New Life Now Series
06/16/24 | Sermon
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
Jesus challenges us in Matthew 5:43-48 not just to “not retaliate or respond in kind,” but to take our deeper righteousness to the next level and actually love our enemies. By His standards, this is what it looks like to emulate the perfection of God.
Scripture
Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
06/09/24 | Sermon
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
Scripture
Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42 (ESV)
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Sermon Devotional
06/02/24 | New Life Grows Trust
Speaker: Dan Wonneberger
Theme
God is not just against promises, so that any time we would make a promise we sin. He is against promises as a means of manipulating people, misleading people, or misrepresenting yourself. They had a complex oath-making system, we don’t, but we find our own ways to coerce others to trust us or let us get our way. The issue is that control comes at the expense of community.
Scripture
Scripture: Matthew 5:33-37 (ESV)
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Sermon Devotional
05/26/24 | Don’t “Stay Married,” Be Married
Speaker: Dan Wonneberger
Theme
Jesus answers an argument in his day, “Can men dismiss their wives for any reason they want, or just unfaithfulness?” His answer to the debate is not for any reason. He doesn’t, however, attempt to exhaustively list every reason for divorce. Don’t read Jesus like a scribe or Pharisee. We seek deeper righteousness, not a religious system to judge others’ relationships as permissible or wicked.
Scripture
Matthew 5:31-32 (ESV)
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
05/19/24 | What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
Our world often operates on the principle of “what can you do for me?” Lust and adultery are expressions not of valuing the other person, but viewing them as an object of pleasure who can do something for me. Jesus articulates a vision of personhood that echoes the intrinsic value of each person created in the image of God.
Scripture
Matthew 5:27-30 (ESV)
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Sermon Devotional
05/12/24 | Sticks and Stones
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
Life can be complicated in families. That’s true in the “family of God” as well. It’s not hard to get crossways with family members, feel hurt, nurse grudges, etc. Jesus shows us a healthy way to deal with anger and bitterness—the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Scripture
Matthew 5:21-26 (ESV)
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Sermon Devotional
05/05/24 | Deeper Obedience
Speaker: Dan Wonneberger
Theme
Religious people can easily default to a clearly defined set of rules to order their life together. Jesus, though, desires a deeper obedience. It’s not that the ethics of Scripture are unimportant—quite the opposite—Jesus applies the law deeper into our hearts, values, and motives to make us new. Following the letter of the law makes you law abiding, living out the spirit of the law brings life.
Scripture
Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV)
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Sermon Devotional
04/28/24 | Tasty Living
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
In a world that can sometimes seem bland and indifferent, we have an opportunity to live like Jesus in our winsome and grace-filled distinctiveness. Salt, Light, and City all carry the image of a reformed community who lives at peace within and without. This winsome vision of a new life and community becomes a homing beacon for folks weary of the ways the world works to find new life in Jesus.
Scripture
Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Sermon Devotional
04/21/24 | Blessed Are, Part 2
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
Righteousness isn’t a cosmic naughty/nice list, its about doing right by others. Far from the American goals of gathering as much as I can for me and mine, Jesus is about others. Forgiveness, purity, peace, missing out for doing good for others are the ways you live the New life of Jesus.
Scripture
Matthew 5:7-12 (ESV)
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Sermon Devotional
04/14/24 | Blessed Are, Part 1
Speaker: Dr. David Goebel
Theme
“Blessed are the ______” is analogous to saying “Those people have made it!” The first four types of people who have made it, who are “living the good life” are not anything like what any society would expect. They are not wealthy, powerful, or popular. The good life is being lived by the depressed, the mourning, the unempowered, and those who are being treated unjustly.
Scripture
Matthew 5:3-6 (ESV)
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Sermon Devotional
04/07/24 | Labels and New Life
Speaker: Dan Wonneberger
Theme
Labels create expectations and shape our experience. In the same way that when we label a child a troublemaker, we find them making trouble; when we label a set of teachings a “sermon,” we expect intellectual explorations of righteousness. In chapter 5, Matthew collects teachings of Jesus that provide a foundation for how we can live out our New Life from Jesus today.
Scripture
Matthew 5:1-3a (ESV)
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,