BRAVE Church

This week we highlighted Hebrews 11:7-22 and discussed the challenges to faith. Many times, when we are encouraged to grow in our faith our motivation wanes due to challenges that appear. Because the Christian life is not automatic it is imperative to be aware of the challenges that will occur once we begin to take steps of faith. Knowing the challenges on our path help us to navigate properly with the Lord, which also keep us from being surprised. The enemy of your soul hates faithfulness and so he uses these challenges to keep us from experiencing God's best. May this teaching open your eyes to the some of the challenges that you will face so that you can be an overcomer. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

Hebrews 11 helps us to comprehend the significance of faith in the life of a believer. Understanding and applying faith in our life pleases God and unleashes His favor upon us. The challenge with faith is the ability to believe it before we see it. In our world of uncertainty, we are often taught to see things before we believe them. God wants us to trust Him FIRST and then we will see the result of our faith. This takes spiritual discernment and practice so that we can grow in this discipline. Faith is not only an essential ingredient in the life of a believer but is the key to growth. Studying this passage will unlock opportunities for you to grow as a believer. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

This week we discussed the fourth warning passage in the book of Hebrews. The author is telling us to beware of certain things that will impact our spiritual growth. God places warning passages in the Scriptures for our own good. For the believer it reminds us to stay the course and for the unbeliever it is an exhortation to trust Christ. Furthermore, for the one who is ready to turn their back on Jesus Christ it is a warning to avoid a decision that has negative eternal consequences. God is so good and loving that He goes to great lengths to ensure that we will continue to pursue Him in all that we do. May this passage of Scripture encourage you to trust Christ more deeply than you ever have before. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

This message challenges believers to believe their blessings. In the church, we often encourage people to count their blessings, perhaps even enjoy their blessings, but it's rare when Christians truly believe their blessings and live differently as a result. Through Christ's death, burial and resurrection we have been offered a new life. While it's imperative to talk about the necessity of the cross it's just as imperative to talk about our new life in Christ. We have the hope of Christ in us and with that hope, we have so many blessings that God wants us to have and enjoy. A thorough understanding of Hebrews 10:1-25 will instill confidence, freedom, joy and hope in the life of a believer. Take the time to ponder these truths from God's Word and live the Christ-centered life God intended for you. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

Today, many people in the church want to talk about all the benefits of Christ but refuse to talk about the necessity of His shed blood. Throughout Hebrews 9, we hear about need and blessings that result from Jesus Christ shedding His blood on Calvary. If Jesus Christ had not shed His blood on the cross, we would not be able to have our sins cleansed, would not have access to God, and would not have a secure inheritance. However, Jesus Christ did indeed die for our sins and rose from the dead so that through repentance and faith, we can have life in His name and look forward to being in His presence for all eternity. Throughout this message, we discussed four truths about the blood of Christ that help us grow in our intimacy with God. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

This message examines Hebrews chapter 8 and the superior ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest. Our society balks at the fact that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and even young, immature Christians can often doubt the validity of Christ's exclusivity. However, Hebrews chapter 8 highlights the superior ministry of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and demonstrates why He and He alone provides for everything we need. When Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant, everything changed. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and therefore the types and shadows of the Old Testament are no longer necessary for relating to God. Because in our sinful hearts we often prefer religion to reality, God makes it clear that Jesus Christ is everything we need. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

This message examines not only how Christ's priesthood was superior but how it has prevailed. Because Jesus Christ is from the order of Melchizadek, he is the only One who qualifies as the eternal high priest. God in His Word promised that Jesus Christ would be the great prevailing High Priest and that He would be preferable. As we study the work of Christ's priesthood we learn about His better covenant, His permeance and the fact that he prays for us. His perfect nature with His personal attention makes Christ the Greatest High Priest of all time. Knowing that God hears us and intercedes for us gives us a great confidence and hope in Him. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

This message discusses Christ's superior priesthood. Converted Jews in the first century had become concerned because they no longer had a priest. Since becoming Christians, they were no longer welcomed back into their Jewish faith and therefore didn't know where to get the spiritual help they needed. The author of Hebrews answers this question using the Hebrew Scriptures to demonstrate that there has always been a priesthood of a higher order that provides everything they would ever need. By studying the order of priesthood of Melchizedek we learned about Christ and His superior priesthood, and how he is the only priest they will ever need moving forward. Understanding the Lord Jesus Christ as your Great High Priest will provide great comfort for every believer. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

Often times we get so caught up in moving forward and getting to the next thing, that we don't stop to thank God for all the ways He blesses us. As we celebrate the first Sunday in our Englewood North building, we take time to pause and praise Him for His mighty work and provision in this season and over the life of BRAVE Church. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost. This Easter, we look at the two sons in the story of the Prodigal Son and how the heart of the father is of love no matter what - just like the heart of our Heavenly Father. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub