Redeemer Weekend Sermons

Essential Focus2020 | Week 1January 5, 2020 | Bill Clark--Revelation 21:1-4 CEV I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared and so had the sea. Then I saw the New Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband. I heard a voice shout from the throne: "God’s home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever."Prayer // Forgiving an Enemy // Comforting the AfflictedPrayerMake the Time - Robert BarronThe Jesus Prayer“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”Forgiving an EnemyComfort the AfflictedPray // Forgive // Comfort the Afflicted

In the Unknown and ImpossibleDecember 29, 2019 | Denise McKinney--Luke 1:30-33 NLT “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”Luke 1:35 NLT The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.Matthew 1:20-21 NLT As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”Luke 2:6-7 NLT And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger...Luke 2:10-11 NLT but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Luke 2:29-31 NLT Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.

A Gift For AllAdvent at Redeemer | Week 5December 24, 2019 | Adam Barnett--Matthew 1:18-23 NIV This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).John 3:16-21 NIV 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.Numbers 21:8-9 NIV The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So, Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.John 3:14-15 NIV Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

The Whole StoryAdvent | Week 4December 22, 2019 | Bill Clark--Isaiah 40:1-5 NIV Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Mark 1:1-4 NIV The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way – a voice of one calling in the desert, “​Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” And so John came…

Compelling PraiseAdvent 2019 | Week 3December 15, 2019 | Adam Barnett--I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.And the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other has ever known.Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. His Presence compels our praise.

A Mission of RevolutionAdvent at Redeemer | Week 2December 8, 2019 | Bill Clark--Psalm 72:1-7,15-17 NIVEndow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.King Jesus' ministry was the launch of a revolution of love.If you invite Jesus into your life - into your house - you can expect Him to renovate it.He was out to change the culture.He wants to continue the revolution he started when he walked the earth.I want you to see the invisible people in your community who need care and love – would you do that for me?

For To Us A Child Is BornAdvent at Redeemer | Week 1December 1, 2019 | Adam Barnett--It’s the most wonderful time of the year. With the kids jingle-belling & everyone telling you ‘be of good cheer.’ There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow.~ Andy Williams, The Most Wonderful Time of the YearThe odds of 1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies: 1 chance in 100 quintillion.The odds of 1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies: 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power.The odds of 1 person fulfilling 300 prophecies: only Jesus.Isaiah 9:1-5 NIV Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.ShalomEverything necessary to wholesome living: good health, a sense of well-being and harmony, good fortune, the cohesiveness of the community, relationship with relatives and their state of being, and anything else deemed necessary for everything to be in order.

How Do We Engage Young PeopleStudent SundayNovember 24, 2019 | Wopsle--Comfort is the enemy of progress. // P.T. BarnumActs 17:16 NIV While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. How do we engage young people?Acts 17:22 NIV Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. We start by SEEING young people.Acts 17:23a NIV For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. We need to WALK AROUND and LOOK at what they engage in.Acts 17:23b NIV So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.We must PROCLAIM the Gospel to the next generations.Acts 17:24-28 NIVThe God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

I Am the Temple of the Holy SpiritFixed Identity | Week 4November 17, 2019 | Adam Barnett--New creations in Christ are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV "I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.What I do or don’t do doesn’t make me a Christian. Jesus makes me a Christian. Freedom isn’t permission to do everything. True freedom is not being enslaved by anything.1 Corinthians 6:13-18 NIV You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. Am I finding my identity in anything that can be taken away from me?Am I merely resisting sin, or do I see myself as the Temple of God purchased by Christ?

Who Are YouFixed Identity | Week 3November 10, 2019 | Bill Clark--Who are you?There is a God.It’s not you or me. You and I are who God says we are.What must I do?"Tell me who you are and then you will know what you must do.”Knowing ourselves is not nearly as important as knowing who made us.1 Peter 2:9-10 NIVBut you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.Exodus 19:5-6 NIVYou will be my special people out of all nations, for the whole earth is mine, but you will be for me a royal priesthood and a holy nation.We CAN choose how we treat other people.We CAN and must respond to injustice that happens around us.What happens next is your choice.My condition wasn't my identity.

Ambassadors in ChristFixed Identity | Week 2November 3, 2019 | Adam Barnett --2 Corinthians 5:14-17 NIV For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 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. 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. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! If I am a new creation, I am Christ’s ambassador with the ministry and message of reconciliation.2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NIV All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 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. 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. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.Approved • Accepted • Positioned • Instructed • Empowered • AppointedAmbassadors have noteworthy reputation and character.Ambassadors cooperate with people of all religious preferences. Don’t be too "Christian-y" for non-Christians.Ambassadors start with love, not facts.Ambassadors pursue conversation with people of other faiths or religious affiliationsAmbassadors stay ready to share the Story of Jesus.2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

I Am A New Creation In ChristFixed Identity | Week 1October 27, 2019 | Adam Barnett --2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 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.Galatians 2:20 NIV I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.2 Corinthians 5:16 NIV 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.2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!Newness is not a product of what we do, but whom we pursue.

The Gaps We ShareProverbs | Week 5October 20, 2019 | Bill Clark --We all have gaps between who we may want to be and who we really are.Proverbs 16:2 NIV All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.Self-DeceptionJeremiah 17:9 NIV The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?Proverbs 16:18 NIV Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.James 1:22 NIV Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.Not only do we know God through Christ alone, but we know ourselves by Christ alone.// Blaise Pascal

Covenantal FriendshipsProverbs | Week 4October 13, 2019 | Adam Barnett--Friends are dependable.Proverbs 17:17 NIV A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.Friends are transparent.Proverbs 28:13 NIV Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.We need to CRUCIFY our IMAGE!Friends are safe and trustworthy.Proverbs 16:28 NIV A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.Friends are willing to tenderly confront.Proverbs 27:17 NIV As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.Friends are an extension of God’s love.Proverbs 19:22 NIV What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.1 Samuel 18:3-4 NIV And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.2 Samuel 1:26 NIV I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.

Choosing WisdomProverbs | Week 3October 6, 2019 | Bill Clark --Wise Peoplethose for whom life's experiences have been a teacher.Foolish PeopleEvil PeopleWhen you have a problem with a wise person and engage in conversation about it, you will make progress and things will improve.When you talk to a foolish person—be graciously direct about the consequences of their actions.If you feel a need to talk with an evil person—don't. It won't help. Find something else to do.Proverbs 12:15 ESV The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise person listens to advice.Proverbs 28:26 ESV Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.Proverbs 15:31,33 ESV The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise...The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.Proverbs 12:1 ESV Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.Proverbs 25:19 ESV Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth.

Wise SpeakingProverbs | Week 2September 29, 2019 | Daniel Bunn--Wise Speaking1000 words per waking hourWe either speak wisely or foolishly.To speak wisely is to know what to say.Proverbs 15:2 NIVThe tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouth of fools pours out folly.Wise people speak the truth.Wise people know what to say, and they know how to say it.President George W. Bush Quotes:Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?They misunderestimated me.Proverbs 16:24 NIVPleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.Proverbs 25:15 NIVThrough patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.Wise people speak the truth, and they speak it graciously.Wise people know what to say, how to say it, and they know when to say it.Proverbs 15:23 NIVTo make an apt answer is a joy to anyone, and a word in season, how good it is!Wise speakers speak the truth, speak it graciously, and they speak it in season.Wise people know what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and they know why they say it.Proverbs 18:21 NIVLife and death are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.Whoever, then, thinks that he understands the Holy Scriptures, or any part of them, but puts such an interpretation upon them that does not tend to build up this twofold love of God and our neighbor, does not yet understand them as he ought. //St. AugustineThe Truth is this:God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life.

Fear or FoolishnessProverbs | Week 1September 22, 2019 | Adam Barnett1 Kings 3:6-14 NIVSolomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”Proverbs are like guidelines, not mechanical formulas. They are procedures we follow, not promises that we claim. They are not stepping-stones to legalism, but signposts to grace. They are designed to enable us to live out the full meaning of the life that springs daily from the hand of the Creator and Savior. // David HubbardAn apple a day keeps the doctor away.Proverbs 1:1-7 NIVThe proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.Fear God or be a fool.To attain wisdom, we must patiently, passionately, and persistently pursue the Person and Presence of God.

Prevailing ConditionIn Courage | Week 5September 15, 2019 | Bill Clark--How anxiety became society's prevailing condition.Luke 10:38-42 NIVAs Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”Psalm 46:10 NIVBe still and know that I am God.What are you holding tightly in your clenched fist that you need to turn over to God?Dear God,I am so afraid to open my clenched fists! Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold onto? Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands? Please help me to gradually open my hands and to discover that I am not what I own, but what you want to give me. And what you want to give me is love-unconditional, everlasting love.Amen

Message Summary: The only downside to living in relationship is that relationships involve sinful people...us included. So it's vital we remember to approach messy relationships with grace and the attitude of Christ. Adam Barnett continues our series be charging us to remember our own brokenness and work out our relationship issues with this in mind. -- Messy Relationships In Courage | Week 4 September 8, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Romans 12:14 NIV Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. We repay evil with blessing. Romans 12:15 NIV Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:16 NIV Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. We have all sinned and are equally dependent on grace. Romans 12:17-19 NIV Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:20-21 NIV On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Overlook the offense. Pray for them. Forgive them. Bless them. Eulogeó: to speak well of

Lacking Faith In Courage | Week 3 September 1, 2019 | Wopsle -- Mark 9:14-19 NIV When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” We don’t lose faith in God, but we lose faith in what he says about us. Mark 9:20-22 NIV So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Mark 9:23 NIV “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Our lack of faith causes us not to call on the power of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 14:28-31 NIV “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Mark 9:24 NIV Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Encourage One Another Daily In Courage | Week 2 August 25, 2019 | Bill Clark -- Apostasy: a deliberate, intentional rejection of the faith a person once had. Hebrews 3:7-11 NIV Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ Hebrews 3:12-14 NIV See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. "encourage one another daily..." Admonish TODAY Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people. // Carl Jung, Psychiatrist

Have Peace & Take Heart In Courage | Week 1 August 18, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- John 16:33 NIV I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. The peace of Christ is not circumstantial or conditional, and it cannot be taken away from you. Thlípsis: an internal pressure that causes someone to feel confined and restricted; without options.

Healing Divisions Acts | Week 12 August 11, 2019 | Bill Clark -- Acts 21:17-26 NIV When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

Good New For Us Acts | Week 11 August 4,2019 | Daniel Bunn -- What God is up to in the world is good news for us. Acts 20:32-35 NIV “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” What God is up to in the world is good news for us. Instead, the real challenge is for God to convince us that we are already loved. What God is up to in the world is good news for us. God gives. This is good news for us.

Circumcision vs. Grace Acts | Week 10 July 28,2019 | Adam Barnett -- Acts 15:1-5 NIV Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the Law of Moses.” Acts 2:21 NIV Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 15:6-11 NIV The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 11:17 NIV So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God? Jesus isn’t a step on the way to salvation. Jesus is the way to salvation. Acts 15:16-18 NIV After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things that have been known for ages. Acts 15:19 NIV It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Don’t make it difficult for anyone to turn to God. Results of the Council at Jerusalem The unity of the church was upheld. Existing Gentile churches were encouraged. The future of the church was to be inclusive. The gospel of divine grace was reaffirmed. Unless I also ___, I am not saved.

Paul & Barnabas On The Road Acts | Week 9 July 21, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Message of Repentance Momentum from Persecution Motivation from Rejection Message of Repentance Acts 13:24 NIV Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. When you minimize the problem, you cheapen the solution. Momentum from Persecution Acts 14:22b NIV “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Despite persecution and opposition, the gospel was spreading. Acts 11:19-20 [paraphrase] Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen...went to Antioch and told the Greeks the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord! Despite...and BECAUSE of persecution and opposition, the gospel was spreading. Motivation from Rejection Acts 13:44-50 NIV On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him. Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 14:1-3 NIV At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. The reactions of people—acceptance or rejection—cannot be the basis of our joy, or our obedience. Romans 10:14-15 [paraphrase] But how can Joe call on Jesus to save him unless he believes in him? And how can _____ believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can ____ hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

To The Gentiles Acts | Week 8 July 14, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Acts 1:8 NIV But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 9:31 NIV Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. oikodoméō GOD moves. PEOPLE talk about it. The CHURCH grows. Salvation through Christ is not just for Israel but for all people. Acts 10:9-22 NIV About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Keep it all about Jesus. Acts 10:33b NIV “Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Acts 10:43 NIV All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. We need to strive to be better gardeners.

Be Bold Acts | Week 7 July 7, 2019 | Wopsle -- Acts 8:1 NIV And Saul approved of their killing him. Acts 8:26-31 NIV Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. When God says to go, we should go. Acts 8:38-39 NIV And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Acts 9:1 NIV Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. Acts 9:10-15 NIV In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. Sometimes boldness means speaking out. Sometimes boldness means stepping out. 1 Corinthians 3:6 NIV I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. We need to strive to be better gardeners.

Stephen’s Speech Acts | Week 6 June 30, 2019 | Bill Clark -- A man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Acts 7:51-52 NIV You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him. Acts 8:1 NIV And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. The Gospel advanced because of his suffering and sacrifice. Stephen showed us how to live—and how to die. Stephen showed us how to love our enemies. We should beware making an idol of the "good life"

Growing Witness & Opposition Acts | Week 5 June 23, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Acts 3:6-8 NIV "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. Acts 4:8-12 NIV Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” They were guilty in crucifying Jesus. Jesus rose from the dead. The purposes of God will not be stopped. Jesus is the one and only way of salvation. Acts 5:14-16 NIV Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 5:27-28 NIV The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Acts 5:29-32 NIV Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:41-42 NIV The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Boldness: not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger; courageous and daring Boldness: an undeniable sign of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit!

A Model Church Acts | Week 4 June 16, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Acts 2:42-47 NIV They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Devotion to the Word Devotion to one another Breaking of bread Prayer Radical generosity Inseparability Consistency Awe, gladness, and praise Attractiveness Daily evangelism Acts 2:42a NIV They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship… Koinōnia Acts 2:42 NIV They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:43 NIV Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. Acts 2:44-47 NIV All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Radical Generosity Consistent Evangelism Koinonikos Acts 2:45 NIV They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. His Kingdom > my castle The Holy Spirit is a missionary Spirit.

Peter’s Sermon Acts | Week 3 June 9, 2019 | Bill Clark -- Acts 2:16-24 NIV No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." Do an about face in your life's direction and attach yourself to Jesus. Wanting to want what Jesus has to give you. Become aware of God's presence. Review the day with gratitude. Pay attention to your emotions. Choose one feature of the day to pray about - particularly if you need to ask forgiveness Look toward tomorrow with hope in the risen Christ.

This Same Jesus Acts | Week 2 June 2, 2019 | Denise McKinney -- Acts 1:1-14 NIV In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. This same Jesus… This is still the same Jesus! This same Jesus is still with us. Holy Spirit: The very real and powerful presence of God at work in us. This same Jesus still overhauls our expectations. The kingdom of God ≠ the kingdom of Israel Faith minus vulnerability and mystery is extremism... Brene Brown This same Jesus still loves a good plot twist. This same Jesus still calls us to life in community. an unintentional “self-centered faith story” one where we feel “close and cared for" and those we don’t understand or don’t agree with are “distant and disregarded". A Bigger Table | John Pavlovitz

I Will Build My Church Acts | Week 1 May 26, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Matthew 16:13-14 NIV When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:15-16 NIV "But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:17-19 NIV Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” John 1:2-13 NIV Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

There is a battle inside each of us between the flesh and the Spirit. We must choose to allow the Spirit to fight on our behalf and yield to its power. Bill Clark reminds us of this battle and the power that is at work on our behalf in the conclusion to our Third Person study of the Holy Spirit. -- Spirit v. Flesh Third Person | Week 4 May 19, 2019 | Bill Clark -- Romans 8:12-17 NIV Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17b NIV ...we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Paul gives two specific directives in Ephesians 5:1-2. Be imitators of God and live a life of love. These two things are seemingly impossible, and they are when we attempt them on our own. But Bill Clark reminds us that it's very possible when we are fill by the Holy Spirit and yield to the Spirit's direction. -- Filled Third Person | Week 3 May 12, 2019 | Bill Clark -- Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Be imitators of God. Live a life of love. Ephesians 5:15-18 NIV Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery (dissipation). Instead be filled with the Spirit. Don’t be controlled by too much wine, be controlled by the Holy Spirit. You ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you. That’s it. Galatians 5:22 NIV “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 is a well-known and well-read passage, but often it's missed that "fruit" is not plural. We don't receive parts of the fruit, or only percentages of the fruit. When we choose to follow Christ, and yield to the Holy Spirit, we get it all! Adam Barnett continues our look at the Third Person of the Trinity with the reminder of all the power Holy Spirit provides! -- Fruit of the Spirit Third Person | Week 2 May 5, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Galatians 5:22-26 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, 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. Spirit-fueled development of Christ-like character is evidence of knowing God. Unhealthy A marriage lacking the collective fruit of the Spirit, therefore, failing to thrive. 13% love 10% joy 12% peace 11% patience 12% kindness 10% goodness 11% faithfulness 10% gentleness 11% self-control 100% love 100% joy 100% peace 100% patience 100% kindness 100% goodness 100% faithfulness 100% gentleness 100% self-control Love keeps no record of wrongs. Galatians 5:24 NIV Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The Holy Spirit has been working and moving since before the dawn of time. Our tendency is to isolate the Spirit to period of Pentecost, but the Holy Spirit has been an active part in history and lives in us today. Adam Barnett begins our study of the Third Person of the Trinity by encouraging us to be led by this powerful Presence in our lives. -- Walk by the Spirit Third Person | Week 1 April 28, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- The Holy Spirit cannot be isolated into one singular event in history. (Pentecost) Galatians 5:13-15 NIV You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Freedom is not a license to sin, but a mandate to love. Galatians 5:16-18 NIV So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. “I know that in * [INSERT NAME]*, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing.” — Romans 7:18 (paraphrase)

The Weekend that Changed the World Easter 2019 April 21, 2019 | Bill Clark Revelation 1:12-15,17-18 NIV I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone ‘like a son of man,’ dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters...and he said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!”

The Stones Will Cry Out Life with Jesus | Week 7 April 14, 2019 | Adam Barnett -- Luke 19:28-34 NIV After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” Zechariah 9:9 NIV Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. As the ambassador of the ultimate Kingdom, the Prince of Peace came not to conquer men, but sin. Luke 19:35-38 NIV They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Jesus didn’t come to claim kingship of the throne, but kingship of hearts and minds. Luke 19:39 NIV Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” Luke 19:40 NIV “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Jesus will receive the praise He is due!

The parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 is not a command to pester God until He gives in to our desires, but an exploration of the character of God. Daniel Bunn uses this text to remind us that God can and will bring justice to His people, whom He loves. Character of God Life with Jesus | Week 6 April 7, 2019 | Daniel Bunn Luke 18:2 NIV He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. Luke 18:3 NIV And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ Luke 18:4-5 NIV For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” Parables are told to address specific situations for specific audiences. Luke 18:1 NIV Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. We no longer believe that what we are doing is leading to the goal that we desired in the first place. The lesson is persistence: don’t give up. Luke 18:6-8 NIV And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” The parable is not about persistence; it’s about the character of God. Faithful prayer is not so much about what or how we pray; it’s about knowing the one to whom we pray.

Paul tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." and Jesus tells us that we must recognize our sin, turn to Him, and repent. But this is not a scary thing. Adam Barnett continues our series on Life with Jesus by encouraging and reminding us that God is not waiting to condemn us, but to welcome us with open arms. Repent or Perish Life with Jesus | Week 5 March 31, 2019 | Adam Barnett Life with Jesus is impossible without repentance. Repentance A change of mind that results in a change of action. Luke 13:1-5 NIV Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:6-9 NIV Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” Jesus’ ministry is a display of mercy in view of the coming judgment. Jeremiah 12:17 NIV “But if any nation will not listen, then I will completely uproot it and destroy it,” declares the LORD. When we minimize the PROBLEM, we minimize the SOLUTION. If SIN is not a big deal, neither is the CROSS. Prayer of Confession: O Christ my God, at the last day, we will all stand before your judgment seat. Now, drawn by your mercy and seeking your grace, I come before your presence. I bring before you my unrighteousness, my evil thoughts and deeds. Look on my heart, broken by guilt and humbled in your presence; my sins are more than I can count, and I pray for your mercy. I am your own, marked as yours in baptism and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Yet, I have not been true to your call or faithful in your service. O Lord, my wrongdoing and the weight of what I have not done overwhelms me, but I know that your mercies are endless, they are new every morning, and your compassion surpasses my understanding. Stretch forth your hand to me and receive me, as you welcomed the returning prodigal, the repentant thief, the woman who wept at your feet, and even Peter who had denied you. Where sin has abounded, let grace abound even more, that I may live and serve you now, and, at last, rejoice in the eternal kingdom where you, the ever-living Father and the gracious life-giving Spirit, reign for all eternity. Amen.

Worry is part of the human condition. But Jesus tells us that we are to seek to trade that worry for absolute trust in God and His provision. Adam Barnett continues our series by challenging us to begin to trust in God today! Greed & Worry Life with Jesus | Week 4 March 24, 2019 | Adam Barnett My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened. - Michel de Montaigne Luke 12:22-34 NIV Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Whatever God gives me, I steward well. Greed and worry reveal our lack of trust in God and our lack of eternal perspective. Am I stewarding my possessions in a God-honoring way? Am I trusting myself more than I am trusting God? Am I serving God’s Kingdom or building my own? Am I suffering to chronic worry? Worry is irreverent. Worry is irrelevant. Worry is irresponsible. Worry is ignorant.

When His disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, He answers by sharing three different points about prayer. Denise McKinney explores these points and how they impact the way we encounter Jesus and view God’s love for us. Shameless Persistence Life with Jesus | Week 3 March 17, 2019 | Denise McKinney Luke loves REVERSALS Luke 11:1-13 NLT Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” This is how we should pray— for what God wants. Luke 11:2-4 MSG Father, reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. When we keep praying for what God wants— God gives us what we really need. And when God gives us what we really need— We find our way.

Bill Clark continues our series about living Life with Jesus by sharing from the Parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate Jesus’ call that love has no limits on who is our neighbor! Who is My Neighbor? Life with Jesus | Week 2 March 10, 2019 | Bill Clark Luke 10:25-37 NIV On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 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.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 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. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 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. The next day he took out two denarii 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.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:27 NIV Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself. Love has no limits on who is our neighbor. For followers of Jesus: Who isn’t your neighbor? Just don’t pass them by.

The invitation to follow Jesus and walk in life with Him is one that is transformative, but requires sacrifice. Adam Barnett opens our series on living life with Jesus by exploring this cost to follow and putting it in perspective with the cost that Christ paid. The Cost to Follow Life With Jesus | Week 1 March 3, 2019 | Adam Barnett Luke 9:51-56 NIV As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village. Luke 9:57-58 NIV As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9:59-60 NIV He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” The moment to say yes and follow Jesus is never tomorrow. The moment is always now. Luke 9:61-62 NIV Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Our service to the Kingdom of God must supersede all other commitments. The Story of Dr. Paul Carlson

David made a profound choice in 2 Samuel to not make a donated sacrifice, but instead to pay for the sacrifice himself. This idea of sacrificial giving is felt throughout Scripture. Bill Clark is joined by special guest Julie Earp to talk about the challenge to think about whether our giving governs our spending, or the other way around. Beyond Strength to Sacrifice Beyond Belief | Week 4 February 24, 2019 | Bill Clark & Julie Earp 2 Corinthians 9:10-15 NIV Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Colossians 1:15-20 NIV The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

It’s possible for us to seek what we believe advances the Kingdom of God but be at odds with what God wants and has planned for. David learned this with his desire to build the temple that God had planned for Solomon. Bill Clark continues our series by exploring how we are to continually seek God’s vision for us rather than our own. Beyond My Kingdom to God’s Kingdom Beyond Belief | Week 3 February 17, 2019 | Bill Clark David was a living contradiction. We all are. 2 Samuel 7:1-16 NIV After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.” But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” We are pilgrim people. To be a pilgrim is to realize what we do is not actually about us—it’s for those who don’t know God—and for the generations to come. For a follower of Jesus, the only right obsession is the Kingdom of God.

When David danced before the Ark in worship to God, he did so not caring about how he looked to those around him. Despite his place as King of Israel and Judah, he knew his role in that moment was simply worshipper. Adam Barnett continues our series by encouraging us to remember that we were made to worship our King. Beyond Work to Worship Beyond Belief | Week 2 February 10, 2019 | Adam Barnett 2 Samuel 6:12-16 NIV 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. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. 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. 2 Samuel 6:17-19 NIV 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. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 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. 2 Samuel 6:20-23 NIV 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!” 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. 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.” And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. David moved beyond work…to worship. 1 | Worship is our reckless response to God’s love. 2 | Worship is for an audience of one. Worship like Jesus is watching you. No one else. 3 | Worship is our all-encompassing identity.

David was faced with a decision after being anointed King over Israel and Judah, where was his base to be? Does he play it safe in Hebron, or take he riskier but option and take Jerusalem. Bill Clark opens our Beyond Belief series by exploring this dilemma facing David, and how we face the same dilemma regarding what God has called us to as a church. Beyond Victory to Vulnerability Beyond Belief | Week 1 February 3, 2019 | Bill Clark 2 Samuel 5:1-5 NIV All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’” When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 2 Samuel 5:6-10 NIV The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David. On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.” David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. Micah 6:8 (Paraphrase) Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justice now. Love mercy now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.