Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right
Checked 7h ago
Добавлено тридцать семь недель назад
Contenu fourni par Chapel Hill Bible Church. Tout le contenu du podcast, y compris les épisodes, les graphiques et les descriptions de podcast, est téléchargé et fourni directement par Chapel Hill Bible Church ou son partenaire de plateforme de podcast. Si vous pensez que quelqu'un utilise votre œuvre protégée sans votre autorisation, vous pouvez suivre le processus décrit ici https://fr.player.fm/legal.
Player FM - Application Podcast
Mettez-vous hors ligne avec l'application Player FM !
Mettez-vous hors ligne avec l'application Player FM !
Podcasts qui valent la peine d'être écoutés
SPONSORISÉ
S
Species Unite
26:17
Lire Plus Tard
Lire Plus Tard
Des listes
J'aime
Aimé
26:17“We don't want Idaho to have a bad reputation. This is our home state. We love our home state. It's beautiful. We pride ourselves on our nature. We pride ourselves on our wildlife. And instead, we are continuing to do things that are… that are sickening.” - Ella Driever In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to central Idaho, and in 2003 a Boise High school called Timberline officially adopted a local wolf pack. Throughout the 2000, students went on wolf tracking trips and in their wolf packs range. But in 2021, Idaho's legislature passed Senate Bill 1211, 1211 allows Idaho hunters to obtain an unlimited number of wolf tags, and it also allows Idaho's Department of Fish and Game to use taxpayer dollars to pay private contractors to kill wolves. That means bounties on wolves, including on public lands. And in 2021, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission expanded the wolf hunting season and hunting and trapping methods. So it's not too surprising to learn that also in 2021, the Timberline pack disappeared. The students, the ones that cared about wolves, at least, were devastated. Last summer I went to D.C. with some of the Species Unite team for a wolf rally on Capitol Hill. While I was there, two young women gave a talk about what happened at Timberline in 2021. Their names are Ella Driver and Sneha Sharma. They both graduated from Timberline High School and were there when their wolf pack disappeared. Please, listen and share.…
Chapel Hill Bible Church - Sermons
Tout marquer comme (non) lu
Manage series 3575191
Contenu fourni par Chapel Hill Bible Church. Tout le contenu du podcast, y compris les épisodes, les graphiques et les descriptions de podcast, est téléchargé et fourni directement par Chapel Hill Bible Church ou son partenaire de plateforme de podcast. Si vous pensez que quelqu'un utilise votre œuvre protégée sans votre autorisation, vous pouvez suivre le processus décrit ici https://fr.player.fm/legal.
Chapel Hill Bible Church in Chapel Hill, NC exists to glorify God by being transformed by the Gospel: our lives, our cities, and our world.
…
continue reading
197 episodes
Tout marquer comme (non) lu
Manage series 3575191
Contenu fourni par Chapel Hill Bible Church. Tout le contenu du podcast, y compris les épisodes, les graphiques et les descriptions de podcast, est téléchargé et fourni directement par Chapel Hill Bible Church ou son partenaire de plateforme de podcast. Si vous pensez que quelqu'un utilise votre œuvre protégée sans votre autorisation, vous pouvez suivre le processus décrit ici https://fr.player.fm/legal.
Chapel Hill Bible Church in Chapel Hill, NC exists to glorify God by being transformed by the Gospel: our lives, our cities, and our world.
…
continue reading
197 episodes
Tous les épisodes
×As promised, God sends the Spirit, the Spirit is received, and the watching world takes note. Acts 2:1-13 is God's Word for us this Lord's Day and in it we are going to see the faithfulness, power, glory, and mission of God. Without this event, my friend, you would not be a Christian. So, let's take note, hunger to learn, and hunger to live in Acts 29 (not the network but the kingdom life now) based in this text.…
Jesus has gone to the Father, leaving the disciples with teaching and the promise of the Holy Spirit. So, now what? They prepare. They prepare by actually obeying Jesus, waiting as they trust Him, praying together in unity, and getting serious about the Word. Hearts are prepared. Character is prepared. The full apostolic band is completed. The table is set. The church is ready for the Spirit!…
We begin the Book of Acts. It is part 2 of Luke's gospel. We move from the ministry of the earthly Christ to the heavenly ministry of the Risen Christ through His earthly people, the church. My prayer for our study is that we are enthralled, encouraged, and empowered by this Word of God to bear witness to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit as we gather, share, pray, sit under the Word, and worship as the Chapel Hill Bible Church. Will you pray for this with me?…
We're in week 3 of "From an Elder’s Heart" and our elder - Kyle McManamy - focused on Jesus' famous vine and branches discourse as we learn what it means to drink in and share in the life of God. When God's life flows through us, what comes out of us?
Week 2 of "From an Elder’s Heart" and our focus will be on unity – true Christian Unity – as we look at Ephesians 4:1-16. Paul exhorts the church of Ephesus – and us by extension – to maintain the unity of Christ. In so doing, Paul causes us to see that the source of our unity is the Holy Spirit and as we each use the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to us, we cooperate with the Spirit to not only individually mature in Christ but also build up the body of Christ in love and unity. This is a beautiful antidote to the winds of pride and individualism that swirl in the culture around us.…
Jay Baas - a CHBC elder - preaches from Isaiah 44-45 with a focus on God's peace ruling in our hearts in the midst of anxiety and turmoil in a culture that doesn't embrace Christ as our sovereign ruler.
Our final and fourth Advent Sunday is coming this Lord's Day. The theme is LOVE. Love is not an abstract notion in Christianity. Love IS the person of Christ himself and in Haggai 2:6-9 we see the prophetic vision of all that Christ will be for us: the better temple, the glorious beauty of God, the shaking purifier of the nations, and the peace-giver. May that "Big-Godder" manger vision change us this Lord's Day and the week of Christmas after.…
Our third Sunday of Advent brings us to Malachi 3:1-4. He is an Italian prophet.... see what I did there? Never mind. But seriously, Malachi is the last prophet in chronological order and he closes the Old Testament. It has been a 100 years since the exile ended. The walls of Jerusalem are back up and the temple has been rebuilt. Neither are like the original versions, but at least they are a back up. However, it is clear, the glory of God is not in residence. Why? Though it has been a century since Israel was in exile, they are just as enslaved as before. The sin has turned from paganism and license to religiosity and legalism, but the idolatry of their hearts is still very much alive. So, in this last word before 400 years of silence, God makes a promise. One day a messenger of His Word is going to show up, and before He blesses He must burn. That is a hard picture, but it is essential. The baby in the manger would be the holy and terrifying Purifier of Israel. And yet, He would take the purifying pain for us, in our place.…
As we continue Manger in the Minors, we will be in Zechariah 9:9-10. The prophet haunts and yet pursues the people of God with the need for the presence of God to return to His people in order to save, restore, and stay. With images of rubble, physical and spiritual, Zechariah signals hope. God is going to rebuild the Temple, the place of His presence. Then all of a sudden we have another picture... that of a King returning the the city of God. He is an odd king. Not flexing power in a Rolls Royce. But a humble king, riding on a donkey, who will give His life as the way to speak peace and to rule in holiness and love, forever. This King is the presence of God. His IS the temple! So, in that manger was nothing less than a Temple!…
We begin Advent this Sunday with the theme "Manger in the Minors". I know, a bit corny, but hey, this is the Bible Church! 🤪 We are going to take a well known prophecy of the coming Messiah from four Minor Prophets, beginning this Sunday with Micah 5:2-5. Then we head to Zechariah 9:9-10, Malachi 3:1-4; and finally Haggai 2:6-9. Each prophecy will teach us who that baby was in the manger. Each will remind us what life is all about. And each will help us see the areas of our beliefs and feelings that don't line up with the gospel, because we have likely replaced the gospel with another narrative. May this Advent be a time for our body to level set again with Jesus - all that God is for us in Him. And let us be in prayer that many will come to see Jesus and believe in Him through the proclamation of Jesus in the Word at our services.…
The last chapter... Genesis 50. One chapter closes, another begins. My prayer is that we have had our understanding of the Gospel deepened in Genesis, from creation to the start of Exodus - a garden, a couple, a family, and now a nation; God's covenant promises; the terrible reality of sin; the glorious reality of redemption and a coming Redeemer as promised in Genesis 3:15. We are left on the note of redemption in chapter 50 - Joseph fully forgives his sinful brothers because God is ultimately judge and God is sovereign in His grace, to work the triumph of good from evil. Jacob and Joseph die, but in hope their bones would be delivered and one day raised to a new body. And then, finally, back to Forever Eden. The Gospel is the key of Genesis... the final movement.…
After an adoption ceremony (Ch 48), Jacob now turns to his Last Will and Testament. He leaves his legacy to his sons - a legacy of blessing, prophesy, and discipline. Actually, the whole thing is blessing, but sometimes blessing comes in the form of warning, consequence, and exhortation, so that the inheritor turns toward grace. In each of these blessings, we see honesty and hope. But some blessings stand out. We will take note of Judah and Jospeh in particular. They are the longest blessings, but they are also the ones that lead us to the One who purchased and applies our blessings, Jesus.…
We conclude our Spiritual Gifts focus week looking at the chief text on spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12. Our aim is to see what gifts are for: the glory of God, the building of the body of Christ and the advance of the gospel, in tune with spiritual maturity, and used in love. Each of you has at least one Spirit-given gift. Probably more! Learn more about the grace gifts, your grace gifts, and the importance of using them with a pivot foot in the local church.…
Pastor Ryan McKee gives an overview of Spiritual Gifts at our November 6th Membership Gathering.
The first in a two-Sunday emphasis on how God has gifted us to worship and serve, we open with the question, "Who Can God Use?" Focusing on 1 Peter 2, we will see that the entire Bible answers this question with themes emerging from its first pages. We often think that there are certain parts of life, certain behaviors, even certain people that God deploys while others are not important. Maybe that's not the whole story.…
We begin our final lap in Genesis, and a final scene before the Book of Exodus. In this final scene, it is time for final blessings. Jacob is almost home. Not almost dead, but almost home! He calls Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. In a spiral of Gospel twists, he blesses Joseph as firstborn by adopting the two boys, so they can share the firstborn status with Joseph and thus be fellow brothers who receive land and heritage... and ultimately God himself. Do you see Him? Who? Jesus. Jesus is all over this, as always; the cross-purpose, cross-armed blessing of the gospel.…
The Joseph story is nearing the conclusion. In Genesis 47, we now see the re-creating power of God at work as Joseph is reunited with his family and brings his family into Egypt so they can take possession of fruitful land. In fact, the text even says that in that place they are fruitful and multiply, as if this is an echo of Eden! The climax of this scene is when Jacob is presented before Pharaoh. I did not see that coming - rather than begging or demurring, Jacob blesses Pharaoh. The little guy blesses the king! Of course he does, because by this point, Jacob has a heavenly identity even though he lives within the world. Jacob knows that he and this little nation are children of God and the world and the authority of God belong to them. So in exile, Jacob lives and will die as a prince. Perhaps you are in a difficult season. Perhaps you need to be reminded that God is for you, with you, and has bestowed on you authority to bless not beg.…
It is a family reunion for Jacob and Joseph! We finally arrive at a crescendo in our story as we see God's promises reinforced, as we see God protect His people, and as He provides to sustain them. We will journey together from Canaan to Egypt as the story whets our appetites for the One who is our ultimate Promise, Protection, and Provision!…
In Genesis 45, the brutal journey towards reconciliation finally hits the crescendo. The wall of self protection, distance, and shame comes crumbling down. And, the new foundation of grace is starting to be built. Brutal, yes. Possible... inevitable, as we stand on Jesus, the One who was sent in God's eternal providence, to suffer at our hands, so that he could go before us, preserve us, give us salvation. Please read this chapter in advance, if you can, and come ready to let the Spirit bring walls down in our lives.…
In Genesis 44, Joseph sets up a clear ruse. Isn't that a bit dodgy... even sinful? He seems to be entrapping his poor brothers. Well, remember that not every test is a trap. Some tests are all of love, designed to purify. This one is the latter. Yes, there is a ruse, but that ruse is leading to redemption and reconciliation by repentance and a clear testimony of the gospel. Benjamin and Judah in particular are going to demonstrate the guts of guilt, innocence, the need for a substitute, the power to change, and the glory of forgiveness. This is a brutal test within a brutal journey toward reconciliation. And, it's a glorious test and journey, too.…
How can men like Joseph's brothers enter into God's blessing? In part 2 of "The Brutal Journey Towards Reconciliation", we will see together how God's love and kindness can awaken even the hardest of hearts. Joseph's brothers did not deserve to be loved and yet they were loved by Joseph. Similarly, in Jesus Christ, despite our failures and sin, we are known, loved and forgiven through Him, who is the only begotten Son of God.…
Forgiving someone or people who have sinned against us deeply is one of the hardest human actions. Are you there? Is there someone or a list of people that you cannot imagine being able to forgive? And, do you struggle with guilt because of something you did? Repenting without knowing the outcome is also a really huge test of faith. This passage is the first step in a long and brutal journey of reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers. The story has a good ending, but know this - this story is not just about a family coming back together, but also the formation of a nation, the continued faithfulness of God to keep his promises, and the gospel in the key of Genesis 42!…
One of my mentors once said that patience is trusting God's work in other people's lives. So true! Every time I am tempted to be the Holy Spirit, I remember that truth. This principle is also true for patience in hard situations. When in tests, I need to believe that God is at work in each and every circumstance and that even my tests are part of His good and perfect will. Joseph is going to find restoration in Genesis 41. And yet, while Pharaoh grants him pardon and power, it is God and God alone who is actually restoring Joseph. Egypt and the court of Pharaoh are the wrappings, but Joseph's story is ultimately about the Kingdom of God and the King of that Kingdom. Joseph is honored, so that he can serve the nations in the future and so that he can use his power to give glory to God. May we be transformed by that truth.…
Faithfulness can be lonely. Faithfulness can lead us to places where others don't want to be and don't want to remember, especially when others are rescued and want to focus on their normal lives. Joseph is in that place in Genesis 30. The last line says it all: "The chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him." There's such pain in that verse, and yet hope. You see, God was with Joseph. God saw Him. God was working in that moment of human forgetfulness. God's memory is our hope, especially when we are only able to see the end of one chapter that seems to say all have forgotten us. Remember, that lonely moment is a work of God to refine us and prepare us for redemption ahead.…
We're back in Genesis! Chapter 39. We are going to look at God's recipe for success. Now, don't worry, I am not turning into THAT preacher! But seriously, this passage is about success - true success. Joseph is enslaved, tempted, and imprisoned, and yet in all that the Lord is with him and the Lord gives Joseph success - the success of obedience, moral courage, and faithfulness. Students, young professionals, the middle-aged and the older-aged, what would it look like to start the fall off on that kind of footing?…
We are at the end of 2nd Corinthians and Paul is giving a last appeal to his beloved Corinthians with a warning and encouragement - a warning to examine ourselves and an encouragement to rejoice because Jesus Christ is in us! Friends - in the light of all we heard this summer, are you ready to embrace your cross?…
One thing that proves to me I am not making up this gospel stuff is how counter intuitive and counter culture and "counter Jay Thomas" the gospel is. 2 Corinthians 12 is the highpoint of the letter and it has been used of God profoundly in my life. Paul states the truth as clearly as he can: our weaknesses are gifts God gives us so that in our emptiness and need Christ can fill us with all sufficient grace in the power of the Holy Spirit. Boy, that is true. Will you come with me into the promises of God this week and rediscover the glory of weaknesses that will in turn enable us to humbling experience the glory of God himself?…
Desperate times call for desperate measures. 2 Corinthians 11 is a weird, exceptional, ironic, and one-off chapter. Paul, having just dropped the mic by saying we cannot boast in our selves but only in the Lord, now goes onto to boast about himself. But here's the thing - he acknowledges the temporary foolishness of his approach, and yet its vital place in his argument - Paul is not going to boast in his strength, but rather his weakness! And by doing so, He actually arrests the attention of this church so they will see Jesus in the power of the Spirit based on the gospel. Paul is going to lead us down a very unusual path, so we actually can get home... to Jesus.…
The church of Corinth had been infiltrated with false apostles essentially preaching a “ALL crown and NO cross” gospel and they were turning congregants against Paul by discrediting his apostleship. In this final section of the letter, Paul pivots toward the infiltrators and their detractors, but all the while pointing the church toward Christ. For Paul, things are more personal than ever. But instead of firing back and trying to prove himself according to worldly standards, he simply holds up the gospel as his defense to set the record straight with his opponents.…
Giving is one of the many ways our worship shines through our lives. In 2 Cor. 9, Paul continues his exhortation to the Corinthians to give faithfully, cheerfully and willingly. Join us as we subject our hearts to the Lord to be shaped by his generosity and compelled by his glory alone.
Finances are an important part of our lives, with money being both an asset and a temptation. In chapter 8 of his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul encourages his readers to excel in this act of grace, that is, in being generous to supply the needs of others. Join us as we reflect on the generosity of Jesus and as we are challenged to lead generous lives.…
Have you ever wondered what a pastor's deepest desire is for his congregation? It is for you to know the Truth (Christ) and to enjoy the gift of His salvation (through the Spirit given to those who are saved). In this portion of the book of Corinthians, we see the pastoral heart of Paul, showing the church when the truth is taught, some will receive it and enjoy it, and some will close their heart to it. He shows the difference in the fruit of those who hear the truth and receive the gift of the God who comforts them and those who have closed their heart and rejected the truth.…
When you hear the word HOLINESS, what comes to mind? For many it conveys rigidity, fundamentalism, legalism, repression, and old-school "boomer" Christianity. One problem. Jesus is really big on holiness. The Scripture is full of calls to holiness. But, as Inigo Montoya once said: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Holiness is a gift. It is born of grace and love. It is who we actually are as believers. Holiness is also the the reason we do or do not trust each other, not least Christian leaders who are trying to disciple the church into a holy place. Paul purposely dives into a call to holiness because the base problem of his opponents is that they are meddling with the world. They are flirting with falsehood and ungodliness, and so their relationship with Paul is breaking down. Paul is calling this church back to Jesus, the ways of Jesus, and thus back to fellowship with Him.…
Sorrowful yet always rejoicing. Really?!? Really. That was Paul's song. That is the pastor's song; the kid's ministry team's song; the song of the elder and deacon. That is the song for every Christian who wants to be ALL IN with Jesus. To be of the kingdom means rejection, slander, betrayal, and general hardship. That is rough. It brings real sorrow as we experience our earthly lives taken from us, often unjustly. But, in the crown/crown story, our earthly dying lead to heavenly living and increased glories. Paul defends himself based on that theo-logic. And my friend, that is your defense, too. If you are experiencing sorrow yet more sorrows, this text is for you. It reminds you that sorrows for Jesus bring you to Jesus himself, where you find exceeding joys in the Savior.…
When we hear a phrase like the "fear of the Lord" it can be easy to slip into a mindset of an angry God who looks disdainfully back at us, leading us to cower, run away, and experience shame. What Paul means by that phrase in 2 Corinthians 5:11 is the opposite. Yes, fear is a strong word and we should keep the teeth in it, but the point is that godly fear of Jesus, the True Judge (5:10), leads us to see his love (5:14). Fear = Love! And that love was perfectly demonstrated in the work of Jesus to die in our place, so that we could live in his life (5:21). Paul is rising above the fray of this opponents by calling up the Corinthians - and us "Chapel Hill-ians" - to focus on the glory of the gospel. Rather than being bogged down or playing their game, Paul is fixing his eyes on the Lord, keeping his heart in heaven, and focusing his life on being an ambassador for the gospel. He sees, and he wants us to see, with the eyes of the Spirit. From fray to freedom. From resentment to reconciliation.…
What is the "eternal weight of glory" for which our "light momentary afflictions" are preparing us? It includes at least three things: resurrection life, the vision of God, and vindication that we are indeed in Christ. This week's passage defines and details the "eternal weight of glory" we heard about last week. In doing so, we are instructed to fix our eyes by faith on our futures in Christ in order to receive strength to endure present suffering.…
Do you remember what it was like the first time you drove a car in reverse and had to steer? Everything was backwards. What turned the car one way is now opposite. Did it take a moment - or a year - to learn to steer in reverse intuitively? Learning to live by faith in the Word of God, especially in light of suffering, is a lot like driving and steering a car in reverse. It seems opposite. It can be challenging. But, it is essential. There are many times in life we simply need to follow Jesus while driving in reverse... and sometimes in darkness. Paul teaches us why we need to learn or re-learn discipleship this way, how to do it, and why it's so important.…
If you have ever been accused of not having what it takes to serve Jesus, you know the pain of rejection, betrayal, and perhaps barbs that go to the soul. False accusations are only as powerful as our sense of self outside of the gospel, though. In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul preaches the contrast between the Old Covenant and New Covenant, not for nerding out but to encourage the Corinthians that he is on the Spirit's side. By extension, if we are simply and earnestly presenting Jesus through the Word by the power of the Spirit, we are on the Spirit's side, too. And when we do that, the people who are changed by the Spirit and who are able to see Jesus become our true resumes. Wow. How might you let your heart rest in that this week?…
Paul had to change his plans to visit the Corinthians, choosing to stay back for a while. This change of plans, along with many other things, was weaponized by his opponents and used to accuse him of being insincere, vacillating, and self-centered. Paul begins his overall defense of his ministry - and discipleship in general - by explaining and preaching that he has utmost sincerity, commitment to Jesus, and love for the Corinthians. In fact, his decision was made because he loves them. Why is Paul able to have such simple and earnest sincerity? In one of the most beautiful verses in this letter, Paul states that he sees himself, the other Apostles (and all believers who want to run hard after Jesus) as those led in Triumphal Procession (2:14) - which is a stunning illustration of triumph through suffering. But you will have to assemble with us in worship to get the whole picture... 😊…
What if Jesus asked you to sign blank sheet of paper as a promissory document. Your signature of commitment and nothing else. Jesus will fill in the rest and you must trust Him. Now, picture that the sentence "You will suffer for my Name" is on that paper. Will you sign it now?!? You and I would if we knew the trade-off. If we gave our certainty and strength to Jesus, and he gave us His sovereignty and strength in return, that would be quite worth it, yeah? Yeah! That is the promise of God. If we run hard after Jesus, we will live His life in miniature. And yet, it is worth it. Jesus went to the cross, but then He was crowned. That is true for his servant... you. And more! As we faithfully suffer for His name, Jesus equips us to help others by using our gospel growth to comfort them when they go through similar trials. That is even more worth it.…
Sometimes you wonder if these stories in Genesis can get more twisted. Well, they can. You can't make this stuff up. In Chapter 38, we have one of Jacob's sons, Judah, leave the family, head toward the pagan Canaanites, marry one of them, sire two wicked sons and one nondescript ones. Then, on top of all that, through deception, curated sexual sin, and transactional worldviews, a pagan daughter-in-law is used of God to save the family line by means of relations with her father-in-law! Oh my. And yet, in all of this tragedy, there is a profound turning point. Judah repents. And, Judah ends up being the chosen son through whom King David would come, and through whom the Messiah would come. Unreal. But very real. We learn to read our story through the gospel as we look back on our own Judah moments. May we treasure Christ together this week.…
Remember the J-Curve - the graph of following Jesus? Sometimes we are thrown into a pit, only to be rescued and brought to a greater strength, maturity, and blessing than ever before. That J-curve is the pathway of Genesis 37-50, a new unit we are starting this week. We're calling it "Joseph and the Many Colored Gospel." Chapter 37 is a powerful story of that J-Curve - Joseph is despised and rejected. Sold out. Enslaved. But, it's all a set up. Glory is about to come. And not just Joseph's glory. Joseph's J-Curve is for the purpose of saving others. This story is OUR story. Pray with me that the One to whom this story ultimately points to is lifted up, Jesus. Pray that the Jesus of Joseph saves many, through the gospel of his journey through suffering to glory, the cross to crown.…
Have you ever returned home? By home, I mean where you were raised, and all that represents: your old house, schools, hang out haunts, college campus? I bet a flood of memories come back. Some of us did not know Jesus back then and we can feel the regrets and loss with those memories. However, as it often happens, God meets us in that nostalgia and He reminds us of the intervening work. His grace. His providence. His guiding of our lives. We came to those places as new people and we then get reinvigorated to press on. You see, those place represent our earthly origin stories, but in seeing those places in the big picture of God's gospel story, we see that home is actually ahead, the place God is moving us, as He works into us the glorious truth that we do not belong to a certain city, a house, a high school, a clique, a former athletic prowess, but rather we belong to Jesus. Our identity is Jesus. And Jesus is our home. Genesis 35-36 is that kind of story, that invites us into its pages.…
Genesis 34 is a cascade of atrocities displaying the depravity of the human heart. This awful story of disobedience, defilement, deceit, and death highlight our need to be rescued. And while there is no hero in this Genesis 34, praise be to God that this is only one chapter in the story of God's redemptive plan for his people.…
God loves us so much, He gives us limps. It is true. Let me argue from this vantage point. God loved the Son so much that He sent Jesus to the cross. The logic is difficult, but clear. In Genesis 32-33 we are going to see a little pre-gospel. Jacob needs to reconcile with Esau. And, in a surprising and beautiful way, they will reconcile. But it is what happens in the middle that makes it possible. Jacob meets God in the night with an enigmatic and yet powerful wrestling match where - surprise, surprise - not only does Jacob survive, but he prevails... meaning he gets to see God face-to-face... and he leaves with a gift - a limp. That limp is life. That limp is the constant reminder that human weakness is where God does His best work, even the work of healing a relationship that seemed all but lost.…
He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! The glorious truth of Jesus's resurrection and our resurrection will be celebrated this Easter Sunday and we will look at it from 1 Peter chapter 1. In that text, Peter uses stunning imagery to show us what the resurrection means for our lives as the people of God who are not home yet. In fact, he calls us the chosen people of God who are struggling in the wilderness as we press on to heaven (elect exiles).…
Palm Sunday begins Holy Week often with a refresh on Jesus riding into Jerusalem during Passover week on his way to the cross. This is referred to as the Triumphal Entry. This year, I want to journey with Jesus, but from a bigger perspective. What does this journey to Jerusalem mean in the bigger context of the Biblical story line? I want us to pull up a bit and look at the story of God's glory in Ezekiel, a weird but profound book, where we encounter the glory of God leaving the temple due to the unrepentant and gross sin of His people. This is a crushing scene. It is a bad news scene that prepares us for the good news. The glory will one day return. As we catch up with the scene in John 12, with Jesus riding into Jerusalem, suddenly we have an "Aha!" moment. This is the glory of God returning to the temple, to Jerusalem, to His people... wow! My prayer is that we are re-fascinated with and in awe of Jesus this Palm Sunday.…
The Bible is a truly cool interconnected story. God often teaches the same themes through layers of stories upon stories. Genesis 31 is like that. Before the big book of Exodus, we have a small chapter and mini-Exodus. Jacob flees his father-in-law, who has him in slavery. He does so because God commands him out, and promises to be with him, just like Genesis 28:15. The parallels with Exodus are uncanny and wild. This story is for OUR instruction. God is teaching us to believe he is the true and living God who delivered mini-Israel, delivered mega-Israel, and who had delivered us. One thing to consider with this story is that our Exodus from sin and death is real and we need not live as if it didn't really happen, like we are tempted to do. We are called back to God's very real grace and then to walk with Jesus into trials that don't contradict our salvation, but in fact, deepen its impact on us.…
The story of Jacob and his two wives involves much sin and hardship. Jacob's relationship with Laban is marked by trickery and deceit. Yet the worldly intentions and actions of each of these human characters are no match for the triumphant grace of God. We will ultimately see that as God mercifully remembered Rachel, sinful though she was, to give her a son who would go on to be a savior, so he has mercifully remembered his covenant people, sinful though we were and are, to give a Son who would be our Savior from sin and death.…
Three things are for certain: death, taxes, and our sins will eventually catch us. In Genesis 29, Jacob's deceptions eventually catch up to him through another deceiver, a "Jedi deceiver," his uncle Laban. In the midst of the plot line is another water-well love story, a young vs. older narrative, and a God who get his purposes accomplished in it all. We get reminded of that sovereign and good God and we are also reminded that because of God's grace, we don't need to deceive any longer - ourselves, others, and God. What freedom the gospel brings!…
I like planning. I like the predictable. Calendars are my friend. Even people who are "free spirits" and "go-with-the-flow" types want scheduled unscheduled moments. We might call this chronos time - the planned life. However, while most of life will be lived within chronos time, the most transformative moments in our life happen in crisis time - where an unpredictable, highly intrusive God breaks into our calendar and upends everything. These are typically hard moments - and complex moments - and often leave us speechless (read: not appealing to smart and gifted people) and yet those moments are the moments that prepare us for blessing and reveal the presence of God. Genesis 28 is a story of chronos time being interrupted with crisis - a crisis of grace. This interplay between chronos and crisis is the gospel rhythm, by the way.…
When you think deeply about why we 'twist' the truth... or shall I just say it... we lie, we deceive, and we manipulate, one is drawn to the reality of trust. What do we actually trust? Do I trust God? If so, why do I think I have to claw my way through life, to get ahead, and to ultimately achieve blessing? If I really trust the promises of God, then I could leave my future to Him. I could trust him to bring about blessing. In fact, even when circumstances seem to press against God's plan, I can trust Him that he may actually be using a circuitous route, or even a really hard trial, to get me to blessing. The story of Genesis 27 is about a family who lost their spiritual sight along the way and no longer trust God's promises, which leads to deceit and then to distance from blessing, ironically. It is a hard story, with some humorous moments, and it is a story of God's grace which is stronger than our most blind moments of unbelief. It is a story of how amazing Jesus is who took this story, our story, wadded it up in a ball, restored it, and gave us Himself as the blessings itself.…
Last week we learned about the importance of prayer in evangelism. This Sunday we will look into the amazing story of Jesus healing a blind man in John 9. We will see (no pun intended) that there is often a progressive revelation and realization of who Jesus is. We will also consider how to share the gospel in a way that speaks into the some of the primary worldviews of our day.…
1 Sharing the Good News: Prayer as Foundation (Colossians 2:2-4, Matthew 9:35-38, Romans 10:1) [Roddy Dinsmore]
Prayer is a crucial part of our efforts to share the good news of Jesus with others. Yet we often forget to pray or are unsure of what and how to pray. This Sunday, we will look at three specific prayers in the New Testament to give us some guidance as we make Jesus known.
We were created out of, into, and for community. This Sunday, we will see how community is at the heart of God and His people and what that means for CHBC to live into our mission statement to equip our church as a community to reach the Triangle and beyond with the message of Jesus.
Jesus is our Savior, amen. Jesus wants to shape us into Himself in character, amen. But, Jesus also wants to use our lives in a way that he modeled for us - radically Spirit dependent lives, with particular gifts the Spirit has given us to use for the building of the church and the advance of the Gospel. We are going to begin a brief miniseries, leading up to Made for Mission, around our 3 ministry goals: Equip, Community, Reach. This Sunday we will discuss Ephesians 4:1-16 and the vision of a church gifted with spoils of Holy War by a Holy Savior, Jesus, by the Spirit, working together in unity and love. Our Equip vision is to obey this passage and one of the key strategies to accomplish this vision is for our leaders to equip or body to use their grace gifts for the glory of God.…
If you came home one night and noticed a fire breaking out in your neighbor’s house, what would you do? You would warn them. You would call 911. You would pound on the door. You might even break down the door if necessary to save their lives. Do we believe the Bible when it says, “This is the testimony of God that he has born concerning his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life?” (1 John 5:12) If so, how do we practice the Greatest Commandment from Matthew 22 and the the Great Commission from Matthew 28 in today's culture?…
God so desires a relationship with us, not a casual friendship or acquaintance nor to just provide direction in our lives. No, He desires an intimate relationship with us. It’s the kind that the world strives for between two people but can never achieve. It is the kind that no other religion offers or believes in. But it is entirely different. He already knows us intimately, down to every thought we have had to every fear that we hold to so dearly. And He wants us to know Him through his Word and through prayer. This Sunday we are going to look at what this God-desired intimacy looks like, examining examples from the Bible and talk about how we can grow closer and closer to our Heavenly Father. We’ll be reminded about what Jesus has done at the Father’s will to allow us this privilege.…
We're on the cusp of a new year and we'll be looking closely at Hebrews 3:1 as we seek to savor Jesus more in 2024 and thereby guard against Satan, sin, strange teachings, spiritual sluggishness, and suffering.
Merry Christmas, Bible Church! We conclude Advent and begin Christmas this Sunday - in one day as we share Christmas Eve! We have been marinating in the Gospel of John, moving from the idea of wishing the gospel story was true, to wanting the gospel story to be true, to actually believing the gospel story to be true, to the ultimate goal, worship. Our passage in John 20:11-18 and in it we see a beautiful picture of worship - hope fulfilled, the real and risen Jesus, and the call to go and tell.…
The joy of Advent is the object of our longings, namely, Jesus. There are truths about Jesus that get me fired up and hopeful, yes. I thirst for knowledge about Jesus and the world he rules, indeed. But the Scripture paints a picture of belief that is not less than a teaching moment but far more. It is a wedding scene. In Advent, I am reminded that I await a marriage - to Jesus. My belief is love and trust given to the lover of my soul, Jesus. Belief is union with my Savior. That is very different than what a lot of people think about with faith, and belief, etc. The call to follow Jesus is a call to be in intimacy with him - shame-destroying, sin-forgiving, holiness-making, beautiful union with the King of Kings.…
Sometimes we want to want a thing. We see merit but realistically we're not going to expend much effort because we're just not feeling hot about it yet. But then something happens. We get to the point of actually wanting something. That is a game-changer. A lot of people want to want the Truth, but often life and other things just gets in the way. Or maybe it goes deeper. Maybe OUR glory gets in the way. The story of John 1:6-18 is about our ultimate design and desire - Jesus as the very glory of God... and not just as an idea; Jesus IS the glory we are designed to have intimacy with.…
For the last 3 years during Advent, we've been going through each of the Gospel accounts and now we conclude with the fourth gospel, John. And, this Sunday, we start our journey with some of the most ultimate and heavenly truths about Jesus - He is the eternal, divine, creator, and life-giver Son of God, God of God, Savior.…
We'll be sojourning through Genesis 26 with Isaac, as he learns of God's faithful, gracious, glorious presence and blessing. God promises us that He will be with us, is with us, and always has been with us-- because He is faithful, by His grace, for His own glory.
The first shall be last and the last shall be first. That sentence is both startling and heartening. Jesus echoed it and yet he did not invent it in the NT. Jesus is citing a truth that had existed for millennia. In fact, it all goes back to Genesis 25 - a story of Abraham's death, twins, a stolen and impetuous trading of a birthright and yet a story of the grace of God to choose the unlikely to be the blessed one. Two things to prepare for: 1) What is an area of temptation you face in terms of instant gratification that could negatively impact your longterm future? And, ... 2) Where is an area you need to resolve in your life where God is calling you to go last, believing that in the long run you will be first?…
Sarah's story is over, for now. And she must be replaced. There must be a new woman of the house but also a wife so the line of promise continues. That woman is named Rebekah. Our story unfolds the Promise, Providence, and Purpose of God to provide a wife for Isaac and in doing so just might give us some wise insights on longing for, looking for, and discerning about a future spouse. This story also applies to those who are single, currently married, and post marriage, because this story ultimately points us to Jesus.…
Is God asking you to something that seems out of step with His character but you are pretty sure He in fact is the one calling you to it? Does it ever seem like something is from God's hand yet out of step with His word? Let me be blunt: Does God ever seem foolish to you? What if I told you that God is foolish - to our earthly eyes. Perhaps there is a wisdom so wise that it confounds us to the bottom of our feet? The Bible does not hide this fact. In fact, that truth is at the heart of the Bible - God is a God who gives over the treasure of the universe to die SO THAT we may have life and so He gets even greater glory.…
One of the hardest things to do as a Christian is to give something over that you depend upon, you are fond of, that seems to give you some semblance of vitality and yet you know it is getting in the way of the Lord. In Genesis 21, we have a story of that crisis in Abraham's life. He was called to give over a son. He will be called to do that twice in this section. But this son, Ishmael, is the son of the slave woman and not the son of Promise. He is a stumbling stone and Abraham needs to do the right thing. So Abraham, in much grief, obeys. And then God does something stunning... just as he will in Chapter 22. Please read both chapters. See the parallels. And picture the shadow of Chapter 22 casting itself upon Chapter 21.…
For one week, we pivoted to an important teaching from Romans 11 in order to help us better understand how to pray, give witness, and expect the Lord's return in light of the events in Israel of late. This is not going to be a scare sermon. This is not going to be a political sermon. This is not going to be a theological camp sermon. My aim is to cut it straight, on the Line of Scripture, toward a significant world moment, that the Bible is quite clear on, in order for us to be properly loyal to God's People, in God's Land, for the sake of His global - every nation - salvation purposes.…
In Ephesians 4 Paul reminds the believers that the message of the Gospel of Jesus bears fruit in the life of those who have received His gift, by grace. This fruit is counter-cultural (and impossible to achieve in our own strength). It is designed by God for the enjoyment of those who surrender to walk in the higher calling which they have been called to reveal God’s plan through the work of the Spirit: Heavenly Unity.…
Sometimes stories in the Bible repeat themselves. Genesis 20 is one of those. At first blush, it seems to repeat the story of Abraham lying to a powerful and dangerous king about Sarah being his 'sister' so that the king won't kill him to get Sarah. That is part of a pattern, for sure, but there is another really important layer in Genesis 20, that sets it apart from the prior story with Pharaoh. This king is open to the truth. Abimelech wants to do the right thing, even in his current pagan worldview. In our story, Abraham learns he does not need to fear the king of the land and the consequences of honesty. Abraham, on the contrary, needs to fear and heed God's grace, because the apparent enemy might in fact be a future brother in the Lord. That has significant ramifications for us, God's people, who live among the nations today, nations who are being prepared by God to receive the truth when presented with it.…
“We become what we worship,” said Andrew Wilson as he was speaking at the Gospel Coalition this past week. He's so right. We are living in a world with decayed moral standards, idolatry thru the worship of false gods (technology, social media, etc.), and we wonder just how far we really are from Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 19 shows us a story of a man that returned to a land with LOTs of sins, settled down and was living among them. Lot became what he was worshipping. And yet because of the promise to one man (Abraham), God saved Lot.…
Anxiety is essential worry on an IV drip. If we can get to moments of worry, we can do a lot to deconstruct anxiety. This whole section of Genesis forces us to deal with doubt and the beauty of trusting the Word of God. Genesis 18 continues that story as it reveals something so very important about God - He is able! Nothing is too hard for God (18:14). That raw and rugged truth is a balm and a bomb of worry deconstructing conviction. I pray we are comforted, challenged, and transformed by this story of the infinitely able God.…
Abram is 99. Sarai is 90. But God is Almighty, El Shaddai. That changes everything. It changes Abram to Abraham. It changes Sarai to Sarah. And it changes the male body in Israel - circumcision - a gory, bloody, painful mark to something beautiful and Christward. In this passage, we hear the Word of God proclaim the mercy and power of God in something as strange as circumcision and what it means for us today as we strive to follow Jesus.…
Do you have a big decision coming up? Or even a medium sized one? For a Christian, I hope one of the biggest considerations is proceeding down the pathway God has planned for us. So, how do we discern God's will? I bet it often varies, depending on the decision and how it affects us. And, I bet some of us regret decisions and wonder if we are now on a pathway God never meant for us. This is one of the biggest pastoral counseling issues I have faced over 20 years - how do I know God's will? This message is a special teaching on discernment of God's will and the 100% guaranteed method of figuring out what God's desires for your life and your decisions.…
Worse than failure as you follow God - much, much worse - is success in living apart from Him. In fact, the truth of the matter is: when you fail in the things of this world precisely because you are following God, that is ACTUALLY success. So, what do we do when there is a gap, maybe a big gap, between the promises of God and our present reality? What do we do with so much waiting around for God to act on his promises? Genesis 16 is another story of dealing with that waiting period and it is a very provocative story that is extraordinarily realistic in its representation of human fear and brokenness when faith is tested but also a beautiful testimony of God's patience and grace with us and His dogged commitment to keep his promises.…
Have you ever had your heart leap and your stomach sink when you thought about the future and it occurred to you that you have no idea how to proceed with what little resources you have? That sinking feeling is anxiety. Often the next beat is our inventive ability to figure out how to proceed with our resources - the things we can see, have at our disposal, and seem to have control over. And that works... until it doesn't. What if our souls could be anchored in something so true, so real, and so powerful that we could restfully walk in God's ways into the future, trusting Him to provide based on what He has already provided in full? That is the point of the story of Genesis 15.…
At the end of the day, what is a church ultimately for? Fill up the spiritual tank once a week? A place to get medicine for personal hurt or soul wounds? A one-stop-shop for learning and experiences that lead me closer to Jesus with excellent programs and production? A place of easy entry for non-Christians or young Christians who need the basics of faith? OK, you sense the cheekiness, but I admit there is some truth in those descriptions but all of them are also incomplete and not founded on the most important things. For this final Sunday of our Meaningful Membership series, we will look at Ephesian 1 to take in what the church is for - ultimately to behold the infinitely vast treasure of God's grace to us through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit and to treasure that in all of life.…
Is it possible to have a church that has strong attendance, has a beautiful campus, has strong Biblical doctrine, is well respected in the community, has gifted and highly trained leaders, is financially stable, and has a great vision and mission and yet be totally fruitless??? Unfortunately, yes. That's why we'll look at 1 Corinthians 13 to see what actually is a church where the Gospel is the culture.…
Do you want a church deep in prayer? Would you like to grow to be more like Jesus personally? What's the best way to disciple a younger believer? Why is it that every Christian is a minister of the gospel and that their Monday through Saturday is sacred? How do I parent in a godly way? Why is justice important and how do I serve justice in our broken world? What is racial equality so important? These are great question and very important topics. And, a local church can pursue all of those things, with fruitfulness and faithfulness if one central thing is our orientating core - the Bible. In fact, while those aforementioned issues are important, the most important thing in life is worship of the Triune God. To be radically Biblical is to dwell in the spiritual zip code where God dwells, with the power and guidance we need to fellowship with the Living God.…
More than a discipline, prayer is a reflex of the heart renewed by the grace of Christ, a heart that sees its need before the sovereign and holy God met by a glorious Savior. At least from the human side, prayer is the life of a local church. Our own energy in prayer will grow as we apprehend the greatness of our God, our need of Christ, and the wonder of the salvation he has accomplished. Please pray that we would see these things as they are as Revelation 5 is proclaimed.…
My life is not my own. Say that with me: "My life is not my own." Let's say it one more time: "My life is not my own." OK. I had us do that little exercise because everyday we battle the temptation to believe our lives belong to us. We are the owners! I own my time, my talent, and my treasure. One problem. That is wrong. God is the owner. He created those things. He sustains those things. BUT He has graciously bestowed time, some form of talent, and some financial resources to me that I (and you) might steward them. And, part of being a meaningful member in a church is to have a theology, a heart, and a pattern of life that shows we believe we are stewards and we are part of God's church and we use our time, talent, and treasure to further the Gospel in the church and through the church with the gifts and grace God has given us.…
The "koinonia" and the mission and the spiritual life of our church are very connected to the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Table.
How does the Lord use the local church to bring those to faith? Join us as we look at the early church and how certain convictions led to saving of many souls.
What would move you out of your comfort zone and energize you towards Missions?!? What will move the church out of the shallow waters of self-interest to pursue a costly ministry for the advance of Christ’s kingdom around the world? It is not an interest on Global mission and its meaning… it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When you see what Jesus did in the Cross for you - the pain, the suffering, the wrath of God, the love of God, our Savior - a passion will light in our hearts for missions. We have one mediator, who gave himself as a ransom for all, and we are to share Him!…
This week we take up the them of Covenanting Together. The body of Christ is called to live in an intentional, deep, durable, and covenant-level relationship with each other. The term that holds all of that together is a Biblical word Koinonia. It is found in several places but it is very prominent in Paul's letter to the Philippians. The word is a business word. It evokes a relationship that is defined by being so committed in a mutual relationship that both assets and liabilities are shared. There are no protections. No limiting clauses. That is the relationship Paul had with the church of Philippi. That is the kind of relationship Paul is calling us to have with each other, too. And, one of the profound reasons we should have this type of relationship, including sharing in each other's sufferings, is that God uses it to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is worth it.…
Where did the deacon office come from? What do deacons do? What's the office for? For all the practical questions surrounding deacons and their functions, we don't want to miss the glory of the gospel which they reveal: in Christ, God has served us, a people so dependent on his care. For the Christian and non-Christian alike, probing the office of deacon will take us deeper into the mystery of the gospel.…
After Jesus' ascension, the local church has been God's plan A for the building of His Kingdom and fulfillment of the Great Commission. God has entrusted leaders in the local church called "elders" for the tasks of overseeing the souls of His people and shepherding them into maturity, as they wait for the Chief Shepherd to appear and bring the Church to her eternal home with Him in glory.…
We begin our summer series called "Meaningful Membership." The focus of this series is on the beauty, glory, and goodness of God's people who assemble in a particular place. I will introduce the vision and big picture of our series Sunday by defining what we mean by the church and we will look at some of the reasons this is a complicated, unclear, or distant topic for many Christians. My hope is that we will all be reminded, refreshed, and maybe even blown away by the gift that the local church is and that we all will feel a deepened passion for what Jesus is doing in His local bodies, not least ours, the Chapel Hill Bible Church.…
In this passage we see how Abram repents after he experiences the faithfulness of God even in the fact of Abram's faithlessness. Abram is trusting the promises of God again, so much so that when faced with another big decision - where will he live vs. where will his Nephew live - he trusts God and let's Lot have first dibs. Not only that, but when faced with another crisis of safety, Abram trusts God, leans into God's power, and is used to route an army that far outnumbered his house militia. Finally, after all that, rather than falling into pride, when faced with another decision to trust himself and other men, Abram decided to sear his allegiance to the Lord through a mysterious figure called Melchizedek - King of Peace, King of Righteousness. HINT: Melchi is pointing us to someone else!…
You follow God. You are building altars for his name. Everything is going well. You are feeling blessed which makes altar building easy. Then... you hit a wall. A famine. Work is not going well. There are tests for following God. All of a sudden the promises of God seem fuzzy. Then crisis. You are put in a situation to use your smarts, money, time, and power to avoid a potential game-ender. Or, while God may use those things, you could stop and trust Him. You stop and go to the Word and see again that he says he will keep you. You remember that He is faithful, so you can obey and watch as he deals with the consequences. That is our story in Genesis 12:10-20…
The three essential ingredients in the basics of the faith are covenant, discipleship, and mission. Those three ideas are introduced to us in even clearer form in our passage this week, Genesis 12:1-9. God makes a covenant (promise) with Abram. That promise is the foundation of faith and faith is the fuel of discipleship. And, once faithful disciples rest in God's promises, they joyfully go on mission with and for God as he calls us to go and make His Name great.…
This Sunday, we gathered with our CHBC en Español family for a bilingual service to lift up our voices collectively in two languages to honor Jesus. In addition, Martin and Jay preached from God's Word from Genesis 11.
Have you ever tried really hard, built something complicated, it took a long time and a lot of effort only to have it all crashing down? And, did you suspect that God had something to do with it coming crashing down? I have had that happen. I also confess that I initially got mad at God. I accused God of ruining my life - all that hard work, time, expectation - God, what were you thinking? Then, it became clear. God broke my tower for my good. God was not threatened by my tower. God was not jealous of my tower. God saw how pitiful it was and he loves me so much he did not stand by and let it keep going. God often breaks our towers to build our lives, lives based on the real temple, Jesus. The story of Babel is a story of God's gracious wrecking ball and confusion-creating grace.…
What's in a genealogy? A lot more than just names and families. I have never been more excited to teach from a genealogy than this text! Genesis 10 sets the state for Revelation 5, the throne room of heaven where God's people from all nations worship the Lord Jesus. This text is often overshadowed by the Tower of Babel story of a rebellious people that needs to be judged, dispersed, and replaced. There is a layer of the story that is judgment, but the other layer is that God is going to start a new nation, Israel, not to ultimately replace the 70 nations, but to be one of them, set apart to show them the way - and the way is ultimately Jesus.…
Our world is intoxicated with disunity, especially among the people groups. We watch the nightly news as bombs explode, as people march in lament and anger, and we know the pain of broken relationships in our own families. How did we get here? Why does sin go after relationships and what fuels it? Our passage this week is sad, for sin enters the story right after the purifying flood. But it is also hope-giving. We find a drunken righteous man, a drunken family unity, which leads to a global intoxication of nations fighting nations. And yet it is a story of the covering of shame and we see in it, in seed form, that God will do the same to ultimately bring honor and glory back to his people - as individuals, as families, and as people groups who are co heirs of Jesus. All of that in Genesis 9? Yup.…
He is Risen! Easter is for everyone, including cynics. You would think that cynics have no place in the kingdom. Granted, they are sometimes hard people. I know. I am one of them. But God has a special place in his heart for the cynical. You see, I think folks who struggle with cynicism don't deny the fact of truth and sincerity. The dilemma is that certain people hunger for truth and sincerity so much that this world full of hypocrisy, superficiality, triviality, and falsehood has broken their hearts. But when a cynical person finally sees in such a way that they can believe the One who is Truth, those folks often become the most compelling, positive, and winsome people around. Cynics are often one True Sighting away from having a soft heart, a firm foundation, and a beautiful life.…
After a very hard week of national news, we need a hero to ride in and save the day. Thankfully, we have one... but He is not quite the hero we might write into a story if we were the author. I praise God we are not the author! This hero is Jesus, and He is in fact the Conquering King, but a Humble King - a King who would triumph by means of a cross, not an army or weapon of mass destruction. This is a King who will defeat His enemies, He will provide peace, He will bring glory, and He will do so by taking on the evil, brokenness, sin, and shame of Nashville, our current culture, our community, our families, and our hearts upon Himself and He died on a cross. As we enter the story of the Triumphal Entry in John 12, may we see and savor the Humble King of Glory.…
Once Noah got off the ark, worshiped for a bit, he then relaxed and was not quite the man we should want to be. Yes, Noah was righteous. Yes, he obeyed God in life changing ways. Yes, God noticed Noah and favored him and his family. But, what is the full take home of this part of Genesis? Check out Genesis 8:21. Read it. It is kinda crazy. God was pleased with Noah's post-flood worship, even though God sees that humanity is still broken all the way down to the heart. What? Well, let's see what that means on Sunday.…
In the first 3 chapters of the Bible we hear of God's marvelous creative work as He brings chaos into order and breathes life into the dust. But, 3 chapters later, He is actively "de-creating" what He created as He opens the floodgates of the heavens to destroy all life and mankind... with exception to a small remnant. In today's passage, we explore the story of Noah and the ark and God's faithfulness in judgment, mercy, redemption, even through the process of de-creation, and how all of this points to Jesus.…
On the brink of the flood account, Geneses 6:1-8 reveals the utter depth of the heart of humanity and the heart of God. With sin and death at its all time worst, God holds humanity to account for their sin, but God never loses sight of His promises.
Genesis 5 is one long genealogy. But that does not mean it fails to be pertinent. It is pertinent in a special kind of way. Genesis 5 is the story of God‘s faithfulness, to keep his Word and his promises as we get ready for the story of Noah and the flood. And in the middle of the story is a departure from the pattern of the genealogy, the story of Enoch. It is a strange story. A wonderful story. And a story that points us to Jesus, the ultimate man who walked with God, and was taken to be with God, so that we could be taken to be with God as well.…
The Mission of God leads to the commission of the church - to make disciples. This Sunday, for part 2 of our Made for Mission week, we will look into the assurance and the promise that empower us to faithfully obey the commission.
Made for Mission week begins this Sunday as we look into the question, "What is the Mission of God?" Our hope and prayer is that God would use our time together in His Word to align us to His will and purpose for us as individuals and as His church.
When sin is not repented of, it intensifies and even enculturates. But grace is too stubborn to give up.
This Sunday, we kick off the next section in our series in Genesis - chapters 4-11. Now that we've looked at all the layers of Genesis 1-3, it is time to see how the story plays out East of Eden, in exile. Unfortunately, the curses of Genesis 3 begin to weave into the story of Adam and Eve and their descendants. Genesis 4:1-16 is the story of sin's first actions, involving distrust in God, envy, lies, and even murder. The ugliness of sin is on full display and yet...yet...grace is still at work and will have the final word, even in the story of Cain and Abel.…
In the book of Luke, we see an account of two men who live vastly different lives and how Jesus intersects with them during an important time. We will discover the one thing that He wants us to know and how that one thing can change everything about how we live today. What should we know in order to live a life of purpose and meaning, to make an impact, and to leverage our influence with the gifts that God has given us to draw people toward him? We will find all of this reflected in the walk and talk of Christ.…
Ten times in 1 Corinthians the apostle Paul resorts to the expression "Do you not know? ..." In other words: the Corinthians should have known better. We will look at two of these instances. The Corinthians had forgotten that God was in their midst, and we are no different: we tend to forget that, too, God's plan, however, has always been to be in the midst of his people, powerfully making things new.…
In his letter to the church in Philippi, the Apostle Paul reminds them that despite suffering and persecution they are to be encouraged through the power of the Spirit. Why? To humbly love one another through service and to be unified in one accord as they worship Jesus. It’s also here that we see one of the most vivid accounts of Jesus’ character as He defines humility while obeying the will of God the Father. Believing in Jesus changes everything - for us and the early church - and this week we’ll see how following Jesus may not be easy, but that the life spent worshiping Him in community is the chief way to bring glory to God.…
Ezra and Nehemiah led God’s people when the problems were similar to ours—difficulty in trusting and obeying God, strife and division, and challenges from the prevailing culture. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah show how a Godly community arose following exile. We see God’s hand leading to miraculous reconstruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem. We watch an impoverished Jewish remnant grow in their faith as they face internal and external enemies. We gain a sense of the importance of Scriptures as God’s Word enables them to be holy and different.…
“Behold your God.” This is God’s message to his people in exile. We behold our God in all of his glory in his paradoxical character - he is simultaneously the mighty king and the gentle shepherd. We behold God’s glory in comparison to creatures - there is no one and nothing like him. Most importantly, we behold God’s glory in the face of his Son, Jesus Christ. What if, in 2023, we resolved to seek with all our might a glimpse of the glory of God in the face of his Son? How might we do this? We look forward to beholding our God together on New Year’s Day.…
It's not too often that Christmas Day falls on a Sunday! We hope you'll make time in your Christmas morning plans to worship with us for an intimate, energetic, joyful family service at 10 am. Come in your Christmas jammies and enjoy some hot chocolate, carols, a short devotional by Pastor Jay, and gifts for the kids.…
A memorable Christmas experience that our entire community and your whole family can enjoy! From start to finish, be brought into the message of the season through live Christmas music, relevant & hope-filled message, and a community candlelight experience.
This week we continue the Advent theme of waiting. We might call this God's gift of forced expectation, so that we actually live in light of the end (rather than for the immediacy of superficiality of the present). To that end, we are taking a bit of a detour in 1 Peter. For reasons I will explain on Sunday, this book makes sense for us to peruse in terms of Advent. The Well has been studying it. God has put it in my lap, in a sense. This book is ruggedly focused on how to be in the J-Curve trough, waiting upon God. And what we will see is that waiting is not stationary. It is beautiful activity. True waiting leads to humble and loving ministry to one another as we anticipate and even reflect the glory of Jesus.…
Advent largely reminds us that waiting is the disposition of the Christian life. We are called to live fully for God, to serve His purposes, and to do good works, yes and amen, all the while we are waiting for something all of that is preparing us for and pointing us to... the arrival of our King. Sometimes we forget that. For the powerful, we can forget that and use our money and influence to front-load heaven. For the weak, we can become despondent and maybe even frustrated with the Lord. We should embrace the wait and all that comes with it, including the shadows and the hungers. Simeon and Anna from Luke 2:22-38 will teach us what godly and glorious waiting looks like.…
The birth narrative of Jesus Christ is filled with beautiful hints of how God has orchestrated all of history to make a way for his people. Join us as we delve into Luke 2 in celebrating the Lord's coming!
A bilingual message on the story of Christmas from the perspective of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist and aunt of the Lord Jesus.
The Bible often refers to God's promises as His covenant. That word is really important and a lot of other essential matters hang on that word. It appears 295 times in the Bible. If you have been watching the story unfold as we have studied Genesis 1-3 and the story threads all the way to Revelation, you will notice something extraordinarily important - God keeps all His promises and all His promises hinge on one big promise - God will be our God and we will be His people. The Christian life hinges on that truth.…
Picture yourself entering a once glorious palace that has fallen into disrepair. It obviously used to be grand but now it’s in tatters – parts of it looked bombed out, there is vandalism, furniture is in decay, fabrics are thread bare. A question haunts you: what happened here? How did it get this way? Moses is answering that question to his contemporaries – and us. Yet another layer of Genesis 1-3 is the reality of sin, a key character in the storyline of the Bible - yet a character that has a shelf life - and sin's end is coming soon. Praise be to God.…
Last week, Pastor Roddy showed us that we must pray for God's will to be revealed, God's name to be glorified, and that we should pray for our ultimate good - which is to know God Himself intimately. This week we will glean from the book of Revelation that a cry for Jesus to return must involve our deep prayers for Jesus to fulfill his global mission to save his people. Mission and prayer for Christ to return go hand-in-hand.…
The final prayer in the Bible is one that points to the culmination of all things. It is one of the main cries of the entire Bible narrative yet is often ignored by Christians in their private and corporate lives. Join us as we delve into this brief prayer and learn some guiding principles while being challenged to long more and more for Christ's return.…
The environment has gotten a lot of press since the early 80's, particularly how population growth and our technologies negatively affect it. I think most of us love a good vista or sunset, but should we go beyond just a nice devotional moment to consider what our Christian responsibility is toward the created order? Does the Bible call us to more intentional living as caretakers of the world? I think so. Without any hint of idolatry, or sentimentality, the Bible does shape our vision of creation stewardship and we will look at that storyline.…
This week we will be concluding our 3-part mini-series within our series on Genesis on what it means to be human by looking at the topic of ethnicity and race. We will learn from Scripture how ethnicity factors into our identity as God‘s people, how sin has fractured the human race, and how the local church is to participate in God’s overall plan of redemption of becoming the “one new humanity” in Christ.…
In this week's sermon, we will take up what Genesis teaches us about marriage AND singleness. But then we need to talk about what we do if our situation is compounded by the fact that we are not only sexually broken in general, but we experience things like same sex attraction or gender disassociation. Our time will be quite practical and I hope very formational as we consider what it looks like for all of us to face sexual brokenness without despair or theological compromise, but rather with hope, faith, and unreserved desire to honor the Lord by His grace and for His glory.…
This week, we begin a series within a series, a 3-part series on humanity from Genesis 1-3. We are going to look at sex, gender and marriage in week 1. Sexuality in particular, week 2, with a focus on what we do with people who do not feel aligned with Biblical reality in terms of their sexuality and gender. We will also talk about singleness on week 2. Our final week we will look at race and ethnicity in seed form from Genesis 1-3. Here is the deal - what it means to be human is the core of our cultural narrative right now and so I am looking forward to getting into the Word to be reminded that God has beautifully designed the reality of what it means to be human, what it looks like to be human, and the ultimate point of being human - intimacy with God.…
The Garden of Eden seemed like a remarkable place. Paradise, right? Indeed. But there are some details that make it pop as paradise! If you read the details of the description of the garden and then compare with the descriptions of the tabernacle, the Temple of Solomon, and even all the way to the descriptions of the New Jerusalem and of heaven, you realize something clear and powerful - EDEN WAS A TEMPLE. That temple was designed to expand, grow, and fit the earth. And, even though sin entered the world through the failed original keepers of the garden, God graciously kept the temple going by providing the Ultimate Keeper - Jesus, who died on the Ultimate Tree of Life, in order to kill the consequences of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Because of Jesus, who is the Temple par excellence, we the people of God are the earthly temple and we have the precious hope of the Forever Eden-Temple that is coming soon!…
In this message, we look at the issue of whether there is a conflict between the plain teaching of the Bible on creation in Genesis and the findings of science. HINT: There is not. But, we will have to understand, then, what the Bible is trying to focus on in Gen. 1-2 and we will have to admit that science is great, but has limits and must be utilized with humility and respect of the Bible. And then I hope, after clearing some brush, to actually understand and obey what Gen. 2:1-4 is saying!…
For most of this semester, we will take our time and look at the vital themes of Genesis 1-3 in particular. Genesis 1:1-2:3 is our text for this Sunday and there we will find Moses laying out the main elements of the story: GOD, His people, in His Place, under His Rule, for His glory. How we interpret the length of the days mentioned in Ch 1 aside, the greater point in Moses's prologue to the Bible is the origin, meaning, and purpose for the world, not least for God's people. We are created for worship. We were created to dwell with God. We were created to enjoy God, forever. Amen.…
We conclude our series, What is the Gospel?, this week. So, don't go out of town! In our final message, we will consider how the Gospel itself not only changes our lives by salvation in Christ, but it also calls us to a mission to make Christ known. There are three primary ways Christ is made known in light of the Gospel: evangelism, cultural renewal, and cultural healing. Here is the big caveat: all of those are really important parts of the Gospel Mission AND they usually take place without a lot of fanfare. Often, this part of the story is explained as a call to something big, fast, and famous. That is not how God works, most of the time. The mission of God is very ordinary; very attainable; does not require superstars. God has called regular "Joes" and "Joannas" like you and me.…
Last week we defined the Gospel as "The declaration of Good News that the Triune God saves His people through Mercy and Judgment for His glory." That was important to nail down, but as that sentenced teaches, there are results of this gospel. People are actually saved. Mercy and judgment are actually shown. God is actually glorified. So, for the next two weeks we will look at the essential fruit of the Gospel. This week we will discuss the process of salvation, sanctification, and the work of God to create a new people, not just a new individual. The following week we will look at the essential fruit of our mission to the world as God's people.…
Is the Gospel about transforming society? Is the Gospel about community? Is the Gospel the plan of salvation? Is the Gospel the whole story of the Bible? Which Christian traditions or denominations have the best understanding of the Gospel? What is the Gospel? For three Sundays, we are going to look at the Bible and find out what the Bible means by Gospel, or "Good News". Then, we will look at what flows from the Gospel. Sometimes we confuse the two. Both are important. But, the basis of all that is good, true, and beautiful is the Biblical Gospel and we will seek to get clarity on that word, that truth, and its impact on our lives.…
Do you ever wonder if you are really saved? Do the stories of other Christians leaving the faith, even some who were mentors of yours or pastors, throw you for a spiritual loop? How do we know that we are truly in the faith - that eternal life is waiting for us and even in us now? John finishes his letter with five confidence-fueling truths so important that we should hang the entirety of our lives on them. These truths are clear, essential, and, well, true.…
Two things to know about our Bible teaching for Sunday. One, it will be preached in both English and Spanish in the same service. Two, it will be a word of encouragement and challenge to students going to college for the first time and returning to college in the next weeks. But, of course, it will be applicable to everyone! The text is clear - God is witness, to His Son, and His Son is life. His Son is all of life. His Son should be embraced by faith. And His Son is the fountain of all joy.…
Often we file things like love, obedience, good doctrine, the gospel, and community into different folders. That is not how the Bible thinks. All of these issues are connected and actually should be filed in a folder labeled 'God is love'. The Apostle John, in his beautiful circular fashion, weaves these themes together in order to anchor us in God's love by believing His Son, obeying His Word, loving His children, and rejoicing in our victory over the world. Once we file these into the same folder, watch out...one's soul begins to settle down and settle into the love of God in Christ.…
God is love. This is a bedrock truth. But, the reverse is not true. Love is not God. That is also good news. God sets the terms of love and the agenda. The terms are the truths of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. The agenda? We are to be formed into the Jesus centered, gospel defined love of God both in receiving it, seeing it, confessing it, and passing it along to others in the power of the Holy Spirit and by the fear destroying power of the gospel.…
God has sent us into the world to proclaim the light and truth of the gospel but there are other spirits that John says are intending to deceive us. How are we to know whether we are living by the Spirit of Truth or the spirit of error? This week John wants us to trust the Holy Spirit’s work of authenticating our faith as he commands us to test the spirits behind these prophets.…
After John writes to the church the reason, the root, and the fruit (see last week's sermon) of abiding in Him, in this section; he shows us the quality, the beauty, and the blessings of the fruit now lived in the children of God.
Abiding in Christ does not always feel like the natural thing to do. It’s hard. And from one perspective, we can’t do it. It’s impossible for our human, sin-broken, distracted selves to keep our focus and rest solely at all times in the Lord. And yet, our text this week actually tells us that we must abide in Him and that in Him we have all that we need. How is this possible? Spoiler alert: it is because of who God is and who He says we are. This Sunday, we'll look at the root and fruit of abiding in Christ as our text reminds us of who God is and who we are in Him.…
The fallen desires of our flesh, along with the false teaching of those who would oppose Jesus are constantly making claims for our longings and affections. They promise a shadow of what only God himself can provide - eternal life through abiding in Christ.
This section of 1st John dives into some really practical advice and marching orders for us as believers. John says we shouldn't sin, that we ought to live daily in a way that walks like Jesus walks. How do we follow Jesus with an obedient life? The best news is that John doesn't just pitch these ideas and tell us to try harder. He reminds us that Jesus for us is not only the good news for when we come to faith, but every day as we live in obedience, too.…
In this Sunday's passage, John shows us that the joy that we talked about last week can be realized in the truths that are found in the next six verses. By God’s grace, we are able to have fellowship with him and each other when we put light and dark in its proper place.
We begin 1st John this week. John the Apostle wrote this letter to fight for the complete joy of a congregation which was being tempted to follow the false teaching of some former brothers who had fallen into idolatrous beliefs. The bottom line for Pastor John and his flock was the truth about Jesus. Everything else flows from that truth: love, light, life, holiness, sanctification, knowledge, and fellowship with God. We begin his week with the prologue, 1:1-4.…
For our last Sunday of advent, we're going to skip ahead to Mark 13 to Jesus and the Olivet Discourse and his call to "stay awake" for the second advent. As we think about Christmas, we tend to focus on the past and present when really the call of advent is to focus on what's to come.
The past two weeks we've spent time in Mark during this Advent season "teeing up" the coming of Christ. This Sunday, we finally meet Jesus as he begins his public ministry through the public proclamation of his baptism and a voice from heaven.
We're at Mark 1:4-8 looking at John the Baptist - notably, his POSTURE towards Jesus. If we see what John is doing in this passage, we'll understand the key to the Christian faith. Having faith in Jesus isn't so much an intellectual exercise, but an ethical and relational posture before Jesus.
1 Luke 3:1-22 - The Prophetic Voice of Repentance: Preparing the Way for Oncoming Glory [Ryan McKee]
Bienvenue sur Lecteur FM!
Lecteur FM recherche sur Internet des podcasts de haute qualité que vous pourrez apprécier dès maintenant. C'est la meilleure application de podcast et fonctionne sur Android, iPhone et le Web. Inscrivez-vous pour synchroniser les abonnements sur tous les appareils.