Providence Church Sermon Podcast

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.

As we continue in our look at the Servant Songs in Isaiah, we get to hear directly from the servant himself in chapter 49. In this passage, he speaks directly to his unique identity, his ministry, the rejection he will face, and the glory that will come in the end.

This Sunday marks the official beginning of the Advent season - a four-week period leading up to Christmas Day. It's a time when the Church has historically reflected on the anticipation of Jesus' arrival in the world and the hope we have in his eventual return.As we enter Advent this year, we're taking a special look at the Servant Songs of Jesus, a series of important prophecies in Isaiah that vividly depict who he is and what he came to Earth to do.

As we've continued through Colossians, we have seen Paul remind the early believers of their identity in Christ and what it means to live in response to the cross. In this week's passage, he turns his attention to how the family reflects and proclaims the gospel in their relationships with one another.

The gospel does not just impact the way we think. It transforms the way we interact with others and how we engage the culture around us. It dictates both the principles we stand for and how we stand for them. For this special evening, we are joined by Dr. Al Mohler for an in-depth look at the intersection of gospel and culture.

As Paul continues to encourage the Colossians, he uses verses 15-17 to demonstrate how the gospel should inform the way we live in community with one another. As we close out this section of Paul's letter, we look at these important commands to the people of God.

As we've continued through Colossians over the past several weeks, we've seen Paul repeatedly emphasize the importance of recognizing our new identity in Christ. As he expounds on this theme in verses 11-17, he focuses on how that reality should impact our behavior and interactions with one another.

Last week, we looked at what it means that we are united with Christ. This week, as we continue in Colossians, we explore how we're meant to respond to this amazing reality by putting off the old self and taking on our new identity in him.

When we choose to follow Christ, he plants in us a new identity, a new heart, and a new focus. Despite this, it's still common for us to get distracted and retreat to old sins. As Paul writes to the Colossians, he encourages them to seek the things of Christ and put to death those things we've been called to leave behind.

As we follow Christ, there is a constant temptation to be drawn offsides by empty religious rules and regulations. As Paul encourages the Colossians in the second chapter of his letter, he hits the issue head-on and encourages them to remember that Christ is the substance of their faith and their hope.

As humans, our natural tendency is to think more of ourselves and less of God than we should. In Colossians 2, Paul shakes his readers awake to the majesty of Jesus, the power of his divinity, and the sheer depths of our sin against him. Through it all, he brings the full gospel into view.

As followers of Jesus, we all desire to grow in spiritual maturity. A significant part of this growth comes through a deeper knowledge of God and his will for us. In Colossians 2, Paul encourages the believers to look no further than Jesus to gain the knowledge they seek. He also reminds them that such spiritual wisdom should transform their behavior and character.

As we continue through our journey in Colossians, we reach a rich set of verses where Paul eloquently explains the source of a believer's ongoing hope – “Christ in you.” Join us this weekend as we explore this dense and powerful passage.

As Paul encourages the Colossian believers in their faith, he demonstrates the unmatched character of Jesus before describing the salvation we have in him. In verses 21-23, he describes Jesus' work of reconciliation, which presents believers who were once hostile toward God as holy and blameless before him. Paul challenges his readers to remain faithful to this hope.

In the midst of life's natural rhythms, it is easy for us to lose sight of Jesus. We fail to truly consider his unmatched character. We make too little of his power, sovereignty, and love. In Colossians 1:15-20, Paul compels his readers to stop and actually consider Jesus with language that is nothing short of worshipful. This week, we explore this theologically dense and poetic look at the Savior we follow. 

The Apostle Paul was known to start many of his letters with warm greetings and expressions of thanksgiving. His letter to the Colossians is no exception. As he offers thanksgiving to God, he offers a rich reminder of the deep truths of the gospel.

In 2 Timothy, Paul is writing to his young protege as he assumes leadership over a struggling church. In the second chapter, he uses his own adversities as a reminder of the hope provided to us through the gospel. This week, we look at several verses where Paul is encouraging Timothy to stay faithful in the midst of persecution and discouragement.