Church of the Nazarene

But we believe there is help and there is hope for our families because of Jesus! And we need help, don't we? And hey, can we be real? We need hope when it comes to our lives and families If you're married and if you're not If you have kids and if you don't You may be a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle We are all sons and daughters Many are brothers or sisters. Each of us needs help and hope when it comes to family and how we should live in these days. You see we have never had more books and articles available to try and help us solve our problems, but we are more broken, torn, and hurting then ever. Why? We haven’t taken the word of God seriously into account (SLIDE) Colossians 2:8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. God has given us HIS commandments and instructions for our families and too often we’ve broken them or ignored them or diluted them by mixing them with culturally acceptable worldviews and opinions in the name of tolerance… Let me say this early on Tolerance is compromise of the truth! This is a call for us to come back to the Bible, to the things God values, and build our lives and families on the Word of God. His help and His hope for you and your family and mine John 15:10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. "If you keep my commands” Jesus points us to obedience Obedience to His commands, to the truth given to us through God's Word Matthew 7:24-27  24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” “Men and women do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. So even in 2025 God still speaks through His Word – God still teaches, corrects, prepares, equips you/I through His word. Deuteronomy 6:4-9  4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. Billy Graham declared in 1978 and it stand true today “God has indicated from one end of His word to the other that when the home/family fails - society is going to fail. And I tell you this unless we have a spiritual revival and our homes are renewed, the nation is going to be destroyed. There is no way we are going to escape the judgement of God unless we come back to Christian, God-fearing homes that are built on Christ and His word.” Wesleyan Ecclesial Confession The church’s true confession of beliefs is not first about propositions that are stated but lives that are lived. One’s actions testify to one’s true beliefs. Dallas Willard You can live opposite of what you profess, but you cannot live opposite of what you believe. James 1:21-25  21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. LOVE LEARN LIVE Recent study done showed if you read Bible less 4x week you’ll make no significant choices/changes in your life comparable to that of someone who doesn’t read the Bible at all But study showed if someone reads their Bible 4 or more times a week Feeling lonely drops 30% Anger issues drop 32% Bitterness in rel

YOUTH RETREAT SLIDE- 59 IN THIS PICTURE  WELCOME- GLAD YOU ARE HERE TODAY LAST WEEKEND WE HAD AT LEAST 62 PEOPLE WENT TO WATERMARK CAMP FRIDAY- SUNDAY GREAT WEEKEND OF WORSHIP/WORD/FOOD/FUN CHRISTMAS INVITE  WEEK ONE TAKE IT – PRAY ABOUT A PERSON WEEK 2-WRITE THEIR NAME ON IT- PLACE MANGER WEEK 3- THE INVITE TOM RAINEER- STUDIES CHURCHES PODCAST 15% OF ALL PEOPLE COME IF INVITED 80% PEOPLE COME WHEN IF SOMETHNG ATTACHED GO GET COFFE BEFORE OR AFTER  BREAKFAST BEFORE- GRAB LUNCH AFTER GENEROSITY  3RD WEEK IN SERIES ON GENEROSITY PRAYING SPIRITUAL- FASTING IS SPRITUAL READING AND TEACHING SCRIPTURE IS SPIRITUAL GOING ON A MISSIONS TRIP- SPIRITUAL SERVING IN KIDS AND YOUTH MINISTRY- SPIRITUAL FRANCIS CHAN- LEFT IT ALL IN CALIFORNIA STARTED UNDERGROUND CHURCH HONG KONG DO WE GIVE TO PEOPLE SACRIFICALLY YOU GAVE THAT AWAY JOYFULLY    JUST OVER A YEAR AGO- RUTH AND I INTERVIEW HERE  LEADERS FROM CHURCH HAD QUESTIONS SAT UP FRONT LEADER OF CHURCHES (DR FULLER) ELECTED LEADERS ASKED QUESTIONS 1ST QUESTION- WHATS A WORD/PHRASE GENEROSITY DEFINITION                                A READINESS TO GIVE MORE THAN NECESSARY OR EXPECTED. GENEROSITY STATEMENTS     GENEROSITY IS NOT SO THAT JESUS LOVES ME MORE     GENEROSITY IS BECAUSE HE LOVED ME FIRST.   GENEROSITY STATEMENT     GENEROSITY IS NOT RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS      IT IS A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING-AND LIVING  PRAY – PLAN- PARTICIPATE  GENEROSITY STATEMENTS     GENEROSITY MOVES YOU TO ACTION. IT MOVES FROM YOUR HEAD, TO YOUR HEART, TO YOUR HANDS.   STATEMENT ON GENEROSITY     AS WE GIVE, GOD INCREASES OUR ABILITY AND DESIRE TO GIVE.   SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:1  “AND NOW, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRACE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:2  IN THE MIDST OF A VERY SEVERE TRIAL, THEIR OVERFLOWING JOY AND THEIR EXTREME POVERTY WELLED UP IN RICH GENEROSITY. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:3  FOR I TESTIFY THAT THEY GAVE AS MUCH AS THEY WERE ABLE, AND EVEN BEYOND THEIR ABILITY. ENTIRELY ON THEIR OWN, SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:4  THEY URGENTLY PLEADED WITH US FOR THE PRIVALEGE OF SHARING IN THIS SERVICE TO THE LORDS PEOPLE. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:5  AND THEY EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS; THEY GAVE THEMSELVES FIRST OF ALL TO THE LORD, AND THEN BY THE WILL OF GOD ALSO TO US. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:6     SO WE URGED TITUS, JUST AS HE HAD EARLIER MADE A BEGINNING, TO BRING ALSO TO COMPLETION THIS ACT OF GRACE ON YOUR PART.   SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7  BUT SINCE YOU EXCEL IN EVERYTHING-IN FAITH, IN SPEECH, IN KNOWLEDGE, IN COMPLETE EARNESTNESS AND IN LOVE WE HAVE KINDLED IN YOU SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7     SEE THAT YOU ALSO EXCEL IN THIS GRACE OF GIVING.   PICTURE OF CHRISTMAS                                   DO YOU REMEMBER BEING A KID A CHRISTMAS EXCITEMENT- COULDN’T WAIT-SEE WHAT YOU GOT THEN SOMEWHERE IT CHANGED- NOT SURE WHEN YOU MOVED TO OVERJOYED-GIVING A GIFT/ GIFTS CORRIE TEN BOOM QUOTE      “THE MEASURE OF A LIFE, AFTER ALL, IS NOT ITS DURATION BUT ITS DONATION”  THIS IS HOW MOST PEOPLE OPERATE THEIR LIVES THEIR FINANCES LIVE SAVE GIVE  WHAT DO I WANT AND NEED- OR VICE VERSA WHAT SHOULD I SAVE IF THERE IS ANY LEFT OVER- WE MIGHT GIVE STATE OF THE PLATE- 12%  BARNA- 18-20%  GIVE. SAVE. LIVE                                                WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS GIVE FIRST (OT OR NOT) SAVE SECOND LIVE ON THE REST WHAT IS SO INTERESTING IS- 2/3 ARE STILL FOR ME  NOTHING WRONG WITH ANY OF THEM JUST NEED TO RIGHT PRIORITY MORE     DEFINITION OF GENEROSITY: A READINESS TO GIVE MORE THAN EXPECTED OR NECESSARY  SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:46     46. “IF YOU LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD WILL YOU GET? ARE NOT EVEN TAX COLLECTORS DOING THAT?       (WHY INCLUDE TAX COLLECTORS IN THIS VERSE- WHATS THE MESSAGE)  SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 5:47    47. AND IF YOU GREET ONLY YOUR OWN PEOPLE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING MORE THAN OTHERS?  JOAN KROC                   &nbs

https://www.bible.com/events/49522098 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Generosity Part 3  God's generous church  Today we are continuing our teaching series "Generosity".  We are exploring our generous God’s will for his people. This teachign series is not just about giving of our money. It’s about a lifestyle of generosity, where we give of ourselves in all areas of our lives.  Today we are going to understand that Generosity is a key ingredient in making a church what God desires and designed it to be.  ‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬‬  All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.  Here in Acts chapter 4 we are reading about the earliest days of the Church. This came immediately after the coming of the holy spirit at Pentecost.  And so what we see here are new believers responding to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. There was no building, no denominations, no board meetings, not even a 4-week teaching series on how to be the church. They were simply living out of what God had done in them.  On of the first ingredients we see is that “All believers were one in heart and mind.”  This was a diverse group of people- some Roman, some Jewish, some city dwellers, some from the rural country sides. All different nations, races, they were all together- all people were together in one heart and mind.  As followers of Jesus, we have more in common in Christ Jesus than a whole world of difference.  “No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”  They had their own homes, and their own things, but they didn’t live like it was off limits to everyone else. They saw themselves as a part of something greater, and they lived open-handed towards other people in the church, and into the community.  One definition of generosity is “open handed living”, not grasping tightly to what is yours, but living with an open hand towards your neighbor.  ‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭33‬‬  With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all  Another key ingredient was the preaching and teaching about Jesus. If we lose this focus, if we get off center of preaching the saving and transforming power of Jesus Christ, the message of the gospel, the light of hope for our dark world.  If we loose that, we become something less than what we are called to be.  Believers in one heart and one mind, living open handed towards each other, proclaiming the name of Jesus- God’s grace is going to be at work.  The proof of God’s abundant grace was at work, was that generosity had taken care of everyone’s needs.  ‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭34‬-‭35‬‬  that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.  People were so moved by the Spirit of God and the immediate need around them, that they made big sacrifices to see the move of God continue. There is no sign of manipulation, no pleading from the church, nobody twisted their arm to give.  People were simply responding to the work of God within them, to meet needs around them. That’s generosity.  This is the church. Made up of believers in the saving, life giving person of Jesus Christ. United in heart and mind, focused on the call of God in our lives. Generous in giving to meet the needs of the people all around. People completely surrendered God and his abundant grace at work all around them.  Will that be true of us? 

““No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬ ‭“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭18‬-‭20‬

Let us pray:    "Dear God, You are Worthy of it all. God, please help us be people whose cup is filled and overflowing, and we are drinking from the saucer.   Jesus, we welcome You to speak in a powerful way this day. Change our minds, hearts, and souls so that we will be people who are overflowing with Your love to our family, community, and the world. Father, You are a loving Father. We want to be like You.  Please help us give Your kindness and love so we may refresh the hearts of all people. We are transformed by You to bring Hope to the people.  We love You, LORD. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen."  Generosity:  First and foremost, God is a generous God. To follow the model of the Father is to be exceedingly generous.  Generosity is essential to the heart of Christ and the mission of the Church is generosity.   Today we are continuing in our teaching series on Generosity, with the truth of God and the Cheerful Giver.    Friends, I know what some of you may be thinking:  On no, another message on giving.    But before any eyes start rolling, remember, generosity is not about God needing something from you, it’s about him wanting something for you.   Our goal in this series is to see God’s generous heart lived through us.    Giving, like many aspects of the Christian life, is a journey.  We begin at a particular point and progress over time.  Some individuals may advance faster, while others require more time.    This sermon is not as much about our wallet; it is about our will. It is about the character of a Christlike disciple. To withhold generosity is to forget who we are as follower of Jesus.   Scripture: Please turn with me to 2 Corinthians 9: 6-8. The scripture will be on the screen.  We Give Because God Sows Bountifully - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8  Verse 6: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Verse 7: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  Verse 8:  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  In short, this passage teaches that generosity is an act of faith where we trust God to provide for us so that we can, in turn, be agents of His grace and provision for others.    It provides the essential theology for Christian generosity, moving from the principle of sowing to the promise of provision.  The Word of God speaks it all.    Let us pray:  Heavenly Father, we come before you now, at this moment, asking you to meet us here. We invite the presence of your Holy Spirit to fill this place and to fill every heart gathered for this service.  May our minds be attentive to the divine truth you long to embed within us.  We confess that our hearts often grow closed, fearful, and hesitant, especially when it comes to giving. We worry about sufficiency and hold tightly to what is temporary.   We ask specifically that you would transform us into people of generosity in all areas of life:  God, please help me/help us to be generous with our Faith: That we might boldly share the hope we have in Christ. Father, please help me/help us be generous with our Time and Talents: That we might willingly give our energy and skills to serve the church. Jesus, please help me/us be generous with our Treasures: That we might give freely and cheerfully. Lord, please help me/us give our touch. Help us to become friends to the friendless. Please help us in our relationships to others to convey the love of Christ to those to whom He assigned us. All people are important to the Lord. Lord, start this transformation with me, the one offering this prayer. Give me a vision for the generous life that reflects your own boundless giving. Remove all reluctance and replace it with the joy of a cheerful giver.  Father, please open our hearts to receive the truth that will lead us to this freedom. We commit this time to you, asking for your presence and power, for your glory, Amen.  No really, this is an awesome opportunity for me to unpack this passage for you and for me.   God isn’t focused on the amount of our generosity (see the widow’s mite) but on the quality of our generosity – He loves a cheerful giver.  Our Generosity is a Response to God's generosity.  The Law of the Harvest (Verse 6):&

TODAY WE BEGIN A NEW SERIES ON GENEROSITY.   A WILLINGNESS TO HELP SOMEONE  MORE THAN WHAT IS TYPICALLY EXPECTED.  16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. HEB13  THANKSGIVING  FIRST WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER  LAUNCH TOWARDS THANKSGIVING  THANKSGIVING IS 2 WORDS-FOCUS ON 2ND WORD  WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS   MORE IMPORTNANTLY WHAT GENEROSITY MEANS  GIVING/GENEROSITY IS SPIRITUAL  READING YOUR BIBLE- SPIRITUAL  TEACHING ABOUT PRAYER- SPIRITUAL  SERVING KIDS CITY/MOVEMENT-THAT’S DEF SPIRITUAL   WANNA START WITH PHOTO OF THE DOMROES FAMILY  DOMROES FAMILY PICTURE                                MID SEPTEMBER MISSIONARIES DOMROES VISITED US  CHURCH LEADERSHIP DECIDED 5K FOR THEM  BOARD MEMBER SAID MINIMUM- WILL SEE   WE GAVE THEM CHECK FOR 5, THEY WERE EXCITED  LAST WEEK SENT CHECK FOR ANOTHER 6500     SCRIPTURE PROVERBS 11:25                           25. “A GENEROUS PERSON WILL PROSPER; WHOEVER REFRESHES OTHERS WILL BE REFRESHED.”  JOESPH WHIDNEY (LATE 1800’S) JOSEPH WHIDNEY- FORMER DOCTOR  FORMER PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA  HEART OF GENEROSITY (ESPECIALLY THE POOR)  PICTURE PHINEAS BRESEE  LATE 1800’S  SOUTH CENTRAL LOSA ANGELES  THESE TWO MEN MEET AND TEAM UP  PENIEL MISSION (NON DENOMINATIONAL)  THEY SERVE AND HELP HERE  THEY HAD SIMILAR METHODIST ROOTS  LOOKED-ASKED WHO HELPING PEOPLE MARGIN?  A driving purpose of our church is to elevate those in need.  QUOTE AMY CARMICHAEL     MISSIONARY SAID “YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING, YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING”  The whole idea of generosity – of giving – starts with God.   WHAT IS IT YOU TREASURE?                                 SCRIPTURE MATTEW 6:19     “DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL.”  SCRPITURE MATTHEW 6:20    20. BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL.   SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:21    21. FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.   YOU COULD ARGUE IF YOU WANT ABOUT TITHING  CANNOT ARGUE THAT JESUS DIDN’T CARE   NUMBERS     16/38 PARABLES- MONEY OR POSSESSIONS  2300 VERSES  THERE ARE MORE THAN 2300 VERSES ON THIS.   WORD BELIEVE APPEARS 272 TIMES  WORD PRAY APPEARS 371 TIMES  WORD LOVE APPEARS 714 TIMES  WORD GIVE APPEARS 2152 TIMES  SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:24    24. “NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. EITHER YOU WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR YOU WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ONE  SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:24                             AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY.   DOESN’T SAY YOU WILL LOVE 1 AND LIKE THE OTHER- DOESN’T SAY LOVE AND TOLERATE   DOESN’T SAY CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND FAME  DOESN’T SAY CANNOT SERVE GOD AND COUNTRY  DOESN’T SAY CANNOT SERVE GOD AND SEX  SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:25    25. THEREFORE, I TELL YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT YOU WILL EAT OR DRINK; OR ABOUT YOUR BODY, WHAT YOU WILL WEAR.   SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:25    25. IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD, AND THE BODY MORE THAN CLOTHES. (MOTHS DESTROY)  SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:26    26. LOOK AT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR; THEY DO NOT SOW OR REAP OR STORE AWAY IN BARNS, AND YET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM.   SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:27    27. CAN ANY ONE OF YOU BY WORRYING ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO YOUR LIFE.   BIRDS- BRIAN CHARETTE  MATTHEW A TAX COLLECTOR WRITES THESE WORDS  PICTURE JOHN WESLEY                               [Wesley] had just finished buying some pictures for his room when one of the chambermaids came to his door. It was a winter day and he noticed that she had only a thin linen gown to wear for protection against the cold. He reache

https://www.bible.com/events/49515652 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Generosity Part 1  God, the Father of Generosity.  Today we are starting our new teaching series "Generosity".  Over the next few weeks we will explore our generous God’s will for his people. This is journey, this study is not just about giving of our money. It’s about a lifestyle of generosity, where we give of ourselves in all areas of our lives.  Our series begins today by seeking to understand the great and lavish generosity of the Lord, and to understand that his generosity is our model for life.  So, what is generosity?  Simply defined, generosity is the quality of being generous. To be generous means to be liberal in giving. Open handed.  A willingness to give help or support, especially more than usual, or expected. Generosity is the voluntary, unselfish giving of money, time, attention, or other resources. That’s generosity.  We can be generous with many things.  Our time. In our busy and overwhelmed schedule, we can give time doing something for others.  Our talents. We can use our abilities and gifts to benefit others.  Our treasure. We can give our money and other material resources.  Our touch. We can give ourselves in relationship to others.  ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬-‭18‬‬  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.  As we seek to understand the Lords heart of generosity, we can take a moment to realize that every good thing in our lives, in our world- they are gifts from God. We enjoy them because God has given them.  Generosity all starts with God, and he gives us more than just good things to enjoy. Verse 18 says he gives us so much more.  God chose to offer us new life in Christ Jesus- the word of truth. That we could have hope, that we could have peace, that we could be forgiven and saved- is all a gift of God.  The Lord’s generosity didn’t just compel him to give us lots of good things. His love compelled him to give us his absolute very best.  ‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬‬  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  The Lord loves us, you, and me so much that he gave... In God’s kingdom, Love is always accompanied by action.  The generous heart of God, is good news for the whole world, and it’s the model for his children, for us to follow after. That we too, as we receive our life from him, would also model our generosity after his.  That’s what it means to be generous. That our love would be accompanied by action, by giving.  Giving of ourselves, our time, talent, treasures, touch. Giving not because we have to, but because we want to.  That's generosity. 

Dependence of God’s Strength Last week we finished up our Series on Grace is greater!  Grace – the undeserved mercy and kindness of God – is greater than our than our  Brokenness  Guilt  Wounds  Despair  And our Weakness  That was pastor Kevin’s message last week. God’s grace is greater than your weakness – That was a new concept for some of you. You’ve been taught to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, to grow a backbone, that toughness and strength is success. You may have been asking since last week’s message, are they telling me it’s okay to be weak?  YES, and even greater, (pause) God meets you there.  Yes. In your weakness.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 reminds us  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (Did you hear that?) Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  Can that be right? I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  This seems BACKWARDS, crazy even!  You are right! It certainly would be WITHOUT JESUS!  LET’S PRAY  What are we discovering here in 2 Corinthians?  That NOT ONLY is His grace greater than and sufficient for my weakness, but we can also depend on His STRENTH. Count on HIM TO STRENGTHEN you.  I’m not talking about the kind of strength it would require for me to lift this weight (this is more my speed – right here)  I might surprise you though – I remember when Michael was remodeling our upstairs bathroom, he was removing an old iron bathtub and needed my help. As I faced this ridiculously heavy mammoth bathtub – I asked myself doesn’t he have any friends he can call. As I recall, I asked this question out loud! He said you’ve got this babe – he had broken it into pieces but it was still solid dead weight. I apparently didn’t have a very good attitude or the willingness he desired as we partnered on this task and at some point in the process he said to me, now get this, “Come on. Man up and pick up the tub”. Well, his plan worked! I was completely undone that he had the audacity to tell me to man up and I picked up that tub and moved it with strength only pure aggravation could bring. My dear husband still laughs about this moment, and I can still feel fire in my belly when I remember it. See this is a different kind of strength and maybe not strength at all. The true strength came when I overcame my urge to clobber him with a piece of bathtub.  Think about it…  Have you ever been PLACED SOMEWHERE or GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY you knew was way beyond your capacity? You wondered WHY ME? ARE THEY SURE?  I have, and in God’s goodness and sovereignty, He has allowed it many times and continues to do so in my life.  Over and over again, I have had to face my weaknesses.  Here’s one example:  Here are some pictures of me when I was between 22 and 24 years old. I was beginning my career as a Long-Term Care Administrator. As you can see, I tried to cut my hair in multiple styles. See, I thought this effort would help me look older and look the part. But let me assure you that respect is not earned and people are not fooled by a bad haircut!!!  See I was given the opportunity to lead folks that had years more experience, some more than 2-3x my age, the pressures of this industry were intense, the responsibility huge. I had great passion, but this was all way bigger than me.  I was weak – very weak. I did NOT have what it takes in that situation. I KNEW it.  Folks, that first real job of my career could have gone very badly for me.  But I learned something really important as I looked my weakness in the eye.  Pastor Kevin said last week that the beauty of our weakness is that it reminds us to get out of the way.  The Lord began to develop in me the truth that His grace was sufficient and that in my weakness, His strength was made perfect.  In fact, it could ONLY be made perfect in my weaknesses. As strange as that sounds.  Through this I began to resonate with David and though no one had physically tried to kill me as David faced, there were days that I physically and emotionally thought it may just be the end of me.  Anyone know what I’m talking about?  Weak to the point of desperation.  Because the Lord allowed this battle – I drew closer to Him, trusted him, cried out to Him and learned that the song of David in Psalm 18 was one I could proclaim as well.  David wrote this song as a

The story of God's faithfulness to Hannah The name Hannah means Grace. “There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my Lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my Lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭28‬ ‭

GRACE IS GREATER SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 12:14   14. “MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH EVERYONE AND TO BE HOLY; WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD.” SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 12:15   15. SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE MISSES THE GRACE OF GOD AND THAT NO BITTER ROOT GROWS UP TO CAUSE TROUBLE AND DEFILE MANY.” FAMILY PICTURE WE WANT THE PERFECT PICTURE SADLY IT DOESN’T ALWAYS TURN OUT GRACE IS GREATER THAN OUR WEAKNESS WE EVEN GO SO FAR AS THIS PICTURE SKINNY MIRRORS YEARS AGO ON SHARK TANK PRODUCT WAS NOT INTENDED FOR STORES WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HIDE THEM NO ONE BOASTING- LOOK HOW WEAK I AM STORES BOUGHT THEM- LEFT THE LABEL ON THEM SCRIPTURE 2 CORNITHIANS 12:5                     5. I WILL BOAST ABOUT A MAN LIKE THAT, BUT I WILL NOT BOAST ABOUT MYSELF, EXCEPT ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:6    6. EVEN IF I SHOULD BOAST, I WOULD NOT BE A FOOL, BECAUSE I WOULD BE SPEAKING THE TRUTH.  SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:6    6. BUT I REFRAIN, SO NO ONE WILL THINK MORE OF ME THAN IS WARRANTED BY WHAT I DO OR SAY. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7    OR BECAUSE OF THESE SURPASSINGLY GREAT REVELATIONS. THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO KEEP ME FROM BECOMING CONCEITED, SCRPTURE 2 CONRINTHIANS 12:7    7. I WAS GIVEN A THORN, A MESSENGER OF SATAN, TO TORMENT ME.   GREEK WORD IS :SKOLOPS-COULD MEAN SPIKE  SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8    8. THREE TIMES I PLEADED WITH THE LORD TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME. SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9    9. BUT HE SAID TO ME, “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS.”  SCRPITURE 2 CONRINTHIANS 12:9    9. THEREFORE I WILL BOAST ALL THE MORE GLADLY ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES, SO THAT CHRISTS POWER MAY REST ON ME. (PLURAL)  SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10   10. THAT IS WHY, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, I DELIGHT IN WEAKNESSES, IN INSULTS, IN HARDSHIPS, SCRIPITURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10   10. IN PERSECUTIONS, IN DIFFICULTIES. FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.                          3 PEOPLE FLEXING                                                WORLDS STRONGEST TEENAGER ALEX SKIRUKHA-JESSICA GRAY. BEARPAW CHRIST UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM PRINCIPLE    THE WAY UP IS DOWN    WANNA RUN- YOU GOTTA CRAWL    TO BE EXALTED- YOU HAVE TO BE HUMBLE    TO WIN- YOU MIGHT NEED TO LOSE    TO FIRST- TRY AND BE LAST    WANT TO LIVE- YOU HAVE TO DIE  THORN-THORN IN THE FLESH WILL KEEP ME    T-EACHABLE    H-UMBLE    O-RIENTED TO HIM/HEAVEN IN PRAYER    R-ELIANT ON GODS GRACE/STRENGTH    N- EAR TO JESUS                                                                                           SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:13                                 13. PARDON ME, MY LORD,” GIDEON REPLIED, “BUT IF THE LORD IS WITH US, WHY HAS ALL THIS HAPPENED TO US?  SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:13   13. WHERE ARE ALL HIS WONDERS THAT OUR ANCESTORS TOLD US ABOUT WHEN THEY SAID, SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:13   13. DID NOT THE LORD BRING US UP OUT OF EGYPT? BUT NOW THE LORD HAS ABANDONED US AND GIVEN US INTO THE HAND OF MIDIAN.”  SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:14   14. THE LORD TURNED HIM TO HIM AND SAID, “GO IN THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE AND SAVE ISRAEL OUT OF MIDIAN’S HAND. AM I NOT SENDING YOU?”  (MY POWER)  SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:15   15. “PARDON ME, MY LORD, “GIDEON REPLIED, “BUT HOW CAN I SAVE ISRAEL? MY CLAN IS THE WEAKEST IN MANASSEH, AND I AM THE LEAST IN MY FAMLY.” NUMBERS 25 32,000 10,000 300 “GODS WORK IN MY LIFE IS NOT JUST IN SPITE OF MY WEAKNESS, IT IS THROUGH MY WEAKNESS. MY WEAKNESS REMINDS ME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. AND LET GODS STRENGTH TAKE CENTER STAGE.” PHIL HANSEN SLIDE 32: VIDEO WORDS PENNED BY ISAAC NEWTON SLAVE SHIP CAPTAIN WRITTEN ON BLACK KEYS  AMAZING GRACE LYRICS   AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND   THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE M

Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Grace is Greater Part 7  Grace is greater than weakness.  Today, we are concluding our Teaching series “Grace is Greater”  This series keys off a book by the same title, and it is written by Pastor and author Kyle Idleman.  Throughout this series, we want to be reminded of God’s grace in our lives. To understand that His grace is greater than any sin, any brokenness, any failure or regret in my life, and the lives of others around us. We want to experience that great grace in our own lives and see how that grace serves to change our world.  We don’t want ever want to forget God’s grace.  Today we want to experience the greatness of God's grace in the places of our weakness.  While we do our best to hide our weakness, the bible says we should brag about it.  The pain we might be trying to hide, the limitation we cant get over, the suffering we don’t understand. Those places might be the place God desires to do his greatest work.  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬-‭7‬‬  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  As we get into 2 Corinthians Chapters 10 through 12, Paul is trying to set the record straight. Not to defend his reputation or his credentials, but to help people see the power of Jesus at work in his life.  He doesn’t want to enter into the power game, or the one-upmanship that was going on. He has learned that the best place to experience God’s power, is in weakness.  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭8‬‬  or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  The word for thorn here is not like a small briar, or the prickly’s on a blackberry bush or rose stem. The word thorn here is more like a spike or a spear. This was not a minor ache or pain, not even an inconvenience. Whatever it was, brought suffering into his life.  The bible never says what Paul was dealing with and I cant help but wonder if that was intentional. By not naming his thorn, he invites us to think about our thorn in this text.  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬-‭9‬‬  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  Paul pleaded that it would go away, and the Lord said “Paul, I got you. I will be with you in this, I will give you the strength you need. My grace is grater than your weakness. That was enough for Paul. He goes all in.  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬-‭10‬‬  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  In just a few short verses, Paul completely flips the script on weakness. Rather than something to be photoshopped out, to be hid behind fake smiles. We are invited to see our weakness, even our pain, as an opportunity for the Lord to do his greatest work. To experience his grace in a whole new way.  When we begin to be honest about our limitations, when we trust the Lord to do his best, in our weakest places, we are no longer limited by our strength- we experience God’s power  God’s grace is abundant, powerful, and available for you in the midst of your weakness. No fake smile, no coached grin required.  This message for you today might just be the beginning of a journey.  A journey to stop denying or hiding your weakness. A Journey to seek help with a physical issue, or something going on in a relationship in your life.  For some of us, experiencing God’s grace in our weakness will mean that we have to surrender our idea of how God can work in a difficult place.  The promise of this scripture is that God’s grace is there for you IN the weakness, no matter what happens, he is strong enough.  His grace is greater.  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my powe

Grace is Greater   One of my favorite places to visit is   also one of the most unnerving places.   I love taking trips and tours through   caverns. Has anyone else done that?   Toured a cavern? There’s one   particular cavern in Pennsylvania that   I’ve visited several times, both with   family and on field trips as a teacher   and a parent. It’s called Penn’s Cave   Caverns.   I know there are caverns here in   Virginia, and perhaps one similar to   Penn’s Cave, but what I love most   about this one is that you tour it by   boat.   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  Once you reach the center of the   cavern, the guide turns off the lights,   and you’re left sitting in complete   darkness. I mean DARKNESS, the   kind where your eyes never adjust,   and you can’t even see your hand in   front of your face.   It’s scary and cold, and even though   you’re surrounded by ten other people   in the boat, it feels eerie, quiet, and   even strangely lonely. Honestly, if you   left me there without a light, I’d have   no idea which way to go, left, right,   up, or down, to find my way out.   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  Picture yourself in the dark, in that   boat. And as you do, let me suggest   another dark place many have   visited.... DESPAIR.   It’s not just sadness; it’s a place, a   dark, hollow place of complete loss   and absence of hope.   Despair feels like this... You can't see   the way out. You reach your hand out   but all you feel is cold, damp walls.   You keep walking, hoping to find the   light, but the tunnel only seems to go   deeper.   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  The Psalmist knows this place:   Psalm 88:6   "You have put me in the lowest pit, in   the darkest depths...   You have taken from me my closest   friends and have made me repulsive to   them.   Darkness is my closest friend."   If despair is this deep emotional   tunnel, then hope is the light we long   to see at the end. But sometimes the   tunnel feels too dark, and the light too   distant. That’s why God gives us  something stronger than a match,   stronger than any temporary fix...   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  Despair isn't rare, we have all   experienced it.  You may be in that place right now.   There are many things that can plunge   us into despair. Actually, the very   topics we have covered in this Grace   is greater series, can leave you in   despair, brokenness, guilt, and   wounds. The loss of a loved one, a   broken family relationship or divorce,   loneliness, anxiety, depression, doubt,   and the list can go on and on.   When despair seems to swallow us up,   Isolation, Distortion and Desperation   crawl toward us.   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  Isolation, we start to pull away from   God, people, community, the enemy   convinces us that we are alone, and   that no one understands or that we are   a burden to others. Sometimes we stop   attending church, we stop praying or   worshipping.   Despair allows distortion. It blurs or   distorts what we know to be true, and   before we know it God feels distant,   even though He is right in front of our   face. It twists how we see God,   ourselves, and our circumstances.   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  Once we’re isolated and our vision is  distorted, we lose our footing and   Desperation sets in. In fact, those two   words - Despair and Desperation- are   very closely related.   We stop expecting anything good to   come. We act out of fear or numbness   instead of faith. Despair convinces us   the story is over, that there’s no way   forward.   In our desperation, if we aren't careful,   we try to light temporary lights,   matches.   Lights that end up burning us.   Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  We start to scramble for false light   in the darkest tunnels.  A.Match of Control:   Sometimes, in the darkness of despair,   we reach for what I call the match of   control.  A tiny flicker we hope will push back   the shadows. We try to take control, to   fix what’s breaking, to manage what   we can’t.  Grace is Greater than Despair   Part 1  So we start planning every detail,   believing perfect schedules will block   anxiety.  We hover over our kids, trying to   protect them from every hurt.  We replay conversations in our minds,   wishing we could take back t

https://www.bible.com/events/49505375 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Grace is Greater Part 6  Grace is greater than despair.  Today, we are continuing our Teaching series called “Grace is Greater”  This series keys off a book by the same title, and it is written by Pastor and author Kyle Idleman.  Throughout this series, we want to be reminded of God’s grace in our lives. To understand that His grace is greater than any sin, any brokenness, any failure or regret in my life, and the lives of others around us. We want to experience that great grace in our own lives and see how that grace serves to change our world.  We don’t want ever want to forget God’s grace.  Today we want to experience the greatness of God's grace in the places of our despair.  Despair. The complete loss or absence of hope.  Characterized by a loss of faith and trust in God’s promises.  Perhaps an overwhelming feeling that God has forgotten about you, or that everything has been taken away. Marked by a complete loss of desire to do…anything  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭2‬‬  How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?  This is King David, who lived about 1000 years before Jesus, he was the King of Israel.  As a boy, he had fought wild beasts defending his fathers sheep. He was a mighty warrior who took down literal giants. He had his flaws and battles with sin, and yet, the still bible calls him a man after God’s own heart.  This great man of God and fearless leader, was not immune to feelings of despair. His life got messy on more than a few occasions.  In his younger days, before he was king, His boss king Saul tried to kill him several times. Many years later, even His own son would turn on him.  We know that David dealt with despair, because we have some entries from his prayer journal. Prayers like Psalm 13.  As David prays in this Psalm, he says that he feels as if God has forgotten him. Like he couldn’t see the Lord, as if he was hiding.  That’s what despair does. It takes our minds and our focus off of the faithfulness and goodness of God.  How long do I have to wrestle with these thoughts, how long do I have to carry this sorrow God? God how long are you going to hide from me?  How long is this anxiety, these run-away thoughts, this grief in my heart- God how long do I have to stay in this place.  These are questions of despair.  That you experience despair, is not necessarily a reflection of a lack of faith, it doesn’t automatically mean we have done something wrong. It simply means that we are here, where life is hard, and the battles are real.  The greatest men and women of faith in the bible delt with it too.  We might not be able to control the thoughts or the feelings that come into our mind, but friends, we do have a choice in what we do with them.  The reflection of our faith in the Lord, our confidence in his grace, comes in what we choose to do with those feelings.  We can choose to believe that God’s grace is greater than that despair.  The Lord is working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. The Lord is doing that, and he doesn’t want you to miss it.  Don’t allow despair to become your destination. Press on to hope.  HOPE- From Psalm 13  H-Honest with your struggles. (Vs. 1-2)  O-Open up to God. (Vs. 3-4)  P-Preach to yourself.(Vs. 5)  E-Engage in worship. (Vs. 6)  God's grace is greater than despair!  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭6‬‬  How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. 

BAPTISM RECAP VIDEO  WELCOME- HERE LAST WEEK- WE CELEBRATED BAPTISM TOGETHER PACKED OUT IN HERE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS 15 PEOPLE WENT PUBLIC WITH RESPONSE JESUS THIS WEEK-CONTINUE SERIES GRACE IS GREATER HEBREWS 12:14-15 14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one MISSES the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.  PREVIOUS WEEKS  PREVENIENT GRACE- GRACE THAT WOOING US GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR BROKENESS GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR GUILT WHEN GRACE MOVES IN- GUILT MOVES OUT   WOODY HAYES PICTURE                                              LEGENDARY COACH OF OHIO STATE FOOTBALL Hayes five times NATIONAL CHAMPIONS On December 29, 1978, the Buckeyes played in the Gator Bowl against Clemson. CHARLIE BAUMAN-INTERCEPTS PASS HAYES PUNCHES HIM-THROAT NEXT DAY HE IS FIRED- DIDN’T WANT TOM LANDRY PICTURE  DALLAS COWBOYS COACH BEING HONORED AT A PRESTIGIOUS BANQUET LANDRY COULDN’T TAKE HIS WIFE- TAKES HAYES EVERYONE ELSE WAS BEATING HIM UP I FIGURED WAS WOUNDED ENOUGH DISGRACED COACH HAYES- EXTENDED GRACE BY LANDRY GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR BROKENESS  YOUR GUILT  YOUR WOUNDS-       WHAT DO YOUR WOUNDS PRODUCE?   WHO IS T GREATEST?  MATTHEW 18:21    21. “THEN PETER CAME TO JESUS AND ASKED, “LORD, HOW MANY TIMES SHALL I FORGIVE MY BROTHER OR SISTER WHO SINS AGAINST ME? UP TO 7 TIMES?  MATTHEW 18:22    22. JESUS ANSWERED “I TELL YOU NOT SEVEN TIMES, BUT SEVENTY SEVEN TIMES.”  NUMBERS SLIDE         3- THAT’S WHAT THE TALMUD SAID- 3 TIMES     7- PETER THOUGHT I WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE IT   77- JESUS SAYS IN THIS TRANSLATION 77 TIMES  490- IN ANOTHER TRANSLATION HE SAYS 70X7-490     PETER DOESN’T ASK JESUS A GENERAL QUESTION    23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.  (150 MILLION)  26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. (PARTIAL PAYMENT?)  28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. (20$) He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. (CHOKE-HANDS NECK)  29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’  30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.        (COMMUNITY WITNESSED NO GRACE)  32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.    MATTHEW 18:35     35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”  FROM YOUR LOGIC- FROM YOUR FEELINGS FROM YOUR REASON AND UNDERSTANDING STORY ABOUT GRACE -MET WITH NO GRACE DO WE REFLECT THE MASTERS HEART? RED CROSS SYMBOL                                          COME HERE FOR PROTECTION-AID- A GLOBAL SYMBOL-OPEN TO ALL   WOUNDS     LACERATION- PUNCTURED WOUND-AVULSION     CONTUSION(BRUISE)-HEMATOMA- BURNS     WHAT ABOUT A PAPER CUT?  TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS- IT DOESN’T  SO YOUNG- WE DON’T UNDERSTAND WOUNDS SOME OF US HAVEN’T LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO NOT HAVE WOUNDS SOME WOUNDED BY CHURCH- IS THAT WORSE? EXPECTATION IS CHURCH SHOULD NEVER DO THAT WHY ITS FULL OF WOUNDED PEOPLE- NOT EXCUSE "WELL IF THEY APOLOGIZE” – THAT’S NOT GRACE  IF THEY PAY ME BACK- THAT’S NOT GRACE  IF THEY MAKE IT RIGHT  THEY OWE YOU AN EXPLANATION- THEY OWE YOU A CH

Grace is Greater: Wounds  Button in a tourist shop:to err is human, to forgive is out of the question. Many of the Epistles, letters in the back of your Bible, mention something of grace and peace in their opening greetings. 2 Timothy 2, begins with Paul's admonition to Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." God’s Riches At Christ Expense = (GRACE). But what does this mean in an experiential sense? How can we live according to grace? To be "strong in grace.”? The answer is quite plain and simple: We grow strong in grace when we understand God's unconditional forgiveness of us, then learn to unconditionally forgive others. WHAT IS FORGIVENESS? (SLIDE) Forgiveness = Deliberate release of anger, resentment, and other negative feelings toward someone who has wronged you DO YOU WANT TO BE FREED TODAY? When Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed! The Spirit of God wants to set someone free today—perhaps it is YOU. (SLIDE) Hebrews 12:14-15 (tells us what happens when we fall short of grace): Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Not forgiving means to fall short of the grace of God, and that results in bitterness. A root of bitterness doesn't destroy the other person, but instead destroys ourselves and those closest to us There is no middle ground with forgiveness. We either apply God's grace or we follow a road toward bitterness. MESSAGE: (SLIDE) Ephesians 4:30-32 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. Christians, those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, are called on to ''put away'' the things which entangle unbelievers — what used to rule our hearts. This includes SINS such as malice (spite and desire to do ill towards someone) wrong, slander, commotion (rage/anger/brawling), and bitterness. Instead, being changed by God’s spirit, we should demonstrate a Christ-like attitude of love and forgiveness. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN? Sin is not minor: Sin against God is seen as a grave offense with serious consequences, so much so that it required the death of God's own Son, Jesus Christ, to provide atonement Oswald Chambers. We trample the blood of the Son of God if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only explanation for the forgiveness of God and for the unfathomable depth of His forgetting is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the outcome of our personal realization of the atonement which He has worked out for us. It does not matter who or what we are; there is absolute reinstatement into God by the death of Jesus Christ and by no other way, not because Jesus Christ pleads, but because He died. It is not earned, but accepted. All the pleading which deliberately refuses to recognize the Cross is of no avail; it is battering at a door other than the one that Jesus has opened. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement is a propitiation whereby God, through the death of Jesus, makes an unholy man holy. "The purpose of the cross," someone observed, "is to repair the irreparable.” (SLIDE) Matthew 6:14-15 (directly after teaching them how to pray ‘Lord’s Prayer’) 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (SLIDE) Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Imagine that, before we get this warning from Jesus (14-15), Jesus told us to ask God for grace (forgiveness) but only at the same level and frequency as the forgiveness we extend to others. —like John 8 That can be simultaneously freeing and unnerving. As always, Jesus is the model. We are to extend grace, not necessarily because we want to or think it’s “fair”, but because in forgiving others we are recognizing the forgiveness we ourselves have received in Christ. I admit that no one can in there power live like that But our Lord and Savior says, “YOU MUST!” Two aspects of this verse are difficult to process. First, human nature struggles to conceive of forgiving those who have hurt us. Human beings can do truly depraved, horrible things to each other. Some atrocities are difficult to describe, or to think about, let alone forgiving someone who has done them. All the same, Jesus insists we understand how much God has forgiven us for. Read carelessly, this teaching is also difficult to sq

WELCOME- NEW TODAY WELCOME 4 CAMPUSES TODAY OUR ONE CAMPUS GATHERS WE HAVE BAPTISMS IN TWO DIFFERENT SERVICES WANTED THIS ENTIRE CAMPUS TO GATHER LIVES TRANSFORMED- FAMILY SERVICE- DISCIPLESHIP KIDS HAVE NOISEMAKERS- CELELBRATE WHAT     BAPTISM- WORD MEANS BAPTIZO     DIP-IMMERSE-SUBMERGE.     ANCIENT CHURCH DOCUMENT CALLED DIDACHE’     ALLOWED FOR SPRINKLING/POURING-   WHY     MATTHEW 3:13-14     13. THEN JESUS CAME FROM GALILEE TO THE JORDAN TO BAPTIZED BY JOHN. 14. BUT JOHN TRIED TO DETER HIM SAYING, “I NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU, AND DO YOU COME TO ME?”   JESUS CAME A LONG WAY- 70 MILES FIRST ACT TO START HIS MINISTRY   MATTHEW 3:15     15. JESUS REPLIED“LET IT BE SO NOW; IT IS PROPER FOR US TO DO THIS TO FULFILL ALL THE RIGHTEOUSNESS.” THEN JOHN CONSENTED.   FIRST WORDS SPOKEN IN MATTHEW (12 YEARS OLD) LUKE SAYS “AS HE WAS PRAYING” HEAVENS OPEN OUR TRADITION WE RECOGNIZE 2 SACRAMENTS  COMMUNION- BAPTISM MATTHEW 28:16    16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.   MATTHEW 28:17    17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.    MATTHEW:18    18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.   MATTHEW 28:19    19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name   MATTHEW 28:19    of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  WHO  ANYONE WHO IS SAVED- NO NEED TO WAIT CAN YOU GOT TO HEAVEN WITHOUT BEING BAPTIZED? YES BUT WHY WOUILD YOU WANT TO? WE ARE NOT SAVED BY BAPTISM WATER DOESN’T WASH US CLEAN-NOT MAGIC ROMANS 6:3     3. OR DON’T YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF US WHO WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST JESUS WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH.   ROMANS 6:4     WE WERE THEREFORE BURIED WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM INTO DEATH IN ORDER THAT,  ROMANS 6:4     4. JUST AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD THROUGH THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, WE TOO MAY LOVE A NEW LIFE.   ROMANS 6:5     5. FOR IF WE HAVE BEEN UNITED WITH HIM IN A DEATH LIKE HIS, WE WILL CERTAINLY ALSO BE UNITED WITH HIM IN A RESURRECTION LIKE HIS.   WHEN  AFTER A CLASS/MEMBERSHIP/SEMINARY RIGHT AFTER YOU GET SAVED BAPTISM IMPORTANCE IN COMMUNITY  KID FALLING ASLEEP PICTURE  MANY CAME TODAY TO SPECTATE IT COULD EVEN SEEM LIKE THIS THIS ISN’T A SPECTATOR EVEN TODAY TENNIS PLAYER CELEBRATING  THE PLAYER IS CELELBRATING SOME ARE TAKING PICTURES MANY ARE CELEBRATING WITH HIM  TO GET YOU READY TO CELEBRATE IN COMMUNITY   BAPTISM ISN’T A SPORTING EVENT RADIO GUY LOSES IT  PLAYERS LOSE IT- BAND LOSES IT- FANS LOSE IT  BAPTISM ISN’T A GAME WINNING SCORE BUT IT IS A GREAT EVENT FOR EVERYONE TO JOIN IN SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE AND ENCOURAGE KIDS IN THE ROOM HAVE BELLS? PARTICIPANTS WHY COMMUNITY MATTERS  CANDIDATE ENTER TANK TESTIMONY READ- WHY DO THIS? CELEBRATE LOUDLY WHEN THEY COME UP

https://www.bible.com/events/49498526 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Grace is Greater Part 4  Grace is greater than brokenness.  Today, we are continuing our Teaching series called “Grace is Greater”  This series keys off a book by the same title, and it is written by Pastor and Author Kyle Idleman.  Throughout this series, we want to be reminded of God’s grace in our lives. To understand that His grace is greater than any sin, any brokenness, any failure or regret in my life, and the lives of others around us. We want to experience that great grace in our own lives and see how that grace serves to change our world.  We don’t want ever want to forget God’s grace.  Today we want to experience the greatness of God's grace in the places of our brokenness.  ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬‬  I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18 says you are here, in the present, with all of its sufferings, trials, and tribulations. While this verse does say “you are here”, it says something else very important. You are going…There.  It begins by saying “I consider…”. This is the idea of running the numbers, giving careful consideration to the matter.  The Apostle Paul has done the careful calculation- the suffering of the present doesnt compare to the glory that is ahead.  This is not to minimize the suffering of the present, but to rightly perceive what’s ahead in God’s redemption plan.  Paul goes on to say in the next few verses that the redemption that is ahead is so glorious and so wonderful, that all of creation is waiting in eager expectation. This is like standing on your tippy toes, straining your neck to see, excitement for what is coming.  ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭5‬‬  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. ‘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.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  That’s what’s up ahead. That is what all of creation is standing on it’s tippy toes straining to see. God’s ultimate redemption. New Heaven and new Earth. That’s where the Lord is taking his people.  ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬‬  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.  He is absolutely certain that for those who love God, those who have given God their lives and are worshipping and serving him.  For those who love God, all things work together for good.  For those who are called sons and daughters, for those living in relationship with God- all things, even the broken and hard things, will be made to serve a good purpose in making us like Christ.  This passage doesn’t mean we have to pretend like life isnt hard. We definitely don’t have to call bad things good.  This is an invitation to trust and believe that God’s grace is greater than the brokenness and pain we are experiencing.  This is an invitation to trust God in the midst of those things, to believe that he can do something greater than we could imagine.  And this invitation is also a promise. One of absolute certainty.  God’s grace is greater than brokenness. 

Israel didn’t have a vision problem they had a memory problem and so do we. Trust is when you can’t see around the corner, but you know who is leading you there.- Pastor Trent Ice “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭ “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭21‬ ‭ “Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬ “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬, ‭9‬-‭11‬

Israel didn’t have a vision problem they had a memory problem and so do we.  Trust is when you can’t see around the corner, but you know who is leading you there.- Pastor Trent Ice  “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”  ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭  “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,”  ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭21‬ ‭  “Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.””  ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬  “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?””  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬, ‭9‬-‭11‬ 

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”  ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭2‬  “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you God, will not despise.”  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭17‬ ‭  When Grace moves in, guilt moves out.  When Grace moves in, Shame moves out.  When Grace moves in, regret moves out.  How does this work today?  1. Get honest with your guilt  2. Ask for Grace-on repeat  3. Break the comparison game  4. Find a Grace crew  5. Move forward  Invitation  Say yes to Grace  Lay your baggage at the cross  Leave the guilt behind - walk out free. 

https://www.bible.com/events/49495065 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Grace is Greater Part 3  Grace is greater than guilt  Today, we are continuing our Teaching series called “Grace is Greater”  This series keys off a book by the same title, and it is written by Pastor and Author Kyle Idleman.  Throughout this series, we want to be reminded of God’s grace in our lives. To understand that His grace is greater than any sin, any brokenness, any failure or regret in my life, and the lives of others around us. We want to experience that great grace in our own lives and see how that grace serves to change our world.  We don’t want ever want to forget God’s grace.  Today we want to experience the greatness of God's grace over our guilt.  The bible tells us that we all have stuff, except the Lord doesn’t call it stuff…He calls it in.  Romans 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  We all have sinned, we all have stuff, we are all guilty. And just a few chapters later in Romans 6, we read that the wage, what we get for sin, is death.  h.Can I ask you this morning, how have you been dealing with that stuff? With that sin and guilt?  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬-‭9‬‬  Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.  As we begin to seek God’s grace in dealing with our guilt, with our sin, we need to see that there is a difference between remorse and repentance.  Remorse is a feeling of guilt or regret for something we have done wrong. This feeling is often focused on the regret of the consequences or the negative outcomes. It’s feeling bad that you got caught, not necessarily that you have actually done wrong.  Most importantly, remorse stops short of actually making a change.  Repentance on the other hand, acts on the feeling of guilt and sorrow for doing wrong and actually takes action to remedy the problem..  For the Christian, repentance is taking real action to turn away from our sin and bring our life into alignment with God.  ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭10‬‬  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  This is a good point to stop and distinguish between guilt and condemnation.  Guilt tells us that we have done wrong so that we can see there is a better way, there is more to life. Guilt invites us to change, to draw near to God, to be honest with ourselves and about our actions.  Condemnation on the other hand, says that we are ruined, we are finished because of our mistake. Condemnation says you ARE the things we have done wrong. You are a failure, you are broken, you are worthless, and there’s no hope of being anything else.  Hear clearly today, condemnation is not of the Lord. Jesus does not condemn…  Paul says “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets”  When we confess our sin, our guilt before the Lord. When we don’t just say we are sorry for our sin, but actually make changes, we stop sinning. That’s the path to life. When we make that decision, God helps us, gives us strength and helps us live differently.  ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬‬  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  What will you do with your guilt today? What will you do about your sin?  God's grace is greater than any guilt, greater than any sin, will you confess your sin to the Lord, will you repent and find life without regrets?  God's grace is greater than your guilt. Will you experience that today? 

GRACE IS GREATER THAN   SECOND WEEK OF SERIES THERE WERE A FEW THINGS WE HIGHLIGHTED TO KICK OFF THE SERIES WHY- OUR WORLD AS WE JUST WITNESSED DOESN’T SEEM TO BE FILLED WITH MUCH GRACE WE EXTEND VERY LITTLE GRACE RUTH SHARED A STORY (EXAMPLE) OF PREVENIENT GRACE- MOST OF YOU SAID SHE SHOULD PREACH MORE WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE WHY- A JOURNALIST DID YEARS OF RESEARCH ON WORD CHRISTIAN- GRACE WAS NEVER USED TO DESCRIBE CHRISTIAN VERSE ALMOST HIDDEN IN HEBREWS HEBREWS 12    14. “MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH EVERYONE AND TO BE HOLY; WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD.   HEBREWS 12:15    15. SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE FALLS SHORT OF THE GRACE OF GOD AND THAN NO BITTER ROOT GROWS UP TO CAUSE TROUBLE AND DEFILE MANY.   SEE THAT NO ONE MISSES GODS GRACE HEBREW CULTURE USED METAPHOR BITTERNESS HERE’S A YARD- HEALTHY GREEN GRASS LOOK WHATS HAPPENING ALREADY ISN’T IT INTERESTING THAT WEEDS/BITTER ROOTS OVERTAKE THE GOOD THAT’S HAPPENING SO HARD TO UPROOT- DISENTANGLE AND SAVE HEALTHY GRASS IT SAYS THAT IT CAN CAUSE TROUBLE AND DEFILE MANY A LIFE WITHOUT GRACE- TIRING A HOME WITHOUT GRACE-TURMOIL A CHURCH WITHOUT GRACE-TOXIC OUR WORLD- QUOTE     GRACE IS BEST AND MOST FULLY UNDERSTOOD BY WAY OF EXPERIENCE.   PEANUT BUTTER PIE I CAN SHOW IT, EXPLAIN IT, LET YOU SMELL IT QUOTE     JESUS NEVER USES THE WORD- BUT TAUGHT US MOST WHAT GRACE IS.   GRACE IS GREATER THAN – THAN WHAT KEVIN? GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR BROKENESS. MEET RITA-HER STORY ABOUT A LAMP AND HER GRAND  REPAIR SHOP  GRANDFATHER SURVIVED FIRST WW SURVIVED A ROOF FALL BECAUSE OF THE LAMP THE LAMP HAD A USE- BUT ITS NOW BROKEN DON’T REMOVE THE DENTS ROMANS 8:22    22. “WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION HAS BEEN GROANING AS IN THE PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT TIME.”   ROMANS 8:28    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.”   WE THINK- WE HOPE- PRETTY SURE WE KNOW- ABSOLUTE UNSHAKABLE CONFIDENCE ALL CREATION HAS BEEN GROANING-BROKENESS PAUL IS SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE WE KNOW LIFE IS HARD WE KNOW GOD IS GOO QUOTE    SOMETIMES THE SPACE BETWEEN LIFE IS HARD AND GOD IS GOOD CAN FEEL LIKE AN ETERNITY.  GREATER THAN SIGN                                       WHAT HAVE YOU DECIDED IS GREATER THAN GODS GRACE? WHAT YOU HAVE DONE? IS IT GREATER WHATS BEEN DONE TO YOU? IS IT GREATER? WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH- IS GRACE GREATER? HOSEA 1:2     2. WHEN THE LORD BEGAN TO SPEAK TRHOUGH HOSEA, THE LORD SAID TO HIM,  HOSEA 1:2     2. GO, MARRY A PROMISCUOUS WOMAN AND HAVE CHILDREN WITH HER, FOR LIKE AND ADULTTEROUS WIFE THIS LAND IS GUILTY OF UNFAAITHFULNESS TO THE LORD.”  HOSEA 1:3     3. SO HE MARRIED GOMER THE DAUGHTER OF DIABLAIM, AND SHE CONCEIVED AND BORE HIM A SON.”  HOSEA 3:1  “THE LORD SAID TO ME, “GO, SHOW YOUR LOVE TO YOUR WIFE AGAIN, THOUGH SHE IS LOVED BH ANOTHER MAN AND IS AN AULTERESS. HOSEA 3:1  “LOVE HER AS THE LORD LOVES THE ISRAELITES, THOUGHT THEY TURN TO OTHER GODS AND LOVE THE SACRED RAISIN CAKES. HOSEA 3:2  SO I BOUGHT HER FOR FIFTEEN SHEKELS OF SILVER AND ABOUT A HOMER AND A LETHEK OF BARLEY. HOSEA 3:3  THEN I TOLD HER, “YOU ARE TO LIVE WITH ME MANY DAYS; YOU MUST NOT BE A PROSTITUTE HOSEA 3:3  OR BE INTIMATE WITH ANY MAN, AND I WILL BEHAVE THE SAME WAY TOWARDS YOU. Then God ordered me, “Start all over: Love your wife again,  your wife who’s in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife.  Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people,  even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy.”  2-3 I did it. I paid good money to get her back.  It cost me the price of a slave.  Then I told her, “From now on you’re living with me.  No more whoring, no more sleeping around.  You’re living with me and I’m living with you.”  I WAS IN 2ND GRADE- BUS STOP ACROSS STREET DARK HAIRED GIRL- SHE WAS LESS GROSS WENT TO SCHOOL 1 ST TO 12TH GRADE SHE MOVED SOPH YEAR- SAME HS NEVER DATED- NO TIME FOR ME SR YEAR- SCHOOL JUST STARTED- RUMOR START HANGING OUT FELICIA MARIE HAWKINS  FRIDAY NIGHT IN OCTOBER- HER HOUSE SATURDAY WAS FOOTBALL GAME- COATESVILLE NEVER SHOWED UP. A NUMBER OF OUR FRIENDS NEVER SHOWED. HOME- NO INTERNET YET- RADIO KYW SHARES STORY BEEN AN ACCIDENT- NO NAMES I NEVER SHARED THE SUPPOSED MOST IMPORTANT I WAS BROKEN- LONG TIME BROKEN VIDEO  DENTS? THE LAMP WAS DESIGNED TO SHINE A LIGHT ITS FUNCTION HAS BEEN RESTORED YOU WERE DESIGNED TO SHINE YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE THE DENTS REMOVED POTTERY PICTURE  KINTSUGI POTTERY- TAKES BROKEN POTTERY

We are in week two of studying about God’s grace, in a series called “Grace is Greater”.  Last week we established the baseline of Prevenient Grace.  We learned that God’s Prevenient Grace is the starting point of mercy, where God Himself makes a way for a lost and broken people.  We can’t come to Christ on our own as we are dead in sin.  God acts first, through His prevenient grace, and then we can respond through our repentance.  But, KNOW this, we can choose to ignore, refuse, and even frustrate God’s grace in our lives.    “What would my life be without grace?”  Today we are going to learn about “Life without grace”.  Many underestimate the greatness of grace in their own lives.    Here are two real-life examples:   Have you ever had a deadline on a school project or work assignment, and something came up and you needed an extension of time to complete the assignment, and your teacher or manager said, “No problem”? Spouses listen up…have you every drank the last drop of milk and you find out that your spouse hasn’t had their cereal and they are starving, and with kind words they say “I will go to Food Lion and buy a ½ gallon of milk, do you need anything while I am at the store?” You know of times someone gave you grace when you didn’t deserve it. A life without grace is a life without hope.  As I was preparing for this message, I asked myself “What would my life be without God’s grace?”    Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I put this question on like clothes.    When I brushed my teeth and looked in the mirror, I asked myself: “What would my life be without God’s grace?”  I immediately thought of two words “Hopeless” and “Lonely”.  The answer to this question became the focal point of my prayer time, studying and writing.    As I share, please consider what your life would be like without God’s grace.  The Holy Spirit reminded me of my stinking attitude before Jesus, and that I was a selfish person.    Through His grace gently working on my heart, helping me to learn self-control over my tongue, my thoughts, and my actions I have experienced heart transformation.   Through His grace I have learned to live with a heart of generosity, with my hands wide-open, always realizing that I am so blessed, and that I can’t out give God.    His grace kept me from my own destruction.  His grace did not let my wild nature win out.  As I processed the question, I had these thoughts, and they may be true for you:  I think it is easier to ask God for grace for me personally, rather than His grace for that person who wronged me. They deserve what they are getting, they don’t deserve God’s grace. Sound familiar?  Does that statement resonate with you?  God’s grace enables us to pursue peace with all, even the most contrary.    God’s grace is available to all.  Grace confronts our failures, bad habits, and shame not with condemnation but with forgiveness and a path to freedom.  We will have two passages today:  Hebrews 12:15 and Ephesians 1:6-10.  The scriptures will be on the screens.  15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; (Hebrews 12:15 ESV)  Missing the grace of God is poisonous to our lives.  To our family, friends and the wider world, a person without grace has a bitterness that appears as the “crotchety old man or crotchety old woman, you become a self-portrait of perpetual discontent.   God’s grace is a free and an undeserved gift available to all people.  However, you must receive the gift.  And God desires us to give the gift of grace to others. God gives us His grace to rescue us from our bitterness.   God’s grace addresses “our stuff”, “our wounds”, and “our hangups” by offering forgiveness, healing, and the power to change.  The seed of bitterness lives in your heart.  It’s not one that you can easily see. Bitterness is a sleeper sin.  It grows beneath the surface, deep down in our heart.  When the seed of bitterness takes root in our life, it grows like a weed; it suffocates our ability to be kind, compassionate, patient, and loving. It brings a harvest of pain for you and the people who are in your life.  The “root of bitterness” is a poisonous influence, it consumes our heart. Then it spreads to others.  By the root of bitterness, many are stained.  Scientists have concluded that bitterness, if left unchecked, interferes with the body's hormonal and immune systems.  Bitter people tend to have higher blood pressure and heart rate and are much more likely to die of heart disease and other illnesses.  After missionary Jim Elliot was killed in

“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”  ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭15‬ ‭  Prevenient Grace - Grace that goes before we make a decision to choose Jesus. that God is at work in the world, and He is pursuing us. “Before a man can seek God, God must first have sought the man” - AW Tozer  “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭8‬  “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬-‭9‬  “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”  ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬ ‭  “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭ 

https://www.bible.com/events/49487854 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus  Grace is Greater Part 1  Prevenient grace= God makes the first move.  Today, we are starting a new Teaching series called “Grace is Greater”  This series keys off a book by the same title, and it is written by Pastor and Author Kyle Idleman.  Throughout this series, we want to be reminded of God’s grace in our lives. To understand that His grace is greater than any sin, any brokenness, any failure or regret in my life, and the lives of others around us. We want to experience that great grace in our own lives and see how that grace serves to change our world.  We don’t want ever want to forget God’s grace.  Our series begins with prevenient grace. Literally the grace of God that goes first.  ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬‬  As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  "If we want to take the bible seriously, to hold it as authoritative and true, we not only need to take seriously what it says about God, we must also take seriously what it says about us."  What is dead is the truest part of who we are, our sprit, our soul. We aren’t aware of the things of God, right from wrong, his love for us, and we are unable to do anything about it on our own.  That we are all born into this condition comes from the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve sinned, through that sin, this death came to every one of us.  Even though it is hard to explain, it’s even harder to deny. If you watch even the smallest of children, you can see these selfish desires at work.  In this sin-dead-state we have two enemies, two forces that dominate us.  First, the external enemy, the devil himself. We naturally follow along with his lead, the ways of the world. The ways of greed, lust, bitterness, self-indulgence, and self-service without regard for others.  The other enemy is us. Our own desires, cravings, and ideas. Whatever we want rules. Whatever feels good, is good. Whatever serves me is best.  Friends this is the picture of life, apart from God’s grace. It’s a picture of death, and it results in Gods wrath.  This is your story and this is mine, apart from grace.  ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭5‬‬  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  God’s first move in grace is to make us spiritually alive, to make us aware of right and wrong, to be aware of spiritual things. His grace is greater than death. To empower us to choose him, to seek him.  That we would ever come to an awareness of our sin-dead-state, and ask the Lord to forgive us, that’s grace. It’s not because we are smart or good looking, or even lucky. It’s all grace. It’s all because God has made the first move on our behalf.  It is by grace you have been saved.  It’s important to understand in this text, Paul is writing to Christians here. He is marking the journey of grace for people who have responded, who have said yes to the Lord, those who have by faith, have been saved from their sin.  That’s important to understand because while we believe God’s grace is universal, that he does offer grace to every person, we each have a choice to respond.  We can ignore, refuse, even frustrate his grace, to our ultimate despair. We can continue to choose to live in sin, to continue to choose death.  ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬‬  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Our salvation, our life in Christ does not come from our good works, from trying harder, or being a nice person. It comes by grace, through believing in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  There is no bragging about where we are, or how far we have come. We can only celebrate God’s grace at work in our lives.  Our story, your story, is marked from the very beginning by grace.  Today, you are living proof of God’s great kindness and love. You are living proof that grace is greater!