Episodes
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
New Years Day Worship and Prayer Service 2023
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
Tuesday Jan 03, 2023
What better way to start the year than in worship and prayer! Join us as we gather to pray around these four core prayer points as we step into the new year-
1. Building a House of Prayer.
2. Being a People Who Serve.
3. Being a People on Mission.
4. Living with Open Hands to the Spirit.
We closed our time by praying for each other. We are always reminded that God is best seen and experienced amongst community and we are so honored to stand with you each in prayer. We see God through you.
Miss the service but would like to pray with someone? Email us- prayer@rivercitysmyrna.com
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Advent Week 4- LOVE
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Today, on our fourth Sunday of Advent, Josh dives in to Matthew 1:18-25 taking a look at the journey of Joseph amongst the nativity story. We learn through Joseph that when God is birthing something in or around us, He is always asking us to trust Him when we can't see the rest of the story He is writing- even when it costs us... and it always costs us something. We see that Emmanuel is always present with us as we say yes to God.
"Speaking the name used for God (Emmanuel), Matthew highlights that God is present with His people. He doesn't intervene from a distance, but its always active, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. God's actions are aimed at rescuing people from a hopeless place, demanding that He take the initiative and do things people have regarded as inconceivable." - NT Wright
Scripture focus: Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 7:14
Sunday Dec 11, 2022
Advent Week 3 - JOY
Sunday Dec 11, 2022
Sunday Dec 11, 2022
Kara shared on the theme of Joy this week as we continue walking through the season of Advent. She reminded us of two truths: (1) we are all capable of experiencing the joy of the Lord; and (2) that that is what we were created for. We can rejoice, because we are a people of hope. Joy is a part of Jesus' character. Advent reminds us that we can step into the both/and tension of suffering and joy. Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11; Psalm 146:5-10; John 15:11.
Kara also shared a quote from Mother Teresa: "Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls for the one filled with joy preaches without preaching."
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
Advent Week 2 - PEACE
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
Sunday Dec 04, 2022
As we continue to walk in the Advent season, Josh shares on this week's theme of peace. Peace conveys a sense of inner rest. It is a joining together of things that were separated, bringing things and/or people into harmony. Jesus is the prince of peace. He is the source of peace. May we lean into Him when we are at war with ourselves or others. May be rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to be peacemakers for those who are warring with themselves or others. Romans 15:1-13; Deuteronomy 7:6-8.
Sunday Nov 27, 2022
Advent Week 1 - HOPE
Sunday Nov 27, 2022
Sunday Nov 27, 2022
Sara Turner shares this week's lectionary passages for the first week of Advent. The theme for the first week is hope. Hope is not always easy to hold or sometimes, we misplace our hope in things that cannot sustain. It's hard to hope, and yet we do. Christ sources hope: in His wisdom and peace, in His vision of worship and life, and in purpose and meaning. Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44.
Sara shared a quote from Noel Leo Erskine in reference to today's Isaiah passage: “This promise comes in the midst of the waywardness and idolatry of the people. The promise is not consonant with the practice and conduct of the people, but the prophet, who is able to “see beyond seeing” and somehow able to see God’s hope for the people, articulates a message that transcends the reality on the ground.”
Josh shared a variation of St. Patrick's breastplate prayer today:
"Christ be with you, Christ within you,
Christ behind you and before you.
Christ beside you, Christ to win you,
Christ to comfort and restore.
Christ beneath you, Christ above you,
Christ in hearts of all who know you.
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger,
Christ in quiet and in roar.
Love, blessed Trinity of three,
Bound in unity
Who guides your journey.
You will arise with strength of heaven
Trusting in Your light
To guide your journey
Shine before you
Lead you home.
Power to guide you, might to hold you,
Wisdom teach you, watching over you.
Ear to hear me, hand to guard you,
Love to conquer every fear."
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
Hebrews 5
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
Sunday Nov 20, 2022
Josh continues our discussion of Hebrews in Chapter 5. The writer of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus is a form of priest - the Great High Priest - in the order of Melchizedek. Considering the qualities of a priest and who Melchizedek was, we begin to see just how "great" a High Priest Jesus is. And we are left with the same question the Hebrews community faced: if this is true about Jesus, are we building our lives as if this is true? Are we maturing in our faith and moving to "solid food" as the writer describes it? Hebrews 5; Hebrews 6:1-2.
Sunday Nov 13, 2022
The Posture and Practice of Worship
Sunday Nov 13, 2022
Sunday Nov 13, 2022
Becca and Craig walk us through a discussion of both the posture and practice of worship. Looking at some of the various words for "worship" in Scripture, we have a way to understand the intimacy and dependence represented in worship. Worship acknowledges God's sovereignty. Worship responds to God's presence in our lives. Worship is a spiritual and transparent activity. Genesis 18:2, 22:5, 24:26; John 4:23-24; Matthew 14:33; Romans 12:1 (MSG); Zephaniah 3:17; Mark 14:26; Jonah 2:7; Deuteronomy 6:12; 1 Samuel 16:23; Colossians 3:16.
Becca shared a quote from Jonathan Edwards: "The duty of singing praises to God, seems to be appointed wholly to excite and express religious affections. No other reason can be assigned, why we should express ourselves to God in verse, rather than in prose, and do it with music, but only, that such is our nature and frame, that these things have a tendency to move our affections."
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
Hebrews 4:11-16
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
Sunday Nov 06, 2022
Josh finishes chapter 4 of Hebrews today where we are reminded of the power of Scripture to read us, to penetrate our hearts. If we will allow ourselves to be laid bare, we can receive the rest that God is offering. The invitation is to be open with God about where we are and then to be open to receive the grace that is available to us. Hebrews 4:11-16.
Sunday Oct 30, 2022
Hebrews 4:1-11
Sunday Oct 30, 2022
Sunday Oct 30, 2022
Josh continues our study of Hebrews, moving into chapter 4, and we see the reminder of the Israelites' response to being on the precipice of the promised land. They decided not to enter in, and, in effect, missed out on the invitation to step into the rest God was offering. That invitation to rest is still being offered in our present through Jesus. We can receive that rest. Hebrews 4:1-11; Numbers 13:17-30.
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Hebrews 3:7-19
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Sunday Oct 23, 2022
Josh continues our walk through the Book of Hebrews. In chapter 3, we see the author encouraging a group of Christians experiencing persecution to trust the Jesus they've known and heard about. The author reminds them of the stories of the Israelites and Moses after God rescued them from Egypt when they grumbled and complained about the wilderness and entertained returning to Egypt. The Israelites did not get to experience the rest God was offering, and the author does not want this community of Christ-followers to follow the same path. Hebrews 3:7-19; Psalm 95; Numbers 20:1-13; Matthew 11:28-30.