Line Upon Line

A Christmas-season study of Romans 5:1-11 showing that grace from God brings peace with God, which gives us hope in God—a hope defined not as optimism or wishful thinking but as the absolute certainty of future good grounded in God's promise and oath. Pastor Miles argues that humanity cannot truly live without this hope, which is found only in Christ and results in our sanctification and evangelism.

This Advent teaching explores Shalom—the biblical peace that means universal flourishing and "life as it ought to be"—and shows how grace from God produces peace with God through the cross of Christ, which then allows believers to experience the peace of God by reorienting their focus to Him through prayer and meditation.

Opening a Christmas series called "All I Want for Christmas," this teaching from John 1:14-17 argues that beneath all our material wants lies a deep spiritual need for grace, which is found only in Jesus Christ. Drawing on Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Augustine, Pastor Miles shows that Christ's incarnation brings the fullness of grace freely to all who trust in Him.

Using the account of the ten lepers in Luke 17, this Thanksgiving teaching shows how faith in Jesus produces both obedience and praise, and how only the one grateful Samaritan returned to receive a fuller blessing of wholeness. It challenges believers to be marked by gratitude and to proclaim the praises of Christ.

Drawing on Paul's three pictures in 2 Timothy 2—the good soldier, the competent athlete, and the faithful farmer—Pastor Miles teaches that though God graciously gives believers gifts and strength for the mission, they must still choose to use them through endurance, discipline, and patience, following the example of Christ who endured the cross for the sake of those who need the gospel.

Using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Augustine's confession of a restless heart, Pastor Miles argues that human beings have a deep spiritual need beyond material satisfaction—a need met only by the grace of God revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Drawing from John 1:14-17, he shows that Christ's Advent is the arrival of the grace we deeply need and ultimately desire, given freely and abundantly to all who trust in Him.

Teaching from Matthew 5:21, this message shows how Jesus moves the law from mere actions (don't murder) to the attitudes of the heart (anger, insults, contempt), calling believers to own their own reactions, refuse to assume others' motives, and seek reconciliation with those they have wronged before drawing near to God.

From 2 Timothy 2:1-2, Pastor Miles teaches that the Christian faith and the church are never more than one generation away from extinction, so the gospel must be intentionally passed down. God calls, gifts, empowers, and places every believer in the church to become a witness who entrusts the message to faithful others who can teach still others.

Drawing from 2 Timothy 2:1, Pastor Miles teaches that God calls every believer to make His greatness known—a calling we feel inadequate to fulfill—and that this very inadequacy drives us to rely on God's grace, which strengthens us to obey. He weaves together God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, urging fearful believers, like Timothy, to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Drawing on Philippians 4:2-9, Pastor Garrett teaches that division is inevitable wherever people gather, yet God calls His people to unity, gentleness, and prayer rather than the world's nastiness. He shows that God alone provides lasting peace and joy, replacing anxiety with His peace that surpasses understanding when we pray, give thanks, and set our minds on what is good.