To listen to the full unabridged audio listen here: The Last Four Churches

We are picking up right where we left off in Revelation chapter 2. Last time, we covered the first three churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum. Today, we turn our attention to the final four.

In light of recent events in Minnesota and elsewhere regarding the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), I have seen many people cite Romans 13:1–7. It is often used as a “trump card” to end any argument. Too often, I think those citing the passage haven’t thought deeply about it or considered its original context. So, I revisited the text to consider again what Paul is actually arguing in the opening verses of chapter 13 in his magisterial letter to the Romans.

To listen to the unbridged message: God’s Kingdom Come - The Kingdom That Grows Small

There is a famous story about a little boy walking along a beach scattered with starfish that have washed ashore. As he walks, he bends down, picks up a starfish, and throws it back into the ocean. Over and over again, he does the same thing.

A grizzled old man approaches him and says, “You know you’re making no difference, right? There are far too many starfish. You can’t possibly save them all. What does it matter?”

The boy bends down, picks up another starfish, and replies, “It matters to this one.” And he throws it back into the sea.

It’s a story most of us have heard before, but it remains a powerful reminder of how easily we fall into all-or-nothing thinking. If we can’t fix everything, why do anything at all? If we can’t make a big dent, why bother with the small effort?

You can listen to the unabridged message here: God’s Kingdom Reorders Our Lives

Matthew chapter 5 opens what we often call the Sermon on the Mount. If you’ve ever read this section in a red-letter Bible, you know the feeling: suddenly the page looks packed, your eyes start swimming, and it can feel a little overwhelming.

This morning we’re focusing our attention on the opening 11 verses—the Beatitudes—as we continue our Epiphany series, God’s Kingdom Come. Each week we pray the Lord’s Prayer, asking:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

During this season we’re wrestling with a simple but challenging question: What are we actually praying for when we pray for God’s kingdom to come?

For the full unabridged audio check it out here: Revelation 2 - The First Three Churches

In this session of Beyond Sunday School, we turn our attention to Revelation chapters 2 and 3 and begin working our way through the letters to the seven churches. We won’t get through all seven at once, but we’ll start with the first three: Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum.

Before looking at each church individually, there are a couple of important reminders that shape how we read these chapters.

If you would like to listen to the whole unabridged version it is available here: The Kingdom Received

It was the middle of July in 2001. A couple of weeks earlier, Amy and I had been sitting in her doctor’s office for a routine appointment—ultrasound, measurements, all the usual things. At the end of the visit, the doctor looked at us and said, “I think it’s time for this baby to be born.” The baby was getting a little too big and needed to make an appearance.

This was our first child. We didn’t know the gender—we were doing the surprise thing—and suddenly we were nervous. But the doctor reassured us: “Don’t worry. We’ll schedule a time. You come in on this day, at this time, and we’ll get things started.”