Pastor Andy brings the message, “Grace for 2023” from John 1:16-18. What do we want to focus on as a church and as individuals this coming year? What will define us? This year, let's be defined by Grace.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus Above All." In Mark 9:1-13, we see the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain and a voice from heaven declaring Him to be the Beloved Son. Clearly, Jesus' exalted status is being proclaimed, but it's Peter who unknowingly says that Jesus is on par with Elijah and Moses. How often do we fail to see Jesus' glory and then place Him right alongside (or below) other good things?
Pastor Andy brings the message, "Identity and Mission" from Mark 8:27-9:1. Mark 8:29 is the watershed moment of the gospel: Peter confesses Jesus is the Messiah. The disciples finally understand Jesus' identity. Immediately, Jesus begins to reveal his mission. With the disciples, we will begin to see Jesus' identity and mission as inseparable. And his identity and mission have ramifications on the cost of discipleship.
Pastor Luke brings the message, "The Power of the Church" from Acts 12. There are times when it seems like the church will be snuffed out like a struggling flame, or that the oppression and persecution will grow to a point when the darkness will overcome it. Yet, we are reminded in Acts 12 that the power of the church does not rest in the people of the church, but in the object of their faith.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "What Are You Standing In?" from 1 Peter 5:12-14. The giant redwoods in California can soar to over 350 feet in the air. Their massive trunks and branches can weigh millions of pounds. Only a strong root system could keep them standing. This is the last sermon in the book of 1 Peter. In his closing statement to the churches, Peter exhorts Christian exiles to stand firm in the grace of God.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Fighting Satan with Promises of God” from 1 Peter 5:8-11. We are in a battle. Satan, our adversary, is carrying out plans to attack Christ's Bride. He hates her and wants to devour Christians like a lion devours sheep. Yet God leads us in His grace to be able to resist Satan and stand firm all the way to the end.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Freedom from Yourself” from 1 Peter 5:5-7. As Peter begins the conclusion of his letter, he calls Christians to a very important virtue: humility. In living humble lives we honor God, develop essential healthy Christian relationships, and find freedom from self absorption.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "What to Expect from Pastors” from 1 Peter 5:1-4. Since Pentecost, God has graciously gathered His people into local churches for His glory. A major component of the church is the relationship between pastors and the congregation. How should shepherds conduct themselves in respect to the flock? And, what is the motivation for their conduct? In this passage we study God’s exhortation to pastors.
Pastor Nate will bring the message, "Living Biblically in a LGBTQ + World" from 1 Peter 4:1-4, 19. First Peter 4 taught us that followers of Christ move away from worldly practices even if it means suffering and rejection. In our society today we are experiencing the cultural agenda to promote unbiblical sexuality and Christians are often challenged by the following tension: how do we reject the practices and cultural agenda of unbiblical sexuality, yet love individuals as God would have us?
Pastor Nate brings this message from 1 Peter 4:12-19. Were you surprised when the sun came up this morning? Or when the water came out of the faucet? Or when the red light turned green on your way to work? We come to expect those occurrences in everyday life. As Christians, God tells us to expect suffering to come our way. How we should respond to that suffering is what we will learn from this study.
Pastor Nate brought the message, "Arm Yourself” from 1 Peter 4:1-11. How are Christians to live in a world that increasingly grows hostile toward them? Through Peter, God commands you to arm yourself with Christ's way of thinking, trust Him with ultimate justice, and to be encouraged that you have an alternate community, the church family, where love and encouragement should be readily found.
Pastor Nate brought the message, "Suffering Under the Finished Work of Christ" from 1 Peter 3:18-22. It is inevitable that Christians will suffer for their faith in Christ. In countries around the world some will suffer unto death, even today. Others will be cut off from family and friendships. Christians will lose out on promotions, perhaps even a job. Yet we continue to choose Christ, and this week Peter turns our attention to the finished work of our Savior as a motivation to press on in our loyalty to Him.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Fearless Suffering” from 1 Peter 3:13-17. We hear about Christians in closed countries who are suffering, being persecuted, even killed for their faith. In the West we face some pushback from co-workers, family members, etc. that is mild in comparison. However, many Christians sense that a wave of opposition could be coming sooner rather than later. Thankfully, God’s Word gives us everything we need in order to face suffering, mild or extreme. This section in Peter equips us for fearless suffering.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "The Biblical Path for Relationships" from 1 Peter 3:8-12. How is the world doing in the area of relationships? Is it growing in peacefulness or hostility toward one another? What about relationships among Christians? The answer is pretty obvious, but thankfully God has given us what we need in His Word. This message is a study of the Biblical path that Christians must walk for our relationships inside and outside the church.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Husbands Who Trust the Bible" from 1 Peter 3:7. Last week we covered Peter's section on wives. This week, probably no surprise, we get to look at the husband's role in marriage. What we find is that a godly husband is going to trust the Bible with how he serves his wife.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Submission That Holds to Hope." As we have seen over the past 2 weeks, submission is a fruit that should be manifest in every Christian's life. It is also a crucial necessity for marriage. On Sunday we will see that God has a delightful perspective toward women who trust Him enough to submit to their husbands, even the unsaved ones.
Pastor Nate bings the message, "The Exile and Government" from 1 Peter 2:11-17. After explaining our Christian identity before God, Peter moves into our Christian testimony before the world (vv 11-12). We will see how this testimony to the world is characterized by submission to varying authorities which God has placed in our lives. The first area of life is the relationship of Christians to the government.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Identifying with the Rejected Stone" from 1 Peter 2:4-10. Peter concludes Part 1 of his letter by identifying us as followers of the rejected Christ. However, in the sight of God He is chosen and precious. And those who follow this chosen and precious Christ have found an everlasting community that is much more grand than what the world could ever offer.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Exile, Love Your Brother" from 1 Peter 1:22-2:3. In God's providence (this message is on Valentine's Day), this passage in 1 Peter implores Christians to love one another. At times, the command to love one another is a tall order. The good news is that God has made it very possible for His children to love one another, and it's our aim on Sunday to understand and apply this passage to our lives.
Pastor Nate will brings the message, "Hoping in the Return of Jesus Christ" from 1 Peter 1:13. First Peter begins with an introduction about the wonders of God in salvation (indicatives). In this message we see how the book begins a shift toward practical Christian living (imperatives). Specifically, we are called to set our hope on the return of Christ and to live holy lives while we wait.
