The Moody Church Sunday Morning Podcast

Imagine Dr. Luke sitting down to interview Mary about her son, Jesus. Of all the key witnesses he’d interviewed, his conversation with Mary must have been the most precious. She may have said, “Let me tell you when I first realized that He knew exactly who He was. He was 12 years old, just a boy, and we accidentally lost Jesus. We left him behind for 3 whole days in Jerusalem.” When Mary and Joseph finally found him, Jesus responded, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” With these words Jesus is showing us His belonging, believing, beholding, and becoming. Belonging - Jesus is running to His home Believing - Jesus is seeking out His refuge Beholding - Jesus is embracing His delight Becoming - Jesus is defaulting to His habits Takeaways:When I’m lost, where do I run for home?

When I’m scared, where’s my safe space?

When I’m at leisure, where do I seek joy?

When I’m pressured, what are my default habits? Under pressure, we default not to our instincts, but to our habits. Jesus’ spiritual muscle memory sent him running to His Father. What would it look like to build the kind of spiritual muscle memory, those spiritual habits, that will serve us well the next time the pressure mounts and crises hits? Remember, the only way you and I get to run to God as our Father is because of Jesus. Jesus isn’t just our example to follow, He’s our Savior who makes us children of God.

What kind of story are we living in? Is life a comedic story? Or is it a tragic story? We call those who see life as a comedy, optimists. Their cheery outlook drives innovation, entertainment, and hopefulness. As for those who see life as a tragic story, we call them pessimists. They are honest about the pain and struggle life has to offer. But there’s a third kind of story… a redemptive story. Redemptive stories see the brokenness of the world for what it is, but the light always breaks through. The Bible characters we meet today, Simeon and Anna, see life as a redemptive story. These two aged saints have spent their whole lives awaiting the redemption of God… 1) The Sign of Redemption 2:22-24 As Mary and Joseph redeem their firstborn son and present Jesus to the Lord. They are acknowledging they’re living in God’s redemptive story. God has redeemed… we owe Him our everything!2) The Hope of Redemption 2:25-33 Simon and Anna were waiting for the consolation of Israel. They were anticipating her redemption and longing for her salvation. God will redeem… we look to Him for everything! 3) The Cost of Redemption 2:34-40 The redemption of Israel can only come through the suffering of the Servant of the Lord, Jesus. God is redeeming… we’re receiving His Everything! Takeaway: Redemption is here, and His name is Jesus! This is not a feel-good comedy, neither is this a depressive tragedy. This is a redemptive story. It’s the story we live in, by grace through faith. It’s a story worth trusting in, hoping upon, and waiting for. It’s the story of Jesus. Our Light, our Glory, and our Redeemer! Luke 2:22-40

Two gifts from the Lord that are available to every follower of Jesus no matter what they are going through. These two gifts are essential in helping us face the pain of living in a broken and fallen world and fight the temptations that it brings. And without them, we are far weaker and more vulnerable than we should be. Those two gifts are FREEDOM and JOY. Joy is a choice; it’s a state of being more than an emotion. The foundation of joy is the promise or assurance of future happiness. Freedom is not doing whatever you want, but instead it’s repentance of your sin. Freedom and joy are possible when we embrace the truths of a passage like Psalm 19. In this psalm we see three actions or responses that are essential to living in freedom and joy.1: Be Amazed by God's Glory (1-6)Psalm 19 tells us that God’s glory is so great that His creation never ceases to proclaim it; it is on display every day, every night, all over the world, and to everyone without fail.2: Be Captivated by God's Laws (7-11)David is doing much more simply telling us that God’s laws are good and that we’re better off following them than not. You can hear the delight in his voice over the beauty and goodness and rightness of God’s laws.3: Be Ruthless with Sin (12-14)After considering the inexhaustible glory of God in creation, and the perfection and desirability of God’s laws, the psalmist asks three things of the Lord:To be declared innocent from hidden faults

For God’s help to conquer willful sins

That his words and thoughts, with God’s help, would be pleasing to the LordDo not underestimate your ability to minimize or justify your sin. Takeaway: The Lord is offering you freedom and joy because of Jesus Christ through the gospel. Psalm 19

In the business world, most of the time companies are competing in an established market, each trying to marginally outdo the others. But every so often, a market disruptor breaks in. Instead of competing in the existing market space, disruptors redefine the space altogether. Disruptors break in and upend everything, changing the world as we know it forever. 2,000 years ago, the ultimate disruptor broke in and upended the world forever. The Son of God entered into space and time as a baby born in Bethlehem. In that moment, the Kingdom of Heaven broke into this weary world. In this sermon, we’ll explore three themes: Jesus' coming is… 1) Upending Power There’s a Power behind the power. Real power is when the power-brokers unknowingly do your bidding, and they think it’s all their idea! That’s precisely what we see happening with Caesar’s decree. It might look like Caesar is large and in charge, but behind his power there’s a greater Power that is working all things together for His glory and the good of His people, and No one can thwart the redemptive plans of our God. This is such good news for those of us who often feel so powerless. How good it is to know that our God is on His throne, and no one can thwart His redemptive plans for our lives. 2) Upending Nobility There’s a nobility beyond the nobles. God lifted up these lowly shepherds and crowned them with honor. God bypasses the cultural elites, the nobles, and instead elevates these poor, lowly, nobodies and brings them into the fullness of His joy. He ennobles them by His gracious invitation, for to be chosen by God is a nobility beyond anything this world can offer. This is such good news for those of us who often feel so overlooked. How good it is to know that our God sees us all, that He invites us—the lowest, the least, and the left-behind—to share in His joy. 3) Upending Honor There’s an honor beneath the honored. It is the beauty of Jesus that transfigures this manger—a filthy, mundane, trough fit only for barnyard animals becomes a cradle for the newborn King! Most people think honor is something you amass, acquire, and build toward. But Jesus shows us that’s all wrong. According to Jesus, the road to honor runs not up but down. Resurrection comes through the cross. Glory comes through a manger. This is such good news for those of us who often feel so damaged. How good it is to know that our God is a Redeemer! His grace transfigures wherever it falls! Takeaway: This great upending is good news of great joy for all people.Luke 2:1–21

What do you do when God sets you aside for a season? When you can’t do normal, but have to learn to wait on Him? There’s lots of circumstances God can use to set us aside: career interruptions; health challenges; romantic breakups; job searches; and family crises. In today’s passage, Zechariah’s season of being set aside finally ends. God enables him to speak again, and we realize, now that he’s back in the game, that he made good use of his time on the bench. We’ll see three ways from Zechariah’s story how we can respond when God sets us aside for a season. 1) Check Your Heart God sets us aside to get our attention. During Zechariah’s many months unable to speak, we see that he spent that time doing some serious heart work. He reflected on his failures and lack of faith. So, when we see Zechariah emphatically pronouncing the name of his son, John, we see this moment full of faith and obedience. God had got his attention. When God sets you aside, check your heart. 2) Engage the Word After nearly a year of silence, Zechariah’s first words pour out blessing upon God in a beautifully crafted poem, the Benedictus. And what’s amazing about this poem is that there are nearly 100 allusions to the Old Testament. Which tell us what Zechariah has been doing all this time: he’s been pouring himself into the Scriptures. He’s been meditating on the promises of God. God sets us aside to fill our attention. Sometimes God slows us down to fill our attention with what truly matters. We’re so busy doing, doing, doing, that we don’t give God the attention He deserves. When God sets us aside, we should engage the Word. 3) Look Unto Jesus Zechariah’s just gotten his voice back after a lifetime of waiting for his prayers to be answered. He’s just welcomed his little son into the world, and yet, it’s clear what has captured his heart, because his song is almost entirely about Jesus. God sets us aside to focus our attention. Sometimes we can lose focus on what really matters in life, and we start living for all the wrong stuff. And God loves us enough to set us aside for a season, to refocus our attention on what really matters, so that we might learn to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) Takeaway: God sets us aside to get us back in the game. He puts us on the bench, not because He’s done with us, but because He’s getting us ready for the next play. Won’t you trust Him? Luke 1:57–80

Sometimes in a movie, the scenes cut back and forth between two different characters in what appears to be two distinct plotlines…only for their storylines to suddenly merge unexpectedly. Something like that is happening in our text this morning. We’ve met Zechariah and Elizabeth, and rejoiced with them when the angel Gabriel told them God had answered their prayer, and they would conceive a child in their old age. We watched as Elizabeth withdrew from public eye, keeping her pregnancy quiet for the first 5 months, secretly cherishing this miraculous life in her womb. Then the screen faded, and a new scene came into focus—a young Galilean virgin named Mary, engaged and awaiting her wedding day, also encountered the angel, Gabriel.We shared in her astonishment when he told her that God had chosen her to bear the Savior, the King, the Son of God… Jesus into the world. And we marveled as Mary agreed, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” But just before Mary gave her consent to this noble calling, Gabriel mentioned a detail that seemed a bit out of place—her barren relative, Elizabeth, will bear a son. And so, within days of Gabriel’s announcement, Mary packs her bags and heads South to see the one person on earth who will be sure to understand her. She goes to see Elizabeth, as these two ladies’ stories merge into a common plotline. Three startling surprises from this story: 1) An Unexpected Witness The first witness of the incarnation is a pre-born baby, John the Baptist, who leaps in Elizabeth’s womb. As Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and prophecies the words of blessing to Mary. And here’s what’s amazing…That means Elizabeth knew Mary was pregnant before she did!And the preborn baby John knew even before Elizabeth did! Isn’t that remarkable?!? God would choose an in-utero pre-born baby as the first witness to the coming of Messiah. 2) An Unlikely Pedigree Elizabeth’s blessing of Mary is touching because she knows the magnitude of what is taking place. And then Mary, overwhelmed with joy as she realizes she’s pregnant with the Son of God… bursts out with this beautiful poem we know as “The Magnificat.” It’s the first ever Christmas carol! You see, God could have chosen anyone. He could have picked a young woman from any number of wealthy, affluent, well-connected, and upwardly mobile Jewish families. But He didn’t. He chose Mary; a nobody from nowhere. The first choice for the incarnation is a peasant girl. Why would He do that? Because God takes the overlooked, the devalued, the discarded, and crowns them with glory! 3) An Unparalleled Kingdom Mary’s poem now expands from what God has done for her, to what God is doing more broadly in the world. The first sign of the incarnation is a grand inversion. God is in the business of turning the world upside-down! The moment Jesus shows up, the world starts turning upside-down. Or should we say, right-side-up?Takeaway: Jesus’ Kingdom is turning the world upside-down. That’s what grace does; it turns the world upside-down. See, you might think that the plotline of your life is over here… totally distinct from the plotline of Jesus’ life. But at the cross your storylines suddenly merge unexpectedly. Because Jesus is on the cross for you. He’s offering grace to you. He’s looking upon your humble estate, and saying, “Come to me. Trust in me. And I will raise you to royal rank. I will give you the right to become children of God! Sons and Daughters of the King!” Grace is when your storylines merge and become one… “aha… I get it… brilliant.” Jesus’ Kingdom is turning the world upside-down: Has He turned your world upside-down? Luke 1:39–56

Dr. Luke is documenting for us the life and times of Jesus. But it’s interesting that he doesn’t start with Jesus. Instead, his gospel begins with a scene in the Temple, as an aged priest lights the incense, and an angel named Gabriel appears to him announcing that he and his wife of many childless years are miraculously about to become parents. It was a moment that would change Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s lives forever, as they were chosen to bring this little boy John into the world.  He will grow up to be known as John the Baptist, the forerunner of Messiah, prophesied from of old, the one who would come and prepare the way of the Lord. And it is with this miraculous pregnancy that Dr. Luke begins his history. As we left off last time, Elizabeth has been keeping her pregnancy to herself in restful seclusion for the first 5 months. And now, the scene shifts. Instead of the Temple in Jerusalem, this scene opens upon the small village of Nazareth. Instead of southern Judea, we’re up north in Galilee. Instead of an aged man, we see a teenaged girl. Instead of a robed priest, she’s a country peasant. And yet, despite all the differences, the angel is the same. Gabriel has been sent with another message. Three insights from Luke 1:26–38: 1) A Life-Altering Salutation God’s plans are massively disruptive. That’s exactly where Mary’s at in this moment. In one hand, she holds the life of her dreams. In the other, the life of God’s calling. And she’s there in the middle, pulled and stretched, because God’s plans are massively disruptive. And you know the disruption—the cost, the tears, the letting go of your dreams and plans and expectations—that comes with saying “yes” to God’s call on your life. 2) A World-Changing Sovereign It’s true that God is disrupting Mary’s plans and dreams, but it’s because He has a plan and dream of His own. For this is no ordinary child. This child will be unlike anyone who has ever been born. His salvation will outshine Joshua. His kingship will outstrip David. His holiness will outmatch all the sons of Adam. For He will be the Son of God in the flesh; Heaven come to earth. You see, God’s plans are gloriously redemptive. Like the message of Gabriel to Mary, God is asking each of us: “will you trust me with your life?” Will we trust that in these massive disruptions, God is actually doing something gloriously redemptive? That He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him? 3) A History-Making Sacrifice Mary laid down her plans, her dreams, and her life, trusting God with her everything. And that sacrificial decision changed Mary’s life, and all of history, forever. God’s plans are voluntarily transformative. Friends, God intends to bring deep, lasting transformation into our lives; to work glorious redemption through massive disruption. As He calls us to lay down our tiny dreams to say “yes” to His abundant purposes in our lives, but He will only do so with our permission. 3 Questions:Am I willing to let God massively disrupt my life?

Am I yielding to God’s glorious redemption through me?

Am I volunteering myself for God’s transforming work? Takeaway: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”Luke 1:26–38

In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter a King like no other. Most kings make it about themselves. They wield power, authority, and strength for their own benefit. But not Jesus. Jesus is the King who came to serve.  He laid down all His rights and privileges in love to rescue us.  From His place of glory, He came all the way down to the fringes of this broken world to redeem the very people everyone else had given up on. You see, Jesus knew the secret to the upside-down kingdom: that in giving ourselves away, we actually get ourselves back. Jesus is the Servant King who shows us the way to real abundant life. And He beckons us to come and follow Him! This sermon begins a new series in the 3rd Gospel in the New Testament: the “Good News” of Jesus, recorded for us by Luke. Luke is documenting for us the backstory of the coming of John the Baptist. The first prophet in Israel since Malachi, some 450 years ago. But now God is breaking the silence. He is once again on the move. His salvation is awakening. And in this first chapter, Luke wants us to see three things. God’s salvation is: 1) Historical Dr. Luke is acting as a first-century investigative journalist, documenting the life of Jesus from eyewitness testimony and original source material. The Gospels are a compilation of eyewitness testimony; there’s a real historical portrayal. God’s salvation is trustworthy. We can discover it! Have you ever seriously considered the veracity of the gospel accounts of Jesus? The stakes couldn’t be higher. If Jesus really is the son of God who died and rose again, nothing could be of more importance! 2) Prophetic What’s happening in these verses, without fanfare or hype, is that God is being faithful to His covenant promises. God’s salvation is fulfillment. We can believe it! 3) Redemptive Not only is the coming of John the Baptist of national significance for the people of God; the fulfillment of prophecy signaling the coming of the Messiah, as the Lord Himself draws near; it is also a tender moment of personal redemption.Because Jesus comes to bring redemption. Through the cross and resurrection of Jesus, all who believe in Him experience a measure of redemption now, which is pointing to the fullness of redemption that is to come when Jesus returns to make all things new. God’s salvation is transforming. We can experience it! Takeaway: God’s salvation is awakening. God is breaking the silence. In the quiet and the stillness. Salvation is drawing near. He is coming, and His name is Jesus. Luke 1:1–25 Resources Mentioned:The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Can We Trust the Gospels? by Peter Williams

Jesus and the Eyewitnesses by Richard Bauckham

The troubles of this world can be heavy to bear. The future is uncertain, and the present is filled with difficulty and pain. How are we supposed to navigate this all by ourselves? In this sermon from John 14, Pastor McCarthy shares with us a simple message: Stop It! Stop running on the treadmill of life to nowhere and trust in Jesus to be the way, the truth, and the light. The key verse in this passage is verse 1: “Let not your heart be troubled.” Why shouldn’t we be troubled? Because Jesus said, I AM: The Way

The Truth

The Light Do you know Him? John 14:1–6

This final sermon from the book of Malachi is about hope. Hope is something we can’t live without. Hope gives us reason to endure. Hope lifts our eyes beyond the shadows to the dawning of the light. And as the Book of Malachi draws to a close, it ends with a wonderous vision of hope. There’s been a lot of tough love in this book. God doesn’t pull His punches as He disciplines His beloved children. But His final word is full of tender mercies; He leaves hope ringing in their ears. Because hope breathes courage into our timid souls. 1) The Sun of Hope In the Great and Awesome Day of the Lord, four things will happen: Evil will be vanquished forever; the earth will be banned, purged with fire; then upon the scorched ashes of the world that was, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings; and the righteous shall inherit the earth, set loose like bounding calves into the wide world of the New Creation. One day the darkness will be way to the dawn. This really is what the story of the Bible is all about. The Bible helps us see the profound depths of the darkness, because it also holds out resplendent heights of hope for the dawning of the light. The Bible helps us see the darkness of the crucifixion in resurrection light. And one day, the darkness will give way to the dawn. And healing shall come to all creation with the rising of the Sun of Hope. 2) The Soil of Hope What difference does it make when this hope falls upon the soil of your life? When this hope rains down and sinks in how does it change us? Endurance grows in the soil watered with hope. Hope helps us look back to remember Whose we are. Hope helps us look ahead to all that God has promised us. Hope helps us look beyond to the glories that await us. 3) The Seed of Hope All throughout the Bible, God is sowing this seed of hope of the world one day set to rights. These promises are sown in hope all over the Scriptures. But the greatest seed of hope is found in Jesus Himself. Because in Jesus’ death and resurrection, we get a preview of what will one day happen to us and to all of creation. Jesus is a microcosm of new creation hope. He’s a mini cosmos: Jesus is the firstborn of all creation; and he’s the firstborn from the dead. Takeaway: “Behold, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”