Elements City Church Podcast

We live in the Information Age. We have all kinds of access to information, but what we really need is wisdom so that we can experience a life well-lived. The book of Proverbs aims to grow us in wisdom. We're told to seek it like a treasure and we're encouraged to ask God for it. (see James 1:5). wisdom > information

Rejoice when you’re persecuted for my sake, because that means you’re living the blessed life, Jesus says. Well, that’s a challenging word to swallow at first pass. But that’s what Jesus says as he closes out the Beatitudes. Maybe the blessed life - the God-life, is far different than what our world says is the good life. Our Savior said that we’d have hardships in this world, but to take heart, as He has overcome the world. Here’s his reminder to ‘ride with him’ no matter what and we’ll end up with him no matter what. It’s also an invitation to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world, enduring so much more than us.

Jesus tells His followers, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” But being people of peace in today’s culture can be challenging. Fortunately, Paul gives us insight into this in Romans 14. Pastor Lyle takes us through ways we can keep the peace based on Paul’s letter to the Romans, even in the midst of disagreement.

In a world that searches for purity in things we consume, things on the outside, Jesus challenges us to pursue purity on the inside of us. The pure in heart will be blessed to see God, not only in the life to come, but more and more in this one. Purity comes from faith in the gift of God through Jesus. We’re to follow His lead in living with singleness of heart - living an undivided life where no part of us is compartmentalized off from the Lordship and leadership of Christ.

In the kingdom of God, mercy matters! Those who have experienced divine mercy are themselves shaped and fashioned into merciful people. This takes God’s transformational power working within us, as it’s not natural to be merciful. Jesus shares his mercy with us so that we can become merciful. Mercy is action oriented; it’s not just a philosophy to believe or a concept to understand - mercy’s got gestures and activity to it. It’s a comfort to know that God’s mercy meets us NEW every morning.

Humanity has an appetite and it’s not just for food. We’ve been created with cravings, but when our cravings are for other things than God first and foremost, our appetites can get us sideways. Our longings can go unfulfilled and unsatisfied. Jesus challenges us to hunger and thirst for God and the ways of God in order to ultimately experience a life that’s filled and satisfied in Him.

On the night of his ordination, Pastor Lyle looks at moments in Peter’s life that help us learn what humility is.

Sadness is something we most naturally try to avoid or escape. But perhaps it’s in mourning the brokenness within me, within the world, leaning into Christ to receive his comfort where some of our best spiritual growth can occur. And when we receive God’s comfort, we’re to pass it along to others struggling. It’s realizing that mourning is inevitable, but it is also temporary thanks to Jesus.

The Beatitudes set forth the blessings God gives to those he is working in—blessings given not as a reward for our merit, but as a gift of His grace. Here is a Christian value system and God’s kingdom ethical standard—all of which are often at odds with those of the non-Christian world in which humanity functions. Blessed are those that recognize their spiritual bankruptcy and thus their need for dependency upon Christ and his gifts of grace. They will experience the God-life and a true good life.

People can experience virtual reality, which isn’t really real. We often binge watch what is called 'reality TV’, which is actually manipulated and influenced quite a bit. In unhealthy emotional states, we can morph and fabricate our own reality. We sometimes are forced to ‘face reality’ and that can actually be a first step forward toward health. All of history literally turns on the hinges of the ultimate reality moment: The Resurrection Reality - the moment that launched the movement that is Christianity.

Jesus was painting a picture of our Heavenly Father in the climatic parable of the prodigal. Not just for us to know God’s heart of compassion toward us, but for us to now want that heart of compassion to be formed within us. Compassion does have a cost, but it also has a far greater return, reach and impact. We see it in the life of Christ and ultimately in his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection.

Sometimes we all battle with ‘vision’ problems - we struggle to see things clearly. This parable of the prodigal is one Jesus tells to highlight a reality that needs addressed within the Pharisees of the day. The elder son is one reflective of the self-righteous heart that had them stuck spiritually. The Father invites the elder son in…would he see it, would he respond? We must guard against the same posture. We all need grace.

This powerful parable begins with a glimpse into the younger son. He’s the one who grabs his track shoes and takes off to get away from the Father. Many still do this today, but it always seems to take us to places where we no longer long to be. Then He comes to his senses […]

As we begin looking into one of the greatest stories of Jesus, within one of the greatest chapters of the Bible we will see once again one of the greatest truths about what God is really like: He is a God who seeks. He seeks the lost. He came on a rescue mission. Each person matters - each story is known - each life is sought after. He didn’t leave it up to us to seek him out, he seeks us out first. As we’re found, we’re invited to join His search party.

Today we wrap up our series looking into the Law of Partnership centered around a key mindset shift and 3 key principles. It begins with moving from a “ME” mindset to more of a “WE” mindset. It’s further developed as we realize that we’re ‘better together’ — as we look to help one another in life. We champion one another (emotionally) seeking to celebrate and mourn with one another in the ups and downs of life. *(see Romans 12:15). And finally we practice mutual submission - as we both submit to Christ’s leadership most of all.

In order to grow healthy marriages and relationships we must actively live out the law of pursuit. We intentionally choose to not let our relationships atrophy as we pursue investing in them and working at them. 2 keys to growing a love that pursues is to pursue listening to learn and serving to honor. Today we unpack more of what that practically looks like.

What we prioritize, we can maximize. Relationships, to grow healthy and strong, must be prioritized and invested in. Nothing drifts toward greatness, it takes hard work and focus. Some of our best intentional investment as we prioritize relationships comes in growing healthy communication.

As a church, we long to model more and more the way of Jesus. One bit step toward that is to live to serve others. Jesus has an interaction with his followers (Mark 10:32-45) where he highlights the counter-culture posture his followers are to take. A posture of serving -vs- seeking to be served. He makes it a hallmark of what it means to follow Him. Friends, seek to utilize your power, authority, resources and influence to serve others as you leverage your life to be more and more like Jesus.

We live in a day and age where anything and everything can be sent right to us. We can log in, pay up and it shows up - we don’t even have to go. That luxury is a blessing, but it might also breed an internal culture of self-focus. The life of following Jesus calls us to live with a different mindset - not one where we’re the center of attention, but one that is outward and others focused. We’re to live as ‘sent ones’ or ‘active agents’ for God and His good in our world. We’re sent to be His ambassadors and representatives. We’re sent out to make a godly difference and bless others as we’ve been blessed.

Healthy things will grow, develop and mature. Jesus challenges us to ‘follow him’ and in doing so, we’re to grow as apprentices of him and develop in our faith and relationship with him. We will be a church that will EQUIP people to know Jesus and grow in their faith as they follow him.