Advent means a “coming” or “arrival”— a watching and waiting for the coming of Jesus. Advent begins the church year as we're invited to enter God’s eternal story, joining with God’s people— past and present—waiting together. As we begin our series today, we light the first advent candle, and we understand what it means to actively watch and wait for Jesus.
Today, God’s Word will help us to see how God works when His people are persecuted for their faith and witness.
James taught us about trials and temptation, wisdom and speech, faith and works, truth and sin, wealth and poverty, and patience and prayer. As this sermon series ends today, will we be a hearer only, deceiving ourselves? Or will we put into practice what we have learned, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts? If we do, James promises we will be blessed in our doing.
James continues to confront us with practical, yet convicting, truths on how to live with steady faith in a troubled world. Last week, he showed us a life marked by true humility—one that submits fully to God. Today, he warns us of the dangers of arrogance and boasting, reminding us to steward our plans and riches with humility and dependence on God.
As James continues to emphasize full integration between our beliefs and actions, he encourages us to cease from quarreling and fighting. Instead, he urges us to humbly submit ourselves to God and His ways.
As we continue today in our study through the book of James, the author will ask his readers, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” In doing so, James will present two different approaches to wisdom and invite us to live seeking the wisdom from above.
In the first two chapters, James calls us to live fully integrated lives where our beliefs and actions align. He continues this theme in chapter 3 by specifically addressing the importance and the power of our words. If our heart (the source) has been changed by Christ, this should be evident in our words.
In this text, James shows us the relationship between faith and works, reminding us that that true saving faith will, by nature, produce good works. In contrast to a workless, dead faith, a living, dynamic faith is revealed through our actions. Today, James challenges us to examine the genuineness of our faith to see if it has produced fruit in our life.
In chapter 1, we explored how a steady faith helps us navigate trials and temptations while fostering an attentive heart—quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. As we turn to chapter 2, we continue to be challenged to be doers of the Word and not hearers only by not showing partiality towards others based on external appearances.
A steady faith is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger—not only in our interactions with others, but also in our approach to God and His Word. As we receive His Word with an attentive heart, we are not hearers who forget, but doers who act. This is then demonstrated in our controlled speech, active mercy, and pure living.
Last week, James challenged us to keep a steady faith, especially in the face of the many trials that come our way. This week, he goes one step further, helping us recognize that temptation is a unique kind of trial—one that doesn’t come from God, but comes from within ourselves.
In a world full of trials, temptations, and conflict, how do we remain unshaken? The book of James gives us practical wisdom for living out a faith that doesn’t just endure but thrives. We begin today in chapter 1, as James calls believers to find joy in trials—not because suffering itself is good, but because trials can bring about a steady faith.
Who do you trust? Another contentious election season is upon us, and there will be a flurry of ads, debates, signs, billboards, commercials, and non-stop news coverage. Some of us will retreat, while others will fight. Many will experience anxiety, stress, and even fear. Let’s look to the Scriptures as our foundation and guide so we can confidently say, “in God we trust.
Let’s always remember to never forget our identity in Christ through the gospel. When we do, we understand we are being joined together and built together into the dwelling place of God by His Spirit.
We are prone to forget, so when the church gathers together for the gospel, God provides us with physical, tangible reminders to anchor us in Christ. Baptism serves as a one-time declaration of our identification with Christ and His body. Communion is an ongoing practice that allows us to give thanks, remember, and proclaim the Lord’s death.
People naturally gather together—whether it's with family or friends, or over shared interests, meaningful causes, or global events, like the Olympics. But have you considered why we come together as a local church? We unite together for the gospel. Over the next three weeks, we'll explore how this truth can transform our lives and impact the world.
Intentionally caring for and investing in what we value is a regular part of life, yet our relationships can often be overlooked. Today, we will explore five key bonds designed by God to help us pursue health in our marriages and relationships.
Today, we will explore the journey of marriage through four distinct phases and the opportunity we have on the path of transformation. We will seek to find practical insights and biblical wisdom to navigate the highs and lows of relationships and embrace a Christ-centered approach.
As we conclude this sermon series on prayer, we continue to wrestle with important questions: If God is sovereign, why pray? Do our prayers make a difference? What does it mean when prayers seem to go unanswered? Today, we’ll look to God’s Word for insight into these challenging questions.
Jesus wants His disciples to see people with deep compassion. Then when we see the world as He does, Jesus asks us to be in prayer, seeking guidance and strength to act with love and kindness.
How do you most often pray for others? Prayers about circumstances and the temporal challenges of life are good, but let’s also allow the way Paul prayed for others to challenge how we pray for one another as well.
If we are asking God to teach us to pray, we must follow the example of Jesus. Jesus is our model, showing us a life fully devoted to God's glory and completely dependent on the Father. Today, we will see that, to more fully pursue life in Christ, we must learn to pray like Christ.
Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. As His followers, we share in His sufferings. He promised that in this world, we will have trouble – hurt and pain leading to grief. Lament is the language for our grief. If we are asking God to teach us to pray, it must include asking Him to teach us to lament.
Prayer is an integral and essential component of the Christian life. But sometimes it can feel as if our prayer lives are lacking, in need of growth. Today, we examine how to strengthen our prayer lives by aligning ourselves to God and avoiding hindrances to our communion with God.
Today, as we conclude our Every Day sermon series, we will dive into the importance of intentionally nurturing our everyday relationships. Interactions with others can lead to our deepest hurts and wounds, but relationships also bring about our deepest healing. Let’s see how that can be a reality.
Whether we realize it or not, we all have established habits and rhythms that make up our daily routines. These habits, over time, determine who we are and who we will become. Today, we will understand why it is so important to understand the biblical idea of rest, both practically and theologically.
Whether we are thriving or struggling, a student or retired, God has placed each of us in this world with a unique opportunity to contribute through work. Today, we will explore God’s intention for work, seeking to align our lives with God’s invitation for our work every day.
Whether we realize it or not, we all have established habits and rhythms that make up our daily routines. These habits, over time, determine who we are and who we will become. Today, we will reflect upon and evaluate the habits which make up our everyday lives.
Whether we realize it or not, we all have established habits and rhythms that make up our daily routines. These habits, over time, determine who we are and who we will become. In this sermon series, we'll look at the ways our habits can form us more and more into the image of Jesus…Every Day.
When someone says “church” what comes to mind? A building? A worship service? A specific feeling or emotion? From time to time, we need to realign and be reminded of the biblical understanding of a local church. Today, Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica, along with Calvary’s values and commitment, will help us do just that.
