
Hosted by Resurrection Life Church · EN
Grace-infused. Reformed. Sermons to discover the joy of belonging to Jesus.

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 11: 9-16. This week, our Forward-Looking Faith series focuses on the faiths of Abraham and Sarah. In Hebrews 11, the author uses Abraham and Sarah to make an important point: We are but pilgrims called to believe and receive God’s promises. Along this journey of faith, we are to look at God’s upcoming promises of eternal security and salvation like a warm greeting to a friend approaching your home. This is a challenge to all of us who rest in the security of our stuff, who place stability in temporal comforts, and who doubt God’s assurance for us.

SCRIPTURE: HEBREWS 11This week, we begin a new summer sermon series through Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 records several Old Testament men and women of faith who had assurance in things hoped for. That’s why we’re calling this summer sermon series “Forward-Looking Faith.”Each of those listed in Hebrews 11 lived many years before Jesus was born. However, their faith still points us to the greater realities of faith that we experience in our post-Resurrection lives. This week, we focus on the faith of three very early men of faith: Abel, Enoch, and Noah. These men lived so long ago that they exercised faith even before God chose Abraham and his descendants, the people of Israel.And yet, these very ancient examples of faith point us to wonderful realities today. I’m looking forward to journeying through this sermon series and considering what God is doing in our hearts now, and how that work anticipates a future filled with eternal hope in Jesus.

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 10:1-18. This week, as we continue in the Book of Hebrews, it feels a little like a broken record. Over and over again, the author reminds us that in the old covenant, sacrifices were offered over and over again. In contrast, he compares them to Jesus’ once-for-all and forever sacrifice on the cross. What’s behind this repetitious tension between the many and the one? We'll unpack that question on this podcast.

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 9: 1 - 15. This week, we explore one of the most important themes in the book of Hebrews: worshiping with a free and purified conscience. The effects of Jesus’ priestly ministry are all-encompassing, reaching even our inner faculties of thought, reason, and judgment.In Hebrews 9, the author shows how the old covenant required external rituals that could never truly reach the heart of the matter. Yet God has always been pursuing our hearts. The mediator of the new covenant, however, provides what the old could never accomplish: the cleansing of our consciences.The joy of being a Christian is so deep and overwhelming because our darkest and deepest guilt has been forgiven and removed. Jesus has conquered our conscience!

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 8This week, we dive into one of the more theologically rich developments in the Book of Hebrews. The consequences of Jesus being our kingly priest change everything. One of the biggest consequences is how we now understand God’s covenant with us. Through Jesus’ ministry and his current royal position beside the Father’s throne, he mediates a better covenant. That covenant means God’s law is written on our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. For God’s chosen people, transformed by his grace, how we are to live for Jesus is not something written on stone. It is written on our souls. God’s will for us becomes personal, intimate, and real.

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 7This week, we return to Hebrews and look to Jesus.Jesus is our fearless, timeless, and courageous leader who promises to be with us at all times. The words from Hebrews 7:25 ring throughout all time and space: “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” As sinners in need of redemption, what infinite hope we have in Christ! Jesus lives to make intercession for us. Regardless of our thoughts, lives, and attitudes, the power of Christ as our Royal Priest will never leave us or forsake us. Thanks be to God that we serve such a majestic and personal Savior! Listen closely to see how Jesus does indeed fulfill the eternal role of our kingly priest/priestly king.

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 6:24-27This week, we take a break from our series on Hebrews. Last week, the Preacher of Hebrews challenged us to stop being so dull of hearing and to grow up in the faith. At times, we need to hear this word. This week, however, Pastor Mark returns to a passage he has preached on before but not on this podcast. Numbers 6:24–27 is one of his favorite passages, partly because it provides so much comfort for us. Hear these words:The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.We hope and pray that as you listen, you will feel the Lord's comfort, peace, and protection.

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 5:11 - 6:3The tone of Hebrews 5:11–6:3 is among the most severe and serious within this book. These verses fall within a larger passage that serves as a slight off-topic diatribe. In the midst of preaching heavy-hitting theological points, he takes a moment to challenge his audience: Stop being so lazy! Grow up! You’ve been stuck taking Christianity 101 classes over and over again when you should actually be at the front of the class as the professor by now.These challenging words have convicted me this week, and I hope they challenge you as well. What does it mean for us to grow up in Christ—to truly mature? We are all at different stages of Christian development. However, one thing we all share is that we are on a path of growing in Christ. As believers, let’s grow up and go. Let’s take the feel and tone the author of Hebrews brought to his Roman-Jewish audience as motivation to take that next step of faith.

SCRIPTURE: John 5:1-18This Sunday we had the privilege of hearing from Matt Brouwer, youth pastor from Christ the King Church in Raleigh, NC. Matt brought a message from John 5:1-18, a story where Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 24:13-35 Though this week we are taking a brief pause from the Book of Hebrews, we are not stepping away from one of its central themes. Throughout Hebrews, the author is encouraging his audience to truly see Jesus—not with physical eyes, but with spiritual clarity. We cannot see Jesus physically; He is in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). And yet, we are commanded to fix our eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:2). This is the call of faith: to see Jesus with spiritual eyes. This weekend, we will listen to the testimony of those who did see Him—eyewitnesses of the resurrection. Their accounts confront us with a reality that demands a response. The historical evidence for the resurrection is overwhelming, and yet billions still do not believe. This podcast will be a time of reflecting on what it was like to see the physical Jesus, and how that gives shape to how we experience him today in faith. We’ll be focusing on a famous Bible story called “The Road to Emmaus,” recorded in Luke 24:13–35. After the resurrection, Jesus meets two mourning travelers and, for a time, purposefully and strategically keeps them from recognizing Him. But the good news is that Jesus reveals himself to His family, the Church. We can proclaim together at Easter that Jesus is risen; He is risen indeed! We believe this because we can spiritually see Jesus through faith.