PCFC Sermons

Parma Christian Fellowship Church

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Religion & Spirituality

Welcome to the weekly podcast for Parma Christian Fellowship Church. We are a community of Bible-based believers that seek to follow Jesus in all that we do. We desire to reach the world for Jesus Christ through worship, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, and service.

6d ago

New Identity In Jesus / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for October 25Scripture Readings: John 4:1-42 / John 7:37-38 / Revelation 21:6Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well across the very boundaries that kept her isolated. As a tired and thirsty man, he asks her for a drink without putting her down as a woman or treating her as inferior because she is a Samaritan. His willingness to drink from her container opens a conversation that moves from ordinary thirst to the gift of living water.The woman first sees a Jewish stranger, then a prophet, and finally the Messiah. Jesus knows her relationship history, but that knowledge does not become a weapon of shame. He makes her completely known and still fully valued. Her past does not disqualify her from a purposeful future. When the conversation turns to competing places of worship, Jesus points beyond the mountain and Jerusalem to the Father, who seeks worshipers in spirit and truth.Living water offers more than temporary happiness or an easier trip to the well. Christ gives lasting satisfaction through his love, mercy, forgiveness, and presence. The Holy Spirit becomes an active, life-giving spring, preserving believers and moving them into a new way of living. Faith is not simply something a person consumes. It becomes something that consumes and reshapes a life.The woman’s response makes that change visible. She leaves her jar behind and returns to the very community that had marginalized her. The isolated woman becomes a brave witness, and many Samaritans believe through her testimony and their encounter with Jesus.Grace therefore gives both a new identity and a calling. A believer’s past is not a final name. Christ reveals the truth to draw people closer, not push them away. Those refreshed by his living water are called to carry it into a thirsty world, letting go of pride, shame, and selfish habits so that his love becomes evident in their lives.[00:00] Welcome[00:38] What Defines a Person?[01:24] Jesus and the Samaritan Woman[06:09] Grace Redefines Identity[06:57] Crossing Boundaries at the Well[09:16] The Gift and the Giver[11:09] Recognizing the Prophet and Messiah[12:37] Fully Known and Still Valued[14:56] Living Water and the Holy Spirit[16:07] Leaving the Jar to Become a Witness[17:21] The Past Is Not a Final Name[18:24] Carrying Living Water Into the World[19:29] A Thirsty World Needs Renewal[20:38] Letting Go for a New Beginning
Oct 19

It's Never Too Late / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for October 18Scripture Readings: Luke 23:39-43 / Isaiah 53:12 / John 19:31-37The thief on the cross shows that even when it feels too late for a new beginning, Jesus can turn a dying man’s worst day into the best day of his whole existence. Matthew and Mark record both criminals joining the mockery. Luke records the change in one of them: he admits his guilt, recognizes Jesus’ innocence, and asks to be remembered in his kingdom. Jesus answers with the promise of paradise that very day. John adds the eyewitness account of their deaths and the fulfillment of Scripture.The criminal’s confession matters because it comes in terrible pain. He does not excuse his deeds or argue that his suffering makes him innocent. He acknowledges that his sentence is deserved. Jesus, by contrast, has done nothing wrong, yet hangs in the middle, numbered with the transgressors. Isaiah 53 supplies the reason: the innocent servant bears the sins of others, and God accepts his offering as enough.The shame of the cross exposes the shame of sin. Sin draws people in through lies and half-truths, then leaves them hiding, exposed, and cut off from the fellowship with God for which they were made. Christ bears that disgrace so that guilty people can be brought near. Believers are therefore called to stop keeping God’s work at bay and allow his Spirit to work through their lives.Salvation is not something the thief earns. Yet his last-minute rescue is not an excuse for believers to avoid the difficulty of living faithfully. Jesus did not simply die and leave. The empty tomb and his continuing presence declare that he will not abandon his people.Suffering, then, is not proof that God has stopped working. The thief’s agony becomes the setting of an eternal beginning. Darkness, loss, and pain can become places where God opens a future that seemed impossible.[00:00] Welcome[01:43] When a New Beginning Feels Too Late[05:29] Matthew and Mark: Both Criminals Mock Jesus[07:34] Luke: A Guilty Man Receives Paradise[09:20] John: Eyewitness Testimony and Fulfilled Scripture[14:44] What Is Known About the Two Criminals[22:39] Admitting Guilt in Terrible Pain[27:58] Jesus Numbered With the Transgressors[32:31] Isaiah 53: The Offering That Satisfies[34:56] Sin’s Lies, Exposure, and Shame[39:30] Letting God Work Through Believers[41:04] The Risen Christ Remains Present[43:38] An Unearned Place Beside Jesus[46:27] The Worst Day Becomes an Eternal Beginning[51:41] Prayer for Strength and Resurrection Hope
Oct 12

When You've Hit Rock Bottom / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for October 11 Scripture Readings: Luke 15:11-24 / Job 13:15 / Job 1:1-22 A new beginning can start before circumstances change, when trust in God begins in the middle of what cannot be fixed. Rock bottom exposes the limits of effort, clever decisions, right phone calls, and trying harder. Faith does not always mean God swoops in and makes everything perfect. Faith can mean saying, “I don’t know what you’re doing,” while still knowing who God is and choosing to rest in him. The prodigal son shows rock bottom brought on by his own choices. The younger son demands his inheritance, walks away, wastes everything, and ends up hungry enough to look at pig slop as food. His new beginning does not start with the robe, the ring, the feast, or getting his circumstances back. His new beginning starts when he comes to his senses and turns himself around toward his father’s house. The father has not moved, even though the son has made a mess of everything. Job shows that rock bottom is not always the result of rebellion, bad choices, or something deserved. Job loses what matters most while remaining a righteous man, and the brokenness of the world gives no neat explanation for why faithful people suffer. Job’s faith does not depend on understanding the outcome. Job says, “God might kill me, but I have no other hope,” because God remains his hope even when life makes no sense.Rest stands against the instinct to thrash, wrestle, and exhaust every last bit of strength trying to control the waves. Surrender is not giving up. Giving up says nothing can be done, but surrender says there is nothing more that can be controlled while God is still God. The boat cannot always be rowed back to shore by human effort, but rest can make room to recognize help and put what cannot be controlled into God’s hands. Perspective also matters when life feels like the end of the world. Delayed plans, lost jobs, unfinished houses, health fears, and dreams that do not happen on schedule can hurt deeply without becoming the final word over a life. Identity cannot be found in wealth, work, health, or having every plan fulfilled. Identity is found in the God who loves his people enough to send his Son, and that remains true even at rock bottom. [00:00] Welcome [02:38] When Life Hits Rock Bottom [06:13] Trusting God Without Immediate Change [08:01] The Prodigal Son’s Rock Bottom [10:46] When Bad Choices Bring Consequences [12:25] The Turning Point of Repentance [13:28] Job and Undeserved Suffering [15:36] God Is Still the Only Hope [16:58] Resting Instead of Thrashing [18:44] Surrender Is Not Giving Up [19:34] The Father Runs to Meet His Son [21:16] Changing the Rock Bottom Perspective [24:50] Identity Beyond Circumstances [26:59] Prayer for God’s Presence
Oct 5

When You've Gone the Wrong Way / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for October 4Scripture Readings: Acts 9:1-6Paul begins as a man who looks like he has it all together. Paul is educated, disciplined, respected, and deeply committed to the Scriptures. Paul believes he is protecting the truth and serving God, but Paul is hunting down followers of Jesus, putting people in prison, tearing families apart, and trying to stop the name of Christ from spreading.Acts 9 shows that sincerity does not always mean someone is headed in the right direction. Paul is not confused or careless. Paul is convinced. Paul is moving fast, with authority from the high priest, toward Damascus to bring men and women back in chains. Paul’s conviction is real, but conviction alone does not guarantee that the road is right.Jesus interrupts Paul on the road to Damascus. Jesus does not simply confront Paul’s behavior. Jesus reveals the truth of who Paul is fighting against: “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.” Paul learns that persecuting Christ’s people is persecuting Christ himself. Paul’s greatest need is not more information, more Scripture knowledge, or a better argument. Paul needs an encounter with the real Jesus.Repentance becomes the turn in Paul’s story. Repentance means stopping where someone is headed, turning away from that road, and going toward Jesus. Paul moves from asking, “Who are you, Lord?” to asking, “What should I do?” That small question reveals a surrendered life. Jesus is no longer being asked to bless Paul’s direction. Jesus becomes the one who gives Paul direction.Jesus does more than forgive Paul. Jesus redirects him. The persecutor becomes a preacher. The destroyer becomes a builder and planter. The opponent becomes an ambassador for Christ. God calls Saul a chosen instrument, showing that Paul’s terrible past does not make him useless in God’s hands.Paul later remembers his history honestly. Paul does not pretend the blasphemy, violence, and unbelief never happened. God’s mercy redeems that history and turns it into a testimony of patience for even the worst sinners. Paul’s past is real, but Paul’s past is not greater than God’s purpose.The road to Damascus raises a hard question: what is driving a life forward? Fear, pride, success, control, approval, and comfort can all feel like strong conviction. Jesus calls people to ask whether they are following him or asking him to follow them. New beginnings do not always mean every circumstance changes. Jesus sometimes gives a new beginning by giving someone a new road.[00:00] Welcome[00:31] A Man Who Looked Put Together[01:47] Saul the Persecutor[03:21] New Beginnings for the Lost[05:15] Saul Before Paul[06:14] Saul’s Mission to Damascus[08:14] Is Jesus Leading the Direction?[08:41] Jesus Stops Saul on the Road[10:13] More Than Information, a Revelation[12:15] From “Who Are You?” to “What Should I Do?”[13:52] Saul, God’s Chosen Instrument[17:48] Mercy for the Worst Sinners[20:53] A New Direction Brings Action[21:46] What Is Driving the Heart?[25:11] Paul’s Past Is Not Greater Than God’s Purpose
Sep 28

Mess / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for September 27Scripture Readings: Luke 19:1-10Life can become a mess one thing at a time. A house fills with dog hair, grass, toys, and stuff that gets set down, and eventually buckets sit in front of buckets until nothing useful can be reached. Finances, relationships, bitterness, secrets, and habits can pile up the same way, one unresolved decision at a time. The mess can become a prison, a pit so deep that the light at the top cannot be seen.Luke places Zacchaeus in that kind of mess. Zacchaeus has status, money, and authority, but his wealth has come through taking advantage of his own people. Zacchaeus is not simply a victim of his circumstances, because his choices have shaped the place where he stands. Yet Zacchaeus recognizes that more money, more power, and more tax collectors under him cannot fill what is missing.Jesus sees Zacchaeus in the tree and calls him by name. Jesus does not tell Zacchaeus to clean himself up first, make a list, and come back once everything looks better. Jesus enters the mess and says, “I must be a guest in your home today.” The crowd sees a notorious sinner, but Jesus sees a person worth seeking and saving.Zacchaeus responds to Jesus with more than a feeling. Zacchaeus gives half his wealth to the poor and promises to repay four times what he has taken wrongly. Repentance does not erase the past, but it changes the direction of the future. A new beginning requires repeated decisions, like rebuilding a broken house from the foundation instead of hanging drywall over weak bones.Jesus gives Zacchaeus what wealth could never give him: salvation, peace, and a new name. The past remains real, but it does not have to control the next step. The light in the pit comes from Jesus, even when doing the right thing is harder than staying in the broken cycle.Jesus says “today,” not someday. The mess does not need to be hidden under a tarp, excused away, or handled alone. The next right step begins by inviting Jesus into the marriage, the finances, the addiction, the shame, the secret, or the bitterness. Jesus is not scared away by the mess, and he does not leave those who follow him the same as they were.[00:00] Welcome[00:28] When Life Is a Mess[01:24] Messes Build Up Over Time[04:15] Zacchaeus and the Prison of Choices[10:53] Zacchaeus Seeks Something More[12:19] Jesus Calls Zacchaeus by Name[15:21] Invite Jesus Into the Mess[16:29] A Changed Heart Takes Action[17:24] Rebuilding From the Foundation[20:24] The Past Cannot Control the Future[23:35] Stop Hiding the Mess[26:47] Jesus Says Today
Sep 21

Stuck / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for September 20Scripture Readings: Mark 2:1-12Mark 2 puts a paralyzed man right in the middle of what it means to be stuck. The text does not explain how he became paralyzed, and that matters, because people can be stuck for all kinds of reasons. The past, other people’s choices, personal decisions, unhealthy relationships, addiction, isolation, unforgiveness, bad routines, and plain laziness can all leave somebody spinning tires in the mud.The contrast between staying stuck and getting unstuck begins with agency. Some circumstances cannot be changed by effort alone, just as the paralyzed man could not simply choose to stand up and build strength. But the places that can be changed call for one small decision at a time. The foundation beneath the cottage looked like a huge, scary project until the digging reached bedrock only twelve inches down. The fear of making the wrong move had paralyzed the work, but one decision led to the next, and three foundation sections were repaired in a day.The friends in Mark 2 refuse to let the crowd become the end of the story. The roof becomes their way forward because getting close to Jesus matters more than doing things the easy way. Their faith carries the man when he cannot carry himself. Jesus sees their faith, and the people surrounding a stuck person matter because some friends push toward Jesus while others pull away from Him.Jesus first says, “My child, your sins are forgiven,” because the heart needs more than a surface-level fix. The religious leaders question His authority, but Jesus proves that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins by telling the man, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home.” The man does not leave his mat behind as though his past never happened. Jesus tells him to carry it. His history becomes part of his story, but it no longer dictates his future.The new beginning comes through fully surrendering the specific stuck place to Jesus while also taking the next step. A lap around the house, a phone call, an apology, counseling, accountability, deleting an app, opening Scripture, changing a routine, or asking someone to pray can become the next decision. Jesus does not call people to sit still and wait for heaven. Christ calls broken people to come to Him, receive forgiveness, get up, walk, and become whole.[00:00] Welcome[00:25] Tay Reed and the Need for Change[01:52] The Paralyzed Man in Mark 2[04:11] What It Means to Be Stuck[06:27] Choosing Not to Stay in the Mud[10:04] Finding Bedrock Beneath the Foundation[12:36] New Beginnings Start With Jesus[13:21] Friends Who Bring a Man to Jesus[16:18] Digging Through the Roof[17:23] Forgiveness Before Healing[20:18] Changing Routines and Finding Support[24:35] Stand Up, Pick Up Your Mat[29:34] Identify the Specific Stuck Place[30:33] Take One Small Step Forward[32:53] Surrender and Do Your Part
Sep 14

Failure / New Beginnings

Weekend Service for September 13Scripture Readings: John 21:15-19John begins this new beginning with Peter, a brash and bold disciple who speaks fast, loves big, and believes he can stand when pressure comes. Peter shows that the people who encountered Jesus were not distant Bible characters in long flowing clothes, but human beings whose struggles still look familiar today. Jesus makes clear that a new beginning is available at any point in life when faith turns toward him.Jesus tells Peter that the time has come for the Son of Man to enter his glory, and then gives his disciples the command to love each other as he has loved them. Peter quickly shifts to the question of where Jesus is going and insists that he is ready to die for him. Jesus answers Peter’s big promise with a hard truth: before the rooster crows, Peter will deny even knowing him three times.Peter’s denial reveals the gap between good intentions and spiritual strength. Peter has the right ideas and the desire to be faithful, but Peter trusts his own confidence more than the foundation of Jesus. Peter stands by a fire, gets asked if he knows Jesus, and says no three times. The rooster becomes the glass-shattered moment when Peter remembers Christ’s words and sees the devastation of his failure.Failure can move from being something a person did into something a person believes he is. Peter could have decided that his worst moment was his true identity, that he was disqualified, useless, and no longer able to serve Jesus. Peter’s story refuses to let that be the final answer. Jesus meets Peter after the resurrection beside the Sea of Galilee, right where Peter has gone back to what he knows: fishing.Jesus stands on the beach, fills the empty nets, cooks breakfast, and calls Peter back into a moment that echoes earlier days of following him. Jesus does not ignore Peter’s denial or simply pretend it never happened. Jesus asks three times, “Do you love me?” and each question reaches back into the three denials. Jesus gives Peter an assignment after every answer: “Feed my lambs,” “Take care of my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.”Peter receives more than a vague second chance. Jesus gives Peter purpose back. Judas and Peter both fail Jesus and both feel regret, but Judas runs away while Peter turns back toward Jesus. Peter later becomes a central leader of the early church, not because Peter becomes perfect, but because Peter rests on the strength of Jesus rather than his own. Failure may be part of a life’s story, but failure is not the end while Jesus is still writing it.• [00:00] Welcome• [00:18] New Beginnings Through Encountering Jesus• [01:20] Peter’s Bold and Imperfect Faith• [02:53] Failure Is Not the End• [03:15] Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial• [06:39] When Mistakes Become Identity• [08:21] Peter Denies Jesus Three Times• [10:19] Good Intentions and Spiritual Strength• [11:53] The Rooster Crows• [13:44] Jesus Meets Peter by the Sea• [16:03] Breakfast and the Question of Love• [20:32] Feed My Sheep• [23:13] Judas Runs Away, Peter Turns Back• [25:12] Resting Failures on Jesus• [26:34] Prayer for New Beginnings
Sep 6

So, What's the Point?

Weekend Service for September 6Scripture Readings: 2 Timothy 3:16-17The brownie mix shows why separate Bible verses cannot simply be swallowed one at a time and expected to produce a faithful life. Scripture needs to be read as a whole, with the ingredients together and the heat on, because God is taking His people somewhere. The question is not merely, “What is the point of Scripture?” but, “What is the point of being born again?” and “What is the point of following Jesus?”Paul joins 2 Timothy 3:16 to verse 17: all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that God’s servants may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Scripture is not given for finger-pointing, beating people up, or making somebody else look flawed. Scripture is the backpack, the footwear, the clothing, and the equipment needed for the work God has placed before His people in this world.The map image makes the point plain. A person needs to know where the journey is going, where the journey began, and where that person presently stands. Heaven is real and sure, but the kingdom of God is not merely getting out of this world safely. Jesus says the kingdom is among His people now, and Scripture equips them for the work between here and heaven.Jesus calls His followers, in the plural, “the light of the world.” Christ alone is the true and eternal Light, yet His people reflect His character together so that others may see their good deeds and come to understand the real nature of God. Light is not flawless performance. Light is a shared life that makes God visible in a dark world.Paul calls the church the body of Christ, not a collection of self-sufficient people with identical opinions, status, gifts, or backgrounds. God places each part in the body as He wants, and the parts considered weaker remain indispensable. Christ continues His earthly work through this living body, feeding, healing, teaching, guiding, and simply being present with people.The Spirit supplies the evidence of this transformation through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The ancient world prized control, retaliation, and survival, but the Spirit forms a people able to answer disrespect with kindness and violence with costly grace. God desires His people not merely for the end of the future, but for the journey right now.[00:00] Welcome[00:14] The Brownie Mix Illustration[01:27] What Is the Point?[03:10] Scripture Read Together[04:15] Equipped for Every Good Work[05:28] The Map and the Journey[08:22] More Than Getting to Heaven[10:32] The Kingdom of God Is Now[12:06] You Are the Light of the World[15:35] The Living Body of Christ[21:09] Evidence of Spirit Transformation[24:32] God Works Through His People[25:38] Prayer and Sending

Welcome to the weekly podcast for Parma Christian Fellowship Church. We are a community of Bible-based believers that seek to follow Jesus in all that we do. We desire to reach the world for Jesus Christ through worship, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, and service.

Creator

Parma Christian Fellowship Church
Years Active

2019 - 2026
Episodes

439
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Parma Christian Fellowship Church
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