We will seek to understand the text from the perspective of the first listeners, and we will trust God to reveal His truth to us in a way that makes sense of reality as we find it in the 21st century. More than anything else, we need remember that this is God’s self-revelation to His creation. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Fac…

God loves you more than you will ever know. His beauty and majesty is evident in all that has been made, and particularly in the power, promise, comfort, and blessing of LIGHT. I implore you to stop running from His light but rather run to it! Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org…

We need not have blind faith in a Personal beginning; instead, we appeal to the evidence to suggest that a Personal beginning is the most reasonable answer. The infinite, personal, triune God is there, and He is NOT silent! And that is reasonable, right? If, in the beginning, God created this remarkable universe with staggering design, and if that …

This sermon by Pastor Jim West argues for the reasonableness of the Genesis 1:1 creation account. He contrasts a Christian worldview, grounded in the belief that God created the universe, with philosophical naturalism, which posits an impersonal origin. West uses philosophical arguments and scientific findings, particularly concerning the fine-tuni…

This sermon excerpt from Jim West discusses the pervasive biblical illiteracy in modern American culture. He argues that a lack of biblical understanding contributes to many societal problems and proposes a multi-year study of Genesis as a foundational solution. West addresses questions about the book's authorship, historical accuracy, and compatib…

The sermon discusses finding your divine purpose in Christ. The speaker uses the story of “Charlie the mailman,” who left his prestigious job to pursue a calling to serve others. The speaker also discusses the Apostle Paul, whose plans were disrupted, but whose purpose never changed. Paul describes himself as a servant, called to be an apostle, and…

Pastor Mark's sermon uses the biblical account of Jesus washing his disciples' feet to illustrate true greatness as humble service. He identifies five pitfalls of pride—control, comparison, competition, criticism, and credit-seeking—that hinder such service. The sermon emphasizes that following Jesus's example of servant leadership brings blessings…

This sermon uses the story of a homeless man seeking reconciliation with his estranged mother as a springboard to explore the book of Hosea. The pastor parallels the mother's conditional love with God's unconditional love, contrasting the son's need for transformation rather than mere change. Hosea's marriage to Gomer, a prostitute, serves as a par…

Hear the whisper of hope declared by an angel to those walking in darkness so long ago: “Fear not! For behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info co…

Jesus keeps you from falling and pays the bill so he can present you as perfect. The righteousness of Jehovah Tsidkenu can be applied to your sins so that you can declare that the Lord is my righteousness…and it is he that presents me as perfect. I don’t know about you, but to me that is an amazing reason to have hope! Support the show Thanks for l…

The curtain that separated us from God has been forever removed. He placed his perfect righteousness upon us and restored all who believe in Him to a right relationship with God. Our spiritual restoration has already happened. All you have to do to experience this is to submit your life to the King, to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Support the show…

This sermon by Dr. Bruce McGregor uses Romans 15:1-13 to explore the nature of hope. He contrasts three types of hope: no hope, false hope, and true hope found in Christ. McGregor illustrates these concepts with personal anecdotes and biblical examples, emphasizing the importance of the Gospel and a relationship with Jesus for true, lasting hope. T…

The virgin birth reminds us that God has not abandoned us. He is with us! Despite our disobedience, He has always had a plan for our salvation, deliverance, and redemption through the birth of Jesus, Immanuel. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org…

Church, let us find great joy and comfort in God’s election and His unmerited grace for sinners, and let us live every day to share that Good News with a lost and perishing world. And that is how I would answer your question, “What about predestination? Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.o…

This audio recording captures a sermon and musical worship service centered around the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). The service incorporates devotional readings, songs based on the Psalms, and reflections on themes of spiritual pilgrimage, confession, repentance, and community. The "Poor Bishop Hooper" anecdote serves as an introductory humor…

This audio recording captures a sermon and musical worship service centered around the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). The service incorporates devotional readings, songs based on the Psalms, and reflections on themes of spiritual pilgrimage, confession, repentance, and community. The "Poor Bishop Hooper" anecdote serves as an introductory humor…

If you are a Jesus follower…if you are a Christian…you are part of the Body of Christ. Christianity is not a solo sport…we follow Jesus together, in community, as Paul so beautifully articulates in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. Just as soon as you enter into a community of believers…be it a house church, a small congregation out in the rural area…

But in answer to the question, “Why infant baptism?” I will suffice it to say that baptism is less about “me” and more about “we.” Baptism has replaced circumcision as the sign of the Covenant of Grace. And just as the sign of circumcision applied to both infants and adults in the Old Testament, the sign of baptism also applies to both infants and …

Four Frequently Asked Questions at many churches: 1) Why Women Pastors and Elders? 2) Why Infant Baptism? 3) Why Presbyterian? and 4) What About Predestination? Today we address the first question. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

We in Kansas City can be part of both going to and welcoming the least reached. We can create ripple effects of blessing from Kansas to the nations. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

I hope you can see that the story of Jonah is the story of God’s love and unmerited grace for the worst of sinners, and the tendency for self-righteous religious people with idolatrous nationalistic tendencies to miss the point of God’s grace. Find your place in the story and be honest about where you are — then respond with repentance and faith. S…

We are to trust God, live as people who are free, conduct ourselves honorably, love our brothers, and honor whoever sits in the chair on Capitol Hill. That is our duty as Jesus followers. That is our role as sojourners and exiles. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org…

As the community of the redeemed, we live in this country, and every country...in every tribe, tongue and nation...as exiles and sojourners. Our true country is not this land...for our citizenship is in the Kingdom of God, and as Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram…

These Biblical stories, Jonah and the Prodigal Son, are a gift to us all because everyone you know...everyone, including you, needs grace. Find yourself in these stories. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Anytime we become convinced that “those people” are the enemy, “those people” are the reason for our suffering, “those people” are the threat that will take us out, “those people” are the reason the world is going straight to hell...we are channeling our inner Jonah. We are perched under our self-made tent of self-righteousness, waiting to see and …

There are many other lessons we can learn from Jonah’s pity-party, and I don’t mean to pick on Jonah because, again, it is only by Jonah’s humility and redeemed life...a life that eventually grew into spiritual maturity...that we have the privilege of reading this story and learning from it. I pray, that by God’s grace, we will all grow into spirit…

Keep talking to God. Trust Him enough to be angry and to be honest. Know that God can handle your doubts, your frustrations, and even your very wrong thinking about Him! And remember Jonah. Jonah is well-intentioned but wrong, and he’s a bit of blockhead right up to the end of this story. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook…

If you want to bear fruit, or bear more fruit. You will likely have to slow down. You will have to reassess how you spend your time. You’ll probably have to let go of one or more of things in your life and fill that space with Jesus. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org…

Serving like Christ is not a drag. It’s fun! And more importantly, it’s significant and fulfilling because when we serve, we serve within the Body of Christ to advance His mission in the world. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Pruning keeps the vine productive. Pruning looks devastating at times, nothing left but stems. Yet pruning brings better grapes or more abundant fruit. The same is true for us. Actively meeting with just 1 PERSON Every Week for 1 year is Passing the baton to others, walking with them when the pruning takes place, THIS is at the heart of DISCIPLE-MA…

JESUS' ultimate purpose for you and me is to "MAKE DISCIPLES" BUT . . . just like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and just like all other Disciples who Make Disciples throughout the history of the Church, we must "FOLLOW JESUS" first, and be DISCIPLED FIRST. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonia…

Studying the Five Traits of Jesus -Awareness -Availability -Acceptance -Abiding -Self-Abandonment Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org

Remember that God’s nature is to love and show mercy to His enemies. That doesn’t mean that He devalues justice, but wherever there is a bit of repentance, His nature is to forgive and to be patient, even when people continue to get it wrong. That was true for the Ninevites, that was true for us, and that remains true for those who offend and threa…

The Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah. The Ninevites repented and turned from their wicked ways when they encountered the Sign of Jonah. And the men of Nineveh will rise up and condemn this evil generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here! Support the show Thanks for listen…

Do you know the shepherd? The good shepherd that prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies and overflows my cup, so that everyone and everything around me is affected by His goodness. Do you know the shepherd that gave his life for me, so I can live my life for him. Do you know the shepherd? If you don’t know Him. You need to get to …

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Jonah’s story is a pre-Christian story of Christian conversion and mission! Such is why it’s so important that Jesus points back to the “sign of Jonah.” Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish as a rebellious soul captured by God’s justice. He cried out to God and was saved by God’s unmerited grace, and he reentered t…

Jonah now represents those who have been born again. He has been forgiven; God answered his prayer in the deep; and God has blessed his affliction to serve as a sincere and humble testimony of God’s severe judgments and God’s unmerited grace. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org…

We cannot help but imagine Jonah’s humiliation as he emerges from three days in the belly of a fish, staggering onto the beach covered in fish vomit. Jonah’s story is our story...but ultimately, Jonah’s story is part of HIS STORY! So much of this man’s epic failure sets the stage for what Jesus will call, “The Sign of Jonah.” Support the show Thank…

God wants to supply the power to the humble---God wants to use the ordinary ...the regular...the poorest...the weakest...so that when it is all said and done their will be no question to where the power came from when you look in your rearview...you will know that it was God who pushed you...it was God who propelled you...it was God that gave you s…

Jesus knows that His Father is not a distant disciplinarian, but a close, compassionate Daddy who hears His Son, loves His Son, and is eager to act on His Son’s desperate cries for help. There is no one in human history who made a greater sacrifice than Jesus Christ did by dying for us on that cross some 2,000 years ago. Let’s honor Him today, and …

Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the fish, highlights a self-centered nature and lack of repentance, yet acknowledges God’s grace in accepting Jonah’s flawed but honest plea. His prayer emphasizes the omnipresence of God and the importance of seeking His presence rather than fleeing, as God’s pursuit of us is relentless and His desire for a relatio…

Like many of you, my greatest seasons of spiritual growth have come in seasons of involuntary confinement, so I am deeply motivated to form my own practice of askesis in the days to come. Church, our feelings will not lead us to practice askesis. But without confinement, concentration, and a deep awareness of our limits, we can easily become a “Jon…

Jonah was in the deepest darkness. His soul was fainting away; but even there God made a way for Jonah to remember the LORD. God gave Jonah the gift of faith when he needed it most and deserved it the least. Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram more info colonialkc.org…

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There is a necessary dying that must take place before we will ever meet the LORD in the deep. It is a dying to self. It is a dying to our pride and our idolatry. It is a dying to our self-made, self-promoting, self-centered worldview. It is a necessary dying...and that’s exactly where Jonah is right now. Support the show Thanks for listening! Foll…

If you know yourself to be saved…if you truly believe that you were bound for destruction in a storm of your own making and you were saved when Jesus took the dive on your behalf, then you will exceedingly fear the LORD. Love makes sacrifices. The call to substitutionary love is not optional for Christians; it defines Christians. Support the show T…

Take a good hard look into your identity. Listen carefully to the words that come out of your mouth. Be open to the possibility that you have an “othering” problem. Everything you hold dear is soon to be tested, and the test will reveal your true allegiance. Jonah is on the run from God. He has no intention of obeying God’s call upon his life to co…

Today the Church universal gathers in every tribe, tongue and nation to celebrate the empty tomb and the joy of our Lord’s resurrection. The Empty Tomb is the hinge of history. Everything about our hope rests upon this historical fact: Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! Support the show Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram mor…

Jesus died so that you can have hope...the pain is hard...the people talk about you...the struggles are deep...but the closer you get to Jesus...the sweeter it gets...you began to look past the pain...and give praise...you began to look past the insults...and see a crown of righteousness...you began to look past the heartache...and see the glory of…