We often think things will fill our lives, but covetousness only leads to emptiness. Coveting is the “gap of desire” between our reality and our expectation of reality. The longer we live in this gap, comparison and discontentment settle into our hearts. We start to distrust God and our hearts become disordered, which can lead to a toxic life. But what if we started to rejoice with those who rejoice? What if we celebrated others and practiced gratitude, regularly giving thanks to God? When it comes to celebration and rejoicing with others, our feelings first follow our obedience. God’s word leads to true abundance.
Power of Words
November 26, 2023 • John Reilly • Exodus 20:16, Proverbs 18:21, Matthew 12:34–37, Genesis 3:1–8, 1 John 1:9
Before we speak, our words start in our heart. God created us to have power in our words because we were made in His image. God’s words are full of power, goodness, and life. We are willing to bear falsehood to hide from God and to try to control how others see us. We are afraid that we are the only ones who struggle with sin. Our words can bring healing into our lives if we’re willing to stand before God to confess our sins and thank Him for His mercy, grace, and faithfulness.
Buried Blessings
November 19, 2023 • Paul Hunter • Malachi 3:7–10, Exodus 20:15, Matthew 25:14–30, Luke 12:32–34, Haggai 1:2–6
We feel entitled to our time, talents, and money. We often think that we aren’t stealing because it’s our own. However, it was never ours to begin with. When it comes to stealing, we are confused about ownership, and we use our resources on ourselves. Because our view of God is distorted, we hoard our abundance. Our blessings are buried and we mismanage what God has given us. God calls us to live below our means in all areas of life so we may be a generous light and example of His generosity to others.
Faithful Marriage: More Than Good Intentions
November 12, 2023 • Dave D'Angelo • Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27–28, Matthew 6:22–23, Matthew 5:29–30, Galatians 5:19–21
Good intentions don’t determine our destination. The path we are walking on does. God deeply values marriage. When adultery occurs in a marriage, it betrays the emotional, physical, and psychological bond of oneness that a husband and wife are meant to share. Lust lies at the root of adultery and causes us to treat other people with contempt, not as valuable human beings but as objects. A turnaround in marriages is more about good intentions. It’s about changing the direction, taking steps, and serving one another repeatedly, just as Jesus serves us.
Guilty of Murder
November 5, 2023 • Amanda Beggs • Exodus 20:13, Matthew 5:17–22, James 3:7–10, 1 Timothy 1:15–16, Jeremiah 31:33–34
The 10 Commandments not only show us what God wants, they show us what God is like. We see throughout scripture that every person bears God’s image and has purpose. Every life has value. Sin destroys our ability to fully live up to the standard of what it means to image God. As followers of Jesus, we should be characterized as people who honor life, in all stages and situations. Our response to one another is our response to the image of God.
Hearts and Honor
October 29, 2023 • Dave D'Angelo • 2 Corinthians 5:17, Exodus 20:12, Luke 2:51, John 2:12, John 19:26–27
We are spiritual beings having a physical experience. With regenerated hearts, we look at things differently and live from the inside out, no longer driven by our flesh. The 10 Commandments are a path to freedom and flourishing. If we can’t honor our given family, how will we honor God? Honoring our father and mother keeps us in following Jesus. When we look at Jesus, we see that honor is respecting our parents and their authority. Honor involves being present, communicates appreciation, and provides for as opposed to always expecting from. When we live like Jesus, we live from the inside out.
The Gift of Rest
October 22, 2023 • Dave Buehring • Exodus 31:12–17, Matthew 11:28–30, Matthew 12:1–14, Exodus 20:8–11, Genesis 2:1–3
We often find ourselves caught in the relentless rush of life, fearing we'll be left behind. But God intends for us to honor the Sabbath and to trust Him with our time. We must allow God to guide us in incorporating rest into our lives intentionally. This includes seeking His presence, rejuvenating relationships, and finding mental and emotional rest. God wants us to live and lead in peace, joy, and health, with a deep sense of His presence and purpose in our lives.
Reverence for His Name: Living as God’s Loudspeaker
October 15, 2023 • Scott Stevens • Exodus 20:7, Genesis 1:1, Matthew 6:9–17, John 1:1–14, Philippians 2:9–11
In the beginning, God spoke creation into existence. Each time God speaks in scripture, we must take notice of His words of power and receive them in reverence. As followers, our sole purpose is to be a loudspeaker for His glory and name. The Third Commandment challenges us to respect the name of God and His character in all that we say and do.
10 Signs You've Made God Small
October 8, 2023 • Amanda Beggs • John 8:31–32, Colossians 1:15–20, Exodus 20:4–6, Exodus 32:1–6, Isaiah 55:8–9
We live in an age of customization where we can tailor things specifically to us. Some of us approach God the same way. We want to customize Him in our image and likeness. When we worship the God we want instead of the God who is, we trade genuine worship for counterfeit worship. Counterfeit worship will never lead us to the freedom and flourishing that God has designed for us. We must seek the God who is, stop looking at everything else, and start looking at Jesus.
Counterfeit Love
October 1, 2023 • Dave D'Angelo • 2 Timothy 4:3–5, Proverbs 29:25, John 5:41–44, Jeremiah 17:9, Exodus 20:1–3
In our culture, we love progress. We crave more and more of it. We often think if we aren’t progressing, we are regressing. By seeking to fulfill our own passions, we settle for any myth just to suit that appetite. God creates and Satan counterfeits. Love is becoming our idol. God is love, but love is not our God. God calls all of us to be living sacrifices. We must follow the words of Jesus and take everything to the cross, not the culture.
Not Just a List of Rules
September 24, 2023 • Dave D'Angelo • Exodus 6:7, Exodus 3:6, Exodus 19:4–6, Psalm 1:1–3
We all have a different posture and response when it comes to rules. Sometimes we view rules as whether they apply to us or not based on where we are in life. We must start seeing beyond our own perspective. When we see as God sees, then we start to do as God says. God gave us the 10 Commandments as a gift so we can flourish and be free as His people. In this new sermon series, we will be exploring the 10 Commandments, not just a list of rules, but instead an invitation to know a God who invites us into a life of freedom and joy.
