Highland Church Podcast

In a world where we’re constantly asking, “Am I doing this right?”, Hebrews 10:36-39 offers a bold and grounding answer: persevere and belong. In our message today, Eric unpacks this powerful passage, showing us how faith anchors us in truth, identity, and hope amidst life’s uncertainties. Discover why perseverance isn’t just about holding on but about drawing near to Christ, the source of all strength. Be inspired by the “Heroes of Faith” in Hebrews 11, not as distant legends but as part of a family you belong to—those who don’t shrink back but stand firm. This sermon will equip you to live out your faith with confidence and clarity, reminding you that you are called to a greater promise and a stronger community.

Today’s sermon from Eric on Discipline from Hebrews 12:4-12 is an exploration of how God uses discipline to grow His children in maturity and faith. He contrasts the Stoic view of pain and resistance with a distinctly Christian perspective, emphasizing that God’s discipline is an act of love rather than meaningless suffering. He expands the concept of discipline beyond correction to include direction, showing how God uses both pain and hardship to guide believers toward holiness and deeper submission. Ultimately, the message is one of encouragement: God’s discipline is not punitive but purposeful, aimed at producing righteousness, peace, and a fuller life in Christ.

In today’s message, Eric unpacks 3rd John 5-8, highlighting the profound importance of supporting missionaries who go out “for the sake of the Name.” Missionaries are uniquely committed to glorifying Jesus and advancing His truth, often at great personal cost, making our support for them an act of partnership with God. Eric challenges us to examine our own motivations, aligning them with the singular purpose of honoring Christ’s name. Supporting missions is not just a calling for the few but an opportunity for all to participate in God’s plan to make His name known to the nations.

Oue lesson today reflects on the call to spiritual maturity and understanding in the Christian faith, drawing from passages in Hebrews. Eric encourages us to move beyond basic teachings and embrace a deeper grasp of God’s word, moving from “milk” to “solid food.” He addresses the risk of spiritual stagnation and urges us to actively engage with our faith, developing discernment to distinguish good from evil. Eric also reminds us that even lengthy teachings are brief compared to the depth of truth available in scripture. Overall, it’s a message that challenges us to avoid complacency and pursue growth in our spiritual lives.

Are you going through some trouble? So now what? Our lesson this morning is from Highland member, Jim Martin. Jim shares an encouraging message that will speak to many of us going through times of trouble. By learning how the children of Isreal responded to times of trouble, Jim encourages us to 1. Bring your anxiety, uncertainty, and dread to God in prayer. 2 Cling to God and he will hold on to you. 3 And to know that the peace of God is possible.

This sermon focuses on Jesus as our eternal High Priest, emphasizing His role as an intercessor who continually advocates for us before God. Eric explores the comfort we can draw from Christ’s “permanent priesthood,” which provides assurance of salvation despite our struggles and doubts. Drawing on Hebrews 4-10, the sermon highlights that Jesus, who understands our weaknesses, invites us to approach God with confidence. We are also reminded that Jesus’ intercession is unending, affirming that He is always “for us.” Ultimately, we are encouraged to hold firm in faith, knowing they are completely seen and saved through Christ’s steadfast intercession.

Today’s message emphasizes the theological connection between law, blood, and forgiveness in the Christian faith. It draws from Hebrews 9:22, stating that forgiveness requires the shedding of blood, and Leviticus 17:11, where life and atonement are linked to blood. Eric explains that blood represents life and that atonement involves offering life for life, preserving the covenant between God and humanity. Ultimately, the sermon points to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling the requirements for forgiveness.

Today’s message emphasizes the importance of drawing near to God and holding firmly to our faith because of Jesus Christ’s role as our high priest. Eric highlights how Jesus empathizes with our weaknesses, as He was tempted just as we are, yet remained without sin. As a result, believers can approach God with confidence, assured of receiving mercy and grace in times of need. We see in the book of Hebrews, stressing that through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been given direct access to the Most Holy Place. Therefore, we are encouraged to remain steadfast in our faith and approach God with sincerity, trusting in His promises.

Our message today discusses a passage in Hebrews 4 that points back to a seemingly random passage from Genesis, but we find out that they are very connected. Eric explores the biblical account of Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek after a victory in battle, highlighting the spiritual significance of Melchizedek as a priest of God Most High. This lesson emphasizes the importance of recognizing these divinely orchestrated moments that reveal God’s hand in our lives. It also concludes with a reference to Psalm 110, which prophesies a future priesthood modeled after Melchizedek that comes to be through Jesus.

Our message today emphasizes the importance of listening to God’s voice, not drifting away, and not hardening one’s heart, referencing Hebrews 3:7-11 and Psalm 95. Eric highlights the faithfulness of Jesus, who was loyal to the one who appointed Him, drawing from Hebrews 3:1. We are all reminded that Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. The condition for remaining part of God’s house is holding firmly to confidence and the hope found in Christ, as expressed in Hebrews 3:6.

This lesson emphasizes the importance of paying careful attention to the message of salvation. Eric stresses the consequences of neglecting this great salvation. The passage from Hebrews 2:1-4 serves as a warning that we must remain vigilant and avoid drifting away from the salvation that has been offered. It calls believers to recognize the greatness of God’s salvation and to respond with reverence. Ultimately, we are challenged to take seriously our salvation and not ignore the grace offered to us.

Today's message is a lesson out of Hebrews that points to Christ being mentioned throughout all of Scripture. Eric explains how Jesus reveals the true nature of God and is constantly being pointed back to in the Old Testament from writers in the New Testament. This is a great message for those who love the nature of Jesus but struggle with the nature of God in the Old Testament.

Today’s lesson highlights how God has spoken to us through Jesus, showing that He’s not just the Son, but also the creator of everything and the perfect reflection of God’s nature. We are encouraged to really focus on the message we’ve heard about Jesus so we don’t lose our way or drift from our faith. The point is made that Jesus is not only our Savior but also the one who represents us before God, so we should keep our minds and hearts fixed on Him. It’s a reminder of how important it is to stay grounded in what Jesus has done and who He is. Overall, we are called to recognize the deep need and awe we should have for Him.

Today's message emphasizes the importance of living a life deeply rooted in Jesus Christ, as highlighted in Colossians 2:6-7. It emphasizes the concept of union with Christ, which brings about various spiritual benefits such as fruitfulness, forgiveness, adoption, inheritance, love, encouragement, and comfort. The message also focuses on the assurance of our union with Christ through the Holy Spirit, based on 1 John 4:13. Finally, it draws attention to the mysterious and powerful work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives, as illustrated in John 3:8.

Author Richard Rohr said, Christianity is basically about two becoming one. It is about uniting with Christ. It's not logical for 1+1 to equal 1, but that is what uniting with Christ is supposed to look like. In this lesson, Eric dives into our need for Christ and the union we form with Him.

God hardwires us, at the level of our heart, for certain desires. And what we should always ask is: How does Christianity offer the heart what the world can’t; something more satisfying? So…What is the Christian motivation of working a job in our community? What we find in Scripture is that we should let God work on our hearts, and he’ll change our experience of work.

Have you ever asked yourself- "Does my work matter? Why am I working? Does God care about my work?" Today we will ask these questions and talk about what the Bible has to say about work. What we find is encouraging to some, challenging to others, but it applies to us all.

We start our lesson today looking at Mary's response to the angel Gabriel when he tells her that she will give birth to Jesus. Mary's humble response shows that she has a maturity marked by trust. Absolute trust in the Lord, despite what comes her way. That's the kind of trust that we all want. To get that trust we have to pass through trouble, or grief, or a struggle that we will call "the wall". Today we will talk about how to pass through the wall.

John 16:33 says that “In this world we will have trouble”. We are people who avoid “trouble”. Who wants grief? Who wants to feel that this is not how its supposed to be? But Jesus says there is courage (take heart) to be had in what he has done (overcome the world). These gains in trouble are not result of self-improvement. Instead, they are Christ-accomplished and Christ-offered. There is great gain to be had if we can break through “the wall” of trouble and grief.

Today, our lesson comes from, Carter Kiser. Carter grew up at Highland, graduated from Lipscomb University, and is continuing his training to become a minister of the Gospel. His lesson for us comes out of John 8:12 and encourages us to be the light of Christ that shines for Him in this world.