February 2021 – Colona Community Church

Transformed vs Conformed

February 25, 2021 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

Hello! Sorry for the late posting. I’m getting old, and my brain doesn’t work as well as it used to. 😉 But Pastor Steve continued his teaching last Sunday on what it means to be salt and light. He talked about being transformed versus being conformed. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included the Call to Worship and link to Scriptures that Pastor Steve referenced in his lesson. Enjoy!

Call to Worship
Titus 3:1-8
Saved in Order to Do Good
3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, ²to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
³At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. ⁸This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Scripture References

Paradigm Shift

February 14, 2021 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

Hello from snowy Colona! We had a small, but faithful, group this morning, due to the crazy February snow that blew in overnight. But Pastor Steve made it safely to the church to continue his teaching on salt & light. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. Also included in this post are the Call to Worship and links to verses that Steve references in his message.

Call to Worship
1 Peter 1:13-19
Be Holy
¹³Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
¹⁷Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Scripture References

Covert Discipleship

February 7, 2021 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

Pastor Steve is finally back on his feet, so we got to hear him teach today on Matthew 5:15-16. To hear this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included the Call to Worship and Scripture references.

Call to Worship
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
¹⁶So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Scripture References

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Life and Death

February 7, 2021 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

Since I was out of town last weekend, I am going to post two messages as soon as I can get them uploaded! This message was given by Terry last Sunday, teaching on Luke 16:19-31. To listen to this teaching, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve included the Call to Worship and Scripture references as well.

Call to Worship
Romans 8:31-39
More Than Conquerors
³¹What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.