LW Church Podcast

This sermon concludes a series on worship, emphasizing that worship is not just what God deserves from us, but what God desires for us. Pastor Jason explains that worship is an exchange - we give our brokenness, weariness, and burdens to God, and He gives us strength, peace, and renewal in return. Using biblical examples from Satan's fall, humanity's sin in Romans 1, and David's struggles in Psalm 42, the message shows how worship recalibrates our perspective and fuels our souls. The sermon concludes with communion as the ultimate example of God's exchange - Jesus taking our sin and giving us His grace.

This sermon explores the concept of spiritual warfare through the lens of worship. Pastor Jason discusses how worship is actually a form of warfare against Satan. Using biblical passages from Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, he explains that Satan was originally a worship leader in heaven who fell due to pride and his desire to be worshipped rather than to worship God. The sermon emphasizes that there is an ongoing war for our worship, with Satan trying to redirect our allegiance away from God toward idols and worldly things. Pastor Jason illustrates this through the story of Job and Gloria Gaither's experience writing ‘Because He Lives' during a time of cultural upheaval and personal fear. The central message is that worship is not just singing songs, but declaring our allegiance to God and pushing back against spiritual darkness.

Pastor Mark delivers a powerful message about authentic worship, drawing from Psalm 63 where David worships God while hiding in the desert from those trying to kill him. The sermon emphasizes that everyone is a worshiper by nature the only choice is what we worship. He vulnerably shares his ow struggles with idolatry, including his pursuit of material things like a Mini Cooper, hunting adventures, and various projects that can become more important than pursuing God. He explains that worship i not about performance, punishment, or penance, but about genuine pursuit of God. Using David as an example of the greatest warrior who was also the greatest worshiper, he demonstrates that worship is an intentional choice that can happen anywhere, anytime - not just in church services.

Learn what it means to lead your family with consistency, humility, and conviction—aligning your words, actions, and values. This session will help you take practical ownership of the influence God has given you at home.

Strength isn't just physical—it's mental, emotional, and spiritual. This session will challenge you to develop discipline, endurance, and grit so you can stay steady under pressure and show up when it matters most.

A man stands guard over what matters most. He protects physically, spiritually, and relationally—stepping in when others step back. When a man embraces this role, people feel safe, valued, and defended in his presence.

Being a provider is about more than money—it's about meeting real needs. A man provides stability, presence, and care, not just resources. When he learns to draw from God's strength, he becomes someone who consistently has something to give.

God's design for manhood doesn't always match the world's expectations. This session will help you break free from cultural stereotypes and step confidently into the man God uniquely created you to be.

A man's first calling is to love—God first, then others. This kind of love isn't passive or shallow; it is intentional, sacrificial, and expressed in both words and actions. When a man gets love right, everything else in his life begins to align.

A man takes responsibility for his life and the direction he's headed. Leadership isn't about control—it's about clarity, consistency, and setting the tone for others to follow. When a man leads well, he brings order, purpose, and stability to the people around him.

This sermon from Psalm 115 addresses the universal human tendency toward idolatry - the worship of anything or anyone that competes for our affection with God. Pastor Jason explains that everyone is a worshiper by nature, and the question isn't whether we worship, but what occupies the center stage of our hearts. Over time, good and necessary things like success, relationships, comfort, and control can crowd God's rightful place, leading to confused worship and misaligned lives. The message emphasizes that idols promise everything but deliver nothing, leaving us spiritually depleted, while God alone can sustain the weight of our worship as our help and shield. The sermon concludes with practical challenges to clear the stage: giving God the first 24 minutes of each day, fasting from something for four weeks, and being fully present during worship services.

This sermon focuses on the story of Matthew, the tax collector who became one of Jesus' disciples. Pastor Jason explores why Matthew waited nine chapters in his gospel before telling his own conversion story, revealing that Matthew understood the power of timing and context. The sermon examines Matthew 9:9, where Jesus calls Matthew from his tax booth, and draws three key insights: no one is too far gone to be saved by Jesus, Jesus knows everything about us and still saves us, and when the world sees failure, Jesus sees our future. The message emphasizes that Matthew was one of the most despised people in his culture - a Jewish tax collector working for the Romans - yet Jesus saw his potential and called him by a new name that meant "gift of God."

This sermon explores the creation account in Genesis 2-3, focusing on God's original design for mankind and how sin corrupted that design. Pastor Jason examines how God gave Adam three gifts under the banner of worship: work to enjoy, a will to obey, and a woman to love. The message emphasizes that Adam was created for face-to-face relationship with God, but sin entered through passivity and disobedience. The sermon contrasts the first tree (bringing sin and death) with the second tree (the cross, bringing forgiveness and life).

This Easter sermon focuses on the significance of Jesus' resurrection as the foundation of Christian faith. Pastor Mark emphasizes that the resurrection validates all of Jesus' promises and gives believers the assurance of eternal life, transformation, and purpose. Using the story of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus, the sermon illustrates two possible responses to Christ: rejection with insults or humble faith asking for remembrance. The message highlights that we all deserve death due to our sin, but through God's rich mercy and grace, Jesus offers us new life and salvation that we cannot earn through good works.

This Palm Sunday sermon explores the story of Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10, focusing on how Jesus offers acceptance to those who deserve rejection. The message emphasizes that Zacchaeus, a despised tax collector, climbed a tree to see Jesus but discovered that Jesus was actually seeking him. When Jesus called Zacchaeus down and invited himself to his home, it demonstrated radical grace - accepting someone before they changed rather than requiring change first. The sermon highlights that true salvation produces immediate evidence through repentance and life transformation, as seen in Zacchaeus's generous giving and restitution. The central message is that Jesus came to seek and save the lost, offering acceptance through his sacrifice on the cross, and calls listeners to either come down from their 'tree' of distance or surrender more fully if they've already encountered Christ but haven't truly made him Lord.

This sermon explores the story of Peter's denial of Jesus and subsequent restoration, emphasizing that God never writes us off despite our failures. Rick Laine shares a personal story about disrespecting his mother-in-law at work and receiving undeserved mercy, paralleling Peter's experience. The message focuses on how Peter, despite being a devoted disciple, denied Jesus three times out of fear during Jesus' arrest. However, Jesus later restored Peter through a conversation by the sea, asking him three times if he loved Him. The sermon emphasizes that while we often focus on not getting what we think we deserve, we should be grateful for the times we don't receive the judgment we actually deserve. Instead, God offers grace, mercy, and second chances.

This sermon explores the story of the woman caught in adultery in Gospel of John 8, highlighting how we may deserve condemnation but instead receive mercy. A personal story about receiving grace instead of deserved correction introduces the theme.The message shows how Jesus responds to the woman's shame with compassion, revealing God's character—one that withholds deserved punishment and offers mercy. It also addresses the destructive power of shame, distinguishing between healthy guilt that leads to repentance and harmful shame that robs us of freedom. Ultimately, the sermon emphasizes that Jesus sees beyond our guilt and shame and offers mercy that leads to redemption and a new way of living.

This sermon explores the story of the rich young ruler from Mark 10, using it to illustrate how money and possessions can become spiritual 'log jams' that prevent us from fully following Christ. Pastor Jason emphasizes that Jesus' command to sell everything wasn't about the money itself, but about removing anything that rivals God for first place in our hearts. The message challenges believers to loosen their grip on material possessions and embrace generosity as a reflection of God's nature, reminding us that we cannot out-give God and that generosity is love in action.

This sermon explores the connection between our hearts and our finances, using Matthew 6:19-21 as the foundation. Pastor Mark emphasizes that where we put our treasure, our hearts will follow - not the other way around. He explains that God desires our whole heart, and one key indicator of whether God has our heart is the position He holds in our finances. The message focuses on tithing as a biblical principle that helps align our hearts with God's priorities, explaining that the tithe is 10% of our income given first to God through the local church. The sermon addresses common objections and emphasizes that this isn't about legalism but about heart posture and trust in God's provision.

This message dives into what Jesus really meant when He said in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Pastor Jason explains that mammon isn't just about money — it's a spiritual force that tries to convince us we can trust money to give us what only God can provide.He unpacks mammon as “that in which one trusts,” showing how it becomes a false god that promises security, identity, and happiness through wealth instead of through a relationship with God. Pastor Jason challenges us to see how subtle this can be — especially in a culture where chasing money is normal and even celebrated.The sermon highlights three serious dangers of pursuing mammon: it creates a constant cycle where enough is never enough, it drowns out God's voice in our lives, and it slowly pulls our hearts away from our first love — Jesus. In a money-driven culture like ours, this is a real and ongoing spiritual battle, where greed often hides behind words like ambition, success, or lifestyle.

This sermon explores the desire of King David to have his presence in the house of the Lord be the one thing he desired above all else. While the model of the temple worship no longer exists, the heart of being near to God, gathered with his people in the local church still remains a priority of God for all believers. There are a number of factors today that keep people from prioritizing church, but the reasons to stay connected with the Body of Christ are too great to ignore.This week also marks "Ownership Sunday", inviting everyone of participation at Living Water as an "owner" pursuing three commitments: to Grow- through large and small group interactions, to Serve- by letting God use you for His Purposes, to Give- by trusting God and stewarding every portion of your life including finances. 

In this sermon, Taylor Brown explores the story of Jesus healing the woman with the issue of bleeding from Luke 8, using it to teach about investing in people's lives. He emphasizes that true investment in others requires being willing to have our schedules interrupted, recognizing that people's problems matter, and understanding that every person has value regardless of their reputation or struggles. Through personal stories, including dealing with a troubled youth, Taylor illustrates how showing up for people in their darkest moments can plant seeds of faith, even when we don't see immediate results. The message challenges us to orient our lives around investing in the next generation and being available when others need us most.

Pastor Jason delivered a message about the danger of staying busy around Jesus rather than being close to Him, using the story of Mary and Martha from Luke 10. He emphasized that while Martha was distracted by many good things, Mary chose the one thing that mattered most - sitting at Jesus' feet and learning from Him. The sermon challenged listeners to examine whether anything in their lives gets more of them than Jesus does.

Pastor Mark addresses the question of whether God grades on a curve, exploring the difference between salvation by works versus salvation by faith. Using Galatians 3, he explains that we are made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ, not by keeping the law or doing good works. The message emphasizes that genuine faith expresses itself in action, specifically through baptism and putting on new spiritual clothes. He clarifies that while we are saved by faith alone, this faith naturally leads to transformation and obedience as expressions of gratitude, not attempts to earn salvation.

Pastor Jason teaches from John 9 about the blind man who was healed by Jesus, emphasizing that we often get so focused on 'how' things work that we lose sight of 'who' God is. The sermon addresses why many Christians (50% according to research) feel uncomfortable sharing their faith despite believing it's the greatest thing that happened to them. Using the analogy of hitting a 90 mph fastball - which is scientifically impossible but happens regularly - Pastor Jason illustrates how we shouldn't let unexplainable questions prevent us from sharing the undeniable truth of how Jesus has changed our lives.The blind man's simple testimony 'I was blind and now I see' becomes the model for sharing our faith. Rather than needing to be attorneys with all the answers, we're called to be witnesses who simply tell our story. The sermon concludes with practical tips for sharing faith and challenges everyone to write their three-part story: 'I was' (life before Jesus), 'then God' (encountering Jesus), and 'now' (life after Jesus).

Pastor Jason begins a new series called 'One Thing' focusing on how to keep God as the highest priority in life. Using Philippians 3:13-14 as the foundation, he teaches three key principles for maintaining spiritual focus: don't look back at past failures or successes, look ahead toward God's calling, and look around to choose the right influences. The message emphasizes that when we make God our top priority, He helps balance all other aspects of our lives. Paul's transformation from persecuting Christians to pursuing Christ demonstrates how God can redirect our passions for His kingdom rather than erasing them.

Rick explores what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus, challenging common misconceptions about discipleship. He emphasizes that discipleship is not merely about behavior modification or avoiding hell, but about surrendering our personal filters and agendas to follow Jesus completely. He identifies four major filters through which people view discipleship: upbringing, theology, politics, and personality. These filters can hinder true discipleship when they become more important than Jesus' teachings. The message calls believers to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and filter their beliefs through Jesus' teachings rather than filtering Jesus' teachings through their own beliefs.

This sermon explores the true meaning of joy during the Christmas season, distinguishing it from temporary happiness. Taylor shares a personal story about trying to find acceptance through fake designer shoes, illustrating how we often seek joy in worldly things that ultimately disappoint. Using Luke 2:10-11, the message focuses on the angels' announcement to the shepherds about Jesus' birth as a 'rescuer.' The sermon presents three key aspects of joy: redeeming (God's plan to restore our broken relationship through Jesus), rare (the unique gift of salvation that requires no work on our part), and relentless (supernatural joy that persists through all circumstances). He emphasizes that God chose humble shepherds to receive this announcement, showing that this joy is for everyone regardless of social status. Taylor concludes with a powerful story from Thailand about orphaned children who, despite their trauma, worship Jesus with incredible joy, demonstrating that true joy comes from our relationship with Christ, not our circumstances.

This sermon explores the deep human longing for peace, particularly during the Christmas season. Pastor Jason contrasts the temporary, circumstantial peace we often seek with the lasting, soul-deep peace that comes through Jesus Christ. Using Ephesians 2 as the primary text, the message emphasizes that true peace begins with being reconciled to God vertically before we can experience peace horizontally with others. The sermon explains that Jesus didn't just bring peace - He IS our peace, and this peace comes through trusting God rather than trying to control our circumstances.

This message explores the concept of hope during the Advent season, contrasting human wish lists with God's deeper gifts. Pastor Mark examines Isaiah 8-9, showing how the Israelites faced hopelessness during the Assyrian invasion but received God's promise of a coming Messiah. He explains that while we live in uncertain times with unclear futures, true hope isn't found in human enlightenment but in Jesus Christ, the light of the world. The message emphasizes that hope in the Old Testament meant waiting for God under tension (kavah), while New Testament hope is a living hope through Christ's resurrection. Hope is described as the expectation of coming good because of Jesus' person and promises, becoming most powerful when all human options are exhausted.

This sermon concludes a 12-week journey through the book of Acts, highlighting how the Holy Spirit transformed a small group of uncertain disciples into world-changing messengers. Pastor Jason provides a flyby overview of Acts chapters 11-28, showing three key themes: the Gospel moves through ordinary people (like those in Antioch), presses through opposition (Paul's persecutions), and travels from back roads to world capitals (reaching Rome). The message emphasizes that Acts doesn't end with a conclusion but with a comma - the story continues through us today. The sermon transitions into introducing the church's Christmas Give partnership with Seed Company to translate Luke and Acts into the language of an unreached people group in Southeast Asia, challenging the congregation to participate in continuing the Acts story through Bible translation.

This sermon explores Acts 10, the story of Peter's vision and his encounter with Cornelius, a Roman centurion. The message reveals how God refuses to be confined to our expectations and boxes. Through three scenes - Cornelius receiving a vision, Peter's rooftop revelation about clean and unclean foods, and their eventual meeting - we see that God works in unexpected people and places before we arrive. The sermon emphasizes that before God works through us, He must work in us, breaking down internal barriers like pride, cultural bias, and comfort zones. Peter's transformation from seeing the vision as about food to understanding it was about people demonstrates how God challenges our assumptions about who He can save and use.

Have you ever experienced a moment when life suddenly stopped you in your tracks? Maybe it was an illness, a job loss, or a relationship that ended unexpectedly. In those moments, it's natural to wonder if God is punishing us or if we've done something wrong. Saul was living what appeared to be a successful religious life. He was educated, respected, and zealous for what he believed was right. Yet he was spiritually blind, missing the very God he claimed to serve. When Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus road with blinding light, it wasn't an act of cruelty but of kindness. Sometimes the most loving thing God can do is interrupt our lives when we're heading in the wrong direction. That painful moment, that unexpected detour, that humbling experience - it might not be punishment but prevention. God sees what we cannot see and knows what lies ahead if we continue on our current path. Not every difficult circumstance is a result of our disobedience, and not every blessing is a reward for our good behavior. Life is more complex than a simple cause-and-effect relationship. But we can trust that when God allows disruption in our lives, He has a purpose that goes beyond our immediate understanding. The same God who stopped Saul on the road to Damascus is the same God who sees your life today. If you're experiencing a season of difficulty, consider that God might be wounding you not to harm you, but to wake you up to something better He has in store.

This sermon explores Acts chapter 8, focusing on Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch on the desert road. The message emphasizes how God uses persecution and scattering to advance His mission, positioning ordinary believers like Philip to reach people in unexpected places. Philip, who started as a food pantry worker, becomes an evangelist through simple obedience to God's direction. The Ethiopian eunuch represents those searching for truth, traveling great distances to understand God but needing someone to explain the Gospel.The sermon divides the audience into two groups: the 'Phillips' (believers called to share their faith) and the 'eunuchs' (those still searching for Christ). For believers, the key lessons are to look for people when God positions them somewhere, remember there's common ground at the cross regardless of differences, and trust that small acts of obedience can lead to big kingdom impact. For seekers, the message encourages them to recognize their spiritual hunger, invite others into their search for understanding, and realize they might be the start of something significant in God's kingdom.

This sermon focuses on Stephen from Acts 6-8, using his life as an example of what it means to walk with God. When walk with God, we begin to look like Him, act like Him, and move like Him. Stephen's story demonstrates how a life in step with the Spirit results in God flowing through us, even in the face of persecution and death. The message challenges believers to examine who they are walking with spiritually, as we become like those we surround ourselves with. Through Stephen's example of grace under pressure, forgiveness toward his persecutors, and unwavering focus on Jesus even unto death, we see a model of authentic Christian living that impacts others and advances God's kingdom.

This sermon from Acts 6:1-7 explores how the early church handled a significant conflict regarding food distribution between Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews. The apostles demonstrated godly leadership by addressing the issue head-on, involving the entire congregation in finding a solution, and empowering others to take leadership roles. Remarkably, the predominantly Hebraic Jewish congregation chose seven Hellenistic Jews to lead this important ministry, showing extraordinary unity and justice. The passage teaches that healthy churches confront conflict biblically, pursue unity and justice as kingdom priorities, and recognize that effective ministry requires the participation of all believers. When the church handles conflict well and pursues justice, it becomes attractive to outsiders and leads to growth in discipleship.

This sermon from Acts 5 explores the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who lied about their offering to appear more generous than they were, resulting in their deaths. The message emphasizes that God values authenticity over appearance and that purity must come before power in the church. The apostles, despite being imprisoned and beaten for preaching about Jesus, continued to obey God rather than human authorities, demonstrating that Christ sets us free not to sit back, but to stand up. The sermon challenges believers to choose obedience over opposition and to stop pretending while starting to walk in truth.

The early church experienced explosive growth from 120 believers to potentially 20,000 in Jerusalem, demonstrating a movement that transformed lives. This growth wasn't built on programs or buildings, but on people hearing the message and choosing to believe. When Peter and John were questioned about their power, they pointed to Jesus as the only source of salvation. The religious leaders were astonished that these ordinary, unschooled men had such boldness, until they realized they had been with Jesus. God specializes in using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things when they surrender their lives to Him and step out in faith.

The spread of Christianity has always been fueled by personal stories of transformation. In Acts 3, Peter and John demonstrate this when they heal a lame beggar who then leaps with joy in the temple courts, drawing amazed crowds. Our testimonies become powerful when we show the change Jesus has made in our lives, give Him the credit, and invite others to experience the same transformation. Whether dramatic or simple, every story of faith matters because it's not about how dramatic our past was, but about how faithful our Savior is. As believers, we are all 'sent people' whose personal stories and relationships become the primary strategy for building God's Kingdom.

In this sermon, Pastor explores Acts 2, focusing on Peter's Spirit-filled sermon at Pentecost. After the disciples began speaking in different languages, some onlookers accused them of being drunk. Peter stands up and explains that this is not drunkenness but the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy about God pouring out His Spirit on all people in the last days. Peter then presents four pieces of evidence about Jesus: His miraculous works that many witnessed, His crucifixion according to God's plan, His resurrection that fulfilled David's prophecy, and His exaltation to God's right hand. This powerful presentation of truth led 3,000 people to repent and be baptized, marking the birth of the early church. The sermon emphasizes that the Holy Spirit empowers believers to both speak truth boldly and receive truth that transforms their lives.

The Holy Spirit's arrival at Pentecost marked a pivotal moment in history, transforming how believers relate to God. This divine presence works through powerful symbols like wind (representing life-giving power) and fire (signifying purification and passion). The Spirit fills believers continuously, empowering them with spiritual gifts to glorify God and fulfill Jesus' mission. Rather than trying to control or manipulate the Spirit's work, believers are called to hunger for His genuine presence, allowing Him to bring unity, draw people to God, and transform lives from within. Through the Holy Spirit, God provides power, love, and self-discipline to accomplish His purposes in the world.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus started a movement to bring God's kingdom to earth, and today, we continue that work. After Jesus ascended, the disciples faced uncertainty and danger, yet they responded by gathering in an 'upper room' to pray together with one mind and passion. Prayer is essential for aligning ourselves with God's plans and preparing the way for His movement. By practicing the PRAY method (Pause, Rejoice, Ask, Yield) and moving from internal to external prayer, we can become an 'upper room' church that prioritizes seeking God's presence over the many demands of life. Prayer doesn't just change circumstances—it changes us and the world around us.

The Book of Acts, written by Luke, chronicles how a small group of fearful believers transformed into a movement that continues to impact the world 2,000 years later. It reveals Jesus continuing His work through the Holy Spirit-empowered church after His ascension. The disciples were instructed to wait for the Holy Spirit's power before beginning their mission, emphasizing that ordinary people need supernatural empowerment. Acts 1:8 outlines their mission to be witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, showing how God uses everyday people to share their personal experiences with Jesus. This story continues today through all believers.

Walking with the Lion of Judah requires a relentless pursuit of new life in Christ that goes beyond comfortable worship of Jesus as the Lamb. This pursuit isn't a scheduled activity but an attitude influencing our entire life. Many Christians struggle with following the powerful, challenging Lion because it takes us out of our comfort zones and requires submission. True power in the Christian life comes not through control or accomplishment but through submission to God and others in love. By stopping our self-definition through weaknesses and embracing submission as the pathway to power, we can experience the fullness of new life in Christ.

Living a relevant Christian life means sharing God's truth in ways that connect with today's world without compromising the message. It requires moving beyond religious rule-following to authentic relationship with God, willingly entering messy situations where people are hurting, avoiding getting stuck in outdated methods, and staying synchronized with the Holy Spirit's leading. Jesus demonstrated this perfectly by meeting people at their point of need while maintaining truth. Relevance isn't about being cool or trendy—it's about impact and effective communication that makes faith matter in people's real lives. By focusing on relationship over religion, entering life's messes, embracing new methods while preserving the message, and staying in sync with God's Spirit, Christians can live lives that truly matter.

This message unpacks what it means to be real in our faith—choosing authenticity over appearances and letting God's grace shine through our weaknesses. When we embrace authenticity, God not only transforms our lives but also uses our vulnerability to impact those around us.