Talking about money and giving in church can be a little awkward, but the Bible has important things to say about the topic. There are at least two different ways that churches can get off track with financial giving. First are the churches that never ever talk about money. “Let’s not talk about money, let’s just talk about God.” As if God has nothing to say about how his people handle and think about money. The second is the flip side of that. Let’s talk about God SO that we can talk about money. And these churches tend to talk about money all of the time. "Jesus wants you to be healthy and wealthy, all you need is a little more faith. So, in faith, give a lot of your money to this church so that you will be blessed financially in return.” We want to be neither of these two extremes. We, at City Line Church, want to be people who give, as to the Lord, with a cheerful heart knowing it is part of our worship of him. 

A time of greeting one another during the worship service can seem like a clever way to keep people awake and caffeinated, or a convenient way to make space for taking our children to their classes for worship. And for some introverts, it is the most dreaded 210 seconds of their week. But there are very important practical, biblical and theological reasons for our time of greeting. In addition to doing so because we are told to do so in the New Testament, we greet one another because we are meant to be in community together and because when we do so we demonstrate the reconciliation found in the gospel.

Confessing our sins together as the whole body of Christ in a worship service can feel like a strange thing to do. Especially for those who didn’t grow up in more liturgical traditions. But, at a most fundamental level, why do we confess our sins as Christians? We do it because we are all sinners. When we confess our sins, we admit this truth, even if we didn’t struggle with that particular sin over the past week. Even if we didn’t, it is likely we will in the future! But, when we confess our sins, both corporately and individually, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. So, in confession, we find relational forgiveness and wholeness because of God's character and love towards us. 

Christians are regularly encouraged to sing praises to God in Scripture. We sing praises to God in our worship services because we are invited and even commanded to sing. We sing praises to God in our worship services so God’s Word goes deep into our souls. And, we sing praises to God in our worship services simply because it brings glory to God. Singing has such a unique way of communally bringing our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths together in worship of our Great God. 

The Call to Worship reminds us of God’s presence and invites us to worship him. We are invited to turn our attentions and affections to our Lord and Creator. It can be hard to put away all the distractions and anxieties of our weeks, but the Call to Worship brings us into a space where we can quiet our minds and worship the King and Lover of our souls. In this sermon we’ll consider the role of the Call to Worship, think about what worship actually is, and think about what Psalm 100 (a very traditional and often used Call to Worship) is calling us to do. 

This sermon concludes a series on 3 Strange Prayers, focusing on the final prayer in the Bible, “Come, Lord Jesus.” This prayer, offered by John in Revelation, reflects the enduring hope of Christians for Jesus’ return. It signifies the end of suffering, the establishment of God’s kingdom, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. This prayer and Jesus’ return signifies three key points: endurance, judgment, and healing. It reminds believers to endure hardships, knowing that true justice will prevail. Ultimately, Jesus’ return brings healing, wiping away tears and ending suffering, as seen in the vision of the new heavens and new earth. The prayer “Come, Lord Jesus!” is a short and powerful expression of this longing, reflecting the hope for justice, healing, and eternal life. This prayer also reminds us of our in-between state and our ultimate hope in Jesus’ return.

Hannah, yearning for a child, endured years of infertility and mockery from her husband’s second wife, Peninnah. Despite her husband’s inadequate comfort, Hannah turned to God in persistent prayer, promising to dedicate her son to His service. God answered her prayer, granting her a son, Samuel, whom she later gave to the Temple, demonstrating her faith and commitment to God’s will. The sermon explores Hannah’s pleading prayer, God’s response, and her triumphant second prayer of praise, emphasizing the importance of experiencing our own deepest emotions in our connection to God.

The people of Israel are moaning and complaining at the VERY beginning of their “wanderings in the wilderness.” They will regularly show themselves to be rebellious and stubborn people. This grumbling of the people makes the Lord angry and Moses, their leader, frustrated. Moses surprisingly offers a prayer of challenge to the Lord. In the raw and real prayer, he even goes so far as to call on the Lord to kill him rather than have to lead these people! This strange prayer is important because it shows us that the Lord’s “shoulders” are strong enough to bear all of our deepest and darkest thoughts. God is not scared away by our fickleness. And, of course, Jesus ultimately succeeds where Moses fails, and he is the perfect mediator between God and humanity.  

Here Paul concludes his letter to the Galatians and highlights the central message of his letter: That neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Paul reveals true motivations of the Judiazers: to avoid persecution and to boast in getting Gentiles circumcised. Should we avoid persecution? Can we take pride in our worldly accomplishments? And, what does it look like to only boast in the cross of Christ? 

In an episode of the podcast “Radio Lab,” they explore how trees and forests thrive through underground root systems and fungal networks, demonstrating a model of community and mutual support. This principle is echoed by Paul in Galatians 6, where Christians are commanded to carry one another’s burdens in three specific ways: restoring those caught in transgressions, supporting those who teach the Bible faithfully, and doing good to one another. These actions fulfill the law of Christ and create a healthy, supportive church community. Ultimately, this reflects Jesus’ love and sacrifice, calling the church to be a beacon of hope and love in a divided world.