NP Berean Sermons Podcast

As we continue our brief year-opening series called "Back to Basics," we'll seek to open our eyes to an insidious threat to every person and group of people. It's the original threat to humanity and it plays itself out practically in a myriad of ways each and every day. Join us as we identify it and seek to bring it under the rule of Jesus Christ!

It's a wise practice in the shifting of time to reflect on where we've been (as we did last week with God Stories at the end of 2025) and set our minds and hearts on how we'd like to grow. At the beginning of this new year, we're taking three weeks to remind ourselves of truths that can help us seek and set our minds on things above - not on earthly things. These are three messages that seem signi...

As we conclude 2025 with our final Sunday Gathering, we'll be first looking at Psalm 96 which calls us to Declare/Ascribe/Tell of God's greatness. After being reminded of that truth, we'll open the microphone for the body to testify to God's greatness through "God Stories."

For most of us, the Christmas story isn't new. In fact, we've likely heard it so many times that it’s easy to forget how good this news truly is. Luke 2 isn’t just a historical account, it’s life-changing news for anyone, anywhere! As we revisit this passage, in preparation for Christmas, may God give us fresh eyes to see how truly great this news really is, and what that means for our lives today...

As we conclude our study of Zechariah, we do well to heed Martin Luther's assessment: "Here, in this chapter, I give up. For I am not sure what the prophet is talking about!" So, with great humility we'll come to this end and recognize that we might not completely understand what is going on. But while we might not comprehend everything perfectly, we'll apply the "doctrine of least meanings." It a...

We've seen the concept of the shepherd introduced in chapter 10, and chapter 11 will detail a "sign-act" where God calls Zechariah to literally become a shepherd so that Israel might see a tangible picture both of how God longed to shepherd his people and how his sheep refused his shepherding. In the process, we'll consider how well our own "under-shepherding" of others reflects the Good Shepherd...

Where do we turn in our moment of need? When we realize we've got a problem or things look really dark - what is our first play? Really, we've only got two options, and that choice determines the course of our lives.

When we're desperate, beaten down, and broken…that's when we long for a hero to come to our rescue, restore what's been taken from us, and protect us from future harm. The true King is exactly that kind of hero, and he is coming!

The exiles are coming from 70 years of fasting and mourning. They've been practicing all the external behaviors of mourning for their sin, and they're wondering if their return to the Promised Land means they can finally put away their mourning and sorrow. But has their fasting really been about mourning their sin? Are they truly repentant for breaking their covenant with God? If we only read chap...

We've finished the night visions of Zechariah and will be entering into the next part of the letter. When we need hope, where do we look? When our world threatens to dissolve into despair and anxiety, where do we turn? In the second half of the book of Zechariah, we'll see how God uses signs – symbols, actions, and his very words – to point the way for his people. Symbols like crowns, shepherds, f...

As we explore Zechariah's final vision (corresponding to the first vision of God's reconnaissance riders among the myrtle trees), we once again have the curtain pulled back to see the heavenly realm. While there are similarities between the two visions, there are also several distinct contrasts between them. And those contrasts actually give us a better sense of what is going on in the original co...

This week we'll be looking at a Longing for God's Judgment. But wait! Why would we long for God's judgment? Isn't that going to be a terrible time? But actually, we do all long for God's judgment because it ultimately means the end of sin and death.

This week's night vision gets really complicated. Four times Zechariah asks the angel for understanding about what he is seeing. But don't forget to consider that this vision is likely tied to the amazing message that we just heard last week about God stopping the enemy's accusations against us, removing our filthy and defiled garments (our unworthiness through sin) and giving us pure vestments (r...

Do you ever feel like you're broken? Do you sin and then you're filled with regret? Do you wonder, "How can I believe I'm righteous – just look at my actions, thoughts, and words?" This week we arrive at the first of the two middle night visions in the book of Zechariah (and remember, the middle part of a chiasm is where biblical authors put the most important part). In this incredibly hopeful cha...

When we're in a discouraging moment, isn't it easy to struggle to believe God is with us? Even more, we might believe he's near, but do we have the faith to believe he might do something immeasurably great? Are we willing to trust him to protect and provide for us or are we expending more energy trying to do that for ourselves? We can live full of vision and trust because the Lord of hosts promise...

When Israel began returning to the Promised Land, the temple was still in ruins and Jerusalem's walls were not rebuilt. They were likely dealing with discouragement, hopelessness, anxiety, and frustration at injustice. Into this cultural moment, the LORD of hosts (hosts = heaven's armies) gave Zechariah two visions designed to bring hope for peace. Join us as we explore how we, too, can find our l...

When Jesus came, he fulfilled the entire Old Testament – including what we learned last week about fasting. So, what did he have to say about it? And how did his earliest followers understand his teaching? Join us as we wrap up our Fasting Prayer series looking at Jesus and Fasting.

The elders here at Berean are calling for an all-church 24 Hours of Prayer and Fasting – from 7p on Fri. 9/26 to 7p on Sat. 9/27. (We'll start and end with corporate worship and prayer, and keep the building open for prayer the other hours.) While this is the third fall that we've done this, the spiritual discipline of fasting can still feel a bit unfamiliar…or just plain weird! So, we're taking t...

We are launching a Fall series on the book of Zechariah. Zechariah? Where is that and who was he? Did you know his letter is the most quoted "minor" prophet in the New Testament? Israel is starting to return from Babylon and they're likely discouraged with the brokenness and reminders of failure surrounding them (sound familiar?). Into this brokenness, God speaks words of encouragement to his peop...

Why is Christian community so essential? What are the things that can get in our way, and how can we overcome those? Join in as we kick off the new Grow Groups season and seek to help each of us identify our tangible next step to grow in loving God and others!

Jesus said that where our treasure is, there our heart would be also. That means that our use of money has a direct link to the position and spiritual health of our hearts and affections. While it can get weird to talk about money in church, we long for all of us to be in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and that requires a right and healthy view of money as a tool for kingdom purposes.

This week we continue our journey through the Gospel of John, seeking to better understand who Jesus truly is. Last week's message was clear – true freedom is possible and is found through life in Jesus Christ alone. But that freedom doesn’t come automatically or by accident. The key to experiencing freedom and becoming a fruit bearing disciple of Jesus Christ is learning to abide. Join us as we u...

What are we allowing to shape our understanding of who God is? The truth is that if we are looking to God’s inspired Word for understanding, then we know the answers come through the person, work, and word of Jesus Christ! As we continue to explore who Jesus really is, we are engaging a chapter of John each day, so that when we come back together we can build on what we've been reading. Have you c...

“What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer. So what does come to our minds when we think about God? And what is shaping that understanding? The truth is that if we are looking to God’s inspired word for answers, then we know a right understanding of God comes through right relationship with his son, Jesus Christ. So, who is Jesus, really? An...