Sacred Beyond Sunday
As believers we know we're supposed to hate sin, but why do we still find it so attractive? Why does holiness seem so unattainable and unnatural? In this message Stephen grapples with the difficult doctrine of sanctification and reminds us why, in order to become like Christ, we need God's help.
Know . . . Consider . . . Present
When you hear the word "theology," do you think of a stodgy old professor sitting at a candlelit desk with a dusty manuscript in his hand?! Theology just sounds, well . . . boring. But in this message, Stephen shows us why the study of God can and should be the most exciting study in the universe.
You Were There
The Apostle Paul once reprimanded the church in Corinth for their inability to receive meaty doctrines. The Roman church evidently didn't have the same problem. In Romans 6, Paul handed them a huge theological steak which probably took a long time to digest! Join Stephen now as we chew on this truth together.
Happy Are the Harassed
Only when we look at suffering through the lens of the gospel can we make any sense of it.
Happy Are the Helpful and Holy
The world says, "Blessed are those who never need a handout." Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are always willing to lend a hand." The world says, "Happy are those whose private perversion is never revealed." Jesus says, "Happy are those whose private purity is a daily resolution." Which voice are you heeding today?
Happy Are the Helpless and Hungry
How hungry are you for the things of God? How reliant are you on His Spirit for every good work? Jesus' Beatitude in Matthew 5:5-6 isn't just for preachers and missionaries. It is for every person who wears His name.
Blessed Are the Brokenhearted
Jesus didn't say, "Blessed are the pouters and complainers and whiners." He said, "Blessed are the brokenhearted." Stephen uncovers the difference between the two.
Blessed Are the Beggars
You won't find a more radical and countercultural speech in all of scripture than the one Christ gives in Matthew 5. In fact, you won't find a more countercultural speech in all of history. No philosopher has ever come close to replicating the beauty and sheer weight of Jesus' Beatitudes.
Transformed!
The Apostle Paul has been contrasting the life and legacy of the two most important men in history, Adam and Jesus, in Romans 5, and as Stephen wraps up his his study of that passage with this message, he'll cause us to question which of these men we're following: Adam, who disobeyed God, or Jesus, who obeyed God even to death?
Triumphant!
Have you ever thought about how many parallels there are to Calvary in the first few chapters of Genesis? There's the parallel between The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the cross . . . and there's the parallel between the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane . . . but the most important parallel, by far, is the contrast between the first sinless man in history, Adam, and the last sinless man in history, Christ. So join Stephen in this message as he continues to contrast Adam's vice with Christ's victory.