Beyond the Message

By Veritas Church, Cedar Rapids, IAReligion & Spirituality Christianity

Beyond the Message episodes

January 05Rhythms: Prayer
In the second week of our annual Rhythms series, we focus on prayer—not just as something Christians should do, but as a repeated practice that forms us into people who actually trust God. In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray by re-centering on God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will. In this week’s message we walked through the ACTS framework—Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication—showing how prayer becomes both a family practice (kids included!) and a window into what we truly rely on when life gets hard.
We examined why prayer often feels difficult, how a “small view of God” shrinks our prayer lives, and why the gospel gives us confidence to draw near: Jesus is our High Priest, and God invites His people to approach the throne of grace for mercy and help.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: Our prayer life reveals who, or what we actually trust.
Rhythms are repeated practices meant to become “normal” over time - we aren’t aiming for Sunday-only religion, but a lifestyle of communion with God through the week.
Prayer feels hard for many Christians—so the question becomes “why?” - Some don’t pray at all; many feel they “should pray more.” The disciples’ question—“Lord, teach us to pray”—gives us a pathway forward.
Jesus teaches prayer as God-centered before it becomes need-centered - “Hallowed be Your name… Your kingdom come…” reorders our hearts before we ask for anything.
ACTS provides a helpful structure without becoming a law - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication offer training wheels for a healthier prayer life.
Adoration re-centers our hearts on who God is - God is worthy of worship regardless of circumstances; prayer begins by turning attention from self to God.(Psalm 33:6-11, Psalm 145:1-7, Isaiah 6:1-5, Psalm 103:1-5, Romans 11:33-36)
Confession flows naturally from adoration - Seeing God’s holiness exposes our lack—and confession isn’t to earn belonging, but because we belong to Christ.(1 John 1:5-10, Psalm 51:1-12, Psalm 32:3-5, Daniel 9:4-9, Ezra 9:6-7)
Thanksgiving fights entitlement and anxiety - Everything we have—physically and spiritually—is a gift. Gratitude reminds us we are stewards, not owners.(Exodus 4:11-12, Ephesians 1:3-6, Colossians 1:15-23, 1 Chronicles 16:8-12, Psalm 107:1-2, Psalm 136:1-3, Colossians 3:15-17)
Supplication is welcomed, but best flowing from a rightly ordered prayer - We ask boldly because Jesus sympathizes with our weakness and invites us to the throne of grace.(Psalm 86:1-7, Matthew 7:7-11, Ephesians 3:14-19, Philippians 4:4-7)
Your prayer life reveals what you actually trust - Where we run when stressed—calendar, substances, control, comfort—exposes functional trust more than stated beliefs.
Practical application:
Use ACTS as a weekly “reset” (especially when prayer feels scattered) - Even 5–10 minutes can be structured:
Invite kids into prayer as participants, not spectators - Let them pray simply, out loud. This disciples them by practice, not theory.
Watch what you run to first when stress hits - Use that moment as a diagnostic: What am I trusting right now? Then redirect: talk to God.
Strengthen your view of God to strengthen your prayer life - Two fuel sources emphasized in the sermon:
Pray like Hebrews 4 is true - Approach God with confidence—not because you’re strong, but because Jesus is your High Priest and grace is available in the time of need.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore:
Praying the Bible
A Praying Life
A Simple Way to Pray
Prayer
Praying like Monks, Living Like Fools
Inductive Bible Study
How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth
Reading the Bible Better
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
35 min
December 28, 2025Rhythms: Bible
As we kick off our annual Rhythms series, we dug into why Bible reading isn’t just a churchy habit—it’s one of the primary ways God forms a church full of people who abide closely with Jesus. In John 6, the crowd wants Jesus for what He can give—but Jesus presses them to see who He is: the Bread of Life, the only source of true and lasting life.
In the message, we learned about the “hard saying” that caused many to walk away, and why Peter’s response is the turning point: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” We explored what it looks like to crave Scripture not out of guilt, but because we’re convinced Jesus is life—and His Word gives and sustains that life.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: Jesus is life and his words sustain life.
A church people love is built on people who abide in Jesus - Programs, preaching, and ministries matter, but the “secret sauce” is a church full of people who love and stay close to Christ.
The real issue isn’t knowing we should read the Bible, but wanting to - The question isn’t “Should Christians read Scripture?”—it’s “How do we get to the place where we crave it?”
John 6 exposes why many follow Jesus: not for Jesus, but for benefits - After the feeding of the 5,000, the crowd pursues Jesus mainly for bread, not because they want Him.
The “hard saying” is ultimately about Jesus’ identity and authority - Jesus claims to be the Bread of Life with ultimate authority—offensive then and offensive now.
Jesus doesn’t soften offensive truth—He holds the line - He doesn’t apologize, backpedal, or rebrand the truth. He presses deeper.
The Spirit gives life through the words of Jesus - Jesus’ words are “spirit and life”—they give life (salvation) and sustain life (ongoing nourishment).
Two responses to Jesus: walk away or worship - Many leave; Peter stays because there’s nowhere else to go—Jesus has the words of eternal life.

Practical application:
Diagnose what you’re really after when you come to Jesus - Are you following Jesus for what He can give (comfort, ease, solutions), or for who He is (Life Himself)?
Expect the Bible to confront you before it comforts you - If you only read Scripture when it feels agreeable, you’ll treat Jesus like a consultant instead of a King.
Pursue a “Peter” posture: “Where else would I go?” - When life is tired, anxious, lonely, or even going well—train your reflex toward the Word because it’s life.
Build cravings, not just goals - If you struggle to want the Word, consider practices that reshape desire:
Let communion reinforce the point: Jesus is the Bread of Life - Communion is a repeated reminder that our life is sustained not by what we can produce, but by Christ’s body and blood given for us.

Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore:
Praying the Bible
A Praying Life
A Simple Way to Pray
Prayer
Praying like Monks, Living Like Fools
Inductive Bible Study
How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth
Reading the Bible Better

Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
32 min
December 22, 2025Advent: Love
This week on Beyond the Message, Michael Rhodes and Jake Each recap yesterday’s Advent message from John 3:16, which shows us God's love is evident, extravagant, extensive, exclusive, effective, and endearing. We unpack the sermon's main points and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
In the final week of our Advent series, we slowed down to reflect on what Christmas reveals about the love of God. John 3:16 is familiar—but far deeper than a “comfort verse.” In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, we learn that God’s love is not vague sentiment or generic approval. It is seen, costly, wide-reaching, and saving—and it demands a response. In this verse we see six biblical descriptions of God’s love—evident, extravagant, extensive, exclusive, effective, and endearing—and explore how the Spirit’s work of new birth leads to real belief, real transformation, and real worship. We also see two distortions of God’s love in this verse: legalism (“God only loves good people”) and universalism (“God loves everyone no matter what”), and how the gospel corrects both.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: God's love is evident, extravagant, extensive, exclusive, effective, and endearing.
God’s love is evident.God doesn’t merely claim love—He shows it by sending Jesus. The love of God is tangible and historical, revealed in the person of Christ.
God’s love is extravagant.The gift reveals the depth: God gave His only Son, and He gave Him for undeserving sinners who were perishing.
God’s love is extensive.God’s love reaches the “world”—across borders, backgrounds, and categories—offering salvation to whoever believes.
God’s love is exclusive.The verse doesn’t teach universal salvation. There is a real dividing line: belief leads to life; unbelief leads to perishing.
God’s love is effective.God’s love doesn’t merely invite or inspire—it accomplishes salvation. Christ’s work is sufficient, finished, and securing.
God’s love is endearing.God’s love produces fruit. The Spirit gives new life, which leads to belief, which shows itself in coming to the light—living differently because we’ve been loved.
Practical application:
Don’t measure God’s love by your circumstances—measure it by Christ.When life feels chaotic or your sin feels loud, return to the “evidence”: the manger, the cross, the empty tomb.
Ask which distortion you drift toward: legalism or universalism.
Legalism says: God loves good people—so I must earn it.
Universalism says: God loves everyone no matter what—so belief and repentance don’t matter.
The gospel says: God truly loves sinners, and His saving love is received through Spirit-wrought faith.
Let familiarity stop being a shield.If “God loves you” has become a shrug, ask God to soften your heart again. This is not junk-drawer comfort; it’s the center of reality.
Look for the fruit of new birth—not just the language of belief.In this passage, belief shows up as coming to the light and doing what is true. Ask: Am I living in the light—or hiding in the dark?
Come to communion as a renewed hearing of God’s love.The bread and cup are not just remembrance—they are God’s repeated declaration: “I love you,” grounded in Christ’s body given and blood shed.
Biggest Story Advent
The Christmas Promise
Advent Family Devotional
Good News of Great Joy
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
19 min
December 15, 2025Advent: Generosity
This week on Beyond the Message, Ian Crosby and Michael Rhodes recap yesterday’s message from Romans 8:32, which demonstrates that God always provides for his plan—God has already given us His greatest gift, his own Son. We unpack the sermon's main points and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
When life feels marked by waiting, disappointment, or unmet desires, it’s easy to wonder if God is withholding good from us. But the truth is that God’s generosity is sacrificial, gracious, loving, and purposeful, and the cross permanently reshapes the way we interpret what God gives—and what He withholds. The season of Advent reassures us that God is not stingy but faithfully provides everything we need to accomplish His redemptive purposes in our lives.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: Jesus is the ultimate proof that God always provides for his plan.
God’s generosity is sacrificial - God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us—showing that true generosity costs something.
God’s generosity is gracious - Salvation is not earned but freely given; the greatest gift we receive comes by grace alone.
God’s generosity is loving - The Father gave His beloved and only Son so we could be reconciled to Him.
God’s generosity is purposeful - God promises to give “all things” necessary to carry out His redemptive plan—not everything we want, but everything we need.
Jesus is the ultimate proof of God’s provision - If God has already given His Son, we can trust Him with everything else.
Practical application:
Identify where you’re tempted to believe God is withholding - Ask honestly: Where have I assumed God is stingy rather than purposeful?
Replace “If I just had…” with “I already have Jesus” - Let gratitude for the gospel reshape expectations and contentment.
Trust God’s plan in unmet desires - Recognize that what God withholds may be as loving as what He gives.
Practice contentment during a season of excess - Let Advent form you into someone who rests in God’s generosity rather than chasing more.
Anchor faith in what God has already given - When doubts arise, look again to the cross as proof that God always provides what is needed.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore:
Biggest Story Advent
The Christmas Promise
Advent Family Devotional
Good News of Great Joy
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
16 min
December 08, 2025Advent: Humility
This week on Beyond the Message, Sam Anderson and Ian Crosby recap yesterday’s message from Philippians 2:3-11, exploring how the humility of Christ leads to the worship of Christ. We unpack the sermon's main points and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
The humility of God is revealed in the birth of Jesus. The eternal Son willingly laid aside privilege, took on flesh, and became obedient even unto death for our salvation. This message helped us see that humility not merely as a personal virtue to admire, but as the very pathway through which God’s glory is revealed and our lives are transformed. We explore how Christ’s humility calls us to a posture of worship, obedience, and self-giving love in everyday life.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: The humility of Christ leads to the worship of Christ.
Jesus’ birth reveals the humility of God — the all-powerful King willingly became a servant.
Christ’s humility did not end at the manger but led Him to obedient suffering and the cross.
True humility is self-giving obedience to God for the good of others.
The road of humility ends not in loss, but in exaltation and God’s glory.
Practical application:
Slow down this Advent season to marvel at Christ’s humility before trying to imitate it.
Ask where obedience feels costly — humility always leads to action, not just attitude.
Reorient daily life toward God’s glory rather than self-advancement or comfort.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore:
Biggest Story Advent
The Christmas Promise
Advent Family Devotional
Good News of Great Joy
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
21 min
December 01, 2025Advent: Sovereignty
This week on Beyond the Message, Matthew Morken and Danny Daugherty dive into Matthew 1:1-17, where we see that God’s purposeful sovereignty over Jesus’ birth proves that we can trust God’s purposeful sovereignty over our lives. We unpack the sermon's main points and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
In yesterday’s message, we saw how the genealogy of Jesus isn’t a boring list of names—it’s a breathtaking picture of God’s sovereignty and grace. Danny pointed us to how Jesus’ birth proves God’s control over history and His power to redeem even the darkest parts of our stories. From the patience to wait for His timing to the hope that He’s working through our mess, Matthew 1 shows us a God who writes perfect stories with imperfect people.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: God’s purposeful sovereignty over Jesus’ birth proves that we can trust God’s purposeful sovereignty over our lives
Jesus’ genealogy shows God directing history with precision — no randomness, no “maverick molecules.”
God keeps His promises to Abraham and David exactly when and how He intends, even when it looks delayed or impossible.
Jesus’ family line is filled with sin and brokenness, revealing a God who works through messy stories, not around them.
The birth of Jesus proves God is sovereign over both time and human brokenness.
Practical application:
Trust God’s timing in the areas of your life that feel slow, confusing, or out of control.
Bring your own sin, regrets, and family brokenness into the light—God is able to redeem and use what you think disqualifies you.
Practice patient, hopeful faith this week: surrender one area where you’ve been trying to control the timeline.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore:
Biggest Story Advent
The Christmas Promise
Advent Family Devotional
Good News of Great Joy
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
38 min
November 24, 2025Daniel 11:2-12:13
In this episode, Sam and Jake discuss yesterday’s sermon from Daniel 11:2-12:13 — we are called to care about wisdom, purity, and to trust in the resurrection. We unpack the main points from the sermon and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
As the book of Daniel closes, God reminds His people that He’s sovereign over history, over evil, and over every future moment still to come. This episode explores how prophecy isn’t meant to satisfy curiosity—it’s meant to fuel courage. We’ll talk about what it means to live faithfully when the world seems upside down, how to stand firm when deception and pressure grow, and why hope in resurrection gives us endurance in every trial.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: Care about wisdom. Care about purity. Trust in the resurrection.
God reveals the future not for speculation but for sanctification.
Believers are called to “know your God” and stand firm amid deception and compromise.
Prophecy prepares believers to endure suffering with hope.
The end of evil: not a battle, but a breath from Christ’s mouth.
The final promise—rest, resurrection, and reward for those who remain faithful.
Practical application:
Know your Bible: Discernment grows from knowing God’s Word, not popular voices.
Guard your purity: Let trials refine, not ruin, your faith.
Endure with hope: Suffering isn’t wasted—it’s purifying you for glory.
Live for eternity: This world isn’t the end; you have a place secured with Christ.
Trust His timing: The story ends with Jesus’ victory—so walk faithfully until He returns.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore
Daniel For You
Evangelism as Exiles
Thriving in Babylon
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
Daniel ESV Scripture Journal
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
41 min
November 17, 2025Daniel 10-11:1
In this episode, Sam and Jake discuss yesterday’s sermon from Daniel 10-11:1 — we saw in the text that we have to be in awe of God to be at peace in this world. We unpack the main points from the sermon and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
Daniel expected the end of exile to mean the rebuilding of Jerusalem, but God revealed something far bigger—the coming of a Messiah who would end sin, establish righteousness, and fulfill every promise. In Daniel 10-11:1, we see how God redirected Daniel’s hope and how He still calls us to lift our eyes from earthly fixes to eternal realities. We see how misplaced hope drains faith, how Christ redefines fulfillment, and how God’s sovereignty in prophecy fuels trust in every season.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: Be in awe of God to be at peace in this world.
Daniel’s discouragement mirrors ours: unmet expectations and unseen progress.
God’s heavenly response: a vision of Christ’s glory and power.
The reality of spiritual warfare—fuels courage, not fear.
The comfort of being “greatly loved” in a world of anxiety.
How to live with peace and courage when life feels out of control.
Practical application:
Reinforce God’s greatness: When your problems grow big, magnify your view of God.
Remember spiritual reality: There’s always more happening than you can see.
Draw courage from love: You are greatly loved—let that truth strengthen your heart.
Walk by faith, not sight: Fix your eyes on what’s unseen, not on temporary troubles.
Live ready for battle: Be strong, take heart, and trust that God’s victory is sure.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore
Daniel For You
Evangelism as Exiles
Thriving in Babylon
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
Daniel ESV Scripture Journal
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
38 min
November 10, 2025Daniel 9:20-27
In this episode, Michael and Jake discuss yesterday’s sermon from Daniel 9 — similarly to Daniel our hope can be off and in need of an adjustment; we need to remember to put our hope in Christ, not the lesser things that can tend to captivate our hearts. We unpack the main points from the sermon and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
Daniel expected the end of exile to mean the rebuilding of Jerusalem, but God revealed something far bigger—the coming of a Messiah who would end sin, establish righteousness, and fulfill every promise. In this episode, we explore how God redirected Daniel’s hope and how He still calls us to lift our eyes from earthly fixes to eternal realities. We discuss how misplaced hope drains faith, how Christ redefines fulfillment, and how God’s sovereignty in prophecy fuels trust in every season.
Recommended Resources:
Daniel Commentaries
Daniel: The Triumph of God's Kingdom
The Preacher's Commentary - Vol. 21- Daniel
Exalting Jesus in Daniel (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary)
Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries)
The Message of Daniel: His Kingdom Cannot Fail (The Bible Speaks Today Series)
With the Clouds of Heaven: The Book of Daniel in Biblical Theology (Volume 32)
Recent Articles
Study the Bible Carefully
Tools to Help You Study God’s Word
Message Highlights:
Main Point: Put your hope in Christ.
Daniel’s prayer met by revelation—God answers with far more than Daniel expected.
The 70 weeks prophecy: complexity with a clear center—Christ.
God’s precision in prophecy proves His power and faithfulness.
The difference between hoping for restoration from God and resting in redemption through Christ.
Our modern hopes often need the same “Daniel-style” correction.
Practical application:
Audit your hope: What are you most excited about changing—and does it point to Christ or comfort?
Anchor in fulfillment: Christ didn’t come to improve Babylon but to end sin and bring righteousness.
Trust His timing: God’s plans unfold perfectly, even when the calendar feels confusing.
Let prophecy fuel worship: Every fulfilled promise in Scripture proves God keeps His word.
Redirect zeal: Be more passionate about the Redeemer than about rebuilding the ruins.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore
Daniel For You
Evangelism as Exiles
Thriving in Babylon
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
Daniel ESV Scripture Journal
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
23 min
November 03, 2025Daniel 9:1-19
In this episode, Sam and Jake discuss yesterday’s sermon from Daniel 9 — we see that the purpose of our troubles are to draw us back to God. We unpack the main points from the sermon and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text.
Daniel 9 provides us with one of the most powerful prayers in Scripture—a prayer that begins in the Word, flows from brokenness, and ends in worship. We explored how Daniel’s response to Israel’s exile models the kind of prayer that can awaken a drifting church. Daniel encourages us to turn from half-hearted religion, confess sin honestly, and cry out for mercy and revival—for God’s glory, not our comfort.
Message Highlights:
Main Point: The purpose of our troubles are to draw us back to God.
Exile is discipline, not disaster—it is a loving way God awakens His people.
There is a difference between “fix it” prayers and “form me” prayers.
The Word should drive our prayers, not just our needs.
True confession involves owning sin personally and corporately.
The goal of prayer—God’s glory above our relief.
Practical application:
Pray with the Word: Let your Bible reading prompt your praying; turn God’s promises into prayers.
Pray with passion: Set aside comfort and convenience to seek God wholeheartedly.
Pray with reverence: Our sin is ultimately against a holy God—the offense is against him, and the grace as well entirely and totally flows from him to us, undeservedly.
Pray with contrition: Realize and confront our depravity with God’s holiness.
Pray for mercy and forgiveness: Admit what you deserve and ask God to act out of His grace.
Pray for God’s fame: Make His glory, not your relief, the goal of your prayers.
Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore
Daniel For You
Evangelism as Exiles
Thriving in Babylon
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
Daniel ESV Scripture Journal
Do you have a question you want us to address? Submit it now!
30 min

About Beyond the Message

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Join us each week for a casual conversation as we dive deeper into Sunday’s message. We explore key points, clarify questions, and discuss insights that didn’t make it to the stage. This podcast is…