Mercy Commons Podcast

Reimagining Emotional Regulation

May 07, 2023 16:30 - 69.4 MB

Hebrews 4:15 // True resilience is a beautiful and it's a wonderful characteristic. It's something that God himself will shape in us as we continue to turn to Him little by little as best we can. Learn to abide in Christ, to connect to Him. Jesus is the source of our resilience. He is our strength. He is the one who gives us a different reality to stand on. When we do that, we find that the resilience that God shapes in us doesn't leave part of our humanity behind. It's not cruel to our emot...

Reimagining Suffering

April 30, 2023 16:30 - 72.2 MB

1 Peter 4:12-13, James 1:2-5 // Only a re-imagining of suffering can lead to rejoicing, and only an understanding that something precious is being shaped in me can give me a sense of Spirit-empowered resilience. I can have a sense of joy in the context of suffering because there is a deeper intimacy that I experience with Jesus when I've gone through a time of suffering.

Reimagining Failure

April 23, 2023 16:30 - 55 MB

2 Samuel 6:6-12 // We can learn from the life of David that failure can build resilience, but sin builds hardness. When David was faced with the crippling consequences of his sin, he chose to repent and turn to God. Our failures can help build resiliency because we learn more about ourselves, we grow from our mistakes, and learn to ask for help from God and our community of fellow believers.

Reimagining Abiding

April 16, 2023 16:30 - 62 MB

John 15:1-20 // Resilience is not the sweet fruit from trauma’s tree. It is abiding in Jesus, connection to others, and purpose (fruitfulness). Adversity is inevitable as a follower of Jesus Christ. Life with Jesus is not about what we do, but about how we respond to what Christ's Spirit is doing in us. Being held by God, abiding in Jesus, and being connected to His body (the Church), gives us eternal joy and a resilience that glorifies God.

Christ Lives!

April 09, 2023 16:30 - 52.8 MB

Luke 24:1–12 // The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was the hinge point in history! We are not saved because we follow His teaching, we are saved because He rose from the dead — He is alive! He doesn’t just live — Christ lives in me! What does that mean for our lives? To be a Christian is someone whose life is transformed, who is able to give and receive comfort, and who has an eternal hope and a current purpose!

The Unexpected Expected King

April 02, 2023 16:30 - 49.8 MB

Matthew 20:29-21:11 // Jesus came to earth in unexpected ways. He came in humility - not pompous. He didn't come to conquer Rome (worldly enemies) – He came to conquer the curse and bondage of sin and death. When the King comes into our lives, we are tempted to tell Him what we need. But, He actually tells us what we need – we need Him.

Scandalous Love

March 26, 2023 16:30 - 52.2 MB

Galatians 5:24-6:5 // How can we love others the way that God has called us? This scandalous love can only come by keeping in step with God's Spirit. When we abide in the love of God and walk in the Spirit, it becomes natural for us to love and to also automatically obey the calling of God. We will not do this perfectly, but over time we will see growth and progress. Keeping in step with the Spirit allows us to look out for our brothers and sisters in Christ in a way that is not conceited, p...

Scandalous Living

March 19, 2023 16:30 - 58.9 MB

Galatians 5:16-26 // We are in a daily battle between warring desires – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit. How does God want us to live? We can not just muster up the strength not to give into the flesh. God has called us to walk by the Spirit. In doing so, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Faith the size of a mustard seed is part of what we bring to this battle and is one of the main actions we take in walking with the Spirit. We are to believe God will give...

Scandalous Freedom

March 12, 2023 15:30 - 60.4 MB

Galatians 5:1-12 // What you see in this letter is Paul, over and over hitting the same thing from multiple angles. He's desperate for the Galatian believers to get what's at stake – the scandalous freedom that we have in Christ and what it means for living a life worth living and throwing off the weights, of sin, the law, and what you yourself and what other people will try to put on you to prove you are a righteous person.

Scandalous Covenant

March 05, 2023 17:30 - 60.6 MB

Galatians 4:21-31 // Don't rely on the law for your standing with God. We are under a new covenant paid for by the blood of Jesus. Our faith is not in our works, but in the promise of God to adopt all who trust in Him.

Scandalous Truth Telling

February 26, 2023 17:30 - 62.3 MB

Galatians 4:8-20 // Speaking truth to our brothers and sisters in Christ is not optional. Galatians is a letter by Paul addressing the members of this church who are being led astray by a false gospel. This can and does still happens to this day. As humans, we want affirmation not truth. It is not always easy to hear the truth or to speak the truth. Yet, it is our responsibility to stand up for the truth and God calls us to speak the truth in love.

Scandalous Adoption

February 19, 2023 17:30 - 59.9 MB

Galatians 3:24-4:7 // Before Christ came we were under guardianship of the law. Now in Christ, all who believe are sons of God, through faith. We are one in Christ, but not the same. With guardianship and separation over – adoption gives us a new family and Father. The purpose of absolution is adoption. God has grafted us into His family.

Scandalous Promise

February 12, 2023 17:30 - 52.2 MB

Galatians 3:15-23 // "But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." The promise is not a wage. It was the gospel given to us in the Old Testament. Why did God give us the law? It restrains sin, it provokes sin, it reveals sin and it leads us to God's grace. As Jesus spoke, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Scandalous Faith

February 05, 2023 17:30 - 62.9 MB

Galatians 3:1-14 // It's scandalous to believe that faith is all we need. Nothing we do is enough to save ourselves. We are not enough. There is nothing we can do to justify ourselves to God. Our salvation is found complete in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross!

Scandalous Partnership

January 29, 2023 17:30 - 58.9 MB

Galatians 2:11-21 // In this passage, Paul gives a reprimand and a reminder. Peter is struggling with fear of man. He is giving into a false gospel. This is not a gospel difference, but a different gospel – adding to Christ's work on the cross. It altered the truth and Paul had to contend for the truth in public. We must remain firm that it's the gospel plus nothing and the gospel minus nothing. Christ's work is sufficient. The gospel is what helps us find the lie that is promoting the bad b...

Scandalous Choice

January 22, 2023 17:30 - 70.9 MB

Galatians 1:11-2:10 // Why did God choose Paul? "Seriously, seriously? You chose this guy, this this murderer to do that?!" What a scandalous choice. A man approving of imprisonment and murder of Christians became the principal missionary of Jesus. Many people reject the gospel because of God's choice. The gospel is scandalous and can rescue anyone. "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who...

Scandalous

January 15, 2023 17:30 - 60.3 MB

Galatians 1:1-10 // The cross of Jesus Christ is a scandal, it is an offense, it baits us, it can cause us to stumble. The cross is where brutality and sacrificial love collide, where perfect justice and boundless mercy meet. It has been viewed as immoral, outrageous and shocking and so it is. The implications of the cross are no less scandalous. We are a people saved by and shaped by the crucified and risen Christ, called to live a crucified life in a world determined to explore autonomy, p...

Our 9th Birthday | Four Pillars of Mercy Commons

January 08, 2023 17:30 - 61.6 MB

Pillar 1: We have been rescued by His mercy, so we REVEL in His mercy. Pillar 2: We DISPLAY His mercy by the way we live as a family. Pillar 3: We have been called to PROCLAIM His mercy to those in our spheres of influence/relationship. Pillar 4: We PARTICIPATE in acts of mercy for the common good of the world and the glory of God.

Songs of Christmas | The Magi Bring Gifts

December 24, 2022 01:30 - 31.4 MB

Matthew 2:1-12 // At Christmas time it is very easy to give into our wants. The world tempts and entices us with empty wants that will never satisfies our true needs. We often don’t long for what we need. JESUS is the gift that satisfies our needs and our wants. “If death ruled because of one person’s failure, those who receive the multiplied grace and the gift of righteousness will even more certainly rule in life through the one person Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17

Songs of Christmas | Simeon's Song – Seeing Salvation

December 18, 2022 17:30 - 77.2 MB

Luke 2:21-35 // Christ has come! Salvation now has a name. It is in Him – Jesus Christ. Salvation is also personal, it’s His presence, and it’s a blessing for all. Salvation is comprehensive. It delivers us from darkness and removes our shame. However God’s salvation was not easy. Simeon prophesied the pain that Mary would go through seeing the suffering of her Son. “We do not come to a set of doctrines. We do not come to a church. We do not even come to the gospel. All these are vital. But ...

Songs of Christmas | The Angel's Song

December 11, 2022 17:30 - 63.2 MB

Luke 2:6-20 // “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The host of angels proclaim the birth of Jesus! To whom was this song sung? To lowly shepherds known for their dishonesty and thieving. Not the recipients you would expect of this most glorious news. The angel’s song gives us courage to conquer our fears – fear of the mundane, rejection, and the darkness of the world.

Songs of Christmas | Mary's Song – My Soul Magnifies the Lord

December 04, 2022 17:30 - 56.7 MB

Luke 1:25-55 // Mary’s response to the announcement by Gabriel, shows us her immense faith and in the Lord. Being pregnant and not married in those days was a death sentence. Yet, Mary trusted that God would take care of her. She magnified the Lord’s name, “From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored because the Mighty One has done great things for me.”

Songs of Christmas | Zechariah's Song – God Remembers

November 27, 2022 17:30 - 65 MB

Luke 1:5-25 & 57-80 // Advent is a season of both reflection and expectation. Songs are important because we sing to express the posture of our hearts and we sing to re-posture our hearts. These four songs are monuments to us, marking the incredible moment where God broke into our natural world, our history. And they serve to posture our hearts to expect that God fulfills His promises and Christ will come again. Zechariah’s song reminds us how we can posture our hearts: by celebrating God's ...

Gratitude | Thanksgiving 2022

November 21, 2022 05:12 - 61.4 MB

Philippians 4:10–23 // Our call as believers is to be content. However the world we live in a world constantly tempting us to be discontent with our current state. We pursue contentment through the practice of gratitude. No matter what we have or don't have, who is in our lives, what season we are in, what unexpected situations we face, or the emotions we carry – we can be content in all these circumstances through Christ who gives us strength. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving.

Judges | Powerful Outer Life, Broken Inner Life

November 13, 2022 17:30 - 59.5 MB

Judges 14-16 // The story of Samson, part 2. The unrestrained pursuit of legitimate desires in illegitimate ways leaves us blind, captive, and broken. How do you know you are pursuing legitimate desires in an illegitimate way? – When our prayers are immature (Judges 15:18-19). When we repeat destructive patterns (Judges 16:4-7). When we rely on our own strength (Judges 16:10-13). When we trust the wrong people (Judges 16:15-17). When we can’t discern the presence of God (Judges 16:10-13).

Judges | Unknown, Unfruitful, Uncertain

November 06, 2022 17:30 - 58.4 MB

Judges 13-14:4 // The story of Samson. When we first are introduced to Samson, we are told about his mother. However, she is never named. Yet we have confidence that she was not unknown to God. God sees us, knows us, and loves us. Psalm 139:1-6. Samson’s mother was barren before she gave birth to her son. When we consider fruitfulness is our lives – we must remember that it is expected however seasons are normal. Barrenness is not death. What brings unfruitful character in our lives? Anxieti...

Judges | A Forgetful People

October 30, 2022 16:30 - 59.7 MB

Judges 11 // The story of Jephthah. A man who was affected by the sins of his father and committed sins as a father. Two important questions: what are we like? What is God like? We know that we are flawed, fickle, and forgetful. YET, God is good and God is great. Sins of a father leave us feeling rejected. God is not limited by our failures or the failings done to us. Our hope is in a good Father who brings belonging out of abandonment. Sins as a father lead to repeated cycles of sin. Becaus...

Judges | Causes of Collapse

October 23, 2022 16:30 - 53.3 MB

Judges 8 // Gideon goes from threshing wheat to threshing flesh. He goes from stopping idolatry to leading people back into it. He goes from humility to hubris. How can we guard against collapse in our lives? Beware of turning God out. Are we expecting to hear from Him? How do we listen to His voice? In what ways do we tune Him out? Beware of feeding anger. Scripture warns about anger giving a foothold to the enemy. What makes you angry? How do you guard against it becoming destructive? Bewa...

Judges | Tearing Down Family Altars

October 16, 2022 16:30 - 64.7 MB

Judges 6:11-32 // This week we look at the story of Gideon. The Lord’s first commandment to him was to go and tear down his family altar to Baal. An altar is a place in our hearts where we are worshipping an idol. Tearing down these altars is a messy business because it exposes our idolatry and areas in our hearts that rely on something or someone else more than God. The grace and mercy of God is to give us the strength to replace these altars that keep us thirsty (like drinking salt water) ...

Judges | Feeble Faith

October 09, 2022 16:30 - 67 MB

Judges 4:6-5:2 // Insecure faith is still faith! “True faith takes its character and quality from its object. Its strength therefore depends on the character of Christ. Even those of us who have weak faith have the same strong Christ as others!” ~ Sinclair B. Ferguson

Judges | Unexpected Deliverer

October 02, 2022 16:30 - 48.6 MB

Judges 3:7-30 // In chapter 3 of Judges, we learn from Israel’s mistakes. They forgot the Lord their God and it lead to them doing what was right in their own sight. Their disobedience led to their captivity. God’s discipline is designed to help us remember who the Lord is. We are called to remind ourselves and others who God is and who we are in Him. 2 Peter 1:3 // By His divine power the LORD HAS GIVEN US EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the One who called...

Judges | Right in My Own Sight?

September 25, 2022 16:30 - 71.7 MB

Judges 21:25 // The book of Judges shows that without a God above us all, things spiral out of control. When we allow the idolatry of the land to live in our hearts, we forget that Christ is where truth resides. This book has many challenging stories that ultimately show God's judgement is merciful and meant to bring us back to Him.

Life Together | Sing to One Another

September 18, 2022 16:30 - 67.3 MB

Ephesians 5:18-21 // God wants us to sing together because it unites us as believers and is an act of warfare against the devil. It also creates an environment of faith and expectation.

Life Together | Confess Your Sins to One Another

September 11, 2022 16:30 - 66.1 MB

James 5:16 // Confessing our sin to God gives us fresh access to His ongoing grace and keeps us from being crushed by hidden sin. When we confess to each other, we foster a culture of humility, honesty, and healing.

Life Together | Be Hospitable to One Another

September 04, 2022 16:30 - 57.2 MB

Romans 12:9-13 // Hospitality is about being and eating together. It is having an open heart, hand and home in order to display who God is, advance the Gospel and bring God glory. Jesus showed us how to do this through how he spent time with people and how he invites us now into his home.

Life Together | Forgive One Another

August 28, 2022 16:30 - 43.2 MB

Ephesians 4:25-32 // We sometimes have a hard time forgiving one another because we forget that it is a command from God. It’s easy to misunderstand what forgiveness is and bitterness or deception can block us from offering it. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

The Trellis and The Vine of Evangelism

August 21, 2022 16:30 - 73.2 MB

John 15:8-17 // The most profound way we can save one another is to seek and to save that which is lost.

Life Together | Stir Up One Another

August 14, 2022 16:30 - 45.7 MB

Hebrews 10:19–25 // To consider one another and stir up one another we need to be known, loved, and challenged.

Life Together | Bear One Another's Burdens

August 07, 2022 16:30 - 47.1 MB

Galatians 6:1-5 // Burdens are those things that we carry together? How do we help one another and assume personal responsibility?

Life Together | Love One Another

July 31, 2022 16:30 - 41 MB

Romans 12:9-18 // How do we avoid a phony and insincere community? We need to settle that community is commanded, compelling, challenging, and Christ-centered.

God @ Work | Being a Faithful Presence at Work

July 24, 2022 16:30 - 38 MB

Daniel 1:1-21, 6:1-27 // In the face of pressure, God calls us to be a faithful presence. Because we are made in the image of God — here to make the invisible God visible. You’re the priest of your office or classroom or home or job site. You’re God’s representative.

God @ Work | Building Work - We Are All Builders

July 17, 2022 16:30 - 41.7 MB

Nehemiah 2:1–8 // How do we build the kingdom of Heaven in and through our work? We must prayer and prepare for opportunities. We must be flexible in our roles, but concrete in our identity in Jesus Christ and the purpose He has for us. We must have humble courage. Pray for our bosses, lead by example, be a servant leader, forgo our rights and know the our ultimate opposition is not the people we deal with, but the spiritual principalities and powers behind the scenes.

God @ Work | Integrating Work with Mission

July 10, 2022 16:30 - 44.9 MB

Acts 18 // What is our understanding of work? Within our work there is a unique and special opportunity only open to the sons and daughters of God.

God @ Work | When Work Becomes Ultimate

July 03, 2022 16:30 - 56.5 MB

Genesis 1:1-27 and Genesis 2:7,8,22 // Whatever work you’re engaged in – the pull to either find your worth in what you do or to look for ultimate fulfillment in your work can be so strong. We’re going to make stops along the highway of identity and idolatry as they relate to our work, but our destination this morning will be to marvel at the immense value God ascribes to each one of us and the satisfaction that is available to us in our Lord.

God @ Work | When Work Seems Fruitless

June 26, 2022 16:30 - 48.9 MB

Ecclesiastes 2:17–26 // How do we respond when work is a place of stress and disappointment or a boring, gray place? We usually respond with either cynicism or idealism – putting too little or too much value in our work. The healthy perspective is worshiping God through our work. Focus on the completed work of Jesus on the cross and allow Him to use our jobs to create eternal significance.

Come With Us!

June 19, 2022 16:30 - 68.7 MB

Numbers 10:11-36 // God wants a people who believe Him and follow Him. The Bible is a unified story of God redemptive plan for humanity through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are here on earth to be a blessing to the world. We have the good news and must invite others to join us! We are holy because of Jesus alone.

Four Liturgies of Supernatural Substance

June 12, 2022 16:30 - 55.8 MB

Hebrews 12:18-24 // Christian churches need to constitute in their practices - especially in their practices of worship - alternative plausibility structures that can embody and experience the presence of the divine in a way that directly challenges the suffocating naturalism of the dominant culture.

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