October 13, 2024 |
Hebrews 7:18-28 |
exposition
We live in world filled with guarantees, lifetime warrantees, insurances, promises and so on. Our culture knows full well that we the consumer are looking for things that last, things that have been guaranteed to succeed for us. We have lots of guarantees in this life, but lots of broken ones too. Many of us are painfully living through many unfulfilled guarantees and desperate for someone to follow through.
Wouldn’t you be pleased to discover that in your area of greatest need, you have a guarantee that is totally certain? Our salvation, our spiritual access to the living God, our communion with Him is made certain, guaranteed by our savior Jesus Christ.
In Hebrews 7:18-28, the author explained to the Jewish background believers that Jesus is a greater guarantee of salvation. We can understand that Jesus is a greater guarantee of salvation.
October 6, 2024 |
Hebrews 7:1-17 |
exposition
Full Transcript Available
Why does this passage about a mysterious figure named, Melchizedek, and an ancient priesthood matter to us today? While we may not be struggling to reconcile temple worship with our faith in Christ, we face a similar challenge: Where do we turn to find true connection with God? In our world, people are looking everywhere for meaning, security, and spiritual fulfillment. Some turn to religious traditions, others to personal spirituality, and still others to worldly solutions like success, status, or wealth. Even as Christians, we may sometimes feel distant from God and question how we can approach Him and hear from Him.
This is why we need to hear about the greatness of Christ’s priesthood. It reminds us that our relationship with God doesn’t depend on our efforts, rituals, or qualifications. We have direct access to God through Jesus, our perfect High Priest. His priesthood is superior to anything the world or religion can offer. In Him, we find security, peace, and reconciliation with God.
September 29, 2024 |
Hebrews 6:9-20 |
Full Transcript Available
We live in a world that often feels unstable, where uncertainty looms large, and the promises that people make to us often come up empty. Unkept political promises, unfulfilled contracts, broken wedding vows… who can we trust? It’s hard not to lose hope.
Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to live with confident hope, a hope that is grounded in something far greater than the fleeting assurances of this world. Our hope is anchored in the promises of God, and this hope is not wishful thinking, but a firm and steadfast confidence that God will be faithful to fulfill His Word.
In Hebrews 6:9-20, the author encouraged believers not to lose heart, but to cling to a greater hope in the promises of God. We can have this greater hope in the promises of God.
September 22, 2024 |
Hebrews 5:11-6:8 |
Christian maturity, exposition, jesus, maturity
Full Transcript Available
From the time of our birth, parents and doctors begin to measure our physical growth. Educators measure our intellectual growth. Banks and credit agencies measure our financial growth. They all have goals for where we should be in order to be considered healthy or to graduate or to qualify for a loan. But what about spiritual growth? Does God have a goal for our spiritual growth? Many in the church today seem to be unaware of this greater goal.
So the greater goal is not to just make converts, but to make Christ-followers, to make disciples of Jesus who grow up to maturity becoming like Him in every way. Because as Dallas Willard warned, “The way to get more people into heaven is to get heaven into more people. And if you don’t do that, then you wind up with a group of people that are testimonies against heaven.”
What’s your goal in life? Is your life a testimony for heaven or against heaven? Are you growing spiritually? Since becoming a Christian, are you growing more like Jesus? In the epistle of Hebrews, the Jewish background believers were warned not to fall away from the goal of growing to maturity in Jesus. We can heed the warning not to fall away from the goal of growing to maturity in Jesus.
The cartoon series, “The Family Circus,” was created by self-taught artist and cartoonist, Bil Keane in 1959. Cartooning from his home office with family all around, Keane was inspired and soon began drawing “The Family Circus,” using his five children as subject matter. Keane said, “If there is a philosophy behind the feature, it is that a home filled with love and laughter is the happiest place in the world.”
August 18, 2024 |
Psalm 71:14-18 |
grandparent
Full Transcript Available
Grandparenting and parenting are two different roles that require different approaches. It can be confusing because grandparents are
still their grown children’s parents, but they are not their grandchildren’s parents. Moving from a direct role to a support role, from the decision maker to the influencer, from being in charge, to being an encouragement, is a challenging shift.
Does the Bible have anything to say about grandparents? In Psalm 71, David expressed his desire that in his old age God would help him pass on a godly legacy to his grandchildren. We can depend on the Lord to help us to pass on a godly legacy to our grandchildren. How can we depend on the Lord to help us pass on a godly legacy to our grandchildren.
August 11, 2024 |
1 Corinthians 7 |
singleness
Full Transcript Available
Sometimes attempts at matchmaking makes singles uncomfortable. Our couples groups and family gatherings make them feel left out. Our questions that imply they are less than whole as a single, make them feel inadequate or like an odd man out. But the truth is there is nothing “odd” about being single. Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul, and Jesus lived as singles. We all begin life single and many of us will experience singleness again later in life, and ultimately we will face God as singles.
What can help singles with the challenges they face? I believe that God’s Word offers the help that we need for living a fulfilled life and a life lived under God’s blessing. The truth is in Christ, we are never alone! In his 1st letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul instructed singles to look for true fulfillment in Christ Jesus alone. Whether married or single, we can recognize that we are to find our true fulfillment in Christ alone.
August 4, 2024 |
Ephesians 6:1-4 |
parenting
Full Transcript Available
The truth is, parents today are worried. They’re worried about their child’s health: obesity, drug abuse, bullying, internet safety, teen pregnancy, gender dysphoria, depression, teen suicide… They’re worried about their education: public, private or home school? College? So, a lot of parenting today is worry-driven, or fear driven. Parents today feel overwhelmed and underprepared. Either because they came from a dysfunctional family themselves or because they have no foundational biblical understanding, they feel lost in their role. So, many are just winging it.
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he told them how to parent their children in the Lord. We can follow God’s Word for parenting our children in the Lord.
July 28, 2024 |
Ephesians 5:22-33 |
marriage
Full Transcript Available
Every marriage is like a high flying dangerous acrobatic endeavor that requires two people to focus on hanging on tight to one another. How is your marriage doing? Are you hanging on tight to one another? Think about your marriage for a minute. Are you experiencing the blessing of God on your marriage today? Wouldn’t you like to?
As we learned last week, experiencing the blessing of God on our family means bowing to His authority and plan and depending on His power and love. Have you decided to follow God’s plan, His design for the family? In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he gave instructions on how to follow God’s design for being the family of God. Among these, are his instructions on how to follow God’s design for marriage.
