Spring Grove Alliance Church Message Podcast

Galatians 5:1-15 Freedom is not so that we can indulge the flesh but so that we can love selflessly.

Galatians 4:21-5:1 As followers of Jesus, we have been set free. We must stand firm in our freedom and not return again to slavery under the law.

Galatians 4:1-20 Every heart longs to belong. Through Christ, the Father brings us out of slavery into sonship.

Galatians 3:23-29 God gave the law to us as a guardian to point us to the one who can give us fullness of life. Through Christ the walls that divide us are torn down and we are united in Him.

Matthew 28:1-10 Encountering the risen Christ transforms our deepest fears into great joy.

Galatians 3:10-22 There is no other pathway to abundant life. No amount of religious work brings us into the family of God. The work has been done by Jesus.

Galatians 1:10-24 Paul recounts his story of encountering and being transformed by the love of Jesus. For all who are in Christ, we have a parallel story. The love of Jesus doesn't come to us because we've earned it or because we are so rebellious and evil. Rather, God loves us and transforms us into people of love because He Himself is Love.

As we engage the Lenten season, it's vitally important for us to rehearse the Story of God. This four-act story is a simple way for us to share God's story with the world.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything Galatians 1:1-9 Paul begins his letter emphasizing two key ideas: his apostleship and even more importantly, the gospel of Jesus. The gospel is not a new religious formula or a system for salvation. Rather, the gospel is good news that dramatically changes the world.

The Power of Our Identity Language in Christ (From the Series) Vision 1 Peter 2:9 I will explore four dimensions of identity in Christ - personal, familial, communal, and leadership - in a comparative framework, illustrating how a Christ-formed identity becomes a visible and compelling witness to His love and beauty. We bear witness to Him through who we are in Him, not through methods, religious or moral pressures.

Called to Active Love (From the Series) Vision Luke 10:25-37 Through the Parable of the Good Samaritan we’ll explore how the love we’re called to show the world requires risk, being uncomfortable, and often challenges our sense of what’s right and expected of us. Then through the passage of Jesus walking on water, we’ll be reminded that when we’re in challenging places and it’s hard to do what we’re called to, Jesus helps us overcome our fear and allows us to walk in the hard places in order that he may be glorified.

A Family for All People Galatians 3:23-29 Central Thought: Through faith in Christ Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God. This transforms us—giving us a place to grow, shaping our new identity, and grounding us in God’s promises. As God’s children, we are blessed not only for our own sake, but so we can be a blessing to the world.

Building Communities (From the Series) Vision Jeremiah 29:5-7; Zechariah 8:1-8 We don't have the mission of community but, rather, we are a community on mission.

Transformational Love of Jesus (From the Series) Vision Romans 12:1-2 While we have the role of pursuing Jesus, it’s His mercy that transforms us

Those who experience the forgiveness of God will choose to engage intentional spiritual formation and increasingly become like Jesus and do what He did, receiving entrance into His eternal Kingdom.

Marked by the Presence Exodus 33:12-17 What makes us different from those walking in the world around us, asleep to the Kingdom of God around them? How are we set apart as his people? Moses had a similar question. In fact, he asked it to God himself. The mark of God’s people is His presence with them and in them.

Waiting for the Unseen Hope Luke 2:22-35 We often find ourselves in a season of longing for something that we don’t yet have. We are called to wait well as we live in the Kingdom focused on the hope that is already but also not yet.

Waiting Well (From the Series) Witnesses Luke 2:36-38 The story of Anna provides an example of what it means to wait for the hope that has been promised. Her example in response to the first coming of Jesus gives us a pattern as we wait for His second coming.

The First Witnesses (From the Series) Witnesses Luke 2:1-20 "How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given." Except for two notable exceptions: the shepherds and the magi received a personal invitation to the party, reminding us that there are many ways to receive the good news, as long as we are willing to receive a King and not seek to be king ourselves.

Connecting with Jesus (From the Series) Family Worship Sunday Philippians 4:6-7 Prayer invites us to connect our hearts with the Creator of the universe. By recognizing our need and His ability, we step into the Advent story. Prayer connects us to the One who has come and will come again.

Washing in the Word 1Thessalonians As we complete our journey through 1 Thessalonians and our practice series and get ready to move into the Advent season, it's appropriate for us to stop and rest in the presence and promise of Jesus. While we read it like a book within the library of Scripture, Paul's letter to the Thessalonians was not a book but a letter. As such, the first listeners heard it as a single unit. It can be helpful for us to do the same.

Choosing to Change (From the Series) Choosing Apprenticeship: Practice Series 2 Peter 1:3-8 If we are going to become like Jesus, it will require us to change. For that to happen, we need to understand holistically how change happens, and then be intentional about our formation journey.

Defining Discipleship (From the Series) Choosing Apprenticeship: Practice Series John 15:1-17 We know we are supposed to be disciples and make disciples. However, for many of us, the concept of discipleship is a bit fuzzy. Only when we understand what it truly means to be a disciple are we able to get there.

In Step with the Spirit (From the Series) Choosing Apprenticeship: Practice Series Galatians 5:16-25 The call to follow Jesus didn’t stop with the first disciples. The fruit of the Spirit comes through staying in step with the Spirit.

In Step with the Spirit (From the Series) Choosing Apprenticeship: Practice Series Galatians 5:16-25 The call to follow Jesus didn’t stop with the first disciples. The fruit of the Spirit comes through staying in step with the Spirit.

Our Job, His Job (From the Series) First Thessalonians: Signposts 1 Thess 5:22-28 Paul closes his letter by reminding us to live as signposts in the world that point to the present and coming Kingdom of God. But the real work of transformation is done by God Himself. We are simply called to be positioned for His work in and through us.

Handling Prophecy (From the Series) First Thessalonians: Signposts 1 Thess 5:19-21 What we think about God shapes everything. Our knowledge must be grounded in Scripture, yet open to the Spirit’s voice – listening, testing, and holding fast to His truth.

1 Thess 5:16-18 Paul lays out with great clarity the will of God for our lives. His language moves beyond admonition to a way of living. Following Jesus isn't just something we do with part of our lives--it's a 24/7/365 reality for us.

While we respond to Jesus individually, we are called to live in community. Living together as followers of Jesus is both necessary for and a signpost of life in the Kingdom.

The Thief (From the Series) First Thessalonians: Signposts 1 Thess 5:1-11 The day of the Lord is hopeful for those in Christ, dreadful for those who refuse Him, and certain for all. In light of the certainty of Christ’s return, we should encourage one another and build one another up spurring one another on to good works.

His Past is Our Future (From the Series) First Thessalonians: Signposts 1 Thess 4:13-18 The intent of Paul's instruction is simply to remind all of us that what has already happened to Jesus will happen to each of us. Our future hope, based on Jesus Himself, should be a constant encouragement.

Vision Sunday: All of Jesus Colossians 1:15-23 All of Jesus for the whole person for the whole world isn't just a catchy sentence; it gives us clear direction both as individuals and as a church. The beauty and glory of Jesus remind us of the incredible power of His work in us and the scope of His mission in the world.

Changing: The Word (From the Series) Family Worship Sunday Isaiah 55:10-13 The Word is the only real foundation for our spiritual formation--through the reading and teaching of the Word, we encounter Jesus, the glorious image of the Father, and have the opportunity to be transformed into His image.

Being an effective signpost and growing in brotherly love are things that we do and that we are called to do “more and more.” This plays out in the way we work and function in the world.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that the core of life in Christ is pleasing God, and that they, like us, can often be derailed by the flesh. The call to please God is a call to true freedom through the power of the Holy Spirit.