Living The Message

Changing the world seems like an impossible endeavor, but what if Jesus is simply calling you to change your world?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric discuss what it means to change your world through mission as an ambassador for Christ. They address key questions from the sermon, including:

1. What does it means to be an ambassador? (0:45)
2. Why do we build a divide between the sacred and secular callings? (4:19)
3. What do you say to someone who says “preach the gospel always and if necessary use words”? Do we have to speak the Gospel in order to be ambassadors? (8:24)
4. Is this something we can opt-out of? (15:10)
5. Why is it so important we get this right? (19:35)
6. How do we start? (22:45)

Watch the sermon for this episode here: https://youtu.be/xAhhE_agYoA

To learn more about The Journey of a Lifetime visit: https://www.moodychurch.org/journey.

Questions for Living the Message can be sent to [email protected]

Jesus tells the disciples to wash each other's feet. What’s the modern day equivalent of this act of service?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric talk about Jesus modeling service through washing the disciples feet. They address key questions from the recent sermon that apply to our lives today, including:

1. What is Jesus trying to tell us by washing the disciples' feet, and should we do it today? (1:30)
2. What do you think Jesus would do today to model “washing feet”? (5:58)
3. What are some examples of serving people who are hard to love? (8:10)
4. How do we battle our ego when it tells us not to serve others? (11:45)
5. How do we know if our ego is misguided towards towards service? (15:49)
6. Who are the “one another's” that we are supposed to be loving? (19:36)
7. What are some ways we can take the next step to serve? (24:40)

Watch the sermon from this episode here: https://youtu.be/ZAUquAYCUjY

To learn more about our series, The Journey of a Lifetime, including a link to download the weekly devotional, visit https://www.moodychurch.org/journey

If you’d like to take the next step into service at our church, you can find a list of opportunities on our website: https://www.moodychurch.org/opportunity-finder.

Questions for Living the Message can be sent to [email protected]

What is so important about in-person community? Can online community accomplish the same thing?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric discuss what it means to feed our souls through community. The root of the word community is communion, which has a horizontal and vertical component. While we abide in Jesus vertically, we also connect with the Body of Christ horizontally. Our souls are starving not just for an abiding relationship with God but also for relationship with others.

Key questions from this episode include:

1. How do we feed our soul in community? (0:45)
2. Is online community an acceptable replacement for in-person community? (5:06)
3. Does the physical distance of online community affect our souls? (8:55)
4. For those who feel that church isn’t a safe place for them to engage in relationships, what’s their path to healing? (14:40)
5. For those who want to take a next step towards community, where should they start? (21:39)

To learn more about our series, The Journey of a Lifetime, including a link to download the weekly devotional, visit https://www.moodychurch.org/journey.

If you’d like to join one of our Communities at The Moody Church, you can find a list of them here: https://www.moodychurch.org/community

Questions for Living the Message can be sent to [email protected]

What does it mean to come alive in worship?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric discuss our new series, The Journey of a Lifetime, exploring what it means to answer Jesus’ invitation to follow Him. And today’s topic is about what it means to know God through worship:

• What does it mean to “come alive in worship?” (1:54)
• How do we avoid worshipping a god made making in our image rather than knowing God as He really is? (5:12)
• What should a person do if they feel stuck in knowing God and haven’t experienced a breakthrough moment in their pursuit of Him? (8:15)
• In the parable of the Prodigal Son, which brother are we supposed to relate to? (14:59)
• How do we go from knowledge of God to true worship of God? (22:12)

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here https://youtu.be/b4yDtbdIuOw

For more information about "The Journey of a Lifetime," visit https://www.moodychurch.org/journey/

Questions for Living the Message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].

In this episode, Pastors Philip and Eric hosted a special LIVE event following the Sunday morning service. They wrapped up our sermon series, The Upside-Down Kingdom, and took questions from the audience about the entire Sermon on the Mount. Check it out!

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here https://youtu.be/SUwMvNnFwK0

If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe and give us a like! Questions for Living the Message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].

Living The Message can be listened to on Apple Podcast and Spotify, and can be watched on our The Moody Church YouTube channel. 

What if there is a different road Jesus is calling us to?

In this episode, Pastors Eric and Philip discuss both the wide and narrow roads, and you may be surprised by their answer.

They also address important questions from the sermon sent in by our listeners:

1. People have typically thought of the wide road (as opposed to the narrow roads) as referring to the worldliness, but you interpret it as pharisaical religious moralism, why? Why have people so often thought of the wide road as worldly?
2. The wide road is supposedly easy but being moral and religious is not easy. How is the pharisaical life easy?
3. How do you know if you're living a life of surrender versus a life of moralism?
4. Jesus tells us to be hearers and doers of His word (Matt. 7:24), but how is this statement not moralistic/works-based?
5. How can we disciple people toward the Way of Jesus as opposed to the moral way?
6. How can I know if I'm really saved?

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here https://youtu.be/hcVcrD3fDxo

Questions for Living the Message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].

What is love, what does love do, and how can we pursue a virtuous life of love?

Join Pastors Philip and Eric as they discuss Jesus' message on love from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:12). To love like Jesus is to willingly lay down our rights for the sake of someone else.

They'll address key questions from the sermon, including:

1. What is love and what does love do? (2:49)
2. Is it possible to love too much? (10:02)
3. Does love need to be reciprocal? (14:42)
4. Why is it so unhelpful to say “love the sinner, hate the sin?” (21:30)
5. How should we love the unlovable? (27:28)
6. Special Announcement! (32:36)

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/iDVrIidB_hI

Questions for Living the Message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].

Jesus said "judge not lest you be judged." But how can we gently rebuke other people without being judgmental?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric discuss a matter of the heart and how we treat other people. Jesus contrasts two kinds of hearts: the graceless, self-righteous heart of the Pharisees, and the grace-filled, righteous heart of a child of God. The kind of heart you have affects how you treat other people.

They also address key questions from the sermon:

• How do we rebuke others without being judgmental? (3:35)
• If we shouldn’t judge others, how are we supposed to discern good/bad people? (5:44)
• Why is Matthew 7:7 (ask, seek, knock) often taken out of context? (9:15)
• Does God override our will by changing our heart? (13:12)
• Is the way we treat others a reflection of how much grace we receive from God? (16:17)
• How does one receive grace from God on a daily basis? (18:30)
• Are there any practical steps someone can do to become more grace-filled? (23:23)
• If we are more sensitive to the sins of others instead of our own, how do we change our perspective? (27:40)

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/LcT6Pb7bkRw.

Questions for Living The Message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].

Is anxiety always a sin? Or can it be good in other circumstances?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric talk about cultivating a life free from worry in the Kingdom of Heaven. They address specific questions from the sermon:

1. Can anxiety become sin? (1:48)
2. Under what circumstances can anxiety be OK? (5:23)
3. Why are food and clothing the focus of Jesus’ teaching on worry? (10:08)
4. How does this passage apply to people with anxiety disorders? (14:30)
5. What are some practical approaches to tackling anxiety? (18:22)

Takeaway: To overcome anxiety in our life, we need to get closer to the heart of God.

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/ulOev1dR9T4

Questions for living the message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].

How do we change our desire for money so that we want to invest in the things of heaven?

In this conversation, Pastors Philip and Eric discuss the passage from Matthew 6:19-24 about investing in the treasures of heaven and the importance of refocusing how we think about our money, energy, and time.

At our core, everyone wants security, significance, and satisfaction. The problem is that we try to satisfy these core needs with money and not God. Giving trains our souls by releasing our earthly treasures in a way that demonstrates our heart’s desire for God. Through generosity, we gain freedom over money and train our appetites for the things of heaven.

They address important questions from the sermon, including:

1. Why does Jesus talk about money instead of a topic like our time? Why is money the focus? 2:40
2. Why does money have such a tight hold on our hearts? 4:48
3. What does it look like to be devoted to God instead of money? 11:32
4. How do we balance investing in the things of heaven, while caring for our responsibilities here on earth? 14:38
5. How do we train our heart to the right kind of treasures? 18:08
6. How do we lessen our desire for money and live for heavenly treasure? 28:04

To watch the sermon for this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/pQS_YyOFYQw

Questions for living the message can be submitted to 312-682-1888 or emailed to [email protected].