Joel 2:12-13 12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

 

1. Judgement
   1. 1:2-20 coming invasion/plague – call to repentance
   2. 2:1-17 coming invasion/plague – call to repentance
2. Yahweh’s response
   1. 2:18-32 future restoration
   2. 3:1-21 judgement of nations

1. Judah has broken its covenant with YHWH and its time to repent.
2. No repentance = judgement, not only for Judah but for the (gentile) nations.
3. There is hope beyond the judgement, restoration for Judah/Israel and the nations (gentiles) too

 

• Luke 5:31-32 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
• Luke 24:46-47 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for 1the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
• Joel 2:12-13 12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

 

• A sensitive spirit
• A heart that grieves sin
• A heart torn away from sin “holy violence”
• A disgust for sin
• We recognize that our only hope to tear away from our sin is Jesus.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that the penalty of my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I can’t do anything about my situation. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sin and trust in You alone as the only One who can place me in an eternal relationship with the living God. I desire to be Your child. I desire to live as Your child. In Your name. Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

• The idea of unifying the world’s religions may seem noble, but it’s .
• Trying to elevate Jesus to the same level as anything or anyone is pointless.
• The question isn’t whether Christianity is arrogant, but whether Christianity is .
• In today’s culture, followers of Jesus are not meant to retreat, merge all religions for superficial acceptance, or live in constant fear.
• We are called to lovingly the greatness of Jesus with those in the culture who are craving truth, and even with those who reject it.

Welcome to biblical Christianity, where faith often involves suffering, tribulation, hardship, and crucifixion.

• Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”

 

• Colossians 1:22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. Result: Christ sinful people into holy and blameless individuals in God’s sight.
• Colossians 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Result: Christ people, leading to thankfulness.
• Colossians 2:10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Result: We have everything we need to live in perfect with God the Father through Christ’s work.
• Living fully for Jesus in both the first and 21st centuries involves making and choices in life.
  • Is the foundation of my faith ?
  • Is my faith rooted in ?
  • Do the strong winds of culture influence me more, or is it the validity of God’s ?
  • Am I sufficiently skilled in God’s Word to make life decisions based on what’s ?
  • Am I wise to recognize that what seems insignificant can significantly the direction and details of my life?

 

• It seems that the growing hatred for Christianity is to decrease anytime soon.

Be not afraid to possess this peculiar character, for though it is misunderstood on earth, it is well understood in heaven. Charles Spurgeon

• The wise person begins with the Authority of God’s revealed Word, not with .

“Man cannot begin with himself and arrive at ultimate reality.”  Francis Schaeffer

• Remove God and His revealed truth, and modern philosophies result in an endless quest into the abyss of .
• Your faith WILL be .
• Colossians 2:8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
• Believers in Jesus are to think and live . “I’m not better than you; I am different.”

“If you’re not confident in the authority of the Scriptures, you will be a slave to what sounds right.” Matt Chandler

 

1. Develop a healthy habit of seeing your world through the lens of Scripture.
2. Study truth to understand it, live by it, and be inspired by it.
3. Christianity is distinct from the sermons of the culture.

“A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible and knows that which passes knowledge.” A.W. Tozer

“I’m not better than you; I am different.”

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that the penalty of my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I can’t do anything about my situation. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sin and trust in You alone as the only One who can place me in an eternal relationship with the living God. I desire to be Your child. I desire to live as Your child. In Your name. Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

• There is a disease present in every person who has ever lived and will ever live. It’s called sin.
• Sinners often hesitate to their sins because it exposes their .
• Whether revealed or not, we all carry guilt.
• Why do people commit evil acts? Because of the evil each person.
• Genesis 2:15-17 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
• Boundaries from God don’t restrict but offer .

 

• Genesis 3 changes humanity forever.
• Genesis 3:1-6 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 
• We sin because we are in sin.
• Jeremiah 17:9 The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
• Satan people, they believe the lies, and then we behave just like our original parents.

 

• Ephesians 2:1-2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 
• Ephesians 2:4-10 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
• Ephesians 3:14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father.
• Sin has consequences. Run
• God is love. .
• Grace is free. .
• Jesus gives life. .

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that the penalty of my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I can’t do anything about my situation. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sin and trust in You alone as the only One who can place me in an eternal relationship with the living God. I desire to be Your child. I desire to live as Your child. In Your name. Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

 

The call to follow Jesus is a call to .

• When you look at Jesus’ ministry, you’ll notice that He was very hands-on.
• Let’s focus on a moment when Jesus stopped what He was doing to help a man who was in pain.
• This event takes place late in Jesus’ ministry, roughly six months before his crucifixion.
• It was clear there was a lot of tension and hostility toward Jesus at that time.
• John 9:1-9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”

 

1. SEE THE (John 9:1-2)

• There was a belief that any suffering a person experienced was directly linked to a sin in their life (Job 4:8).
• Jesus said that his blindness wasn’t caused by his sin or his parents’ sin, but so that God’s power could be .
• But notice this: the disciples saw this man and saw a problem worth debating, but Jesus saw a person worth .
• When you look at someone in need, do you know the problem or the person behind it?

 

2. SEE THE (John 9:4-5)

• Jesus knew he had only six months to live. He was to do what he could while he still could. Do you feel that same sense of urgency to serve others and focus on God’s work?
• The opposite of urgency is .
• Complacency also us from serving others.

 

3. SEE THE (John 9:6-7)

• Jesus healed the man in an unusual way (Mark 7:33, Mark 8:23).
• Jesus was showing his willingness to get his hands dirty in helping this man.
• Most of Jesus’ healings were physical, hands-on experiences.
• When you get in people’s lives—by giving, serving, and caring—you let them experience God’s love through a compassionate follower of Jesus.
• Ministry is messy: Proverbs 14:4 Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.

 

4. SEE CAN BE DIFFERENT
 (John 9:8-9)

• The man’s neighbors didn’t recognize him. Why? They always knew him as “the blind guy.”
• Some people can’t see what God is doing because they focus on the .
• One of the things that can prevent us from getting involved in ministry is jaded .
• The gospel transforms lives. You are either living with a hopeful that God is at work, moving, and changing people, or you are harboring a jaded skepticism that people can change.

 

• John 9:10-11 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”
• This man was touched, healed, and restored by Jesus. That’s the testimony of everyone who has come to faith in Jesus.
• WHY serve? Why should I get involved? Why should I volunteer?
  And the short answer is, “God wants to use you.”
• The people most resistant to God’s cleansing work in their lives are the Proud.
• James 4:6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
• Begin To:
  1. See all people as souls for whom Christ .
  2. See yourself as a (servant) of Jesus, His church, and others.
  3. See serving as a and not a burden.
  4. See your life as an of grace that nourishes others along life’s journey.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I understand that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot fix my situation on my own. I believe You are calling me to have faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sins and believe in You as the only One who can establish an eternal relationship with the living God. I want to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name, Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

 

• What does a person who as a Christian look like?
• We let failure, fear, or sin tell us who we are instead of remembering what God says about us: that we are chosen, forgiven, loved, and made new in Christ.
• A Christian identity crisis isn’t about losing faith—it’s about losing .

 

THE IDENTITY OF CHRIST

• Colossians 1:15 “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation.”
• Paul’s warning: Colossians 2:8-10 8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
• “What we believe should have a very definite connection on how we live.” Being united in Christ means that we must live out the scriptures and follow His example.

 

Colossians 3:1-17 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

 

• Verse one speaks to the foundation of the Christian life — it represents a focus in a Christ follower’s life.

A. This Means That Our Position Has (Ephesians 2:6).

B. Our Way of Thinking and Living Must . Paul says, “Set your mind on things above.” That means we must reprogram our thoughts, our priorities, and our values.

“Our feet must be on earth, but our minds must be in heaven.” “It means that the practical everyday affairs of life get direction from Christ in heaven. It means that we look at earth from heaven’s point of view.” Warren Wiersbe

C. Our Life Is with Christ. That means your worth and identity are secure.

 

• Paul shifts from our mindsets to our .
• The Apostle Paul uses strong language in these verses he says, “put to death”.

1. This means that the that lived in us before salvation must die.
2. The Old Self Relationships.
   Verses 8–9 list relational or social sins. They are:
   • Anger
   • Rage
   • Malicious behavior
   • Slander
   • Dirty language
   • Lying to one another

“This list of sins is often thought of as sins in good standing.” “…we have become so accustomed to anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, dirty or foul language and lying that many believers are no longer upset or convicted of these sins. We are shocked when we see a fellow believer commit the sensual sin, but we will watch him lose his temper in a business meeting or family setting and we call it, righteous indignation.” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan 

C. “You Have Stripped the Old Nature” (Verse 9-10). When you came to Christ, you took off the filthy clothes of sin.

 

Now that we’ve stripped off the old, Paul says it’s time to put  something new.

1. We are to Like God’s Chosen People.
   “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with:

• • Tenderhearted Mercy (Phil. 2:1)
  • Kindness (Eph. 2:7)
  • Humility (Rom. 12:3)
  • Gentleness (Meekness) – It is not weakness; it is power under control.
  • Patience (long-suffering) – This word is literally meant to mean ‘long temper.” The person with a short temper acts impulsively and lacks self-control. In contrast a person who is patient or long-suffering can put up with provoking people or circumstances without retaliating (Luke 23:34).

B. Live in and .

C. Let Christ Your Heart.

D. Let Christ’s Word and Name You. The Word will transform our lives. If we will allow it to “dwell” in us richly. The word dwell means to feel at home. If we read the Word of God then the God of the Word will live in each of us!

• Christ doesn’t just change what we do; He changes who we .

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I understand that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot fix my situation on my own. I believe You are calling me to have faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sins and believe in You as the only One who can establish an eternal relationship with the living God. I want to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name, Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

 

• What does the Bible say about what happens after salvation in Jesus? The Bible states that is the next step.
• Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” 15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. 16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
• Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
• John 1:32-34  Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.
• Jesus is a perfect example to us—he was baptized out of to the Father, and so is everyone who is baptized.

 

1. The heavens were opened. For four hundred years, heaven had been silent. But now, God was on the move.

2. The Spirit descends upon Jesus. The Spirit appeared in the form of a dove so that John would understand that Jesus was the Messiah.

3. There was a voice from heaven declaring, “You are my Son, I’m well pleased with you!” Over 50 times in the New Testament, Jesus is called the Son of God, meaning He shares the exact nature as God—coequal and coeternal.

 

Baptism is the first step of obedience.

• Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

Baptism is a symbol of salvation.

• Our baptism shows that we have inwardly committed our lives to Christ.
• In baptism, you declare that you have died to your old life and are raised in Christ as a new person.
• Romans 6:3-4 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
• Colossians 2:12  For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
• The word baptizo, in Greek, means “to immerse, to submerge, to plunge, to dip. “
• Some have taught over the years that baptism is required for salvation, but this is not true. We are saved by grace, through faith, in Christ alone- not by any work, rite, or ritual.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

 

Baptism is for those who have placed their trust in Jesus.

• That’s the order: first, you accept the message through repentance and faith, then you are baptized.
• When you are baptized, you identify with Jesus (you become a follower of Christ), and you are then welcomed into the family of faith, the church.

 

Baptism is pleasing to God.

• Matthew 3:16-17  After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
• WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
  1. If you haven’t been baptized yet, I encourage you to give your life to Jesus and get baptized. The next baptism class is on Sunday, November 2 at 12:45 pm upstairs in the Morgan Theater.
  2. If you haven’t been baptized, you need to understand that baptism is your FIRST STEP in obedience.
• Delayed obedience is disobedience. Obedience provides peace in our souls.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I understand that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot fix my situation on my own. I believe You are calling me to have faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sins and believe in You as the only One who can establish an eternal relationship with the living God. I want to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name, Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

 

The idea of investing our lives is about .

• The Kingdom of God isn’t just about adding things to our lives, but about increasing the of what we do, what we have, and who we are.
• Matthew 25:14-30 – The Parable of the Talents. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. 
• This parable describes what to do while we wait for Jesus to return.
• While awaiting His coming, we are called to live on for Jesus.
• Chuck Swindoll says that excellence is possible if we:
  1. more than others think is wise
  2. more than others think is safe
  3. more than others think is practical
  4. more than others think is possible.
• KEY VERSE: MATTHEW 25:14-30 Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. 16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. 19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’ 22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

1. Faithful Multiplication Is Possible.

• The master entrusted his servants with resources, them to multiply them.
• Similarly, Jesus has entrusted each of us with talents, time, and opportunities, and He desires us to multiply them. Multiplication is Jesus’ for changing the world, and He wants us to multiply our lives.
• One act of kindness, one moment of service, or one investment in someone else’s life can lead to exponential for the Kingdom.
• John 15:8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

 

2. Identify the God Given Talents.

• Many people read the parable and feel discouraged because they themselves to others.
• But notice, the master didn’t expect the servants to have the same results—He only expected them to be with what they were given.
• Are you what God has given you?
• Remember, it’s not about how much you have; it’s about what you do with what you do have.

 

3. Why Can We Hide Our Gifts and Talents: Fear.

• The servant who buried what the master gave him was of losing what he had, afraid of taking risks, and afraid of failing.
• Living by fear is a terrible way to go through life.

But in God’s Kingdom, faithfulness isn’t about playing it safe. It’s about stepping out in trust, even when the outcome is uncertain. The servant who buried his talent didn’t fail because he tried and failed, but because he failed to try.

• Fear should never keep us from using our talents for God’s glory.

 

4. The Reward of Multiplication.

• This reward is not just about material gain; it’s about a deeper that comes from being part of something larger than oneself.
• There is a fulfillment in knowing that our life, when lived for God, has an impact.
• Multiplying our lives is not about pursuing personal success but partnering with God to make an eternal impact.

 

• What opportunities are in front of you that you’re not embracing because of or ?
• Take that first step to offer to be someone who comes alongside a few others, invites them to know Jesus, and invests in their growth in Jesus.
• Our faithfulness today will create ripple effects that echo through eternity.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I understand that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot fix my situation on my own. I believe You are calling me to have faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sins and believe in You as the only One who can establish an eternal relationship with the living God. I want to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name, Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

Everything has a center, and that is true of your life, too.

• What’s in the center of your life is what drives you.
• What’s in the center of your life is what defines you.
• What’s in the center of your life is what’s most important to you.
  – It’s what you value the most.
  – It’s what you think about the most.
  – It’s what consumes your energy and imagination.
  – It’s what empowers you to move forward.
• Jesus wants to be the center of your life. He wants to be the center around which everything in your life revolves.
• This means that Jesus is first place in your life.
• Colossians 1:18 Jesus is to be …first place in everything.

 

WHY SHOULD JESUS BE IN FIRST PLACE IN YOUR LIFE?

• Colossians 1:15-16 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him.
• John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me, has seen the Father”.
• If you want to know if God is loving, look at Jesus.
• Firstborn means first in rank, privilege, and authority.
• Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…”
• Hebrews 1:2-3 “In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
• See also Ephesians 6:12
• Colossians 1:16 …all things have been created through him and for him. “all things” includes you. You were created for Jesus! You were created to know him, to follow him, to enjoy him, to walk day by day in fellowship with him.
• If Jesus made you, He created you, and he holds all authority over your life, then the first step you can make to putting Jesus first in your life is to acknowledge his authority in your life, and willingly surrender to him every part of your life. 

 

• Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
• Hebrews 1:3 Jesus “sustains all things by the power of his word.”
• Acts 17:28 “in him we live and move and have our being.”
• Jesus sustains all things. He is sustaining you right now.
• But if Jesus is not the center of your life, then you are relying on other things to sustain you, and those things will eventually fail you.
• Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken”.

 

• Colossians 1:18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
• Jesus is the head of the church (Ephesians 4:12-15, 5:23, I Corinthians 11:3, Colossians 2:10).
• This means Jesus is the undisputed leader not only of all creation but especially of all who come to him in saving faith. And he is the source or originator of the church.
• Colossians 1:18 “the firstborn from the dead.” Jesus was the first to rise from the dead, and by conquering death, he made a way for you and me to experience a resurrection from grace and find new life through faith in him (see 1 Corinthians 15:20)
• Colossians 1:13-15 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
• The gospel is clear that we are sinners, and we cannot save ourselves. There are no good works good enough to cover your sin.
• At the cross, Jesus died in your place. Jesus took on your sin. And he paid for it in full. And now he offers you his goodness and his right standing with the Father.
• If Jesus is your Savior, then you make him the center by worshipping him and serving him.
• 2 Corinthians 5:15 He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.
• When Jesus is your Savior, you no longer live to please yourself; you live to please him. You no longer serve yourself; you serve Jesus. You no longer put you at the center of your life; you put Jesus at the center of your life.

Jesus is your creator, so submit to him in every area of your life.

Jesus is your sustainer, so lean on him in every trouble.

Jesus is your savior, so live for him every day.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I understand that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot fix my situation on my own. I believe You are calling me to have faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sins and believe in You as the only One who can establish an eternal relationship with the living God. I want to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name, Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

 

For those of faith in Jesus and lovers of God’s eternal, unchanging truth, the Bible reveals that spiritual darkness is intensifying. But we can be a .

What the tension will be like:

• 2 Timothy 3.1-5 (The Message) Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

Human depravity, which still holds :

• Judges 17:6 In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.
• Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

 

If you follow Jesus, you’ll encounter . If you follow the ways of this world, you’ll be .

• John 15:18-19 (Since) If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

Taking a stand for Jesus and truth can cost us friends, lead to ostracism, ridicule, cancellation, or even threaten our lives. 

 

This is not the time for retreat; we are in a spiritual war.

• Ephesians 6:10-12 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
• Acts 7:57-59 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
• Stephen was martyred for speaking the truth.

The messenger dies; the message with influence.The messenger dies, and the message masses of people.

• John 17:13-19 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

• • Not of the World: This means having a value system that is not conformed to worldly standards or desires.
  • Sanctified by Truth: Believers are set by God’s truth (His word) and are transformed by a renewed mind, leading them to resist the corrupt patterns of the world.
  • Separation from Evil: Rather than asking God to remove believers from the world, Jesus asks Him to them from the evil one and its influences. 

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Tertullian (160-240 AD)

 

• Acts 4:19 “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him?”
• Acts 8:1-4 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. 4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
• James 1:6-8 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Look and listen to what God reveals to you in His Word.

Look and ask God what He wants from me.

“I’m far more interested in what God wants from me than what I want from God.”  Charlie Kirk

Isaiah 6.8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Look and gaze into the face of the crucified Christ.

• Hebrews 12:3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
• Go into the World confident in God’s grace, His love for all people, His love for you, His truth, and heaven that awaits every faithful follower of Jesus, the Messiah.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I understand that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot fix my situation on my own. I believe You are calling me to have faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sins and believe in You as the only One who can establish an eternal relationship with the living God. I want to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name, Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.

 

• We have 3 missionaries heading to 3 different fields to serve. Today, we are commissioning them as a church to go out and fulfill the great commission.
• Following the service, they will be at a table under the awning on the south side of the building to meet people and answer questions.

 

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I cannot resolve my situation on my own. I sense that You are calling me to faith. I am being drawn to the truth of the gospel. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sin and trust in You as the only One who can place me in an eternal relationship with the living God. I desire to be Your child and to live as Your child. In Your name. Amen.

If you have made a decision for Christ today please let us know by clicking this link and filling out the form.