Romans 8: 5-13 // Ben Beasley In order for something to truly die, it has to be cut off from its source of life. Which means we have to learn how to make room for the Spirit to access the deepest roots of our fleshly desires. We have to learn how to create space to be aware of where the Spirit is trying to access so we can keep up with him and let …

Romans 8:1-5 // Ben Beasley Planet Fitness has an interesting tagline: “Welcome to the judgement free zone.” Where else can we find that? It’s rare, isn’t it? Much more common is constant criticism. Rampant negativity. Harsh condemnation. We see and experience this, both from others, and from ourselves. The truth is, some of us are our worst critic…

Romans 7:14-25 // Ben Beasley The biggest fights are the ones we have within ourselves. How does Jesus shape the fight waging within? It may not be what we thought. Join us as we continue to see how God has rescued us not only from death but for Life in the book of Romans. SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49236520 PRAYER REQUESTS…

Matthew 28: 1-20 // Tom Nelson The cross where Jesus shed his innocent blood for our sin and the empty tomb that defeated death is the greatest expression of love ever offered to you and to me. The empty tomb is the greatest assurance of God’s loving presence with us now and for all eternity. Peering into the empty tomb we hear the words of God in …

Romans 7:7-13 // Ben Beasley One of the ironic dynamics of God’s law is that the more we know, the more we feel and recognize brokenness in our lives. With the grace of the gospel in Jesus, what value does God's law bring? Are we supposed to feel guilt and shame when we hear the law? What is God’s law for anyway if it's not very effective at restra…

Romans 7:1-6 // Ben Beasley What we belong to gives us an identity, sense of community, and even drastically affects our self-worth. Whether we find our belonging in sports, career, family, romantic relationships, or even religious observance, there are many good things that we are tempted to worship as ultimate things, but each leaves us restless …

Romans 6:15-23 // Ben Beasley Life is full of paradoxes that make our life either run or crash, depending on how you look at it. Humans are full of contradictions and God knows it! He has chosen many paradoxes to reveal who he is and to show us what it looks like to follow him. Would you join us as we study one of the biblical paradoxes? Dive deep …

Ready to chat about the everyday annoyances and peculiarities that make modern life both frustrating and amusing. Join your favorite hosts, Lisa and Mallory for their hot takes on modern annoyances. It's like a coffee date with your besties, but you don't have to change out of your pajamas. First up, let's talk self-checkouts. Lisa's not a fan. She…

Romans 6:11-14 // Tom Nelson One of the greatest battles of history is not “out there,” but rather, is “in here.” Herein lies a crucial insight as to why following Jesus can be so hard. There is a battle being waged not just with our bodies but in our bodies. In Christ we now live and breathe in a new realm, not of mere religious obligation or mora…

Looking for the perfect Spring Break getaway that's both exciting and family-friendly? Look no further! Leawood Local brings you the ultimate guide to Spring Break family destinations that promise unforgettable memories. Whether you're dreaming of a serene beach vacation or a fun-filled staycation, we've got you covered. Experience the Best of Spri…

The question of “who am I?” Is the result of living in an age where expressivism as an individual and embodied endeavor is seen as the highest good. Anything that doesn’t allow me to express myself, either is itself a sin or it’s dogmatic. And this is a tension with our age that we feel as Christians. Why? Because Jesus has something to say about w…

Romans 6:1-11 // Brent Nelsen When we think of rescue, it’s natural to ask: “Rescue from what?” But with Jesus, rescue is more! When God sought to rescue creation from brokenness, injustice, sin and death, he always planned to save us “for” a more beautiful, good, and true way of being. Jesus didn’t just save us from sin but for life—with him—now a…

Pop the Bubbly! A Kansas City Champagne Tasting Adventure Welcome to Leawood Local, where we dive into the bubbly world of champagne tasting right here in Kansas City! Join hosts Lisa and Mallory as they embark on a sparkling journey, comparing different champagne brands and sharing their top picks. Discover the art of champagne tasting as we explo…

Matthew 25:31-46 // Ben Beasley Hell, in the Bible, is not some underground torture chamber. Hell is a place outside the city of the New Jerusalem, that God excludes because he wants to cast out the darkness for the light, to protect from the destruction of the fires of sin, and so the fullness of restoration will remain over destruction. God exclu…

Chiefs Kingdom, what a wild ride and what an amazing finish for your Kansas City Chiefs and your Super Bowl Champions. In this episode, we're diving into the exhilarating world of the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory and the unforgettable moments that had us all on the edge of our seats. Join us as we chat about everything from the game's nail-biting pla…

Psalm 13 // Ben Beasley “I used to go to church and pray, and then my best friend got sick and died… How can I believe in God when that happened?” My friend told me this in 7th grade, and it would be the first but not last time I would hear what I would later learn that theologians and philosophers call “the problem of evil”. Why does an all good a…

From Valentine's traditions to Valentine's fails, Lisa and Mallory dive into it all, and this episode isn't reserved for just the ladies. Guys, looking for the perfect place in Kansas City for dinner, or maybe gifts to avoid? Make sure to tune in as well. If you are new to the channel, welcome to Leawood Local where hosts Lisa Shaffer and Mallory D…

Get ready for an adventure in the Chiefs zone with "Leawood Local"! Your hosts Lisa Shaffer and Mallory Daniels take you on a wild ride through the heart of Kansas City Chiefs fandom. In this episode, we’re all about the Kansas City Chiefs – the highs, the lows, and everything in-between. Lisa and Mallory are not just talking tactics and touchdowns…

Matthew 22:15-22 // Tom Nelson Wherever you find yourself in this matter of faith and politics, whatever your political leanings, right, left, or somewhere in the middle, the question we need to thoughtfully ask is (Slide) How Should Followers of Jesus Navigate Politics? And let’s be honest, we as followers of Jesus can and do at times fall into so…

Genesis 1:26-28 & Luke 10:38-42 // Ben Beasley Following in the footsteps of the design of our Creator, and the dignity made known by our Savior, the church is called to uphold and declare the dignity of women. Even with our failings and distortions, this has always been the calling of the church, and we see it even in the early church. How do we d…

2 Tim 3:16-17 // Ben Beasley Holy Scripture - the Old Testament and the New Testament together - for Christians, the Bible is the foundation of our faith. Why? Through Holy Scripture, through the Bible, we come to know who God is. Through it, we discover who God has made us to be. Through it we are able to remember what God has done, how he has act…

Matthew 16: 13-18 // Tom Nelson The church is a messy place with messy broken people. The church is also a healing community for the broken. A faith community where the power of the Gospel transforms lost causes into beloved children of God! Never are we a lost cause, never are we so broken we can not be made whole by Jesus. The church falls short …

Matthew 2:1-12 // Brent Nelsen It’s all too easy to skim through the Christmas narrative and miss out on key aspects of that story. The three Wise Men are some of the most misremembered and misunderstood characters of Christmas, and yet their story teaches us a crucial lesson about Christmas and its relevance for life today. Join us as we look at C…

Matthew 1:18-25 // Ben Beasley Christmas wasn’t welcome news to even the faithful…at first. Christmas in many ways disrupts our best laid plans. The question is NOT whether Christmas messes with our lives. The question IS how we show up when Christmas comes into our tidy lives. Join us as we look over the shoulders of someone who experienced the ut…

Luke 1: 46-55 // Tom Nelson This morning through the eyes of Mary’s faith we see that we are never so obscure as to be overlooked by God. What is it about Mary’s story that is so endearing and enduring, that speaks so deeply to us to our greatest aspirations, our deepest longings? Jesus…here Messianic Son, the very son of God, savior of the world y…

Luke 1: 1-5 // Ben Beasley Everyone thinks about Christmas a little differently. This Christmas season, we’re on a journey to see Christmas through the eyes of faith. But this raises an important question: What happens when Christmas is NOT what you thought it would be? And what if it’s been like that for a while. How do we look at Christmas throug…

Ruth 1: 1-5 // Tom Nelson Advent is a season of both waiting & expectation. A time for each of us to slow down and reflect on the story of our lives and what God is doing in our world. As we journey through this Advent season as a church, we are peering into the lives of characters in the bible who looked at the brokenness, uncertainty, and sufferi…

Romans 5:15-21 // Ben Beasley In our passage today we find Paul continuing his excursus on Adam that we had last week. And he assumes that the reader knows the story of Adam. When Paul says Adam is a type, he is setting up a contrast between Adam and Christ. In our passage today we are going to see three contrasts which are: We are separated throug…

Romans 5:12-14 // Ben Beasley We’ve all had that moment when who you want to be and who you are is met with frustration. Where does that frustration come from? You can’t help but be hopeful that there’s more but we often experience our helplessness in our inability to change. Is this a me problem or something more? Join us as we continue our journe…

Romans 5: 5-11 // Tom Nelson What have we been rescued for? Paul’s good news answer in our text today is God rescued us for friendship. Paul gives three life-giving implications of God befriending us. As God’s friend, we are lavishly loved, we are sacrificially loved and we are securely loved. Paul is saying when it comes to our friendship with God…

Romans 5:1-6 // Ben Beasley Paul names many benefits to being rescued by Jesus, including the offer of great hope even in our suffering. We have not only been rescued from something, but also for something. We are the hope of the glory of God. Suffering cannot defeat the great hope we have in Jesus. In fact, “hope will develop indirectly, as a bypr…

Romans 4: 13-25 // Ben Beasley Think with me for a moment about the last time you saw the stars on a clear night. The stars are supposed to represent a place of transcendence. The divine. A sacred place we trust to guide us, elevate us, point us higher, to order us. But, in a modern world, more and more, doubt is where we live. Not only doubt, but …

Romans 4: 1-12 // Ben Beasley God wants nothing more than your trust. Trust is the only way to intimacy. God wants us to live in his presence and be blameless; live in his face and be whole. Trust is the only way to see God for who he is: a God of forgiveness and grace. Trust is the way to receive what you want most because trust leads to intimacy …

Romans 3:27-31 // Tom Nelson Sermon Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49146488 Prayer Requests: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new 23.10.15By Christ Community, an Evangelical Free Church

Romans 3:21-26 // Gabe Coyle There are few questions that are quite as loaded and comforting as “Are you okay?” The range of responses could be “Sure” to “Not even close.” What God has to offer us in this space is the answer we long for, but without him we don’t have the eyes to see. Join us as we continue our rescuing journey in the book of Romans…

Tom Nelson // Romans 3:1-20 Sermon Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49139444 Prayer Requests: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new 23.10.01By Christ Community, an Evangelical Free Church

Romans 2:17-29 // Ben Beasley One of the longest-running complaints by the modern world of the church is. It’s also one of the greatest barriers to our witness in the modern world: Saying one thing and being another. Fake. Two-faced. Saying one thing and being another. Fake. In one sense, all humans wrestle with being fake, but this is more vibrant…

Romans 2: 1-11 // Ben Beasley Sermon Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49135914 Prayer Requests: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new 23.09.17By Ben Beasley

Romans 1:24-2:1 // Tom Nelson As thoughtful readers of the text, let’s remember that rabbi Paul who wrote the book of Romans writes from a coherent biblical worldview. A worldview is an attempt to make coherent sense of our lives and the world. All worldviews are built on faith assumptions that cannot be absolutely proven with certainty whether the…

Romans 1:18-25 // Ben Beasley Our passage gives us three reasons why we need to be rescued. And that we need to be rescued from the things that God’s wrath is directed against. When we refuse to acknowledge God for who He is, when our gratitude goes somewhere else when we show a lack of gratitude, or when we give our attention to false idols or cou…

Romans 1: 8-15 // Ben Beasley Everywhere we look we see division in our world. We live in a divided world. The myth is that today we are more divided than ever before, but division has always been part of the human story. Paul’s letter to the Romans was written to a city, to a church, and to a world that was experiencing great division. Paul is cle…

Romans 1: 13-17 // Tom Nelson Christianophobia is defined as a growing cultural phenomenon marked by an increasingly intense animosity against Christians and the Christian faith. Christians face increased discrimination and greater hostility in many sectors of society including media, the academy, business and government. How should we as followers…

Romans 1: 1-7 // Tom Nelson Sermon Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49117558 Prayer Requests: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new 23.08.13By Christ Community, an Evangelical Free Church

2 Samuel 24 // Ben Beasley The question isn’t if we’ll fall. It’s when. Some can ignore it for a while, but eventually, we come to terms with our own proclivities, areas of brokenness, and destructive behaviors. If we’re honest with ourselves, everyone has moments and sometimes seasons when we’ve intentionally made destructive decisions toward ours…

2 Samuel 16: 5-12 // Ben Beasley I understand that there are people here who have lived more life than me. Who have experienced much more than me. I’m well aware of that fact. But in my years, I’ve lived enough life simply to say this. Losses change us. They make us different. We don’t come out the other end the same. If we are honest, the wounds a…

Hebrews 11: 1-3, 6 // Tom Nelson When you hear the word faith, what first comes to mind? What may come to mind is a kind of wishful thinking, an irrational blind leap, or a last resort option when all other options have vanished. But what is faith as the Holy Scriptures reveal it? And why is it the key that unlocks the flourishing life God intends …

2 Samuel 12: 1-7a // Brent Nelsen What is God going to do about David’s evil? That’s what Second Samuel 12 is about. David is the king of Israel. He’s a very powerful man. And God is telling Nathan to go confront him about his sin. We need Nathans in our society and we need Nathans in our lives who can confront us when we need confronting. David ha…

2 Samuel 11:1-27 // Ben Beasley Sermon Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49098927 Prayer Requests: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new 23.07.07By Christ Community, an Evangelical Free Church

2 Samuel 9: 1-7 // Tom Nelson Early in David’s story, he is described as a man after God’s own heart. Having a heart for God means loving as God loves. David respectfully, honorably and it would seem warmly, calls Mephibosheth by name. The writer of Samuel wants to emphasize that here. David’s loving action of speaking Mephibosheth’s name is an enc…

2 Samuel 7: 1-17 // Andrew Jones God isn’t like the other gods, the false gods of the surrounding nations. You know, for them, after all the victory David has experienced. The riches, the land, the power, the great name, he would owe God something. Building this temple would be payback. The least he could do for the God who has so richly blessed hi…