Rise City Church Podcast

No one understands what I'm going through. I'm so confused. I'm in so much pain. I'm alone. Two thousand years ago Peter wrote a letter to a culture wrestling with these thoughts. This couldn't be more relevant for us today as we struggle through the chaos in our current world. Do you want power for today's trials? Do you want to find out the purpose in your suffering? Listen in as we start a new series through 1 Peter and find that our Hope Lies Ahead.

If God is so loving, why was the brutality of the cross necessary? Couldn’t God just forgive sin? Are we really supposed to believe in the old religious notion that God is an angry and vengeful judge? Does God actually feel and act upon wrath? This week we explore this concept in depth from Scripture. We’ll dig into the doctrine of Propitiation as Scott Bean teaches through Romans. Our hearts are changed when we truly understand this horrifying and beautiful doctrine. Join us in the final week of “What’s the Point of the Cross?”

Are you constantly fighting sin? Do you find yourself relapsing and living your old life? Are you seeking perfection, but find that you are failing? The truth is you're going to sin. You will fail over and over again. But God is not shocked by your failure. Only God is perfectly holy. But by the cross, and in His goodness, we get to partner with him in a process called Sanctification. This week, Pastor Jason opens up Philippians 3 to reveal that God is not done with us yet. His love for us is so great that He allows us to walk with Him and become more like him through regular repentance and seeking Him. Join us as we learn to be transformed in this week's sermon, Sanctification.

You know that moment when you want to hide? The feeling of being exposed - almost naked - because of your own sin or something done to you? That's shame. There's no other feeling like it in this world. Do you live with that as your reality? Do you constantly feel the need to cover up and live in a disguise, so that you don't have to face the truth? This week, Pastor Nolan teaches us the theology of Expiation. We learn that Jesus came to blot out, bury, banish, bleach, and finally, to bear our shame by dying on the cross. Why? Because he wants us to live the life he originally intended before sin entered this world — a life of freedom from shame. Join us for Week 03 of What is the Point of the Cross?

Justice — it's a word we use constantly. We want to see people brought to justice. We want justice for the evil of this world, but we want mercy for ourselves. But the truth is all of us, every single one will stand before Christ in judgment. But why? Aren't you good enough? Not really that bad? Or not the one to blame? God in his holiness, righteousness, and justice will not allow us to go without judgment. It is in His love that He requires a price to be paid for the sins in this world. But how does he do it? Only by Jesus' finished work on the cross. The only way the broken things can be made right is by His grace, through faith in Him alone. Do you understand Justification? Join us for week 02 in What's the Point of the Cross?

Most of us recognize and understand the evil in this world, but do we truly understand the enormous power of the Cross? The cross is everywhere, and it seems so simple — it's how Jesus died, but what happened when he was hung there? The cross is packed with enormous power that makes us no longer dead in sin, but alive in Christ. So how do you battle spiritually for your life? How do you engage against the evil that you come against constantly? Join us as Pastor Nolan walks us through Colossians 2 to show us that we are not made to fight the battle, but to stand on the finished work of Christ. This is Christus Victor in Week 01 of What's the Point of the Cross?

When you think of your relationship with God do you feel like you are pouring out your all for Him? Are there areas of your life that you’ve kept to yourself? In this last week in the series Worthy, Pastor Nolan leads us through Luke 7, a story of a woman that defied culture and religiosity to give Jesus everything she had - her safety, her dignity, her money… her everything. Join us as we are compelled to ask, what can we give to the God who outpoured all He had for us?

Work. Just hearing that word do you cringe? Do you hate the thought of hustling for 40 hours a week, and long for the weekend? Do you live with the mindset that you work to live instead of live to work? What if that was flipped on its head? What if you woke up each morning hungry for the day ahead? This week, Pastor Jason walks us through a Theology of Work. He shows us that God gave us work not as a curse, but as a blessing. Through the Gospel, Jesus has redeemed work. Join us as we walk through this transformative message.

Does it sometimes feel like God is far away? Do you feel like He is out of reach? The truth is that God is not absent. His presence is fully here — with you, right now. God is not constrained by time or space. So why don't we feel Him? In Week 05 of Worthy, Pastor Jason walks us through a theology of Presence. We see that it's not about God’s lack of presence... it's about our awareness of His presence, fully with us at all times, in all situations. Join us as we become more aware of Him — in our work, our worship, and our prayer.

What is worship? Is it something we do only on Sundays? Worship is not about being a weekend warrior for Christ, but a daily way of walking. Listen in as Pastor Nolan calls us to walk out our worship by redeeming the time and walking in God's will. But how do we do that? Only by the constant filling of the Holy Spirit as outlined in Ephesians 5. More importantly, why do we walk this way? Because only God is Worthy of our worship.

Have you gotten numb or apathetic toward God and the Gospel? What is it that moves people to praise and celebrate Him? In this week’s installment to Worthy, our worship series, we see that truth leads to worship or theology leads to doxology. What is a doxology? This concept has the power to change our lives. Listen to this week’s teaching from Pastor Nolan, and see why we should be moved by and towards Jesus.

We are all worshippers. Maybe it's the worship of wealth or status or maybe your body or yourself, but no matter the focus, we all worship... because God created us to worship. He created us to be people that turn our eyes, lift our hands, and bow down in worship. But the only worship that is life-giving, glory-bearing, and is truly good is to God alone because only He is Worthy! This week Pastor Jason opens up the Word and walks us through three postures of worship. We are called to move from spectators to participators in this sermon, Posture. Join us as we see that God created us for worship and speaks that over our lives all throughout scripture.

Are you a worshipper? Whether you know it or not you are worshipping something or somebody - every day, every moment, every minute - with your whole life. We are all worshipping. So what happens when you encounter God's glory? Can you explain it? Can you define it? Not really... but you can experience it. When you experience the weight of God's glory it immediately elicits worship to Him. But, when we sin we defame God's glory, and break the relationship that allows us to experience Him. So, how do we stand in God's glory despite our sin? Through the grace of Jesus. His love washes us clean, so we can experience the Glory of God. Join us as we start a new series, Worthy, and Scott opens us up to this week, Glory.

In this last week of Never Too Far Gone, we look at the life of Peter. He's probably one of the last people you think of as being too far gone, but he made decisions that he believed, dismissed him from his calling and his relationship with Jesus. He denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. But Jesus, in His grace, calls Peter to Come to the Shore. Join us as Pastor Jason opens John 21, as we see Jesus not only offer redemption, but he restores Peter and recommissions him. This isn't a story just about Peter, this is a story about us. Listen to the life of Peter.

Who would you consider too far gone for God? A friend, coworker, neighbor, family member, you? This week we meet a man who epitomizes being too far gone: Saul. Saul was a persecutor of the church until he had a powerful encounter with Jesus. In this teaching, Pastor Nolan walks us through what happens when God grabs Saul’s life, and what can happen when Jesus shows up in our lives as well. What could God do in and through you? Listen in to learn more!

Have you ever run from God? This week we find not a prophetic hero but a prophet on the run from God’s call on his life. Maybe you’ve been there? God is calling you to forgive, to step out of your comfort zone, or to step into an adventure for Him. But like Jonah, too many of us run the other way. This week exploring the life of Jonah, Scott shows us why turning away from our own will, sin, and temptations is not just necessary but deeply worth the cost. God invites into so much more: Himself. Listen to the full message to find out more!

Have you ever felt like your soul was stained? When have you had blood on your hands? We’ve all felt guilt sink our souls. In this week’s message, we meet a man named David whose life fell apart after one bad decision. There was a big gap between his public reputation and his private character. Have you been there? What can be done? In this passage, we find hope. God wants to meet you in the darkest place and draw you into new life. Listen in as Pastor Nolan explores the life of David in this week’s teaching Blood On Your Hands.

Have you ever felt like your failures were following you? Like you’ve lost your calling? This week we step into a story like that. Moses, the “biblical hero” was first a failure of biblical proportions. Moses’ failures drove him into hiding but the God of redemption called him out of the desert. Through Moses' journey from collapse to calling, pastor Jason casts a vision for you too to experience forgiveness, come out of hiding, and step into your calling today.

Why should anyone follow Jesus? Maybe you’ve wondered if there’s a God. Maybe you’ve been on the fence. Maybe you need a refreshing reminder of His power and worth. In this teaching, Pastor Nolan explores 3 reasons for following Jesus. With so many loud voices demanding our allegiance today, we need to see why Jesus’ love cuts through the chaos, infuses life with meaning, fills us with a new power, and serves as the ONLY foundation for our lives.

As the world looks darker, many people are feeling either uncertain or increasingly trusting in political answers. But in this week’s teaching, we dive into what’s called an apocalyptic vision from the book of Daniel— a vision that pulls back the curtain of this reality and exposes what’s going on spiritually. We see teaching on the evil that lies behind not only the antichrist (yes, we just said that) but every anti-God world leader throughout history. In the midst of all that, we see that in our dark situation, there is still one singular hope: Jesus, his cross, and message. This idea has the power to radically change our city and our lives. Listen in to learn more!