The Alley Church Podcast

God Has Come to Earth Luke 2:8-14, Matthew 2: 1-18 Pop quiz: What does Advent (adventus) mean “coming” or “arrival”  For extra credit what week are we on? JOY First, that Jesus came as the Messiah, the Christ, to die for our sins, And He is coming again to get us... in all His fullness, power and glory. Light candles Hope  -   A wholehearted, evidence-based conviction that God will make the future...

ADVENT WEEK 2 - Luke 2:8-15 Advent means what? Coming or arrival. It is the season of the “already and not yet.” THE MEANING OF ADVENT (ADVENTUS) Adventus in the Roman world referred to the arrival of a king or emperor.  Early Christians used the word intentionally:  Advent is royal. The King has arrived. The wreath is a circle: God’s eternal nature; His unending love. The four candles represent:...

Today is the first day of Advent and this morning you got a text to invite you into a reading plan here is the link  https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/63750  We are going to talk today about: I. What Advent MEANS  2. Why advent MATTERS 3. Jump into week 1 - HOPE But first… Imagine standing in a pitch-black room. You can’t see the walls, the floor, or even your own hands. Then someone lights a...

Matthew 18:21–35 -“HOW TO Forgive From the Heart Thumb in Colossians 2:13–15 Today we are going to offer you a tool on how to forgive and be free from the tormenting sin of unforgiveness. This is part 2 of an essential characteristic of a Christian -  forgiveness. We have been forgiven and we are to forgive. Forgiveness is a choice that sets you free from bitterness, dread, and resentment towards...

Have you ever… been mad at God?”   “I’m not talking about a little frustration… I mean really mad. The kind of anger that sits deep in your chest. The kind that you don’t even know how to pray through anymore. The kind that makes you say, ‘God… if You’re so good, then why would You let this happen?’” “Some of you in this room have never said it out loud. But you’ve felt it. You’ve felt that ache,...

Matthew 18:21-35 - The Sin of Unforgiveness (21) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (22) Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (23) “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. (24) As he began the settlement, a m...

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.  “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about...

We have been learning all about the parables in Matthew 13. I like how Matthew is grouping these parables on the Kingdom of heaven in one chapter. Jesus is using parables to speak to the crowd, but when the crowds disperse Jesus explains the parable of the sower and the wheat and weeds to the questioning disciples. Some of the parables are not explained.  So Jesus asks them.  (51) “Have you unders...

The US and many nations around the globe are experiencing an identity crisis. This isn’t a sudden event but a culmination of interconnected issues like economic inequality, mental health deterioration, moral degradation, housing instability, political polarization, open borders, social ideologies, and eroding social and political trust. We are divided, untrusting, and confused. For example, I reme...

We are on the topic of the parables of Jesus.  Today we will be talking about the Mustard Seed and the Yeast Turn to Matthew 13:31-35 …Mark 4:30-32, and Luke 13:18-19, In the first two parables Jesus gave an explanation to His disciples but He doesn’t explain the parables we are studying this morning.  Matthew 13:31-35 ESV this morning (31) “He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom...

( 24) “Jesus told them another parable: ’The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. (25) But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. (26) When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.  (27) The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did th...

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did n...

I want to make a statement about the events of this week because if I were sitting where you are I would want to know what my Pastor might say at a time such as this. Before I begin I want to read, I Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and res...

Main Verse: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of  Christ.” — Galatians 1:10  1. Introduction – Who Are You Living For? Church, let me ask you something today. Not just something surface. Something that presses into the real you. The you behind the outfit. Behind the sto...

Matthew 9:27-38 - Jesus’ Mercy and Our Mission As we continue preaching on the miracles of Jesus, we close out 2 chapters Matthew 8–9 which walked us through a gallery of ten miracles that reveal who Jesus is and what His kingdom is like. Our passage today has three scenes: two blind men who see (27–31), a mute man who speaks (32–34), and The compassionate Christ who calls for workers (35–38). (27...

We are in the book of Matthew, going through the miracles of Jesus. This is a story of two miracles, one occurring in the midst of the other.  A little seminary lesson to kick off this morning… Matthew abbreviates the stories to highlight certain important Jewish points to emphasize Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience. Luke is writing to Theophilus, which means “lover of...

Matthew 9:1-8 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your h...

(28) When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. (29) “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (30) Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. (31) The demons begged Jesus, “If yo...

Have you ever made a commitment only to regret it later? Maybe it was a gym membership, a diet plan, a business partnership, a relationship, a bet, a religion, an oath, we’ve all been there.  What looked good at the moment and seemed amazing left us regretting the cost of such an action.  We realized the price we paid was not equal to the value we received, many times causing us to compromise our...

Matthew 8:23–27 - Faith Over Fear: Who Then Is This? 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the...

“The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are four different eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Sometimes they tell the same stories from different angles—like four people watching the same event from different seats in a stadium or 4 eye witnesses to a car accident.  When two or more Gospels record the same event, we call those ‘parallel passages.’  These give us a full...

Sometimes, our deepest needs drive us to unexpected places and people for help.  (5) When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. (6) “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” (7) Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” (8) The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and...

  We would like to ask you all: What is your life built on? If you could think of your life in terms of having a foundation what would that foundation be?  Picture it. Name it. What happens when storms come—social, financial, emotional, relational, spiritual, or legal? Will your life stand or collapse built on your named foundation? Where and to whom do you turn when you are in a violent emotional...