In 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Paul writes to Timothy some words of encouragement and reminder about what is really important. Rather than quarreling about words, Timothy and the church people he serves should hold fast to the eternal Word of God, Jesus Christ. How can this passage transform the way we use words in our everyday lives? Listen in to Pastor David’s sermon on this topic:
Carrying the Baton
This week, we begin a study of 2 Timothy, a letter from Paul to a young church leader who is charged with “carrying the baton” of Christian faith into a new generation. With whom do we identify, Paul or Timothy? How should we run the race? And how does this metaphor affect our daily lives? Listen in to Pastor David’s sermon on 2 Timothy 1:1-14 by clicking the link below:
Prayer Changes Us: Supplication
In this final message during the month of “Septem-prayer,” Pastor David preaches on Psalm 34, an acrostic psalm in which each verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. How can this psalm transform the way in which we pray for specific needs? How should our prayer lives be more full than simply praying for the sick, grieving, or discouraged? Listen in to yesterday’s sermon:
Prayer Changes Us: Thanksgiving
This week, Pastor David walks us through Psalm 30, a prayer of thanksgiving. We often express our thankfulness to God for various blessings, but giving thanks should be transformative for us, not simply an afterthought that we direct toward God. How does this psalm – written for the dedication of the temple – change our attitude toward thanksgiving? Listen in:
Prayer Changes Us: Confession
King David’s well-known Psalm 51 is a prayer of confession that came after some terrible, sinful actions on his part. This prayer stands as an example of the spiritual value of confession in our lives. Why do we confess sin? How do we go about it? Pastor David helps us think about these issues by preaching on this psalm:
Prayer Changes Us: Adoration
In this first of a series of four messages on the topic of prayer, Pastor David walks us through what Psalm 139 says about the nature of God. These attributes of God are praiseworthy and can transform how we go about praying. How should our prayer lives be oriented? Listen in to yesterday’s message by clicking this link. (Please note: Pastor David was fighting off a stomach bug during the service, so this message is shorter and “lower-key” compared to normal.)
A Life of Sacrifice
The book of Hebrews concludes with a series of exhortations, calling the church to conduct itself in specific ways. Each of these encourages believers to give up something else of value: a sacrifice in the truest sense of the term. How does Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 connect to our everyday lives – and to our memory of faithful Christians who have run the race before us? Listen to Pastor David’s message by clicking this link:
Approach With Caution
How should God’s covenant with us affect our worship of God? Hebrews 12:18-29 contrasts the covenant scene of the Ten Commandments with our current situation in Christ. In very dramatic language, scripture calls us to approach the Lord with caution, for “our God is a consuming fire.” Listen to Pastor David’s message on this passage, which prepared the Mt. Haley congregation for the Lord’s Supper:
All or Nothing
This Sunday was a special day: three of our young people were baptized during the morning service! In this sermon, which came immediately before the baptisms, Pastor David preached on Hebrews 11:29-12:3, a passage that encourages us to remember that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Listen in to this message on how God calls us to be faithful to him in all circumstances:
Looking Forward
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 describes the nature of faith and illustrates faith through the example of Abraham. God promised Abraham both land and descendants, but Abraham never saw the fulfillment of either of those promises. And yet he looked forward to a heavenly city built by God. What does this have to do with hope in today’s world? How should we view heaven – and how should we view earth? Click here for Pastor David’s message on this passage.