Pastor Nate brings the message, "Increasing and Abounding in Love” from 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13. What role does your love for others play in your standing before God? That's a question that Paul answers at the end of 1 Thessalonians 3. When we see love flowing through our lives God is establishing us in holiness.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Affliction, Meet Faith” from 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5. Would it surprise you to hear that in God's wisdom He has so ordered our lives that we would come face to face with affliction? Paul says that we are "destined for this." But we are not left without hope. In our sermon, we will see how faith tethers us to God so that we can remain established in Him.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "A Word that Works” from 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16. When Paul defended his ministry in Thessalonica, he did so by pointing out the changes that happened in the lives of these new Christians. People were changed, not because of Paul's speaking skills, but because they received the Word of God in faith. As believers we can be thankful and confident that God has given His Word to be at work in our lives.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "The Character of a Gospel Witness” from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. One of the greatest blessings that God gives us is the privilege of sharing the Gospel with non-Christians. It's a joyful moment knowing that God is very specifically using that moment for His glory. As we long to practice evangelism more and more, Paul shows us four important lessons for being a Gospel Witness.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Life-Changing" Part 2 from 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10. In the opening chapter of 1 Thessalonians we are seeing the power of the Gospel in the lives of believers. Salvation does bring about change. And, as a church we want to be that change for the glory of God and for encouragement and witness to those around us.
Pastor Luke brings the message, “When We Follow Jesus” from Mark 6:1-29. When we choose to follow Jesus we might just think it’s an exciting ride of victory because of His power. In the Gospel of Mark we see Him calm storms, cast out demons, heal the sick, even raise the dead. But is this what following Jesus is like? Our passage on Sunday introduces to us the costliness of following Jesus.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Conclusion to Mark.” Have you ever noticed the little footnotes when you read Mark 16:9 that say something like “not in the earliest manuscripts”? In this message Nate explains the meaning and significance of that note in the first half of the sermon. The second half of the sermon focuses on the encouragement of Jesus’ finished work as presented in the Gospel of Mark.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus Risen.” The resurrection of Jesus delivers joy to a world plagued by hopelessness and despair. The resurrection sends a loud and clear message: life will not always be this way. Jesus, who died, is now alive. And those who believe in Him will share in His eternal life.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus Dead.” When it was obvious that Jesus was dead, a man named Joseph of Arimathea publicly stepped forward, took down the corpse, and buried it in his tomb. Such an act was a bold demonstration of faith and identity. How does your commitment to Jesus look to a world that has pretty much written Him off as dead?
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus Forsaken.” When the hour of crucifixion came the crowds, religious leaders, and even the criminals taunted Jesus: “If you’re the Christ, save yourself!” And yet, Jesus’ mission was not to save Himself, but to give Himself as a ransom for many. Chris willingly remained on the cross and was forsaken by God so that we could be saved.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus Crucified.” The Romans crucified their opponent as a sign of humiliation and defeat. But Jesus was not a defeated opponent or a martyred victim. Jesus willingly went to the cross, fulfilling the prophetic Scripture, and offering Himself as a substitute in our place. The cross of Jesus, which was a platform of public mockery, became the gateway to eternal salvation for those who will believe in Him.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus for Barabbas” from Mark 15. The theme of substitution is front and center in this section of Mark. Jesus is sentenced to death in place of a known murderer named Barabbas. But it wasn’t just Barabbas who deserved judgment. We all deserve death, but Jesus went to the cross for us.
Pastor Nate brings the message "To Die or Deny" from Mark 14:53-72. Earlier in the garden Peter had told Jesus, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." Yet, when the pressure cooker of life heated up, Peter's real treasure came to the surface: self-preservation. In contrast, Jesus continues his path to the cross of death and perseveres in what is true. The contrast is once again obvious. And, we are thankful that Jesus did die in our place.
Pastor Nate brings the message "Salvation for Those Who Fall" from Mark 14:26-51. It's a reminder that we all need to hear: the very nature of Christ's salvation is that it is a gift for those who fall. In Mark 14:26-51 we see Jesus deeply sorrowful and eventually abandoned by His followers. Yet, Jesus endures and pursues the Father's will. In agony, He continues toward the cross in order to provide salvation for fallen people like the disciples...and us.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "For 1300 years the Passover meal was celebrated by Jews as a reminder of God’s past redemption and as a confidence of His future redemption. When Jesus gathered the disciples together in the Upper Room, He explained to them that this meal had been pointing to Him. It’s through Jesus, the last lamb, that we have our redemption.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "A Beautiful Thing." In Mark 14 the scene is being set for Jesus' imminent death, and people are finding Jesus either to be valuable or dispensable. When a woman shows her devotion to Jesus in an extravagant and beautiful way, the disdain and anger of Jesus' skeptics overflows with sophisticated reasons as to why she shouldn't do such things. The question that begs to be asked is whether or not our hearts love Jesus above all things.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "A Grace Giving Widow” from Mark 12:41-44. Money and the economy have been part of the public conversation recently. How are we, the people of God, to think biblically concerning the money that God has entrusted to us? How should we use it for His glory? We’ll explore these questions (and answers) as we look at several passages in the Bible this Sunday.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Jesus: David’s Lord and Son” from Mark 12:35-37. With just two days before His trial starts, Jesus explains that He is both David’s Lord and David’s Son. With Jesus’ identity coming into clearer focus, the audience (including us) must evaluate whether or not our responses to Him are simply religious or genuine worship from the heart.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Love God, Love Your Neighbor” from Mark 12:28-34. When Jesus was asked by a scribe what the greatest commandment was, He basically answered, :”Love God.” But then, Jesus kept right on talking and shared the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor.” Why do you think Jesus was compelled to put these two commandments together?
Pastor Nate brings the message, "The Challenge from the Sadducees" from Mark 12:18-27. With just three days before He goes to the cross, Jesus is facing public attacks from His opponents. However, in His magnificent wisdom, Jesus uses these occasions to not only silence His critics, but also explain truth in extremely helpful ways. This particular attack from the Sadducees opens the door for Jesus to teach on the encouraging nature of eternal life.
In this message we study Mark 11 in which we see Jesus’ first three days in Jerusalem. In this chapter Mark unpacks Jesus’ identity, His judgment, and His authority. Situated in the middle of these descriptions Jesus urges us to have faith in God. It’s as though Jesus says, “If you see me, not institutional religion, you will be able to believe.”
