Sunday Morning Podcast | The Moody Church

Following Jesus is basically learning to live out our new identity in Christ. But it’s difficult because we’ve spent so much of our lives living from our orphan identities. To live from our new identity as children of God requires intention and practice. We must unlearn the heart-habits of orphanhood and embrace the heart-habits of childlikeness.   To help us do this, we’re going to look at different Bible characters throughout this series, one for each of the 9 identity traps, and their journey of identity transformation from living as orphans to living as children of God.   In this sermon, we look at Joseph’s identity trap: seeking significance through people.   Joseph was the great-grandson of Abraham. His is an amazing story, because not only is God bringing salvation to His people through Joseph’s life-story, He is also bringing about deep transformation in Joseph’s identity along the way.   The story has three key points:   Joseph’s Dream: Joseph’s identity is built around gaining significan

Who are you? How would you answer this question?   In the coming weeks, we’ll explore the stories of nine different characters in the Bible, who each tried to build their identities in all the wrong places, and then discovered the kind of wholeness that only God can give. And in considering their lives, we’ll discover the identity traps we fall into, and the identity Christ offers us that changes everything.   In this sermon, we explore a biblical and theological framework for understanding our identity and mapping our own hearts.   Identity is, at its core, a sense of self. It distinguishes us from the people around us. It gives clarity to our place in this world. And it turns out that a sense of self is meaningful when it meets three, deep-seated, underlying needs:   Significance Security Satisfaction   Now, this is where theology comes in, because the Bible tells us that we were created in the image and likeness of God. We were created to know God as our Father, and to know ourselves as His

The Book of Joel was written to the people of Judah and Jerusalem as a warning, but its truths are just as applicable to us today as they were thousands of years ago.   The historical context of the book is Judah's pattern of revival and decline, and in these passages Judah is falling into the same apostasy that plagued Israel.   The prophet Joel cries out to people for a deep, sincere, and authentic commitment to God. In these passages, Joel brings a basic message of wholehearted return to God with a promise of a second chance.   Joel gives three warnings we should heed today:   Sin The Consequences of Sin The Solution for Sin   Takeaway: what is it that God wants you do to to return to Him?   Joel 1:1-12

Have you ever experienced a kind of whiplash after Christmas? All the wonder, joy, peace on earth, goodwill toward men, all is cheery and bright…and then January hits. Bills come due. Reality sets in.   Christmas often seems like a feel-good season that’s disconnected from the troubles of the real life. A mass-marketed departure from reality. We pretend like everything’s great, even though we know it’s not.   Modern Christmas can feel so commercialized, pretend, filtered. But you can’t say that of the very first Christmas. In this sermon we dive deep into a very raw series of events that took place in the days of Jesus’ infancy. There’s nothing commercialized, pretend, or filtered about these events.   The Bible tells us Jesus was born not into a pretend world of Christmas cheer but a rough, hostile, and broken world. He’s a real Savior for the real troubles of a real world.   In this passage from Matthew 2:13-23, we find Joseph, Mary, and Jesus fleeing in the night. It’s going to teach us three thing

Who has Jesus come for? The angel told Joseph: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” His name means “The Lord saves,” because He will save his people from their sins.   But who are “his people?” Who is it that Jesus has come to save?   Now, from our vantage point the answer seems obvious: Jesus came for all people!   But when Jesus first showed up, it wasn’t quite so obvious. After all, Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One of Israel, a Jewish Savior for the Jewish people. And of course, Jesus did come for Israel.   But more than that, Jesus is the hope of all the world! It’s interesting that Matthew has already hinted at the fact that Jesus has come, not just for Israel, but for the entire world. Matthew goes out of his way in the genealogy from chapter 1 to show us not only that God can work scandals to His glory but also that God is including Gentiles (non-Jewish people) in His redemptive plan.   And just so we don’t miss the point that Jesus came for all

There’s so much joy and merriment at Christmastime. After all, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! And yet, for many of us, Christmastime also carries a deep underlying ache. Empty chairs. Broken hearts. Dashed hopes. Because despite what the fairy tales told us, not all our dreams came true, and “happily ever after’s” seem cheaply foreign to the stories we live in.   And amidst all the romantic idealism of Christmas cheer, we just can’t shake the reality of life’s shattered dreams, can we?   It’s helpful to remember that the very first Christmas wasn’t brimming with romantic idealism and cheery sentimentality. In fact, it all begins with shattered dreams.   Mary and Joseph had dreams of how their lives would go. Everything was going according to plan. All their dreams were coming true, until that very first Christmas, when their lives were upended, their plans were canceled, and their dreams were shattered.   What do you do when your dreams are shattered? When your past feels devastating? Your

Advent means “arrival” and it’s full of awaiting. In the Old Testament era, the people of God were awaiting the advent of their Messiah, the Anointed One, who would fulfill all of God’s covenant promises to His people.   And two thousand years ago, a baby was born in Bethlehem, Jesus the Son of God, who is called the Christ, the Messiah, and the Hope of all the World. He died on a cross, was buried, raised, and ascended to the right hand of God the Father, from whence He shall return to set all things to rights.   And so too, in the New Testament era, the people of God are awaiting the advent of our Lord and Savior, the crucified and risen Son of God, the return of the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who shall reign forever and ever!   So here we are, in the days between the advents. We are both rejoicing in The King who has come, and longing for The King who is coming.   In this four-part sermon series, we will be digging into Matthew’s biographical account of the coming of Jesus the King.   Matt

Today we come to the fourth and final chapter in the Book of Jonah.   It all began when God called Jonah to go preach to Nineveh, and Jonah flatly disobeyed, heading nearly 3,000 miles in the opposite direction aboard a ship to Tarshish. And just when he thought he’d gotten away, God hurled a great storm to stop him in his tracks. Jonah told the sailors to throw him into the sea as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of God. But in His mercy, God rescued Jonah from the watery grave with a great fish that swallowed him whole.   And after three days, Jonah finally repents and calls upon the mercy of God. In response, God has the fish vomit Jonah up on the shore and recommissions him to go preach to Nineveh. And this time, Jonah obeys. He cries out judgment against Nineveh and the whole city responds in repentance, crying out to God for mercy.   Chapter three ends with this beautiful crescendo: “When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he w

Sometimes people get the impression that in the Old Testament God is full of wrath, whereas in the New Testament He is full of love, compassion, and mercy.   It’s understandable why that impression could be formed. After all, the Old Testament contains major moments of judgment like the Flood, the Plagues, and the Exile, and the New Testament contains the epicenter of grace as Jesus lays down His life for our forgiveness.   But what we tend to forget is that while the cross does mean mercy and grace and forgiveness for us, for Jesus it meant judgment, wrath, and condemnation.   The reason the New Testament feels less full of judgment is because Jesus took the judgment we deserved. The reason it feels like there’s less wrath is that Jesus bore the wrath instead of us. The reason there’s no condemnation is because Jesus was condemned in our place.   The New Testament has its fair share of judgment, wrath, and condemnation, it’s just that Jesus has paid it all!   And not only that, but the Old Testamen

The most important question you can ask: Is certainty of salvation possible? In this sermon, Dr. Erwin Lutzer shares the great lessons from the heroes of the Reformation that continue to encourage us as believers today.   The Story of the Goose: John Hus (1373-1415) Opposed abuses The authority of the Bible alone The priesthood of all believers His martyrdom   The Story of the Swan: Martin Luther (1483-1546) His search for salvation His great discovery in the Book of Romans His stand at the Diet of Worms   The Broadening Influence of Luther Geneva America England   Takeaways: The authority of Scripture alone The priesthood of the believer The assurance of salvation through the righteousness of Christ

Alan Redpath (former Senior Pastor of The Moody Church from ‘53-‘62) famously said: “When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible man and crushes him.”   Pastor Redpath understood that certain kinds of traits that tend to get you ahead in life, like driven-ness, strength of will, self-confidence, and ambition. But, these things are spiritual liabilities until they’ve been tempered, chastened, and humbled.   Just as coal must be crushed to become a diamond, and gold must be purified in the fire, there is a brokenness we must learn if we’re ever to be useful to God. And that’s exactly what’s happening to Jonah. God crushes Jonah to temper him so that he can be useful.   In this sermon, we join Jonah as he finally comes to the end of himself and the beginning of his usefulness in ministry. There are four significant moments for Jonah’s redemption from this passage:   Recognition: Jonah perceives the Lord’s discipline and begins to realize that God loves him enough to stop him in his

When we run and hide from God, when we conceal our secret sins, God comes looking for us. Because God never gives up on those He loves. In this passage, Jonah tried to run from God. So, God sent a ferocious storm and a giant fish to bring Jonah back; because God loved Jonah. This sermon explores three things about the relentless pursuit of “The Lord of the Storm.”   The Chance of Discovery: God brings Jonah’s rebellion into the light through the storm He sent. If God loved Jonah less, He’d let him go. But in His mercy and grace, God brings Jonah’s rebellion into the light. Takeaway: Confession is grace. God is bringing our rebellion into the light because He loves us too much to let us self-destruct. Confession is our first step toward healing. The Sentence of Death: All Jonah must do is repent and cry out for mercy for God to respond. But Jonah doesn’t do that, and in his stubbornness continues to run from God. So, God makes Jonah own the deadliness of his sin. Takeaway: Conviction is grace. Have you e

If you've ever felt discouraged in sharing the Gospel with people who don't seem interested, Dr. Mitch Glaser's message from Romans offers three points of encouragement from Paul's letter to the Romans: Paul’s Broken Heart for the Salvation of the Jewish People (Romans 9:1-3) Paul’s Prayer for the Salvation of the Jewish People (Romans 10:1-2) Paul’s Hope for the Salvation of the Jewish People (Romans 11:1-3)   Takeaway: God chose the Jewish people to bless the Gentiles (Genesis 12:3) and the Gentiles to bless the Jewish people through the proclamation of the Gospel (Romans 11:11).

The story of Jonah is first and foremost about God. It’s a story that shows us God’s unrelenting grace for undeserving people. And, it’s a story for people like us, people who run from God and need second chances. The story of Jonah shows us a God whose love never stops and never quits, who is always and forever pursuing and redeeming us.   In this sermon, we’ll explore three themes from the story:   Uncomfortable Call: God sends Jonah to pursue his worst enemies. It’s an uncomfortable call for Jonah. And while we expect that God’s prophet would answer that call, Jonah instead chooses to run. Unexpected Flight: Jonah won’t give his enemies a second chance for three reasons. His autonomy was threatened. His identity was threatened. Hi prejudice was threatened. Like Jonah, we are far too often prone to this kind of disposition. We also tend to run from God. Unrelenting Grace: Jonah ran from God, but God runs after Jonah. If God loved Jonah less, He would have let him go. But the fact that God pursues

Everybody wants to change their world. And while there are lots of beneficial ways we can help make our world a better place, if you want to change your world in a way that matters for eternity, there’s no better way to change your world than to join Jesus in His mission of redeeming the entire world!   How do we join Jesus on mission in our world?   In this sermon, we’ll see how the Gospel gives us three things to change our world:   New Motivation: The Gospel gives us a new motivation to live for King Jesus. New Perspective: The Gospel changes how we see the world as we look to the New Creation. New Assignment: The Gospel gives us a new assignment as ambassadors on mission.   Takeaway: Change Your World Through Mission   Do you want to change your world in a way that matters for eternity? God is, in Christ, reconciling all things to Himself, bringing in the New Creation where King Jesus will make all things new when He returns.   And we have the privilege and responsibility of being ambass

How do we become a person of love? In this sermon, we’ll explore how Jesus is inviting us on a transformational journey to become people of love like Himself. On this transformational journey, there’s a pattern to follow, a power to change, and progress to be made.   Pattern: Jesus is our model of self-giving love. To follow Jesus is to become like Him. It is His pattern that we are to follow. Power: How are we to become people of love like Jesus? You need a new heart, a clean heart. On the cross, Jesus cleanses our hearts so that the Holy Spirit might come indwell us and transform us from the inside out. The Holy Spirit is transforming us into people of love. Progress: Becoming a person of love won’t happen in an instant. But the new life must push its way through the compacted soil of years of selfish habits and self-absorbed living. Our selfishness has become a bit of a lifestyle, and we have much relearning to do. We are called to work out what God is working in us, because progress comes through

Each of us is more than just a body; we're also a soul. And as our bodies need calories for nourishment, our souls need nourishment as well to live and thrive. What can satisfy our soul’s hunger?   In this passage from John 15:4-13, we’ll explore Jesus’ invitation to feed our souls through community.   The Soul’s Design: Our souls were made for an abiding connection with the abundant, pulsating, and vibrant life of God Himself. Jesus came to die for our since and rise again to make us right with God, so that we might have an abiding connection with God through Jesus. The Soul’s Health: Our souls thrive in the indwelling presence of Christ as His word, love, obedience, and joy become our own. A healthy soul I sone that is tethered to Christ. The Soul’s Communion: Our souls are enfolded in living communion with our Triune God and His forever family. Following Jesus isn’t a solo sport, it’s a team effort. To have a soul-connection with God, is to have a soul connection with God’s family. And to abide i

Abundant life! A life rich in meaning, full of purpose, thick with substance, durable and flourishing—that’s the kind of life we all want. It’s the kind of life that deep down we know we were made for. And it’s the kind of life Jesus is offering those who will follow Him.   When Jesus says, “Come, follow me!”, He’s inviting you on the four-stage Journey of a Lifetime to know God, feed your soul, grow in love, and change your world. It’s a spiritual journey of abundant life—the life you and I were made for—and it all starts when we respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him.   In this sermon, taken from Luke 15:1-2 and 11-32, we focus on the first stage in the journey and what it means to know God through worship. The story Jesus tells in this passage is nothing short of brilliant. Jesus shows us three things: The Purpose of Our Lives: We are made to come alive in joyous relationship with God. The Problem We All Have: Through both irreligion and religion, we estrange ourselves from God. The Pursuit

The moment we are in does not pause the mission we are on. As we look back on where we’ve come from and consider the times we are living in, this passage from John 20:19-21 gives us four powerful reminders of how to live on mission for Jesus.   Fear is always the opposite of faith. Peace is always the Christian response. The cross is always our hope and motivation. We go confidently because Jesus sends us.   Our response to the call of Jesus should be: "Here I am, send me."   John 20:19-21

How would you respond if you saw the risen Jesus face-to-face three days following the crucifixion? The disciples were notably disturbed, fearful, and shamed in this passage from John 20. Yet Jesus’ response to them was something that reverberates thousands of years later for believers today: "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."   In this passage, we learn that in Jesus' presence we have four priceless things: Peace Power Perspective Purpose   Are you living your life like Jesus is dead? Are you feeling demoralized, or stuck? The resurrection gives you the chance to live in His presence with all the promises therein. Because when you’re in His presence it changes everything. How will you live in light of this?   John 20:19-23