The Heart of a King: A Heart for Friendship
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
Release Date: 06/16/2025
Overflow: Sacrifice
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In this sermon, Dr. Jordan Tatum begins by acknowledging how our culture conditions us to be selfish through advertising and cultural messages that tell us to prioritize our own desires and needs. He then examines Jesus's teaching in Luke 20-21, where Jesus contrasts the selfish religious leaders who "devour widows' houses" with a poor widow who gave everything she had. Dr. Tatum highlights a profound truth: "The value of the gift is not in the amount given. The value of the gift is in how much it costs me." From this foundation, he offers three progressive challenges: give something (for...
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Overflow: Amazing Grace
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In this sermon launching the "Overflow" series, Karl Ihfe examines the connection between grace and generosity through the lens of 2 Corinthians 8. He establishes that grace is the source of generosity, pointing to how God always gives first—"For God so loved the world that he gave" (John 3:16). The Macedonian churches exemplify this principle, as they gave generously despite their extreme poverty because they had first experienced God's transformative grace. Karl highlights Paul's surprising equation: severe trial + overflowing joy + extreme poverty = rich generosity. This counterintuitive...
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Remembrance Sunday: Our Living Hope
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
On Remembrance Sunday, Karl Ihfe guides the Broadway congregation through a meaningful reflection on the Christian understanding of death and resurrection. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 4 and John 11, Karl emphasizes that our hope isn't merely in a future event but in a person—Jesus Christ, who declared "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). This transforms our understanding from resurrection as a distant future event to a present reality in the person of Jesus. Karl reminds us that Paul doesn't tell believers not to grieve, but rather that we "may not grieve as others do who have...
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The Domino Effect: This is the Way
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In the concluding message of "The Domino Effect" series, Karl Ihfe explores Ephesians 6 where Paul instructs believers to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10). Ihfe draws a parallel between the Mandalorian creed "This is the way" and the early Christians who were known as followers of "the Way" before the term Christian was coined. Ihfe explains that Paul's description of the armor of God—the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit—isn't merely preparation for battle...
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The Domino Effect: Jesus 101
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
Karl Ihfe continues the "Domino Effect" series by examining Ephesians 4, focusing on the pivotal decision of who we choose to follow. Drawing from Paul's letter, Ihfe contrasts two paths: the way of the Gentiles, characterized by "futility of thinking," darkened understanding, and insatiable desires, versus the way of Jesus, which leads to renewal and transformation. Ihfe explains that following Jesus means "putting off the old self" and "putting on the new self" as described in Ephesians 4:22-24. This transformation manifests in practical ways: speaking truthfully, managing anger...
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The Domino Effect: The Most Divisive Issue
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In this sermon on unity from the "Domino Effect" series, Karl explores how Paul's letter to the Ephesians reveals unity as God's plan from the beginning. Drawing from Ephesians 1:10, he explains that God's purpose was "to bring unity to all things in heaven and earth under Christ." While the world naturally tends toward division and decay, Christ came to create "one new humanity" (Ephesians 2:15) by breaking down barriers between people. Karl emphasizes that unity doesn't mean uniformity—like four-part harmony in singing, unity harnesses our differences for God's kingdom. Paul instructs...
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The Domino Effect: Living Wisely
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In this installment of the "Domino Effect" series examining Ephesians, Karl Ihfe explores Paul's vision of prayer as revealed in three prayers found in chapters one, three, and six. Ihfe contrasts our often limited, comfort-focused prayers with Paul's expansive prayers that remind believers of the extraordinary power available to them—"the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead" (Ephesians 1:19-20). Paul prays for spiritual wisdom, enlightened hearts, and a deep understanding of Christ's love that surpasses knowledge. Ihfe challenges us to consider whether...
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The Domino Effect: I Will Have a Peace, Thank You
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
Chad Hammond examines Ephesians 2 and its powerful message about Christ as our peace who has destroyed the dividing walls of hostility. He explains that the Hebrew concept of peace (shalom) is far more than the absence of conflict—it represents wholeness, fullness, and justice. Through historical context, Hammond shows how the temple's physical barriers separated Gentiles, women, and others from full access to God, creating a system of limited belonging. The heart of the sermon reveals how Christ's sacrifice has radically transformed this reality. As Ephesians 2:19 declares, "Consequently,...
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The Domino Effect: Pivot Point
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In this sermon from the "Domino Effect" series, Karl Ihfe examines Ephesians 2 to highlight grace as the essential pivot point in our lives. He begins by establishing the "before" language of Ephesians 2:1-3, where Paul describes our former state as "dead in your transgressions and sins," then transitions to what scholars call the "but God theology" - how God intervenes in our hopelessness. Karl illustrates this concept through his father's heart transplant, where his dad could do nothing to earn or deserve the new heart, but could only receive it as a gift and then choose how to live...
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The Domino Effect: Starting Point
Broadway Church of Christ Sermon Series
In this sermon, Karl Ihfe launches a new series called "The Domino Effect," exploring the power of our decisions through the book of Ephesians. Karl highlights how Ephesians teaches us about grace, our view of the church (ecclesiology), and how our beliefs about Jesus should shape our relationships with others. He emphasizes two major themes that run throughout Ephesians: peace and unity. Paul describes the church as "the body of Christ, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" (Ephesians 1:23), calling believers to a higher standard than the world's casual view of church. Karl...
info_outlineKarl Ihfe delves into the topic of spiritual friendship, using the Biblical relationship between David and Jonathan as a prime example. He highlights how their covenant friendship became an anchor for David's soul, even amidst difficult circumstances with King Saul. The sermon explores three key questions: What is a spiritual friend? How do we find one? And is it worth the effort?
Ihfe defines a spiritual friend as someone who helps us pay attention to God and challenges us to live up to our calling. He suggests that finding such friends requires prayer, putting ourselves in positions to meet like-minded people, and carefully testing potential friendships. While acknowledging that deep spiritual friendships are rare and can lead to heartbreak, Ihfe argues they are ultimately worth pursuing for their life-changing potential.
He concludes by drawing a parallel between Jonathan's willingness to give up his claim to the throne for David and Jesus' sacrifice to become a friend to sinners. He encourages the congregation to take steps toward cultivating these transformative friendships, emphasizing their power to help us become the people God created us to be.