In our Christmas Eve service, we read from Luke 2 about Jesus’ coming to the world. Johnny talks about the hardships of the journey to Bethlehem, the contrast of Caesar Augustus and Mary, and the glory of God, come to bring good news to shepherds.
In our final week of the All In campaign, we read in Matthew 16 how the Church, both local and global, was Jesus plan for his glory on earth. Johnny breaks down what it means for Peter to be the rock the Church is built on, discusses the responsibilities of the local and global church, and what the Church needs to do today.
This week in Matthew 5, we learn about the importance of God’s presence in our secular world. Johnny dives into Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, how we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and how our impact and place as God’s kingdom on earth is to be God’s presence in this world but not to be of this world.
To learn more about the All In campaign, click here.
Unfortunately, the sermon did not record through our system, and as a result the audio quality is not as expected. We apologize.
This week in John 1, we hear about the importance of place in the Bible, and the role it plays in our church. Johnny discusses the places relevant to the story of Jesus, such as Jerusalem, and how we can apply these same ideas to our place in Vienna.
To learn more about the All In campaign, which would allow us to cement our place in Vienna, click here.
As we continue in the All In campaign, we walk through the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke. Johnny talks about the character of the Lawyer, the nuances of how Jesus responds to the questions, and the value and importance of presence in the ancient world and in today’s culture.
To Learn more about the All In campaign, click here.
As we enter into the All In campaign to prepare for the future of the church, we hear about the instructions that God gave to the Israelites in exile. Johnny talks about God’s command to put down roots in Babylon, how this can be applied to our current lives, and the importance of our role in Vienna and the greater surrounding area.
To learn more about the All In campaign, click here.
This week, we learn how to be generous as a church community. Johnny talks about problem of Peter’s separation from the Gentiles on Galatians 2, and how this story is applicable to our current day lives. At the end, Johnny sits down with Rod Nuñez and Juan Esteban Saravia to have a conversation about cultural differences.
This week, we learn how to lead a generous life by looking at the examples of the first churches. Johnny talks about the modern day problem of greed, the traditions of giving in ancient Israel and the early church, and compares those traditions with our giving practices today.
After learning about our generous God, we learn how to demonstrate both generosity and humility in our own lives. Johnny walks through the value of humility and generosity, our natural desire for glory with God, and how real generosity can ultimately be achieved.
The story of the Bible is of a generous Creator God who fills the creation with his blessing and abundance. God invites us to trust him by receiving, enjoying, and sharing all that he has given us. But we struggle with doubt, buying into the myth of scarcity that pervades every culture. As a result we act out of fear, getting and taking, even hoarding, to protect ourselves. But God wants us to experience the Sabbath mindset of rest and joy in the life he has created and the fullness of life he offers us in his Son Jesus.
To Watch the Bible Podcast on The Generous God Video Click Here
To Read the Essay: Liturgy of Abundance, Myth of Scarcity, by Walter Brueggemann, Click Here
King David, the most powerful, talented, and famous person in Israel writes in Psalm 131 that he is not arrogant or ambitious–he is not trying to play God. But he is calmed and quieted in his soul, like a just fed infant resting on his mother. How is this so? Because he looks to God, not to others (in comparison), nor even to himself, to assure him. And he calls Israel, and us, to do the same.
The basis for what we believe, how we interpret the world around, and how we live is our “Authority.” Every person, and every culture, has authorities–and for each one of us something is the ultimate foundation of our lives. The modern world says to look inside yourself, you are the determiner of your life. But the psalmist in Psalm 119 calls us to look to God as revealed in his Word written. A life under the authority of God, grounded in his Word, is the life of wisdom, that allows us to walk in God’s ways, transforming our wants and loves.
Everybody worships something. The worship found in Psalm 95, however, is the only true worship that can satisfy. Using the psalmist’s descriptions as a guide, Johnny walks through how Christians can better conduct our worship. The psalm calls us to shout with joy, bow down, and kneel- make worship more than merely intellectual.
Psalm 84 is a “Pilgrimage Psalm” encouraging the faithful as they travel to Jerusalem to celebrate the prescribed Feasts. The psalmist describes his powerful longing to be in the Temple, in the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel. He is passionate in his love for God’s house and the whole direction of his life, not just his pilgrim journey, is aimed godward. He knows, as we all are encouraged to remember, that God meets us in physical time and space, in locations, like the Temple, in a person–Jesus, and as we gather as his people in the local church.