Sin effectively distances us from God, pushing us into exile from his kingdom. Jesus is the one who brings us back. Pastor Ryan traces the idea of exile through the entire Old Testament and into our lives.
As followers of Jesus, it is important to know where we are going (heaven), but to do so we need a better understanding of what/where heaven is. What does the Ascension mean for us as Christians today?
“Heaven: Maybe Not What You Think”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons
Paul wrote “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The story of Namaan in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings can help us understand what this means.
On Easter morning, some women went to the Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body for burial. They worried about how they would get to him past the stone that blocked the entrance. That day, angels came and rolled away the stone. What are the stones in our lives that keep us from Jesus? And who will roll them away?
“Who Will Roll the Stone Away?” by Pastor Ryan Emmons
Jesus taught by his words and actions that giving to the poor and needy was of top importance. Yet, when Mary poured a whole jar of super-expensive perfume on his feet in a most unseemly display of outlandish love and gratitude, and Judas objected on the grounds that the money could have been given to the poor, Jesus defended her. How are we to understand this seeming contradiction?
God made a promise to Abraham, then to his son Isaac. Then, when Isaac’s son Jacob was running for his life after cheating his brother out of his birthright, God made the same promise to him. What can we learn from Jacob about God’s promise to us, and about what should be our response?
“Giving as Good as You Get”, by Pastor Ryan Emmons
The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, and it grow in us through the presence and working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives. It is not a collection of fruits, but rather part of one larger fruit, like the segments of an orange rather than a bunch of grapes. Pastor Ryan gives a deep dive into these segments in this series from the winter of 2025.
“Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Argyle Road Baptist Church 