Paul ends this ancient hymn on the doctrine of Christ by proclaiming the Son of God as not just the cause of creation and the Church, but also the cause of reconciliation between sinful creation and a holy God by being the dwelling place of God and the sacrifice by which peace was restored between God and His enemies.

As Paul explains the importance of Christ in this ancient hymn, he has explained the importance of the Person of Christ (v. 15), the importance of Christ in creation (v. 16-17) and now the importance of Christ in the Church. In doing so, Paul helps the Church understand how they should conduct themselves in a way that is honoring to Him.

In this ancient hymn on the Person of Christ found in Colossians 1:15-20, Paul emphasizes in verses 16-17 the role of Christ in Creation and claims that Christ is the beginning and end of all created things, being the sole cause and ultimate goal of everything that exists. Join Pastor Stephen and Graham Emmanuel Baptist Church to understand how this impacts the Christian life.

In the second half of Colossians 1:15. Paul makes a second claim about who Christ is. Not only is Christ the image of God given by God for the world to see Him, but Christ is also greater than every other created thing. Find out the numerous and beautiful meanings of the term "firstborn" as it relates to Christ's status as God, and how it teaches us to worship Him.

Paul begins a new section of his letter to the Colossians in the same way he ended the previous section: by talking about Christ. In perhaps the most famous Christological verse in the New Testament, Paul explains who Jesus is. Listen as Pastor Stephen exposits the first half of Colossians 1:15 and the significance of Christ being the image of the invisible God.

As Paul concludes his introduction to the Colossians, he transitions his focus from the Body of Christ in Colossae to the Person of Christ in salvation. He does so by describing the four ways in which God qualifies believers to share in the inheritance of the saints in light mentioned in Colossians 1:12. In doing so, Paul shifts believers' focus to Christ as the means by which God saves sinners.

Paul gives the fourth and final continuous activity that should occur in the life of a believer walking in a "manner worthy of the Lord" (Col. 1:10). In Colossians 1:12 Paul returns to the theme of thankfulness begun in 1:3 and emphasizes that a life worthy of the Gospel is one which gives thanks to God as our Heavenly Father for the salvation He provides.

In Colossians 1:10 Paul calls for Christians' increased spiritual knowledge to result in obedience. In Colossians 1:11 Paul connects the concepts of spiritual wisdom and practical obedience by explaining how God equips His followers to obey Him in a way that reveals His glory and is done with endurance, patience, and joy.

In Colossians 1:9 Paul prayed that the Colossian Church would be "filled with all spiritual wisdom and knowledge." In Colossians 1:10 Paul explains why he prayed that prayer: in order that the Colossian Christians would "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord." Find out what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and why it matters.

Paul continues to express his thankfulness for the church in Colossae and recounts the way God used Epaphras to plant a church there. In doing so, Paul again shows the relationship between a heavenly focus and an earthly impact by connecting a greater knowledge of God within the Church with a greater knowledge of God outside of the Church.

Paul models how church members should treat each other by sharing his prayers and thankfulness to the Church in Colossae. Find out how devotion to God and a love for others are dependent on each other, and how Christians must pursue both.

In the first sermon in a new series on Colossians, Pastor Stephen looks at Paul's greeting to the church in Colossae, a group of Christians whom Paul never met, but that he still calls "brothers." Find out why.

"What is the Church? What is the Church's job? Is being part of a Church even necessary for a Christian? These questions pervade our world and must be answered. Join us as we together look at the teachings of the New Testament to to define the Church's meaning, role, and purpose and to discover what it implies for Christians today."

It's hard to believe that another year has passed. As we stand at the threshold of a new year the question for many of us is- what does the Lord want me to do this year? What does the Lord want Emmanuel Baptist to do this year? As you embark on an exciting time with new leadership, this message will examine ten priorities for the new year that will help promote growth and spiritual health for the future.

The Christmas season ushers in a variety of emotional responses. For some the anticipation of gifts and family gatherings create an exciting mood. For others Christmas is a time of frenetic activity that wears down the soul. And for some it's a difficult time coping with a recent loss or the absence of meaningful relationships. But for all of us, as believers, it should be a time to reflect upon the wonder of the Incarnation. Oh, the wonder of God's grace, the wonder of God's sacrifice and the wonder of God's gifts. As the Apostle Paul wrote: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Christmas Eve is a time of reflection and worship. Pastor Meredith gives us a glimps into the meaning of the very special occasion called "Christmas"!

The Christian life is impossible to live apart from the indwelling, empowering Holy Spirit. Some may seek to live a moral life by keeping the laws of God but as sinful human beings we cannot ever please God by our own efforts. Fortunately, there is no condemnation for those who have put their trust in Christ and seek live by the power of the Spirit. In this message from Pastor Dave Parsons, we will examine the freedom of the Spirit, the battle between the flesh and the Spirit and the evidence of the Spirit in your life.

The first portion of Zechariah reminded God's people that they are purified for a purpose. The second portion of Zechariah 3 explains what that purpose. Our Sr. Pastor candidate, Stephen Angliss, will be exploring the role of the Messiah in God's grand plan, and what it means for Christians today who are called to live faithfully.

After seventy years in exile, God restores His people to the Promised Land. But in Zechariah 3, the prophet receives a vision that shows a deeper need for a restoration of the heart. In the first of two installments from our Sr. Pastor candidate, Stephen Angliss, find out how God deals with the problem of sin, and why God always purifies His people for a purpose.

Recent statistics indicate that the clergy of our nation are in trouble. Pastors are resigning, churches are closing, and the overall health of the church is compromised. How a church loves and supports their pastors can make a big difference to the overall health and growth of the church. In this message using the acronym PASTOR we will look at six ways a church can show love and support for their pastors.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with our loved ones it's good to take some time to reflect upon the many benefits we have received from our Lord. The psalmist proclaims, "Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits." (Psalm 103:2). Psalm 103 is a beautiful psalm composed by King David to encourage God's people to remember the blessings we have received from God. In this message we will reflect upon the numerous ways God has blessed our lives and thereby prompt appropriate praise from His people. As the Chinese proverb states: "when you drink from the stream, remember the spring." NOTE: CLICK HERE to get the "30 Ways to Thank the LORD This Thanksgiving" resource that Pastor Dave mentioned in his message.)

It was the late Dallas Willard who said, "Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day." Have you ever wondered why so many people today are stressed out, over-worked, tired and anxious? We live in a fast-paced, hectic, pressure filled world and most of us feel its impact. On the other hand, our God is not in a hurry. His timing is always perfect, and He knows what He's doing in our lives. In this message, we will learn that sometimes the best thing we can do is slow down and take time to listen to our Heavenly Father and acknowledge that He accomplishes His purpose for our lives. What we consider an interruption may really be a blessing in disguise!

If you want to humble most Christians ask them about their prayer lives. Almost every believer struggles with his or her prayer life. The reasons are varied for these struggles but probably the biggest cause is a lack of understanding of what prayer is all about. Yet the Bible has much to say about prayer. In this message we will examine five Biblical truths regarding the nature of prayer. As one man stated: "If you want to see God move in a mighty way in your church, prayer cannot just be another program in your church, it must be a way of life."

One of the dangers of the Christian life is that it can become "too routine". As we become overwhelmed and pre-occupied by the things of everyday life, we can subtly allow our relationship with God to slide and our passion for His work to wane. It was no different for the people of Israel when they returned to the land after their exile in Babylon. They became complacent and fearful, so God sent a faithful prophet by the name of Haggai to renew their commitment and courage. Although Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament, it contains some powerful truths that can revive our Christian walk.

Many of us have heard the Biblical phrase "the fear of the LORD" but we don't really understand the true meaning. In this message we will be looking at what it means "to fear the LORD" and to live that out in our lives. Although there are dozens of examples in the Bible, we will look at five different examples of people who walked in "the fear of the LORD".

He was one of Israel's greatest kings known for his leadership and heart for God. But when King David let down his guard, he sinned not only against his subjects but more importantly his Lord and God. In this message we will examine the dangerous circumstances that led to David's sin and then his deceitful attempt to cover it up. Although God graciously forgave him, the consequences of his sin had a devasting impact on his family and nation. The truth found throughout the bible is clearly illustrated in this message. You reap what you sow!

We live in a broken and sinful world. If you have not encountered a period of suffering, it's only a matter of time before it comes. When you are going through a period of testing the natural impulse is to panic and become discouraged. God wants us to trust Him wholly in times of duress even when we don't understand what's going on. He loves us and has our best interest in mind. When we persevere in those trying times trusting our Heavenly Father we grow spiritually and someday will be rewarded for our faithfulness.

Gearing up and being ready for battle at all times is crucial. We need to know the source of our struggle, as well as the schemes of our enemy. In order to effectively fight our enemy, we must be strengthened by God, be suited in the armor of God's word, and must pray in the Spirit.

The book of Psalms was the hymnbook for the nation of Israel. The songs were set to music. The Psalm 1 is the gateway to the entire book. The theme of the Psalm 1 is the centrality of God's Word to one's own life.

Christian author Gordon MacDonald said, "disordered families create disordered communities." Much of the chaos in our society can be directly linked to families and workplaces that have come unraveled. In this message we will discover from the Apostle Paul the biblical principles that promote health and harmony in our homes as well as a productive and positive working environment.

Marriage is an ancient institution that is under attack today. People are seeking to redefine the norms and roles of the marriage relationship that have prevailed for millennia. As believers in Jesus Christ, we must turn to what God says makes a marriage functional and fulfilling. In this message we will see God's blueprint for marriage.

Understanding who Jesus is, is of utmost importance in a believer's life. It invokes the proper response from believers in how we approach our prayer time, our worship, and our bible study. In this message by Pastor Meredith, the essential doctrine of the deity of Christ must be believed by anyone claiming Jesus as Lord. Any belief to the contrary is a false gospel.

Choose the things of God as priorities over the things of the world.

Parable of the Two Debtors Luke 7:36-50. Like Jesus, stop viewing sinners for who they have been, and start viewing them for what only God can make of them.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to live in a manner worthy of our calling. God is glorified when believers walk with God in the power of the Holy Spirit. In this passage, Paul describes the characteristics of those people who truly walk with God.

When you become a Christian, you become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Although your old nature is not eradicated, you are no longer enslaved to its demands. In this passage Paul describes the marks of the old self characterized by unbelievers and entreats the believer to put aside the old self with its sinful traits and live in accordance with the new nature received at conversion.

God has gifted every believer with a special gift to be used in the building up of His Church. Some believers have a special gift of equipping God's people for the work of ministry. God's purpose for the church is fulfilled when each member does his or her part in building up the church through authentic relationships and growth in spiritual maturity.

Oh, how amazing is Christ's love for us. When the Apostle Paul reflected upon the greatness of God's redeeming work in Jesus Christ, he cried out in prayer that his readers may come to know the multi-faceted love of Christ for them. He prays they may experience the fullness of God and understand his immeasurable power to carry out His glorious work through them.

The greatest mystery in not an enigma that can't be solved but the revelation to the world that God has established in His church a new body of believers made up of both Jews and Gentiles. At just the right time God revealed to the Apostle Paul the essence of this mystery and through his powerful ministry proclaimed the unsearchable riches of Christ.

David wrote many psalms that highlight God's nature and divine attributes. In today's message given by Pastor Jay, we'll see three important attributes of God that David highlights in Psalm 139. We will also see how David responds to these, since he was known as "a man after God's heart."

Peace is a rare commodity in our conflicted and violent world. For centuries most people had no access to God or the hope of finding peace with Him. But at just the right time, God sent His Son into the world to provide a way for people to be reconciled to Him and one another. Now as a growing body of believers we not only have a special relationship with God, but also the opportunity to proclaim His message of redemption to the world.

Living a godly Christian life is not an easy task in our 21st century culture. Many believers are alarmed by the increasing hostility and rejection of biblical values by the majority of our society. Guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons, points out how the Apostle Paul explains that the natural condition of unbelievers makes it impossible for them to follow Christ. Fortunately, God not only saves some by His grace and mercy but also uses their lives for His glory.

Paul's prayer for the believers in Ephesus is just as much for us today as it was for the Christians then. In this message from Pastor Jay, we will explore Paul's plea for God the Father to help these saints understand and comprehend the incredibly blessed position they have in Jesus Christ. Paul also expounds on the exalted position of the resurrected Savior of the world - Jesus Christ.

Many people today are living their lives in quiet desperation. Do you have little hope for the future and are burdened down with a nagging guilt that hinders your peace of mind? As guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons explains, the Good News is that God has provided a way for you to be forgiven through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Furthermore, God has provided a Helper in the Holy Spirit to ensure that the good work He has started in you will be accomplished in His time.

Many Christians today are unaware of the incredible spiritual riches they possess in Christ Jesus. It's a wonderful privilege to be chosen and adopted by God the Father. As guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons explains, as God's children, we have a responsibility to appreciate the blessings we possess and live in a way worthy of our calling.

As Christians living in America, we are blessed with one of the highest standards of living in history. If we are not careful, we can become enamored with the affluence around us and consequently make decisions that are harmful to our spiritual lives. Money is not evil in and of itself, but when we have an unhealthy love for money it can cause all kinds of problems. In this passage, guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons highlights Jesus' confrontation with a man who had a greedy heart and warned his listeners with a parable about a rich fool illustrating that one's life does not consist of his possessions.

Life is difficult. Sometimes when we're in the midst of life's challenges we get bogged down with discouragement. Aging bodies, relational problems and inadequate finances can become overwhelming. Guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons points us to the Apostle Paul, who gives us a perspective that provides hope in times of distress. No matter how difficult our present circumstances may be, when we have an eternal perspective, it provides the motivation to move forward in our life with God.

In this sermon, Pastor Meredith teaches us that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are to stand firm on the truth of God's word, un-wavered by the pervasive culture of the world.

In Mark 10:35-37, Mark 10:35–45 describes the arrogant request of James and John to have positions of power and authority in Jesus' coming kingdom. This comes after learning that Jesus values the powerless like women and children (Mark 10:1–16), that those with earthly power and wealth can have a hard time following God because they can tend to value their possessions more (Mark 10:17–22), and that part of Jesus' plan for His kingdom is to die a horrible death (Mark 10:32–34). Neither Luke nor John records this account, but Matthew adds that James and John's mother is involved in the request (Matthew 20:20–28). Guest speaker, Todd Morrison highlights how this passage plays a key role in the Gospel according to Mark's understanding of why Jesus dies and what his death means.

In 1 Corinthians 15:18-31, the apostle Paul focuses on the message of the cross is foolishness to a dying world. Guest speaker, Todd Morrison highlights the message that God's ways are different than the world's ways and we must consider laying down our own preferences in order to bring glory to Him in our churches. Our boasting should be only in the Lord and His work in our midst!

Jesus is risen. . . He is risen indeed! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is truly the greatest event in history because it proves His claim to be "the resurrection and life" as well as the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. In this message from Pastor Jay, we learn the simple acronym F.E.A.T. that reminds us of the truth and power of Jesus' resurrection and why we can say with confidence, "He is risen indeed!"

When mistrust, quarreling and division are damaging the church they must be confronted, loving and directly. Guest speaker, Todd Morrison, points out that in 1 Corinthians 1:10-16, the Apostle Paul makes an impassioned plea for the church in Corinth to seek healing, love, unity and purpose by surrendering to Jesus

If we've been in the church for any length of time it can be very easy to become religious while also becoming unspiritual. When we opt for good behavior over a surrendered life or a transactional relationship with God over an intimate relationship with Jesus we find ourselves in a place similar to the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 19. Guest speaker, Todd Morrison encourages us to understand that our hope is not found in how good we can be, but in how much we are loved.

We can be thankful in every situation. As guest speaker, Todd Morrison says, even though we are "prone to wander" away from Him – God never leaves or forsakes us! As a result, even when we've lost our way or made our faith and Church about ourselves, God is there willing and ready to redeem our lives from the mess we've made. God promises to do that in I Corinthians 1:4-6

One of the great challenges for the church is that we maintain a healthy balance of being "in the world but not of it". In I Corinthians 1, the Apostle Paul lays the groundwork necessary for reminding the church in Corinth they were out of balance. He reminds of them of their glorious position and calling in Jesus, while also pointing out the sin that made them indistinguishable, in many ways, from the culture around it. Guest speaker, Todd Morrison, reveals that there is much for us to learn from the first chapter of Paul's letter to a church that faced much of what we face in our church and culture.

When life is uncertain and the future unclear, there is great hope for us in the question Jesus asks Bartimaeus in Mark 10. What do you want me to do for you? In this message from guest speaker Todd Morrison, he highlights what a great opportunity there is for us as we answer that question.

For most of us prayer does not come easily. We know that the practice of prayer makes a difference in our lives but often we fail to practice what we know to be true. Guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons, explains how we can make a powerful, life-changing difference with our prayers! In this message we will examine from the Bible six characteristics of what makes powerful and effective praying.

When the future looks bleak, it's good to be reminded that God is on the throne. Guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parson highlights Isaiah's vision of a holy God and his subsequent cleansing from sin empowered him for a new commitment of service to God.

In these troubled times many of us face storms of various kinds that unsettle our lives. Guest speaker, Pastor Dave Parsons explains how Jesus assures us that in the midst of the storm we can trust Him completely for He is always with us.

Our Converge NW, District Executive minister, Nate Hettinga, shares a message challenging us to continue on with the mission of sharing the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world!

The Apostle Paul makes it clear to the church in Rome that the Law of Moses simply reveals sin and that the only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Everyone knows Mark's name, but few people know much about him. Join us as GEBC Elder Tyson Bryant explores Mark's life, his public failure, and his reconciliation.

Jesus taught us his standard for engaging natural people in this parable, but he also modeled it with his life. We can copy Jesus' modeled for how to engage the natural person today.

In a day and age where sexual immorality is being embraced and celebrated, we need to be reminded of God's original design of sexuality and how that is to be lived out in the believer's life without compromise. Pastor Jay Schilling takes us back to what the Bible tells is the truth on these matters.

There are certain characteristics that are present in thriving churches that prove to help the church be fruitful in ministry and a testimony for the world. In this message, Pastor Jay highlights two that are crucial for a church body to live out.

In this passage the apostle Paul is giving Timothy instructions for the qualifications for Pastors, Elders, and Deacons. Pastor Meredith highlights what this looks in the leadership of GEBC.

The apostle Paul ends his letter to the Philippians with personal greetings to the entire church. He also reminds the believers that everything is for the glory of God.

Jesus, as "the Light of men", offers truth to a world of lies. He came that first Christmas to die on the cross for the sins of the world. He offers rescue from Satan's kingdom of darkness and life eternal to all who believe in Him.

Jesus Christ is the greatest gift ever given to mankind. His birth was called "good news of great joy". That is because, through Jesus Christ one can enjoy the forgiveness of sins and peace with God.

There is no secret to finding contentment. Contentment is the outcome of living for and loving deeply the Lord Jesus Christ.

This world is full of problems, pain and troubles. Since people think contentment is having none of those things, they are rarely content. This passage describes biblical contentment

True peace only comes from God. The non-Christian and many Christians are looking at the wrong sources for their personal peace. Are you experiencing the peace that Jesus promised to give us?

Jesus encounters a group of ten lepers who desperately seek healing from Jesus. He heals all ten lepers but only one turns back to give thanks and praise to Jesus. In this unique story from Luke 7, we will discover the contrast between the 10 lepers and highlight the most important thing for us to pursue in life – a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Worry and fear are at an all-time high in our nation. God's Word gives us many solutions to worry. In this passage we learn of a powerful way to deal with worry.

1 Corinthians 2:12-3:3 - The Apostle Paul explains there are three types of people both so we can make changes in our own lives and for us to invest in the lives of others.

The church is usually attacked from the outside or from the inside. In our passage today we see an attack from inside the church. Two ladies are quarreling and affecting the church in a negative way.

Paul challenges the believer to follow godly examples. He tells us to do the exact opposite of worldly non-Christians who waste their lives.

Jesus asked Bartimaeus this question, "What is it you want Jesus to do for you?" Understanding Bartimaeus' story helps us understand what Jesus' question meant and seeing what it revealed about Bartimaeus' heart compels us to answer that same question for ourselves.

In this passage we will see the difference between positional righteousness and practical righteousness. The Christian should be come and practice what we already are in our position in Christ. * NOTE: Unfortunately, the youtube video has no audio. We apologize, however the audio track is available below to listen to the entire message.

In our pursuit of knowing Christ we must not get stuck in the past. We must focus all of our energies and efforts into the present and the future as we live for Jesus.

Paul refutes the false doctrine that a Christian can become sinless or perfect. It is important to refute this, as it is any false teaching or deviation from accurate Bible theology.

In today's message we see two more benefits of our union with Christ. These benefits only come to an individual by faith in Jesus Christ and not by good works.

We learn in this passage the blessing of our union with Christ. It is an unbreakable union with multiple benefits.We learn in this passage the blessing of our union with Christ. It is an unbreakable union with multiple benefits.

Paul uses his own story to illustrate the things done in one's own power to earn salvation is garbage. But knowing Jesus Christ is everything!

The apostle Paul names 3 things that are true of every Christian. One of those things is that the believer is saved by God's power and lives the Christian life by God's power.

Examining your heart should be a daily discipline as a believer in Jesus Christ

Paul the apostle has a passion to share the gospel so the loss can enjoy a relationship with Jesus and spend eternity in heaven. His anger turns red hot against those who teach a salvation by works (a false gospel).

Epaphroditus shows the average ordinary Christian how they can be a "superstar" for the cause of Christ and the glory of God.

Jesus created the Lord's Supper as a fulfillment of all the Old Testament sacrifices. Communion is a reminder of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a powerful Memorial that is to be taken seriously.

The apostle Paul gives a glowing recommendation for his young associate Timothy. Paul identifies some things in Timothy's life, that should be in every believer's life.

God has called Christians to live out their salvation and share an accurate presentation of how a person can be saved by faith in Jesus.

In the process of sanctification God demands that we stop complaining. And we are to replace complaining with cheerfulness, thankfulness and contentment in our lives.

In this passage, Paul moves into the topic of sanctification. Every believer should be progressing in the area of sanctification. We learn what that is in this message.

This passage describes what every Christian is looking forward to! Where Jesus Christ is exalted to the highest majestic honor. And every living creature acknowledges that He is Lord.

The Father plays an important role in the family as its spiritual leader, protector, provider and role model. In this message from Pastor Jay, we will take a look at how Psalm 1 applies to fatherhood. "Blessed is the Dad who. . . "

The greatest example of humility is the Incarnation and Cross of Jesus Christ! He did this for our salvation. He expects His followers to live in the same humble way that He did.

As we enter chapter 2, we come face-to-face with a dangerous daily struggle. We all struggle with pride. Pride is at the root of every other sin.

Web search terms: 1 Kings 15:5; Matthew 1:6; David; Bathsheba; Uriah

Living a Christian life in a sinful world can be a daunting and difficult thing. Maintaining our faith in Christ through obedience to the truth of God's word is imperative for the believer today.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is beautiful in and of itself. The Christian who lives a godly and holy life can add beauty to it. What an amazing privilege this is!

Paul the apostle is very excited about putting the needs of other Christians ahead of his own desires. He is motivated to serve others and have others see Jesus in him.

The apostle Paul makes one of the most quoted statements in the book of Philippians. Philippians 1:21 is not merely a statement by Paul, but it is the goal of every Christian!

Paul is attacked by fellow Christians. It is painful and discouraging, but Paul does not take it personal. He is not distracted, nor bitter. He rejoices that God uses truth accurately presented, regardless of the presenter.

God uses Paul's discouraging circumstances to bring people to faith in Jesus. The mercy and grace of our God is powerful.

Biblical love is the highest calling for the believer. Biblical love leads us into godly living which results in bringing glory to God.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ has changed millions of lives. It continues to change lives! Our prayer and hope is that the resurrection of Jesus has changed your life as well! Because of the resurrection, all Christians will enjoy eternity in a resurrection body.

A Palm Sunday sermon about the first Palm Sunday.

Understanding love is an important part of every Christian's walk in life. What it is, where it comes from, and who gave the ultimate example of love.

Following the meeting Jesus had with the Rich Young Ruler, He teaches His disciples and all who were listening about God's awesome work of salvation and the blessings and challenges of being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is met by a Rich Young Ruler who asks him how to acquire eternal life. Jesus answers in a way that reveals the condition of this young man's heart. He thought he was good enough and his good standing would entitle him entrance into heaven. That's not how it works! The only way to heaven (eternal life) is through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ..

The apostle Paul prays for one thing specifically in this passage. He defines biblical love (which is very different than our cultures definition of love) and prays that all Christians would grow in this love.

Paul gives thanks to God for the salvation of the Christians in Philippi. He is thankful for God's work in their lives which will be completed at glorification.

In our passage today, we see a good definition of what a Christian is. In a time when this definition is obscured, we see with clarity what a Christian is.

What must I do to be saved", is the most important question anyone will ever have to answer. In this message you will learn the right answer.

The gospel advances in Philippi and immediately Satan attacks the gospel's progress! Paul and Silas pay a price for sharing the good news and they rejoice in prison while in excruciating pain.

Paul the apostle gives his whole life to sharing the gospel. In Acts 16 we see Paul and his team take the gospel to the city of Philippi and we see Lydia, who becomes the first convert in Europe.

The book of Philippians is a book that encourages believers regardless of their situation. Paul writes this letter from prison with joy in his heart.

Jesus demonstrated how to interact with the lost we meet. He also modeled a life that crossed paths with the lost.

Within the Christmas narrative and related scriptural passages, there are declarations of a coming literal and physical kingdom on earth ruled by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In this message, Pastor Jay will look at Isaiah 9:6,7 and its prophetic assertations about the coming Millennial Kingdom, where Jesus will rule and reign.

The Wiseman were highly motivated to encounter and then worship King Jesus. Their hope pushed them through many obstacles. Let's learn from them.

All hopes here on earth and in earthly things will not last and will not fully satisfy us. Only the Lviing Hope, Jesus Christ can do that. Is He your hope? Join us on this special evening! We have services at 4:00 & 5:30PM with our 5:30PM service being Livestreamed. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Jesus is our hope! He is God in the flesh and Savior of the world. If a person does not believe that Jesus is God and that Jesus is the only way to heaven, then that person has removed themselves from the Christian faith. Those 2 doctrines are essential to be within the framework of Christianity.

At the First Advent of Jesus, there were many amazing people and circumstances. Simeon was one of those people. He placed his hope in the coming of the Messiah and he eagerly anticipated His arrival.

Habakkuk is facing pain and suffering and yet he gives praise to the Lord. Regardless of what happens in his personal life and in his country, he is committed to give God the worship and praise He deserves.

Habakkuk reviews some of God's marvelous actions on behalf of His people in this passage. In this review, he gives God praise and glory.

Habakkuk gives tremendous praise for the glory and majesty of God. Even in the dark days that Habakkuk was in, God was still worthy and deserving of praise. (To read the entire poem "I Am A Soldier In God's Army" CLICK HERE!)

pain, suffering, hope, Godliness, circumstances, faithfulness

The prophet Habakkuk has moved from protest in chapter 1, to praise in chapter 3. This is incredible progress for the prophet and would be a wonderful transformation for all Christians to make.

Mankind was created to worship and love God first and foremost. Many things compete with God for our heart. We must be diligent to keep God on the throne of our lives.

God condemns idolatry. The First Commandment forbids idolatry. Idolatry has been a problem since the beginning and will be until Jesus Christ comes at His Second Coming.

Below are web search terms to pass on... grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, lost, self-righteous, disobedience, destruction, repentance, restoration, Luke 15:1-2, 11–32

God gives another "Woe" to Babylon. God is going to judge Babylon for her drunkenness and disgraceful behavior. God will also bring discipline upon His children for this sinful behavior.

In the midst of the judgments of Habakkuk 2, there is a ray of hope. Our God brings hope and encouragement in the midst of the most discouraging times. You can trust that!

God wants us to know that when we live for Him, our life counts in His eyes. When we live for self, we live in "vain".

God wants servants, who share His heart, to restore sinners.

Synopsis: King David dealt with evil people throughout his life. In Psalm 37, he shares some of the things he learned about handling personal injustice. In this message, Pastor Jay shares insights in dealing with evil people in a God-honoring way.

God is a perfectly holy and just Judge. He will deal with all sin and unrighteousness in mankind. Babylon is the focus of 5 "Woes" in chapter 2.

In today's passage, we see a contrast between pride and humility. It is very helpful to learn what pride and humility actually are. We should be diligent to remove pride in our lives, because God hates it so much.

The prophet Habakkuk gives one of the basic doctrines of Christianity: living by faith. God's people have always lived by faith. We are saved by faith and not works! And we live the Christian life by faith and not in our own human wisdom.

Habakkuk took his position as a watchman, and waited to see what God would say to him. A watchman had a serious responsibility to communicate accurately God's message to the people.

Habakkuk is very unhappy about the coming judgment upon his nation by the evil Babylonians! In his unhappiness and disappointment, he continues to come to God. He recognizes the wonderful attributes of the God of Israel.

In today's passage, Habakkuk receives a shocking answer to his prayer request. God's answer demonstrates he is in sovereign control of all things and we can trust him.

Habakkuk is a little frustrated with God's silence in God's apparent inactivity. He may be frustrated with God silence, however he continues to come to God knowing that He is the one that can be trusted.

The book of Habakkuk has a powerful message for Christians in our current chaotic country. As always, God's Word has a powerful truth for today. We will see some background to the book of Habakkuk in today's message.

In this message, the apostle John gives us another look into Satan's System, in The Invisible War. Satan's System is bent on leading people away from God and God's Word.

Today we look at a common and successful strategy of Satan in The Invisible War. This strategy is used repeatedly to cause all sorts of pain and sorrow in our world. Our only hope is Jesus Christ.

In this message Pastor Meredith explores how Job trusted the LORD despite the tramatic circumstances God allowed in his life.

The apostle Paul goes into the ancient city of Ephesus to share the gospel. This city is full of demonic influence and control. God uses Paul to break the chains of demonic activity and lead people to salvation in Jesus Christ.

Paul has told us about the armor of God and how essential it is. Now Paul adds an ingredient that is a "game changer" to our success in the Invisible War.

The armor of God is necessary for the Christians well-being and protection. No soldier would enter battle without these two pieces of the armor.

Paul, the apostle continues to take pieces of a Roman soldier's armor and apply them to the Christian. Today we look at the large shield that a soldier not only stood behind for personal safety, but also stood side-by-side with other soldiers for the safety of all.

In this series on spiritual warfare, today we look at a piece of God's armor that is often overlooked. This piece of armor is more essential than most of us realize.

God has provided armor for the believer's protection. God has given us resources to have victory in this invisible War. We must put on all the pieces of God's armor if we are going to stand firm.

The Bible tells us about an unseen world where God and His holy angels are challenged by Satan and his evil demons. We will take a look at this unseen world with the encouragement to "be of sober spirit, be on the alert" (1 Peter 5:8).

Jesus and Paul both discipled men. We learn much from how they did this. This will help us to fulfill the Great Commission.

Jesus gives us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. If we lose sight of exactly what Jesus is commanding, then it really becomes the great Omission. Let us take to heart the command to "make disciples".

We come to the end of the gospel of Matthew, where Jesus gives the mission and purpose for each and every believer in every age. Today's message will be part 1. (The video below will premier at 10:30 AM on Sunday April 19, 2020)

God's Word gives us a picture of the radiance and majesty of Jesus. John, the Apostle is overwhelmed by the raw power and brilliance of the glorified Jesus. Christians around the world should bow and worship Jesus, the King of Kings!

In this passage, Jesus demonstrates just how available and personal He is in a relationship with people. Jesus is not a robot. He is not a computer program. He is a real person who desires a close relationship with you. You make the choice to have a close relationship with Jesus, or not.

One of the more amazing and insightful appearances of the resurrected Jesus, is when He appears to 2 of His disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Ever since Satan was kicked out of heaven, he has attacked God's character and God's works. Satan is at it again in the resurrection of Jesus. He leads the religious leaders to come up with a lie, which is still alive today.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the greatest event in human history. It did not happen to inform a person, but to transform a person into a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Has the resurrected Jesus transformed your life?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest event in human history. It is also the focal point of God's redemptive history.

The religious leaders attempt to remove any of Jesus's future influence. They attempt to stop any propaganda about a resurrection, as Jesus had predicted. They will be unsuccessful, just as anyone would who tries to prove Jesus is not who He says He.

We return to the gospel of Matthew today. We look at God's providence in orchestrating significant events for the burial of King Jesus. We also see a fearful disciple become a bold disciple.

Jesus always teaches to change lives. He does not teach to impress or draw crowds, but to transform lives into disciples who do not waste their lives. Jesus teaches how to invest wisely.

Jesus communicates clearly the slaves' perspective on money. It is so clear and specific; it is extremely difficult to not understand what he is saying; unless you love the money more than God.

The Christian is usually surprised to learn that our relationship to God is directly affected by our relationship to others. Jesus tells us here that if we have an "issue" with another person and we don't reconcile that relationship, then it builds a wall between us and God. Jesus could not be more clear.

In this series, we are attempting to focus on the fact that Christians are slaves of God. As slaves we must get our worship correct. If we don't, everything else will be out of alignment.

Jesus tells a brief parable in order to remind His followers in every generation that they are servants who "take orders; not give orders". This is critical for every Christian to understand and apply to their daily lives.

In this message, we see a marvelous demonstration of faith and obedience in Mary, the mother of Jesus. We also see that she is just like every other Christian; she is a sinner in need of The Savior. She is a recipient of God's grace. She is not a dispenser of grace. She declares herself to be a "bondslave" of the Lord.

Pastor Jim shares a message entitled "Lying In A Manger" and the Good News of Christmas!

The deity of Christ is not a New Testament doctrine. It is splashed all across the Old Testament, as well. We see that Today in Isaiah 9:6, along with other titles for Jesus the Messiah.

The Christmas story is more than a warm-fuzzy feel good story! The coming of Immanuel presents many powerful truths to live by. Those who truly know Jesus, come to Him in worship and obedience.

God is a God of surprises. In today's message, we learn about four amazing surprises in Jesus's genealogy. This is a powerful reminder of God's grace to mankind.

Have you seen an athlete on TV make an outstanding play and then with his mouth wide open he screams in celebration at his accomplishment? That is similar to the shout of victory that Jesus makes when He says, "It is finished".

How Great is your God? Run to the battle that all the earth may know that there is a God and you belong to him and so can they.

At the moment of Jesus's death, a chain reaction of miracles occur. These miracles communicate many biblical truths to us today. Here are a few of those truths.

As Jesus hung on the cross, there is some break in the intimate fellowship between Jesus and the Father. In the anguish of this separation Jesus quotes Psalm 22. This begins with the agony of the cross, but ends with the victory Jesus had on the cross.

While Jesus hung on the cross, God brought 3 hours of darkness. This is the first of several miracles that take place at the death of Jesus. We will explore the possible meanings of the miracle of the darkness.

No one is deserving of the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin. Jesus demonstrates this biblical fact as he offers salvation to a thief dying next to Him. This is an amazing picture of God's grace and mercy.

Jesus makes seven proclamations in the book of John that describe Himself in unique ways. In this message, Pastor Jay identifies these 7 descriptions (including a bonus description) and explains how these can help us grow in our understanding of Jesus and how that should affect how we live for Him today.

In our study of the gospel of Matthew we come to the crucifixion. This is the very reason why Jesus came to earth. He came to die for your sins so you could live for Him. Are you doing that?

There are countless ways that people attempt to exonerate themselves from their sins. Pilate tries that in our passage today. The truth is, only the death of Jesus Christ can wash away a person's sins. Any other attempt outside of repentance and faith in Christ, cannot remove them.

Jesus made disciples and then challenged us to repeat it. Jesus created a pattern for a disciple-making way of life for us to follow.

As we follow the story of Peter's journey from one charcoal fire to charcoal fire, we find that he, and we, were saved and forgiven from something and we are restored and loved to something.

Jesus continues to receive injustice from Pilate and the religious leaders in this third phase of the Roman trials. Pilot continues to show his lack of integrity and leadership.

The Jewish leaders take Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate. Pilate knows that Jesus is innocent, but refuses to set Him free. Pilate, like so many today, know the right thing to do, but refused to do it.

Judas could have come to Jesus and sought forgiveness and restoration. He could have, but he did not. If we do not turn to the Lord when we sin, then the sin and guilt will be toxic to our spiritual and emotional lives. God wants us free from sin and guilt.

We can learn many things from Peter's denial of Jesus. One of the things we look at in this message is how to rebound after a public sin. Aren't you glad that your sins are not recorded in the eternal Word of God?

Jesus declares loud and clear, in the presence of the violent and hostile Jewish leaders that He is Messiah and God. Those who say/teach Jesus never claimed to be God, are so wrong. Here is one of many places where Jesus does not "beat around the bushes". He is God and He declares that fact.

Jesus suffered a great deal leading up to his death. Part of His suffering was His holy character being judged by such evil and sinful men.

In Matthew 26:57 the trials of Jesus begin. Matthew actually starts with the second trial. John 18 tells us about the first trial of Jesus. All the trials were a mockery of justice. How could the Son of God put up with such hatred and scorn and injustice? Jesus did it, in a way that He expects us to respond to unjust treatment.

In the garden of Gethsemane, Peter uses a physical weapon in a spiritual battle. That does not work. That is like "taking a knife to a gunfight". In this message we will take a brief look at spiritual warfare.

Even at his arrest, Jesus repeats his claim that he is God in the flesh. This is not the first time and it is not the last time. Those who say that Jesus never claimed to be God are horribly mistaken. Jesus claimed to be God, and proved his claim by raising himself from the dead.

Guest speaker, BMX Legend and Pastor Vic Murphy shares a message about the responsibility of believers to be involved in the mission of sharing the gospel with the world. His passage is Matthew 28:16 - 20.

Jesus demonstrates at his arrest, that He is still our Champion in control of everything. After Jesus demonstrates His supernatural power, it is surprising that the crowd still goes ahead and arrests Him.

This message will explore the story and lessons behind several remarkable examples of God's providence throughout American history. Examples include the Pilgrims, Washington's Ten Day Campaign, the Battle of Antietam, Hacksaw Ridge – and especially Apollo 8.

In the garden of Gethsemane the disciples were infected with a very common disease that affects Christians today. Peter, James, and John were disinterested, apathetic, oblivious, and unconcerned about Jesus and spiritual things. These 3 disciples recovered from this disease and Christians today can be as well.

Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, and it is both a holy and mysterious moment. He agonizes over what is about to come. He goes to the only One who brings hope, comfort, and strength! That is a powerful lesson for us as Christ-followers.

Peter pulls a bone-headed move by confronting Jesus. Peter needs to learn how to stop trusting in his own strength and wisdom. This is something all Christians will need to learn and apply to their life until they get to heaven.

At the last supper, Jesus models humility for all of His followers to emulate. Humility is a virtue God always blesses. The opposite of humility (pride), God always opposes.

Jesus inaugurates an entirely new memorial in the Lord's Supper. He transforms the Passover commemoration into a commemoration of his death, burial, and resurrection.

The Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread are two special Old Testament celebrations. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells how they apply to the New Testament Christian in a very powerful way.

When Jesus celebrated the Passover on the night before He was crucified, it was full of meaning and spiritual truth. We will learn some of these truths in this message.

Jesus experiences His last Passover. This by far is the most meaningful of them all. He throws "a wet blanket" on the party when He tells His 12 apostles that one of them will betray Him.

Mary anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. Jesus holds Mary up as an example for all Christians to follow. Jesus is worthy of our best gifts of time and money and everything!

Thomas gives the only acceptable response to Jesus, and that is one that declares Jesus is God. To accept Jesus as anything less than that, is to reject who He claimed to be. And you cannot do that and still be a follower of Christ

After giving the amazing Olivet Discourse, Jesus begins His march to the Cross. He is focused like a laser beam on accomplishing what He came to earth to accomplish. By His death He will make a full and total payment for sin and offer salvation to all who believe.

We must keep the Gospel pure form any additions! If we do not, then we will compromise the message and confuse the mission of the church. Let's keep it clear!

This parable has been mis-interpreted by many to mean that we must be involved in good works to the underprivileged in order to be saved. That is not the meaning.

The Great Commission is something that everyone in the church is called to participate in, but it is surrounded with a lot of confusion. Many people feel a sense of guilt or shame when they think about their roll in the Great Commission; instead it should be a reminder of the Gospel and an invitation to join Jesus in what He is doing to raise up Image Bearers for God among the Nations. The Great Commission is given to doubting imperfect people, it is being accomplished by King Jesus and we are invited to participate in it in order to experience Him more.

Jesus is coming back to earth in power and glory. You definitely want to be on His "good" side!

To become a Christian one must surrender to Jesus Christ. A person must surrender to Jesus as Savior and Master; a person must turn from sin and self.

Jesus demands readiness for His Second Coming. Readiness is not passive! But it is actively and enthusiastically serving Jesus and advancing the gospel. Everything we have is on loan from Him for this purpose.

Jesus tells us that there are people that look like His followers, but are not. We must consider the possibility that every time we show up at church we might be able to share the gospel with an unsaved person. That is exciting!

Jesus continues to demand readiness for His Second Coming. We should "expect the expected".

Abraham's life is a strong example of following God by faith despite facing the difficult trials of life. In this message, we will study Abraham's greatest test of faith from Genesis 22, when the LORD asked Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son, Isaac.

Paul is telling the church in Ephesus that there is nothing they can do to gain their own salvation. That only faith in Jesus Christ will give them salvation from their sins.

Jesus compares His Second Coming to the coming of the world - wide flood in Noah's day. In Noah's day, humanity rejected Noah's preaching and perished. In every generation, people reject the truth of the Scriptures to their own eternal suffering. Jesus is declaring that it does not have to be that way. God welcomes and receives repentant people.

The words of Jesus and the Word of God are eternal, inerrant, and authoritative. The Bible always tells the truth and always tells the truth about everything it talks about. We can totally trust the Bible for wisdom and direction in this life and the assurance of our salvation in eternity..

In this message we will examine three bold moves of Jesus Matt. 4:13, Lk. 8:22, Mk. 3:13. Then we will decide what one bold move we will make for Jesus today. Bottom Line: Today is the right day for you to make a bold move.

Christmas Can Be Incredible for those who know HIm as Savior and Lord! This short message was given at the Christmas Eve services on December 24th, 2018.

Just as in college, there are required courses for a person to graduate. The same is true in Christianity. To be a Christian one must believe that Jesus is God. This is a required doctrine for all true believers to hold. If one does not believe this doctrine, then they are outside of Christianity. That is what Jesus and His Word require.

We all need reminders! Here are four reminders that will enhance your Christmas and every other day of the week.

Christmas can be a very lonely and depressing time for people, but it does not have to be. Regardless of your circumstances, you can have victory over depression. Anna models this in Luke 2.

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus gives us a major event that happens at the midpoint of the 7 year Tribulation. It is a clear and specific sign that the end is near.

Jesus gave 6 characteristics of the second half of the Tribulation. The world is headed for a very dark time. In this time, Christians can be a light for the gospel. Let's be a light for the gospel today.

Jesus gives 5 characteristics of the first half of the Tribulation. A major characteristic will be lies and deceptions. The only way to overcome deception is to study God's Word faithfully every day.

The theme of Matthew 24-25 is Christ's Second Coming. In verses 4-22, Jesus gives us some of the indicators that precede His Coming. These indicators describe The Tribulation.

In our attempt to determine if the millennium is a spiritual kingdom or a literal physical kingdom, we must evaluate methods of interpretation. Without disparaging any view, we must objectively evaluate the three main views of the millennial kingdom.

The theme of Matthew 24-25 is The Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is also a dominant theme in the New Testament. It is the Christian's hope and motivation for practical living.

In Matthew 24-25 Jesus begins The Olivet Discourse. The theme of this discourse is The Second Coming of Christ to planet Earth. This event is something Christians have longed for since the day Jesus left the earth! Hopefully you eagerly look for His return as well

Does your prayer life today express deep longing for the Kingdom Of God?

Jesus expresses a tenderness and compassion for those who hate him and will murder him. It is very difficult to express in words the incredible love of our Savior! If words fail you, look at the Cross.

The followers of Jesus sacrificed everything to share the gospel and see people get saved. Jesus's prediction that His followers would be persecuted and martyred did not slow down the spread of the gospel at all.

Jesus continues to denounce the religious leaders. He saves their worst sin for last. This would be the seventh and final "woe" against the religious leaders. It continues in verses 34-36.

Jesus continues to denounce the religious leaders for their hypocrisy. They loved the appearance of righteousness, without being righteous. It was a mask. The Lord Jesus calls us to be authentic lovers of God and lovers of others.

Jesus has met us in our point of deepest need so now it makes sense for that grace to overflow from us.

The King of Kings humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross to save us from our sins.

Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for focusing on trivial things and neglecting the more important things. What a great encouragement to us today not to waste our lives on the things that really did not matter.

Jesus denounces the religious leaders for their lack of integrity and honesty. Jesus, being "the Truth" (John 14:6) cannot bless those followers of His that are not walking in the truth, as He is.

Jesus is righteously angry at the religious leaders for "shutting off" the kingdom. They did this by their false teaching and would not point to the only way of salvation, which is Jesus Christ.

Jesus begins to give the reasons why the religious leaders had failed both God and the people. They did not lead people into the kingdom, but shut the door to the kingdom.

The Bible is God's Holy Word and the greatest piece of literature ever written. It is unique in its origin and content. In this message, Pastor Jay shares some of the declarations that the Bible makes about itself fromPsalm 19.

God hates lying! Jesus confronts the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and false teaching. Jesus is very specific in dealing with false teachers and false teaching.

Guest Speaker BMX Legend Vic Murphy shares about the ministry the LORD has allowed him to lead for several decades. In this message, he describes the gospel through the phrase "Look To Jesus" from John 3. To watch the video of this message from Church In The Park, CLICK HERE!

In this passage, Jesus shifts from revealing the pride of the religious leaders (vs. 1-7) to His demand of humility and lowly service for all of His followers to be involved it.

God calls all believers to a life that is honoring Him. Studying God's Word, time in prayer, and being connected with the church are of great importance to a Christian growing in their walk with the Lord.

Matthew 23 is a warning by Jesus to the religious leaders. He gives five traits of a bad leader. The average Christian will also want to avoid these traits in their life.

In Matthew 23, Jesus gives a final warning to the religious leaders. He starts His warning by describing characteristics of bad leaders.

Spiritual growth is an important part of living the Christian life. We should all be growing, but are we? We need to reevaluate our lives and make sure we are progressing, as the LORD would want. This message from Pastor Jay looks at the markers of spiritual growth using a baseball theme.

Jesus is the God-man. He is 100% man at the same time in one person. Jesus is now exalted above everything. He deserves our worship and obedience.

Jesus turns the tables on the religious leaders and asks them a crucial question. This question must be answered correctly in order to be a Christian.

Many Christians today believe that love is just a generic measurable emotion. If that were true, there would be no way to know if one truly loved God. In today's message, we learn of three biblical measurements that indicate one's love for God.

Jesus connects the command to love God with the command to love one's neighbor. These two commands are inseparable. We need to know God's definition of "love" to be able to follow these two commands.

In this third attack on Jesus we are reminded of the Great Commandment. This commandment is the same in the New Testament as it was in the Old Testament. God should be loved above every other love with all of our being.

Jesus points out the fact that the Sadducee's did not properly interpret God's Word. Perhaps like many today, they brought their conclusions to the Bible to try to find support for those conclusions. Rather than, going to the Scriptures and letting the Scriptures speak.

Jesus confronts the Sadducee's about not understanding the power of God. Too many Christians live in their own power and not God's power. God's power can change everything on a daily basis for Christ-followers.

The religious leaders attack Jesus for a second time to try to humiliate Him. It is not possible to humiliate the Lord, nor have the last word with Him. It is best for us to believe Him and obey His Word.

Jesus once again has a confrontation with the religious leaders. He is most loving to put up with their malice and very truthful to call them hypocrites. He patiently teaches them about government and God's will.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything 2000 years ago. His resurrection is still changing everything today. The resurrection validates everything Jesus said and everything Jesus did. Also by faith in Jesus, a person can have abundant life here and now and eternal life after they die. It does not get any better than that!

In this parable, we see an encouraging dynamic about God. God is a God who welcomes people into His kingdom. He has open arms for people. Satan has deceived people into believing that God is called, indifferent and against them.

After going to such an effort to fill the wedding feast with guests, the King kicks one of them out. There is an important truth here. No one gets into the kingdom on their own terms. They must enter through faith in Christ.

In the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus makes it clear that excuses to reject God's invitation will not be acceptable. In God's graciousness, He continues to offer the gift of salvation. People reject His offer to their own eternal peril.

Jesus gives a third parable to the religious leaders. It is a beautiful parable describing the gracious offer of the kingdom by God, the King. The King's offer is phenomenal. Could anyone reject it?

"We all know what is feels like to be weak. Maybe it's while trying a new hobby. Perhaps it's at your job. It might even be in your marriage—or with your kids. None of us like to feel helpless. This is true even in our spiritual lives. Whether they're a Christians or non-Christian, many go through life in fear and discouragement because of their sin, unsure of their salvation, and unsure of their acceptance by God. The story of Mephibosheth is a story about someone who was weak and how his life was changed by someone who was strong. This is the story of all of us, and how God shows His strength in our weakness."

Jesus continues to confront the religious leaders. Jesus clearly communicates that their rejection of Him will bring destruction and eternal damnation. Yet, he continues to offer them the option of faith, which brings deliverance.

Jesus continues to denounce the religious leaders of Israel for their hypocrisy. This passage is the first of three parables denouncing these religious leaders.

Jesus demonstrates His unwillingness to answer questions from people who are not truthful nor sincere. The religious leaders of Israel continued to play games and were satisfied with being hypocrites.

In this passage we see Jesus pronouncing judgment on the fruitless nation of Israel. God expected fruit from them. And God expects fruit from His children today! One of the very purposes for our existence is to bear fruit.

Today we finish our series on the dynamics of a healthy church. We will have learned nine dynamics from Acts 2. This list is not meant to be comprehensive.

We see a fifth dynamic to a healthy church in Acts 2:42. The fifth dynamic is a very important one. It is an attribute of God and it is to be an attribute of every Christian.

From Acts 2:42, we will learn about several other dynamics that make for a healthy church.

As we start a new year, it is important to refresh our thinking about the local church. Acts 2 gives us a number of dynamics for a healthy church.

Jesus tells us the reason for Christmas is to "seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). In Luke 5:30-32, Jesus makes it clear that some refuse to be saved because they will not admit that they are "lost" in their sin.

Christmas is a focus on the coming of The Savior. We will miss Christmas if we focus on the baby or the manger or the wise man. Every person desperately needs rescue from their sins. That is something only Jesus Christ can give.

Jesus has much to say about wrong worship. Jesus cleanses the temple out of love. He heals people in the temple out of love. Jesus wants his sheep to be steadfast in the love of God.

The first thing Jesus does after entering Jerusalem on a donkey is cleanse the temple. The number one problem in the nation of Israel on that day, and the number one problem for Christians today is: polluted worship. The church must reorient itself to proper worship.

In our passage, Jesus enters the last week of His life. He enters Jerusalem in the same way He entered the world, with total humility. He is the King of Kings and yet he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, rather than a royal stallion. He came in humility to save us from our sins.

Jesus acts in love to heal two blind men. And this powerful work in their lives results in their commitment to follow Christ.

The goal of the Christian life is to be like Christ. Nothing makes us more like Jesus than humility.

In teaching on humility, Jesus gives two specific illustrations of what type of humility the Christian is to have. He gives the illustration of a "servant" and that of a "slave". As usual, Jesus is as clear as a bell. We do well to listen and apply this

Jesus again teaches humility to his disciples. He has done this several times already in the gospel of Matthew. This is a lesson we are all slow to learn and apply. However, humility is the key to our relationship with God and others.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required.

Christians know that salvation comes by faith and not by works. Yet, many Christians put their faith in their works in their personal walk with the Lord. In fact, many of us evaluate our spiritual growth based on our "resumes" or the deeds and talents we offer to God. Paul reminds us that in all situations, man must rely solely on Christ's righteousness and not his or her own "resumes." Guest Speaker - Stephen Angliss

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die. He tells his disciples for the third time that he will die and rise again. He prepares them for what is to come. And yet, they were not prepared.

Jesus tells the parable about a gracious God who gives the same gift of salvation to everyone who puts their faith in Christ. Jesus is talking about salvation, not rewards.

There are many advantages to being a Christian! In this passage Jesus gives two. The first is the local church family. The second is being a member of the kingdom and ruling with Christ.

The rich young ruler became an illustration of what not to do. Jesus teaches his followers about the disadvantages of wealth from what happened with the rich young ruler.

In the amazing conversation with the rich young ruler, Jesus reveals some truths we must know and some values we must hold. We cannot ignore these powerful words of our Master.

Just as there are certain truths to know and agree with to be a doctor, or a police man, or a government official, so there are truths to know and agree with to be a Christian. You cannot claim to be a Christian and deny these truths. Jesus gives us several of these crucial truths in our passage.

There are certain essential doctrines that one must believe to be a true Christian. In the conversation with the rich young ruler, Jesus covers several of these essential doctrines. This is crucial for us to understand.

After giving clear instructions on marriage and divorce, Jesus mentions singleness and children. "Family" is one of God's great blessing to humanity.

God's definition of love is far different from our culture's definition. If we live by God's definition, we not only please Him, but we can have a healthy and lifelong marriage.

Jesus gives honor and esteem to marriage. This is as it should be, since God designed it perfectly for man's blessing. We are commanded to honor and esteem marriage, as well.

In our passage Jesus tells us that marriage is a life-long covenant. In light of that, Jesus does give one reason why a marriage may dissolve.

We live in a world that can easily leave us hopeless and full of despair. However, when we look to Jesus we can find an enduring and everlasting hope that can lift our hearts and protect us from the difficulties and trials of this world.

When asked about divorce, Jesus teaches us about the permanent and beautiful picture God designs in marriage.

Jesus requires that his followers forgive others. Jesus was our example of forgiveness. In today's message, there is some practical advice about the point and the process of forgiveness.

In order to motivate Christians to forgive others, Jesus tells a convicting story that is true of every Christian.

Jesus gives us powerful instructions on how to get along with each other in the church. A key ingredient is forgiveness.

Jesus expects His Bride (the church) to be pure, just as a young man expects his fiancé to be pure. Jesus gives instructions on how the church is to remain holy.

Since sin is the worst thing we can choose. Jesus gives us instructions on how to deal with sin as individuals and as a church. Without dealing with sin we cannot have a healthy relationship with a holy God.

At the very heart of our Lord Jesus is the unity and harmony of His church. In Matthew 18 Jesus gives us instructions in how to get along with each other in the church.

The criteria for entrance into Christ's kingdom is the same as the criteria for greatness. That is humility. The way we treat a fellow Christian is the way we treat Jesus, according to Jesus (Matthew 18: 6)

Jesus pays taxes from money in a fish's mouth. Pretty cool! Jesus modeled for us the humility of being a good citizen. God is honored in our lives when we are both humble and good citizens!

The first lesson Jesus teaches the disciples after the Transfiguration is about faith. Faith is essential in the Christian life. We come to Christ by faith and we live by faith. Our faith is in our great God, not in ourselves.

Jesus gives Peter a command that is very difficult to obey. We will answer this question today, "Do we have to have understanding before we obey?" The answer of course is, "No"

As we celebrate the Resurrection, we see the courage of a man who chose to be fully committed to Jesus Christ, before the Resurrection. At the darkest moment, Joseph of Arimathea chose to risk everything to stand with Jesus.

Peter experienced the miraculous and amazing Transfiguration (Matthew 17). In 2 Peter 1, Peter declares that the Bible is more trustworthy by far, then any experience anyone will ever have.

Jesus reveals his glory and majesty to three of His disciples. This event is called The Transfiguration. It clearly presents the deity of Jesus Christ.

God wants to change our perspective to mirror His own. In what way are your perspectives the same as His? In what way are they different? First, we need to understand His perspective. Thankfully He didn't just tell us. He showed us. This week's bottom line is: We are terminal. Jesus wants His perspective to be your perspective.

We are tempted everyday to have a temporal perspective rather than an eternal perspective, to live as if our current lives is all there is. Knowing how and in what way to invest our lives is a struggle for every follower of Jesus. We must continually renew our minds so that we may live in the reality of God's purpose for us and in the knowledge that we will either be rewarded for the stewardship of our lives or suffer loss on the Day of Judgment.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the great truths of Scripture. In our passage, Jesus mentions it for the first time in the gospel of Matthew.

Jesus continuously presents the correct way to live life. He does this sometimes by telling stories about people who have lived their life the wrong way. This contrast makes it clear which way we are to live our one and only life.

Jesus communicates the essentials of what it means to be a disciple of His. These are simple and clear and yet we ignore them on a regular basis. The third essential is to "follow Christ".

Jesus communicates the essentials of what it means to be a disciple. These are simple and clear and yet we ignore them on a regular basis. The second essential is to "take up your cross".

Jesus communicates the essentials of what it means to be a disciple of His. These are simple and clear and yet we ignore them on a regular basis. The first essential is to deny self.

In the many facets of the atonement, we look at the biblical truth that the life of Christ earned us imputed righteousness.

Christ's death was absolutely necessary for salvation. The cross was the only way for God to remain righteous and yet forgive sins. The cross is the perfect demonstration of God's love and justice.

Peter rebukes the Messiah. Peter, without ill-motives, offers a humanistic approach rather than God's approach. Since the Garden of Eden mankind has thought he has had a better idea than God. Jesus rebukes Peter for this.

Jesus guarantees that he will build his church. Jesus guarantees that death has no power to keep the Christian captive. This is very encouraging!

The church is built by Jesus and on Jesus. As a Christian you are to be vitally connected and committed to the local church.

Jesus had great attitudes and He expects his followers to have great attitudes. Your "best" friend is a good attitude.

For the Christian, it is all about worshiping the Lord. In this passage, we see 3 types of worshipers. This will help us become genuine worshipers.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21 Jesus came on a rescue mission and He wants to make sure that you are part of the people He came to save.

Jesus asks the ultimate question. This is the question that everyone must answer and answer correctly to spend eternity in heaven.

Jesus gives his disciples a serious warning about a serious danger. The danger is about the impact of false doctrine and wrong behavior to the believer. the warning is a command that we cannot ignore.

The religious leaders refuse to believe in Jesus. Jesus refuses to do any miracles for them, except the ultimate miracle which is His resurrection from the dead. If Jesus's resurrection were the only miracle that He ever did, it would be sufficient to prove He is God and Messiah.

Jesus demonstrates love for the Gentiles. This is a key indicator that the gospel is for Jew and Gentile alike. This will be difficult for the Jewish disciples to overcome the book of Acts.

Do you realize that the words you use reveal the condition of your heart?Pastor Jay addresses 5 truths from the Bible that demonstrate why the LORDcares deeply about the words you use and what to do if your words needsome transformation.

Jesus encounters a Gentile woman whom he describes as having " great" faith. This passage describes some of the characteristics of her faith that today's Christian can also have.

Jesus wants true change in our lives. He knows that this happens at the heart-level. It is transformation in the heart that pleases God. All external change without the internal change is empty and temporal.

Jesus goes against the religious system of His day. He makes it clear that a person cannot save himself by his own works and his own efforts. Salvation is God's doing, not man's doing. He demands that his disciples understand this.

Jesus wants to wreck you today! Jesus wants to break down the barrier that stands between you and people for the sake of His kingdom. That means people who do not know Him and the people who do. Will you let Jesus wreck you today so He can build you back up and help you become the man or woman He made you to be?

Jesus wants to break down the barrier that stands between you and Him for the sake of His kingdom. With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible! Will you let Jesus wreck you today so He can build you back up and help you become the man or woman He made you to be.

Jesus turns an attack upon him into an opportunity to teach the superiority of Scripture above everything else.

The more we study Jesus, the more we love Him. He cares for both our physical needs and more importantly, our spiritual needs.

This is Matthews'a account of Jesus' walking on the water as the disciples struggle in a terrific storm and night on the Sea of Galilee. The incident bridges the events of Jesus' having fed the 5,000+ and the increasingly open hostility to His ministry by the Jewish leadership afterward.

We learn a timeless principle about "waste" from The Feeding of the 5000. One that America would do well to learn and heed.

The miracle of "The Feeding of the 5000" would remind the Jews of God feeding them in the wilderness with manna. This miracle is another demonstration that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel.

Every Christian needs to spend time alone with God. In these verses, we get a glimpse of how Jesus made that a top priority in his life.

John the Baptist lived his life by fearing God alone and not being led by the emotion of fear. In contrast, Herod lived by his emotions. He who lives by emotions, lives without principles.

Chapter 13 closes with Christ's rejection by His hometown. Jesus came knowing the rejection He would receive. That is amazing. The love of the Creator to allow the creation to reject Him.

Every Christian continues to learn and grow in the faith until death. But as they learn and grow, they must at the same time help others grow in the faith.

Because of the Lord's great love for humanity, He repeats the truth that judgment is coming and it is certain for the unsaved. He wants people to believe in him and escape this judgment.

In these two parables, Jesus offers tremendous encouragement to those who may think that God is not working and the gospel is not advancing in our day.

There is no treasure on earth that compares to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Christians must be careful not to let that thinking and the mentality of the non-Christian (the tares) world influence our thinking. The wheat can be very susceptible to the infiltration of so many tares.

The Parable of the Sower tells us that the response people will have to the truth of God's Word will be negative. The Parable of the Tares tells us what will happen to these negative responses.

The soils can represent a non-Christian's response to the gospel and/or a Christian's response to the truth of the Bible. Each person is responsible for their response to God's truth.

Jesus makes it clear that a person is fully responsible for his rejection of Biblical truth. Each person is responsible for his heart condition; whether it be a humble heart or a hard heart.

In Matthew 13 Jesus gives a lengthy sermon using parables. This was very different from his previous teachings. The parables were a form of judgment against Israel's unbelief.

Family is where we have our closest and most intimate relationships. Jesus invites everyone to be a part of God's family. Jesus makes available an amazing opportunity!

The nation of Israel had rejected Jesus, just as many people do today. The Lord is crystal clear in this passage, that anyone who rejects Jesus is vulnerable to a much worse spiritual condition.

It helps us in our spiritual walk when we understand who GOD truly is and how AWESOME He is in comparison to us as people. We must continually remember: He is BIG; we are small.

The ultimate miracle of the Lord Jesus is his own resurrection from the dead. No religious founder has died and come back to life. Jesus predicts his resurrection.

The Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus. From this passage, we take a look at why mankind makes so many demands upon God.

Jesus gets to the heart of the matter by teaching the importance of the heart. From the heart comes our words and behaviors.

The unpardonable sin is not God refusing to forgive something. But rather, it is a person's refusal to accept God's only provision for forgiveness of sin, which is faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus demonstrates that he is the King with power over both the physical and spiritual worlds. The Jewish leaders made a foolish decision to reject him as their King.

In a quote from Isaiah 42, Matthew describes beauty of Jesus Christ. The more we get to know Jesus, the more amazing and marvelous He is. If a person gets bored with Jesus, then the problem is not with Jesus, but with that person.

Matthew reveals that Jesus is The Servant of Isaiah the prophet. The high point of Isaiah's teaching on The Servant comes in Isaiah chapter 53, where we learn of Christ's substitutionary death on the cross for our sin.

Thomas has been labeled a "doubter". However, every Christian today ought to thank God for Thomas, who wanted evidence before he believed. He demonstrates the reality of the resurrection and how it transforms every true believer.

Jesus knowingly enters "a trap" by the Pharisees, for the purpose of exposing their hard hearts. This is an act of love by Jesus. He wants them to repent and believe in him. But They refuse.

What does it mean to take the gospel to the nations? In today's message we will discover that a passion for the kingdom begins with a love for the king.

Jesus hates legalistic rules that compete with His Word. In this passage he confronts the legalistic Pharisees on the topic of the Sabbath. Today, the Christian must study the Word of God so that he/she can recognize legalistic rules that dishonor the Bible.

It is the mercy of God that communicates who He is to mankind. It is the grace of God that offers man the invitation to know him. We see both of these in today's passage.

Indifference is the number one reason things fail in the church and in our world. Jesus gives a scathing denunciation to those who are apathetic to him and spiritual truths.

Jesus is not a passive aggressive. He is direct and clear. In this passage, He reveals the exact reason why some did not believe in him.

John the Baptist was a unique figure in biblical history. Jesus compliments him highly. You too, can receive a "well done" from Jesus, for serving Him faithfully as John did.

One of the greatest Christ-follower's that has ever lived, had some doubts and confusion. Fortunately for him, he knew where to go to solve his perplexities. He went straight to Jesus and so should we!

The goodness and generosity of our God is amazing! He not only wants to give us salvation, but also reward us for faithfully serving Him. This is merely "a taste" of the enormous feast of biblical teaching on the doctrine of rewards for the Christian.

The number one obstacle to one's spiritual growth is yourself. That is putting yourself first and living a self-centered life short-circuits your spiritual growth faster than anything. Listen to what Jesus says about that.

Jesus calls his followers to a "white hot" love for Him, that includes a willingness to forfeit any relationship, if it compromises one's commitment to Jesus and the truth of the Bible.