Florida Coast Church

John 5:17-47 – Greater Works

December 08, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 15.8 MB

If a man makes a great claim about himself, he should be ready to present evidence to back up his claim. In John 5:17-47, Jesus made the most astonishing claims imaginable for a human being. By his own admission, if he alone held this opinion of himself, we should not believe him. Therefore, he backed

John 4:43-5:18 – Seeing is (Not) Believing

December 01, 2019 00:00 - 41 minutes - 19.1 MB

There is a popular expression that says "seeing is believing." However, many people saw the amazing signs performed by Jesus and did not believe in him. In two separate incidents recorded in John 4:43-5:18, Jesus performed signs of healing, but few believed in him. One politically connected man did believe while the religious leaders did

John 4:1-42 – Thirst Quencher

November 24, 2019 00:00 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MB

Things had not worked out in life as she had hoped. After five broken marriages, she found herself in another uncertain relationship with a man. Then one one hot day at noon, she met a thirsty Jewish man. At first she despised him because of his race and religion, but he spoke to her in

John 3:22-36 – He Must Increase

November 17, 2019 00:00 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MB

Ever since there began to be two groups preaching and baptizing, there were those who wanted to set up a competition between them. In John 3:22-36, John the Baptist put an immediate stop to the idea of competition between Jesus and himself. His response provides not only pastors but all Christians with an excellent motto

John 3:1-21 – Look and Live

November 10, 2019 00:00 - 38 minutes - 17.6 MB

In a nighttime conversation with a religious leader recorded in John 3:1-21, Jesus used an expression that has found its way into popular culture, being "born again." Jesus emphasized not merely a new start but a total transformation performed by God. In other words, we all need something that only God can give. At the

John 2:1-25 – The Countdown Begins

November 03, 2019 00:00 - 38 minutes - 17.8 MB

In John 2, Jesus began his public ministry with two incidents that started the countdown toward what he called "my hour." Turning water into wine and driving out the marketers from the Temple courts seemed like two unrelated incidents. However, they both indicated that Jesus came to replace religious activities that could never take away

John 1:35-51 – Come and See!

October 27, 2019 00:00 - 31 minutes - 14.4 MB

Except for John the Baptist, everyone in John 1:35-51 began the day not believing in Jesus. By the end of two days, all were believing in Jesus, following him, and telling others about him. What had happened? They had all met Jesus, and most of them met him through a relative or friend. Although they

John 1:19-34 – Take It Away

October 20, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.1 MB

Almost all humans recognize that there is a gap between what we should do and what we actually do. Also, we have invented many methods to try to deal with that gap. Unfortunately, we repeatedly discover that our methods don't ultimately work. In John 1:19-34, John (the Baptist) called Jesus "the Lamb of God" and

John 1:1-18 – The Light Shines in the Darkness

October 13, 2019 00:00 - 40 minutes - 18.7 MB

The Gospel of John wastes no time in diving into the deep waters of truth. In John 1:1-18, the author presents Jesus as the divine Word who became a human, the Light that came into the darkness, and the One and Only who is himself God and with God the Father. Although these are elevated

Luke 16:1-17 – Taking Care of the Master’s Riches

October 06, 2019 00:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MB

One of the most difficult parables to interpret is in Luke 16:1-17, which relates the underhanded dealings of a dishonest manager who got fired from his job. Whom does the manager represent? In what ways might we be like the dishonest manager? Listen to Dr. Tim Sansbury as he takes us through this unusual parable,

Ruth 4 – An Even Better Love Story

September 29, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MB

In Ruth 4, we come to the conclusion of the story of Ruth. However, the author has several surprises in store for us readers with not one, but three conclusions. These three conclusions satisfy the three problems presented in chapter one and three problems that we all face: distance from God, bitterness about life, and

Ruth 3 – There is a Redeemer

September 22, 2019 00:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MB

At the beginning of Ruth 3, Naomi took matters into her own hands to secure a husband for Ruth. Her plan was risky, but it worked perfectly (until a complication arose). At the end of the chapter, Boaz determined to take matters into his own hands. Both of them had previously prayed for Ruth, and

Ruth 2 – The Irresistible Combination

September 15, 2019 00:00 - 37 minutes - 17.2 MB

As we ended the first chapter of Ruth, there was a ray of hope for the two widows. Maybe they would not starve to death after all, since they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. In Ruth 2, Ruth proposed to pick up leftover grain behind the harvesters and found her

Ruth 1 – When God Seems to be Against You

September 08, 2019 00:00 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MB

In Ruth 1, we meet three men and three women, who suddenly separate, leaving all in apparently impossible situations. By the end of the first chapter, there is a ray of hope for the women but none for the men. Even so, one of the women remains convinced that God is against her, since her

Luke 18:1-8 – Just Keep Praying

September 01, 2019 00:00 - 38 minutes - 17.6 MB

The final parable in our summer series appears in Luke 18:1-8. Like last week's parable, the Parable of the Unjust Judge focuses on the period between Jesus' first and second comings. It too tells us what to do as we await his return, especially if he seems to delay, and especially if we are suffering

Matthew 25:14-30 – Just do something!

August 25, 2019 00:00 - 38 minutes - 17.4 MB

In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 and in the two preceding parables, Jesus prepared his followers for his absence. He wanted us to know what to do until he returns, even if he delays a long time. As it turns out, he didn't ask all of us to do great things, but

Matthew 20:1-16 – That’s not fair!

August 18, 2019 00:00 - 39 minutes - 18 MB

Although we may overlook occasions when others receive unfair treatment, we become indignant when we think people treat us unfairly. In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of God in which he described a situation that doesn't look fair to us. As it turns out, Jesus used this apparent unfairness to teach

Matthew 21:33-46 – How Not to Get Trapped

August 11, 2019 00:00 - 29 minutes - 13.6 MB

In the earlier parables, Jesus left people wondering what he meant. In the latter parables, Jesus was often very direct. For example, in Matthew 21:33-46, Jesus spoke a parable directly against the leaders of the Temple in Jerusalem. They had no problem understanding the parable, but they trapped themselves by their reaction to it. We

Luke 15:1-32 – Lost and Found

August 04, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 15.9 MB

In answer to the grumblings of some religious leaders, Jesus told three parables in Luke 15 about lost and found items: a sheep, a coin, and a son. All of them emphasize the joy of God over bringing one lost person back to himself. The third parable is open-ended, forcing each of us to consider

Luke 14:1-24 – RSVP

July 28, 2019 00:00 - 41 minutes - 18.9 MB

While attending a meal with religious leaders in Luke 14:1-24, Jesus broke with social norms and caused multiple disruptions. His goal was not to offend but to instruct, first about the use of the Sabbath day and then about the kingdom of God, which he compared to a great banquet. At the end of the

Luke 10:25-37 – Who is my neighbor?

July 21, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MB

One of the most familiar of Jesus' parables is the Good Samaritan, found only in Luke 10:25-37. Jesus told the parable in a conversation with an expert in the law about how to have eternal life. While the parable's story line is simple and memorable, it includes twists that turn the whole conversation on its

Matthew 13:44-46 – Worth More

July 14, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 15.7 MB

Every once in a while there comes along an opportunity that is so fabulous that it is too good to pass up. However, such opportunities often require us to give up all our other options and put all our eggs in one basket. In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus told two very short parables about the kingdom

Matthew 13:24-43 – Seeds and Weeds

July 07, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.3 MB

It is easy to miss something right in front of us when we are looking for something else. Many people missed Jesus, because they were looking for a different kind of kingdom than the one Jesus came to establish. Specifically, they were expecting immediate judgment on sinners, but Jesus surprised everyone by associating with sinners

Matthew 4:1-20 – Did you hear me?

June 30, 2019 00:00 - 32 minutes - 15 MB

In our summer sermon series on some of Jesus' parables, we start with The Parable of the Sower (or Soils) in Mark 4:1-20. This one is especially helpful, because it includes Jesus' explanation of the purpose of parables. It also includes his interpretation of the parable but with some key elements missing. As it turns

James 5:13-20 – What to Do in Every Situation

June 23, 2019 00:00 - 39 minutes - 18.2 MB

If you have ever asked what God wants you to do, the whole letter of James will help answer your question. The final section, James 5:13-20, tells us what to do in four specific situations. In three of the four situations, the activity is the same: to pray. In the fourth, we have the opportunity

James 5:1-12 – Actions and Reactions

June 16, 2019 00:00 - 40 minutes - 18.5 MB

A depressingly common theme that runs through human history is the oppression of the poor by the rich. In the first century, Christians were often on the side of the poor and oppressed. Certainly the readers of James' letter were in that category. In James 5:1-12, we find warnings about the dangers of wealth and

James 4:1-17 – The World in the Church

June 09, 2019 00:00 - 37 minutes - 17.1 MB

Since James is the likely the oldest writing of the New Testament, it appears from James 4:1-17 that church conflicts have been around almost as long as the Christian church has existed. Instead of treating fights as a normal part of church life, this text exposes their causes and provides the solution. Some of the

James 3:1-18 – Small and Mighty

June 02, 2019 00:00 - 29 minutes - 13.5 MB

One of the most prominent themes in James is human speech. While James mentioned the importance of controlling our tongues in James 1:19 and 1:26, he dedicated most of James 3 to the power of speech for good or for evil. He also pointed us to the help we need to harness our speech for

James 2:14-26 – Faith that Works

May 26, 2019 00:00 - 31 minutes - 11.1 MB

One of the most controversial sections of James is James 2:14-26, because some verses sounds very different from what we find in Paul's teaching. However, it contains a very straightforward message. James simply insisted that the faith that saves us is a faith that produces good works. In contrast, a faith that does nothing, does

James 2:1-13 – How (Not) to Treat People

May 19, 2019 00:00 - 37 minutes - 35.3 MB

Western society has recently become sensitive to discrimination based on race, nationality, sex, age, appearance, etc. However, discrimination is not new. In fact, James 2:1-13 focuses on the contradiction between having faith in Jesus and treating other people with partiality based on their status. It turns out that the antidote for such partiality is God's

James 1:19-27 – Hearing and Doing

May 12, 2019 00:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

If someone hears a message but does not act upon it, sometimes we say that "it went in one ear and out the other." In James 1:19-27, God calls us not only to hear his word but to incorporate it into our lives. Only by doing the word can Christians demonstrate that we truly heard

James – 1:9-18 – A Whole New Perspective

May 05, 2019 00:00 - 38 minutes - 17.6 MB

In James 1:9-18, the author continues to urge us to have a biblical perspective on the difficult and the good things in life, including poverty and riches, trials and temptations, and perfect gifts from God. Although we may not be able to change our circumstances, we can develop a Christian approach to them.

James 1:1-8 – Pure Joy No Matter What

April 28, 2019 00:00 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MB

After a very brief greeting, James launched into his letter of practical instruction in James 1:1-8 by urging believers in Jesus to consider trials an opportunity to experience pure joy. Because this instruction is so contrary to our natural reaction to trials, we need help! James provides just the help we need by giving us

Acts 17:14-34 – Don’t Whistle Past the Graveyard

April 21, 2019 00:00 - 37 minutes - 17 MB

In Acts 17:24-34 we get to hear a sermon that Paul preached to philosophers in Athens. He presented to them biblical truths about God, humans, Jesus, and our response. The game-changing declaration that got Paul laughed off stage was the resurrection of Jesus. The news about the resurrection left others curious enough to want to

Acts 20:17-35 – The Elders of the Church

April 14, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 15.6 MB

Before Jesus left this earth, he entrusted the gospel ministry to the apostles, but to whom did the apostles entrust it before they departed? The answer found in Acts 20:17-35 is that they entrusted ministry to the elders of the church. In fact, elders are not only God's design for the church but also essential

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 – The Life of the Church

April 07, 2019 00:00 - 36 minutes - 16.6 MB

The expression, "the body of Christ," has become such a common name for the church that we may not reflect upon what it means for the life of the church. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, we have the most complete explanation of the similarity between the human body and the church. Both the human body and

Matthew 28:16-20 – The Mission of the Church

March 31, 2019 00:00 - 44 minutes - 20.2 MB

In some of his last words, in Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus gave a clear mission to his disciples: to make more disciples of all people groups until the end of the age. As it is easy for the church to get distracted from our mission by many other good activities, Jesus' words refocus us and send

Acts 2:36-47 – The Marks of the Church

March 24, 2019 00:00 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MB

From the very first preaching of the gospel after Jesus' ascension, the new believers were "added" to local churches. Once God added them to churches, the believers devoted themselves to simple practices that God used to add even more people both to himself and to the churches. These activities, found in Acts 2:36-47, are marks

Matthew 16:13-23; 18:15-20 – The Authority of the Church

March 17, 2019 00:00 - 53 minutes - 24.4 MB

Although the word church appears only three times in all of the gospels, in Matthew 16:13-23 and Matthew 18:15-20. However, the church figured large in the mission of the apostles, who they went out and made disciples by starting churches everywhere. By studying these three instances of the word church, we discover that Christ gave

Jeremiah 31:31-34 – Prophets: The New Covenant

February 24, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 12.5 MB

When we considered the Covenant of Law given through Moses, we detected a major problem that we have with God's law: we cannot keep it. In light of this fact, in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God announced a New Covenant that would transform our relationship to the law by providing what we all need - complete forgiveness

2 Samuel 7:1-17 – David: Covenant of Kingdom

February 17, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 12.3 MB

After Abraham's family became a great nation, it also became a kingdom, and no one ever equalled the greatness of King David. Even so, in 2 Samuel 7:1-17, God announced to David that he had even greater plans for his offspring. Those plans were so great that even today we are seeing only part of

Exodus 24:1-11 – Moses: Covenant of Law

February 10, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 12.2 MB

Because God had fulfilled one of his promises to Abraham by making his descendants a great nation, the next announcement of the Covenant of Grace contained laws that were necessary for the life of the nation of Israel. In God's sealing of this covenant with Moses and the people in Exodus 24:1-11, we discover that

Genesis 15 – Abraham: Covenant of Promise

February 03, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 12 MB

Even though you enjoy many good things in life, is there one big thing that is missing? Abram (later called Abraham) was rich, powerful, and famous, but he longed for one key element to complete his life. In Genesis 15, God confirmed his promises to Abram by means of a covenant and a ceremony that

Genesis 6-9 – Noah: Covenant of Preservation

January 27, 2019 00:00 - 29 minutes - 13.7 MB

After the Covenant of Works/Life resulted in failure and death for humans, God dealt with them on the basis of his grace, or free favor toward sinners. The first mention of the Covenant of Grace appears in Genesis 6:17-18 and then receives fuller explanation in Genesis 9:8-17. Every day we are still enjoying the benefits

Genesis 2:15-25 – Adam: Covenant of Life

January 20, 2019 00:00 - 34 minutes - 15.7 MB

What can help us get a grasp on the whole Bible? There are several good answers to this question, but the idea of covenant is a handy way to understand the whole Bible. More importantly, it is the way for us to relate to God properly. In our new series on the covenants of the

Matthew 6:1-18, Part 3 – Our Father

January 13, 2019 00:00 - 32 minutes - 14.9 MB

In our third look at Matthew 6:1-18, which contains the Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father, we examine the prayer itself, which serves not only as a prayer of Christians of all places and times but also as a model for our praying. It consists of an initial address to God, three requests for God's

Matthew 6:1-18, Part 2 – When You Pray

January 06, 2019 00:00 - 32 minutes - 15 MB

During three weeks, we are looking at Matthew 6:1-18, moving from the outside toward the Lord's Prayer in the middle. First we considered Jesus' warnings about hypocrisy: doing the right things in order to receive human applause. This week we looked at Jesus' three instructions about how to pray: in secret, with simplicity, and with forgiveness.

Matthew 6:1-18, Part 1 – Two Audiences

December 30, 2018 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.5 MB

During three weeks, we will look at Matthew 6:1-18, moving from the outside toward the Lord's Prayer in the middle. First we considered Jesus' warnings about hypocrisy: doing the right things in order to receive human applause. Jesus called us rather to focus on the divine audience and receive grace upon grace from God.

Hebrews 2:14-18 – What and Why

December 23, 2018 00:00 - 28 minutes - 12.9 MB

Following up on last week's sermon about the who, where, and what of Jesus' birth, we turn to Hebrews 2:14-18 to learn more about what the incarnation was and also why it had to happen.

Luke 1:26-38 – Who, Where, and What

December 16, 2018 00:00 - 33 minutes - 15.1 MB

In the first of a two-part Christmas series, we studied the announcement in Luke 1:26-38 that the angel Gabriel made to Mary about the baby she would bear. We focused on who was involved in this announcement, where it happened, and what it meant. Next week we will study why it had to be this way.

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