Life Mission Church

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 6.4-8Jobey McGintyIs the author of Hebrews telling us that it is possible for a believer to get to a point where they can no longer repent? This is, indeed, a challenging passage, and so we must use the whole Word of God to help in our understanding. When things are unclear in any communication or desire for understanding, we ought to appeal to the most clear information we have in order to make sense of the less clear. This helps us understand context better. And while the short answer is "no", if the Spirit of God is within you and you have been born again in Jesus, then your salvation is secure...the longer answer is that this passage, and others like it, serve as a stern warning to all those who are unsure where their faith actually lies and we should all regularly ask God to both give us assurance and point out any area in our hearts which requires repentance.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 5.11-6.3Jobey McGintyThe basic principles of Christianity are not unimportant or something we should move on from, but they are the foundations that we most build upon and go on from to maturity. The biggest threat to the church today is not from outside the church, but from inside. “Biblical illiteracy” is an epidemic in the church despite the fact that the Bible is carried around in our pockets each and every day. We must diligently work to guard our hearts and keep our focus constantly on the Gospel, so that we are sharpened and ready for use in God's kingdom work.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 5.1-10Jobey McgintyThe author of Hebrews provides us a description of the High Priest, as it had been described in God's Word. And, eventually, a new High Priest was sent, and it was the very Son of God Almighty. But although He was the Son, He would not be given preferential treatment. He would have to go through all that the earthly High Priests would go through, even what every human would have to go through, and through this, He also became a High Priest originated from the people, with the weakness of human experience being what makes Him sympathetic and gentle.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 4.14-16Jobey McGintyPaying attention to the “small words” in the bible is of critical importance for us. Whether it is “and” or “but” or “if,” all of these make a huge difference in understanding what the Lord is telling us. And in Hebrews, we see a lot of these, and in particular we see a lot of two important phrases: Because, and Therefore. Because we have a “great High Priest” who entered into the heavens on our behalf, we then therefore should hold firmly to the confession of our faith in Him. And this great High Priest actually comes alongside of us and empowers us to hold firmly to the saving truth of the Gospel.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 4.8-13Tyler WillisGod's word is living, active, and sharper than any sword. It pierces to the heart, revealing what needs to be brought into the light and purifying us from within. Remember, we cannot change our own hearts or anyone else's; this is God's work. Our call is to earnestly desire His word and to seek our rest and fulfillment not in the fleeting things of this world, but wholly in Jesus, our ultimate source of life. Let us continue to pray that His word would dwell richly in us, continually purifying our hearts as we walk with Him.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 4.1-7Jobey McGintyRest seems quite elusive for us in this day and age. Constant demands and keeping up with the pace of life leaves us restless. But God offers us the best and most important rest necessary, and that is rest from not only condemnation and shame, but also rest from trying to earn God's love and acceptance. The Good News is that rest is still available to anyone who still has breath. The sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to cover and pay for the sins of all who would believe in faith. And as long as it is called “today,” anyone, regardless of how “far” from the Lord they are, is able to be saved by that grace, and that grace will be sufficient for us for all eternity.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 3.12-19Jobey McGintyIt is easy to start almost anything, but it is an entirely different thing to finish well. The author of Hebrews does not want his readers to miss out on this “so great a salvation,” and he gives a warning to them of that possibility. From these verses, there are at least two things we can recognize...first, we must heed the call to “take care,” this means we must do something to prevent this hardening of heart. And, secondly, we must remember that this warning simply for those who don't profess to know Christ, but it is a warning to people who do profess to know Christ, who have seen the work of God. We must be realistic and open about our sin, and we then must come alongside each other, in gospel community, to equip and prepare ourselves to fight against it.

Easter 2025 - 1 Corinthians 5.6-8Jobey McGintyGod's Word says that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.” It's a picture of how our sin, even just a “little bit,” spreads to the whole lump of dough. So for us, God's Word makes it clear, we have all fallen short, and God alone is truly good. But we aren't left with that bad news. Because of His love, God devised a plan. He came to the earth, as a human, and because He is perfect and powerful, He took the cup from is, and He drank it for us. And then He trades with us: our sin for His own righteousness.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 3.1-6Jobey McGintyThe author of Hebrews calls us “holy brothers.” Though we were enemies and children of wrath, God enacted a fitting way to redeem us to be His children...and if we are in His son, Jesus, then we are holy. Whether we always feel or act holy is another matter! But the author of Hebrews is seeing us through the lens of the completed work of Christ and he is calling us to see ourselves the same way. The more we see ourselves as not only "not guilty" but fully "innocent", because of Jesus, the more we are empowered and free to live, thankfully and purposefully, like the holy sons and daughters that we already are.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 2.10-18Jobey McGintyIt may not be possible for us to fully understand the depths of our sin, but even a surface level comprehension should bring us to our knees. God, of course, sees our sin for what it is and knows that it requires a rescue plan that is beyond our comprehension or capability. And God's Word says that it was “fitting” that God would come up with a particular plan to exonerate us, and the plan would be preposterous. He Himself would stand in our place. And God called this “fitting." It is necessary that something/someone as amazingly perfect should be what satisfies the justice of God, because sin is itself amazingly treacherous. And because Jesus has become a human and endured all that we have, He has become a perfect, sympathetic, and faithful High Priest who ministers to us and for us.

Refresh Sunday - Lamentations 3.22, 23Jobey McGintyIt is so easy, natural even, for us to drift from what is good. We pursue the good things of God, we get off to a good start, and then we wander. But thankfully, God gives us new grace and mercy each day, so we never have to think we have built up some insurmountable deficit that gets us “behind.”

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 2.5-9Jobey McGintyThe author of Hebrews begins with showing Christ's solidarity with God, but now in these verses he is shifting to show Christ's solidarity with man. At creation, man was given dominion over creation, but we failed. Christ takes up that cause in order to reestablish that kingdom reign, and also pay for the penalty of the loss due to humankind. That said, while His Kingdom has been inaugurated at the cross, we still don't perceive that victory…yet. But that Day will come when His rule and reign will be consummated forevermore.

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 2.1-4Tyler WillisHow easily we can all drift spiritually without noticing! The serious consequences of neglecting such a great salvation are real, just as judgment under the law was. So how do we fight this drift? God's Word! Read it, meditate on it, discuss it with your gospel community, live it out! As we soak in God's Word we can't help but become closer to the Word Become Flesh, Jesus. Drift doesn't stand a chance when we remain in Christ's presence.

John 17.20-23Pastor Mwindula Mbewe of Hillview Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia blessed us with a powerful message about God's call for His church to be "one." This unity stems from sharing in Christ's glory, and while we want this unity in the church...we also very much want glory for ourselves. Our sinful desires look for ways to create distinctions and division, the very opposite of the type of unity God calls us to. The glory God gives, through His Son, levels the field and draws us into loving community where we see no differences between us and our brothers and sisters.

Hebrews: True and Better - Hebrews 1.1-14Jobey McGintyThe author of Hebrews begins with big claims about Christ, and he moves quickly into referring to various Old Testament Scriptures to show how Christ is the fulfillment of those Scriptures. His goal is to help these Jewish believers rightly interpret the Old Testament in light of the events of Christ. What the author is doing here is effectively saying, “don't take my word for it.” He wants his readers to base their beliefs not on what he claims, or on their feelings or thoughts, but he wants them to go into God's Word. And when we do go to God's Word, we see that it is about Jesus from start to finish!

Hebrews: The True and Better - Hebrews 1.1-4Jobey McGintyThe whole purpose of the book of Hebrews is to reveal the glory of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. As we behold the glory of the radiance of the Son, we, too, will be transformed from one degree of glory to the next, until the day that we are with Him forever and ever. We begin this new sermon series with anticipation...that God will do a transforming work in each of us.

Every Day with Jesus - Acts 2.42-47, Ephesians 4.11-16, Matthew 28.18-20Jobey McGintyGod's design for the local church is to gather His people regularly for daily life in Christ, to be built up, healed, equipped, and matured so that we can go out and spread the aroma of Christ and make disciples of all nations. Until that desired end and goal, we have the challenges of sin, failures, pride, pain, death, laziness, stubbornness, and a litany of other roadblocks. While the church is not perfect, nor is it easy, Jesus models how we are to enter into that messy, difficult, imperfectness, to bring healing and help. And so we submit and ask the Spirit to work through us to do the same, here and now, in our local churches.

Every Day with Jesus - Matthew 6.5-13 Jobey McGintyWhile any prayer truly from the heart is a good prayer, accepted and loved by God, there are also “wrong” and “better” ways to pray. Jesus gives us “do's” and “don'ts” when it comes to praying. The Psalms also serve as a kind of prayer handbook. When we pray the Psalms, we pray from our own hearts to be sure, but we are also joining with our spiritual ancestors in Israel, church history, and using the very language that God Himself gave us and taught us so that we can best enjoy communion with Him. God's Word is like a javelin, and your heart is the target. Praying the Psalms enlarges the target for God's Word and God's desires to permeate your heart.

Every Day with Jesus - Ephesians 3.14-21 Jobey McGinty No “one way” relationship can survive, much less thrive. With Christ, if we are only “breathing in” our own thoughts, worries, or desires, we will always be one-sided, because we will only then be “breathing out” our thoughts, fears, and worries. A two-way relationship with Christ requires prayer, and while any genuine prayer is good, when we learn to respond to His Word in prayer our hearts become more aligned with Him, and like fuel (our prayers) being added to the fire (God's Word), our prayers and back and forth relationship become explosive.

Every Day with Jesus - John 3.1-7 Tyler Willis Just as physical exercise strengthens our bodies, spending time in the Word strengthens our souls and helps us grow in our faith. The more we make a habit of being in the Word, joyfully anticipating the ways that God will work in our hearts through His Word, we will see the Holy open our eyes and transform us from the inside out. And we know that the new heart God gives us, through the Spirit, is imperishable...not susceptible to sin's decay or death...and we rejoice!

Every Day with Jesus - Proverbs 1.20-23 Jobey McGinty We live in an incredibly noisy world. Noisier than any other time in human history, and that is by design...some of our Enemy's greatest weapons are distraction and busyness. As Corrrie ten Boom put it, "If the devil can't make you sin, he'll make you busy." So how do we counter these weapons? The answer is to start simple and small...to just start building with the tools given to us by our Father: prayer, the Word, and Gospel Community. Around these things we build a trellis designed not to look impressive but simply to support the growth of a living, vibrant vine of relationship with Jesus. This won't happen by accident, though. It takes hard work and training, and a commitment to loving and following He who first loved us!

Every Day with Jesus - Romans 12:1-2 Jobey McGinty Paul lets us know that if we are not being transformed by the renewal of our mind, we will be conformed to the world. In our society, this is more challenging than ever, with mobile technology purpose-built for distraction and consuming our attention. It's easy to feel like we just don't have time, but in reality, we have plenty of time...we just are choosing to spend it in undirected ways. This is what conformation looks like, over time. But the good news is that we are not passive victims in this process. Through the wisdom given to us through God's word and Spirit, and in supportive Gospel Community, we can begin to implement helpful limitations and daily liturgies which support the transformation we wish to see!

Every Day with Jesus - 2 Peter 1.3-15 Jobey McGinty In Peter's last recorded letter, he emphasizes his passion and conviction to always be reminding believers of the Gospel. It is, in some ways, a pastoral “mission statement” for all leaders to constantly be reminding those in their lives of the important Gospel truths that keep us walking with Jesus daily. We, as believers, can easily become near sighted, losing sight of the bigger, eternal picture. But, as John Owen reminds us, "So much as we see the love of God, so much shall we delight in Him, and no more." And to know God, we must know His Word. We must pray. And we must join in these things with His people.

Psalm 107 Jobey McGinty Psalm 107 compels us to vocalize God's steadfast love, both for our own souls and to encourage the church. We see four scenarios where people encounter God's grace: the lost wanderer, the isolated rebel, the suffering sinner, and the storm-tossed soul. Whether through aimless wandering, willful rebellion, self-inflicted suffering, or life's overwhelming storms, God's response is consistent. When these individuals, at their wit's end, cried out to the Lord, He delivered them. He satisfies the longing soul, breaks the chains of rebellion, heals the afflicted, and calms the tempestuous seas. Just as we trust a skilled surgeon's knife, we should trust God's hand in our lives, even amidst trials. Let the redeemed acknowledge and celebrate His steadfast love.

Christmas Eve, 2024 Jobey McGinty The Christmas narrative is fundamentally a declaration of war - a cosmic battle for dominion. God created a world overseen by man, but a rebellious force usurped that order, plunging humanity into a kingdom of sin and death. However, God initiated a divine rescue operation, promising a savior to redeem humanity from its self-inflicted treason. This was no vague promise; God provided a detailed profile of this liberator through numerous prophecies. The statistical improbability of one individual fulfilling these prophecies at random is astronomical, yet Jesus Christ fulfilled over 300, demonstrating the intentionality of God's plan. Jesus' mission was to conquer sin and death, offering eternal life to all who believe. The path to this salvation is through acknowledgment of sin, belief in Jesus' divine identity and sacrifice, and confession of faith in Him. This is the essence of the Christmas message: a victory won for humanity through the birth of a savior.

Advent: I Will Draw Near to - John 1 Jobey McGinty The “Word of God” is both with God and is God. It is distinct, yet not an “it,” but a “He.” John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God, but before being revealed as “Jesus,” He was the invisible Word of God. God wanted to be known fully and intimately. Why is He the “Word” of God and not the hand, arm, or mouth? Our words come from us and are intertwined with us, revealing who we are. Other body parts don't define or reveal our true selves; words do. Christ, as the Word of God, is the lamp to our feet, given so we don't have to guess who God is. He was given to you to know the one true and living God, and to give you true life.

Advent: I Will Draw Near to You - Malachi 4.4-6 Jobey McGinty At the close of the Old Testament, God leaves His people in suspense for 400 years before the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus. During this period, significant events unfolded, such as the Maccabean Revolt led by Judas Maccabaeus against the Seleucids. And when the curtain opens on the New Testament, we again find Judea under occupation...this time by the Romans. And the Jews are desperate for a Judas Maccabaeus type of Messiah to come along and give the Romans the boot. And when Jesus entered Jerusalem they thought the time had finally come...but they were quickly disappointed by a Messiah who encouraged them, instead, to love and serve their enemies. He had come for a far greater purpose: to conquer a far bigger regime than the Romans. Just like the Jews, we often have our own expectations and desires for what Jesus "should" be...and it mostly boils down to a Santa Claus messiah who will right our personal frustrations and cater to our needs. But He has far greater plans for you and I! He is greater than Judas Maccabaeus...better than Adam, Elija, David, and all others before Him...and He is better than you and I. He stands righteous, in our place, before the Father above, presenting us washed in His blood and acceptable in His sight!

Advent 2024: I Will Draw Near to You - Malachi 4:1-3 Tyler Willis This coming day when Jesus returns, and God's kingdom comes sounds amazing and it will be. It sounds miraculous, and it is. However, God is a Holy God. Our Father is perfect in everything, in every way, always. When he comes near sin, evil, unrighteousness…it is all consumed. And we are not holy! For those who fear Him, though, we do not stand alone. Our advocate, our mediator, our savior opens the palms of His hands to reveal his wounds. The wounds we deserved. And the Judge will declare us innocent. And we respond to this certainty of future grace with righteous living, renewed eyes for the lost, endurance to live in the here and now, and hope for the coming day of the Lord!

Advent 2024: I Will Draw Near to You - Malachi 3.13-18 Jobey McGinty We often think that simply confessing our sins is the same as true repentance. But God calls us to a deeper level of heart transformation. True repentance involves a reverential fear of the Lord, a fear that leads us to honor and glorify Him in every aspect of our lives.As we surrender our hearts to God, He refines us through trials and challenges, shaping us into His treasured possession. Though the process may be painful, it ultimately produces beautiful, godly character. So let's embrace the refining fire and trust in God's perfect plan for our lives.

Malachi: Draw Near to Me - Malachi 3.6-12 Jobey McGinty "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This message, whether coming from Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew or God through the prophet Malachi, remains consistent throughout the Bible. It serves as both a caution and a promise, a statement of fact and a guide for those seeking to draw near to God. To find where your heart truly lies, observe where you invest your time and resources. God understands that our satisfaction and contentment will only be complete when He possesses our entire hearts. We cannot fully surrender our hearts to Him if we cling to the blessings He bestows upon us. In His goodness and love, He invites us to test Him in this: by generously sharing our time and resources in our pursuit to love Him and those around us, He assures us that He will provide blessings sufficient for all our needs.

Malachi: Draw Near to Me - Malachi 2.17-3.5 Jobey McGinty It is common to wonder about God's apparent absence amidst tragedy, hardship, and atrocities across the globe...why evil people seem to prosper and go unpunished. We must remember, however, God's perspective and understanding infinitely more complete than ours, and while we are often very quick to focus on the evil around us that requires judgment, we are less apt to want judgement on the sin inside our own hearts. God mercifully delays His judgement and graciously blesses in the meantime, but we must be careful to not mistake the delays and the blessings as approval of sin...ours or the world's. Make no mistake, God's judgment will fall upon all of the evil in this world, in each of our hearts, and it is only by being washed clean in the cleansing, sacrificial blood of Jesus that we may be found holy and righteous in God's sight.

Malachi: Draw Near to Me - Malachi2.10-16 Jobey McGinty God's people ignored His ways, and their “smaller sins” grew into “bigger sins.” We must remember that our sin, as well, has no desire to stay “small,” but rather is always looking for ways to grow and take command. It wants to thrive and be in control. So what is our response? First, we must admit our sin...to God and those trusted "iron sharpening iron" brothers and sisters God has placed in our lives. And next we repent, by turning away from sin and drawing near to our Father, in Christ.

Malachi: Draw Near to Me - Malachi 2.1-9 Jobey McGinty “Covenant” isn't a word we often use in our relationships, but a covenant is what frames up God's relationship with His people. It is a commitment built up on relationship, which is why we call it the “covenant of marriage.” It is not simply a contract or formal business agreement, but a relational commitment on both sides for mutual benefit. On our own, we don't live lives that are perfectly integrated...lives in covenant relationship. We all fall short, each one of us, every day. But this is the miracle of rebirth: When we are born again, we are regenerated, and when we are regenerated, we are integrated. When we are hidden in Christ, we are integrated into His righteousness, His character, and His perfection and purity. We now walk by faith in confidence that we are in Him.

Malachi: Draw Near to Me - Malachi 1.6-14 Jobey McGinty God's desire is for our hearts, not just our stuff. He's not interested in our leftovers or second-best offerings. Instead, He wants us to give Him our all, cheerfully and generously. Far too often we cling to "our" time, money, possessions, comfort, convenience as though it is ours, and not given to us by our Father. And when He asks for us to give it back to him we say, "no, that's mine!" forgetting that it all comes from Him. He's asking us to be good stewards of His blessings and to offer them back to Him in worship and service. Let's respond to God's call by opening our hands and our hearts. As we give generously, we'll experience the joy of true discipleship and the abundant life that God promises.

Malachi: Draw Near to Me - Malachi 1.1-5 Jobey McGinty This is our story. We have been loved by God. Even when we doubted and questioned His love, He remained steadfast. He chose us, not because of our worthiness, but because of His great mercy. Like the Israelites in Malachi, we may face trials and hardships, but we must remember that God is with us. He has promised to rebuild our lives and restore our hope. Just as the Israelites saw the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecies in the coming of Jesus, we too can look forward to a future filled with joy and peace because of God's faithfulness.

Tyler Willis The Christian life is a journey and a race...a marathon which will last our entire lives. Along the way, we will face many challenges, but with Christ's help, we can overcome any obstacle. God calls us to love and serve those around us as we run the race and, in so doing, we will leave a lasting legacy pointing to God's mercy, provision and grace.

Jobey McGinty We all want to be remembered well...remembered for our kindness, how we've used our gifts to love and serve those around us. This kind of legacy, however, takes intentional work...practice...good reps! We don't just drift into holiness, however; we drift into laziness. This world is also filled with distractions and temptations which will help pull us away from holiness. With God's help, however, we can learn to repent...to turn away from these obstacles and snares and run towards his freedom, building a legacy of grace, day by day, as we do.

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 29* Jobey McGinty *Acts 29 doesn't actually exist in the Bible...but in a way, we are the living continuation of the story of Acts in the Bible. This is our story, the story of how God's love continues to spread through us. We are part of a long line of believers who have passed down the light of faith from generation to generation. Just like our ancestors, we have a responsibility to share this light with the world around us. We are the church, and we are called to be living examples of God's love, forgiveness, and grace. Let us commit to being billboards for Jesus, reflecting His light in our words, actions, and relationships. Together, we can continue to build God's kingdom and bring hope to those who need it most.

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 28.25-31 Jobey McGinty This passage encourages us to live out our faith boldly and faithfully, even when it's difficult. It reminds us that our ministry doesn't end when with us; it can have eternal consequences for those around us. We are called to be witnesses for Christ, even if it means sacrificing our comfort or reputation. We can plant seeds of the gospel in the lives of others, and those seeds may bear fruit long after we're gone. May we be encouraged to be bold in our faith and to live a life that glorifies God.

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 28.14-24 Jobey McGinty As we share the gospel with those around us, it can be really difficult to remain patient and hopeful that the good news will sink in and take root...especially after we've seen it fall on deaf ears and hard hearts for a long time. But we must remember that where God is involved there is always a chance . No one is ever beyond His reach. We must remember that while we are called to do something impossible (in our own strength), with His Spirit at work, all things are possible. Let us pray that He would give us boldness, passion, conviction, perseverance, hope and patience as we continue to share the gospel with those around us. May our love for Jesus shine through in all that we do, so that others may see the beauty of his grace and be transformed by his love.

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 28.1-10 Jobey McGinty

Psalm 81 Connections Pastor/Elder at The Fields church, John Duarte

Psalm 125 - Kostya Tustanovskyi

2 Kings 5:1-14 - Tim Cain

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 27:33-44 Tyler Willis

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 27.1-32 Jobey McGinty

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 25.13-26.29 Jobey McGinty

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 24.1-25.12 Jobey McGinty

Acts: Saved to be Sent - Acts 23.12-35 Jobey McGinty

Enduring Joy - John 16:16-24 Tyler Willis

Acts: Saved to be Sent: Isaiah 55.10-13 Jobey McGinty