Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 4:1–11

Episode Overview:

In Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to face temptation. This passage reveals far more than a model for resisting sin—it announces victory. Where Israel failed in the wilderness, Jesus succeeds. Where humanity doubted the Father’s goodness, provision, and plan, the true Son remains faithful. By resisting the devil’s lies and trusting the Father completely, Jesus fulfills all righteousness on our behalf. Because He has won the war, those who trust Him can face temptation with courage, confidence, and hope.

Key Highlights:

• Jesus enters the wilderness as the true Son and faithful representative of God’s people

• Each temptation targets trust in the Father’s provision, promises, and plan

• Christ resists not by shortcuts or self-preservation, but by obedience and Scripture

• The victory in the wilderness points forward to the greater victory of the Cross

• Believers battle temptation not to earn sonship, but from a place of secure sonship in Christ

Call to Action:

As you face temptation, unmet desires, and moments of doubt, remember whose you are. Rest in Christ’s finished work, anchor your heart in God’s Word, and rely on the Spirit’s presence. Trust the Father even when obedience is costly, knowing that Jesus has already stood where you stand—and has prevailed for you.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17

Episode Overview:

In Matthew 3:13–17, the baptism of Jesus opens a window into the heart of the gospel: God saves sinners. At the Jordan River, the Father speaks, the Son submits, and the Spirit descends—revealing the Triune God acting together in perfect unity to accomplish salvation. Though sinless, Jesus steps into the place of sinners, identifying fully with them in order to fulfill all righteousness on their behalf. This passage shows that salvation is not human achievement, but God’s gracious work from beginning to end.

Key Highlights:

• The Trinity revealed: Father, Son, and Spirit united in the mission of salvation

• Why Jesus’ baptism mattered, even though He had no sin

• What it means for Christ to “fulfill all righteousness” for His people

• How Jesus identifies with sinners without becoming a sinner

• God’s delight and approval in the saving work of His Son

• The assurance and security that flow from a salvation planned and completed by God

Call to Action:

Come honestly before God as you are—without excuses, self-reliance, or comparison. Rest in the finished work of Christ, trusting that what you could never accomplish for yourself, Jesus has fully done for you. Let this truth shape your repentance, deepen your assurance, and lead you into grateful obedience grounded in grace.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Luke 10:21-37

Episode Overview:

In this episode, we walk through Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:21–37 and confront the deeper question beneath the familiar story. When asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus reframes the issue—not by narrowing the definition of neighbor, but by reshaping the kind of people His followers are meant to be. Grounded in the biblical truth that every person is made in the image of God, this message calls believers to a life of compassion, mercy, and neighbor-love without boundaries. Ultimately, the parable drives us beyond moral effort and toward Christ Himself—the true and perfect Neighbor who has shown mercy to us.

Key Highlights:

• Why Jesus redirects the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “What kind of neighbor am I?”

• How the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27) establishes the dignity and worth of every human life

• The significance of compassion and mercy as defining marks of Christlike love

• Why the Bible forms our identity before it gives us instructions

• How seeing Jesus as the “best Neighbor” transforms how we love others

Call to Action:

As you reflect on this passage, ask the Lord to examine your heart. Where have you drawn boundaries around compassion? Who is hardest for you to see as a neighbor? Return again to the mercy you have received in Christ, and allow His love to reshape how you see and respond to the people God places in your path—near and far.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23

Episode Overview:

In Matthew 3:1–12, John the Baptist steps onto the stage of redemptive history with a clear and urgent message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This sermon explores what repentance truly is, why it is good news, and how it prepares us to receive the King Himself. Far from mere moral reform or momentary sorrow, biblical repentance is a whole-life reorientation—turning from sin and self-reliance and turning toward God’s gracious reign. As John prepares the way for Jesus, we are invited to examine our hearts, reorder our loves, and respond to the nearness of God’s kingdom with humility, faith, and hope.

Key Highlights:

• The meaning of the kingdom of heaven being “at hand” and why it demands a response

• A biblical understanding of repentance as turning toward God, not just turning away from sin

• The visible fruit of repentance in a transformed life

• The danger of both open sin and hidden self-righteousness

• Why John points beyond himself to Jesus as the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit

• How repentance ultimately leads not to despair, but to joy and true life

Call to Action:

As you listen, take time to honestly consider where your life may be out of step with the reality of God’s reign. Ask the Lord to reveal misplaced trusts, disordered loves, or quiet self-righteousness. Turn afresh toward Jesus—not to earn His favor, but to receive His grace. Let repentance shape your daily life as an ongoing posture of humility, faith, and joyful obedience under the good rule of Christ.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Luke Brandon

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23

Episode Overview:

Matthew 2:13–23 reveals a tension we all feel: God is sovereign over history, yet human beings are fully responsible for how they respond to Him. In the flight to Egypt, the massacre in Bethlehem, and the quiet obedience of Joseph, Matthew shows that God’s redemptive plan moves forward even through suffering, fear, and apparent chaos. This passage invites us to see beyond immediate circumstances and trust that God is faithfully working out His good purposes—just as He did in preserving the life of His Son.

Key Highlights:

• God’s sovereign plan unfolds through fulfilled prophecy, even in the midst of danger and displacement

• Jesus as the true and better Son, reliving and fulfilling Israel’s story through a new Exodus

• Two radically different responses to God’s authority: humble obedience and violent rebellion

• The preservation of Christ as the foundation of our hope, righteousness, and salvation

• The goodness of God revealed in His willingness to enter human suffering and insignificance

Call to Action:

Consider how you are responding to God’s authority in your own life. Where He calls you to trust and obey without full clarity, ask for the grace to submit your plans to His greater purpose. Rest in the truth that the God who governs history is also good, personal, and deeply attentive to your life—working even hardship toward redemption.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Dane Burgess

Scripture: Hebrews 13:20-25

Episode Overview:

As the book of Hebrews comes to a close, the author does not leave believers with a checklist, but with a benediction—a prayer rooted in what God has already done and is still doing through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:20–25 reveals the “bookends” of the Christian life: unchanging realities that hold faith steady and guard against slow spiritual drift. Grounded in the resurrection of Jesus, this passage reminds us that the Christian life is not sustained by human effort, but by God’s faithful work from beginning to end.

This sermon explores how God initiates salvation, how Christ continually shepherds His people, how the Spirit actively equips believers for obedience, and how grace surrounds the entire life of faith. Together, these truths anchor believers in hope, assurance, and perseverance as they walk with Christ.

Key Highlights:

• The resurrection of Jesus Christ as the unshakable foundation of the Christian life

• God as the initiator of salvation, acting first to bring life from death

• Jesus Christ as the great Shepherd who sustains His people through the blood of the eternal covenant

• The ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, equipping believers to do God’s will

• Grace as God’s final word—present, personal, and sufficient for every season

Call to Action:

Reflect honestly on where you may be drifting toward self-reliance, self-sustaining faith, or self-driven change. Return to the benediction of Hebrews 13 and receive it as a present reality: God is at work in you right now. Rest in what He has begun, trust Christ to shepherd you, submit to the Spirit’s transforming work, and walk forward anchored in grace rather than effort.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Episode Overview:

In Matthew’s telling of the Magi’s journey, we are invited to behold something both shocking and glorious: unlikely seekers traveling far to worship an unlikely King. Pagan astrologers arrive at a humble home, drawn by divine guidance and overwhelming joy, to bow before the child born King of the Jews—and Savior of the world. Their presence reveals the wide reach of God’s grace and confronts our tendency to narrow who we believe can come to Jesus.

This passage also unveils the gospel through the gifts the Magi present. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh together proclaim who Jesus truly is: King, God, and Sacrifice. Before Jesus speaks a word or performs a miracle, His mission is already foreshadowed—He reigns, He is worthy of worship, and He has come to give His life for sinners. In the most humble setting, God gives His greatest gift.

Key Highlights:

• The surprising arrival of the Magi shows that God’s invitation to worship extends to the least likely and the outsider

• Matthew’s repeated call to “behold” awakens us to the wonder and scandal of grace

• The three gifts proclaim the heart of the gospel: Jesus is King, God, and Savior

• True wisdom is not merely seeing Jesus, but falling down in worship

• The greatest gift is given in the most humble wrapping—God the Father giving God the Son

Call to Action:

This passage invites us to examine what we expect from God—and whether we are willing to recognize His work when it comes in humility rather than splendor. Like the Magi, we are called to seek Jesus faithfully, rejoice deeply when we find Him, and respond with surrendered worship. Come to Christ not with what you think He needs, but with empty hands and a bowed heart, trusting that He Himself is the treasure.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Episode Overview:

Matthew’s account of the wise men invites us to look closely at an ordinary-appearing child and ask an unavoidable question: How will we respond to Him? In Matthew 2:1–12, we encounter a heavenly sign, two rival kings, and three very different responses to Jesus—anxiety, apathy, and adoration. This passage reveals that Jesus is not merely a figure to be acknowledged, but a King who demands allegiance and deserves worship. Though He appears humble and unassuming, He is the God-appointed King of Kings and the greatest treasure we could ever seek.

Key Highlights:

• The significance of the star and how God draws the nations to Himself

• The contrast between Herod, the self-protecting king, and Jesus, the self-giving King

• Three responses to Jesus: hostility, indifference, and worship

• Why familiarity with Scripture can still leave the heart unchanged

• What true worship looks like when Jesus is seen for who He really is

Call to Action:

As you listen, consider where you see yourself in this story. Are you resisting Jesus’ kingship, remaining indifferent to His claims, or bowing before Him in worship? This passage invites us not merely to know about Christ, but to reorder our lives around Him—submitting our plans, priorities, and treasures to the One who gave Himself for us. Let this season be marked by a renewed joy and wholehearted devotion to Jesus, our true King and greatest treasure.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Episode Overview:

Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth introduces us to two names that reveal the heart of the gospel: Jesus and Immanuel. In this sermon, we see that the child born of the virgin is both the Savior who rescues His people from their sins and the God who draws near to dwell with them. Matthew 1:18–25 declares that our deepest problem is not merely circumstantial but spiritual—and that God Himself has acted decisively to save and restore us through the incarnation of His Son.

Key Highlights:

• Why Jesus’ name matters: He saves His people from their sins, addressing our greatest need

• A biblical understanding of sin as relational rebellion against a holy Creator

• The wonder of the incarnation: God becoming man without ceasing to be God

• The meaning of Immanuel: God’s abiding presence with His people now and forever

• Living between Christ’s first coming and His promised return with confidence in His nearness

Call to Action:

This passage invites us to respond not with self-reliance, but with trust. Consider where you may be tempted to manage life apart from God’s grace. Receive Jesus anew as both your Savior from sin and your present help in weakness. Like Joseph, believe what God has spoken—and make room in your life for the God who is with you.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org

Speaker: Rob Berreth

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Episode Overview:

In Matthew 1:18–25 we encounter one of Scripture’s most staggering claims: God became man while remaining God. This episode explores the incarnation not as a sentimental Christmas idea but as the jaw-dropping center of the gospel. We trace Matthew’s account through the “why” and “who” of Jesus’ birth—why the eternal Son had to take on true humanity and full deity to save us from our sins, and who He is as the promised Son of David and the supernaturally conceived Son of God. The result is not merely theological clarity but renewed wonder and worship at the God who entered our world to redeem it.

Key Highlights:

• The Purpose of the Incarnation: Why Jesus had to be both fully human and fully God in order to save His people from their sins.

• Jesus as the True & Better Adam: How Matthew’s language echoes Genesis, revealing Jesus as the reboot of humanity and the beginning of new creation.

• Son of David, Not of Joseph’s Loins: Why the emphasis on Joseph’s lineage matters for Jesus’ identity as the promised Messiah-King.

• The Mystery That Should Stagger Us: Reflections on the incarnation as the supreme Christian mystery that overwhelms the mind and fuels worship.

• Compassion in the Womb: How the conception of Christ displays the deep, costly mercy of God fulfilling His ancient promise from Genesis 3:15.

• Wonder → Worship: How beholding Christ’s incarnation leads us to adore the One who left glory to take on flesh for our redemption.

Call to Action:

As you listen, take time this week to slow down, reflect, and let the reality of the incarnation sink in. Ask the Lord to rekindle awe in your heart—wonder that leads to worship, humility, and renewed trust. Consider where you’ve grown familiar with the gospel, and invite God to restore a sense of holy amazement at the One who became flesh to save you.

Redeemer Church
211 Northshore Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226
www.redeemernw.org