North Avenue Church Podcast

Why I'm Not (But Almost Was!) a Preterist | Matthew 24:27-31

There are a growing number of genuine Christian pastors who hold to partial Preterism. However, there are good reasons to question this view.

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To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain | Philippians 1:19-30

Paul speaks with great desire for Christ to be glorified in his body whether by life or death. How could this be?

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Tribulation, False Christs, and False Prophets ... Now! | Matthew 24:22-26

After we attempt to get the challenging structure of this passage in place, then we arrive at the practical application concerning false christs and false prophets that lead people astray in every generation. For this we must develop discernment and keep our love for the truth from growing cold.

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Was the Sabbath *only* for Israel?

Is Sunday now the Christian Sabbath? Or was the Sabbath only the sign of the Mosaic Covenant with Israel?

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Paul's Joy from Jail | Philippians 1:12-18

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The Majesty of God | Psalm 8

Here is Greg's outline for what we see in Psalm 8:

1. God's majesty around us
2. God's majesty above us
3. God's majesty in us
4. God's majesty through us

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Introducing Philippians: The Epistle of Joy! | Philippians 1:1-11

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Is Sunday the Christian Sabbath?

Should Christians in the New Covenant era observe the Old Testament's Sabbath regulations? Does the NT teach that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath?

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The Great Tribulation: When, Where, & Why? | Matthew 24:15-21

Main idea: The "great tribulation" of Matthew 24:21 refers to God's judgment poured out on Jerusalem, through the Roman army, for their rejection of Christ. However, this is but a preview of final judgment and a testimony to our need to receive Jesus.

Outline: Five reasons v. 21's "great tribulation" refers to 70 AD:

1. It fits the flow of vv 15-21
2. How the phrase “great tribulation” is used in the rest of the NT.
3. Scripture regularly uses hyperbolic language this way
4. 70 AD really was unspeakably horrific
5. How Jesus’s speaks of 70 AD in Luke’s gospel is strong confirmation

Luke’s parallel text makes clear what the "great tribuation/distress" is:

1. Matthew 24:19-21, “…alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! …. [21] For then there will be great tribulation [θλῖψις μεγάλη], ...”
2. Luke 21:23-24, “Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress [ἀνάγκη μεγάλη] upon the earth and wrath against this people. [Then he tells us what the ‘great distress’ will be:] [24] They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

[Mark borrowed the "when, where, & why" part of the sermon title from Jeff Durban's message on Apologia Studios here.]

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The Abomination of Desolation | Matthew 24:15-20

Main idea: We can trust Jesus, along with all of God’s Word, at all times, and especially when life is hard.

Outline: Why do I think vv 15-21 refer to 70 AD?

1. The disciples just asked when the temple standing in their day would be destroyed (v 3).
2. The details of vv 15-21 match the local tribulation of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
3. Jesus’s recent words and actions have warned of the destruction of this very temple.
4. Jesus’s use of the phrase “this generation” in v 34.
5. The “abomination of desolation” in Daniel matches Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70.

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Why Did Jesus Come to Earth? | Mark 10:45

Scott preached a stirring Christmas message based on Mark 10:45. If you are getting distracte this Christmas, please take thirty minutes to listen and worship Christ afresh!

The Son of Man...

1. Came
2. Not to be served but to serve
3. To give His life as a ransom for many

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Believer's Baptism: A Recap and Summary

This is the closing week on the baptism topic. Here we summarize some of the major arguments covered over the last few weeks and attmept to clarify one of the central points regarding the difference between the Old Covenant and the New.

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The End of Ephesians and an Exhortation to Pray | Ephesians 6:18-24

This week the teaching team finished the book of Ephesians. Here Paul gives us a significant exhortation to pray!

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Wars and Rumors of Wars: Introducing the Olivet Discourse | Matthew 24:1-14

The Olivet Discourse is found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. It is probably the most disputed passge in Matthew and the one where genuine Christians may have the greatest disagreements. What exactly is Jesus teaching and how does it relate to Christians today?

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What Covenant Theology Misses: A Progressive Covenantal Critique of Infant Baptism

Is covenant theology correct regarding its understanding of the "covenant of grace"? How does this issue impact the issue of infant baptism?

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