Sunday Morning Podcast | The Moody Church

1 Kings 18:30–39  Though fear grips tight, faith can take root. What threatens to undo us can become the ground where trust in God grows strong. Elijah’s experience with fear provides several lessons for the church today on how to endure anxieties and setbacks. Discover how our Father in heaven responds to our emotional vulnerability.  1. Fear is normal.  2. Fear interrupts faith. 3. Fear cannot revoke your calling.  Takeaway: Fear is the opportunity to experience God’s comfort, restoration, and guidance. Spiritual strength is grounded in unwavering dependence upon God.

Acts 9:1–31 In a striking reversal, the persecutor became the persecuted, displaying the Gospel’s power. Only the risen Christ could turn an enemy into an ambassador. Saul’s Conversion • The Gospel confronts and consoles. Saul’s Community • The Gospel changes and challenges. Saul’s Commission • The Gospel compels and confounds. Takeaways: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” –Romans 1:16a

Acts 8:26–40 Ever feel too broken or unworthy for God? In Jesus, the outsider is embraced, the cut-off are welcomed, and joy overflows. A Divine Appointment• God is going out of His way in pursuit of the Ethiopian Eunuch through Philip. A Spiritual Pilgrimage• This Ethiopian Eunuch's longing for hope is riddled with pain. A Gospel Breakthrough• In Jesus, this Ethiopian Eunuch is fully welcomed. Takeaways:• The Gospel is for you.• Jesus is our way in.• “What prevents me from being baptized?”

Acts 8:1–25 When chaos scatters God’s people, does evil win? In Jesus’ hands, persecution spreads the Gospel, reconciles people, and cultivates humility. The Redeemer• Persecution in Jesus’ hands becomes Gospel-propulsion. The Healer• Estrangement in Jesus’ hands becomes Gospel-reconciliation. The Teacher• Ego in Jesus’ hands becomes Gospel-humility. Takeaways: Put it all in Jesus’ hands

In the darkest persecution, Jesus stands with those who stand for Him. Stephen's witness and martyrdom revealed God’s glory, sparking unstoppable faith. THE FIRST MARTYRActs 6:8–7:60 Stephen's ChargesBlasphemy against Moses, God, Temple, and Law. His DefenseThe real blasphemy is rejection of Jesus Messiah. His WitnessStephen sees and shines Jesus as his final testimony. Takeaways:Standing for Jesus has never been easy. Jesus stands with the ones who stand for Him. Our greatest sermon is our Christlikeness. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. To live is Christ, and to die is gain.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""] What if conflict strengthened the church? The early church’s growing pains led to Spirit-filled unity that empowered diverse leaders and multiplied impact.The ProblemThe Problem: Distortion & Distraction The SolutionThe Solution: Integrity & Intentionality The ResultThe Results: Mutuality & Multiplication Takeaway: The more we become what we believe, the more the world beholds the Gospel’s beauty.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

A Weird Prologue The story begins with the sons of the prophets, a humble community serving the Lord. When a borrowed iron axe head falls into the Jordan, Elisha miraculously makes it float. Though small and strange, this miracle shows that God cares deeply for the problems of ordinary people—even when those problems don’t affect history. God delights to bless and intervene, no matter how insignificant our crises may seem.  A Blind King The king of Syria repeatedly tries to ambush Israel’s king, but Elisha warns him each time. Frustrated, the Syrian king suspects betrayal, until he learns that Elisha, God’s prophet, reveals his plans. Blind to reality, the king foolishly attempts to capture Elisha. His blindness highlights not physical sight but a failure to grasp God’s power and sovereignty.  A Blind Servant and a Blind Army Elisha’s servant panics when they are surrounded by the Syrian army. But Elisha prays, and God opens the servant’s eyes to see an unseen angelic host of fiery chariots all around. Elisha

Be encouraged you have reasons to rejoice. Believers are commanded to rejoice always. Joy is deeper than happiness and is not dependent on circumstances but rooted in remembering what we have in Christ. In Him we have acceptance, adoption, forgiveness, hope, grace, salvation, love, and the sealing of the Spirit. Remembering these truths fuels rejoicing and brings encouragement.Be encouraged you have access to God. Prayer is ongoing communication with God and an awareness of His presence and dependence on Him. We are told to pray without ceasing, trusting that God always hears and answers, even when the answer is “no.” Through the Holy Spirit we are taught, strengthened, and guided. Prayer is like spiritual breathing, sustaining our relationship with God.Be encouraged in everything. God calls us to give thanks in all circumstances. Even in trials and hardships, we can trust His sovereignty and power. Every situation is used for our sanctification, shaping us to serve and share. Nothing is too great for God; wh

Jesus and the Agony of an Unanswered PrayerMark 14:32–42Pastor Erwin Lutzer Four Questions That Beg for an Answer1. What was the Cup?2. Who Gave Him the Cup?3. What was Jesus’ Request?4. What was Jesus’ Response? Five Lessons for our own prayer life1. Today’s prayerless Christians are tomorrow’s backsliders2. Unanswered Prayers are not unheard prayers3. Our “cup” must be accepted from the hands of God4. Our Redemption was founded on an unanswered prayer5. Jesus was abandoned so we will always be welcomed

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]How well are you sleeping these days? Pain is God’s wake-up call to the soul (Psalm 32:1-4)Sin damages us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. David describes how unconfessed sin drained his strength and joy. Pain, though often normalized in our culture, is God’s loving pressure to alert us that we’ve strayed from His truth and need to return to Him. Confession is the doorway to forgiveness (Psalm 32:5)Confession means fully acknowledging our sin without excuses or blame-shifting. David resolved to stop hiding and honestly admit his wrongs to God. This wholehearted honesty opens the door to God’s mercy and releases us from guilt’s grip. Forgiveness lifts the burden of guilt and brings the joy of salvation (Psalm 32:6-7)When we confess, God removes the threat of judgment and becomes our refuge. His forgiveness doesn’t necessarily change our circumstances, but it turns groaning into praise and shelters us in times of trouble. Salvation is the heart of our worship a

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Sanctification: For YouSanctification—becoming more like Christ—is God’s will for every believer. It's not about earning salvation but about growing in holiness because we've been saved. This growth, empowered by the Holy Spirit, includes developing self-control, especially in the area of sexual purity. Paul calls believers to abstain from all sexual immorality and to live in holiness and honor. Temptation often looks good, but trusting God's voice over our desires is key. Self-control reflects faith and prepares us for eternity. Though we stumble, sanctification is a lifelong process that doesn't undo our justification. Believers fall into three groups: the complacent, the discouraged, and the gospel-centered. Each is reminded that God is patient, just, and faithful to complete the work He began.  Sanctification: For OthersSanctification is not just personal—it’s missional. Paul lists six areas where our growth in holiness impacts others:Holy Sexuality – Purity honor

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]The early church was growing rapidly, marked by unity, generosity, and powerful witness. But as momentum built, a new threat emerged, not from external persecution, but from within the community itself. Ananias and Sapphira’s deceit revealed a spiritual attack designed to corrupt the church from the inside. This passage confronts us with sobering questions about holiness, sin, and the seriousness with which God protects His people. What is going on here?The early church is under spiritual attack from within.As the church grew rapidly in unity and generosity, Satan shifted his tactics from external persecution to internal sabotage. While believers were sacrificially caring for one another, Ananias and Sapphira conspired to lie about their offering. Motivated by pride and a desire for recognition, they pretended to give the full amount from a land sale while secretly keeping part back. Their deceit wasn’t just a personal sin, it was a direct lie to the Holy Spirit and a

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]The Book of Acts reveals how the life of Jesus is unstoppable, advancing through His people despite every form of opposition. Acts 5:17–42 answers the question of how Jesus works through us to change the world, showing a divine partnership between God’s power and our participation. This passage presents four key ingredients that demonstrate how we join Jesus on His mission. 1. Unexpected PowerThrough weakness, God reveals His strengthIn Acts 5, the apostles are imprisoned by jealous religious leaders for boldly preaching about Jesus. But during the night, an angel miraculously releases them and instructs them to return to the temple and keep proclaiming the message. Despite their weakness and powerlessness, God demonstrates His strength by freeing them and continuing His work through them. The apostles’ imprisonment becomes the stage for God’s unexpected and undeniable power. - Through weakness, God reveals His strength 2. Undaunted WitnessThrough obedience, God displ

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Boldness For JesusActs 4:1–31Pastor Philip Miller In our secular, pluralistic culture, there is constant pressure to keep our faith private and stay silent about Jesus. But this goes against His commission to make disciples of all nations, we are called to boldly share the Good News. True boldness for Jesus must be gracious, loving, and rooted in a desire to speak the truth with humility and courage. Saving NameJesus is the only Name that saves.Peter and John boldly proclaimed that Jesus is the only Name that saves. Even when arrested and brought before the same powerful leaders who condemned Jesus, they declared that the crippled man was healed by Jesus Christ of Nazareth, crucified and risen. Peter explained that Jesus is the Cornerstone, rejected by people but essential for salvation, because there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. They found courage knowing that Jesus alone perfectly bridges the infinite gap between sinful humanity and a hol

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Signs Of The TimesActs 3:1–26Pastor Philip Miller At the end of Acts 2, the early church is growing rapidly through the Apostles’ preaching and miraculous signs. Acts 3 zooms in on one specific miracle, a lame man healed at the temple gate, which serves as a powerful sign meant to point beyond itself. Like a road sign to a scenic view, this healing directs our attention to deeper spiritual truths about Jesus and His Kingdom. Our SituationOur need is deeper than we know.A man, lame from birth, begged daily at the temple gate, showing how our visible struggles often point to deeper spiritual needs. Like him, we seek temporary fixes—money, relationships, success—thinking they’ll make us whole, but our true problem lies deeper. Jesus knows our real need and offers not just relief, but restoration and life. His miracles are signs pointing beyond physical healing to the complete renewal He promises in God’s Kingdom. Our SaviorOur Jesus is greater than we realize.The healed

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?Mark 15:33-39Rev. Stephen E. Farish Mark 15:33-39 reports the supreme moment of all redemptive history, when Jesus Christ the Son of God on the cross bore the sins of sinners and thereby satisfied the righteous wrath of God the Father against those sins. However, we naturally ask what in the world was happening in the spiritual realms when Jesus uttered the last words we would expect to hear from the mouth of the Son of God: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The answer to this question is that God in that moment, out of his immense and steadfast love, was delivering his people from his eternal judgment through the sin-bearing and wrath-bearing sacrifice of Jesus the Son of God on the cross. And the equally glorious reality is that God, through the cross, was not only delivering sinners from his wrath, but he was delivering us to nothing less than to himself! A. Three words of caution concerning our understanding of Je

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Together On The JourneyActs 2:42-47Pastor Philip Miller In the early centuries of the Roman Empire, Christians faced intense persecution for refusing to worship the emperor or other gods, leading to widespread suspicion and marginalization. Yet, Christianity grew rapidly because it offered a radically different kind of community—one centered on a personal relationship with God and open to all people, regardless of background. This new identity in Christ created a multi-racial, forgiving, caring, life-affirming, and covenant-keeping society that stood in stark contrast to Roman norms and attracted many. The earliest Christian community, as seen in Acts 2, embodied this transformative way of life, one that continues to shape lives and communities today through worship, community, service, and mission. The Journey of a LifetimeKnow God through WorshipGod created people to know Him personally and be in relationship with Him. Through worship, individuals respond to God's g

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14–41 takes place on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit is poured out and thousands witness supernatural signs. As a result of this message, 3,000 people respond and are baptized, marking the birth of the Church and the beginning of a new era in God’s redemptive plan.  Explanation: The Last Days are herePeter explains that the events at Pentecost fulfill Joel’s prophecy about the “last days,” a time marked by the outpouring of the Spirit, divine revelations, and signs in the heavens. This period stretches from Jesus’ ascension to His return, and it is a time for people to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. The Spirit is now available to all—young and old, men and women, servants and free—signifying the inclusive nature of God’s new covenant. Exposition: The Messiah has comePeter proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth was attested by God through miracles and wonders, yet was crucified according to God’s sovereign plan. He was raised f

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]At Pentecost, God fulfilled His promise by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in and empower His people. Through wind and fire, the Spirit’s arrival signaled the beginning of a New Covenant, a New Creation, a New Temple, and a New Mission. This moment marks the launch of the Church, now filled with God's presence to carry the Gospel to all nations.  1. New CovenantGod is closer than the air we breathe.At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came with wind and fire, echoing Mt. Sinai when God gave the Law with fire and trembling. Pentecost commemorated the giving of the Old Covenant. Now, God chooses this very day to establish the New Covenant by sending the Spirit. No longer is God's law written on stone tablets. It is now written on our hearts. The Spirit indwells believers, sealing and guiding them from within. Jesus has not left us as orphans. He has come to us through the Spirit. God is closer than the air we breathe.  2. New CreationGod is recreating us from the inside out.T

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""]Losing Well - Winning The World1 Peter 3:8-16Dr. John Dickson Today, we had the privilege of welcoming special guest, Dr. John Dickson, who led us through 1 Peter 3:8-16. Christians face growing skepticism in today’s culture, but instead of reacting with fear, compromise, or silence, we are called to respond with confident humility. True strength comes from honoring Christ and engaging others with gentleness, respect, and grace.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]