Sunday Sermons from The Village Chapel

Where would we be without God? Would we even exist without God? Can humanity be good without God? Where did we get our ideas of truth, love and justice? Join Pastor Jim as he explores one of those chapters of the Bible that doesn’t even mention God, Genesis 34. Support the show To find more resources like these, follow us: Website: https://thevillagechapel.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chan...

This weekend, TVC welcomes guest speaker Conrad Mbewe. He is the pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia. Pastor Mbewe is also a Council member of The Gospel Coalition Africa and the Director of International Advancement at African Christian University in Lusaka. Today he opens the Word to Philippians 2:5-11 to teach us about "Jesus Christ, the Servant King." Support the show...

There are two terms that often get conflated: forgiveness and reconciliation. But they really are quite different. We can chose to unilaterally forgive someone. Forgiveness requires just one person but reconciliation requires at least two. Is reconciliation possible? If the timeless truths of the Bible are REALLY true, how can we start living them out for the glory of God, the love of others, and...

Jacob lived much of his life as a deceiver and manipulator, attempting to control outcomes in his way and his timing with little regard to God or others. The same can be said of any of us. This is what makes the grace of God so beautiful and mysterious. Join Pastor Tommy as we study Genesis 32 and witness the pursuing, wounding and renovating grace of God at work in the life of Jacob as he begins...

How can we make sense of adversity? When we try to find meaning in life’s seasons of difficulty, where should we turn? Join Pastor Jim as he leads us through the unfolding story of Jacob’s developing faith in God, and God’s unflagging faithfulness to Jacob. Support the show To find more resources like these, follow us: Website: https://thevillagechapel.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/...

Each character in this passage is longing for something they hope will meet the deepest needs in their life. And yet, these longings inside our souls often just result in chronic dissatisfaction or despair. What is it we are looking for? And is WHAT we are looking for, what we OUGHT to be looking for? Or, might there be something else we never knew about, but have always really wanted? Join Pastor...

Jacob had to drop everything and run away, everything he thought he had schemed for and stolen from Esau, had to be left behind. Jacob was out of luck, running on empty and didn’t even have a pillow to lay his head on. But then God intervened! Join Pastor Jim as he shows us the sovereign grace of God in action in Genesis 28. Support the show To find more resources like these, follow us: Website: h...

Genesis 27 is a chapter filled with conspiracy, deception and conflict! Worse, there is no heroic protagonist; none of the characters look very good in this chapter. Join Pastor Jim as he unpacks the ongoing story of redemption history as God continues working through flawed individuals to accomplish His ultimate purpose of bringing salvation to this world. Support the show To find more resources...

Between the story of Abraham and the story of Jacob (who later becomes Israel) lies the story of Isaac, the promised son of Abraham. Isaac faces a famine, but chooses to faithfully follow where God leads him. This chapter reminds us that we are created to reflect God’s image, asks us whose image we are reflecting, and encourages us to faithfully follow God as he leads us between Promise and Provis...

God’s plan for redemption history that began to unfold all the way back in Genesis 3 continues to open up for us here in chapter 25. Abraham passes from the scene and the storyline shifts to the much shorter story of Isaac and Rebekah. As a couple they struggle with hopes and dreams while living in a broken world. Along come their twins, Esau and Jacob and things become more complicated. How are o...

Genesis 24 is another masterfully told biblical narrative that overflows with inspiration and encouragement. Abraham has sent a loyal servant on a long journey in search of a wife for Isaac. While this passage has been described as a beautiful love story of Isaac and Rebekah, there is an even greater love story behind that story! Join Pastor Jim as he unfolds the wonders of God’s love for us in Ge...

What do we have in common with a person like Abraham? What is the ultimate impact of our witness to those in the watching, unbelieving world? Join Pastor Jim as he amplifies the timeless truths of Genesis 23 and then gives us a preview of one of the most epic love stories we find in the Bible from Genesis 24! Support the show To find more resources like these, follow us: Website: https://thevillag...

Mark 2 is a story of healing, power, redemption and friendship. In the aftermath of 2020 a lot of people may be left in what feels like an emotional and spiritual paralysis. How do we get to the feet of Jesus? How do we receive healing? How do we help our hurting friends? Join us today as we study this powerful passage and see how, in Jesus, we find everything we need. Support the show To find mor...

A lot of people talk about “story” in our day and time. Story can be a powerful method for communication, for persuasion, for preserving the lessons of history, for teaching wisdom and morality, etc. The Bible overflows with both narrative and with history. And the over-arching story, the grand narrative, is that there is a God, and this God is in pursuit of a people He can call His own. It’s the...

Genesis 21 is a story of promises kept. In a world where broken promises seem routine and often leave collateral damage in their wake it is natural to ask the question, "Is there something sure and steady I can hold on to?" Join us as we study this remarkable story that answers that question with a resounding, "Yes!" Support the show To find more resources like these, follow us...

Just as Abraham and Sarah are about to see God’s promise of the birth of their son Isaac come to pass, Abraham risks the promise by yet again passing off Sarah as his sister in order to save himself. What would cause this father of faithfulness to fall to fearful thinking? Join Pastor Matt as he walks us through this story of the shaky faith of Abraham and the sovereign grace of the unshakeable Go...

The story of God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is nothing short of a tragedy. And it is so very sad because it didn’t have to be this way. However, buried deep in the middle of this tragedy, there is one shining jewel of a different kind of story. It’s the story of God’s grace at work in the life of one person who has shown little interest in God or God’s ways, but a great amount of interest in...

Join us as guest teacher, Scotty Smith, walks us through Genesis 18 which reveals to us the great mercy and patience of God through the faith and perseverance of Abram. This account foreshadows someone greater than Abram, Jesus Christ, who selflessly lays down his own life and takes upon himself the judgement for our sin so that we might be reconciled to God when we turn to him in faith. Support t...

If God promised to do something that seemed impossible to you, would you trust Him? Can God do what appears impossible to human reason? When we closed out our study of Genesis 16 Abram and Sarai were 86 and 76 years of age, respectively. Yet, God had still promised them a son plus, innumerable descendants. How did the couple manage trusting God together? How many times did their faith falter? How...

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates once remarked that the unexamined life would not be worth living. Years before the time of Socrates, as recorded in Genesis 16, the angel of the LORD seeks out and asks an ancient Egyptian handmaid named Hagar these questions: Where did you come from and where are you going? Join Pastor Jim as he helps us unpack the way these great questions lead us back to t...

The Genesis account of YHWH’s promises to Abram and Abram’s responses to God makes for an encouraging and inspiring study. Join Pastor Jim as he highlights the inexhaustible hope we find in the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God of the Bible. Support the show To find more resources like these, follow us: Website: https://thevillagechapel.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQVTzDbaiXV...

We live in a world infatuated with authority and autonomy. At one and the same time modern monarchies and political leaders monopolize headlines, while the autonomous self seems to be the authority we are inclined to bow towards. As we study Genesis 14 we read of earthly kings and nations that seem to threaten the promises of God. A story like this reminds us that we are always walking in the dire...

Do you ever find yourself reading a passage of scripture… and then wishing you hadn’t? Perhaps you found yourself “wincing” and “ouching” your way through the text because it deals with awkward parts of the human experience or raises big theological or philosophical questions? Or, you end up seeing your sinful self in the life of some Bible character who is blowing up his/her life in a big way and...

In the aftermath of the March 3, 2020 tornadoes throughout middle Tennessee, we took a walk through this ancient song to remind ourselves of the timeless truths of scripture and the importance of knowing God as our ultimate refuge and strength. But what do we really believe about the power of God, the presence, the purposes and the peace of God? Join Pastor Jim as we revisit Psalm 46 to find the a...

For Christians around the world Easter Sunday commemorates one of the most significant events in all of history. Is Easter just wish fulfillment or some ambiguous metaphor for Springtime? Or, does there exist good evidence for the resurrection of Jesus? And if such evidence does exist, where should we look for that evidence? Join Pastor Jim as he reminds us how unexpected yet unparalleled the Resu...