As he concludes his exhortations to the strong and weak Christians in the church at Rome, Paul turns our attention once again to Jesus Christ, giving the church a final and conclusive plea: “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). While at first glance this may […]
In a world darkened by division and hostility, and while our nation is proving to be anything but “indivisible,” the church of the risen Lord Jesus is to be a radiant light of reconciliation, unity, and love. This is because Christians are a people united by saving grace (see Ephesians 2). However, it is all […]
Isaiah 11 describes the hope of a renewed world and a redeemed people under a righteous King. There, we learned that this King is none other than the Lord Jesus, our Immanuel. Isaiah 12 concludes the first major section of Isaiah by describing the response of those who belong to this kingdom. This chapter is […]
Today, it is often suggested that Christians are to move past the gospel and on to the so-called “deeper things” of the Christian life. But is this really what Scripture teaches? For Paul, you should not—indeed, you cannot—move past the gospel to deeper things. For what could be deeper than the Father’s love towards us, […]
Luke’s Gospel was written so that we would know for certain all that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ in God’s great plan of redemption. He tells the story of the love and mercy of God in that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). As we preach through […]
The good news of salvation in Christ Jesus is not only that we have been reconciled to God but that we have also been adopted into his family. We are now “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). In view of this glorious calling, we are to walk in a manner worthy […]
It is often the case that believers, though justified and made new creations by God’s grace, find themselves struggling with sin. Yet, instead of receiving help and encouragement from their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, they instead encounter haughty judgment and condemnation. Here Paul teaches that one of the most practical ways for the church to demonstrate the reality […]
In this message, Pastor Dave Leandre explains the new vision and mission of Elmira Christian Center, as well as what we are resolved to do in the year 2015: seek the Lord with all our heart. By experiencing life together, centering life on God’s Word, and connecting out community to Christ, we, as a local church body, […]
