The early chapters in Romans are clear and offensive to many people, but we must wrestle with them, as this is God's Word. Paul is not trying to tickle our ears here! He is telling everyone about the nature of sin and its consequences. He spends a lot of time talking about human depravity and God's righteous judgment, but this is a gift. Until we know we need the gospel, we will not cry out in repentance toward God and in faith in the Lord Jesus.
Over the centuries, theologians have called the two verses before us the thesis statement of Paul's letter to the Romans. While we can’t hold Paul to the writing formats of our own day, we can certainly appeal to the idea of a thesis statement and appreciate that most of what Paul writes in the chapters that follow, in one way or another, stem from these two short verses.
Paul wants the recipients of his letter to know of his personal desire to see them, the reason for his visit, and the overall thrust of Paul's gospel ministry. At the heart of Paul's agenda is his passion to preach the gospel to the nations. Without clarity on this mission, Paul and the church in Rome were liable to drift from their God-given purpose in life - to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Romans is one of the most powerful and influential books ever written. Paul’s letter to the Romans has been the written force behind some of the most significant conversions in church history. Studying this letter to the Romans produces great excitement and genuine trepidation—excitement because of the possibilities the life-changing themes that it brings, and trepidation at our ability to reasonably expound on the massiveness of these themes.
What should a man look for in a wife? I don't know if you have ever realized this, but Proverbs is primarily addressed to young men. However, the climax of the book of Proverbs is a poem praising the ideals of a Godly woman. It serves as both a guide for what men should look for in a woman and an encouragement to women for which they can aim.
Being a good parent can be difficult, but at the same time can be the most rewarding and fulfilling thing we ever do. The Bible has a lot to say about the way we can successfully raise our children to be men and women of God. As a good parent, our first and greatest task is making sure we know what God’s Word has to say about this task.
We need wisdom every day in every area of our lives. No area could be more pressing than the area of wisdom with money. Solomon asked God for "an understanding mind ... that I may discern between good and evil" (1 Kings 3:9). Why pray for that? Because we all need wisdom to discern between right and wrong as we are making decisions moment by moment in the complexities of everyday life. So let's offer our Lord our listening minds as he coaches us with his wisdom about money.
Wisdom is skill for living when there is no obvious rule to go by. Proverbs is for—gospel wisdom for complicated lives. A major area where wisdom helps us is friendship. So much is at stake in our friendships. God has wisdom for us today about real friendship. But it all begins with God himself.
Proverbs does not leave us hanging when it comes to wisdom and coaching in regards to our emotions. The Stoics wrongly believed we could ignore and distance ourselves from emotion. God created us as emotional beings. God Himself is the author of emotion and expresses emotion. Jesus expressed and felt all of the emotions. Emotions are not a sin and are not the problem. The problem is we don’t know what to do with them.
The theme of humility and openness and reasonableness and teach-ability is pervasive throughout the book of Proverbs. How can we grow in wisdom unless we are teachable? How can we change unless we are open to change? That upward growth trajectory requires humility. We can never approach God and expect to receive anything unless we are humble. If we do, He promises to pour out His grace.
We’ve all heard the saying, “Stick and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me”, but we all know that’s not completely true. Words have power, far more than sticks and stones. Let us never think, if we speak recklessly, “It's only words. It's not like I'm doing any-thing.” Words can penetrate to the heart.
As we come to Proverbs 9, we are confronted with a choice. The passage portrays two houses. On one side, a house stands open, with an elegant lady named Wisdom inviting us in. On the other side of the road, another house with a seductive lady named Folly. Which way will we turn?
God-centered wholeness of life is wisdom, and it is joyous. That is what Proverbs 8 is about, the joyous grandeur of Christ, relevant to all of life, with higher aims and richer rewards than we would otherwise even contemplate.
The Wise Counselor counsels us again about our sexuality. Why does it matter that much to God? How much difference can our lives make to him? Augustine asked God, "What am I to you that you command me to love you, and that, if I fail to love you, you are angry with me and threaten me with vast miseries?"' Especially in our manhood and womanhood, such an earthy aspect of our existence, why does God care so much?
Wisdom is to be sought and put to work. We do not come to church to fine-tune our own righteousness or to airbrush our appearances. We come because we want to grow and change. We want to know as much about God as He will tell us; we want to know as much about ourselves as He will tell us. We want His extreme grace for our extreme makeover, one step at a time.
When temptation strikes, it's too late to ask for preventative advice. When desire is fully activated, people don't want advice; they want gratification. The best time to learn the dangers and foolishness of going after forbidden desires is long before the temptation arrives. Resistance is more effective when you have decided ahead of time what you must avoid.
If you want wisdom, you must decide to pursue it. This will take a determination not to abandon the effort once you begin, no matter how difficult the journey may become. This is not a once-in-a-lifetime step but a daily process of choosing between two paths—that of the wicked and that of the righteous. Nothing else is more important or more valuable. Do you want wisdom? Pursue it at all cost!
Proverbs contains many strong statements about wisdom's many benefits, including long life, wealth, honor, and peace. If you aren't experiencing these benefits, does this mean you are short on wisdom? Not necessarily. Sometimes sin intervenes, and some blessings will be delayed until Jesus returns to establish his eternal kingdom. But we can be sure that wisdom will ultimately lead to blessing.
When life is sweet, trusting God with all our hearts feels unnecessary. When life is bitter, trusting God with all our hearts feels impossible. We need wisdom for those seasons in life when we are on top and for those seasons in life when nothing is going right. God is with us in both, with a wisdom that makes a positive difference.
To receive God's guidance, said Solomon, we must submit to God in all our ways. About a thousand years later, Jesus emphasized this same truth in Matthew 6:33. In many areas of your life you may already submit to God, but the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore his influence will cause you grief. If you make God a vital part of everything you do, he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes.
Wisdom comes in two ways: It is both a God-given gift and the result of diligent searching. Wisdom's starting point is God and his revealed Word, the source of knowledge and understanding. But it is only on God's path that we discover his true and reliable wisdom. He will guide us to it and reward our sincere and persistent search.
In this present age of information and technology, we have plenty of head knowledge at our fingertips. But true knowledge-what the Bible calls "wisdom" is all too scarce. The foundation of true knowledge, God's wisdom, is to fear the Lord and to obey his Word.
In this present age of information and technology, we have plenty of head knowledge at our fingertips. But true knowledge-what the Bible calls "wisdom" is all too scarce. The foundation of true knowledge, God's wisdom, is to fear the Lord and to obey his Word.
1 Corinthians focuses on what it means to be part of a gospel-shaped community of God's grace. In conclusion mode, Paul is getting very practical and talking about future plans and is sending his own greetings along with greetings from other believers.
The final chapter of 1 Corinthians seems a bit anticlimactic. But through these final instructions, we see a portrait of the kind of community that the church is supposed to be. It's one that mends what's torn, that rights what's wrong — that reconciles.
What does the reality of the resurrection say about the present and future for God's people? Paul answers this with the language of victory. When Jesus returns, He will not only resurrect His saints who are dead but will also transform those who are living.
From time immemorial, humanity has considered the certainty of death and what comes after. God has planted within every person a desire for an eternal existence. In the remaining part of this chapter, moves from the resurrection of the Savior to the saint.
What makes Christianity so different can be traced to a simple moment in time — Jesus Christ was permanently and eternally resurrected from the dead in an incorruptible, immortal, eternal, heavenly body. On that rock lies the foundation of Christianity.
Christianity hinges on the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ! After many chapters detailing the Corinthians sinful past, Paul makes the turn in 1 Corinthians 15 to describe their glorious future that is only possible through the Gospel itself.
As we look at Matthew 21, we see how Jesus enters the scene as ‘gentle and riding on a donkey’ as well as the ultimate king and forces us to choose to either crown him, or kill him. Join us this Sunday as we get closer to Jesus' death and resurrection.
Since 1 Corinthians 11, Paul has been talking about life within the body of Christ and orderly worship. Every gift must be exercised in a way that is fitting and orderly. This order includes important distinctions in God’s roles and design for men and women.
Dealing with the subject of speaking in tongues is akin to handling spiritual nitroglycerin. This subject has fueled debates, ignited arguments, and divided churches. Wherever you land on the issue, we must agree on building up the body and loving one another.
In all of Paul's writings about the Holy Spirit, one thing we can derive from this chapter is that the fruit of the Spirit, namely love, is more important than the gifts of the Spirit. No spiritual gift, ability, or human achievement is greater than love.
Different gifts are given to believers, and all gifts are for the glory of God and the good of the church. As that gift is exercised in the body of Christ, the believer will be fulfilling his or her role of ministry and service to which all of us are called.
Some of the most interesting and richest teaching of Christian doctrine and practical Christian living is found in 1 Corinthians, and perhaps no part of the book is more interesting from that perspective than chapters 12-14, which deal with spiritual gifts.
Few acts are more expressive of companionship than a shared meal. The dinner table is a place where community is created and sustained, where hospitality is extended and conversation experienced. It is also a place where communal dysfunction or breakdown is seen and felt. This past Sunday we explored the most famous meal - the Lord’s Supper.
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 can be a very confusing passage to our modern ears. This passage marks a thought transition in the letter to the Corinthian believers. Paul has been talking about how the members of the church were to exercise their rights and liberties outside of the context of worship. Now Paul begins to talk about how the members of the church should exercise their rights and liberties within the context of worship.
"Why did God create me?” “Why did God save me through the Lord Jesus?" Interestingly, the answer to both of those is the same. God created us and saved us so that we may glorify him every day and in every way throughout our lives (1 Cor 10:31; cf. Rom 11:36).
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-22, Paul gives an Old Testament history lesson and warning for Christians moving forward - Idolatry in any form is deadly, because it puts you at odds with God.
The present era has been dubbed “the Age of Entitlement”. We expect to get what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. We’ve grown up in a culture that tells us life is about us. Live your truth. Do what makes you happy. It’s all about you.
The Corinthian church was well versed in knowledge; yet that knowledge was being used in a prideful way, and ultimately harming the conscience of new converts and babes in the faith. As we continue this week in 1 Corinthians 8, Paul steps in to explain that knowledge blows up, but love is what builds up, and the Christian must always be willing to yield their preferences and rights for the sake of others.
While Christmas is about the incarnation, it cannot be separated from our hope and His promise of His return. Christmas, and therefore our hope, isn’t just in the fact that He came, but that He is coming! Part of Christmas then is praising God that He has come and looking to and longing for His return.
Christmas is the celebration of the love of the Father toward His fallen creation. God is gracious and loving toward those who've sinned against Him; He sent the perfect sacrifice for our sins, Jesus. Our hope & confidence is that through Christ we are saved.
The result of a longing fulfilled is great joy! We have longed and waited for a Savior. We have prepared our hearts for Him. Now, we anticipate the joy of His coming. As we find all our longings fulfilled in Christ, we are overcome with overflowing joy, and we can’t help but share this joy with others!
Important things take preparation. We would be wise to not rush through the Christmas season. The coming of our Savior is significant and worthy of our time. This week of advent we focus on peace. We can find peace knowing that God is faithful to His promises.
Advent is a traditional Christmas word meaning “to come”. Christians have used this season to pause, reflect, and prepare for the celebration of the coming of Jesus and anticipate His imminent return when He will once and for all make all things right.
Like we all do, the Corinthians struggled with contentment. In 1 Corinthians 7:25-40, Paul provides principles to help focus our devotion and reset our perspective. Whatever season of life we’re in or circumstances we are facing, our highest aim and greatest goal is to serve Christ.
Much like our day, the Christians of Corinth were confused about the basics of singleness, marriage, and divorce. As we continue our series in 1 Corinthians, Paul explains the four familial categories everyone will find themselves in, and gives answers on how to operate in a way that brings honor to Christ. While not easy, honoring Christ in all circumstances is always best.
Similar to our own culture, the sexualized culture of Corinth had confused Christians about marriage and appropriate sexual conduct. In response, Paul provides clarity on the importance of marriage, and how a couple should be selfless in the marriage bed.
Our new identity in Christ should direct everything we do. We no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to Christ. Sadly, the Corinthian church still believed that they could follow Christ with their soul, while using their bodies for anything they wanted to, including sexual sin. Paul instructs them that Christ died for their body, and has a future for their body; therefore, their body must be used to glorify Him. In all things, Christ must be Lord!
The Corinthian church had splintered and was using pagan civil courts to solve their petty disputes. They forgot that Christ gave them a new heart, Spirit and Word to guide their relationships. We are called to live differently and show each other Christ's love.
As we continue our study of 1 Corinthians, Paul confronts Corinthian sin head-on, enacting church discipline in order to protect the purity of Christ's bride. In this sermon, we learn what church discipline is, why it exists, how it’s done and the right heart that goes along with it. The process of caring for one another in this way is critically important in the life of a believer and the life of the church.
Our lives are influenced by many things - our attitudes, beliefs, people. In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul challenges us to be leaders who faithfully follow Christ, who allow our lives to be an example to others and he urges us to be wise in who we let influence us.
The church at Corinth looked effective on the outside, but was quite immature on the inside. So much so, that Paul calls the congregation spiritual infants. It’s clear, Christians are expected to grow and profess in their maturity in Christ, but how does this happen. In 1 Corinthians 3, we see the marks of an immature church along with the path to Christian maturity.
In 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 Paul details the Holy Spirit's role in revealing and inspiring God's Word to the Apostles and the Spirit's role in helping us interpret and extract wisdom from his word. We need God’s wisdom and this only comes by His word and His Holy Spirit.
Not unlike today, Corinth was a city with differing ideas of wisdom and worldviews. Some worshipped pagan gods. Others trusted human ingenuity and wisdom. The Corinthian church had begun to get caught up in trusting celebrity preachers and human philosophies, which was ultimately dividing their congregation. So, Paul reminds them of the simple and humble gospel message, that to the world the cross seems foolish, but it is actually the wisdom of God.
The Corinthian church had begun to get caught up in trusting celebrity preachers and human philosophies, which divided their congregation. Paul humbles them with the simple gospel message: To the world the cross seems foolish, but it is the wisdom of God.
Times of confusion and chaos demand clarity and courage. God’s letter to the Church of Corinth, penned by the apostle Paul, contains a frank discussion on a number of issues related to both life and doctrine that are equally as relevant to The Church today.
This week in service we wrapped up our "Studying The Psalms" series. Elder Nathan Tunison taught on Psalm 139. We learned It is incredibly comforting to know there is no place and no circumstance where we end up hidden from God. We can trust Him with our care, shepherding, discipline, joy, and direction.
We often see David overwhelmed with praise toward God. How does he do it? How do we get there? When we see what God has done for us, it reminds us what He is really like and we find hope, peace, assurance, and everlasting joy there.
Jim Elliot, a missionary who gave his life for the gospel, said upon reading Psalm 91:1, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” Certainly the pressures of this world press in all around us. We face challenge and trials all day long, but the grace, love, and protection of God are sufficient. The things we face can never take away from us the riches we have in Christ Jesus.
Yesterday, we studied Psalm 90 in our service. The general idea we discussed is that because life is so short, we shouldn’t live for today, we should live for eternity. Don’t fear on missing out on things here on earth. Fear missing out on things in Heaven. Use your life to serve God and live for Him, storing up true riches and treasures in Heaven.
Have you ever messed up? Like, really messed up! David sure did. Psalm 51 shows us up close and personal what David went through as he recalls his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. This Psalm, a lament, shows us how he responded to a friend’s rebuke, repented, sought God’s forgiveness, and found peace in His mercy and grace.
For Christ followers, it is vitally important that we do not get caught up in frustration surrounding our lot in life or the success of others. Psalm 37 gives us a blueprint to avoid this "comparison trap" along with promises of provision and protection for those who follow the guidelines.
This past Sunday we studied one of best-known passages of the Bible. God has used David’s Words in Psalm 23 to comfort those mourning and encourage those in dark times. Wherever you are right now, you can rest easy knowing that God is your protector and provider.
In Psalm 22 David is once again crying out to God for help. To David it seems as though God is far off and unconcerned in his plight. He then begins to recount God's faithfulness throughout time, contrasting what he is currently experiencing. David has chosen to set his mind, heart, and soul on what he knows to be true about God instead of how he might be feeling mentally or emotionally.
Many commentators suggest that Psalm 19 is one of the most magnificent of the psalms, for its poetic elegance and for its theological depth. Its theme is that there can be no excuse for those who do not believe in God's existence, for God has revealed Himself to mankind through His creation and through His Word.
Join us as we hear from guest speaker, Dr. Bill Hossler as he speaks on prayer and how we can use The Tabernacle as described in scripture as a model for our prayer lives.
A proper understanding of who we are begins with understanding who God is and how we relate to Him. As we consider Psalm 8, we can praise God for His majestic nature and character revealed to us in creation and in His Word. We can praise God for how we have experienced His awesome power and glory in our own lives.
As we each choose one of two roads — the way of faithfulness or the way of faithlessness — we are part of one of two kingdoms, the kingdom which is in opposition to God and His rule or the Kingdom that is under God and His Rule. This Psalm teaches the utter foolishness of rebelling against God and instead points us toward a heavenly Kingdom, one where Jesus rules and reigns in perfect justice and peace, and where those who serve the LORD are blessed.
The book of Psalms is a collection of songs and prayers expresses the heart and soul of humanity. As we launch this newest series, we start with Psalm 1 and look at two paths - The path of righteousness and the path of the wicked. One leads to blessing, the other to destruction.
The Church is important - It is Christ's bride. This past weekend we took some time to examine The Church, read scripture together, pray over our leaders, tackle some updates and have a needed and refreshing chat as a church family.
Anxious? Frustrated? Stressed? Often we turn to the things of this world when the solution is right there in His Word - Prayer. As we come to God in prayer, presenting our requests to Him, He promises us peace, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
The early church was so powerful! Unfortunately many Christians and many churches today are not. What was it they had that we don’t? What are we missing that we need to reclaim? It’s clear, the early church prayed! This week we consider the power present in the early church as well as today in the life of believers through the power of prayer.
Have you ever struggled knowing how to pray? You’re not alone! Luke 11:1 tells us that Jesus’ disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray!” This tells us that while prayer is essential it does’’t mean it will be easy or come naturally. It’s something we need to learn and can learn.
Yesterday we launched a new series on the purpose and priority of prayer! There are few who would deny the importance of prayer. The real question becomes how many of us are convinced that prayer is the greatest power? We must become convinced that without prayer we’re dead! If you need to grow in and be transformed by prayer, then hear what God's Word teaches on Prayer.
Yesterday Elder Nathan Tunison preached a messaged titled "Renewing Your Mind". Our focus was in Romans 12:1-2. The big idea was that when you become a follower of Jesus, there is no escaping the reality that your life has changed. You become a new creation.
It’s all been building to this! Luke wants us to see, the whole book, the whole Bible points to this. Jesus said, “It is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all the nations.” (Luke 24:46-47)
The love of God can most clearly be seen in the final moments of Jesus’ life. The suffering servant that Isaiah prophesied about hundreds of years earlier, Jesus our Savior and King, dies on the cross. What seemed like sure defeat was his greatest victory.
This week, as we continue through the book of Luke we are looking at Luke 22:54-62 (and John 21). Pastor Josh examines Peter's denial and ultimate redemption through Jesus.
This week Elder Nathan started our final series in Luke. For the next few weeks we will be looking at the Death & Resurrection of Jesus as documented in the book of Luke. Nathan focused this week's message on Luke 22:39-53, Jesus agonizing in the garden.
This past Sunday, our Student Ministry took over and led our services and Pastor GJ wrapped up our series on the parables told by Jesus in the book of Luke.
This past Sunday we studied Luke 18:1-8, The Parable of the Persistent Widow. In this passage we see that God responds to persistent prayer. There’s something special about a heart crying out to the LORD in genuine prayer. If there’s something you need, come to Him in prayer and He will answer.
Yesterday we studied Luke 15 and examined the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son. Each parable gets more and more touching as we realize the precise nature of the message Jesus is communicating - God has incredible love and grace for us.
What are you pursuing? What is the focus and joy of your life? Is it the things of God or the things of this world? This week Jesus reminds us one day all the things of this world will come to an end, but it’s what we have spiritually speaking that will Last forever.
Yesterday we resumed our teaching through the Book of Luke, shifting our attention to the parables taught by Jesus Christ. In a highly convicting message, we looked at Luke 8:1-15, The Parable of the Sower.
Yesterday Regional Director Jim Jordan from the Missionary Church preached on Isaiah 40: 28-31. The key takeaway - when we are where God intends for us to be, doing what He has created us to do, trusting in Him alone, there is no ceiling. We can see everything else in its proper perspective.
Don’t let manmade laws keep you from the heart of God. God calls us to purity and holiness, but never forget we are saved and set free because of Jesus Christ. God loves you as you are, and it’s His grace at work in you that sets you free. He is your healer!
Have you ever been surprised by God's work in your life? It doesn’t always make sense to us and it does’t usually happen according to our plans. Jesus was often headed one direction, when a need came across His path. The unexpected miracles are often the best.
God wants to do miracles in your life. What exactly those miracles look like are up to Him. Sometimes it’s something we can see; sometimes it’s not. Regardless, we can trust God to perform the greater miracle, our salvation in Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory!
What is the purpose of miracles and do they still happen today? In part 2 of our study in Luke, we’re looking at the miracles of Jesus. Jesus’ main task was to preach the Good News. Miracles though, were a sign of His power, authority, and compassion. The miracles aren’t the point, the Gospel is, but the miracles help point us to the Gospel.
This week, Elder Nathan Tunison preached on how are called to rest, to observe the healthy pattern of working and stopping, which is laid out by God himself. The sabbath is a weekly promise, a holy day, set apart to spend with God and His people. A day to stop, rest, delight and worship with God.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) With the world being turned upside down, there is no other name that saves, no other name that heals, no other name we need. What is that name? Jesus. Holy is the name!
What we celebrate tells us a lot about what we place our hope in. Shepherds and wise men alike were looking for and anticipated the birth of Jesus. They knew God was up to something big; the long awaited Messiah had come. They couldn't contain themselves, they had to share the news!
Confidence in our convictions comes from God’s Word. No other aspect of God’s Word proves Jesus’ miraculous birth and divine origins like the sheer volume of prophecies fulfilled. Each of these are meant to showcase God’s sovereignty and His plan of salvation.
Luke, a Gentile in the first century, wanted to know if salvation was possible and available to all through Jesus. The Gospel of Luke is his research project and gives us hope, clarity, and confidence in everything we’ve been taught about Jesus.
What do we do when the cost of living goes up and up and up? How does this affect our relationship with God and how do we learn to trust Him? This week we learned how we can grow in our trust of God while experiencing the ups and downs of life. We learned to refocus our hearts and lives on Him, giving us peace, and ultimately everything we need.
Yesterdays service was incredible. We were honored to host the Noecker Family and hear their testimony of God's deliverance.
On October 16, 2021, a group of 17 missionaries, including women and children, were kidnapped by the brutal 400 Mahwozo gang in Port Au Prince Haiti. After 2 months of captivity, not knowing what their future would hold, they made a bold and daring escape. This is their story of God's miraculous and powerful deliverance.
Apathy is perhaps the most dangerous force in our day. Many do not have hope, do not have purpose, and simply do not care. This was the dangerous condition of the church at Laodicea. They had everything they needed from a worldly standpoint yet they were still empty. Jesus challenged them to make a decision. Either live for Christ or live for the world.
Sometimes when we’ve gotten off course, we need to be brought back. Other times we’re on the right track, we just need to be encouraged. This is what we will learn this week. When our strength is low, we are encouraged by Jesus to keep going in His strength.
This past Sunday, Pastor Josh preached from Revelation 3:7-13, a Letter to the Church in Philadelphia. This letter has no rebuke, but rather is an encouragement to persevere.
Have you every driven home from work or school only to realize you don’t remember any of the drive? At times, we can get into “auto-pilot” mode. The same is true spiritually speaking. At times, we can find ourselves just going through the motions and coasting.
Yesterday, Elder Nathan Tunison preached a compelling and tough message on Revelation 2:18-29 (a letter to the church in Thyatira). In this letter, Jesus gives a warning to the church about sexually immorality, adultery and idolatry.
Today we studied Revelation 2:12-17 (a letter to the church in Pergamum) and discussed the pitfalls of compromise when it comes to God's word and truth. Jesus calls us to trust Him and trust Him alone. The question is, who are we being discipled by, the world or Jesus?
Difficulty is not fun, but God produces amazing things in us out of difficulty - Clarity, focus, determination, settledness, dependence. James 1:2-4 reminds us to consider it pure joy when we face trials because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. If you are going through difficulty, hold steady and lean into Jesus.
Yesterday we kicked off our Revelation series by examining the first letter to the Church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7.
God’s desire is that through the Church His manifold wisdom would be displayed. This means, that God wants to put his wisdom on display in and through the Church. As we trust God, as we love one another the way God calls us to, His love and grace is poured out in and through us, and His goodness is displayed to the world.
Many today view the church as irrelevant and outdated, but together, we’re going to see the vital need you and I have be part of a thriving, healthy, Gospel-centered community. What does it mean to have a church home?
Many have experienced hurt at the hands of the church. This has led many to leave the church and conclude that the church is broken or flawed. The truth is, it is flawed but it is still more relevant and important than ever. The Bible uses several metaphors to describe those who follow Jesus - body, family, house of God, royal priesthood.
The Church is far more than a human construction, a building, or a social club. The Church is Christ’s body, His family, His Bride. The church is the imperfect yet redeemed people of God, representing Him and His great redemptive power in our broken world. God still has a plan for the church.
Guest speaker, Carlos Medina discusses the Kingdom of God.