Providence Church Sermon Podcast

In this special message from Providence Church, Afshin Ziafat returns to 2 Corinthians 9 to challenge and encourage our church family toward cheerful, sacrificial giving as we approach Commitment Sunday on September 21.Afshin reminds us that our generosity flows not from guilt or pressure, but from a clear view of God's abundant grace and provision. God doesn't just call us to give—He calls us to give joyfully, trusting in His sufficiency. Through this initiative, we have the opportunity to invest in reaching the next generation, expanding gospel impact, and leaving a legacy of faith.

"Today was supposed to be week 5 of 6 for our series called The Antioch Initiative - an exciting season that we are in as a church - casting vision for our future and where we are headed for the next chapter of the life of our church. But with the tragic week we walked through, we need to shift gears today. We need to spend today lamenting, grieving, and turning to the truth of God's word to guide us."

In 2 Corinthians 8:1–7, Paul highlights the remarkable generosity of the Macedonian churches, who gave joyfully and sacrificially even in the midst of great affliction and poverty. Their giving flowed not from abundance, but from an overflow of grace and a deep desire to participate in the work of the gospel. They first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to others—an example of wholehearted, Spirit-led generosity. Paul urges the Corinthian church to excel in this same grace of giving, reminding them that generosity is a reflection of sincere faith and love. As we walk through the Antioch Initiative, this passage challenges us to become generous givers—trusting God, offering ourselves fully, and joyfully investing in His kingdom work.

In Acts 13:1–4, we see the church in Antioch listening to the Holy Spirit, setting apart Paul and Barnabas, and sending them out to proclaim the gospel—marking the beginning of the first missionary journey. This moment reflects a church that doesn't just gather, but goes, fueled by a vision to see the name of Jesus made known among the nations. In Acts 14:24–28, Paul and Barnabas return and report all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. The sending church became the celebrating church—rejoicing in how God advanced His kingdom through their obedience. This is the heart of the Antioch Initiative: to be a church that listens, sends, and celebrates as God works through us to reach the world.

This passage offers a compelling vision of gospel-centered community through the church in Antioch. This diverse, Spirit-led gathering grew out of persecution and became a hub for mission and generosity. As believers preached the gospel to both Jews and Greeks, the hand of the Lord was with them, and many turned to Christ. Barnabas and Saul discipled this growing community, strengthening their faith and deepening their unity. It was here that the disciples were first called Christians—evidence of a new identity shaped by the gospel. The Antioch church responded to need with sacrificial generosity, showing that true kingdom community is rooted in worship, formed by discipleship, and expressed through mission. This is the kind of church we long to become through The Antioch Initiative—a sending church, a growing church, and a gospel-shaped community for generations to come.

This passage paints a powerful picture of the gospel's expansion through the early church and provides the foundation for our vision in The Antioch Initiative. In the face of persecution, believers carried the good news beyond Jerusalem, and in Antioch, the gospel reached across cultural lines to the Gentiles. God's hand was clearly at work as many believed and turned to the Lord. The church in Antioch became a hub of gospel teaching, discipleship, and generosity—where believers were first called Christians. This moment marked the beginning of a gospel movement that would impact the world, and it mirrors our desire at Providence: to be a sending church rooted in the gospel, reaching our city and the nations for Christ.

God's glory fills the earth and declares His unmatched worth and majesty. As Isaiah 6:3 and Habakkuk 2:14 proclaim, all creation resounds with His holiness, and the knowledge of His glory will one day cover the earth like the waters cover the sea. The heavens declare His beauty (Psalm 19:1), and all that is lovely and good flows from Him. He is infinitely blessed—perfect in joy, fullness, and delight within Himself, as seen in His radiant self-revelation in Christ (2 Cor. 4:6) and in the eternal worship He receives (Psalm 72:19, Rev. 4:11). God's glory, beauty, and blessedness are not just theological truths—they are the heart of our worship and the hope of our souls.

In this passage, Paul explains that righteousness from God has been made available apart from the law, though the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it. This righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement, demonstrating His justice by punishing sin while also showing His mercy by justifying those who have faith in Jesus. In doing so, God proves Himself to be both just and the justifier of sinners.

Titus 3:1–8 reminds believers to live lives marked by humility, gentleness, and readiness for good works, showing kindness to all. Paul urges us to remember that we, too, were once lost in sin—foolish, disobedient, and driven by selfish desires. But God, in His mercy, saved us—not because of our righteous deeds, but through the renewing work of the Holy Spirit made possible by Jesus Christ. We have been justified by grace and made heirs of eternal life. As recipients of this grace, we are called to devote ourselves to doing good, as it brings benefit and blessing to others.

Romans 15:13 is a prayer for believers to be filled with joy and peace as they trust in God. It reminds us that true hope comes from God, not our circumstances. As we believe in Him, the Holy Spirit empowers us to overflow with hope. This verse highlights the unshakable confidence we can have in God's promises through faith.

Isaiah 6:1–8 gives us a powerful glimpse into the holiness of God. Isaiah sees the Lord exalted on His throne, surrounded by seraphim who cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,” declaring God's complete and perfect holiness. The overwhelming presence of God exposes Isaiah's own sinfulness, leading him to confess his unworthiness. Yet, in God's mercy, Isaiah's guilt is removed and his sin atoned for through a coal from the altar. In response to God's cleansing and call, Isaiah offers himself willingly, saying, “Here I am! Send me.” This passage reveals that God's holiness both humbles us and transforms us for His purposes.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1  O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”

Jeremiah 23 reminds us that God is not a distant deity—He is near to us and fills all of heaven and earth. There is nowhere we can hide from His presence. Isaiah 46 declares that God alone is truly God, unmatched in power and wisdom. He knows the end from the beginning and brings His perfect purposes to pass. These passages together remind us that God is both all-present and all-powerful—always near, always in control, and always faithful.

DefinitionGod does not change in his nature, life, character, purposes, promises, or will. God does not change in himself, yet he does work in the lives of his creation and creatures. God cannot suffer change, and nothing or no one outside of him acts upon him in such a way that he becomes better or worse, greater or lesser. As Bavinck says, “Though everything around us changes, God is and remains the same.” While God brings about change in His creation, and while He acts differently in different situations, He experiences no change in Himself. He is what He is all the way down, always and forever. Application-Remember how different God is from you.-Refuse to trust in changeable things.-Rely on God and his promises.

Isaiah 40 paints a powerful picture of God's unmatched greatness and wisdom. He is the Creator who holds the waters, measures the heavens, and brings rulers to nothing—no one can compare to Him or offer Him counsel. All human power and nations are insignificant before Him, yet people still turn to idols made by human hands. God reminds His people that He sees and knows all, and He never grows tired or weary. Those who trust in the Lord will find renewed strength, rising like eagles and enduring without exhaustion.

This Week's Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-23When a large army from Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir threatened Judah, King Jehoshaphat responded with fear but turned to God in prayer and called for a national fast. He gathered the people to seek the Lord and prayed, acknowledging God's power and past faithfulness, and confessed their helplessness in the face of the enemy. God answered through the prophet Jahaziel, declaring that the battle belonged to Him and that the people of Judah would not need to fight. The next day, Jehoshaphat encouraged the people to trust God, and appointed singers to lead in praise as they marched. As they worshiped, God caused confusion among the enemy forces, leading them to destroy each other completely.

Jesus led His disciples to Bethany, where He blessed them and was taken up into heaven. The disciples responded with worship and great joy, returning to Jerusalem and continually praising God in the temple. In the book of Acts, we learn that Jesus spent forty days after His resurrection teaching about the kingdom of God and instructing the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit. Just before His ascension, He assured them they would receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. As He was lifted into heaven, two angels appeared and promised that Jesus would one day return in the same way.

The risen Jesus appears to His disciples, offering peace and reassuring them that He is truly alive, not a spirit, by showing His wounds and eating with them. He reminds them that everything written about Him in the Scriptures has been fulfilled. Jesus then opens their minds to understand God's plan: that the Messiah would suffer, rise, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name. He commissions them as witnesses and promises to send the Holy Spirit to empower them for the mission ahead.

This Week's Text: Joshua 4:19-24In Joshua 4, after the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, God instructed Joshua to have one man from each tribe take a stone from the riverbed as a memorial. These twelve stones were set up at Gilgal as a lasting reminder of God's power and faithfulness. The purpose was to prompt future generations to ask about the stones so the story of God stopping the Jordan's waters could be retold. This moment not only affirmed Joshua's leadership but also served to glorify God among Israel and the nations.

On the road to Emmaus, two followers of Jesus were discussing the events of His death and rumored resurrection when Jesus Himself joined them, though they did not recognize Him. As they walked, Jesus explained how the Scriptures foretold the Messiah's suffering and glory, revealing how all of it pointed to Him. When they arrived at their destination and invited Him to stay, He broke bread with them, and in that moment, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him before He vanished. Filled with awe, they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the others how Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

We are reminded that we have been rescued from sin through the precious blood of Jesus and made new through the living Word of God. As believers, we are called to grow in our faith, love one another sincerely, and build our lives on our hope in Christ. The Gospel transforms us individually and unites us as a spiritual family, sent to share this good news with the world.

At dawn on the first day of the week, they went to Jesus' tomb and found it empty, with the stone rolled away. Two angels appeared and reminded them that Jesus had risen, just as He had said. Though the women shared this with the disciples, most did not believe them—except Peter, who ran to the tomb and left wondering at what he had seen.

As darkness fell over the land, Jesus breathed His last and committed His spirit to the Father, at which point the temple curtain was torn in two. A Roman centurion recognized His innocence, and many witnesses, including the women who had followed Him, watched in sorrow. Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body, laid it in a new tomb, and the women prepared burial spices before resting on the Sabbath.

Luke 23:18-43The crowd demanded the release of Barabbas, a criminal, and insisted on the crucifixion of Jesus, even though Pilate found no guilt in Him. As Jesus was led to be crucified, He warned the mourning women of Jerusalem about future suffering, and He was crucified between two criminals. Despite being mocked by rulers, soldiers, and one of the criminals, Jesus forgave His persecutors, and promised the repentant criminal beside Him a place in paradise.

This Week's Text: Luke 23:1-16Jesus is brought before Pilate, accused of misleading the people and claiming to be a king, but Pilate finds no guilt in Him. After learning Jesus is from Galilee, Pilate sends Him to Herod, who mocks Him but also finds no reason for condemnation. Both Pilate and Herod agree Jesus is not deserving of death, and Pilate proposes to punish and then release Him.

This Week's Text: Luke 22:54-71After Jesus is arrested and taken to the high priest's house, Peter denies knowing Him three times, just as Jesus had foretold, and breaks down in bitter weeping when he realizes what he has done. Meanwhile, Jesus is mocked, beaten, and brought before the council, where He affirms His divine identity, prompting them to declare that no further testimony is needed.

This Week's Text: Luke 22:35-53Jesus prepares His disciples for the difficult week ahead, telling them to be ready and affirming that Scripture is being fulfilled through Him. In agony, He prays on the Mount of Olives, submitting to the Father's will while urging His disciples to stay vigilant in prayer. Soon after, Judas betrays Him with a kiss, leading to His arrest, yet Jesus responds with peace, healing an injured servant and acknowledging that this is the appointed time for darkness to take its course.

Jesus teaches his prideful disciples that true greatness is displayed through humility and service. But not only did Jesus teach it, he exemplified and embodied it as the One who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. And though Peter attempts to be great, Jesus tells him that he will fail. But the good news is that Jesus prays for and restores Peter so that he will be strengthened to serve others.

Jesus' face is firmly set toward the cross and the religious leaders are actively seeking a way to put him to death. As the betrayal and arrest of Jesus draws nearer, he gathers with his disciples for a Passover meal. Through the bread and the cup, he gives them a picture of his coming sacrifice and the New Covenant he ushers in. Tomorrow we'll follow his command to “do this in remembrance of me” as we celebrate the Lord's Supper together.

In this week's passage, Jesus directs his disciples' attention to the coming judgment of sin and their certain hope in him. He prepares them for destruction and persecution, warns them to stay awake, and comforts them with his promise to eternally keep them, knowing these are signs the kingdom of God is near. At the heart of his teaching, he gives them this promise to cling to: “Your redemption is drawing near.”

Today is the first Baptism Sunday of 2025! Join us as we celebrate those who have given their lives to Christ. In each service, we will hear their testimonies and witness this defining moment in their spiritual walks.

While teaching the temple, Jesus offers strong warnings against the attitudes of the religious rulers and draws a stark contrast between them and the heart of a nameless widow. In doing so, he points to her example of faithful, sacrificial giving.

As Jesus continues to teach in the temple, the Sadducees, a group of Jewish rulers who did not believe in the resurrection, take their turn at attempting to trip him up. The scene brings up questions about the nature of the resurrection and the role of marriage in our world today.

As Jesus continues to teach in the temple, just days before his crucifixion, the religious rulers keep up their attempts to trip him up. This time, the topic centers around the issue of taxes and one's responsibilities to the government under which they live.

With his crucifixion just days away, Jesus continues to teach in the temple where the religious rulers attempt to trap him with his own words. Jesus responds with a parable that predicts the rejection he will soon face from his own people and the death that will follow.

As Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he is moved to tears and immediately makes his way to the Temple where he cleanses it of its corruption and begins teaching daily. The tension begins to rise as the people are drawn to his words and the religious rulers plot his death.

After years of slowly working through the Gospel of Luke, we are entering our final stint through this powerful account of Jesus' life and ministry. In earlier parts of Luke, we saw how Jesus had “set his face toward Jerusalem,” deliberately working his way toward the city where he will be crucified.This week, we look at his triumphal entry, a day that marks the final countdown leading to his crucifixion. Within one week of this pivotal moment, we see our Savior arrested, beaten, crucified, and resurrected.

Where we set our eyes will ultimately impact where we're headed. This week, we will look at where the gaze of our hearts should be set as we enter the new year, and how that gaze will influence our direction as a church.

The final of the four servant songs in Isaiah is the most vivid description of his suffering, showing us both his sacrifice and his future glorification. As we enter the last week of Advent, join us as we explore the full picture of who Jesus is and what we came to do.

As we continue through Advent, we are getting an increasingly more vivid picture of the servant prophesied in Isaiah and his ultimate fulfillment in Christ. This week, we look at the intense suffering of the servant, his obedience, and the hope we now enjoy because of it.