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_outlineScripture: Acts 20:32-38
Pastor continues with the story of Paul’s talk with the leadership of the church in a gathering in the town of Miletus - it is Paul’s farewell speech to this group of believers. Paul finishes his time with these friends and leaders with them all in prayer together. There are tears as the leaders are grieved at knowing they will not see Paul again. Paul knew he had complete his work here and in the surrounding cities and areas. The chapter closes with them walking him to the ship to leave.
But let’s focus on one of the words from Paul’s speech as it draws to an end. He talks about our inheritance in Christ.
What does inheritance mean in the Bible?
The biblical definition of inheritance is speaking of what God gives to us through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that when we believed in Christ, Christ identified us as His own by giving us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee that Jesus will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people.
1 Peter 1:3-4 tells us of an inheritance that comes to us through the death and resurrection of Christ and is an inheritance that can never perish or fade away.
Jesus’ death and resurrection is the heart of our inheritance. BUT there’s more!
The Essential Fundamentals of the Faith:
1. Deity - Jesus is true man and true God
2. Death - Jesus, the Lamb of God, through His death, paid for our sins on the cross
3. Resurrection - Jesus’ resurrection assures we too shall rise. The resurrection is God’s declaration that the sacrifice of Jesus is accepted.
4. Return - Jesus is alive forever more and is coming back. His second coming- He’s coming back for us.
These fundamentals are pointed to in the Old Testament, and are fulfilled in the New Testament.
Jesus’ return is the heart of Paul’s teaching and Christ’s return is what assures us of our inheritance.
Are you doubting the Resurrection of Christ? Dr. Gary R. Habermas is a scholar of the resurrection of Christ and has written several books. Here are two we suggest for those wanting to read about the evidence of Jesus resurrection:
“On the Resurrection: Evidences”
And
“On the Resurrection: Refutations”
Anthony Flew, a renown atheist debated Gary Habermas. Several years later Antony rejected atheism because the evidence for God is convincing.
The evidence for the existence of God and for the resurrection of Jesus is powerful and convincing. Many people have never examined the evidence but instead they have just bought into what they’ve been told by the world rather than the things they could have discovered.
What does it mean for us that Jesus is alive? What is our destiny? It is NOT as a spirit in heaven. The Bible teaches the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Pastor sites these verses for what the New Testament says about the:
Deceased Believers
Luke 23:43 - in paradise
Philippians 1:23 - with Christ, better by far
1 Thessalonians 3:13-14 - asleep
BUT on our destiny we read in
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
1 Corinthians 15:22-26, 51-52
Titus 2:13-14
John 5:28-29 that:
1. Jesus will come down from heaven with a trumpet call and a loud voice of the archangel
2. The dead will rise
3. We will be with the Lord forever
4. A new heaven and a new earth
5. Death will be destroyed
6. We will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye - imperishable!
Our destiny is to be raised to life forever with God with transformed glorified bodies in a new heaven and a new earth - ALL things new.
May the truth that we too shall rise anchor us in our faith in God and give us strength in opposition, joy in the face of loss and assurance in the face of death.
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