On June 11, 2021, veteran lobster diver Michael Packard found himself completely inside a humpback whale.  Here's a few excerpts from the Cape Cod Times story: "In something truly biblical, Packard was swallowed whole by a humpback whale. “All of a sudden, I felt this huge shove and the next thing I knew it was completely black,” Packard recalled Friday afternoon following his release from Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Initially, Packard thought he was inside a great white shark, but he couldn’t feel any teeth and he hadn’t suffered any obvious wounds. It quickly dawned on him that he had been swallowed by a whale.  “I was completely inside; it was completely black,” Packard said. “I thought to myself, ‘there’s no way I’m getting out of here. I’m done, I’m dead.’ All I could think of was my boys — they’re 12 and 15 years old.” What an amazing story!  The one line we all can relate to was the last quote from Michael Packard, "All I could think of was my boys." Here's an important takeaway for all of us when it comes to the struggles of life: In our darkest, most difficult moments, our focus quickly shifts to what is most valuable in life.   For Jonah to awaken to what was most valuable in life, God sent a giant fish to swallow him!  For many this would be labeled a tragedy, or vengeance, or punishment.  In Jonah's case, this great fish is an act of mercy.  God could have let Jonah sink to the bottom of the sea and perish.  However, God, who is rich in mercy, commands a fish to consume Jonah.  How is that mercy?  Here's a definition of mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. God showed compassion by sending a fish.  Sometimes, our darkest valleys, or most difficult struggles is God's way of showing mercy.  Do you want to learn more?  Give a listen to part three of Jonah ~ The Story of You.     

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2. A Severe Mercy

We all do weird things while we sleep. Some of us snore. Some, talk in our sleep. Some are violent sleepers, throwing the covers all over the place. Some of you may even be sleep walkers. Sleepwalking is a very strange phenomena, yet somewhat common. Sleepwalking occurs when you get up from bed and walk around even though you are still asleep. It can also involve a series of other complex actions. Before walking, you might sit up in bed and look around in a confused manner. At other times, you may bolt from the bed and walk or run away. You may be frantic to escape from a threat that you dreamed or imagined. You might talk or shout as you are walking. Your eyes are usually open and have a confused, “glassy” look to them. You might begin doing routine daily actions that are not normally done at night. Sometimes, sleepwalking involves actions that are crude, strange, or in the wrong place. This might include using a trash can as a toilet, moving furniture around, or climbing out of a window. It can also result in hostile and violent behavior although this is rare. In rare cases, a patient will get in the car and drive away. He or she might even go for a very long distance. Adults might dream or hallucinate while they sleepwalk. Some people will eat.  Here’s what’s so crazy about sleepwalking, you can potentially do all of this activity and yet not remember one single thing. Completely oblivious to what just happened. As we study the book of Jonah, what we discover is that believers in God can find themselves "spiritually sleepwalking"; going through religious routines, acting strangely, but completely oblivious to what God is doing all around them.  On first glance, most would say, "Well, that's not happening in my life!  I'm not sleep walking spiritually."   However, if you are "sleepwalking" you wouldn't even know...would you?  Here's the truth: Most Christians are "spiritually sleepwalking" regarding some part of their lives.  On Sunday we will discover how God's grace "crashes our slumber" and awakens us to the life he wants to give!  Do you want to learn more?  Give a listen to part two of Jonah ~ The Story of You.    

2. Awakened to God's Grace

When I first started youth ministry there was a family in the church who had three young kids.  The middle child was named Danny and he was about four years old.  Danny was one of those kids who did the exact opposite of what his parents asked; stop was go, be quite was yell, and clean up was make a mess.  We all know the type! One day after church, we were walking along a very busy street with Danny and his family when Danny took off down the street racing towards a busy intersection.  Danny's parents yelled, "Stop!"  Right on cue, Danny ran even faster! In that scenario, we must stop and ask a question: Who knows what's best for Danny?  Who knows the best way for Danny to live life? Here's the truth, obedience is hard!  Whether it's our parents, or God it always feels like someone is trying to "rain on our parade" and ruin our life.  But what if we don't know what's best for our life?  What if we are literally running from life into destruction?  Here is a truth we all must consider - Obedience to God leads to life. In this sermon we begin a journey into the Old Testament book of Jonah.  It's unfortunate that so many people skim over Jonah because they simply think it's all about a a dude being swallowed by a big fish.  The truth is Jonah is about finding life!  The reason we are going to focus so intently on this overlooked Old Testament book is because what we will discover is that Jonah's story is really our story.  And that just like Jonah, many of us are running from life because we don't want to do what God is calling us to do. Do you want to learn more?  Or maybe you want to find out what happened to Danny as he raced toward the intersection?  Give a listen to this teaching as we discover how God wants to bring life into your story!  

1. Running From Life

Here is a summary of a book written by Michael Easter called, The Comfort Crisis: "In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort." Discomfort.  It's a word no one likes to think about, let alone embrace.  Yet, discomfort is essential in the life of a disciple of Jesus.  Here's a simple verse from the gospel of Mark which shows why discomfort is part of following Jesus. "And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ~ Mark 1:17 A disciple is one who is devoted to following Jesus, being transformed by Jesus, and on mission with Jesus.  The being transformed by Jesus is rarely, if every a comfortable process.  In fact, if one studies the gospels and reads about Jesus transforming his disciples, the most pivotal moments are times of discomfort; times when he took them into storms. So what does this mean for us?  Is it possible that we've become too comfortable as Christians?  We've gone to great lengths to makes things so easy and accessible, but is is possible that all of these comforts have kept us from transformation?  To grow as a disciple of Jesus means we have to walk into uncomfortable places...maybe even a storm.  You see Jesus is an off-the-grid visionary, a disruptive genius researcher, and a mind-body conditioning trailblazer who can unlock the life-enhancing secret to life...by following him wherever he leads--even into a storm! In this sermon we will take a look at two "storms" Jesus leads his disciples into, so they can understand what it means live life on mission with Jesus.  Don't miss out on this very thought provoking and challenging teaching!

2. Where Your Mission Is Found

In North America, we have this amazing and unique animal that is found found nowhere else in the world, it's the bison (not buffalo).  If you have a few minutes, do some research on these amazing creatures!  One of the things that quickly stands out when you look at a bison is it's body appears to be disproportionate.  The bison's head, neck and shoulders are so massive, thick with muscle.  However, to look at their hind quarters it appears there is hardly anything there.  They look like a body builder that skipped leg day!  Why do you think God created them with such fascinating characteristics?  Here are a few reasons why:   "Bison are naturally hardy. The modern bison, and the grasses native to the North American ecosystem, evolved in tandem over eons. The American bison is at home in a wide variety of climates across the continent. The biological makeup of the animal equips it to thrive in winter storms and summer heat.  While bison are similar in some ways to cattle, there are significant differences. For example, bison will turn into a snow storm rather than drifting with the wind because they instinctively know that walking into the storm will get them out of the weather quicker. Their massive heads serve as a type of snowplow; by swinging their head to and fro, the animal can sweep away deep snow to find forage below." Did you catch that part about walking into the storm?  Bison are built to take things head on!  They instinctively know that when a storm comes, the best strategy is to walk right into it.  It makes one wonder, maybe followers of Jesus can learn a thing or two from the bison. The human default position is to always move towards comfort and safety.  The problem is that the "storms of life" are always headed our way; financial, health, family or work related issues always have a way of getting into the "weather pattern" and disrupting our lives.  We can't run and hide. On top of life's regular "storms", following Jesus adds in another "wave of storms".  Jesus makes it very clear that "in this world you will have trouble".  So as a Christian, what do you do when the clouds start to gather on the horizon? In Matthew's gospel, Jesus leads his disciples into two frightening storms to teach them that when he is with them they don't have to hide or flee for cover.  Instead, he wants them to know that because he is God, they can walk with confidence...into the storm.  Do you want to learn more?  Then check out this sermon, we know that you will find it to be very helpful!

1. The Place Where Faith Grows

Nothing empowers a marathon runner more than seeing the finish line on the horizon.  Nothing energizes people in their work like seeing the final pieces of the project fall into place.  There is nothing that stokes the fire of perseverance more then seeing the physical transformation beginning to take place in the mirror.  When we have a picture of our destination set before us, it creates an extra level of motivation to stick with the program and not give up. Following Jesus is hard.  One needs the power of the Holy Spirit, grit and a community of people walking in the same direction; this is a journey that no one can take alone.  There is also one other essential ingredient when it comes to being motivated in our life of faith: A Clear Picture of Our Destination. Throughout the Bible there are these glimpses of a "new heaven and new earth" (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13).  The idea that one day, God is going to make all things new and unite heaven and earth in this amazing unified relationship.  This is such a helpful picture of the future, and if we are honest, much better then the way current culture depicts going to heaven.  Think about it, what do most people picture when they think of going to heaven?  Clouds, pearly gates, floating spirits, harps and a lot of singing...some people might consider that, the other place! Instead, what the Bible teaches is a real tangible earth, with trees, streams and a city.  Most importantly Jesus is there along with all those who have remained faithful.  Do you know what's not there?   Read what the author of Revelation writes: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." ~ Revelation 21:4  Sounds amazing doesn't it?  Do you want to learn more?  Looking for some motivation to remain faithful?  Give a listen to this sermon, it might be exactly what you need to keep on keeping on!

4. New Heaven and New Earth

Life is hard.  There is no way around it.  To live in a broken world where we are confronted with selfishness, greed, evil and immorality, not only in culture, but in ourselves will inevitably lead to a life that is hard. So if life is hard, then following Jesus must be easy, right?  Actually, it's not the case.  Following Jesus might be even harder.  Why would that be?  Think about it for a moment.  Not only do you have to live in a world that is hard, but you are choosing to live a lifestyle that is literally counter-cultural; following Jesus means you have to "swim upstream".  This then begs the question: "Why would anyone follow Jesus?"  Ultimately that is THE question everyone needs to answer!  Jesus is worth following because he is the King.  He has conquered, sin and death, and makes the claim that following him is eternal life (John 10:10). There is never a promise in Scripture which guarantees a life of ease and comfort.  However, Scripture is full of resources and tools that God provides his people to aide in the journey of following after him.  One of those resources is the overlooked skill of Grit. What is grit?  Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.  It's the ability to stick with a difficult task not for weeks or months, but for years.  Grit empowers you to live life "like it's a marathon, not a sprint."  It very well might be your most important factor in finding success in life, and in following Jesus well. How does one develop grit?  Give a listen to this sermon as we explore core verse 51 (Hebrews 12:1-2) and discover straightforward plan to imbed grit into your journey of following Jesus.

3. Developing Grit

Every Christian knows they should read the Bible more.  Even people who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ acknowledge that reading the Bible would be a helpful endeavor.  Here is some interesting information which supports what most people believe about reading Scripture. "The positive impact of Scripture on individuals, families, and society has been proved time and again.  One study involving one hundred thousand people over eight years showed dramatic results.  This research (by Arnold Cole and Pamela Caudill Ovwigho of the Center for Bible Engagement) showed that those who engage the Bible four or more times a week experienced far less destructive behavior: 62 percent less drunkenness, 59 percent less pornography use, 59 percent less sexual sin, and 45 percent less gambling.  These results were not from guilt manipulation but were rather the mark of personal transformation.  The positive message of Scripture allowed individuals to reduce bitterness by 40 percent, destructive thoughts by 32 percent, isolation by 32 percent, inability to forgive by 31 percent, and loneliness by 30 percent.  Bible engagement improves your self-esteem, family structure, and social interactions.  It's 'the single most powerful predictor of spiritual growth.'  So if you want to know the Bible better---you'll be better for it." ~ Mark Moore, Core 52 So the numbers back up what Christians know and most people feel: Reading the Bible is good for you!  However, this question remains, "Why don't people do it?" In this sermon, we will open up chapter three of 2 Timothy, and read what the apostle Paul teaches about the importance of Scripture and why people should be motivated to read it!  Are you looking to make some big changes in your life?  This sermon might be a good place to start.

2. Do You Want to Change? Start With Scripture

Mentoring is a crucial part of the Christian faith.  "Jethro mentored Moses, who had to face Pharaoh.  Moses, in turn mentored Joshua, who led the conquest of the promise land.  Eli mentored Samuel, who then guided Saul and David, the first kings of Israel.  Elijah mentored Elisha, who confronted wayward kings.  Mordecai mentored Esther, who intervened with King Xerxes, saving her nation from extinction.  Jesus mentored his twelve apostles.  Barnabas mentored Paul, who paid it forward to Timothy, Titus, and many others.  Mentoring was so important to Paul's ministry that in his final letter to young Timothy he pleaded with him to continue the tradition." ~ Mark Moore (Core 52) The reason the Christian faith continues to thrive to this day is because men and women have taken the responsibility of mentoring seriously.  So what about you? In this sermon we will dive into the apostle Paul's teaching from 2 Timothy 2:2 as to why mentoring plays such a vital role in the lives of all Christians.  To help teach us, we are honored to have one of our own, Alex Steele teach from this text.  Give a listen to this practical teaching from someone who knows first hand about the importance of mentorship.  We know you will find it to be helpful!

1. Mentoring - Why It Is Essential & How To Do It

So, you’re trying to sleep, and it’s well after bedtime. But you’re tossing and turning and unable to get comfy. You notice you’re replaying the same scenario in your head. Some vision of tomorrow, of what might happen, how a hope could be dashed. If you’ve had this experience, you’re far from alone. Researcher Lucas LaFreniere, Ph.D. said, “This is what breaks my heart about worry. It makes you miserable in the present moment to try and prevent misery in the future. For chronic worriers, this process leads them to be continually distressed all their lives in order to avoid later events that never happen. Worry sucks the joy out of the ‘here and now.’” In his study on worry, participants were asked to record their worries and how they caused distress and interfered with their lives. Each night at 10 pm, they reported how much time they spent thinking on each specific worry throughout the day. Then, 20 days after that period, they reviewed each entry and reported whether any of the worries had become true. The good news is, LaFreniere’s study found that in his survey of worrisome people, 91.4 percent of their worries never actually happened. Worrying caused only more misery and did nothing to help the worriers handle whatever they had been worrying about. This is mainly because the hotly anticipated events never transpired.  We are then reminded that Jesus did in fact know what he was talking about when he said: “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” ~ Matthew 6:27 So Jesus teaches an important truth on worry, however this question arises at the practical level: How can one not let worry gain control of their life? In Philippians chapter four, the apostle Paul addresses this topic at the conclusion of his letter to a stressed out group of Christians.  In this helpful section, Paul lays out a plan to not only help Christians manage worry, but ultimately discover God's peace.  Do you want to learn more?  Give a listen as we dive into some of the most relevant teaching for living in a world of worry, we know that you will find it to be very helpful!

4. Overwhelming Worry

"To say Jesus was humble hardly does him justice.  He descended from heaven to earth to be born in a barn and killed on a cross.  Paul used a particularly aggressive Greek word kenoo ("to empty " or "to abase") to capture the essence of Jesus's self-abnegation.  Jesus "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6-7).  This extraordinary sentence is breathtaking." ~ Mark Moore For those who follow Jesus, he is the greatest person who ever walked the planet.  This is not even up for debate.  However, how many of his followers choose to walk the same pathway to success?  How many truly believe that humility is the best way to live life; whether in the home, classroom, market place or government? In Philippians chapter two, the apostle Paul builds his entire letter upon a poem written about Jesus and his humility.  He then uses Jesus' humility as the one trait that will help all followers of Jesus not only model his life, but also be successful in life.    In a world where the chaos of selfishness reigns, maybe it's worth considering that Jesus' upside down approach to life is indeed the best way to live life! Do you want to learn more?  Give a listen to this sermon as we unpack this unconventional teaching of humility and try to apply it to our own lives...we know that you will find it to be very helpful! 

3. Humility

Jesus prayed a very specific prayer in John 17.  In this prayer, Jesus specifically prayed for his followers to be united, just as he was united with the Father in carrying out his mission.  Here is where it get's interesting: Jesus says that the world will experience him when his followers are one. Is it possible that our lack of unity is what is ultimately holding the Church back from accomplishing her mission?  If so, what can be done to turn things around?  To learn what the apostle Paul has to say about how Christians can live in unity, give a listen to part two of The One Thing. 

2. Unity

"Every religion has its own answer to this question: What do we have to do to be saved?  Some encourage sacrifice; others, service; others, rituals of purification or meditation.  What all have in common is some human effort to achieve favor with God.  This may include knocking on doors with pamphlets, giving away wealth, self-flagellation, or confession and restitution.  The common thread, however, is human effort to reach God's height.  Christianity alone moves in the opposite direction.  Rather than us climbing upward, Christianity asserts that God moved downward." ~ Mark Moore So, what is this action of God moving toward humanity called?  It's called grace, and it's the one thing that we need to focus on before we talk about anything else.   In this podcast we are excited to have author and speaker Daniel McCoy with us to help launch our new sermon series, One Thing and teach to our church family about God's grace.  Daniel is the editor of Renew.org and has been a guest teacher with us over the past year.  Don't miss out on this great opportunity to deepen your understanding of Scripture and find rest in God's amazing grace...we know that you will find it to be helpful!

1. Grace

In the game of Jenga, each participant takes a turn pushing out a wooden block until one player finally removes that one piece which causes the entire tower to collapse.  This fun and engaging game is also a metaphor for life, systems and organizations; "when the one essential building block is removed, everything falls apart."  This applies to the Christian faith as well.  There is one key "Jenga block" which supports everything in Christianity, and if it were to be removed, everything would collapse.  Do you know what it is?  It's the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  Here's how the apostle Paul describes how essential the resurrection is: "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:14  According to Paul, if Jesus is still dead, your faith is useless.  That's a really big deal!  Every person needs to take the time and explore the evidence as to why we can believe with confidence that Jesus has been resurrected from the dead (Paul provides evidence in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)  So, if the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is true, how does that impact the way we live our lives? What it means is if your life is built upon the resurrection of Jesus, no matter how many other blocks are removed, the "Jenga tower" of your life will never topple!  If your entire life system is built upon an immovable truth like the resurrection of Jesus, no matter what force you face or obstacle that is thrown against you, your faith will still stand because Jesus is alive!  The lyrics of the old Bill and Gloria Gaither gospel song still ring true:  "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow" Do you want to learn more about how the resurrection helps us face tomorrow?  Check out the conclusion of our sermon series, Beyond Belief, we know you will find it to be helpful!   

2. Facing Tomorrow

When was the last time you had to make a big decision and wanted to know what God would want you to do? I remember almost 5 years to the date, we felt it was God’s Will to move to Iowa City. We have truly been blessed through that decision.  Getting married, where to go to college, an important career move, finances these are all huge decisions that we might face in our life? And many times we want to know what God’s Will is in those decisions.  So here is the big question: CAN YOU AND I KNOW GOD’S WILL? You might be surprised by that answer….but yes we can know what God’s Will.  In this sermon, we will travel through scripture to see what God‘s will is and some barriers that keep us from knowing and experiencing God‘s will in our own life. If you’re in the midst of asking tough questions and making difficult decisions you need to give a listen to part three of Beyond Belief.  

3. Can I Know God's Will?

This podcast is the collection of the weekly sermons and teachings from Iowa City Church. We know that life can be confusing and sometimes, just plain hard. We believe that the best way to live life comes from following Jesus. These podcasts are designed to be a resource to help you on that journey, we hope you find them helpful!

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