Ridgepoint Sermon Audio

John says that Jesus' victory over Satan is all but sewn up. Yet, there is still danger in God's world. In a stunning move, Jesus prays for his Father to keep his followers in the world and to give them protection from the evil one. What might that protection look like? And why would Jesus keep his followers in this world even though they are susceptible to the evil empire's influence? Through observations from the Gospel of John, a story from American baseball, Article 4 of the USMB Confession of Faith, a timeless observation from a Russian novelist, and a quick reference from a treasured Disney film, Pastor Joe will "try to make it all make sense."

As we kick off this new teaching series, Pastor Brent explores Jesus' prayer for unity among believers in John 17, unpacking the concept of "What Would Jesus Pray?" Drawing parallels to the "What Would Jesus Do?" movement, Brent challenges the church to emulate Jesus' fervent desire for His followers to be unified in their mission of helping others find and follow Christ. Despite differences, Brent encourages choosing humility, patience, and preserving the hard-fought unity that serves as a powerful testimony to the world.

Without the resurrection, our faith is useless. In order for Jesus to pull off the greatest of all rescues, He needed to die AND rise again. Thankfully, He did (!), and He offers to take all that is old and make it new.

Pastor Brent explains that Jesus came to provide three types of peace: permanent relational peace with God, fellowship peace (that can be disrupted by sin), and situational peace amid difficult circumstances--which is the hardest to attain. Brent encourages us to persistently pray and remind themselves of God's promises in order to receive the situational peace that Jesus offers.

As we continue this year's Easter series, Pastor Brent reminds us that Jesus came to rescue us not only for eternal life, but also to give us purpose and meaning in our present lives. He encourages us to find our personal "zeal point" that aligns with our gifts and God's leading. Embracing this purpose brings confidence, anchors us through difficulties, and leads to a vibrant, fulfilled faith.

As we kick off our Easter teaching series, Pastor Andy draws parallels between the dramatic rescue of the Thai soccer team trapped in a cave and how Jesus rescues us from the dominion of sin and darkness. Andy unpacks the layers of sin that entrap us and calls believers to humble surrender, consistent repentance, and walking in the light.

The right response to sin is always repentance. This week Pastor Brent looks at the closing chapters of Ezra where the Israelites confessed their sins to God and found freedom in forgiveness. We should also be disciplined in following good teachers and regularly practicing confession and repentance.

As the Israelites continued to rebuild the temple after exile, they soon began to drift from God's mission and focus more on their own comfort. In this message, Pastor Brent outlines the "Paneled Houses Principle" of giving generously to God's work FIRST before focusing on our own agendas or lifestyle. Do you need to realign your priorities?

This week Pastor Brent provides a template for overcoming life's setbacks and challenges, based on the story of the Hebrew people from Ezra 3-6. Brent outlines four suggestions: prayer, focusing on what you can control, seeking help, and cultivating grit. With faith, we have what it takes to endure significant hardship, just like Ezra, Haggai, and the Hebrew people.

After 70 years in exile, King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return home to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Like Cyrus, we should lead with kindness, acting on God's nudges to move. And against all odds and through all adversity, we're called to worship.