January 1, 2023 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – Daniel 10-12 offers some timely insights as we start 2023. It informs how we should view human conflicts and world events and depicts the horrors of human evil concentrated in the State. Yet, this passage shows how Christians should respond: expectation and prayer. In this way, we press into …
December 18, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – In Daniel 9, we witness Daniel responding to God’s promise to return he exiles and rebuild Jerusalem. In doing so, Daniel passionately prays on behalf of all of Judah, confessing collective sin and reminding the Lord of His promises. As Christians, we should also see prayer as our powerful …
December 11, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – The vision recorded in Daniel 8 came to the prophet in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar of Babylon (553-554 B.C.). This vision concludes with Daniel saying, “I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it” (Daniel 8:27). If Daniel didn’t understand it in …
December 4, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – Just as Daniel, we as Christians face a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) future. In this, we should expect persecution and difficulty to intensify. Yet, our trust in God’s reliable Word, our knowledge of God’s purpose for our lives, and the promise of God’s final victory should lead …
November 27, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – In Daniel 6, Daniel is raised to high office by his royal master Darius the Mede. Daniel’s jealous rivals trick Darius into issuing a decree that for thirty days no prayers should be addressed to any god or man but Darius himself; anyone who disobeys this edict is to …
November 20, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – One of King Nebuchadnezzar’s successors and the last ruler of Babylon, King Belshazzar, arrogantly partied in the face of real, existential threat, the Persian Empire. Not only did he wrongly place his security in the things of this world, but he refused to wisely learn from his predecessor’s mistakes. …
November 13, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – King Nebuchadnezzar elevated himself in his own eyes, grounding his pride in insufficient and earthly sources. Yet, God, in His sovereignty, loved this proud Babylonian king. In the same way, the Lord loves us in spite of our in-grained and persistent pride. So, the challenge becomes this: will we …
October 30, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – Daniel not only faced an acute threat from a hostile culture but also had to perform a seemingly impossible task. Yet, he responded with discernment, trust, prayer and thanksgiving. At his very core, he relied on God’s abundant wisdom. He knew of God’s unlimited reach. He recognized God’s Kingdom …
October 25, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – Hostility in the culture does not change how we as Christians are called to live nor does it threaten God’s supremacy over all creation. Thus, we must consistently internalize the reality that God has been, is, and will always be in charge. From this, we will be able to …
October 16, 2022 – Pastor Mark Albrecht Message Big Idea – There are certain characteristics of Christ’s Bride that make her truly radiant in a world marked by darkness and division. She lives in a vibrant community. She demonstrates practical concern for the needy. She anchors herself in foundational theology. She is willing to be a good loser. She acknowledges …
