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In First Corinthians, Paul talks about the foundations of our faith. He encourages to take a stand in the place of grace so we don’t drift out of hope.

Skip to 3:51 for the beginning of the message. God bless.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us he came to seek and save the lost. Being lost is part of the human condition. There are many times in life when we don’t know where to turn. There are always parts of our soul that keep wandering and drifting and leaving God. It’s good news, then, that Jesus seeks the lost. He doesn’t simply make himself available to us. He searches for us. Our God is on a search and rescue mission. Let us always remember our lostness and how that draws the heart of Jesus to us. Let us never forget our constant need for grace.

There is a difference between conviction and condemnation. Conviction is when the Holy Spirit tells you to reject a behavior. Condemnation is when Satan tells you that YOU are rejected as a person. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) Satan is the Accuser; Jesus is the Advocate. Satan tries to convince you that you aren’t loved by God or that Jesus’ grace isn’t enough for you. But the voice of Jesus says that you are not condemned and that he loved you even before you loved him. In today’s social media culture, condemning others is common. Many people spend most of their conversations and posts shaming or complaining about others. The church should be better. As God looks at your social media life and hears your conversations, is it the voice of the Accuser or the Advocate hears? There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus; there ought not to be any condemnation in the church either. Be gentle, be gracious, and let love win.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Romans 15:13 I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday, and their anxiety and fear about the future were on full display. I could hear it in her voice, I could see it in her body language, and I could sense it in her spirit. With the whole world being disrupted now, it’s natural for us to feel some apprehension and a lot of uncertainty. But amidst the uncertainty we feel, we can remember the certainties of our faith. Biblically speaking, hope is being certain of things we cannot see. For Christians we can hope in the new creation, in God’s providential care for us, in the blessings we already have, in Jesus’ death on the cross and his presence with us, and in Jesus’ resurrection and our inheritance of victory. My prayer is that hope would fill you with joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Proverbs 2, we learn about the crucial importance of wisdom for our walk with God. Wisdom is being skilled at living a good life. Wisdom goes beyond mere knowledge or being smart. What does wisdom call for in this season? Facing the coronavirus pandemic, wisdom calls for faith in God, being healthy, practicing physical social distancing, and staying connected to each through other means. At Timberview, we have staff and board meetings today. I expect we will be canceling most, if not all, of the group activities at the church. This will affect that part of our life together as a church, but there is a lot more we do than just get together in a building. Tomorrow, I’ll outline our plan moving forward as a church through this trial.

I’ve changed my sermon series to a walk through 1 Peter in light of our social situation. This first sermon walks through 1 Peter 1:1-9 to view Christ as our living hope.

This week, we discuss the danger that pride poses to those who follow Jesus.

This week, we celebrate two things. First, I have a computer again so I can resume posting my sermons! Second, I started a new sermon series last Sunday! The new series is called The Seven Deadly Sins and it focuses on avoiding common spiritual dangers than can ruin your walk with God. This last Sunday, we discussed how important repentance is for the Christian walk.

This week, we discuss how essential being emotionally honest with God is for our spiritual growth. We use the Psalms as an example of such honesty.

The letter to the Romans is one of the most celebrated pieces of literature in the history of the world. Unfortunately, readers often hijack the original intent of Romans by reading it from a self-centered perspective. In this sermon, we explore the meaning of Romans for us while remembering what it meant to the original church it was sent to. Along the way, we explore ideas of meaning, justice, and hope.

In this sermon, I explore the suffering of Job. We move beyond simplistic answers to suffering and try to see how Jesus helps us find meaning in the midst of life’s storms.

In this message, I discuss what it really means to be pro-life. This isn’t a discussion of whether the pro-choice or the pro-life position is correct. That was the sermon I originally intended to preach. Instead, I assume my audience is pro-life (since I was preaching in a theologically conservative church) and then work out the implications of what a thoroughly pro-life conviction would mean for how one lives.

In this sermon, I discuss various Christian perspectives on LGBT issues. I outline both the progressive and conservative views, and then present my own position.

In this sermon, I provide a pastoral response to an issue that is dividing our nation. I argue that we should be deep thinkers who recognize the complexity of the question without allowing the media or politicians manipulate us into shallow and simplistic reactions. We also explore what the Bible really says about this issue.

In this sermon, I discuss the importance of reading the Bible for yourself. This spiritual discipline is almost impossible to overestimate. I also give some practical tips on how to get into reading the Bible. The audio is above and the video is below.

In this sermon, I discuss the resurrection from Mark 16 and what it means for us today. There is power, hope, and meaning in Mark’s concluding story about Jesus.

I just got back from a few weeks off. We were at a conference in Florida and then we spent a couple of weeks in Wales and Ireland. In this sermon, I explore the complexities of the biblical narrative in Mark 14-15 and how Jesus’ crucifixion might make sense of our complicated world.

This week, we explore Jesus’ interaction with his disciples from the book of Mark and the true meaning of being a Christian.

Why church? Is church good or bad for people? What role should church play in our lives? What makes a good church? What is the role of the church leader? What is the origin of the phrase “kit and caboodle”? Pete and I talk about these questions today on the show. Pete Kopplin is a […]