The Well: Sermon Audio

In the early pages of the Bible God promises to Abraham and his descendants that He would give them land, seed and blessing. In this promise hangs the faithfulness of God. If God is truly a promise-keeping God then we must anticipate a fulfillment of these things one day. Yet the church is a profoundly Gentile gathering and the nation of Israel today does not enjoy the peace God has ultimately promised. Thankfully Romans 11 shows us the eventual restoration of the nation of Israel and the complete fulfillment of these ancient promises. These verses remind us that God’s promises, His Word and His intention can be trusted. After three very difficult chapters of theological truth Paul ends this section with an incredible call to worship God for His wisdom, knowledge and judgments, for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [Video File] [Audio File]

On the heels of Romans 9, where the Apostle Paul showed us an exalted view of the sovereign mercy of God in our salvation, Paul now shifts gears in chapter 10 to our responsibility as God's chosen instruments for delivering the message of that salvation to the world around us. In doing so, Paul also shows us some of the reasons why much of the Jewish nation currently rejects the message of Christ and why it's essential we continue to preach the gospel boldly, even amidst that rejection. [Video File] [Audio File]

Did God choose you or did you choose God? The answer is a frustrating yes. The Bible seems to teach both sides of this conundrum and does not apologize for the perceived contradiction. Depending on the text of Scripture we explore, the issue can be articulated from both sides. Our responsibility as people of the Book is to accurately explain each passage we encounter with a faithfulness to the text. Romans 9 has caused a stir in the faith community for centuries. In these verses Paul explains the concept of God’s sovereign electing purposes and clearly communicates Gods initiative in our salvation. Though our personal decision is certainly a part of the process, it is a much smaller part than we may have once believed. In fact our personal responsibility is shadowed by the sovereign electing purposes of God. This chapter expands our view of God and brings to our attention His initiative on our behalf from before the foundations of the world. [Video File] [Audio File]

Throughout our study of Romans we've seen how the gospel has saved us from the penalty of sin and how it's currently saving us from the power of sin. But what about the very presence of sin that so easily entangles us and has brought about much suffering in this world? Is there a day coming when the very presence of sin will be done away with? In this passage, the Apostle Paul shows us how suffering is a divine requirement for the follower of Christ, yet in our suffering God has provided both a hope for a future day and a divine help for our present circumstances that helps us to persevere and hold on until the end. In God's sovereignty, He can use even the worst of trials to bring about our good and His glory. [Video File] [Audio File]

Our salvation was originated by God. Our sanctification is divinely produced as well. Yet too many Christians are trying to live their lives by human effort and self-motivation. Unfortunately these are ineffective agents for life change. Thankfully, upon placing our faith in Jesus Christ we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. God dwells among us and faithfully completes the work He started. He calls and we must respond. Divine initiative meets human response as we walk day by day, moment by moment, thought by thought, by the Spirit. [Video File] [Audio File]

Have you ever had a moment that marked your life and changed you forever? For the Apostle Paul the understanding of the love of God poured out for us is that sort of marked moment. When we realize the breadth, length, height and depth of the love of God, we are forever changed. This understanding brings confidence to the fainthearted and hope to the weak. As the love of Christ moves through us, His glory abounds. [Video File] [Audio File]

In chapter 3 of Ephesians, Paul reveals the mystery that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise. In so doing, Paul also reveals his attitude and passion for sharing this mystery with the world around him. Paul understood what it really meant to be a minister of the gospel. The question is, do we share that attitude, passion and understanding as well? [Video File] [Audio File]

Though we are saved by the finished work of Christ as individuals, we are united into the church together. Though most groups gather based on affinity, the church moves beyond simple commonality and draws people together based on our shared identity with Jesus Christ. Together, the church represents Christ through our diversity, and this uniqueness makes the church a cultural phenomenon. When it functions in health, the church is an unstoppable movement of diverse men and women reflecting the glory of Christ to a fallen world. [Video File] [Audio File]

After showing us all the spiritual blessings we have received in Christ and then praying that we might grow in the depth of our knowledge of Christ, the Apostle Paul sets out to remind the church of the great salvation we have received through Christ. These ten verses represent the theological testimony of every Christian who has ever lived, and serves as one of the most profound passages in the entire Bible at explaining the gospel that has saved us. [Video File] [Audio File]

After spending some time praising God for who He is and what He has provided for His church in Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul switches gears and begins praying for the church, that we might fully embrace what we have received in Christ and live out our knowledge of Him in accordance with great wisdom and truth, filled with deep hope, value and power. This passage is one of the most beautiful prayers in the entire Bible concerning Christ's intention for His church. [Video File] [Audio File]

This week we will deal with the longest verse in the entire Bible. The Apostle Paul lays out eight spiritual blessings that we already have in Christ. These eight blessings serve as the foundation of our faith and the source of all spiritual vitality. Because of what He has already done on our behalf, we are free to live for Him. [Video File] [Audio File]

The most passionate of the prison epistles, Ephesians is a six-chapter wake up call for the people of God. In the first three chapters Paul outlines our calling and the final three our conduct. He chose us, redeemed us, called us and forgave us. Therefore, we should walk in a manner worthy of Christ. The intent of the letter is to call believers up to recognize who they already are in Christ and then to live that out in the world around them. [Video File] [Audio File]

Our God is a relational God, and as His image bearers, we were created to be relational beings. Unfortunately, our sin often gets in the way and creates tension and dysfunction in many of our relationships, hindering us from not only loving one another as we should, but also from reaching out to the world around us with the love of Christ. This week we'll learn how having a Humbly Submitted heart and a Biblically Formed mind transforms our relational health and motivates us to invite others into it. [Video File] [Audio File]

It would be great if everything in life could be black and white, clearly right or wrong all the time, but that isn't the case. The Bible reveals black and white issues, but also reveals much more grey than many of us are comfortable with. However, as we humbly submit to God and allow His Word to transform the way we think, we find that we are able to make Morally Discerning choices in the midst of all the grey. We also find that moral discernment has much less to do with ourselves and much more to do with God and others than we may realize, as we become Culturally Engaged with the world around us. [Video File] [Audio File]

As followers of Christ and image bearers of God, we were both created and saved to be a generous people. Unfortunately, many of us exhibit quite the opposite as we struggle with self-centeredness and selfishness. This week we'll examine one of the intended byproducts from being Humbly Submitted to Christ and Biblically Formed by His Word: being people who are Sacrificially Generous with our resources and being an Intentional Blessing to those around us. [Video File] [Audio File]