How do we respond during times when we feel forgotten, let down by others, or just all alone? This Sunday's passage from the story of Joseph is a picture of how we can faithfully follow the Lord even when it seems like we've been forgotten.
This Sunday, God's word takes us back into the story of Joseph. We'll consider the secret of success for the one following the Lord. What causes us to succeed? And what does success look like in our lives as we walk with the Lord?
*Source: Pastor Kevin DeYoung’s sermon on Genesis 39 at Christ Covenant Church
In this Sunday's passage the story of Joseph seems to be bizarrely interrupted by the sordid tale of Judah, Jacob's fourth son. It contains sexual immorality, deception, and injustice. Why is this account in the Bible? Ultimately it's a story of glorious hope for those caught up in shameful sin.
"God has a wonderful plan for your life." Has someone ever told you that? Is it true? I guess it depends on how you define "wonderful." What happens when God's plan for us doesn't seem very wonderful? We'll consider these questions as we begin the account of Joseph's life this Sunday.
*Source: Pastor Kevin DeYoung’s sermon on Genesis 37 at Christ Covenant Church
We begin our new spring/summer sermon series in the concluding portion of Genesis. We'll recap the overall message of Genesis as we prepare this season to hear and grow from God's word through the story of Joseph.
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by considering Mary Magdalen'e’s interaction as the first witness to the risen Lord.
This Sunday is Palm Sunday! On the day when we celebrate Jesus riding into Jerusalem as King, it's worth considering...what are kings for anyway? Or, what is government for? We'll consider what kind of authority that God gives to governments and what our role should be in politics as Christ's church.
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
We're diving back into our sermon series on the subject of death. Two weeks ago, we explored death and our identity from Psalm 90--that death both humbles us and lifts us up. When we remember our death, we recognize our dependence on our Creator but also see our need for eternal life through our Savior. This week, we'll address the problem of futility. If we're going to die and be forgotten, do our lives really matter?
We'll begin the New Year with a short sermon series on the subject of death. This isn't your typical optimistic New Year's theme, but the truth is, the reality of death gives us perspective on life. And God's word has a ton to say about this! My hope for you is that we will enter this new year prepared to die and, therefore, prepared to live.
As we continue in our study of the book of Ruth, we come now to the moment Naomi and Ruth had been waiting for. Boaz will officially become Ruth's redeemer. In this account, the emphasis is placed on the cost that Boaz must bear in order to save Ruth--which, of course, reminds us of the great cost that Jesus' paid to redeem us. Indeed, Christ's wooden manger will lead to his wooden cross.
As we continue our Advent series in ancient Bethlehem and the book of Ruth, we come to some good news and hope that the two widows' dire circumstances may change. How did this come about? By unmerited grace. This chapter is both a comforting encouragement of God's grace for us, and a powerful call to be God's instrument of grace for others.
Two weeks ago we saw that Jesus calls, commissions, and empowers kingdom workers like us to share his good news. But this Sunday's passage is a reality check. On this mission, there will be significant and surprising opposition. Yet in the midst of this persecution, we'll see that Jesus offers us incredible comfort.
This Sunday, Jesus invites and instructs his disciples--and us--in his kingdom mission. We'll see that being a Christian is not just a calling to Christ but it's a calling to love and share the gospel with the world around us.
2020 has been a chaotic year, but the truth is, this year has reminded us how little control we have over our lives. In Sunday's passage, we'll see Jesus' sovereignty over chaos over both nature and evil--and learn how we should respond not in fear but in faith and peace.
We return this week to the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus encounters a hasty scholar and a hesitant son. In these short interactions, we'll learn what it means to follow Jesus and submit to him as King.
This week is our annual stewardship Sunday, the one week every year when we consider how the Lord calls us to steward our finances for his kingdom purposes. This is also the season when we invite you to plan out your giving to the church for the next year, which serves to grow each of us in generosity while also helping us plan our church budget for the coming year. On Sunday, we'll open up the book of Leviticus and see how God's call to holy living applies to our money.
Jesus is known, even by his skeptics, as not only a great teacher but a miraculous healer as well. Yet what was the purpose of Jesus healing people as part of his ministry? And what can we learn from Jesus' healings in the first century as we endure a plague of disease in the 21st century? This Sunday, we move into a new section of the Gospel of Matthew as we transition from learning about Christ's kingdom to seeing it in action.
This week is Vision Sunday! It's the one Sunday per year when we acknowledge God's faithfulness in and through our church since our founding in 1870. And this year marks our 150th year of gospel ministry in Boston! We will celebrate our past and focus on our present and future mission to invite Boston and beyond into a life-changing relationship with Christ and his church. We'll open the final words of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and see Jesus' test of a true Christian.
Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount with a powerful invitation into his true kingdom in contrast to counterfeit Christianity. In Part 2 this week, we'll look at the importance and value of teachers--those who guide us along the path of discipleship. Jesus warns us about "false prophets" and gives us some advice for discerning whether a teacher is true or false.
Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount with a powerful invitation into his true kingdom in contrast to counterfeit Christianity. In Part 1 this week, we'll see the first two invitations to walk the narrow way and to follow the right teachers.
