February 18, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 1
This sermon discusses how believers are created for greatness through aligning their lives with God's purposes. He emphasizes the importance of surrendering to Christ, confessing sins, and trusting in God's promises to cultivate greatness. By living a life of excellence and focusing on serving God, believers can fulfill their potential for greatness. Dr. Schwarzentraub encourages believers to align their desires with God's and trust in His power and guidance for a life of significance.
God Given Vision
February 25, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 2:1–10
Pastor Jeff discusses the significance of receiving a clear vision from God, emphasizing the need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ for guidance. Using Nehemiah’s story, he illustrates how a God-given vision leads to purposeful living. He outlines five truths about such visions, including the importance of sharing burdens, seeking help, being prepared for obstacles, and trusting in God’s provisions and protection. Dr. Schwarzentraub urges the congregation to embrace their burdens, trust in God's faithfulness, and step out in faith towards fulfilling their visions.
Getting Started
March 3, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 2:11–20
Jesus confronted the brokenness of the world by healing the sick and marginalized, showing them the way to hope and restoration. He called people to repentance and transformation, offering forgiveness and salvation through a relationship with God. Followers of Christ are challenged to do the same by confronting brokenness, pointing others to Jesus for healing, and being agents of reconciliation empowered by the Holy Spirit. By stepping out in faith and love, we can make a lasting impact in the world and bring the light of Christ into the darkness.
Forward Progress
March 10, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 3
This week's sermon stresses serving God wholeheartedly and working together as a church. Pastor Jeff emphasizes worship, commitment, and humility using Nehemiah's rebuilding of the wall as an example. Believers are urged to serve without delay or seeking recognition, prioritizing God's work over personal desires. The overarching message is that everyone has a role in God's kingdom, and progress is achieved through devoted service.
Increased Opposition
March 17, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 4:1–11
This week's sermon focuses on how Christians face more challenges as they grow in faith. When opposition escalates as we following God, it should encourage our reliance on prayer and wisdom and emphasizes the importance of standing firm in faith despite challenges. Believers are urged to trust in God's strength and remain steadfast in their allegiance, even when faced with discouragement.
Missional Momentum
April 7, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 4:12–23
This weeks sermon emphasizes preparing Godly families for opposition, rejecting fear by trusting God's power, adapting tactics to reach people in the current culture, and encouraging unity and wholehearted participation in missions. Pastor Jeff uses Nehemiah's story to illustrate the importance of commitment, sacrifice, and unity in serving God. Believers are challenged to live fully for Jesus and be actively engaged in fulfilling the mission of making disciples. The sermon underlines the Church's central role in reaching nations and calls for believers to be spiritually strong, trusting, adaptable, united, and wholehearted in their dedication to Jesus' mission.
Internal Conflict
April 21, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 5
The sermon highlighted Jesus as the ultimate example of living out God's truth, love, and service to others. It emphasized the importance of reflecting on Jesus' teachings to resolve conflicts within ourselves. Believers were encouraged to be champions of God's word, contagious in their witness, and conscientious in their work. The sermon guided listeners to seek reconciliation through the sacrificial love of Jesus and to actively involve God in resolving conflicts in their lives.
Choosing Hope
April 28, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 6
The sermon "Choosing Hope" focuses on maintaining hope by staying faithful to God's mission, identity, word, and integrity despite challenges. Using the story of Nehemiah as an example, the sermon emphasizes the importance of standing firm in faith and commitment to God's calling. It encourages believers to trust in God's ability to bring hope and victory even in the face of opposition and discouragement. Ultimately, the sermon reminds listeners that with God's help, they can overcome obstacles and fulfill God's purpose in their lives.
Continued Building
May 5, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 7
Pastor Jeff's sermon "Continued Building" emphasizes perseverance in faith, using Nehemiah's story to highlight the importance of following God's vision despite opposition. The sermon underscores the necessity of godly leadership, faithfulness to God's plan, and recognizing the significance of each individual's contribution to God's work. Ultimately, the sermon urges the congregation to glorify God, await heavenly unity, and continue building their faith in accordance with God's vision.
Faithful Proclamation
May 12, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 8
Pastor Jeff's sermon "Built to Last" underscores the significance of faithful proclamation in creating a biblical community. He explores the impact of Nehemiah 8:1-18, where unity arises from hearing and obeying God's word. Schwarzentraub stresses the role of consistent study and practice of the Scriptures, supporting male leadership in teaching, and the necessity of a worshipful response to God's message. Ultimately, he urges the congregation to find true joy, strength, and obedience in faithfully proclaiming God's word.
God-Centeredness
May 19, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 9
The sermon began with reading scripture from the book of Genesis, specifically focusing on God's creation of Adam and Eve. The preacher delved into the profound meaning of being created in the image of God, emphasizing that mankind was uniquely designed to reflect God's character. He emphasized that all humans have intrinsic worth, dignity, and the capacity for good because they bear God's image. Pastor Jeff then spoke about how sin distorts God’s image in us. He walked us through the implications of the Fall, the event where Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation in the Garden of Eden. He reminded us that this initial sin tarnished the image of God in us, leading to an inclination towards resentment, jealousy, anger, and lies. However, he ended on a note of hope, saying that through acknowledgement of sins, genuine repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ, we could once again mirror the image of God and restore our original design.
Covenant Renewal
May 26, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 10
Pastor Jeff urges believers to prioritize God, emphasizing the importance of taking a stand for future generations, building strong families grounded in faith, obeying all of God's commands, and faithfully serving the church with generosity. By renewing their commitment to God and living out their faith intentionally, believers can experience God's blessings and pass on a legacy of faith to future generations.
Difference Makers
June 9, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 11:12–26
Pastor Jeff delivered a sermon titled "Difference Makers" in the series "Built to Last," emphasizing the importance of impacting future generations and being a light for God. He encouraged believers to use their gifts to build up the body of Christ and serve willingly and joyfully. The sermon highlighted biblical examples of difference makers and the value of those who serve behind the scenes. Dr. Jeff concluded by honoring the faithfulness of previous generations and calling the congregation to reflect on their spiritual foundation.
Necessary Pauses
June 16, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 12:27–47
Pastor Jeff's sermon "Necessary Pauses" emphasizes the importance of taking breaks to refocus on God's work, using examples from Nehemiah's dedication of Jerusalem's wall and Jesus' prioritization of relationship with God. Key points include confession and repentance, joyful celebration and generosity, and consecration to live differently for God. The sermon urges the congregation to pause amidst busyness, seek purity before God, give generously, and separate from worldly influences, drawing from biblical passages and stories to highlight these themes.
House Rules
June 23, 2024 • Dr. Jeff Schwarzentraub • Nehemiah 13
Pastor Jeff's sermon "House Rules" in the "Built to Last" series focuses on God's guidelines for His house, emphasizing the need to follow these rules to experience lasting favor and legacy. The sermon starts with a prayer for guidance in living according to God's word and stresses the importance of separating from ungodly influences and surrounding oneself with believers. Specific rules for God's house are discussed, including being distinct, serving generously, honoring God's law, and prioritizing marriage and family. The key message is to obey God's house rules diligently to receive His blessing, leave a lasting legacy, and live in alignment with His truth.
