The Offense of the Cross
The cross is offensive. You will be tempted to make it less offensive. Don’t — or you will empty it of its power.
Oct 10, 2021•44 min
Reach Church
Reach Church
Reach is a church family scattered across the Seattle area, with a mission to Be the Church, and Reach the City. We meet every Sunday in Kirkland, WA and online at reachchurch.cc
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Episodes
Freed For ... ?
In contrast to much of our day and age, biblical Freedom is not living life without limits, always able to do whatever we want. Freedom is the ability to live within the commitment of love.
Oct 03, 2021•38 min
We Are Children of Promise
To hammer home his plea for us to live in the freedom Christ has provided for us, Paul uses some familiar Old Testament names to make an important point. When we make the effort to learn the stories behind the illustration, we might just find the healing we’ve been looking for.
Sep 26, 2021•42 min
Spiritual Stockholm Syndrome
(This sermon from "No Other Gospel" was preached on September 19th and was accidentally left unpublished.😊) As strange as it sounds, people often give up freedom to go back to slavery. What should we do when people we love are doing this? And what's the proper response when you realize YOU are doing this very thing?
Sep 19, 2021•42 min
Receive Your Inheritance
We used to be slaves. But God sent HIS son, so we could BE sons. Now we are heirs with an eternal inheritance, and the downpayment we get to enjoy NOW is the Holy Spirit.
Sep 12, 2021•40 min
Agitators & The Purpose of the Law
The purpose of the Law was to separate God's covenant people from the rest of world, to be a light to the nations through the promise of Abraham. Without understanding the Jewishness of Jesus, we rob ourselves of joy, create Gospel perversions, and rob God of His Glory.
Sep 05, 2021•43 min
The Blessing (and Curse) of the Cross
To free us from the curse, Christ became a curse for us. Beneath the scandal of this concept is deep assurance, and a glimpse of two things God cares about far more than we realize.
Aug 29, 2021•40 min
Supernatural or Superficial?
When Paul first mentions the Holy Spirit in his letter to the Galatians, he makes foundational declarations for our understanding of God to rest upon. Chief among them: our god is a god of miracles, and our faith is either supernatural or superficial.
Aug 22, 2021•40 min
The Wall, The Curtain and the Cross
Justification is all about being declared righteous, and getting to enjoy complete acceptance from God and God’s people. The “cross-shaped” gospel is the good news that Jesus has torn down what used to divide us — from God, and from one another.
Aug 15, 2021•44 min
The Virus of Hypocrisy, the Cure of Repentance
Hypocrisy is deeply hurtful, highly contagious, and a hindrance to the gospel. So, we take it seriously by giving and receiving loving correction as needed.
Aug 08, 2021•49 min
Remember the Gospel, Remember the Poor
When false teachers and false gospels come after your freedom, don't submit for even a moment. Cling to the freedom you have in the grace of Christ.
Aug 01, 2021•43 min
The Gospel is Changing Us
“What has Jesus changed about your life? Where in your life do you see an ongoing need for change?” Paul’s dramatic-change reveals the true gospel. Meeting Jesus is the beginning of a slow, imperfect walk toward Jesus, until we see Him face-to-face.
Jul 25, 2021•34 min
You Can't Serve Two Masters
It's impossible to be a people-pleaser and a servant of Christ at the same time. The delight God wants for us is sabotaged when we seek the approval of people instead of resting in the approval that is already ours through the Gospel. Time for a heart check.
Jul 18, 2021•44 min
Don't Turn Away
When Paul hears the churches in Galatia are being drawn away from the Gospel of grace, he channels his deep concern into a passionate plea to cling to the good news of Jesus. When voices distorting the Gospel rise up in our own lives, we must rise up as well.
Jul 11, 2021•59 min
The Church Seattle STILL Needs
Jonathan Rainey, chaplain for the Seattle Seahawks and UW football team, joins us to bring a word on "The Church Seattle STILL Needs". In June of 2019, Jonathan delivered us a powerful message on the kind of church Seattle needs, encouraging and equipping Reach to play its role in what God is doing in Seattle.
Jun 27, 2021•43 min
Rescue:Freedom x Reach
Jeremy Vallerand tells the story of Reach's partnership with Rescue:Freedom, a non-profit he leads, focused on ending sex trafficking around the word. Then he shares how Jesus, through the Gospel, invites all of us to experience freedom from the oppression of sin in our lives.
Jun 20, 2021•38 min
Parting Words to the Church that Raised Me
Nick Shafto shares his final words to us as part of the Reach staff: legacy does not hang upon your ability to execute the extraordinary, but to be fiercely committed to the ordinary.
Jun 13, 2021•35 min
Churches Planted
If you are passionate about people being saved, disciples being made, and cities being served, you should be passionate about church planting — whether you ever plant one yourself or not.
Jun 06, 2021•42 min
Cities Served
A large part of our vision is to be a church that serves our city. Not just one city, but every city where God has placed us. We are wildly committed to serving the hurting and marginalized, and we send people to do the same all around the world. You can expect Reach to be a place that consistently aims our arrows out, so we can be the church that our community actually needs.
May 30, 2021•51 min
Leaders Trained
Worldly leadership seems to be all about commanding. In contrast, Biblical leaders lead by equipping, inspiring, empowering, unifying, exemplifying, caring, and overseeing. They teach, shepherd, correct, rebuke, encourage with great patience. Listen as Reach elder, Dr. Gerry Breshears, joins us to share about our vision to see leaders trained.
May 23, 2021•37 min
Disciples Made
If there’s one thing that must be true of a faithful church, it’s that it must be a community where people learn to follow Jesus whole-heartedly. When Jesus commanded us to make disciples, it was for all of us, and it was for our joy.
May 09, 2021•30 min
People Saved
We are committed to being a church where those far from God are brought into God’s family...all the time. To see people saved we must know why people need saving — and we must be aware of the habits and attitudes that will stand in our way.
May 02, 2021•51 min
9 Final Thoughts on John’s Final Words
The Apostle John decides the best way to close his masterpiece is to complete the story of Peter. As Jesus speaks into his life he also speaks into ours. As we finish over two years in this gospel we are reminded — these stories are just a glimpse of all Christ did, and is yet to do in the season to come.
Apr 25, 2021•34 min
Doubt Like Thomas, Believe Like Thomas
For centuries, the Apostle Thomas has been known for his moment of doubt. A closer look at his place in scripture reveals a man of conviction worthy of imitation. May we doubt and believe like Thomas, and may we never reduce others to their biggest mistakes — for Jesus has not done so with us.
Apr 18, 2021•55 min
Sent with the Spirit
We are a “both/and” church. And nowhere is this more essential than in our commitment to Spirit AND Truth. Our desire to share the gospel of forgiveness will amount to nothing if we are not walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Apr 11, 2021•39 min
Never the Less...Never the Same (Easter 2021)
False narratives can be hard to shake — they must be replaced by a better story. When we humble ourselves, draw near, truly see the resurrected Jesus, and believe, that better story intersects with our own...and we are never the same.
Apr 04, 2021•41 min
Good Friday 2021
This Good Friday we shared in a special time together as a number of different faces from the Reach family guided us through the Stations of the Cross, as we reflected and meditated on Jesus' sacrifice through scripture and song.
Apr 02, 2021•47 min
The King is Buried
When Jesus is placed in the tomb, it seems like all hope is gone. But God does his best work in such times, and he uses minor characters to make major impact in the story of redemption.
Mar 28, 2021•29 min
Good News: Your Gospel Is Too Small (The 5S Gospel)
No matter who you are, Jesus is better and the good news of his Gospel is greater than you could ever imagine. Pastor Brian McCormack recently spoke at Reach College Group, using a whiteboard to walk us through the 5S Gospel framework. You're going to want to watch the video with this one. Our apologies for the audio issues.
Mar 25, 2021•1 hr 1 min
The King is Looked Upon
Everything changes when you look at Jesus on the cross, and instead of seeing something offensive, you see rescue and love.
Mar 21, 2021•28 min
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