Reach Church

The word ‘faith’ is widely used, despite lacking a universally agreed upon definition. Biblical faith has two essential ingredients — sincere belief, and obedient action. Focusing on the latter just might be the way out of the doubt you’ve been walking in.

A people in darkness of seen a great light. Receive it, and share it.

In order for the Church to survive, we must stay humbly rooted in Scripture, remaining urgent and bold as we preach the Gospel, and doing it ALL with patience and humility.

We want his kingdom to come and his will to be done, in Seattle as it is in Heaven. When we use words to see this happen, we call it evangelism. When we use our deeds, we call it justice.

The Father is seeking worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth. Culture is bankrupt in spirit and in truth. When the will of God is aligned with the needs in our cities, there is profound opportunity. But before we can bring what is needed, we must first receive what we need.

Paul prescribes four things to his readers as he closes his letter to the Galatians he loves so much: Carry one another. Sow to the Spirit. Don't give up. Boast in the cross.

Every follower of Jesus will experience the paralyzing effect as the desires of our flesh battle with the desires of the Spirit. The answer is not trying harder; but tapping into a supernatural resource outside ourselves.

The cross is offensive. You will be tempted to make it less offensive. Don’t — or you will empty it of its power.

In contrast to much of our day and age, biblical Freedom is not living life without limits, always able to do whatever we want. Freedom is the ability to live within the commitment of love.

To hammer home his plea for us to live in the freedom Christ has provided for us, Paul uses some familiar Old Testament names to make an important point. When we make the effort to learn the stories behind the illustration, we might just find the healing we’ve been looking for.

(This sermon from "No Other Gospel" was preached on September 19th and was accidentally left unpublished.

We used to be slaves. But God sent HIS son, so we could BE sons. Now we are heirs with an eternal inheritance, and the downpayment we get to enjoy NOW is the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of the Law was to separate God's covenant people from the rest of world, to be a light to the nations through the promise of Abraham. Without understanding the Jewishness of Jesus, we rob ourselves of joy, create Gospel perversions, and rob God of His Glory.

To free us from the curse, Christ became a curse for us. Beneath the scandal of this concept is deep assurance, and a glimpse of two things God cares about far more than we realize.

When Paul first mentions the Holy Spirit in his letter to the Galatians, he makes foundational declarations for our understanding of God to rest upon. Chief among them: our god is a god of miracles, and our faith is either supernatural or superficial.

Justification is all about being declared righteous, and getting to enjoy complete acceptance from God and God’s people. The “cross-shaped” gospel is the good news that Jesus has torn down what used to divide us — from God, and from one another.

Hypocrisy is deeply hurtful, highly contagious, and a hindrance to the gospel. So, we take it seriously by giving and receiving loving correction as needed.

When false teachers and false gospels come after your freedom, don't submit for even a moment. Cling to the freedom you have in the grace of Christ.

“What has Jesus changed about your life? Where in your life do you see an ongoing need for change?” Paul’s dramatic-change reveals the true gospel. Meeting Jesus is the beginning of a slow, imperfect walk toward Jesus, until we see Him face-to-face.

It's impossible to be a people-pleaser and a servant of Christ at the same time. The delight God wants for us is sabotaged when we seek the approval of people instead of resting in the approval that is already ours through the Gospel. Time for a heart check.