Harvest Bible Chapel

Most of us grew up hearing that the God of the Old Testament is harsh and demanding — while Jesus is gentle, meek, and mild. But what do we do with a Jesus who braids a whip, flips tables, and drives merchants out of the Temple? Turns out, the gentle Jesus we've imagined may be a little too tame.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

This week in our series, Believe! The Gospel of John, we find ourselves at a wedding in Cana — and things are about to go sideways. The wine has run out, the host is about to be humiliated, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Have you ever hidden from an opportunity to share your faith? Like, literally hidden? Pastor Jeff Bucknam has, and he's not afraid to admit it. From a Mormon girl he didn't know how to talk to, to ducking out at a Teen Jam, he describes himself as having "a checkered history with personal evangelism." If that resonates with you, you're in the right place.

This week in our series Believe! The Gospel of John, we're in John 1:35–51—a passage about how the very first followers of Jesus found him, and then couldn't stop telling other people about it. Pastor Jeff walks us through four invitation cycles in this text and lands on a surprising conclusion: the key to sharing your faith isn't guilt, and it isn't technique. It's a delight. When you've genuinely come and seen that Jesus is good, passing it on starts to feel less like a duty—and a lot more like telling a friend about the best restaurant you've ever been to.

So if evangelism has ever made you want to hide—this one's for you.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

We all know someone who has a quote on their wall. Maybe it's Churchill, maybe it's C.S. Lewis, maybe it's that one about smiling while you still have teeth. Those little phrases are supposed to orient us — to remind us who we are and what we're here for.

But what if the most important thing you could put on your wall wasn't about you at all?

In John chapter 1, we meet John the Baptist — a man so compelling that crowds were flooding out of Jerusalem to hear him speak. Religious authorities sent a formal delegation to interrogate him. The whole country was buzzing. And when they asked him, "Who are you?" — he had every opportunity to lean into the hype.

He didn't.

Instead, he said something that sounds almost countercultural today: I am not the one you're looking for. I'm just a voice. He's the one.

In a world that tells us to build our brand, grow our platform, and make a name for ourselves, John the Baptist modeled something radically different. His entire identity was wrapped up not in who he was, but in who Jesus is.

Today, Pastor Jeff Bucknam walks us through John 1:19–34 with a message titled "It's Not Me. It's Him."

Let's listen in.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

On this episode of the podcast, we continue our series through the Gospel of John called Believe! with a message from John 1:12–18 titled “Children, Glory, and Grace.”

Every day we’re surrounded by voices telling us who we are and what really matters—messages about success, power, image, and security. Over time, those messages can distort our sense of identity and leave our spiritual bearings a little off. But the opening chapter of John’s Gospel gives us something better: a clear reminder of what is true for those who believe in Jesus.

In this passage, we discover three astonishing realities of the Christian life: we have become children of God, we have seen His glory in Jesus Christ, and we have received grace upon grace from His fullness.

Join us as we explore how the eternal Word who made all things became flesh and dwelt among us—and what that means for our identity, our relationship with God, and the overflowing grace available to us in Christ.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Who is Jesus—really?

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Welcome to the weekly sermon podcast from Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago. We’re glad you’re joining us.

We’re continuing our series, Rise and Fall of a King. In 2 Samuel 7:1–17, we come to a defining moment in the life of David—and in the story of redemption. David wants to build a house for God. But instead, God reveals a better plan, makes a greater promise, and points to a greater King.

In a world where every leader eventually fails, and every kingdom fades, this passage reminds us that God’s purposes cannot be shaken—and His promised King will never fall.

Open your Bible with us to 2 Samuel 7 and let’s see how God’s better plan leads us to a better King.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Every legacy tells a story—but not every story is one we intended to write.

In this message, A Broken Legacy, we trace a sobering arc through the life of David’s family—where unchecked sin, delayed confrontation, and spiritual passivity quietly take root and eventually bear devastating fruit. From David’s refusal to act, to the rise of Absalom, to a cost far greater than anyone imagined, this passage confronts us with an uncomfortable question: What happens when godly responsibility is ignored?

As we walk through 2 Samuel 13, 15, and 18, this sermon invites us to examine our own lives, the influence we’re shaping, and the legacy we’re leaving behind.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

We live in a world where sin often feels small at first…a compromise here, a glance there, a door left unguarded. But Scripture warns us that what looks inviting on the surface always carries a darker end.

In 2 Samuel 11:1–27, David reaches the tragic turning point of his story. In this message from our Rise and Fall of a King series, Pastor Jeff Bucknam walks through the heartbreaking account of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah...and exposes how sin works: it strikes when we least expect it, spreads like a cancer, and ultimately destroys what it touches.

Yet even here, God’s mercy is not absent. David’s failure is real and its consequences are severe…but the Lord confronts, calls to repentance, and offers cleansing to the sinner who turns back. As Psalm 51 reminds us, redemption is possible because of God’s steadfast love.

Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo

WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US:

WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

We live in a world where promises are easily made—and just as easily broken. Integrity can feel rare, and keeping your word often seems optional when circumstances change.