Wait Till I Get My Money Right | Cash Rules Everything Around Me (C.R.E.A.M.) | March 5

Sermon by Michael Bailey on March 5, 2023.

The Bible, and Jesus in particular, have an awful lot to say about money and resources. One commentator says there are over 2,000 references to material wealth in Scripture. Jesus spoke more about money than he did about faith and prayer combined. In fact, Jesus goes so far as to say that our approach to money is a primary indicator of the health of our hearts.

So how do we think and live well with our money? How can we learn from Scripture to get our financial house in order and, in the process, help our hearts to flourish in the Kingdom of God?

WEEK 1 HOMEWORK

Spend some time reflecting and journaling through the questions below. If you are married, then discuss these questions with your spouse.

• What is your financial story? How does your family treat money?

• Where have you experienced seasons of financial strength or hardship?

• What is your overall perspective and attitude towards money (Do you want more of it? Does it make you scared or nervous? Do you stress out because of it? Etc.)? 

• What purchases do you make to fill a perceived need in your life? Where are you tempted to overspend?

• Read Luke 12:15-21. What do you think it looks like to be rich toward God? If someone looked at your bank account, would they naturally conclude that you are rich toward God? Why or why not? 

• Read Luke 12:32-34. What does it mean to provide yourself with treasures in heaven? Where are you sacrificing potential treasures here on earth in order to send your treasure forward to heaven? How might you grow in generosity through this series?

• Are there any beliefs, attitudes, or actions you currently have regarding money that you know are unhealthy or sinful? Where do you hope to see your life grow in light of this series?

• This week, regularly ask God to remind you that your identity is found in him, with true security and significance

Upon This Rock | Forever and Ever, Amen | February 26

Sermon by Brandon Clements on February 26, 2023.

Scripture does not tell us how Peter’s life ended, but we are told in John 21 by Jesus the kind of death Peter would die. Somebody would stretch out his arms, and he would be crucified just like his Lord for preaching the gospel. In the end, Peter lived what he told us in 1 Peter 5. His last act was an act of humbling himself before the Lord. As he suffered and died, he cast his anxieties on the one he knew cared for him. He knew that crucifixion was the way Jesus conquered Satan, so he was okay with facing the same fate and even facing execution through a wooden cross. He knew he wasn’t the only one. Other friends, disciples, and, most importantly, his Lord had already walked that path. What a beautiful example for us to follow. What a solid foundation for us to build our lives.

Upon This Rock | The Bad Won’t Last Forever | February 19

Sermon by Andrew Flowers on February 19, 2023.

In light of 1 Peter 5:10, suffering does not have the final word. Nothing bad lasts forever if you are in Christ. So what does it look like to remember this and rehearse our hopes?

Upon This Rock | Know You Are Not Alone | February 12

Sermon by Michael Bailey on February 12, 2023.

The second half of 1 Peter 5:9 reminds us we are not alone in our suffering. While the devil wants to isolate us in our pain, the good news is we belong to a vast family of Christians throughout the world who have faced the same struggles and more.

Upon This Rock | Resist Him, Firm in Your Faith | February 5

Sermon by Michael Bailey on February 5, 2023.

In 1 Peter 5:9, the call for us to resist Satan and stand firm means that, in Christ, we are not helpless against Satan, addiction, long-term sin patterns, or against anything. So what does that look like practically?

Upon This Rock | Watch Out for the Lion | January 29

Sermon by Brandon Clements on January 29, 2023.

In 1 Peter 5:8, we’re given some sobering news: a powerful, spiritual enemy seeks to destroy you. If we knew just how deceptive this enemy was, how would we live differently than we are now?

Upon This Rock | Cast All Your Anxieties on Him | January 22

Sermon by Brandon Clements on January 22, 2023.

The second command Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:6-11 is to “cast your anxieties on Him.” The invitation here is to put all of our cares into perspective, to hand them off to someone capable of sustaining you, even when the cares feel overwhelming.

Upon This Rock | Humble Yourselves | January 15

Sermon by Brandon Clements on January 15, 2023.

Peter's first command in 1 Peter 5:6-11 is "humble yourselves." Humility is the posture of not seeking to sinfully elevate yourself over others. This passage says that if you go in the direction of humility, that's the path of blessing, flourishing, and wholeness.

Upon This Rock | January 8

Sermon by Brandon Clements on January 8, 2023.

Finding your way towards spiritual health in the chaos of modern life can prove quite difficult, and when you survey the landscape of mental health in our culture things don't get any rosier. It can feel like solid ground to stand on is hard to come by, so we are taking a season to study and meditate on five simple verses that offer a robust Christian worldview pulled from the life of Peter--a place to stand against the winds and lies around us--not only so we can stand, but so we can offer much needed hope and stability to those in our neighborhoods and workplaces.

Advent 2022 | The Song of Simeon | December 18

Sermon by Michael Bailey on December 18, 2022.

For our final week of Advent, we look at the song sung by Simeon in Luke 2. For Simeon, the expectation to see the Messiah has finally arrived. As followers of Jesus, what would it look like we lived in that same hope-filled expectation?

Advent 2022 | The Song of Angels | December 11

Sermon by Brandon Clements on December 11, 2022.

This week we look at the song sung by the angels in Luke 2 and what it means that Jesus brings us peace. This song points us not only to a baby in a manger but to a future ruling and conquering King.

BAPTISM STORIES

Advent 2022 | The Song of Zechariah | December 4

Sermon by Michael Bailey on December 4, 2022.

This week we examine the song sung by Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. At first glance, it seems like this is a poem about an exuberant father celebrating the birth of his child, but as we’ll see, there’s a lot more going on.

Advent 2022 | The Song of Mary | November 27

Sermon by Brandon Clements on November 27, 2022.

Advent is typically when the historic church all across the world takes four Sundays before Christmas to anticipate and remember how Jesus came into the world to save the world and how one day He’s going to come back.

For this Advent series, we’ll look at the four poems or “songs” that make up Jesus’ birth story in Luke 1-2. This week we look at the first “song”: the song of Mary.

Celebration Sunday | November 20

This week, we celebrate what God is doing through our city and our Family of Churches as hear baptism stories in our church family.

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Baptism Stories

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Acts Part 2 | The Story Continues | November 13

Sermon by Andrew Flowers on November 13, 2022.

The story of Acts doesn’t exactly conclude the way we would expect. That’s because God’s story is still being written. His Kingdom is still going forward. His Church is still growing. For this week, we’ll examine the last chapter of Acts and how God wants us to help play a part in writing His story.

Acts Part 2 | The Storm and the Shipwreck | November 6

Sermon by Michael Bailey on November 6, 2022.

In Acts 27, Paul sets sail to share the gospel in Rome only to later find himself shipwrecked. For this week, we’ll look at how Paul’s able to be a “non-anxious presence” in the midst of it all and how we can learn to do the same.

Acts Part 2 | Living in the Dash | October 30

Sermon by Michael Bailey on October 30, 2022.

In Acts 20, Paul is giving what we’ve often called a “gospel goodbye” - saying goodbye for the sake of God’s mission. For this week, we’ll look at some things Paul says about himself, in the hopes that one day we might be able to say them, too.

Acts Part 2 | The Church in Ephesus | October 23

Sermon by Michael Bailey on October 23, 2022.

This week we look at Acts 19, where Paul shares the gospel in the city of Ephesus. The gospel becomes so disruptive to the town that a riot occurs in the church planting process. So what does it look like today to allow the gospel to disrupt our lives?

Acts Part 2 | The Church in Athens | October 16

Sermon by Jake Blair on October 16, 2022.

This week we look at Acts 17. In this chapter, Paul finds himself in a city called Athens as he is asked to provide a reason as to why anyone might trust Jesus and become a Christian. So what’s Paul’s strategy and how might we learn from him when it comes to sharing Jesus with others?

Acts Part 2 | The Church in Philippi | October 9

Sermon by Jake Blair on October 9, 2022.

This week we look at Acts 16 and the unusual circumstances surrounding the church planted in Philippi. As a church on mission, what can we learn from Paul’s strange encounters?