Brought Together By Grace

Brought Together By Grace, "Renewed by Grace" Series - Part 4, Acts 2:38-47

“And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."  40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation."  41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.  42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.  46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,  47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

                                                                                                                                     - Acts 2:38-47

Deep Change

Deep Change, "Renewed By Grace" Series - Part 3, Romans 7:14-8:4

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.  15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.  17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,  23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.  24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.  8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

                                                                                                                            - Romans 7:14-8:4

Worshipping and Serving Created Things

Worshipping and Serving Created Things, "Renewed by Grace" Series - Part 2, Romans 1:18-25

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,  23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.  24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,  25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

                                                                                                                                 - Romans 1:18-25  

Reclaiming the Gospel

Reclaiming the Gospel, "Renewed by Grace" Series - Part 1

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  4 Did you suffer so many things in vain- if indeed it was in vain?  5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith-  6 just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness?’”

                                                                                                                               - Galatians 3:1-6   

Clinging Onto Our Spiritual Inheritance

Clinging Onto Our Spiritual Inheritance, "New Year's Eve Message," Genesis 25:21-34

“And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.  23 And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger."  24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.  25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau.  26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.  27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.  28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.  29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.  30 And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.)  31 Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now."  32 Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?"  33 Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.  34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

                                                                                                                              - Genesis 25:21-34   

To Die and Bear Much Fruit

To Die and Bear Much Fruit, "Why Did He Come?" Series - Part 4, John 12:24-27

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.  27 "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.”

                                                                                                                                   - John 12:24-27

To Be a Merciful and Faithful High Priest

To Be a Merciful and Faithful High Priest, "Why Did He Come?" Series Part 3, Hebrews 2:17-18

“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

                                                                                                                               - Hebrews 2:17-18

To Restore a Broken Relationship

To Restore a Broken Relationship, "Why Did He Come?" Series Part 2, Hebrews 10:1-10

10 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Consequently, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
    but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
    as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

                                                                                                                                - Hebrews 10:1-10