The Word from Mountain View

A Better Priesthood - May 17, 2026

It is my privilege to invite you to today's sermon podcast. This message walks through Hebrews 7 and the figure of Melchizedek to show how Jesus fulfills a superior, eternal priesthood beyond the old Levitical system. You’ll hear why the old priesthood could not fully restore us, how Christ’s priesthood gives direct access to God, and practical responses—access, allegiance, and generous living—called for by that truth. ---- A Better Priesthood Hebrews 7:1–10 Main Idea: Jesus gives us better access to God, a better basis for acceptance, and a better claim on our lives.  Introduction: “Who do I confess to?”  Why Do We Need a Better Priesthood? 1. The old priesthood couldn’t bring us home (Hebrews 7:1–4) * The old process: sin → priest → sacrifice → ceremonial restoration. *  The Law and sacrifices revealed sin but could not fully restore us to God. Jesus gives us a better priesthood (Hebrews 7:1–3; Genesis 14:18–20) * The mysterious Melchizedek * A king of righteousness, king of peace, and priest of God Most High. * Jesus is our eternal High Priest, greater than the Levitical priesthood. A better priesthood calls for a better response (Hebrews 7:4–10) * Access: Draw near to Christ with confidence. * Allegiance: Trust Him fully * Generosity: Worship Him with your life.  Conclusion: “We are saved for a purpose!” * * Trust Jesus as your High Priest. * Lay down a “lesser priesthood” and renew trust in Christ. * Choose a specific way to obey Christ in generosity and surrender. ---- Find other Podcasts, Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here. https://www.mvcnaz.org/live [https://www.mvcnaz.org/live] Stay in touch with our Church Center App at https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter [https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter] Contact us through our CONNECT form at https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect [https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect]   With Pastor Mike Curry.

A Better Hope - May 10, 2026

Join today's sermon podcast reflecting on Hebrews 6:13–20, where the preacher ties a Mother's Day message to the promise of God. Using Abraham's long wait and God's unchangeable oath, the sermon points to Jesus as the firm, secure anchor for the soul. The episode offers five practical ways to live anchored in hope during life's storms: attach your struggles to God’s promises, practice anchor prayers, choose faithful responses, remove false anchors, and reach out to others who are drifting. A concise, encouraging call to trust God while you wait. ---- A Better Hope Hebrews 6:13–20 Introduction: “Mom, You Were My Anchor” Main Idea: When everything else feels unstable, God’s promise in Jesus is the one anchor you can trust not to move. 1. Learning to Wait Well (6:13–15) * God often grows us in His “waiting room,” where faith and patience are formed even when we cannot see what He’s doing. 1. Why You Really Can Be Sure (6:16–18) * Our security rests on two unchangeable things: God’s promise and God’s oath—and it is impossible for God to lie. III. An Anchor That Actually Holds (6:19–20) * Our hope is tied, not to our performance or our feelings, but to where Jesus is right now—standing for us in the presence of God. Conclusion: Live anchored this week 1. Anchor Your Storm to God’s Promise 2. Practice “Anchor Prayer” in the Waiting Room * “God, You cannot lie. Jesus is my anchor. Help me trust You right now.” 3. Choose One Faithful Response While You Wait 4. Loosen a False Anchor and Lean on the True One 5. Throw a Rope to Another “Drifting Boat” “This week, I will stop treating hope like a feeling and start treating it like an anchor.” Find other Podcasts, Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here. https://www.mvcnaz.org/live [https://www.mvcnaz.org/live] Stay in touch with our Church Center App at https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter [https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter] Contact us through our CONNECT form at https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect [https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect] With Pastor Mike Curry.

Better Keep Going - May 3, 2026

Join this sermon podcast as the preacher walks through Hebrews 6, urging believers to move beyond the basics, refuse to drift away, and persevere to the finish line. The message centers on three commands: get going, don’t drop out, and keep going, with practical tips for growth—identify one area to mature in, check your heart, replace spiritual laziness with intentional diligence, and imitate faithful examples. The episode closes with a communion reflection, reminding listeners that Jesus finished the work for us and will carry us to completion if we trust and obey.   Better Keep Going! Hebrews 6:1–12 Main Idea: Don’t stall out in your faith - let God carry you on to completion. Introduction – Second Place is the First Loser 1. Get Going (6:1–3) * Don’t Stay in Spiritual Preschool. * Stop auditing Christianity 101 every semester; it’s time to declare a major and let God move you toward a deeper, obedient, resilient life. 1. Don’t Drop Out (6:4–8) * The Real Danger of Saying “No” to God * There’s a difference between struggling in your faith and slamming the door on Jesus. III. Keep Going (6:9–12) * God Sees, God Remembers, So Stay Diligent * God has not forgotten a single unseen act of love you’ve done in His name. Don’t coast; follow the examples of those who stayed faithful and finished well. Conclusion & Application * Identify one area in which to “Get Going” this week. * Do a Heart Check: Drifting, Struggling, or Hardening? * Replace spiritual laziness with intentional diligence. * Imitate a faithful Find other Podcasts, Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here. https://www.mvcnaz.org/live [https://www.mvcnaz.org/live] Stay in touch with our Church Center App at https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter [https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter] Contact us through our CONNECT form at https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect [https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect]   With Pastor Mike Curry.

Better Grow Up - April 26, 2026

Pastor challenges believers to move beyond elementary Christian truths in Hebrews 5:11–14, urging growth in knowledge, practice, and full spiritual maturity. The sermon contrasts childlike faith with childish behavior, highlights practical signs of maturity (prayer, response to failure, handling frustration), and calls listeners to daily disciplines and community to become more like Christ Better Grow Up! Hebrews 5:11–14 Main Idea: God calls Christians to grow up in what they know, how they live, and how they handle life. Introduction: Grow Up! 1. Grow in Knowledge (Hebrews 5:12) * Jesus didn’t die for us to be spiritually sluggish and unresponsive. * Am I moving beyond the basics of the faith, or am I still where I was years ago? 1. Grow in Behavior (Hebrews 5:13) * Jesus calls us to a childlike spirit, not a childish one. * Do my attitudes and reactions look more like a child or a mature follower of Jesus? III. Grow Toward Full Maturity (Hebrews 5:14) * Jesus is our perfect example—the only fully mature human who ever lived. * Am I learning to trust Christ in both joy and hardship, growing toward Christlike maturity? Conclusion * “I’m not what I ought to be, but thank the Lord, I’m not what I was.” Find other Podcasts, Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here. https://www.mvcnaz.org/live [https://www.mvcnaz.org/live] Stay in touch with our Church Center App at https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter [https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter] Contact us through our CONNECT form at https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect [https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect]   With Pastor Mike Curry.

A Better Mediator - April 12, 2026

This sermon examines Hebrews 5:1–10, showing how Jesus is the perfect mediator who understands human weakness, suffered for our sake, and brings us directly to the Father. It encourages trusting Christ, approaching God with confidence, and living in the reconciliation He provides.   A Better Mediator Hebrews 5:1–10 Big Idea: Jesus is the better Mediator because He is appointed by God, understands our weakness, and brings us to God fully and finally. Introduction: Automated Customer Service 1. Humanity Needs a Mediator * A priest is a mediator that stands between God and people (v. 1). * The priest represents people before God and deals with sin (vv. 1–3). * The old system revealed our need, but it was limited. 2. A True Mediator Must Meet God’s Requirements * He must deal gently with the weak and the wayward (v. 2). * He must understand human weakness because he shares it (v. 2–3). * He must be called by God, not self-appointed (vv. 4–6). 3. Jesus Fulfills What the Priesthood Pointed To * Christ was appointed by the Father as High Priest forever (vv. 5–6, 10). * He entered human suffering and prayed with tears (v. 7). * He learned obedience through suffering and became the source of eternal salvation (vv. 8–9). Conclusion – What does it mean that Jesus is our Mediator? * Come to God with confidence. * Trust Jesus in your weakness. * Stop looking for another mediator. * Rest in the One who stands in your place. Find other Podcasts, Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here. https://www.mvcnaz.org/live [https://www.mvcnaz.org/live] Stay in touch with our Church Center App at https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter [https://www.mvcnaz.org/churchcenter] Contact us through our CONNECT form at https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect [https://www.mvcnaz.org/connect]   With Pastor Mike Curry.