Anger, bitterness, or wrath can wreak havoc, especially in important relationships. Unlike the other issues that we've been reflecting upon over the past few months, anger is usually directed toward someone in a very traumatic way and can thus create gaping wounds that never fully heal. Sadly, anger has already shaped or is shaping many of us--whether we were exposed to an outburst during our formative years as children or whether our own anger has created open scars on our loved ones, such as our spouses or children …

We are often misled to think that Christian life is centrally about momentous events or circumstances. The truth, however, is that both our victories and failures are influenced more by the little moments that we typically overlook. This is partly what Paul has in mind when he says that our old way of living has been corrupt (or destroyed) by our deceitful desires. These desires might seem innocent, but they have the power to ruin our lives so they are doubly dangerous …

Now that we are a few sermons into this series, we will first revisit the intended outcomes and marvel at how we are already experiencing so much fruit from trusting and obeying God's Word thus far. The topic of this sermon will be covetousness. Although we hardly ever use the word, covetousness is one of the more dominating sins that we commit and is the motivation behind so much of our lives including work, how we engage in social media, how we view finances, etc. …

The gospel of Jesus Christ includes receiving a new heart, which renews our mind, which in turn enables us to live a life where our actions and speech are filled with power, love, and self-control. We've been reflecting upon this over the past couple of weeks and this week, we see all these wonderful blessings in the context of sexual immorality …

Last week's sermon is foundational as it explained how many of us have a distorted and unbiblical view of the gospel. It is only when we see the death, resurrection, and life (DRL) of Jesus Christ that we have any hope in life. The rest of the sermon series will provide examples of what this looks like based on Ephesians 4-5, so if you missed last week's sermon, be sure to listen to it …

The focus of this sermon series, “Heart Detox,” is to allow the Spirit to empty our hearts of anything that is offensive to the Lord and detrimental to ourselves. When the Spirit detoxicates our hearts, we are then able to experience God's grace, power, and joy with greater depth so that we can love others accordingly …

As the people of God begin to settle in the rebuilt city, they take their time to reflect upon and renew their covenant with the Lord. One of the most prominent parts of the covenant is keeping the Sabbath. This passage and sermon will teach us the importance of Sabbath and the Law of God. What is the purpose of these and do they apply to us today? …

Over the past few months, Nehemiah has taught us that the people of God are marked with a three-dimensional view of life and a heart of prayer. In chapters 8 and 9, we see that the people of God are also marked with reverence to the preaching of the Word of God …

At this point in the book of Nehemiah, the people have finally finished rebuilding the wall. Although the task was daunting, it only took 52 days for it to be completed. Additionally, the opposition that was once fierce has died down. Nevertheless, there was no time for complacency. There were still some issues that needed to be addressed …

Last week, we saw much opposition coming from external factors. It was Nehemiah's three-dimensional view on life that enabled him to overcome--that is, he did not see his life as being about merely himself (dimension 1) and the situation (dimension 2). Instead, he was more influenced by his "great and awesome God" (dimension 3), which compelled him to be prayerful, confident, and vigilant …

So far in the book of Nehemiah, we have already seen multiple instances of opposition when living in obedience to the Lord. But what is the essence of this opposition and what might it look like in our own context? …

What comes to mind when you think of the emotions of God? Contrary to many religions and to our misconceptions of God, God is full of emotions. In fact, if God were not full of emotions, then we as humans would not be able to experience a range and depth of emotions since we are created in his image. Unlike humanity, however, God is in full control over his emotions and these emotions do not imply any kind of change, weakness, or imperfection on God's character…

Now that Scripture has established the subtle origins and the extensive scope of sin, Scripture provides us a glimpse of how deep this sin is. Despite humanity's rebellion, God nonetheless provides ample opportunity for people to repent. However, apart from Christ, we are stuck in the ways of Adam so we fail to repent and instead reject God even further…

Sin and its consequences are horrifically devastating. Not only is sin extensive in its impact, but its destruction runs deep into our most inner-being. The next three sermons will explore these aspects of sin, with the first sermon beginning with its subtle origins…

Continuing from last week's sermon, we will look at the biblical understanding of a very important topic that is only seldom mentioned in church: sex. Once again, we need to understand sex within the context of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation…

The second chapter of Genesis provides another perspective on how God created everything. This chapter is also a summary of what we have reflected upon over the first two sermons and provides context so that we can better understand chapter 3. Accordingly, we see Adam working, having authority, and enjoying the gift of relationships--all within the context of his relationship with God as it was originally designed. As we will eventually see, the idyllic harmony portrayed in Genesis 2 makes the rebellion in Genesis 3 all the more treacherous and egregious. 

As we continue to reflect upon God's first impression, there are four things that we learn about God: he is very creative, he has "pride" over his work, he works with wisdom and structure, and he highly esteems rest. In other words, God portrays himself as a worker. This is a surprise for many of us because we typically think of God as a father, master, or king, while we rarely see him as a worker…

The story of Jonah is one of the greatest literary masterpieces of the Old Testament. It begins with Jonah, the revered prophet of God, directed by God, hearing from God—and then running from God, “fleeing from the presence of the Lord.”

First impressions are critical. We have all experienced this--whether preparing for that important interview or getting ready for that first day of school. These impressions are significant because they shape the way we are perceived in future interactions. In many ways, Genesis 1 presents the first impression that God wanted to make, that will shape the way we see him as we reflect upon the rest of Scripture…

The last practical exhortation of the Letter to the Hebrews is to remember, obey, and submit to leadership. In this sermon, we will reflect upon why having this attitude toward leadership is important, but why this can also be controversial. ..