Advent: Love - Jonathan Jones, Connections Pastor 12 22 24 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

The third week of advent presses us into the joy available to us in Christ. See, joy goes far beyond momentary happiness. It’s a deep-seated gladness of the heart that circumstances can’t take from the man or woman who belongs to the kingdom of Jesus. Philippians 4 teaches us that joy is active, not passive. It’s a choice, not simply an emotion. Be…

In a world that seems ever more fragmented by conflict, chaos, and angst…peace can seem like an illusion always just outside of our grasp. And yet, in the middle of it all, Jesus entered our world in the most unlikely of circumstances to offer us a kind of peace that supersedes any version of peace the world has on offer. See, peace, when it’s all …

Advent, The King Has Come - Allen Ebert, Student Pastor 12 01 24 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

The Jews and Samaritans hated each other with unbridled passion. And yet, one hot and dusty day at a well, an outcast Samaritan woman crippled by shame encountered Jesus. And was forever changed by His offer of living water. This dramatic story reminds us that our behavior is always rooted in our thirsts. We can’t change behavior without addressing…

The encounter between Jesus and a Greek-speaking, Syrophoenician, Canaanite, Gentile woman can be confusing and even sound offensive. Her approach and response is instructive for Jesus’ disciples then and now, and Jesus shows a great priority in His mission that is critical for every one of His followers. From the Old Testament to Jesus’ time to th…

The story of Jesus and Nicodemus is a famous one. In this dialogue with a wise, old religious teacher, Jesus drops a bombshell that reframed the human understanding of God’s Kingdom. It’s not enough to be moral. Or follow a list of do’s and don'ts. To see the Kingdom of God, you have to experience a new birth. Jesus didn’t come to make you better, …

Ever meet someone who seemingly had it all? Wealth, position, the picture perfect family Christmas card…only to find out they’re one of the most miserable people you know? It's a story as old as time. Jesus encountered a young guy that fit this mold to a tee. Though he was spiritual, he loved something else more than Jesus. The truth is, self-relia…

Life is full of storms. Literal storms like Helene, and figurative storms that threaten to swamp us relationally, emotionally, financially, and physically. Peter’s encounter with Jesus on the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee, drives our understanding of faith into a deeper place. We learn that focusing on Jesus in the storms of life, allows us t…

There are certain times in life that allow for more clarity. A natural disaster like Helene is one of those times that allow us to recalibrate our lives. I believe God wants to offer us a hard reset rather than just resuming our old ways. We can walk this path of resetting into a healthier pathway by eliminating the non-essentials in our lives and …

Sometimes we can take our forgiveness in Christ for granted. We can lose perspective on just how great a gift Jesus and His redemptive work in our lives really is. In Luke 7, Jesus encounters a self-righteous man and a woman who was a notorious sinner in her city. Though the host neglects the customary kindness of greeting Jesus, providing a washin…

When Jesus encounters perhaps the most despised man in the city of Jericho, the unimaginable becomes reality. Jesus not only speaks to Zacchaeus, He invites Himself to the tax collector’s home. The hated outcast and the savior of the world. The compassion of Jesus transforms the wicked traitor into a generous, joy-filled child of the new kingdom. J…

A real encounter with Jesus changes everything. When a handful of people decided to risk it all to get their paralyzed friend in front of the healer from Nazareth, sins were forgiven, bodies were healed, and preconceived notions about the authority of Jesus were obliterated. This famous story teaches us about the power of Jesus, the faith of friend…

The Bible is foundational to everything that disciples of Jesus believe, but is that foundation solid? How can we know? Hasn’t it been translated countless times and changed over the centuries? We’ll discuss at least five reasons we can trust the Bible and confidently build our lives on the truth God has revealed about Himself.…

Even though Joseph had forgiven his brothers years prior, they continued to live in fear after Jacob’s death. We too, need to be reminded of the forgiveness we possess in Christ, despite the feelings of shame and condemnation that assault our hearts at times. Joseph’s response to his brother’s ill-founded fear teaches us invaluable spiritual truths…

After 22 long years, Jacob is finally reunited with his long-lost and treasured son, Joseph. The details of this reunion account are packed with deep spiritual insight for the people of God even today. Lessons like: • When God calls you, go all in! • God’s past faithfulness propels present confidence • We should bless the culture around us • Deligh…

What does it look like to forgive and seek reconciliation in the Kingdom of God? In these chapters, we see Joseph finally revealing his identity to his brothers. Would he respond from his woundedness in anger and exact justice? Joseph teaches us what it looks like when we forgive as forgiven people. Forgiveness allows reconciliation to flow into re…

More than Enough - Jeremy Woods, Guest Preacher 08 04 24 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

Hold on to the Hope - Brody Medford, Guest Preacher 07 28 24 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

Learing to be Content in Christ - Daniel Dixon, Guest Preacher 07 21 24 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

The story of Joseph is all about God turning what seems bad into good. After great suffering, Joseph was raised up, taken out of prison, and given power. As the famine spreads across the known world, an unlikely reunion with the very brothers who sold him into slavery brings Joseph to tears. Instead of seeking revenge, he shows them grace, and puts…

After over a decade of slavery + prison, God pulls Joseph out of the pit & places him in the palace. After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams, Joseph is elevated to the 2nd most powerful man on planet earth. Through this story we can draw almost innumerable applications like: God has a design in delay. We can’t microwave what God intends to crock-pot in…

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Are there essentials of being a disciple? In Mark 1, Jesus gives us 3 components of becoming a disciple. At its core it's: relational, transformational, and missional. Said another way, it’s being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, & doing what Jesus did. Unfortunately, many of us settle for being Jesus fan-boys/gir…

In Genesis 40, Joseph shows us what it looks like to serve others in suffering. He models overcoming evil with good, as he walks with compassion with an eye for those who are hurting around him. He also shows us the importance of speaking truth in love even as he navigates his own disappointment, feeling alone and seemingly forgotten. But as we’ll …

Life is war. Our spiritual life is a battle, and we have a real, unseen enemy force working overtime to destroy our lives, the people we love, and everything that matters to us. What if so many of us fall to temptation over and over again, because we haven’t mapped out a plan to fight ahead of time? What does the story of Joseph and the teachings o…

Joseph, now a slave in Egypt, finds success because God is with him. Potiphar elevates him to chief of staff and gives him dominion over his land and possessions. Right as things seem to be taking a positive turn for Joseph, Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him, and Joseph refuses to betray his boss or his God. Consequently, he is falsely accused an…

They say honesty is the best policy, so what happens when we get honest about ourself! Discover how your life and life in the body of Christ can become a place filled with honest people. Be reminded how good it is to come clean about your sinfulness and celebrate your forgiveness in God's redemptive plan!…

In heaven all the tasks of the church will cease, no more sermons, no more missions, the only thing that will remain is worship. Our worship will bring us as close to heaven as possible until we get there.Af New Life of Asheville

Jesus closes with one final section that serves as the climax of His most famous sermon. We all have a choice in life, either we build the house that is our lives on the foundation of the shifting sands of culture, or on the immovable rock that is Jesus Christ. And the truth is that the strong foundation only gets built when we shift from hearing J…

As Jesus begins to turn the corner & put a wrap on the Sermon on the Mount, He issues a series of invitations and warnings to His hearers. Last week, He warned us to choose the narrow gate & the hard way over the easy way & wide gate. This week, He warns us to beware of false teachers. How can we identify the wolves who come cloaked as sheep? By ex…

When we begin to live out of a vibrant relationship with God, trusting that He will meet all of our needs, we will inevitably experience the freedom and impulse to live out the golden rule. The truth is, a relationship with God changes every other relationship. But, we have to make sure we enter His Kingdom through the narrow gate. The world offers…

In this section of His most famous sermon, Jesus gives us a command and a promise. If you really believed that God is deeply good, and that He answers the passionate and persistent prayers of His beloved children, how would your prayer life be different than it is today? Ask, seek, knock…our God already knows, and He’s highly relational. He likes t…

“Judge not, lest you be judged!” is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible by Christians and non-Christians alike. But did Jesus really mean it’s never good for us to make judgment calls or use discernment about other’s actions? What we see in this passage is Jesus teaching us how to judge without being judgmental. That begins with getting the …

“Do not worry” is repeated three times in this classic teaching of Jesus. It sounds nice - but in our day and age, is this realistic? With all that is going on, how can we not worry? Jesus gives His disciples reasons they don’t have to worry, and a way to focus our attention and activities in a way that will have eternal value.…

Money and possessions reveal the human heart like nothing else does. The lie of our day is: the more I have in my hands, the happier I’ll be in my heart. But both studies and our own experience tell us that’s simply not true. Money is a tool, much like a knife. Is a knife good or bad? It depends on who’s wielding it (a surgeon or a madman?). Jesus …

It’s amazing that out of everything the disciples could have asked Jesus to teach them how to do (walk on water, turn water into wine, resurrect the dead, cast out demons) they ask Him how to … pray? What follows is a pattern of prayer that’s remarkable not for its length, but for its exquisite depth. Jesus teaches us that prayer is personal–we com…

As we step into chapter 6, Jesus is going to shift into some practical instruction surrounding 3 core spiritual disciplines: giving, prayer, and fasting. The primary focus here is on taking off our spiritual masks and learning to genuinely love God rather than trying to impress people. As citizens of the new kingdom of Jesus, we should give generou…

The last couple of weeks in the Sermon on the Mount have been pretty intense as Jesus has peeled back the layers on several controversial topics like anger, lust, marriage, and divorce. This week, we’ll hear Jesus finish the last 3 of his “you have heard it said, but I say to you…” statements as He tackles oaths, retaliation, and love for our enemi…

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus discusses many hard things. Among them, is the topic of marriage and divorce. This week’s sermon will focus on the beauty of marriage, the devastation of divorce, while pointing to the healing and hope found in Christ. We’ll look at the prevailing views for biblically permissible divorce, while also driving home th…

In the last section of this famous sermon, Jesus told His hearers that they would never enter the kingdom of heaven unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees. This week, He shows us what that deeper righteousness looks like. He tells us that an outward obedience that simply conceals a heart that is far from God is not what He’s afte…

There are few issues in culture today that have generated more confusion than the topic of gender. Contrary to the popular thought of the day that gender is merely a social construct, the Scriptures teach that gender is actually a beautiful part of God’s good design for His glory and our flourishing. Men and women are equal in dignity, value, and w…

Practicing the spiritual discipline of gratitude has always been a key marker of God’s people. As a church, we have so much to be grateful for over the past year. God has been big in and through our faith family! And yet, the mission isn’t finished. As Jesus reminds us in the parable of the hidden treasure, His kingdom is like a treasure so valuabl…

As Jesus moves from teaching about being salt & light in a dark and decaying world, we shift into a section of this most famous sermon that helps us understand how to read the Bible. Jesus is reminding us of the total truthfulness of Scripture down to the smallest detail, even in the Old Testament. In fact, all of Scripture points to Jesus. That’s …

Last week we saw Jesus launch the Sermon on the Mount with a section called the beatitudes. If the kingdom principles found in the beatitudes seem somewhat theoretical, the next section on salt & light makes it all very practical. You see, in Jesus’ day–two foundational pillars of everyday life were salt & light. While salt preserves, flavors, and …

It’s been called the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest preacher to ever live. The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ most in-depth and well-known sermon. In it, Jesus describes His upside-down kingdom in glorious detail. He opens this famous sermon with a section commonly called the beatitudes. Eight marks of those who live in this upside-do…

Things That Matter - Joe Dillon, Guest Preacher 01 07 24 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

Wonder of Oneness - Jonathan Jones, Connections Pastor 12 31 23 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

Christmas Eve: God Made Known - Chris Dillon, Lead Pastor 12 24 23 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

Advent: Receiving the Light - Chris Dillon, Lead Pastor 12 17 23 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville

Advent: Witness to the Light - Chris Dillon, Lead Pastor 12 10 23 by New Life of AshevilleAf New Life of Asheville