For our 2024 Advent sermon series, we will consider the four blessings traditionally associated with each week of Advent: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace, and we will do so using the Gospel of John. In this sermon, pastor Mitch reflects on the blessing of hope from John’s gospel, where John declares that “the light shines […]
After describing our need for justification and the way of justification in chapters 1-4, Paul now, begins to explore the results, or implications, of justification in chapters 5-8. These chapters are all about living in the light of what God has already accomplished for us in Christ while we wait for the consummation of his […]
One of the questions that comes to mind when reading the final section of Acts is: “Why does Luke take so much time to get Paul to Rome?” Yet while we may not know every reason why certain passages are included in Scripture, we can know many of them. Knowing that the Bible is all […]
In Acts 25-26, the story of Paul as witness on trial for the gospel comes to an epic conclusion before he reaches Rome. Everything has been building up to this moment where, in the providence of God, he gives the reason for his hope before the rulers of all Judea. Paul bears witness that King […]
When Paul stood before the high priest and the Jewish council, he said: “It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial” (Acts 23:6). Over and over, Paul makes this same assertion in his defense speeches in Acts. But why did he understand his all his […]
The idea of “waiting” is incredibly counter-cultural in our fast-paced, on-demand world. And yet, waiting is what the Christian life is all about. In this message, Mitch Bedzyk encourages us to wait with patience and joy, knowing that God will provide us with perfect peace and rest. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 […]
In this Resurrection Sunday message, Pastor Matt shows that for the one who trusts in Jesus, hope is not wishful thinking; it is confident expectation. And what is our hope? It is that that one day, what God did for Jesus on Easter morning, he will do for those united to Christ by faith and […]
In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Matt reminds us, from Romans 5:1-5, why exactly Jesus was entering Jerusalem, what he came to do, what he accomplished, and the hope we currently enjoy because of his death and resurrection. Note: This sermon was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, when our Lord’s Day worship services were streamed […]
The first twelve chapters of Isaiah—with its message of righteous judgment and gracious salvation—are bound together by a common theme: the King and his kingdom. In chapter 11, we see a further vision of the Messiah, Immanuel, ruling in righteousness over the restored creation. This passage aims to lift our eyes to the day that […]
Isaiah proclaimed a message not only of judgment against those who persisted in their rebellion against God, but of hope to the faithful remnant living in deep darkness. He delivered the God-given promise of a coming great light that would dawn on the world. Now while the hope of this world is only preferred possibility, […]
Feelings of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and insecurity abound in our world today. It seems as though everywhere we look there is another tragic news headline reminding us just how dark this world really is. Along with the many tragedies and acts of violence we experience come conspiracy theories, finger-pointing, and growing animosity between neighbors, political […]
While the prophets are often characterized by their messages of judgment and woe, there are few places in Scripture where the light of salvation and hope shines so brightly. When the world speaks of ‘hope,’ it usually means nothing more than wishful thinking. But for the believer, our hope is a confident expectation in the […]
Though the name ‘Zion’ is often used in Scripture to refer to the capital city of Jerusalem and the mount where the temple was located, it becomes a rich symbol for the dwelling place of God and his holy people from every nation. Ultimately, it refers to the new Jerusalem—God’s glorious temple-city that will fill […]
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he promised his followers they would be empowered by the Spirit to be his witnesses. And as the story of Acts begins to unfold, we see this promise coming true in marvelous ways! Yet while we are given several portraits of the joyous life of the early church, soon persecution […]
One of the most fundamental truths of life is that no one escapes death. Scripture tells us that death came into the world because of sin, and death spread to all men because all have sinned (Rom. 5:12). But Jesus of Nazareth made an astounding claim: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes […]
