Growing Gracefully: Freedom
Awake Us Now
True freedom is living the full life that God always intended us to possess. In Jesus, we are freed from bondage to sin and are now free to please God!
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Questions - Week 20: Is Palm Sunday Jewish?
Awake Us Now
Happy Palm Sunday! Hosanna! Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem: Palm Sunday - Passion Sunday - story is found in: Matthew 21 Mark 11 Luke 19 John 12 Many of us know the Palm Sunday story, but do we know the details? Today we will look at some of the most fascinating and intentional details of this story. 1. Did you know that donkeys around the world have a similar dark marking on their backs that runs along the spine and across their shoulders? It is a cross. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a beast with a cross emblazoned on its...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 13
Awake Us Now
Today we come to one of the most fascinating times in the history of the kingdom of Judah, an amazing king who does amazing things by the power of an amazing God. But first we take a look at King Ahaz who ruled from 731-715 BC. In 2 Kings 16:2-3 we read that Ahaz did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the ways of other kings, even sacrificing his son in the fire. King Ahaz ⁃ Finds himself under attack by Pekah and Rezin ⁃ Discovers there is a price to pay when you turn your back on the Living God ...
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Growing Gracefully: Thankfulness
Awake Us Now
Some Biblical virtues mirror God's character, but this one -- thankfulness -- exalts God's character. Thankfulness promotes humility in us and strengthens our faith. ThankLESSness, by contrast, is an exceptionally dangerous sin.
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Growing Gracefully: Kindness
Awake Us Now
Kindness is not weakness. Kindness reflects the character and strength of God, and is seen throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ. Followers of Jesus should show that same character in their lives!
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Growing Gracefully: Forgiveness
Awake Us Now
Jesus not only taught the importance of forgiveness, He practiced it, even from the cross (Luke 23:43). The example of Jesus and the magnitude of His love changes people and gives them the power to forgive even the most bitter of enemies!
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Dig Deeper - Week 8: Green Grass Grows
Awake Us Now
The past Sunday Pastor taught on “What’s the Answer - Are the Gospels believable?” This teaching is a follow up to that message. Pastor takes us to the story of the Feeding of the 5000 BUT it’s not about the feeding!! So what is this teaching about if it isn’t about the miracle of Jesus feeding 5000 men (plus all the women and children) from 5 small barley loaves and 2 little fish, then what’s this teaching about? Why even bother looking at the story if we’re not going to look at the miracle of Jesus? Well, come along and find out what Pastor is going to show us today! The...
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Growing Gracefully: The Ultimate Indicator
Awake Us Now
Our devotion to the Living God is demonstrated in the way we love other people - including even our enemies. Genuine love is the truest expression of right doctrine (teaching) - and without love, the doctrine collapses.
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Growing Gracefully: In Joy
Awake Us Now
Unlike happiness, joy is not an emotion, dependent on particular circumstances. Joy is anchored in God, and through Jesus it is triumphant even over the sufferings of this world! Growing Gracefully In Joy - We are living in a time of chaos and uncertainty, a time of unbridled anger on all ends of the spectrum and if ever there was at time that the people of God needed to remember and reflect the joy of the Lord, THIS IS THE TIME! This is a great time to be growing in joy as we rely on the Holy Spirit to empower and strengthen us every day and in every circumstance and situation. The Bible is...
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Questions - Week 19: Are the Gospels Believable?
Awake Us Now
Today’s question is one that Pastor has heard most often from young people. The questioning of the Gospels seems to center around miracles, especially the resurrection. Atheistic Materialism Worldview ⁃ No God - universe is by chance ⁃ Matter only - Life came from non-life ⁃ No Miracles - Life is meaningless Bible’s Worldview ⁃ There is a Creator ⁃ He created life ⁃ Life has a purpose These two worldviews...
info_outlineThe Gospel of John Week 6
Scripture: John 3:22-4:30, Jeremiah 2:13, Ezekiel 47.
Today we look at the character of Jesus and into His identity in the story of the Samaritan Woman at the Well.
Great Points from Today’s Study:
Jesus is the groom and His people are the bride
Jesus is above all!
God gives the Spirit without limit!
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life
Tensions amongst the people were high so Jesus heads to Galilee and decides to go through Samaria on the way.
Jesus always has purpose and follows what The Father tells Him
This woman didn’t know it but she needed something from the Lord. She didn’t know that Jesus was going to change her.
Pastor shares about who the Samaritans were. The basic difference in their beliefs with the Jews was a difference in where they were to worship. Though the rest of their beliefs were the same the Jews did not like the Samaritans at all and would not associate with them or even talk to them.
The meeting with the woman happens at Jacob’s well in Samaria, at noon
The time is important as women typically went to get the water for the day early in the morning. But it was noon when this woman was coming to the well. Why was she at the well at noon when other women were not there? We surmise it is because she maybe is shunned based on her lifestyle
Jesus sits down by the well and proceeds to talk to the Samaritan woman, something that is just not done because men did not speak to women in public let alone a Samaritan woman
Jesus asks her for a drink
She’s surprised Jesus talks to her.
Jesus is not a rule follower!
She asks why He would ask her for water. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
God is the giver of Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13) - Jesus is claiming deity.
Jesus tells her that anyone who drinks the water He gives will never thirst again.
Jesus is speaking spiritually
He alone quenches the thirst of our souls - He wants to fill up her needy soul with His Himself!
Jesus told her much about herself - He knew her - He know all about her life
He knows us too!
Jesus tells her “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)
It is by the Holy Spirit that we understand who Jesus is. The Holy Spirit is the comforter, counselor and advocate.
Real worship isn’t where you go, it’s who you know
Real worship is not a matter of a place, real worship is a matter of a Person.
Real worship is knowing the Messiah and the Holy Spirit that He gives.
Real worship is not about ritual of where one worships, worship is about relationship with the one we worship!
Jesus declares to her that He is the I AM. He is the Messiah - He is God! The Living God! The Living Water.
She returns to town - forgetting that she probably is seen as an outcast, and shunned and instead tells everybody about Jesus! She can’t help herself but to share all about Him!
What we learn:
No one in need is ever turned away by Jesus.
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The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.
The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible. Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before.
Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!