We spend time on this special Sunday unpacking what Scripture says about the importance, significant, and practice of baptism.

The Corinthian church was very confused about a variety of issues, including sexuality and marriage. Some of them were saying that it was better for married couples to continue to abstain from sex, and Paul devoted part of his letter to correct this error. In the process, we see a beautiful picture of both marital intimacy, and the gift that singleness can be. Special thanks to Jesse Furey from Bo...

In this conclusion to our WDJG series, Jeff talks about Jesus' ascension to heaven, and what he charged his disciples to do as he left. We see that Jesus has now called us into mission with him, continuing to do what he did while he was physically here on the earth.

Easter reminds us that the wait is over, Jesus is alive and God's plan of redemption has been fully realized in Jesus. On the first Easter, Jesus' disciples thought all this was too good to be true, they were still living in fear and doubt. On Easter Sunday, Pastor Jeff reminds us to live as Easter Christians, free from doubt and fear because of what Jesus has accomplished for us.

Good Friday feels like a mistake. Jesus dies, and hope seems to die with him. Throughout our WDJG series, we have returned to four main principles: Where Jesus went, he went with purpose and in obedience, and there was an appointment with someone and a response. The cross is no exception to these principles, even if it may feel like it. Jesus even went to the grave with purpose, to accomplish vict...

The account of Palm Sunday in Scripture in some ways seems like a contradiction. There is so much joy and celebration on the part of the people as they welcome in their king, but Jesus weeps because he knows that they don't understand what kind of king he is. He wants the people to "get it," and they don't. He longs to give them peace, true peace, and that peace is something he still offers us tod...

In this next installment in our "Where Did Jesus Go?" series, Jeff talks about Jesus' temptation by Satan in the wilderness. What can we learn from the fact that Jesus was tempted in the first place, and how he responded? Diving deep into Jesus' temptation gives us hope for our own lives and temptations, and a fresh appreciation for Jesus' work while he was here on earth.

Can you have hope that Jesus is going to move in your life when you need him the most? In this age of skepticism, hope and faith can be scoffed at. But, as we learn from Mark 5, there is hope in any situation because Jesus sees our pain and our need, and responds to our faith in him.

As Jesus traveled through Sychar in Samaria, he taught us that only Jesus can satisfy our greatest needs. Find out more as Jeff walks us through this beautiful account in John 4:1-42

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 identifies four reasons why God takes sexual sin so seriously. Find out what these reasons are as we walk through this challenging passage and realize that those who are in Christ are no longer their own.

As we look at what God teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 about sin and unrighteousness, Jeff explains that when you find your identity in sin rather than in Christ, you are in danger of missing the kingdom of God. However, those who trust in Christ for their identity have been washed, sanctified, and justified.

Christians are going to enter into disputes with one another, it is inevitable. How can Christians deal with disputes without jumping immediately to thinking about conflict the way the world does? The Corinthians had adopted a worldly way of thinking about conflict with each other, and Paul was very frustrated that they had become so focused on "winning" that they had neglected their Christian uni...