Ankeny Gospel Church

In one passage, Jesus curses a fig tree, makes bold claims about prayer, and silences those challenging his authority. What does this do to our hearts?

The temple itself is not bad; what the leader of Israel did with it was bad. Generation after generation, God was calling Israel into His presence, reminding them of who they were! Yet, generation after generation, Israel traded in God's plans and purposes for a cheap substitute. Who are we, as the new temple of the living God? What might God be calling us into as a people?

As we near the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, we are confronted with a question: Who Is This? The best communication always has multiple layers of meaning, and communicates with a story. Todays text in Matthew 20-21 is no different. We see Jesus presented as the Son of David, Zion's Gentle King, and the Blessed Coming One. Along with the city of Jerusalem, we are asking ourselves, Who Is This?

Immediately after Jesus predicts his persecution and death, the disciples argue about who will be the greatest in the coming Kingdom. Jesus takes this opportunity not to scold, but to explain: the last are first, and the first are last. If you want to be great, you must become least; if you with to be first, you must become a slave. Jesus continues to overturn our expectations about status, reputa...

In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, we learn that God's love defies our categories and logic. Just like the landowner in the parable, God's generosity is beyond reason: He loves being generous. The question then becomes, how will you respond to the generosity of the Father?

Mammon is deceptive; it deceived the ambitious, morally good, rich young man, and it can deceive us today. Jesus wants to free us from the yoke of slavery to Mammon and release in us the spirit of freedom: freedom to follow Jesus with everything we have.

The natural result of staying close to the presence of God, and being formed into His image is, simply, fruit. When we stay connected to the root, and we allow ourselves to be pruned by the Good Gardener, the fruit of His Spirit abounds in our lives!

The beginning of formation is beholding - we look like what we look at. What are you beholding?

We long to become disciples who seek the presence of God in all things.

Praying this final line of the Lord's Prayer forces us to realize that we are in a battle, a war for our minds, hearts, and souls. What does this line in the prayer mean? Why such a haunting way to end a prayer?

The Lord's Prayer invites us to forgive as we have been forgiven. What does it mean to forgive? How do we pray for forgiveness?

After getting ourselves into God's reality, this half of the prayer gets God into our reality. Jesus teaches us to ask. All throughout the Gospels, Jesus' imperative to ask is clear. Do you ask God for what you need?

The center of the Lord's Prayer, the center of the Sermon on the Mount, and the center of our lives is taking all that is true of heaven, and making it a reality here on earth. Listen in as Tom walks us through the climax of the Lord's Prayer: On Earth as it is in Heaven.

What does the Kingdom look like? What is the will of God? Listen in as we explore these two lines of the Lord's Prayer.

What does it mean to honor God's name as holy? What is God's name? Listen in as we discuss the second phrase of the Lord's Prayer: Your name be honored as holy.

We start the journey of prayer by addressing the person we are praying to. In four simple words, we find that prayer is communal, personal, intimate, holy, and identity-forming. Listen in to see how!

If you could ask Jesus anything, what would it be? Maybe you'd ask him to teach you how to cast out demons? Or how to preach and teach so well? Or how to have a peace and freedom like he has? The disciples ask none of these - rather, they ask Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray." And Jesus responds by giving them the Lord's Prayer! During this 8 week series, we are going to go line by line though the L...

Have we been forgiven? Have we forgiven others?

Love in action motivates us with an intentionality toward one another. We look out for one another, encouraging each other to stay close to Jesus and prevent each other from wandering into dangerous territory. Listen in to what Jesus says about relationships in the Kingdom!

Who is the greatest in the kingdom?

Our identity as children of the Father is the starting point for our freedom in Christ.

Jesus is the new and better Moses, but doesn't deliver His people from a nation-state, but a deeper and darker enemy: sin, Satan, death and hell. In Matthew 17, Jesus casts out a demon and reminds his disciples that even if they have a little faith, they can move mountains through His own power.

In Matthew 17, Jesus takes three disciples up on a mountain and is transfigured before them. Here Jesus reveals His glory to the disciples and forces us to ask ourselves, "Who is Jesus?"

Jesus is asking us what He asked the disciples: Who do you say I am?