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Pastors Melissa and Petey discuss the first sermon in the Fear Not series, focusing on how people—like Judah in Isaiah—often feel stuck in darkness yet are met by God’s surprising “nevertheless” of hope. They reflect on human reactions to feeling stuck, the tendency to blame God, and the importance of Christian community to hold hope for one another. The episode also features updates on CPC’s Christmas offering to The Dwelling Place and a testimony from Pastor James about experiencing the gospel through weakness.

The sermon teaches that although we often feel emotionally, spiritually, or practically “stuck,” God is actively writing a better ending to our story. Drawing from Isaiah 8–9, it emphasizes that God’s light breaks into our darkness through Jesus, the true King who brings hope, peace, and transformation when our own efforts fail. As we face seasons of fear or paralysis, we’re invited to look first for God’s light, lament honestly yet anchor our hope in His promises, and let the certainty of God’s future reshape our present.

The sermon explains that coveting is a hidden, disordered desire that harms our lives and relationships, much like upstream pollution creates dead zones in a river. God gives the Tenth Commandment to transform our hearts, not just our outward actions, because coveting turns good things into idols. Through practices like gratitude and simplicity, and through the hope, power, and fullness we receive in Christ, God reorients our desires toward Him so we can truly live free.

The 9th Commandment calls God’s people to protect truth because communities cannot flourish where dishonesty destroys trust. Lies, whether spoken, exaggerated, repeated online, or shared for convenience, bind us in spiritual chains, while truthful speech reflects the character of God and the freedom Jesus brings. Christians are urged to tell the truth even when it costs them, refuse to spread unverified claims, and speak with both honesty and gentleness so that their words build others up.

This sermon focuses on the commandment “You shall not steal,” explaining that stealing violates God’s generous nature and our understanding that everything ultimately belongs to Him. Drawing from Genesis, Pastor Melissa teaches that humans are stewards, not owners, of what God has provided, and that theft undermines trust and dependence on God. The message concludes by urging believers to cultivate gratitude, release attachment to possessions, bring their needs to God, and share generously with others.

Pastor Petey explains that God calls His people to keep their promises and embody covenant love, reflecting God’s own steadfast faithfulness in all relationships, not just marriage. He concludes that through Jesus, who forgives and restores the unfaithful, we are set free to live faithfully — showing the world that commitment is more valuable than convenience and that God’s promises never fail.

Pastor Petey explains that the Sixth Commandment, “You shall not murder,” is about far more than refraining from taking a life—it’s about valuing every person as made in the image of God. Jesus expands this commandment to include anger, contempt, and words that dehumanize others, revealing that such attitudes also violate God’s intent. True freedom in Christ means rejecting hatred, extending grace, and treating all people with dignity, compassion, and love.

This sermon explores the Fifth Commandment, "Honor your father and mother," highlighting that it is not just for children but a lifelong call to give weight and value to those who came before us. It explains that honoring parents is less about obedience and more about acknowledging the significance of our roots—both in biological families and in the spiritual family of the church. Even when family relationships are broken or painful, God offers healing and a new sense of belonging through the community of faith.

This sermon emphasizes the importance of the Sabbath as a command from God designed to give us rest and reorient our identity away from constant striving and toward God’s grace. Rooted in both creation and redemption, the Sabbath reminds us that we are not defined by our work, but by the freedom and love God gives us. Rather than being a burden, Sabbath is a purposeful, holy pause that helps us resist the pressures of a nonstop world and live as people truly set free.

The message explores the true meaning of the third commandment, which is not just about avoiding profanity but about how God's people represent His name through their lives. Misusing God's name means attaching it to personal agendas, using it to justify harm, or claiming faith without living it out—actions that can distort God's reputation. Instead, we are called to bear His name well, reflecting the love, freedom, and truth found in Jesus, who perfectly represents God on our behalf.