The Moody Church Sunday Morning Podcast

The most important question you can ask: Is certainty of salvation possible? In this sermon, Dr. Erwin Lutzer shares the great lessons from the heroes of the Reformation that continue to encourage us as believers today. The Story of the Goose: John Hus (1373-1415)Opposed abuses

The authority of the Bible alone

The priesthood of all believers

His martyrdom The Story of the Swan: Martin Luther (1483-1546)His search for salvation

His great discovery in the Book of Romans

His stand at the Diet of Worms The Broadening Influence of LutherGeneva

America

England Takeaways:The authority of Scripture alone

The priesthood of the believer

The assurance of salvation through the righteousness of Christ

Alan Redpath (former Senior Pastor of The Moody Church from ‘53-‘62) famously said: “When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible man and crushes him.” Pastor Redpath understood that certain kinds of traits that tend to get you ahead in life, like driven-ness, strength of will, self-confidence, and ambition. But, these things are spiritual liabilities until they’ve been tempered, chastened, and humbled. Just as coal must be crushed to become a diamond, and gold must be purified in the fire, there is a brokenness we must learn if we’re ever to be useful to God. And that’s exactly what’s happening to Jonah. God crushes Jonah to temper him so that he can be useful. In this sermon, we join Jonah as he finally comes to the end of himself and the beginning of his usefulness in ministry. There are four significant moments for Jonah’s redemption from this passage: Recognition: Jonah perceives the Lord’s discipline and begins to realize that God loves him enough to stop him in his tracks and bring him to the end of himself.

Remembrance: Jonah remembers the Lord’s covenant. In the moment of Jonah’s greatest distress, when all hope seems lost, and he comes to the end of himself, it is God’s Word that comes to mind.

Repentance: Jonah returns to the Lord’s steadfast love. He lays down his idols and returns to the hope of steadfast love.

Redemption: Jonah glories in the Lord’s salvation. The only thing Jonah contributed to his salvation was his sin and rebellion and distress. Every ounce of his salvation belongs to the Lord and the Lord alone! Takeaways:There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.

Salvation belongs to the Lord! Jonah 2:1-10 Sermon questions can be submitted to [email protected].

When we run and hide from God, when we conceal our secret sins, God comes looking for us. Because God never gives up on those He loves. In this passage, Jonah tried to run from God. So, God sent a ferocious storm and a giant fish to bring Jonah back; because God loved Jonah. This sermon explores three things about the relentless pursuit of “The Lord of the Storm.” The Chance of Discovery: God brings Jonah’s rebellion into the light through the storm He sent. If God loved Jonah less, He’d let him go. But in His mercy and grace, God brings Jonah’s rebellion into the light. Takeaway: Confession is grace. God is bringing our rebellion into the light because He loves us too much to let us self-destruct. Confession is our first step toward healing.

The Sentence of Death: All Jonah must do is repent and cry out for mercy for God to respond. But Jonah doesn’t do that, and in his stubbornness continues to run from God. So, God makes Jonah own the deadliness of his sin. Takeaway: Conviction is grace. Have you ever been overwhelmed with conviction over the deadliness of your sin? That’s grace; because it is under the weight of conviction that we cry out for mercy, and it is the kindness of the Lord that leads us to repentance, which leads to life. Confession and conviction feel like death, but they are grace that leads to life.

The Depths of Mercy: God’s mercy knows no depths, and there’s fathomless grace beneath the waves. So, God sends the fish and intends for Jonah to stay there until he has a change of heart. With this fish, God rescues Jonah from the watery grave. Instead of instant death, Jonah gets more time, a chance to repent, to cry out for mercy, and to discover that God is gracious and merciful. Takeaway: Continuation is grace. Another day, another chance to repent, to cry out for mercy, and to discover God’s unrelenting grace for undeserving people. God is unrelenting in His grace for undeserving people. Even when we run and hide in our stubbornness and pride, God always comes looking for us. Because God never gives up on those He loves. His grace is relentless. Jonah 1:7-17 Living the Message episode: https://youtu.be/zJi6G-8i7vc

If you've ever felt discouraged in sharing the Gospel with people who don't seem interested, Dr. Mitch Glaser's message from Romans offers three points of encouragement from Paul's letter to the Romans:Paul’s Broken Heart for the Salvation of the Jewish People (Romans 9:1-3)

Paul’s Prayer for the Salvation of the Jewish People (Romans 10:1-2)

Paul’s Hope for the Salvation of the Jewish People (Romans 11:1-3) Takeaway: God chose the Jewish people to bless the Gentiles (Genesis 12:3) and the Gentiles to bless the Jewish people through the proclamation of the Gospel (Romans 11:11).

The story of Jonah is first and foremost about God. It’s a story that shows us God’s unrelenting grace for undeserving people. And, it’s a story for people like us, people who run from God and need second chances. The story of Jonah shows us a God whose love never stops and never quits, who is always and forever pursuing and redeeming us. In this sermon, we’ll explore three themes from the story: Uncomfortable Call: God sends Jonah to pursue his worst enemies. It’s an uncomfortable call for Jonah. And while we expect that God’s prophet would answer that call, Jonah instead chooses to run.

Unexpected Flight: Jonah won’t give his enemies a second chance for three reasons. His autonomy was threatened. His identity was threatened. Hi prejudice was threatened. Like Jonah, we are far too often prone to this kind of disposition. We also tend to run from God.

Unrelenting Grace: Jonah ran from God, but God runs after Jonah. If God loved Jonah less, He would have let him go. But the fact that God pursues Jonah with the storm proves how much God loves Jonah. This demonstrates how God is unrelenting in His grace for undeserving people. Takeaways:Running from God is normal…and nuts.

God may send a storm to wake you up.

God will never stop pursuing you. Jonah 1:1-6 Questions about this sermon can be emailed to [email protected]

Everybody wants to change their world. And while there are lots of beneficial ways we can help make our world a better place, if you want to change your world in a way that matters for eternity, there’s no better way to change your world than to join Jesus in His mission of redeeming the entire world! How do we join Jesus on mission in our world? In this sermon, we’ll see how the Gospel gives us three things to change our world: New Motivation: The Gospel gives us a new motivation to live for King Jesus.

New Perspective: The Gospel changes how we see the world as we look to the New Creation.

New Assignment: The Gospel gives us a new assignment as ambassadors on mission. Takeaway: Change Your World Through Mission Do you want to change your world in a way that matters for eternity? God is, in Christ, reconciling all things to Himself, bringing in the New Creation where King Jesus will make all things new when He returns. And we have the privilege and responsibility of being ambassadors of that coming reality. Everywhere we go, wherever we live, work, learn or play, we go as representatives of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 To learn more about The Journey of a Lifetime, visit https://www.moodychurch.org/journey Questions about the sermon can be sent to [email protected]

How do we become a person of love? In this sermon, we’ll explore how Jesus is inviting us on a transformational journey to become people of love like Himself. On this transformational journey, there’s a pattern to follow, a power to change, and progress to be made. Pattern: Jesus is our model of self-giving love. To follow Jesus is to become like Him. It is His pattern that we are to follow.

Power: How are we to become people of love like Jesus? You need a new heart, a clean heart. On the cross, Jesus cleanses our hearts so that the Holy Spirit might come indwell us and transform us from the inside out. The Holy Spirit is transforming us into people of love.

Progress: Becoming a person of love won’t happen in an instant. But the new life must push its way through the compacted soil of years of selfish habits and self-absorbed living. Our selfishness has become a bit of a lifestyle, and we have much relearning to do. We are called to work out what God is working in us, because progress comes through practice. So, in service we practice giving ourselves away in love. Takeaway: Grow in love through service. Serving doesn’t just help others, serving changes us. Serving is the laboratory in which God transforms us into people of love. John 13:1-15 Living The Message episode: https://youtu.be/3jMyXAPcgHA

Each of us is more than just a body; we're also a soul. And as our bodies need calories for nourishment, our souls need nourishment as well to live and thrive. What can satisfy our soul’s hunger? In this passage from John 15:4-13, we’ll explore Jesus’ invitation to feed our souls through community. The Soul’s Design: Our souls were made for an abiding connection with the abundant, pulsating, and vibrant life of God Himself. Jesus came to die for our since and rise again to make us right with God, so that we might have an abiding connection with God through Jesus.

The Soul’s Health: Our souls thrive in the indwelling presence of Christ as His word, love, obedience, and joy become our own. A healthy soul I sone that is tethered to Christ.

The Soul’s Communion: Our souls are enfolded in living communion with our Triune God and His forever family. Following Jesus isn’t a solo sport, it’s a team effort. To have a soul-connection with God, is to have a soul connection with God’s family. And to abide in the love of God is to love those that God loves. And the only way to do that is in community. Takeaway: Feed your soul through community. We need each other deeply at the soul level. There are truths about God you will never see unless others show them to you. There are dimensions to the love of God you will never realize unless you open your heart to others. There are aspects of obedience to Jesus that you cannot live out unless you live your faith around others. There are divine joys you will miss out on unless you enter into relationship with others. Community is where we gather to feast our souls upon the Word and love of our God. And when it comes to meals, the very best ones are shared. John 15:4-13

Abundant life! A life rich in meaning, full of purpose, thick with substance, durable and flourishing—that’s the kind of life we all want. It’s the kind of life that deep down we know we were made for. And it’s the kind of life Jesus is offering those who will follow Him. When Jesus says, “Come, follow me!”, He’s inviting you on the four-stage Journey of a Lifetime to know God, feed your soul, grow in love, and change your world. It’s a spiritual journey of abundant life—the life you and I were made for—and it all starts when we respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him. In this sermon, taken from Luke 15:1-2 and 11-32, we focus on the first stage in the journey and what it means to know God through worship. The story Jesus tells in this passage is nothing short of brilliant. Jesus shows us three things:The Purpose of Our Lives: We are made to come alive in joyous relationship with God.

The Problem We All Have: Through both irreligion and religion, we estrange ourselves from God.

The Pursuit We Can’t Live Without: God relentlessly pursues His lost sons and daughters in redeeming love. Takeaways: Know God through Worship. You were made to Know God, to rejoice in His presence, to bask in his love, to delight in His goodness, and to come alive in worship of Him! And Jesus came from Heaven to Earth to make God known to you and to make it possible for you to know God and worship Him in joy forever. Isn’t it time you said “yes” to gathering regularly for worship? Luke 15:1-2 & 11-32 Living the Message episode: https://youtu.be/P2bRDes-jJc

The moment we are in does not pause the mission we are on. As we look back on where we’ve come from and consider the times we are living in, this passage from John 20:19-21 gives us four powerful reminders of how to live on mission for Jesus. Fear is always the opposite of faith.

Peace is always the Christian response.

The cross is always our hope and motivation.

We go confidently because Jesus sends us. Our response to the call of Jesus should be: "Here I am, send me." John 20:19-21