Northwest Christian Church Podcasts

We are absolutely surrounded by facts and knowledge. At the click of a button or the tap of a screen we can access more accumulated knowledge than any culture in the history of the world. Just because we have knowledge, though, does NOT mean we have wisdom! Some might even say we have less wisdom now than ever before. So, how can we find wisdom? Where can we go to be wise? Paul has some advice in 1 Corinthians 2:6-16!

Have you ever tried to explain Christianity to someone who’s never been to church or who has no idea who Jesus is? It’s a very different experience! When you take a step back from what many Christians consider “normal,” you see that the Cross of Christ is not just different…it’s CRAZY! That God would love us so much that He would die in our place. That’s some powerful and crazy talk!!

Paul’s message to the Corinthian church is clear: unity matters. In a church divided by personalities, preferences, and competing allegiances, Paul calls believers back to what they have in common: their shared identity in Christ. This message challenges us to lay down the labels and loyalties that divide us, embrace fellow believers as family, and let the power of the cross define the church. We’re called to love the Body and become people who champion unity in the midst of an imperfect but faithful Church.

As we begin our deep dive into the book of 1 Corinthians, we meet this man by the name of Paul who planted a church that started out great. It grew. Saw lives changed. Made a difference. And then it all started falling apart. So Paul writes a letter to help correct the problems but there’s a surprise right at the beginning. Paul doesn’t start his letter the way any of us would have expected!

Church can be hard sometimes. There’s this old cliché that says, “if you ever find a perfect church, don’t go there or you’ll mess it up!” People are not perfect and ever since the beginning, there have been problems with all the people in church. It almost makes you wonder if it’s worth it! But God’s Word tells us that not only is the church worth it, it’s the body of Christ Himself!

Have you ever eaten at a really, really nice restaurant? One of those 5-star places with multiple waiters who take care of every need even before you know you need it? It’s quite an impressive experience! In verse 5 of Psalm 23, the language David uses is similar to that type of experience. He talks about sitting down at a table with the Lord and in that picture, we see so much about who God is and how He sees us!

Psalm 23 ends with one of the Bible's greatest declarations of confidence: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." Yet those words were written by a man who knew betrayal, suffering, fear, and loss. So where did his confidence come from? This week we'll discover that God's goodness isn't the promise of an easy life, but the assurance that our faithful Shepherd never stops guiding, providing, and protecting His people.

Have you ever eaten at a really, really nice restaurant? One of those 5-star places with multiple waiters who take care of every need even before you know you need it? It’s quite an impressive experience! In verse 5 of Psalm 23, the language David uses is similar to that type of experience. He talks about sitting down at a table with the Lord and in that picture, we see so much about who God is and how He sees us!

When most people think of shepherds, they think of something like a Precious Moments figurine. They envision placid, kind, gentle-looking young people dressed in pastel blue, carrying a question mark-shaped walking stick. It’s a very sweet picture, but it’s wildly inaccurate! In the hands of an ancient shepherd, they carried a rod and a staff. Instruments of protection and correction, guidance and provision. Psalm 23 uses this language to teach us something powerful about the Lord.

Have you ever seen the Tom Hanks movie “Cast Away?” it’s a fascinating look at what happens to a person when they are completely, utterly alone. There is a Harvard study that says loneliness is not just unfortunate, it’s actually deadly! It’s as deadly as smoking or alcoholism. So, when we get to Psalm 23:4 the promise that “God is WITH us,” no matter what, is more than just a heartwarming platitude. It’s life and death!