Jesus' Farewell: Lessons Laden with Love | John 13:1

Jesus delivered the Upper Room Discourse because He knew that He was departing this world and because He loved His followers.

A Mighty Fortress | Psalm 46

Psalm 46 reminds us that God is with us as our Strong Defender and that because that is true, we have nothing to fear. The message of Psalm 46 is that God is with His people, and He is powerful to protect us.

Beholding the Worthiness of Jesus | Revelation 5

This section of Revelation focuses on a vision that John saw showing a scroll that no one on the earth could open except for Jesus, who is depicted as a Lamb. This imagery indicates that Jesus is the only One that is worthy enough to rule the world and to be deserving of every reward and all the praise that we must give Him.

Beholding the Glorious God | Revelation 4

Revelation 4 reveals two awe-inspiring elements of John’s vision of the throne room and exists in part to give us a high view of God, describing the glory and worship of the Father who sits on the throne in Heaven.

How Do You Receive Eternal Life? | Mark 10:17-22ac

This final sermon on the Gospel of Mark focuses on a passage that centers around finding eternal life through Christ. This section of Scripture highlights when a man asked the Lord how to receive eternal life, with Jesus explaining how coming to Him, acknowledging our sin against Him, and treasuring Him will lead to a beautiful life lived in harmony with the Lord.

The King's Qualifications for Citizenship in the Kingdom | Mark 10:13-16

In a larger section of Jesus' discourses regarding being His disciple, Jesus explains how entrance into the kingdom of God is not earned by one's personal merit and is not granted based on one's perceived usefulness. Only those who come understanding that they are not contributing to their own salvation may receive such a gift..

Jesus Answers the Question About Divorce | Mark 10:1-12

This entry in Mark highlights the answers that Jesus provides to the Pharisees regarding divorce. He specifically targets Old Testament scripture and clarifies it for the crowd, instilling the understanding that God not only hates divorce, but also recognizing the importance of being in a Godly union with someone, as Christ is with the church.

The Extraordinary Convictions of an Ordinary Christian | Mark 9:42-50

Continuing His warnings to His disciples about the cost and extremity of discipleship to Christ, Jesus warns His followers to vigorously avoid causing stumbling to others and to themselves. To learn the tutelage of Christ is to follow the example of Christ, to live a life that is a “living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1–2) and to consider one’s own life as loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus their Lord (Phil 3:8).

The Fall of Solomon | 1 Kings 11:1-13

In this sermon, one of our Faith Promise partners reflects on four aspects of Solomon's fall so that we may avoid the dangers that led to it.

Humility in Ministry | Mark 9:30-41

Followers of Christ need an ongoing reminder of Christ’s sufferings and his death and resurrection in order to remain humble in ministry as we seek to serve others according to the example Christ laid for us to follow.

I Believe; Help My Unbelief | Mark 9:14-29

After an unparalleled event on the mountain top where Jesus has just revealed His glory to His three closest disciples, they return to the other 9 disciples. Upon reuniting with them, they find that the 9 had been unable to exorcise a demon from a young man. Christ diagnoses the problem as a concoction of weakness of faith and independence upon Him. He wisely uses the situation to highlight the necessity to fully rely on God in Christ for all things, including our very own faith.

The Glory of Christ Confirms His Victory | Mark 9:1-13

After warning His disciples of the cost of discipleship (8:34–38), Jesus tells His disciples that He will provide a glimpse into His final victory. 9:1–13 display the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in such a way that would encourage His followers uniquely as He prepares to shepherd them through His impending death, burial, and resurrection. What is the hope which Christians must cling to? That Christ will be victorious in the end!

Jesus: Who Do You Say That I Am? | Mark 8:27-38

Pastor David Erickson continues our study in the gospel of Mark. Jesus asks His disciples: who do the people say that I am and who do you say that I am?

Magnifying the Focus on Christ | John 3:22-36

Pastor Adam Bueltel from Mission Road Bible Church reflects on an account from the Gospel of John that is about John the Baptist which more rightly magnifies the identity of Jesus, as he shares with us three commitments in the life of a believer that magnify the focus on Christ.

Jesus Restores Sight to the Blind | Mark 8:22-26

This shorter section of Mark is packed with powerful messaging about physical and spiritual blindness. Through an intimate encounter with a blind man, the Lord displays how following Him can allow us to live in the light of eternity by having our eyes be opened.

Beware the Subtlety of a Hard Heart | Mark 8:14-21

In a world where the truth about Jesus is suppressed for various reasons, Jesus warns His disciples to beware the tendency to be “slow in heart to believe.” In Mark 8:14–21 Christ’s disciples misunderstand His warning which leads Him to warn them further that the danger of a hardened heart is nearer than they think. May the Lord’s church today learn to be ever-vigilant against the deceitfulness of a hardened heart.

The Compassion of Christ | Mark 8:1-13

Christ is again followed by a large hungry crowd, this time consisting of primarily gentiles. After showing compassion on the gentile Syrophoenician woman (7:24–30) and the healing of the gentile man (vv. 31–37), not Jesus shows that He is the compassionate shepherd who feeds (spiritually and physically) those who would come to Him from any nation (8:1–9). This faithful reception is not mirrored by the religious leaders in Israel who instead of receiving His teaching ask for signs to prove His identity (vv. 10–13). Jesus refuses to allow them to “put the Lord to the test” and refuses with emotive compassion. The question left to the reader is: Will I scrutinize and put the Lord to the test, or will I receive His word with humility?

Christ Ministers the Gospel to the Outsider | Mark 7:31-37

The inherent problem of every human being ever born into this world is their separation from God, which brings loneliness because of our sin which came through the fall of man, as written in Genesis 3. The solution to this problem is faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ who is Savior and Redeemer, which brings a global new beginning for all of creation.

To the Jew First and Also to the Greek | Mark 7:24-30

Jesus is Lord over the laws of nature. The feeding of the five thousand sets the scene for Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee as He ministered to His disciples in a raging storm.

The Problem of Man is Deep Within Himself | Mark 7:1-23

Pastor Trevor Ice from Edgewood Bible Church continues our series in the Gospel of Mark. In this passage, Jesus addresses the Pharisees, crowds, and disciples as he speaks about how they are to live in accordance with God's Word. These verses also reveal that we must look inward to recognize where our sin stems from, which can influence us examine the actions we take and determine if they are seeking to honor Christ or satisfy our selfish desires.