The Transformed Life

Exodus - An Introduction to God

At Midtown Presbyterian Church, our mission is to invite people into a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ. We borrow this language of transformation from the scriptures, where we are encouraged as Christians to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:1-2). Being a Christian isn’t simply about information - it is about transformation, becoming people whose entire beings embody the way and work of Jesus in every part of our lives. With this goal in mind, we at Midtown have developed an introductory curriculum, alongside a library of resources, events, sermons, and podcasts, designed to help transform our community into Christlikeness.

Listen as Pastor Clint introduces the first two parts of this new series--the Story of God and Scripture--by examining the tale of two disciples walking the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus after the resurrection of Christ and their encounter with Jesus on the road, through the scripture, and in the bread.

Sermon Resources:
1. "Head of Christ," painting by Warner Sallman, 1941
2. Digital reconstruction of first century Jewish man: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3359548/Is-real-face-JESUS-Experts-use-forensics-reveal-Christ-looked-like.html&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1673215179086216&usg=AOvVaw3v8O_Smn9ZzJDAmd_wj7gS
3. Hopelessness in American teenagers: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/04/american-teens-sadness-depression-anxiety/629524/
4. Hopelessness in American 20-somethings: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/10/51percent-of-young-americans-say-they-feel-down-depressed-or-hopeless.html
4. Antidepressant usage spike: https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/antidepressant-prescribing-increases-by-35-in-six-years#:~:text=Prescriptions%20of%20antidepressants%20rose%20by,the%20sixth%20consecutive%20annual%20increase.
5. Access the full Transformed Life curriculum here: https://www.midtownpres.org/transformed-life

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The Transformed Life | Week 1: The Story of God and Scripture | Luke 24:13 35 - Clint Leavitt

At Midtown Presbyterian Church, our mission is to invite people into a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ. We borrow this language of transformation from the scriptures, where we are encouraged as Christians to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:1-2). Being a Christian isn’t simply about information - it is about transformation, becoming people whose entire beings embody the way and work of Jesus in every part of our lives. With this goal in mind, we at Midtown have developed an introductory curriculum, alongside a library of resources, events, sermons, and podcasts, designed to help transform our community into Christlikeness.

Listen as Pastor Clint explores the subject of prayer, something that was foundational for Jesus but so often difficult for us. How do we restore our prayer lives? As it turns out, we're not the first ones to ask the question: Jesus' disciples similarly asked Him, "Lord, teach us to pray." Jesus' response is found the famous Lord's Prayer, a template the illuminates the transformative significance of prayer in our own lives and gives us a structure in our own prayer lives.

Sermon Resources:
1. “We, for every kind of reason, good and bad, are distracting ourselves into spiritual oblivion. It is not that we have anything against God, depth, and spirit, we would like these, it is just that we are habitually too preoccupied to have any of these show up on our radar screens. We are more busy than bad, more distracted than nonspiritual, and more interested in the movie theater, the sports stadium, and the shopping mall and the fantasy life they produce in us than we are in church. Pathological busyness, distraction, and restlessness are major blocks today within our spiritual lives." -Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing: The Search For A Christian Spirituality
2. Interview with Justin Rosenstein on our distracted culture: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/smartphone-addiction-silicon-valley-dystopia
3. “The whole reason why we pray is to be united into the vision and contemplation of God to whom we pray.” -Julian of Norwich
4. "How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings From A Leading Neuroscientist," by Andrew Newberg

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Community Groups: www.midtownpres.org/community-groups
Sunday Services: www.midtownpres.org

The Transformed Life| Week 2: Prayer | Matthew 6:7-23 - Clint Leavitt

At Midtown Presbyterian Church, our mission is to invite people into a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ. We borrow this language of transformation from the scriptures, where we are encouraged as Christians to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:1-2). Being a Christian isn’t simply about information - it is about transformation, becoming people whose entire beings embody the way and work of Jesus in every part of our lives. With this goal in mind, we at Midtown have developed an introductory curriculum, alongside a library of resources, events, sermons, and podcasts, designed to help transform our community into Christlikeness.

Listen as Pastor Clint explores the subject of disciplines, the ancient practices Christians have embraced to abide in the love and character of Jesus and embody it to the world. While they may sound intimidating at first, a deeper understanding of their history and application reveals how important they are to our own spiritual journey, and how they can actually shape us into the people we are made to be.

Sermon Resources:
1. Study on the average amount of advertisements Americans are exposed to per day: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/?sh=388cf9f626e2
2. Study on the shrinking of human attention spans: https://time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish/
3. "“Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” -Richard Foster, "Celebration of the Disciplines"
4. Rich Villodas - Example of "dippers" vs. "dwellers"
5. "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom." -Soren Kierkegaard
6. “In the conduct of one’s own life it is soon obvious, as many have learned the hard way, that empty freedom is a snare and a delusion. In following what comes naturally or easily, life simply ends in confusion, and in consequent disaster. Without discipline of time, we spoil the next day the night before, and without the discipline of prayer, we are likely to end by having practically no experience of the divine-human encounter...We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered the basic paradox of freedom, to the effect that we are most free when we are bound. But not just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character of our binding." -Elton Trueblood

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Community Groups: www.midtownpres.org/community-groups
Sunday Services: www.midtownpres.org

The Transformed Life | Week 3: Disciplines | John 15 1-11 - Clint Leavitt

At Midtown Presbyterian Church, our mission is to invite people into a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ. We borrow this language of transformation from the scriptures, where we are encouraged as Christians to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:1-2). Being a Christian isn’t simply about information - it is about transformation, becoming people whose entire beings embody the way and work of Jesus in every part of our lives. With this goal in mind, we at Midtown have developed an introductory curriculum, alongside a library of resources, events, sermons, and podcasts, designed to help transform our community into Christlikeness.

Listen as Gayle Parker explores the central topic of church, and what Peter's words on holiness can teach us about the essential nature of the church in the life of the Christian community.

Join us below:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/midtownpreschurch
Instagram: www.instagram.com/midtown.pres
Website: www.midtownpres.org
Community Groups: www.midtownpres.org/community-groups
Sunday Services: www.midtownpres.org

The Transformed Life | Week 4: Church | 1 Peter 2:4-10 - Gayle Parker

At Midtown Presbyterian Church, our mission is to invite people into a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ. We borrow this language of transformation from the scriptures, where we are encouraged as Christians to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:1-2). Being a Christian isn’t simply about information - it is about transformation, becoming people whose entire beings embody the way and work of Jesus in every part of our lives. With this goal in mind, we at Midtown have developed an introductory curriculum, alongside a library of resources, events, sermons, and podcasts, designed to help transform our community into Christlikeness.

Listen as Pastor Clint explores the characteristics that made the early church so transformative in the world: their inclusive and diverse fellowship, and unselfish and sacrificial giving, and their connection to the ultimate source of such thing - Jesus. Learn how we can become that sort of transformative community in our own community today!

Sermon Resources:
1. Letter from Pliny to Trajan in 112 CE about the early Christians: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/pliny.html#:~:text=These%20letters%20concern%20an%20episode,the%20second%20and%20third%20centuries.
2. Journal article on the explosive growth of early Christianity: http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0259-94222012000100076#:~:text=The%20calculation%20of%20Stark%20to,%3B%20Schor%202009%3A481).
3. “We slaughter a fierce ox; we strangle a mad dog; we plunge the knife into sickly cattle; children who are born weakly and deformed we drown.” -Seneca, early Greek stoic
4. Study on the divisiveness of American politics: https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/frenchpress/activism-and-apathy-are-poisoning-american-politics/
5. See redlining: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining
6. See John Brown University for prohibitions of interracial marriage until the 21st century: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUwcs9qJXY&t=14s
7. “God’s vision for his people is not…to form a colorblind uniformity of sanctified blandness. Instead God sees the creation of a community of different cultures united by faith in his Son as a manifestation of the expansive nature of his grace. This expansiveness is unfulfilled unless the differences are seen and celebrated, not as ends unto themselves, but as particular manifestations of the power of the Spirit to bring forth the same holiness among different peoples and cultures for the glory of God.” -Esau McCaulley, "Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope"
8. “Their founder [Jesus] taught them that they should be like brothers to one another, and therefore they despise their own privacy and view their possessions as common property.” -Lucian of Samosata, early opponent of Christianity
9. “The impious Galileans support not only their poor, but ours as well.” -Emperor Julian of Rome
10. “This was an angelic commonwealth, not to call anything of theirs their own. Forthwith the root of evils was cut out.… None reproached, none envied, none grudged; no pride, no contempt was there.… The poor man knew no shame, the rich no haughtiness.” -John Chrysostom

The Transformed Life | Week 5: Fellowship + Giving | Acts 2:40-47 - Clint Leavitt

1. “She wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts, She's Cheer Captain, and I'm on the bleachers, Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find, That what you're looking for has been here the whole time, If you could see that I'm the one, Who understands you, Been here all along, So, why can't you see? You belong with me, You belong with me.” -Taylor Swift, You Belong With Me
2. “But it's my right to be hellish, I still get jealous.” -Nick Jonas, Jealous
3. “We must shift America from a needs to a desires culture. People must be trained to desire, to want new things [read: to envy], even before the old have been entirely consumed. Man’s desires must overshadow his needs.” -Paul Mazur
4. Study on envy: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/193216/1/dp11922.pdf
5. Study on medical effects of envy: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=1848#:~:text=Envy%20and%20jealousy%20also%20add,with%20some%20forms%20of%20cancer
6. “Discussing envy is akin to treading on a territory of unseen warfare. Hidden, improvised explosive devices abound…This volatile sensitivity attests to why envy may be of titanic relevance in human psychology.” -Dr. Frank John Ninivaggi, in Learned Mindfulness
7. “As a moth gnaws a garment, so does envy consume a person.” -John Chrysostom
8. “Envy is the consuming desire to have everybody else be as unsuccessful as you are.” -Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking
9. Envy and Avarice, by Victor Hugo
10. “Envy senses no pleasure, satisfaction, joy, or glee, only the mental pain of absence, privation, and unbearable intolerance needing deletion.” -Dr. Frank John Ninivaggi, Learned Mindfulness
11. “Of the seven deadly sins, only envy is no fun at all.” -Joseph Epstein, Envy
12. “The fundamental attitude of the envious is directly opposed to love. To love is to seek others’ good and rejoice when they have it. To envy is to seek to destroy others’ good and sorrow over their having it.” -Rebecca Konyndyk Deyoung, Glittering Vices

Character Matters | Envy - 1 Samuel 18: 1-16 - Clint Leavitt

In a world marked by division, isolation, and loneliness, we are a people in desperate need of radical love and connection in the ordinary parts of our lives and world. Join us at Midtown for our new teaching series entitled Won’t You Be My Neighbor?: Radically Ordinary Hospitality, as we go on a spiritual journey of exploration, mining the riches of Jesus’ life and teaching to explore the radical practice of neighboring and examining the ways that this ancient and timeless practice can get us caught up in the present work of the Kingdom of God in our own time. Together we’ll challenge the prevalent culture of division by emphasizing the importance of building authentic relationships across societal boundaries, provide practical guidance on fostering a sense of community in our homes and world, examine how to break down walls of hostility that isolate and divide, and ultimately combat the epidemic of loneliness through intentional acts of kindness and inclusion, that all people might come to a knowledge of their identities as beloved children of God and might experience His love and grace in their own lives.

Watch/listen as Pastor Clint closes our series by examining Jesus' actions in John 13, and how we become people who get the power to go and wash feet in our own lives

Sermon Resources:

1. “I grew up in the ghetto, and I did not have a positive opinion of police officers. Policeman were siccing dogs and water hoses on people.” - François Clemmons, Interview With StoryCorps
2. “He who wraps the heavens in clouds wrapped round himself a towel. He who pours the water into rivers poured water into a basin. And he before whom every knee bends in heaven and on earth and under the earth knelt to wash the feet of his disciples.” -Severian of Gabala
3. “Jesus was well aware that he was about to be betrayed. Such knowledge might so easily have turned him to bitterness and hatred; but it made his heart run out in greater love than ever. The astounding thing was that the more men hurt him, the more Jesus loved them. It is so easy and so natural to resent wrong and to grow bitter under insult and injury; but Jesus met the greatest injury and the supreme disloyalty, with the greatest humility and the supreme love.” -William Barclay, Daily Study Bible on John
4. "A house show feels like a true faith community…The lead singer is less than two feet away from thirty people who are screaming the same thing. Punk rock teaches the same inversion of power as the Gospel. You learn that the coolest thing about having a microphone is turning it away from your own mouth.” -Julien Baker, Interview with the New Yorker
5. “We choose: we follow the dragon and his beasts along their parade route, conspicuous with the worship of splendid images, elaborated in mysterious symbols, fond of statistics, taking on whatever role is necessary to make a good show and get the applause of the crowd in order to access power and become self-important. Or we follow the Lamb along a farmyard route, worshiping the invisible, listening to the foolishness of preaching, practicing a holy life that involves heroically difficult acts that no one will ever notice, in order to become, simply, our eternal selves in an eternal city. It is the difference between wanting to use people around us to become powerful and entering into covenants with the people around us so that the power of salvation extends into every part of the neighborhood, the society, and the world that God loves.” -Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder

Wont You Be My Neighbor | Go And Wash Feet - John 13:1-17 - Clint Leavitt

Sermon Resources:
1. Audio clip is not our own - from Disney's "Zootopia" (2016)
2. Sloth is "aversion to the divine good in us." -Thomas Aquinas, "Summa Theologiae"
3. “Sloth is not to be confused with laziness. Lazy people, people who sit around and watch the grass grow, may be people at peace. Their sun-drenched, bumblebee dreaming may be the prelude to action or itself an act well worth the acting. Slothful people, on the other hand, may be very busy people. They are people who go through the motions, who fly on automatic pilot. Like somebody with a bad head cold, they have mostly lost their sense of taste and smell. They know something's wrong with them, but not wrong enough to do anything about. Other people come and go, but through glazed eyes they hardly notice them. They are letting things run their course. They are getting through their lives.” -Frederick Buechner, "Wishful Thinking"
4. “The puzzle is why so many people live so badly. Not so wickedly, but so inanely. Not so cruelly, but so stupidly. There is little to admire and less to imitate in the people who are prominent in our culture. We have celebrities but not saints. Famous entertainers amuse a nation of bored insomniacs. Infamous criminals act out the aggressions of timid conformists. Petulant and spoiled athletes play games vicariously for lazy and apathetic spectators. People, aimless and bored, amuse themselves with trivia and trash. Neither the adventure of goodness nor the pursuit of righteousness gets headlines.” -Eugene Peterson, "Run With The Horses"
5. Article on "languishing:" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html
6. “To our chagrin we discover that the declaration of self-determination has issued not in a race of free, masterly humans, but rather in a race that can be described by its poets and dramatists only as bored, vexed, frantic, embittered, and sniffling.” -Thomas Howard, "Chance or The Dance?"
7. “Sloth is the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, loves nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive only because there is nothing it would die for.” -Dorothy Sayers, "Letters to a Diminished Church: Passionate Arguments for the Relevance of Christian Doctrine"
8. “Can you hate the world enough to want to change it, and yet love it enough to see it worth changing?” -G.K. Chesterton, "Orthodoxy"
9. Boston Globe study: https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/05/19/don-get-too-comfortable-america-relentless-pursuit-convenience-and-relaxation/liWGIaQgFNWMXVU7Pvl0rN/story.html
10. "The Lonely Century," by Noreena Hertz
11. “‘Nothing’ is very strong: strong enough to steal away a man's best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why, in the gratification of curiosities so feeble that the man is only half aware of them, in drumming of fingers and kicking of heels, in whistling tunes that he does not like…You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy [God]. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the ‘Nothing.’ Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” -C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters"
12. Prayer from the Breastplate of St. Patrick

Glittering Vices | Sloth | Proverbs 24: 30-34 - Clint Leavitt

Glittering Vices | Envy | 1 Kings 21 - Luke Parker

Easter Sunday 2024

Sermon Resources:
1. "One Nation Under God," by Jon McNaughton, 2014
2. "Head of Christ," by Warner Sallman, 1941
3. Digital reconstruction of first century Jewish man: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3359548/Is-real-face-JESUS-Experts-use-forensics-reveal-Christ-looked-like.html
4. "I want to say to you that most of our brokenness cannot be simply taken away. It’s there. And the deepest pain that you and I suffer is often the pain that stays with us all our lives. It cannot be simply solved, fixed, done away with…What are we then told to do with that pain, with that brokenness, that anguish, that agony that continually rises up in our heart? We are called to befriend it.Suffering is a period in your life in which true faith can emerge, a naked faith, a faith that comes to life in the midst of great pain. The grain, indeed, has to die in order to bear fruit and when you dare to stand in your suffering, your life will bear fruit in ways that are far beyond your own predications or understanding. Spend some time each morning doing nothing but simply sitting in the presence of God and praying, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Gradually, God will enter your heart in a new way and bring new light into your struggle.” -Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish To Freedom
5. “We do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, of the affliction we experienced in Asia, for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
-2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Brand New | Transforming Our Pictures of Jesus | Luke 24:13-35 - Clint Leavitt

Sermon Resources:
1. “The majority of politicians are interested not in truth but in power and in the maintenance of that power. To maintain that power it is essential that people remain in ignorance, that they live in ignorance of the truth, even the truth of their own lives. What surrounds us therefore is a vast tapestry of lies, upon which we feed.” -Harold Pinter, "Art, Truth, and Politics"
2. “So the Scribes and Pharisees set James on the pinnacle of the Temple and called to him: "O thou, James the Just, to whom we all ought to listen, since the people are going astray after Jesus the crucified, tell us what is the door of this Jesus?" And with a loud voice he answered: "Why do you ask me concerning the Son of Man? He is the Savior. He sitteth himself in heaven on the right hand of the great Power, and shall come on the clouds of heaven." And when many were convinced and gave glory for the witness of James, and said, "Hosanna to the Son of David," then again the same Scribes and Pharisees said to one another, "We were wrong to permit such a testimony to Jesus; but let us go up and cast James down, that through fear they may not believe him." Accordingly they went up and cast James down. And they said to one another, "Let us stone James the Just," and they began to stone him, since he was not killed by the fall, but he turned and knelt down saying, "I beseech thee, Lord God Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And a certain one of them, one of the fullers, taking the club with which he pounds clothes, brought it down on the head of the Just; and so he suffered martyrdom. And they buried him there on the spot, near the Temple. A true witness has he become both to Jews and Greeks that Jesus is Christ.” -Hegesippus, "Church History: Book II"
3. "Truth forever on the cross, Wrong forever on the throne,—
Yet that cross sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own." -James Russell Lowell, "The Present Crisis"
4. “All kinds of experiences will come to us. There will be the test of the sorrows and the disappointments which seek to take our faith away. There will be the test of the seductions which seek to lure us from the right way. There will be the tests of the dangers, the sacrifices, the unpopularity which the Christian way must so often involve. But they are not meant to make us fall; they are meant to make us soar. They are not meant to defeat us; they are meant to be defeated. They are not meant to make us weaker; they are meant to make us stronger. Therefore we should not bemoan them; we should rejoice in them. The Christian is like the athlete. The heavier the course of training he undergoes, the more he is glad, because he knows that it is fitting him all the better for victorious effort. As Browning said, we must "welcome each rebuff that turns earth's smoothness rough," for every hard thing is another step on the upward way.” -William Barclay, "DSB: James"

The Great Con | Suffering Means Failure - James 1:1-4 - Clint Leavitt

Sermon Resources:
1. “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” -Ecclesiastes 1:8
2. “Desire alone, of acquiring goods and possessions for ourselves and our nearest friends, is insatiable, perpetual, universal.” -David Hume, "A Treatise of Human Nature"
3. "I can't get no satisfaction." -Mick Jagger, "Satisfaction"
4. “In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by a relatively small number of persons who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind.” -Edward Bernays, "Propaganda"
5. “Our enormously productive economy demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption…The greater the pressures upon the individual to conform to safe and accepted social standards, the more he tends to express his aspirations and his individuality in terms of what he wears, drives, eats, his home, his car, his food, his hobbies. We need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced, and discarded at an ever-increasing pace. We need to have people eat, drink, ride, live with ever more complicated and, therefore, constantly more expensive consumption. ” -Victor Lebow, "The Journal of Retailing: 1955"
6. Harvest Queen vs. Homecoming Queen: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1991/november-25/murder-envy-and-harvest-princess-what-really-poisoned.html&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1723312423553888&usg=AOvVaw1ZO4y_-tCOr2mrBn_u6LFG
7. “We have tended to turn the Christian faith into a relationship with a God who is the divine vending machine in the sky, there to meet our every want. Unhappy? Unattractive? Unsuccessful? Unmarried? Unfulfilled? Come to Christ and he’ll give you all these things you asked for. We forget that God is not primarily in the business of meeting our wants. When we make him out to be, we squeeze him out of his rightful place at the center of our lives, and we put ourselves in his place. God is in the business of being God - of redeeming and restoring and forgiving and healing and loving. Christianity cannot be reduced to meeting peoples’ wants, and when we make it so, we invariably distort the Gospel message.” -David Henderson, "Culture Shift"
8. "I Will Never Cast Out," by John Bunyan
9. Examen resource: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/

The Great Con | You Can Serve Two Masters  - James 4:1-10 - Clint Leavitt

Sermon Resources:
1. Franz Jägerstätter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_J%C3%A4gerst%C3%A4tter
2. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead
3. “For the growing good of the world is dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs." -George Eliot, "Middlemarch"
4. “If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer. Intercession is a way of loving others…it is selfless prayer, even self-giving prayer. In the ongoing work of the kingdom of God, nothing is more important than intercession.” -Richard Foster, "Prayer"
5. "On The Powers of Simple Medicine," by Galen
6. “In careful scientific studies, forgiveness has been shown to reduce depression, increase hopefulness, decrease anger, improve spiritual connection, and increase self-confidence.” -Fred Luskin, "Forgive For Good: A Proven Prescription For Health and Happiness"
7. “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” -Brennan Manning

The Great Con | You Don't Make A Difference - James 5:13-20 - Clint Leavitt

Sermon Resources:
Scripture References - Amos 5:24, Jeremiah 7:1-11, John 14:6
1. “When the Patient goes inside the church building, he will see the local grocer with a rather oily expression on his face bustling up to offer him one shiny little book containing a liturgy which neither of them understands, and one shabby little book containing texts of a number of religious lyrics, mostly bad, and in very small print. When he gets to his pew and looks round him he sees just that selection of his neighbors he has previously avoided. You want to lean pretty heavily on those neighbors…Provided that any of them sing out of tune, or have boots that squeak, or double chins, or odd clothes, the Patient will quite easily believe that their religion must therefore be somehow ridiculous. Work hard on the disappointment or anti-climax which is certainly coming to the patient during his first few weeks as a church-going man.” -C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters"
2. “Make your patient a taster or connoisseur of churches. The perpetual search for a “suitable” church makes the man a critic where the Enemy wants him to be a pupil [remember, Enemy in the demon’s eyes is God]. So bestir yourself and send this fool around all the neighborhood churches as soon as possible…And then, if your patient can’t be kept out of the church, he ought at least to be violently attached to some party within it. I don’t mean on really doctrinal issues; about those, the more lukewarm he is the better. The real fun is working up hatred between those who say “mass” and those who say “holy communion” when neither party could possibly state the difference in any form which would hold water for five minutes. And all the purely indifferent things–candles and clothes and what not–are an admirable ground for our activities.” -C.S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters"
3. “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” -Henry David Thoreau, "Walden"
4. “In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshiping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.” -David Foster Wallace, "This Is Water"
5. “The world is not divided between people who worship and people who don’t. The world is divided into people who worship things that will distort their life, and people who worship the only object worthy of the adoration of our soul.” -Tim Keller
6. “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Search | Deflecting Us From Receiving Abundant Life - John 4:19 - 26 - Clint Leavitt

For Such A Time As This | Prideful Influence - Esther 2:19 - 3:15 - Daniel Barth

In this powerful message, we're invited to explore what it truly means to create a masterpiece with our lives. Drawing inspiration from O. Henry's 'The Last Leaf', we're challenged to reconsider our definition of success and significance. The story reminds us that our greatest impact often comes not from grand achievements, but from small acts of sacrificial love. As we delve into Romans 16, we discover a beautiful tapestry of diverse individuals united in Christ. This passage reveals that the true masterpiece of our lives is found in how we love and serve others, breaking down societal barriers and embracing the equality of all believers. We're encouraged to see ourselves as part of this grand masterpiece, where our individual brushstrokes contribute to a larger, more beautiful picture of God's love in action.

Painting A Masterpiece | Gratitude For Community - Romans 16:1-16 - Clint Leavitt

We are reminded that the true meaning of Advent and Christmas goes far beyond the festive imagery we're accustomed to as Luke Parker shares what John has to say in this powerful message. The Book of Revelation offers us a startling, awe-inspiring vision of Christ that challenges our comfortable notions. We're introduced to Jesus as the majestic 'Son of Man,' holding stars in His hand and speaking with a voice like rushing waters. This imagery, drawn from Revelation 1:9-20, presents Christ not as a helpless babe, but as the all-powerful, glorified Lord. The message encourages us to trust in this Jesus who is in absolute control, even when we feel isolated or in misery. Just as John received this vision while exiled on Patmos, we too can find hope and strength in the midst of our personal struggles. This Christmas, let's look beyond the familiar trappings and see the cosmic significance of Christ's coming – a reminder that He holds the keys to death and Hades, and that the end of the story has already been written in our favor.

The Weary World Rejoices | Christmasey Revelation - Revelation 1:9-20 - Luke Parker

As we enter a new year, we're challenged to consider the true meaning of transformation in our lives. The Gospel of Mark introduces us to Jesus' first words of ministry, inviting us into the 'good news' of God's kingdom. This isn't just about personal resolutions or self-improvement; it's about participating in a cosmic shift where God's reign breaks into our world. We're called to 'repent and believe' - to radically reorient our lives around this new reality. The story of Jesus calling the first disciples shows us that this invitation is both urgent and transformative. Like those fishermen who left their nets, we're asked to reconsider our priorities and identities in light of God's kingdom. This message challenges us to move beyond mere lip service to Jesus and instead allow His call to reshape every aspect of our lives. As we reflect on this, we might ask ourselves: What 'nets' do we need to drop? How can we become 'fishers of people', drawing others into this life-changing reality?

Link in the Chain | The Message, The Means, and the Mission - Mark 1:14-20 - Clint Leavitt

In this powerful exploration of worry and anxiety, we delve into Jesus' teachings from Matthew 6:25-34. The message challenges us to reconsider our priorities and trust in God's providence. We're reminded that worry often stems from misplaced priorities and attempts to control the uncontrollable. By striving first for God's kingdom, we can find peace amidst life's uncertainties. The imagery of birds and flowers serves as a poignant reminder of God's care for all creation, encouraging us to trust in His provision. This teaching invites us to examine our hearts, identify our true treasures, and align our lives with God's purposes. As we shift our focus from worldly concerns to eternal values, we can experience the freedom and peace that comes from fully trusting in God's plan for our lives.

Link in the Chain | Who Are You Worried About? - Matthew 6:25-34 - Clint Leavitt

This week, we are challenged to rethink our perception of Jesus and His kingdom as we delve into Matthew 16:21-26, where Peter misunderstands Jesus' mission. We're reminded that even when we think we have Jesus figured out, we might be missing crucial aspects of His message. The cross, often seen as a symbol of comfort, is reframed as a call to radical self-denial and sacrificial love. We're invited to consider where we might be putting ourselves in front of Jesus, inadvertently becoming stumbling blocks to His work. The message encourages us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus - not as acts of self-hatred, but as pathways to discovering our true selves. This teaching pushes us to examine our lives and ask: Where do we need to decentralize ourselves and let Jesus be Lord?

reTHINK Everything | What Needs To Die? - Matthew 16:24-26 - Clint Leavitt

In this 5th week in reThinking Everything series, we're challenged to examine what's truly shaping our hearts and minds. Drawing from Colossians 3, we're reminded that transformation in Christ is not just about surface-level changes, but about becoming an entirely new person. The analogy of a secret apartment in a mall vividly illustrates how easily we can let harmful thoughts and habits take up residence in our lives without even realizing it. We're called to 'strip off the old self' and 'clothe ourselves with the new self,' a process that involves both 'digging down' to identify our idols and 'looking up' to set our minds on Christ. This message encourages us to consider: What have we allowed to move into our souls? Are we being transformed by Christ, or unintentionally shaped by the world around us? It's a call to intentional spiritual growth and a reminder that in Christ, we have the power to become the people we were truly meant to be.

reTHINK Everything | How It Happens - Unlearning and Relearning - Colossians 3:1-17 - Clint Leavitt

In the final Sunday of our reThink Everything sermon series, culminating on Palm Sunday, we explore how repentance is ultimately a trajectory toward forgiveness. Daniel takes us on a journey through the story of Joseph in Genesis, witnessing how God can transform even the deepest betrayals into opportunities for growth and redemption. Joseph's tale reminds us that forgiveness isn't just about letting go of anger, but about recognizing God's sovereign plan in our lives. As we reflect on Joseph's words, 'What you intended for evil, God intended for good,' we're challenged to see our own hurts through a divine lens. This message encourages us to break free from the chains of resentment and embrace the liberating power of forgiveness. It's a call to trust in God's bigger picture, even when we can't understand the 'why' behind our pain. As we approach Holy Week, let's consider how we can embody Christ-like forgiveness in our own lives, remembering Jesus' words on the cross, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

reTHINK Everything | Forgiveness and Freedom - Genesis 45:4-15; 50:19-21 - Daniel Barth

Artist Credits:
Namaste - Audionautix - http://audionautix.com/
Lost At Sea - TrackTribe
Renunciation - Asher Fulero
Prison - Argsound
Vishnu - Patrick Patrikios
Heartbeat Of The Wind - Asher Fulero
Elegy - Asher Fulero
Hon Kyoku - Doug Maxwell_ Zac Zinger
The Six Realms - I Think I Can Help You
Verve - Benjamin Martins

Reading Credits:
Jordan
Ryan
Thane
Madaline
Evalynn
And Tobin.

Good Friday 2025

We are invited to confront the profound implications of Jesus' resurrection in this year's Easter message. The Gospel of Mark challanges us to examine the historical evidence and consider what it means if this extraordinary event actually occurred. The empty tomb confronts our intellect, stirs our hearts with grace, and inspires hope that transforms how we live. We're reminded that the resurrection isn't just about believing facts, but experiencing a love that outweighs death itself. The message emphasizes that no matter our failures or shame, we're welcomed with open arms by a God whose grace knows no bounds. As we reflect on the disciples' journey from fear to faith, we're encouraged to let our own weaknesses drive us deeper into God's transformative love. This Easter, we're called to embrace the resurrection's power to free us from fear and propel us into a life of purpose, knowing that our actions in God's kingdom ripple into eternity.

Resurrection Sunday | Mark 16:1-7 - Clint Leavitt

This week, we chart an exploration of Jesus' teachings on money and treasure as it challenges us to examine our relationship with wealth and possessions. The sermon focuses on Matthew 6:19-24, where Jesus warns against storing up treasures on earth and encourages us to store up treasures in heaven instead. We're confronted with the stark reality that money often enslaves us through lies and blindness, causing us to chase after false security and happiness. The message draws fascinating parallels between our cultural obsession with wealth and the spiritual dangers it poses, reminding us that 'where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' As we reflect on our own spending habits and attitudes towards money, we're invited to consider how we might relocate our treasure to align with God's kingdom values. This shift isn't just about belief, but about truly treasuring Christ and embracing His self-giving generosity in our own lives.

Free (From The Power of) Money | The Slavery of Money - Matthew 6:19-24 - Clint Leavitt

This week, we dive into Malachi 3 as we are confronted by our relationship to money and possessions through the lens of God's abundance. The prophet Malachi's words serve as a wake-up call, urging us to examine how our financial choices may be 'robbing' God, others, and even ourselves. We're reminded that everything we have is a gift from God, and we're called to be stewards rather than owners. The parable of the abundant party vividly illustrates how scarcity mindsets can lead to hoarding and conflict, even in the midst of plenty. As we reflect on this, we're encouraged to cultivate hearts of generosity, recognizing that our well-being is intimately connected to the flourishing of our neighbors. This message invites us to experience the freedom and joy that come from aligning our financial practices with God's vision of abundance for all.

Free (From The Power of) Money | The Robbery of Money - Malachi 3:8-10 - Clint Leavitt

This week in our Free (From The Power of) Money series, our good friend John Talley III takes us into the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30, a powerful story that challenges us to examine our faithfulness with God's gifts. This parable isn't just about money; it's about how we steward all that God entrusts to us - our time, talents, and treasures. The master in the story represents God, and we are His servants, each given different 'talents' according to our abilities. The key question we must ask ourselves is: Are we being faithful with what we have? The servants who invested and multiplied their talents were praised, while the one who buried his talent faced severe consequences. This stark contrast urges us to actively use our God-given abilities for His kingdom, rather than hiding them away in fear or laziness. As we reflect on this, let's consider how we're using our skills, resources, and time to glorify God and serve others. Are we picking and choosing what to be faithful with, or are we committed to stewarding everything God has given us?

Free (From The Power of) Money | The Carelessness of Money - Matthew 25:14-30 - John Talley III

This week, we wrap up our sermon series Free (From The Power Of) Money as Gayle Parker brings out the point behind the series. She challenges us to examine our relationship with money and how it aligns with our faith, reading from 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, where Paul encourages the Corinthians to give generously, just as the Macedonian churches did despite their extreme poverty. We're reminded that our Lord Jesus, though rich, became poor for our sake - a profound example of divine generosity. The central lesson is clear: if we sow sparingly, we reap sparingly; if we sow bountifully, we reap bountifully. This isn't about prosperity gospel, but about trusting God and participating in His kingdom work. The message urges us to give not out of guilt or compulsion, but cheerfully, as God loves a cheerful giver. Through inspiring stories of unexpected generosity and its ripple effects, we're encouraged to see giving as a declaration of trust in God's provision. This teaching invites us to reflect on our own giving habits and challenges us to step out in faith, knowing that God will multiply our generosity for His kingdom's work.

Free (From The Power of) Money | The Point: Generosity - 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 - Gayle Parker

This week we begin a new sermon series exploring who God is through the lens of Exodus. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to see how this ancient story is not just a historical account, but a mirror of our own spiritual journey. The narrative of Israel's enslavement and liberation becomes a lens through which we can understand God's activity in our lives today. We're challenged to recognize that even in moments of apparent absence, God is working behind the scenes, weaving together a story of redemption. The text reminds us that God often chooses to work through the unexpected and the marginalized, teaching us to look for His presence in unlikely places. This message encourages us to resist cynicism and remember that our seemingly small acts of faithfulness can be pivotal in God's grand narrative. As we reflect on the parallels between Exodus and the life of Jesus, we're called to embrace a larger, truer story – one where we're freed not just from external bondage, but from the internal chains that hold us back from fully experiencing God's love and purpose for our lives.

Exodus - An Introduction to God | Active In Human History - Exodus 1:8-2:10 - Clint Leavitt

This week, Daniel Barth leads us in an exploration of Exodus 3 where we delve into the profound moment when God reveals His name to Moses through the burning bush. This pivotal encounter reminds us that God often appears in unexpected places and uses unlikely people for His purposes. Just as He called Moses—a failed, forgotten old man—God can use us in our brokenness and searching. The lesson here is clear: our past doesn't disqualify us from God's calling. Instead, it's when we come to the end of ourselves that we're truly ready for God to work through us. This story challenges us to remain open to God's presence in our lives, even in the 'wastelands,' and to trust His timing, which is often different from our own. As we reflect on God's self-revelation as 'I AM,' we're invited to contemplate His eternal nature and self-sufficiency, finding comfort in the fact that the same God who liberated the Israelites is present and active in our lives today.

Exodus - An Introduction to God | Deliverer - Exodus 3:1-15 - Daniel Barth

This week, Clint brings to the moment of Moses and his encounter with the burning bush. This pivotal moment in Exodus reveals how God breaks into our lives, shattering our paradigms and inviting us into a greater story. We're reminded that God's call isn't about our qualifications, but about His grace and purpose. Just as Moses struggled with insecurity and doubt, we too might question our worthiness. But God doesn't demand perfection; He offers His presence. The burning bush symbolizes how God uses the ordinary to reveal the extraordinary, challenging us to be attentive to His voice in our everyday lives. This message urges us to turn aside from our routines, to create space for God to speak, and to trust that He can use our 'staff' - our skills, experiences, and even our weaknesses - to participate in His work of redemption and justice in the world.

Exodus - An Introduction to God | Chooser - Exodus 4.1-17 - Clint Leavitt

The story of Moses confronting Pharaoh isn't just ancient history - it's a mirror reflecting our own struggles with pride and hardheartedness. We see how God's invitations to change are met with resistance, not just by Pharaoh, but often in our own lives. The plagues aren't random acts of vengeance, but carefully orchestrated 'de-creation' events, showing the consequences of rejecting God's order. This narrative invites us to examine where we might be refusing God's call to center Him in our lives. Are we, like Pharaoh, hardening our hearts? The message reminds us that God's commands aren't arbitrary rules, but wisdom woven into the fabric of reality. When we reject them, we invite collapse into our lives. Yet, even in judgment, God's ultimate goal is salvation - for the oppressed and, remarkably, even for the oppressors. This story challenges us to see beyond our limited perspectives and recognize a God who is both just and merciful, inviting us into a life of true freedom and flourishing.

Exodus - An Introduction to God | Victor - Exodus 5:1-9; 7:14-18; 10:21-28 - Clint Leavitt

This week, Tom Parker invites us into the story of the Israelites in Exodus 17, where we see how God miraculously provides water from a rock in the desert. This narrative challenges us to examine our own reactions when faced with life's difficulties. Are we quick to complain and forget God's past faithfulness, or do we respond with trust and mature faith? The sermon encourages us to cultivate a 'holy memory' - remembering God's goodness in our lives, even amid challenging circumstances. It's a call to move beyond reactivity and develop emotional and spiritual maturity, recognizing that God's grace is abundant, even when we falter. As we reflect on our own 'thirsts' in life, we're reminded of Jesus' invitation to come to Him for living water, addressing both our physical and spiritual needs.

Exodus - An Introduction to God | Provider - Exodus 17:1-7 - Tom Parker

Listen as Luke Parker introduces the story of Nehemiah, whose realization of Jerusalem's destruction leads him to grief and mourning, even for sins he didn't commit, and how learning to repent and plead with God is the first step to rebuilding a broken world.

12 July 2020 | #here #now #us: Nehemiah 1 - Luke Parker

At Midtown Presbyterian Church, we value honest questions and genuine community, working alongside one another as we discover more about what it means to follow Jesus in the modern world, and in Phoenix. You are welcome here.
Listen to our teachings in this podcast to follow us, and be sure to join us Sunday mornings; visit thespringmidtown.org to learn more.

Midtown Presbyterian Church

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