http://www.thesanctuaryfellowship.com en-us ℗ & © 2014 The Sanctuary The Sanctuary Fellowship Podcast Joe Sanders Join Joe Sanders, Lead Pastor of The Sanctuary, for biblically rooted messages, focused on our faith in Jesus Christ and our desire to glorify God. This podcast contains weekly messages from The Sanctuary Fellowship in Richmond, Texas. Joe Sanders info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com no sanctuary, fellowship, richmond, sugar land, texas Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Faith Works Faith is one of the most misunderstood topics related to Christianity. And how faith goes together with works has been a hotly debated topic for centuries. What can’t be denied is that James views faith and works as being intricately and eternally linked to each other. James wants to see a claimed faith that is clearly seen in what one does. He presents a faith that perseveres through trials and temptations. Though our enemy would tempt us and we have been ruled by our passions in the past, James encourages us to persevere through all of that for a life that endures and that is approved by God and is rewarded with life. Faith is one of the most misunderstood topics related to Christianity. And how faith goes together with works has been a hotly debated topic for centuries. What can’t be denied is that James views faith and works as being intricately and eternally linked to each other. James wants to see a claimed faith that is clearly seen in what one does. He presents a faith that perseveres through trials and temptations. Though our enemy would tempt us and we have been ruled by our passions in the past, James encourages us to persevere through all of that for a life that endures and that is approved by God and is rewarded with life. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140810FaithPerseveres.mp3 Sun, 10 Aug 2014 06:00:00 GMT 49:02 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Faith Works Faith is not a feeling, a warm disposition toward God, or a vague notion of religion. Faith is a relationship with God through Christ that radically changes our everyday choices. Once this faith is present in our lives and enables this kind of relationship with God, it always produces choices and deeds that honor God. As we walk through this life, our faith is constantly assailed on all sides by doubters, sin and difficult circumstances. In the midst of this, a working faith seeks God’s way to face trials and to overcome them. It consistently looks for ways persevere and endure through trials. Is your faith working, enduring through trials? Faith is not a feeling, a warm disposition toward God, or a vague notion of religion. Faith is a relationship with God through Christ that radically changes our everyday choices. Once this faith is present in our lives and enables this kind of relationship with God, it always produces choices and deeds that honor God. As we walk through this life, our faith is constantly assailed on all sides by doubters, sin and difficult circumstances. In the midst of this, a working faith seeks God’s way to face trials and to overcome them. It consistently looks for ways persevere and endure through trials. Is your faith working, enduring through trials? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140803FaithSeeks.mp3 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 06:00:00 GMT 01:02:36 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - All In Are you looking for any and every opportunity to be a catalyst of God-honoring change in all areas of life for those in need? Are you All In? Listen as Pastor Matt Prine shares on the topic of being All-In for others. Are you looking for any and every opportunity to be a catalyst of God-honoring change in all areas of life for those in need? Are you All In? Listen as Pastor Matt Prine shares on the topic of being All-In for others. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140727Catalyst.mp3 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 06:00:00 GMT 50:43 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - All In What kind of life are you all in for? What are you giving your life, resources, hopes and dreams to in order to have joy and hope? We will be all in for something. We will give are all to someone. And its generally to the thing or person that seems to guarantee us the life we want most. God tells us that he has life for us, life that is incredible now and lasts forever. Life that brings us things what this world cannot take away or destroy. Sometimes, to experience the life that God has for us, we need to exercise “20 seconds of insane courage.” You could be one decision away from a totally different life- will you take the necessary steps to be all in for the life God has for you? What kind of life are you all in for? What are you giving your life, resources, hopes and dreams to in order to have joy and hope? We will be all in for something. We will give are all to someone. And its generally to the thing or person that seems to guarantee us the life we want most. God tells us that he has life for us, life that is incredible now and lasts forever. Life that brings us things what this world cannot take away or destroy. Sometimes, to experience the life that God has for us, we need to exercise “20 seconds of insane courage.” You could be one decision away from a totally different life- will you take the necessary steps to be all in for the life God has for you? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140720SeekMe.mp3 Sun, 20 Jul 2014 06:00:00 GMT 48:50 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Bennett Murff The Sanctuary Podcast - All In Listen as Bennett Murff shares on the topic of God’s extravagant grace. Listen as Bennett Murff shares on the topic of God’s extravagant grace. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140713AmazingGrace.mp3 Sun, 13 Jul 2014 06:00:00 GMT 15:06 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - All In Have you ever been all in for something? For some of us its been for our family, for a school, for a sports team, for our kids, for a charity or cause: we’ve been all in for things that have become very important to us. If most of us were honest, we would say that we’re only kind of 50/50 with God. We’re sort of committed to him when we feel like- or when we need something! How would our lives be radically different if we weren’t a fan of Jesus Christ but we were all in for the God-sized life the Lord intends for us? There’s one way that he’s calling us to live, and that’s to be all in! Have you ever been all in for something? For some of us its been for our family, for a school, for a sports team, for our kids, for a charity or cause: we’ve been all in for things that have become very important to us. If most of us were honest, we would say that we’re only kind of 50/50 with God. We’re sort of committed to him when we feel like- or when we need something! How would our lives be radically different if we weren’t a fan of Jesus Christ but we were all in for the God-sized life the Lord intends for us? There’s one way that he’s calling us to live, and that’s to be all in! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140706AllInOneWay.mp3 Sun, 06 Jul 2014 06:00:00 GMT 55:21 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - The Good in Service on God’s Mission Knowing what is good can be very difficult sometimes. Knowing what is good and choosing to do good can be even more difficult. Why do we struggle so badly with these issues? Why is it often so hard to choose to do good? At the very outset of Jesus’ ministry time on earth, he goes to a wedding and produces the miracle of turning water into wine. This seems like such a strange event in so many ways and many of the details in the story seem odd. But it turns out to be a pivotal account that changes our view of Jesus and his radical work in our lives. He changes us and makes us good so we can serve others with him in God’s mission for the world. Knowing what is good can be very difficult sometimes. Knowing what is good and choosing to do good can be even more difficult. Why do we struggle so badly with these issues? Why is it often so hard to choose to do good? At the very outset of Jesus’ ministry time on earth, he goes to a wedding and produces the miracle of turning water into wine. This seems like such a strange event in so many ways and many of the details in the story seem odd. But it turns out to be a pivotal account that changes our view of Jesus and his radical work in our lives. He changes us and makes us good so we can serve others with him in God’s mission for the world. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140629GoodService.mp3 Sun, 29 Jun 2014 06:00:00 GMT 58:30 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Jim Bradford The Sanctuary Podcast - Names of God Listen as guest speaker, Jim Bradford shares on the Names of God and how it relates to believers. Listen as guest speaker, Jim Bradford shares on the Names of God and how it relates to believers. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140622NamesGod.mp3 Sun, 22 Jun 2014 06:00:00 GMT 47:50 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Terry Cokenour - Missionary to Budapest, Hungary The Sanctuary Podcast - Missional Living for Christians Listen as guest speaker, Terry Cokenour shares on what missional living looks like for Christians. Listen as guest speaker, Terry Cokenour shares on what missional living looks like for Christians. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140615MissionalLiving.mp3 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 06:00:00 GMT 47:02 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Will We Be Missional? When many people think about Christianity or defining Christianity, they think primarily in terms of its personal aspects, like conversion, relationship with God, and a personal heaven. What most of us in the West have lost is the fact that, while those things are true, they are submissive to God’s work in the church/Church and to God’s mission. Understanding what it means to be missional and on mission with God has gotten to be very difficult even as it has gained much popularity over the last decade. For the church in the West to survive, we must understand that we have been planted in a culture that is increasingly ignorant of Christianity and we must learn to relate to that culture in ways that are meaningful and engaging. Our world needs a missional church, not just an evangelical one. Will we be missional? Our answer likely dictates our survival and definitely dictates our effectiveness. When many people think about Christianity or defining Christianity, they think primarily in terms of its personal aspects, like conversion, relationship with God, and a personal heaven. What most of us in the West have lost is the fact that, while those things are true, they are submissive to God’s work in the church/Church and to God’s mission. Understanding what it means to be missional and on mission with God has gotten to be very difficult even as it has gained much popularity over the last decade. For the church in the West to survive, we must understand that we have been planted in a culture that is increasingly ignorant of Christianity and we must learn to relate to that culture in ways that are meaningful and engaging. Our world needs a missional church, not just an evangelical one. Will we be missional? Our answer likely dictates our survival and definitely dictates our effectiveness. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140608Missional.mp3 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 06:00:00 GMT 01:06:48 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah The book of Isaiah is full of some of the most wonderful and well-known Sctiptures in the whole Bible. Passages from this book are quoted more than 80 times in the New Testament and Jesus used verses from Isaiah to announce his ministry. The book tells us about salvation, grace, God’s love, God’s plans and sovereignty, and so many more fantastic truths about God. But do we need more info, even if its encouraging? Do we need to know more about God, even if its astounding? Isaiah offers us more than info, it offers a glimpse into the life of a man who’s core was shaken, who’s world was rocked, and who’s love for God was shaped by smoke, angles, and trembling foundations. We need the real God to step into our world and shape us like that so we can worship him at all times, in all ways! The book of Isaiah is full of some of the most wonderful and well-known Sctiptures in the whole Bible. Passages from this book are quoted more than 80 times in the New Testament and Jesus used verses from Isaiah to announce his ministry. The book tells us about salvation, grace, God’s love, God’s plans and sovereignty, and so many more fantastic truths about God. But do we need more info, even if its encouraging? Do we need to know more about God, even if its astounding? Isaiah offers us more than info, it offers a glimpse into the life of a man who’s core was shaken, who’s world was rocked, and who’s love for God was shaped by smoke, angles, and trembling foundations. We need the real God to step into our world and shape us like that so we can worship him at all times, in all ways! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140601HopeCall.mp3 Sun, 01 Jun 2014 06:00:00 GMT 46:43 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are many times in Scripture that we are encourage to remember God, his works, his ways. While we tend to wander from God and forget his ways, we often go through seasons of life when God seems far off and distant, like he’s forgotten us somewhere in a dusty bin of half-completed projects. We want to remind God that we are here, that we want him in our lives, that we need his power and presence in our lives. When we get to this point of desperately crying out for him, he again reminds us of our need for forgiveness and how our sin and rebellion can hinder his work in our lives and can lead us into the very things that cause us pain. We must yearn for God and call out on a daily basis for him to tear open the heavens and to come down into our lives! There are many times in Scripture that we are encourage to remember God, his works, his ways. While we tend to wander from God and forget his ways, we often go through seasons of life when God seems far off and distant, like he’s forgotten us somewhere in a dusty bin of half-completed projects. We want to remind God that we are here, that we want him in our lives, that we need his power and presence in our lives. When we get to this point of desperately crying out for him, he again reminds us of our need for forgiveness and how our sin and rebellion can hinder his work in our lives and can lead us into the very things that cause us pain. We must yearn for God and call out on a daily basis for him to tear open the heavens and to come down into our lives! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140525Yearn.mp3 Sun, 25 May 2014 06:00:00 GMT 57:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Most of us struggle with issues regarding our memory. Whether its a momentary lapse or a long-term struggle with remembering key items in life, remembering the right things at the right times can mean the difference between success and failure. As our life experiences are littered with painful events that can dominate our memories, God wants us to remember the right things so we can face the difficult times with faith and joy and life. God gives us loyal love and grace and he is close to us at all times! Will you remember to remember the right things? Most of us struggle with issues regarding our memory. Whether its a momentary lapse or a long-term struggle with remembering key items in life, remembering the right things at the right times can mean the difference between success and failure. As our life experiences are littered with painful events that can dominate our memories, God wants us to remember the right things so we can face the difficult times with faith and joy and life. God gives us loyal love and grace and he is close to us at all times! Will you remember to remember the right things? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140518Remember.mp3 Sun, 18 May 2014 06:00:00 GMT 54:13 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Mother’s Day is kind of a big deal- and that might be an understatement! It is celebrated by billions of people all over the world and billions of dollars are spent on moms on Mother’s Day weekend. As Christians, we have to retain a proper perspective on this important day- honoring our moms while being thankful to God above all. To help us know how to rightly love our moms and show respect to God, Isaiah uses the imagery of a mother as life giver, sustainer, comforter, nurturer, and more. Through our moms we get a clearer picture of who God is and what he does- and gain more amazing insights into both! Mother’s Day is kind of a big deal- and that might be an understatement! It is celebrated by billions of people all over the world and billions of dollars are spent on moms on Mother’s Day weekend. As Christians, we have to retain a proper perspective on this important day- honoring our moms while being thankful to God above all. To help us know how to rightly love our moms and show respect to God, Isaiah uses the imagery of a mother as life giver, sustainer, comforter, nurturer, and more. Through our moms we get a clearer picture of who God is and what he does- and gain more amazing insights into both! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140511MomWindow.mp3 Sun, 11 May 2014 06:00:00 GMT 37:39 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Educator Appreciation Day Teaching is a noble undertaking and is especially prized in the Bible and throughout Biblical history. Those who teach are held to a higher level of accountability by God and have a massive list of responsibilities on their plate as they serve to shape and mold impressionable minds and hearts. In the Church, we are all teachers and we must remember that more than any lesson or information that we could pass on, we ourselves are the lesson. We are passing on values and seeking to equip people to be the most effective image of Christ that they could possibly be. Christ was the Master Teacher and the best example of holistic character and spiritual teacher that could ever be imitated. So let’s look our Master and be teachers who pass on much more than math, english, or thinking skills- let’s impart wisdom, character, and tools to deal with life in a Godly manner, no matter where our students are or what they do. Teaching is a noble undertaking and is especially prized in the Bible and throughout Biblical history. Those who teach are held to a higher level of accountability by God and have a massive list of responsibilities on their plate as they serve to shape and mold impressionable minds and hearts. In the Church, we are all teachers and we must remember that more than any lesson or information that we could pass on, we ourselves are the lesson. We are passing on values and seeking to equip people to be the most effective image of Christ that they could possibly be. Christ was the Master Teacher and the best example of holistic character and spiritual teacher that could ever be imitated. So let’s look our Master and be teachers who pass on much more than math, english, or thinking skills- let’s impart wisdom, character, and tools to deal with life in a Godly manner, no matter where our students are or what they do. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140504TeachingHigher.mp3 Sun, 04 May 2014 06:00:00 GMT 45:20 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah We often think that we bring a lot to the table in our relationships with God, like he got a great deal the day I came into the Kingdom. We spend a lot of time, energy and resources building up a case for ourselves, trying to prove to God or anyone who will listen that we are worthy, that we can bargain for what we want most in life. And we spend a lot of time looking for satisfaction in life, thinking that if we just have that thing or that person or that job, we’ll be happy and satisfied. God made us to be satisfied and he wants us to be satisfied! That’s why he says, “Come to me.” He offers everything we would ever need for satisfaction to us for free and offers it to us in abundance. And he simplifies it for us by saying, “Just come to me." We often think that we bring a lot to the table in our relationships with God, like he got a great deal the day I came into the Kingdom. We spend a lot of time, energy and resources building up a case for ourselves, trying to prove to God or anyone who will listen that we are worthy, that we can bargain for what we want most in life. And we spend a lot of time looking for satisfaction in life, thinking that if we just have that thing or that person or that job, we’ll be happy and satisfied. God made us to be satisfied and he wants us to be satisfied! That’s why he says, “Come to me.” He offers everything we would ever need for satisfaction to us for free and offers it to us in abundance. And he simplifies it for us by saying, “Just come to me." http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140427ComeToGod.mp3 Sun, 27 Apr 2014 06:00:00 GMT 40:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Easter Ash Wednesday was about the fact that God promised to save us from our sinful nature. Good Friday was about learning to see God’s faithfulness even when we have to wait and it seems like his promises have been broken. Easter morning is about the resurrection of Christ and how that event insures us that God keeps all of his promises to us. The Spring of 2014 has been one of reflecting on God, his wonderful and mysterious ways, and that he can be trusted in all things and at all times. Even though we are unfaithful and we waste our time worrying about the Lord’s power and intentions, he proves himself faithful. And we can walk in a world of disappointment and loss and pain knowing that he will faithfully walk with us and empower us everyday for as long as it takes, whatever may come. God ALWAYS keeps his promises! Ash Wednesday was about the fact that God promised to save us from our sinful nature. Good Friday was about learning to see God’s faithfulness even when we have to wait and it seems like his promises have been broken. Easter morning is about the resurrection of Christ and how that event insures us that God keeps all of his promises to us. The Spring of 2014 has been one of reflecting on God, his wonderful and mysterious ways, and that he can be trusted in all things and at all times. Even though we are unfaithful and we waste our time worrying about the Lord’s power and intentions, he proves himself faithful. And we can walk in a world of disappointment and loss and pain knowing that he will faithfully walk with us and empower us everyday for as long as it takes, whatever may come. God ALWAYS keeps his promises! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140420Promises.mp3 Sun, 20 Apr 2014 06:00:00 GMT 42:26 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Palm Sunday We have all gone through some disappointing times in life. Some have been relatively minor, but some have been major and they have challenged our basic understandings of life, God and faith. All disappointment should cause us to evaluate our motives and expectations, to question who and what we are hoping in and why we have placed our hope in that. As we experience life’s disappointments, we want to grow in our faith and be wiser in our faith with a deepening confidence in God’s love for us. When Christ arrived in Jerusalem on the week he would die, his arrival was the occasion for much celebration and much anxiety for different groups of people. His timing and method of arrival was disappointing to almost everyone, but he remained on course for his purposes. What will we do when we are disappointed, especially when that disappointment extends to our relationship with God? We have all gone through some disappointing times in life. Some have been relatively minor, but some have been major and they have challenged our basic understandings of life, God and faith. All disappointment should cause us to evaluate our motives and expectations, to question who and what we are hoping in and why we have placed our hope in that. As we experience life’s disappointments, we want to grow in our faith and be wiser in our faith with a deepening confidence in God’s love for us. When Christ arrived in Jerusalem on the week he would die, his arrival was the occasion for much celebration and much anxiety for different groups of people. His timing and method of arrival was disappointing to almost everyone, but he remained on course for his purposes. What will we do when we are disappointed, especially when that disappointment extends to our relationship with God? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140413Disappointment.mp3 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 06:00:00 GMT 56:09 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - A Theology of the Cross The events on the cross and at the resurrection 2000 years ago have forever changed our destinies. We know with a certain confidence that when our bodies die, those who have by faith believed in Christ will spend eternity with him. But what about now? What does the cross have to do with our lives now, before we die, in all of the years that we have left to live on earth? As God has shown throughout history, his mission is to enable people to have a relationship with him. He has spoken plainly about himself and has sent the message of hope and life to us through various people and means, primarily in Jesus and the cross. And now, he has given us his mission and invited us to tell others how to have a relationship with God! His purpose of relationship has been fulfilled in us so that it can be fulfilled through us! The events on the cross and at the resurrection 2000 years ago have forever changed our destinies. We know with a certain confidence that when our bodies die, those who have by faith believed in Christ will spend eternity with him. But what about now? What does the cross have to do with our lives now, before we die, in all of the years that we have left to live on earth? As God has shown throughout history, his mission is to enable people to have a relationship with him. He has spoken plainly about himself and has sent the message of hope and life to us through various people and means, primarily in Jesus and the cross. And now, he has given us his mission and invited us to tell others how to have a relationship with God! His purpose of relationship has been fulfilled in us so that it can be fulfilled through us! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140406Salvation.mp3 Sun, 06 Apr 2014 06:00:00 GMT 52:52 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - A Theology of the Cross We live in a culture that is fascinated with death and life. Maybe more specifically, there’s a preoccupation with how to beat death, how to live forever, how to come back from death, etc. Of course, even within Christianity these are huge themes; the person that we follow and that he have dedicated our lives to claims to have come back from the dead. So much of the New Testament contains language to describe who we are as we follow Christ- dead, alive, living forever, dying; it even uses the word “crucified” to describe us. What does all of this mean? How do we reconcile words and ideas that seem so far apart and so incompatible? The Bible says that we are dead and yet we live- there’s a fullness of life that comes from being crucified with Christ! We live in a culture that is fascinated with death and life. Maybe more specifically, there’s a preoccupation with how to beat death, how to live forever, how to come back from death, etc. Of course, even within Christianity these are huge themes; the person that we follow and that he have dedicated our lives to claims to have come back from the dead. So much of the New Testament contains language to describe who we are as we follow Christ- dead, alive, living forever, dying; it even uses the word “crucified” to describe us. What does all of this mean? How do we reconcile words and ideas that seem so far apart and so incompatible? The Bible says that we are dead and yet we live- there’s a fullness of life that comes from being crucified with Christ! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140330Crucified.mp3 Sun, 30 Mar 2014 06:00:00 GMT 45:46 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - A Theology of the Cross The cross is the symbol of Christianity, which can strike some people as odd because a cross carries so many conflicting implications: life, joy, death, pain, hope, freedom, suffering. As Christians and churches have investigated and studied the idea of the cross, and in particular the actions of Christ on the cross, one of the themes that repeated itself was that of redemption. Christians have seen in the cross the key to their redemption. As we grapple with our problems and suffering and distance from God, it becomes clearer and clearer that we need someone to redeem us- to bring us back into a family and to purchase us from the slavery we find ourselves in. God has seen our struggle, he has loved us and responded to our hopeless battle with sin, and he himself has come to do something about it. He is our Redeemer! The cross is the symbol of Christianity, which can strike some people as odd because a cross carries so many conflicting implications: life, joy, death, pain, hope, freedom, suffering. As Christians and churches have investigated and studied the idea of the cross, and in particular the actions of Christ on the cross, one of the themes that repeated itself was that of redemption. Christians have seen in the cross the key to their redemption. As we grapple with our problems and suffering and distance from God, it becomes clearer and clearer that we need someone to redeem us- to bring us back into a family and to purchase us from the slavery we find ourselves in. God has seen our struggle, he has loved us and responded to our hopeless battle with sin, and he himself has come to do something about it. He is our Redeemer! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140323RedeemerCross.mp3 Sun, 23 Mar 2014 06:00:00 GMT 52:36 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - A Theology of the Cross Maybe unbelievably, the cross of Christ can be one of those things that we get over-familiar with. We talk about it so much and sing about it so often that we can over-simplify it and miss the beautiful complexity in its simplicity. As Easter approaches each year, we can truly lose sight of the cross. We can easily trade it for family and egg hunts and children and Easter pageants and lunch with family. Easter can include all of those things, but what is it all about? More than that, Christianity is about church and worship and life and joy and overcoming, but what is it all about? We go through life thinking about all that we think we “need” and concocting plans to get those things. But most of the time we are confusing wants and needs and are just generally confused! The cross is the central point of history, Easter and Christianity. It is necessary to bring us out of death and sin and to bring us into life. Focus on the cross and all of our other wants and needs come into clearer focus! Maybe unbelievably, the cross of Christ can be one of those things that we get over-familiar with. We talk about it so much and sing about it so often that we can over-simplify it and miss the beautiful complexity in its simplicity. As Easter approaches each year, we can truly lose sight of the cross. We can easily trade it for family and egg hunts and children and Easter pageants and lunch with family. Easter can include all of those things, but what is it all about? More than that, Christianity is about church and worship and life and joy and overcoming, but what is it all about? We go through life thinking about all that we think we “need” and concocting plans to get those things. But most of the time we are confusing wants and needs and are just generally confused! The cross is the central point of history, Easter and Christianity. It is necessary to bring us out of death and sin and to bring us into life. Focus on the cross and all of our other wants and needs come into clearer focus! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140316NecessaryThings.mp3 Sun, 16 Mar 2014 06:00:00 GMT 48:02 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Parle The Sanctuary Podcast - The Gifts that Keep on Giving CBS Academic Dean, Joe Parle speaks on the topic of spiritual gifts in the life of the church. CBS Academic Dean, Joe Parle speaks on the topic of spiritual gifts in the life of the church. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140309Gifts.mp3 Sun, 09 Mar 2014 06:00:00 GMT 54:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Truth Weekend: Gospel Have you noticed how the things we complain about reveal so much about us? We often have things that we complain about in church- we even complain about the Gospel! The Gospel is too hard, the Gospel is exclusive, the Gospel is unkind, the Gospel is weird. And then we complain about what we’re asked to do with the Gospel. Sharing it is hard, people will think I’m a radical, love is more important than words. But there are people dying. Millions with no hope and no relationship with God. God wants the Gospel to go to all. What are we doing about that? What are you doing about that? What keeps us from going, doing, giving and telling? Have you noticed how the things we complain about reveal so much about us? We often have things that we complain about in church- we even complain about the Gospel! The Gospel is too hard, the Gospel is exclusive, the Gospel is unkind, the Gospel is weird. And then we complain about what we’re asked to do with the Gospel. Sharing it is hard, people will think I’m a radical, love is more important than words. But there are people dying. Millions with no hope and no relationship with God. God wants the Gospel to go to all. What are we doing about that? What are you doing about that? What keeps us from going, doing, giving and telling? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140302TruthGospel.mp3 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 06:00:00 GMT 46:15 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Communion Lead pastor, Joe Sanders, preaches on the topic of communion. Lead pastor, Joe Sanders, preaches on the topic of communion. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140223Communion.mp3 Sun, 23 Feb 2014 06:00:00 GMT 28:25 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah A lot of people come to church, to God, and approach the Bible with questions. Questions about God, the meaning of life, sin, eternity, dinosaurs, evil. So many things we don’t know and want to know about! Surprisingly, when we come to the Bible for some of those answers we are actually faced with many questions directed at us…from God! God repeatedly asks us questions not to gain information (like he doesn’t know something), but to reveal something to us about ourselves or about himself. In this text, God confronts us with questions about his abilities, our faith, our degree of commitment to who he is and if we are asking the right people the right questions. How will you answer God when he asks you questions? A lot of people come to church, to God, and approach the Bible with questions. Questions about God, the meaning of life, sin, eternity, dinosaurs, evil. So many things we don’t know and want to know about! Surprisingly, when we come to the Bible for some of those answers we are actually faced with many questions directed at us…from God! God repeatedly asks us questions not to gain information (like he doesn’t know something), but to reveal something to us about ourselves or about himself. In this text, God confronts us with questions about his abilities, our faith, our degree of commitment to who he is and if we are asking the right people the right questions. How will you answer God when he asks you questions? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140216Questions.mp3 Sun, 16 Feb 2014 06:00:00 GMT 41:49 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah What a great tragedy it would be for any of us to live out our days an never connect with a purpose in life. How frustrating and senseless it would be to go through this entire life without discovering God’s purposes. Most of us wonder from time to time about God’s purpose for our lives- does he have one; what is it; am I living in it now; can I even know it? God is eternally and powerfully committed to bringing us into the fullness of his purposes, and he has designed a purpose for us from before we were born. He is specially preparing us for his plans and at the right time he will shoot us straight and true so that we experience the fullness of his purposes for our lives. What a great tragedy it would be for any of us to live out our days an never connect with a purpose in life. How frustrating and senseless it would be to go through this entire life without discovering God’s purposes. Most of us wonder from time to time about God’s purpose for our lives- does he have one; what is it; am I living in it now; can I even know it? God is eternally and powerfully committed to bringing us into the fullness of his purposes, and he has designed a purpose for us from before we were born. He is specially preparing us for his plans and at the right time he will shoot us straight and true so that we experience the fullness of his purposes for our lives. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140209ForWonderer.mp3 Sun, 09 Feb 2014 06:00:00 GMT 50:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah We all have such great high expectations when we start a new year, some of the best intentions to make things better for the future. But then life hits, we fail once or twice, our schedule gets flipped upside down, and we find ourselves far away from what we set out to do. Almost everyone would like a closer relationship with God, but despite what we set out to do we often wander far away from God. Lots of things contribute to this and it can leave us feeling hopeless and powerless in our desire to know God and to live with him. The good news is that God is fighting for us, moving heaven and earth to be with us and to empower us to be with him! We all have such great high expectations when we start a new year, some of the best intentions to make things better for the future. But then life hits, we fail once or twice, our schedule gets flipped upside down, and we find ourselves far away from what we set out to do. Almost everyone would like a closer relationship with God, but despite what we set out to do we often wander far away from God. Lots of things contribute to this and it can leave us feeling hopeless and powerless in our desire to know God and to live with him. The good news is that God is fighting for us, moving heaven and earth to be with us and to empower us to be with him! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140202ForWanderer.mp3 Sun, 02 Feb 2014 06:00:00 GMT 49:42 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Don’t Waste a Life God’s creative works are amazing- in nature, in fashioning babies, in the creation of all life. Somehow we have lost our amazement at the creative works of our Lord and we have become enamored with our own works toward happiness and fulfillment. As Christians, we have lost the ability to think clearly and critically about the issue of life and all of the attending issues. We are in need of a total heart and head change when it comes to issues of life. We must stop sacrificing everything on the altar of me, the altar of man, the altar of self. We are called to hold back those who are headed to slaughter. What will we do to choose life for those who can’t choose for herself? God’s creative works are amazing- in nature, in fashioning babies, in the creation of all life. Somehow we have lost our amazement at the creative works of our Lord and we have become enamored with our own works toward happiness and fulfillment. As Christians, we have lost the ability to think clearly and critically about the issue of life and all of the attending issues. We are in need of a total heart and head change when it comes to issues of life. We must stop sacrificing everything on the altar of me, the altar of man, the altar of self. We are called to hold back those who are headed to slaughter. What will we do to choose life for those who can’t choose for herself? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140126WasteALife.mp3 Sun, 26 Jan 2014 06:00:00 GMT 54:30 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Don’t Waste Your Pain Life brings painful times. That pain is not always a direct result of your sin or the sins of others. Sometimes, life and circumstances bring tough things to us. When that happens and we begin to try and reconcile the idea of a good, powerful God and our pain we can find our faith shaken and our commitment challenged. Pain is inevitable; it cannot be avoided. But what it does to us and what we do with it can be influenced by our choices and responses. Before pain comes our way, we have to decide that the next time it comes we will not waste our pain, we will not get lost in bitterness or despondency, and we will draw near to the Lord through it all. Life brings painful times. That pain is not always a direct result of your sin or the sins of others. Sometimes, life and circumstances bring tough things to us. When that happens and we begin to try and reconcile the idea of a good, powerful God and our pain we can find our faith shaken and our commitment challenged. Pain is inevitable; it cannot be avoided. But what it does to us and what we do with it can be influenced by our choices and responses. Before pain comes our way, we have to decide that the next time it comes we will not waste our pain, we will not get lost in bitterness or despondency, and we will draw near to the Lord through it all. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140119WasteYourPain.mp3 Sun, 19 Jan 2014 06:00:00 GMT 51:06 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Don’t Waste Your Church Any time you talk to a friend, family member, acquaintance, etc, about going to church, you are likely to get a lot of uncomfortable excuses and you might get several adamantly “no” responses. You might even be talking to an ex-churchgoer who has stopped attending church, again for a variety of reasons. Over the last decade, there’s been an uprising against the church, church attendance, and people who go to church. But if we do even a cursory look at the New Testament we see that the church/Church is not an optional accessory to the committed Christian’s life. The church/Church is the Bride of Christ, is the object of God’s loving actions, and is the vehicle for change and salvation in a broken world. Wherever you are and wherever you attend church; if you live near a church, have been invited and have never been; if you used to go to church and have quit for some reason- Don’t Waste Your Church! Take full advantage of all of the benefits and opportunities of a great church near you! Any time you talk to a friend, family member, acquaintance, etc, about going to church, you are likely to get a lot of uncomfortable excuses and you might get several adamantly “no” responses. You might even be talking to an ex-churchgoer who has stopped attending church, again for a variety of reasons. Over the last decade, there’s been an uprising against the church, church attendance, and people who go to church. But if we do even a cursory look at the New Testament we see that the church/Church is not an optional accessory to the committed Christian’s life. The church/Church is the Bride of Christ, is the object of God’s loving actions, and is the vehicle for change and salvation in a broken world. Wherever you are and wherever you attend church; if you live near a church, have been invited and have never been; if you used to go to church and have quit for some reason- Don’t Waste Your Church! Take full advantage of all of the benefits and opportunities of a great church near you! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/140112WasteChurch.mp3 Sun, 12 Jan 2014 06:00:00 GMT 55:53 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Don't Waste Time! There are so many things that remind us of time- schedules, calendars, watches, clocks, cell phones. All of them cry out to us that time is passing. We tend to be a time-consumed culture even singing songs about time (Turn, Turn, Turn; Time after Time; Yesterday; Clocks). In addition to the fleeting nature of time and the speed with which time is passing by, we have also come up with some pretty inventive ways to waste time, with everything from the internet to the television to our children's activities to cell phones, and more. As we turn the page on the calendar for 2014, we want to make sure we don't waste our time. This look into Samson's life and how he spent his time is a great lesson on the best things to avoid if we want to make the most of the time that we have. There are so many things that remind us of time- schedules, calendars, watches, clocks, cell phones. All of them cry out to us that time is passing. We tend to be a time-consumed culture even singing songs about time (Turn, Turn, Turn; Time after Time; Yesterday; Clocks). In addition to the fleeting nature of time and the speed with which time is passing by, we have also come up with some pretty inventive ways to waste time, with everything from the internet to the television to our children's activities to cell phones, and more. As we turn the page on the calendar for 2014, we want to make sure we don't waste our time. This look into Samson's life and how he spent his time is a great lesson on the best things to avoid if we want to make the most of the time that we have. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131229WasteTime.mp3 Sun, 29 Dec 2013 06:00:00 GMT 56:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Vintage Christmas There are a lot of things that we all want in life that are either unrealistic for us to get or would be so silly for us to spend our money on that we change our minds. We are constantly surrounded by reminders that we have these wants and if we don't we are told that we should want. And once we are wanting, they usually tell us what and how much we should want. We all want, and often we want things that are not good for us and quite often can harm us. One of the great messages of Christmas is that God know we have broken "wanters" and that he can change that part of us, too. Part of the miracle of Christmas is that we can experience a radical reorientation of why and what we want. God knows what we want, why we want, and what we need- and in Jesus he has worked to change or answer each of them! There are a lot of things that we all want in life that are either unrealistic for us to get or would be so silly for us to spend our money on that we change our minds. We are constantly surrounded by reminders that we have these wants and if we don't we are told that we should want. And once we are wanting, they usually tell us what and how much we should want. We all want, and often we want things that are not good for us and quite often can harm us. One of the great messages of Christmas is that God know we have broken "wanters" and that he can change that part of us, too. Part of the miracle of Christmas is that we can experience a radical reorientation of why and what we want. God knows what we want, why we want, and what we need- and in Jesus he has worked to change or answer each of them! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131222AllIWant.mp3 Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:00:00 GMT 01:01:57 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Vintage Christmas There’s lots of times in life when we feel used up, ready to be thrown away, like we don’t have anything left to give. The pains and suffering that many of us endure in this life sap the strength from us, leaving us with little or no evidence of a sovereign (much less good) God- but Scripture continues to tell us to believe. This is the world that Christ entered into when he was born. Not just to live beside or with it, but to be born into it and to live in it and to redeem it. He came into a world full of broken and messed up people in order to renew and remake them. He is taking our pain and suffering and recycling them for a beautiful purpose. Our response to his recycling work is to say, “I will not let go!" There’s lots of times in life when we feel used up, ready to be thrown away, like we don’t have anything left to give. The pains and suffering that many of us endure in this life sap the strength from us, leaving us with little or no evidence of a sovereign (much less good) God- but Scripture continues to tell us to believe. This is the world that Christ entered into when he was born. Not just to live beside or with it, but to be born into it and to live in it and to redeem it. He came into a world full of broken and messed up people in order to renew and remake them. He is taking our pain and suffering and recycling them for a beautiful purpose. Our response to his recycling work is to say, “I will not let go!" http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131215RecycledChristmas.mp3 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 06:00:00 GMT 37:35 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Vintage Christmas Most of us, when asked what Christmas reminds us of or what we think of when we think of Christmas, would say that Christmas is about family. Most of our prominent memories of this time of the year revolve around or include family. Its ironic that much of what we do at this time of the year- the holiday that is centered on Christ, the holiday that actually has his name in it!- draws our attention away from him. How do we balance family and Christmas? Finding ways to show grace and Gospel to our most challenging family members can make Christmas a drag. Discovering how to keep Christ the center of Christmas is vital if our families are going to join God in his mission this Christmas and all year long. Most of us, when asked what Christmas reminds us of or what we think of when we think of Christmas, would say that Christmas is about family. Most of our prominent memories of this time of the year revolve around or include family. Its ironic that much of what we do at this time of the year- the holiday that is centered on Christ, the holiday that actually has his name in it!- draws our attention away from him. How do we balance family and Christmas? Finding ways to show grace and Gospel to our most challenging family members can make Christmas a drag. Discovering how to keep Christ the center of Christmas is vital if our families are going to join God in his mission this Christmas and all year long. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131208BigFatChristmas.mp3 Sun, 08 Dec 2013 06:00:00 GMT 37:34 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah While Israel's disobedience brought discipline, the Lord was superintending the whole process. He would place His chosen people under the rule and captivity of Babylon for their discipline - and their good. While Babylon gloated over their captivity and ruled over them with extreme force, the Lord was not willing to allow His tool of discipline to become a tool of destruction. He does this in our own life as well. He allows us to go through tough times for our own good - our own holiness. But as our Redeemer, He must save us, He is able to save us, and He does so as our Father! While Israel's disobedience brought discipline, the Lord was superintending the whole process. He would place His chosen people under the rule and captivity of Babylon for their discipline - and their good. While Babylon gloated over their captivity and ruled over them with extreme force, the Lord was not willing to allow His tool of discipline to become a tool of destruction. He does this in our own life as well. He allows us to go through tough times for our own good - our own holiness. But as our Redeemer, He must save us, He is able to save us, and He does so as our Father! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131124Redeemer.mp3 Sun, 24 Nov 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:00:00 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are many experiences in life that leave us unsatisfied, and they lead us have a fuller understanding that there really isn’t anything in this world that can ultimately fill us up. We begin to realize that our needs, desires and wants fear outstrip the ability of the things and people in our lives to satisfy us. We have counted on all of these things and people to carry us, but we end up carrying them. We invest so much into these things and relationships that when we realize they only fail, we fall along with them because we were counting on them to carry us. Human hands or hearts can never make something that is adequate and able to carry us. Only God can carry us- in our sins, struggles, uncertainties, and fears and needs. There are many experiences in life that leave us unsatisfied, and they lead us have a fuller understanding that there really isn’t anything in this world that can ultimately fill us up. We begin to realize that our needs, desires and wants fear outstrip the ability of the things and people in our lives to satisfy us. We have counted on all of these things and people to carry us, but we end up carrying them. We invest so much into these things and relationships that when we realize they only fail, we fall along with them because we were counting on them to carry us. Human hands or hearts can never make something that is adequate and able to carry us. Only God can carry us- in our sins, struggles, uncertainties, and fears and needs. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131117CarriesMe.mp3 Sun, 17 Nov 2013 06:00:00 GMT 50:28 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah God doesn’t want us to fear, he wants us to leave our idols and he wants us to know he is great and able. In order to know his greatness, he shows us his great plans and his great works in us. God has a unique plan for each of us, a plan that includes our good in his purposes. God is ordaining kings and moving history in order to refine and shape his Church. That can mean chapters of our lives spent in darkness, but there are treasures that he has for us, even in our darkest times! We must look to Christ and put our hope in the hands of the Potter if we are ever to find satisfaction in what he’s shaping us to be. God doesn’t want us to fear, he wants us to leave our idols and he wants us to know he is great and able. In order to know his greatness, he shows us his great plans and his great works in us. God has a unique plan for each of us, a plan that includes our good in his purposes. God is ordaining kings and moving history in order to refine and shape his Church. That can mean chapters of our lives spent in darkness, but there are treasures that he has for us, even in our darkest times! We must look to Christ and put our hope in the hands of the Potter if we are ever to find satisfaction in what he’s shaping us to be. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131110PottersHands.mp3 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 06:00:00 GMT 01:01:23 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are always choices to be made, options to discern between. Every day we face multiple opportunities to go left or right, up or down, the slow path or the quick path, the convenient way or the scenic way. There's a broad way and an easy way, a way we are all familiar with that looks so easy and so appealing. Its the way that doesn't require much faith, doesn't require much sacrifice, that looks so inviting and fulfilling. And as life hurls difficulties and trials at us, which way will we go? When fires and floods come into our lives (and they will!), we can choose to walk our own path or with God. What we must never doubt or forget is that God is with us in every circumstance and we can he will empower us to walk through it all. There are always choices to be made, options to discern between. Every day we face multiple opportunities to go left or right, up or down, the slow path or the quick path, the convenient way or the scenic way. There's a broad way and an easy way, a way we are all familiar with that looks so easy and so appealing. Its the way that doesn't require much faith, doesn't require much sacrifice, that looks so inviting and fulfilling. And as life hurls difficulties and trials at us, which way will we go? When fires and floods come into our lives (and they will!), we can choose to walk our own path or with God. What we must never doubt or forget is that God is with us in every circumstance and we can he will empower us to walk through it all. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131027FireFlood.mp3 Sun, 27 Oct 2013 06:00:00 GMT 51:33 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are so many different motives that cause us to live the way we do, to choose the way we do. Some have said that we only truly experience 2 motivators and everything else springs from those- fear and love. When we live from fear, when fear is our primary motivator, we run from God and toward idols. When we have no relationship with God, even if we were to come close to him we would be afraid and we would draw away from him. God, in his immense and inexplicable love for us, calls us to himself and empowers us to not live in fear. God commands us to not fear- and he upholds us with his great works and presence to live in love! There are so many different motives that cause us to live the way we do, to choose the way we do. Some have said that we only truly experience 2 motivators and everything else springs from those- fear and love. When we live from fear, when fear is our primary motivator, we run from God and toward idols. When we have no relationship with God, even if we were to come close to him we would be afraid and we would draw away from him. God, in his immense and inexplicable love for us, calls us to himself and empowers us to not live in fear. God commands us to not fear- and he upholds us with his great works and presence to live in love! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131020FearLove.mp3 Sun, 20 Oct 2013 06:00:00 GMT 53:32 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah What brings you comfort, especially when life is bad, relationships are broken, and the effects of sin are hitting you with full force? Life often confronts us with difficulties that seem insurmountable and that can lead us to hopelessness and despair. We can be worn down and quickly come to the end of ourselves and have no strength to continue. But we can live passionately for God's glory as God fills us up with new strength, new power, and comforts us while we soar in a broken world. What brings you comfort, especially when life is bad, relationships are broken, and the effects of sin are hitting you with full force? Life often confronts us with difficulties that seem insurmountable and that can lead us to hopelessness and despair. We can be worn down and quickly come to the end of ourselves and have no strength to continue. But we can live passionately for God's glory as God fills us up with new strength, new power, and comforts us while we soar in a broken world. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/131013EaglePowers.mp3 Sun, 13 Oct 2013 06:00:00 GMT 55:15 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Entrusted God has entrusted us with so much; the Gospel, the truth of the Scriptures and the power to give that truth to others, relationships where we can impact others with the Gospel. One of the most personal and powerful things he's given us as we share his mission for the world is our personal stories. Our stories can be powerful, compelling, convincing and relatable. They can help make the true truth of the Gospel come together and make sense in every day terms. They can shed light on how someone else is living their story and turn them from self-destruction to God's salvation. What is your story? Has God radically changed your story? Who needs your story? Are you ready to give that great treasure away to someone who needs it? God has entrusted us with so much; the Gospel, the truth of the Scriptures and the power to give that truth to others, relationships where we can impact others with the Gospel. One of the most personal and powerful things he's given us as we share his mission for the world is our personal stories. Our stories can be powerful, compelling, convincing and relatable. They can help make the true truth of the Gospel come together and make sense in every day terms. They can shed light on how someone else is living their story and turn them from self-destruction to God's salvation. What is your story? Has God radically changed your story? Who needs your story? Are you ready to give that great treasure away to someone who needs it? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130929EntrustedStory.mp3 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 06:00:00 GMT 44:02 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders and Guest Speaker Paul Hicks The Sanctuary Podcast - Entrusted Listen as Pastor Joe Sanders and Search Ministries' Paul Hicks discuss evangelism in the context of relationships. Listen as Pastor Joe Sanders and Search Ministries' Paul Hicks discuss evangelism in the context of relationships. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130922Relationships.mp3 Sun, 22 Sep 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:00:50 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Entrusted There is a powerful ally that is on our side when we talk to people about our relationship with Christ. Though we might feel overwhelmed and afraid, unsure of what to say, we have a firm assurance that this will never fail and it will always empower us to tell others about the joy and life we have in Christ. The Gospel has been entrusted to us not just by experience or by a series of facts, but in the Bible. We have Scriptures that overtly share the truth of who God is and what he has done for us in Christ and what we can tell others about that. And we know that Scripture is powerful and able to do things we can't when we try to give the Gospel to others. What are you doing with the Gospel that's been entrusted to us in Scripture? There is a powerful ally that is on our side when we talk to people about our relationship with Christ. Though we might feel overwhelmed and afraid, unsure of what to say, we have a firm assurance that this will never fail and it will always empower us to tell others about the joy and life we have in Christ. The Gospel has been entrusted to us not just by experience or by a series of facts, but in the Bible. We have Scriptures that overtly share the truth of who God is and what he has done for us in Christ and what we can tell others about that. And we know that Scripture is powerful and able to do things we can't when we try to give the Gospel to others. What are you doing with the Gospel that's been entrusted to us in Scripture? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130915GospelScripture.mp3 Sun, 15 Sep 2013 06:00:00 GMT 56:29 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Entrusted We are often entrusted with belongings, relationships, investments, money and many other things. We are given these things in order to use them for a particular purpose, for a goal, for a reason. And the person who gives it to us is expecting us to do what they wanted us to do with it. Being entrusted is a huge responsibility and is the mark of a loving, secure relationship. God has entrusted every believer with an amazing treasure- the Gospel, the good news, of Christ! How are you doing with what you've been entrusted? We are often entrusted with belongings, relationships, investments, money and many other things. We are given these things in order to use them for a particular purpose, for a goal, for a reason. And the person who gives it to us is expecting us to do what they wanted us to do with it. Being entrusted is a huge responsibility and is the mark of a loving, secure relationship. God has entrusted every believer with an amazing treasure- the Gospel, the good news, of Christ! How are you doing with what you've been entrusted? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130908Entrusted.mp3 Sun, 08 Sep 2013 06:00:00 GMT 46:51 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Ricardo Brambila The Sanctuary Podcast - God on Mission Buckner Community Transformation Center Director, Ricardo Brambila, shares on missional living. Buckner Community Transformation Center Director, Ricardo Brambila, shares on missional living. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130901GodOnMission.mp3 Sun, 01 Sep 2013 06:00:00 GMT 42:15 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah People who are living for the Lord and in his ways are often rocked by unforeseen difficulties, trials, losses. At the same time, they are flooded with conflicting ideas about God and his justice, rewards, blessings, and purposes. This often leads to a lot of confusion, despair, doubt and heart break, and can have the overall effect of crushing faith instead of bolstering it. When the times of desperation comes, we are left wondering what to do and what to say…and how to pray. God let's us know that we can turn to him in those darkest times with prayers that are open, honest, raw, and desperate. People who are living for the Lord and in his ways are often rocked by unforeseen difficulties, trials, losses. At the same time, they are flooded with conflicting ideas about God and his justice, rewards, blessings, and purposes. This often leads to a lot of confusion, despair, doubt and heart break, and can have the overall effect of crushing faith instead of bolstering it. When the times of desperation comes, we are left wondering what to do and what to say…and how to pray. God let's us know that we can turn to him in those darkest times with prayers that are open, honest, raw, and desperate. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130825DesperatePrayer.mp3 Sun, 25 Aug 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:08:35 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Parle The Sanctuary Podcast - Journey of Faith Guest speaker, Joe Parle, speaks on what the journey of faith looks like for believers. Guest speaker, Joe Parle, speaks on what the journey of faith looks like for believers. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130818JourneyFaith.mp3 Sun, 18 Aug 2013 06:00:00 GMT 51:03 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Human engineering has accomplished some amazing feats and many of us who are engineering-challenged stand in constant awe of those achievements. When we look at our lives, lives of instability and sin and pain and struggle, we are overwhelmed at how to overcome the ever-constant challenges that face us. We often can't imagine any hope of moving out of our experiences and current fatigue and exhaustion. But Isaiah tells us that God has designed a higher path for us, a life that can rise above the current mess of the here-and-now and enables us to have a life-changing relationship with him- one that lasts forever! Human engineering has accomplished some amazing feats and many of us who are engineering-challenged stand in constant awe of those achievements. When we look at our lives, lives of instability and sin and pain and struggle, we are overwhelmed at how to overcome the ever-constant challenges that face us. We often can't imagine any hope of moving out of our experiences and current fatigue and exhaustion. But Isaiah tells us that God has designed a higher path for us, a life that can rise above the current mess of the here-and-now and enables us to have a life-changing relationship with him- one that lasts forever! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130811Greatness.mp3 Sun, 11 Aug 2013 06:00:00 GMT 54:22 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah For most of us, endurance is what we think about when we have to go to a boring college class, sit through a long sermon, listen to another story from our in laws, watch someone else's vacation video, or go to a dance recital. And nobility, for most, is something of a by-gone era, a quaint idea that is not really relevant in our day of PEDs, adulterous politicians, and scandalous church leaders. But aren't these things that we want in our lives? We want these things for the long-haul- both endurance and nobility. To walk through life with an excellence of character that stands tall when life gets difficult. So often, we fail to pay attention to the things that matter, to the things that enable us to be those kinds of people who go through life with an enduring nobility. Our only hope is to cry out in repentance for the Spirit of God to be poured out on us- and then to live in the change that brings! For most of us, endurance is what we think about when we have to go to a boring college class, sit through a long sermon, listen to another story from our in laws, watch someone else's vacation video, or go to a dance recital. And nobility, for most, is something of a by-gone era, a quaint idea that is not really relevant in our day of PEDs, adulterous politicians, and scandalous church leaders. But aren't these things that we want in our lives? We want these things for the long-haul- both endurance and nobility. To walk through life with an excellence of character that stands tall when life gets difficult. So often, we fail to pay attention to the things that matter, to the things that enable us to be those kinds of people who go through life with an enduring nobility. Our only hope is to cry out in repentance for the Spirit of God to be poured out on us- and then to live in the change that brings! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130804NobilityEndurance.mp3 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 06:00:00 GMT 47:58 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Sent Christians travel all over the world "doing missions" as a part of the Great Commission. Africa, Asia, Mexico... There are many places that people go as a part of the call to make disciples of all nations. The Sanctuary just had a team return from Uganda, and they saw many amazing things happen! While this is a great thing to do, what if the Great Commission was meant to convey more?? What if the 11-day trip to Africa was meant only to whet your appetite for a missional lifestyle - lived out every day of your life? This is the point of the missional efforts at TSF and our desire is to step fully into John 20:21 both as a church body and for each individual in our church family. PChristians travel all over the world "doing missions" as a part of the Great Commission. Africa, Asia, Mexico... There are many places that people go as a part of the call to make disciples of all nations. The Sanctuary just had a team return from Uganda, and they saw many amazing things happen! While this is a great thing to do, what if the Great Commission was meant to convey more?? What if the 11-day trip to Africa was meant only to whet your appetite for a missional lifestyle - lived out every day of your life? This is the point of the missional efforts at TSF and our desire is to step fully into John 20:21 both as a church body and for each individual in our church family. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130728Sent.mp3 Sun, 28 Jul 2013 06:00:00 GMT 46:05 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Pastor Alex Hernandez The Sanctuary Podcast - An Exemplary Life Pastor Alex shares on what it means to live an exemplary life. Pastor Alex shares on what it means to live an exemplary life. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130721ExemplaryLife.mp3 Sun, 21 Jul 2013 06:00:00 GMT 42:48 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah What does it mean to walk with the Lord? His presence is all around us all the time. If we are his followers he lives in our hearts. When we join together to praise him and study his word, he is there. Perhaps the better question is to ask do we sense the presence of the Lord? Do we want it and seek it? At any given time, we are either walking toward God, with God or away from God. Many of us need to realize just how far we have drifted from God and we need to pray for and pursue a major course correction. Our wandering hearts hurt us and cause God pain- and he calls us to return to him. He even makes a way for us to come back to him, to walk with him every day, even when we're doing everything to stay far away from him! What does it mean to walk with the Lord? His presence is all around us all the time. If we are his followers he lives in our hearts. When we join together to praise him and study his word, he is there. Perhaps the better question is to ask do we sense the presence of the Lord? Do we want it and seek it? At any given time, we are either walking toward God, with God or away from God. Many of us need to realize just how far we have drifted from God and we need to pray for and pursue a major course correction. Our wandering hearts hurt us and cause God pain- and he calls us to return to him. He even makes a way for us to come back to him, to walk with him every day, even when we're doing everything to stay far away from him! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130714ReturnToLord.mp3 Sun, 14 Jul 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:06:26 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah We live in a world where people with handicaps cannot only function but flourish. Advancements in technology, broad rules regarding construction and public access, and a radical change in perspective regarding those with handicaps have combined to make the prospects of handicapped persons infinitely better than they were just 25 or 50 years ago. But when all is said and done, I think most of us would agree that its better to not be handicapped, even though these great advancements have been made. More debilitating is a form of spiritual handicap that keeps us from seeing the works of the Lord, the plans he has made for us and the ways in which he is working. The cure for our spiritual blindness is a super-natural, merciful work of God! We live in a world where people with handicaps cannot only function but flourish. Advancements in technology, broad rules regarding construction and public access, and a radical change in perspective regarding those with handicaps have combined to make the prospects of handicapped persons infinitely better than they were just 25 or 50 years ago. But when all is said and done, I think most of us would agree that its better to not be handicapped, even though these great advancements have been made. More debilitating is a form of spiritual handicap that keeps us from seeing the works of the Lord, the plans he has made for us and the ways in which he is working. The cure for our spiritual blindness is a super-natural, merciful work of God! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130707BlindToOne.mp3 Sun, 07 Jul 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:01:05 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah The human ear is a pretty amazing instrument. It can detect very quiet sounds, high pitched sounds, sounds that are low in the registry, and sounds that are so loud they cause the listener pain. Of course there are limitations to what we can hear, but the thing for us to focus on is listening. How much we probably miss every day simply because we're not listening! Repeatedly in Isaiah, God tells people to listen to him, to hear what he says and to be prepared to obey it. But many of us are listening to competing voices and we refuse to hear the Lord- so he starts to speak very loudly. We must pray for open ears so that we hear the words of the Lord and are prepared to obey what he is saying because it is also the choice between life and death. The human ear is a pretty amazing instrument. It can detect very quiet sounds, high pitched sounds, sounds that are low in the registry, and sounds that are so loud they cause the listener pain. Of course there are limitations to what we can hear, but the thing for us to focus on is listening. How much we probably miss every day simply because we're not listening! Repeatedly in Isaiah, God tells people to listen to him, to hear what he says and to be prepared to obey it. But many of us are listening to competing voices and we refuse to hear the Lord- so he starts to speak very loudly. We must pray for open ears so that we hear the words of the Lord and are prepared to obey what he is saying because it is also the choice between life and death. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130630LiesWisdom.mp3 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:00:39 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah We live in a world where information and knowledge are ever present. Knowledge currently doubles at a rate of about every 13 years. Predictions are that it will soon double every 12 hours! Its hard to assimilate all of the information that's flying at us from every corner. It might be more difficult to figure out how to live wisely in a world that is full of knowledge, full of the ability to know much, do much, learn much. God wants us to live in the fullness of life that comes with discernment and to not suffer the pain and disappointment and potential ruin that comes from living life with knowledge but not with discernment. We live in a world where information and knowledge are ever present. Knowledge currently doubles at a rate of about every 13 years. Predictions are that it will soon double every 12 hours! Its hard to assimilate all of the information that's flying at us from every corner. It might be more difficult to figure out how to live wisely in a world that is full of knowledge, full of the ability to know much, do much, learn much. God wants us to live in the fullness of life that comes with discernment and to not suffer the pain and disappointment and potential ruin that comes from living life with knowledge but not with discernment. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130623WayToPeace.mp3 Sun, 23 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMT 1:00:48 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Parle The Sanctuary Podcast - Built to Last Zechariah was written around 519 BC to the 50,000 Israelites who returned from captivity to rebuild the temple. It was written to encourage the completion of the rebuilding of the temple by revealing to the people God’s plans for the future judgment of the world powers and the deliverance of Israel. Whereas Haggai called these people to be strong and to work, Zechariah revealed the secret of their strength. Zechariah was written around 519 BC to the 50,000 Israelites who returned from captivity to rebuild the temple. It was written to encourage the completion of the rebuilding of the temple by revealing to the people God’s plans for the future judgment of the world powers and the deliverance of Israel. Whereas Haggai called these people to be strong and to work, Zechariah revealed the secret of their strength. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130616BuiltToLast.mp3 Sun, 16 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMT 51:43 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah A missionary mindset has been a part of Christianity from its earliest days. Less than 170 years after Christ's resurrection, Christian missionaries had travelled to Briton and Japan. They went to unknown cultures full of danger and strange practices believing that they were doing so under the calling and cause of God. But the impetus behind CHristian and modern missions is much older. 21st century, Christian missions are rooted in what has been described as the Mission Dei- God's mission, and God has been on mission since the beginning of time. And we are to join him by being on mission. A missionary mindset has been a part of Christianity from its earliest days. Less than 170 years after Christ's resurrection, Christian missionaries had travelled to Briton and Japan. They went to unknown cultures full of danger and strange practices believing that they were doing so under the calling and cause of God. But the impetus behind CHristian and modern missions is much older. 21st century, Christian missions are rooted in what has been described as the Mission Dei- God's mission, and God has been on mission since the beginning of time. And we are to join him by being on mission. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130609OnMission.mp3 Sun, 09 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMT 59:13 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Somehow or another, cities have gotten a bad rap. Whether its the press of humanity living in close proximity, or traffic, or crime statistics, or the pace of life, cities are often seen as bad. In place of that is the idea that living in the country is good; intrinsically good, especially in contrast to living in a city. Almost as if to show us how confused and screwed up our thinking about most things is, God has promised us that we will live forever in a city. Not just in a concept called 'heaven' but in a localized, specific place- a city. And there are sharp, inherent differences between the city that God has for his people and the city of those who refuse his grace. We're all already feeling the effects of those two cities right now. Which city are you preparing yourself to live in forever? Somehow or another, cities have gotten a bad rap. Whether its the press of humanity living in close proximity, or traffic, or crime statistics, or the pace of life, cities are often seen as bad. In place of that is the idea that living in the country is good; intrinsically good, especially in contrast to living in a city. Almost as if to show us how confused and screwed up our thinking about most things is, God has promised us that we will live forever in a city. Not just in a concept called 'heaven' but in a localized, specific place- a city. And there are sharp, inherent differences between the city that God has for his people and the city of those who refuse his grace. We're all already feeling the effects of those two cities right now. Which city are you preparing yourself to live in forever? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130602TaleTwoCities.mp3 Sun, 02 Jun 2013 06:00:00 GMT 56:49 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah We are a lot like ancient Israel in many ways - we pursue things other than the Lord that we think will fulfill us, but it only leads to shame. The Lord called Isaiah to walk around naked for three years, and it was not meant to bring shame on Isaiah, but rather point to the shame of Israel for placing their hopes in men and not The Lord. How have we sought to cover our shame with things of this world? With people, things, experiences, etc.? Are we simply standing there fully exposed, hoping for a place to hide? Join us today as we allow the Word of God to pierce our hearts and conform us to the image of God. We are a lot like ancient Israel in many ways - we pursue things other than the Lord that we think will fulfill us, but it only leads to shame. The Lord called Isaiah to walk around naked for three years, and it was not meant to bring shame on Isaiah, but rather point to the shame of Israel for placing their hopes in men and not The Lord. How have we sought to cover our shame with things of this world? With people, things, experiences, etc.? Are we simply standing there fully exposed, hoping for a place to hide? Join us today as we allow the Word of God to pierce our hearts and conform us to the image of God. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130526FullyExposed.mp3 Sun, 26 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT 42:49 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah God has called Isaiah to deliver a string of difficult messages, messages that have burdened his heart and that have included both judgment and hope. Now he gives him a special word for his own people and its a tough one too! Isaiah has to tell his people that they've made the wrong preparations- that they haven't spent any time getting their hearts ready. That they've trusted in the wrong people- that the people they've placed their hope in are already failing and will lead them only to loss and pain. That they've been upset about the wrong things- that they are more upset about losing a battle or losing possessions than they are about why these things are happening. We have been given a very similar mission by God- will we be faithful to tell what he has given us? Will we hang all of our troubles and burdens on the one who cannot fail? God has called Isaiah to deliver a string of difficult messages, messages that have burdened his heart and that have included both judgment and hope. Now he gives him a special word for his own people and its a tough one too! Isaiah has to tell his people that they've made the wrong preparations- that they haven't spent any time getting their hearts ready. That they've trusted in the wrong people- that the people they've placed their hope in are already failing and will lead them only to loss and pain. That they've been upset about the wrong things- that they are more upset about losing a battle or losing possessions than they are about why these things are happening. We have been given a very similar mission by God- will we be faithful to tell what he has given us? Will we hang all of our troubles and burdens on the one who cannot fail? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130519GrievePrepareTrust.mp3 Sun, 19 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT 54:05 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Trust is a word that we use a lot but its a difficult thing to come by. We don't always know who to trust. And its difficult to get someone to trust us. Life is full of opportunities to earn trust, give trust, and lose trust. We are usually busy lining ourselves up with people or organizations or events or things that promise us some kind of happiness. We are trusting them to give us what they promise; lack of pain, lack of want, pleasure, riches, security, loneliness. What we find out quickly and often painfully is that when we trust ungodly things or people to give us these things and they fail to do so- we share in that failure. We share in that pain, loss and disappointment when we have given our trust away to "gods" that can't provide them. God wants us to be desperate for him and to remember and trust who he has been and can be in our lives- the only one who can follow through with his promises, the only one who can save us and protect us! Trust is a word that we use a lot but its a difficult thing to come by. We don't always know who to trust. And its difficult to get someone to trust us. Life is full of opportunities to earn trust, give trust, and lose trust. We are usually busy lining ourselves up with people or organizations or events or things that promise us some kind of happiness. We are trusting them to give us what they promise; lack of pain, lack of want, pleasure, riches, security, loneliness. What we find out quickly and often painfully is that when we trust ungodly things or people to give us these things and they fail to do so- we share in that failure. We share in that pain, loss and disappointment when we have given our trust away to "gods" that can't provide them. God wants us to be desperate for him and to remember and trust who he has been and can be in our lives- the only one who can follow through with his promises, the only one who can save us and protect us! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130505RememberTrust.mp3 Sun, 05 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT 55:38 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah An unhealthy kind of pride has long been considered a major character flaw in the heart of most people. Dating back to the ancient Greeks, almost all writers in the Western world have acknowledged the many sins, faults, and hurts that have been perpetrated due to pride. If we take a closer, more honest look behind the veil of most of our sins and struggles we will see that most of us exist within a constant, titanic struggle with pride. God wants us to leave our destructive pride and turn to him in love and humility for a joy that nothing can ever take away. He wants us free from pride and to tell others to run away from it- and to him in faith and love! An unhealthy kind of pride has long been considered a major character flaw in the heart of most people. Dating back to the ancient Greeks, almost all writers in the Western world have acknowledged the many sins, faults, and hurts that have been perpetrated due to pride. If we take a closer, more honest look behind the veil of most of our sins and struggles we will see that most of us exist within a constant, titanic struggle with pride. God wants us to leave our destructive pride and turn to him in love and humility for a joy that nothing can ever take away. He wants us free from pride and to tell others to run away from it- and to him in faith and love! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130428GracePride.mp3 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT 58:57 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah The world is full of things that are unjust and strike us as exceedingly unjust. One of the first phrases that our children often utter is, "That's not fair!" There seems to be something deep in a human's heart that desires justice, especially in the face of something horribly terrible or terribly personally offensive. As we are wronged or perceived to be wronged, we often cry out to God to make things right and to bring justice to a world that harms the helpless and innocent. But what happens when God answers that prayer? When he responds and lets his justice roll? We often find that we are more desperate for God's grace than we are for his mercy as we see our pride and rebellious spirit revealed. The world is full of things that are unjust and strike us as exceedingly unjust. One of the first phrases that our children often utter is, "That's not fair!" There seems to be something deep in a human's heart that desires justice, especially in the face of something horribly terrible or terribly personally offensive. As we are wronged or perceived to be wronged, we often cry out to God to make things right and to bring justice to a world that harms the helpless and innocent. But what happens when God answers that prayer? When he responds and lets his justice roll? We often find that we are more desperate for God's grace than we are for his mercy as we see our pride and rebellious spirit revealed. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130421PrideJustice.mp3 Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT 57:11 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - One Year: Evaluation On April 15, 2012, The Sanctuary Fellowship moved from a middle school to meeting at our present location- a former Sears hardware store in Richmond, TX. That was a great accomplishment in and of itself for a young church and in many ways our first year at this location has been fantastic. Leadership is constantly evaluating what's going on at TSF, but what if Christ himself were to evaluate us? What if our Savior were to come and inspect our ministry, our goals and objectives, our calendar, our activity....our hearts? What would he find? What would he say? Christ is deeply interested in what happens in his church and at The Sanctuary Fellowship. We want to hear and receive his evaluation and strive to not only do his works but love him first in every way possible. On April 15, 2012, The Sanctuary Fellowship moved from a middle school to meeting at our present location- a former Sears hardware store in Richmond, TX. That was a great accomplishment in and of itself for a young church and in many ways our first year at this location has been fantastic. Leadership is constantly evaluating what's going on at TSF, but what if Christ himself were to evaluate us? What if our Savior were to come and inspect our ministry, our goals and objectives, our calendar, our activity....our hearts? What would he find? What would he say? Christ is deeply interested in what happens in his church and at The Sanctuary Fellowship. We want to hear and receive his evaluation and strive to not only do his works but love him first in every way possible. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130414Evaluation.mp3 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT 56:06 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are moments in life that require "the right song." There are relationships in life that are summarized in "our song." There are memories and times in our past that are best remembered with "that song." Music and lyrics often have a way of summarizing or expressing our emotions in ways we otherwise can't. And then there's the times when we need a song, we want to scream-sing a song at the top of our lungs...and we can't find the right one. As Christ-followers, we have been given some amazing blessings in the past and some awe-inspiring promises for the future. But often we get lost in our daily trials or devastating losses to remember our song. So God calls us to sing- to him, for the nations, about him- so we won't forget and they will know about his excellent deeds! There are moments in life that require "the right song." There are relationships in life that are summarized in "our song." There are memories and times in our past that are best remembered with "that song." Music and lyrics often have a way of summarizing or expressing our emotions in ways we otherwise can't. And then there's the times when we need a song, we want to scream-sing a song at the top of our lungs...and we can't find the right one. As Christ-followers, we have been given some amazing blessings in the past and some awe-inspiring promises for the future. But often we get lost in our daily trials or devastating losses to remember our song. So God calls us to sing- to him, for the nations, about him- so we won't forget and they will know about his excellent deeds! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130407SingTheSong.mp3 Sun, 07 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT 47:00 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Easter Sunday Easter is a unique Sunday because it pulls people together from so many diverse backgrounds. And in those Easter Sunday crowds, almost every aspect of the human condition can be found. But there are groups of people that get together every Sunday to sing the same songs and talk about the same God that everyone else does on Easter. What brings those people together 51 other Sundays each year? What causes them to experience radical changes in life and to join with others to discuss that on a regular basis? Its the good news of Christ and that good news requires that we submit to it and rest in it- its the Easter story of Christ and his power to save us every day and in every way! Easter is a unique Sunday because it pulls people together from so many diverse backgrounds. And in those Easter Sunday crowds, almost every aspect of the human condition can be found. But there are groups of people that get together every Sunday to sing the same songs and talk about the same God that everyone else does on Easter. What brings those people together 51 other Sundays each year? What causes them to experience radical changes in life and to join with others to discuss that on a regular basis? Its the good news of Christ and that good news requires that we submit to it and rest in it- its the Easter story of Christ and his power to save us every day and in every way! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130331EasterSunday.mp3 Sun, 31 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT 40:31 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Leadership Pastor, Matt Prine speaks of the proper viewpoint a Christian should have on suffering. Leadership Pastor, Matt Prine speaks of the proper viewpoint a Christian should have on suffering. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130317PeopleSuffering.mp3 Sun, 17 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT 58:11 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah As we experience the ups and downs of life, its tempting to believe things that may or may not be true about our circumstances. We can believe that yesterday was the best, that the past holds the best times of our lives and wish that today was more like yesterday. We can get caught up in the immediacy or the pain or the thrill of today and hope that things never change. We can look ahead to tomorrow and pray and wish with all our might that things change quickly, that life can only get better tomorrow. Isaiah offers an interesting solution to our tendency to live in one of these three realities- yesterday, today or tomorrow. He gives us a forever hope that can equip us to not only live in power wherever and whenever we are but can give us the deepest of peace and meaning in a vibrant relationship with God. As we experience the ups and downs of life, its tempting to believe things that may or may not be true about our circumstances. We can believe that yesterday was the best, that the past holds the best times of our lives and wish that today was more like yesterday. We can get caught up in the immediacy or the pain or the thrill of today and hope that things never change. We can look ahead to tomorrow and pray and wish with all our might that things change quickly, that life can only get better tomorrow. Isaiah offers an interesting solution to our tendency to live in one of these three realities- yesterday, today or tomorrow. He gives us a forever hope that can equip us to not only live in power wherever and whenever we are but can give us the deepest of peace and meaning in a vibrant relationship with God. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130310YesterdayTodayForever.mp3 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT 01:02:27 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Truth Weekend Our students spent the weekend looking at concepts of justice and mercy and kindness and compassion and a living, vibrant life-walk with God. But why talk about justice at all? Why does God care so much about it and what does it tell us about who God is? There is a great need for justice across the globe, in the mission endeavors of The Sanctuary Fellowship corporately, and locally in every individual Christian's life. Be challenged to live on mission every day and to pursue a life of justice and mercy with every gift and talent the Lord has entrusted to you. Our students spent the weekend looking at concepts of justice and mercy and kindness and compassion and a living, vibrant life-walk with God. But why talk about justice at all? Why does God care so much about it and what does it tell us about who God is? There is a great need for justice across the globe, in the mission endeavors of The Sanctuary Fellowship corporately, and locally in every individual Christian's life. Be challenged to live on mission every day and to pursue a life of justice and mercy with every gift and talent the Lord has entrusted to you. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130303JusticeMercy.mp3 Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT 01:04:36 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Its easy and tempting to start looking at the situation of the world around us and see the worst of everything. With so many whispers about dark organizations, all-powerful organizations that use countries and governments and even religions as pawns in their plans for world dominance, its tempting to believe that some shadowy group will eventually rule it all and be the ruin of us all. In the darkest of times, where will you turn for light? Who will you believe about what is true? Will you behave like God is in control? Its easy and tempting to start looking at the situation of the world around us and see the worst of everything. With so many whispers about dark organizations, all-powerful organizations that use countries and governments and even religions as pawns in their plans for world dominance, its tempting to believe that some shadowy group will eventually rule it all and be the ruin of us all. In the darkest of times, where will you turn for light? Who will you believe about what is true? Will you behave like God is in control? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130224Conspiracy.mp3 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT 50:56 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah During difficult times, America's media consumption undergoes some significant changes. As the reality or perception of life swings to the negative, we move toward grittier movies and tv shows and entertainment that helps us escape our rough reality. Instead of thinking about living for something we get caught up in survival mode; just getting through these difficult times and be the last man standing on the other side. God knows all about dark times and he sets out to meet with us during those times in order to build our faith and give us opportunities to serve him. The only remaining to be seen is how we will respond- with faith or with fear. During difficult times, America's media consumption undergoes some significant changes. As the reality or perception of life swings to the negative, we move toward grittier movies and tv shows and entertainment that helps us escape our rough reality. Instead of thinking about living for something we get caught up in survival mode; just getting through these difficult times and be the last man standing on the other side. God knows all about dark times and he sets out to meet with us during those times in order to build our faith and give us opportunities to serve him. The only remaining to be seen is how we will respond- with faith or with fear. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130217EncountersWithGod.mp3 Sun, 17 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT 45:30 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are a lot of things in life that stress us out. Personally, relationships get hard and hurtful, jobs and careers get disillusioning, finances get overwhelming, and family gets confusing. Nationally, we are told that we are going bankrupt but we must spend more, we are safe but we must take more precautions, we are living longer but we must be healthier. So many confusing messages about almost every area of life and it all leads to stress and worry. Isaiah lived at a time when things were stressful. A time when the king was dead. A time when the enemies were knocking at the gate. It really was a perfect storm setting Isaiah up to ask, "Where are you, God?" When we forget that there is a Throne and that God sits on that throne, we will have our hopes repeatedly dashed on the rocks of life. We must see God for who he is, see ourselves rightly, surrender to his solutions to our problems, and commit to going where he sends us. Stress and worry morph into faith, joy, and deep peace that it all serves his glorious plans. There are a lot of things in life that stress us out. Personally, relationships get hard and hurtful, jobs and careers get disillusioning, finances get overwhelming, and family gets confusing. Nationally, we are told that we are going bankrupt but we must spend more, we are safe but we must take more precautions, we are living longer but we must be healthier. So many confusing messages about almost every area of life and it all leads to stress and worry. Isaiah lived at a time when things were stressful. A time when the king was dead. A time when the enemies were knocking at the gate. It really was a perfect storm setting Isaiah up to ask, "Where are you, God?" When we forget that there is a Throne and that God sits on that throne, we will have our hopes repeatedly dashed on the rocks of life. We must see God for who he is, see ourselves rightly, surrender to his solutions to our problems, and commit to going where he sends us. Stress and worry morph into faith, joy, and deep peace that it all serves his glorious plans. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130210SeeGoTell.mp3 Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT 57:06 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Purity is something that most of us what in our lives and character, but few of us have a grasp of what that means much less how to get it. While many of us will go to great lengths and expense for purity in our drinking water and food, few of us understand or appreciate the lengths God has already gone through to purify us. God desperately wants his people to be purified, not just in our positions as his children but in how we live every day- that our daily choices and lifestyles would be holy and set apart for him. There is a day coming when the holy ones will live with God and Christ and he wants us to be there with him! Purity is something that most of us what in our lives and character, but few of us have a grasp of what that means much less how to get it. While many of us will go to great lengths and expense for purity in our drinking water and food, few of us understand or appreciate the lengths God has already gone through to purify us. God desperately wants his people to be purified, not just in our positions as his children but in how we live every day- that our daily choices and lifestyles would be holy and set apart for him. There is a day coming when the holy ones will live with God and Christ and he wants us to be there with him! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130203ExpectantlyPurified.mp3 Sun, 03 Feb 2013 06:00:00 GMT 57:04 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Detox The human brain is an incredible machine and can accomplish some pretty amazing feats. Whether through training or by adaptation, the brain can perform acts of memory, creativity and calculation that the average person finds to be almost super-human. Somewhere in the inner part of the brain is the mind. Perhaps like the body is some kind of representation/receptacle for the human spirit, the brain functions like that for the mind. As much as the brain is gifted and talented and loaded with potential, the mind places it very close to the biggest problem known to man. Sin. So our thoughts and plans and thinking processes are unformed, broken, and sinful. While the Bible describes the mind of man as depraved, it also tells us of a hope that we have in Christ to have our minds renewed, changed to reflect the thoughts of our Creator God. We must have our minds renewed and set our mental and spiritual sights on thinking deeply about God's ways and on the Scriptures, and how they can be expressed in our lives everyday. The human brain is an incredible machine and can accomplish some pretty amazing feats. Whether through training or by adaptation, the brain can perform acts of memory, creativity and calculation that the average person finds to be almost super-human. Somewhere in the inner part of the brain is the mind. Perhaps like the body is some kind of representation/receptacle for the human spirit, the brain functions like that for the mind. As much as the brain is gifted and talented and loaded with potential, the mind places it very close to the biggest problem known to man. Sin. So our thoughts and plans and thinking processes are unformed, broken, and sinful. While the Bible describes the mind of man as depraved, it also tells us of a hope that we have in Christ to have our minds renewed, changed to reflect the thoughts of our Creator God. We must have our minds renewed and set our mental and spiritual sights on thinking deeply about God's ways and on the Scriptures, and how they can be expressed in our lives everyday. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130127DetoxMind.mp3 Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT 55:28 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Detox In our natural created state, we are all worshipers. Because we are created in the image of God and bear that image in us, even in our fallenness, we know there is something worth our worship. We should direct our love and admiration and life-focus toward God, but the sin in our hearts tells us a lie. We convince ourselves that the best way for us to be happy is to follow our way. We convince ourselves that we are the best hope for happiness and we give ourselves over to the glorification of us. Any time we place our hope for righteousness, goodness, happiness, etc, in ourselves, we are worshiping us. And that self idolatry leads to many other grievous and egregious sins. The lie says, "I am the hero-worship me!"; God says, "Christ is the hero- worship him!" In our natural created state, we are all worshipers. Because we are created in the image of God and bear that image in us, even in our fallenness, we know there is something worth our worship. We should direct our love and admiration and life-focus toward God, but the sin in our hearts tells us a lie. We convince ourselves that the best way for us to be happy is to follow our way. We convince ourselves that we are the best hope for happiness and we give ourselves over to the glorification of us. Any time we place our hope for righteousness, goodness, happiness, etc, in ourselves, we are worshiping us. And that self idolatry leads to many other grievous and egregious sins. The lie says, "I am the hero-worship me!"; God says, "Christ is the hero- worship him!" http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130120DetoxMe.mp3 Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT 50:19 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Detox As U.S. residents, we are programmed from an early age to consume things. Marketers spend billions of dollars every year aimed at enticing children to buy goods (actually, to have their parents buy things!). By the time we are adults we are well conditioned buyers. We've been taught that there's nothing that we want that we can't and shouldn't have. We believe that its our right to purchase as much as we can. Inside of us, there's a gnawing need for relevancy and meaning and satisfaction and we believe that by having these things and using them until the next, newest thing comes out is what will give us meaning. We have to switch our minds and hearts away from being consumers, away from the toxic lies that poison our hearts about our belongings and the reasons why we want things. We want to detox from toxic materialism and move toward a healthy Kingdom consumerism. As U.S. residents, we are programmed from an early age to consume things. Marketers spend billions of dollars every year aimed at enticing children to buy goods (actually, to have their parents buy things!). By the time we are adults we are well conditioned buyers. We've been taught that there's nothing that we want that we can't and shouldn't have. We believe that its our right to purchase as much as we can. Inside of us, there's a gnawing need for relevancy and meaning and satisfaction and we believe that by having these things and using them until the next, newest thing comes out is what will give us meaning. We have to switch our minds and hearts away from being consumers, away from the toxic lies that poison our hearts about our belongings and the reasons why we want things. We want to detox from toxic materialism and move toward a healthy Kingdom consumerism. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130113DetoxPossessions.mp3 Sun, 13 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT 01:09:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Detox Its vital as we seek to live in the freedom and fullness of life from Christ that we evaluate our hearts, lifestyles, thoughts, behavior, etc, and determine what is and isn't pleasing to the Lord. We can look at some broad-stroke items, but we'll always have to delve deeper and into more detail if we're going to do the real business that we need to in order to live the life God wants for us. As we review our relationships we want to identify and be honest about the damaging practices we've adopted that hurt us and those around us. Specifically, we want to pull up and get rid of the poisonous roots that have grown down into our hearts that can keep us from having fulfilled relationships. Scripture calls this a 'root of bitternenss' and the first step for each of us is to look inside, test ourselves, be honest and say, "I'm a little bit bitter...." Its vital as we seek to live in the freedom and fullness of life from Christ that we evaluate our hearts, lifestyles, thoughts, behavior, etc, and determine what is and isn't pleasing to the Lord. We can look at some broad-stroke items, but we'll always have to delve deeper and into more detail if we're going to do the real business that we need to in order to live the life God wants for us. As we review our relationships we want to identify and be honest about the damaging practices we've adopted that hurt us and those around us. Specifically, we want to pull up and get rid of the poisonous roots that have grown down into our hearts that can keep us from having fulfilled relationships. Scripture calls this a 'root of bitternenss' and the first step for each of us is to look inside, test ourselves, be honest and say, "I'm a little bit bitter...." http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/130106DetoxRelationships.mp3 Sun, 06 Jan 2013 06:00:00 GMT 01:04:55 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Parle The Sanctuary Podcast - Trials Guest Speaker Joe Parle talks about the trials Christians face and the power they have in Jesus Christ to overcome them. Guest Speaker Joe Parle talks about the trials Christians face and the power they have in Jesus Christ to overcome them. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121230JoeParleTrials.mp3 Sun, 30 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT 57:36 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words We've come to use the word miracle for a lot of things, but it rarely means the truly supernatural any more. Most of the times we mean something that is very coincidental or something that should we never expected to happen. At Christmas, we use that word to describe the virgin birth of Christ, the star that shone over Bethlehem, or the angels appearing to the Shepherds. While these are all certainly miracle in and of themselves and we should praise God for each of them, are any of them individually or are they collectively THE miracle of Christmas? We must be careful that when we talk about the miracles around the Christmas season we don't miss THE miracle that changed history and changes hearts today. We've come to use the word miracle for a lot of things, but it rarely means the truly supernatural any more. Most of the times we mean something that is very coincidental or something that should we never expected to happen. At Christmas, we use that word to describe the virgin birth of Christ, the star that shone over Bethlehem, or the angels appearing to the Shepherds. While these are all certainly miracle in and of themselves and we should praise God for each of them, are any of them individually or are they collectively THE miracle of Christmas? We must be careful that when we talk about the miracles around the Christmas season we don't miss THE miracle that changed history and changes hearts today. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121223MoreThanWordsMiracle.mp3 Sun, 23 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT 45:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words Large ships have been known to "slip their anchor" and drift about in the open sea or run ashore because they didn't have a secure line holding them fast. At other times, ships can be securely anchored but their mooring lines get snapped in high winds or heavy seas also resulting in these ships drifting about in rough waters. So many times our lives are like that. We think we've set our anchor and in even in the slightest disturbance we are cast afloat. We think our anchor is heavy enough to be immovable, but when the wind blows just so we are cast adrift. When life's storms come, when the night is at its darkest, when hope seems lost- what serves as your anchor? May the hope of Christ be born in you this Christmas! (Note- this was the Sunday immediately after the school shooting in Newtown, CT, on December 14, 2012) Large ships have been known to "slip their anchor" and drift about in the open sea or run ashore because they didn't have a secure line holding them fast. At other times, ships can be securely anchored but their mooring lines get snapped in high winds or heavy seas also resulting in these ships drifting about in rough waters. So many times our lives are like that. We think we've set our anchor and in even in the slightest disturbance we are cast afloat. We think our anchor is heavy enough to be immovable, but when the wind blows just so we are cast adrift. When life's storms come, when the night is at its darkest, when hope seems lost- what serves as your anchor? May the hope of Christ be born in you this Christmas! (Note- this was the Sunday immediately after the school shooting in Newtown, CT, on December 14, 2012) http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121216MoreThanWordsBorn.mp3 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT 37:31 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words Trying to discern between our wants and our needs is generally a fairly difficult thing to do in America, and Christmas seems to only exasperate the situation. Life at this time of year becomes a mad scramble to get everything we want in hopes that it will meet all of our needs. In the craziness that is the holidays, we want a place to rest. A place to stop, to find ourselves and to really assess what our needs are and the best way to meet them. As we live life in a hectic, chaotic, uncooperative world, let's see what God has to say about giving us rest and how he would meet our deepest needs. Trying to discern between our wants and our needs is generally a fairly difficult thing to do in America, and Christmas seems to only exasperate the situation. Life at this time of year becomes a mad scramble to get everything we want in hopes that it will meet all of our needs. In the craziness that is the holidays, we want a place to rest. A place to stop, to find ourselves and to really assess what our needs are and the best way to meet them. As we live life in a hectic, chaotic, uncooperative world, let's see what God has to say about giving us rest and how he would meet our deepest needs. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121209MoreThanWordsRest.mp3 Sun, 09 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT 45:24 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words The Principle of Least Effort is a theory that states that all intelligent beings will naturally choose the path of least resistance to accomplish work. There are physical laws that seem to reflect this, too; so much so that we seem to be surrounded by people and things that will put out the least effort to get the biggest gains or to accomplish the most work. If we're not careful we'll default to this "easier instinct" and give in to it in every area of life. It can creep into our relationships, too- relationships with God and with people. So what happens when God's high call on our lives directly challenges the impulse to do things the easy way? In the moment that we receive the great demands of following God, will we respond with faith? The Principle of Least Effort is a theory that states that all intelligent beings will naturally choose the path of least resistance to accomplish work. There are physical laws that seem to reflect this, too; so much so that we seem to be surrounded by people and things that will put out the least effort to get the biggest gains or to accomplish the most work. If we're not careful we'll default to this "easier instinct" and give in to it in every area of life. It can creep into our relationships, too- relationships with God and with people. So what happens when God's high call on our lives directly challenges the impulse to do things the easy way? In the moment that we receive the great demands of following God, will we respond with faith? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121202MoreThanWordsEasier.mp3 Sun, 02 Dec 2012 06:00:00 GMT 41:57 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Preparing for Advent As December 25th rapidly approaches, we are bombarded with commercials advertising the newest toys, cars, clothing, jewelry and countless other things that we absolutely MUST buy if we are to be ready for Christmas. But for Christians, this time is not to be spent in shopping malls and online marketplaces trying to benefit from the best sales on things we do not need. It should be a time to prepare our hearts for two things: Remembering Jesus' incarnation and looking forward to His return. For centuries, the season leading up to Christmas day has been celebrated as Advent, and we want to ensure that we honor the name of Christ. Join us as we look at John 3:16, and see how this one verse embodies the "reason for the season." As December 25th rapidly approaches, we are bombarded with commercials advertising the newest toys, cars, clothing, jewelry and countless other things that we absolutely MUST buy if we are to be ready for Christmas. But for Christians, this time is not to be spent in shopping malls and online marketplaces trying to benefit from the best sales on things we do not need. It should be a time to prepare our hearts for two things: Remembering Jesus' incarnation and looking forward to His return. For centuries, the season leading up to Christmas day has been celebrated as Advent, and we want to ensure that we honor the name of Christ. Join us as we look at John 3:16, and see how this one verse embodies the "reason for the season." http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121125PreparingForAdvent.mp3 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 06:00:00 GMT 35:17 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There have been countless great men and women who have shaped the world we now live in. More importantly, most of us can point to a handful (maybe just one person!) of people who have influenced us for the good, who have spoken truth into our hearts, who have guided us in significant ways. All of us want and need those people and our culture desperately needs men to MEN and women to be WOMEN. But what happens with good men and women refuse to lead? What happens when Godliness in men and women is no longer valued or encouraged? God has ordained that Godly men and women lead but when they won't people of lesser morality will- and all of society suffers the consequences. There have been countless great men and women who have shaped the world we now live in. More importantly, most of us can point to a handful (maybe just one person!) of people who have influenced us for the good, who have spoken truth into our hearts, who have guided us in significant ways. All of us want and need those people and our culture desperately needs men to MEN and women to be WOMEN. But what happens with good men and women refuse to lead? What happens when Godliness in men and women is no longer valued or encouraged? God has ordained that Godly men and women lead but when they won't people of lesser morality will- and all of society suffers the consequences. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121118WhereAreMenWomen.mp3 Sun, 18 Nov 2012 06:00:00 GMT 52:44 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Human beings have always worshiped...something. Birds. Stars. Mountains. Nature. Other human beings. In times past it was a popular practice to make an image of the thing being worshiped, to bow down to it, to offer sacrifices to it, to give gifts to it. Modern man struggles with his own idols and continues to give his life to them. Idolatry serves as one of the over-arching themes of Scripture; man's propensity to it and God's remedy for it. We all must evaluate what we are worshiping with our lives, what we are loving with our hearts, and what we must cast aside so we can possess the full majesty of God through Christ. Life is just as much defined by what we put away as it is by what we cling to. Human beings have always worshiped...something. Birds. Stars. Mountains. Nature. Other human beings. In times past it was a popular practice to make an image of the thing being worshiped, to bow down to it, to offer sacrifices to it, to give gifts to it. Modern man struggles with his own idols and continues to give his life to them. Idolatry serves as one of the over-arching themes of Scripture; man's propensity to it and God's remedy for it. We all must evaluate what we are worshiping with our lives, what we are loving with our hearts, and what we must cast aside so we can possess the full majesty of God through Christ. Life is just as much defined by what we put away as it is by what we cling to. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121111TroubleWithIdols.mp3 Sun, 11 Nov 2012 06:00:00 GMT 49:09 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah JIts not difficult for most of us to think of at least one prideful person. And most of us have a pretty good grasp on what makes a person prideful. And most of us would never want to see ourselves as being prideful. But that's kind of the problem with pride, isn't it? A huge blind spot in our character that keeps us from ever having meaningful relationships with others and destructive of our relationship with God. As we act on our pride and make lifestyle choices that turn us to self sufficiency and preoccupied with self. We neglect those in our life who need from us instead of making something of us. We become ungrateful and really believe we can make it without God or others. God wants to have a relationship with us and to fill us up with what matters- and he'll stop at nothing to be the greatest thing in your life! Its not difficult for most of us to think of at least one prideful person. And most of us have a pretty good grasp on what makes a person prideful. And most of us would never want to see ourselves as being prideful. But that's kind of the problem with pride, isn't it? A huge blind spot in our character that keeps us from ever having meaningful relationships with others and destructive of our relationship with God. As we act on our pride and make lifestyle choices that turn us to self sufficiency and preoccupied with self. We neglect those in our life who need from us instead of making something of us. We become ungrateful and really believe we can make it without God or others. God wants to have a relationship with us and to fill us up with what matters- and he'll stop at nothing to be the greatest thing in your life! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121104ExaltedHumility.mp3 Sun, 04 Nov 2012 06:00:00 GMT 53:23 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Join us as we continue our study of Isaiah. This week, we come to Isaiah 2:1-5 which brings big promises of what is to come. It is a future where the "mountain of the house of the Lord" is the highest mountain around, and people all over are turning to the Lord for salvation. It is a future where the interaction with God is not based on material goods, or even physical well being, but simply being with the One who created it all. He IS the prize and He IS the reward. But to simply go up to the mountain of the Lord is to miss a big part of the point... who are you calling to come with you? Who has the Lord placed in your life to invite along as you pursue Christ?? Answer this question, and step into a deep pursuit of Christ! Join us as we continue our study of Isaiah. This week, we come to Isaiah 2:1-5 which brings big promises of what is to come. It is a future where the "mountain of the house of the Lord" is the highest mountain around, and people all over are turning to the Lord for salvation. It is a future where the interaction with God is not based on material goods, or even physical well being, but simply being with the One who created it all. He IS the prize and He IS the reward. But to simply go up to the mountain of the Lord is to miss a big part of the point... who are you calling to come with you? Who has the Lord placed in your life to invite along as you pursue Christ?? Answer this question, and step into a deep pursuit of Christ! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121028MountainofLord.mp3 Sun, 28 Oct 2012 06:00:00 GMT 53:26 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Most of us have been deceived at some point or another. Being disappointed with someone or something that leads to disillusionment with the entire proposition; most of us have been there. Its not so bad when something turns out to be a little different than we expected, or if something just turns out badly. Its another thing altogether when we discover that someone has set out to intentionally deceive us, and they turn out to be something completely other than the way they presented themselves. That can be devastating. In our desire for something true to follow and fashion our lives after, especially something that promises us a great life, we often run toward things that speak the loudest or agree with what we're already looking for. But what happens when that thing falls apart, is revealed for what it is, and we are exposed as becoming like the thing we have put our trust in? Most of us have been deceived at some point or another. Being disappointed with someone or something that leads to disillusionment with the entire proposition; most of us have been there. Its not so bad when something turns out to be a little different than we expected, or if something just turns out badly. Its another thing altogether when we discover that someone has set out to intentionally deceive us, and they turn out to be something completely other than the way they presented themselves. That can be devastating. In our desire for something true to follow and fashion our lives after, especially something that promises us a great life, we often run toward things that speak the loudest or agree with what we're already looking for. But what happens when that thing falls apart, is revealed for what it is, and we are exposed as becoming like the thing we have put our trust in? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121021BecomingAnIllusion.mp3 Sun, 21 Oct 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:51 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah Isaiah is full of a lot of heavy messages, and many of them use some hard/harsh language. The message from God is clearly one of our problems and his solutions. More than that, Isaiah seems to be an impassioned plea to turn to God no matter where we find ourselves, no matter how far away our sin and rebellion have carried us. Isaiah's very name means "the Lord is my salvation"; even in Isaiah's name God is telling us that he wants to be in a right relationship with us. While we indulge in sin and play at religion, God calls out to us, "Come, let us reason...." He knows what's in our hearts and what's on our hands and he is prepared to save us from it. Isaiah is full of a lot of heavy messages, and many of them use some hard/harsh language. The message from God is clearly one of our problems and his solutions. More than that, Isaiah seems to be an impassioned plea to turn to God no matter where we find ourselves, no matter how far away our sin and rebellion have carried us. Isaiah's very name means "the Lord is my salvation"; even in Isaiah's name God is telling us that he wants to be in a right relationship with us. While we indulge in sin and play at religion, God calls out to us, "Come, let us reason...." He knows what's in our hearts and what's on our hands and he is prepared to save us from it. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121014OnOurHands.mp3 Sun, 14 Oct 2012 06:00:00 GMT 36:55 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Isaiah There are a lot of things that a lot of very smart people will debate about. The exact nature of "dark matter", the practical applications of 3-D printing, how to respond to the melting of the arctic ice pack, and many other things will spark conversations and arguments for years to come. There are some other things that almost everyone can agree are just bad ideas, things that are potentially harmful and generally agreed to be, well, stupid. God looks at his creation, humans, and in particular at those who are claiming to be his followers, and he asks us, "Why are you doing stupid things? Why are you believing stupid things?" He is passionate about his relationship with us and is calling us to hear him and to be smart enough to respond and to be in a right relationship with him. There are a lot of things that a lot of very smart people will debate about. The exact nature of "dark matter", the practical applications of 3-D printing, how to respond to the melting of the arctic ice pack, and many other things will spark conversations and arguments for years to come. There are some other things that almost everyone can agree are just bad ideas, things that are potentially harmful and generally agreed to be, well, stupid. God looks at his creation, humans, and in particular at those who are claiming to be his followers, and he asks us, "Why are you doing stupid things? Why are you believing stupid things?" He is passionate about his relationship with us and is calling us to hear him and to be smart enough to respond and to be in a right relationship with him. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/121007SmarterDonkey.mp3 Sun, 07 Oct 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:56 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - One Month to Live Culture has changed dramatically over the past 60 years, and things seem to have been even more fast-forwarded over the last 10 years or so. There has been an explosion of entertainment, gaming, info, and communication options. With that explosion we find ourselves trying to assimilate a lot of data all of the time. In our effort to deal with this new life, we are often distracted, either by input-overload or simply out of an undisciplined, wandering mind. We are, in general, a very distracted people. We must concentrate on something that will give us focus when life is distracting, difficult and tragic. If we only have one month to live, and really we only have today, we must invest our time in the people in our lives in such a way that we leave an eternal legacy. The only thing that lasts that long is the work of the Gospel, and we must give it to all that we can while we can! Culture has changed dramatically over the past 60 years, and things seem to have been even more fast-forwarded over the last 10 years or so. There has been an explosion of entertainment, gaming, info, and communication options. With that explosion we find ourselves trying to assimilate a lot of data all of the time. In our effort to deal with this new life, we are often distracted, either by input-overload or simply out of an undisciplined, wandering mind. We are, in general, a very distracted people. We must concentrate on something that will give us focus when life is distracting, difficult and tragic. If we only have one month to live, and really we only have today, we must invest our time in the people in our lives in such a way that we leave an eternal legacy. The only thing that lasts that long is the work of the Gospel, and we must give it to all that we can while we can! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120930OneMonthToLiveGospel.mp3 Sun, 30 Sep 2012 06:00:00 GMT 42:42 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - One Month to Live THuman beings were created to live in relationships with others. Our fallenness, our sin, complicates the issues involved in relationships and often serves to convince us that we don't really need relationships. For those of us that are Christ-followers we have been re-created to live in relationships. Not only to live in them, but to pursue Christ with the people that he has placed in our lives. If we only had one month to live, don't you think we'd spend more time on the precious relationships the Lord has placed in our lives? Wouldn't we make sure that they are as healthy and happy and God-honoring as possible? Invest your time wisely in the people in your life while you can- don't blink, because today's opportunities will be tomorrow's regrets! Human beings were created to live in relationships with others. Our fallenness, our sin, complicates the issues involved in relationships and often serves to convince us that we don't really need relationships. For those of us that are Christ-followers we have been re-created to live in relationships. Not only to live in them, but to pursue Christ with the people that he has placed in our lives. If we only had one month to live, don't you think we'd spend more time on the precious relationships the Lord has placed in our lives? Wouldn't we make sure that they are as healthy and happy and God-honoring as possible? Invest your time wisely in the people in your life while you can- don't blink, because today's opportunities will be tomorrow's regrets! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120923OneMonthToLiveRelationships.mp3 Sun, 23 Sep 2012 06:00:00 GMT 45:54 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - One Month to Live Time is a constant companion for us during our existence on this planet. Its sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes forgotten, but its always there- moving and passing by, never to be seen again. We all think we'll have more time to get to that someday. We make plans for today and tomorrow working under the assumption that there is always more time. This betrays what is known as a "practical atheism" that doesn't speak life and light into a dark world's view of life nor does it do anything to guarantee the success of our plans. If you had one month to live, how would you change what you do with your time? Time is a constant companion for us during our existence on this planet. Its sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes forgotten, but its always there- moving and passing by, never to be seen again. We all think we'll have more time to get to that someday. We make plans for today and tomorrow working under the assumption that there is always more time. This betrays what is known as a "practical atheism" that doesn't speak life and light into a dark world's view of life nor does it do anything to guarantee the success of our plans. If you had one month to live, how would you change what you do with your time? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120916OneMonthToLiveTime.mp3 Sun, 16 Sep 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:25 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - One Month to Live We don't like to think about death, but thinking about our inheritance doesn't bother us too much, does it? We like the idea that someone will leave us things, usually things of some great worth. Stocks, bonds, real estate, cars, houses, cash, jewelry- all things that we'd love to receive from our loved ones when they pass on. But how often do we think about what we'll leave behind? That probably bothers us quite a bit more because it causes us to think not only about our death but also about how we're living right now. Then, when we consider what we will really pass on to our loved ones it can get even more uncomfortable. We want to live a life that not only blesses people materially when we are gone but leaves them with something that matters, that is life-changing. Are you living a life of purpose? What is your legacy? We don't like to think about death, but thinking about our inheritance doesn't bother us too much, does it? We like the idea that someone will leave us things, usually things of some great worth. Stocks, bonds, real estate, cars, houses, cash, jewelry- all things that we'd love to receive from our loved ones when they pass on. But how often do we think about what we'll leave behind? That probably bothers us quite a bit more because it causes us to think not only about our death but also about how we're living right now. Then, when we consider what we will really pass on to our loved ones it can get even more uncomfortable. We want to live a life that not only blesses people materially when we are gone but leaves them with something that matters, that is life-changing. Are you living a life of purpose? What is your legacy? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120909OneMonthToLiveLegacy.mp3 Sun, 09 Sep 2012 06:00:00 GMT 52:09 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Committed Just getting up and living life brings on a slew of experiences that are both bitter and sweet. The very same event can bring both great joy and great pain, and many times neither would be complete or exist without the other. The cross and resurrection of Christ is one such event- the pain of the Father in giving up his Son and the joy of a world waiting for redemption. As Christ appeared to his followers he gave them many things, even though they were still mired in their lack of faith, doubt and grief over his death. One of the main things the resurrection of Christ gives us is the peace of God- a peace that is unshakeable, that comes to us when we are most afraid, and that gives us the faith we need we our doubts are overwhelming us. Just getting up and living life brings on a slew of experiences that are both bitter and sweet. The very same event can bring both great joy and great pain, and many times neither would be complete or exist without the other. The cross and resurrection of Christ is one such event- the pain of the Father in giving up his Son and the joy of a world waiting for redemption. As Christ appeared to his followers he gave them many things, even though they were still mired in their lack of faith, doubt and grief over his death. One of the main things the resurrection of Christ gives us is the peace of God- a peace that is unshakeable, that comes to us when we are most afraid, and that gives us the faith we need we our doubts are overwhelming us. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120826CommittedResurrectionPeace.mp3 Sun, 26 Aug 2012 06:00:00 GMT 01:01:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Committed Rich or poor, famous or regular folk, infamous or unknown, we all share at least one thing in common- we are all going to die. Not necessarily a happy thought, but a true one. In addition to that, we almost all share another thing in common- a fear of death. As most of us have discovered, life isn't always easy and death is surely the destination for us all. When Christ came back from the grave, he provided his followers with real hope. Not a wishful thinking about paradise but a true, living, eternal hope that death is not the end and it is not to be feared. Just as surely as the crucifixion of Christ is a believer's salvation, the resurrection of Christ is a believer's hope. Rich or poor, famous or regular folk, infamous or unknown, we all share at least one thing in common- we are all going to die. Not necessarily a happy thought, but a true one. In addition to that, we almost all share another thing in common- a fear of death. As most of us have discovered, life isn't always easy and death is surely the destination for us all. When Christ came back from the grave, he provided his followers with real hope. Not a wishful thinking about paradise but a true, living, eternal hope that death is not the end and it is not to be feared. Just as surely as the crucifixion of Christ is a believer's salvation, the resurrection of Christ is a believer's hope. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120819CommittedResurrectionHope.mp3 Sun, 19 Aug 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:51 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Committed The cross is one of the simplest and brutally plain parts of Christianity to explain. It is also the deepest, most profound and complex event in all of history. Christ was absolutely committed to being on that cross on that hill on that day. He was committed to fulfilling everything necessary for us to have a right relationship with God. He was committed to making a way for us to be freed from sin and given new life. Will those of us who follow him today be as committed to following him at all times, in all things, at all costs? What will you do with the Christ of the cross? The cross is one of the simplest and brutally plain parts of Christianity to explain. It is also the deepest, most profound and complex event in all of history. Christ was absolutely committed to being on that cross on that hill on that day. He was committed to fulfilling everything necessary for us to have a right relationship with God. He was committed to making a way for us to be freed from sin and given new life. Will those of us who follow him today be as committed to following him at all times, in all things, at all costs? What will you do with the Christ of the cross? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120812CommittedFollowCross.mp3 Sun, 12 Aug 2012 06:00:00 GMT 44:41 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Committed Every four year in our country, there's lots of talk about power and authority. Who will sit in the White House, in the Oval Office, and be the (arguably) the most powerful man in the world? These are important times in the life of our country and the entire world. What could matter more than that, than the election of the man to lead us into an unsure and difficult future? Christ was confronted with the seat of all authority in his world- Rome. As we study this encounter on his road to the cross we begin to see that there is a place of authority inside each of us, a throne in our hearts and souls. Who sits on that throne is probably the main issue we must all decide if we are to live among a fickle crowd that seeks to influence us and our own fear that could cripple us. Every four year in our country, there's lots of talk about power and authority. Who will sit in the White House, in the Oval Office, and be the (arguably) the most powerful man in the world? These are important times in the life of our country and the entire world. What could matter more than that, than the election of the man to lead us into an unsure and difficult future? Christ was confronted with the seat of all authority in his world- Rome. As we study this encounter on his road to the cross we begin to see that there is a place of authority inside each of us, a throne in our hearts and souls. Who sits on that throne is probably the main issue we must all decide if we are to live among a fickle crowd that seeks to influence us and our own fear that could cripple us. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120805CommittedDieMob.mp3 Sun, 05 Aug 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:20 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Living an Incarnational Missional Life This week we hear about all that the Lord did in and through our team that travelled to Uganda for a 13 day mission trip. As the team bonded with Ugandan students, their time together was focused on building relationships and sharing their lives with their new friends. Although this was a "mission trip", Christ-followers must remember that their lives are meant to be lived unto the Lord. There is work to be done, and we are called to participate. We will find out what the Word of God says about living a life devoted to making much of Christ. This week we hear about all that the Lord did in and through our team that travelled to Uganda for a 13 day mission trip. As the team bonded with Ugandan students, their time together was focused on building relationships and sharing their lives with their new friends. Although this was a "mission trip", Christ-followers must remember that their lives are meant to be lived unto the Lord. There is work to be done, and we are called to participate. We will find out what the Word of God says about living a life devoted to making much of Christ. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120729LivingMissionalLife.mp3 Sun, 29 Jul 2012 06:00:00 GMT 59:09 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Worship in Communion 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120722WorshipCommunion.mp3 Sun, 22 Jul 2012 06:00:00 GMT 17:02 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Committed People do all kinds of things that to many people seem crazy. They climb mountains risking frost bite and avalanches. They dive into the deepest parts of the ocean risking attack by predators and decompression sickness. They soar into the sky at intensely high speeds and risk mechanical/vehicle failure. Why would anyone do this? The more fascinating thing is why don't more people attempt things like this? Its just the few that do these things. Apart from opportunity, perhaps the greatest determining factor is commitment. Not that anyone is lacking commitment, but that most are committed to something less than the highest highs, the lowest lows, the fastest speeds, the greatest things. Because we have a lower commitment and are committed to achieving that, we begin to arrange our world in such a way that we can reach our own commitments. Christ was committed to a high goal, and he calls us to be similarly committed to something, Someone, that is so great most of us can't imagine it! People do all kinds of things that to many people seem crazy. They climb mountains risking frost bite and avalanches. They dive into the deepest parts of the ocean risking attack by predators and decompression sickness. They soar into the sky at intensely high speeds and risk mechanical/vehicle failure. Why would anyone do this? The more fascinating thing is why don't more people attempt things like this? Its just the few that do these things. Apart from opportunity, perhaps the greatest determining factor is commitment. Not that anyone is lacking commitment, but that most are committed to something less than the highest highs, the lowest lows, the fastest speeds, the greatest things. Because we have a lower commitment and are committed to achieving that, we begin to arrange our world in such a way that we can reach our own commitments. Christ was committed to a high goal, and he calls us to be similarly committed to something, Someone, that is so great most of us can't imagine it! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120715CommittedToTruth.mp3 Sun, 15 Jul 2012 06:00:00 GMT 47:29 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become We've all done something that we regretted later. Some big things, and some little things, but there's been some price to pay for all of them. Come consequences that we've had to face because we've often ignored the plainly stated rules or warnings. The results of these actions are almost always negative and costly and that seems to be especially true of spiritual matters. When we ignore what the Lord has said about our spiritual lives there seem to be some especially painful consequences. Thankfully, God is interested in our guilt and gives us direction on how to have a fulfilled life even when we ignore the clearly stated warnings. We've all done something that we regretted later. Some big things, and some little things, but there's been some price to pay for all of them. Come consequences that we've had to face because we've often ignored the plainly stated rules or warnings. The results of these actions are almost always negative and costly and that seems to be especially true of spiritual matters. When we ignore what the Lord has said about our spiritual lives there seem to be some especially painful consequences. Thankfully, God is interested in our guilt and gives us direction on how to have a fulfilled life even when we ignore the clearly stated warnings. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120708BecomeFaithful.mp3 Sun, 08 Jul 2012 06:00:00 GMT 57:01 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become There is so much that could be written about the life and work of Christ. Toward the end of John's Gospel, he says that there was so much to be told that there aren't enough books in the world to contain it all! That gives us some perspective on the content of the Gospels and the intent of the Gospel writers. They weren't trying to write historical fiction or history books. They were writing to tell their contemporaries and all of us who would follow about Christ, about the most significant parts of his life and teaching. Since that is true, its curious that John's book has 21 chapters and almost half of them focus on the last full day of his life and then the crucifixion and resurrection. With so much to say, why does John devote half of his space to these days and their events? Its for us to stand secure in our faith and to know that we can live fully submitted to the loving plans of our Father. There is so much that could be written about the life and work of Christ. Toward the end of John's Gospel, he says that there was so much to be told that there aren't enough books in the world to contain it all! That gives us some perspective on the content of the Gospels and the intent of the Gospel writers. They weren't trying to write historical fiction or history books. They were writing to tell their contemporaries and all of us who would follow about Christ, about the most significant parts of his life and teaching. Since that is true, its curious that John's book has 21 chapters and almost half of them focus on the last full day of his life and then the crucifixion and resurrection. With so much to say, why does John devote half of his space to these days and their events? Its for us to stand secure in our faith and to know that we can live fully submitted to the loving plans of our Father. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120701BecomeSubmitted.mp3 Sun, 01 Jul 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:13 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Becoming glorious has been the goal of many warriors throughout history. This glory was seen as something that was acquired through supremely valiant acts, perhaps even death on the field of battle. The purpose of this glory was that one's name would be remembered for generations to come. This sentiment is exemplified perfectly in the movie Gladiator when Maximus makes the statement that "what we do in life echoes in eternity." The problem with this is that the motivation is to earn a spot in the history books and to make a name for oneself. This whole concept of becoming glorious gets turned upside down when we look at it through Scripture. John 17:22-26 tells us that Jesus gives His glory to us, but it is not so that our name would be known, praised, or remembered… His glory is given to us that we may reflect it to a lost and dying world, so that His name is made famous. Journey with us as we walk through the implications this has on a believers life. Becoming glorious has been the goal of many warriors throughout history. This glory was seen as something that was acquired through supremely valiant acts, perhaps even death on the field of battle. The purpose of this glory was that one's name would be remembered for generations to come. This sentiment is exemplified perfectly in the movie Gladiator when Maximus makes the statement that "what we do in life echoes in eternity." The problem with this is that the motivation is to earn a spot in the history books and to make a name for oneself. This whole concept of becoming glorious gets turned upside down when we look at it through Scripture. John 17:22-26 tells us that Jesus gives His glory to us, but it is not so that our name would be known, praised, or remembered… His glory is given to us that we may reflect it to a lost and dying world, so that His name is made famous. Journey with us as we walk through the implications this has on a believers life. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120624BecomeGlorious.mp3 Sun, 24 Jun 2012 06:00:00 GMT 53:13 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Some of the best movies are ones where the protagonists are attempting to break into some unusually intricate security system in order to save the world, or to save a America, or some other worthy cause. And many times these security systems involve lasers, computers, high tech explosives, armed guards, and even animals that are trained to do nasty things should you attempt a break-in. That's usually an entertaining 2 hours as we sit and watch those exploits and anxiously wait to see if they can pull it off. We often go through similar lengths to insure that our valuables are secure. We all want to know that what we love and treasure is safe and preserved. Christ encourages us to know that as we live life in a sorrowful, painful world we are secure- both eternally and with the power to live a holy and separate life here and now. He keeps safe those that are his so that we can live with confidence, freedom and joy. Some of the best movies are ones where the protagonists are attempting to break into some unusually intricate security system in order to save the world, or to save a America, or some other worthy cause. And many times these security systems involve lasers, computers, high tech explosives, armed guards, and even animals that are trained to do nasty things should you attempt a break-in. That's usually an entertaining 2 hours as we sit and watch those exploits and anxiously wait to see if they can pull it off. We often go through similar lengths to insure that our valuables are secure. We all want to know that what we love and treasure is safe and preserved. Christ encourages us to know that as we live life in a sorrowful, painful world we are secure- both eternally and with the power to live a holy and separate life here and now. He keeps safe those that are his so that we can live with confidence, freedom and joy. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120617BecomeJoyfullySecurelySatisfied.mp3 Sun, 17 Jun 2012 06:00:00 GMT 47:54 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Jeff Cokenour The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Listen as guest speaker, Jeff Cokenour, continues to take us through John. Listen as guest speaker, Jeff Cokenour, continues to take us through John. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120610JeffInJohn.mp3 Sun, 10 Jun 2012 06:00:00 GMT 36:57 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Courage is a word we don't use very much, but its certainly a character quality that most of us would desire. In a world full of troubles and sorrow, our faith can be shaken and courage can be a pipe dream best left to heroes and super-humans. As Christ is about to face his darkest day, and arguably the darkest day of all time, he is busy looking out for his followers- then and now. The men who were with him in that upper room and long walk to the garden and us, his followers centuries later. He's not wallowing in his own grief or quaking in his sandals- he's passing out encouragement to be brave because of God's peace, not matter what may come. Will I be courageous? Will you? Courage is a word we don't use very much, but its certainly a character quality that most of us would desire. In a world full of troubles and sorrow, our faith can be shaken and courage can be a pipe dream best left to heroes and super-humans. As Christ is about to face his darkest day, and arguably the darkest day of all time, he is busy looking out for his followers- then and now. The men who were with him in that upper room and long walk to the garden and us, his followers centuries later. He's not wallowing in his own grief or quaking in his sandals- he's passing out encouragement to be brave because of God's peace, not matter what may come. Will I be courageous? Will you? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120603BecomePeacefullyCourageous.mp3 Sun, 03 Jun 2012 06:00:00 GMT 44:45 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Most of us would agree that no matter when or where you live, or how much or how little possessions you own, this world is full of sorrow and trouble. In America, there's an entire sub culture and marketplace dedicated to help you escape the blues and doldrums and to be happy all the time. Self-help gurus have been peddling their methods for decades and recently many men who stand in pulpits have taken up their cry of happiness and peace and joy all the time- if you think right, give right, do right, live right. Many Christians' prayer lives revolve our "replacement" requests- replace this person, replace this job, replace this child, replace this broken thing, etc, for a new one. A better one. And THEN I'll be happy. Its all so fleeting and temporary and...cheap. Christ knew all about sorrow and helping those around us who are suffering. He talked about a joy that can't be taken away, a joy that comes from the sorrow. A sorrow that is transformed into joy! Most of us would agree that no matter when or where you live, or how much or how little possessions you own, this world is full of sorrow and trouble. In America, there's an entire sub culture and marketplace dedicated to help you escape the blues and doldrums and to be happy all the time. Self-help gurus have been peddling their methods for decades and recently many men who stand in pulpits have taken up their cry of happiness and peace and joy all the time- if you think right, give right, do right, live right. Many Christians' prayer lives revolve our "replacement" requests- replace this person, replace this job, replace this child, replace this broken thing, etc, for a new one. A better one. And THEN I'll be happy. Its all so fleeting and temporary and...cheap. Christ knew all about sorrow and helping those around us who are suffering. He talked about a joy that can't be taken away, a joy that comes from the sorrow. A sorrow that is transformed into joy! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120527BecomeTransformedSorrowJoy.mp3 Sun, 27 May 2012 06:00:00 GMT 47:09 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become There's been a LOT of crazy stuff taught about the Holy Spirit over the years. Not just things that are a bit off, but CRAZY things! On the other end of the extreme, there's been a whole group of people, entire denominations, that have ignored the Spirit and have missed out the fullest experience of the Christian life because of that. How can we avoid either extreme? How do we have the most biblical understanding the Holy Spirit and have the fullest life possible with him? Christ introduced the idea of the Spirit to his followers the night he was going to die. Why? What news of the Holy Spirit and his work would help Christ's followers for 2000 years that would cause Christ to share it on his last night on earth? Discover the advantages that the Spirit gives to each of us in a world that is unquestionably against us as we seek to live like Christ. There's been a LOT of crazy stuff taught about the Holy Spirit over the years. Not just things that are a bit off, but CRAZY things! On the other end of the extreme, there's been a whole group of people, entire denominations, that have ignored the Spirit and have missed out the fullest experience of the Christian life because of that. How can we avoid either extreme? How do we have the most biblical understanding the Holy Spirit and have the fullest life possible with him? Christ introduced the idea of the Spirit to his followers the night he was going to die. Why? What news of the Holy Spirit and his work would help Christ's followers for 2000 years that would cause Christ to share it on his last night on earth? Discover the advantages that the Spirit gives to each of us in a world that is unquestionably against us as we seek to live like Christ. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120520BecomeHelpedSpirit.mp3 Sun, 20 May 2012 06:00:00 GMT 52:51 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become We kind of expect to have troubles in this life. Its the way this world operates and every belief system has an accounting for bad circumstances- luck, karma, coincidence. Lots of words to describe the way this world is rarely fair and often is full of trouble. We also expect some people to just be mean. Some people are just not nice and they have it out for you, and they can be bitter and cruel enemies. Still others, and probably the hardest kind of trouble and difficulty to deal with, is the hatred and cruelty of people directed toward you when you have done nothing toward them but good. You have gone out of your way to provide for them and to the best of your ability you have looked out for their good, but for some unknown reason they hate you, abuse you, deny you, revile you, hurt you. Being a Christian involves being treated like this, not because we are offensive but because our master and his message are offensive. We kind of expect to have troubles in this life. Its the way this world operates and every belief system has an accounting for bad circumstances- luck, karma, coincidence. Lots of words to describe the way this world is rarely fair and often is full of trouble. We also expect some people to just be mean. Some people are just not nice and they have it out for you, and they can be bitter and cruel enemies. Still others, and probably the hardest kind of trouble and difficulty to deal with, is the hatred and cruelty of people directed toward you when you have done nothing toward them but good. You have gone out of your way to provide for them and to the best of your ability you have looked out for their good, but for some unknown reason they hate you, abuse you, deny you, revile you, hurt you. Being a Christian involves being treated like this, not because we are offensive but because our master and his message are offensive. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120513BecomeHatedHelped.mp3 Sun, 13 May 2012 06:00:00 GMT 46:58 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become We've all known some couple, some married people, some pair of friends that just didn't go together. But somehow, seemingly against all reason and logic, they are the best of friends/lovers/spouses. Everyone else is left scratching their heads as to how that happened, but they have found bliss with each other. How friends and spouses end up with each other is a mystery to us, but Jesus has much to say about even this! He's comforting us, getting us ready for the tough days ahead, the trials to come. And he tells us to not be troubled because there's a group of people who will choose to love us and whom we can choose to love, even when it goes against everything we know and think we know. He commands us to love each other and empowers us to do it and to live a life that has eternal impact on others! We've all known some couple, some married people, some pair of friends that just didn't go together. But somehow, seemingly against all reason and logic, they are the best of friends/lovers/spouses. Everyone else is left scratching their heads as to how that happened, but they have found bliss with each other. How friends and spouses end up with each other is a mystery to us, but Jesus has much to say about even this! He's comforting us, getting us ready for the tough days ahead, the trials to come. And he tells us to not be troubled because there's a group of people who will choose to love us and whom we can choose to love, even when it goes against everything we know and think we know. He commands us to love each other and empowers us to do it and to live a life that has eternal impact on others! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120506BecomeLovingFriend.mp3 Sun, 06 May 2012 06:00:00 GMT 50:05 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Richard Logan The Sanctuary Podcast - Attack Poverty Attack = "To begin to deal with a problem or task in a determined and vigorous way". Poverty = "Powerless, disenfranchised, lacking well-being and the resources to obtain well-being". Richard Logan (CEO of Attack Poverty) speaks to our congregation about how we, a community of faith, can help break the chains of generational poverty in our surrounding areas. Attack = "To begin to deal with a problem or task in a determined and vigorous way". Poverty = "Powerless, disenfranchised, lacking well-being and the resources to obtain well-being". Richard Logan (CEO of Attack Poverty) speaks to our congregation about how we, a community of faith, can help break the chains of generational poverty in our surrounding areas. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120422AttackPoverty.mp3 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT 34:49 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become So much of the swirling chaos that is our culture stems from a deep need and desire for peace. Inner peace, relational peace, financial peace, and perhaps biggest of all a peace with God. As people search for this peace, it often results in a chaotic confusion that adds to our restlessness instead of delivering on the peace that we are so desperate for. In Christ's last hours before the cross he is intent on giving hope to his followers. In the face of history's darkest hours due to our sinfulness, Jesus has a profound peace that he wants to give to those who follow him even when a cross looms in the future. So much of the swirling chaos that is our culture stems from a deep need and desire for peace. Inner peace, relational peace, financial peace, and perhaps biggest of all a peace with God. As people search for this peace, it often results in a chaotic confusion that adds to our restlessness instead of delivering on the peace that we are so desperate for. In Christ's last hours before the cross he is intent on giving hope to his followers. In the face of history's darkest hours due to our sinfulness, Jesus has a profound peace that he wants to give to those who follow him even when a cross looms in the future. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120401BecomePeaceful.mp3 Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:00:00 GMT 53:32 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Sometimes we just want to go home. The world has become harsh, our emotions have become full, our cup is full of trouble, and we just want to go home. Christ was facing the final night of his life with his friends/disciples and he's laid some pretty heavy news on them. He's going to leave and they can't come with him. One of them will betray him. Peter is going to fail. Their enemies surround them and death for all of them is a very real possibility. In addition Christ is facing the darkest hour in the universe's history- the Son of God is about to become sin. His soul is facing the greatest trouble imaginable and yet Christ so loves his friends that he spends his last time with them encouraging them. His words to them are more than applicable to us today as our lives are surrounded by difficulty and troubles, and his promises and comforts are needed just as much today as they were that night 2000 years ago. Sometimes we just want to go home. The world has become harsh, our emotions have become full, our cup is full of trouble, and we just want to go home. Christ was facing the final night of his life with his friends/disciples and he's laid some pretty heavy news on them. He's going to leave and they can't come with him. One of them will betray him. Peter is going to fail. Their enemies surround them and death for all of them is a very real possibility. In addition Christ is facing the darkest hour in the universe's history- the Son of God is about to become sin. His soul is facing the greatest trouble imaginable and yet Christ so loves his friends that he spends his last time with them encouraging them. His words to them are more than applicable to us today as our lives are surrounded by difficulty and troubles, and his promises and comforts are needed just as much today as they were that night 2000 years ago. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120325BecomeTrustingUntroubled.mp3 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT 50:00 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Become As Jesus came closer and closer to the cross, He took each opportunity to model what it meant to love one another. He did this so that we might understand what He meant when He said to love as He loved. The reality is that Jesus wants us to understand that to become loving, you must become a person of intentional action. This love that He commands of us is also to be given to our enemies. Whereas we might find this extremely difficult, we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus showed love to Judas who was just hours away from collecting a bounty on Jesus' head. Join us as we seek to become a community of Christ-followers who love well, and love like Jesus. CAs Jesus came closer and closer to the cross, He took each opportunity to model what it meant to love one another. He did this so that we might understand what He meant when He said to love as He loved. The reality is that Jesus wants us to understand that to become loving, you must become a person of intentional action. This love that He commands of us is also to be given to our enemies. Whereas we might find this extremely difficult, we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus showed love to Judas who was just hours away from collecting a bounty on Jesus' head. Join us as we seek to become a community of Christ-followers who love well, and love like Jesus. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120318BecomeLoving.mp3 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT 55:51 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Christ is at the end of his last week on earth and he's spending these precious moments with his disciples and maybe a few other close followers. In these chapters of John, Christ will lay the foundation of what we have come to know as "the spiritual life" and many doctrines that are built out in Paul's letters are first articulated here. What will he say in these last moments? What will he impress on them? As he goes into these deep, intimate moments with these men there is no doubt why he says what he does. And there's no doubting how he expects them to act toward one another and even their enemies. There's no doubt because Christ went to great lengths to be with his disciples, to invite them to come with him all the way to the cross, and to effect a change in them to become joyful servants. Christ is at the end of his last week on earth and he's spending these precious moments with his disciples and maybe a few other close followers. In these chapters of John, Christ will lay the foundation of what we have come to know as "the spiritual life" and many doctrines that are built out in Paul's letters are first articulated here. What will he say in these last moments? What will he impress on them? As he goes into these deep, intimate moments with these men there is no doubt why he says what he does. And there's no doubting how he expects them to act toward one another and even their enemies. There's no doubt because Christ went to great lengths to be with his disciples, to invite them to come with him all the way to the cross, and to effect a change in them to become joyful servants. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120311BecomeJoyfulServants.mp3 Sun, 11 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT 44:54 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Truth Weekend Wrap-Up Over the past day and a half, our students have been studying what it means to be a person who resolves to be "in the world, but not of the world." During their time in the Word, they looked to the example of Daniel who exemplified this for us very well. Today, we wrap-up Truth Weekend and talk about following through with what we learned. For our students as well as the rest of our church, we need to heed what James says and be "doers who act rather than hearers who forget." Over the past day and a half, our students have been studying what it means to be a person who resolves to be "in the world, but not of the world." During their time in the Word, they looked to the example of Daniel who exemplified this for us very well. Today, we wrap-up Truth Weekend and talk about following through with what we learned. For our students as well as the rest of our church, we need to heed what James says and be "doers who act rather than hearers who forget." http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120304TruthWeekendWrap.mp3 Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:00:00 GMT 37:19 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Ricardo Brambila The Sanctuary Podcast - This is Love Pastor and Buckner RGV Director, Ricardo Brambila, shares what it means to love your neighbors. Poverty is all around us. Spiritual, financial, and emotional poverty can be seen everywhere. Ricardo talks about what our response should be as Christians. Pastor and Buckner RGV Director, Ricardo Brambila, shares what it means to love your neighbors. Poverty is all around us. Spiritual, financial, and emotional poverty can be seen everywhere. Ricardo talks about what our response should be as Christians. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120219ThisIsLove.mp3 Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT 37:37 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become So much debate has raged over the years regarding why people act the way they do. There have been many attempts to pinpoint the factor that impacts us and our behavior most- environment? education? genetics? Jesus and the Bible would maintain that man's first and biggest problem isn't his behavior nor any of the other factors listed above. God has also told us that our main remedy for our problems don't come from behavior modification, medications, or religious practices. While we're looking to so many people and things to change our lives Jesus told us to look to him and he'd draw us to himself. While we stumble in the dark for a solution to our problems and answers to our questions, Jesus told us to come to him and he'd make us children of light. As our nature changes, we are able to behave differently and to glorify God through Christ. So much debate has raged over the years regarding why people act the way they do. There have been many attempts to pinpoint the factor that impacts us and our behavior most- environment? education? genetics? Jesus and the Bible would maintain that man's first and biggest problem isn't his behavior nor any of the other factors listed above. God has also told us that our main remedy for our problems don't come from behavior modification, medications, or religious practices. While we're looking to so many people and things to change our lives Jesus told us to look to him and he'd draw us to himself. While we stumble in the dark for a solution to our problems and answers to our questions, Jesus told us to come to him and he'd make us children of light. As our nature changes, we are able to behave differently and to glorify God through Christ. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120212BecomeSonsofLight.mp3 Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT 54:20 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become The world has all kinds of awards and accolades to throw at us. Our children seem to get awards for everything from learning to tie their shoes to showing up at cheer practice to enjoying their hobbies to the fullest. Why do we give awards? Generally, its to honor an achievement, to recognize someone's contributions, and/or to inspire others to great acts. As Christ followers, I wonder- what will motive and inspire us? What honor or award could we be given that would spur us on to greatness in our walks with Christ and others? Christ calls us to follow him any and everywhere and addresses how God will honor us as we do that. Many of us have and will struggle with this because God's idea of honor doesn't match up to our own or because we don't value God's honor rightly. The world has all kinds of awards and accolades to throw at us. Our children seem to get awards for everything from learning to tie their shoes to showing up at cheer practice to enjoying their hobbies to the fullest. Why do we give awards? Generally, its to honor an achievement, to recognize someone's contributions, and/or to inspire others to great acts. As Christ followers, I wonder- what will motive and inspire us? What honor or award could we be given that would spur us on to greatness in our walks with Christ and others? Christ calls us to follow him any and everywhere and addresses how God will honor us as we do that. Many of us have and will struggle with this because God's idea of honor doesn't match up to our own or because we don't value God's honor rightly. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120205BecomeChristFollower.mp3 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT 52:00 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Become Not many of us think in terms of extravagance, especially not in these most recent economic times. Additionally, most of us don't think in terms of extravagance unless we're supposed to be the recipients of it. Part of this is probably because we are generally surrounded by nice things and we've often filled our lives with things that are often quite extravagant. How many of think of anything extravagant when it comes to God? Its so easy just to give in to our own passions and to the pull of this world and just live for ourselves. What would it look like if those who claim to follow Christ lived and gave extravagantly? What would it look like if I lived and gave extravagantly? Not many of us think in terms of extravagance, especially not in these most recent economic times. Additionally, most of us don't think in terms of extravagance unless we're supposed to be the recipients of it. Part of this is probably because we are generally surrounded by nice things and we've often filled our lives with things that are often quite extravagant. How many of think of anything extravagant when it comes to God? Its so easy just to give in to our own passions and to the pull of this world and just live for ourselves. What would it look like if those who claim to follow Christ lived and gave extravagantly? What would it look like if I lived and gave extravagantly? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120129BecomeExtravagant.mp3 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT 53:45 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Sanctity of Human Life Since 1971, a debate has raged in America regarding the legality and rights of a woman seeking an abortion. Lost in the decades-long melee has been an unwavering, unflinching, undiluted evangelical, biblically informed worldview. In other words- the Church of Jesus in America has failed to make a significant impact in this area. In the midst of a cultural disaster after 4 decades, what is the Church to do? How does the church change the trends, impact the hurting, love the loveless, stand for justice, walk humbly and consistently with our Creator? Listen to discover some of the details of our tragic situation and participate in the call to make a difference. God wants to use you to effect the eternity of at least one person! Since 1971, a debate has raged in America regarding the legality and rights of a woman seeking an abortion. Lost in the decades-long melee has been an unwavering, unflinching, undiluted evangelical, biblically informed worldview. In other words- the Church of Jesus in America has failed to make a significant impact in this area. In the midst of a cultural disaster after 4 decades, what is the Church to do? How does the church change the trends, impact the hurting, love the loveless, stand for justice, walk humbly and consistently with our Creator? Listen to discover some of the details of our tragic situation and participate in the call to make a difference. God wants to use you to effect the eternity of at least one person! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120122SanctityHumanLife.mp3 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT 41:54 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Conversations with God There has been a lot written, taught, said, and experienced regarding prayer. One message can't hope to explore every aspect of this area of theology, but we can get a better understanding of prayer from various places in Scripture. Psalm 118 has been a long-cherished text for many believers over the centuries and has impacted the prayer life of many believers. As we think about prayer, we want to know that we're talking to the right person and talking to him "the right way." We talk to God because of our desperate need for him and our utter dependance on all that he has for us. This Psalm directs our prayer to be Christ-centered and steeped in love. Praying can be a chore or a blessing- listen to the Psalmist as he encourages your prayers to be powerful and fulfilling, and be ready to change your life to live in the fullness that comes from a rich prayer life! There has been a lot written, taught, said, and experienced regarding prayer. One message can't hope to explore every aspect of this area of theology, but we can get a better understanding of prayer from various places in Scripture. Psalm 118 has been a long-cherished text for many believers over the centuries and has impacted the prayer life of many believers. As we think about prayer, we want to know that we're talking to the right person and talking to him "the right way." We talk to God because of our desperate need for him and our utter dependance on all that he has for us. This Psalm directs our prayer to be Christ-centered and steeped in love. Praying can be a chore or a blessing- listen to the Psalmist as he encourages your prayers to be powerful and fulfilling, and be ready to change your life to live in the fullness that comes from a rich prayer life! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120115ConversationsWithGod.mp3 Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:38 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Why Church? Our post-modern culture is given to questioning everything- morals, cultural standards, religious beliefs, family values. In this cultural reality, the church/Church struggles to gain a foothold in terms of relevance and meaning. So many questions are swirling around churches today- their purpose, mission, focus, maybe even their very existence. So, why do we "do" church? What is the church? Who gets to be part of the church? What is the church supposed to be doing? We wrestle with these issues and are reminded again of God's lofty, high goals and purposes for His Church. Our post-modern culture is given to questioning everything- morals, cultural standards, religious beliefs, family values. In this cultural reality, the church/Church struggles to gain a foothold in terms of relevance and meaning. So many questions are swirling around churches today- their purpose, mission, focus, maybe even their very existence. So, why do we "do" church? What is the church? Who gets to be part of the church? What is the church supposed to be doing? We wrestle with these issues and are reminded again of God's lofty, high goals and purposes for His Church. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120108WhyChurch.mp3 Sun, 08 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT 51:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders and Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - How to Survive 2012 Everyone has an opinion of when the world will come to an end. Pastors Joe Sanders and Matt Prine share on how you can survive 2012. Everyone has an opinion of when the world will come to an end. Pastors Joe Sanders and Matt Prine share on how you can survive 2012. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/120101Survive2012.mp3 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT 43:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words 2011 We are constantly bombarded broken promises throughout our lives. Politicians tell us that their plan is the one that will save us all... Family and friends do not come through when they said they would... We even let ourselves down when we fail to meet our own expectations. There is however one whose promises do not fail... His promises are fulfilled, and they prove to be more than just words. As we prepare for Christmas, we must remember that God has promised both punishment and mercy... When we look upon a manger scene, we should see more than just a bundle of grace wrapped in swaddling cloths. We should see the one on whom the fullness of God's wrath fell so that we might be redeemed. Our response should be utmost praise and worship as we prepare to celebrate His incarnation, and look forward to His triumphant return. We are constantly bombarded broken promises throughout our lives. Politicians tell us that their plan is the one that will save us all... Family and friends do not come through when they said they would... We even let ourselves down when we fail to meet our own expectations. There is however one whose promises do not fail... His promises are fulfilled, and they prove to be more than just words. As we prepare for Christmas, we must remember that God has promised both punishment and mercy... When we look upon a manger scene, we should see more than just a bundle of grace wrapped in swaddling cloths. We should see the one on whom the fullness of God's wrath fell so that we might be redeemed. Our response should be utmost praise and worship as we prepare to celebrate His incarnation, and look forward to His triumphant return. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111218JesusPromisesToDeliver.mp3 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT 42:09 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words 2011 Have you ever overreacted to a situation where your punishment for a real or perceived wrong didn't fit the crime? Ever been on the receiving end of such a punishment? Its not too hard for us to distinguish that we're off-balance in the area of meting out justice. We are so messed up in our understanding of what justice is that we often don't know how to give it, receive it or discern it. But what about God? Does he overreact? If you think about the Genesis story, about Adam and Eve and their fall from grace and their sin, it all seems a little bit too much, doesn't it? Once you gain a biblical view of sin and our problem, you begin to understand that not only was God's punishment well deserved but his grace at Christmas through Jesus is equally astounding. Have you ever overreacted to a situation where your punishment for a real or perceived wrong didn't fit the crime? Ever been on the receiving end of such a punishment? Its not too hard for us to distinguish that we're off-balance in the area of meting out justice. We are so messed up in our understanding of what justice is that we often don't know how to give it, receive it or discern it. But what about God? Does he overreact? If you think about the Genesis story, about Adam and Eve and their fall from grace and their sin, it all seems a little bit too much, doesn't it? Once you gain a biblical view of sin and our problem, you begin to understand that not only was God's punishment well deserved but his grace at Christmas through Jesus is equally astounding. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111211ChristmasInGenesis.mp3 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT 35:41 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Terry Cokenour The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words 2011 Budapest Missionary, Terry Cokenour, shares about what it means to be the aroma of Christ to those who are being saved and those who are perishing. Budapest Missionary, Terry Cokenour, shares about what it means to be the aroma of Christ to those who are being saved and those who are perishing. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111204AromaofChrist.mp3 Sun, 04 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT 38:20 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - More than Words 2011 The day after Thanksgiving, a significant percent of the American population descends onto malls and stores all across America, each wanting their slice of the "incredible" sales. Presumably, this is how one is to prepare for Christmas, or at least, that is what all the commercials on TV would lead you to believe. But what if this was not helping us to prepare for Christmas, but rather pulled us further from the true meaning of Christmas? Have we gotten lost in the endless sea of consumerism, and turned Christmas into nothing more than an excuse for excess and indulgence? As we start this Advent season, let's be reminded of the true reason we celebrate! We remember Christ's incarnation, and we look forward expectantly to His return! The day after Thanksgiving, a significant percent of the American population descends onto malls and stores all across America, each wanting their slice of the "incredible" sales. Presumably, this is how one is to prepare for Christmas, or at least, that is what all the commercials on TV would lead you to believe. But what if this was not helping us to prepare for Christmas, but rather pulled us further from the true meaning of Christmas? Have we gotten lost in the endless sea of consumerism, and turned Christmas into nothing more than an excuse for excess and indulgence? As we start this Advent season, let's be reminded of the true reason we celebrate! We remember Christ's incarnation, and we look forward expectantly to His return! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111127PreparingChristmasBlackFriday.mp3 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT 55:21 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Some of us cry all of the time; some of us rarely or never cry. There are as many reasons people cry as there are people. We are emotional beings and we express those emotions in hundreds of ways. But what about God? Does God cry? If so, what makes him cry? The Bible is clear that God loves his people with a love that we might never fully understand. That being true, it can be very difficult to reconcile daily living and the more challenging times of life with that fact. God often waits before he acts on his people's behalf and that delay can lead to a lot of pain, suffering, and death. When we're in the in- between-times, between the onset of pain and our request for God's help and him actually doing something about it, we can find ourselves vacillating between grief and accusation. Hurting and blaming God. Somewhere in that, God might just be crying. Some of us cry all of the time; some of us rarely or never cry. There are as many reasons people cry as there are people. We are emotional beings and we express those emotions in hundreds of ways. But what about God? Does God cry? If so, what makes him cry? The Bible is clear that God loves his people with a love that we might never fully understand. That being true, it can be very difficult to reconcile daily living and the more challenging times of life with that fact. God often waits before he acts on his people's behalf and that delay can lead to a lot of pain, suffering, and death. When we're in the in- between-times, between the onset of pain and our request for God's help and him actually doing something about it, we can find ourselves vacillating between grief and accusation. Hurting and blaming God. Somewhere in that, God might just be crying. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111120WhenGodCries.mp3 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT 01:03:48 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Most of us have questions we want to ask God- why did you make platypuses? Did Adam and Eve have navels? You know, important stuff. Well, anyway, we have a lot of questions. Often those questions are important and meaningful and deep and personal. And every now and then, we ask a question that I think God responds to with, "I'm glad you asked!" See how Christ hears the question posed to him by the crowd and how he once again affirms his deity and his care of his sheep. Our heart's cry, or soul's deepest desire, is to connect with God- and Christ answers the question that all of us must ask. Will you hear and respond and believe? Most of us have questions we want to ask God- why did you make platypuses? Did Adam and Eve have navels? You know, important stuff. Well, anyway, we have a lot of questions. Often those questions are important and meaningful and deep and personal. And every now and then, we ask a question that I think God responds to with, "I'm glad you asked!" See how Christ hears the question posed to him by the crowd and how he once again affirms his deity and his care of his sheep. Our heart's cry, or soul's deepest desire, is to connect with God- and Christ answers the question that all of us must ask. Will you hear and respond and believe? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111113QAWithJesus.mp3 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT 49:45 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief We live in a culture where good isn't good because its not good enough. We've swapped good for great, fantastic and awesome and in the process lost much of our ability to discern good from best from bad. Jesus comes into that world and declares, "I am good. The good leader. The good shepherd", and because we're sheep we are confused. We're somewhat convinced that we already have good leaders and good shepherds- our consciences, our friends, our 'pastor' on the TV, our family. What if its true that your good isn't really good and the best is better than you can imagine? Christ came to call his people to himself, to follow him to a full and soul-satisfying life. Will you hear his voice, answer his call and follow the good shepherd? We live in a culture where good isn't good because its not good enough. We've swapped good for great, fantastic and awesome and in the process lost much of our ability to discern good from best from bad. Jesus comes into that world and declares, "I am good. The good leader. The good shepherd", and because we're sheep we are confused. We're somewhat convinced that we already have good leaders and good shepherds- our consciences, our friends, our 'pastor' on the TV, our family. What if its true that your good isn't really good and the best is better than you can imagine? Christ came to call his people to himself, to follow him to a full and soul-satisfying life. Will you hear his voice, answer his call and follow the good shepherd? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111106WhenGodIsntGood.mp3 Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT 01:00:06 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together We often need reminders of who we are, what we're doing, why we're doing it, where we're headed. Radical Together has served as that and so much more for our church family! It has been a refreshing time of introspection and challenges to live life with much risk for a great reward. Ministries have been birthed from this time and we are embarking on the next leg of our journey as a church. Join the discussion today as we review where we've been, talk about growing up, and are faced once again with the high call of Jesus to follow Christ anywhere, through anything, to attain to the fullness of the maturity of Christ and a radical Christian lifestyle! We often need reminders of who we are, what we're doing, why we're doing it, where we're headed. Radical Together has served as that and so much more for our church family! It has been a refreshing time of introspection and challenges to live life with much risk for a great reward. Ministries have been birthed from this time and we are embarking on the next leg of our journey as a church. Join the discussion today as we review where we've been, talk about growing up, and are faced once again with the high call of Jesus to follow Christ anywhere, through anything, to attain to the fullness of the maturity of Christ and a radical Christian lifestyle! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111030RadicalTogetherWrapUp.mp3 Sun, 30 Oct 2011 06:00:00 GMT 01:06:50 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together Almost everyday we make decisions based on a risk-reward evaluation. We think, "What is the least that I can risk on this for the greatest reward?", or, "If I take this huge risk, is the reward worth it?" Its often based on this line of thinking that we make decisions. So when Jesus talks about following him into persecution, division within our families, pain, rejection, carrying a cross, we run our little risk/ reward calculation. And we often count the cost as being far too high. What he is asking us to give up is too costly or impossible to get back in return. Our hearts' focus is in the wrong place, we seek the wrong things, and we look to the wrong source to satisfy us. The amazing thing about the call of Christ is that he calls us to follow him into some impossibly difficult settings but he also promises that the greatest rewards await us when we do. If we go through our entire lives thinking that living a certain way will bring us all happiness and that way is not God's way, are we prepared to find out at the end of time that all that we ever wanted is found in God through Jesus? Following Christ leads us to joy, life, treasure. Will we make ourselves a blank check that God can spend any way he wants to? Will we follow him any and every where? Almost everyday we make decisions based on a risk-reward evaluation. We think, "What is the least that I can risk on this for the greatest reward?", or, "If I take this huge risk, is the reward worth it?" Its often based on this line of thinking that we make decisions. So when Jesus talks about following him into persecution, division within our families, pain, rejection, carrying a cross, we run our little risk/ reward calculation. And we often count the cost as being far too high. What he is asking us to give up is too costly or impossible to get back in return. Our hearts' focus is in the wrong place, we seek the wrong things, and we look to the wrong source to satisfy us. The amazing thing about the call of Christ is that he calls us to follow him into some impossibly difficult settings but he also promises that the greatest rewards await us when we do. If we go through our entire lives thinking that living a certain way will bring us all happiness and that way is not God's way, are we prepared to find out at the end of time that all that we ever wanted is found in God through Jesus? Following Christ leads us to joy, life, treasure. Will we make ourselves a blank check that God can spend any way he wants to? Will we follow him any and every where? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111023RadicalLivingRewards.mp3 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:00:00 GMT 01:02:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together The Words of Jesus often draw significant lines in the sand. These lines, no matter how difficult they may be to accept or understand, must be acknowledged by those that seek to walk in the ways of the Lord. In John 14:1-6, Jesus draws a radical line of exclusivity. This line is so significant, that eternity is in the balance. There are two destinations: eternal damnation or eternal life. Jesus says that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him. If this is true, then it should give us a radical urgency to point everyone we know to the one who provides the Way to the Father. He identifies Himself as the only way, the only truth, and the only life... This stands to reason that seeking those things outside of Christ will produce nothing by disappointment at best, and damnation at worst. Join us as we explore the ramifications that this passage holds to those who profess faith in Christ and those that don't. The Words of Jesus often draw significant lines in the sand. These lines, no matter how difficult they may be to accept or understand, must be acknowledged by those that seek to walk in the ways of the Lord. In John 14:1-6, Jesus draws a radical line of exclusivity. This line is so significant, that eternity is in the balance. There are two destinations: eternal damnation or eternal life. Jesus says that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him. If this is true, then it should give us a radical urgency to point everyone we know to the one who provides the Way to the Father. He identifies Himself as the only way, the only truth, and the only life... This stands to reason that seeking those things outside of Christ will produce nothing by disappointment at best, and damnation at worst. Join us as we explore the ramifications that this passage holds to those who profess faith in Christ and those that don't. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111016RadicalExclusivity.mp3 Sun, 16 Oct 2011 06:00:00 GMT 27:08 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together As we live this life, there are blind spots that can develop in our spiritual lives. Blind spots in driving can be dangerous, full of obstacles and potential disaster. But they can also hold potentials for opportunity and new directions. We don't know if we can't see them. Our desire is to follow Christ to the uttermost parts of the earth and share the life and hope of Jesus with the least of these. What we find out is that that goal of spreading the Gospel can get lost in the suffering and needs of those that need God's hope the most. We must recapture the truth that Christ's call to follow him and to tell all peoples and nations about his greatness must include reaching out to meet their practical, daily life needs, too. Radical changes must be made in simple, daily areas if we are to truly follow Christ into the great fulfilling life that he has called us into. As we live this life, there are blind spots that can develop in our spiritual lives. Blind spots in driving can be dangerous, full of obstacles and potential disaster. But they can also hold potentials for opportunity and new directions. We don't know if we can't see them. Our desire is to follow Christ to the uttermost parts of the earth and share the life and hope of Jesus with the least of these. What we find out is that that goal of spreading the Gospel can get lost in the suffering and needs of those that need God's hope the most. We must recapture the truth that Christ's call to follow him and to tell all peoples and nations about his greatness must include reaching out to meet their practical, daily life needs, too. Radical changes must be made in simple, daily areas if we are to truly follow Christ into the great fulfilling life that he has called us into. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111009RadicalCaringSuffering.mp3 Sun, 09 Oct 2011 06:00:00 GMT 58:10 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together Most of us have connected well with the Gospel's message of grace- we love it, we desire it, we want it in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. We understand some of the value of it for ourselves and the ones we care about in terms of our need for salvation and forgiveness of our sins. In the midst of that, we many of us have also disconnected God's saving grace from the passion of God's heart and we end up with a very self-centered Christianity that misses the heart of God. We're in this study to see if God has indeed called us to something higher and greater than a religion that begins with and terminates on us. As we see God's higher calling and purposes and love and passion for the nations to come to him, we must shift our values and attitudes to better align with him. We'll see that to ask for God's blessings is an honorable thing so long as we understand that our passion and joy will be filled up only when we join God's purposes for the peoples and nations to know and worship him! Most of us have connected well with the Gospel's message of grace- we love it, we desire it, we want it in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. We understand some of the value of it for ourselves and the ones we care about in terms of our need for salvation and forgiveness of our sins. In the midst of that, we many of us have also disconnected God's saving grace from the passion of God's heart and we end up with a very self-centered Christianity that misses the heart of God. We're in this study to see if God has indeed called us to something higher and greater than a religion that begins with and terminates on us. As we see God's higher calling and purposes and love and passion for the nations to come to him, we must shift our values and attitudes to better align with him. We'll see that to ask for God's blessings is an honorable thing so long as we understand that our passion and joy will be filled up only when we join God's purposes for the peoples and nations to know and worship him! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/111002RadicalforNations.mp3 Sun, 02 Oct 2011 06:00:00 GMT 59:03 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together The American Dream is a concept that most people are familiar with, even if they're not from America. The ideas of upward mobility, owning your own home, 2.5 kids and a dog is enticing and seems to be the total summary of what we should all be aiming at in life. The Gospel call of Jesus speaks to even this! The good news of Jesus is that God is great and worthy of radical living from me, and that I'm free from succeeding on my own and free to live a wildly productive life in Christ. As Christ tell us to abide in him we find that it impacts our definition of success and the very foundations of what has become the "American Dream." By living a fulfilling relationship with Christ, we find ourselves enabled to enjoy a kind of success that we had never dreamed of- eternal, relational and God-glorifying. The American Dream is a concept that most people are familiar with, even if they're not from America. The ideas of upward mobility, owning your own home, 2.5 kids and a dog is enticing and seems to be the total summary of what we should all be aiming at in life. The Gospel call of Jesus speaks to even this! The good news of Jesus is that God is great and worthy of radical living from me, and that I'm free from succeeding on my own and free to live a wildly productive life in Christ. As Christ tell us to abide in him we find that it impacts our definition of success and the very foundations of what has become the "American Dream." By living a fulfilling relationship with Christ, we find ourselves enabled to enjoy a kind of success that we had never dreamed of- eternal, relational and God-glorifying. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110925RadicallyAbidingInChrist.mp3 Sun, 25 Sep 2011 06:00:00 GMT 58:41 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together A television program on AandE chronicles the life and struggles of people who chronically keep so many belongings in their house or property that their lives begin to unravel. Christ knows our hearts better than we know ourselves and he begins most of his teachings regarding love and/or possessions with the premise that we are great 'self-lovers.' We are all always in danger of settling for the things and loves of this world and missing on the great fulfilling joy of the person of Christ. Christ knows that following him not only invites some hardships from the world around us but also means that we are available for him to ask anything of us, that we are willing to follow and give up anything that stands in the way of completing the journey with God that we have begun. We must entertain the possibility that Christ has called us to something higher than church life as we know it. We must believe that Christ is so good, so satisfying, so worthy that we will leave everyone and everything to find fulfillment in him. A television program on AandE chronicles the life and struggles of people who chronically keep so many belongings in their house or property that their lives begin to unravel. Christ knows our hearts better than we know ourselves and he begins most of his teachings regarding love and/or possessions with the premise that we are great 'self-lovers.' We are all always in danger of settling for the things and loves of this world and missing on the great fulfilling joy of the person of Christ. Christ knows that following him not only invites some hardships from the world around us but also means that we are available for him to ask anything of us, that we are willing to follow and give up anything that stands in the way of completing the journey with God that we have begun. We must entertain the possibility that Christ has called us to something higher than church life as we know it. We must believe that Christ is so good, so satisfying, so worthy that we will leave everyone and everything to find fulfillment in him. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110918DyingToLiveRadically.mp3 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:00:00 GMT 44:59 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Radical Together We're constantly inundated with news and most of the news that we are fed isn't positive, encouraging or uplifting. Matter of fact it seems like almost everything on the news is depressing and a reminder of how bad things can get; like a zombie apocalypse would be a better alternative to this! There are probably 2 realities to this- one is that because of 24 hour news outlets we live every tragedy in real time, and the other is that tragedy really is all around us all the time. What is our hope? That we would run away and escape tragedy? That somehow God will step in to prevent all suffering and death in our lives? What is our theology doing with suffering and tragedy? Jesus answers some of these questions head on. He doesn't allow us to avoid the realities of life, he doesn't allow us to focus on the wrong issues. He turns the big questions back on us and forces us to deal with our own spiritual condition and relationship with him, all the while reminding us of his mercy and grace in it all, so we can live radically together for him. We're constantly inundated with news and most of the news that we are fed isn't positive, encouraging or uplifting. Matter of fact it seems like almost everything on the news is depressing and a reminder of how bad things can get; like a zombie apocalypse would be a better alternative to this! There are probably 2 realities to this- one is that because of 24 hour news outlets we live every tragedy in real time, and the other is that tragedy really is all around us all the time. What is our hope? That we would run away and escape tragedy? That somehow God will step in to prevent all suffering and death in our lives? What is our theology doing with suffering and tragedy? Jesus answers some of these questions head on. He doesn't allow us to avoid the realities of life, he doesn't allow us to focus on the wrong issues. He turns the big questions back on us and forces us to deal with our own spiritual condition and relationship with him, all the while reminding us of his mercy and grace in it all, so we can live radically together for him. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110911LivingRadicallyTogether.mp3 Sun, 11 Sep 2011 06:00:00 GMT 37:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Failure to Launch There have been some pretty funny movies made about men who refuse to grow up. But its not funny when it happens in real life, when men remain boys, women remain girls, when people don't pursue healthy growth and maturity. As a church, we are reviewing who we are and what we're doing. What is the biblical purpose and point of the church? What are we supposed to be doing? What is our goal? So many of us in evangelicalism have been told its all about evangelism or growing a church or outreach or learning more about God or being doctrinally pure. It can be confusing and frustrating. As we look at Ephesians, Paul lays out one of the great goals for the Church, but it requires hard work, discipline and perseverance. There have been some pretty funny movies made about men who refuse to grow up. But its not funny when it happens in real life, when men remain boys, women remain girls, when people don't pursue healthy growth and maturity. As a church, we are reviewing who we are and what we're doing. What is the biblical purpose and point of the church? What are we supposed to be doing? What is our goal? So many of us in evangelicalism have been told its all about evangelism or growing a church or outreach or learning more about God or being doctrinally pure. It can be confusing and frustrating. As we look at Ephesians, Paul lays out one of the great goals for the Church, but it requires hard work, discipline and perseverance. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110904FailureToLaunch.mp3 Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:00:00 GMT 48:10 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief "Now is our chance to breathe without tyranny, released from the blinding of false light. Now is our chance... Now is... our chance... In weakness we are freed.." - "The Blinding of False Light" by As I Lay Dying -- The assumption many of us have about those who don't know Christ is that they are desperately trying to get out of their current life; that they are diligently seeking God. If wasn't for their darkness, their blindness, they would find him! Jesus addresses this directly in this text from John and explains that one of the curses of our condition without God is that we are stuck in our blindness but we think we are in light. So, in many ways, our blindness is a double-blindness because we think we can see. We must let go of our light and turn to the Light of the World if we are to truly see. "Now is our chance to breathe without tyranny, released from the blinding of false light. Now is our chance... Now is... our chance... In weakness we are freed.." - "The Blinding of False Light" by As I Lay Dying -- The assumption many of us have about those who don't know Christ is that they are desperately trying to get out of their current life; that they are diligently seeking God. If wasn't for their darkness, their blindness, they would find him! Jesus addresses this directly in this text from John and explains that one of the curses of our condition without God is that we are stuck in our blindness but we think we are in light. So, in many ways, our blindness is a double-blindness because we think we can see. We must let go of our light and turn to the Light of the World if we are to truly see. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110828FromJudgementToBelief.mp3 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT 46:53 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Blindness is a malady that affects more than 39 million people worldwide today. That's a lot of people! You can only imagine how common it was before we had preventative health care, medicines and surgeries that help cure or arrest blindness and its causes. To be helpless and at the mercy of those around you for everything and to know that you have no help of ever changing your lot in life. Why would God do something like that to someone? Maybe its because that person sinned or some sin from their family? Jesus takes this very situation and displays the glorious works of God in a blind man's life. And he calls us to join him in his work, in bringing glory to Christ, while we still can. Its an urgent call to stand and make a difference and to fall at the feet of our Healer and worship him as Lord! Blindness is a malady that affects more than 39 million people worldwide today. That's a lot of people! You can only imagine how common it was before we had preventative health care, medicines and surgeries that help cure or arrest blindness and its causes. To be helpless and at the mercy of those around you for everything and to know that you have no help of ever changing your lot in life. Why would God do something like that to someone? Maybe its because that person sinned or some sin from their family? Jesus takes this very situation and displays the glorious works of God in a blind man's life. And he calls us to join him in his work, in bringing glory to Christ, while we still can. Its an urgent call to stand and make a difference and to fall at the feet of our Healer and worship him as Lord! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110821AllToGodsGloryAndBelief.mp3 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT 53:30 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief There have been numerous movies made about people who seek eternal life by searching for the fountain of youth, putting on the "One Ring", drinking from the Holy Grail, or take the magic pill... What we know for sure is that in the real world, none of these things exist and people die every day. Jesus says in John 8:51 that if anyone keeps His word, "he will never see death." Obviously, this is a tough passage to reconcile if we take it strictly in the physical sense. So, what did Jesus mean when He said that? What are the implications of this statement for those who are called Christians? How will we respond to this truth? Not only did Jesus make this hard hitting statement, He also makes perhaps the most clear proclamation of His divinity in the book of John. Join us as we walk through John 8:48-59 and are sharpened by God's Word. There have been numerous movies made about people who seek eternal life by searching for the fountain of youth, putting on the "One Ring", drinking from the Holy Grail, or take the magic pill... What we know for sure is that in the real world, none of these things exist and people die every day. Jesus says in John 8:51 that if anyone keeps His word, "he will never see death." Obviously, this is a tough passage to reconcile if we take it strictly in the physical sense. So, what did Jesus mean when He said that? What are the implications of this statement for those who are called Christians? How will we respond to this truth? Not only did Jesus make this hard hitting statement, He also makes perhaps the most clear proclamation of His divinity in the book of John. Join us as we walk through John 8:48-59 and are sharpened by God's Word. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110814NeverTasteDeathRoadBelief.mp3 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT 49:59 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief We all have people that have passed out of this life and are no longer with us. Wouldn't it be great if someone came to you and said, "I've got a message for you from them!" What would we do? We'd listen, welcome them in and ask them so many questions! Jesus said he came from God and that he had an incredible message from him for us; why don't more people readily accept him and what he has to say? Because we are trusting in religion and self improvement/righteousness we ignore what Christ has to say. More than, people often find him and his message to be offensive. We all like to think that God is our Father and that we'd listen to what he has to say, but Christ made it clear that there are 2 fathers and that we will act from the character of our father. Will you hear him and get a new father and do his deeds and love him? We all have people that have passed out of this life and are no longer with us. Wouldn't it be great if someone came to you and said, "I've got a message for you from them!" What would we do? We'd listen, welcome them in and ask them so many questions! Jesus said he came from God and that he had an incredible message from him for us; why don't more people readily accept him and what he has to say? Because we are trusting in religion and self improvement/righteousness we ignore what Christ has to say. More than, people often find him and his message to be offensive. We all like to think that God is our Father and that we'd listen to what he has to say, but Christ made it clear that there are 2 fathers and that we will act from the character of our father. Will you hear him and get a new father and do his deeds and love him? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110807LeavetheWrongFatherandBelieve.mp3 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT 1:00:32 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief In Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," prisoners are held in a cave and made to look at shadows for their entire lives, and as a result, the shadows become their reality. They are prisoners and have no idea. In John 8:31-39, Jesus' words cut to the heart of the Jews who had "believed in Him." He tells them that everyone who commits sin, is a slave to sin and true freedom only comes from the Son (Himself). While it would be more comfortable for us to see how others are slaves to their sin, we must confront the fact that we are (and have been) slaves to sin at some point in life. Jesus is the only one who can liberate us and take us from slaves to sons along the road to belief. Join us as we discuss the true freedom that is only found in Jesus Christ. In Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," prisoners are held in a cave and made to look at shadows for their entire lives, and as a result, the shadows become their reality. They are prisoners and have no idea. In John 8:31-39, Jesus' words cut to the heart of the Jews who had "believed in Him." He tells them that everyone who commits sin, is a slave to sin and true freedom only comes from the Son (Himself). While it would be more comfortable for us to see how others are slaves to their sin, we must confront the fact that we are (and have been) slaves to sin at some point in life. Jesus is the only one who can liberate us and take us from slaves to sons along the road to belief. Join us as we discuss the true freedom that is only found in Jesus Christ. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110731FromSlavestoSons.mp3 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT 43:49 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Trey Guidry The Sanctuary Podcast - Testimony Listen as Trey Guidry gives his powerful testimony of God’s saving grace. Trey shares how God saved him from a life of drugs, hurt and shame. Listen as Trey Guidry gives his powerful testimony of God’s saving grace. Trey shares how God saved him from a life of drugs, hurt and shame. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110724TreyGuidryTestimony.mp3 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT 17:55 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Its easy to understand why so many people want the Jesus story (ie- the Gospels) to be about a nice, safe, religious Jesus. A Christmas and Easter Jesus. A non-committal, non-requirement Jesus. Because if you read the Gospel of John in the plainest, simplest way possible and take it all at face value, its hard. Very hard. Every time we slip into a less-than-follow-me-with-everything Jesus, Christ says something hard to rattle us back to reality. As much as we'd like to continue to hang out with Jesus, to be in his vicinity and say that, "yeah, I know that guy", he won't let us. He makes startling claims about himself, his work, his origin, his Father, and his destination. The good news about this difficulty is that its a leap of faith not into darkness but into light. He calls us to the difficult proposition of following him to the very end but he makes it clear that that's where we find light and life and hope and God himself. Its easy to understand why so many people want the Jesus story (ie- the Gospels) to be about a nice, safe, religious Jesus. A Christmas and Easter Jesus. A non-committal, non-requirement Jesus. Because if you read the Gospel of John in the plainest, simplest way possible and take it all at face value, its hard. Very hard. Every time we slip into a less-than-follow-me-with-everything Jesus, Christ says something hard to rattle us back to reality. As much as we'd like to continue to hang out with Jesus, to be in his vicinity and say that, "yeah, I know that guy", he won't let us. He makes startling claims about himself, his work, his origin, his Father, and his destination. The good news about this difficulty is that its a leap of faith not into darkness but into light. He calls us to the difficult proposition of following him to the very end but he makes it clear that that's where we find light and life and hope and God himself. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110724FromHangingOutWithJesusToBelief.mp3 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT 52:47 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Memories dim over time- some of us are finding that out quicker than others! As we get older, things that seemed unforgettable to us, things that were dear and precious to us at the time, fade away and we forget them. As believers, there are some things that we can't afford to forget. If we do, we will pursue religion without grace and become heartless legalists. We must not forget the terrible and wonderful details of our spiritual journey. When we don't have anything to lose, when we truly grasp our great need, we come to Christ for the grace that we need. When we forget, we turn away and remain in our hopelessness. Memories dim over time- some of us are finding that out quicker than others! As we get older, things that seemed unforgettable to us, things that were dear and precious to us at the time, fade away and we forget them. As believers, there are some things that we can't afford to forget. If we do, we will pursue religion without grace and become heartless legalists. We must not forget the terrible and wonderful details of our spiritual journey. When we don't have anything to lose, when we truly grasp our great need, we come to Christ for the grace that we need. When we forget, we turn away and remain in our hopelessness. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110717RememberUntoBelief.mp3 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT 49:14 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Life is full of a LOT of questions. Some are silly and consequential- others are eternally meaningful. Because we are faced with so many of these questions every day, we can get bogged down in them and lose sight of the bigger questions- the ones that really matter. Christ stepped into the middle of all of the questions and our attempted answers and asked another one- "Here's who I am...what will you do with me?" He placed himself at the focal point of people's confusion, hatred, anger, confusion, in a public forum, to push men for all time and in all places to answer his question. He wants believers, a small group of dedicated followers, who will believe in and love him no matter what. No matter what the reason is for or the intensity of our rejection of him, he is seeking to draw people to himself- so our will and mind can be illuminated to the glory of who he really is! Life is full of a LOT of questions. Some are silly and consequential- others are eternally meaningful. Because we are faced with so many of these questions every day, we can get bogged down in them and lose sight of the bigger questions- the ones that really matter. Christ stepped into the middle of all of the questions and our attempted answers and asked another one- "Here's who I am...what will you do with me?" He placed himself at the focal point of people's confusion, hatred, anger, confusion, in a public forum, to push men for all time and in all places to answer his question. He wants believers, a small group of dedicated followers, who will believe in and love him no matter what. No matter what the reason is for or the intensity of our rejection of him, he is seeking to draw people to himself- so our will and mind can be illuminated to the glory of who he really is! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110710FromQuestionstoBelief.mp3 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT 55:26 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Almost everyone has some opinion about Jesus. In the midst of a culture that is in some ways Christ and church saturated there is a lot of ignorance and misinformation out there regarding Jesus. This leads to a lot of confusion regarding the person, purpose and mission of Jesus. Is he true? If he is, can we know? If he is true and we can know it, should we come to him? Jesus sets about to remove as much confusion as possible and he wants to elicit a response from us. He didn't come to just inform us but to present himself to us as he really is and to challenge us to respond. He knows that our deepest need is to know and have him and he jealously pursues us- he wants us to be filled up and to worship him as great for eternity. Almost everyone has some opinion about Jesus. In the midst of a culture that is in some ways Christ and church saturated there is a lot of ignorance and misinformation out there regarding Jesus. This leads to a lot of confusion regarding the person, purpose and mission of Jesus. Is he true? If he is, can we know? If he is true and we can know it, should we come to him? Jesus sets about to remove as much confusion as possible and he wants to elicit a response from us. He didn't come to just inform us but to present himself to us as he really is and to challenge us to respond. He knows that our deepest need is to know and have him and he jealously pursues us- he wants us to be filled up and to worship him as great for eternity. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110703FromConfusiontoBelief.mp3 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT 50:33 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief If anyone in history has faced pressure from friends, family, strangers, admirers and haters to be something that he wasn't- to be someone that fulfills their perceptions about him- it has to be Christ. Everyone had(has!) an opinion about him and who he was supposed to be- a good man, a religious leader, a king, a teacher/ rabbi. But Christ had a plan: he would live life on God's timetable and accomplish what God had for him while not compromising who he really was. And he was relentless about challenging people with that- "Here is who I really am, here's what I really came to do. Now, what will you do with that?" Christ challenges us to know, love and follow him for who he was. he knows the impossibility of us ever doing this on our own, so he offers us the greatest hope and most difficult promise of them all- he'll change our will, desire and passions so that we will want God's will and can then know and love him. He's desperate for us to move from believing the wrong things about him and for us to believe the truth and have his life in us! If anyone in history has faced pressure from friends, family, strangers, admirers and haters to be something that he wasn't- to be someone that fulfills their perceptions about him- it has to be Christ. Everyone had(has!) an opinion about him and who he was supposed to be- a good man, a religious leader, a king, a teacher/ rabbi. But Christ had a plan: he would live life on God's timetable and accomplish what God had for him while not compromising who he really was. And he was relentless about challenging people with that- "Here is who I really am, here's what I really came to do. Now, what will you do with that?" Christ challenges us to know, love and follow him for who he was. he knows the impossibility of us ever doing this on our own, so he offers us the greatest hope and most difficult promise of them all- he'll change our will, desire and passions so that we will want God's will and can then know and love him. He's desperate for us to move from believing the wrong things about him and for us to believe the truth and have his life in us! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110626FromBelievingUnbelieftoBelief.mp3 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 06:00:00 GMT 51:24 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Today, we explore John 6:59-71 and conclude the conversation surrounding the bread of life. This passage carries some pretty hard words from Jesus, yet they are the words of eternal life. Amazingly, many of His "disciples" ended up grumbling and walking away from Him, unable to accept what He was saying. Throughout scriptures, we are faced with passages just like this one. Is our tendency to humbly submit to Jesus' words, trusting that He gives life? Or do we grumble against Him, find others who support our opinion, or simply walk away? Lord willing, we will be faithful like Peter, confessing that Jesus is the only ONE who has the words of eternal life. Today, we explore John 6:59-71 and conclude the conversation surrounding the bread of life. This passage carries some pretty hard words from Jesus, yet they are the words of eternal life. Amazingly, many of His "disciples" ended up grumbling and walking away from Him, unable to accept what He was saying. Throughout scriptures, we are faced with passages just like this one. Is our tendency to humbly submit to Jesus' words, trusting that He gives life? Or do we grumble against Him, find others who support our opinion, or simply walk away? Lord willing, we will be faithful like Peter, confessing that Jesus is the only ONE who has the words of eternal life. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110619HardWordsHarderHearts.mp3 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 06:00:00 GMT 55:41 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Jeff Cokenour The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Listen as guest speaker, Jeff Cokenour, takes us through John 6. Listen as guest speaker, Jeff Cokenour, takes us through John 6. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110612ToBeliefContinuingJohn6.mp3 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 06:00:00 GMT 35:15 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief There are lots of plain, everyday objects that don't matter very much if they are just left in our hands. In the face of so many gigantic trials and troubles and problems in life, we often feel overwhelmed and inadequate. As John has been presenting an incredible picture of Christ to us he's made sure to push us to believing that Jesus is God. He wants us to know that this man who was born in the manger and turned water into wine at a party is God in human flesh- and that his time on earth was meant to take us from where we are to a life- altering belief in him. Because Christ was God he did some amazing things- miraculous things. And the good news for us is this- this same Jesus is living today and he can take our little- little faith, little resources, little money, little family, little time- and multiply it to bless many others and to satisfy us. Will we trust him with our little? There are lots of plain, everyday objects that don't matter very much if they are just left in our hands. In the face of so many gigantic trials and troubles and problems in life, we often feel overwhelmed and inadequate. As John has been presenting an incredible picture of Christ to us he's made sure to push us to believing that Jesus is God. He wants us to know that this man who was born in the manger and turned water into wine at a party is God in human flesh- and that his time on earth was meant to take us from where we are to a life- altering belief in him. Because Christ was God he did some amazing things- miraculous things. And the good news for us is this- this same Jesus is living today and he can take our little- little faith, little resources, little money, little family, little time- and multiply it to bless many others and to satisfy us. Will we trust him with our little? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110522FromLittleToBelief.mp3 Sun, 22 May 2011 06:00:00 GMT 51:23 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief In the long history of Christianity there has been a huge conversation about Christ. Its 2000 years old and comes down to this- who is Jesus and what we do with him? People meet every year to discuss who Jesus was and what he said and what we're supposed to do with any of it. Christ was challenged in regards to who he was, what his relationship to God was, and how people were supposed to respond to him. Ultimately its this conversation that will drive Christ to the cross- he will die because of what he was saying and teaching about himself. In our times, there's a lot of spiritual talk; talk about God and loving him and loving him through serving others. As we talk about Christ and try to figure out who he is and what we're supposed to do with him, we must listen to what Jesus said about himself and realize that we can't separate the 'God' that we all like to talk about and what Jesus claimed about himself. In the long history of Christianity there has been a huge conversation about Christ. Its 2000 years old and comes down to this- who is Jesus and what we do with him? People meet every year to discuss who Jesus was and what he said and what we're supposed to do with any of it. Christ was challenged in regards to who he was, what his relationship to God was, and how people were supposed to respond to him. Ultimately its this conversation that will drive Christ to the cross- he will die because of what he was saying and teaching about himself. In our times, there's a lot of spiritual talk; talk about God and loving him and loving him through serving others. As we talk about Christ and try to figure out who he is and what we're supposed to do with him, we must listen to what Jesus said about himself and realize that we can't separate the 'God' that we all like to talk about and what Jesus claimed about himself. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110515FromAccuserToBelief.mp3 Sun, 15 May 2011 06:00:00 GMT 45:17 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief A 2010 survey reports that 90% of Americans believe in God. The big question in that statistic is, "Who is God?" What God are they talking about or believing in? In the Gospel of John we see the issue of who Christ is as being imminently important. Christ continues to push people to make a decision about himself. He purposefully confronts people in their darkest sins or their deepest needs to force them to choose one of two extremes regarding his identity. We want Christ to be safe, to be cuddly, to be loving and are surprised and shocked when he doesn't appear that way in the Scriptures. We must see Jesus the way Scripture presents him and then respond to him with worship and honor and love- or know him as judge. And we must be prepared to stake our lives- our very existence- on this! A 2010 survey reports that 90% of Americans believe in God. The big question in that statistic is, "Who is God?" What God are they talking about or believing in? In the Gospel of John we see the issue of who Christ is as being imminently important. Christ continues to push people to make a decision about himself. He purposefully confronts people in their darkest sins or their deepest needs to force them to choose one of two extremes regarding his identity. We want Christ to be safe, to be cuddly, to be loving and are surprised and shocked when he doesn't appear that way in the Scriptures. We must see Jesus the way Scripture presents him and then respond to him with worship and honor and love- or know him as judge. And we must be prepared to stake our lives- our very existence- on this! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110508FromBlasphemyToBelief.mp3 Sun, 08 May 2011 06:00:00 GMT 45:07 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief We often think of Jesus as a mild-mannered, calm, passive guy that loved playing with children. We expect him to be completely accommodating and almost deferential in his dealings with people. He just loves us! In contrast, John in his Gospel wants us to get to know Jesus the way he did. He presents a very different Jesus. Compassionate and merciful and loving, yes; but infinitely more complex and purposeful than we perhaps first think. Jesus comes to sick people, to hurting people, to sinful people, while they are still sick and in pain and sinning, and asks them a simple but penetrating question: "Do you want to be well?" To this day, Jesus is purposefully coming to men and women in their place of desperate need and confronting them with who he is and the prospect of being truly whole. Do YOU want to be well? We often think of Jesus as a mild-mannered, calm, passive guy that loved playing with children. We expect him to be completely accommodating and almost deferential in his dealings with people. He just loves us! In contrast, John in his Gospel wants us to get to know Jesus the way he did. He presents a very different Jesus. Compassionate and merciful and loving, yes; but infinitely more complex and purposeful than we perhaps first think. Jesus comes to sick people, to hurting people, to sinful people, while they are still sick and in pain and sinning, and asks them a simple but penetrating question: "Do you want to be well?" To this day, Jesus is purposefully coming to men and women in their place of desperate need and confronting them with who he is and the prospect of being truly whole. Do YOU want to be well? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110501FromParalysisToBelief.mp3 Sun, 01 May 2011 06:00:00 GMT 52:53 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief We mistake God's promises of blessings and overcoming this world for the absence of suffering or an abundance of material possessions. We assume that the Lord's promises to provide for his children mean that those children never experience heartbreak, challenge or pain. We find in John a story of a royal official and his sick son and their encounter with Christ. What starts out as the darkest of days ends in a surprising and challenging way. The amazing healing that takes place in this story and the way that Christ pushes this man to a life- sustaining belief is a foreshadowing of Easter when Christ dies for our sins and returns from the grave- the most incredible of stories! Then as now, Jesus is interested in our belief, in pushing us to go beyond signs and wonders and to answer the questions, "What do you believe in? Do you believe in me?" Easter is the greatest evidence that Christ is using every tragedy to move us to a higher, more complete level of belief. We mistake God's promises of blessings and overcoming this world for the absence of suffering or an abundance of material possessions. We assume that the Lord's promises to provide for his children mean that those children never experience heartbreak, challenge or pain. We find in John a story of a royal official and his sick son and their encounter with Christ. What starts out as the darkest of days ends in a surprising and challenging way. The amazing healing that takes place in this story and the way that Christ pushes this man to a life- sustaining belief is a foreshadowing of Easter when Christ dies for our sins and returns from the grave- the most incredible of stories! Then as now, Jesus is interested in our belief, in pushing us to go beyond signs and wonders and to answer the questions, "What do you believe in? Do you believe in me?" Easter is the greatest evidence that Christ is using every tragedy to move us to a higher, more complete level of belief. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110424FromTragedyToBelief.mp3 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT 34:33 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief We are almost constantly in a state of hunger or thirst, or both. From our earliest hours on this planet, we crave food and milk. Throughout life we are on a quest to find satisfaction but we soon discover that no matter how much or what we eat or drink we are hungry and thirsty again only hours later. These primal desires for food and water serve as a great metaphor for our spiritual condition and the desire we have for something outside of ourselves that will satisfy us. Jesus talks to his disciples not only about living water that brings eternal life but a food source that brings purpose and fulfillment. He says we can share in this food and water and in them we'll find the deepest level of satisfaction that we could ever imagine. We are almost constantly in a state of hunger or thirst, or both. From our earliest hours on this planet, we crave food and milk. Throughout life we are on a quest to find satisfaction but we soon discover that no matter how much or what we eat or drink we are hungry and thirsty again only hours later. These primal desires for food and water serve as a great metaphor for our spiritual condition and the desire we have for something outside of ourselves that will satisfy us. Jesus talks to his disciples not only about living water that brings eternal life but a food source that brings purpose and fulfillment. He says we can share in this food and water and in them we'll find the deepest level of satisfaction that we could ever imagine. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110417FromHungerToBelief.mp3 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT 54:51 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - To Belief Water is a kind of universal symbol for life. Water is the most abundant element on the face of the planet. Water is essential for life as we know it. We have a built-in craving and thirst for water. But we find out every day that we have to drink a lot of liquid just to replace what we lose- and we are still thirsty! God created us that way, he made us thirsty. He made us thirsty in every area of life with a craving for more. Our sin has twisted that and now we try to satisfy our different thirsts with things that not only aren't fulfilling but they make us thirstier. Christ talked about a water that always satisfies, a well that never fails, a drink that fills us up and gives us enough to give to others. Find your total satisfaction for all of life in the water that Christ has to give you! Water is a kind of universal symbol for life. Water is the most abundant element on the face of the planet. Water is essential for life as we know it. We have a built-in craving and thirst for water. But we find out every day that we have to drink a lot of liquid just to replace what we lose- and we are still thirsty! God created us that way, he made us thirsty. He made us thirsty in every area of life with a craving for more. Our sin has twisted that and now we try to satisfy our different thirsts with things that not only aren't fulfilling but they make us thirstier. Christ talked about a water that always satisfies, a well that never fails, a drink that fills us up and gives us enough to give to others. Find your total satisfaction for all of life in the water that Christ has to give you! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110410FromTheWellToBelief.mp3 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT 53:16 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... There is so much confusion today regarding religion. As spirituality interests are reportedly on the rise but as loyalty to denominations is on the decrease there is a lot of confusion about all things religious or spiritual. Even our language regarding spiritual things is hard to understand- sacraments, ordinances, baptism, salvation. Christ encountered similar confusion in his lifetime. There were a lot of religious people and a lot of religious ideas out there. And there was John the Baptist, a man who had a large following and talked about some radical ideas. Christ seemed to invite this kind of controversy. Its almost like he wanted to push people, to make them declare a side or an opinion on these things. He's still pushing people like this today, and he's still clearing up our wrong ideas about religion and God and salvation. And he's still demanding that we declare a decision regarding who he is and what he came to do. There is so much confusion today regarding religion. As spirituality interests are reportedly on the rise but as loyalty to denominations is on the decrease there is a lot of confusion about all things religious or spiritual. Even our language regarding spiritual things is hard to understand- sacraments, ordinances, baptism, salvation. Christ encountered similar confusion in his lifetime. There were a lot of religious people and a lot of religious ideas out there. And there was John the Baptist, a man who had a large following and talked about some radical ideas. Christ seemed to invite this kind of controversy. Its almost like he wanted to push people, to make them declare a side or an opinion on these things. He's still pushing people like this today, and he's still clearing up our wrong ideas about religion and God and salvation. And he's still demanding that we declare a decision regarding who he is and what he came to do. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110403JesusIsOurPurification.mp3 Sun, 03 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT 49:05 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... Trying to wrap our minds around God seems like an impossible task. The enormity of just the idea of God is intimidating. If we are to understand God, we have to start with God; we have to go to the source, avoiding as much speculation and man-centered philosophies as possible. So, instead of starting with us or our limited knowledge understanding of love, life or God, we must start with God and how he has revealed himself. Our only hope for knowing God and knowing life and knowing love is for God to show himself and all these things to us. We must turn to him, to the light of who he has shown himself to be, if we are to have any life now and forever. Christ tells us what our problem is, why we don't understand what God has so plainly said, and what our hope is: Run to the Light! Trying to wrap our minds around God seems like an impossible task. The enormity of just the idea of God is intimidating. If we are to understand God, we have to start with God; we have to go to the source, avoiding as much speculation and man-centered philosophies as possible. So, instead of starting with us or our limited knowledge understanding of love, life or God, we must start with God and how he has revealed himself. Our only hope for knowing God and knowing life and knowing love is for God to show himself and all these things to us. We must turn to him, to the light of who he has shown himself to be, if we are to have any life now and forever. Christ tells us what our problem is, why we don't understand what God has so plainly said, and what our hope is: Run to the Light! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110327JesusIsLoveLightLife.mp3 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT 42:52 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... Most of us have heard the term "Born Again." Unfortunately, there has been so much misunderstanding surrounding this topic that we are left with a truncated view of what it actually means. Like Nicodemus, we tend to come to Jesus with a bunch of "knowledge," yet we misunderstand what He means when He says: "Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." In our proclamation of what we know about Jesus, God, heaven, or divine things, He makes a bold statement that tells us that unless we are born again, we cannot even begin to see the Kingdom of Heaven, much less claim to know something about it... Join us as we explore John 3:1-15 and try to get to the bottom of what it means when Jesus says that we are in need of a "new birth." Most of us have heard the term "Born Again." Unfortunately, there has been so much misunderstanding surrounding this topic that we are left with a truncated view of what it actually means. Like Nicodemus, we tend to come to Jesus with a bunch of "knowledge," yet we misunderstand what He means when He says: "Truly, Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." In our proclamation of what we know about Jesus, God, heaven, or divine things, He makes a bold statement that tells us that unless we are born again, we cannot even begin to see the Kingdom of Heaven, much less claim to know something about it... Join us as we explore John 3:1-15 and try to get to the bottom of what it means when Jesus says that we are in need of a "new birth." http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110320JesusIsYourNewLife.mp3 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT 41:45 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... We were created with passions because we reflect the image of God and he is passionate. As Christ began the public portion of his life and ministry, he displayed some of his passions in a very public and forceful manner. Since we are passionate and God is passionate, wouldn't it make sense that we would want to know what God's passions are? Wouldn't we want to know them and embrace them and adopt them as our own? Jesus is passionate and what he is passionate about might just surprise you! If you're tired of spending your passions on things, people, places, events, etc, that disappoint you or seem to be short of deserving your passions, listen and discover what Christ revealed about God's passions. It could bring you freedom from false passions and fulfillment in true passions! We were created with passions because we reflect the image of God and he is passionate. As Christ began the public portion of his life and ministry, he displayed some of his passions in a very public and forceful manner. Since we are passionate and God is passionate, wouldn't it make sense that we would want to know what God's passions are? Wouldn't we want to know them and embrace them and adopt them as our own? Jesus is passionate and what he is passionate about might just surprise you! If you're tired of spending your passions on things, people, places, events, etc, that disappoint you or seem to be short of deserving your passions, listen and discover what Christ revealed about God's passions. It could bring you freedom from false passions and fulfillment in true passions! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110313JesusIsPassionate.mp3 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT 53:10 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Matt Prine The Sanctuary Podcast - Proclaim As You Go Throughout scripture, there is an explicit mandate for believers: a call to evangelize. In fact, God makes it clear that we are saved unto proclaiming HIS greatness and glory. For many Christians, evangelism has faded into the background of their daily life, and for some, it has pretty much disappeared. According to the Word of God, this is not optional... it is marching orders that are intended to be executed. This message explores the life of the Apostle Paul and how his calling was not much different than that of modern day Christ-followers. The end result should be proclamation and beckoning to people towards our great and glorious God. Throughout scripture, there is an explicit mandate for believers: a call to evangelize. In fact, God makes it clear that we are saved unto proclaiming HIS greatness and glory. For many Christians, evangelism has faded into the background of their daily life, and for some, it has pretty much disappeared. According to the Word of God, this is not optional... it is marching orders that are intended to be executed. This message explores the life of the Apostle Paul and how his calling was not much different than that of modern day Christ-followers. The end result should be proclamation and beckoning to people towards our great and glorious God. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110306ProclaimAsYouGo.mp3 Sun, 06 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT 53:31 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... There are some passages in the Bible and you wonder why they are there. Why did God record that? What are we supposed to do with that info? This passage is one of those: Jesus turning the water into wine. It can't be just to tell us that Jesus drank wine, can it? That wouldn't be very helpful at all. Jesus begins his ministry at a wedding in Cana and the unexpected occurs- the bridegroom runs out of wine! Jesus and his first disciples are guests and the text leads us to wonder, "What will Jesus do about this? Does he care? Should we care?" Listen as we recognize more of the greatness of Jesus in this unique story and as we learn to rely on him when we need a miracle. There are some passages in the Bible and you wonder why they are there. Why did God record that? What are we supposed to do with that info? This passage is one of those: Jesus turning the water into wine. It can't be just to tell us that Jesus drank wine, can it? That wouldn't be very helpful at all. Jesus begins his ministry at a wedding in Cana and the unexpected occurs- the bridegroom runs out of wine! Jesus and his first disciples are guests and the text leads us to wonder, "What will Jesus do about this? Does he care? Should we care?" Listen as we recognize more of the greatness of Jesus in this unique story and as we learn to rely on him when we need a miracle. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110227JesusIsMiracleWorker.mp3 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT 48:55 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... It can be shocking when people aren't what we thought they were or how they presented themselves to us. We often present ourselves to other people with facades and masks on because we don't trust them or we don't trust ourselves, so we're not completely honest with others. This can also bleed over into our relationship with God. How often do we come to God with a mask on, feigning honesty yet maintaining insincerity in our hearts and missing all that Christ has in store for us? Philip brings Nathanael to Jesus and he has honest questions and doubts that he brings to Christ. Christ welcomes him with open arms, receives him, and offers to show him the deepest spiritual truths than Nathanael can imagine. Will we come to Christ with honesty, sincerely seeking truth and the deeper things of God? It can be shocking when people aren't what we thought they were or how they presented themselves to us. We often present ourselves to other people with facades and masks on because we don't trust them or we don't trust ourselves, so we're not completely honest with others. This can also bleed over into our relationship with God. How often do we come to God with a mask on, feigning honesty yet maintaining insincerity in our hearts and missing all that Christ has in store for us? Philip brings Nathanael to Jesus and he has honest questions and doubts that he brings to Christ. Christ welcomes him with open arms, receives him, and offers to show him the deepest spiritual truths than Nathanael can imagine. Will we come to Christ with honesty, sincerely seeking truth and the deeper things of God? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110220JesusIsMoreThink.mp3 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT 45:43 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... John has been clear about who Jesus is, the Jesus he wants us to get to know. He's brought John the Baptist into the picture to be a witness to this Jesus and now the Baptist has been clear about who Jesus is. Jesus has been described by the "Johns" as the Word, the Word become flesh, God in the flesh, the Light come to the darkness. As more and more people begin to interact with Jesus, we begin to get new insights into who he was. Christ looked into the hearts of his disciples, his earliest followers, and talked to them about what they most needed to hear. He challenged them to follow him the right way and for the right reasons. He changed their names and their destinies. For them and for all people in all times, he is what we seek. We must be honest with ourselves and with him and follow him in order to be like him- true disciples of Jesus Christ. John has been clear about who Jesus is, the Jesus he wants us to get to know. He's brought John the Baptist into the picture to be a witness to this Jesus and now the Baptist has been clear about who Jesus is. Jesus has been described by the "Johns" as the Word, the Word become flesh, God in the flesh, the Light come to the darkness. As more and more people begin to interact with Jesus, we begin to get new insights into who he was. Christ looked into the hearts of his disciples, his earliest followers, and talked to them about what they most needed to hear. He challenged them to follow him the right way and for the right reasons. He changed their names and their destinies. For them and for all people in all times, he is what we seek. We must be honest with ourselves and with him and follow him in order to be like him- true disciples of Jesus Christ. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110213JesusIsWhatYouSeek.mp3 Sun, 13 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT 45:27 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... There is so much that is misunderstood about Jesus. So much that we assume we know, but under proper biblical inspection we find that we are incorrect. Do we come to him with preconceptions? Do we come with our arguments already in place about who Jesus is supposed to be? Are constantly trying to prove or disprove something about Jesus? One of the biggest challenges in the early 21st Century is gaining a proper and full understanding of who Jesus is. John presents a clear, hard, focused view of Jesus and challenges us to accept nothing less than that Jesus. In the middle of our confusion and our misconceptions, John presents Jesus as someone fantastic who does more than represent God or who helps us figure life out. The only question for us is- will we accept the Jesus of John for all that he is and for all that he can do in us? There is so much that is misunderstood about Jesus. So much that we assume we know, but under proper biblical inspection we find that we are incorrect. Do we come to him with preconceptions? Do we come with our arguments already in place about who Jesus is supposed to be? Are constantly trying to prove or disprove something about Jesus? One of the biggest challenges in the early 21st Century is gaining a proper and full understanding of who Jesus is. John presents a clear, hard, focused view of Jesus and challenges us to accept nothing less than that Jesus. In the middle of our confusion and our misconceptions, John presents Jesus as someone fantastic who does more than represent God or who helps us figure life out. The only question for us is- will we accept the Jesus of John for all that he is and for all that he can do in us? http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110206JesusIsLambofGod.mp3 Sun, 06 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT 43:01 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... In his Gospel/biography of Jesus, John desperately wants us to know the Jesus he knew. John writes with an urgency and intensity that seems to be screaming out at us, "You're looking for God? You're wondering if there's any hope? Remember Jesus! Know him- he's God!" He brings in his first witness of Jesus' unique identity in the unique person of John the Baptist. John the Baptist shows up with a simply and compelling message that brought in crowds by the thousands. Would he embrace his opportunity to be elevated, to be propped up and made much of? How would he respond to the attention? John shows us that Jesus is the only One worth pointing people to and that our job is to be the unique voice for the Gospel among our generation. In his Gospel/biography of Jesus, John desperately wants us to know the Jesus he knew. John writes with an urgency and intensity that seems to be screaming out at us, "You're looking for God? You're wondering if there's any hope? Remember Jesus! Know him- he's God!" He brings in his first witness of Jesus' unique identity in the unique person of John the Baptist. John the Baptist shows up with a simply and compelling message that brought in crowds by the thousands. Would he embrace his opportunity to be elevated, to be propped up and made much of? How would he respond to the attention? John shows us that Jesus is the only One worth pointing people to and that our job is to be the unique voice for the Gospel among our generation. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110130JesusIsNotJohn.mp3 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT 34:55 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... Ideas are...just that- they are ideas. There's not a lot of tangibility to them so long as they remain in the realm of the theoretical, philosophical. Ideas can change to world, but they have to be "fleshed out." We can have ideas about people or things or inventions or hopes or dreams or plans- but they don't change anything, impact anything or ultimately impact anything until they are made into a reality. Man has had ideas about God for millennia, but God knew that our ideas were all wrong and out of sync with the reality of who he was. God knew that we needed a full vision of who he was- so he showed us ALL of himself through Jesus Christ. We can know God and know Jesus and be like him and worship him and live life like him! Ideas are...just that- they are ideas. There's not a lot of tangibility to them so long as they remain in the realm of the theoretical, philosophical. Ideas can change to world, but they have to be "fleshed out." We can have ideas about people or things or inventions or hopes or dreams or plans- but they don't change anything, impact anything or ultimately impact anything until they are made into a reality. Man has had ideas about God for millennia, but God knew that our ideas were all wrong and out of sync with the reality of who he was. God knew that we needed a full vision of who he was- so he showed us ALL of himself through Jesus Christ. We can know God and know Jesus and be like him and worship him and live life like him! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110123JesusIsWordFlesh.mp3 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT 39:49 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is... Light has a way of making itself known, of drawing attention to itself. It doesn't usually need to be announced- "Look, the light is on!" John is intent on telling us new things about Jesus, on forcing us to see and accept him for who he really is. Along the way John also describes us, introducing us to us and revealing some things that we might rather ignore or overlook or treat with kid gloves. Here we discover Jesus as the Light of Life, the Life of God, and the fact that none of us can see him as light if left to ourselves. We see our darkness and need for sight and life and faith and find Jesus to be the Light that is worth praising and proclaiming. Light has a way of making itself known, of drawing attention to itself. It doesn't usually need to be announced- "Look, the light is on!" John is intent on telling us new things about Jesus, on forcing us to see and accept him for who he really is. Along the way John also describes us, introducing us to us and revealing some things that we might rather ignore or overlook or treat with kid gloves. Here we discover Jesus as the Light of Life, the Life of God, and the fact that none of us can see him as light if left to ourselves. We see our darkness and need for sight and life and faith and find Jesus to be the Light that is worth praising and proclaiming. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110116JesusIsLifeLight.mp3 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT 42:26 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Jesus Is...the Word/God We don't remember the names of the great biographers, we remember the names of the subjects of great biographies. More than that- we write and read biographies about memorable, interesting, impactful people. The Gospel of John is the account of the life, teachings and acts of Jesus Christ and John wrote it because he wants us to know Jesus in much the same way that he knew Jesus. John wants us to pay honor and respect to Jesus as a great man and to learn from him. As John was struck by the awesome love of God through Jesus, he was most overwhelmed by this: That the same Jesus who talked about love was the same God who is love. John wants us to know from the very beginning that Jesus is God and the rest of Jesus' story only matters because of that. We don't remember the names of the great biographers, we remember the names of the subjects of great biographies. More than that- we write and read biographies about memorable, interesting, impactful people. The Gospel of John is the account of the life, teachings and acts of Jesus Christ and John wrote it because he wants us to know Jesus in much the same way that he knew Jesus. John wants us to pay honor and respect to Jesus as a great man and to learn from him. As John was struck by the awesome love of God through Jesus, he was most overwhelmed by this: That the same Jesus who talked about love was the same God who is love. John wants us to know from the very beginning that Jesus is God and the rest of Jesus' story only matters because of that. http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110109JesusIs.mp3 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT 30:08 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com Joe Sanders The Sanctuary Podcast - Dull or Discerning? We often start the new year thinking about change and resolutions and improvement. We evaluate who we are, where we are in life, where we want to go and how we might best get there. Others of us ignore all of this and keep up the same patterns, choosing to repeat old failures and mistakes. The book of Hebrews makes it clear that this attitude is fatal to our faith; that we can slip quickly from not hearing God's Word to disobedience to a loss of faith and faith walking. Evaluate yourself-be honest with yourself-ask the Lord to reveal your heart and shortcomings to you- and let's spend 2011 growing from the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word! We often start the new year thinking about change and resolutions and improvement. We evaluate who we are, where we are in life, where we want to go and how we might best get there. Others of us ignore all of this and keep up the same patterns, choosing to repeat old failures and mistakes. The book of Hebrews makes it clear that this attitude is fatal to our faith; that we can slip quickly from not hearing God's Word to disobedience to a loss of faith and faith walking. Evaluate yourself-be honest with yourself-ask the Lord to reveal your heart and shortcomings to you- and let's spend 2011 growing from the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word! http://podcast.thesanctuaryfellowship.com/110102DullDiscerning.mp3 Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT 49:28 info@thesanctuaryfellowship.com