Intersections Podcast

Let's wrap up our “Duped” sermon series by focusing on what many believe to be a touchy subject - money. How are we to use our wealth? Is there a danger to wealth? How much is enough? Please don't let the evil one dupe you into thinking this might be a good time to skip watching. :)

“God just wants you to be happy.” That sounds right, but is it true? Let's search the scriptures together.

We are kicking off a new sermon series entitled Duped. Over the next four weeks, we will be looking at a few of the lies our world is selling. One of the lies society hopes you will believe is that you only live once. One only needs to look at the empty tomb to know that is a bunch of hooey. There is life, a better life, after this one.

Mark 11:12-14, 20-21, “The next day they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.' And the disciples heard him say it. (20) In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!'” This is such a bizarre incident, isn't it? It feels so petty and unjust - so out of line with the character of Jesus. Why in the world would he do such a thing? Join us Sunday to discover why Jesus performed this one and only miracle of destruction.

Joseph acted with the utmost integrity. What did that get him? It landed him in a dungeon prison on a trumped-up attempted rape charge, a charge that he could not fight because he was just a lowly Hebrew slave with no voice or rights in the empire. However, instead of spending all of his time retelling the story of how he had been messed over, pleading his innocence, or wallowing in toxic emotions, he got busy serving other people. Join us as we continue to learn from this man of remarkable faith.

One thing you need to know about God is that He is all about reconciliation. His great desire is for people to be reconciled to Him and reconciled to one another. This is why Jesus, God in flesh, came. He defeated the evil one through his death to begin the restoration of the perfect harmony that existed in the garden. This work will come to full completion when Jesus returns to usher in the New Heavens and New Earth where we will take our place at the banquet table in fully reconciled relationships with our brothers and sisters of all nations and our triune God. As we wait for that day to come, God works in the here and now to reconcile people whose relationships appears irreparable. Hear the perfect ending to Joseph's story.

Joseph was no overnight success, but his life changed dramatically overnight. How did that happen? How did a Hebrew slave rise to such a prominent position in the Egyptian empire? His life changed overnight because he trusted the God who is powerful enough to move people into the positions and places He wants them to be. What God did in Joseph's life, He can do in yours. He can change your life dramatically overnight.

If anyone knew what it was to go through crises it was Joseph. He went from a favorite son in the house of his father Jacob to just another slave in a foreign household. Yet, he not only withstood the crises, he thrived in his new environment. All credit goes to God for Joseph's success, but Joseph experienced God's favor in large part because of how he handled the situation.

Knowing God has a dream for each one of us also gives us reason to be excited about life. To bounce instead of roll out of bed in the morning. Life can feel awfully mundane at times (just as I am sure it did for Joseph all those days he was out shepherding flocks), but it is never free of anticipation when you realize God is moving and working out his great dream/plan for your life.

One of the greatest gifts we can give future generations is to deal with and end family/societal dysfunction in whatever shape or form it comes in. When it comes to favoritism we may not all agree to what extent it exists in our family/country, but let's show the courage and resolve to address whatever inequality is still present.

Embracing discomfort is key to spiritual growth, but it is hard for most of us to do. Whether we lean into pain by choice or force, the critical question is, what does the pain/discomfort have to teach us? Pain is critical to growth, but it does not guarantee growth. Today we will lean into the practice of spiritual disciplines and how to follow them to a deeper and stronger relationship with God.

A comprehensive study done not too many years ago of 1,000 churches revealed that one out of four church members felt stalled or dissatisfied with their lack of spiritual progress. One of the reasons many are not experiencing the type of growth they desire is because they are malnourished. The ugly truth is their diet consists of a whole lot of junk food – TV, social media, talk radio, YouTube, etc… – but not nearly enough spiritual nutrients. Join us for part 3 of Growth Spurt.

What is it that fuels spiritual growth? Peter emphasizes the important role the word of God plays in spiritual growth. In 1 Peter 2:2, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow in your salvation.”

Jesus, Prince of Peace, calls us to partner with him as peacemakers who work hard to ensure the wholeness, flourishing, and well-being of all people. As we get ready to move into 2024 (a year that has the potential to be more divisive than ever) may these words of the ancient preacher be our marching orders - Hebrews 12:14, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone…” Join us for our last episode of "Hope Has a Name."

When was the last time you experienced a spiritual growth spurt? If there was a wall in the church with pencil marks and dates, would your line have moved in the last six months? To get an accurate read of our spiritual growth we need something far more reliable than our feelings. What we need is a spiritual measuring stick.

We will look at the amazing story of how Jesus calmed the sea but even more importantly is how he stayed so calm and even slept as the storm raged. How was he able to do that? We will then look at a couple of examples of how Godly people were able to stay calm while the storms raged.

Our Everlasting Father, who is mindful of us, is constantly at work so that we might flourish in our given role. Not only is God mindful of you, but He is crazy about you. God loves you deeply. If anything reminds us of this it is Christmas. Why did Jesus, the Everlasting Father, enter into this world as one of us? He came because we are loved profoundly by the Heavenly Father.

What makes Christmas such a special time of year is knowing that the birth of Jesus, our victorious warrior, started the countdown to the end of Satan and his work. God's kingdom is here - not fully, nor has Satan's work fully ended - but make no mistake, God's kingdom is present all around us.

Isaiah 9:6 - For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Let's learn about the first of these names.

Satan wants you to believe when you are going through hard times. God doesn't love you. Let us remember that God meets us in our darkest night and fights with us and for us. He is our light in the dark of the night.

If gratitude is so good for us, why do we often fail to be grateful?

We live in a culture that hits us a thousand different times a day in a thousand ways that life is not good until we own, do, or become (you fill in the blank). We must push back against this false narrative! How? By “giving thanks in all circumstances.”

The last question in this Explore God sermon series is “Can I know God personally?” Jesus says, “Yes, you can! And it is in knowing God that there is full/abundant/eternal life.” He created us to know Him and be known by Him; to enjoy Him and be enjoyed by Him. He created us to be in a relationship with Him! More than anything else.

Every major denomination of Christianity affirms a similar commitment to the authority and inspiration of the Bible. They may do so with different words and emphases, but in the end, all Christians look to the Bible as a source of truth about God, themselves, and what they must do in order to be in a proper relationship with God. Is their trust in the Bible well-founded? Is the Bible reliable? Let's find out in Part 6 of the Explore God series.

According to recent studies, the majority of the world's population believes in God or a universal deity. Of course, people describe God in very different ways: personal deity, transcendent divine, higher power, or universal spirit. Nonetheless, we believe something or someone is above humanity and the universe as we know it. So when a particular person professes to be God, it's a big deal. And Jesus—the Jewish teacher who lived in the first century CE—did just that. Watch now as we examine "Is Jesus Really God?" Part 5 of our series, Explore God.

It's true that Christianity is narrow, but what religion isn't? Narrow is the very definition of every truth claim, for if something is true there are other claims that can't be. Christianity is narrow, but by no means is it too narrow. Why is that? Come and explore with us.

Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” In this passage, the Apostle Paul suggests that something good always comes from something bad. Indeed, a few verses later he affirms that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Scripture proposes that, despite the painful circumstances in which we often find ourselves, God can somehow use them for his and our good. Let's explore part 3!

We are all complex creatures in a complex world, wrestling with the same fundamental questions. In the end, each of us must choose to take this data, sift through it, and make an informed decision. Is there a God, or isn't there?

We all wonder why we are one of 8,063,384,000 people roaming this big, blue planet. Why are we here? Is there a purpose for our existence? This is one of the big questions most of us wrestle with, even at a very young age. Let's explore Life's purpose together.

So many days are frustrating and disappointing. We love, serve, and invite only to come up empty. We initiate conversations about Jesus only to see the topic avoided. Sometimes, there is a part of you that would just like to hang it up because fish don't seem to bite anymore. But Jesus says keep throwing out the net. Jesus sees what we do not see.

It is fear that keeps us from living out many of our convictions isn't it? Fear of not being accepted, fear of missing out, fear of being uncomfortable, fear of being inconvenienced, etc…It is this fear that so often keeps us from ministry God is calling us to do, conversations God desires for us to have, lifestyle changes God demands we make.

Your struggle to obey God is probably due to the fact that you try too hard to accomplish it on your own. We tend to believe willpower is the key to obedience, but it's not. In fact, willpower will fail more often than not. We need the Holy Spirit to be faithful consistently.

Love others as you love yourselves. That would be fine if we knew how to love ourselves well, but the reality is many of us don't. Too often we are negligent at best, if not downright cruel, to ourselves. We need a better standard. Thankfully, Jesus gave us one.

His revolution would be one of love. He would not flex his power, but he would give his life. He would not raise a sword, but he would be raised. Through his dying and rising, there would be victory.

No greater gift has ever been given than the life - full life, eternal life - we now enjoy through Christ. So, how might we express our appreciation for this amazing gift of new life? Join us for another episode of Believe Series.

We will examine the story of the raising of Lazarus in John 11 and talk about death, the power of resurrection, and the abundant life we have in Christ.

We learn in Mathew 13:31-32 that mustard, the smallest of all seeds, grows taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree. Mustard grows wild and is invasive. The Kingdom of Heaven is like that -- the seeds you sow in the kingdom have greater impact than you know.

Have you ever encountered a situation where you doubted the identity of someone you knew? Or, have you come across an individual who has undergone such a drastic transformation that you couldn't recognize them anymore? This week's sermon delves into the story of a blind man whose life was utterly transformed by an encounter with Jesus.

In our society, infidelity is sometimes portrayed as a reasonable choice for achieving individual satisfaction. Unfortunately, it is often glorified instead of criticized. However, Jesus taught us to treat others who have committed sins the same way we would want to be treated if our own transgressions were exposed. Our goal is to help, not to cause any harm.

God's prophet Isaiah commanded those with food to share with those who had none (Isaiah 58:7). God's son, Jesus, instructed his disciples to pray for daily bread for their own sake, but also as a reminder to care for those without bread (Matthew 6:11). God's apostle John made clear to the early church that overlooking those in need reveals that the love of God is missing in their life (1 John 3:17-18). God cares deeply for those who are trying to survive on an empty stomach. But most importantly, God is concerned about those who are spiritually hungry.

Are we fans or followers? Are we going to follow Jesus or be a consumer of Jesus' goods and services? Sometimes all we can manage is to point the person in the right direction, but never forget that Jesus expects us to be participants in His work, not just pointers.

Do we regularly spend time with Jesus in prayer, or just when we are desperate for him to fix a problem for us? Do we regularly open the word of God to hear His voice, or does Bible reading tend to be a last-ditch resort when we are desperate for a word of advice or direction? Is Jesus constantly on our mind, or is it only when we need a miracle that we think about Him? 

Although we cannot control when or where the harvest will come, we can choose daily to plant seeds of God's kingdom. Although we may not see the results of our sowing today, one day we will. Listen to the words of Jesus in John 4:36, “Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.”

Embark on another episode of Believe this Sunday titled "Out of the Shadows". If you have ever faced a major failure in your life, you know how it feels to live in the shadows of shame, rejection, and fear.

Do you ever feel like you're not being invited to participate in God's story? Join us as we dive into Exodus to learn how the ultimate double take took Moses from a humble job to saving God's people.

Faith is a constant process of being changed by God. Those who are genuine in their faith are continually transformed by him. The key to change is to look more closely at the one who lifted us. Let's take a closer look at Jesus.

We live in a culture that does not care much for the topic of sin. There are many that feel the word “sin” should be retired. Not too long ago the New York Times ran an article with this headline: “Raising Children Without The Concept Of Sin.” Whether we want to acknowledge sin or not, the reality is that it is our greatest problem. It is a far greater problem than gun violence, global warming, national debt, or contagious disease. Join us as we find out together why sin is the major issue in the world right now.

How accessible do you expect to find people who are powerful and famous? Is it common to find them casually walking down our street or shopping at the grocery store in the light of day? If they are, one likely cannot get to them because of their bodyguards, or they may be unrecognizable because they're dressed incognito. Thankfully, God is different!

Have you ever played a game of Hide and Seek when someone who was supposedly hiding just popped out in the open and called out something like, "I'm over here!"? It didn't take long for whomever was "it" to find him, did it? Of course not -- because he made himself known! Listen, and be reminded of how God makes himself known to us.

What should we do to care for something of great value? This is serious -- I mean, a matter of life and death! Listen to what the Word tells us.

It is really hard not to be consumed by the hurts and struggles of life when you're in the midst of a storm, but what can we do to protect our heart? Let's find out together.