David coveted Bathsheba, the wife of his loyal soldier, committed adultery with her, murdered her husband, and lied to cover it up. This is the same David that loved God,…
David desperately wanted the ark of the covenant to be in the city of Jerusalem. The ark represented the reality of God's presence, and David desperately desired to live in…
How do we become free of envy? We can’t be free merely by trying to will it away because it is something in our heart. We can’t completely control our…
I think that one way that God wants to grow all of us is in the area of contentment. True contentment is usually learned on the down cycle—in loss, deprivation,…
There are two aspects to the gospel—that we are messed up, more messed up than we know, but God loves us, more than we can ever imagine. The gospel is…
What should be the motivation for our relationship with God? Is a relationship with God about seeking happiness or is it about denying pleasure, making sacrifices, and taking up the…
We need others because we are made in the image of God. So, we will never be able to truly live our lives without friends. You can’t escape your design.…
To prepare for this series, I read through 1 and 2 Samuel, the entire story of David again. It’s got a lot of stories of war, violence, betrayal, killing, and…
When Samuel anointed David, the Scripture tells us that from that day on the Spirit of God came upon David in power. The Holy Spirit came into David and saturated…
When Joshua was about the cross the Jordan River to get to the Promised Land, they took the Ark of the Covenant (which represented God's presence) and took a step…
The tabernacle (which means a dwelling place) was how God dwelt among his people. The tabernacle was how God’s presence was manifested. And what do you notice about the way…
When Moses asked God to see his glory, here’s how God responded in verse 19: “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” His goodness is…
The Mosaic Law is very confusing for many Christians. In this sermon, pastor Kevin answers some key questions about the gospel and the law: Is the Mosaic Law still binding…
When Israelites grumbled for food, God gave them manna. What do we learn about God's provision and grace from this story? We discover the amazing providence, patience, and grace, ultimately…
I think a lot of us experience the desert. Some of us are in a middle of it. Sometimes, we experience the desert as a result of something we did.…
We often think that being a Christian is all about submitting to all the do's and don’ts. Some of us think that we are free before we become a Christian…
What I want to do today is to try to break you out of a shallow understanding of God’s love. A lot of people think that God loves us when…
I think a lot of people want an encounter with God but don’t know how to have one. I want us to journey with Moses and encounter God as Moses…
The title of today’s sermon is “The Struggle to Forgive.” It’s the story of Joseph's struggle to forgive his brothers. Like reality, it’s complicated and it’s tough. We are going…
I think one of the reasons people object to Christianity is because of their own suffering in life. How can God allow these things to happen? Where is God when…
The title of today’s sermon is “Wrestling with God.” It’s a story of Jacob going to the mat with God. It’s an odd story. And for some of us, the…
We’re in the middle of a series called “The Gospel According to the Old Testament. The title of today’s sermon is “Stairway from Heaven.” It’s the story of Jacob’s encounter…
This message is about Jacob and the fight for his father Isaac’s blessing. It’s a story of intrigue and drama.
A sermon in a series called, The Gospel According to the Old Testament at New City Church of Los Angeles. Delievered on February 20, 2011.
The thesis of the series is that the Old Testament can only be understood when we understand the New Testament. The Bible is a progressive revelation of God’s redemptive plan,…
Now, right from the beginning, after God created man and woman, He commanded us to (Genesis 1:28) “be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.” Again,…
Today, we are going to talk about the story of Noah. Many of us have heard the story as a children’s story, but there is so much more to the…
Do you know what Abel means? Meaningless. Nothingness. Vanity. Fleeting. You know that passage in Ecclesiastes, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity”? That word for vanity is “Abel.” What a name to…
Sometimes our lives get so messy that we don’t know where or how to start cleaning up. Some of you got addicted to a substance that you were just experimenting…
From Beginning, a sermon in a series entitled The Gospel according to the Old Testament. Preached at New City Church of Los Angeles on January 9, 2011 by Jonathan McCracken
Now, sometimes when people read the Old Testament, it can seem confusing. Some people start to talk as though there are two gods. One God of the Old Testament and…