BridgePointe Christian Church

<p>Jesus chose baptism as a distinct practice that would identify us as His people. Christians throughout history have responded to the Gospel with belief & baptism. For those who haven't been baptized yet, this message is an invitation to consider it's significance, and for those who have already been baptized, it's an encouragement to let your baptism remind you of the great work God has done in your life, and inspire you to live a life that pleases Him. </p>

<p>Our pride is the biggest threat to our love for God. When we imagine ourselves to be independent or self-sufficient, we push God away. In one of the final scenes of David's life, in the face of God's anger over sin, David seeks to find comfort and security in his own strength. God exposes this sin, which is costly to David and Israel. Our pride is costly for us and those around us, too. Jesus is the sacrifice that forgives that sin and protects us from the full consequence of it.</p>

<p>How do we respond when confronted with our sin? None of us want to be defined by our worst and weakest moments. What really defines us is not those moments, but how we respond to them. David, who loved God with his whole heart, still deeply sinned against God. But in his love for God, he responded to that sin with humble repentance. For us, this is the way to move forward from our sin. When we repent of our sin, we find healing and grace in Jesus.</p>

<p>David shows unexpected, undeserved kindness to someone who could attempt to compete with him for the throne. This is first an incredible picture of God's mercy toward us in Jesus, who welcomes the weak, the power, the powerless, and the disloyal to eat at the King's table. When we have received such love, we also ought to show compassion to those around us who are in need.</p>

<p>The presence of God is no ordinary thing. It deserves our reverence, awe, and worship. When we recognize that our sin could have kept us from the presence of God, we should be filled with joyful worship that God has given us His presence once again.</p>

<p>How do we respond to people who hurt us or have it out for us? Do we look for every opportunity to get even? Or will we choose mercy and kindness, even when it is costly to us? David faced this decision on several occasions and showed mercy to the one who chose to be his enemy. When our hearts are full of love for God, His love flows through us even toward those who least deserve it.</p>

<p>When we love God and desire to live for Him, we constantly need the wisdom, guidance, and peace of God that is only available to us through prayer. Because David loved God with his whole heart, he prayed to God about the difficult decisions he faced. Whatever decisions we face, large or small, should be approached with prayer to the God we love and trust.</p>

<p>The battle between David and Goliath isn't really about a little guy and a big giant. Instead, it's about a big challenge and an even bigger God. Faithfulness to God required David to do something far beyond his own ability. Faith is like that for us, too. Eventually, we'll encounter a challenge, a decision, or a change that is just too risky or costly for us. It's in those moments that we must trust in God and do what honors Him.</p>

<p>When God chose a leader for His people, God cared only about their heart. Only David, of all people in Scripture, was described as a "man after God's own heart." It didn't matter that David wasn't strong, impressive, or experienced because he loved God first and most. We are tempted to evaluate ourselves based on things that people see--skills, strengths, successes, etc. God wants us to focus on what He sees-our hearts and how much we love Him.</p>

<p>This message will go live Sun, 6/25/23</p><p><br></p><p>One of the core questions we face is what we will let rule over our hearts and lives. Through His kindness, power, and love, God has shown Himself to be a good and faithful King. But the temptation is strong to put ourselves or something else in that highest place. God wants to have our whole hearts and warns of what will happen when we give it to something else. As we start this series, we'll be challenged to let God be our King and see in David's life what it looks like to love God more than anything else.</p>

<p>We don't often think of what we want to be true of our lives at the end of them. But it is both healthy and helpful to gaze ahead to the end of our days to consider what is most important to us. For Paul, he found peace and contentment in being faithful to the end. Each of us have a unique part in the story of the Gospel. We can't control what part God gives us, but we can control what we do with that part. Each of us has the same opportunity to be faithful to the end.</p>

<p>Jesus sent his disciples out as His witnesses to the ends of the earth. 30 years later, Rome is evangelized and the Gospel has outposts across the entire ancient world. This happened through ordinary people who were empowered by the Spirit and obedient to God, one step at a time. Our cumulative obedience will result in a Gospel harvest that will far exceed our greatest imaginations.</p>

<p>Paul had a deep desire to take the Gospel to Rome. He was focused on that, while not missing the Gospel opportunities right in front of him. Likewise, we should have a vision for who we want to see impacted by the Gospel and commit to sharing it with them. And at the same time, be open to unexpected opportunities God gives to share the Gospel along the way.</p>

<p>In our culture, it is common for people to judge harshly those who follow Jesus. Our character and reputation matter. If our lives were on trial, what would be revealed about the Gospel? It is the simple, quiet acts of faith that we choose day-by-day that result in a life that is blameless and faithful in the end.</p>

<p>Elizabeth provides an example of faithfulness to God. Her story invites us to be faithful, when life is full of disappointment, when life is full of delight and when others are full of doubt. When our lives are marked by the same kind of faithfulness, the Gospel will take ahold of us and come into the world through us. </p><p><br></p>

<p>God is sovereign. He is working for our good and the advance of the Gospel. He can use whatever we are going through to draw us closer to Him and provide unexpected opportunities for people to see and hear the Gospel through us. God is always with us and we need to listen for His voice so we can see how He is working even when it's hard.</p>

<p>When following Jesus is difficult or costly, it is helpful to go back to the love you felt from Him at first. Remembering and retelling God's first work in our lives keeps our faith fresh and invites others to find life in Jesus as we have. When we share our story respectfully, honestly, and humbly, people can see the power of the Gospel through us in a way that draws them to Jesus.</p>

<p>No one can be faithful to Jesus without personal sacrifice. Jesus modeled it and told His disciples to expect the same. Choosing faithfulness to Jesus and His mission will bring us closer to opposition and sacrifice. It will also bring us closer to Jesus, who suffered in every way. To remain faithful to the end, we must be prepared for the cost of following Jesus.</p>

<p>This is the first message in the third part of our study of Acts. We look back at the book of Acts and see that Jesus sends His people to be His witnesses by the power of the Holy Spirit. The opposition we experience will test our devotion to Jesus and our dedication to His work. By the power of the Spirit, we can resolve to be faithful to God until the very end of our lives.</p>

<p>We have a discomfort with silence. We feel it in conversation, when we are with people, even when we are alone. We fill every empty space with noise--music, podcasts, shows. Even when there's not noise, we're usually plugged into some technology that is still bombarding our minds. The result is that we are anxious, distracted, and disconnected from ourselves. Our minds, hearts and souls need silence to recover from this noisy world. When we allow for silence in our lives, we find that we learn to listen better to ourselves and to the Spirit who is always with us. </p>

<p>Have you ever noticed that Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry? He never seemed stressed or anxious. In a world dominated by hurry, stress, and anxiety, wouldn't you love to know His secret? Jesus exerted control over His life and always lived with margin--empty space--in life. We fill every space on our calendar with busyness. And the result is that we're more stressed than ever. We need to learn from Jesus that less hurry is more peace.</p>

<p>In this special service, BridgePointe commemorates its tenth birthday by celebrating what God has done among us and looking to future. </p>

<p>Work, both within and beyond our home, takes up a huge part of our lives. The satisfaction of it is part of the blessing of God. The fatigue and frustration of it are part of the curse of sin. Most of us have a love/hate relationship with work. We instictively know that there isn't much joy in life if work is all we do. Yet, it can be so hard to get out of the endless cycle of more to be done. Jesus offers us an alternative--the practice of Sabbath, which creates space for rest, delight, and worship. </p>