The second half of Romans chapter five could be summed up as "Two men in a one act play." Paul uses the picture of "two Adams"; a first Adam, the Adam in the garden, bringing original sin into humanity, and then the "second Adam"--Jesus Christ--who provides a remedy for this sin. Listen in as Pastor Steve teaches through this important theological description of both our original sin, but also our justification through the death and resurrection of the "second Adam," our savior Jesus Christ.
Dec 03, 2017•36 min
Starting chapter five of Romans, Paul has laid out the "case for faith"--that we are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ, and because of that, he now lays out the beautiful story of grace in this first section of chapter five. Listen in as Pastor Steve unpacks this powerful and important section of scripture!
Nov 26, 2017•35 min
As Pastor Steve closes out chapter four in our study through the letter to the Romans, we get a close-up of the story of Abraham. Specifically, the promise to Abraham in Genesis predates the law, the Jewish nation, and anything else the Jews would want to depend on for righteousness. God's fulfillment of this promise is the perfect picture of our call to "walk by faith and not by sight" and that it is only through God's work and our faith in Him that we are saved! Listen in to this powerful mess...
Nov 19, 2017•38 min
Our youth pastor, Dave Blaha, continues our study in Romans this week. In this first section of chapter four, Paul lays out a powerful argument for salvation through faith alone using both the super-patriarch Abraham as well as King David. These arguments were necessary to help the Jews see that faith and righteousness were "accounted" before the following of the law, and that this same faith in Jesus is available to us today without any ability to work for our salvation. Pastor Dave clearly sho...
Nov 12, 2017•29 min
The first three chapters of Romans have led us to this crescendo--there is no one righteous before God: not the religious person, not the atheist; no one! The reason Paul led us to that point is to reveal the beauty of the gospel: it is by faith in Jesus we are rescued from this divide between our sin and a holy God! And by nothing else and no one else can we be saved. Only this grace can save us. Listen in as Pastor Steve takes us through the end of Romans chapter three with this good news!
Nov 06, 2017•39 min
As Paul completes the full circle of his argument that all have sinned, he starts Romans three by rhetorically answering questions he knew would come up from those who wanted to find flaws in the argument. However, he ends with a heavy charge: "they are all under sin," using passages from the Old Testament to show the full depravity of mankind. As hard as it is to hear this truth, without it we won't understand the amazing grace of God that Paul will now lay out in the courtroom of God!
Oct 29, 2017•38 min
Continuing our study in Romans, we remain in the "courthouse" as God, through Paul's masterful writing, shows that all are guilty before the law. In this section, the religious are shown to also be guilty, even though they believe they are righteous before God. In the end, the rights and rituals even of the Jews--God's chosen people--were not enough to make one righteous, as righteousness is an inward trait, not an outward ritual or sign.
Oct 22, 2017•36 min
Associate Pastor and Elder Dave Vollmer brings a message of application from the life of John the Baptist, following his declaration "behold the Lamb of God" in John chapter 1, weaving in additional details from the other gospel accounts. Listen in as Dave applies John's call to repentance and his humility even in light of a powerful earthly ministry: "I must decrease so that He might increase."
Oct 09, 2017•37 min
As we continue to sit in the courtroom of God, so to speak, in these first chapters of Romans, now God deals with those who pass judgement on others--the judgemental. God shows that only he is the righteous judge; that our judgement always fails because we do the very thing we judge others for! Listen in as Pastor Steve continues to teach through the letter to the Romans.
Oct 02, 2017•28 min
Our second week in our new study of Romans, and Pastor Steve finishes out the first chapter as God lays out the case for his wrath, not because people sin and don't know better, but because they actually *do* know and understand, but instead, have traded God's truth for lies. Listen in to this powerful message of not only God's wrath, but also His grace that awaits those who turn to Him.
Sep 24, 2017•44 min
This week we began a new study as we closed out the book of Acts and started Paul's letter to the Romans! Pastor Steve has entitled this series "Amazing Grace" as Paul lays out in his letter the gospel of grace to the believers living in Rome. Listen in as Steve opens our study with some background, context, and history of this powerful letter to the church.
Sep 17, 2017•36 min
In this final message from our study through Acts, we are told of their final journey into Rome after the horrific storm and shipwreck, causing them to winter at Malta. There in Rome Paul is under house arrest with some freedom, and spends time with the believers there as well as talking to the Jewish contingent in Rome, witnessing to them. Listen in as Pastor Steve closes out this last message from the book of Acts!
Sep 10, 2017•38 min
Continuing in Acts 27, we are in the middle of the violent storm that Paul, as prisoner of the Roman empire, and his traveling companions are in the midst of. Picking up in verse 39, they realize they are approaching some landmass, and by morning they get stuck on a sandbar that begins to destroy the ship. True to God's promise, they are all saved and on the island of Malta, the locals show "unusual kindness" to the group as they end up sheltering there for winter. Listen in as Pastor Steve talk...
Sep 03, 2017•41 min
As Paul is now sent from Caesarea with Roman guards and companions to head towards Rome, it is late in the year and good sailing weather is quickly passing. The traveling group makes it as far as Crete, but the port of Fair Havens was not good for a winter's stay and against Paul's advice they attempt to continue on. They enter a huge storm that clearly endangers everyone's life, but Paul is given wisdom and encouragement from God that He will bring him safely to Rome. Paul takes charge and prov...
Aug 27, 2017•42 min
As we continue in Acts 26, Paul is in the middle of sharing his life story/testimony of his miraculous conversion again, with royalty and Roman leadership there listening to him. It is towards the end of this that Festus has had enough of Paul's words, but Paul has clearly convicted King Agrippa, who says "you almost persuade me to become a Christian"! Realizing that there is nothing in any of the Jewish charges against him, he could have been released, but he has appealed to Caesar and must now...
Aug 20, 2017•37 min
We are told at the end of Acts chapter 24 that Paul was under arrest by Felix for two years in Caesarea before Felix is replaced as governor by Festus. Acts chapter 25 and 26 continue this story after these two years as Festus tries to understand what to do with Paul. In today's message from chapter 25 and the beginning of chapter 26, Festus runs his own trial to try and get to the bottom of why the Jewish leadership wants Paul dead, and is then visited by Herod Agrippa and Bernice who also want...
Aug 13, 2017•37 min
On this Communion Sunday, and as a preface to the evening concert titled "Deeper Still", Pastor Steve walks through the vision given to Ezekiel of the life-giving river flowing from the temple and discusses the concept of going "deeper still" with God in our own lives.
Aug 06, 2017•27 min
Continuing Paul's initial hearing in Caesarea before Felix in chapter 24, Paul defends himself, and clearly states his case for acquittal before Felix. Even though the charges are clearly erroneous, Felix has political pressures related to his relationship with the Jews and keeps Paul in chains for the time being. During this time, Paul has the opportunity to witness to Felix and his wife Drusilla, and meets with Felix regularly over a period of two years. At this time Felix is replaced with a s...
Jul 30, 2017•44 min
Continuing the story of Paul's fateful trip to Jerusalem in Acts 23, a murderous plot is uncovered by a young relative, who brings it to the commander and Paul, leading to a late night military escort to get Paul safely out of Rome, and to Caesarea, the seat of Roman military leadership. The governor, Felix, invites the Jewish leadership back in Jerusalem to bring their charges against Paul so he can hear them out. Listen in as Pastor Steve talks about "God-incidences" (versus coincidences) as w...
Jul 23, 2017•38 min
We pick up still in Acts chapter 22 as Paul continues to be allowed to address the large crowd from the edge of the temple, sharing his testimony as a way to combat the charges leveled against him (that we was anti-Jew, anti-law, and anti-temple). However, when he mentions that it was Jesus who sent him to the Gentiles, the crowd loses is again and the commander of the Roman regiment has to save Paul's life again from the crowd. Paul is then brought before the Sanhedrin as the commander wants to...
Jul 16, 2017•43 min
As we finish out Acts chapter 21 and into chapter 22, Paul is finishing his fateful journey into Jerusalem, immediately meeting with the church elders and leaders and describing his travels and the work of God in Asia and Europe. Given the tensions between Jew and Gentile, the leaders have a plan for Paul to reaffirm his Jewishness which leads to a major confrontation in the temple! Listen in as Pastor Steve teaches the beginning of a long section through Acts as we follow Paul's arrest, trials,...
Jul 09, 2017•45 min
In Acts 21, Paul is finishing up his missionary journey, making several hops as he is determined to go towards Jerusalem, staying with believers along the way. He has already been warned about what awaits him in Jerusalem, but along the way even the people of the churches beg him not to go and more prophecies of what await him are given. But, undeterred, Paul is determined that the Spirit is guiding him there, even knowing what awaits. Pastor Steve talks through this passage about knowing God's ...
Jul 02, 2017•40 min
Closing out Acts chapter 20, Pastor Steve teaches through Paul's tearful goodbye to the elders from the church plant at Ephesus on the beach at Miletus. Paul's final words are filled with encouragement, love, and also warnings about wolves that will come in to deceive and attack the sheep. Listen in as Steve asks and thinks through what we would say if we had one last chance to give a message to a group of Christian leaders and pastors.
Jun 25, 2017•45 min
Entering chapter 20 we are now following Paul's travels on his third missionary journey, specifically picking up with the events after the uproar at Ephesus as Paul retraces his steps back through the churches that have been planted. We end up at an interesting story of a late night sermon that leaves a young man falling asleep and falling out of a third story window at midnight! Listen in as Pastor Steve covers this story as well as a parallel with spiritual "wakefulness" and slumber!
Jun 19, 2017•38 min
Kishor Pandagade, a great friend of CCFluvanna and a missionary with Advancing Native Missions (ANM), shares a message from the letters to the churches found in Revelation; specifically the letter to Ephesus. In this letter we find a commendation and a warning; a warning to those who have "good deeds" but have lost their first love. Kishor shares the heart of God to see the church return to Him and become victors as we await his second coming.
Jun 05, 2017•29 min
After two quiet years of ministry in Ephesus, finally a disturbance occurs around Paul. We've seen this before: as Christ transforms a culture by the gospel, the "locals" get angry when it begins to impact their ability for profit. In this case the idol makers are losing business when people stop buying their silver shrines to Diana! Listen in as Steve talks more about the impact of culture and the role of the Christian to not be passive in our current cultural shift.
May 28, 2017•32 min
Continuing in Acts chapter 19, Paul is going to remain at Ephesus for a couple of years. For once he isn't run out of town and after spending some months debating with the Jews in the synagogue, he focuses his ministry on the Gentiles, starting a church there with the group of young believers. In the midst of this pagan city with idolatry and demonic activity, there are many exorcists, and some decide to try and use the powerful name of Jesus as part of their "incantation." Listen in to hear wha...
May 21, 2017•37 min
As Paul concludes his second missionary journey and begins his third, we come across two stories recorded in Acts that reveal the difficulty of a church before the Bible. There were those who knew of John's teaching/baptism of repentance but hadn't full understood the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In the case of Apollos he was a powerful teacher and expositor of the Word, but thankfully was humble enough to be taught by Aquila and Priscilla. Even today, with the Bible easily accessible and ...
May 14, 2017•47 min
Paul moves on to Corinth and ends up staying for around 18 months. After all the pain and trials he has experienced on these missionary journeys, God gives him an amazing promise that he will be safe here, and can minister without the threat of being beaten, jailed, or attacked! During this time, he builds a strong friendship with local tentmakers Priscilla and Aquila. A young church is founded here, and grows as Paul turns his attention to the Gentiles as the Jews reject the message again in th...
May 07, 2017•40 min
Entering the last half of Acts chapter 17, Paul arrives in Athens, a city of great importance to Greek culture, architecture, learning, and religion. It is here that Paul goes to the marketplace and sees all the idols the Athenians worship and is urged within himself to share the gospel message to this heathen people. Pastor Steve uses this context to talk about the importance of bringing Jesus to the marketplace of today's ideas and how God wants to use us to share the message, understanding th...
Apr 30, 2017•43 min
