Commons Church Podcast

We are very excited to be moving toward the launch of a new parish on the east side of the city core. Visit www.commons.church/inglewood for more details.

The most common Biblical command is “do not be afraid”. Search your Bible and you will find it repeated dozens of times. It began when God told Abraham, the first man of faith, not to be afraid (Genesis 15:1). And actually, the command could be translated, “stop being afraid!” In other words, Abraham was told to stop fearing as a way of life. And that is the issue, isn’t it. The lingering fears, the constant low-level dread. While momentary fears can come and go, if there is something we are all too familiar with, it’s the anxious life as a way of being. Anxiety is a kind of low-grade fear, the constant gnawing of uncertainty, the constant dread that doesn’t go away. Anxiety can stay with us. Jesus had something to say about this very practical area of our existence, painting a picture about how anxiety happens, and how the un-anxious life is actually possible. In his famous temptations Jesus faces head-on three of our most powerful latent anxieties: security, esteem, and control. Let’s face them as well.

The most common Biblical command is “do not be afraid”. Search your Bible and you will find it repeated dozens of times. It began when God told Abraham, the first man of faith, not to be afraid (Genesis 15:1). And actually, the command could be translated, “stop being afraid!” In other words, Abraham was told to stop fearing as a way of life. And that is the issue, isn’t it. The lingering fears, the constant low-level dread. While momentary fears can come and go, if there is something we are all too familiar with, it’s the anxious life as a way of being. Anxiety is a kind of low-grade fear, the constant gnawing of uncertainty, the constant dread that doesn’t go away. Anxiety can stay with us. Jesus had something to say about this very practical area of our existence, painting a picture about how anxiety happens, and how the un-anxious life is actually possible. In his famous temptations Jesus faces head-on three of our most powerful latent anxieties: security, esteem, and control. Let’s face them as well.

The most common Biblical command is “do not be afraid”. Search your Bible and you will find it repeated dozens of times. It began when God told Abraham, the first man of faith, not to be afraid (Genesis 15:1). And actually, the command could be translated, “stop being afraid!” In other words, Abraham was told to stop fearing as a way of life. And that is the issue, isn’t it. The lingering fears, the constant low-level dread. While momentary fears can come and go, if there is something we are all too familiar with, it’s the anxious life as a way of being. Anxiety is a kind of low-grade fear, the constant gnawing of uncertainty, the constant dread that doesn’t go away. Anxiety can stay with us. Jesus had something to say about this very practical area of our existence, painting a picture about how anxiety happens, and how the un-anxious life is actually possible. In his famous temptations Jesus faces head-on three of our most powerful latent anxieties: security, esteem, and control. Let’s face them as well.

excerpt from the Nicene Creed: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; and who spoke by the prophets. Amen.

“What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. Last year we started into the book of Romans and worked our way–verse by verse–through the opening two chapters. This year, we pick up where we left off and keep moving forward.

“What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. Last year we started into the book of Romans and worked our way–verse by verse–through the opening two chapters. This year, we pick up where we left off and keep moving forward.

“What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. Last year we started into the book of Romans and worked our way–verse by verse–through the opening two chapters. This year, we pick up where we left off and keep moving forward.

“What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. Last year we started into the book of Romans and worked our way–verse by verse–through the opening two chapters. This year, we pick up where we left off and keep moving forward.

“What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. Last year we started into the book of Romans and worked our way–verse by verse–through the opening two chapters. This year, we pick up where we left off and keep moving forward.