Sacred Mission Sermon Audio

<p>What does it mean to love like Jesus? We might be surprised to find that Jesus’ command requires more than mere obedience. It demands we deeply know the costly love of Christ for us and the assurance he gives in the gospel.</p>

<p>In John chapter 15 Jesus declares that He is the "true vine." The imagery of a vine finds its meaning throughout the entire old testament and would not have been lost on all who heard its declaration. </p>

<p>As Jesus continues to prepare his disciples for his upcoming departure he leaves them with two guarantees. What did this mean for them and how does this impact us today? </p>

<p>As the sun sets on Jesus’ public ministry, he gives his soon-to-be-devastated disciples three promises that hinge on two conditions and lead to one pursuit.</p>

<p>Drawing from John 14:1-14, we will explore how Jesus comforts our troubled hearts in light of life's circumstances. This text will remind us of the profound promises of Christ, encouraging us to trust in God even in our darkest moments, and to live empowered by the Spirit in anticipation of the glorious future He has prepared for us. </p>

<p>Have you ever been hit with unexpected life-changing news, leaving you in shock as everything around you seems to pause? Imagine the disciples' feelings in John 13:31-38 when Jesus, after their last supper together, tells them they can no longer follow Him. These men gave up everything to follow Jesus, and now He prepares them for His departure, revealing how they should live. </p>

<p>In this sermon we examine the calling, ministry, life, and ultimate betrayal of Judas Iscariot.</p><p><br></p><p>The story of Judas provides a vivid illustration and stark warning for Christians to abide in Christ as our only hope in life and death!</p>

<p>As Jesus enters the last supper with His disciples, He begins His final teachings before His death and resurrection. The first lesson? Be a humble servant to one another. This serving posture is what lays the ground work for all of the Christian life.</p>

<p>In this sermon we close out the public ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Before he moves into the final moments before Jesus’ crucifixion, John makes a point to tell us about the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah, even though He had been revealed through powerful signs and truth-filled preaching. </p><p><br></p><p>Work through the text with us as we discover how God was sovereign in their rejection of Jesus, while in that same sovereignty brought redemption through Him.</p>

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<p>Jesus may not be the king we are looking for, but He is the king we desperately need. Join us this Sunday as we jump back into the Gospel of John and take a look at the triumphal entry of Jesus.</p>

<p>In this final sermon in our series “For the Love of ___” we talk about God’s desire for us to participate in joyful generosity toward the purposes and people of His kingdom.</p>

<p>We all have our own views on work—some of us go above and beyond, while others simply meet the minimum requirements. In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, we find guidance on the proper approach to work and the implications it has on our spiritual lives. In this sermon we discuss “A Working Ethic” and how the gospel enables us to work with joy and purpose. </p>

<p>We believe that loss is the enemy of gain. In this life we strive to avoid loss through gaining… gaining prominence, power, wealth, security, comfort, etc. and no cost is too high to achieve it. But what if we misunderstood what true gain is and what if we actually gained “it” by losing…? </p><p><br></p><p>In this sermon, we discuss “Godly Gains” and how the gospel equips us to lose with joy. </p>

<p>This Easter join us to discover the truth that Jesus rose from the dead! Because of him, we can look forward to a glorious future that surpasses all that we’ve ever had and all we could ever imagine.</p>

<p>Right before Jesus concluded his last Passover meal with his disciples, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed. This prayer is known as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus, because of the way he mediates for his people, before his Father.</p><p><br></p><p>In this Sermon, we work to uncover the essential truths of this prayer and how it shows us the eternal love of God for his Son and for his people.</p>

<p>Too often our lives are filled with cheap pursuits that steal from the worship of God that He deserves… and not just worship that He deserves, but worship that will actually satisfy us as His people. Our worship of Him is simultaneous all deserving and fully satisfying. </p><p><br></p><p>In this sermon we study the story of Mary’s costly worship and how her actions still impact us today.</p>

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<p>Jesus Wept is the shortest verse in the entire Bible. These two words hold so much weight into knowing and understanding the heart of Jesus for his people. A heart that breaks for their despairing state and a heart that moves to redeem and restore the ones he loves.</p><p><br></p><p>In this sermon we uncover the heart of Jesus in the resurrection of hs friend Lazarus.</p>

<p>Have you ever wondered why God doesn't seem to answer your prayers? Or why He allows loved ones to get sick, experience deep suffering, and maybe even die? If we're honest, these situations sometimes lead us to question if God really loves us. </p><p><br></p><p>In this sermon we unpack the miraculous story of Lazarus, as we aim to discover the connection between God's Glory and our Good, even in difficult times.</p>

<p>Who was Jesus, really? John 10:22–42 narrates Jesus’ unequivocal claims to deity as the Good Shepherd, the Giver of eternal life, and as God the Son with God the Father.</p>

<p>In John 10:10 Jesus said, “...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Maybe you understand Jesus’ promise of life through the gospel, but what does it mean that Jesus promises life abundantly? In this sermon we will examine what Jesus means when he promises the abundant life.</p>

<p>In this sermon, we unravel the impact of Jesus' light on those who claim to see and those who acknowledge their blindness. Discover how the radiant light of Jesus not only grants sight but also exposes the pitfalls of cultural enlightenment and religious traditions</p>

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<p>In this sermon, we’ll see how Jesus came to break our chains and give us hope in life. Join us as we explore the real, life-changing freedom that Jesus offers.</p>

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<p>Embroiled in debate with Jesus, the Jewish leaders ask: “Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus’ response—which both shocks and infuriates his critics—unfolds in two profound claims: He is both the incarnate messianic offspring of Abraham, and he is the eternal God of Abraham, the “I Am.”</p>

<p>In John 8:42 Jesus said, “If God were your Father, you would love me...” but the Jews having this conversation with Jesus could not wrap their minds around this. They believed they were obedient to “their” father and didn’t need anything to do with Jesus. In this sermon, we examine what it means to be obedient to God the Father through our union with Jesus Christ.</p>

<p>In John 8:12, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” While the pharisees challenge his testimony and disbelieve, Jesus opens the door to many more to believe. Join us as we explore what it means for Jesus to be the “light of the world” and how that truth should lead us to believe.</p>

<p>Inside of marriage it can become very easy to start focusing on ourselves. Even to the point of not caring what our spouse wants or desires. What would happen if we followed the biblical model for marriage? This is what we are going to discover when we understand the duality of humility and exaltation in marriage.</p>

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<p>The voice of culture is telling women to find their purpose and worth in their own independence, accomplishments, and social status. The voice of the church is often telling women to diminish or dismiss their purpose and worth by remaining quiet, hidden in the shadows of men, and unused in their God-given gifts. We believe the scriptures present a different way. One removed from the entrapments of both progressive culture and church tradition, that rests and flourishes in the beauty and power of the gospel.</p>

<p>For many, marriage is little more than a social contract in which two people team up to get the most out of life. God, however, designed marriage to be so much more. Marriage is primarily a human picture of the mysterious union of Christ and His Church. As such, our marriages shouldn’t mimic the ever-changing societal norms but echo the eternal love story of Jesus and His Bride.</p>

<p>I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, is it even possible to stop sinning?” The religious will always tell you that it is as long as you “take sin seriously.” Our text this week, “The Woman Caught in Adultery” from John 8, tells the story of how the religious tried to accuse Jesus of going light on sin. What the readers discover is that there is far more power and freedom in the Gospel than there is in religion. In fact, Jesus provides so much freedom that you might just stop sinning altogether. </p>

<p>Man's natural state is described as a parched and dry land absent of the water that would bring him life. Jesus declares himself to be the water we need so that life will spring up from within us. Yet, he doesn't just cause us to be made alive through his living water, he also calls us to be the source of life the people around us need as well. Jesus both is and makes us into a river of life.</p>

<p>There is a primary endeavor in the Gospel of John: that we would know the true Jesus and have eternal life in his name. Many people claim to know the true Jesus, yet the one they claim to know appears very different than the Jesus found in the Bible.</p>

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<p>How effective is the will of God the Father and the finished work of Jesus the Son? Are they able to accomplish all that they have determined to? Is human sin or the work of Satan able to thwart the purpose of God in saving His people?</p>

<p>The crowd that followed after Jesus couldn't see or grasp the truth of who He was and what He was doing for them. From an outside perspective it would seem as if Jesus' work was frustrated and had no real guarantee of being fruitful. But Jesus' faith and assurance in His work wasn't ever going to come from the people in the crowd, but it would come from His Fathering Heaven who had sent Him.</p>

<p>When someone talks about the works of God that they should be doing, we tend to hear things like feed the poor, help the widow, shelter the orphan, and so on... However, these works are not the primary work of God we are called to, they flow from a greater work of God in our life. A work that obtains the right standing and eternal life that our lives are working for.</p>

<p>Many of us have heard of the feeding of the five thousand, where five loaves and two fish fed the masses. Yet, hidden beneath the surface lies a profound revelation: the people's deep yearning for a king, but their expectations fell short of the truth about Jesus' true kingship. Discover the heart-stirring revelation that unfolds as their desires clash with the reality of who Jesus really is.</p>

<p>Power & Proof: Why We Affirm the Supreme Authority of Jesus </p><p><br></p><p>Christians confess that to Jesus belongs all authority in heaven and earth. By definition, all others object to such a claim. What’s the verdict? </p><p><br></p><p>In John 5:19-47, Jesus calls five witnesses to the stand that testify to his true identity and authority as Son of God and Son of Man.</p>

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<p>In 1836, William Mote composed a hymn that was originally titled, "The Immutable Basis for a Sinner's Hope". In it was the refrain many of us are familiar with, "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness". Hope in this alone, hope in Jesus alone, is what we as the church so desperately needs right now.</p>