Something in our culture leads us to be captivated with bigger and better. People are pushing to own a bigger home, possess a bigger bank account, or drive a bigger car. People also push for better - a better job, better kids, or a better spouse. We have been conditioned to push for bigger and better in our lives. But what does God want us to focus on? What has God called us to in this world? Listen in as Pastor Neal Benson preaches on Hebrews 3:1-6. In this passage we will see that what we focus on is where we will end up.
Every organization needs a mission and vision explaining the what we’re going to do and the why behind that. But the interesting thing is that the church is an organism and not an organization. God has called us to be a living, active, body of believers on mission together. The mission of Coastline is helping people find and follow Jesus. Our vision is to reach people who feel far from God, experience life change, and build community. What you are going to hear this morning is a big dream that requires us to trust in a big God, and work together in unity. Grab a Bible and open it up to Matthew 7 as we learn about how Coastline is a safe place to learn about God. Listen in as Pastor Neal Benson shares the mission and vision of Coastline.
As we look at the second half of Hebrews 2, we continue to learn about the greatness of Jesus. The author goes to great lengths to teach us how Jesus is greater than the angels. This might have created a point of confusion for the original audience because Jesus both held his divinity and took on our humanity. We learn a great point about belonging to the family of God - for us to belong, we need a pioneer who will invite us into that family. That pioneer is Jesus Christ, our humble hero. Listen in as Teaching Pastor, Doug Meye, shares how the Son of God relinquished His glory so that we humans could regain God's glory.
We all have stories we can tell. It could be a story from an amazing vacation, a story of moving to a new city, or a story of how God moved in our life. There is something very powerful about the gospel message of Jesus. In Hebrews 2:1-9 the early church had started to drift away from the Lord. It wasn’t an intentional moving away but an ignoring of Jesus and His commands. The author teaches us that Jesus is greater than angels and that we need to keep focused on Him. If you are having trouble seeing Jesus at work listen in as Pastor Neal Benson teaches on how it is by the grace of God we have salvation in Jesus.
Sometimes we need a different angle from which to view things. A new perspective often shows us what we’re missing, lacking, or not seeing in the whole picture. This Sunday we start a brand new sermon series called: “Greater” and begin the book of Hebrews. This New Testament letter was written to Jewish people living in the first century. The early church was being persecuted and many of the believers were slipping back into Jewish customs to avoid persecution. While author of the letter remains a mystery, we know it was written to Hebrew people as it talks about the Old Testament in great depth. Listen in as Pastor Neal Benson teaches us about looking to Jesus to know God.
As we conclude our summer series we will consider how coveting impacts us. To covet is to desire, long for, or crave something to a fault. Instead of longing for selfish desires we can choose to long for the Lord. Instead of coveting we can be satisfied with Jesus. We need to find our hope, security, and affirmation in the Lord Jesus Christ. The best way to combat coveting is to practice gratefulness. The secret to contentment starts from within with discipline to be grateful for what you have. Listen in as Pastor Neal Benson teaches on Exodus 20:17 and reveals how coveting is an expression of our distrust of Jesus.
People tell all kinds of lies - white lies, fibs, gossip, half-truths, exaggerations, etc. Lying has almost become socially acceptable. George Orwell once wrote, "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." Today as we examine the ninth commandment, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor," we'll discover how lying hurts us and those around us, and we'll learn from the Bible how to be truth-tellers in this world.
When we think about the eighth commandment, it’s fairly simple: “You shall not steal." It almost feels like we didn’t need to teach on it. It seems like we could read those four words and obey them. But humanity is unable to accomplish that. From the beginning of the Bible to the end we see that God’s heart is for us to live a life of integrity. Our sinful hearts are constantly looking for a way to justify our sinful behavior. We try to justify our actions. That is not the goal. The goal is to live a life free of theft. When we steal it hurts others. Listen in as Pastor Neal Benson teaches on Exodus 20:15 and what it’s like to be caught red-handed.
In today's sermon on the seventh commandment, "do not commit adultery," guest speaker Bert Alcorn takes a broader look at marriage and how we can honor it. We'll learn that marriage is not meant to make you happy , but holy. God loves marriage and wants to see marriages thrive through the power of Jesus' work on the cross and the ongoing sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in us.
Many of us may not feel like we with struggle with the sixth commandment, "do not murder," but when we take a closer look, we'll see that this commandment also means dealing with the inner roots of murder such as anger, rage, and jealousy. Watch and listen as guest speaker, Mike Lovato, teaches that our response to this commandment should be to love others.