Podcast - Mosaic | Lynchburg, VA Church

Originally Steve Weaver was meant to be our speaker, but he unfortunately wasn't feeling well. Instead, John provides us with an overview of the message from the previous week and answers questions from the congregation.

We sincerely hope that you have had a very special time of giving thanks, whether you were in the quiet of your own home or spending time with friends or family. Remember, we don't need to wait for a memorable holiday or feast to give thanks. It's the will of God for us to give thanks continually!

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We look forward to worshipping together this Sunday morning as we return to one service held at 10 AM. We will dive into Galatians 5. Mark Lamb did a great job setting us up for this message when he concluded with Galatians 5:1. "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."

In this chapter, Paul explains that the opposite of living under the Law is not permissiveness; instead, it is a life lived in the power of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

I have heard lots of people say, "It's easy to talk about 'walking by the Spirit,' but what does that LOOK like."

This Sunday, I hope to bring some clarity to that very subject. I will share testimonies of thriving Christians around the world who will share what it looks like to experience the truth of Galatians 5.

This week we will look at Galatians 4:21- 5:1. The Apostle Paul uses an Old Testament story that the Galatian Church would recognize to make the point that we are no longer slaves to The Law.

We are free because Christ has given those who believe, Freedom!

Quick question for you: In the last month, what percentage of the days during this last month have you lived out of the fullness of being a cherished son or daughter of the King of the Universe, and what percentage did you live as though you were an unloved orphan? Knowing and living from our true identity matters, but some days or months can be so hard to actually do that when we are rocked by painful circumstances or our own insecurities we just can't seem to shake.

This Sunday, we will be continuing our study in Galatians and digging into Galatians 3:15 - 4:18. There is so much to unpack, but some of Paul's most profound writings on understanding our identity in Christ -- individually and collectively -- get fleshed out in this passage and that's where we will be largely parking.

I'm looking forward to seeing you in person and online in just a few days to discuss how we live into our true identities in Jesus.

When was the last time you had a massive to do list only to find yourself exhausted before you start? The church in Galatia did. This week we’ll see how they found themselves striving to perfect themselves by human effort. The message on Sunday we’ll see how Paul reminds the Galatians of the Gospel which offers rest to the wiped out and exhausted!

I’m looking forward to seeing you on Sunday morning when we continue to study Galatians together. This weekend, we’ll be unpacking Galatians 2:15-21.

Consider this thought: sometimes our problem is that we don't really know what our problem is. We spend our time trying to solve a problem that isn't really the problem, when actually our real problem is something we never even thought of as a problem. Confusing? Just sit with it for a bit.

I run into a lot of people who believe that living the Christian life is a giant self-improvement project. The Apostle Paul seems to think that God had a better solution. His plan was to crucify the old you and to include you in the Life of Jesus! So, maybe your problem is that you just haven’t embraced the really good news that you are dead!

In a time of "fake news" and a growing lack of trust in the modern day news-deliverer, it begs the question in whom we truly trust not only for our "good news", but also to meet our deepest hopes and needs. That's the issue the Apostle Paul was addressing with the Galatians: in whose message do they trust, in their case, for the very salvation of their souls?

As we unpack Gal. 1:11-2:14, we will be digging into several key themes from this passage including 1) the transformative power of Jesus, 2) the fear-inducing grip of people-pleasing, and 3) our forgiving God of 4th chances.

I can't wait to share with you all what awesome lessons there are in this passage.

This weekend we’re starting a sermon series on Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians. I’ll be doing the introduction to the book and trying to cover vs. 1-10 of Chapter 1. During this series we’ll learn about problems that were facing the Galatian Church and learn what Paul told them to help them get back into alignment with the Gospel he taught them.

During my preparation for Sunday I have found myself falling in love all over again with the simple Gospel. I hope you will too.

Bring your Bible and come with an open heart to what God might want to say through this amazing little book!

Vince Lombardi, the famous football coach, once said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” General George S. Patton declared, “Americans play to win at all times.” America loves a winner - in sports, in politics, in battle. Our culture’s obsession with winning, however, had bled into how Christians practice their faith, and to the world outside of the Bible, our insistence on winning makes us look like we’re always spoiling for a fight, and if there’s not one to be found, we’ll make one up.

What does Jesus have to say about winning, and how should his teaching and example guide us? I can assure you that a lot of people within the sound of my voice aren’t going to like the lessons He left for us, because the people of His day didn’t like them, either. The Messiah wasn’t supposed to be "a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief,” as Isaiah prophesied. He was supposed to be a warrior, sent to crush the enemies of Israel and restore their nation to its former glory.

That’s not how it works in the upside down Kingdom, and all those people at the foot of the Cross who thought Jesus was a loser missed out on the greatest victory mankind has ever known. With Americans wrapped up in who’s winning and losing in this election season, we’re going to dig into the Scriptures and talk about victory in Jesus.

For the next couple Sundays we are very fortunate to have Dr. T.A. Powell teaching and sharing at Mosaic. T.A. is a dear friend and a strong advocate for how we do church at Mosaic.

He is very passionate about spiritual and emotional health within the heart. He is interested in authentic accountability and helping people get beyond the spiritual baggage that is so often created from our failures, dysfunctional homes, addictions, and/or strained relationships.

What I love most about T.A. is his willingness to share his own authentic self - warts and all, and how God brought him back from a very serious mistake he made that almost destroyed every thing and every one he loved.