Celebration Sunday sermon by Jake Blair on November 17, 2024.
Our church family spent Sunday together celebrating baptisms! Videos from the Gathering and this week's LifeGroup Guide can be found below.
Sermon by Jake Blair on November 10, 2024.
The book of Hebrews concludes by pulling on one final Old Testament thread: the Kingdom of God. Through Jesus, His church is called to embody Heaven on Earth as we live in this already-not-yet tension. So, what does that look like for us? How can we experience more of His Kingdom in our lives, in our community, and in our world?
In response to this week’s sermon, here are some practical next steps:
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on November 3, 2024.
How would you define "faith"? That word is so foundational to following Jesus that it can easily sound like white noise, losing its power and meaning. This week, we look at Hebrews 11 to clarify what that means and how it enables us to endure whatever we face.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on October 27, 2024.
Last week, we taught that Jesus is our perfect priest, tabernacle, and sacrifice. In light of that, this week in Hebrews 10, the author says how to put that into practice. How do we help each other persevere and keep one another from falling away?
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
For this episode, we interview Dr. Mitch Chase. Mitch Chase is the preaching pastor at Kosmosdale Baptist Church and an associate professor of biblical studies at SBTS in Louisville, Kentucky. He’s the author of Short of Glory and Hope for All the Earth. He is married to Stacie, and they have four boys. You can follow him on Twitter and at his Substack, called “Biblical Theology.”
Timestamps:
2:10 - Introduction
3:36 - What were your initial impressions of the Bible?
7:48 - What resources helped you better understand the Bible?
10:10 - What does biblical theology mean?
15:49 - What’s the difference between systematic theology and biblical theology?
17:03 - How do I begin to see the interconnections in the Bible?
30:42 - If Scripture is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, why should I bother with the Old Testament?
34:37 - How would you answer the objection, “The New Testament authors forced their ‘Jesus interpretation’ onto the Old Testament”?
41:49 - What does studying the Bible look like for you now?
45:40 - Where can people go to learn more from you?
47:52 - Being from Texas, where’s the best BBQ in Louisville?
Resurrection Hope and the Death of Death (Short Studies in Biblical Theology)
Short of Glory: A Biblical and Theological Exploration of the Fall
Hope for All the Earth: Understanding the story of the Old Testament
Check out MidtownBiblicalLiteracy.com for videos, book recommendations, and Bible reading plans
How to Study the New Testament in light of the Old Testament handout
ESV Reader’s Bible - The format is great for reading the Bible in larger chunks!
Ghosts and Ancestors sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Ruth sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Wisdom sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
How Long O LORD series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Psalms series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Gospels series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Hebrews series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Throughout the year, we want to know the concepts and passages you wrestle with. We'll answer some of these questions in podcast episodes throughout the year.
To submit your topic or question, text either "DOWNTOWN", “LEXINGTON”, OR “TWO NOTCH” followed by your topic to 855-855-0655.
Music by Levvy and Midtown Music
Sermon by Jake Blair on October 20, 2024.
This week, we look at one of the most foundational concepts in the Old Testament: the temple, the priests, and the sacrifice. While these might sound strange and foreign in our present-day culture, we'll learn why they matter to us and what they tell us about following Jesus.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on October 13, 2024.
This week, we look at Hebrews 3:7-19 which includes a repeated call from an Old Testament story: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." What is the nature of that rebellion, and how is hardening your heart spiritually dangerous? How can we guard our hearts from the deceitfulness of sin?
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jake Blair on October 6, 2024.
This week, we look at Hebrews 3. In this chapter, the author focuses on one of the most towering figures of the Old Testament, Moses, and how, as great as he is, he ultimately falls short. So how is Jesus better than Moses, and what does this mean for us as followers of Jesus?
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jake Blair on September 29, 2024.
We began our new series last week discussing how Hebrews cites hundreds of Old Testament stories, characters, and ideas that all culminate in the person of Jesus. This week, as we look at Hebrews 1-2, the author cites an Old Testament concept that, although it may be foreign to us, is profoundly significant to understanding who Jesus is.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jake Blair on September 22, 2024.
Near the tail end of our Year of Biblical Literacy, we come to the rich, dense book of Hebrews. It’s full of callbacks and history, threads pulled from all across the Old Testament. The author assumes intimate knowledge of the old covenant –the sacrificial system, the tabernacle, the promised land–and then shows that they were incomplete, only “copies and shadows.”
Each is an arrow pointing to Christ, who himself becomes the mediator of the new covenant–the perfect high priest, the meeting place between God and man, the source of eternal rest for those united to him.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on September 15, 2024.
This week, we look at Mark 9:33-37 and how Jesus redefines greatness for his disciples. So, what does being great in the kingdom of God look like, and how can we experience that now?
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
For this episode, we interview Dr. Jonathan Pennington. Jonathan Pennington is associate professor of New Testament interpretation and director of research doctoral studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as the associate pastor of preaching at Sojourn Church East. He is the author of The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew, and Reading the Gospels Wisely.
Timestamps:
3:18 - What were your initial impressions of the Bible?
6:18 - How did you first learn to study the Bible?
9:56 - Why did you decide to pursue seminary and doctoral work?
14:15 - What drew you to write on the Sermon on the Mount?
17:49 - What are the common misconceptions of the Sermon on the Mount?
25:01 - What foundational things to know about the Gospels?
29:16 - Why did you write the book Come and See?
32:57 - Is the point of studying the Bible to put it into practice?
35:33 - What does studying the Bible look like for you now?
37:25 - What’s your favorite Taylor era?
The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary
Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction
Jesus the Great Philosopher: Rediscovering the Wisdom Needed for the Good Life
Small Preaching: 25 Little Things You Can Do Now to Make Your Preaching Better
Reading the New Testament as Christian Scripture: A Literary, Canonical, and Theological Survey
“Have You Accepted Jesus as Your Lord and Philosopher?” on The Gospel Coalition
“3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Sermon on the Mount” on The Gospel Coalition
Check out MidtownBiblicalLiteracy.com for videos, book recommendations, and Bible reading plans
Ghosts and Ancestors sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Ruth sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Wisdom sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
How Long O LORD series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Psalms series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Gospels series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Throughout the year, we want to know the concepts and passages you wrestle with. We'll answer some of these questions in podcast episodes throughout the year.
To submit your topic or question, text either "DOWNTOWN", “LEXINGTON”, OR “TWO NOTCH” followed by your topic to 855-855-0655.
Music by Levvy and Midtown Music
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on September 8, 2024.
This week focuses on the story of the rich young ruler from Luke 18:18-29 and how he, though he had nearly everything in this life, couldn’t experience Jesus’ kingdom. So what might be keeping you from experiencing Jesus’ kingdom? What idols might have their hold on you?
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jake Blair on September 1, 2024.
Jesus’ teaching ministry is summed up in one word: repentance. This week, we look at how this applies to our church family. For example, what happens when people following Jesus sin against each other? What does repentance look like, then? How can we, as part of God’s kingdom, move forward if we’re stuck in bitterness and resentment?
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Adam Gibson on August 25, 2024.
Last week, we talked about repentance. In many ways, repentance opens the door to becoming the beautiful person you ought to be because repentance makes us right with God and allows these words spoken over Jesus to be spoken over us: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Timestamps:
1:47 - What happened between the Old and New Testaments?
7:42 - How did the Jewish people interpret the Old Testament during those 400 years?
8:00 - The Pharisees
10:26 - The Sadducees
13:50 - The Essenes
15:39 - The Zealots
Check out MidtownBiblicalLiteracy.com for videos, book recommendations, and Bible reading plans
“Jewish Sects During the Time of Jesus” by N.T. Wright (video)
The Complete 100-Book Apocrypha: Expanded 2024 Edition by Covenant Press
Ghosts and Ancestors sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Ruth sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Wisdom sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
How Long O LORD series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Psalms series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Gospels series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Throughout the year, we want to know the concepts and passages you wrestle with. We'll answer some of these questions in podcast episodes throughout the year.
To submit your topic or question, text either "DOWNTOWN", “LEXINGTON”, OR “TWO NOTCH” followed by your topic to 855-855-0655.
Music by Levvy and Midtown Music
Sermon by Adam Gibson on August 18, 2024.
How would you summarize Jesus’ teachings? Depending on who you ask, you’re likely to get different answers. However, Jesus’ summary statement is actually one of his first statements in the Gospels: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
In other words, Jesus’ life and teachings are all about ushering in God’s loving rule and reign on Earth as it is in Heaven. So what might His kingdom look like in our city, and how do we faithfully follow Him in our time and place?
Join us for five weeks as we examine Jesus’ teachings and consider how we can experience more of His kingdom in Columbia as it is in Heaven.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on August 11, 2024.
On our last week in the Psalms, we’re going to look at a Psalm that brings many of the other Psalms together and shows us how to build a rock-solid identity on God. It’s a Psalm that helps us see how to become the kind of people we want to become—the kind of people who know who we are in a way that cannot be shaken.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
Timestamps:
0:44 - What do we mean when we say “The Writings” of the Old Testament?
2:22 - The Torah: the rise of the kingdom, The Prophets: the fall of the kingdom, The Writings: longing for the kingdom
6:25 - Breaking down each book in The Writings
7:30 - The Psalms
9:52 - Lamentations
10:25 - Daniel
13:31 - Esther
16:47 - Ezra-Nehemiah
17:37 - Chronicles
20:07 - Why do these books matter and what do they ultimately tell us?
Check out MidtownBiblicalLiteracy.com for videos, book recommendations, and Bible reading plans
Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible by Stephen Dempster
Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey by Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer
Ghosts and Ancestors sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Ruth sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Wisdom sermon series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
How Long O LORD series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
The Psalms series - Lexington | Downtown | Two Notch
Throughout the year, we want to know the concepts and passages you wrestle with. We'll answer some of these questions in podcast episodes throughout the year.
To submit your topic or question, text either "DOWNTOWN", “LEXINGTON”, OR “TWO NOTCH” followed by your topic to 855-855-0655.
Music by Levvy and Midtown Music
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on August 4, 2024.
No matter what the headlines say, Psalm 146 shows us how to have hope that lies beyond our current political landscape—a hope that empowers stable, faithful, and joy-filled living in unstable times.
This series is part of our Year of Biblical Literacy initiative.
