This past fourth of July marked 250 years of our nation's history. Celebrations around the freedoms enjoyed as citizens of the United States of America abound. Along with these celebrations, however, there is an on going debate around our freedoms; intensified by the fact that 2026 is an election year. Democrat and Republican candidates alike use language such as, "Democracy is on the ballot," or, "Our freedoms are at stake;" with each side accusing the other of trying to take away our freedoms. All the debate around freedom begs the question, "What is freedom?"

In this week's lesson, presented on July 5, 2026, we contrast the academic and cultural ideas around freedom with what Scripture defines as freedom. As we do so, we will look at this topic under three headings:

1. What freedom is not
2. What freedom is
3. The source of freedom.

Thank you for listening to today's teaching. We pray that you will be blessed and encouraged as we consider what God's Word teaches about freedom.

Drive past any auto body shop and you'll see two versions of the same car: the mangled wreck and the restored beauty. Grant Nelson uses that picture to ask a question that hits closer to home than we'd like: what's the spiritual condition of your life, and what do people actually see when they look at you? In this message rooted in Acts 3, Romans 5, and Ephesians 2, you'll follow the lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate who went from begging to believing, and from broken to leaping for joy, all through the name of Jesus. You'll discover why Jesus doesn't just patch over our sin with spiritual Bondo but rebuilds us completely, why even tribulations serve God's purpose, and how the two simple words "but God" change everything. If you feel dinged up, stuck in your past, or beyond repair, this study points you to the cross, where shame loses and grace wins.

After 400 years of silence, God speaks again, and it happens to a faithful old priest who had long since given up on one of his deepest prayers. In this message from Luke 1:5–25, Alex Kremer walks through the angel Gabriel's announcement to Zechariah that he and Elizabeth, both far past childbearing age, will have a son named John, the forerunner of the Messiah. Along the way, you'll wrestle with our modern skepticism toward the supernatural, discover why Zechariah's "prove it" response brought God's discipline, and find real comfort in a God who hears prayers we've stopped praying. If you've ever wondered whether God still sees you, still keeps His promises, or answers in His own timing rather than yours, this study offers grounded hope. Learn how God works providentially behind the scenes, why repentance restores both vertical and horizontal relationships, and how to hold fast to God's promises when your circumstances seem to contradict them.

What if your ordinary Monday morning mattered as much to God as your Sunday worship? In this message from Colossians 3:22–4:1, Mike Eells dismantles the false wall between the "sacred" and the "secular," showing that all of life is worship when Christ is preeminent. Drawing on the reality show "Undercover Boss," he reframes daily work and service around one transforming truth: we labor for an audience of One who always sees, even when no one else does. You'll discover how the gospel redefines your motives, frees you from people-pleasing and resentment toward difficult bosses, and anchors your work in an unshakable eternal inheritance. Whether you're managing a team, raising kids, volunteering, or grinding through an unrewarding job, this sermon offers a liberating perspective: your faithful, unnoticed work is never wasted because the ultimate Boss rewards what's done for Him. Christianity isn't just for Sundays. It's for Mondays too.

Have you ever done everything right and still felt completely forgotten by God? Zechariah and Elizabeth lived blamelessly before the Lord, yet carried the deep ache of unanswered prayer for decades. In this message from Luke 1:5-17, Alex Kremer opens the Gospel of Luke against the backdrop of 400 years of divine silence and the brutal reign of Herod the Great. You'll discover why God so often prepares His greatest works of salvation in seasons of profound darkness, and what the righteous waiting of one ordinary priest reveals about trusting God's perfect timing in your own life. If you're walking through disappointment, barrenness of any kind, or the silence of unanswered prayer, this episode points you to the unshakable hope that God remembers His promises. The same God who broke His silence through John the Baptist has not forgotten you.

Today's lesson offers a sweeping, “helicopter-view” of the book of 2 Timothy by placing it within the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul and the early church. From the relative freedom of his first Roman imprisonment to the harsh conditions of his final confinement under Nero, Paul’s circumstances frame the urgency and weight of this letter. Written to Timothy—his trusted companion and spiritual son—this epistle serves not only as a personal encouragement but also as a charge to the broader church, particularly the believers in Ephesus who knew Paul well and had firsthand experience with both faithful teaching and rising false doctrine.

At its core, 2 Timothy is Paul’s final exhortation to remain steadfast in the gospel amid hardship, opposition, and spiritual decline. He urges Timothy to guard the truth, endure suffering with courage, and faithfully pass on sound teaching to future generations. Against the backdrop of increasing persecution and internal corruption within the church, Paul emphasizes the enduring power of Scripture, the necessity of perseverance, and the hope of eternal reward. Though written in a time of great difficulty, this letter resounds with confidence in God’s faithfulness and calls believers of every generation to stand firm, proclaim the Word, and finish the race well.

Thank you for listening to this week's teaching. We pray, that as we consider the life of Paul, you will be encouraged by God's faithfulness to His people.

In this closing passage of 2 Timothy, the Apostle Paul writes from a Roman prison as he awaits execution, offering a deeply personal glimpse into his final days. Surrounded not by crowds but by absence and memory, Paul reflects on the people who shaped his ministry—some who remained faithful, like Luke and Mark, and others who fell away, like Demas. Through these relationships, we see both the encouragement of Christian fellowship and the sobering reality of spiritual failure. Even in isolation, Paul’s longing for companionship highlights the importance of faithful friendships in the life of a believer.

Yet above all, this passage reveals Paul’s unshakable confidence in the presence and faithfulness of God. Though abandoned by many at his trial, Paul declares that the Lord stood with him, strengthened him, and will ultimately bring him safely into His heavenly kingdom. His closing words are not bitter, but full of grace, forgiveness, and hope. This final section reminds us that while people may fail, Christ never does—and His presence is the believer’s ultimate comfort in both life and death.

Thank you for listening to today's teaching from God's Word. It is our prayer that you will be encouraged through the unchangeable and unshakeable presence and faithfulness of God in our lives, just as He was with Paul.

In this week's lesson centered on 2 Timothy 4:6–8, the Apostle Paul reflects on his life, ministry, and imminent death with remarkable peace and confidence. Rather than viewing his death as defeat, Paul describes it as being “poured out like a drink offering”—a joyful and willing sacrifice to God. He sees his departure not as an end, but as a transition into the presence of Christ. Looking back, Paul declares that he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith, offering a powerful testimony of perseverance and faithful obedience in the midst of hardship and spiritual warfare.

Looking forward, Paul expresses unwavering hope in the future reward awaiting him: the crown of righteousness given by the Lord. This promise is not reserved for Paul alone, but for all who long for Christ’s appearing. God's Word, delivered through the Apostle Paul, challenges believers to evaluate their own lives—how they are serving God in the present, running the race set before them, and preparing for eternity. Ultimately, it calls Christians to live with the same confidence, knowing that through Christ, death has lost its sting and eternal life awaits.

Thank you for listening to today's teaching. We pray that just as Paul evaluated his own life that we can say, "I have finished the race set before me." And rest in the assurance that even in difficult times, there awaits a future reward for all those who long for Christ's appearing.