As Christians, we're commanded to forgive one another. But that can be easier said than done. Have you ever found forgiveness difficult? What can empower us to release our grip on revenge and forgive even those who sin seriously against us? We'll consider this as we reach the climax of the story of Joseph this Sunday—Joseph's revelation and reconciliation with his brothers.
How do people change? There are many in our culture who doubt people can truly change their ways at all, and the annual failure of most New Year's resolutions seems to support this. Yet as we dive back into Genesis this Sunday, we'll see a radical transformation of Jacob's sons—and one son in particular. What can we learn about how we might change for the better?
This Sunday we're taking a break from our sermon series in Genesis to welcome back Pastor Ron Bouthillette. Pastor Ron served for many years as Senior Pastor of The Bridge Community Church in Milford, New Hampshire. He is currently Associate Executive Minister of The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts (TABCOM) and is a former member of Ruggles from back in the 1970s!
How do you view yourself before God? How does God view you? In Sunday’s passage, as Joseph’s brothers reluctantly return to Egypt, we’ll see that like us, their need for mercy was greater than they could have possibly imagined.
Can guilt be a good thing? The focus shifts in this Sunday's passage from Joseph to his 10 brothers, who have been covering up their guilt for decades. We'll see that guilt (and godly fear!) are essential steps along the path of repentance to receive the grace of God.
No one likes to wait. In our passage this Sunday, we'll see that the Lord always works good! But not on our timeline—in his perfect timing. Indeed, we'll see how the Lord sent, prepared, and raised up Joseph at just the right time for his good, redemptive purpose.
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.
Did you know that the Lord gives specific guidance in his word for authority at work? A good boss or a bad one can make or break your experience at work. So, what makes a good boss? And how can we steward whatever authority in our workplace that we have justly and fairly for God's glory?
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
It can be common to view the church like one of many other non-profit organizations trying to do good in our world. However, Scripture makes clear that the church is wholly different. It's a powerful institution given spiritual authority as an embassy of God's heavenly kingdom. This Sunday we'll consider what kind of authority the church has, and why every Christian should submit to one.
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
What kind of authority does the Lord give to parents? What is the goal of parental authority and what are its limits? How does parental authority change over time? We'll continue to apply God's word on the topic of authority to our everyday lives so we can better understand and follow God's good design for our flourishing!
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
After three weeks of theological foundation on the topic of authority, we'll spend the rest of the series considering all of the diverse offices God bestows with authority in Scripture. This Sunday, we'll consider the husband's authority in marriage—what it means, and doesn't mean.
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
God's original design for authority is good, but it's so often abused. So how do we exercise our authority justly in the midst of a fallen world where so many are oppressed? This great royal Psalm from David and Solomon will give us practical instruction, and real hope!
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
Last week we saw that authority is God's good gift for human flourishing. However, many of us have experienced authority gone bad. Does God's word have anything to say about when authority is abused? How do we avoid misusing the authority the Lord has given us? This Sunday is week 2 of our 6-week series about authority.
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
We live in an anti-authority age. Many have seen power that is misused or abused, which has led to a skeptical attitude toward leadership. This Sunday, we begin a 6-week sermon series on the topic of authority. We'll see that good authority is a gift from God for our flourishing.
This series is based loosely on the book, Authority by Jonathan Leeman.
This sermon draws from Mark Dever’s 2022 sermon, "Only Use Authority in the Fear of God."
