To Live Is Christ | Philippians 1:18–26 In this message, we look at Paul’s striking words: “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” From a prison cell, Paul writes with unshakable joy and purpose—showing us what it means to live fully for Jesus no matter the circumstance. We’ll explore how his perspective reframes both life and death, calling us to honor Christ with our whole selves and to find deep meaning in our everyday faith. This passage invites us to consider what it looks like to magnify Christ in all we do, to reflect His love and sacrifice, and to hold fast to the hope of being with Him forever. Whether you’re wrestling with purpose, suffering, or the tension of faith in the real world, this teaching will encourage you to see every moment—life and death alike—as an opportunity to know and display Jesus.

This week we focus on Philippians 1:12-18, where we get to unpack Paul's amazing statements about how to understand some of those moments in life that are hard to explain. Why would God allow this or that to happen? Why wouldn't God want so and so to be free and clear to take the gospel here or there? Why do some people who seem to be motivated by selfish ambitions always seem to be so unencumbered or successful compared to me? These are perennial questions in the Christian life that can often slow us up... but why does Paul seem so unaffected by them and what can we learn from his divinely inspired understanding?

Join us this week to take a closer look at Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:7-11

As we continue to get situated in our NEW sermon series in the book of Philippians, we're excited to look more deeply at this important idea in chapter one, verse 6: "he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." What does this really tell us about God's work in us and in the world?

What is the nature and indications of Grace-based partnerships? We will be diving into this amazing question on Sunday and seeing how, for Paul, partnership in God‘s way led him to immense joy. So, WHY do our partnerships (and friendships) often end in something far from joy? Is there a word of wisdom that Paul expresses which might give us some insight? I’m excited to consider these questions with you all on Sunday as we move into our second week in the “Letter to the Philippians.”

Welcome to our new sermon series on the Book of Philippians! We're introduced to this important letter written by Paul and Timothy to the early church in Philippi, the first European church and a Roman colony. We explore the deep meaning behind being "servants of Christ Jesus," the significance of Christian identity as saints "in Christ," and the central theme of joy even amid suffering. We'll uncover how Paul’s experiences in Philippi, including challenges with Roman authorities and the faith of believers like Lydia, shape his message. This series invites us to see our lives and communities as part of God’s purposeful plan, reminding us that nothing is accidental and that true peace and identity come from Christ alone. Join us as we 'consider' together through the book of Philippians, discovering how to live faithfully and humbly in Christ today.

We’ve got a lot of new things to share with you this Sunday. First, and foremost, your ears may hear something surprising as we installed our brand NEW Sound System this week! This milestone marks countless hours of individuals from our community getting us ready for this install (special shout out to Thom & Ryan). This will make the making of sweet music to the Lord even sweeter than it already is! We will also be revealing our NEW Sermon Series, that will take us through the end of the year and into 2026. I can’t wait to share that with you. I’m very excited. AND finally, we will be taking this Sunday to share some NEW Vision regarding our big building renovation project that has been in the works now for some time. We’ve got big exciting updates to pass along as we slowly but surely move into the next steps in the project.

We're stoked to gather and sing praises with you this Sunday, which turns out is what Psalm 149 is all about! Well, at least half of our Psalm is about that. To understand the other half we're really going to have to pop the hood on how we interpret the bible anyhow. How are we to make sense of these ancient texts? What are the tools that enable us to bring Jesus into the picture? Does EVERY passage really have something to say to God's people today? I made a chart to help us answer these questions! Can't wait to share in the scriptures and in praise with you all.

Dive into Psalm 136—the “Great Hallel”—a powerful psalm of thanksgiving that celebrates God’s faithful love through creation, the Exodus, and every generation. In this sermon, we explore its timeless refrain, “His faithful love endures forever,” and draw fresh connections between biblical worship and storytelling styles—even referencing Tim McGraw’s Don’t Take the Girl to highlight the power of repeated refrains. Discover God’s steadfast covenant love (hesed) as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, and be encouraged to reflect on your own story of His faithfulness. ✨ Highlights: - Walk-through of Psalm 136’s themes & history - Insights on God’s enduring love and covenant - Parallels with classic country music storytelling - A call to write your own “song” of God’s faithfulness

In this teaching, we explore Psalm 123 within the broader context of the Psalms and Israel’s history. Spanning over a millennium, the 150 Psalms were carefully curated into five books, each reflecting key moments in Israel’s journey. Psalm 123 resides in the fifth and final book, known as the Psalms of Ascent, which captures the experience of God's people returning from exile to rebuild Jerusalem and reignite worship. This Psalm vividly portrays the posture of faithful waiting and hopeful looking to God amidst contempt, scorn, and hardship. Using rich imagery, it compares the people's gaze to that of a servant watching their master’s hand—patiently and expectantly awaiting divine favor. We unpack the historical backdrop from Nehemiah’s account, where the Israelites face ridicule and opposition while reconstructing Jerusalem’s walls, yet remain steadfast in their plea for God’s gracious intervention. The teaching also connects Psalm 123 to Jesus’ own experience, highlighting how He embodied this trust and grace even in the face of ultimate rejection and suffering on the cross. Jesus’ prayer for mercy amidst scorn reveals the profound mercy and favor God extends to us, encouraging us to adopt the same posture of reverent dependence. Key themes include: - The intentional arrangement of Psalms into historical and spiritual collections. - The Psalms of Ascent as expressions of physical and spiritual journeying toward God. - The dual imagery of God enthroned in heaven yet intimately near to His people. - The call to patiently wait on God’s timing and direction, trusting His sovereign hand. - The challenge to avoid distraction and apathy, and instead to actively lift our eyes to God in all life’s trials. - The ultimate fulfillment of these themes in Jesus Christ, who models perfect trust and mercy. Whether you’re wrestling with personal hardship, seeking a deeper understanding of scripture, or longing for renewed hope, this teaching offers a rich, poetic framework to engage with God authentically. Learn how to “put on spiritual eyes,” embrace a posture of faithful waiting, and discover God’s favor and grace in every season. * SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST -- https://tinyurl.com/fkzpkjwh * SERMON PODCAST -- https://tinyurl.com/2sn3msmn * CONNECT WITH US -- https://siderischurch.com/connectcard * MORE GOSPEL RESOURCES -- https://siderischurch.com/resources

Today, we get to see the connection in a God-ordained process by which God is lifted high and we are changed. This process included three great "E" words: EDUCATION EXULTATION EXALTATION I look forward to considering these connections and how skipping any on of these steps could really derail our praise and prayer. It should be fun! * SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST -- https://tinyurl.com/fkzpkjwh * SERMON PODCAST -- https://tinyurl.com/2sn3msmn * CONNECT WITH US -- https://siderischurch.com/connectcard * MORE GOSPEL RESOURCES -- https://siderischurch.com/resources

Pastor Dave asks us to put on our imagination hats and learn from Psalm #124 about how to use our brains “counterfactual mode” to stir up thankfulness and praise to our Maker. * SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST -- https://tinyurl.com/fkzpkjwh * SERMON PODCAST -- https://tinyurl.com/2sn3msmn * CONNECT WITH US -- https://siderischurch.com/connectcard * MORE GOSPEL RESOURCES -- https://siderischurch.com/resources

Just 13 days ago we celebrated the faithful 44 year career of a beloved pastor and preacher, Don Duncan, here in the building he labored from for over 4 decades. And now, just weeks later, Don has agreed to preach and teach for us again! So besides what's a thoughtful and edifying sermon, the meta-sermon Don communicates is even more profound... and it goes like this: You never retire from God's service and Jesus' mission to bring "The Good News" to all the world! * SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST -- https://tinyurl.com/fkzpkjwh * SERMON PODCAST -- https://tinyurl.com/2sn3msmn * CONNECT WITH US -- https://siderischurch.com/connectcard * MORE GOSPEL RESOURCES -- https://siderischurch.com/resources

Jesus seems to have really listened a lot to Psalm 49. Turn this one up loud and see why Jesus seems to have recorded so many covers of this song. What does it mean when the psalmist sings: "Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth of his house increase." * SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST -- https://tinyurl.com/fkzpkjwh * SERMON PODCAST -- https://tinyurl.com/2sn3msmn * CONNECT WITH US -- https://siderischurch.com/connectcard * MORE GOSPEL RESOURCES -- https://siderischurch.com/resources

This Sunday, we’ll be taking a look at Psalm 18, where we’ll hear the words of King David—seemingly penned at the end of his life. Context matters in songwriting. What does it mean that this psalm is a cumulative reflection on an entire life lived under God’s protection? What can that teach us about how our understanding of God's ways deepens over time? The song referenced in the sermon is "Time" by the artist John Lucas.

As pastor Dave is nearing the end of his mini-Summer-Sabbatical, longtime elder at Sideris, Joseph Cox, has agreed to help the family out by kicking us off in this series by preaching Psalm 21! It's a great Psalm, give it a read, you will find that it's all about God blessing "a" king. Who might this king be? AND what might it mean for those who find themselves under his rule?

We will close out the book of Joshua! We've encountered several unexpected life-giving and grace-revealing gems in this rarely preached through book of the bible, so it's sad to move on from it; but Joshua brings the work to a beautiful conclusion which is sure to be exciting to unpack together. If you listened last week you may have left with the question, "what does pursuing God with a loyal love actually look like?" That's exactly the question that gets wrestled with in chapter 24.

We love you all and we're looking forward to our 2nd to last sermon in Joshua this Sunday - Our journey through Joshua began at the beginning of the year and is now coming to a close as we hit it's concluding chapters where Joshua (at over 100 years old) provides Israel (and us) with the wisdom they (we) need in order to continue to flourish and enjoy life. What will we be pursuing next in our teaching time on Sundays? We will share that as well!

We will look at the Joshua 22 and the very important confrontation that took place between the Western and Eastern tribes of Israel at the outset of the time of peace. Besides trying to understand why the conflict occurred in Joshua's day, we will consider why it should have occurred more often in ancient Israel and therefore why we should be willing to lean into uncomfortable conversations like this even today.

Joshua 20 | Prepare your hearts and minds by putting on your favorite trail show... perhaps some "Law & Order" or "Suits" or what about some old school "Murder She Wrote." This will get you in the mood for this sermon's consideration. Justice and legal nuance are not something we as modern people dreamed up... in fact it may have started all the way back here in Joshua's day, with the founding of "Cities of Refuge" and the parameters that went with them. We will be forced to ask big questions like what the difference is between manslaughter and murder? Then we will ask if and how the idea of "Cities of Refuge" flow into our world today? It might surprise you. SPOTIFY MUSIC PLAYLIST -- https://tinyurl.com/4eymtkmu SERMON PODCAST -- https://tinyurl.com/2sn3msmn CONNECT WITH US -- https://siderischurch.com/connectcard MORE GOSPEL RESOURCES -- https://siderischurch.com/resources