Line Upon Line

Continuing the "Disciplines of a Disciple" series, Pastor Miles teaches that no one can save themselves by good works or religious righteousness—Jesus told even the devout Nicodemus he must be born again. Through Jesus' finished work on the cross we have been saved from the penalty of sin (justification), are being saved from its power (sanctification), and will be saved from its presence (glorification).

Using the example of King David's sin and repentance in 2 Samuel 11–12 and Psalm 51, this teaching launches a new series, "Disciplines of a Disciple," arguing that the overarching story of Scripture is salvation and that the call to discipleship is first a call to be saved by God's grace through Jesus.

Using the account of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah in 2 Samuel 11, Pastor Mark teaches a "hold my beer" model of how believers fail when they bypass God's wisdom, and offers a series of diagnostic questions for making godly decisions. He closes by arguing that the world's problems—and our own—are ultimately solved not by force or politics but by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Miles closes his "First Things First" series by arguing that the resurrection of Jesus is the proof point of the Christian story, presenting Gary Habermas's "minimal facts" as historical evidence and urging believers to let the transforming power of the resurrection be seen in a dying world through self-giving love.

Continuing his series introducing the unknown God, Pastor Miles argues that general and special revelation have limits, so God moved to personal revelation by becoming a man in Jesus Christ. Drawing on Acts 17, Hebrews 1, John 1, Philippians 2, and 1 Corinthians 15, he shows that the resurrection of Jesus is the proof and assurance—the proof point and breaking point—of the Christian faith.

Pastor Miles teaches from Acts 17 that God reveals Himself in three ways—general revelation (creation, consciousness, conscience), special revelation (God speaking in language we can understand), and personal revelation in the incarnate Christ—and shows from Paul's address at the Areopagus fourteen things God discloses about Himself, all hinging on the resurrection of Jesus.

Drawing on Paul's address to the Athenians in Acts 17, this teaching explores the "religious impulse" toward transcendence and argues that general revelation—creation, consciousness, and conscience—reveals that God exists, is powerful, intelligent, moral, beautiful, and loving, yet remains insufficient to fully know Him. It introduces the "unknown God" Paul proclaimed as one who is not unknowable, and frames Christianity as the only worldview that answers life's deepest questions.

Pastor Miles warns that the upheavals of 2020-2021 have exposed the carnal "old man" in believers, fueling political divisions that have crept into and damaged the church. He calls Christians to repent of carnality, refuse to judge one another over non-biblical matters like masks and vaccines, and "strengthen the things that remain" by growing in Christ-likeness.

Wrapping up Esther chapter 10, Pastor Mark traces the supernatural hand of God woven through the book and challenges believers to step into the story God is writing in their lives. Drawing on Job, Hosea, and the marriage covenant, he shows that trials are God's invitation to participate, that God keeps His covenant even when His people do not, and that unity and forgiveness flow from the new covenant celebrated in communion.

Teaching from Esther 9, where the Jews' enemies are defeated and the feast of Purim is established. The message uses the culmination of Esther to call believers to "get in the game"—to know God's game and rules, follow His shifting strategy, play as professionals, and remember and record what God has done.