n Philippians chapter 2, Paul begins by outlining four incredible realities that we have been given by Jesus, and in which we exist as followers of Jesus. He then gives four commands that we should obey, and which are direct results of the incredible reality in which we exist, if our lives are hidden in Christ. Because these are present realities in the life of the believer, we should understand that Paul’s use of the word ‘if’ here is rhetorical. He is using the word “if” to set up a very powerful, emotive and personal argument for how life should look in the church among those who say they love Jesus. Pastor Leonce unpacks these four arguments and their central theme and shows that "At the core of a humble heart is a desire to serve."

(Philippians 2:1-5)

Have you ever had an enemy? If you are honest, then the answer is yes. Don’t be the one in the crowd thinking, “I don’t have any enemies...” You most likely have more than all of us. An enemy is someone who is actively opposed or hostile toward you, someone in the way of our forward progress, someone hostile to our very person. In light of that, PL asks us to consider something shocking...even perhaps upsetting. One of the most startling sentences I’ve read in the Scriptures is this one written by Paul to the church in Rome. He writes in Romans 5, v. 10 “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” This week we examine what God has offered to His enemies in Jesus.

John 7:25-36 | Breaking The Law | God's Gracious Offer To His Enemies

What if you were told that regardless of where you are with your walk with Jesus, and regardless of what you profess to believe, that every one of us has an unbelief issue? That we all daily wrestle with unbelief? Unbelief is not limited to those who don’t profess to follow Jesus. The primary reason we struggle to love God, obey God, follow God fully is unbelief, even if we’ve prayed the prayer and say with confidence that we are a “believer.” It is unbelief that falters our faithfully following Jesus.

John’s desire is for us to see that no matter how our unbelief manifests itself, Jesus is prepared to meet it with a message of hope about what God is doing in the world, and therefore what God will do in those that trust Him.


John 7:1-24 | Breaking The Law | The Root Of Unbelief

The idea of consumption is not foreign to us. We are a consumer culture. We consume goods. We consume services. We consume entertainment. We consume work. We are incredible consumers. Here’s the catch with that though: what you consume you can quickly be consumed with, and whatever you are consumed with will ultimately consume and conceal you. This week Pastor Leonce examines the unsettling command of Jesus, "Eat my flesh and drink my blood."

John 6:41-59 | Wine & Flesh | Christian Cannibalism?

Today our hearts and minds engage the interesting and weighty notion of God’s will. What is it? Consider that in an overarching sense regarding humanity. Consider it as perhaps even a hurdle for some to believe. Consider it as the reason some of us, even now, struggle to have faith. Because we don’t feel we can discern God’s will, we give up on trusting Him.

Pastor Leonce unpacks three important points from this very rich and large chunk of writing: 1. Faith is the greatest work we can perform. 2. Jesus = complete satisfaction. 3. There is nothing you can do to make Jesus quit on you.

John 6:22-40 | Wine & Flesh | The Will of God

A few weeks ago when we launched this short series, we asked a very loaded question, “What is faith?” This question is the driving force behind how we unpack and understand what happens in about a 24-hour period that Jesus’ little brother John covers in chapter 6 of his narrative on Jesus. This week we want to ask this question, "Who among us has had a perfect life? Free of trial, free of issues, free of family drama, free of feeling guilty for past wrongs. Free of storms?

The truth that comes out of this morning's text is that God uses specific situations and complex circumstances to test our faith; but He is always sufficient to meet any need.

This week we examine this truth through the miracle of Jesus walking on water. The beauty of this miracle is not the seeming impossibility of His walking on water. Don't miss the incredible beauty of what it means for Jesus to be present in our trial, present in our storm, present in our drama, present in our issues, present in our imperfection, present in our fear, and present in our doubt!



John 6:16-21 | Wine & Flesh | Choppy Water

This week Pastor Leonce continues our study in the Gospel of John by asking the question, "What is faith?" Some of us will automatically associate it with Christianity; with God; with Jesus; with church. But faith, though expressed most completely in each of those, is much more broadly defined. You see even if we don’t believe God, you still have confidence in something or someone. We use our appliances and drive our cars, trusting that they will do and be exactly what they are supposed to. Under that definition then, no one lacks faith completely, even if you would not be considered a Jesus follower.


But in the fuller sense of the word, attached to all it’s spiritual implications, faith is full confidence in God over and above anything else we can imagine, including our own ingenuity. But we all— Follower of Jesus or not—struggle with putting our trust in temporary things. So the question to consider over the next few weeks — no matter where we are spiritually— is this: “Does God get the full measure of my faith. And if not, why not?”

John 6:1-15 | Wine & Flesh | Sardines & Satisfaction

Last week we evaluated the witness of Jesus works, the miraculous things that He’d been doing is that Miracles are a means of showing Jesus is more than a human being—He’s God. They are not an end unto themselves. They are an arrow directing us to see Jesus as He truly is. Jesus is more than a notable human being. Jesus did unbelievably divine things, because He was unquestionably divine.

This week Pastor Leonce addresses the question, "Is God knowable?" While we cannot fully understand the God who has revealed Himself, we can know Him. And while we cannot and will not experience God with the full faculty of our senses in this life time, He has given us a way to experience Him. We can truly know God on a personal and intellectual level. How? Through the scriptures. The scriptures reveal who God is and how He has interacted with humanity through generations of people. The scriptures reveal God’s truest desire for people, even when they continually choose themselves over Him and everyone else. The scriptures are not some static book; they’re a living letter, testifying to God’s work in the world. And the pinnacle of that work was sending Jesus to live in a way we only dream; die in a way we could only dread; but rise in a way that would cause us to worship! All scripture points to Jesus.

n this sermon Pastor Leonce takes us to the court room...not literally; but in our minds. There are five witnesses in these few words, but we will focus in on two over the next couple weeks—Jesus’ works (i.e. miracles) and the Word (i.e. scripture). We have many questions about life, and questions certainly aren’t wrong, but I think at the root of most of our questions is a lack of trust. You see because we don’t trust God, and the fact that He wants good for us, the very best for us, we demand He substantiate His claims.


So this weekend and next we will question the witnesses to the words and work of Jesus. As we examine these few sentences, earmark your questions, write them down and don’t be reluctant to do so. But, as Jesus “calls His witnesses” so to speak, allow your heart to earnestly engage them, as they seek to substantiate all the claims that Jesus made, and all the things that Jesus did.

(John 5:31-36)