Beyond the Message

Veritas Church, Cedar Rapids, IA

Join us each week for a casual conversation as we dive deeper into Sunday’s message. We explore key points, clarify questions, and discuss insights that didn’t make it to the stage. This podcast is designed to help you reflect, learn, and apply the truth shared during the sermon.

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22 episodes
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Avg 34 min
English

Episodes 22

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September 14 · 29 min
Acts 18:24-19:10
This week on Beyond the Message, Jake, Ian, and Sam discuss the message from Acts 18:24-19:10 in Part 1 of the Ephesians Series. In this message, we looked at the establishment of the church in Ephesus, focusing on where the power for genuine Christian ministry comes from. What is the difference between simply calling people away from sin and proclaiming the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ? In Acts 18–19, we see people who were devoted, knowledgeable, and religious, yet still needed the f
September 8 · 34 min
Ephesians 1:1-2
This week on Beyond the Message, Jake, Matt, and Sam discuss the first message of Part 1 of our new Ephesians Series, focusing on how grasping God’s sovereign grace produces unshakable peace. How does understanding God’s sovereignty in salvation change the way we worship, endure suffering, and view our lives as Christians? In Ephesians 1:1–2, Paul points to his own conversion and the identity of believers as saints to show that salvation begins with the will and grace of God. We explored the
August 31 · 32 min
Make Disciples
This week on Beyond the Message, Danny, Ian, and Sam discuss the final message of our four-part Answering the Call series, this week focusing on Jesus’ call to make disciples. What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus, and why is making disciples the central command of the Great Commission? We explored the difference between making attenders and making devoted followers of Christ, why discipleship is essential to the health and power of the church, and how every Christian can play
August 24 · 20 min
Seek First
This week on Beyond the Message, Jake, Michael, and Sam discuss the third message of our four-part Answering the Call series, focusing on what it means to actually prioritize Jesus as Lord in every area of our lives. What does Jesus mean when He tells us to seek first His kingdom, love Him above even our closest relationships, and count the cost of following Him? We explored the danger of a domesticated Christianity that wants Jesus as Savior without fully submitting to Him as Lord, how good
August 17 · 27 min
Take My Yoke
This week on Beyond the Message, Jake, Matthew, and Sam discuss the second message of our four-part Answering the Call series, this week focusing on what it means to actually experience the rest Jesus offers by believing in the work of Jesus. What does Jesus mean when He promises rest for our souls while also calling us to a life of costly discipleship? In Matthew 11, Jesus gives three commands: “come to me,” “take my yoke,” and “learn from me.” We explored why Christianity can be hard withou
August 10 · 27 min
Follow Me
This week on Beyond the Message, Sam, Jake, and Michael discuss the first message of our four-part Answering the Call series, this week focusing on what it means to actually follow Jesus and how that should play out in our lives. There is a difference between simply professing faith in Christ and surrendering our lives to follow Him. In this message, we were invited to explore the cost of discipleship, the immediate response of Jesus’ first disciples, and why following Jesus is ultimately a j
August 3 · 19 min
The Trap of Money
This week on Beyond the Message, Matt and Ian discuss the final message of our four-part Families Built for War series, this week focusing on The Trap of Money. Scripture doesn't condemn wealth itself, but it repeatedly warns about the love of money and the false security it promises. Together, we discuss how families can pursue contentment, cultivate godliness, and treasure Christ above earthly riches so that they leave behind a legacy of faith that lasts for generations. Message High
July 27 · 31 min
Gospel-Reflecting Marriages
This week on Beyond the Message, Matthew, Sam, and Ian discuss the second message of our four-part Families Built for War series, this week focusing on Gospel-Reflecting Marriages. In this message, we explored God's design for marriage. In a culture that often treats marriage as a contract built around personal fulfillment, Scripture reveals marriage as a covenant designed to display the gospel. We heard how husbands and wives uniquely reflect Christ and the Church, why marriage ultima
July 20 · 1 hr 15 min
The Importance of Parenting
This week on Beyond the Message, Matthew, Sam, and Ian discuss the second message of our four-part Families Built for War series, this week focusing on The Importance of Parenting. In this message, we examined the God-given mission of parenting. In a culture that often views children as interruptions, burdens, or projects to be managed, Scripture presents them as gifts entrusted to us for an eternal purpose. Together, we discuss how parents are called to make disciples by modeling authentic f
July 13 · 55 min
The Power of the Family
This week on Beyond the Message, Garrett, Sam, and Michael discuss the opening message of our four-part Families Built for War series on The Power of the Family. We unpack the sermon's main points and go beyond yesterday with additional insight into the text. Message Highlights: God's faithfulness demands our wholehearted worship. Before Joshua calls Israel to choose whom they will serve, he reminds them that every blessing, victory, and provision they possess came entire
July 5 · 45 min
Worship & Prayer
Sunday Worship & Prayer Service We gathered for a morning of church-wide Worship & Prayer centered on God's faithfulness, His saving grace, and His ongoing work of building His church. We spent an extended time in worship, Scripture reading, and guided prayer. We reflected on Ephesians 2:1–10, Ephesians 4:15–16, and Psalm 46.We remembered that we were once dead in our sins, but by God's rich mercy and amazing grace have been made alive with Christ—not because of
June 29 · 22 min
1 John 5:18-21
1 John 5:18-21 In closing this letter, John reminds believers that confidence in the Christian life is not found in themselves but in Christ. In a world filled with uncertainty, deception, and shifting values, Christians can live with unwavering assurance because they are protected by Christ, belong to God, know the truth through Jesus, and are called to guard their hearts from anything that competes with their worship of Him.  Message Highlights: Our c
June 22 · 41 min
1 John 5:14-17
1 John 5:14-17 In 1 John 5:14-17, John encourages believers to approach God with confidence because of the assurance they have in Christ. Rather than treating prayer as a way to accomplish our own agendas, Christians are invited to trust God's will, intercede for fellow believers, and rest in the character of a faithful Father who hears and answers according to His perfect purposes.  Message Highlights: Confident prayer is grounded in our relationship w
June 14 · 38 min
1 John 5:6-13
In 1 John 5:6–13, John explains why believers can have complete confidence that Jesus truly is the Son of God and the only source of eternal life. By pointing to God's testimony through Jesus' life, death, and the Holy Spirit, John shows that Christianity is grounded in God's own witness, not wishful thinking. Those who receive God's testimony about Christ are transformed into people whose lives become a testimony for Christ, displaying a confident faith that the world cannot ignore. &nb
June 8 · 22 min
1 John 5:1-5
In 1 John 5:1–5, John pulls back the curtain on what God is doing beneath the surface of salvation. This passage shows how new birth leads to faith, faith produces love for God, love for God expresses itself through obedience, and obedience grows into a life that overcomes the world. Rather than focusing merely on behavior modification, John points believers to the transforming work of God that creates genuine faith, fuels love for God, and empowers lasting victory over sin and the world.&nbs
June 1 · 27 min
1 John 4:20-21
In 1 John 4:20–21, John gives one of the clearest tests of genuine faith in the entire letter: those who claim to love God must also love God’s people. This message explored the inseparable connection between love for God and love for the church, showing that a persistent refusal to love fellow believers exposes hypocrisy, while genuine love for God is authenticated through practical, sacrificial love for His people.  Message Highlights: Love for God and love for God’s peop
May 25 · 33 min
1 John 4:17-19
In 1 John 4:17-19, John addresses one of the deepest struggles many Christians carry: fear before God. The perfected love of God in Christ replaces fear of judgment with confidence, reminding believers that Jesus has already stood in judgment for their sin so they can live in peace, freedom, and assurance before God. Message Highlights: God’s perfected love gives believers confidence before judgment. Christians do not stand before God hoping they have done enough to avoid punish
May 18 · 40 min
1 John 4:11-16
Message Highlights: God abides in His people by His Spirit. When God saves us, He does not merely forgive us; He comes to dwell in us. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in believers, transforming us from the inside out. The Spirit produces transformative belief in Jesus. The Spirit does not merely help us affirm facts about Jesus, but opens our eyes to treasure Him as Savior and Son of God. True belief leads to worship, loyalty, obedience, and love. The Spirit
May 11 · 33 min
1 John 4:9-10
What does it mean to love one another and what is the ultimate example and reason of love? In 1 John 4:9-10, John shows us that love is not defined by the world, our feelings, or even our sacrifices, but by God’s sending of His Son. This message helped us see that God’s love is shown, proactive, sacrificial, and God-centered—and calls the church to love one another in a way that reflects the glory of God.  Message Highlights:God’s love is shown. God’s love is not abstract or hidde
May 4 · 27 min
1 John 4:7-8
What is love—really? In a world that constantly redefines love around feelings, self-expression, and personal fulfillment, 1 John 4:7-8 brings us back to the source: God Himself. In this message, we explored the foundational truth that God is love—and why that changes everything about how we understand and practice love. This episode further unpacks how love is not defined by culture or emotion, but by God’s character, and how genuine love for others becomes the clearest evidence that

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