The First Stream Podcast

A sermon from Nehemiah chapter 3, selected Scriptures. How does God equip each of us for the work He is doing in our world? Does our work matter? Will our labor be remembered? Find out this week as we continue in the Book of Nehemiah. 

What do we do when we see what needs to be done? How can we think about the future together? This sermon from Nehemiah reminds us that we must keep our eyes fixed on the promise of God, and our commitment to each other. 

This week we explore Nehemiah's prayer in the opening chapter of his book as a model for bold, God-centered intercession. Drawing on the historical backdrop of Nehemiah's role in the Persian court and the devastating news he received about Jerusalem's ruined walls, the message challenged us to examine the foundation of our own prayer lives. Nehemiah's confidence rested not on his own worthiness, b...

What does it really mean to confront the idols we have quietly let into our lives? In this powerful conclusion to the Ezra narrative, we are drawn into a moment of collective reckoning where an entire community is forced to see itself clearly, perhaps for the first time in a long while.

What does it look like to truly grieve over sin rather than simply react to it? In this message drawn from Ezra 9, we are confronted with the powerful example of a man who, upon hearing news of widespread unfaithfulness among his people, did not reach for blame or anger but instead fell into deep, genuine mourning. The central lesson here is the idea of holy sorrow, a grief that is not born out of...

What does it mean to carry the weight of where we come from, and can that weight ever truly be lifted? In this exploration of Ezra chapter 7, we are introduced to one of Scripture's most compelling figures at a pivotal moment in Israel's history. Ezra arrives on the scene not just as a priest and scribe, but as a man whose very lineage tells a story of God's relentless mercy across generations.

What happens when the life God called us to build seems to fall completely apart? We find ourselves in a standstill, not hopeless exactly, but haunted by the feeling that there is something more. The story of the exiles in Ezra captures this tension with remarkable honesty. Called by God, equipped with purpose and provision, they nonetheless walked away from the work and settled into the comfortab...

What do we do when it feels like the enemy is winning? In Ezra 4 and 5, we find a community of people who returned from exile with tremendous hope, only to watch their most sacred work grind to a complete halt for nearly two decades. The construction of God's house in Jerusalem was frozen in place, and every effort to move forward seemed to meet an immovable wall. This message walks us through tha...

In Ezra chapter 4, we see the beginnings of conflict emerge in the story. This would lead to a decades-long struggle against enemies who would do all that they could to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem. How did they respond? How did the words of the prophet Haggai strengthen them in this struggle? How can we apply this message today? Listen here to find out. 

What happens when the greatest threats to our faith do not look like threats at all? In Ezra chapter 4, we find the returning exiles facing exactly that challenge. Fresh off a remarkable journey home, with the foundation of the temple restored and worship reestablished, they are approached by neighboring people offering to help build. It sounds like a generous offer, a moment of unity and cooperat...

What kind of people would pull up all that they know and go to a country that some of them had never seen before? What kind of people would risk everything for a reward they had no guarantee of? A people of faith, who choose the hard road of obedience and exchange their comfort for the promise. 

Join us as we journey through the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah in our new series "Build."    Today we begin by looking at the context and themes of Ezra, how through unlikely people, God still fulfills his promises. 

This week's message takes us into the heart of Jesus' farewell discourse in John 14, where we encounter a profound truth: sometimes God's greatest gifts come through departure, not presence. We explore the disciples' fear of abandonment as Jesus announces His leaving, a fear that resonates deeply with our own experiences of feeling directionless or forgotten by God.

This week's exploration of 1 Peter 2 confronts us with one of life's most fundamental questions: Who are we? Drawing from the apostle Peter's letter to persecuted churches scattered across Asia, we discover that our identity isn't found in our achievements, social status, or personal struggles, but entirely in Christ.

How does understanding that Revelation was written to encourage persecuted believers rather than terrify them change the way you read apocalyptic passages in Scripture? Find out in today's episode. 

This powerful reflection challenges us to move beyond treating Easter as a single-day celebration and instead embrace it as a transformative season that reshapes our entire lives.

This powerful exploration of Matthew's resurrection account reminds us that we are all searching for something to fill the void within our hearts. Through the angel's four profound statements to the women at the empty tomb, we discover timeless answers to our deepest questions.

This sermon explores the contrast between what the crowds expected from Jesus on Palm Sunday and what He actually came to accomplish. Through examining the two signs the people gave—throwing down their cloaks (echoing Jehu's anointing) and waving palm branches (recalling Judas Maccabeus's victory)—we saw how easily we can create a messiah in our own image rather than following the true Messiah.

This exploration of Matthew 19 confronts us with one of the most challenging questions in the Christian life: what are we holding onto that keeps us from fully embracing God's kingdom? Through the familiar story of the rich young ruler, we discover that eternal life isn't just another item to add to our spiritual checklist—it's a complete transformation of everything we value.

In Matthew 12, we encounter a profound challenge to our understanding of religious observance and genuine faith. The passage reveals Jesus healing a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath, sparking controversy with the Pharisees who valued strict adherence to religious law above compassion. What makes this story so compelling is the realization that the Pharisees were not heartless legalists—the...

This powerful exploration of Matthew 9:35-38 invites us to reconsider how we see the world around us. The passage reveals Jesus moving through towns and villages, teaching, preaching, and healing, but what truly stands out is the deep compassion that moved Him. This wasn't a passing sympathy or fleeting concern. The original language suggests a gut-wrenching, stomach-turning response to the suffer...

This exploration of Jesus' final temptation in the wilderness confronts us with one of humanity's most seductive tests: the temptation of power. Building on Jesus' 40-day fast and His responses to earlier temptations about provision and protection, we encounter the devil's ultimate offer—all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. What makes this passage from Matthew 4 so profound is no...

This week's exploration of Matthew's account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness reveals something profound about the battles we face in our own spiritual lives. We discover that the enemy's oldest trick isn't questioning our identity directly, but rather questioning God's love and provision for us.

This exploration of Matthew 17 and the Transfiguration invites us behind the divine curtain to witness who Jesus truly is. The message challenges us to examine our own spiritual lives: How long has it been since we've been so touched by God's presence that it had a noticeable effect on us? Like Peter, we often get caught up in doing rather than abiding, working in God's presence rather than simply...

This message draws us into the heart of what truly matters in our faith journey by exploring 1 Corinthians 2. Using the relatable metaphor of moving from one home to another, we're challenged to examine what we're taking with us as we transition through different seasons of life and faith. Just as moving forces us to sort through our possessions and decide what's worth keeping, we must ask ourselv...