The LVfirst Podcast

This Sunday, we dug into Jesus' challenging question, "Do you also wish to go away?" Pastor Adam noted that following Jesus requires commitment beyond seeking convenience and comfort. We have to clarify our faith and acknowledge that Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. Our faith is a choice we have to make repeatedly. It is not something that is forced upon us. True discipleship calls for u...

This Sunday, we walked through John 8:2–11, the story of the woman caught in adultery. We dug into Jesus’ response: - He bends down to write in the dirt instead of playing their yes-or-no game. - He says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” exposing their guilt in the matter. - One by one, the accusers drop their stones and leave until only Jesus and the...

This Sunday, We continued our “Jesus Asks” series by looking at one of Jesus’ most powerful questions from John 11: “Do you believe this?” We learned that when Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He isn’t just talking about a distant, someday hope, but a present reality we can live in right now. We explored the difference between understanding and believing—how Jesus doesn’t ask, “Do...

This Sunday, we explored Jesus' profound question to the invalid at the Pool of Bethesda: "Do you want to be made well?" We were challenged to examine the areas of brokenness in our lives that we've normalized instead of addressing directly. We learned that Jesus meets us in our brokenness and invites us into a process of healing that requires taking ownership and walking forward in faith. 

This Sunday, we started our journey through the Gospel of John in our Lenten series, Jesus Asks. We looked at Jesus' — "What are you looking for?" Rather than following Jesus from a distance, we are invited to "come and see" — to abide with Him and experience the abundant life He offers to us.

This Sunday, we talked about the loneliness epidemic in modern culture. Using the story of the paralyzed man whose friends carried him to Jesus, we looked at how community is necessary for us to move beyond cultural divisions and form authentic relationships.

This Sunday, we talked about the pervasive anxiety and need for control that characterizes modern life, using the story of Mary and Martha to illustrate the difference between trying to be "over it" ourselves versus allowing Jesus to be "over it." True peace comes not from managing our anxiety through control, but from surrendering to Jesus as Lord and sitting at His feet like Mary rather than fra...

This Sunday, we wrapped up our January series, Resolve, by challenging ourselves to embrace bravery as a resolution we can all keep throughout this year. The story of Peter walking on the water teaches us that it's better to find out than to miss out—better to take that awkward, uncertain step toward Jesus than to remain safely stuck. When life gets overwhelming and we begin to sink, Jesus is righ...

This Sunday, Pastor Deanne lead us in a message about the power of curiosity. Genuine curiosity, rooted in a desire to understand rather than merely acquire information, is essential for our spiritual growth and building meaningful relationships.

This Sunday, we explored the transformative power of understanding our identity as beloved children of God. On this baptism of the Lord Sunday, we looked at Jesus' baptism from a new perspective — not as washing away sins (because Jesus was sinless) — but as a way of Jesus identifying with humanity so that we can find our identity in Him.

This Sunday, we explored the journey of the Magi as we looked at what it means to experience lasting change in our lives. Change is inevitable, but purposeful change requires following something greater than ourselves — Jesus.

This Sunday, we explored the difference between temporary happiness based on our circumstances and the true joy we find when we're rooted in God's grace and purpose. Pastor Adam challenged us to move from asking "how can this be?" to surrendering with "let it be with me."

This Sunday, we dug into how the hectic pace of the Christmas season often gets in the way of the peace we're meant to experience during this time of the year. When we look at Matthew's Gospel, we find that true peace doesn't come from having control over our circumstances, but from recognizing God's presence with us.

This Sunday, we explored Mark's Gospel approach to Christmas, which begins not with Jesus' birth but with John the Baptist's call to preparation. Unlike the automated ease of modern Christmas preparation, the spiritual preparation we are called to during this season of Advent requires intentional work.

This Sunday, we looked at the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" and challenged our culture of immediacy and instant gratification. Perspective requires time and intention. We were encouraged to look for God's goodness even in difficult moments.

This Sunday, we explored the theme of "Blessed Assurance" and the profound impact music has on our lives. Delving into the classic hymn, we discovered the assurance of God's love and its influence on how we live and perceive the world. 

This Sunday, we explored the beloved hymn "How Great Thou Art" as a framework for understanding God's greatness, power, and goodness. Pastor Deanne guided us through some of the history behind the hymn, and challenged us to move beyond our routine church activities towards genuine worship and praise.

This Sunday, we talked about the challenge of "inattentional blindness"—our tendency to miss what's most important because we're focused on lesser things. By putting Lawrenceville first—meaning seeking God's kingdom within their community—the church can create spaces where people find safety, hope, and freedom.

This Sunday, we explored the concept of scarcity mindset and how it affects our daily lives and spiritual journey. Pastor Adam encouraged us to bring whatever we have to Jesus, no matter how small or inadequate it may seem, and witness how He can multiply it for His purposes and the benefit of others.

This Sunday, we explored the concept of generosity as a key aspect of building God's kingdom. Using the parable of the mustard seed, Pastor Adam illustrated how small acts of intentional giving can grow into significant impacts.

This Sunday, we launched into a new series and a new campaign called Build Your Church. We talked about how we are called to bridges gaps between communities to bring people to Christ. We're excited to be taking this next step in faith together as we continue to connect the church to the community and the community to the church.

This Sunday, we were challenged to move beyond the common understanding of loving only those who love us, and instead embrace Jesus' difficult command to love and pray for our enemies. This love is not about feelings, but about decisions and actions. This approach to love can lead to personal freedom and spiritual growth, reflecting God's perfect love for all people.

This Sunday, we explored Jesus' teachings on anger in the Sermon on the Mount and emphasized how Jesus deepens the understanding of the commandment "You shall not murder" to include the destructive power of anger and insults. Jesus calls us to self-reflection, identifying the causes of our anger, and taking steps towards reconciliation.

This Sunday, Rev. Minho Chung invited us to reflect on the concept of unity within the body of Christ. This unity isn't about uniformity, but about having one heart, one purpose, and one mission. It's a unity centered in Christ, shaped by love, and directed outward. When we live as one in Christ, the world sees God's love through us.

This Sunday, we were reminded that real significance isn't found in achievements or status, but in serving others with humility and love. This act of Jesus isn't just about cleanliness; it's a profound symbol of God's grace and our need to accept it before we can truly serve others.