Avenue T Church of Christ Sermon & Bible Class Podcast

What Does the Bible Really Say About Baptism?

On Sunday, March 8, 2026, Cole Tuck presented a powerful sermon examining what Scripture teaches about baptism and why it matters so deeply for every believer. In a world where many different ideas exist about baptism, the lesson focused on going back to the Bible itself. Scripture teaches that baptism is more than a religious ceremony involving water—it is an appeal to God for a clean conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21).

Through baptism, believers are:
• Forgiven of their sins (Acts 2:38)
• United with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–4)
• Given the gift of the Holy Spirit

Baptism represents leaving the old life behind and beginning a new life with Christ. It is a step of faith, obedience, and trust in the saving power of Jesus.

The message also addressed common questions about baptism and reminded us that God does not expect perfection before we come to Him. Instead, He invites us to come to Him and allow Him to transform our lives.

If you have ever wondered about the purpose and importance of baptism, this sermon is a wonderful study straight from Scripture.

▶  If this sermon encouraged you, please like the video and share it with someone who might be interested in studying the Bible.

#Baptism #BibleTeaching #ChristianFaith #NewLifeInChrist #Acts238 #WalkInTheLight

Bible Class - Romans Part 23

On Sunday morning, March 8, 2026, Cole Tuck led our Bible class through Romans 12:9–13, where Paul shifts from the deep doctrinal teaching of Romans 1–11 to the practical way Christians are called to live every day.

Paul presents a rapid-fire list of virtues that describe a transformed life:

• Love sincerely—without hypocrisy
  • Hate what is evil and cling to what is good
  • Be devoted to one another in brotherly love
  • Outdo one another in showing honor
  • Serve the Lord with diligence and zeal
  • Rejoice in hope during trials
  • Be constant in prayer
  • Share generously with fellow believers
  • Practice hospitality

The class discussed how genuine Christian love is not just outward politeness or rule-keeping—it is a heart changed by God’s grace.

One key point was learning to hate sin the way God hates it, even the “small” sins we often excuse, things like gossip, pride, laziness, or impatience. When we remember the true cost of sin, the sacrifice of Jesus, it changes how we see it.

We also talked about practical ways to grow in this transformed life:

• Praying for God’s perspective
  • Saturating our minds with Scripture
  • Filling our lives with good works that crowd out evil
  • Viewing everyday life as service to God—not just what happens on Sunday

Christian devotion is not limited to a building or a schedule. It’s a life of joyful hope, constant prayer, and generous love toward others.

📖 Romans 12 reminds us that faith in Christ is meant to reshape every part of how we live.

If you missed the class, you can watch the full lesson on our YouTube channel.

 

#BibleStudy #Romans12 #ChristianLiving #SincereLove #FaithInAction #ChurchFamily #Hospitality #ServeTheLord

Christians And Violence Part 2

On Sunday morning, March 1, 2026, Cole Tuck continued his sermon series examining the difficult and often misunderstood subject of Christians and violence. Building on the previous week's lesson, he reminded the congregation that followers of Christ are called to live lives characterized by peace, gentleness, and restraint rather than retaliation.

While the world often equates strength with power, aggression, and dominance, Scripture reveals a very different definition of strength. The Christian calling to turn the other cheek, love enemies, and repay evil with good can appear weak from a worldly perspective. Yet the Bible teaches that true strength is found in self-control, humility, and faithfulness to God even in the face of suffering.

Drawing from passages such as Psalm 73 and Proverbs 16:32, the sermon explored the temptation believers may feel when they see the apparent success of the wicked. From a human viewpoint, those who pursue power, wealth, and personal freedom without moral restraint seem to prosper. However, Scripture reminds us that what appears to be victory in the world is often spiritual defeat.

Cole emphasized that restraining anger, refusing retaliation, and walking away from conflict require far greater strength than responding with violence. Anyone can lash out in anger, but mastering one’s spirit and submitting to God’s will requires discipline, faith, and courage.

Through biblical examples such as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the lesson demonstrated that faithful obedience does not always mean fighting back. Instead, courage is often displayed through steadfast trust in God even when suffering may follow.

Christians are not weak, nor are they losing in the game of life. Rather, they are engaged in a different kind of battle, one that is not fought with physical weapons but with spiritual faithfulness. True victory is not measured by worldly success but by remaining faithful to Christ.

The sermon encouraged believers to reject the world’s definition of strength and instead pursue the kind of strength that God values: self-control, humility, courage, and unwavering obedience.

Bible Class - Romans Part 22

On Sunday, March 1, 2026, Cole Tuck led the morning Bible class through the concluding verses of Romans chapter 11 and the opening of chapter 12. The lesson emphasized the unity of all people under God’s mercy and the call for Christians to respond to that mercy with transformed lives.

Paul’s message in Romans makes it clear that both Jews and Gentiles are equally in need of God’s grace. No group can claim superiority because all have been “shut up in disobedience” so that God may extend mercy to everyone. This powerful truth removes pride and reminds believers that salvation comes only through the mercy of God.

Paul concludes the doctrinal foundation of the book with a doxology praising the depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge. God’s plan, bringing Jews and Gentiles together through Christ, demonstrates a wisdom far beyond human understanding.

With this foundation laid, Romans 12 marks a turning point from teaching to application. Because of God’s mercy, believers are called to present themselves as living sacrifices, offering their entire lives to God daily. Christianity is not a one-time decision but a continual act of surrender. Paul further urges believers not to conform to the patterns of the world but to be transformed by renewing their minds so that their lives reflect the will and character of God.

The class emphasized that true worship is not limited to a moment or event but is expressed in a life continually dedicated to God

Christians And Violence

In a world saturated with violence, from global wars claiming over 240,000 lives in 2025 (including major conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Palestine, and Myanmar), to tens of thousands of murders and millions of assaults annually in the U.S., and staggering abortion numbers, this sermon confronts how Christians should respond biblically. Cole begins by affirming that God hates violence, especially against the innocent, because every person bears His image (Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 6:16-17). He explores key questions through Scripture: Governments may use violence to punish evil (Romans 13:1-4), but Christians must submit to authorities without rebellion (Romans 13; Titus 3), even under unjust rule, following Jesus' example.

Vengeance belongs to God alone (Romans 12:17-21), so personal retaliation or vigilante justice is forbidden. Self-defense is permitted when life is genuinely threatened (Exodus 22:2-3; Luke 22:36), but not to protect mere property. Military service is not inherently sinful if conducted ethically and subordinating to Christ's commands. Ultimately, Christians fight spiritual battles with good, peace, gentleness, and the gospel, not physical force, overcoming evil as light overcomes darkness (Ephesians 6:12).

Bible Class - Romans Part 21

In Romans 11, Paul addresses the complex relationship between Jews and Gentiles in God's redemptive plan, emphasizing that Israel's partial hardening and rejection of Jesus as Messiah is not permanent or final. Far from abandoning His people, God has used this stumbling to extend salvation to the Gentiles, provoking Israel to jealousy and ultimately aiming for their restoration. Through the powerful olive tree metaphor, Paul illustrates that believing Gentiles have been grafted into the holy root (the promises to Abraham and the patriarchs), while unbelieving natural branches (many Jews) have been broken off due to unbelief, not bloodline or ethnicity. This warns Gentiles against arrogance: standing by faith alone keeps us secure, but unbelief can lead to being cut off. Yet hope abounds, God can easily graft Israel back in through faith, and a mystery unfolds: a partial hardening persists until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, leading to "all Israel" (those true to God's covenant through faith in Christ) being saved. The chapter culminates in awe at God's merciful wisdom: He has shut up all in disobedience to show mercy to all, leaving no room for pride on any side. Salvation is by grace through faith for everyone, Jew or Gentile, highlighting God's irrevocable gifts, kindness, and severity.

This class builds theological foundations (explanation of grace, election, and God's plan) before transitioning to practical living in chapter 12, reminding us that no one earns their place; we are all recipients of undeserved mercy.

Jesus: In Context

The sermon "Jesus: In Context" by Cole Tuck, delivered on February 15, 2026, concludes a series addressing commonly misused statements of Jesus. This final message focuses on Matthew 18:20 ("For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst"), correcting the widespread misconception that it guarantees God's presence only in groups of two or more (e.g., small gatherings, prayer meetings, family devotionals, or justifying skipping church assembly).

 Cole passionately dismantles the popular but misguided application of Matthew 18:20, showing through careful exegesis that the verse is not about God's general presence (which is constant, as seen in Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 6:6, and 1 Corinthians 3:16) or a promise for prayer agreements. Instead, it provides divine reassurance and authority in the difficult process of church discipline, confronting and restoring (or, if necessary, withdrawing fellowship from) an unrepentant brother or sister in sin.

The passage (Matthew 18:15-20) outlines Jesus' clear, step-by-step formula for handling sin among believers:

1. Confront privately.
2. Take one or two more witnesses (echoing Deuteronomy 19:15's requirement for establishing facts).
3. Bring before the whole church.
4. Treat the unrepentant as an outsider (Gentile or tax collector) if they refuse to repent.

The "two or three" phrase ties directly to the witnesses in verse 16, and Jesus assures that when believers follow this loving, obedient process, He is present—affirming the decision, binding/loosing with heavenly authority, and supporting the church in upholding holiness. Tuck emphasizes that this is not about punishment but restoration, motivated by love (Galatians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 16:14), and warns against substitutes like gossip, ignoring sin, or misusing the verse to avoid gathering with the full church. He highlights real-world misuses (e.g., small groups claiming sufficiency, excusing absence from assembly) and calls for contextual Bible study to avoid such errors. The sermon opens with a celebration of recent baptisms and closes with encouragement for fellowship, study, and obedience.

Bible Class - Romans Part 20

On Sunday, February 15, 2026, Cole Tuck led our morning Bible class, diving into Romans 10 (with a brief preview of Romans 11). The discussion centered on Israel's zeal for God without true knowledge, their pursuit of righteousness through works instead of faith in Christ, and the simple, accessible gospel: belief in the heart and confession with the mouth that Jesus is Lord leads to salvation (Romans 10:9-13). Paul explains why many Jews rejected this message, not due to a lack of hearing, but defiance and disobedience.

The class emphasized the chain of salvation: faith comes from hearing the word about Christ, which requires preachers (messengers) who are sent. Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved, but this demands sharing the gospel personally, through conversations, invitations, and tools like tracts or pamphlets. Paul affirms God has not rejected Israel; a remnant is saved by grace, not works, as illustrated by Elijah's era, where 7,000 faithful remained despite widespread rebellion.

The lesson powerfully contrasts grace (God's free, unmerited gift) with works-based righteousness, warning that mixing them nullifies grace. Israel's hardening results from willful rejection, yet God extends His hands persistently. The call is urgent: Christians must evangelize their circles of influence, as God uses ordinary believers to spread the good news.