Topeka Bible Church Audio Archive

Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” This is one of the most important questions any of us will ever answer. This week, Pastor Connor continues our series on the Trinity with a look at who the Son is. As almighty God, He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit, but is also a distinct person with His own roles. He is Eternal God, the Incarnate Word, our High Priest, the Head of the Church, the Final Judge, and the Returning King. Because He’s fully God and fully human, He is uniquely positioned to be our advocate and our judge. He understands our weaknesses and our sufferings completely, so He can be both perfectly compassionate and perfectly just.

The Trinity is a great mystery, but a basic understanding of this doctrine gives us a clearer picture of what it means to belong to Christ. This week, Pastor Connor kicks off our new series on the Trinity with a look at God the Father. We look at five different roles that the Father has: Architect, Sender, Covenant Keeper, Judge, and King. In all of these roles, God the Father shows us that He wants the very best for all of creation, including us. He is deeply involved in our lives, and we can trust Him completely, just as Jesus did.

When we come to Christ, we become eternally rich, regardless of our earthly circumstances. Then, God‘s grace prompts us to build His kingdom by generously sharing our time, talent, and treasure. This week, Pastor Connor concludes our Keeping Score series with a look at what it means to follow Christ’s example of generosity. From 2 Corinthians, we examine what giving is — and isn’t — intended to look like. It must start with our hearts being moved in an overflow of gratitude to our Savior. We should establish principles, not scorekeeping, as we order our lives around generosity and give beyond what is convenient.

What does it look like to live a life that pleases God? For many of us, it may involve trying our hardest every day, only to fail in our best intentions. This week, Pastor Jim concludes our Keeping Score series by urging us to stop keeping count of our righteousness. He walks through Paul’s letter to the Galatians to remind us that we were made right with God by faith, not hard work; that we are sons, not slaves; and that Christ set us free so we could leave behind the yoke of slavery. To live a happier, simpler life, we need to move away from ourselves toward Christ, away from duty toward love, and away from slavery toward freedom.

When we belong to the kingdom of God, forgiveness becomes part of who we are. This week, Pastor Connor continues our sermon series, Keeping Score, with a dive into Jesus’s parable about the unforgiving servant. This servant was forgiven an unimaginably huge debt, but then turned around and failed to forgive his fellow servant. When we don’t forgive others, we miss God’s enormous grace in forgiving us. We close with a list of eight practical principles from Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Forgiveness is at the very heart of the good news of Jesus Christ. So when we don’t see forgiveness the way God does, that can be a real problem! This week, Pastor Connor kicks off our new series, Keeping Score, with a look at what the Bible tells us about forgiveness. The sacrifice of Jesus makes it possible for us to be forgiven, no matter how much we have rebelled against God. It delights Him when we accept His gift of forgiveness. He forgives us completely and permanently, and being forgiven changes us.

The account of the resurrection is one that we return to every year on Easter. But in spite of its familiarity — or maybe because of it — we can easily miss the resurrection’s implications for us. This week, Pastor Connor urges us to take another look at Easter. The women who found the tomb empty at sunrise were frightened and confused, but they encountered the risen Christ and realized that the impossible good news was true! Likewise, the apostles were doubtful when they heard of the resurrection, but Peter and John went to see it for themselves and experienced a change of heart. Until we have a personal encounter with Jesus, we can also miss the truth that’s right in front of us. But when we understand that Jesus has defeated death itself, our lives are changed and we receive a hope that can never die.

What does the blood of Jesus mean to you? In this Good Friday message, Pastor Connor asks us to consider that question. At the trial of Jesus, the angry crowd demanded crucifixion and said, “His blood be on us and our children!” In that moment, they were declaring their belief that Jesus was worthy of death. But their words actually spoke to a deeper truth: The blood of Jesus will be on each of us, one way or another. For those who reject Him, His blood declares them guilty and without hope before God’s righteous judgment. But for those who believe in Him, His blood covers their sin and makes them right with God.

When a nation leaves God’s good way, the consequences are terrible. This week, Pastor Connor concludes our series in Judges with a look at three stories of heartbreaking wickedness. When people do whatever is right in their own eyes, the vulnerable are oppressed, especially women and children. Justice is all but ignored. Sexual depravity and predatory behavior become normal. Social bonds dissolve, reducing us all to mere objects or victims. Religion lacks all repentance. By breaking the mold of God’s design for human flourishing, we ultimately break our own society and souls. Redemption and restoration can only come through our great king, Jesus Christ.