We often picture Jesus as distant from our mess — too holy, too clean, too far away to reach into the hard, complicated parts of our lives. But the story of Hagar in Genesis 16 tells a different story.

Hagar was a pregnant, abused foreigner running for her life in the desert. And it's there, in the middle of her pain, that God meets her — not from a distance, but up close. She's the only person in Scripture who gives God a name: El Roi, "the God who sees me."

In this message, we look honestly at a hard passage, wrestle with the tough questions it raises, and land on this truth: God is not too good for your brokenness. He wants to be close to you, right in the middle of it.

0:00 Intro – 124 days till Christmas0:47 What Christmas teaches us about Jesus2:14 Is Jesus too good for our mess?4:28 Turning to Genesis 165:56 Abram, Sarai, and Hagar's story9:47 Reading Genesis 16:7-1611:38 The hard side and the cool side12:01 Wrestling with a hard question16:36 Free at last – Hagar and Ishmael's promise19:00 Born in the mess – God up close20:34 Prayer – inviting God in25:10 Abiding vs. manufacturing fruit29:01 Elroi – the God who sees you

What defines you? Father. Husband. American. Republican. Pastor. Our culture is drowning in identity labels.

In this message from 1 Peter 2:4–10, Nathan digs into one of the most powerful identity passages in all of Scripture and asks the question we all need to wrestle with: Which identity gets the highest place on your flagpole?

Speaking to believers who had lost everything — family, community, cultural identity — for following Jesus, the Apostle Peter delivers words that were meant to fill an empty cup. But Nathan challenges us with a different problem: what happens when your cup is overflowing with too many identities, and Jesus is asking to be first among all of them?

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why you are the temple — not the building you worship in
• What it actually means to be a "living stone" and a "royal priesthood"
• How your identity directly shapes your behavior and your choices
• Why the whole rest of 1 Peter hinges on the decision you make in chapter 2
• What it looks like to stop inviting people to church — and start being the church

This one will challenge you, convict you, and remind you of who God says you are.

📖 Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4–10 | Psalm 34:8 | 1 Corinthians 6

#Identity #1Peter #LivingStones #RoyalPriesthood #Church #ChristianIdentity #BibleTeaching #Sermon #Denver #Ecclesia

🎙️ Suggested Episode Names📺 Optimized YouTube Description

67% of Christians are not discipling anyone. But what if the reason isn't laziness — it's that nobody ever showed them how? In this sermon, Nathan breaks down what discipleship actually is, dismantles the most common obstacles that keep believers on the sidelines, and makes the case that making disciples is simpler — and more urgent — than most of us think.

From a little old lady making peanut butter sandwiches in Pennsylvania to a new believer named Ali in one of the most unreached places on earth, this message will show you that your small act of faith is never just one.

In this sermon, Nathan covers:

• The 6 common features of discipleship that every believer needs to understand
• Why discipleship is NOT a lifelong commitment — and why that's actually good news
• How to find the time to disciple someone even in a busy season of life
• The difference between discipleship and sanctification
• How to find your "who" — even if you're shy or feel unqualified
• Why it's never just one person, one conversation, or one peanut butter sandwich