Audio Messages

The final chapters of Esther are a wrap-up to the story, but they are not unimportant because they tell us why this story was written down. It was written so that the readers would remember why they celebrate the festival called Purim. It was written so that people would remember that God delivers His people. It was written because they dared not forget the past. And neither do we. When we forget our sinful past and God’s salvation, we run the risk of missing the rest that Jesus came to give.

As a rule, standing out in a world that calls us to blend-in to its value system is a good thing… except in the case of pride. Pride is an internal attitude of the heart that is focused on self – my needs, my hurts, my successes. Pride always, always, always will be reversed (see Job 20:6-7, Psalm 138:6, Proverbs 16:18, and Isaiah 42:8). In fact, like Haman, a great reversal awaits each and every one of us. It’s only a matter of whether the reversal is voluntary or forced

Do you stand out as a person of influence? Do you believe that God has put you on earth to accomplish something? Is your heart burdened to make a difference or solve some problem? The truth is: we all are influencers in one way or another. Parents influence children. Sales people influence customers. Students influence their peers. But being an effective influencer is more than just being a persuasive speaker. It involves a process of steps and actions that are providentially initiated, guided, and planned by God.

The focus of this chapter is on the hostility shown against God and His people, and how God responds. In this instance, the hostility manifests itself in the pride, attention-seeking, and vengeful attitude of Haman. In the middle of this, God shows His providence in controlling the roll of the dice that sets the date for the massacre of the Jews. As we face hate and attack, we are encouraged to wait patiently on God’s justice by demonstrating mercy.

There are a lot of pressures to blend-in with society, to fit in, just “do as you’re told,” and avoid making waves. The opening chapter of the story of Esther tell us that Esther, Mordecai, and their fellow displaced Jews lived in the same kind of culture. It was a culture that applied extreme pressure to fit in and feared the disruption caused by anyone who attempted to stand out. God’s people need to know that His kingdom surpasses every earthly empire and don’t need to be afraid to stand out.

What does it mean to be made for more? It does not mean you were made for more stuff, not more power, not more money not more possessions. You were not born primarily for these things. Pastor John Stillman takes a deeper look into Psalm 122 to answer the question what were we made for.

Jesus’ church has been blessed and built up by a long and wonderful practice of sharing words of encouragement, direction, and praise. In this message, Pastor John provides a message to the church on how to commend the good in others while praising the glory of God.

What's holding you back from following Jesus? In this message, Pastor John looks at the story of a man who had been told lots of things that, before that moment, at least in his mind, kept him from making that kind of commitment. But then he hears of how Jesus came to remove the barriers that had kept him from a relationship with God.

A recent study found that Christians are not all that different from non-Christians when it comes to navigating their lives with compassion, understanding, mercy, and forgiveness. In this message, Pastor John gives a hopeful plan for having hard conversations that navigate towards unity.