Episodi

  • A Gathered People

    A Gathered People
    Jan 11 2026
    Pentecost represents far more than a miraculous moment in church history - it's the breakthrough of God's eternal kingdom into our present world. Like experiencing technology from the future today, Pentecost allowed God's people to participate in what will be while living in what is. This transforms us from passive spectators waiting for heaven into active participants in God's kingdom work happening right now.The Old Testament prophets painted a vivid picture of God's ultimate plan: gathering His scattered people from across the earth and including people from every nation. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all spoke of this great gathering, and Pentecost marked its beginning. When the apostles spoke in languages they'd never learned to devout people from every nation under heaven, it wasn't just miraculous - it was the reversal of Babel's curse and the start of God's global gathering.Today, something even more remarkable is happening. Across the globe, God's mighty works are being proclaimed in every language - Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, and countless others. We are part of a global, multi-ethnic, multinational, multilingual family that began gathering at Pentecost. When we proclaim God's mighty works because we're saved by Jesus and filled with His Spirit, we're participating in the future kingdom that has become present reality. The choice remains the same as it was then: we can either marvel at what God is doing and participate, or mock and explain it away. Salvation and participation belong to those who choose to marvel.
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    31 min
  • Saved to Serve Lesson 2 - Sin

    Saved to Serve Lesson 2 - Sin
    Jan 11 2026
    The fundamental purpose of human existence is to work as faithful stewards of God's creation, bringing order to the world in service to our Creator. However, sin enters when we begin serving other masters—whether our careers, families, personal ambitions, or any other good thing that becomes an ultimate thing in our lives. This transformation of good things into idols represents the core of unfaithful stewardship, where we take what God has given us and use it for purposes other than His glory.Genesis provides three powerful illustrations of this destructive pattern. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent successfully sowed distrust between humanity and God by questioning God's generosity and goodness. When Adam and Eve chose to listen to voices other than their Creator's, corruption spread throughout their relationships, their work, and the very land they were meant to steward. The flood narrative shows spiritual beings abandoning their assigned roles to pursue their own desires, resulting in such widespread corruption that God chose to start over with Noah. At Babel, people worked diligently but served themselves rather than God, building monuments to their own glory until God scattered them in confusion.The hope lies in Jesus Christ, who came as the perfect steward and second Adam. Where the first Adam failed by listening to the wrong voice, Jesus demonstrated perfect faithfulness to the Father. Through Him, we can be restored to our intended role as God's faithful servants, learning to distinguish between His voice and the competing voices of creation, and choosing to order our lives in service to our true Master rather than the good things that threaten to become ultimate things.
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    36 min
  • Saved To Serve - Lesson 1 - Working

    Saved To Serve - Lesson 1 - Working
    Jan 4 2026
    The way we think about work fundamentally shapes our entire approach to life. While culture tells us that work is something to endure so we can pursue pleasure and comfort, the biblical narrative reveals a completely different story. Work existed before the fall and was part of God's original, very good design for humanity. In Genesis, we see that humans were placed in Eden not just to enjoy paradise, but to work it, keep it, and extend its order to the ends of the earth.Being made in God's image means we serve as His visible representatives on earth - living, breathing images of the invisible God. Unlike pagan cultures where only royalty was considered divine images, every human being regardless of status bears this incredible dignity. God gave humanity dominion, which means we're called to rule and reign as stewards of His creation. We're not owners but managers, entrusted with bringing order from chaos in service to the ultimate Owner.From a biblical perspective, work can be defined as bringing order to the world in someone else's service. Whether you're organizing plants as a landscaper, numbers as an accountant, or information as a teacher, you're participating in the same kind of creative, ordering work that God did in Genesis 1. The crucial question becomes: in whose service are we working? When we accept Jesus' invitation and step into His story, our work takes on profound meaning. Every aspect of life becomes holy service to our Creator, transforming not just our Monday morning attitude but our entire approach to the responsibilities God has placed before us.
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    32 min
  • A Spirit-Filled People

    A Spirit-Filled People
    Jan 4 2026
    The Day of Pentecost represents one of the most significant transformations in human history—the moment when God fundamentally changed where He chooses to dwell. Throughout the Old Testament, God's presence was marked by dramatic displays of fire and glory, from Mount Sinai's smoking peak to the cloud-filled tabernacle and Solomon's temple where priests couldn't even enter due to God's overwhelming presence. But on Pentecost, something unprecedented happened: the fire of God's presence didn't rest on a building or mountain, but on people themselves.When the apostles experienced tongues of fire resting upon them and heard the sound of rushing wind, they became living temples filled with the Holy Spirit. This wasn't just a one-time event for the apostles—it established a new reality for all believers. Paul confirms this truth when he writes that we are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. When we follow Jesus and are baptized into Christ, we become God's temple, with His Spirit dwelling within us.This reality demands a complete transformation in how we live. We can no longer compartmentalize our lives into spiritual and secular categories. There's no such thing as church life versus work life, or religious time versus regular time. Every moment becomes sacred because we carry God's presence with us. Our work becomes worship, our relationships become opportunities to represent God, and our choices either honor or defile the temple we have become. This understanding should revolutionize every aspect of our existence, from how we treat our bodies to how we interact with others, recognizing that we are sacred dwelling places for the Almighty God.
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    33 min
  • Our God He Is Alive V1 God's Majesty

    Our God He Is Alive V1 God's Majesty
    Nov 30 2025
    In our world filled with uncertainty and challenges, we often search for something greater than ourselves to provide comfort and hope. The profound truth that there is a God beyond the azure blue - the great I Am - offers us both transcendence and tenderness. This name connects us to the moment when God revealed Himself to Moses as I AM, showing His eternal, self-existent nature.Isaiah 40 provides one of the most beautiful pictures of God's majesty while offering comfort to His people. Between the threefold call to comfort and the promise of renewed strength, we discover four essential aspects of God's character. First, His imminence as King of Kings shows He is actively involved in preparing hearts and removing obstacles so we can experience His presence. Second, His permanence as the eternal God provides incredible stability - while human life withers like grass, His word stands forever. Third, His benevolence as our Shepherd reveals His tender care, gathering lambs in His arms and gently leading His flock. Finally, His preeminence over all creation demonstrates His absolute supremacy - He holds all oceans in His palm, measures the universe with His fingers, and knows every star by name.Understanding God's majesty has practical implications for daily life. We find comfort in difficult times, gain perspective on our problems, and experience renewed strength. Even when young people grow weary, those who wait on the Lord soar like eagles, run without weariness, and walk without fainting. The same God who spoke the universe into existence gently leads His flock and carries the lambs in His arms.
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    37 min
  • How Do I Submit to the Elders?

    How Do I Submit to the Elders?
    Nov 24 2025
    Living in a society that prizes individual autonomy, the biblical concept of submitting to church authority presents a significant challenge. Our culture teaches us to resist anyone who tries to tell us what to do, making Scripture's call to submit to church leadership particularly difficult to embrace. Yet this resistance often reveals deeper issues of pride and our desire to maintain control over our own lives.Biblical church leadership, as described in 1 Peter 5:1-4, looks radically different from worldly authority. Elders are called to shepherd God's flock through service and example, not domination or control. They lead with tenderness and compassion, following Christ as the Chief Shepherd. Understanding this servant-hearted model of leadership is crucial before we can properly respond with submission.Practical submission to church elders involves five key areas: following their godly example in daily life, learning from their biblical teaching with humility, encouraging them with the respect we would show our fathers, asking them to pray for us during struggles, and having confidence in their leadership decisions. This submission is rooted in humility - both toward one another and ultimately toward God himself. When we truly believe that God cares for us and has established loving leaders to watch over our souls, we can trust His design for church community and experience the flourishing that comes from biblical relationships.
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    40 min
  • Am I Forsaking the Assembly?

    Am I Forsaking the Assembly?
    Nov 16 2025
    In “Am I Forsaking the Assembly?” we take a careful, biblical look at what God intended when He commanded His people to gather. Drawing from Hebrews 10:19–25, the sermon clarifies that assembling is not about checking a box—it’s about encouraging one another, stirring up love and good works, and holding fast to our hope. The message examines: • What “forsaking” truly means in Scripture • How early Christians relied on the fellowship and accountability of the assembly • The difference between occasional absence and abandoning the church altogether • Why gathering matters for spiritual health, unity, and perseverance • How our presence strengthens others • Practical steps for renewing commitment to meeting faithfully Ultimately, the sermon challenges believers not only to attend, but to understand why the assembly is vital, how God works through it, and how our participation helps build up the body of Christ.
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    40 min
  • Do I Have to go to Church?

    Do I Have to go to Church?
    Nov 9 2025
    The question of whether church attendance is necessary for Christians touches on a fundamental misunderstanding of what the church actually is. Many people view church as merely an activity to attend, an organization to support, or a building for religious rituals. However, Scripture reveals that the church is far more significant - it's God's unified body designed to display His wisdom to both the seen and unseen world.According to Ephesians, God's purpose is to use the church to demonstrate His wisdom by uniting people who would otherwise remain divided. The church represents God's answer to the division that rulers and authorities - both human and demonic - work to maintain. We are reconciled to God together as one body through the cross, not as isolated individuals. This means there's no such thing as being reconciled to God outside of the church body.The unity of the church requires intentional effort, humility, gentleness, and patience. It's not about spending time only with Christians we like or agree with, but learning to love people who are sometimes difficult to love. This process transforms us and demonstrates God's power to a watching world. Rather than asking whether we need to go to church, we should recognize that church isn't something we attend - it's something we belong to, just as an arm belongs to a body.
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    28 min