Sunday Evening Podcast | The Moody Church

Would we live differently if we understand that Christ has already achieved victory? In this passage from 1 Peter, Pastor Josue reminds us of our purpose for being witnesses to the eternal hope we have in Jesus. That mentality keeps us focused on the things that truly matter: loving God and loving others.   1 Peter 1:22-25

We sat down with members of The Moody Church to discuss how they have found victory in living on mission in their Chicagoland workplaces. Check out the discussion!   Panel members: Dr. Michael Thate, Pastor Bill Van Tuinen, Simone Halpin, Lindsay Anderson, Ron Ingram, and Toby Eng

The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes our hope for the future.   In this passage, we look at three results of the resurrection for our present perspective.   Transformative Change: In heaven, we will experience an instantaneous change, from the perishable to the imperishable. Only Jesus can give us the resurrection change that we need. Ultimate Victory: At the time of the resurrection we will experience victory over death, both physical and spiritual. Faithful Living: Jesus' victory over death through the cross should motivate us towards faithful and steadfast living over the long-term.   1 Corinthians 15:50-58

What will heaven be like? Because we sense that what we are now is not fit for heaven, it can be hard to imagine what is to come. There are particularly prevalent misconceptions about what our future experience in heaven will be like.   In this passage, we explore three characteristics of our resurrection bodies: Our resurrection bodies will be fit for heaven Our resurrection bodies will be distinct from our earthly bodies Our resurrection bodies will be like Jesus'   1 Corinthians 15:35-49

The resurrection of Jesus is critical to the theology of the Christian faith. If the resurrection isn't true, we lose so much.   In this passage, Paul plays theological dominoes by asking: What do we lose if there is no resurrection? We have no hope We have no future We have no purpose   May our faith in the resurrection not just reorient our future destiny, but our current reality.   1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Why is the Resurrection so pivotal to our Christian faith? In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes it crystal clear that there is no good news if there is no Resurrection. The gospel loses all its power if Jesus did not rise from the dead, for then our faith would be in vain. What we believe about the Resurrection changes everything.   Why is the resurrection essential for the gospel? The necessity of the resurrection The witnesses to the resurrection The results of the resurrection   1 Corinthians 15:1-11

When life gets hard, it's easy to wonder: does God REALLY care about me? Our perspective on God during difficult times is vital for how we respond when these internal thoughts enter our minds.   Three responses for a Christian when we are faced with this question: Be healed Throw a party Grow down   Matthew 9:9–13

We live in a time of overwhelming communication, and yet a lot of what is being said or written has little edifying value to our lives. As the messages flow through our devices, truth is often replaced with personal opinion or speculation. The gospel is also being communicated, but many times it is changed into a different gospel, one that steers us away from the freedom that Jesus offers us by faith.   Could you be living under a different gospel? Here's five symptoms that you may experience if you are: You've lost your freedom in Christ (2:4) You live in fear of what others may say (2:12) You find yourself acting hypocritically (2:13) You try to build your spiritual life on works (2:18; 3:3-5) Your spiritual life is a losing battle (2:16; 3;10)   There are four blessings for those living under the one and only gospel of Christ: Freedom to live (4:3-5; 5:1) Heirs with Christ (4:6) Intimacy with God (4:9) A life founded in love (5:6)   Galatians 1:6–7

What happens when we don't see the results of obedience? Following God does not guarantee immediate results, so if we focus on the present we can become discouraged and lose motivation to continue pursuing obedience.   As we wrap up our series in Malachi, we explore three motivations to continue in obedience.   God sees all and remembers all. The temptation to compromise our integrity is very real today. We see what’s going on in our wold today and make assumptions about God; but God sees our deeds. Life is short, and eternity is long. Our world is obsessed with pursuing temporary pleasures no matter the cost. Scripture tells us that keeping our eyes on eternity helps us prioritize how we live in the present. Obedience isn't optional. Obedience and faithfulness is a necessary part of salvation. While we are not saved by works, we are saved to do good works. Transformed hearts should lead to transformed living.   Malachi 3:13-4:6

Has your life ever been changed by an act of generosity? These events can often create astounding impact on our lives. Generosity can change the giver and the receiver.   In this passage from Malachi 3, we find the people of God robbing God with their money. Scripture has a lot to teach us about generosity and our finances. We serve a generous God. Followers of Jesus should be moving towards greater generosity in all areas of their lives, including their finances. So how can we grow a generous mentality?   Three motivations to generosity: The generosity of God is the grounds for His people to be generous. When we see the heart of God, we see an outpouring of generosity. It's all His anyways. Stop viewing your money as yours, and start viewing it as something God has given you. Generosity reveals our hearts. We may say we worship Jesus, but we are prone to practice the religion of materialism. The happiness your money may bring pales in comparison to the joy of obedience.   Malachi 3:6-12

Have you ever felt like God doesn't care? When God responds in a way that doesn't meet our expectations, it's easy to make false assumptions about His character.   In this sermon, we explore three responses for when it seems like God doesn't care about what's going on in our world:   Look to Jesus: If we ever doubt God's care for us, all we have to do is look to Jesus. His example of the cross is the meeting place of God's justice and love. Learn from His judgement: For God’s people, the fires of the life always have an intended outcome - to purify us to be more like Jesus. Live Justly: Transformation of the heart leads to transformed living. We aren’t saved by works, but a change in who we are must be reflected in how we live. When people see our lives, are we a living reflection of God?   Malachi 2:17-3:5

The Bible contains many warnings about how to avoid spiritual catastrophe. In this sermon from Malachi 2:10-16, we explore three warnings for a Christian's life.    Take God's Word seriously: Trust your faith in God above your feelings. Take worship seriously: Worship is a response to who God is and what he has done, not a tool to get something from him. Take marriage seriously: Faithfulness to a spouse is an act of obedience to God. Living out a Biblical marriage may be one of the most powerful witnesses to God in our world today.   If we take these warnings seriously, the light of our lives would shine bright in the darkness and point to Jesus.   Malachi 2:10-16

We often think of fear as something to be avoided. But in the Bible, fear is sometimes equated with reverential awe. In fact, to fear God is to rightfully respect Him. For example, fear of God brings knowledge (Proverbs 1:7), wisdom (Psalm 111:10), confidence (Proverbs 14:25), and life (Proverbs 19:23).   In this sermon from Malachi 1:6-2:9, we look at three ways to cultivate a healthy fear of God in our hearts: Do not be cavalier towards the Creator Do not allow ritual to replace relationship Do not trifle with the truth   If we do not fear God, we will not have a vibrant relationship with Him. Fear of God leads to love of God, which ultimately leads to devotion to God.   Malachi 1:6-2:9

Spiritual drift happens gradually. Few people wake up one day and suddenly decide to stop following God. Rather, it’s the busyness of life, even in the midst of spiritual practices, that our hearts can turn cold and cause us to wander from God. The prophet Malachi brought a strong message to God’s people who had fallen into spiritual apathy. He wanted them to wake up and renew their passion for the Lord before it was too late.   In this sermon, we explore three characteristics of God’s love. The root of spiritual apathy is forgetting God’s love. To remain spiritually engaged, we need to remind our souls how much God loves us.   God’s love is unchanging God’s love is unconditional God’s love is unlimited   Malachi 1:1-5

Where do you look when you're faced with the unknown?   In this sermon, we learn that even though the journey is unknown, the God of the Bible who makes Himself known is more than competent for the journey.   Psalm 121

Popular stories take on a life of their own over time. We hear them so frequently that we run the risk of forgetting the true details of what really happened. Scripture should inform our understanding about the birth of Christ, not popular legends.   In this sermon from Luke 2, we explore the good news of Jesus' birth. It may surprise us how normal, or common, some of the elements of the story may have been at that time, and what they tells us about our uncommon Savior who was born that day.   Luke 2

In a year when so much has been abnormal, perhaps what we need most is to be reminded of the timeless message of Christmas. This sermon gets back to the basics of the Christmas story, looking at the narrative from Luke 1. Even though you may have heard the story many times before, God's plans still surprise and amaze us. The God who fulfilled promises in the past can be trusted to fulfill His promises to us today.   Luke 1

Living life without thanksgiving to God is a dangerous thing. Over time, our lack of thankfulness can degrade our hearts and cause significant damage to our personality and outlook on life.   In this sermon, we look at three dangers of an ungrateful heart: Pride: Thankfulness brings life into perspective and leads to us to humility. It takes the focus off of ourselves and puts it onto God. Greed: Thankfulness and generosity go hand in hand. When we're thankful, our focus shifts from our needs and towards the needs of others. Jealousy: Thankfulness gives us a spirit of contentment in the things that God has given us. We no longer look with envy at others, but find satisfaction in our portion from the Lord.   Happy Thanksgiving!   Romans 1:21

Thankfulness is a regular theme we find in Scripture. It's a "superpower" in the Christian life. But how can we do it well, at all times, in all seasons? When we put thankfulness into practice, it has a wide-ranging impact on our daily lives.   And the good news is that there are things the we can always be thankful for: The character of God That God's plans never change That God has given us salvation   Various passages

There’s a 50/50 chance that you are either happy or disappointed with the results of the election. For many people, the uncertainty of this time stresses us out. We so easily get caught up in the earthly implications of these events that we miss the bigger picture of our calling as citizens of heaven.   In this sermon, we look at three constant reminders of our heavenly citizenship as followers of Jesus Christ: 1) God is still on the throne: We serve a King that reigns forever, and our values should reflect His values. God is still the object of our trust: There is only one who you can put your trust in and not be disappointed -- put your trust in Jesus. God is still sovereign over all things: We can find our rest in the sovereignty of God, because He is in control.   As citizens of heaven, the goal of our lives should be about making God's name great in the country that we live.   Psalm 20:7, Daniel 2:21

How does Scripture guide our response to government, even if we don't like the leaders or policies that are in place? How we live post-election does not depend on who wins, but on what God says. The challenge for us is to let our faith inform our politics, because it feels more natural to let our politics inform everything else about our lives.   No matter who wins the election this week, our response as Christians should be the same – submit, honor, and pray.   Are there ever exceptions to submitting to governing authorities? Yes: when you are commanded to do something that God forbids, or when you are forbidden to do something that God commands. The temptation, however, is to use these exceptions when it's convenient for us, and to lose sight of the main point – that we are to submit to and honor those in positions of authority.   Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17

Politics has become one of the most prominent idols of our time, particularly so during this election season. Yet politics will always overpromise and underdeliver. How can we avoid letting the idol of politics overwhelm our thinking? We need to find a way to put Jesus above politics.   In this sermon, we explore four things Jesus gives that politics cannot: Ultimate meaning Ultimate purpose Ultimate security Ultimate rest   This election season, you can give your vote to a candidate, but don't forget to give your heart to God. That's what really matters.   John 18:36, Matthew 11:28-30

Politics is the most popular yet divisive issue in our nation today. How do we keep our witness intact as we navigate this season?   In this sermon, we explore three reasons the unity of Christians is so important despite our different political lenses: Unity demonstrates the power of the gospel Unity shows the love of Christ Unity bears witness to the world   John 17:20-23, Galatians 3:27-28

As things have changed in our country and we adapt to a new normal, many of us have uncertainties. Our new reality is unexpected and unsettling. Where can we look to feel more grounded?   In this sermon, we look at Genesis 9 and discover four certainties on which we can rely in an uncertain world. God is sovereign Man is sinful Obedience is significant Justice is sure   Genesis 9:18-34

We all expect that promises are meant to be kept. Does God keep His promises to us? In this passage from the life of Noah, we see what happens when God makes a promise to humanity.   The story teaches us three characteristics of God's covenants: they are rooted in God's grace, they are meant for our flourishing, and they bring about reassurance.   Genesis 8:20-9:17

Life can seem like we always need to hurry up. We live in the fast lane and don't like to wait. But waiting is a regular part of life.   How do we wait well?   This story from Noah's life teaches us that in our waiting, God is working. We learn three keys to waiting on God: rest in God's remembrance; persevere in patience; and walk according to His Word.   Genesis 8

Even when we don't deserve it, God shows us mercy. The story of the flood demonstrates three mercies that God provides for Noah, and ultimately all of mankind. In this story of great destruction, we catch glimpses of God's merciful, saving nature: God provides salvation, God protects His people, and God is faithful to His word.   We serve a God who will not be mocked; when He says He will judge sin, He will do it. The flood narrative points to another coming judgement. Jesus compared Noah's flood to a coming judgment upon mankind. The good news? God saves sinners; it's in His nature to provide a way out for us through Jesus.   Genesis 7

For those of us familiar with Scripture, we may be quick to gloss over the life of Noah and think we already know the story. But there's so much more to it than you may think. In this sermon, we explore three characteristics of a gracious God that motivates us to remain righteous in a wicked world: God is a God who sees us in the midst of all that is going on. The implication is that our faithfulness to God does not go unnoticed. God is a God who saves. The implication is that God is just and takes sin seriously. If we are uncomfortable with that idea, we have not understood the extent of the crime of wickedness before Him. God is a God who secures His people in relationship with Him. The implication is that we can trust Him by living a life of obedience.   Genesis 6:9-22

Disagreement is something that we can expect within the church, but when we disagree it can and should be done in a godly way. The goal is to maintain our unity as a church throughout disagreement, prioritizing our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ above the temptation to be right at all costs.   In this sermon, Pastor Bertsche challenges us to work a lot harder to understand and respect those who disagree with us.   Philippians 2:1-4

As we wrap up our series , featuring conversations on race between panelists representing members of our staff and congregation, we conclude with two important question: what does the Bible say about race, and how should we respond to this issue?   Pastor Best helps guide our thinking on this important issue by encouraging us to listen, learn, love, and live as followers of Jesus Christ.

In this conversation on race, Pastor Philip Miller, Elder Tony Durns, and Charlie Miles discuss what the Bible says about justice, equality, and advocacy.

In this conversation about race, Elbert Whitfield, Cassie Eng, Pastor Josue Reyes, and Pastor Bob Gunter discuss the heavenly vision of diversity and its connection to church life today.

Our series “Conversations on Race” hosts important conversations with our staff and church members on how Christians should think about racism in our world. In our second conversation, Pastor Larry McCarthy and Ron Ingram share their stories and describe how the gospel has transformed their perspectives on racism.

Racism is a critical topic of discussion across American society today, even in the church. What does the Bible say about racism? How does being made in the image of God impact how we view others? What can we learn from the lives and experiences of others in our church?   Our new series “Conversations on Race” hosts important conversations with our staff and church members on how Christians should think about racism in our world. In our first conversation, Moody Church couple Les and Jocelyn Carter, and Assistant Worship Director "TK" Khumalo, share their perspectives on this issue.

Three keys to gospel conversations: 1. Know the necessity of using words 2. Follow the example of Jesus 3. Remember the power of God's Words   Romans 10:14

Our words can be used for destruction or for good. We all have that power in the words that we choose to use. In what ways can we use our words towards good?   In this sermon, Pastor Michael Best explores three ways our words can build others up: 1) Encouragement: this is the idea of inspiring someone else with courage and confidence. 2) Confession: this is the idea of admitting to a sin that what we see in ourselves. 3) Confront: this is the idea of having the hard conversations with others to confront sin in their lives.   As we choose our words this week, let’s use them for the good of others.   1 Thessalonians 5:11

Every relationship will have conflict, so how should we handle our words when conflict when it comes into our lives? Three questions to ask yourself when in conflict: 1. Why am I in this conflict? 2. How should I act in conflict? 3. What is the goal of this conflict?   Proverbs 10:19

A wise person stewards well the resources they are given. We think a lot about stewarding money or time, but we often think very little about stewarding one of our most valuable resource: our words. Many studies suggest that the average person speaks 16,000 words a day. How are you stewarding your 16,000 daily words? God’s Word has much to say about our words. In this sermon, Pastor Michael shares three reasons why we need to be good stewards of our words: our words are powerful, our words are revealing, and our words shape our faith.   Psalm 141:3

As we wrap up this series, Pastor Eric asks an important question: how can we know that God loves us now and will continue to forever? Through the passage, we learn that there's nothing we can do to cause God's love, because He first loved us; and there's nothing that we can do that will stop God's love for us, because we have a savior in Jesus Christ. In this we can rest and know the security of God's love for us.   Romas 8:29-39

Is this world broken? If it is, can it be fixed? In this message, Pastor Eric continues our study through Romans 8. We learn that brokenness does not necessarily lead to brokenness. There is surprising hope for our world.   Romans 8:18-28

Are we all really God’s children? In this sermon, Pastor Eric shares three thing that are true about all children of God: we’re all debtors, we’re all adopted, and we’re all inheritors.   Romans 8:12-17

What does it mean to live life to the fullest? To let our spirits soar? Our culture has embraced a philosophy promoting ways to live as freely as possible; we tend to pursue our personal pleasures above all else. But our culture has failed to define what it truly means to live. In this passage, the Apostle Paul demonstrates that life-giving spirituality is not a practice, but a person.   Romans 8:1-11

Why should we listen to God? In this passage, God speaks to the church at Laodicea. It's a passage of scripture that implores to us listen up when God speaks directly to us. Through this church's example, we learn that God knows us, He knows what we need, and He loves us enough to discipline us.   Revelation 3:14-22

What do you really love? In part one of this series, Justin May looks at the church of Ephesus described in Revelation 2. The text forces us to ask a critical question: what would our lives and our churches look like if we had more passion for Jesus?   Revelation 2:1-7

As we wrap up our series on hope, let's ask ourselves an important question: are we are placing our hope in the right thing? If we have our hope in the right thing, there are three things that should be present in our lives: joy, boldness, and endurance.  Are these qualities proof of true hope in our lives?   Colossians 1:3–5, 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Many of us are starting to think more and more about the future: what will the next phase of our lives look like? Followers of Jesus should be people who have hearts set on the future, on eternity. Scripture has much to say about the future return of Christ. In this sermon, we hear three reasons that our hope is in Christ's second coming: it changes our current perspective; it teaches us how to wait; and it reminds us of what matters most.   1 Peter 1:13

It's hard to ignore how broken the world is during these unusual times. Is there any hope? In this passage, we see three characteristics of the hope we have through the redeeming power of the gospel: our hope is beyond compare, our hope is beyond ourselves, and our hope is beyond experience. What are you putting your hope in today?   Romans 5:18-25

What does it mean as followers of Jesus to have hope? And how does that hope help us when we are suffering and in pain? Three ways to have enduring hope in difficult times: place your hope in God; know how hope grows; and to see that assurance that hope brings. Romans 5:1-5

We all hope that the pandemic will soon pass and that life will get back to normal. Yet for all our hope, none of us really knows what the next weeks and months will look like. When the Bible talks about hope, is it hope like this? Hope that just wants something to happen, even if it’s just wishful thinking? Or is biblical hope something different, something deeper, something better? As we begin our new series, we learn that hope isn't simply a concept but that it has a name, Jesus.   Mark 5:21-43

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the power of the resurrection to transform our lives and bring us redemption through faith in Jesus! In this sermon, Pastor Best reminds us of four results of the resurrection of Jesus: the resurrection grounds salvation, brings life, gives assurance, and demands surrender.   Romans 10:9-10

God uses the Church in cities to stir the whole country. Historically, when Christianity flourished in cities, the message of Jesus spread everywhere. Today, cities are hotbeds of the global pandemic and many are afraid to be outside in public. Yet during this time, great hope exists for gospel proclamation.   Luke 19:41-44