Church of the Nazarene

http://bible.com/events/47529342 Anatomy of a Storm: Feeding Hope As we conclude our series, Anatomy of a Storm, we are going to talk about one unexpected gift this season has given us: the opportunity for hope. Romans 5:1-5 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, wehave peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And weboast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but wealso glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces  perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. -We are justified (made right) before God because of Jesus, and not based on our works  -Through Jesus we can have peace with God and we now have access to God’s grace (his favor).  -The grace of God is our foundation. In this way, we are not just saved by God’s grace, but we are also saved for God’s grace. We get to experienced his incredible and unearned favor in our lives.   Paul is highlighting two aspects of hope for those who put their faith in Christ: -Hope THROUGH the storm - the promise we have that God will get glory on the other side of the storm ( “And weboast in the hope of the glory of God.”) -Hope IN the storm - the realization that God can produce hope in us even while the storm is raging (“wealso glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces  perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”) Two things to remember about hope: -Hope comes from God                  -Hope is not something we catch, not something we produce, not something we can source                  -The reason hope doesn’t put us to shame (Romans 5:5) Is because the Holy Spirit is pouring it out in our hearts. Hope is sourced by His Spirit at work in us. -Hope grows                  -Paul highlights that hope grows through a process (Romans 5:3-4)                 -Hope does not just begin and end with me, but continues to grow and even overflow (Romans 15:13).                  -People with hope can’t contain it. They are determined to spread it. They refuse to let hopelessness have any ground in their lives or in others  Romans 15:13 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Other Scriptures for Study/Reflection  Romans 5:1-5 (The Message) 5 1-2 By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. 3-5 There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

http://bible.com/events/47034312 You can’t read your Bible without understanding that God is in the business of healing. In the Old Testament, God declares that He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals: He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."  Exodus 15:26 In the Book of Matthew, the first thing Jesus does after calling his first disciples is preach and heal: 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. Matthew 4:23-25 Throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus didn’t just reserve this ministry power to Himself: 9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  Luke 9:1-2 Before Jesus was famous for resurrection He was famous for healing. And that didn’t stop with His ascension: 3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:1-10 The ministry of healing continues throughout the New Testament: 13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:13 In the midst of this, there is an obvious question:  Why isn’t everyone healed? John 5:1-8 5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a]and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4]  5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”  7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. It’s never enough from God’s perspective, to just heal you physically Jesus desires to strengthen the man’s faith Jesus desires to challenge the man’s willingness and desire for healing Jesus desires to minister to the spiritual needs in addition to the physical needs  The bottom line: My healing is up to God. My trust is up to me. James 5:13-18 13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 

http://bible.com/events/46751927 Mark 4:38 “Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Fear, worry and anxiety are, not surprisingly, intense as we continue to face the pandemic + the Storm we could call 2020.  ​ We are told in our Bibles to be “anxious for nothing.”  Philippians 4:6-7 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. It is possible to not be anxious.  In the end, anxiety/worry is that nagging, tormenting feeling that you cannot fully trust God. We worry in 2020 because perhaps we’ve never felt so out of control. But just because we’re out of control doesn’t mean God isn’t in control. — Pam Charette There is hope TODAY that you can be free from worry/anxiety  1 Peter 5:6-7  6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time, 7 casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Exemption from care (worry/anxieties) goes along with humble submission (surrender) to God. BOTTOM LINE: Living free from worry + anxiety requires acting on our trust in Jesus. According to God’s word you can wage war on worry by doing these 4 things: ProclaimingPrayingPraisingPlacing Additional scripture: Psalm 91:1-2 Psalm 46:10 Psalm 118:17 Psalm 56:3 Isaiah 26:3 Proverbs 3:5-6 Luke 12:22-31 John 14:27 Romans 8:26-28 Romans 8:31-39

http://bible.com/events/46344332 What has the year 2020 been to you? -“uncertain”  -“a year of renewal and grief”  -“a glorious burden” -“disorienting….a blur….revealing” -“a year of incredible growth, of stretching change….like I’m at the gym training for a marathon, \ and now God is saying its one of those Ultra-marathons.” -“a year of new experiences and challenges that have both unified and divided our society” -“a challenge”  -“unprecedented” If the events of 2020 has caused you to feel any combination of confusion, worry, fear, frustration, anger, grief, or lament, then you are not alone. The purpose of this series is to help us put into God-framed perspective the difficult year this has been. By understanding such elements as struggle, worry, healing and hope, we will connect our experience with the viewpoint and will of God. 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.  38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked  the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41  -One of the greatest moments of crisis in the life of believers is when they buy into the lie that following Jesus means they are immune to hard things.    -Even though some of these disciples on the boat were experienced fishermen, the storm was so great that they were afraid.  -The question they ask Jesus is a question many of us can relate to in these days: “Don’t you care?” -Ultimately the disciples had more faith in the power of the storm to destroy them than the power of Jesus to save them  Questions from the Storm: • Why did they have to endure the storm in the first place? • Why was Jesus sleeping?  • Why didn’t they trust Him after all they had seen? • Why were they “terrified” after He calmed the storm? The most important question of all comes at the very end of the story: “Who is this?” Is it possible that the disciples who were following Jesus  The modern day language is really “apprenticing under Jesus” They went where he went  They listened to him teach  They saw the miracles he performed  But they still didn’t truly understand who Jesus was  “Who is this?” Many of do not have faith in God, but rather we have faith that God will come through for us.  In the storm, and in the moment of uncertainty, so much of the false things we lean on are stripped away. And there is nothing left but God.  We want Christ to hurry and calm the storm. He wants us to find him in the midst of it first. Beth Moore What do we do in the storm? Look to Him Psalm 121 A song of ascents. 1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—     where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord,     the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip—     he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel     will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you—     the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,     nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—     he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going     both now and forevermore. Other Scripture for Study/Reflection: Psalm 40 1 I waited patiently for the Lord;     he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,     out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock     and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth,     a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 23:4  Even though I walk     through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,     for you are with me; your rod and your staff,     they comfort me. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;     do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help&n

http://bible.com/events/45874900 The Gospel of Christ is a Gospel of transformation. This series has been a deeper dive into the transforming work of God in our lives, both in a moment and through a process.  Today we conclude our series speaking about the culmination of God’s transforming work in our lives.    From the moment that sin entered into the world through the garden of Eden, humanity has longed to return to Eden. Eden represents a place where all is as God created it to be and where we  experience the fullness of God’s glory.  The story of God shows us this journey: -The Tower of Babel is built as man attempts to reach heaven. (Genesis 11)  -God promises to bless Abraham and make him a great nation.  Later the author of Hebrews notes how Abraham longed for a place ( “For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:10) -Moses leads the children of Israel out of captivity towards the land God has promised, in spite of their disobedience and rebellion.  (Exodus 4-40)  -The children of Israel established Jerusalem as the city of God.  This is an incomplete picture of Eden as people worship idols  and rebel against God.  -Jerusalem is conquered and plundered by the Babylonians, and so the cycle continues on throughout the story.  -As we see so much chaos and brokenness in our world today, we continue to long for God’s reception and return to Eden.  Revelation 20:11-15 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 21:1-5a 21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  -A new heaven and a new earth suggest that in that final day, what will happen is a transformation.  -Transformation is not just a past tense reality, or a present tense reality….it is a future reality  -Heaven is the ultimate transformation in the life of the believer  There’s a lot I used to think about when I thought about heaven  Two realities of heaven:  1 . We will see Jesus face-to-face. -John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you  to be with me that you also may be where I am.” -In heaven we will stand in the presence of Jesus, our Lord and Savior  -We will worship Him and experience his glory and goodnesses like never before  2. What He says goes, finally and forever. -It often feels like the hurt and pain of this world has the final word, but in heaven we know that He will have the final word.   -In this Gospel of transformation, our God of Transformation has the final word. All things will be made new!  Bottom Line: Our final transformation is our firm hope Other Texts for Study/Reflection: 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

http://bible.com/events/44825376 Changed to Change: Our Mission in Action, Part 3 Our transformation is both the MOMENT and the PROCESS We absolutely believe in the power of God to transform us in a moment AND in the power of God to transform us over time.  Philippians 1:3-6NIV 3 I thank my God every time I remember you.  4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy  5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,  6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  God who “began” and God who will “carry it on to completion” This Greek word here epiteleō means to “perfect, finish, bring to an end” Note that HE started the work and He will complete it. The only question is whether we will surrender to that work. We are experiencing the NOW and NOT YET of the kingdom of God  The now represents God moving in the moment. The not yet represents waiting on God and trusting His timing.  Our theology is deeply impacted by the power of transformation.  -The moment you confess your sin to God, you turn from your sin, and you put your faith in Him, you are forgiven. This is the moment of salvation.  -We believe that the Spirit desires to do a deeper work of not just delivering us from our acts of sin but cleansing our hearts from the desire to sin.  -There is a different between acknowledging Him as Savior and acknowledging Him as Lord.  -The moment you invite Him to lead your life, purify your heart, you are sanctified. This is the moment of sanctification.  -Because He has worked in the moment of salvation and the moment of sanctification does not mean that God is done working.  For the rest of your life God will continue to work to refine your character, molding and shaping you into Christlikeness. This is the ongoing process of transformation.  Philippians 3:14NIV 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2:12NIV 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,  Romans 8:28NIV 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 12:1NIV 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  The mistake we often make is to allow our emotions dictate the terms of our transformation. We value transformation on God’s terms.  The challenge is to believe God can transform us in a moment and He can transform us through His process. We trust in His decision about which one applies to us in each moment. For further study/reflection: Philippians 2:12-13NIV 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,  13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  2 Corinthians 3:18NIV 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  Philippians 3:14NIV 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Nazarene Position on Entire Sanctification: https://2017.manual.nazarene.org/section/christian-holiness-and-entire-sanctification/

http://bible.com/events/43903065 Changed to Change: Our Mission in Action, Part 2 Our mission: Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ. Transformed defined: 1. To change in composition or structure 2. To change the outward form or appearance of 3. To change in character or condition There are two dimensions of transformation: 1. We believe God can and does act in an instant to transform us 2. We also believe that transformation is an ongoing process Today's focus is going to be on the instantaneous transformation, the NOW. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17NIV 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.  16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  Human beings were created for a purpose, a purpose far beyond just being good little boys and girls in God's garden. N.T. Wright says, “Humans were made to be 'mage-bearers', to reflect the praises of creation back to the Creator and to reflect the Creator’s wise and loving stewardship into the world.” Romans 6:19-23NIV 19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.  20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.  21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!  22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Add your private notes... We believe that Jesus Christ's death and resurrection is the only hope of transformation that we have Prevenient grace is drawing us towards repentance. The Church of the Nazarene says, "Repentance is a sincere and thorough change of the mind with regard to sin, involving a sense of personal guilt and a voluntary turning away from sin." 1. We are justified, which means we are forgiven of our sins and declared not guilty before God. We are reconciled, brought back into relationship with him. 2. We are regenerated- this is the act of the Holy Spirit in our life when we are made spiritually alive. 3. We are adopted into the family of God. We have been transferred from relationship with the world to relationship with God. Colossians 3:1-14NIV 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices  10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.  12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

http://bible.com/events/42854859 What is the purpose of the church?  -Ephesians 3 says the purpose of the church is that the wisdom of God might be revealed.   -Ephesians 4 says that there are individual gifts that are to be used within the body, within the church for the work of ministry. God’s ministry is happening through us  -1 Peter 2 says that we are to declare His praises, the one who saved you and rescued you. Our lives are literally to point towards Him in all we do -Acts 2 shows the church forming community, selling what they had, sacrificing and sharing what they had to minister to the needs of ALL. The church was gathering regularly, devoting themselves to the teaching of God’s Word, and to prayer.   What is God’s purpose for our church specifically?  At the beginning of 2020 we introduced a brand new mission statement for our church: Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ.  Throughout our “Changed to Change” series we want to explore the following: -a Biblical understanding of the call to transformation  -Biblical transformation happens in a moment  -Biblical transformation happens over time  -the attainment of Heaven is the ultimate transformation The bottom line: The Gospel of Christ is The Gospel of Transformation **LOGO SLIDE** Three snapshots of Biblical transformation:  1. “BORN AGAIN” (John 3:1-8) 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born (gennaō – To be born or begotten, as in a woman giving birth to a child. Nicodemus’ confusion may come from the fact that this use sounds like a literal reference to being actually born, which is Jesus’ intent) again.  (John 3:3) -This reference to being “born again” also implies a dying. (John 12:24) -You can’t read these words of Jesus without clearly understanding that Jesus is interested in complete and total transformation -He is talking about being born again  2  “NEW CREATION” (2 Corinthians 5:14-17)  17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation (ktisis – the act of founding, being a creature. Also rabbinical usage to refer to those who converted to Judaism from idolatry) has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 • To be transformed from living for self to living for Him is dramatic change. • One doesn’t happen without the other. You can’t be in relationship with Christ without transformation and you can’t be transformed apart of Christ.  3. “SANCTIFICATION” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.  (hagiazō – separate from the profane for dedication to God; Separate, consecrated. Purified. Renewed)  • This is not a symbolic act, but one’s spirit, soul, and body being sanctified, which means to  “separate, consecrate, purify or renew” • On our own, we are sinners, but the power of transformation is that God can sanctify us, purifying us so that we are no longer slaves to sin  Scripture for further Reflection/Study: Romans 5:1-4  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Romans 12:2 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3:18 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Revelation 21:1-5a 21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God

https://my.bible.com/events/41487577 Relationship Rules: The Virtue of Patience Today we wrap up our "Relationship Rules" series with the importance of patience in our interactions with others. Thanks for joining in! Rule #1 When it comes to relationships, it’s not about me. Rule #2 A relationship is no better than the empathy that people share. Rule #3 Sin does not just hurt my relationship with God. Rule #4 People are always asking for your patience, only sometimes with words. Ephesians 4:1-2 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. -Our call to patience in our relationships is essential, but not without it’s challenges -Specifically, embracing patience in our relationships will challenge us in the following ways: 1. My Timeline (hurry) "Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.” Dallas Willard -Busyness has become a badge of honor; for many of us, to be busy is to be important -Besides the obvious concerns that this culture of hurry is bad for us personally, it is also destructive to our relationships -To give patience the final word in our relationships means to resist a culture that is overwhelmed with hurry 2. My Power (control) -We crave control, but on this journey to pursue healthier relationships, we must recognize that we can’t control others -Paul’s reminder to “be completely humble and gentle” should remind us of the posture of Jesus (Philippians 2) -Understanding the nuances of the Greek word for patience is important; one scholar defined it as “the power to take revenge, but never doing so" “Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in your mind.” David G. Allen -You can practice patience, or you can seek control, but you can’t do both 3. My Scorecard (admitting defeat) -Biblically, we are reminded that “love is patient” and “it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) -The power of patience in our relationships is to actually stop keeping score of others’ offenses -Biblically, patience also encompassed the idea of “long-suffering”, meaning to carry through until the end -The Spirit that gives us patience does not admit defeat, but persists to the end Scriptures for further study/reflection: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

http://bible.com/events/40658809 Rule #3 Sin does not just hurt my relationship with God. We are defining purity as “seeking God’s best for me - heart, mind and body”  Colossians 3:5-14 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian slave or free but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Our purity matters to God  -He is a holy God and as His children, we are also called to be holy  -Paul lists specific examples of the behaviors and attitudes we must take off in order to clothe ourselves with God’s best for us -The act of purifying is God’s work                  -we are not the ones trying to purify ourselves                 -we cannot take off the old and put on the new by ourselves  -The act of purifying is God’s inner work                  -Jesus did not come into the world simply because we had bad habits that needed to be broken. He came into the world because we had  dirty hearts that needed to be purified.                 -This is not about behavior modification, it’s transformation from the inside out Our purity matters to God, and it impacts those around us  -We often view sin as personal, but miss the impact it has on those around us  -Lust distorts our view of others and poisons our minds, replacing meaningful relationships with a facade  -Greed causes us to compare ourselves to others and to view our relationships in terms of what we can get from them  -Lying causes trust to be broken and destroys the foundation of the relationships that matter most   It is impossible to build a life of righteousness on a foundation of sin.  Ephesians 5:8-11 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  -Oftentimes our posture towards sin in our lives is to minimize it, to excuse, to hide it, or to justify it.  -But God doesn’t want us to minimize sin, rather He wants to expose it in our lives so He can bring healing.   -A posture of hiding brings shame, and shame will destroy our relationships.  Scripture for further reflection: Psalm 139:23 “Search me, O God, a know my heart.  Test me, know my anxious thoughts.  See if there be any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting”  Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God 1 Corinthians 13

http://bible.com/events/39735145 Relationship Rules Week 2- The Art of Caring Rule #2: A relationship can be no better than the empathy that two people share  Part 2 of this series is all about empathy We are talking about ALL relationshipsSympathy is feeling at someone while empathy is feeling with someone John 11:32-44 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Three truths for today Empathy is not reserved for the circumstances that we agree with.We don’t empathize to change people. “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”  - Henri Nouwen, Out of Solitude Empathy without compassion is meaningless.

http://bible.com/events/38881650 We are kicking off a series on relationships  To be clear…we are taking about ALLof our close relationships – friends, family members, church family, spouse, etc.Jesus commanded that we love each other. (John 13:34-35) This series will look at 4 specific qualities needed for healthy relationships. In other words, you can’t “love one another” without committing to these four things.  We are sharing these attributes as rules, especially 4 rules to guide you in your relationships  Rule #1 When it comes to relationships, it’s not about me. Philippians 2:1-8 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, humility in value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very natureof a servant,  being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!  This letter is written to a church that was experiencing disruption within their relationships, and ultimately the source was a focus on self.  Selfish ambition…working to advance selfPersonal prestige….thedesire for the attention and applause Often we see the example of someone looking for the interests of others above themself as extreme, but that is not the example of the extreme, but rather the standard. Why is this the standard? Because it is what Jesus did.Why did Jesus do it? Because that’s what love is. (John 15:13) Almost every sinful act begins with a focus on self.  The truth about selfishness is it’s a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves. God wants to liberate us from the “me first” way of living and transform our relationships. Imagine what a relationship could look like when each person has the other’s best interests in mind.  Other Texts for Study/Reflection: 1 Corinthians 13  If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Ephesians 4:29-32 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

http://bible.com/events/37680806 Romans 8:1-4 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youfree from the law of sin and death.  3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8:1-2 (week 1 review)  Paul is facing the battle between pleasing self and pleasing GodUltimately Paul cannot win this battle on his own, but because of Christ we have been set free and we are no longer condemned  Romans: 3-4 (week 2 review)  The law alone could not save us.  We couldn’t be good enough, moral enough, or religious enough to save ourselves. We understand the failure of the law, but also the success of Christ.  Romans 8:5-8 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. There is a person whose mind is focused on flesh (on self)I ultimately pursue what I want I take what I want when I wantWhatever makes me feel good There is a life whose mind is focused on the spirit In step with what God desires In step with how God leads and directs While there is nothing wrong with hard work and determination, our flesh alone has never had the power to transform us. The flesh cannot do what the Spirit alone can.   This section of Romans 8:1-8 is the “so what” section.(Part 1) IF there is now no condemnation for those in Christ……so what? (Part 2) IF Jesus freed you, doing what the law couldn’t do……so what?What do you do about that today?The answer to that question is found in your mindWhat you think aboutYour response to your emotionsWhat compels you, what role you allow the Holy Spirit to play in driving you Romans 12:1-2 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed  by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Bottom Line: The change God wants to make in you starts in your mind What would it look like to take an inventory of your mind…. What do you spend your time looking at or listening to?What do you read and study?How do you manage your thought and feeling life? (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)How do you respond to hardship or suffering?How would others describe you? (Faithful? Patient? Joyful?) (Galatians 5:22-23) The Hope of Holiness is that holiness is not something we do, but something God does in us.  We believe it is a focus on our outward actions, cleaning up the outside. But God wants to transform us from the inside out.  Other Texts for Reflection: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 Galatians 5:22-23

http://bible.com/events/32982985 Hope of Holiness Part 2 We’re spending three weeks on the Romans 1-8 Text Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Today, we focus on verses 2 through 4 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. We are introduced to a couplet - two “laws” > “The law of sin and death.” The Law of Moses. The Jewish Law. The Ten Commandments. The 613 rules, regulations and practices in the Old Testament - The Rule Book. > “The law of the Spirit who gives life.” A gift of freedom THROUGH CHRIS JESUS But, why does Paul make this distinction? Isn’t it obvious? Do you know this "gospel of the rule followers" is alive and well today. > Doing is what leads to SAVING > You don’t need Jesus, you just need morals > Do what’s right and Heaven is yours. As you listen, think about the times when you judge yourself, and believe God determines your merit by your works. What does it look like when you think you can or should earn your way into God’s acceptance? Reading Romans 7 and 8 together paints a picture of the two “laws” at work. In Romans 7 “the law” and its synonyms are mentioned 31 times and the Spirit only once. But in Romans 8 The Spirit is referred to 19 times by name. (verse 3 & 4) 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin (katakrinō He sentenced sin to death)  in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. > The state of sin and death is not because of the law. It is because of US. > People wouldn’t obey. From what felt like our very first moments on earth in that garden. And once that was evident, the Law couldn’t save us. "The law is the light that reveals how dirty the room is, not the broom that sweeps it clean. "   But: What we couldn’t do. JESUS DID. That is the HOPE OF HOLINESS But why? Ever thought about why it was like this? > Why Adam and Eve only had to obey one rule and they were offered paradise? Yet they couldn’t even obey that simple command? > Why through hundreds and hundreds of pages of the Old Testament we read about people promising great things. And then turning their backs on God? > Why our lives have proven over and over again that we don’t have it in us? Perhaps one reason is so that we will never forget Him. That we will always remember, moment by moment, the breadth and depth of what Jesus did for us. So we would ALWAYS remember Him. Do you remember?   Supplemental Texts Read Romans 7 and 8 back to back in one sitting, thinking about “the law of sin and death” as over against “the law of the Spirit who gives life." Romans 7:7 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.  Matthew 5:17 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance a

http://bible.com/events/30235655 Purpose of this series… Take one passage of Scripture – Romans 8:1-8 – and linger on it, digging deeply to gather its full intent so that God through His word, by the power of the Spirit, might transform us in every way Romans 8:1-8 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 7:22-25 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched (miserable) man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, That’s the essence of Christianity, the message of God to the world. What does it mean there is now no condemnation? Who gets to enjoy this gift?    Bottom Line:  Freedom from condemnation is a fact not merely a feeling for those in Christ.

http://bible.com/events/29051199 Burning Questions, Part 3: Do All Roads Lead to God? Today’s question: Do all roads lead to God? Why this questions? -Our world is increasingly influenced by pluralism, the idea that there is truth in all religions and there is not a religion/faith that is the sole and exclusive source of truth -Our world is increasingly influenced by moralism, the idea that faith doesn’t matter as long as you live a moral life -We live in a world that loves choices, but the claims of Christ are exclusive -it is imperative that we understand what the Bible says to each of us as we seek to understand the answer to this question and how we are to respond John 14:1-7 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” I AM THE WAY -The Old Testament spoke often of “the way” - Deuteronomy 5, Isaiah 30, Psalm 27 -Jesus does not tell us about the way, but instead declares that he is the way I AM THE TRUTH -The Psalmist speaks of “the truth” - Psalm 86, Psalm 119 -Many teachers could claim “I have taught you the truth” but only Jesus could claim “I am the truth” I AM THE LIFE -What all people want in the end is not truth in and of itself, but truth that leads to life -Life with Jesus and through Jesus is a life worth living Acts 4:11-12 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Some may ask: -“How can you believe in a God who is so narrow minded?” -“How can you believe in a God that only would provide one way?” Perhaps the question should be -“Why has God even provided one way at all?” -“Why has provided any way to redeem such a broken and lost world?” If Jesus is the only way to God, then it begs the question: “now what?” What do you do with the exclusive call of Christ and its implications? Bottom Line: Knowing the way changes you. Showing the way changes the world. Other Texts for Study/Reflection: Exodus 20:1-3 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. Matthew 7:13-14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

http://bible.com/events/27825252Notes: Burning Questions, Part 2: Are All Marriages Created Equal? Why this question?   • There is increased emphasis in our culture on acceptance of the practice of homosexuality. • It has become a kind of primary litmus test of “tolerance.” • Some churches have followed this trend and accepted the practice. •Many churches have been divided, even split over this issue •It is imperative for us to understand what the Bible says to this polarizing issue and just as important, how we must respond Genesis 1:27  “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 2:18 & 24 “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”… That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” God created male and female, and each were uniquely in His image God created sexual intimacy God created one man to be with one woman  We read throughout Scripture some clear instructions that the practice of homosexuality is a sin (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27)  Matthew 19:4-6 4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’5 and said,  ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?  6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” -To be clear, Jesus isn’t asked to address the issue of homosexuality specifically  -But in speaking to the issue of marriage, it is important to note that he points us back to Genesis 2 -It should matter to us that “marriage” as described by Jesus is between a man and a woman  -Jesus did look past the moral laws of the Old Testament -There is no biblical concept of same-sex relationships or same-sex marriages No, all marriages are not created equal. God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman.  The challenge is as our culture has ELEVATED its emphasis on the acceptance of homosexual behavior, some Christians have ELEVATED homosexuality as the sin above all others.  Luke 15:1-2 15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” -As believers in Christ, how are we to respond? We begin by taking our cue from Christ.  -In response to this accusation, Jesus tells three of the most powerful stories about the value of the one  -To Jesus, each one matters. Each one has value.  No one is discarded.  -When we consider, not just Jesus’ words, but Jesus’ actions, it is clear that he always leads with love  -When encountering the Roman centurion, Jesus doesn’t create a thick wall of moral conditions for him to leap over  -When encouraging Matthew, the tax collector, Jesus doesn’t say “first you need to know where we stand on your sin”   -People were drawn to Jesus, not because their behaviors were affirmed, but because their humanity was affirmed  Bottom line:  Let me answer this burning question with a question of my own: Whom have you disqualified from God’s Love? Other Possible Texts: Romans 1:26-27 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Jude 1:5-7 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord[c] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. Luke 15:1-31  Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together a

http://bible.com/events/26066170 Why this series? We believe these are the questions you are asking, even more importantly, these are questions those around you are asking. To engage the world around us, we have to be willing to think through the tough questions.  Background for this question: -The Bible does give us guidance on what it means to be good citizens -As believers, we do have some responsibility to be present and engaged in the world in which we live  (see Romans 13 in the notes below) -The Bible is also clear that our citizenship is first and foremost in the Kingdom of God  -Our job is to navigate through the Scriptures prayerfully in order to seek truth for us as believers in the midst of a political culture that has become so polarizing ““My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21 NIV -Unity in the church is so important that Jesus died for it -We don’t seek unity for the sake of unity. We seek the Lord, we make Christ the center, and He unifies us  -We won’t spread the gospel in this world if we don’t display the kind of unity that Jesus prayed for.  Matthew 22:15-22 15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. -The Jewish leaders are trying to trap Jesus and pull him into a struggle that was quite political  -The Jews resented taxes for religious reasons. To a Jew there was only one true king and to pay a tax to an earthly king was to admit the validity of that kingship. -Think of what Jesus could have said here: “Don’t give them a cent. Your loyalty is to God alone!”  “Keep your money until there’s an emperor whose views you support!”  “Only give to Christian politicians.” -Jesus wasn’t avoiding the duty of government, what he was avoiding was the trap of politics, confusing the kingdom of men with the Kingdom of God. -As hard as it is to grasp, Jesus won’t be roped into a political argument. Our God has a monopoly on the Truth and will not fit neatly into the confines of political viewpoints or parties. CAN the church preach about politics?  Sure it can.It CAN because we aren’t called to be disconnected and disengaged, uninvolved  SHOULD the church preach about politics is perhaps the better question  because what it is that we as believers must avoid is the trap of political divisions. Give back to the government what belongs to the government in the first place. But, far more importantly, give back to God what belongs to Him in the first place. How much of you belongs to God? Titus 3:9-11 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, (nomikos – arguments lawyers make)  because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned. -The problem of politics for Christians in America is DISUNITY, DISCORD & DIVIDE. Bottom line: Politics preached divides.  Christ preached unifies.  Three challenges for us in response: Let’s remember who is the enemy is -“Our battle is not against flesh and blood” Ephesians 6:12  Let’s remember whose kingdom we belong to -We can’t allow a passion for politics to become idolatry.  -We must commit to not allow anything else in our lives to take Lordship over Christ  Let’s remember what are we for -We are for the love of Jesus, for healing, for reconciliation, we are for peace and we are for grace.  -Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:35  Other Texts for Study/Reflection: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for

http://bible.com/events/25086825 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”” Matthew 25:31-46 NIV -The difference between those who are blessed and those who are cursed at the judgement day will be the acts of love that were shown to those in need. -It’s important to note two things                  -these were simple acts....a meal to eat, a cup of cold water to drink, welcoming a stranger, looking after the sick or those in prison                  -these are things that anyone can do...those with much, those with little, those who seem qualified, those who seem unqualified  What you see..... -Initially it does not appear that either group could see Jesus.  Their response is “Lord, when did we see you....?” (Verse 37, 44)  -But the righteous did what they did, not because they could see Jesus, but because they could see a need.    -The righteous did not do what they did for the applause of man, but because they were compelled by love to meet a need.  -It begins with what you see, because when your lens becomes loving others first, it’s not about religious duty or obligation What is in your heart.... -The Bible is clear that our salvation is by grace through faith, but the Bible also says faith without works is dead  -Our God does not desire your actions apart from your heart -The difference between the sheep and the goats in Jesus’ story was never about the actions in and of themselves, but the heart behind their actions   Bottom line: Your true test is what you do about what you see  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God Matthew 5:8 As God changes our hearts, He continues to open our eyes to see Him present in the every day needs all around us. 

http://bible.com/events/23711324 Luke 10:25-37 NIV 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” -One of the most famous stories in history and it begs the question: Why did Jesus choose this story? -The Greek word for “took pity” is splagchnizomai, meaning to be moved deeply with compassion -In telling this story, Jesus selected someone from a hated group to demonstrate the expression of love -The religious leaders wanted to identify with the priest because they were impressive religious people. But they couldn’t because the priest wasn’t the one who acted. -They wanted to identify with the Levite – the historical carriers of the Covenant. But they couldn’t because the Levite wasn’t the one who acted. -They HAD to identify with the Samaritan, the hated outsider. -Would you have the courage to ask God show you who your Samaritans are? Compassion from a distance isn’t compassion “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/events/22341692 IntroLast week Pastor Adrian reminded us that we are “one in Christ”We are called to be bridge builders. To those who don’t necessarily look like us, or act like us.The call is to Go!“We are transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ”Matthew 28:19“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”The reality of most of us is that most of us won’t go anywhere, we will remain right here, or in our normal day-to-day lives.“And love your neighbor as yourself”Old TestamentDeuteronomy 6:4-5 Leviticus 19:18New Testament Matthew 22:37-40James 2:8Romans 13:8-10“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.If it’s that easy, why is it so hard?It begs the question, why doesn’t the world look any different?The truth is, our resolve alone cannot bear the burden of the world’s brokenness.  But Christ can.Love God with All…The good news for us today is that the command to love our neighbor as yourself is the second greatest commandment.  It’s not the first.Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus speaking “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”What Difference does it make?A world of differenceGod’s love in and through usAffirms value in othersCauses us to identify with brokennessHoly HeartbreakLove moves

http://bible.com/events/21464171 Galatians 3:26-29 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. -The church in Galatia was experiencing Jews and Gentiles worshipping on equal footing, which previously represented a significant cultural divide. -There was opposition, not just coming from outside of the church, but within the church. -We are all children of God, meaning there should be no barrier. Specifically: -No cultural barrier (Jew or Gentile) -No socioeconomic barriers (slave or free) -No gender barrier (male or female) -Paul is saying that I am to see Christ in you first. If I see Christ in you first, then how I treat you is a reflection of how I see God. -We are all one IN CHRIST, meaning we find our identity and calling in Him first. Jesus deliberately and intentionality sought out the unacceptable and the marginalized in society. -Matthew 9 - calls a tax collector -Mark 2 - eats with sinners -Luke 5 - ministers to lepers -John 5 - engages the Samaritan woman 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. -The ultimate barrier between us and God that ever existed was sin, and God sent Jesus to eliminate that barrier -And He has now called us to His ministry of reconciliation -There’s something all ambassadors do: THEY GO. They leave their home to go to a foreign land. -Likewise, the implication of your ministry of reconciliation is not that we all huddle within these four walls and wait for folks to come. -Our ministry of reconciliation is active, not passive. In fact, you cannot reconcile passively. The bottom line: We are called to BUILD BRIDGES not BARRIERS. Building bridges - When you reach across boundaries as Jesus did to build loving relationships Our response must be personal. Jesus built bridges one person at a time. We must do the same.

http://bible.com/events/19328552 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – some background: -King Nebuchadnezzar built a statue of gold that was 96 feet tall and 9 feet wide. -The story doesn't tell us who the statue represented. Some think it was one of Nebuchadnezzar's gods or maybe it was a statue of him. -He demanded that all ranking officials pledge their loyalty to him by worshiping the statue, thus boosting his ego.  -Nebuchadnezzar had appointed the three Hebrew men over the administration of the province of Babylon as a favor to Daniel. (see Daniel 2) -Their promotion irritated certain Chaldeans who began looking for a way to get them in trouble. -The decree was that anyone who didn't fall down and worship the statue would immediately be thrown into a fiery furnace. -The Chaldeans were only too happy to point out to Nebuchadnezzar that the three Hebrew men were not bowing down. Daniel 3:13-30NIV 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Bottom line:  NOT SAVED FROM THE FIRE BUT SAVED IN THE FIRE -It’s not if you experience the fire, but when -It’s not if you face trials, but when  -It’s not if you are faced with a moment of decision, a moment of temptation, but when  -It’s not if you are asked to fall in line with the kingdom of this world, but when 1. The power of God gives you the ability to obey  -We live in a world where there is a pull towards self, towards living for only what’s in front of me, towards claiming to to be in Christ, but not living a transformed life.  -Our obedience starts in the small moments right in front of you.  -If you can’t obey in the moment in front of you, how will you ever be able to stand in the moment of crisis? 2. The power of God gives you courage as you obey -No one ever said that a life of faith in Christ wouldn’t require courage – in fact, “be strong and courageous” is one of the most frequent exhortations in Scripture.  -For many of us, obedience is limited by

http://bible.com/events/18795900 We are introduced to David with this description: “a man after God’s own heart…”(1 Samuel 16:14)  Perhaps the reason he was described this way is because David was a worshipper. • • • 2 Samuel 6:12-22NIV 12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.  13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.  14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,  15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.  17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord.  18 After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty.  19 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.  20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”  21 David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord.  22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”  • • • -The Ark of the Covenant represented the physical manifestation of God here on earth -David is leading a military contingent returning the Ark of the Covenant back to its home in Jerusalem after it had been captured in war -David worships “with all his might”  -This story is not just how David worshipped but also Michal’s reaction to that worship -This is about worship, showing the heart for God juxtaposed against a heart focused on self • • • Worship (David) -Passionate (“with all his might”) -Expressive (singing and dancing) -God-centered (“I will celebrate before the Lord”) -Concerned with the heart (“It was before the Lord”) • • • “Non-Worship” (Michal) -Passive (“watched from a window") -Held back (observing) -Human-focused (“How the king of Israel has distinguished himself”) -Concerned with appearances (“as any vulgar fellow would”) • • • The bottom line: The heart of God moves me from observation to participation.  • • • John 4:23-24NIV 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”  • • • Psalms 149:3NIV 3 Let them praise his name with dancingand make music to him with timbrel and harp.  • • • Psalms 30:1-12NIV 1 I will exalt you, Lord,for you lifted me out of the depthsand did not let my enemies gloat over me.  2 Lord my God, I called to you for help,and you healed me.  3 You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;you spared me from going down to the pit.  4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;praise his holy name.  5 For his anger lasts only a moment,but his favor lasts a lifetime;weeping may stay for the night,but rejoicing comes in the morning.  6 When I felt secure, I said,“I will never be shaken.”  7 Lord, when you favored me,you made my royal mountain stand firm;but when you hid your face,I was dismayed.  8 To you, Lord, I called;to the Lord I cried for mercy:  9 “What is gained if I am silenced,if I go down to the pit?Will the dust praise you?Will it proclaim your faithfulness?  10 Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.”  11 You turned my wailing into dancing;you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,  12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.  • • • Psalms 150:1-6NIV 1 Praise the Lord.Praise God in his sanctuary;praise him in his mighty