Have You Been Bad or Good? (1 John 4:9-10)

Some of us judge ourselves harshly. At Christmas, Santa Claus has it down very clearly: “Have you been bad or good, naughty or nice?” Reward or penalty is coming your way, according to Santa.

 It’s common to carry self-judgment over into the Gospel. In many of our families, and cultures too, reward and punishment are code words that help or challenge our sense of worth and well-being. Today we look at another unique aspect of the Gospel: Jesus was sent to demonstrate that God is irrational. He does not judge us as we ought to be judged. It’s called his love and mercy, a source of genuine joy from truly living in Christ Jesus!

All I Want for Christmas (Luke 2:1-15)

In this series we are asking what you are getting for Christmas that would bring joy to your life. If you approach Christmas with the hope of the “joy” of the season without putting your roots down into the core of Christmas, then your “joy” is merely circumstantial. So what could you receive for Christmas that would instill, plant, cause to thrive within you …pure joy?

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people..." Luke 2:11

Christmas is for Giving, Or is it Forgiving? (Psalm 130)

Christmas is a joyful time for giving and receiving gifts. Yet the joy we are referring to here is based on the foundation on which we live our lives. It is a joy that is not rooted in simply receiving gifts or experiencing positive circumstances. This joy is based on our faith in Jesus Christ. A gift that provides this kind of joy is the gift of God's forgiveness. Today, we'll examine our need for forgiveness, the cost of forgiveness, and God's offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. 

Presents or Presence at Christmas (Matthew 1:18-23)

This week is about the significance of Christ's presence with us. Yes, hopefully you will receive presents this holiday season, but Christmas is truly about God's presence. But what's the big deal about God's presence? Isn't God omnipresent, all around us? Why was the birth of Jesus, Immanuel, "God with Us," so significant and what does it matter to us today? This is what we'll be exploring together today. 

The Gospel for All of Life (Galatians 6:6-18)

This Sunday’s sermon will wrap up our Galatians series. The Apostle Paul concludes with a recap of the major themes of his letter to the Galatians, including the importance of right doctrine and teaching, the church’s connection with the Old Testament, and a final exhortation to walk with the Spirit and keep the gospel central in our lives.

A Psychology of Discipleship in Community (Galatians 5:25-6:5)

This portion of Galatians (5:26-6:5) is a very practical adventure about “keeping in step with the Spirit” (5:25). How do you do that? We call it discipleship. Just how does discipleship work? The six verses following 5:25 provide a perspective on the workings of discipleship in your inner life and living out that life in community. We are investigating a psychology of discipleship in community.

Gospel Character (Galatians 5:16-26)

God’s word for us this week shows that a huge battle rages within every Christian, and it exhorts us to obedience with a list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” Yet truthfully, it seems impossible to “keep in step with the Spirit” and live out the fruit of the Spirit all the time, or even some of the time! So how are we actually supposed to live a life of Gospel Character? The answer is that yes, it’s about the fruit, but it’s also about the root — the “desires” of our hearts.

Gospel Freedom (Galatians 5:1-15)

The gospel is something altogether different than either religion or irreligion. It is free and free-ing! The gospel is free: we don’t have to earn salvation by our works. But the gospel is also freeing: it frees us to love and serve one another. Or, as the Apostle Paul puts it, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” That’s what the gospel is all about: Faith expressed through love.

What It Means to Be Spiritually Free (Galatians 4:21-5:1)

Spiritual freedom and spiritual slavery dominate today's Scripture passage. The conclusion is, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (5:1). So whatever way we understand this challenging passage, it needs to be interpreted so that we know what it is like to live in spiritual freedom with our Lord Jesus. Understanding this freedom is at the core of the gospel.

Gospel Ministry (Galatians 4:8-20)

In today's passage, we see that religion enslaves just as much as irreligion. It's not about what you do or don't do; it's about who you know (and who knows you). And we'll see from the Apostle Paul's example that this truth shouldn't just impact our own lives personally, but also the way we serve and minister to other Christians and non-Christians around us. 

Children of God (Galatians 3:26-4:7)

Today is all about why we do what we do. What motivates us at the deepest levels? When you think of your relationship to God, do you feel like you are His son or daughter, or do you feel more like a slave? In today's section of Galatians, Paul wants to let us know that if we are in Christ, then we are indeed sons and daughters of God. But that's not all!...

The Law and Gospel Life; or: Really, What is the Purpose of the Law? (Galatians 3:15-25)

Have you wondered how the Law (the Ten Commandments) fits in with the Gospel declaration that we are saved by faith and not by works of the law? Huge parts of Christendom confuse us by failing to clarify the purpose of the Law. This confusion relates closely to the matter Paul is attempting to spell out in his letter to the Galatian churches, the recipients of this letter. Today we join Paul in attempting to explain the purpose of the Law and its relationship to the Gospel. 

You Never Leave it Behind (Galatians 3:1-14)

Why do you do what you do? What is the primary motivation for your day-to-day actions? God’s word commands us to do good works and obey God with our lives. However, Galatians 3:1-14 shows us that our motivation for our good deeds is just as important as the deeds themselves. This morning, we’re going to examine the difference between obeying God “by means of the flesh” and “by means of faith,” and we’ll see that the gospel message is the best motivation for our obedience.

Living in Line with the Gospel (Galatians 2:11-21)

What happens when our actions don't "line up" with our beliefs? It's this kind of hypocrisy that the Apostle Paul confronts the Apostle Peter about in this week's passage. Galatians 2:11-21 will show us why we don't always act in accordance with our beliefs and how we can strive to "live in line with the gospel" every day.

Gospel Unity (Galatians 2:1-10)

In the first chapter of Galatians, Paul has begun to build a very compelling case for why we must not distort the true gospel message. Here in chapter 2, he goes to great lengths to ensure that the integrity of the gospel remains intact. Why? For you and me!

God's Amazing Grace (Galatians 1:10-24)

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul goes to great lengths to show that the gospel comes only from God; it’s not a human invention. And to prove his point, Paul shares his testimony. This week, we’ll see how the gospel saved Paul – and saves us – from both irreligion and religion, so that we can be free to please God because He is pleased with us in Christ.

The Uniqueness of the Gospel (Galatians 1:1-9)

The Apostle Paul writes against false teachers who tried to add to God’s grace through religious performance, a trap that modern day Christians easily fall into. Paul reminds us that God’s pleasure in us is not based on our performance for Him. Instead, God’s pleasure in us is based on His perfect, gracious, loving performance for us.

With One Voice (Romans 12:3-8; 15:5-13)

Neel Roberts, one of our supported global missionaries to Thailand, joined us for worship and preached for us. God gives different gifts to all His children, and we are commanded to use each of them for His glory, but if we fail to harmonize the use those various gifts the result is that we give to the world only a fraction of the gospel.

Lifesaver (James 5:19-20)

We admire and honor first responders who save lives for good reason, but James 5:19-20 shows us that we are all called to be lifesavers. Today is all about how the church - Christian community! - is vital to each of our personal salvation and relationship with the Lord.