Episodes

Monday Dec 18, 2023
12/17/23 - Advent: Peace - Luke 2:14 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
As Jesus prepares to leave his disciples, he says this, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” John 14:27

Monday Dec 11, 2023
12/10/23 - Advent: Joy - Luke 2:1-14 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Christian joy is not dependent upon circumstances, it is dependent upon a person.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:8-14
God comes to those who are attentive no matter what society thinks of them.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 1 Corinthians 15:41
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Luke 2:1-2
And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Luke 2:3-5
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
Christians have the ability to look beyond the suffering and look to a sovereign God who uses suffering to refine our character because He loves us.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:9-11
Jesus says if you want joy that transcends your circumstances then do two things: obey His word and remain in His love.

Sunday Dec 03, 2023
12/3/23 - Advent: Love - John 3:16 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Sunday Dec 03, 2023
Sunday Dec 03, 2023
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16The Danish philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard reflected on the reason for the incarnation and said this…Imagine a prince desiring to get married. Each day his gold carriage traveled through the marketplace on its way to the castle. One day his eye caught the beauty of a peasant maiden. He fell in love with her. But how could he get her to marry him? As prince he could force the girl. Or he could have put on an incredible display of wealth and power. But he wanted a marriage of mutual love, not manipulation or force. So he exchanged his royal robes for peasant clothes and became a commoner. The prince lived as a poor man, worked as a laborer and ate scraps. Eventually, the girl took notice of him as a hard working and kind man. Soonafter, they wed.You see, the prince became as she was so that she could understand his heart for her.That’s why God sent Jesus. So that we would understand God’s heart for us. This method is far better than any external voice shouting from heaven or some powerful ruler announcing a decree. God’s love can be a difficult thing for us to grasp. We tend to withhold love if we have been wronged. We tend to think of what is in our best interest first. Sometimes we harbor bitterness and grudges toward those we love the most. God however, withholds nothing from us.Consider this: The greatest gifts are both useful and costly. The gift of Jesus is the most useful and costly thing you will ever receive.For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23Through Jesus you recieve eternal life. I would say that is very useful! However, it will come at a sacrifice and not of your own. It will require the death of Jesus. That is costly. Useful and costly is this gift from God. A clear expression of his love for you!

Sunday Nov 26, 2023
11/26/23 - Advent: Hope - Romans 5:13 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Sunday Nov 26, 2023
Sunday Nov 26, 2023
This Sunday we start our Advent series in preparation for the most significant event in human history - the birth of Jesus. The word advent means “arrival” and beginning in the fourth century AD Christians have been preparing their hearts, minds and homes with the hope of Christmas. We use the word hope several different ways. We might say, “I hope next summer won’t be as hot as the last one!” There is an element of pessimism in this. That’s not the kind of hope we are talking about. Instead, Biblical hope is a confident assurance that what God promised, He will deliver. Read slowly this comforting truth from Paul... May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 5:13 God is the source and supplier of hope. Certainly our world today needs a confident assurance that is rooted in the nature of the One who created and sustains all life. There are two major wars with no end in sight and more people are taking their lives than at any other time in recorded history. The number of those seeking professional mental health has never been higher. Why is this? It’s because we pour our hope into leaky containers only to realize they are soon empty. In God, we will never be depleted because our hope is in His son Jesus Christ born long ago and alive today. Johnathon Edwards said this about the Christian life… "Our good things can never be taken away from us, even our bad things turn out for good, and the best things are yet to come.” This is the hope of Christmas!

Monday Nov 20, 2023
11/19/23 - Grief and Hope - Romans 8:18-27 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Romans 8:18-27

Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
11/12/23 - Live and Let Die - Romans 8:1-17 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Romans 8:1-17
Last week we heard some brutally honest words from the apostle Paul. He reveals his own personal struggles in Romans chapter 7…
I can relate to this and so can you. We want to do good but we end up doing the very thing we do not want to do. Our inner being wants to please God and recognizes the destructive patterns but yet we continue down the same road. Chapter 7 paints a bleak picture of the believer's ongoing struggle. At the same time there is something else present in the life of a Christian. Something even more powerful. If chapter 7 reveals the battle, chapter 8 gives us the victory. It is the Spirit of God that has the power to set us free from sin’s bondage. In the first seven chapters Paul has spoken of God’s Spirit only twice, but in chapter 8 the Spirit is mentioned 20 times!
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2
The law shows us we are sinners and brings condemnation and death, but the law of the Spirit brings liberation and life. This was accomplished when Jesus took on human flesh and was without sin. He stood apart from it, therefore he could judge it. Through his resurrection Jesus conquered sin’s penalty. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you and now gives you the power to overcome life's daily temptations.
Paul explains how the Spirit of God works in cooperation with the Word of God and this gives you a new mindset, a new lifestyle, a new identity and new purpose. You are part of a new humanity and you are not in this alone. What a great comfort!

Monday Nov 06, 2023
11/5/23 - The Struggle is Real! - Romans 7 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Monday Nov 06, 2023
Monday Nov 06, 2023

Monday Oct 30, 2023
10/29/23 - Choose The One You Serve - Romans 6:15-23 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Last week we heard from the apostle Paul as he explained the effects of God’s grace in our lives. Some erroneously believed that because God forgives, they can just go on wilfully sinning. In fact, some made the argument that if we sin more, then God has to give us more grace and when God gives grace that just makes him look better. So we should sin more, therefore revealing God to be good. Paul answers with a resounding, “No!" You don’t understand grace.
A proper understanding of grace should lead you away from sin, not towards it.
Maybe you’ve heard this excuse before. It’s actually been used by prominent Pastors who have had moral failures and then say something like this, “I know it’s wrong. I am God’s child and I am under grace and He will forgive me.” The error here is in thinking that one’s freedom is unshackled and it minimizes the fact that sin is extremely powerful and will pull you deeper and enslave you further.
This thinking is deadly.
To be enslaved is to be controlled. Now here’s the thing…we are all slaves to something or someone including ourselves. That is to say, we are slaves to our own flesh. The apostle Paul was keenly aware of this and that’s why he begins his letter to the Romans describing himself in this way…
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” Romans 1:1
The Greek word for servant is doulos and it literally means to be owned by someone for a lifetime. Paul understood that everybody serves someone. He also knew what it meant to live a life serving unrighteousness. It leads to death.
Let’s understand how deceitful a master sin is. It will make you think you are free when in fact you are in the hands of a destroyer. Remember the story of Pinocchio, Geppetto’s wooden puppet who longs to be a “real boy”? One night, his wish was granted, but on his way to school, he was lured by the wily fox, Honest John, who promises Pinocchio stardom as a “live puppet without strings.” Sadly however, Pinocchio finds himself locked up and enslaved by the fox. He is freed by his friend but shortly thereafter he’s lured again to Pleasure Island where he can live as he wants. There he learns that his new life of freedom will quickly turn him into a donkey. In one very pointed scene you can see the terrified look on the little boy’s face as he’s trying to run away but it’s too late. Pinoccian is being transformed into an animal. It’s creepy, sad and profound.
The theme of the fairy tale is that we must be on guard for ways that look like freedom but actually lead to enslavement and death. This story isn’t just for children. It is a creative illustration of sin’s enticement leading to bondage and a diminishment of one's humanity. Obedience to Jesus is the key to our liberation and true freedom.

Sunday Oct 22, 2023
10/22/23 - Prevention Theology - Romans 6:1-14 - Pastor Jason Fritz
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
The apostle Paul has been writing about the grace of God in Romans chapter 5. He’s been telling us that God’s grace covers every one of our sins. As often as we sin, there is grace to cover it. Like the waves of an ocean, one rolling in after another, God’s grace does not come to an end. He concludes chapter 5 in this way…
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21
In other words, the law, or God’s moral commands, shows us clearly that we are sinners because they are spelled out in black and white, there is no gray column. We have no excuse and cannot say, “Well, I don’t know what God expects from me!” So in this sense having the law increases sin. Paul goes on to say that where sin increases, grace abounds all the more. Why? The more we sin, the more grace is required to cover that sin.
Paul is a brilliant thinker. He anticipates a question in light of this and it’s found in the very next verse.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? Romans 6:1
If God has to supply more grace to cover our many sins then why not make God look more and more gracious by sinning more and more. His answer is a resounding NO!!
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:2
What he says next is the cure for your sin cycle. It begins with a specific knowledge found in verses 3 and 4.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
To be baptised is to identify with something or somoene. So if you want to live the victorious Christian life then what you understand about your salvation identity is terribly important. There’s a simple and profound truth here...
We function according to our identity.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14

Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Sunday Oct 22, 2023