The Well: Sermon Audio

God is in the process of changing our hearts to be more Humbly Submitted and our minds to be more Biblically Formed, like Jesus. The question is, are you aware of God's life change work in your life and are you willing to get in step with what God is doing? [Video File] [Audio File]

This week we explore the foundations of The Anatomy of a Disciple and see how these principles can help reset our spiritual lives as we head into the New Year. [Video File] [Audio File]

This week we explore the foundations of The Anatomy of a Disciple and see how these principles can help reset our spiritual lives as we head into the New Year. [Audio File]

Nothing takes you back in time like Christmas. The question is, how far back do you go? Is it back to Grandmas's pumpkin pie, Christmas trees and carols with the family, or can it go back even further? What if you took Christmas all the way back to the beginning, to the book of Genesis, the fall of mankind, and the incarnation of Jesus Christ? The Savior who was born to save us from our sin and the King who was born to die, that we might worship Him this Christmas season. As you look at this holiday and Christmas season this year, raise your sights and let's see Him for who He truly is: the Savior of the world who came to live the perfect life and die in our place. That is the real message this Christmas season. [Video File] [Audio File]

The book of Revelation has caused much concern over the speculation of what is to come, but amidst all the panic and conspiracy theories lies the heart of the entire message: He will reign forever. This book is about someone from eternity past, the Alpha, and someone who will reign forever, the Omega. From beginning to end, this book forces its readers to focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ, our King. Author John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee. He was also the author of the Gospel of John and 1, 2 and 3 John. Date About A.D. 95. Theme The End There will be an end of the church age, of Jacob’s trouble, of Tribulation, of the Millennium, of Satan, of war, of judgment, of time, of sin and of death. Additional Info According to tradition, John did not live much longer after writing this letter. He wrote all of his letters recorded in the New Testament within five years of each other, and all were written much later than any other of the New Testament books. The recipients were the seven churches of Asia. John wrote this letter to encourage the believers in his flock who were facing intense persecution, and warn these various congregations that He will come not only to rescue but also to judge with wrath those who oppose Him. Given John’s present circumstances as a prisoner, his letters would likely be censored, which may be one reason this letter takes the form of a revealed vision that speaks in figurative language. Most of the letter addresses events future to the time of the writing. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for Revelation Revelation Sermon Series Revelation Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

Throughout the Bible, two of the most distinguishing marks of Christ's followers are truth and love. There are dozens and dozens of commands in the Bible for God's people to be a people of truth and a people of love. However, our culture is notorious for polarizing the two. Over the centuries, the church has struggled in swinging the pendulum from one extreme to another – either all truth and no love, or all love and no truth. Thankfully, the four short letters of 1, 2, 3 John and Jude show us the importance of a being a people of both. These books seek to teach us that biblical truth and love should be inseparable in the life of a believer, and that the very nature of the gospel is to bring about an abiding devotion in each. 1 John Author John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee. He was also the author of the Gospel of John, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation. Date Likely written between A.D. 90 and 95. Although it is impossible to date the writing of 1 John with any exact precision, most agree it was written late in the first century. Theme The Church’s Walk Part 1 The church should walk in love, faith, truth and purity before God, always contending for the faith. Additional Info The major problem facing John’s audience was the root beginnings of Docetism and Gnosticism, beliefs that everything material, including man’s flesh, was evil (popularized by Plato) and therefore Jesus, the God, could not have lived in human flesh and still have been without sin. John wrote to warn the churches of Asia to guard themselves against these prideful, antichrist tendencies and rather let their lives demonstrate the reality of the life of Christ. © Dr. Rick Taylor 2 John Author John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee. He was also the author of the Gospel of John, 1 and 3 John, and Revelation. Date Likely written between A.D. 90 and 95. Although it is impossible to date the writing of 2 John with any exact precision, most agree it was written late in the first century. Theme The Church’s Walk Part 2 The church should walk in love, faith, truth and purity before God, always contending for the faith. Additional Info John was probably in his 80s or 90s at the time he wrote 1, 2 and 3 John and was most likely stationed in Ephesus. The audience of this letter is “the chosen lady and her children.” It is likely an undercover letter. The reason for the obscure address would be understandable considering it was written during the Domitian persecution that ended in about A.D. 96. John wrote it to remind believers to live lives of truth and love, while avoiding deceivers. © Dr. Rick Taylor 3 John Author John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee. He was also the author of the Gospel of John, 1 and 2 John, and Revelation. Date Likely written between A.D. 90 and 95. Although it is impossible to date the writing of 3 John with any exact precision, most agree it was written late in the first century. Theme The Church’s Walk Part 3 The church should walk in love, faith, truth and purity before God, always contending for the faith. Additional Info Of all John’s received writings, this is his only personal letter. John wrote it to Gaius, commending him for his walk in the Lord, which was characterized by truthfulness and faithfulness. © Dr. Rick Taylor Jude Author Jude, the brother of James; the half-brother of Jesus. Date Likely after A.D. 65 and no later than about A.D. 80. It is impossible to date the writing of Jude with any exactness. However, the later dating makes more sense considering the philosophical issues being dealt with in the letter. Theme The Church’s Walk Part 4 The church should walk in love, faith, truth and purity before God, always contending for the faith. Additional Info The audience seems to be well acquainted with the Old Testament, yet agnosticism was plaguing them. They were being confronted with an invitation of compromise and conciliation wit

Tucked deep in the later portions of the New Testament are eight short chapters written by the Apostle Peter. Remarkably the letters are void of the brash, impetuous, pride-filled tone that colors his interactions in the Gospels. Instead these pages are filled with hope, patient endurance, humility and concern for the suffering of his readers. Peter writes these two books from Rome to the churches that Paul started on his first missionary journey to console them in their suffering and loss, not the least of which was the martyrdom of Paul. Peter's message is to patiently endure suffering in light of the imminent return of Christ. His wise pastoral words remind us that it's not how you start, but how you finish in life that truly matters. 1 Peter Author Simon Peter, the apostle, as claimed in 1 Peter 1:1, the same Peter who was one of the original 12 apostles, who walked with Christ. Date Likely in late A.D. 66 after Paul’s death. The persecution that is recognized in this letter is generally believed to be during the Neronian reign of terror in A.D. 64-68. Theme The Church Reminded Part 1 The church is reminded to live lives of humility before God and each other, and to live life in light of God’s promises. Additional Info Peter wrote this letter from Rome, primarily to Gentile Christians who were greatly isolated from most of the other segments of Christianity. Because of the pagan surroundings and the isolation, these Christians faced great difficulty, both from without and within. They needed some guidance and encouragement, and that is exactly what Peter sent them. © Dr. Rick Taylor 2 Peter Author Simon Peter, the apostle, as claimed in 2 Peter 1:1. Date Likely in about A.D. 66-68. It is seemingly written just before Peter’s death (2 Peter 1:14-15). Theme The Church Reminded Part 2 The church is reminded to live lives of humility before God and each other, and to live life in light of God’s promises. Additional Info This is Peter’s second letter to this audience (2 Peter 3:1), the same five northern, more barbarian districts of Asia. They were believers who were facing persecution and false teachers who were challenging their faith. Peter wrote to remind them that God’s promises are sure and true, and could be counted on with their lives. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for 1, 2 Peter 1, 2 Peter Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

Have you ever sat with someone close to death and listened to their last words? If you have, you know the tremendous weight someone’s final thoughts carry with them. Those words, few as they may be, are ripe with meaning – every word filled with emotion and every thought of the utmost importance. The Pastoral Epistles are just that, Paul's last words. The books of 1Timothy and Titus are written to help young pastors know how they ought to conduct themselves in ministry, and 2 Timothy was written from death row to convey Paul’s final thoughts to his young apprentice. The overall theme of these three books is a call to remember that the people of God should be a people of the book. With a harsh tone and a commanding style, Paul calls these young men to hold fast to the faithful word, and to call the church to handle the word of God with excellence. Author Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. Dates The second letter to Timothy was written no later than A.D. 67. It may have been as early as A.D. 64-65, since Paul asked Timothy to attend to him before winter (2 Timothy 4:21), and Paul was put to death by Nero, who committed suicide in June of A.D. 68. This means 1 Timothy and Titus were written between A.D. 62 and 66. Theme The Church’s Leadership Church leadership, including pastors and elders, should meet certain qualifications and should lead and conduct their lives honorably. Additional Info These epistles have been dubbed “the pastorals” because they were addressed to pastors, and they outline the pastor’s duties, sound teaching and maintaining discipline. This is most readily seen in Titus, but it is also present in the other two epistles. Christianity had become an illegal religion in the Empire. (The burning of Rome took place in A.D. 64.) Paul was arrested by his accusers and imprisoned once again in Rome. This time Paul had no hope of release and expected to be executed (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 18). He asked Timothy to come to him before his demise (2 Timothy 4:9). According to tradition, Paul, an old man at this time, was beheaded west of Rome on the Ostian Way. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for 1, 2 Timothy and Titus 1, 2 Timothy / Titus Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

The world around us offers a multitude of options when it comes to who we should follow, what we should invest our lives in, and where we should look for our significance and salvation. However, the book of Hebrews aims to show its reader that Jesus is better than any other option the world can offer. Both in His person and in His work on the cross, Jesus offers what no other person or system of belief can, and that is peace with God and the forgiveness of sin. This book provides a passionate plea for the believer to persevere in their faith in Christ amidst potential struggles with doubt and disbelief. Author Unknown. Unlike many of the New Testament books, the author does not give any evidence of his identity and external evidence is of little help. Date A.D. 64-68. Theme The Church’s Foundation The foundation of the church is rooted in Jesus’s superior life and sacrifice and in the Old Testament saints’ faith and perseverance. Additional Info The book of Hebrews contains important descriptions of Jesus’ present ministry that no other New Testament book covers, but it was not until the fourth century that the Western Church accepted its authority with uniformity. The Eastern Church accepted it early as they included it within the Pauline Corpus. The issue of its place in the canon was raised again during the Reformation, but the depth of theology and quality of this book supported its inclusion in the New Testament. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for Hebrews Hebrews Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

Oh to have "joy in all things." For many of us, our joy is dependent upon circumstances. When life is good, we have joy, but when life goes south, our countenance changes. Written from house arrest in Rome, the Apostle Paul pens a letter to the church in Philippi encouraging them to have "joy in all things." Through difficult circumstances and inevitable difficulties, Paul points to a profound opportunity that we have to show Christ to people through our adversity. Though happiness may vary depending upon our circumstances, our joy can thrive regardless. In just four short chapters Paul admonishes his readers to see these opportunities to shine brightest when life seems darkest. PHILIPPIANS AUTHOR Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. DATE Likely in A.D. 61-62, at or near the end of Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, from which he also wrote Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon. THEME The Church’s Joy Joy should extend to all believers and into every situation and circumstance of life, because He gives us life. ADDITIONAL INFO Philippi, named after the father of Alexander the Great, Philip, was a military community, favored with Roman citizenship, and the location of one of the largest universities in the world at that time. Paul sent this letter by the hand of Epaphroditus and thanked the Philippians for their generous gifts and participation with him in the gospel. He let them know he was experiencing joy in the midst of difficulty and so could they. He knew that the letter as well as seeing and hearing from Epaphroditus would be an encouragement for them. © Dr. Rick Taylor PHILEMON AUTHOR Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. DATE Likely around A.D. 60-61 when Paul was under house arrest in Rome awaiting trial. THEME The Church’s Society The society of the church includes all people, no matter their color or station in life, and speaks to how they ought to live with one another. ADDITIONAL INFO While Paul was under house arrest in Rome, his first Roman imprisonment, he had the chance to meet and lead a runaway slave named Onesimus to the Lord. He wrote this letter to Onesimus’ master, Philemon, a slave owner and member of the church at Colossae, appealing to him to treat Onesimus as he would treat Paul himself. The letter does not address the rightness or wrongness of slavery, but does paint a picture that in a world of slavery a Christian master should treat his Christian slave as a brother, with honor and respect. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for Philippians and Philemon Philippians and Philemon Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

The books of Ephesians and Colossians are two of four prison epistles (along with Philippians and Philemon) that the Apostle Paul penned while on house arrest in Rome. These two books are very similar in their presentation of a holistic, panoramic view of the Christian life, demonstrating who we are in light of the person and work of Jesus Christ. In each book, Paul shows us that an exalted view of the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ in salvation helps us understand how to live out a heartfelt obedience to Christ in both the church and the world. Ephesians Author Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. Date It is generally believed that Paul was in Rome under house arrest when he wrote this letter, although there is some debate as to whether he was in prison in Caesarea or Rome at the time. Most likely Paul wrote Ephesians first, followed by Colossians, Philemon and Philippians from this same house arrest situation in Rome, around A.D. 60-61. Theme The Church’s Blessing The church has been given all the spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Additional Info Although Paul may not have been writing anything he hadn’t taught directly to the church at Ephesus, there seemed to be some concern that they weren’t getting it. He commended their faith and love but was concerned for their hope, their sense of what they had in Christ, and the power that God had made available to them to be able to live out the life they were given. It was most likely a letter sent to the church at Ephesus, but intended to be distributed to other nearby churches outside Ephesus. © Dr. Rick Taylor Colossians Author Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. Date Likely around A.D. 60-61 when Paul was under house arrest in Rome awaiting trial. He probably sent it with the letters to Ephesus and Philemon. Theme The Church’s Master The master and sustainer of the church is Jesus Christ, who is the beginning of all things and by Him all things hold together. Additional Info The city of Colossae is a small, almost insignificant city about 100 miles east of Ephesus, in Asia Minor. From all indications, Paul did not establish the church at Colossae personally; most likely Epaphras established the church there. The people were being pressured to embrace an unusual mix of Essene Judaism and Pagan Gnosticism, coming to be known as the Colossian Heresy. Paul spent most of the letter helping them understand and deal with the demands to conform to their world. This letter is probably best known for its passages in chapters 1-2 that provide the single most concentrated teaching on the theology of Christ. The book has many of the same words, phrases and themes as the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for Ephesians and Colossians Ephesians and Colossians Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

Few books have shaped the landscape of Christianity like the book of Romans. It has shamed the brightest of theologians and brought comfort to the simplest of minds. Outlining what a life of faith looks like, the Apostle Paul walks us through faith from origin to public expression. Through eleven chapters of theology, we are exposed to the source of and theological implications of faith. In chapters twelve and following, Paul shows us what a life of faith should look like. This book serves as a wonderful framework for what it means to live a life of faith in Jesus Christ. Author Paul, the apostle, originally named Saul, a Pharisee by birth and conviction until confronted by Jesus Christ. Date Paul likely wrote this letter while in Corinth on his third missionary trip in A.D. 57-58. Because it is written to both Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome, it had to be written after the death of Emperor Claudius in A.D. 54, who had banished all Jews from Rome, and before the beginning of Emperor Nero’s reign of terror in A.D. 64. Since Paul had not been there yet, it had to be written before A.D. 60 when he went to Rome as a prisoner. Theme The Church’s Gospel The gospel includes justification by faith alone and sanctification by faith alone. Additional Info Romans is the best encapsulated record of Paul’s basic message of the gospel used throughout his missionary travels. Rome obviously had a large church at the time that needed to be grounded in the basic tenets of the faith. This church was made up of both Jewish and Gentile Christians who seemed to have a limited understanding of each other and the basics of the Christian faith. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for Romans Romans Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

In Acts 21-28, Paul is on his way back to Jerusalem after three years of teaching in Ephesus. He ends this third missionary journey by collecting an offering for the poor and destitute Christians who remained in Jerusalem in spite of the persecution they faced there. When Paul gets to Jerusalem he is arrested and kept in Roman custody for two years before being shipped off to Rome to stand trial before Nero. These chapters depict a man caught between two cultures...Jewish and Roman. God uses Paul in both cultures to accomplish His will. Acts See Acts. Resources for Acts St. Andrews Expositional Commentary – Acts - R.C. Sproul Acts 21-28 Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]

If there is one thing that is true about God, it's that He is a compassionate God. Throughout history, God has displayed His passion to help those who are helpless, hopeless and undeserving, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ on earth. This week, we look at 2 Kings and see that God not only shows compassion, but He wants us to pass on that compassion to others as well. [Video File] [Audio File]

Acceptance and tolerance have quickly replaced obedience and accountability as our culture has rejected the notion of living to a divine standard, instead choosing to pursue a lifestyle of indulgence. Ours is not the first culture to set God aside. The city of Corinth also walked down the road of disobedience in the first century. Thankfully we have two books written to the church in that city calling them out of their spiritual doldrums and into a greater obedience, teaching them how to live morally in an amoral world. Acts See Acts. 1 Corinthians Author Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. Date Most likely written from Ephesus between A.D. 55 and early 57. Theme The Church’s Challenges Part 1 The church faced challenges that were rooted in personal and corporate selfishness and greed. Additional Info Corinth had been destroyed and left barren since 146 B.C. However, because of its strategic location, Julius Caesar had the city rebuilt in 46 B.C. The city of Corinth was located in the Roman province of Achaia (the peninsula of Greece) just north of Athens, and had been chosen as the seat of Roman government in that province. “Corinthian” became a slang term referring to loose and wild living, pursuing one’s personal passions without limit. © Dr. Rick Taylor 2 Corinthians Author Paul, originally named Saul, a Pharisee until confronted by Jesus Christ. Date Likely mid to late A.D. 57. Theme The Church’s Challenges Part 2 The church faced challenges that were rooted in personal and corporate selfishness and greed. Additional Info After sending a previous letter with Titus, often referred to as the “sorrowful letter” (1 Corinthians 2:4), Paul continued ministering in Troas, then set sail for Macedonia, where he met Titus and got the report that the church at Corinth had taken Paul’s letter to heart and had repented. Immediately, Paul penned 2 Corinthians to affirm their repentant spirit and to challenge them to be ready for his impending visit. © Dr. Rick Taylor Resources for 1, 2 Corinthians Acts 18:23-20:38 (1, 2 Corinthians) Life Group Guide [Video File] [Audio File]