Renewal Church Podcast

In Isaiah 9, the people are in darkness, but as Isaiah communicates his vision, he talks about the present as if it were already the past. He speaks of a promise that has been mentioned over and over throughout the Old Testament—someone is coming. Week 1 of Advent is known as the “prophecy candle," as we consider the prophecies that speak of the coming of Christ, it is good to remember that the coming of Christ was planned and purposed many years before His arrival. We can have hope because, in the providence of God, He moves the pieces on the board as He pleases. That is good news for us! Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

By considering King David's final words, we will be able to consider the question, "What do we want the rest of our days to look like?" Looking back on David's life, we will ask, "What defined his life?" Was he a good guy? Was he a bad guy? One thing is certain: he was a complicated character in the Bible, yet the Bible also says he was a man after God's heart. David is a man from whom we can learn a lot, but his greatest contribution is through the one who would come from his line–the Son of David. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

WARNING: This sermon contains mature themes that may not be suitable for children. Please use your discernment when listening. As the consequence of his sin, David is now confronted with the destruction and chaos of his family. The question for us is how we should respond when confronted with the consequences of our sin. First, we see David admitting his fault, and it is in that position that we can find peace with God. Second, we witness David weep as he ascends the Mount of Olives as a sign of mourning. Third, we witness David move forward in humility, not making excuses for his past, but steadfast in his determination to glorify God in his remaining days. In the end, we are left with the realization that none of us, not even David, are righteous. Many years later, the Son of David would also mourn on the Mount of Olives, but this King would be righteous. This King would be obedient to the point of death, and it is through His death that we find forgiveness. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Sin usually begins small and, if embraced, evolves into something destructive. So far, we have watched the rise of David; he's been faithful to God, conquered kingdoms, and lived a life of triumph in the Lord. However, we can see in this moment that none of us are immune to the traps of sin. If we are not vigilant, we are all capable of succumbing to temptation. The question is, do our deepest sins define who we are in the eyes of the Lord? How do we discover peace in the midst of shame, and lasting freedom in God's forgiveness? What if we are the ones who have been violated? How are we to think of God and others when we have been violated? Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

For the first time in David's life, he is in a position to follow his heart and do whatever he wants. David's desire is to build a house for the Lord. David goes to bed one night with a plan and a desire, but God has different plans for him. He informs him that he will not be the one to build a house for the Lord, but that God has a different plan. We've all done it: we make plans in the name of the Lord, only to discover that God has a different plan for us than we thought. The question is, how do we respond to those moments? Do we respond with trust in the Lord, or do we fight against the plan of God? Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

We witness David transporting the Ark of the Lord in 2 Samuel 6, and as they journey, a man named Uzzah reaches out to grab the Ark to save it from falling to the ground. As a result, God struck Uzzah and killed him. What follows are some of the most interesting Scriptures in the Bible. Why would God punish Uzzah for trying to do what appears to be a good and noble thing? Even David shows his anger at God for killing Uzzah. We've all undoubtedly shaken our fists at God when he does things that don't make sense to us. In order to understand this story, we must first understand the true holiness of God and our deep sinfulness. We do not understand God's judgment because we do not comprehend the wickedness of our sinfulness. In the presence of the Lord, we see the great holiness of God and the great joy of His people. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

While Saul is set on killing David, David is set on obedience to the Lord. When the moment of opportunity comes for David to have his revenge against Saul, David submits himself to complete obedience to the Lord. In this moment, David could kill Saul and no one would blame him, but David knows taking Saul’s life would be an act of disobedience towards God. Instead of revenge, David chooses to trust God with his life, and does what right even when it doesn’t match his circumstances. Will we show integrity in the midst of our circumstances? Will we trust the Lord even when it doesn’t make sense? Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Imagine losing your career, your family, your best friend, your safety, and the respect of everyone who knew you all in one day. That all of a sudden the walls around you began to close in, and life as you knew it became a thing of the past, leaving you alone and unclear of God's plan. This is where David is found in 1 Samuel 22 – alone and in a cave. What exactly does David do? He does the only thing he knows how to do. He cries out to his God for help. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Friendship is one of the most influential relationships in our life. A good friend can provide us encouragement, joy, and growth, whereas a bad friend can bring us sin, despair, and a great deal of grief. By looking at the friendship of David and Jonathan, we will see what it looks like to have a true friend in the Lord. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

True courage comes from trusting in God, not in what we are capable of achieving. David trusted God as he stepped up to defend his God and his people from the giant, Goliath. Goliath's defeat foreshadows what is to come. Years later, the enemy of God would be defeated on the cross by a King, and the people of God would see victory and freedom. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

We meet David the shepherd in Chapter 16. He is the one God would anoint as king, yet to Samuel and the rest of his brothers, he lacks the appearance of a king. However, as we will see, appearances are not always what they appear to be. Even today, having the appearance of a leader does not guarantee that you will be a good leader. God is not looking for intelligence, gifts, or looks, but rather, He is looking for a heart that desires Him. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

The book of 1 Samuel begins with the prayers of a lowly woman named Hannah, not with a great King. Her prayer at the start of the book is essentially a synopsis of 1 and 2 Samuel. At the start of the book, the people of Israel demand that God provide them with a king. The book of 1 Samuel is the story of Israel’s search for a king. Ultimately, only God could be their true King, but He had allowed them to have an earthly king to mirror His reign. The first king of Israel was a gifted character by the name of Saul. Unfortunately for Israel, Saul was more concerned with his own glory than with the welfare of the people. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Worship matters - it is what we are made for and it is what makes us who we are. Liturgy is a formative, love-shaping ritual - or simply put: the means by which we shape and form our hearts and minds, and consequently our behavior. Who we are right now is the product of liturgies, whether they are holy and correct or not, because we are creatures of habit; and liturgy habituates us. We must be careful to not succumb to the competing liturgies the world offers and instead day by day submit ourselves to ones that are holy and redirect ourselves back to the one who created us and redeemed us. Worship matters, but ultimately correct worship, in spirit and in truth, matters the most because we all worship something at any given time. The question becomes, “who, or what, are we worshipping”, because what we worship shapes who we are. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

We all want to belong, and the beauty of the gospel is that God has not called us to follow Him as individuals in this world, but He has called us to belong to the family of faith. As Ephesians says, we are “members” of the household of God. God has called us to belong to Him, belong to each other, to encourage, love, and display the gospel to the world. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In Acts 6, the church is growing. With every growing church, there are growing pains. There are things that must be addressed and adjusted as time goes on. The issue in the early church was that the physical needs of the church had increased. This had created a situation where the Elders of the church were being forced to limit the ministry of prayer and teaching so that those physical needs could be met. This is where we see God begin to call and task servant leaders with meeting the needs of the church. Paul will refer to the church as a “body with many parts.” Everyone has a role in serving the church; some have been called to specific tasks, but everyone has been called to serve the people of God. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Who is responsible for leading God’s people? Scripture makes it clear that the church is under one chief Shepherd — Jesus Christ. Jesus is building and leading His people for the glory of His name. We also see in Scripture that God has called “under-shepherds” to lead His people to know, learn, and to see His goodness and grace. These leaders are known as Elders, Overseers, and Shepherds. The office of elder is seen in Scripture to provide spiritual leadership and protection for God’s people. Elders are known as “shepherds” to the flock of God’s blood bought people. They shepherd by modeling what it looks like to follow Jesus, by teaching God’s Word, by protecting and disciplining God’s people, and by discerning God’s direction for His people. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Where did the idea of the “church” come from? The idea of church has taken on many different meanings throughout history. How can we know that we are living out the Biblical call to belong and be God’s church? By looking closely at God’s Word, we will attempt to define what the church is and what the church isn’t. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Renewal Church exists so that people will be made new in Jesus, grow in Jesus, and be released into the world for Jesus. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Death was not the end for Jesus, and death will not be the end for us. Jesus has risen! That statement has the same power today as it did many years ago. There is no grave that could contain Him and no chains that can constrain Him. As we read through the resurrection text, we will ask the question, “How should we think about and respond to the resurrection of Christ in 2023?” Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

One thing is clear in Mark’s account of the death of Jesus — none of this is by accident. This is all according to the plan of God: the arrest, the trial, and the crown on His head. All of this is purposed by God, and in His purposed death we find our freedom from sin. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

As the disciples point out the great architecture of the buildings around them, Jesus takes a moment to warn them about what’s coming: each of those buildings will be destroyed, there will be false prophets and much tribulation, families will be divided, and, ultimately, the Son of Man will return. Jesus’ primary warning to the disciples, and to us, is that we should “stay awake.” We do not know when our king will return, but when He does, we must be awake and ready. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

In this section we see the religious leaders trying to trap Jesus. Their main goal is to discredit Him in front of the crowds, and with each question Jesus masterfully responds with grace and truth. What is astonishing is that all throughout their questions they never stopped to ask, “What if He really is the Messiah?” Their questions had one motivation — they wanted to keep the power they had. At the end of this section we see a person who is the complete opposite of these religious rulers: a humble widow who approaches her offering with complete worship and dependency. The question for all of us is, “Who are we?” Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

As Jesus passed by a fig tree on His way to the temple, He took a moment to curse the tree as a reminder to the disciples (and us) of the state of the temple. The purpose of the temple was simple — worship — but it had lost its purpose. The temple in Jesus’ day had come to represent the business and socio-economic dealings of Jerusalem, and it had long since lost its posture of worship. The cursing of the fig tree is the humble reminder that if we are not fulfilling the purpose that God has given us — worship — then we have completely missed the point of our existence. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

The triumphal entry begins the final act of the gospel of Mark. The last five chapters of Mark cover one week in the life of Jesus. Jesus has finally arrived in Jerusalem, and the triumphal entry is a great declaration of intent to His people. In the past He has been careful not to openly declare His kingship. But when He shows up in Jerusalem, He openly declares who He is. Everything in this story is by Divine design. When Jesus walks into Jerusalem, He wants everyone to know the true King has arrived. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net

As Jesus gets closer and closer to Jerusalem, he begins to speak more and more about what is about to happen: He is to be delivered, mocked, and killed. The disciples have failed to grasp the mission of Jesus, a failure demonstrated by the question James and John ask Jesus. They are looking to be celebrated – looking to rule – but the kind of kingdom and rule that Jesus is walking towards is not like any kingdom they have seen before. Jesus is walking towards Jerusalem as a servant, and this is the call for all of us. His desire is that we would be a people that walk in this world not to be served, but to serve. Visit us online at: www.RenewalChurch.net