Risen Church Nc

Zacchaeus' pursuit of Jesus represents the longing in every heart for more than anyone or anything of this world can provide. From Luke 19 to Acts 17, this message shows us that we can find everything we need in a personal relationship with Jesus.

The story of Ezra represents a reset for the people of Israel and shows all of us how we too can find a fresh start through repentance and sensitivity to God.

Genesis 25 shows how God made the specific choice of Israel over all the rest of Abraham's children. Also, this text underscores the fulfillment found in a life devoted to God and the certainty of an afterlife.

The next step in the story of God's promise to bless Abraham's family turns out to preview an even greater story -- How God sent His Son into the world to find His Bride and bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

Most of us are superstitious about any number of things, even regarding what could affect our standing with God. Often we obsess or fixate on issues that condemn others, so as to elevate our own egos. All the while, what actually condemns us is our own self-centered, sinful hearts. Listen as we discuss our tendency to deflect our own sin by focusing on others'. Galatians 5 confronts the duplicity within every heart- the struggle between our flesh and God's Spirit - and calls us to surrender to the work that God can do within each one of us.

In this message, we consider how the widow of Luke 18 represents a believer whose hope is totally resting in Jesus, compared to those who hedge their bets and lean on this world for peace and confidence.

History may seem to be a series of disconnected events which have an equal chance to produce something good or bad. However, according to the Apostle Paul, history is actually a series of Providential events which God has orchestrated to further His Redemption Plan. Listen as Galatians 4 details how the advent of Jesus was preceded by specific actions that perfectly set the stage for His saving work and movement.

How would our lives be better if we too began looking forward, building towards, investing in Eternity more than this temporary world? What if we did what Hebrews 11 commends Abraham for doing, "looking for a city whose designer and builder is God”? What if saw ourselves as “exiles on this earth” and true citizens of Heaven? Might this attitude and outlook “cost us” in this life? Certainly - but should that be considered a bad thing? What if that’s actually a saving thing? What if our priorities and ambitions are actually misinformed and ill-inspired, where this world’s motives are distracting us from our Kingdom reward? Listen as we examine the attitude and mindset Abraham conducted himself with and learn how this should inspire and inform our daily activities and eschatological beliefs.

2000 years ago, many assumed Christianity was just Judaism 2.0- an evolution of the religious systems that held the world in hopeless bondage. In Galatians 2, the Apostle Paul argues how Christianity was truly a revolution, meant to replace all other would-be pathways to God. Listen and learn how Jesus promises and provides what no religion ever could.

In this message, we look at one of the earliest and greatest tests that God ever brought on someone. After waiting years for God to answer his prayers for a son, God finally provides - and then instantly asks Abraham to render the child back to Him. Listen as we wrestle with this test and seek out the purpose in our own.

In this message, we listen Jeremiah's lament over Jerusalem in the aftermath of its destruction. Filled with great sorrow, he finds comfort and perspective in God's sovereignty.

In Paul's most personal and passionate letter, he defines and defends the Gospel. Listen as Paul pours out his heart and shares his testimony, laying a clear foundation for what it means to be in an authentic relationship with God.

In this message we reflect on Abraham's imperfect journey as he learned what it meant to trust and follow the Lord. What is made obvious in his story - and any of our stories - is that God is the main character. He bears with our shortcomings and sin in order to magnify and underscore His grace. As His grace has its perfect work on us, we are progressively sanctified and discover our source of joy.

The story of King Saul is earmarked by unreached potential and repeated mistakes. Perhaps the most tragic part of it all is fate of his loyal son, Jonathan. In this message, we dig into the complicated relationship between father and son, and discover one of the greatest Christ-like examples in Jonathan. With all that went wrong for Jonathan and as unfair as his story went, he remained full of hope and trusted that God was still sovereign and good.

As we near halfway in our Genesis study, we take the opportunity to recap God's faithfulness to Abraham and the nature of the covenant He made with him. In this message we discuss the broader, longterm implications of the Abrahamic Covenant and how it is still in effect to this day. We discuss both the spiritual and terrestrial aspects of the covenant, with looks at Galatians 3 and Romans 11 with regards to how it applies to every generation since Abraham. Listen for insight about Israel's role throughout history and its purpose in God's eschatological plan.

Genesis 19 is one of the most infamous chapters in the Bible. The story of hostility, immorality, and compromise echoes thousands of years later. Overlooked by many, a similar scenario plays out within Israel's own borders a few generations afterwards. As we discover, this parallel story actually ties into the story of Sodom and Lot in multiple ways. Listen as we discuss the sin of Sodom, Lot's family, and one of the greatest redemption stories of all.

Life is full of letdowns. It can be hard to recover and bounce back from some of our toughest falls and failures. There are so many factors that influence how quickly any of us will be able to get back up. No matter how great the letdown and how difficult the recovery, could it be possible to look up immediately? Is there a way to find the strength and faith to look up to God, even when we're still navigating the fallout? In this message, we wrestle with life's greatest letdowns with the story of Joseph as our guide. We seek out the Goodness and Sovereignty of God which persists in spite of our struggles. Listen and discover how we can find the faith to always look up to Heaven's Light and be lifted up by God's own hand.

Every season of life is finite. Some may seem to last longer than others, but ultimately everything exists within a short window of time. In this message, the prophet Jeremiah brings one final warning to Judah, which nears the end of a long, grueling summer. After suffering from famine and pestilence, the outlook for the winter months appears grim. At this eleventh hour, a turnaround seemed unlikely. Listen as Jeremiah's message reminds us that our opportunities to serve and respond to God are likewise short. How is God trying to get your attention? What is He calling you to? How can we ignore the invitation of a lifetime?

Humanity has a long, complicated history of pretending to worship God, but all the while, we're really just worshipping ourselves. Since the beginning, we have been crafting idols and stamping God's name on them, insisting that we are living for Him, but our devotion and behavior suggests otherwise. In this message, we look at the infamous story of an impatient Israel at Mt. Sinai's base, wherein they rebel against the God who was actively delivering them. We see how God uses Moses to bring conviction regarding how they had replaced Him with golden calves. Although they asserted that they were still honoring God, they were actually wrapped up in the false promises of this world. We hear God's call to repentance and then hear Jesus outline what true repentance is and isn't. Listen as we consider these questions and more: - Why do we shift our trust to worldly leaders and systems? To objects, images, ideas? - Why can’t we imagine a life where our faith isn’t propped up, supported by, supplemented by m

In our final Passion + Purpose study, we discover the endgame of our Salvation. From justification to sanctification, the endgame of our maturation in Christ is the passion and purpose laid for us in Romans 14 and 15. Listen as we hold up our broken world to these passages and seek God's grace and truth to navigate us through these days. In this message we discuss: - How Christians have always been on the margins of society, culture, and political power and how Jesus instructs us to respond - How we might maintain our voice and maximize our witness, choosing to make a impactful difference rather than just make witty points - How the litmus test of our sanctification is found in our desire to and determination to love and serve others, especially those who are not like us - How we should continue to love and endure no matter what comes against us. Just as Christ bore our reproach, so we must bear one another's weaknesses