Explore every episode of the podcast 2 Cities Church Podcast

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	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	Ten Commandments: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. / Pastor Troy Singleton	12 Oct 2026	00:32:13
Big Idea: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Exodus 20:7 Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name. 1. Respect the name. 2. Don’t use the name in vain. 3. Hallowed be Your name. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to the name Jesus today. Become: I will not use the name of God in vain this week. Be Sent: I will walk worthy of His name this week. Discussion Questions: 1. How does making an oath or vow violate this command? 2. What does it mean to take God’s name in vain? 3. Does saying OMG break the third commandment? 4. Should we swear by His name? 5. How do people currently break this commandment? 6. Would you openly correct a friend or family member when they use God’s name in vain? 7. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you use God’s name with reverence.
	Ten Commandments: Worship is supreme- don’t get it wrong. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	05 Oct 2026	00:35:15
Big Idea: Worship is supreme- don’t get it wrong. #2- Exodus 20:4-6 Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery… Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands. I. Worship is rooted in love II. Your spirit must mirror God’s Spirit for proper worship III. What you serve IS what you worship Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender my soul to Jesus for the first time. Become: I will worship Jesus all day this week. Be Sent: I will worship Jesus by serving someone this week. Discussion Questions: How would you describe worship to someone who has never heard the term? What is your strongest modern idol? What is the most important part of your worship? (You wouldn’t call it worship without it.) Can you worship something you don’t love? Explain your answer. How much time did you spend with Jesus yesterday? Why is it tempting to worship something you can see and feel rather than something you can’t? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you worship all day this week.
	Ten Commandments: Loving God and loving others starts with _______. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	28 Sep 2026	00:35:54
#1- Exodus 20:1-3 Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides me. Big Idea: Loving God and loving others starts with _______. I. It’s #1 for a reason. Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” II. #1 touches everything. 1 Kings 18:21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word. III. Everything follows #1. Exodus 34:14 Because the Lord is jealous for his reputation, you are never to bow down to another god. He is a jealous God. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I renounce my lesser gods and trust Jesus. Become: I will trust the Holy Spirit to direct me this week. Be Sent: I will show my trust in God to others this week. Discussion Questions: Has your loyalty to God been challenged this week? If so, explain. If loving God with “all your heart, soul, and mind” is the greatest commandment, what needs to change in your life to live it out fully this week? Ezekiel 14:3–6 describes “setting up idols in their hearts.” Does this differ from ancient carved images? What internal “idols” compete for your devotion? Do you know anyone who worships created things rather than the Creator? If so, explain. Is it possible to serve two gods at the same time? Explain your answer using Scripture. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you follow God fully this week.
	Ten Commandments: God’s RULEs don’t bind you — they guide you. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	21 Sep 2026	00:33:27
Big Idea: God’s RULEs don’t bind you — they guide you. Exodus 20:1-2 Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. I. Born out of Relationship II. Unchangeable and Universal III. Come from Love IV. Exist for your Good Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to change my heart today. Become: I will follow God’s RULEs this week. Be Sent: I will show others how God’s rules guide me this week. Discussion Questions: How did the Ten Commandments impact your day yesterday? How does obeying the law out of love differ from mere obligation? Do these rules apply to people who don’t worship him? Explain your answer. How do these commandments relate to living for Jesus? Can you see your need for God’s grace without the law? Who needs to see through your life that God is worth following? Pray for the Holy Spirit to showcase your love for Jesus this week.
	AMA: When the Church Goes AWOL- Week 5 / Pastor Jeff Struecker	14 Sep 2026	00:37:30
Big Idea: We’re working on where God is working. I. God is bringing people to himself through Christ. John 5:19 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things. II. Christ is bringing people together. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. III. God is bringing people to his plan. Ezekiel 2:1-2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak with you.” As he spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and I listened to the one who was speaking to me. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to change my soul today. Become: I will follow God’s plan this week. Be Sent: I will work where God is at work this week. Discussion Questions: What indicators show where God is at work? Where have you seen Him at work recently? If God created all people, why is His church so divided? Does God need His church to accomplish His work? Explain your answer. How do you know when you’re hearing from the Holy Spirit? Who is the last person God brought to salvation through you? Pray for God to show you where the Holy Spirit is at work this week.
	AMA: When the Church Goes AWOL- Week 4 / Pastor Jeff Struecker	07 Sep 2026	00:34:08
Big Idea: Have you multiplied yourself? I. Go and do likewise. Luke 10:37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.” Matthew 28:19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 2 Timothy 2:2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Matthew 22:37–39 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. II. Love for one another. John 13:34-35 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I will follow Jesus fully this week. Be Sent: I will serve someone far from Jesus this week. Discussion Questions: Where does evangelism end and discipleship begin? What kinds of people refused to become Jesus’ disciples, and why? Who has intentionally discipled you, and how did that relationship shape your faith? What steps does it take to call yourself a disciple-maker? What role does the local church play in making disciples? Can a church truly love you—and can pastors truly shepherd you—if they never challenge you to make disciples? Explain your answer. Ask the Holy Spirit to identify one person He wants you to begin discipling this week. Who comes to mind, and what is your next step?
	AMA: When the Church Goes AWOL- Week 3 / Pastor Jeff Struecker	31 Aug 2026	00:35:28
Big Idea: The way we do Sunday morning doesn’t make disciples. I. Sending is God’s mission; not seating! John 20:19 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” II. Discipleship is far messier than Sunday Morning. Acts 15:36-41 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord. He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. III. Maintaining moral clarity in a self-focused culture. 2 Timothy 2:1-7 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I will join the Discipleship Summit. Be Sent: I will help a friend share their faith this week. Discussion Questions: What is a disciple? Explain using your own words. How exactly does a church make a disciple? How do you know when your role in the discipleship process is complete? Is there a difference between following Jesus only and becoming a leader for Jesus? If so, explain your answer. If the church’s mission is to reach the world, what is the best way to measure if the church is being successful? Who do you know who has been hurt by the church and needs to hear this sermon series? Pray for the Holy Spirit to open the opportunity for you to invite them to listen with you.
	AMA: When the Church Goes AWOL- Week 2 / Pastor Jeff Struecker	24 Aug 2026	00:37:14
Big Idea: We are other-focused in everything. I. Are we hiding our salt in the salt shaker? Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. II. Are we practicing Christian idolatry? Isaiah 1: 13-17 Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies— I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. III. Are we practicing Christian love? Titus 3:4-8 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I will become part of the 100% this week. Be Sent: I will work toward 50% this week. Discussion Questions: What does it look like to “lose our salty taste” today? What truths about myself am I most motivated to avoid seeing? Where does God need to grow love in your heart this week? Do you criticize the church's failures yet secretly excuse them in your own life? Is there a need in your neighborhood our church can meet? Who in your life needs to be connected to or reconnected to Jesus? Pray for them by name this week.
	AMA: When the Church Goes AWOL- Week 1 / Pastor Jeff Struecker	17 Aug 2026	00:38:27
Big Idea: We’re different by design—God has one mission for every one of His children. I. Jesus sent ALL- not some. Luke 10:1-3 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and he sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. II. We all have a gift and/or gifts. Ephesians 4:12 …to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ… III. God equipped each of us for the work. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I surrender my life to God’s mission again today. Be Sent: I will serve like Jesus this week. Discussion Questions: Is surrendering your life to Jesus a “one and done” moment in time? Explain your answer using Scripture. What does it mean practically to surrender your life to the mission of God? In your own life, what areas feel easiest to surrender, and which feel difficult? In what ways can someone appear “successful” by society’s standards while being totally ineffective at building the kingdom of God? Can someone pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven,” and not be willing to lift a finger to see that prayer fulfilled? Has there been a time when you became aware of someone who needed to hear about the love of God lately? Pray for God to put his heart for other people in your heart this week.
	YOLO: 3 deep roots hold stronger than 300 branches. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	10 Aug 2026	00:34:11
Big Idea: 3 deep roots hold stronger than 300 branches. I. Go deeper than virtual. Acts 2:44-46 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts… II. Go deep with only a few. Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. III. Go deeper with Jesus. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.” Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I will join a small group this week. Be Sent: I will invite someone into my group this week. Discussion Questions: What makes people hesitant to open their hearts to others? What makes meeting in a small group different from being in a social media relationship? What does it look like to “provoke love” in someone else? How has God grown you through your relationships with others? What are some obstacles that prevent real depth in small groups? Is it possible to grow into the follower Jesus wants you to be while living as a hermit? Explain your answer from Scripture. Pray for someone who is isolated from Jesus’s people this week.
	YOLO: Some trauma can only be healed by nail-scarred hands. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	03 Aug 2026	00:33:39
Big Idea: Some trauma can only be healed by nail-scarred hands. I. Jesus is close. Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit. II. Jesus comforts. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. III. Jesus gives courage. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to change my heart today. Become: I need Jesus to help me heal this week. Be Sent: I will help someone hurting this week. Discussion Questions: What support would you recommend for someone who is stuck in trauma? (List all the options you’d recommend.) Can you move past trauma without ever sharing it with anyone? Explain your answer. Why is it sometimes hard to trust Jesus with your trauma? Has trauma changed you? If so, has it changed you for better or worse? Who do you know who is stuck in past trauma? Can you share a testimony about how Jesus helped you through trauma? Pray for the opportunity to share that testimony this week.
	YOLO: Sin makes all relationships unhealthy. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	27 Jul 2026	00:36:19
Big Idea: Sin makes all relationships unhealthy. Romans 12:18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. I. Show grace to people who are far from Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” II. Seek help when people hurt you. Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. III. Separate when people are living a lie. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you. Next Steps: Believe: I need to begin a relationship with Jesus today. Become: I will reflect Jesus’ way of life in my relationships this week. Be Sent: I will start a gospel relationship this week. Discussion Questions: How do you know when a relationship has become unhealthy? Which is more dangerous for you right now, emotionally or spiritually unhealthy relationships? Are you more patient with Christians or people outside the faith? Explain. Why doesn’t the Bible give us permission to break off all hurtful relationships? When was the last time you broke off a relationship with someone who was living a lie? How did it go? Who are you developing a Gospel relationship with? Pray for the wisdom to develop Christlike relationships this week.
	YOLO: I don’t need more competence or confidence- God’s presence is enough. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	20 Jul 2026	00:35:47
Big Idea: I don’t need more competence or confidence- God’s presence is enough. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. I. Let sound judgment guide your decisions Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. II. Let Jesus’s power back up your abilities Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. III. Let God’s love define your worth 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I will let only Jesus’s sacrifice define my worth this week. Be Sent: I will proclaim Jesus’s praises this week. Discussion Questions: When was the last big decision you struggled with? How certain were you that you got it right? When was the last big challenge you overcame? Did you give God credit? When did you last fail a big challenge? How did it affect your self-worth? What is consistently trying to define your self-worth this week? Where do you need God’s power most this week? How confident are you in sharing your faith? Pray for God to use you to call someone out of darkness this week.
	YOLO: Through Christ, you can live under pressure and above fear. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	13 Jul 2026	00:33:33
Big Idea: Through Christ, you can live under pressure and above fear. Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. I. Struggle with self-reliance Isaiah 26:3 You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you. II. Trade anxiety for abandon Psalm 94:19 When I am filled with cares, your comfort brings me joy. III. Release your pressures through prayer Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken. IV. Examine your source of peace Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. V. Surrender everything to Jesus this week Psalm 62:5-6 Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender my soul to Jesus today. Become: I will give Jesus control over my worry this week. Be Sent: I will enter into someone’s stress this week. Discussion Questions: What is your #1 source of stress this week? What is your go-to way of handling stress? How often do you settle for stress management when God offers stress deliverance? Would you prefer that Jesus remove your sources of stress, or give you strength greater than your stress? Why is it so difficult to trust God with the things that cause you stress? Do you have a testimony of God’s peace in the midst of great pressure? Pray for the opportunity to share that testimony with someone far from Jesus this week.
	YOLO: Don’t let AirPods tune out God’s megaphone! / Pastor Jeff Struecker	06 Jul 2026	00:34:04
Big Idea: Don’t let AirPods tune out God’s megaphone! Numbers 11:15 “If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now if I have found favor with you, and don’t let me see my misery anymore.” I. It might be God’s preparation… 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. II. or build your patience… Psalm 88:18 You have distanced loved one and neighbor from me; darkness is my only friend. III. but it’s never permanent. Psalm 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning. Next Step: Believe: I need Jesus to give life to my dead soul today. Become: I will wait for God’s will this week. Be Sent: I will minister to someone in pain this week. Discussion Questions: Has anyone walked with you through the same pain they once suffered? If so, how did it impact you? Do you look at depression as a spiritual problem or a mental health problem? Explain your answer. Does seeing a mental health professional mean that your faith is weak? If we belong to Heaven, why do we allow circumstances on Earth to cause us pain? When was the last time God turned your weeping into joy? How can you comfort someone facing mental health problems this week? Pray for the opportunity to put that ministry into practice this week.
	YOLO: The pool looks perfect to a restless frog. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	29 Jun 2026	00:31:44
Big Idea: The pool looks perfect to a restless frog. I. Temptation is vicious, yet God’s grace is always victorious. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it. II. The struggle starts in a restless heart. Galatians 5:16-17 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. III. Run to Jesus with your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. IV. You are never abandoned. Zechariah 4:6 So he answered me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord of Armies. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to heal my broken heart today. Become: I will rely on Jesus for power over my struggles this week. Be Sent: I will share about my struggles with someone this week. Discussion Questions: How easy is it for you to share your struggles with others? What does it look like to embrace your weaknesses so that Jesus can give you his strength? When is the last time you felt helpless against temptation? Do you doubt your faith when you feel overwhelmed by temptation? Did you make some decisions based on “might” and “power” this week? Who do you know who needs Jesus to free them from sin? Pray for them by name this week.
	YOLO: Your smart watch can’t make time. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	22 Jun 2026	00:35:44
Big Idea: Your smart watch can’t make time. I. Don’t abuse it. James 4:13-16 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. II. Don’t miss it. Psalm 39:4-5 “LORD, make me aware of my end and the number of my days so that I will know how short-lived I am. In fact, you have made my days just inches long, and my life span is as nothing to you. Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor. III. Don’t waste it. Colossians 4:5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender everything to Jesus today. Become: I will give Jesus full control over my schedule this week. Be Sent: I will spend time growing his kingdom this week. Discussion Questions: When you look at your weekly schedule, what does it say about your priorities? In what ways do you see evidence that you are (or are not) honoring God with your time? What are the “non‑negotiables” on your calendar right now? Which of these clearly honors God? How do you typically decide what makes it onto your schedule? Where do you see patterns of overcommitment, hurry, or burnout in your life? In what practical ways can you build intentional space into your schedule to worship Jesus and grow his kingdom? What small change could you make this week to move in that direction? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you prioritize building God’s kingdom this week.
	Esther: GOD is always in control / Pastor Troy Singleton	15 Jun 2026	00:38:50
Big Idea: GOD is always in control Esther 10:1-3 King Ahasuerus imposed a tax throughout the land even to the farthest shores. All of his powerful and magnificent accomplishments and the detailed account of Mordecai’s great rank with which the king had honored him, have they not been written in the Book of the Historical Events of the Kings of Media and Persia? Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was famous among the Jews and highly esteemed by many of his relatives. He continued to pursue prosperity for his people and to speak for the well-being of all his descendants. 1. God can move in a supernaturally, natural way. 2. God’s move never rules out our actions. 3. God allows His people to be tested. 4. God’s children can rejoice. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender control of my life to Jesus today. Become: I trust God to handle every situation in my life. Be Sent: I will help someone serve God this week. Discussion Questions: 1. Do you trust God’s will in every problem you face in life? Why or why not? 2. How does the book of Esther reflect God at work in your life, even though at times you don’t feel His presents? 3. Are you honest with your feelings to God when you face challenges? 4. Would you prefer God tell you how He’s going to fix something in your life or guide you through it? 5. What qualities do you possess that make you a good leader? 6. How does this story encourage you to stand up for justice, even in the face of great challenges? 7. Pray for the Holy Spirit to allow you to remember and talk about acts of great leadership with someone this week.
	Esther: Gratitude is the seed, attitude is the fruit. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	08 Jun 2026	00:36:01
Big Idea: Gratitude is the seed, attitude is the fruit. Esther 9:18-32 I. Take time to celebrate your faith. Esther 9:18-22 But the Jews in Susa had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. They rested on the fifteenth day of the month, and it became a day of feasting and rejoicing. This explains why the rural Jews who live in villages observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a time of rejoicing and feasting. It is a holiday when they send gifts to one another. Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all of King Ahasuerus’s provinces, both near and far. He ordered them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar every year because during those days the Jews gained relief from their enemies. That was the month when their sorrow was turned into rejoicing and their mourning into a holiday. They were to be days of feasting, rejoicing, and of sending gifts to one another and to the poor. II. Remind yourself of God’s deliverance. Esther 9:23-28 So the Jews agreed to continue the practice they had begun, as Mordecai had written them to do. For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them. He cast the pur—that is, the lot—to crush and destroy them. But when the matter was brought before the king, he commanded by letter that the evil plan Haman had devised against the Jews return on his own head and that he should be hanged with his sons on the gallows. For this reason these days are called Purim, from the word pur. Because of all the instructions in this letter as well as what they had witnessed and what had happened to them, the Jews bound themselves, their descendants, and all who joined with them to a commitment that they would not fail to celebrate these two days each and every year according to the written instructions and according to the time appointed. These days are remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim will not lose their significance in Jewish life and their memory will not fade from their descendants. III. Pass it on to the future generations. Esther 9:29-32 Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote this second letter with full authority to confirm the letter about Purim. He sent letters with assurances of peace and security to all the Jews who were in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in order to confirm these days of Purim at their proper time just as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had established them and just as they had committed themselves and their descendants to the practices of fasting and lamentation. So Esther’s command confirmed these customs of Purim, which were then written into the record. Next Steps: Believe: I need to start my faith journey today. Become: I will spend time celebrating my freedom this week. Be Sent: I will share my testimony with someone this week. Discussion Questions: What are you most grateful for today? How often do you remind yourself of God’s simple gifts when life isn’t going your way? Do you have a way of celebrating your faith regularly? If so, how? Do you know your family’s journey of faith? Does your family know yours? If there were a festival to celebrate your personal faith, what would it be called? With whom did you last share your personal testimony? Ask the Holy Spirit for the opportunity to share God’s grace with someone this week.
	Esther: God doesn’t change problems; he changes people. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	01 Jun 2026	00:36:17
Big Idea: God doesn’t change problems; he changes people. Esther 9:1-17 I. God moves at the perfect moment Esther 9:1-5 The king’s command and law went into effect on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. On the day when the Jews’ enemies had hoped to overpower them, just the opposite happened. The Jews overpowered those who hated them. In each of King Ahasuerus’s provinces the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who intended to harm them. Not a single person could withstand them; fear of them fell on every nationality. All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the royal civil administrators aided the Jews because they feared Mordecai. For Mordecai exercised great power in the palace, and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful. The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them. They did what they pleased to those who hated them. II. Only God can turn the tides Esther 9:6-10 In the fortress of Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. They killed these ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. However, they did not seize any plunder. III. God is the only warrior that matters Esther 9:11-17 On that day the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa was reported to the king. The king said to Queen Esther, “In the fortress of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek will also be done.” Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews who are in Susa also have tomorrow to carry out today’s law, and may the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hung on the gallows.” The king gave the orders for this to be done, so a law was announced in Susa, and they hung the bodies of Haman’s ten sons. The Jews in Susa assembled again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not seize any plunder. The rest of the Jews in the royal provinces assembled, defended themselves, and gained relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them, but they did not seize any plunder. They fought on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar and rested on the fourteenth, and it became a day of feasting and rejoicing. Next Steps: Believe: I need God to change me today. Become: I will serve someone in need this week. Be Sent: I want to see God change my city, one person at a time. Discussion Questions: When was the last time you faced opposition for doing the right thing? Who in your life does God most need to change? Has there been a situation you thought was too far gone for even God to change it? If God is the only factor that matters in our problems, why do we worry about our circumstances? Describe a time when you persevered, even though you wanted to give up. How did it turn out? How does it affect your faith when God doesn’t respond when you want him to? Pray for the Holy Spirit to make you an agent of change in your city.
	Esther: There’s no going back, but God can make a better way forward. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	26 May 2026	00:32:32
Big Idea: There’s no going back, but God can make a better way forward. Esther 8:1-17 I. Don’t forget your past. Esther 8:1-2 That same day King Ahasuerus awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed her relationship to Mordecai. The king removed his signet ring he had recovered from Haman and gave it to Mordecai... II. Don’t pout over your past. Esther 8:3-8 Then Esther addressed the king again. She fell at his feet, wept, and begged him to revoke the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plot he had devised against the Jews. The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, so she got up and stood before the king. She said, “If it pleases the king and I have found favor with him, if the matter seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let a royal edict be written. Let it revoke the documents the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. For how could I bear to see the disaster that would come on my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my relatives?” King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews. Write in the king’s name whatever pleases you concerning the Jews, and... III. Let your past become the first step to a new future. Esther 8:9-14 On the twenty-third day of the third month—that is, the month Sivan—the royal scribes were summoned. Everything was written exactly as Mordecai commanded for the Jews, to the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush. The edict was written for each province in its own script, for each ethnic group in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus’s name and sealed the edicts with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses bred in the royal stables. The king’s edict gave the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate every ethnic and provincial army hostile to them, including women and children, and to take their possessions as spoils of war. This would take place on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar. A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so the Jews could be ready to avenge themselves against their enemies on that day. The couriers rode out in haste... IV. God WILL turn your painful past into something beautiful! Esther 8:15-17 Mordecai went from the king’s presence clothed in royal blue and white, with a great gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. The city of Susa shouted and rejoiced, and the Jews celebrated with gladness, joy, and honor. In every province and every city where the king’s command and edict reached, gladness and joy took place among the Jews. There was a celebration and a holiday. And many of ... Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to forgive me for my past sins today. Become: I trust God to turn my past into something beautiful. Be Sent: I will help someone who is haunted by their past this week. Discussion Questions: If you could wipe one thing out of your past, what would it be? Has a painful moment in your past made you a better person today? If so, explain how. How has your past shaped the way you see the world? What does it look like to get “stuck” in your past? Would you prefer for Jesus to redeem your past or Jesus to remove it? Explain your answer. Who do you know that needs to move beyond their past? Pray for the Holy Spirit to use you to minister to someone whose life is a mess this week.
	Esther: God’s plan happens through human hands! / Pastor Jeff Struecker	18 May 2026	00:31:54
Big Idea: God’s plan happens through human hands! Esther 7:1-10 I. You might need to get your hands dirty. Esther 7:1-4 The king and Haman came to feast with Esther the queen. Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done.” Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if the king is pleased, spare my life; this is my request. And spare my people; this is my desire. For my people and I have been sold to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.” II. God perfectly placed you to carry out his plan. Esther 7:5-7 King Ahasuerus spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?” Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman.” Haman stood terrified before the king and queen. The king arose in anger and went from where they were drinking wine to the palace garden. Haman remained to beg Queen Esther for his life because he realized the king was planning something terrible for him. III. God displays his power through ordinary people. Esther 7:8-10 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually violate the queen while I am in the house?” As soon as the statement left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “There is a gallows seventy-five feet tall at Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” The king said, “Hang him on it.” They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s anger subsided. Next Steps: Believe: I surrender everything to Jesus today. Become: I will trust His plan, even when it’s scary. Be Sent: I offer my hands to Jesus this week. Discussion Questions: When was the last time you felt God working through you? Explain. Why does God choose to include people in his plan for the future? What causes some Christians to hesitate to minister to people in need near them? Read Revelation 13:8. If God had a plan before He created the world, how do you fit into it? When do you feel you were making the biggest difference in someone’s life? What is God’s plan for your city? Explain it using Scripture. Pray for God to use you to accomplish his plan for your city this week.
	Mother's Day: The Father shows his heart through a mother’s love. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	11 May 2026	00:34:18
Big Idea- The Father shows his heart through a mother’s love. Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. I. A mother’s strength isn’t measured at the gym. II. A mother’s honor isn’t measured in likes or shares. III. A mother’s hope isn’t measured on the easy days. Next Steps: Believe: I need to experience God’s love for the first time today. Become: I will bless the women in my life who have blessed me. Be Sent: I will serve a mother in my neighborhood who is struggling. Discussion Questions: Is there anyone in your life who had a bigger impact on you than your mother? In what way did your mother leave the biggest impression on you? Describe your mother’s faith. How did your mother influence your view of God? What habit did your mother have that you’d like to keep? (Or definitely won’t keep?) If your mother has passed, what’s one thing you’d like to say to her today? Pray for opportunities to serve mothers in need around you this week.
	Esther: Once God tips the first domino, your story becomes unstoppable. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	04 May 2026	00:38:43
Big Idea: Once God tips the first domino, your story becomes unstoppable. Esther 6:1-14 I. There’s a nail-scared hand putting your pieces in place right now! Esther 6:1-3 That night sleep escaped the king, so he ordered the book recording daily events to be brought and read to the king. They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. The king inquired, “What honor and special recognition have been given to Mordecai for this act?” The king’s personal attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.” II. Nothing on heaven or earth can stop God’s hand. Esther 6:4-9 The king asked, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman was just entering the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him. The king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” “Have him enter,” the king ordered. Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?” Haman thought to himself, “Who is it the king would want to honor more than me?” Haman told the king, “For the man the king wants to honor: Have them bring a royal garment that the king himself has worn and a horse the king himself has ridden, which has a royal crown on its head. Put the garment and the horse under the charge of one of the king’s most noble officials. Have them clothe the man the king wants to honor, parade him on the horse through the city square, and call out before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.’ III. God’s timing is never random. Esther 6:10-14 The king told Haman, “Hurry, and do just as you proposed. Take a garment and a horse for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the King’s Gate. Do not leave out anything you have suggested.” So Haman took the garment and the horse. He clothed Mordecai and paraded him through the city square, calling out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.” Then Mordecai returned to the King’s Gate, but Haman hurried off for home, mournful and with his head covered. Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai is Jewish, and you have begun to fall before him, you won’t overcome him, because your downfall is certain.” While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to start his work in my heart today. Become: I will trust God’s plan this week, even when it doesn’t make sense. Be Sent: I will play my part in God’s plan for my city this week. Discussion Questions: 1. Do you feel like God is a bit late in your life? In what areas of your life? 2. Looking back, can you think of a time when you only realized later that God’s timing was perfect? 3. How should trusting God’s timing change your reaction to delays or setbacks? 4. Have you seen God’s hidden hand at work in your life this week? 5. What are some unhealthy ways you try to rush God’s timing? 6. In what area of your life is God calling you to be more patient this week? 7. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you see your role in God’s plan for your city.
	Esther: Living by faith is simple, but NOT easy! / Pastor Jeff Struecker	27 Apr 2026	00:34:24
Big Idea: Living by faith is simple, but NOT easy! Esther 5:1-14 I. Faith must be courageous Esther 5:1-2 On the third day, Esther dressed in her royal clothing and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace facing it. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing its entrance. As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she gained favor with him. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter. II. Faith is always patient Esther 5:3-5 “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.” “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for them.” The king said, “Hurry, and get Haman so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. III. Faith makes you persistent Esther 5:6-8 While drinking the wine, the king asked Esther, “Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be done.” Esther answered, “This is my petition and my request: If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and perform my request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will do what the king has asked.” IV. Faith leaves no room for pride Esther 5:9-14 That day Haman left full of joy and in good spirits. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the King’s Gate, and Mordecai didn’t rise or tremble in fear at his presence, Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai. Yet Haman controlled himself and went home. He sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh to join him. Then Haman described for them his glorious wealth and his many sons. He told them all how the king had honored him and promoted him in rank over the other officials and the royal staff. “What’s more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she had prepared. I am invited again tomorrow to join her with the king. Still, none of this satisfies me since I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate all the time.” His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows seventy-five feet tall. Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed. Next Steps: Believe: I have been living for myself; today, I surrender to Christ in faith. Become: I will trust God’s timing this week. Be Sent: I will share Jesus with someone this week. Discussion Questions: What do you use to measure how much you’re living by faith? When was the last time you measured this? How satisfied are you with the results? How can we actively prepare ourselves spiritually to demonstrate courage in our daily lives, according to Esther's example? How does humility play a role in true courage for a Christian? What intimidating situations are you currently facing that could call for boldness like Esther's? Will you pray a bold prayer like Esther for someone in need this week? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you live out a bold faith this week.
	Esther: No one else can play your part in God’s plan. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	20 Apr 2026	00:30:08
Big Idea: No one else can play your part in God’s plan. Esther 4:4-17 I. God’s plan is usually confusing Esther 4:4-8 Esther’s female servants and her eunuchs came and reported the news to her, and the queen was overcome with fear. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear so that he would take off his sackcloth, but he did not accept them. Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who attended her, and dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what he was doing and why. So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the King’s Gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened as well as the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa ordering their destruction, so that Hathach might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and command her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead with him personally for her people. II. Fear only gets in your way Esther 4:9-12 Hathach came and repeated Mordecai’s response to Esther. Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to tell Mordecai, “All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned—the death penalty—unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing that person to live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last thirty days.” Esther’s response was reported to Mordecai. III. You are an essential part of God’s plan Esther 4:13-14 Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” IV. You don’t need anything but faith Esther 4:15-17 Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went and did everything Esther had commanded him. Next Steps: Believe: I’m ready to surrender to God today. Become: I will face my fear with the help of the Holy Spirit. Be Sent: I will carry out God’s plan to reach my city. Discussion Questions: How have you seen God at work around you this week? What do you believe God’s plan for humanity is? Do you believe that God has an essential role for you to play in that plan? Explain. Is faithfully carrying out God’s plan always easy or pleasant? Do you find it intimidating to talk to people about your faith? Explain. Did something confusing happen recently that made you question God’s plan? Pray for God to use you to help someone follow Jesus this week.
	Esther: When one person suffers, the whole community should feel it. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	13 Apr 2026	00:33:19
Big Idea: When one person suffers, the whole community should feel it. Esther 4:1-3 I. Who will be the first to plead for God’s mercy? Esther 4:1 When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. II. There’s always tension between society and spirituality. Esther 4:2 He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate. III. God hears when the whole community prays. Esther 4:3 There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict reached. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. Next Steps: Believe: I need God’s mercy for my desperate soul today. Become: I will mourn and pray for my community this week. Be Sent: I will push back darkness in my community this week. Discussion Questions: What is your neighbor’s biggest struggle today? Have you had a spiritual conversation with your neighbor yet? How comfortable are you demonstrating your faith in public? Explain. Do you believe that God expects you to pray for the sins of your community? Explain your answer. What is the best way to show your neighbor that you care about their struggles? Why is it sometimes easier to ignore your neighbor’s pain than to enter into it with them? Pray for your neighbors by name today.
	Easter: Why Easter is the greatest thing that (n)ever happened to you. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	06 Apr 2026	00:30:56
Big Idea: Why Easter is the greatest thing that (n)ever happened to you. Easter 2026 I. Hope in your darkest night Colossians 3:1-4 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. II. Death is a doorway to something better Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. III. All that’s broken will be fixed Colossians 1:15-21 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Next Steps: Believe: I need to experience the resurrection in my heart today. Become: I will face my challenges with hope this week. Be Sent: I will make Jesus famous this week. Discussion Questions: What is the most meaningful part of your Easter traditions? Why? What is the last crisis you faced that was too big for you to handle? What are you most looking forward to when Jesus makes all things new? How concerned are you about the environment in the future? What ultimate purpose does our world serve? Who do you most want to see in the afterlife? Why? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you live like your resurrection might be tomorrow.
	Esther: God, where are you!?!? / Pastor Jeff Struecker	30 Mar 2026	00:34:28
Big Idea: God, where are you!?!? Esther 3:7-15 I. Nothing is arbitrary for a sovereign God. Esther 3:7-9 In the first month, the month of Nisan, in King Ahasuerus’s twelfth year, the pur—that is, the lot—was cast before Haman for each day in each month, and it fell on the twelfth month, the month Adar. Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If the king approves, let an order be drawn up authorizing their destruction, and I will pay 375 tons of silver to the officials for deposit in the royal treasury.” II. God’s hidden hand moves the king’s hand. Esther 3:10-11 The king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. Then the king told Haman, “The money and people are given to you to do with as you see fit.” III. God’s plan might seem confusing… at the time. Esther 3:12-15 The royal scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. It was intended for the royal satraps, the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring. Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people—young and old, women and children—and plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month. A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples so that they might get ready for that day. The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion. Next Steps: Believe: I trust my future in Jesus’s hands for the first time today. Become: I will live by faith even when it’s scary this week. Be Sent: I will invite someone to hear the Gospel on Easter. Discussion Questions: How do you reconcile the presence of evil and the belief that God has a good plan for you? Is there a danger in oversimplifying this tension when people are suffering? How does God’s “silence” deepen the mystery of his plan? Where does God seem silent in your life? Can you “know” God is at work in your circumstances even if you can’t see any results at the moment? How would you respond to someone who claims the events of your life are just coincidences? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you hold on to faith even if God seems distant this week.
	Esther: The battle is real—keep these three weapons ready. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	23 Mar 2026	00:36:34
Big Idea: The battle is real—keep these three weapons ready. Esther 3:1-6 I. Don’t let power go to your head Esther 3:1-2 After all this took place, King Ahasuerus honored Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite. He promoted him in rank and gave him a higher position than all the other officials. The entire royal staff at the King’s Gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded this to be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage. II. Don’t let pressure guide your hands Esther 3:3-4 The members of the royal staff at the King’s Gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” When they had warned him day after day and he still would not listen to them, they told Haman in order to see if Mordecai’s actions would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew. III. Don’t let pride go to your heart Esther 3:5-6 When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him homage, he was filled with rage. And when he learned of Mordecai’s ethnic identity, it seemed repugnant to Haman to do away with Mordecai alone. He planned to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout Ahasuerus’s kingdom. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I totally surrender to King Jesus. Become: I will keep my weapons ready this week. Be Sent: I will fight for my neighbor’s soul this week. Discussion Questions: When was the last spiritual battle that you fought? Explain. What practical thing did you do with your hands last week to build Jesus’s Kingdom? How do you evaluate your thoughts to make sure they honor Jesus and reflect Scripture? Do negative thoughts or doubts make God angry with you? Explain your answer using Scripture. How can you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you without succumbing to evil? Who points out pride in your life? Pray for the Holy Spirit to use you to invite someone to view or visit with you this Easter.
	Esther: Your biggest tool is simple, steady faithfulness in God’s hands. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	16 Mar 2026	00:32:52
Big Idea: Your biggest tool is simple, steady faithfulness in God’s hands. Esther 2:19-23 I. Esther is faithful to her promise. Esther 2:19-20 When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate. Esther still did not reveal her family background or her ethnicity, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her. II. Mordecai is faithful to his king. Esther 2:21-23 During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I turn over the little and big stuff of my life to King Jesus. Become: I will make a big deal of the small things this week. Be Sent: I will ask God to show me who to invite this Easter. Discussion Questions: How have you experienced unseen acts of God's faithfulness in your life? Do you wrestle with small issues of faithfulness in a big way? If so, explain. What is one small act of faithfulness you can commit to this week that could contribute to God's overarching plan? How can we support one another in remaining vigilant and purposeful in our roles and responsibilities? How can you live vigilantly like Mordecai today? What are some ways we can act with integrity in everyday situations, knowing God is watching? Pray for God to use our simple faithfulness to touch someone far from Jesus this week.
	Benaiah: All faith must be active and courageous. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	05 Mar 2026	00:34:46
Big Idea: All faith must be active and courageous. 2 Samuel 23:20-23 1. Be ready for all circumstances 2 Samuel 23:20a There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He performed many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. 2. Be willing to confront your fears 2 Samuel 23:20b-21 Another time on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. Once armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. 3. Be an agent of change 2 Samuel 23:22-23 Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the three mightiest warriors. He was more honored than the other members of the 30. And though he was not one of the three, look at this, and David made him a captain of his bodyguard. Next Steps: Believe: I need to believe in Jesus today. Become: I need to live with courageous faith this week. Be Sent: I will go deep with one person this week.
	Esther: Even with shaking knees, step boldly into your destiny. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	02 Mar 2026	00:31:30
Big Idea: Even with shaking knees, step boldly into your destiny. Esther 2:15-18 I. Chosen by character Esther 2:15 Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai who had adopted her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, suggested. Esther gained favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her. II. Crowned by God Esther 2:16-17 She was taken to King Ahasuerus in the palace in the tenth month, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. III. Celebrated by all Esther 2:18 The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther’s banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty. Next Steps: Believe: I believe God has chosen me for salvation today. Become: I will work on my character this week. Be Sent: I will pass on God’s blessing to someone in need this week. Discussion Questions: How can you distinguish between circumstances and the hand of God in your life? What area of your character is most like Christ? What area still needs some work? When did God last do something great in your life that might look like a coincidence? Explain. How can you embrace your God-given destiny this week? Name someone who needs to hear about Jesus this Easter. Pray for God to use you to serve someone in need this week.
	Esther: God is even working in the small stuff! / Pastor Jeff Struecker	23 Feb 2026	00:33:30
Big Idea: God is even working in the small stuff! Esther 2:1-14 I. Better to choose wisely than regret badly. Esther 2:1-4 Some time later, when King Ahasuerus’s rage had cooled down, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what was decided against her. The king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom, so that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem at the fortress of Susa. Put them under the supervision of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, and give them the required beauty treatments. Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly. II. God can construct an epic story from your worst moments. Esther 2:5-7 In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Kish had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the other captives when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took King Jeconiah of Judah into exile. Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin Hadassah (that is, Esther), because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. III. Find God’s favor in any circumstance. Esther 2:8-9 When the king’s command and edict became public knowledge and when many young women were gathered at the fortress of Susa under Hegai’s supervision, Esther was taken to the palace, into the supervision of Hegai, keeper of the women. The young woman pleased him and gained his favor so that he accelerated the process of the beauty treatments and the special diet that she received. He assigned seven hand-picked female servants to her from the palace and transferred her and her servants to the harem’s best quarters. IV. Borrow wisdom carefully, and share it generously. Esther 2:10-14 Esther did not reveal her ethnicity or her family background, because Mordecai had ordered her not to make them known. Every day Mordecai took a walk in front of the harem’s courtyard to learn how Esther was doing and to see what was happening to her. During the year before each young woman’s turn to go to King Ahasuerus, the harem regulation required her to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months. When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the palace. She would go in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the supervision of the king’s eunuch Shaashgaz, keeper of the concubines. She never went to the king again, unless he desired her and summoned her by name. Next Steps: Believe: I, Jesus, to do his biggest miracle in my soul today. Become: I will trust God with the small stuff this week. Be Sent: I will minister to someone far from Jesus this week. Growth Group Questions: What was the last bad decision you made? What were the consequences? What role did prayer play in your schedule last week? What are some practical examples of God’s favor in your past? Did you notice them at the time? How do you decide to follow someone’s advice? How quickly do you notice God at work in your worst moments? How easy is it to see God at work in the ordinary moments of your life? Pray for someone by name who is far from Jesus right now.
	Esther: It takes a strong center to stand tall under pressure from every side. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	16 Feb 2026	00:33:10
Big Idea: It takes a strong center to stand tall under pressure from every side. Esther 1:10-22 I. The Queen takes a stand for purity Esther 1:10-12 On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine, Ahasuerus commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—the seven eunuchs who personally served him—to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command that was delivered by his eunuchs. The king became furious and his anger burned within him. II. The King’s feelings get hurt Esther 1:13-15 The king consulted the wise men who understood the times, for it was his normal procedure to confer with experts in law and justice. The most trusted ones were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom. The king asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus’s command that was delivered by the eunuchs?” III. The bad advice born out of selfish fear Esther 1:16-18 Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus’s provinces. For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.’ Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury. IV. The law takes center stage Esther 1:19-22 “If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be revoked: Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she. The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom, so all women will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least.” The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan’s advice. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language, that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender to the real King of my soul. Become: Today, I will trust God’s hand even when it’s scary. Be Sent: I will take a stand against evil this week. Growth Group Questions: What pressure were you under last week? How well did you stand up to it? Do you ever feel punished for doing the right thing in God’s sight? How do you respond when doing what the culture expects of you violates what God expects of you? Who in our society pressures women, like in Vashti’s day? How can you support someone who is currently under a lot of peer pressure? How can the people in this group help you find the courage to stand strong when under pressure to compromise your faith? Pray for the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to stand against evil this week.
	Esther: An unseen hand moves the queen. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	09 Feb 2026	00:31:30
Big Idea: An unseen hand moves the queen. Esther 1:1-9 I. God sets rules of the game Esther 1:1-3 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus, who ruled 127 provinces from India to Cush. In those days King Ahasuerus reigned from his royal throne in the fortress at Susa. He held a feast in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials from the provinces. II. The board is set Esther 1:4-5 He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness for a total of 180 days. At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet in the garden courtyard of the royal palace for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were present in the fortress of Susa. III. The King makes the first move Esther 1:6-9 White and blue linen hangings were fastened with fine white and purple linen cords to silver rods on marble columns. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of red feldspar, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in an array of gold goblets, each with a different design. Royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty. The drinking was according to royal decree: “There are no restrictions.” The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve whatever each person wanted. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women of King Ahasuerus’s palace. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender my soul to King Jesus. Become: Today, I will stop fighting against the hand of God. Be Sent: This week, I will demonstrate my peace in God’s plan. Growth Group Questions: On a scale of 1-10, how well did you trust God’s invisible hand last week? How can you recognize God's sovereignty in the small events of your daily life? How often do you turn to Jesus first during times of uncertainty? How can we maintain faith in God's sovereignty during challenging life situations How do you see God's hand in unexpected people or situations in your own life? How does your faith cause you to stand up for what is right, even when it's difficult? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you trust that God is at work around you, even when you don’t see it.
	L.I.F.E: Experience is a powerful teacher… and preacher! / Pastor Jeff Struecker	02 Feb 2026	00:30:57
Write this down: Experience is a powerful teacher… and preacher! Psalm 107:1-3 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim that he has redeemed them from the power of the foe and has gathered them from the lands— from the east and the west, from the north and the south. 1. Name the pain 2. Don’t get stuck in it 3. Where did Jesus show up 4. Teach others what you’ve learned the hard way 5. Make it part of your story, but don’t let it define you Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to give me new life today. Become: I will let Jesus use my pain for his Glory. Be Sent: I will share my story this week. Discussion Questions: How did Jesus show up in a painful moment of your past? Is God still loving, even if he doesn’t “redeem you from the power of the foe”? Explain your answer. Is God able to use your little moments of pain just as much as the big ones? What is a daily practice that helps cultivate gratitude in the middle of pain? How can sharing a painful part of your past help heal your community? What is one specific way you can encourage someone who is going through pain this week? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you make an impact on one person’s life this week.
	L.I.F.E: Pick one: Greed or God, because you can’t have both./ Pastor Jeff Struecker	26 Jan 2026	00:33:06
Write this down: Pick one: Greed or God, because you can’t have both. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 1. Your money is on loan 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor come from you, and you are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. 2. Your money won’t last Psalm 49:16-17 Do not be afraid when a person gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases. For when he dies, he will take nothing at all; his wealth will not follow him down. 3. Your money is a big lie Proverbs 11:28 Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to change my heart today. Become: I surrender all my income to Jesus. Be Sent: I will serve someone far from Jesus this week. Discussion Questions: How would you describe having “enough” money? What are some practical signs that money has moved from being a tool you use to a master you serve? If “your money is on loan” from God, how should that change the way you budget, spend, give, and save this week? How does a focus on eternity weaken the pull of greed in everyday decisions? In what ways does greed lie to us about safety, identity, or success—and how can we replace those lies with God’s promises? Greed is ultimately a heart issue. What specific prayers or spiritual habits (fasting, generosity, confession, serving) can help the Holy Spirit break greed’s power in your life? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you to surrender this area of your life to Jesus this week.
	L.I.F.E: Cults demand — Christians demonstrate./ Pastor Jeff Struecker	19 Jan 2026	00:32:58
Write this down: Cults demand — Christians demonstrate. Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 1. You are always influencing Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another. 2. Be intentional about influencing Colossians 4:5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 3. Use your influence as a gift to God. 1 Peter 2:12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits. 4. Your life gets better as your influence gets bigger. Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to change my heart for the first time today. Become: I want the Holy Spirit to influence my soul this week. Be Sent: I will use my influence for God’s glory this week. Discussion Questions: What’s the difference between influencing someone and manipulating them, and where do you personally draw the line? When is it appropriate to try to change someone’s mind, and when is it better to step back? How does trust shape your ability to influence another person? Describe a time when someone influenced you positively. What made their approach effective? Is it acceptable to use your influence at work to challenge someone’s faith? What responsibilities do you have to God when trying to influence someone’s decisions or beliefs? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you influence one person this week.
	L.I.F.E: Real love is a boomerang: the more you send, the more returns./ Pastor Jeff Struecker	12 Jan 2026	00:32:28
Write this down: Real love is a boomerang: the more you send, the more returns. 1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. 1. Love is a gift 2. Love is an undeserved gift 3. Love is a holy gift 4. Love is a reciprocal gift Next Steps: Believe: I need to experience God’s love for the first time today. Become: I need more of God’s love in my life this week. Be Sent: I will give away God’s love this week. Discussion Questions: Who in your life is most deserving of your love? Describe what makes someone deserving of your love? If someone deserves it, is it really love? Can you say you love God if you don’t love people the way God loves them? Is God’s love different than human love? Explain your answer. What holds you back from loving people like Jesus loves them? Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you love like Christ this week.
	Philippians 1:6: Every Moment Matters: God is working until your final breath./ Pastor Jeff Struecker	05 Jan 2026	00:31:56
Write this down: Every Moment Matters: God is working until your final breath. Philippians 1:6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 1. Who is 2 Cities Church 2. Discipleship matters 3. We are not a perfect church 4. We’re down but not out 5. We’re going to get better before we get bigger 6. We’re going to measure what truly matters Next Steps: Believe: I need to be born again today. Become: I will surrender more of my life to Jesus this week. Be Sent: I will make a measurable impact on 2 Cities this week. Discussion Questions: Who is the church? Describe in 1 sentence? Are we still a church without a building or a music set? Why does the church exist? Can it really be called a church if it doesn’t impact earth or eternity? When you stand before God, what aspects of your life will he say were most important? (Use Scripture to explain your answer.) What would God consider the most important statistic to measure in a church? Explain your answer. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you make an impact this week.
	John 3:17-18: No one knows the Father better than the Son, and no one can show the Father like the Son. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	29 Dec 2025	00:31:57
Big Idea: No one knows the Father better than the Son, and no one can show the Father like the Son. John 3:17-18 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. I. God’s perfect Son II. God’s powerful Son III. God’s promised Son Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender my soul to the Son of God. Become: I will trust in Jesus’s power this week. Be Sent: I will tell someone about Jesus’s love this week. Discussion Questions: Who has the closest family relationship you know? Who condemns the person who doesn’t believe that Jesus is God in the flesh? How does Jesus offer you a relationship with God that no other religious leader can? What power does God have that Jesus doesn’t? What area of your life do you need Jesus’s power over this week? Give the name of one person who needs to hear about Jesus’s love this week? Offer your week back to God in prayer.
	Isaiah 9:1-6: The Gift that keeps on giving. / Pastor Troy Singleton	22 Dec 2025	00:26:24
Big Idea: The Gift that keeps on giving. Isaiah 9:1-6 1. The great light. Isaiah 9:1-2 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when he jumbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future he will bring honor to the way of the sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. 2. A joyful future. Isaiah 9:3-4 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoiced when dividing spoils. For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressors, just as you did on the day of Midian. 3. The Ultimate Gift. Isaiah 9:5-6 For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Next Steps: Believe: I believe Son of Man wants us to follow his example this week. Become: I will put trust in Son of Man past this holiday season. Be Sent: I will share my faith with someone this month. Discussion Questions: 1. Do you love giving gifts or receiving them? 2. Do you enjoy the holidays, or do they make you sad? 3. How do you think the people hearing this prophecy felt, knowing they will not live long enough to see it fulfilled? 4. Which of the titles in verse 6-Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father or Prince of Peace- impact you the most? 5. How would you describe the Son of Man as the light of the world to someone? 6. How does “the government will be on His shoulders” change how you view authority and leadership? 7. Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you where to serve this week.
	Zechariah 3:1-10: God completely cleanses and restores his sin-stained children. / Jacob Struecker	15 Dec 2025	00:37:12
Big Idea: God completely cleanses and restores his sin-stained children. I. God cleanses a filthy man of his sin. Zechariah 3:1-5 Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed with filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. So the angel of the Lord spoke to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes!” Then he said to him, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with festive robes.” Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So a clean turban was placed on his head, and they clothed him in garments while the angel of the Lord was standing nearby. II. God restores an untrustworthy man to his service. Zechariah 3:6-7 Then the angel of the Lord charged Joshua, “This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you walk in my ways and keep my mandates, you will both rule my house and take care of my courts; I will also grant you access among these who are standing here. III. God promises a broken world his salvation. Zechariah 3:8-10 “Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your colleagues sitting before you; indeed, these men are a sign that I am about to bring my servant, the Branch. Notice the stone I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes. I will engrave an inscription on it”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“and I will take away the iniquity of this land in a single day. On that day, each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.” This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender my soul to King Jesus. Become: I will stop listening to the accuser and start listening to the Father this week. Be Sent: I will share how Jesus forgave me with someone this week. Discussion Questions: What challenges have you faced in this broken world this year? How do you react when someone points out your faults? Do you consider your sin less filthy than someone else's? Will God trust great responsibilities to someone who isn’t faithful to keep his Word? Explain your answer. Do you hold on to guilt or shame even after God has forgiven you? Give the first name of someone who needs to experience Jesus’s forgiveness this week. Thank God for his gift of forgiveness today.
	Galatians 49:9-10: Enemies run, friends rest, when the lion roars. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	08 Dec 2025	00:29:58
Genesis 49:9-10 Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the kill. He crouches; he lies down like a lion or a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him. Big Idea: Enemies run, friends rest, when the lion roars. I. All creatures on earth will bow before this Lion. Revelation 5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” II. Only the fearless Lion is worth following. Hosea 11:10 They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. III. You need fear no other prey when the Lion protects. Joel 3:16 The Lord will roar from Zion and make his voice heard from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the Israelites. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I trust my soul in Jesus’s hands. Become: I will rest knowing that the Lion watches over me. Be Sent: I will invite someone to watch our Christmas Eve service. Discussion Questions: What does the word “lion” suggest about Jesus’s role in creation? Explain how Jesus can cause panic in some and peace in others at the same time? When was the last time Jesus protected you from problems or danger? What challenge do you need the Lion of Judah to pounce on? What does it say about a God if people ignore him? Who will you invite to watch our Christmas Eve broadcast this week? Thank Jesus for his people and protection today.
	Galatians 3:14-16 : You share the promises of Abraham through faith in his Son. / Pastor Jeff Struecker	01 Dec 2025	00:31:33
Big Idea: You share the promises of Abraham through faith in his Son. Galatians 3:14-16 The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith. Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. I. The blessings of Abraham are yours through faith. Galatians 3:14 II. The family treasure is yours through adoption. Galatians 3:15 III. Covenant promises are yours through Christ. Galatians 3:16 Next Steps: Believe: Today, I offer my soul to Jesus. Become: I will put my relationship with Jesus first this holiday season. Be Sent: I will share God’s love in Christ this Christmas. Discussion Questions: If you were the child of the world’s richest man, what would you ask for this Christmas? How would Christmas feel if you were an orphan? How can you keep your family close even if you live far apart during Christmas? How does being part of the family of Abraham strengthen your faith? What’s one practical step you can take to deepen your faith this Christmas? How can you show God’s love to someone far from Jesus this season? Thank God for His gifts to you today.
	Psalm 66:1-4: Make Thanksgiving a habit, not a holiday.	24 Nov 2025	00:30:39
Big Idea: Make Thanksgiving a habit, not a holiday. Psalm 66:1-4 I. Shout of God’s works. Psalm 66:1-2 Let the whole earth shout joyfully to God! Sing about the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. II. Speak to God’s worth. Psalm 66:3 Say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your works! Your enemies will cringe before you because of your great strength. III. Sing of God’s worship. Psalm 66:4 The whole earth will worship you and sing praise to you. They will sing praise to your name.” Selah Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender my soul to Jesus. Become: I will show God my gratitude this week. Be Sent: I will tell someone about Jesus’s love this week. Discussion Questions: What is God’s latest good gift to you? What is his greatest gift to you? Is Thanksgiving a holiday for you or a daily habit? How does Psalm 66 connect God’s power and your praise? What is one practical thing you will do to remain grateful this week? Can you worship God and not be grateful? How can you show your gratitude to God’s people this week? Thank God for his good gifts to you today.
	1 Corinthians 16:15-24: Trees thrive together… and so do you.	17 Nov 2025	00:30:15
Big Idea: Trees thrive together… and so do you. 1 Corinthians 16:15-24 I. Submit for harmony. 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 Brothers and sisters, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits of Achaia and have devoted themselves to serving the saints. I urge you also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them. I am delighted to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore recognize such people. II. Serve from the heart. 1 Corinthians 16:19-21 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla send you greetings warmly in the Lord, along with the church that meets in their home. All the brothers and sisters send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. III. Stand with hope. 1 Corinthians 16:22-24 This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender to Jesus. Become: I will strengthen someone who is struggling this week. Be Sent: I will show Jesus’s love this week. Discussion Questions: Has this book grown your faith? If so, how? In what ways can you actively demonstrate love and support to someone far from Jesus this week? Who can you encourage to grow stronger in the Lord this week? How does Stephanas inspire you to serve our church and community? What practical steps can you take to ensure that our church community embodies unity and love? How can you prepare your heart and mind to live out the urgency of Christ's return tomorrow? Pray for the opportunity to serve someone in need this week.
	1 Corinthians 16:13-14: In a fight, keep your guard tight.	10 Nov 2025	00:29:54
Big Idea: In a fight, keep your guard tight. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. I. Be alert II. Be steadfast III. Be strong IV. Be loving. Next Steps: Believe: Today, I surrender my soul to King Jesus. Become: I surrender my battles to King Jesus this week. Be Sent: I will send someone a Survival Guide this week. Discussion Questions: How would you describe spiritual warfare to someone who has never read the bible? What is the toughest spiritual battle you’ve ever been in? How did you stand firm in the faith the last time you were under spiritual attack? What are the main spiritual tools the enemy uses to attack you? What area of your life can we pray for spiritual strength this week? How does your personal holiness help or hurt during a spiritual battle? Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you someone who is fighting for survival this week.
	1 Corinthians 16:1-12: Your generosity opens doors and hearts.	03 Nov 2025	00:36:26
Big Idea: Your generosity opens doors and hearts. 1 Corinthians 16:1-12 I. Be generous with your money 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Now about the collection for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come. When I arrive, I will send with letters those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it is suitable for me to go as well, they will travel with me. II. Be generous with your time. 1 Corinthians 16:5-7 I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia—for I will be traveling through Macedonia—and perhaps I will remain with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I go. I don’t want to see you now just in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows. III. Be generous with your attention. 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, because a wide door for effective ministry has opened for me—yet many oppose me. IV. Be generous with your relationships. 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear while with you, because he is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. So let no one look down on him. Send him on his way in peace so that he can come to me, because I am expecting him with the brothers. V. Be generous with your leadership. 1 Corinthians 16:12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. However, he will come when he has an opportunity. Next Steps: Believe: I need Jesus to create a new heart in me today. Become: I will be generous with God’s gifts this week. Be Sent: I will pray for an opportunity to push back darkness this week. Discussion Questions: In which area of your life do you find it most difficult to be generous? What practical steps can you take to cultivate a spirit of generosity in that part of your life? Were you greedy with your time last week? What area of your community is God opening a door for the gospel right now? How can you encourage respect and support for your church leaders? What is one relationship you would like to be more generous with this week? Pray for the opportunity to show generosity to someone far from Jesus this week.

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