Tabernacle Church Sermon Podcast

Solomon hasn't said it because he didn't have the words, but he's reminded us of our need for God's grace. His unmerited and unearned favor over our lives. There is a riddle to life that will remain. Why do bad things happen to good people? I don't know because I'm not sure how we qualify "good." I know that I tend to fluctuate between self-righteousness and wickedness. Am I a good person? I'm not sure. But I am sure that I'm God's person, because He's covered me with His grace. I want to live for Him with the Holy Spirit's help, because He is good, and the eternal life I will spend with Him reminds me that life isn't limited to life under the sun. I trust Him to work all things for His glory and my good.

If you have a quarter friend, call them this week and tell them thank you for being your friend. Set up a time to do something. Husbands, give your wives a blessing to foster friendships. Step up this week to give your wife margin to spend time with a friend. She needs that time to be encouraged by another woman. Let's be especially mindful of mothers whose husbands are deployed or single parents. They have no margin, so let's be a church that helps to give them margin. Where's your quarter? Friendship matters. It's normal that friendship doesn't come naturally because it's an investment. There is a cost, but there is a very good reward for the effort!

I'm not sure what area of our lives God's timing might be causing frustration, but God has given us the perfect example of making everything beautiful in its time. He's demonstrated this in our eternal salvation! If God has done this for us in Christ, why would we not turn to Him in faith in all our activities under the sun? We can be frustrated by our limitations, or we can turn by faith to the one who makes all things appropriate or beautiful in its time.

Solomon's downfall wasn't in his experience of pleasure. That's what can make life so ironic. God took pleasure in His creation! I don't know where we get the idea that following Jesus is anti-pleasure. No! It's when we pursue pleasure for our own glory that it becomes problematic. Go back and read Ecclesiastes 2 and see who is at the center of Solomon's world. He did not trust in the goodness of God. Solomon pursued pleasure in rebellion against God! Take it from the memoir of King Solomon, the well of pleasure eventually dries up. There is only one well of living water and it's found in a life of pursuing Jesus. God loves you and desires to give you the good life forever! The good life isn't found in an abundance of "things" or in the denial of "things." The good life comes from seeing God in all things!

Physical water will quench temporarily, but the living water of Jesus satisfies forever. Solomon tried to find life in every well that this world had to offer. He concluded that it is a futile pursuit. So, what well are you running to today? There is only one with living water. That is a life pledged to Jesus, abiding in His presence through the Holy Spirit, and expressing itself in love toward God and people. Earthly wisdom is worthless, but that is godly wisdom, and godly wisdom is priceless.

As Jesus followers, we get the added benefit of seeing what God has done for us in Christ! Solomon was looking ahead at what God would do. We get the privilege of looking back at what God has done in Christ. We also get the privilege of living every day with the power of the Holy Spirit. But even as Jesus followers, we still look at life and say that it ought not be this way. We live in the tension of life under the sun as we await our Lord's return and the day He makes all the sad things untrue. Until then, we don't ignore the pain and brokenness of this life, but we always maintain hope. Hope isn't wishful thinking. Hope is confident assurance that God will fulfill His promises because of what He's already done in Christ.

Easter is the celebration of an event. Jesus rose from the grave. 500 people gave witness to His resurrection, including His half-brother. But the true significance of Easter is what Jesus accomplished and the unlimited access we have to the presence and power of God. And it's good for eternity!

Jesus is the Greatest Of All Time. He is far more than an example. He paid the price to ransom us from death to life. But He calls us to come and die so that we might live. His glory and our joy are inseparable. We don't experience joy through seeking our own glory, but through seeking His glory. We seek His glory by presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice. We deny ourselves by delighting in God and His way!

Have you claimed your position in God's kingdom? We become citizens of God's kingdom through our allegiance to Jesus. Trust Him. We participate in God's kingdom by hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Righteousness isn't a set of rules to follow. Righteousness is our right standing before God through Jesus Christ that makes us alive to the things of God. It may seem like a mustard seed, but we've been given a great treasure. That treasure is citizenship into God's kingdom, and His kingdom is eternal.

This week, listen in as Pastor Will continues our sermon series "Giving Up to Gain." In this sermon, Past Will talks about how we have to embrace interruptions, entrust whatever, and experience satisfaction.

Maybe there are some who have walked with Jesus on the road of discipleship for a while, but the people or possessions of this world are pulling you in a direction of ineffectiveness. God extends His grace to begin a relationship with Him, and He extends His grace to continue in relationship. We're not defined by our mistakes. Talk to Jesus today and reconsider the demands of discipleship. What areas of our lives need to be committed to the Lord? Jesus will meet us in the sacrifice, and we will encounter His joy and peace.

The call of a disciple is an open invitation, but few will choose to follow. Don't look at everyone else. The question is for you and me. What is your soul worth? What are you willing to exchange for it? We find ourselves by losing ourselves. There is great gain in giving up.

Listen in as Pastor Will talks about how we should love badly behaved people, paint the bigger picture, and wait for God's vindication. 

God can do a lot through a low-key leader. These 3 young men were tossed into the fire because they stood on their convictions in humility and courage. Through the influence of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was King Nebi who ended up changing his tune that day. God used the influence of three powerless young men to shape the heart of the world's most powerful leader at the time. Look at God go!

Elisha refused to accept the gifts because Elisha also knew that it was God who brought about his healing. God used a nameless servant girl to work in the life of her master. Naaman, the master, ended up becoming a servant when God healed him. We never know where low-key leadership will lead! Let's be people who see God working in our circumstances by stepping into need with compassionate and courageous conviction!

These Old Testament texts can be difficult for us to wrestle with. Perhaps it is uncomfortable to think about God as a judge. There are aspects of  God's character that are hard to explain. God is love, and He is just. Both the love of God and the justice of God were fully displayed on the cross. God can't ignore the penalty of sin. It would be unloving and unjust. He also knows His holy standard is impossible for us to achieve. So, He did the unfathomable and died in our place. He fully upheld His love and justice by sending His Son as an atonement for sin. These Old Testament texts are important for us to remember because they remind us of the costliness of sin and they magnify God's grace. God's grace is being extended to us today.

Listen in as Pastor Will continues our sermon series "Leadership Low-Key." Pastor Will discusses how we should embrace sublimity, yet also remain anonymous about it. It is all for God's glory and not our own.

Deborah stands out as an exemplary leader in a low-key kind of way. She does so by developing a life of godly wisdom, decisively rendering judgments. She wasn't afraid of conflict. She spoke accurately and clearly what the Lord had commanded. When she was asked to lead by example, she did so. This is a remarkable woman of faith who enacted the judgments of God with humility and courage. She is truly a leader, low-key.

Aaron would have his leadership successes and his leadership failures, but the greatest example of low-key leadership is Jesus. He's the only perfect leader because He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a servant.

Listen in as Pastor Will takes us through the book of Matthew and talks about how we should punt our pride and dethrone our ego, punt our prejudice and seek our savior, and pick praise and return our resources.

This Christmas season–is there room for Jesus in the home of your heart? Invite Him in. Let His Word make its home in you. If you let Him in, He can make the mess of your life into a message, just like with Mary. He took a young lady who was scandalously pregnant out of wedlock and used her to bring the Savior of the World to us all. God blessed the broken Bethlehem road that led Jesus straight to you–will you make room for Him in the home of your heart this Christmas season? He's knocking–and desires fellowship with you.

Listen in as Pastor Craig continues the sermon series "Memories in the Making." Where he covers the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth and how God blessed them with John.

The genealogy of Jesus is a twisted tree, but God's sovereignty and goodness encompass it at every point. It's important for us to go up on the mountaintop and take in the view. That's what Matthew has done. Humans don't always get it right. There are so many times I've been disappointed or disappointed someone in my life, but with God it is never a dead end. His mercy goes from generation to generation. He redeems, He restores, He can even bring life from death.

Our "amen" is sourced through Christ as we consider the fulfilled promises of God! In Him is "Yes and amen!" As we go boldly, we do so in the confidence that it is God who strengthens us in Christ and it is the Holy Spirit who seals us in Christ!

As Pastor Craig wraps up our sermon series "Soul Priority," he talks about finances and wealth and how we need to be careful when it comes to money. He preaches about how we need to be generous and careful where we put our money. 

 In the second-to-last week of 1st Timothy, Pastor Craig tells us how we gotta flee, but sometimes we gotta fight! We fight the good fight of faith by pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. We win the daily battle by keeping our chin up! Not just physically but spiritually as we set our eyes on the horizon! We take hold of eternal life! We seize it! Our reward awaits.

Listen in as Pastor Will leads us towards the end of 1st Timothy. He break down the sermon into five different parts covering topics of coveting and satisfaction.

Join Pastor Craig and listen to him lay down some hard house rules and talk about the widows of the church.

Join us and list as Daniel Bridgers continues our sermon series "Soul Priority." Listen as he goes into detail about what it means to have a Godly character. 

Join Pastor Will as he continues our read through 1st Timothy. Listen as he talks about what it means to choose God every day.

Listen to Pastor Craig as he goes through the bible says about leadership 

Listen as Pastor Craig conitunes the sermon "Soul Priority" and takes us through 1st Timothy. Listen as he talks about the roles that men and women play in the Bible and how the world has twisted them. 

Listen in as Pastor Craig takes us through T

Join Pastor Carig as he continues in the book of Timothy and talks about the tough topics in 1st Timothy 1:12-15.

Listen as Pastor Craig continues the sermon series "Soul Priority" and goes through what the law is all about and how it doesn't change. 

Listen as Pastor Craig takes us through 1st Timothy and talks about love and purity in all its contexts and forms. 

Join Pastor Craig as he takes us through a new series, "Soul Priority," a series in 1st Timothy. Listen as Pastor Craig talks about how we are all leaders who are being watched and we all have influence in this world.

Join Pastor Craig as he takes us through a few scriptures and celebrates the start of the new year at Tab Church.

Join Pastor Craig as he takes us through the core values of Tab church. Listen as he explains what is at the heart of Tab.

Listen as Paster Craig talks us through the core values of Tab church and shows us what is at the heart of Tab.

Join in and listen to Pastor Craig talk about clearing out the things in our lives that keep us from being with Jesus.

Tab Church has many core values. Listen as Pastor Craig explains the inner workings and motos of the church and what makes Tab so unique. 

Listen to Pastor Craig as he takes us through John 14 and how he talks about how Jesus needs to be our focus to get into our fathers house!

Have you ever felt overworked, overwhelmed, or overburdened? Sure! When life gets out of balance it takes a toll on us and those around us. As Jesus walked the earth, He modeled the value of healthy rhythms. Even Jesus needed to get away. This summer, we'll be looking at the life of Jesus and His example to get away. He was intentional in these moments to spend time with His Father or those closest to Him. The rhythms that emerge are a vital pattern for us to consider as we seek to follow Jesus effectively!  

Have you ever felt overworked, overwhelmed, or overburdened? Sure! When life gets out of balance, it takes a toll on us and those around us. As Jesus walked the earth, He modeled the value of healthy rhythms. Even Jesus needed to get away. This summer, we'll be looking at the life of Jesus and His example to get away. He was intentional in these moments to spend time with His Father or those closest to Him. The rhythms that emerge are a vital pattern for us to consider as we seek to follow Jesus effectively!  

Join us for a special Vision Sunday as we look back at Tab history, get a great sermon from Pastor Craig, and hear how the history of Tab shaped it into what it is today.

Anything taken out of context can be dangerous. This is especially true when it comes to Scripture. Join us over the next 5 weeks as we take a fresh look at common Scriptures that are easily misunderstood. These verses often end up on a coffee mug or bumper sticker diluting their full effect. What we discover might be more powerful than we expect!