December 31, 2017 | Pastor Roger Melson | The Triumphant Display of God's Gracious Covenant | Genesis 9:18-29

Click to play, right-click to download:

December 31, 2017 | Pastor Roger Melson | The Triumphant Display of God's Gracious Covenant | Genesis 9:18-29

For the video version: click here.

December 24, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Accepting God's Plan | Matthew 1:18-25

Click to play, right-click to download:

December 24, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Accepting God's Plan | Matthew 1:18-25


For the video version: click here.

December 17, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | The Prayers of St. Paul: Fanning the Flame of Your Calling - Part 4:“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you” | 2 Timothy 1:12b - 14

Click to play, right-click to download:

December 17, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | The Prayers of St. Paul: Fanning the Flame of Your Calling - Part 4:“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you” | 2 Timothy 1:12b - 14


For the video version: click here.

December 10, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling - Part 3 | 2 Timothy 1:9-12

Click to play, right-click to download:

December 10, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling - Part 3 | 2 Timothy 1:9-12.

December 3, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling - Part 2 | 2 Timothy 1:8-14

Click to play, right-click to download:

December 3, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling - Part 2 | 2 Timothy 1:8-14

Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling | Part 2
2 Timothy 1:8-12

As before noted, Paul is writing to Timothy in Ephesus from a Roman prison. The tone from his first letter has changed dramatically. Paul has been in prison for up to 7 years. He has languished for this long time without any dramatic changes in his status. He has become weary and sick. There is trouble in Ephesus. Several of the elders and other preeminent persons have, in Paul’s absences begun to alter the message of the Gospel. This is not a hard thing to understand for the true nature of the Gospel is offensive. The Gospel’s message would be more acceptable if it were not for the need to admit ones utter sinfulness and the need for a Savior. This is highly true even for those who claim to be followers of he Way. From his own context of weakness, Paul draws from the calling he has received to stir up the calling in Timothy. What is the way to correction of error? Preach the Word with clarity and without compromise. Magnificent words for Timothy to hear and magnificent words for us today.

For the video version: click here.

November 26, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling - Part 1 | 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Click to play, right-click to download:

November 26, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: To Fan the Flame of Your Calling - Part 1 | 2 Timothy 1:1-7

This is the last letter that the Apostle Paul will ever write (that has survived). The letters to Titus and Philemon follow the writing of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Paul is writing to Timothy in Ephesus from a Roman prison. The tone from his first letter has changed dramatically. Paul has been in prison for up to 7 years. He has languished for this long time without any dramatic changes in his status. He has become weary and sick. He recognizes that his time is nearly over on the earth. He is reflective yet determined to finish his life in a firm faith and has tried to affirm, encourage, correct and warn those whom he has left to the work in the churches he established. His last letter is to Timothy shows us the Paul’s – weary, but not broken. This is his last letter to a dear son. What will he say? What will he leave with him? Paul rises to the occasion as he draws not from his current condition, but from his calling. He presses upon Timothy the importance of what resources he already has at his disposal: most critically, his inner calling to the ministry. From here Paul will continue to impress upon his young son in the Lord the foundations of calling to ministry.

For the video version: click here.

November 19, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: For a Calling that Overcomes Chains | Acts 26:29

Click to play, right-click to download:

November 19, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: For a Calling that Overcomes Chains | Acts 26:29

Prayers of St. Paul: For a Calling that Overcomes Chains
Acts 26:29

What is calling to the ministry of the Word, the Gospel, the Message of Christ? How does it manifest itself in life? When I say, “I am a Christian,” what does that mean and, more importantly what does it call me to do? Today we will look into the last moments of the active ministry of the Apostle Paul. After an incredible journey which started in Macedonia with a small insight, a directive for the Lord, opposition to this instruction by every one who met him, some pleading “in the Holy Spirit” that he would abandon this calling, after being arrested, living under a death sentence, going under illegal scrutiny by a Jewish council and later, enduring a legal examination by kings and governors of Judea, being rescued by a call to be heard by Caesar, getting free passage to Rome (all expense paid), and finally placed in a pre-release supervised home under his own recognizance and awaiting the final verdict on his life. Here in chains he comes for another, perhaps a last opportunity to simply plead for freedom, receiving a verdict of innocent, sentenced to time served, the Apostle Paul makes his final appeal for makes his closing remarks. Today we will examine that last statement and perhaps recognize the we are under the same mandate for our lives.

For the video version: click here.

November 12, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | The Letters of St. Paul: Thanksgiving for Old Friends | Philippians 1:1-11

Click to play, right-click to download:

November 12, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | The Letters of St. Paul: Thanksgiving for Old Friends | Philippians 1:1-11

The Letters of St. Paul: Thanksgiving for Old Friends
Philippians 1:1-11

Philippi was named after the father of Alexander the Great, Philip of Macedon and later annexed by Rome. At the time of Paul's second missionary journey Philippi had been transformed into a leading colony of the empire. In Acts 16, Paul, Silas, Timothy (and Luke) came into contact with the people of Philippi on Paul’s second missionary journey. Having been restrained from going into Asia, the missionary band traveled north along the border of Galatia trough Mysia. From there they traveled south to Troas, took a ship and arrived at the port city of Neapolis. From there they took the nine mile walk to Philippi. They stayed in Philippi several days and each morning they went down to the riverside to pray. There the met Lydia and woman from Thatyira. Paul spoke to her and shared the Gospel. The Lord opened her heart and she became the first believer. Many converts came from Paul’s preaching and a large number formed a church in Philippi. They were energetic and generous toward Paul’s person and mission. At the time of this writing, perhaps 27 years later, from a prison cell in Rome, Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians. In the very first lines of the letter, he launches into a beautiful and meaningful prayer for the Philippian church and for us today.

For the video version: click here.

November 05, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: For the Joy of the Gospel’s Power | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

Click to play, right-click to download:

November 05, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Prayers of St. Paul: For the Joy of the Gospel’s Power | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

Prayers of St. Paul: For the Joy of the Gospel’s Power
1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

The letter to the Thessalonians is among the earliest writings of the Apostle Paul. Likely sent in the early 50's AD, there are some noteworthy historical distinctions in the letter, particularly the absence of Paul’s use of his apostolic title under which he often taught and corrected his audience. This is a unique relationship. Noteworthy is J.B. Phillip’s title for his translation of 1^st & 2^nd Thessalonians: A Letter to Young Churches. Paul’s audience was the product of a day of teaching before he was whisked from their city in the middle of the night. Paul also knew that though the converts in Thessalonica were filled with thanks and joy for their new birth in Christ, they were also discovering that their witness was bringing resistance, persecution and suffering. In these three verses and in the presence of suffering, Paul outlines a summary of the whole of the Christian life.

For the video version: click here.

October 29, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Reformation Sunday | The Life of Theodore Beza

Click to play, right-click to download:

October 29, 2017 | Pastor John Bayles | Reformation Sunday | The Life of Theodore Beza

October 29, 2017
Reformation Sunday
The Life of Theodore Beza

Positioned on the Reformation wall in Geneva, Switzerland to the right side of his mentor, John Calvin, is the marble relief of Theodore Beza. Beza was the protegee of Calvin for the majority of his life and served at Calvin’s side as a teacher, a trusted confidant and remarkably, as a gifted apologist and negotiator. The statement, “We stand on the shoulders of giants” is particularly true of Theodore Beza. Today, in celebration of Reformation Sunday, we will review the life and contributions of this second-generation Father of the French Protestant Reformation.

For the video version: click here.