This session deals with the dreaded word "submission," and the proper relationship a husband and wife should have with one another; i.e., the same relationship as Christ has with His church. There is no place for "submission" as the world defines it, rather, we need to submit to one another, love unconditionally, and treat our spouse as we would be treated - with the utmost love, respect and support. With the proper view of submission the husband and wife are equals but with different roles.
Jul 29, 2021•1 hr 25 min
Rory focuses on John 14:6, where Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This is a key truth in Christianity. No one can be saved or come to the Father apart from Jesus. He is the Way - the only Way.
Jul 26, 2021•34 min
God must be the focus of your marriage and you must love Him above all.
Jul 22, 2021•1 hr 44 min
Still in the upper room, Jesus tells his disciples to not worry, rather, put their complete trust in Him. He also tells them He's prepared a place for them in heaven.
Jul 19, 2021•54 min
The purpose of marriage is to glorify God.
Jul 15, 2021•1 hr 23 min
Jesus spends quality time with His disciples in the Upper Room just before he is arrested and crucified. They didn't fully understand but were concerned they were losing their teacher. Predicting His arrest, Jesus said all would desert him, but the brash Peter said he wouldn't. Jesus told them not to worry but to put their trust in Him. When He goes he will prepare a place for them and then return and take them to Himself. Where Peter is compulsive and brash, Thomas is always the doubter. He wan...
Jul 11, 2021•17 min
Continuing in the Upper Room, Rory goes back to the foot washing episode, but with a different lesson than last week's. Here, Jesus exemplifies servanthood, and that we all need to serve one another. People who say they follow Jesus - the penultimate Servant - must not be too proud to serve their brothers and sisters in whatever way is needed.
Jun 14, 2021•56 min
With Jesus' "public" ministry coming to an end, He turns now to his disciples with what some call His "upper room" ministry. Reclined at the table celebrating Passover, Jesus does something totally unexpected: he clothes himself in a towel and begins to wash the disciples feet. Assuming the role of a servant or even a despised Gentile slave, He models for the disciples what it is to be great in the Kingdom of God and that they need to serve and love one another in like fashion. He even does this...
Jun 06, 2021•43 min
It’s a recurring theme – the unbelief of the Jewish people. Even though Jesus had performed many miracles, and after all they had seen, still, they did not believe. In the end, unbelief is the response of a heart in rebellion to God, and because they wouldn’t believe, they couldn’t believe. Their hearts got harder and harder to the point that “You don’t want it? You don’t get it.” This is what Pharaoh dealt with – his heart was hardened by God and he hardened it himself. Paul addresses this in R...
May 31, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Millions of people had descended on Jerusalem for Passover. Many had heard of Jesus and wanted to see him, convinced he was the savior of Israel and would rescue them from the hands of their oppressors. Amidst a patriotic display of people waving palm branches, the true Savior of the world entered the city in utter humility riding the colt of a donkey. In the midst of this Jesus predicted His death and also laid the foundation for the gospel to be preached to Gentiles as well as Jews.
May 23, 2021•49 min
We exist to proclaim the Word of God and with that there’s persecution. But with the power of the Holy Spirit we can persevere. Acts shows how the disciples were persecuted yet continued to proclaim the gospel, and that like them, we need to run to Him in the midst of trials.
May 16, 2021•46 min
As people gathered for a meal after Lazarus’ resurrection – it was kind of like he was at his own wake/celebration – Mary anointed Jesus with costly perfume. This was an expression of unreserved devotion to Him; she was “all in,” giving us an example of adoration and worship to the Lord. She did this in spite of what those around her thought, including Judas, who reprimanded her for “wasting” such costly perfume. Like Mary, we need to allow our worship to be free of what others think and break o...
May 09, 2021•54 min
After Jesus restores Lazarus to life, many believed. Still, many refused to do so and even went so far as to report Jesus to the Jewish authorities. The Sanhedrin met to figure out what to do, and it was during this meeting that Caiaphas uttered the famous words, "It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." He was right, but had no idea he was prophesying the death of the Messiah (one man) for the salvation of the world.
May 03, 2021•43 min
Mary and Martha send to Jesus to tell Him that Lazarus, His friend and their brother, is sick. However, it's two days before Jesus journeys to Bethany, returning to the same area where the Jews wanted to kill Him. By the time He arrives, Lazarus has been dead four days. Jesus sees the sorrow in those around Him, and His love for the sisters and Lazarus was immeasurable. In a great act of love and to build the faith in those around Him, He speaks and Lazarus comes out of the tomb.
Apr 25, 2021•1 hr 2 min
After praying and fasting, the disciples in Jerusalem send out Paul and Silas, according to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Along the way they met a Jewish sorcerer, Bar-Jesus, who was with Proconsul Sergius Paulus. The proconsul wanted to know more about Jesus but the sorcerer tried to dissuade him. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saul, now called Paul, confronted the sorcerer who was made blind for a time. This was very direct, righteous anger directed to one who would impede the gospel, simila...
Apr 25, 2021•44 min
The Jews confront Jesus: Are you the Christ? Jesus told them they can’t believe because they aren’t His sheep. His sheep hear their Master’s voice, He gives them eternal life, and no one can pluck them from His, or the Father’s hand. He taught two, seemingly opposing biblical truths: It is man’s responsibility to believe in Jesus, but there is also divine sovereignty. He also taught that we are His, and the Father’s, forever (eternal security), and in the process, Jesus claimed his divinity.
Apr 18, 2021•45 min
After Stephen was martyred, the disciples were scattered in the persecution that followed. But like hot coals being flung from a fire that is stomped on, they spread the truth of Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles in regions away from Jerusalem. One such city was Antioch – a thriving melting pot of people and pagan worship. The new church at Antioch was growing and Barnabas was sent to see what was going on. He encouraged the disciples there, now called Christians, and went to get Saul, the perfect...
Apr 12, 2021•41 min
James 1:20 says to count it all joy when we are faced with troubles. Do we? Job is our prime example. An extremely wealthy man who was held in high esteem, Satan tried to convince God that he was a fraud, that if things got really bad he would curse God. After suffering four major catastrophes Job's response was not to complain but to worship God. Then he was afflicted with boils and his wife said he should just curse God and die. Still he did not sin and three friends came by to give him silent...
Apr 11, 2021•54 min
Rory gives a special Resurrection Sunday message in which he reads from Luke 24, which recounts Jesus' resurrection and the belief/disbelief of His disciples, including the women. They were looking for a Jewish savior, but when Jesus was killed, they relegated Him to the role of a prophet. Not until their eyes were opened did they see that Jesus was truly God's Son. From this, Rory moves to the importance of baptism as a preface to numerous baptisms performed at the end.
Apr 04, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Peter returns to Jerusalem where the apostles and other believers questioned him about being with Gentiles. He explained the vision he had in Joppa, his trip to Caesarea, and the conversion of Cornelius, his family and friends. The Jerusalem Jews were thinking according to tradition (we all have traditions that are non-biblical) and couldn't see Gentiles being saved, but Peter showed that this was all aligned with Scripture, and who was he to disagree with God? They humbled themselves and glorif...
Mar 28, 2021•36 min
Rory's brother-in-law Joseph shares how Jesus delivered him from his chains and set him free.
Mar 28, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Cornelius, a devout man who is also a Roman centurion, is told by an angel to send men to a certain house in Joppa and bring a man (Peter) back with them. Meanwhile, Peter was shown in a vision that nothing was unclean in God's eyes. The Gentile men came and Peter left with them. Welcomed to Cornelius' home, Peter explained the gospel to Cornelius, his family and friends. They believed and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Mar 22, 2021•40 min
There is only one door into the sheep pen, and those who try to enter any other way are thieves and false shepherds. Jesus, the True Shepherd, enters by the door where the sheep hear His voice, they know His voice, He knows them, and there is an intimate relationship. Jesus also willingly lays His life down for the sheep, something a hired man won’t do. Jesus called himself the “door” of the sheep, and so there is only one way to salvation, i.e. through the door, through Jesus. The Jews thought ...
Mar 21, 2021•53 min
Continuing with the familiar story of the man, blind from birth, who was healed by Jesus. He was brought before the Pharisees who refused to believe Jesus had healed him, that perhaps he was a different man. After questioning the man’s parents and once again the man, their foolishness was exposed by the man’s simple answers. They refused to believe he could be healed by a sinner, as they also refused to acknowledge who Jesus really was. They were religious leaders who looked obedient to the Lord...
Mar 15, 2021•56 min
Peter begins his missionary work and miracles begin. A paralyzed man is healed. Tabitha is risen from the dead. These were done by the power of God, through Peter, and he was quick to give God all the glory. Our lives should reflect that we are believers in Jesus by the things we do, giving God all the credit, and focus on others instead of ourselves.
Mar 14, 2021•42 min
This is the familiar account of the man blind from birth who was healed by Jesus. Some have said this relates to the sight of the blind and the blindness of the sighted. We are all blind, not from our parents, but from our inborn sin. It’s through Jesus’ power that this man was healed. Without Jesus, like us, he was destined to live in perpetual darkness.
Mar 07, 2021•45 min
Continuing with Jesus’ confrontation with the Jews, He makes it clear that religious privilege does not guarantee a right attitude toward the things of God. Heaven will never be gained by pedigree. Interestingly, the Jews were seeking to kill the very one that their “father,” Abraham, was looking forward to. Jesus told them they had the devil as their father, and not wanting to hear the truth, they called Jesus Satan. Those who are truly God’s children will honor the Son, and the Jews weren’t wi...
Feb 28, 2021•44 min
Philip, a deacon and evangelist to Samaria, is told by an angel of the Lord to go to the desert. This was odd since people were getting saved where he was. Nevertheless he was obedient and came across an Ethiopian eunuch, sitting in a chariot, reading Isaiah. He asked Philip to help him understand, believed on Jesus, and then wanted to be baptized. He was and then Philip was miraculously transported to another area. Philip was obedient to the Lord no matter how strange it may have seemed and the...
Feb 28, 2021•51 min
Jesus confronts the legalistic Jews who might have believed what He said but didn’t come into a saving faith, and who resented Jesus for telling them that they were slaves to sin. Only Jesus can set us free to be who we were intended to be in God’s love. He who the Son sets free is free, indeed.
Feb 21, 2021•40 min
By Jesus saying He is the light of the world, He is saying he is divine. His light is global and He is our illumination. The Pharisees judged Him according to the way of the flesh, and the Jews tried to rest in their pedigree instead of Jesus. Who will die in their sins? The self-reliant, those who remain worldly and have never repented, and those who don’t know Him and are blind.
Feb 14, 2021•57 min
