The Storm of Suffering
Our present suffering enables us to see the true beauty of the gospel, the beauty of our Heavenly Father suffering the loss of his son so that he could adopt us into his family.
The Christ and His Hour: An Introduction to John
For the first week in our series on the Gospel of John we look into John’s background and his purpose in writing his gospel.
ASK: God’s Sovereignty
The sovereignty of God is a weighty topic to tackle. We look at the Scriptures and find some verses to be at odds with each other. It is easier to read these Scriptures with an understanding of both God’s revealed will and his secret will. Ultimately, we do have to crawl up this theological mountain of sovereignty, believing we will have a better view, love and understanding of Jesus with each step.
ASK: The Bible
We have many questions about the bible. It is good to ask questions and investigate why we can trust the reliability of scripture. Ultimately, we must love the scriptures because they are about Jesus, and we must love that they have authority, because we love the one with all authority, Jesus.
Spiritual Gifts II
Please forgive the technical difficulties affecting the sermon audio. We are given a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good, but like this church in Corinth, we quickly use what was given to serve others and glorify Jesus to serve and exalt ourselves. We must allow the Holy Spirit to be our model for our use of spiritual gifts in order to grow spiritual fruit in others.
Paul’s Example
In this part of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he addresses money and evangelism. Paul defends the belief that a pastor’s livelihood should come from his labor. Paul says he lays down this right, lest he put an obstacle before the gospel. Paul goes on to describe his approach to evangelism, how he has become all things to all people, in order that he might save some. We tend to fall on one of two sides in evangelism: contextualizers or contenders. We must find a balance between knowing the culture we are in while not compromising the gospel.
Knowledge Puffs Up, Love Builds Up
Our freedom in Christ is determined not only by what we know, but also by what others do not know. There is a fine line to be walked between legalism and liberty. Often, even in our freedom, we seek rules to support our convictions. Paul calls the Corinthians and the universal Church to walk in our godly freedom, but to not abuse it and put a stumbling block before our weaker brother or sister.
The Unified Temple
Everything in this world is warring against our relationships and communities. To survive this division, the one unifying factor must far outweigh anything trying to rip at our relationships and communities. For God’s people, this unifying element is the Gospel of Jesus. If the Gospel is our foundation, everything should stand firmly. As Paul teaches, we must keep our eyes fixed on the cross, living confidently with the promised Holy Spirit.
State of the Church Address
Our elders explain upfront who we the church are and how we live. We are to be members of community, learners, servants, and missionaries. Remember that you are the church. If you identify a need in the church, do not merely point out that something is missing, but rather be a part of the change. Learn how to engage your community group in the rhythms of life.
The Gospel According to the Temple
The Tabernacle was a gift of grace to his people to provide a way that God could dwell with his people and not consume them in their sin. It was where God’s wrath for sin met his grace for the sinner. The very reason why the Israelites couldn’t be in God’s presence is why the needed him in theirs. Jesus became the temple, the curtain, the light, the bread, and our High Priest.