Sermon by Adam Gibson on October 15, 2023.
So far, we looked at Genesis 1-2 and what it means to be embodied and gendered. Last week, we discussed joining those two genders in marriage. This week, we examine Genesis 2 further to discuss the sexual expression of embodied gendered humans inside a covenant union.
Sermon by Jake Blair on October 8, 2023.
This week, we look at Genesis 2 and discuss the origin story of marriage. What’s marriage for? That word, or idea, has been around since the dawn of time. And based on your cultural context, you will get different answers about what that word means. So what’s marriage for? Who or what gets to define marriage? Is it me, my feelings, or is it based on biology or something else?
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on October 1, 2023.
Last week, we began our new series discussing what it means to be an embodied person. This week, we continue that discussion as we talk about gender. Where does gender come from? Why did God create male and female? What is the ideal relationship between men and women supposed to be? How should men and women treat and think about each other?
Sermon by Adam Gibson on September 24, 2023.
Oversimplified narratives about our bodies surround us. Through conversations and airwaves, we are constantly told what we should pursue with our bodies, how we should think about them, and what dangers follow disagreement with the cultural ethos of desire, gender, sexuality, and marriage.
But these messages skip over some very essential questions–questions like: what is your body, exactly? What is your body for? Who created it, and with what purpose? What is the eternal destiny of our bodies, and how does that inform what we do on a normal week?
Join us for an eight-week series unpacking God’s plan for the human body–a majestic story from beginning to end.
Sermon by Adam Gibson on September 17, 2023.
In the Bible, the good life is found when we discover life doesn't exist for ourselves. When we lose our lives for the sake of others, that's when we find it. So, what does that look like in our context as we strive to be people of the pages?
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on September 10, 2023.
With the rise of tech, our presence with one another is being diminished. In about two decades, we’ve experienced a shift in daily life experience of such magnitude that it’s rare in human history. This shift can be a massive issue for our mission as the church. So what does being a people of presence in a highly digitized world look like?
Sermon by Jake Blair on September 3, 2023.
This week, we look at Ephesians 4, where Paul maps out the vision for community: to look more like Jesus. As a church, we strive to go after this vision, but what temptations and trappings can we fall into that can keep us from living into this vision?
Sermon by Adam Gibson on August 27, 2023.
Joy should be one of the defining attributes of God's people. And yet, what are the things in our lives that can keep us from being these sorts of people Jesus calls us to? And how can we push back against a spirit of discontentment in our lives?
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on August 20, 2023.
Last week, we began our series by asking, "Why don't we do what we see on the pages of Scripture?" This week we explore what the Scriptures are all about, the person and work of Jesus. So what do we need to do as a church to be a people that look more like Jesus, and what do we need to be on guard for?
Sermon by Adam Gibson on August 13, 2023.
Midtown Fellowship started over 15 years ago, in 2007, in a context where Christ's name was abundant, but faithfulness to his teachings sometimes was not. The resounding question back then was: Why aren't we just doing what's on the pages?
Fast forward fifteen years, and new challenges face the church that we must learn to navigate if we want to live out being a Jesus-centered family on mission faithfully.
These challenges require us to look again at our Bibles and ask questions like: What are we at risk of neglecting as Christians today? What must be rediscovered and re-committed to if our story is to remain the same story – to be a church that says, "Why don't we just do what's on the pages?"
Sermon by Chet Phillips on August 6, 2023.
In our final week of the series, we look at Luke 11:37-44, Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees. In their time and place, the Pharisees were considered good guys. And yet, Jesus says their hearts are far from him. So what does Jesus have to say to us in this encounter?
Sermon by Brandon Clements on July 30, 2023.
This week we look at Matthew 19:27-20:16, where Peter essentially asks Jesus, “Is following you truly worth it?” This is a question we may have asked at some point in our journey of faith. We can easily play the comparison game, or we go through a season of suffering, or life doesn’t turn out how we thought it would. So what does Jesus have to say to us?
Sermon by Jon Ludovina on July 23, 2023.
This week we look at John 11, where Jesus meets Mary and Martha in their grief over their brother Lazarus’ death. So how does Jesus meet them in their pain, and how does Jesus meet us in ours?
Sermon by Michael Bailey on July 16, 2023.
This week we look at John 20, where Jesus encounters Thomas. In this passage, Thomas doubts Jesus' resurrection, and Jesus meets him in his doubt. So what does this passage mean for us when we wrestle with doubt?
Sermon by Jake Blair on July 9, 2023.
This week we look at Luke 18:15-17, where Jesus encounters little children. The disciples meet the children as though they’re an obstacle to Jesus’ mission, but Jesus says the Kingdom belongs to them. So what does Jesus mean by that, and what does that mean for us?
Sermon by Garrison Weiner on July 2, 2023.
This week we look at Luke 5:12-14 where Jesus meets a leper. Lepers at that time were the literal embodiment of an outcast. So how does Jesus interact with him, and how does Jesus meet us in our shame?
Sermon by Adam Gibson on June 25, 2023.
This week we look at Luke 19:1-10 where we meet Zacchaeus, a man who made himself rich by taking advantage of others. So what happens when he encounters King Jesus? And what does Jesus have to say to us through a story like this?
Sermon by Ryan Rike on June 18, 2023.
In Luke 15, we find one of Jesus' most famous teachings. It is often called "the Parable of the Prodigal Son" or "the Parable of the Two Sons." While the two siblings have much to teach us, perhaps we are also invited to understand this passage through a different lens: the Parable of the Wonderful Father. In this passage, Jesus radically upends what many believe God is like and invites us to recapture the wonder of His love and grace.
Sermon by Jake Blair on June 11, 2023.
As Paul concludes his letter, he focuses on prayer. Far from being a last-minute add-on, prayer is critical in seeing Heaven come down to Earth. Prayer draws us into the heart of God and sends us out in the power of God.
RESOURCE ROUNDUP | WEEK 9
“How Does God Answer Prayer for Others?” by Tyler Staton (13 minutes). When we pray for others, what happens to us? Check out this video (and honestly, this whole series is awesome and worth your time.)
“Paradise Now” by Tim Mackie (50 minutes). From the 24-7 Prayer USA Conference, The Bible Project’s Tim Mackie talks about entering this Heaven and Earth reality when we step into prayer.
“The Power of Persistent Prayer” from Midtown Fellowship (30 minutes) This was from our Acts sermon series in 2022. (Personally, I’m a fan of whenever we can mention Dwayne the Rock Johnson as an example.)
“The Practice of Prayer” from Midtown Fellowship (38 minutes) Fom our 2020 series based on the Sermon on the Mount, “The Way of Jesus.”
“Abide” from Following Jesus Together. For some practical steps on prayer, including blogs and videos, check out our Abide page and practices like “Lectio Divina” and “Examen Prayer.”
“Persevere in Prayer!” from Desiring God (5 minutes) John Piper unpacks Colossians 4:2-6 and offers five guidelines for prayer.
A Praying Life by Paul Miller IMO, this is one of the best books of prayer in the last ten or so years.
Sermon by Adam Gibson on June 4, 2023.
In chapter 3, Paul spoke about how Jesus impacts our lives and homes. This week Paul pivots into what this means for the social structures of the day and what that means for us.
RESOURCE ROUNDUP | WEEK 8
"Does the Bible Support Slavery?" from The Gospel Coalition (1 hour) Dr. Peter Williams (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) argues, based on the standard definition of slavery, no. "To make his argument, he examines the key Old Testament and New Testament texts said to support slavery. Along the way, he looks at the biblical words commonly associated with slavery and how their translation has changed over time. He also looks at the logic of the Old Testament world and the way ancient societies were structured quite differently from ours."
Precious in His Sight sermon series by Midtown Fellowship. In our sermon, we explored the power dynamics at play in Roman culture and how Jesus speaks into those dynamics. And while our context looks different than Rome, we want to equip each other to understand better our nation's history and how to navigate such issues.
Work sermon series by Midtown Fellowship. We can put love into our work without necessarily loving our work. Check out our sermon series from 2019 to learn more.
Garden City by John Mark Comer. "Does God care where I work?" "Does he have a clear direction for me?" "How can I create a practice of rest?" Check out this book on work to learn more.
How Then Should We Work? by Hugh Whelchel. This book covers topics like the difference between work, vocation, and calling as a Christian, the history of the Christian view on work, the call to "reweave shalom" through your job, how to live a life of deep significance, and more.
Resources on Race by Midtown Fellowship. "As followers of Jesus, we stand up for righteousness, truth, justice, and love - because those things are definitive of life in the Kingdom of Heaven…In the list of resources, we've also included links to organizations and opportunities for you to take further steps to stand up for justice and love."
