Results
Philippians
Christ-Centered Contentment
June 20, 2021
Contentment is an elusive thing. As soon as we think we are content, it quickly vanishes. Is contentment even possible? In Phil. 4, the apostle Paul says that it is. In fact, he says that he has learned to be content no matter the situation.
Philippians
The Peace of God
June 13, 2021
"The Lord is at hand" is the governing reality of the passage. And when the nearness of God is the governing reality of our lives, we can experience the kind of peace that Paul is talking about.
Philippians
The Gospel and Conflict
June 6, 2021
When God is at the center of our conflict, it isn’t a fight or flight moment. It is an opportunity to be transformed by his grace.
Philippians
Pressing on Toward the Goal
May 30, 2021
The grace that brings us to Christ now stirs our hearts to know him more.
Philippians
Righteousness in Christ
May 23, 2021
Everyone is trying to build their resume of righteousness through work, politics, kids, and even religion. Paul counts it all as loss compared to knowing Jesus and having his righteousness.
Philippians
Gospel-Centered Change
May 16, 2021
Everyone in life desires change. And yet, the realities for change are often more complex and challenging than we realize. What we need is a biblical understanding of how change works in our lives.
Philippians
The Christ Hymn
May 9, 2021
This hymn tells the story that’s at the center of any healthy church. It’s the story that shapes everything we are and everything we do. It’s the gospel story of Jesus. He’s the hero. And he is unrivaled in both his humiliation and exaltation.
Philippians
Gospel-Centered Community
May 2, 2021
The gospel-centered life is a shared life. We are not looking for community. We are a community, looking to Jesus.
Philippians
To Live Is Christ
April 25, 2021
In this passage, Paul gives us a glimpse into the mindset that governs his life. It’s the mindset that every Christian and every church should have. Then Paul tells us how this mindset manifests (how it shows up in his actual life).
Philippians
Church Planting DNA
April 18, 2021
God’s plan is to fill the earth with his people through ongoing expansion and renewal of the church.
Mark
The Danger of Sin
February 9, 2025
Following Jesus means taking a radical stance toward sin. The stakes could not be higher, so we do whatever it takes to stay on the path of discipleship to Jesus.
Recent
Mark
Vision Correction
February 3, 2025
The disciples continue to be blind to how the kingdom of God works. So, Jesus has to correct their vision: how they see themselves and how they see others.
Mark
Spiritual Power
January 26, 2025
To follow Jesus and do his work requires spiritual power. So, how do we access and experience his power in our lives?
Mark
A Glimpse of Glory
January 19, 2025
The disciples want to be associated with the glory of the Christ, but they don’t understand what true glory is. So Jesus gives a glimpse of his glory; to show more clearly who he is and to give every disciple assurance in following him.
Mark
Take Up Your Cross
January 12, 2025
Jesus says he must suffer and die, but the disciples can't see it. When we focus on the things of man, we can't see what God is doing. According to Mark 8, seeing Jesus clearly means seeing why he had to die, and seeing why we must die as well.
Luke
Waiting for the Lord
December 29, 2024
The life of faith is a life of waiting for the Lord. That involves being immersed in God’s story, living with expectancy, and committing to practices that keep us attentive to God.
Matthew
When God Comes to the Bad Guy
December 22, 2024
What happens when God comes to the bad guy in the story, the person controlled by sin? If we want to understand the astonishing reality of Christmas, then we’ve got to understand someone like Herod.
Matthew
When God Comes to the Righteous
December 15, 2024
We often hear about God coming to the spiritual seekers and to the down and out. Joseph’s story shows us what happens when God comes to the good guy. He has to choose: life on his terms or life on God’s terms.
Mark
The Humble Faith of a Gentile Woman
December 8, 2024
When Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman in need, he responds in a way that feels harsh. But looking deeper into this interaction, it teaches us how to come to Jesus and about his unique mission.
Mark
Religion of the Heart
December 1, 2024
In Mark 7, we see two very different approaches to religion. The scribes and Pharisees are focused on the externals of religious devotion. Jesus, meanwhile, pushes beneath appearances to the source of true defilement: the human heart.
Mark
Finding Rest in the Work
November 24, 2024
Our problem runs deeper than having busy lives. We need a rest that only God can give. In this famous story, Jesus reveals himself as the true shepherd who gives us true rest.
Mark
He Came to His Own
November 17, 2024
In this little passage, Jesus came to his own and his own people did not receive him. Why is this account in the Bible and what is God trying to teach us through it?
Mark
Jesus the Warrior King
November 10, 2024
This is the most detailed account of an exorcism in the Bible. It gives us insight into the reality of demonic power, the superior power of Jesus, and the choice we have between the two. The choice is always before us: Is God your life, or is your life your God?
Popular
Mark
The Danger of Sin
February 9, 2025
Following Jesus means taking a radical stance toward sin. The stakes could not be higher, so we do whatever it takes to stay on the path of discipleship to Jesus.
Mark
The Beginning of the Gospel
September 8, 2024
Mark begins the story of Jesus in the wilderness. He is preparing us for a new exodus and a new covenant. If you want to see the real Jesus, you gotta go into the wilderness. It is a place of redemption, repentance, and renewed sonship.
Mark
The Authority of Jesus
September 22, 2024
We generally resist any authority but our own. So, what does it take for people with “authority issues” to come under the Lordship of Jesus? We must see that he has authority over everything, and that he uses his authority for our good.
Mark
Son, Your Sins Are Forgiven
September 29, 2024
Four men bring their friend to Jesus, presumably to fix their friend’s biggest problem, his paralysis. But Jesus has an even deeper healing in mind.
Mark
His Message and His Method
September 15, 2024
As Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee, Mark immediately shows us the message of Jesus and the method of Jesus. And both of those things are more radical than they seem on the surface.
Philippians
A Vision for Change
September 1, 2024
We all desire to change. And yet, true and lasting change can be quite difficult to achieve. What we need is a biblical understanding of how change works, which is exactly what we find in Philippians 2.
Mark
He Eats With Sinners
October 6, 2024
No one liked tax collectors, but Jesus befriended them and dined with them. This story teaches us that Jesus draws near to those who know they need him. Whoever thinks he is doing fine will keep him at a distance.
Galatians
New Creation
November 22, 2020
The gospel is not only the gateway to our life with God. It is also the pathway for our life with him. We are prone to add other things that give us a sense of assurance or belonging, but Jesus plus anything else is a false gospel.
Mark
The Parable of the Sower
October 27, 2024
The kingdom of God comes into the world through the Word of God, and bears fruit in those who receive it. Life in the kingdom begins with hearing. Does God’s word stay on the surface of your life or does it take hold of you and change you?
Mark
Lord of the Sabbath
October 13, 2024
There has been increasing tension in Mark between Jesus and the religious leaders. By the end of this passage, they are plotting to kill him. What pushes them over the edge are two incidents related to the Sabbath, specifically what Jesus says about the Sabbath and does on the Sabbath.
Psalms
Rest for the Restless
August 11, 2024
Many of us journey through life at full speed, trying to accomplish big things, setting our sights on achievement and success. David says genuine rest can't be had that way. It comes, instead, as we embrace our limits, rest like a child, and hope in the Lord.
Mark
The Crowds and the Called
October 20, 2024
In these two scenes in Mark 3, we see a contrast between the crowds that had gathered around Jesus and the twelve apostles. As we compare these two groups of people, some defining marks of a follower of Jesus emerge.