Reading the stories of Jesus in the Book of Luke is compelling. Who wouldn’t follow a man that taught with such power, healed the sick, and raised the dead? It’s not every day (or ever) that someone like that comes along. Yet time and time again we see people reject Jesus. They walk away and…
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The filter with which we view the world can tell us a lot about our theology. What do we see when we see people? What do we see when we see Jesus? Do we see problems? Do we see theological riddles? Do we see the world as one big exercise in theological theory and we…
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There are few people in history that had the confidence of John the Baptist. His belief in Jesus as the Messiah defined every action he took for his entire life. From his miraculous conception to his off-beat preaching and lifestyle, he knew his cousin was the One and he needed to prepare the way. However…
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Different people have different things that pop into their minds when they think of the person of Jesus. Some see kind and compassionate. Some see authority and power. The gospel writers didn’t have that dichotomy. For them, Jesus held and exercised all those characteristics and more. As Luke tells stories about who Jesus really is,…
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To judge or not to judge? That seems to be a popular question in our current cultural moment. When personal autonomy is the assumed right of every person, how are we to cast judgement on personal choices? Can we? Should we? http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/Who_Am_I_to_Judge_.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
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Take care how you build seems to be pretty straightforward advice. Yet that simple instruction contains a wealth of wisdom and implications. When the storms of life come (not if), how you began your building will determine it’s outcome. http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/From_the_Ground_Up.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
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So often, we can become so focused on the final product, that we fail to pay attention to how we get there. All that really matters is whether or not we get what we’re looking for. For many of us, this is how we approach the Christian faith. Doesn’t matter how we get to the…
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Jesus is known for pushing buttons, wise sayings, and challenging teachings. There may be no single instruction he gives us that tests our hearts and our faith more than this: Love your enemies. It goes against every inclination we have- from vengence to self-protection. Yet this teaching isn’t just an ethical consideration, it’s at the…
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Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. A phrase built on an oxymoron but perfectly describes the spiritual home of so many. As Jesus teaches about the nature of the Kingdom of God in the Sermon on the Plain, what becomes painfully clear to even the most devout follower is this:…
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In order to build the best organization, you need the best personnel. Recruit well and win big. Great people make for great success. These are all wise maxims that we would do well to remember. Yet when Jesus selected his twelve apostles, they could not have been more ordinary. There was nothing special about them….
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Walk the walk. That’s what a good Christian does. The failure of Christians to “walk the walk” has long been cited as a reason (maybe THE reason) that many won’t darken the doors of a church. But what if that’s not really the essence of our faith? What if that’s not really the reason that…
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How would you describe the ministry of Jesus? What exactly did Jesus come to do? What were his methods for his ministry during his time on earth? We might fill in the blanks to that question in multiple ways, but I wonder how many of us would describe Jesus’s ministry in the way that Jesus…
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Friend or Foe? That was the question the Pharisees and religious gatekeepers were asking when Jesus’s popularity began to grow. Was he on their side or a threat to be eliminated? What should they do with this rabbi that was doing things they had never seen? We know from the gospels that the Pharisees would…
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LoveJeffCo is an initiative of Providence Church to love our community and support local ministries that are changing lives in Jefferson County and beyond. The ministry of Heard and Held is born from a time of deep grief and pain. In 2020, Sarah and Brendan Dunn were surprised to learn that they were expecting their…
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One of the unexpected benefits of being a part of a church isn’t what you get from it, but how essential you can become to making sure others get something from it. In God’s economy, sometimes the most essential aspect of our own faith is the power and persistence of the faith of others. When…
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What do you want? Simple enough question, but often a complex answer. It is that question, though, that gets to the heart of discipleship. More than knowledge, discipleship is about desire. When a man “full of leprosy” approached Jesus, his request revealed his heart. What he wanted, even more than to be healed was to…
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LoveJeffCo is an initiative of Providence Church to love our community and support local ministries that are changing lives in Jefferson County. One of our oldest and most significant partnerships is with Life Outreach Center. In this message, Director of LOC Cathy Gleeson shares her heart for the unborn and those that find themselves with…
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Few things will get you dismissed quicker in many peoples minds than confessing you believe in angels or demons. Follow that up with believing in miracles and you’ll be put in the corner as someone that can happily be ignored. Yet Luke’s gospel is full of both. Demon possession, exorcisms, healings, raising people from the…
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Music and singing has long been a part of Christian worship gatherings. But why do we sing when we gather together as believers? As we examine Paul’s exhortation of “singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” in Colossians 3:16, we will discuss the gift and role of music in our worship. http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/Singing_to_God.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts…
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Jesus had them right where he wanted them. He had ministry momentum. He had a growing reputation. He had people talking. He had people ready to follow. All he needed to do is capitalize on the moment and he could’ve raised a following, funded his ministry, and set a course for revolution. Instead, he made…
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