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 Joel looks at John 15:11 and reminds us that we were created to find joy in God […]
What is the Christian’s hope? For most people today, the answer goes something like this: “We get to go to heaven when we die.” Many times, this is the final destination of the so-called “Romans’ road.” But this is not the Christian’s hope. The Christian’s hope is the day of resurrection and the life of […]
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible links together the joy of experiencing salvation with the response of singing songs of praise. And Psalm 98—famously known as the inspiration for the Christmas hymn, “Joy to the World”—illustrates this beautifully. Here we find a song of joy and victory for all of God’s people and even all […]
In this sermon, pastor Mitch shows us those who are justified by faith can rejoice in their sufferings because their sufferings are never wasted, and they because they have the guarantee of God’s love.
Under the old covenant, the ceremonial laws communicated the truth that God is holy, and that he is totally separate from all that is not holy. This is why people with diseases or deformities were considered unclean and separated from the assembly of Israel. It wasn’t that these things made people evil; they symbolized the […]
The first part of the book of Acts ends with Stephen’s death and the persecution of the Jerusalem church. However, the attempts of Saul and the religious leaders to destroy the Christian church only served to bring about the fulfillment of the words of Jesus spoken in Acts 1:8, as believers were “scattered throughout the […]
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, […]
Ever since the Fall and the entrance of sin into the world, pride has characterized the heart of man. We refuse to submit to God’s rule and continue to believe the lie that we must exalt ourselves to find true joy and fulfillment in life. The prophets were sent to expose the various sins produced […]
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 […]
