Love Chapel Hill

Matthew 12:1-14, 38-42

We recently celebrated Pastor Matt's return and now we celebrate the return of his father Pastor Dan as well!

In considering the wide range of philosophy and religion in Chapel Hill and the world today, it's important to reflect on the actions our faith takes. Jesus found himself at odds with the pharisees often because their faith became following the laws to the detriment of the reason the laws existed. Christ, as the fulfillment of the Covenant around which the laws were based, is greater than the careful actions of scholars. He challenges us to live what we believe with the pure motives that he personifies.

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John 10:11-18

When Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, it would elicit more than just the imagery of a crooked staff and a watchful eye. Jesus draws from the Hebrew name of God, embodies the lessons of prophets, and reaffirms the depth of the Covenant God has made with God's people. The raw power of the relationship Jesus promises here goes beyond doubt, silence, and despair. It makes John a great place to come back to again and again in your faith.

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John 7:37-44

It's important to understand the history of Jesus's audience in the early days of his ministry. The boldness of what he proclaims is easily lost on a modern reader who might not be an ancient Jew conquered by the Roman regime. But the identity of what Jesus represents as the Son of Man, or his claim of living water during the feast of the Tabernacle would not have gone over the heads of those gathered to hear those words. Jesus is a powerful force, and his proclamations fuel a hope we still feel today.

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John 1:43-51

As students move back in, we return to the Arboretum on UNC's campus and welcome back Matt from his sabbatical! As the ministry of Jesus is kicking off, the opportunity is given to see the man who would become the Messiah. What does he do? How does he embody Scripture? These are questions we should also ask ourselves as we carry on his mission. Note: this podcast was posted with all the expedience one would expect from a man whose wife went into labor hours after this was recorded :-)

1 Peter 5:10

Believe it or not, we've come to the end of our beautiful series of guest speakers! But before Matt returns next week we're thrilled to bring up Alayna Parrish as the closer for our regathered summer.

She reminds us that the Word of God can be an anchor and source of restoration in times of challenge. Suffering is real and it is powerful, something that Alayna knows well. But so much of Scripture promises a restoration of that which is broken! It's a mending that leaves us as something more than when we were broken. Pain is human. Suffering is natural. But the power of the Lord's restoration is so much bigger!

Philippians 4:6-7

Corey Butler returns to Love Chapel Hill today! His plant in Raleigh ,The Rock Church (rockraleigh.com), is launching in person this fall so we appreciate him taking the time to share the Word with us again! While a sermon on peace may seem hard to imagine in times like these, peace is a recurring theme throughout the trials and chaos in the Bible. In Christ, we certainly won't avoid turmoil in life. But when we approach the Lord in prayer and thanksgiving for the blessings we do have, we are promised a tranquility of spirit unmatched by anything the world can give us.

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Revelations 3:7-8

If you've welcomed the sound of a violin added to our worship music every now and again, you've already appreciated Sam's contribution to our stage. And now we're fortunate to hear the message from her today as well! She has come to discover that faith in Christ doesn't simply begin at the bottom and go up from there. Pain, trauma, and depression do not cease to exist when we walk the Christian path. But for those in the Bible and today, Jesus has words of affirmation to those who despair or even fail. Help and grace comes to us in the darkest of places and will continue to lift us up when we need it.

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Luke 3:1-3, 7-16

Our summer of guest speakers continues as Riley Davis, member-turned-co-leader of Cru at UNC takes to the stage! We've talked a lot about John the Baptist. Jesus's colorful cousin who boldly heralded Christ's coming and humbly stepped aside when Jesus's ministry began. We don't often visit the passage in Luke when he creates a stir calling out specific behaviors of those seeking baptism which are at odds with the commitments they are attempting to make. It reminds us that as we live out our own baptisms, it is imperative to have similar bold conversations with those we would see share the light of Christ with their fellows. Where do you think the church would be today if there were more accountability between believers on a national scale?

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Genesis 50:20

Marc Johnson, pastor of Life Church in Chapel Hill, rejoins us today and we're thrilled to have him! We look a short story of forgiveness and redemption. Joseph faces the brothers who sold him into slavery but shows only forgiveness to them and thankfulness to God for bringing him through darkness into prosperity. It's a prototype for Jesus's own forgiveness of sin through his sacrifice. But understand that if the brothers were the villains of Joseph's story, that means that we, the sinful, are the villains of Jesus's story. How does that change your view of our responsibility as the forgiven?

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Philippians 4:8-9

Professor Sam Schmitt leaves the lecture hall for the pulpit today during our Independence Day worship service! That which is good, true, honorable, pure, and a variety of similar adjectives-- those should be put in practice by those who would follow Christ. Christ was the example of all of the above. And yet, the culmination of Christ's ministry was the cross. One would think that represents the opposite of all those. But in taking a hard look at the true beauty of what the cross represents, you may find equally uncomfortable parallels with the history of our country and the trees of the lynched.

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