We Believe: God

We Believe: God

Focus: our view of God forms the framework for how we relate to Him, and informs both our theology and our practical Christian living, which should be inseparable

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

—A.W. Tozer, "The Knowledge of the Holy"

How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important. Indeed, how we think of Him is of no importance except in so far as it is related to how He thinks of us.

—C. S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory”

How “belief” works.

I’ve worked in the technology industry for over 20 years, and it still fascinates me how the most brilliant, driven, and influential people stake their entire lives on bold credal statements about what advances in science can do.

Even as consumers, we’ve all benefited from these advances so there is a level of truth in some of these statements. We’ve all seen and experienced these “beliefs” about technology continuously prove themselves true in the comforts of our homes. 

Likewise, we also know how harmful and dangerous technology can be. We don’t even need to peel back the layers of industrialization to see its dark side. That this is just one slice of reality, where propositions about something have determined and continue to determine the course of humanity, reveals a lot about the power of belief.

These statements of faith unify our mission and ground our relationships

According to the Oxford dictionary, to “believe” is to have confidence or faith in or on something that you consequently act on it even without the burden of proof. It’s to hold on to something as true, regardless of the degree, that we step into it as our lived reality. 

Every person lives by faith: it’s inherent to human existence to hold beliefs and make choices based on things beyond complete proof. Faith can be religious, such as belief in God or religious principles, but it also extends to secular areas, including faith in one's own intellect, the reliability of the scientific method, or the existence of an objective reality. 

Collectively, this means our underlying beliefs sustain and drive our mission as a church. Within Every Nation and even within our home church, we come from many theological, and denominational backgrounds. Nonetheless, we can agree on a set of statements that allow us to grow together in our mission. Because Christianity is not meant to be an isolated journey, getting on the same page about these statements is important to the longevity of our unity.

Sounds theology helps us form healthy spirituality 

More so, as much as our common hope for the city of Chicago and the cities we are reaching out to like Madison, unites us, sound theology also grounds our own individual walks of faith. It’s the framework through which we live out our faith, starting with our statement about what we believe about God.

As Paul metaphorically says, the collective “we” are the aroma of Christ that spreads the knowledge of God:

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 ESV

Without projecting a unified “scent”, any fragrance loses its potency. Likewise, as one body, our shared belief about God will allow us to carry out our mission with efficacy. So here’s the first statement: 

Statement:

“We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things. He is perfect and unchanging; completely loving, good, and holy; limitless in knowledge, power, and presence. God eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; one in essence, having the same divine attributes and perfections, with each person fulfilling distinct roles. Gracious in his eternal purpose to redeem a people for himself, God is worthy of wholehearted love and worship.”

Let’s break it down into 3 components:

1 - God is great and good.

The most common way theologians categorize God’s characteristics are distinguishing between what he shares with humans and those he does not 

We group the first set of attributes under the heading “the goodness of God.” We group the second set under the heading “the greatness of God.” 

The greatness of God sets Him apart not only from us humans, but even more so, from any form of knowing we can operate under. These attributes of God’s being are his essential nature and therefore fully incomprehensible to us because of our limited capacities:

• Omnipresence: God is present everywhere, fully and completely.

• Omniscience: God knows everything, without limitation.

• Omnipotence: God is all-powerful, capable of doing anything that is logically possible.

• Self-existence (Aseity): God's existence is not dependent on anything else; He is the source of all being.

• Immutability: God does not change in His being, perfections, purposes, or promises.

• Infinity: God's attributes have no boundaries or limitations.

These incommunicable attributes highlight the vast difference between God and His creation, emphasizing His transcendence and unique nature, according to religious scholars.  

Because God’s greatness is above and beyond what we can fathom, he is greatly to be praised and we should declare his mighty works from generation to generation.

“I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭145‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God’s goodness, on other hand, are His “communicable attributes”. When we say God is good, we refer to the many attributes of His character that have been revealed to us personally, those we share with him because he made us in his image. These are His moral attributes that are in and of themselves, the perfect measure of our “human versions”. Some of which we see in this passage:

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:6-7 ESV

We can never add, nor take away from God’s perfect expression of these because our versions are but a dim reflection marred and deformed by sin. How do we respond to His unqualified goodness as we experience its many aspects in our lives? 

• Humbly receive

• Grow and increase

• Seek and ask for revelation

Holding these two beliefs together - that God is both great and good - is a life-long process. It’s not about simply knowing them, but stepping into these as reality.

When we go through tough times, knowing that God can save us comes knowing He is great. Knowing that He is willing to deliver us into safety and even prosper us, even if we had some fault in the challenge we’re in, comes knowing He is also good.

2 - God is one and triune.

It’s hard to imagine a culture wherein monotheism wasn’t prevalent because of how widespread Judaism, Christianity and Islam are today. Even if Hinduism, the most common polytheist religion today, has made its way to the States, we in the modern West are more likely to associate religion to monotheism. We don’t realize that monotheism created an ethical revolution that changed the world.

In Romans, Paul argues that our first parents in the Faith worshipped one indivisible, all-powerful God. Polytheism only developed as the result of their rebellion. Monotheism is different from Polytheism, the belief in many gods; Pantheism, the belief that everything is god; and Atheism, the belief that there is no god. 

That we believe in one God isn’t hard to fathom today. That this one God eternally exists as three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and that each person is fully God, is one of the most challenging doctrines to comprehend because it transcends reason.

The challenge with the doctrine of the Trinity, as much as we Christians have embraced it, is that when it comes to the mission we are to carry out, it is still very mysterious as to how it works:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 ESV

But that’s also the beauty of Faith when it comes to this doctrine. Human nature is all about seeking knowledge to control it. We want to describe and relate to God on our own manageable terms. We even meditate on His goodness more than his greatness because as Tozer says, “We want to get Him where we can use Him, or at least know where He is when we need Him. We want a God we can in some measure control.”

To simplify, let’s focus on what this core tenet means for us: God exists in three persons and that each person is equally, fully God:

• God is a relational, communal being within himself. And because he created us in his image, we were created for community. Nothing works right in our lives without it. A loving relationship with God and others is the ultimate meaning of life.

• God is unity with diversity. Therefore, we should strive for unity while embracing diversity. This is a model for us and a witness to the world.

3 - God is worthy.

That the Trinity is a mystery we will never fully understand, yet its bearings on humanity as relational beings fully indispensable, should only humble us.

For why would a great God who’s already happy, content, and absolutely perfect in His own being, sacrifice a part of Himself to bring us into fellowship with Him? What indeed is man that God would care for us this much?

The passage in Philippians 2:6-8 describes Jesus's attitude of humility, stating that while he was in the form of God, he did not consider equality with God something to be exploited or grasped, but instead humbled himself by becoming a servant and ultimately dying on the cross. This passage emphasizes Jesus's willingness to forgo his divine privileges and take on human form, ultimately leading to his exaltation by God. 

This grounds his worthiness in ways that we can respond to personally.

So we close with the final line in this first statement of our beliefs:

Gracious in his eternal purpose to redeem a people for himself, God is worthy of wholehearted love and worship. 

In one of John’s visions on Patmos, he sees and hears the heavenly choir shout seven things God is worthy to receive: power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. The first six are intrinsic qualities of God, and the seventh is the creation’s response to his worthiness.

And we place ourselves in John’s experience:

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Revelation 5:11-13 ESV

Conclusion and application:

• God’s greatness and goodness are inseparable in worship. His greatness stands apart, independent of our response to it, yet his goodness reveals to us His careful attention to each of us in ways that are both universal and personal. 

• Which one of God’s attributes of greatness resonate the most and which one is the most remote and unfamiliar? Be intentional with how we reserve awe and honor God’s greatness.

• Which one of God’s attributes of goodness are you most deficient in? What practical steps can you take to be more like him in that area? Let’s stay in the habit of meditating and resting on His goodness.

The Trinity teaches us community, diversity, and mystery. 

Which of these three is most applicable to your life? Why?

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A Change in Heart: Communing with Christ to Transform Culture

A Change in Heart: Communing with Christ to Transform Culture

Focus: The long road to transforming community and culture is safeguarded by the Christ-centered, transformational disciplines of our hearts, minds and wills

As co-heirs with Christ and fellow workers with God, we’re called into a partnership with the Holy Spirit that reshapes culture—not by force, but by the Christ-centered transformation of our hearts, minds and wills. God's promise to empower us to disciple the nations is ultimately on Him to fulfill. Our primary task is to submit to His work in our lives and the rest will follow.

My 30s were spent probing this premise over and over again. What does it mean to serve God fully and submit to the Holy Spirit’s work in transforming my whole self? So consider this sermon as my own testimony as well. 

A lot of what I’ll share is structured around Dallas Willard’s book, “Renovation of the Heart”. It has helped me navigate the complexity of this foundational process so I also want to extend it to you. All in all, when it comes to the sanctifying work of God, use whatever resources work for you!

Let’s set the stage first with one of the final scenes before Jesus ascended to the Father:

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

God's heart is to redeem culture.

Though the world is not inherently condemned, sin permeates culture today - it is inescapable. All have fallen short of God's glory even if God's glory fills the earth. As Paul says in Romans 1, though the earth and all of physical reality contain signs and evidence of God, humans have been suppressing this knowledge and have therefore become futile and darkened in our thinking and ways.

It doesn't take much to lose focus, more so, completely lose sight of Christ's reign in the world. Just open Instagram. In mere seconds, the lust of the eyes and the desires of our flesh will be awakened. Even more pervasive are the narratives we're deeply living in everyday as we simply navigate the world: greed for power and money, culture's focus on "self-will", and the deliberate secularization of all schools of thought are only some examples.

So before we dive into the disciplines, I want to anchor us on the role of the Holy Spirit as our helper, guiding us carry out our roles as God’s co-laborers in culture:

"So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

Romans 8:12-17 ESV

Christians are not just spectators in the world but active participants in God’s redemptive plan. As we read in Mark 16 and Romans 8, not only are we tasked to proclaim the Gospel as servants of the Master. As adopted children of God and co-heirs of Christ — we will carry the same responsibility as Jesus to ensure everyone knows that the kingdom of God is here as we partner with the Holy Spirit.

Where it starts and ends.

Let's be clear: doctrine isn't discipleship. Anyone can learn about Christianity. What makes all the difference is how we ourselves as Christians partner with the Holy Spirit to become like Christ in our innermost being. 

All Kingdom deeds arise from a quality of life that's been transformed. It's not about external conformity to rules, laws, and structures. Transforming culture and communities starts with the transformation of our lives, and that can't happen without being in communion with Jesus.

More so, change isn't passive. It doesn't just happen. There is active work for us to carry out as a response to God approaching us with grace. Isn't that what grace truly is? - God working in and with humans? This is our starting point.

Transforming culture doesn't happen overnight, and the Christian life has its seasons.

Romans 5 says that righteousness is a free gift that comes to anyone who has put their faith in Christ. As much as this is the case, maturing in our faith will cost us time and an ongoing personal activation of our communion with God. Each of us has our own singular stories of salvation and sanctification that no other person can write.

These are the very seeds God uses to plant and propagate in culture. We need to patiently water, nurture, prune and protect them from the "thorns" and "birds". Think of yourselves as different parables, unique stories about God's kingdom acting like yeast in the world: "small" agents creating lasting change. Our lives on their own can function as stories that non-believers can "compare and contrast". See how Paul encouraged the city folks of Corinth and Ephesus:

“The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Simply put, if you have a heart and vision for yourself, your family, your work place, and every other aspect of your own "kingdoms" (where your will has effective capacity to act on), the disciplines that you build around your life are nonnegotiable. This is where Eugene Peterson helps us understand the difference between simply being "spiritual" and "religious" to being a true disciple. In "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction", he warns against the quick-fix mindset:

“There is a great market for religious experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for the long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.”

Disciplines safeguard our faith and hope.

So what does this look like? How can our lives as disciples really look like if we are to transform culture? Our lives being hidden in Christ means we live and experience the world under the fold of His communion with the Father: as we embrace these disciplines and become like Christ from the inside-out, our hope is that our faith and hope start to mirror His relationship with God.

In our most intimate relationships, there is less effort in trying to figure out what the other person needs and desires on a day-to-day basis as we get to know them better. Likewise, as Dallas Willard says, "to identify with the mind of Christ, to the point where we are prepared to step forward and do his work without being told what to do, is fundamental to our ability to be persistent in serving the Lord.”

When Peter asks us to defend our hope, he's not merely asking us to demonstrate any theology. More profoundly, he's talking about the deepest hopes of our hearts as it's been aligned with Christ's:

"..but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect."

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

And this is the sustained, character-building hope that Paul echoes as we respond to the free gift of grace:

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:1-5 ESV

Three disciplines:

These disciplines allow us to safeguard this hope. These will not be anything no Christian has heard before, but a reinforcement of what we've always learned. Why do we need to keep revisiting these? Because our times will continue to become more disorienting. Cultures and communities will continue to shift its focus away from God.

As we engage with the world, these forces can seep into the seams of our lives. Unless we mindfully and willfully practice these disciplines, tuning into the Spirit's leading, we will end up like chaff that the wind blows away.

Simply put: as Christians, we're never guaranteed smooth sailing without coming up against aspects of culture that will threaten our faith. These disciplines put us in the offense so that we're not caught off guard. Faith is ultimately faithfulness in responding to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

1. Disciplines of a transformed heart: solitude, scripture, and prayer

Even without consulting trained therapists, or having to do deep reflections at remote spiritual retreats, we instinctively know that we’re formed by our experiences and choices. Everyone’s character - whether they believe in a god, Jesus or not - takes shape the moment their consciousness interacts with the world. Dallas Willard, in his book, "Renovation of the Heart", says:

“Our lives and how we find the world now and in the future are, almost totally, a simple result of what we have become in the depths of our being—in our spirits, will, or hearts. From there we see our world and interpret reality. From there we make our choices, break forth into action, try to change our world. We live from our depths—most of which we do not understand.

Indeed, the only hope of humanity lies in the fact that, as our spiritual dimension has been formed, so it also can be transformed. Now and throughout the ages this has been acknowledged by everyone who has thought deeply about our condition—from Moses, Solomon, Socrates, and Spinoza to Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Oprah, and current feminists and environmentalists.”

The greatest need of humanity then is the transformation of our innermost beings before anything happens in the external. As Christians, we’ve been told this. The question then is: how should we keep it top of mind? Paul’s central message in Romans anchors on the change that continually has to happen from our hearts:

 "So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)—if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him."

Romans 8:12-17 NET 

So how do we work out our salvation as we deal with life’s realities? Let’s start with these disciplines of the heart: solitude, scripture, and prayer

Verses:

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭1‬, ‭6‬-‭7‬, ‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Points:

• Is “soul” still relevant? 

• Acknowledging our emotions before God: we all have "seasons of Faith"

• Intentionally caring for our souls: we live from our hearts.

• Practicing regular silence and solitude: allowing God to give us a new name

• Praying poetry in the Bible: Psalms, Proverbs, the Prophets, etc.

• Speaking the Word as reality.

2. Disciplines of a transformed mind: study, worship, and Christ-centered relationships and community

We live from our hearts - our souls and deepest beings. Connected to our souls, though most of the time, it’s hard to distinguish as a separate function - is our minds. In this sense, our thoughts - our ability to think - comprise all the ways our consciousness processes and engages the world: information, ideas, perceptions, beliefs, and yes, even memories.

Again, in Romans 8, we see Paul referencing our individual and collective thought life. Though very subtle, we see many references to his considering and “knowing”:

"For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.

Romans 8:22-27 NET

There is not enough time today, nor enough space in these notes to decipher all the forces that our minds and thoughts interact with everyday. That fact is enough of a starting point to acknowledge that the ongoing discipline of our minds is critical as we co-labor with God to transform culture.

As Christians, we also come from a diverse set of backgrounds. Though we have been “delivered from the domains of darkness” that rule our surroundings, we need to consciously submit to the Spirit-driven transformation of our minds, starting with our knowledge of God through communion with Him  A. W. Tozer did not exaggerate when he said:

That our idea of God corresponds as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us. Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little consequence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God. A right conception of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well.

Maturing in our faith then necessitates a transformation of our minds as we seek out who God is - His character - within the very contex of our lives. If we are to be responsible co-laborers with Christ, we need, to put it simply, refine how we use our minds daily and intentionally examine our thought life. Paul rightly starts to close Romans with a reminder that living as sacrifices, we can’t just yield to the “age”, but renew our minds.

Here is Martin Luther: 

Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.

Let’s break down the core disciplines of our mind that honor the God-designed reasoning that is inherent in all of us: study, worship, and Chris-centered relationships and community

Verses:

Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.  Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Ephesians 6:10-12 NET

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 38: 4-7 ESV

Points:

• The power of our minds to create kingdoms.

• Conscious unlearning is critical because of the formation that is unconsciously happening in our hearts from day 1.

• Deception from our desires - to prove we’re right, have our own way, and to overconfidently protect our pre-existing knowledge - risks attacking the finality of the Gospel: Jesus' absolute victory over sin and death, and the Spirit’s sanctifying work in our lives as our reality. [notes on God’s dynamic creative power reigning and ruling reality, so truth is also emergent in communion with Him]

• Pride over our “doctrine, tradition and practices” likewise can easily be as dangerous when we don’t respond, as Paul did, to the daily renewing of our minds.

• Study: set our minds on the Gospel, and with faith, seek the facts and information humbly. It’s all there. BUT, we need to also be aware of how our hearts can deceive us. Our minds, more often, can override how we feel. But our hearts, especially deep-seated biases and blindsides, can hijack and direct our minds to false interpretations and even undermine the truth of Christ’s finished work.

• Worship: this is why dwelling intelligently upon God, living in awe of His powers and His supreme reign is an important discipline. 

• Christ-centered relationships and community: “Spiritual formation cannot, in the nature of the case, be a “private” thing, because it is a matter of whole-life transformation. You need to seek out others in your community who are pursuing the renovation of the heart.” - Dallas Willard

3. Disciplines of a transformed will: fasting, sabbath, and service

If I can summarize one practical key learning over my 30s, as I myself continue to commit (and recommit) to these disciplines, if we don’t establish means around our lives to commune with God with our full selves, the vision we have our of our transformed hearts and minds will not come to life. This is where our our wills come in:

“And our will is simply our capacity for “consents” and “non-consents.” It is the core of our nonphysical being. It is, strictly speaking, our spirit—the human spirit, not divine—though it comes directly from God and is meant to be in his keeping through our trust in him.From it the whole self or life is meant to be directed and organized, and must be if it is to be directed or organized at all. That is why we recognize the will to be the same as the biblical “heart” or center.”

Dallas Willard

So when it comes to the transformation of our wills, it’s about the rhythms of our lives that we must reconfigure through fasting, keeping the sabbath, and carving out resources for service.

Tested and proven Christian character, again, echoing Paul, develops from training our wills. When we practice these disciplines, we validate the grace of God already at work in our lives. 

Feelings (heart), thinking (mind) and doing (will) leads to character. Every human follows this cycle and/or process. For us Christians, this begins and ends with Christ as we repent and submit to His will. Like any habit or even skill (think of athletes or other certified professionals), character-building takes time. More so, character re-building!

Verses:

“Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Galatians 2:20-21

Points:

• Our wills = capacity to act. Central to being humans is our ability to

• Self-will vs. a transformed will. The key term for us Christians is “surrender”.

• Fasting.

• Sabbath.

• Service.  

Conclusion

Cultural transformation doesn’t start in the White House, the boardroom, or social media. It starts in your hearts and mine. More importantly, it's not through instant wins but through long faithfulness to the disciplines of our hearts, minds, and wills.

Our faith going through seasons means it’s sometimes hard to see the vision God has for our lives, more so our cultures and communities. But that’s the beauty of walking with God in communion: He meets us where we’re at. Every single point. Our part is to begin there with the best we can give.

1. We are heirs and co‑workers called into partnership

2. Transformation begins in deep communion with God

3. Cultural resistance demands vigilance and long formation of our whole selves

4. Our daily work on our hearts, minds and wills matters — God works out salvation through us

Resources:

• Fasting: Every Nation’s robust library of devotions over the years we’ve done annual the fast

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Honey, Where's My Super Suit?

Honey, Where’s My Super Suit? 

Focus: Committed, long-term relationships with God and one another produces lasting impact on culture.  

• In My Own Skin

• Continue in the Work

• A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

In My Own Skin

We must continue the work of Christ in our own skin. 

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ESV

“When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 

Acts 12: 24-25 ESV 

But the word of God increased and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.”

Paul, Barnabas and Mark were uniquely described in the Scripture, each having their own strengths and weaknesses, but they learned lessons of how to minister together with perseverance to fulfill God’s purposes. 

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Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

We are called by God to be salt and light in the world to flavor and preserve the cultures of the earth with the kingdom of God.  

No culture was formed overnight, nor will they be redeemed overnight - we must persevere in Christ.  

“The way of the world is marked by proud, God-defying purposes, unharnessed from eternity and therefore worthless and futile.”

-Eugene Peterson

Part of the joy of making Christ known is finding the manner in which God has uniquely designed you to do so.  

Use what is in your hand.  

David was not able to use Saul’s armor because he was not used to it (I Samuel 17). 

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1 Samuel‬ ‭17‬:‭38‬-‭40‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.”

He killed Goliath with the sling and the stone, the same instruments with which he took down the lion and bear as a shepherd prior to being king.

What are the sling and the smooth stones that God has placed in your hands?  

From Lee Strobel’s and Mark Mittelberg’s Becoming a Contagious Christian training (I realize that this title hasn’t aged well in light of the pandemic):

Six styles of evangelism and their set-backs:

1. Direct Style

Biblical Example: Peter in Acts 2

Confident, Assertive, Direct

Caution: Be sure to use tact when confronting people with truth to keep them from becoming unnecessarily offended

2. Intellectual Style 

Biblical example: Paul in Acts 17

Inquisitive, Analytical, logical

Caution: Do not substitute giving answers for giving the Gospel message, and be careful of becoming argumentative.

3. Testimonial Style 

Biblical example: Blind man in John 9

Clear communicator, story teller, good listener

Caution: Beware of talking about yourself but not relating your experience to the other person’s life. You first need to listen to them to be able to connect your story to their situation.

4. Interpersonal Style 

Biblical example: Matthew in Luke 5:29

Warm personality, Conversational, Friendship-Oriented

Caution: Avoid valuing friendship over truth-telling. Presenting the Gospel often means challenging a person’s whole direction in life, and that can mean causing friction in your relationship. 

5. Invitational Style 

Biblical example: Woman at the well in John 4

Hospitable, Relational, Persuasive

Caution: Be careful not to always let others do your talking for you.  You too, need to “always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have…” (I Peter 3:15). 

6. Serving Style 

Biblical example: Dorcas in Acts 9

Others-Centered, Humble, Patient

Caution: Just as “words are no substitute for actions,” “actions are no substitute for words.”  In Romans 10:14, it is made clear that we must verbally tell people about Christ. 

Continue in the Work

We must continue in the work of Christ despite obstacles. 

Continue when there is opposition.  

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it." So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: "Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.”

“No literature is more realistic and honest in facing the harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempts us from difficulties.”

-Eugene Peterson

Continue when there are disappointments. 

‭‭Acts‬ ‭15‬:‭36‬-‭41‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are." Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

“Feelings are important in many areas but completely unreliable in matters of faith . . . We live in what one writer has called the ‘age of sensation.’ We think that if we don’t feel something there can be no authenticity in doing it. But (the) wisdom of God says something different: that we can act ourselves into a new way of feeling much quicker than we can feel ourselves into a new way of acting.”

-Eugene Peterson

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Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),”

Continue when there is a door for reconciliation.  

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.”

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction 

We must continue in the work of Christ until we see Jesus face to face.  

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

“The central reality for Christians is the personal, unalterable, persevering commitment God makes to us. Perseverance is not the result of our determination, it is the result of God’s faithfulness. We survive in the way of faith not because we have extraordinary stamina but because God is righteous, because God sticks with us.”

-Eugene Peterson

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Our Charge

Our Charge 

We’re moving from a focus on community to our charge as a people to impact culture. 

Focus: Our charge from Jesus is to take this good news of the Kingdom to every nation under Heaven.  

• Forgiveness of Sins

• For Every Nation

• To the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb

Forgiveness of Sins

Jesus died on the cross so that all people, everywhere, might have the opportunity to repent and receive the forgiveness of sins.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭44‬-‭49‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."”

This is what God has said. 

What has made you believe something different?

There was a problem in all of our lives and Jesus came to solve it. 

Sin separated all of humanity from God and made us by nature, objects of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1-10). 

Sin such as hatred, discord, factions, greed, rape, murder, lust, sexual immortality, adultery, lying, stealing, trafficking, enslavement, drunkenness, selfish ambition and the like have brought destruction to families, communities, cultures, cities and nations. 

These are issues the world round, to different degrees, because sin is not just in cultures, it is in people's hearts.  

We preach the gospel because God has said:

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

True righteousness can only be found in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus came into this world to save sinners.  

The wages of sin is death because we are separated from the author of life and call on ourselves a just judgment for our wrongdoing (Romans 6:23).  

Because sin causes a relational fracture with us and God, there is no reconciliation with God without the forgiveness of sins. 

There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). 

Christ shed his blood for us at the cross to give his life in our place (Leviticus 17:11).  

Repentance and faith in Jesus’ sacrificial death, burial and resurrection make reconciliation with God available to the whole world.  

Culture is made up of people and the perpetual decisions that they make to honor or defy God.  

The culture changes as lives are changed by the cross and gospel of Jesus Christ.  

As a community we preach, intentionally sharing the gospel with others because everyone can repent.  

“Repentance is not an emotion. It is not feeling sorry for your sins. It is a decision . . . Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing the same old things, thinking the same old thoughts. Repentance is a decision to follow Jesus Christ and become his pilgrim in the path of peace.”

-Eugene Peterson

Have you believed a lie that certain people can not come to repentance?  

For Every Nation

This gospel of the Kingdom is for every nation. 

Just as our primary call is to worship God and enjoy him forever and our primary posture is to grow in this within a devoted Christian community, our primary mission is to together make Christ known that all the nations might be reconciled to God.  

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2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is what God has said. 

What has made you believe something different?

What this Scripture means is that the whole world is under the same type of sin, deserving of death and hell, lest they have a savior who went to the cross to pay the price for them.  

So the love of Christ compels us. 

If you don’t feel like you yet have the love of God for others, pray for it - God will break your heart for the nations.  

Because of the mercy that God has shown us, we look at no one from a worldly point of view.

We must look at everyone through the lens of Christ which makes both grace and forgiveness available to them through repentance and faith in Jesus. 

We must not be lulled to sleep by our culture believing that God no longer cares about this as his primary purpose (Luke 15).  

There are sins in every culture that attempt to dull our fervor for God.  

What is it in your culture?

“When an ancient temptation or trial becomes a feature in the culture, a way of life that is expected and encouraged, Christians have a stumbling block put before them that is hard to recognize for what it is, for it has been made into a monument, gilded with bronze and bathed in decorative lights.”

-Eugene Peterson

We are God’s ambassadors as if God were making his appeal through us.  

The goal is for your family members, neighbors, co-workers and friends to be reconciled with God.  

Jesus is not just for your nation - he is for every nation under Heaven - for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).  

This is why we have our Acts 1:8 mandate and together reach out to Chicago, Madison, Charleston, Turkey (this summer) and Luxembourg. 

‭‭

Romans‬ ‭10‬:8-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"” 

The beauty is that we not only have the nations in our city, but an international community that might not otherwise be exposed to the gospel right in our back yard.  

And in this light, we are called to serve and invite everyone to the wedding banquet of the Lamb of God.

The Wedding Banquet of the Lamb

We are called to belong to Jesus and therefore are called to invite people from every nation to the wedding banquet of the Lamb of God.  

‭‭

Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast."' But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."

This is what God has said. 

What has made you believe something different?

It is not our job to force people to come to Jesus, but as the body of Christ, it is our responsibility to make the invitation to every person under heaven.  

We do not get to choose who we think is or is not a good candidate - we invite as many as we find.  

Again, we look at no one from a worldly point of view, but remember that Christ died for all, therefore all died.  

It is important to note three things here:

1. People missed the grace of God because of both animosity and because they were too busy with other things to make reconciliation with God a priority.  Do not be one of them.

2. Those who were invited to the banquet were both bad and good - do not disqualify anyone from an invitation.

3. *It is not enough to just be spiritual - without the right clothes, the wedding garments (being clothed in Christ’s righteousness alone, by faith) the attendee was thrown out.

We need to not only know what to do, but to persevere in doing it until we see Jesus face to face.  

“For it is apathetic, sluggish neutrality that is death to perseverance, acts like a virus in the bloodstream and enervates the muscles of discipleship. The person who makes excuses for hypocrites and rationalizes the excesses of the wicked, who loses a sense of opposition to sin, who obscures the difference between faith and denial, grace and selfishness—that is the person to be wary of. For if there is not all that much difference between the way of faith and the ways of the world, there is not much use in making any effort to stick to it.”

-Eugene Peterson

I believe it is a gift from God that we were given our church building in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the nation.  

May we make the most of loving people and serving them with the good news of Jesus. 

What has kept you from answering God’s invitation to the wedding banquet of Christ?

What has kept you from making the invitation to others?

What will you do now? 

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Close Enough

Close Enough

 This message is meant to be a bridge between our pillars of community and culture. 

Focus: The Christian community that you have should be close enough to sharpen you in the Lord. 

• That’s Close Enough!

• Discipleship through Relationship

• The Iron of the Cross

That’s Close Enough!

God desires to gift us people in life who will be close enough to encourage us when we need it and cross us when we don’t feel it. 

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭27‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Many times, to maintain control in our lives (rather than submitting to the Lordship of Jesus), we keep people at arm’s length so they can not interfere with our personal plans, desires and ambitions. 

Yet Jesus modeled for us a relationship with Peter and the other apostles that landed these disciples in the center of God’s will.  

Peter was Jesus’ right hand man.  

Peter would have thought that he had all of the good intentions in the world towards Jesus. 

Jesus and Peter were side by side building a life together for the three plus years after Jesus entered his public ministry. 

Together, they were doing so much good in the world.  

Yet Jesus kept bringing up the cross. 

Peter could have thought…

Why should Jesus go to the cross when he was doing so much good in the world - performing miracles, driving out demons, healing the sick and raising the dead?  

Peter did not understand that Christ’s entire mission was about seeing the lost turn from their sin to be reconciled with God, and that this could not be done without Jesus going to the cross. 

So at that moment, Peter did not have in mind the purposes of God, but the comforts of men. 

Jesus said “Get behind me Satan” because Peter was, in that moment, giving the counsel of Satan, not God, trying, in a well meaning manner, to turn Jesus from the cross. 

But Peter was wrong in that moment because he took his eyes off of God and his ultimate purposes which would lead to Jesus taking up the cross to save the world.  

*This can happen when we neglect to seek God in anything - through the word, prayer or gospel-centered counsel.   

Jesus and Peter were in close enough relationship for Peter to hear this rebuke and course-correct, as Peter would eventually be one of the greatest preachers of Christ’s cross after experiencing Jesus’ forgiveness and restoration (Matthew 26:30-35; John 21; Acts 3). 

I want us to consider some questions today and allow God to help us better understand community within his purposes and how we make decisions.  

Let’s begin with these questions with the above Scripture in mind:

1. How have you been in similar circumstances in your life?

2. When have you, like Jesus, been headed to a cross to fulfill God’s purposes and had someone try to convince you to do something easier?

3. When have you been like Peter, giving erroneous counsel to others?

4. Do you live with the things of God or the things of men in mind?

5. Where is the counsel that you are getting really coming from?

6. How does your community lead you to the cross or away from it?

Again, Jesus said:

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.”

How do does your community lead you to save your life or lose it for Jesus and his gospel? 

Jesus said to Peter:

"Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."

Are you in close enough relationship with God to hear this from him if necessary?

If the apostle Peter was ever in need of such a correction, who am I to think that I would never be?

Are you in close enough relationships with people in your church community to be known and hear this from others if you miss God speaking? 

Who in your life is close enough to you, has walked closely enough with God and you that they would 1) be able to say this to you and 2) be a person from whom you would actually receive such a rebuke because you are walking together in such a covenant bond?

The Bible is filled with important covenant relationships between followers of Jesus that helped them fulfill the call of God together. 

For example, King David and Jonathan’s covenant is a fantastic model of relationship which helped propel them both in the purposes of God (I Samuel 17-II Samuel 2).  

It also acts as a warning as Jonathan was influenced too long by old relationships that were not going in God’s direction and caused Jonathan to suffer for it. 

So how do we live in community in such a way that it propels us forward in the things of God?

Discipleship through Relationship

Following Jesus is not just about you and God. 

We learn to be disciples of Jesus as we relate with God’s Word, develop a prayer life and interact with other believers.  

‭‭

Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

We receive encouragement in the call, commands, comfort and purposes of God when we are in a devoted, shared life with one another.   

Life in a vacuum leads to deception.  

The Holy Spirit had the author of Proverbs offer this warning: 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

*Discipleship is ultimately about learning how to follow Jesus in the things that he cares about, learning how he thinks and finding our place in his unfolding story. 

Relating with Jesus is the foundation of being a disciple but there is more.  

Once we spend time with God, he points us right back to interaction with people - flesh and blood in our homes, our church and our community.  

This is where the rubber meets the road so that what God has whispered to you in the prayer closet, he now expects to be put into action and to be shouted from the rooftops (preaching his gospel).

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”

God develops us in Christ through the consistency of godly relationships. 

Yet many do not wait on God’s timing or take the time to be developed anymore. 

Many are not sharpened by others as iron sharpens iron because they have more interaction with people online who don’t know or see their real lives, than people who are actually able to do so in person. 

This is exacerbated by the fact that if you don’t like the discomfort of being sharpened, you can distance yourself, cancel, unfriend, and escape people because you feel erroneously that you have all of the interaction that you need in the palm of your hand. 

But are you hitting the mark of God’s high calling in Christ (Philippians 3)?

We need to overcome certain pressures to come into a healthy, godly community. 

Have you felt these ways?

1. *There can be a false pressure to figure everything out by yourself.

This generation suffers from the pressure that because every piece of information is at your fingertips, you should have all the answers.  

God did not design us to live life this way.  

Though AI can share information, it does not have the anointing of God, or the motivation to see you set apart to Christ. 

1. *I don’t want to be a burden with my issues - I feel shame having the questions that I do or about things with which I am struggling.

I entertain the lie that I need to get myself together before I press into the community. 

I know what I am doing is wrong and I keep doing it - I want to stop but it can be vulnerable and scary to be sharpened. 

I don’t want to disappoint others. 

These can all be real feelings, yet when you know that God and the church community that he gives you are for you and not looking to condemn you, then you can come into the light to break free from bondage. 

The old song "Locked Away” asks the question in all of our hearts - “Would You Still Love Me the Same?”

*Relationships are not designed by God to be disposable, so stick in there when the temperature gets hot!

“In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”

-C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

It is the proximity and frequency of committed church relationships that sharpen you unto God’s life, freedom and Kingdom purposes. 

The Iron of the Cross

The Lord uses Christian community to help us find our way to the cross. 

Just because you receive counsel, doesn’t mean it is from the Lord.  

“Get behind me Satan…”

What does it mean for you to lose your life for the gospel?

It means that you make decisions in the Lord with this criteria:

1. The word of God is the foundation (plumb line) - it tells you that on which God is focused

2. Prayer is the illumination of your specific, practical direction from the Lord (Proverbs 3) - God tells you how to participate in what he is doing

3. Godly counsel from the church community  in your life with whom you are walking is the confirmation - it should help you keep your eyes fixed on the things of God rather than just the things of men

Godly counsel should lead you to Calvary. 

The cross is not only what Jesus bore for us to reconcile us with God as we repent of our sins and put our faith in him, but the cross is what Jesus calls us to carry as his disciple (Luke 9:57-62). 

The cross is the specific decisions that you have to make as God calls you to deny yourself individually and as a family to follow him (Luke 14:25-33). 

It will not be identical for you and someone else (John 21), but no disciple escapes their personal cross to carry as they follow Jesus through the word of God, prayer and community (Luke 3:10-14). 

So the question is:

1. How has Christ carried the cross for you?

2. What is your cross by which you will glorify God and advance his Kingdom?

3. How have you tried to save your life?

4. How have you seen elements of people actually losing their lives when they tried to save it?

5. Who has tried to convince you not to carry your cross?

6. Who has encouraged you to carry your cross?

7. How will you now respond?

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

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Christian Community: What, Why, and How

Christian Community: What, Why, and How

Section 1: Intro to Christian Community – What is it?

1. Turn your Bibles, if you have them, to Acts 2:42-47.

   1. I have been given the great honor and task to speak to you today about Second City Church’s second pillar – Community. What is it, why should we practice it, and how exactly we can live this out.

   2. Community is vital to this church, and hopefully it is vital to every church because it was absolutely a pillar in the early church and part of the blueprint of how churches should operate according to the Bible.

   3. Kendall and I, when we first arrived in Chicago, did a lot of “church shopping”. We had and have high standards for the local church that we attend, a lot of that surrounding theological issues. So, some churches we went to didn’t quite meet those standards, but others did! However, after attending a few churches where we agreed with what was being preached from the pulpit, we kept searching because we felt like a face in the crowd, like we couldn’t establish a community there. Obviously we found one, this church, and we decided to stay not just for the bible-based theology we found from the leadership, but because the people here feel like home. This is a church, a congregation, that is deeply rooted in community, and so it is a blessing to be able to speak to you about this pillar of what has been our home for the past 9 years.

   4. So then what exactly is biblical community? Let’s take a look at our key passage today – Acts 2:42-47. Let me set the scene:

      1. Jesus Christ has just finished His earthly ministry, that is the ministry He did while He was literally on earth. He had lived a perfect 33 years, did signs and wonders, traveled to many places healing, preaching, and teaching, died a sinners death in our place at calvary, was buried in a tomb for 3 days, rose again on the third, showed himself to his apostles and 500 more, and then ascended into heaven. His apostles, after seeing the Lord ascend, went into town, the Holy Spirit descended upon them, and then Peter preaches the first sermon to the onlookers. He finishes his sermon, 3,000 people repent, are saved, and are baptized, and the first Christian church is established. Not a building, mind you, but a people. Then our passage begins:

      2. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."

   5. The first church practiced community immediately. They:

      1. Met together (e.g. this passage emphatically states “they” when describing its events)

      2. Worshipped together by learning (devoting themselves to the apostles teaching), spending time and eating with one another (fellowship to the breaking of bread), and praying with one another.

      3. They were unified (had all things in common)

      4. Supported one another no matter the cost (selling possessions and distributing to all who had need)

      5. They did not limit this to weekly gatherings (day by day)

      6. And they had “favor with all the people” even as they were praising God.

      7. The result: the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Section 2: Why is this important?

1. So then, why? Why was this such a big deal and why is it still a big deal that we live out community with one another?

   1. First and foremost, being a community, being relational with one another, is a direct reflection of God Himself.

      1. You don’t have to read very far in your Bible-in-one-year reading plan to find this theological principle. In Genesis 1 God says in verse 26:

      2. Let us make mankind in our image…

      3. God Himself before the creation of the world, before any of us were even here, was and is relational. Our God is triune, three in one, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The father did not make us in his image, the Son didn’t make us in his image, the Holy Spirit did not make us in his image. The Trinity, God, Son, and Holy Spirit made us in his image. But we are not triune, we do not have three parts that can commune with one another. God made us to reflect his perfect self by being with one another.

      4. So why is it important to practice community? Quite simply, if we are to be more like God, the highest calling of our lives, then we are to be in community with one another.

   2. Secondly, we practice community for a purpose. That purpose is of course the aforementioned – to be more like God. But it doesn’t stop there, by doing that it has a radical effect on each of our lives. We practice community to stir up one another to love and good works.

      1. Hebrews 10:19-25 says, “Therefore, brothers [and sisters], since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

      2. Christian community is not just for the sake of a good hang. It has a radical purpose with a radical result. Here is a challenge to all of us, “When you leave a gathering of believers, do you feel encouraged to love more and do good? And, have you contributed to that end for others?”

      3. Within our three pillars, Christ, Community, and Culture, the first two are our root system for the third. By being rooted in Christ and Community, we are able to affect the culture. We do not first become holy, generous, loving, etc. within our culture and then bring that into our relationship with Christ and each other. Rather, we are sanctified through our relationship with Christ and each other in order to successfully affect our culture.

      4. There is a reason our pillars a structured in this order. Those are ranked from most important to third most important. If you skip Christ and Community, you will be ineffective with your influence among your secular communities! We’ll talk about Culture in the following weeks, but I almost want to say “forget about that pillar” if you have not rooted yourself in the first two – Christ and Community. I remember listening to a sermon from another church where the pastor said something to this effect, “If you have come here and gotten saved, this church is no longer for you. This church is for those seeking Christ.” I remember thinking, “that misses the point of church entirely.” Yes, it is a wonderful thing that people get saved in church, but the church is for believers in him to come and meet together in order that they may go out and change the world. Meeting together, in person, under Christ, is vital for the lifeblood of our great commission, to go out and make disciples of all nations.

         1. This is why a local, in-person church is so important! This passage says do NOT neglect meeting together as is the habit of some. I set up our online service during covid and it was a sufficient stand-in while the world was in chaos, but now I see it as a fulfillment of three things: for posterity so we can streamline the recording of our services, for our church members who are ill or out of town, and for the few who want to tune in to see a loved one who may be participating in the service. I want to offer a challenge to our online viewers: if this is your substitute for attending a local church in your area, make this your last service with us. Next Sunday, go out and find a solid church community or come and join ours (if you’re using this to see what we’re all about). Do not neglect the assembly of the saints – online church does not count! There is so much more to be experienced by being with one another, worshipping, learning, eating with one another!

         2. If you were here during our covid online season, you might remember that when we got up and running it was really cool and exciting… for a little while. But something was missing. What was missing was this community, being together, worshipping in person together. Don’t miss it.

   3. Third, we are to practice community so that others can know that Jesus is Lord.

      1. In John 17 we read about the Lord’s prayer. You may know the prayer “Our father who art in heaven…” as the Lord’s prayer… that’s not the Lord’s prayer. That’s our prayer. This is the Lord’s prayer – the prayer he gave for us in the Garden of Gethsemane before he went to the cross.

      2. He says in verse 15-23, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

      3. Jesus’ prayer is that we would be one – that we would be together, unified in his gospel, his death, burial, and resurrection – so that the world may know that God sent his son to love them even as God relationally loves Jesus.

      4. What does this look like? Jesus explains just a few chapters earlier to the disciples. John 13:34-35 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

      5. Christian community is radical. By living this out, the world should see that we are disciples of Christ because of the way we love one another in community!

      6. Here is another challenge: Do your non-Christian communities know that you are a disciple of Christ by how you love your family in Christ?

Section 3: How do we do this?

1. This is a high calling! Ultimately, Jesus’ prayer for us is that our root system in Christ and Community will affect our Culture. But what does this look like practically? How exactly can we start or continue to do this?

2. Let’s take a look back at our blueprint for community – our key passage in Acts 2 – and I’ll give you some thoughts on how this can be practically lived out.

   1. Met together (e.g. this passage emphatically states “they” when describing its events)

      1. We need to meet together! This is a good place to start! We are here, at church. Where are we? We are literally at Green House Theater, but we are at church. The church is the body of Christ. If you’re coming here, we want you to be coming for the church. If you came for Rollan, well sorry you got me but even still that’s only part of what this is! This is the gathering of the body – it’s about us coming together for God. Ask yourself this, if the Green House Theater kicked us out, if our Rogers Park location burned down, if Rollan went on sabbatical, would you still have a church? I hope your answer is emphatically yes because you have this community.

   2. Worshipped together by learning (devoting themselves to the apostles teaching), spending time and eating with one another (fellowship to the breaking of bread), and praying with one another.

      1. This sounds a lot like our Sunday service, but it extends to far more than this!

      2. This describes community groups! If you are not part of one, get in one! It is a Sunday service concentrated into a small gathering within the hospitality of our leaders during the week where we can worship, eat, and pray together and for one another. It is such a practical way to be in community together and live these things out.

      3. This describes lunch after this service! If you don’t have lunch plans, grab someone and go to Johnny’s Beef, Velvet Taco, or one of the many great local places around here and share a meal. There is so much power in good food and good company. Experience this within the next hour!

      4. This describes inviting one another to your homes! Cook for one another, encourage one another in the apostles teachings (the Bible), pray with and for one another! 

      5. Remember, the early church did not limit this to once-a-week gatherings. They met together day-by-day! If you can’t do this physically, start a text thread or group chat and commune with each other, send prayer requests, praises, encouragements!

      6. This looks like COMMUNION! We are going to take part in Communion after this message and it’s such an exciting and powerful thing. We’ll take some time to describe what communion is before we participate in it together, but ultimately it is a foreshadowing of the community we will experience in heaven. Communion is literally communing with Christ alongside believers; it is this incredible moment where we together as the body of Christ commune with His saving power, His broken body and spilt blood for our sake. By taking communion we are declaring Christ’s death until He comes – but once we are in His presence, when we are together with Him in Heaven, we won’t literally do the sacrament of communion (the eating of a piece of bread and a bit of juice) but we will instead commune with Him and each other in person for all eternity. Communion is the melding together of our first two pillars, Christ and Community. So if you are a believer in Christ, get excited to take this with us later in the service.

      7. This describes Community Day! More on that later!

      8. This might feel overwhelming. You might know people here involved in this type of community I am describing, you might know me – I’m involved in a lot of things; I serve on different teams, I help oversee Community Groups, Kendall and I run Community Day, like it or not we are a heavy presence in this place. You might be thinking, “I want this, but where do I start?” I want to encourage you with this: start now. Start by doing this – after service, don’t bolt out of here. Stay. Talk to someone you don’t know, get prayed over by our banner, make lunch plans - come to lunch with me! Just start by not leaving immediately. If you have to leave, talk to me and let me point you in the direction of a community group. Commit to going for the next four weeks whether you feel like it or not. You don’t have to do everything I’ve said at once – just start simple and go from there. We want you here.

   3. They were unified (had all things in common) and supported one another no matter the cost (selling possessions and distributing to all who had need)

      1. This one is tougher! It starts to make us feel uncomfortable because it requires us to give, not just take. But Community is about sharing space, time, and resources with one another.

      2. This looks like supporting one another in hard times – emotionally, spiritually, and financially. Kendall and I have been very blessed financially and we’ve had the opportunity to share with those in our church who are in need. Right now, a family from Booklat is in great need of resources. If you want to help out a family who has been part of our after-school community, reach out to Christa. Put this sermon to practice and give! I guarantee you that you will receive far more than you give, it is one of the greatest ironies that God has blessed his family with.

      3. This looks like opening your home to those who need a place to stay. Kendall and I have hosted 2 young men in our home for extended periods of time – Gabe and Garrett. Since then, one has gotten engaged and the other is in a serious relationship. Good things happen to those who stay with us! We have another guest in our home right now, Caroline. Caroline, buckle up and start ring shopping!

      4. This looks like asking for help from your community. If you are in need, we want to know. We want to raise you up, to bless you, to love you.

   4. And they had “favor with all the people” even as they were praising God.

      1. This is a strange dichotomy in the scriptures because even in the Lord’s Prayer, right before the passage I shared with you, Jesus says that the world will hate us because we are not of the world. So how can we be hated and yet have “favor with all people”?

      2. It is simply this: the church and its community is supposed to be attractive to the outside world. Even when people disagree with our beliefs, they must not deny that the way we live is better.

      3. The Bible says that we are a city on a hill (Matthew 5:14-16). That means we cannot be hidden, we are not called to live this life of community in isolation. If that is all we are, then congratulations, you’ve just joined a cult. But we are not a cult – we are a community that welcomes others to come and see that the Lord is alive, that he is transforming us to be more like him, that there is a better way to live. 1 Peter 2:9-12 tells us to live such good lives among unbelievers that, though they accuse of us doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and have no ground to stand on. That the result of this is that they will be among us to glorify God on the day he returns.

      4. Can I tell you more about Community Day? The purpose of Community Day is to have a space where the church can come and fellowship together. But much more than that, we want you to invite others into this space so they can come and hopefully leave that place thinking, “that was different. I want that.” And what is “that”? It’s Christ within a Community of people, being put on display for all to see, hear, and experience. So please, come to Community Day, invite your friends, RSVP, and come and see that the Lord is good.

   5. What was and is the result of lived out community according to Acts 2? The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

3. Two more passages for you and then I’ll close.

   1. Zechariah 8:23 says, “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.”

      1. Who is the Jew under Christ? Galatians 3:28-29 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
         If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

   2. My prayer is that we would be that Jew in Zechariah that the nations take hold of, that someone would say “Let me go with you, because we have heard, tasted, and seen that God is with you.”

   3. In a world that idolizes individualism, self-expression, and self-sufficiency, true Christian community is radically different.

      1. We admit weakness and seek help from our brothers and sisters.

      2. To that end we carry one another’s burdens.

      3. We slow down our schedules for one another and stay with one another to encourage and lift each other up.

      4. We commit to imperfect people in love so that other imperfect people can see that the Jesus is Lord.

         1. We are not perfect. I am not perfect. Voddie Baucham, a pastor in Zambia, says, “I’m just a beggar, telling another beggar where I found bread.” We cannot live out the gospel perfectly, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, by being rooted in Christ and Community, we can show others where we found bread, where we found home.

   4. So go, and radically live out this calling, be in Community with one another, love one another as Christ has loved you, and see the nations turn to God because of it.

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How Can You Spend Time with Jesus

How You Can Spend Time with Jesus

Focus: When we overcome the intimidation of time spent with God, it becomes the joy of our hearts.   

Our Calling 

Our Apprehension

Our Expectation 

The Lord our Healer

Our Calling

Our primary calling is to know Christ and to be with the Lord.  

A Maskil of the Sons of Korah

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”

Whether we realize it or not, this is the cry and deepest need of every heart.  

The Sons of Korah understood this and Jesus made an unhindered way for it. 

‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”

When we make time to be with Jesus, the Lord transforms us and invests in us his authority to advance his Kingdom with his gospel and power.  

Our Apprehension

Though God calls, we can be apprehensive when we don’t know how to respond.  

So what should we do when we are with God?

Set a time and place every day - plan for it like a date night. 

As we discussed last week, it seems that both Moses and Jesus had a rhythm of times and  places to pray (Exodus 33:7-11; Mark 1:35-39). 

‭‭

Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭35‬-‭39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”

In the Jewish culture, there was “the hour of prayer” where Peter was able to encounter the lame beggar and see him supernaturally healed by the power of God and the name of Jesus (Acts 3:1-10).  

We begin with worship. 

To spend time with God, the Scripture encourages us first to worship, which means to pay God our respects, lavish on him our love and honor him for who he is.  

‭‭

Psalm‬ ‭100‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

When we worship, we humble ourselves and exalt God as holy - meaning he is, amongst other things, greater, purer, wiser, more compassionate, more powerful, more able and more willing than ourselves. 

This is why we begin and end our Sunday services in song. 

When we do this, we are reminding ourselves of who God said that he is, shown that he is and posturing ourselves for proper interaction.  

How to worship?

When we worship, we can stand, we can kneel, we can bow, we can prostrate ourselves, we can be silent, we can play music, we can clap, we can dance.  

All of these are expressed as legitimate expressions of Biblical worship of the Lord and it is good when we engage them all at different times.  

To seek the Lord and to wait on him is our high calling in Jesus. 

What happens when we do?

When we seek the Lord through the word of God and prayer, we are cleansed in our souls (mind, will and emotions) to begin to see things as God sees them, think his thoughts and have a desire to do his will. 

We begin by meditating on his word. 

This is important because we are sensitized to God’s voice through Scripture. 

What does it mean to meditate on God’s word?

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭9‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”

Storing up the word in your heart can practically mean memorizing it in small portions at a time so that you can both remember and access it in time of need. 

We learn to walk with God through prayer.  

How should I pray?

Prayers should be Biblical.  

Many people pray things that God never intends to answer and get discouraged while doing so.  

When you approach God, he intends to show you who he is and deal with the sin (areas where you are missing the mark) in your life. 

‭‭

Psalm‬ ‭66‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!”

As you are developing your prayer muscle, faith, and confidence of what to pray, you can begin by praying the word of God, using Scriptural prayers as examples. 

Why do we pray Scripture?

John the apostle gave this encouragement to believers as a motivation: 

‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

When we understand how to pray Biblically, we also understand that prayer gets personal.  

Talk to God openly and honestly.  

This is what the Psalms highlight for us.  

*Begin with honesty and end in faith - your declared trust in who God said that he is and what he said he will do. 

We must also learn to listen to God.  

How to listen?

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”

Why do I think that I could ever hear from God?

Jesus himself gave us this great comfort when he said:

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."

How do I know if I’ve heard God? 

• God will never contradict his written word. 

• The fruit of the Holy Spirit testifies to it. 

• Other believers confirm it.  

How to apply Scripture?

We need to juxtapose our manner of living and habits to the prescriptions of God’s word to bring our lives into alignment with God’s will. 

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Jesus said:

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭63‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

This is why the writer of Hebrews would later say:

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

How do I learn to sit and be ministered to?

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Go through Tozer’s checklist and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you to give you practical correction and direction. 

Rules for Self Discovery:

1. What we want most;

2. What we think about most;

3. How we use our money;

4. What we do with our leisure time;

5. The company we enjoy;

6. Who and what we admire;

7. What we laugh at.

-A. W. Tozer

For those who would desire a structured format to help mitigate distractions, a good resource is: 

In this book is a chart that helps provide five minute increments of how to spend your time with the Lord. 

Leave that space with a practical way each day to serve the community with the gospel. 

Our Expectation

Our expectation is that when we approach God, he responds to us - and we are continually transformed as we wait on and submit to him. 

Jairus the synagogue ruler and the woman with the issue of bleeding came to Jesus based on his reputation as a healer, surmising that if he healed others, he was also able to show mercy to them.  

‭‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭43‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live." And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?" And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.”

The picture of Jairus the synagogue ruler and the woman with the issue of bleeding can both give us pictures of how to develop a life of prayer.  

The beauty of God’s instruction to wait on him without a time limit gives us a foundation of perpetual hope.  

Mark 5:35,36 ESV

“While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 

Because God did not clarify how long we are to wait on him, whether long time or short, it is just a matter of time before he shows himself faithful to his word.  

If you are waiting on the Lord, you can be too rushed, but you can never be waiting too long.  

It is never too late for God to fulfill his promises, even when we think the opportunities are dead. 

The Lord our Healer

When we choose to submit to Jesus, whether now or in the life to come, there will be complete healing, restoration and joy.  

Because of the cross, we have access to God’s present and eternal healing. 

We appropriate, meaning we see that healing applied, as we approach Jesus as did the synagogue ruler and woman with the issue of bleeding. 

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

The apostle Peter, who witnessed Christ’s miracles first hand, would later apply this directly to Jesus as an encouragement to believers who put their trust in Jesus’ sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. 

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

As we repent of our waywardness and put our trust in Jesus’ sinless life, sacrificial death at the cross for us and resurrection from the dead, we can be forgiven and have unbroken access to the Lord, our healer.  

Jesus can start the healing in a moment, and does so progressively each time we choose to meet with him.  

God will complete our healing when we see Jesus face to face, as all of those whose names are written in the Lamb of God’s book of life are welcomed into their eternal home.  

The irony is that once we spend time with God like this, he points us right back to interaction with flesh and blood - to represent him to real time people in our home, our church and our community.  

We’ll speak about this in the following weeks.

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An Invitation to Greater Depths

An Invitation to Greater Depths

 Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We must learn Jesus’ lesson from the parable of the sower if we are to move to greater depths and fruitfulness in God.  

Shallow Christianity

Distractions

God’s Invitation to Greater Depths

‭‭

Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 

Shallow Christianity 

Jesus is sowing the word into our lives, but we can still remain shallow Christians. 

“Some Christians want enough of Christ to be identified with him but not enough to be seriously inconvenienced; they genuinely cling to basic Christian orthodoxy but do not want to engage in serious Bible study; they value moral probity, especially of the public sort, but do not engage in war against inner corruptions; they fret over the quality of the preacher's sermon but do not worry much over the quality of their own prayer life. Such Christians are content with mediocrity."

-D.A. Carson

*The goal of your faith is to become a worshiper of God who relates and serves the world in the ways of God - in Spirit and in truth (John 4:19-26). 

To become these people, we must spend the time and energy developing our ongoing, deepening relationship with God. 

We must resist the “arrival” mentality or succumb to spiritual boredom because of all of the other distractions in the world.  

As the first question of the Westminster Catechism states:

Q: What is the chief end of man?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. 

This can seem foreign to us if we have a shallow Christianity. 

“I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.

- A.W. Tozer

Jesus’ parable of the sower helps us leave the place of shallow Christianity and walk with God as he intends. 

‭‭

Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

The four types of soil represent the condition of our hearts. 

1. Seed along the path (on the surface)

2. Seed on rocky ground

3. Seed on thorny soil

4. Seed on good soil

5. Seed along the path (on the surface)

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”

Satan is able to steal the word sown into us when we don’t understand it.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.”

Those who want to understand set aside time and effort to get to the Lord.  

‭‭

Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that "'they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven."

1. Seed on rocky ground

Those on the rocky soil received the message with joy, but did not develop a secret life in God, a root system that no one else could see but him. 

Our walk with God needs to have a deep root system if we are to be effective in the life and mission of God to be a disciple and go into all the nations to make disciples. 

If we never take the time to develop a root system, when trouble, trial or persecution come because of the word, we can fall away. 

“There's a difference between knowing God and knowing about God. When you truly know God, you have energy to serve Him, boldness to share Him, and contentment in Him.”

- J.I Packer

1. Seed on thorny soil

We want to be those who walk with Jesus and bear multi-fold fruit for his Kingdom.  

To do so, we need to identify and weed out the unholy things, the things that are not set apart to God and that try to choke out his Kingdom purposes in our lives.  

As we endeavored to understand holiness in last week’s message, I want to make each of the things that follow reflect holiness (being set apart to God) in my life.

Rules for Self Discovery:

1. What we want most;

2. What we think about most;

3. How we use our money;

4. What we do with our leisure time;

5. The company we enjoy;

6. Who and what we admire;

7. What we laugh at.

-A. W. Tozer

Distractions 

Distractions keep us shallow. Waiting allows us to go deep.  

“The man who would truly know God must give time to Him.”

- A.W. Tozer

Responsibilities are real, but we must make time to prioritize God. 

And let’s be honest, it’s not always responsibilities that prevent us from doing so. 

We can give in to the addiction of the phone and being entertained too much to go deep in the Lord. 

The problem is that the supply of the internet is endless. 

The myth of multitasking has us believe that we can have divided attention and go deep in the Lord.  

These resources would help you learn otherwise:

‭‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”

Again, if we are to go deep in the Lord, we must give him undistracted time. 

“God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.”

-A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine

When we do give God this time, it affects every area of our lives positively - our relationships, our marriages, our parenting, our careers and our ministry in them all. 

God’s Invitation to Greater Depths

God invites his people into intimate friendship with himself.  

In John 15, Jesus is essentially describing a life of walking with God in ongoing relationship with him through the Word, unceasing prayer and loving fellowship (a shared life) with other believers. 

Jesus said something profound when he spoke about abiding in the Lord:

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬-‭17 ‭ESV‬‬

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

We want to be those who walk with Jesus and bear multi-fold fruit for his Kingdom.  

1. Seed on good soil

Mark 4:10-12 ESV

“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

How do we bear this kind of fruit?

Time spent with Jesus (and his people). 

Moses and Joshua give us an example of this. 

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭33‬:‭7‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”

Smoke vs. Fire 

The Israelites were satisfied with seeing the cloud from a distance.  

Joshua wanted to experience all that God had and remained in the tent of meeting to get it.  

“I want the presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion... I want all that God has or I don't want any.”

- A.W. Tozer

Joshua, with this mentality, would later be appointed by God to lead the Israelites into the promised land. 

We have access to this because Jesus would ultimately go outside of the camp (Mark 1:35-39), not just to pray, but to give his life in ransom on the cross to make atonement for our sins (Hebrews 13:13).  

‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭35‬-‭39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”

Now, as we turn away from our sins, we have not only reconciliation with God, but access to his throne of grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).  

Of David

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭25‬:‭12‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.”

God is ready to meet with those and befriend those who would fear him and learn to wait for him. 

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You Are What You Eat

You Are What You Eat

 Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: If we want to walk in the vitality and freedom of Christ, we need to watch what we consume. 

• Junk Food 

• Understanding Holiness 

• Feeding on Christ

Junk Food

We need to consume things that will strengthen us in the Holy Spirit rather than weakening us in the flesh.  

Health in life starts with coming to repentance and becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭43‬-‭45‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

What we do after we say that we’ve become Christians matters. 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭14‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.”

We need to get rid of that which contaminates our spirit if we are to please God and perfect holiness out of reverence for Jesus.  

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭7:1 ‭ESV‬‬

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

 Don’t allow escapism to contaminate your spirit or relationship with God. 

We need to learn to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. 

We need to stop eating at the table of the Lord and of demons (I Corinthians 8 + 10). 

Understanding Holiness 

We need to find out what pleases the Lord and feed on that.  

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

It doesn’t just matter that you go to the gym. 

What you eat also determines your health.  

*If you work-out 3-5 times a week, but are still a glutton with junk food - you will still end up unhealthy.  

On what, then, should I feed?

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

We need to learn to discipline ourselves to feed on that which pleases the Lord.  

And again, do not sacrifice your convictions for the sake of amusement and entertainment. 

You will reap what you sow (Galatians 6). 

Feeding on Christ

Our health and salvation are dependent upon  feeding on Christ and his gospel. 

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭48‬-‭58‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."

• Second City Church

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Micah 6:8

Micah 6:8

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: What is required of us is to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. 

In times of war, threats of war, protests and uprisings what posture should we take as Christians?

• Do Justice

• Love Mercy

• Walk Humbly

Do Justice

God is just in all of his ways and expects his people to act with justice.  

‭‭Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Justice means that there are rules to be obeyed.  

All of our obedience should begin with a respect for God’s divine rules.  

Even in the pagan, corrupt Roman Empire, Paul gave this instruction in how to deal with the rules that governed their lands:

‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”

*This implies that both rulers and those who are subject to them will inevitably be held accountable to God’s divine law.  

And in the midst of both righteousness and corruption, the people of God are called to do justice. 

We need to stop with the herd and mob mentalities. 

We need to be those who love God with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength.  

And through this, we need to learn to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

The word justice implies something has been tried in a court, weighed and a verdict has been reached. 

This means that two sides of a story or case are heard to get the facts. 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

Ultimately it’s about discovering the mind of Christ and living according to God’s law which supersedes any man-made law.  

We start by reading the civil and moral codes found in the Torah to get a foundation of God’s wisdom.   

We layer onto it the spirit behind the law - looking at the New Testament revelations and commandments. 

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

Then with prayer and consecrated thought, we look to represent Christ in the way that he would to bring application to our interactions and affairs.  

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”

Our goal is to be a vessel for the justice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope."”

Jesus is concerned about justice and is determined for things to be done right in the end.  

What is it about Jesus that would make even the Gentiles place their hope?

It is that despite any circumstances, the gospel is good news to all people of all nations at all times - if we would turn to Jesus. 

For all the world, he brings his Kingdom, his rule, full of kindness and mercy.  

Love Mercy

God wants us to love kindness and show mercy, because we have been shown mercy in Christ.  

The word kindness in the Scripture above can also be translated as mercy.  

A man I know recently said:

“You can not co-opt the language of Christianity while ignoring the substance and teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the mount.  

If you do it is idolatry and not Christ.”

‭‭Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

God does not tolerate sin in the name of mercy.  

He rebukes the sin, the lawlessness, from whatever the source, and calls people to repentance and faith in Christ.  

God is not a God of disorder (or confusion), but of peace (I Corinthians 14:33). 

So the question then becomes, “what would God have us do in our civil affairs?”

If you feel that you’ve sought God’s word, have labored before him in prayer and have a burning within you to address modern affairs then you may need to answer a call to help be a voice of godly wisdom and order. 

But know this - God has told us how to recognize the sound of his wisdom:

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Act Humbly

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  

‭‭Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

The proud forget where they’ve come from and of what they’ve been forgiven (Matthew 18:21-35).  

The humble act as firm agents of Christ to stand for what is right and not mask unrighteousness with mercy. 

The humble don’t look at anyone as better, worse, less than or greater than another (II Corinthians 5:16). 

They know that all will stand on level ground before the judgement seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5:10). 

Could it be that I need to see what Christ might be trying to accomplish in the midst of the chaos?  

In humility, we are servants of the Lord and his gospel is to be our primary message, his Kingdom come and rule, that for which we ultimately strive (Matthew 24). 

Whether in law, politics, government, healthcare, business, law enforcement, academia, the service industry, the military, engineering, entertainment, technology, social work, research or homemaking, you are called to be an ambassador for Christ - to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God as Jesus would. 

You are to be Christ’s hands, his mouthpiece and his representatives to illuminate his kingdom and demonstrate his gospel of grace.  

Sin is never ok. 

It had to be paid for with Christ’s own death at the cross. 

Because of Jesus’ sinless life, death, burial and resurrection, we now have both a source and a pathway to redemption - reconciliation with God and one another.  

We now call people in love and humility to repentance and faith that they might escape hell on earth and the hell to come for those who would continue to rebel against Almighty God.  

The humble receive God’s grace and then can offer it with boldness, wisdom and love to the world.  

Yet in all of these things, we must avoid the trap of self-righteousness.  

If you were to stand before Jesus today, would standing for these things make you right with God or give you entry into his wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14)? 

No. 

We’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:21-26). 

Walking humbly leads us to the cross where we understand that doing justice and loving mercy alone will not justify us before God.  

We need a perfect Savior who alone has done these things perfectly and gone to the cross to pay the price for our failings, our lack of love for him and others.  

In humbly repenting of our sins and turning to Jesus, he not makes us new creations, but continually sanctifies us to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God as we stand in his righteousness alone.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

-Second City Church

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Perfect Father

Perfect Father

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We have a perfect Heavenly Father who desires to grow our identity, place and purpose in him.  

Wayward Children

Perfect Son

Perfect Father 

‭‭

1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

The apostle John addresses three stages of development in our walks with God - when we are children in the faith, when we are fathers and when we are young men.  

Wayward Children 

We’ve all been wayward children that God calls to return to him in Jesus. 

God’s expectation is that we would mature in our faith as we seek Jesus and walk with him. 

*What marks a child of God is the foundation of repentance and faith in Jesus - knowing that because of the cross, your sins have been forgiven on account of what Jesus has done for you.  

I John 2:12 ESV

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. "

This is where most people remain, but it is not where we are to stay. 

Even as last week we were speaking about the Holy Spirit, in I Corinthians 12-14 the apostle Paul has a whole discourse of the operation of the Holy Spirit in the church, and in this context says the following about how the people of God should grow:

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”

When we are children, we are myopic relating to the world as if everything is about us and how things affect only us. 

We have a selfish orientation.  

But the beauty of God’s grace is that children too can know the Father (though their depth of understanding of the Father grows over the years through interaction and life experience). 

I John 12:13c ESV

“I write to you, children, because you know the Father.”

God here is establishing our identity as our Heavenly Father.  

Perfect Son

Jesus was the perfect son who modeled relationship with the Father for us.  

What marks young men is that they have overcome the evil one.  

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭13b‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.”

They are not trapped in the cycle of sin or the fallacy that selfish living is acceptable.  

They understand they have died, and their lives are now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).  

They therefore understand that their lives are no longer their own, but they’ve been bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:19,20).  

They overcome the evil one because they make it their ambition for it to be no longer they who live, but Christ living through them (Galatians 2:20). 

What marks a young man in the faith is the development of a Biblical worldview, where you begin to see not just your life, but the world as God sees it.  

In doing so, the word of God becomes alive and active in you. 

You begin to love what God loves (Christ, his church, righteousness and people), and hate what God hates (sin and the demonic - Hebrews 1:9). 

I John 2:14b ESV 

“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

You begin to grow in strength of love, conviction, faith and the Holy Spirit.  

*You begin to see your place in God’s great family (the church) and find your role in God’s great commission to go into all the world to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28). 

Even on difficult days, you learn how to fight and stay engaged because the word of God is not something that you just agree with, but it is living in you.   

What you learn is that your place matters in the family, on the team, to accomplish God’s purposes on the earth.  

Perfect Father 

Jesus served a perfect Father who now comes to adopt us as his children and make us like him as his sons and daughters. 

The Roman idea of adoption that was the context of the early gospel’s writing included the idea of a change of legal standing, inheritance and responsibility - which included family continuity.  

I John 2:13a ESV 

“I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.”

*What marks a father is the narrowing of options unto obedience in the Lord and taking responsibility for others.  

The fathers in the faith are able to do this because they know the Heavenly Father, see that he has set the example and receive grace from the Heavenly Father to do the same.

‭‭John‬ ‭21‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me."”

God the Father first loved us and made the ultimate sacrifice by sending his only Son, Jesus, to fight for us, bleed for us and die to rescue us from our damnation to hell.  

Because of his perfect obedience to the Father - his sinless life, Jesus was victoriously raised from the dead according to God’s own word. 

God now intends to reap the reward of his suffering through his family’s life and purpose. 

Think about your family - we are the product of those who’ve gone before us and those who will come after us.  

It is no different in God’s family, the church.  

What makes a father is that he is defined by his family - those who’ve gone before him and those who will come after him in Christ. 

Because they’ve know the Heavenly Father, fathers in the faith help bring definition. 

Fathers are necessary to hold the line of God’s word and give the next generation a vision of God’s purposes and God’s promises to come. 

“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.”

-John Wesley

I John 2:14a ESV 

“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.” 

“Never underestimate your role as a father. Remember, Dads, that your children’s view of God will largely be dependent on their view of you.”

-Tony Evans, Kingdom Man: Every Man's Destiny, Every Woman's Dream

We’ve all been wayward children in need of a complete redemption. 

Jesus alone is the perfect son who provides for us absolute forgiveness as we turn from our sin to put our trust in his sacrificial death at the cross, burial and resurrection from the dead. 

God is a perfect father who offers us an everlasting reconciliation and purpose through Jesus his Son.  

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Reflections: Pentecost

Reflections: Pentecost 

Pastor Rollan Fisher 

Focus: The resurrected Jesus tells his disciples to wait on the promise of the Father to minister to the nations in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

• The Resurrected Son 

• Waiting on the Father 

• Encountering the Holy Spirit 

The Resurrected Son

Jesus prepared his disciples for Pentecost.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭11 ‭ESV‬‬

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.  So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."”

Jesus was resurrected and over the course of forty days gave many convincing proofs that he was alive, prior to his ascension.  

He also spoke about the importance of Pentecost to come.  

John the Baptist spoke of One who would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16) - John was speaking of Jesus.

Jesus promised to send us a Helper and a Guide (John 14:16-17).  

Before his ascension, Jesus instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem to receive power to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:4-8).

This power would come when the Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God would come upon his disciples to be Christ’s witnesses in the earth.

Pentecost is ultimately about harvest and mission. 

*God’s mission has always started with God.  

*God’s mission has always been to all nations.  

Have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s empowerment in your life to be Christ’s witness?

Waiting on the Father 

The disciples prepared for Pentecost in corporate prayer. 

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry." (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For it is written in the Book of Psalms, "'May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and "'Let another take his office.' So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection." And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

The revival that started the early church was birthed out of corporate prayer. 

It was in the place of corporate prayer that the disciples studied the Scripture, understood the times that they were in and looked to God’s direction for what to do.   

The day of Pentecost would change everything: it was a turning point in redemptive history.  

Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit would fulfill ancient promises, lead to the founding of the church of Jesus Christ and initiate her mission in the world.  

Are you spending time waiting on God in corporate prayer?

Encountering the Holy Spirit 

Pentecost prepared the nations to receive the supernatural reality of the resurrected Jesus.  

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine." But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, "'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, "'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."”

The Holy Spirit is poured out to give supernatural witness of the resurrected Jesus to the nations. 

In Jewish tradition, the annual Festival of Pentecost was known as Shavuot (sounds like shuh-voo-owt) and celebrated the anniversary of Moses receiving the Torah (the first five books of the Bible, Genesis-Deuteronomy) from Yahweh on Mount Sinai.  

This receiving of the Law from God took place fifty days after the first Sabbath after the Passover (Exodus 23:16). 

This coincides with the 50 days after Christ’s resurrection. 

These parallels point to Jesus and the gospel.  

The Shavuot was a day of joy at the end of the grain harvest celebrating the harvest that God had given his people.

Through this historic Pentecost, God was turning his church’s attention to the harvest of souls that Christ would reap in the nations. 

*God’s mission has always drawn the perplexed and scornful. 

Acts 2:6-13 ESV

“And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.  And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."

Emotions in response to what God was doing at Pentecost:

Bewildered (2:6) - to cause such astonishment as to dismay

Amazed (2:7) - to cause to be in such a state in which things seem to make little or no sense; to be out of one’s normal state of mind

Astonished (2:7) - to be extraordinarily impressed or disturbed by something

Perplexed (2:12) - to be at a loss and to not know what to do; to be very confused

Mocking (2:13) - to make fun of someone by joking or jesting; 

to scoff, to jeer

*God’s mission has always required a human voice proclaiming his Word.

Here, the speaker makes sense of all that God is doing.

Acts 2:14 ESV

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.”

What did Peter explain?

Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection would be a fulfillment of the promise of the Father. 

The Old Testament prophets saw the promises of Pentecost coming.  

Ezekiel saw God promising a new heart and a new Spirit for restoration (Ezekiel 36:25-27). 

Isaiah likened it to water reviving scorched earth (Isaiah 44:3).  

So we see that Pentecost did not arrive unannounced - it was promised. 

In Peter’s inaugural sermon in Acts 2, the apostle cites Joel 2:28-32 to talk about the result of the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus - God pouring out his Spirit on all flesh.

‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭28‬-‭32‬ ‭ESV‬‬

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.”

The power and gifts of the Holy Spirit were and are meant to act as witnesses to Jesus Christ and his resurrection. 

The point of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was to turn the church of Jesus Christ to global mission. 

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are witnesses to the Father’s might, faithfulness, Christ’s life, grace and redeeming love for the world. 

*God’s mission has always offered salvation to the lost. 

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭37‬ ‭ESV

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"”

‬‬

There can be no Pentecost without Christ’s salvific work.  

Jesus is revealed as the Word, God who took on flesh and came as the perfect rabbi to both explain and fulfill God’s law in perfection (John 1; Matthew 5:17-20). 

Jesus was also the blemish free Passover Lamb of God who lived sinlessly and died sacrificially at the cross for our atonement. 

Jesus would then be resurrected from the dead to provide an exodus for those who would put their trust in him to escape their slavery to sin and the judgment to come. 

Through his death and resurrection, Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant and enabled the Spirit’s outpouring (John 7:39; Hebrews 9:15).

At Sinai, God gave the Law on stone; at Pentecost, the Spirit inscribed his law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34; 2 Corinthians 3:3).  

This empowers us to live as Christ’s witnesses. 

Through repentance from our sins and turning to Jesus, we can not only be forgiven for our wrongs, but be born again, reconciled to God to live in the freedom of Christ’s resurrected life.  

After Christ’s resurrection, Pentecost would  announce the harvest of lost souls coming to repentance and saving faith in Jesus from among all the nations. 

The Holy Spirit would be poured out, gifts of God would be released and the gospel would be proclaimed amongst the nations.  

Pentecost was not just an event but a commission - a climactic moment in redemptive history.  

It fulfilled prophecy, confirmed Christ’s work, and began the Holy Spirit’s empowerment of the Church.

The Holy Spirit enabled the church to overcome barriers, proclaim the gospel with love and boldness, and fulfill God’s mission to redeem all nations.

What started in that upper room surged outward, reaching nations and shaping the history of the world.

Are you joining your church community in making Christ known to the nations?

• Second City Church

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Reflections: Like Those Who Dream

Reflections: Like Those Who Dream

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Songs of ascents are particularly referring to a group of songs that are found in Psalms 120-134 which were sung by worshipers on their way up to Jerusalem for annual festivals including Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.  

They were songs of reflection on the goodness and faithfulness of God that inspired hope and joy at the prospect of reuniting with God and experiencing his full redemption.  

In between now and Pentecost (which this year we will celebrate June 9th), it is a good reflection as we meditate on the implications of the hope we have in Jesus.  

A Song of Ascent 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭126‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Focus: The life transformation that Jesus gives brings joy to the world.  

Like Those Who Dream

Asking the Right Questions 

Pentecost

Like Those Who Dream

When God brings us back to himself, the experience of life in him so far exceeds what we previously experienced that we can hardly describe it - we are like men who dream. 

This particular Psalm was sung year after year as a repeated reflection.  

So often we are only looking for what is new in life and miss the depths of God’s anchoring truths.  

There is no mention of the particular circumstance of trial or of discipline that the Israelites were experiencing from God’s hand. 

All we know is that the Israelites had experienced hardship and that they thereafter had a return to the Lord which resulted once again in God restoring Israel’s fortunes. 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭126‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."”

Laughter and joy are prominent parts of a life restored in God.  

We are able to see both sides of the fence and can’t believe how good it is on God’s side. 

This is the content of a testimony.  

Everyone should have one if you’ve been redeemed in Christ.  

What is your story?

Asking the Right Questions 

The right question to ask is if we are not experiencing this life in God, even in the midst of trial, what am I missing?

What makes a testimony?

BC (Before Christ)  ➡️  Cross (How You Met Jesus) ➡️  AD (Since Knowing the Lord) 

…then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."”

Our testimonies and life change should impact the nations (our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers). 

What story has God given you to tell regarding his redemption in Jesus?

Rather than being self-sufficient and attempting to problem-solve on your own, learn to seek the Lord for his directives and counsel - which includes the godly counsel he gives you in your church community. 

Again, where people go astray is in major decisions of life including where to live, job pursuits and romantic relationships, they take no one’s counsel but their own. 

Seek God 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Seek godly counsel

Proverbs 11:14 ESV 

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

Proverbs 12:15 ESV

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ 15:22 ‭ESV‬‬

“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ 20:28 ESV‬‬

“Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ 24:5,6 ‭ESV‬‬

“A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.”

I don’t want to just fight this fight of faith - I want to fight to win and bring glory to Jesus!

*Make room for taking the right kind of advice.  

Not all counsel is created equal!!

Psalm 1:1-3 ESV

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

Psalm 141:5 

WE need people in our lives who will not go along with every well laid plan we have contrived, but by the Spirit of God can tell us “no”!   

When we have these anchors in our lives, we are able to successfully and joyfully pilgrimage from our BC days, to Christ, and finally into the purposes of God along with those whom God has called us to walk.  

The Parable of Bucky

BC

Cross and healing

The King gives Bucky a new arm and re-commissions him for the fight!

AD with counsel

Man on a mission with renewed purpose and joy!

How is God restoring your joy?

Pentecost 

When God restores our fortunes, there is a harvest.  

There was a material/agricultural harvest that Israel experienced which acted as a testimony to the world of Yahweh’s (God’s) goodness and provision for his people.  

The testimony of changed lives is a pronouncement of the same through the cross of Jesus Christ.  

At the cross, there is forgiveness for our sins, healing for our mistakes and redemption for our wrong choices.  

As we repent of our sins, turn to Jesus and are made new, people observe the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and acknowledge the work that can only be done through God.  

Psalm 126:3, 4 ESV

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! 

The Negeb is the arid southern region of Judah. 

If its dry gullies were to run as streams it would mean that God was turning dry, desert lands into environments flush with green plants and life.  

Psalm 127:5,6 ESV

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”

In the midst of joy, there is also weeping. 

When we go out weeping, it means we feel the pain of the world.  

When we go out weeping carrying seed to sow, we are taking the gospel, the good news of Jesus’ redemption with us.  

Yet we are still sowing in tears and with pain. 

God’s word tells us that when we enter into the pain of the world with the gospel, we will return with sheaves and shouts of joy.  

Pentecost was a celebration of the harvest. 

How will your weeping turn into harvest amidst your family members, co-workers and friends?

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Reflections: A Fruitful Family

Reflections: A Fruitful Family 

Pastor Rollan Fishe

Songs of ascents are particularly referring to a group of songs that are found in Psalms 120-134 which were sung by worshipers on their way up to Jerusalem for annual festivals including Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.  

They were songs of reflection on the goodness and faithfulness of God that inspired hope and joy at the prospect of reuniting with God and experiencing his full redemption.  

In between now and Pentecost (which this year we will celebrate June 9th), it is a good reflection as we meditate on the implications of the hope we have in Jesus.  

A Song of Ascent 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭128‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children's children! Peace be upon Israel!”

Focus: What Once Was Lost Can Be Found In Christ

Those Who Fear of the Lord

Model Family

Unto the Peace of God 

Those Who Fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is what leads to blessing and life.  

What is our hope?

Psalm 128:1-4

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. 

Hebrews 8:5

Build according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain. 

As parents, we are the example that is being set. 

*If you are a parent, the most important disciples that you will ever make come out of your home. 

If you are a spiritual mother or father in the faith, your example is just as powerful.  

The question that I need to ask is:

What pattern do I need to model for the children  that is not only permissible, but is best as seen in God’s word so that they might be arrows in the hand of the Lord that hit God’s target?

Romans 12:1-2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world….

We need to set the example for the arrows for what is not only permissible, but pleasing to God, not just what is culturally acceptable, but established as best as a pattern from the mind of God to fulfill God’s purposes.  

Model Family

No family is perfect, but we have a perfect Savior who can redeem the people who make up these imperfect families.  

With whom do you most identify?

*If we are not careful, following the patterns and identity of your blood family can make us deviate from the person and principles of Christ.  

Jesus is to be our ultimate standard, not our family of origin. 

Modeling = Reflections

Model family 

It’s not that you would be a perfect family, but that you would model a godly, Christ-centered family growing in the grace of God, in your relationships with your children in the home and in your relationships with the church community.  

When you don’t have the example of a godly family, God rebuilds your image of it in the city of God, the place of worship. 

This is why Zion is important - from which comes the laws, commands and wisdom of God. 

Psalm 128:5 

The Lord bless you from Zion! 

What does God want your arrows to look like?

What happens if you’ve grown up without that godly influence in your home?

The beauty of the gospel is that he puts you into not just a natural family, but a spiritual family, where you have the opportunity to have mothers and fathers in the faith who will help encourage, mold and guide you into all that God has for you, just as God intended.  

‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭31‬-‭35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you." And he answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother."

The great news of the gospel is that your family of origin does not determine your future.  God does!  We are not only forgiven but freed from the power of sin present in our families over generations.  God’s very life - in the person of the Holy Spirit - now resides within us.  We receive a new heart, a new nature, and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27). 

When we place our faith in Christ, we are spiritually reborn by the Holy Spirit into the family of Jesus.  We are transferred out of the Kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  What determines our new identity is no longer the blood of our biological family but the blood of Jesus.  It is a radical new beginning. 

The most significant language in the New Testament for becoming a Christian is adoption into the family of God (Romans 8:14-17). The apostle Paul used the familiar practice of Roman adoption to communicate this profound truth, emphasizing we are now in a new and permanent relationship with a new Father, God.  Our debts (sins) are cancelled.  We’re given a new name (Christian), a new inheritance (freedom, hope, glory, the resources of heaven), and new brothers and sisters (from around the world). 

The New Testament assumes that growing into maturity as a disciple happens within the context of a healthy local church.  God’s intention is that our local churches and parishes are the communities where, slowly but surely, we are re-parented in doing life Christ’s way.”

-Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Discipleship (pp. 167-168)

Unto the Peace of God 

Through Christ, both we and our families can know the peace of God.  

Psalm 128:5-6

The Lord bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children's children! Peace be upon Israel!”

What happens when we’ve done our best and children go astray?

We continue to fight for them through persevering prayer, loving, but firm interactions and through faith along with the people of God from Zion, the place of worship.  

What was lost can be found in Christ. 

Remember the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. 

As we build our lives around the worship of Christ, peace with God and peace within our families is God’s desired end for us.  

However, because not everyone will follow Jesus, we must know that God still offers peace with himself and a spiritual family within which you can find that eternal peace through Christ.  

‭‭

Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭28‬-‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

As you receive from those in the spiritual house, you then mature and become that for others as well as we wait in hope for Christ’s redemption. 

Because we all like sheep have at one point or another gone astray, we know what it is to need to be found by God.  

Jesus is God who took on flesh, the good shepherd who came looking for his lost and wandering sheep. 

He came on a rescue mission to live the perfect lives that we should have lived, on the cross die the death that we should have died, in our place, and three days later rise from the dead for not only our forgiveness, but our redemption. 

No matter what your family of origin or present family state, God calls you into the family of God where Jesus can both heal and restore your broken heart as you turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus.  

He will make you a new creation with a new name and help you to build a new life within the family of God.  

Reflections: We Belong Together

Reflections: We Belong Together 

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: May we become a house where God is pleased to dwell.

• Glad to Worship 

• Together 

• A Dwelling Place for God

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭122‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!" Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!" For my brothers and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!" For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

Glad to Worship 

God desires hearts that are full of gladness as they approach him in corporate worship. 

Psalm‬ ‭122‬:‭1 ‭ESV‬‬

“I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!" 

When we understand God in his goodness, the gospel in its fullness and encounter the redeemed people of God in their kindness, it is a joy in our hearts when we are encouraged again to go to the place of worship. 

We are glad because we know that when we go to meet with God and his people, we will receive God’s direction, his help, God’s healing, encouragement and strength.

Together

Your presence matters in worship.

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭122‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!”

Daily, personal devotion is important.

However, there is something about being in the presence of the Lord and his people that will not be replaced with independent worship.  

*What a gift it is when we experience the tangible presence of the Lord in worship (I Kings 8:9-11).

There is nothing like it, and in its fullness, it is that for which we all longingly groan (II Corinthians 5:1-10).

“OUR FEET have been standing within your gates” implies the importance of corporate worship - being in the presence of both God and his people. 

Whereas because of the distance, corporate gatherings for worship in the temple were only commanded by God three times a year, once the Jews found themselves scattered in the diaspora, synagogues sprung up that facilitated weekly worship gatherings.  

“Many of our sources tell us that Jews would gather in synagogues regularly, perhaps every Saturday on the Sabbath, or perhaps more often than that, in order to read the laws, to read the Torah, the sacred book of Moses and to expound upon it.’'

PBS.org

The Sabbath was honored throughout the unified nation as a time of rest and recalibration - worship unto God. 

After Christ’s resurrection, by necessity in the midst of a hostile Roman environment, the church gathered to encourage one another even more.  

It is no different today.

Yes, it is easier to stay at home and watch a service. 

But you, like they, know that it is different when you are in the presence of the Lord with other believers - encouraging and being encouraged.  

Your focus is different, and therefore what you both give to the Lord and receive is different.  

Think about what it is like to read your Bible on the phone, distracted by all of the notifications coming up as you read.

Though there may still be some benefit, God’s intended impact, sanctification and transformation can be muted because you are not all there.  

God’s intent is that we would gather, worship him, be edified and receive charges to go and serve him as a people - together. 

Hebrews 10:24,25 

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Act like you matter because God says that you do. 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭87‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Selah”

We think independently, God thinks corporately and generationally.

God’s generational blessings are established through his gathered people.

Act like your decisions impact others (for the better or worse) because God says that they do - Selah. 

Psalm 122:3-5

built as a city that is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.  There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.”

The new culture of our virtual and remote work world tempts us to diminish the importance of the points above.

Why your presence actually matters:

1. The brightness of your face encourages others

2. The gathered church is an oasis in the middle of a spiritually parched land (the church is where we can share the gifts of God, including the prophetic water of the word with one another - I Corinthians 12-14)

3. Each person is a brick to lean on when we need support 

4. The boldness that comes when you are surrounded by those also serving our King Jesus 

Have you ever felt like the only Christian in your

work-place or home?

Proverbs 30:29-31

“Three things are stately in their tread; four are

stately in their stride: the lion, which is mightiest

among beasts and does not turn back before any; the

strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army

is with him.”

1. Blessing of serving in person (worship, children, greeting, hospitality, set-up, sound and tech, etc., welcoming those who are coming to Christ into the family)

A Dwelling Place for God

Our highest joy and aim should be to become a place together where God is pleased to dwell by his Spirit.

The Holy Spirit had the apostle Paul glove this picture of the church in his letter to the Ephesians:

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

The higher God wants to take us and the more impactful God wants to make us, the more important each piece becomes.

Whether you realize it or not, this is what the church is like without you!

The Apostle Peter said it this way:

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Thus, God told us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭122‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

Why pray for the peace of Jerusalem?

It is the place where God’s anointed king ruled to bring his decrees and commands to the earth. 

This is what the church does uniquely for the world today through preaching God’s word, bringing his rule and pointing to King Jesus.  

*Jerusalem was also the place where the temple was - where the people of God would go out of their way to meet with God, one another and worship together.  

Thus, we need to pray not only for Jerusalem the city, but also God’s church.

We need to love the church, the ekklesia (meaning the assembly of the called out ones) of Jesus Christ!

The word was used 115 times in the New Testament and it translates to mean a called out assembly or congregation.  

Remember this song was being sung as a song of ascents that brought people from great distances on pilgrimage to experience the goodness, covenant and purposes of God together.  

The psalmist is here pronouncing the blessing of security that comes to those who are not simply building their own lives, but are concerning themselves with God and that which he is concerned - choosing to love what he loves.  

What does God love and what is Jesus building?  His church!

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

As distinct from all other gatherings on earth, it is the revelation of Jesus as the unique Son of God and the salvation that comes through him alone that the church has a responsibility to proclaim.   

And so as we align ourselves with God and what he is doing, there is eternal peace.

There is a supernatural peace and security of soul when we know that our lives are found hidden in Jesus Christ.  

Because of Christ’s sinless life, death on the cross for our wrongdoing and resurrection from the dead, as we turn from our sins and put our trust in Jesus, we escape the just judgment and wrath of God.

We are then lifted to the towers of heavenly places, wherefrom comes our new citizenship and the perspective of Christ to live in the security of God’s provision and care as we are on our pilgrimage to see him face to face.

Though made imperfect by people like you and me, we say peace to God’s assembly, the place where God has chosen to meet with his people and establish his rule.

*For the sake of all of those who would honor the name of Jesus and depend upon his grace, we seek the good of his church, the places of worship, because in this world, there is no better option - no other place where God has chosen to dwell and place his name.

This should be our attitude regarding communal worship. 

So why devote ourselves to such gatherings?

Because at the end of the day, what God intends and what we ultimately want to see is this:

Acts 2:42-47

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Therefore today, may we devote ourselves to the Lord with gladness and thanksgiving in our hearts for all that he is and all that he has done for us in Jesus Christ!

• Second City Church

Reflections

Reflections

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: God is building a family that will bring him great praise in the earth through Jesus Christ. 

Happy Mother’s Day

Psalm 127 gives us a unique perspective on that about which the Israelites would have been reflecting as they made their way up to Jerusalem for the annual moments of worship.  

Whereas several of the songs of ascents were written by unknown authors, we know that this particular Psalm was written by King Solomon, the third king of Israel, who was specifically known as the son of King David (a man after God’s own heart) and Bathsheba, with whom David sinfully used his power and influence to commit adultery.  

Yet God is continually redemptive.  

In his lifetime, God would place Solomon on David’s throne as his successor, anoint Solomon to be one of the wisest men (outside of Christ) who ever lived, allow Solomon to build the original temple in Jerusalem and extend the borders of Israel to their furthest extent. 

With all of these life experiences, this is the song that the Holy Spirit allowed to come out of Solomon’s heart for the people of Israel to sing. 

• Building a House 

• Keeping Watch

• Arrows in the Hand of the Lord 

Building a House

God is a wise master builder with the perfect plan for our lives and how our homes should be built for blessing. 

A Song of Ascents 

Of Solomon

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭127‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

God is a wise master builder.

We must take our cues from him as to how to build our lives.  

We must depend on God to build that which we are giving ourselves to, whether it be family, church, business or community endeavors, lest we build in vain. 

*Building in vain means not that there isn’t activity, but that we don’t reach God’s desired end.  

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.”

If God is the builder, we must go to him for both a vision and a plan of how to build our homes - both natural and spiritual (the church). 

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.”

On this day we remember the importance of mothers in all of this. 

We honor the single moms, adoptive moms, the moms with a husband and children and the spiritual moms who have been helping to build the house of the Lord through their investment in daughters and sons in the faith.

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”

To build is to approach a task proactively just as surely as it is proactive to keep watch.  

Throwing rocks at something doesn’t make something a home. 

*Building your home in Christ means being involved in creating a Biblical culture in your space.  

And in the church, it is no different with women of God who act as spiritual mothers in the houses of faith that they help lead.  

Don’t disqualify the importance of your role in building, watching and modeling a culture of trust.   

It is not about perfection, it is about progress!

I Timothy 4:12-16 ESV

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

To build a home takes vision, sacrifice, is meticulous, requires perseverance and energy that is constantly being renewed.  

What are practical ways that you build?:

Every day, brick by brick, you can model reading the Bible, praying, worshiping consistently as rhythms of the home - if you have a family, with the family, and privately, if living alone. 

You can model hospitality rhythms where you are welcoming people into your home with the love and gospel of Christ. 

You can make sure that in your leisure that you are not watching (streaming movies/shows, feeding on music, etc.) or consuming that (food, beverages, etc. in measures) which displeases the Lord. 

You can make it a priority to honor the Sabbath, worshiping with other believers and not simply at the temple of weekend sports or other hobbies. 

You can cultivate the home as a place of beauty, warmth, and rest. 

*Part of being a watchman or woman is to have the sight to see where the trajectory of your present actions lead. 

Keeping Watch

God is a tireless watchman who neither slumbers nor sleeps. 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭121‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬ (also a song of ascents)

“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.”

We must look to God to keep watch over our personal affairs, families, cities and nations. 

Psalm 127:2

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 

In this fallen world, it is not if, but when we have to contend with our enemies and the demonic hordes of hell that we need to trust in God.  

*The rhythms that we build as watchmen and women prior to battles or blessings coming prepares us to be able to stand when they do.  

We all want to be postured to receive blessings.  

Yet as watchmen and women, we also need to be prepared for battles.  

We can try to prevent problems, trials and trauma from entering our gates, but unless we are depending on the Lord to keep watch, we are doomed to be overtaken.  

This is why building a life of faithful, consistent prayer, both individual and corporate is so vital. 

“Whatever you don’t pray about, you leave to chance.”

-Stormie Omartian

“Don’t leave your relationships to chance. Pray for godly people to come into your life with whom you can connect. Don’t force relationships to happen. Pray for them to happen. Then when they do, nurture them with prayer.”

Stormie Omartian, The Power of a Praying® Woman

And this also applies directly to our provision. 

There is no need in the midst of uncertain economic times to worry.  

God does not want us to be anxious. 

Your Heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

Psalm 127:3

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 

God says for all of our efforts to wake up early and stay up late, the results are ultimately in his hands. 

His one condition is that we do as Jesus says.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭31‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

God wants you to work, but he also wants you to rest.  

*You will find the greatest work-life balance when you set your heart on fulfilling God’s will and his alone.  

Even in the present economy, you can be free from the prodding rods of both greed and worry because you know that God cares for his children and grants sleep to those he loves.  

But who can sleep when you have children?

Arrows in the Hand of the Lord 

God is a loving parent who would sacrifice his own one and only son to redeem our sinful lives.  

Psalm 127:3-5

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

You have to have a Biblical vision to build, keep watch and rest in Christ. 

But you also have to have a vision for godly parenting. 

In all of the things we spoke about above, with the Holy Spirit’s help, you are modeling for your family. 

So often home is the place where we just dump things and the people there get the last of our energy - the leftovers.  

*The greatest thing a mother or any parent can do is to prepare their children to walk with God - to know Jesus Christ, his gospel and be an arrow in the hand of the Lord to be shot into this generation to impact eternity.  

Yes, seeing them fulfill their full God-given potential in academia, the arts, personal and social development are important.  

Yet these are all stewardships unto God’s ultimate purpose for them cultivating the earth with what God has given them to do that will glorify Jesus.  

Proverbs 22:6 ESV

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Your primary job is not to entertain your children (or let them be entertained on devices), or be their uber driver to every hobby at the expense of God given priorities of worship, family and service. 

To form, shape and help direct an arrow, you should ask the question:

What is God’s call for my child’s life?

(This applies to both natural and spiritual children)

David and Solomon

David had the vision for worship, Solomon had the charge to build the temple, the place of worship. 

Solomon also knew the importance of mothers. 

Did Bathsheba have a perfect, spotless story?

No. 

But her story would be redeemed and she would find herself in the lineage of Christ Jesus himself (Matthew 1:6). 

Bathsheba was instrumental, even amidst others jockeying to push Solomon off course, in seeing Solomon fulfill his call to lead Israel as king after his father David (I Kings 1:16-30). 

Though Solomon did this imperfectly, Bathsheba did her part.  

In the gospel, it is not how you start, but how you finish. 

For us all:

The foundations were cracking and the walls had been breached.   

Sin is when we miss the target of God’s ways, as an arrow missing its mark.  

As a result, the enemy of our souls was at the gate taking plunder because we stopped looking to Yahweh to build and watch over our lives. 

And this is why God sent his Son.  

(Jesus was the perfect arrow in the hand of the Lord, striking right at the heart of the enemy who came to steal, kill and destroy our lives.

Jesus fought to take back the plunder that had been dragged off by the demonic hordes wreaking havoc in our hearts, minds, families, cities and nations.)

Yahweh was able to contend with his enemies at the gate because his perfect Son submitted to his perfect will and became the perfect sacrifice, the hero that we all needed.  

The Lord sent his only begotten son as the perfect arrow to hit the mark for our redemption. 

Yet repentance and faith are required.  

The cross empowers us to lay down our faults, be forgiven because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice and have new hope for the future because of Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  

Let’s come to Christ, renewing our trust in him to build, keep watch over and provide true rest for our lives again today.  

Appendix:

Parenting can be tough, yet we have One who continually calls us to himself to refresh and sustain us. 

This is why the prophet would tell us:

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭27‬-‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

In the gospel, it is not how you start, but how you finish. 

Starting and finishing - continuing through the changing seasons (remembering the importance of upkeep of the home lest it crumble over time) is key.  

Think again of the author of the Psalm, King Solomon. 

He started well, but did not finish well.  

Parenting is not just about the early years, but lasts a lifetime.  

Don’t think that once they are out of diapers, your job is done.  

Though the relationship matures, you are still important as a godly influence in your children’s lives.  

Solomon could have benefited from more of this.  

Again, in the gospel, it is not how you start, but how you finish. 

*Think about the turmoil and stigma that would have surrounded Solomon’s life, but how Yahweh would nonetheless choose Solomon and anoint him to be king. 

This is a beautiful picture of God’s grace that comes to us through the cross of Jesus Christ.  

We are chosen and anointed for God’s purposes not because of our perfection, but his sovereign wisdom - which he uses to enact his redemptive grace to the world.  

As we repent of our sins and turn to Jesus at the cross for forgiveness, he makes us new creations and through his resurrection power leads us into God’s purposes following the example of his Christ’s set apart life.  

• Second City Church

Reflection

Reflections

Pastor Rollan Fisher 

Focus: We must learn to sing our ongoing song of ascent to God.  

• A Cry 

• For Forgiveness 

• Watching and Waiting 

A Song of Ascents 

‭‭

Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

Songs of ascents are particularly referring to a group that are found in Psalms 120-134 which were sung by worshipers on their way up to Jerusalem for annual festivals including Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.  

They were songs of reflection on the goodness and faithfulness of God that inspired hope and joy at the prospect of reuniting with God and experiencing his full redemption.  

In between now and Pentecost (which this year we will celebrate June 9th), it is a good reflection as we meditate on the implications of the hope we have in Jesus.  

Eight verses communicate eight truths about the pilgrimage on which we find ourselves as we walk towards maturity in Christ.  

A Cry 

We all have a cry that comes out of our hearts which clamors for God. 

Verse one:

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!”

Along the journey there will be highs and there will be lows - do not be surprised by this nor lose your grounding because of it.  

Instead, learn to cry out to the Lord in the midst of these times - develop a life of prayer.  

Verse two:

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!”

There is an expectation that we not only cry out to God, but that he hears us - not because of our goodness, but because of his mercy.  

God’s mercy is him withholding from us what we actually deserve.  

Verse 3:

Why does God show us mercy?  

Have you gone too far?

Are you the exception?  

‭‭

Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”

No one has been perfect and no one is perfect on the journey.  

Don’t give up as you are being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. 

The fact that you are here is a sign that God is still drawing and working on you. 

‭‭Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

For Forgiveness 

At its heart, the cry is for redemption and forgiveness. 

Verse 4:

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”

We fear God because not only because he created us, not only because he breathed life into us, but because he can also destroy our lives in judgment

That judgement would be just because he is righteous and fair. 

Yet in the midst of a just judgment, God offers a pathway to forgiveness.  

Your life does not have to be marked by condemnation.  

There is forgiveness and freedom in Christ and therefore he is honored, revered and feared.   

‭‭

Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 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, 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.”

Watching and Waiting 

Learning what it means to watch and wait are key to our life in God. 

Verse 5: 

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;”

These things are true not because I feel it, but because God said it.  

I wait for the Lord by putting my hope and trust in not what my heart tries to tell me (it can lie to me), but the gracious words God has said. 

Verse 6:

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”

The watching and waiting of the watchmen was one of both responsibility and duty.  

The duty was a charge given to watch for the blessings and dangers of oncoming caravans and hordes.  

The execution of their responsibilities had personal, familial and impact for their people.  

It is no different as we learn to wait on the Lord today, having an eternal impact for the Kingdom. 

I serve God dutifully whether feeling up or down because I’ve been given a charge and God is on his way. 

Waiting for the Lord does not mean that we sit and do nothing.  

Waiting means attending to him as one would as part of a wait staff at a restaurant, as we look to and help speed his return by being involved in his great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭35‬-‭48‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?" And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”

Verse 7:

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.”

We need to have our minds renewed to God’s disposition towards us.  

Plentiful means plentiful. 

Redemption means that he is able to buy us back from both the power and penalty of our sin.  

It does not mean there is no consequence.  

However it does mean that because of God’s steadfast love, we can be set on a different course. 

Verse 8:

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭130‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

We need to camp here. 

This is what helps us to persevere.  

God is willing and able to buy us back from all of our wrongdoing.  

As the song goes:

There's no sin too great

There's no pain too deep

The cross declares it is done

There's no shame too real

That His love won't heal

Forever the victory is won

(Let's sing it out)

He has broken the chains

He has conquered the grave

His grace changes everything

And by the power of His blood

We are daughters and sons

His grace changes everything

His grace changes everything

- Grace Changes Everything by Victory Worship ‧ 2014

Where do we see a summary of this reflected clearly in the New Testament?:

‭‭Titus‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

This is all because Jesus lived the perfect life that we should have lived, on the cross died the sacrificial death that we should have died, in our place, and three days later rose from the dead to offer forgiveness of sins and eternal life to those who would repent of their sins and entrust themselves to Christ.  

Let’s come to God and sing our song of ascents to him today!

Courage: Been With Jesus

Guest Speaker: Pastor Jim Critcher

Resurrection: Life Worth Living

Resurrection: Life Worth Living

Pastor Rollan Fisher  

Focus: What makes life worth living is that there’s a resurrection coming.  

• The Resurrection that Was

• Life that Is

• The Resurrection that Will Be

The Resurrection that Was

Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our past can be absolved. 

This means that our former sins do not need to define us. 

We can be forgiven and healed because of the cross of Jesus Christ. 

This is the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."”

Therapeutic Deism is what people gravitate towards for pragmatic solutions, but the premise of all interaction with Jesus is whether or not he is who he said he is and whether or not the testimonies about his life, miracles, death, burial and resurrection are true. 

“There is a virtual consensus among scholars who study Jesus' resurrection that, subsequent to Jesus' death by crucifixion, his disciples really believed that he appeared to them risen from the dead. This conclusion has been reached by data that suggest that (1) the disciples themselves claimed that the risen Jesus had appeared to them, and (2) subsequent to Jesus' death by crucifixion, his disciples were radically transformed from fearful, cowering individuals who denied and abandoned him at his arrest and execution into bold proclaimers of the gospel of the risen Lord. They remained steadfast in the face of imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom. It is very clear that they sincerely believed that Jesus rose from the dead.”

-Gary R. Habermas, The Case For The Resurrection Of Jesus

This testimony was altogether different from those who sincerely believe in various causes, systems and religions today.   

“there is an important difference between the apostle martyrs and those who die for their beliefs today. Modern martyrs act solely out of their trust in beliefs that others have taught them. The apostles died for holding to their own testimony that they had personally seen the risen Jesus. Contemporary martyrs die for what they believe to be true. The disciples of Jesus died for what they knew to be either true or false.”

-Gary R. Habermas, The Case For The Resurrection Of Jesus

Life That Is

The resurrection of Jesus Christ informs my present.  

This means that with everything that life throws at me, the resurrected Jesus can be with me to help me today. 

The present trials and stresses, trade wars and physical wars, job losses, health challenges, family challenges and the like - they are all in the purview of God. 

“Were you ever in a new trouble, one which was so strange that you felt that a similar trial had never happened to you and, moreover, you dreamt that such a temptation had never assailed anybody else? I should not wonder if that was the thought of your troubled heart.

And did you ever walk out upon that lonely desert island upon which you were wrecked and say, “I am alone—alone—ALONE—nobody was ever here before me”?

And did you suddenly pull up short as you noticed, in the sand, the footprints of a man?

I remember right well passing through that experience—and when I looked, lo, it was not merely the footprints of a man that I saw, but I thought I knew whose feet had left those imprints. They were the marks of One who had been crucified, for there was the print of the nails. So I thought to myself, “If He has been here, it is no longer a desert island. As His blessed feet once trod this wilderness-way, it blossoms now like the rose and it becomes to my troubled spirit as a very garden of the Lord!”

— Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Education of the Sons of God” (Metropolitan Tabernacle: June 10, 1880)

We have access to this relationship through repentance from our sins and faith in Christ’s redeeming work at the cross.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭16‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."”

Because Jesus is resurrected and with me, I can answer his call to share the gospel (which means “good news”) and see him bring change to this fallen world.  

“The joyful news that He is Risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline and make the sacrifice.”

-Henry Knox Sherrill 

The Resurrection that Will Be

The resurrection of Jesus Christ determines my future. 

This means that everything that I do today will matter forever. 

Paul the apostle got a revelation of Jesus Christ and spoke about what he called the light and momentary troubles of this life. 

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

It is this perspective of the eternal that fortifies our present and gives us an unshakeable hope in the future. 

“Few people seem to realize that the resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone to a worldview that provides the perspective to all of life.”

-Josh McDowell

We will all die, but Jesus gives us the opportunity to live again, eternally healed and at peace with God.  

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

This gives us, as the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” goes, “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow”.  

“No matter how devastating our struggles, disappointments, and troubles are, they are only temporary. No matter what happens to you, no matter the depth of tragedy or pain you face, no matter how death stalks you and your loved ones, the Resurrection promises you a future of immeasurable good.”

-Josh McDowell

Why does he say this?

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."”

And so we posture ourselves accordingly before the Lord of Heaven and Earth. 

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

Turn to Jesus today. 

Let him make you new so that you might rejoice in the resurrection that was, as he meets you in the life that is and brings you into the glorious joys of the resurrection to come!

Join us next week as guest minister Pastor Jim Critcher speaks to us about:

Walking with God

Hearing the Voice of God

Being Led of God (in and through community) 

It will be a tremendous catalyst for your growth in Christ!  

Come and invite all of your friends - you don’t want to miss it!

• Second City Church 

Designed for Goodness: The Road to Redemption

Designed for Goodness: The Road to Redemption 

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭35‬-‭36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.“

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Focus: Jesus is worthy of a life-long, persevering pursuit of love ending in an eternal reward.  

• The Problem 

• The Diversity of Solutions 

• The Cross

• The Perseverance (of Christ)

The Problem

Paradise was lost and we’re all searching for answers:

We strive for love, identity, acceptance, joy, peace, a sense of belonging, significance and lasting accomplishment ….all of which seem elusive because of the world in which we live. 

Genesis 3:22-24 ESV

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Sin around us and sin in us. 

Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.”

The Diversity of Solutions

Self-help programs and intellectualism can inspire our habits but do not change the heart. 

Our hopes are misplaced:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses

I tried to hide by pointing to the hypocrisy of religion:

“Think of people you consider fanatical. They're overbearing, self-righteous, opinionated, insensitive, and harsh. Why? It's not because they are too Christian, it's because they are not Christian enough. They are fanatically zealous and courageous, but they are not fanatically humble, sensitive, loving, emphatic, forgiving, or understanding- as Christ was... What strikes us as overly fanatical is actually a failure to be fully committed to Christ and his gospel.”

Timothy Keller (Author), The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

The Cross

God’s divine solution for the issues of our day is the cross of Jesus Christ. 

Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

A suffering Savior found me. 

“It is not enough for the skeptic, then, to simply dismiss the Christian teaching about the resurrection of Jesus by saying, “It just couldn’t have happened.” He or she must face and answer all these historical questions: Why did Christianity emerge so rapidly, with such power? No other band of messianic followers in that era concluded their leader was raised from the dead—why did this group do so? No group of Jews ever worshipped a human being as God. What led them to do it? Jews did not believe in divine men or individual resurrections. What changed their worldview virtually overnight? How do you account for the hundreds of eyewitnesses to the resurrection who lived on for decades and publicly maintained their testimony, eventually giving their lives for their belief?”

-Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Our true hope is based on God’s promise:

“We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger, and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world where it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that he has power but also wonderful foretastes of what he is going to do with that power. Jesus' miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.”

-Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

The Perseverance (of Christ)

Jesus is worthy and empowers us to persevere to the end as we love and fix our eyes on him.  

Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.“

Over the long run, the question then becomes not just whether what we espouse about Jesus is true, but whether these truths are worth enduring service to Christ to the end in the midst of the trials and fallenness of life.    

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We have witnesses and testimonies that abound regarding the greatness, the goodness and the faithfulness of God.  

Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.“

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Because of this great love of Christ, let us determine to remain in Jesus and burn in love for him until the end.

Second City Church