Have you ever felt lost or abandoned? Scripture shows us that we are all helpless and lost because of sin. But God, in His great mercy, finds us in our sin and provides a way to take bring us back home. This passage in Luke shows us three incredible realities of God’s work for our … [Read More…] When All Seems Lost
We live now in an age of instant judgment and opinions with little regard for prayer, meditation, reflecting and seeking God. Daily we are invited to judge, make decisions, evaluate, criticize the conduct deeds, and speech of others. The clamor of conflict is almost deafening. The Christian community is not immune to the conflict crisis. … [Read More…] Conflict Resolution
Genesis 22 is the culmination of the story of Abraham, where he faces a test from God to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice. This passage foreshadows the person and work of Jesus Christ in three ways. First, as Abraham obeyed, Jesus fully obeyed. Abraham struggled throughout his life with obedience, but Jesus lived a … [Read More…] The Hardest Final Exam
Pastor Bill Bertsche speaks on “Why I Am A Christian,” focusing on the five Solas of the Protestant Reformation.
Our culture is increasingly hostile toward Christianity. This isn’t new territory. Martin Luther saw how the gospel had been compromised within the Church 500 years ago. In response, he nailed his 95 Theses to the castle door in Wittenberg, thus sparking the Protestant Reformation. In this sermon, Pastor Lutzer lays out five monumental effects that … [Read More…] The Story and Significance of the Reformation
It is often in times of waiting that it is most difficult to follow God, and that is where Abram and Sarai found themselves. Rather than continue to wait, they took matters into their own hands. This passage teaches us three actions to following God’s will. First, we are to trust him, and not commit … [Read More…] When We Go Our Own Way
When God appeared to Abram and changed his name to Abraham, He shows us three characteristics of Himself. First, He is a God of power, which will always be used for good and never for evil. Second, He is a God of grace. The covenant sign of circumcision pointed to God’s initiative in making and … [Read More…] When God Changes Your Name
There is a temptation in Christianity to be consumers of spiritual things rather than producers of spiritual fruit. How can we guard against being spiritually ineffective in our evangelism outreach to others? In this passage, we learn three keys to evangelism. The first key to evangelism is gospel proclamation; we need to remain excited about … [Read More…] The Gospel Goes Viral
Each of us, like Abram, will experience challenges to our faith along life’s journey. The first challenge Abram faced was that of success. Upon military victory, he still pursued God in the midst of victory by his generosity towards Melchizedek and his response to the King of Sodom. Second, Abram faced the challenge of fear, … [Read More…] Faithful Following
