Line Upon Line

Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:13-18, Pastor Miles examines how believers can prepare to endure the inevitable storms of life. Against the cultural emphasis on grit and determination, he offers five biblical "hold fasts": the sound words of Scripture, faith in Christ, love in Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the fellowship of the body of Christ.

Opening a new series in 2 Timothy—Paul's last words to Timothy and the church—Pastor Miles sets the historical scene of Paul's imprisonment in Rome and examines the first verse to show how Paul could face martyrdom with joy and without fear. The teaching draws three points from 2 Timothy 1:1: meeting Jesus changes you forever, sometimes we suffer while doing God's will, and we can face any trouble because of the promise of eternal life in Christ.

Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:6-12, this teaching examines how followers of Christ can move forward faithfully without being ashamed of the gospel, even amid fear of persecution. Paul exhorts the anxious Timothy to stir up his God-given gift, reminding him that God gives a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind rather than fear.

Writing his final letter from a Roman prison while awaiting execution, Paul commissions Timothy to guard, transfer, and preach the gospel, yet displays remarkable grace, mercy, peace, and joy. Miles shows that the promise of life in Christ — given by grace and mercy alone — enables believers to face any trouble with the peace of God, the joy of a pure conscience, and the strength of genuine faith passed on and shared in community.

Opening his study of 2 Timothy, Paul's final letter, Pastor Miles sets the historical scene of Paul suffering in chains in Rome and shows how Paul passes the torch to the timid Timothy, commissioning him to guard, transfer, and preach the gospel. The teaching centers on how the promise of life in Christ—available only by grace and mercy—produces peace, joy, and a genuine faith that must be passed on to others.

Through the example of Nehemiah confronting economic injustice among the returning exiles in Nehemiah 5, Pastor Miles draws out five marks of a righteous leader, climaxing in integrity rooted in the fear of God. He challenges believers to embody these values and to hold both themselves and their leaders to God's standard.

In the final teaching of a series on Jesus' seven "I am" statements, Pastor Miles examines John 15, where Jesus declares "I am the true vine." The message answers five questions about fruitfulness: what God desires, how He accomplishes it through pruning, why He does it for His glory, our role of abiding in Christ, and the resulting fullness of joy.

Working through John 7–8 and the "I am" statements, Pastor Miles shows that Jesus repeatedly and provocatively identified Himself as God, climaxing in "before Abraham was, I am." Because Jesus said these things, He cannot be merely a good moral teacher; every person is confronted with a decision—reject Him or fall at His feet as Lord.

Teaching through John 14:1, Jason (the high school pastor) walks through Jesus' "I am the way, the truth, and the life" discourse, showing that we follow a Person rather than a destination and that authentic belief leads us to step out and do what God has called us to do. He weaves in the doctrine of the Trinity, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and the call to find peace by knowing Jesus and acting on that belief.

Teaching through John 11, Pastor Miles examines the seventh sign of Jesus—the raising of Lazarus—and its corresponding "I am" statement, "I am the resurrection and the life." He shows how Jesus' deliberate delay reveals that God prioritizes His glory and uses difficult circumstances to test, stretch, and strengthen faith, ultimately pointing every person to the question, "Do you believe this?"