Why do Christians make such a big deal out of Christmas? Join City of God over the next few weeks as we uncover why the birth of Jesus changes everything.
Paul tell us in Ephesians 5 that Jesus loved the church by giving himself for her. All throughout scripture, the love that Jesus has for the church is setup as the model for how spouses should love one another. What does it look like to sacrificially love our spouse, especially in the area of physical intimacy? Check out our latest sermon from 1 Corinthians 7.
Why does God make such a big deal out of sex in the Bible? Many in our culture feel as if scripture's teaching on this topic is restrictive and oppressive. Why does God care what we do in this area? Aren't the Bible's commands hopeless out of date on this issue?
In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul corrects the misunderstandings the Corinthians had regarding sex and shows God's good purposes for it in the right context. Our intimacy with another person was meant to be a mirror of Jesus' relationship with the church.
How should Christians react when we are wronged by fellow believers? Our natural tendency is to retaliate and pay someone back for what they've done to us. However, is that how God calls us to live together in the church?
Rather, when we are wronged, we are called to love and forgive as we follow Jesus' example That can be really difficult to do, but the gospel motivates us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ well.
The Christian life is hard. It can be almost impossible if we're trying to live it on our own. That's why God gave us the church and other believers to try and help us keep our eyes on Jesus. Sometimes this comes from the encouragement we receive from others, and sometimes it can be done through a practice like church discipline.
Why is church discipline something we should welcome as we seek to follow Jesus? Check out the latest sermon from City of God.
Where do we find our identity and value? Typically, it's in comparisons with other people. If we feel like we measure up well to our peers, then it's easy to feel happy with our life. However, we always find someone who has accomplished more than us, and so we're stuck in a cycle of comparison, happiness, and anxiety.
Is it possible to avoid this comparison trap? The Apostle Paul outlines a strategy in 1 Corinthians 4 that helps us find peace and contentment in this life.
Foundations matter. They matter for buildings and bridges, but they also matter for people. The foundation you choose to build your life upon will affect everything about you. How can we know we're building on a solid foundation, and what kind of life should we be seeking to create? "Take Care How You Build" helps us address these specific questions.
What are the greatest threats to the church today? You could probably come up with a lot of answers before you thought of jealousy, but that's exactly what Paul does in 1 Corinthians 3:3-9. There was a lot of conflict happening in the church at Corinth, and jealousy was the root of much of it. In this text, Paul teaches us how to combat jealousy by finding our identity, security, and contentment in Christ.
