Antioch Waco
Antioch Waco
Listen to Sunday messages by Senior Pastor Jimmy Seibert and other speakers from Antioch Waco.
Episodes
Cost of Grace
This week, Young Adult Pastor Jeremy King led us through Ephesians 2:1-10. We heard about the extravagant grace that God has made available to us. Without an understanding of Jesus' immeasurable sacrifice, though, and the immensity of how much it cost, we can't fully appreciate that grace. Lord, show us the extent to which You love us and pursue us, and mold our hearts to serve You well!
Jesus Is the Glory of God
In John 17, we read a prayer from Jesus to the Father asking for unity among God's followers. When God is fully glorified in every person's life, our lives operate wholly as God intended, and God's people are unified. We want to be a people who walk in union with God, communion with the saints and partnership with His mission!
What's Your Gospel?
Happy Father's Day! Our Scripture for the day was fitting—Luke 15, the parable of The Prodigal Son. Carl Gulley taught on the causes of guilt and shame. Guilt is caused by the knowledge that we've wronged someone we love; shame is caused by the knowledge that because of that, we're no longer in right relationship with them. But, like the father in the parable, God not only forgives us, but likes us and wants to reconcile with us. And He celebrates us! Lord, thank you for being the best Father!
Chosen
Ephesians 1:11-14 can bring up some deep theological questions. This week, pastor Weston Nichols led us through an exploration of this passage's comments on election, security and love. Although every individual's beliefs on election and security need to be worked out through Scripture study and relationship with God, two things are very clear. First, God is able to do what our minds think is impossible or are unable to comprehend. Second, everything God does is driven by unfathomable love for us and a desire for us to love Him in return.
Beholding His Glory
This week, we continued to look at Jesus' prayer in John 17, highlighting the glory of God. We see the significance of God's glory all throughout Scripture, from Genesis 1 when humanity was separated from God's glory through our sin, then throughout the Bible in the story of God's plan to reconcile us to His glory through the sacrifice of Jesus. God's glory has to be central in our life; when we are filled with glory, we become partners of His glory, and the world around us is saved!
Father, Make Us One
This week, we welcome our friend and brother Francis Chan to remind us of the necessity for UNITY in today's divorce culture. We are raised as children in homes and in a society where splitting up is more customary than unity, and we see this dramatically at work in the Church. In John 17, we see Jesus pray, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us SO THAT the world may believe that you have sent me." Lord, we covenant to walk in unity with our brothers and sisters, so that the world may believe in Jesus our Savior!
Seek His Face!
God is moving powerfully across our nation, sparking revival at various colleges and universities and making national headlines. But He's at work here among us, too! God is sweeping through our local students at Baylor, calling people to unity, repentance and evangelism. Let's join in! Let's surrender ourselves to God and intercede for this movement to continue, in our country and around the world, as we seek His face!
Tend Your Garden
Tending our lives in the areas we influence requires selflessness, intentionality and sacrifice but it brings about fruitfulness and beauty to ultimately glorify the Father. The original mandate from God to Adam and Eve is also a mandate to us. In the garden of our lives, we are called to tend to each space intentionally so that the Glory of God may be reflected unto the world through these spaces.
John 17 — Sanctification
This week, we looked again at Jesus' prayer for His followers in John 17. When we look at the world as God intended versus the world impacted by our sin, we see a huge disparity between God's perfect creation and our marred reality. It is through Jesus that we are sanctified to become more like God's original design, and it is through the Church that the world sees God's glory and goodness. Lord, we surrender—sanctify us!
Biblical Unity
This week, Mick Murray taught again on John 17, where we see Jesus' prayer that we, His disciples, would walk in unity. Mick took us through the Scriptural evidence for what biblical unity is and what it is not. In the end, biblical unity is the greatest revelation of God in the earth today, that others might know Him, and conversely, our disunity is the greatest way to obscure the glory of God in our earth today. How do we unify? Repentance. God, we repent for our selfishness and divisiveness! Unify us once again!
Unity Through Surrender
In the 26 verses of John 17, Jesus speaks about "giving" 17 times. The importance of relinquishing what we hold is clear. But because of the goodness of God, in His Kingdom, surrender means giving up something lesser to gain something greater. Everybody has a place of authority or control. God is calling us to release these areas of authority so that He can give us something greater in return. After all, it's because of Jesus' surrender that we are redeemed. Lord, help us to surrender!
Acts 2 People
In Acts 2, we see Jesus' followers at Pentecost obeying His last instruction to them: gather together and wait for the Holy Spirit to come to them. When He came, His power and presence was revealed through the disciples speaking in tongues so that every people group who heard them could understand their speech. This is in direct juxtaposition to the story of the Tower of Babel—when men gathered together in unity to rebel against God and were then separated, speaking in foreign tongues and no longer able to understand each other. What type of people do we want to be—a Pentecost people, or a Tower of Babel people? Lord, make us a Pentecost people!
Confidence To Share the Gospel
This month, we're focusing on sharing the love of Jesus and the story of His salvation with those around us who don't know Him. Two ways practically to do this are through sharing your own personal testimony and through the Bridge Diagram, which Jimmy demonstrated for us today. Lord, make us a people who show others Your love like they've never experienced!
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother’s Day! Enjoy the deep wells of wisdom and encouragement shared by our panel of moms, who together have spent more than 142 years parenting their children in the Lord. Thank you, Laura Seibert, Dorothy Abshire, Melissa Wible, Tonja Carpenter and Laura Summersett. Happy Mother’s Day!
Evangelism—A Lifestyle, Not an Event
Jason Ramos shared with us this week on our calling to live a lifestyle of evangelism, as Jesus did. Rather than waiting for our next mission trip or scheduled outreach, let us be proactive to move outside of our circle of comfort and share Jesus' salvation with people who don't know God's love. God, make us bold, and give us eyes to see those You're calling us to love!
Spirit-Empowered Evangelism
At times, evangelism may sound daunting or extremely challenging. In reality, though, the pressure is off of us. The Holy Spirit, living within us, is faithful to highlight to us each person who needs His love. When we live fully aware of the goodness, kindness and worthiness of Jesus, and when we live filled with and guided by the Holy Spirit, walking in step with Him becomes much more natural and much less challenging. Father, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and lead us to love the people who need You!
Belonging in the Body
"How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity." - Psalm 133:1 The Body of Christ is most powerful when it is unified and when we all feel like we have a part. There is a sense of belonging that we experience when we are adopted into the family of God and join our brothers and sisters as one body in unity. Listen to the full sermon series in the "Our Inheritance" playlist.
Death, Life, Purpose
This week, College Pastor Austin Murray led us through Ephesians 2:1-10. As a church, we learned what it looks like to allow the old things to pass away and welcome in the new life that Jesus has for us. There is so much freedom in realizing, again and again, the joy of our salvation, paid for by the blood of Jesus. Lord, would we be a people that maintain the joy of our salvation!
Grace To Abide
This week, Pastor Mick Murray led us through a study of Ephesians 3:14-21, a prayer from Paul for the corporate Ephesian church. After writing the first two and a half chapters of this epistle, Paul pauses to pray for the church in Ephesus, that God would enable them to live how he had exhorted them to live in the first chapters, that they would be filled with Christ and that they would know and experience God's love that is beyond comprehension. And to the God who is able to do all this—we glorify and honor You, Lord!
Above and Beyond
In Acts 1:8, Jesus spoke His last words to His apostles before returning to heaven: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem [their city], and in all Judea and Samaria [their region], and to the ends of the earth [the world]." Today, we got to hear amazing testimonies of the many ways God has worked through you this summer in our city, our nation and the nations of the world! From Waco to other cities in Texas and Florida, to the Dominican Republic, South Korea, Turkey and Mongolia (which included 7 of our partner churches from Russia), God worked powerfully and miraculously through people ranging in age from our Youth Ministry to our empty nesters. Praise God!
The Church at Antioch
Our local church, Antioch Waco, is named after the church of Antioch that we see in the book of Acts. This week, Pastor Jimmy Seibert led us through 10 characteristics of the ancient church at Antioch that we see in Scripture. Lord, we submit to You! Like the ancient church at Antioch, let us glorify You and look more like You!
God's Vision for the Church
This week, Zach Daniel led us through Ephesians 3:1-12 as we studied how God's vision for the Church is bigger, better and more beautiful than we have understood. Thank You, Lord!
Prayer for the Ephesians
This Sunday, Dorothy Abshire walked us through Ephesians 1:15-23. This passage is packed with exhortations for how we should live–by praying for our local church body, asking God for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know Him better, setting our hearts on the hope of Jesus and not our natural world, remembering how He has valued us to exchange the life of His Son for our own lives, and remembering His supernatural power, without which nothing on earth would exist. Thank You, God, for all these things you have given to us!
New Year's Service
There's no better way to start a new year than by worshiping God and re-surrendering to Him. Join us as we praise Him and consecrate the year 2023 to Him!
Don't Miss Jesus
This week, Jimmy Seibert walked us through Palm Sunday in Matthew 20 and 21. Like the blind men in Matthew 20, let us call out to Jesus for His salvation and healing. Like the disciples in Matthew 21, let us obey Jesus fully and immediately. Like Jesus, let us walk in profound humility. And like the crowds in Jerusalem, let us rightly worship Jesus and cry out to God on behalf of ourselves and others, "Hosanna!"—God, save us now!
Easter
Because of the trials of this life, we may often feel like Jesus' disciples that He encountered on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. Confused, grieving and blinded to the truth of Jesus' resurrection, they didn't even recognize Him when they saw Him. But as they spent time with Him and spoke with Him, and as they invited Him to stay with them, their eyes were opened, and they saw the miracle of His resurrection and salvation for them. Lord, open our eyes to see You in our lives!
Cry Out to Jesus
Mark 6:45-56 tells the story of Jesus' disciples straining at the oars of their boat in a storm. Scripture says that He saw them from land and decided to go out to them (walking on water). The scariest sentence in the story is this: "He intended to pass by them." But when they raised their heads from their own futile efforts, saw Him and cried out to Him, "immediately He spoke with them and said to them, 'Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.' Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished." May we never miss Jesus walking by because our eyes are down, focused on our own affairs. May we instead look to Him and cry out to Him; He will always come get in our boat and take care of us!
Vision Sunday
For 2023, we're sensing that God is calling us to renewed Unity of the Spirit. To be unified with the Spirit of God, and then with each other, it's imperative that we "drop our oars"—relinquishing our efforts and accomplishments that are made through our own strength and good works. Instead, we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 33:21 says, "But there [in the city of the Lord,] the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass." Let us throw down our oars and our efforts of man-made achievements, and instead experience the abundantly powerful current of the Lord directing us to places we could never reach in our own strength!
Set Apart
This week, Mick Murray took us through the ministry of Elijah in 1 Kings 17–19 in a study about listening to God, and then we took some time to do just that—asking God what we need to let go from 2022 and what He has prepared for us in 2023.
Digital Evangelism
Years ago, Trip Nine began to be called by God to utilize his expertise in web development and cybersecurity to share the gospel and build the Kingdom of God. Since then, he's begun building systems that can share the good news of Jesus with people in the farthest parts of the earth through digital media, and he's sharing these systems with us so that we can share Jesus' love with our city, nation and nations of the earth. Join us as we continue to live a lifestyle of prayer and incorporate this amazing technology to pray and contend for the farthest reaches of the earth!
Baptism Bash 11 a.m.
In John 5, we see the story of a man who'd been lame for 38 years. He spent his days at the Pool of Bethesda (which means "House of Mercy" or "House of Grace"), waiting for the waters to be supernaturally stirred so that he could be helped into the pool for healing. But when Jesus visited the lame man, He asked if he wanted to be healed. When Jesus told him to pick up his mat and walk, the lame man obeyed, and he was healed. Let us accept Jesus' healing and walk in obedience to His commands!
Baptism Bash 9 a.m.
In John 5, we see the story of a man who'd been lame for 38 years. He spent his days at the Pool of Bethesda (which means "House of Mercy" or "House of Grace"), waiting for the waters to be supernaturally stirred so that he could be helped into the pool for healing. But when Jesus visited the lame man, He asked if he wanted to be healed. When Jesus told him to pick up his mat and walk, the lame man obeyed, and he was healed. Let us accept Jesus' healing and walk in obedience to His commands!
Letting Go of the Past; Giving Thanks for the Present; Looking forward with Hope
Liminal: relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process. Liminal circumstances can often feel like limbo, not being settled on either side of a thing. If we engage liminal spaces appropriately, though, they can be an opportunity for transformation. How can we best take advantage of liminal spaces? By letting go of the past, giving thanks for the present and looking forward with hope.
Word of the Lord for 2022
In 2021, we felt the call of God for Antioch to be like the Queen Mary—conscripted and fitted for His purposes. As we’ve waited on the Lord for His word over 2022, we’ve sensed that the Queen Mary word is extending through 2025, and that our response this year is to ignite the boiler room, to stoke the engine of what God is doing through prayer and intercession. We also believe 2022 will be a year of Pentecost—the Holy Spirit coming and moving in power—and Jubilee—freedom and the forgiveness of debts. How is God conscripting you to live in intercession, power and freedom? We invite you to join us as we seek to obey God’s word for our church in 2022.
The Power of the Person of the Holy Spirit
When Jesus, God incarnate, ascended to heaven, He promised to leave His Spirit—the Holy Spirit—to be our Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Counsellor and Strengthener, always present. It is only by the power of the Spirit that we can claim Jesus as Lord. Let’s respond to the Holy Spirit with humility and with hunger, not with distance and resistance. As we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us and to make us holy, no matter the state in which we start.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
If we wonder how a life walking in perfect unity with the Holy Spirit would be, we have only to look at the life of Jesus. Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit when they believe in Jesus Christ, but believers must be filled—baptized—with the Holy Spirit continually. If we want to walk in the power of Jesus and usher in the kingdom of heaven to earth, we must be repeatedly filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Joy of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised that it was for the Church's good that He leave so that the Holy Spirit could come. When we walk in the Holy Spirit, we see His power in our lives through the gifts He gives: motivational gifts—ingrained compulsions God puts in each of us that steer toward His kingdom; gifts of ministry—callings God gave each of us to steward faithfully; and manifestations of the Spirit, or the "now" gifts of God—miraculous ways in which Jesus shows His glory in our daily lives. Allow the Holy Spirit to reassure you of your identity so that you can freely receive and then freely give the gifts of the Spirit, that the Church may be built up.
Why We Should Prophesy
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul exhorts the Church to eagerly desire the spiritual gifts, but especially to desire prophecy. Prophecy reveals the love of God for the Body of Christ; edifies, exhorts and comforts—or strengthens—the Church; and stirs up the Church to be what God has called us to be. Let’s eagerly desire to prophesy so that we can usher the kingdom of God into our world.
Words of Wisdom & Knowledge
Wisdom and knowledge are both virtues God has given us through which to live with honor and integrity. 1 Corinthians 12, however, speaks of a different element of wisdom and knowledge—as manifest gifts of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. Words of wisdom are a result of hearing God's supernatural wisdom for specific situations. A word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation from God about someone or something apart from having learned it. God uses words of wisdom and knowledge to intervene in people's lives and show His love. Lord, make us vessels of your wisdom and knowledge!
Power to Receive
1 Corinthians 2:4 speaks of a message and preaching that are "not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power." This is a power that God is calling each and every one of us to adopt! This week, we'd like to celebrate the power that is freely at work in our Latino community and that is flowing out from Latino believers around the world to transform the nations of the earth. God is doing a mighty work in and through our Latino brothers and sisters, and we want to be part of it!
The Gift of Healing
Like all spiritual gifts, instances of miraculous healings are "kisses of love from God—the compassion of God to care for His people." (Thanks for the quote, Pastor Jimmy!) Whether healing comes instantaneously, through a process of months or years, or when our bodies are fully restored and we meet Jesus face-to-face, every time we seek God for healing, we receive grace. And whether we receive healing in a moment or on the day we enter heaven, both are God's plan of compassion to give us His best for each and every one of our lives.
Rescuing the Lost
Matthew 9:36 says, “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” This phrase—“he had compassion on them”—follows Jesus throughout His travels in Scripture. When He observed people who were lost in their sin, His response was to fight for their salvation. For the past many weeks, we’ve studied the gifts the Holy Spirit has given the Church. These gifts are unfulfilled if reserved only for the Church Body; let us be moved, like Jesus, to have compassion on the lost and share the gifts of the Spirit with them.
The Gift of Discernment
Discernment of spirits, one of the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10, refers to the revelation gift from God that allows us to recognize and distinguish between spirits that are human, demonic or angelic or the Holy Spirit. We need this gift so we can expose darkness and reveal truth, set people free from the bondage of the enemy and glorify God and reveal His power and authority to the world. Lord, teach us not only to discern between right and wrong, but to discern between right and almost right, so we can please Your heart.
The Gift of Tongues
Like all of God's gifts to us, the gift of tongues is a good and perfect gift that comes down from the Father of Lights. Throughout the Bible, we see the gift of tongues uplifting the people of God and inviting the lost into His Kingdom. Tongues is a miraculous gift for individuals to worship God and be encouraged; tongues is a boon that allows us to intercede when we have no words to express our hearts; tongues is a witness to the lost; and tongues is useful for building up and edification of the Church. As God commands us in Scripture—let us eagerly desire the spiritual gifts.
Unity in the Body
1 Corinthians 12:13 says that every believer has been baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body, and we have all been given one Spirit to drink. We are commanded to be drenched in and encompassed by the Holy Spirit as well as filled up and saturated in Him. It is only when we jump fully into His presence and fill ourselves with His Spirit that we can enjoy true unity with the body of believers—let's claim that today.
Communion
In 1 Corinthians 11, we see Paul rebuking the Corinthian church for taking communion in an unworthy manner. They were guilty of prioritizing the Greek culture in which they were comfortable and trying to fit the gospel in as an afterthought, at the expense of the weak and powerless in their midst. When we take communion, let us make sure we do not commit the same sin. Let us examine our hearts—not in our own strength and introspection—but through fixing our eyes on Jesus so that we may become like Him; it's His body and blood that redeem us.
Giving
In 1 Corinthians 15, we see Paul coaching the Corinthians in giving a generous donation to a church in another city. How can we glean biblical practices that translate to our 21st century life? Paul answers 4 basic questions that apply even in 2022: who, when, what and how? Who—everyone can give. When—frequently and soon after we receive income. What—amounts proportional to your income. How—to a trusted organization or friend. Lord, let us give willingly out of the overflow of what You have given to us!
Baptism | The Beginning of Transformation
God is drawing each of us, every moment of every day, into His grace. We can either respond to it with acceptance, or we can reject it by trying to rely on self-transformation.
Mother's Day 2022
Throughout Scripture, we consistently see the importance and value that God places upon women and their role in His Kingdom. On this Mother's Day, Jeff Abshire took us through a tour of four key truths the Bible makes evident about women. First, women are created by God on purpose and for a purpose. Second, Jesus values women. Third, the Holy Spirit has gifted women. And last, we as a Church need women. To all of our moms, daughters, spiritual moms, foster moms, pet moms and plant moms—thank you for how you say yes to Jesus and fulfill His identity for you.
Baptism Bash | 9 A.M. Service
It's Baptism Bash Sunday—what a moving time of celebrating God's transforming grace in the lives of so many of our family members! The parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 portrays an apt description of each of our lives. When we sin and go our own way, our Father is beckoning us back with open arms. He is unimaginably better than we could ever guess. Thank You, Jesus, that You are always thrilled to welcome us into Your embrace!