Happy Resurrection Day! Pastor Alan is back and brought us a fabulous message about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To listen to this message, simply click on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes I took during the message, so I hope they help. Praying this message is a blessing to you on this beautiful Easter Sunday.
Pastor Jed has taken us through a terrific series looking at the names of God. Each of the messages can be found below with the audio and Jed’s study sheets. I’ve also included links to Scripture that Jed references on his study sheets. Those links will take you to the corresponding verse(s) at Bible Gateway. Praying this series blesses you as much as it has blessed us here in Colona.
A name “identifies” someone; it carries significance. meaning, and history. A name reflects personal identity, familial connections, and cultural heritage. Parents often choose their children’s names for their meanings. God chose names in the OT: Adam, Eve, Abram/Abraham, Sarai/Sarah, Isaac. Also, the Names/titles of Jesus.
Why does God have so many names? It is His means of revelation: revealing Himself, His character, His attributes, His will, His works, etc. so that we might know Him, acknowledge Him, and worship Him. His names reflect God’s relationship with humanity. His names are a PLEDGE of Himself to humanity!
Genesis 1:1– El – Hebrew for “God” which occurs over 248 times in the OT. El is the root word for Elohim which is the very first name/title of God in the Bible. It describes God’s greatness and glory and reveals His power and authority. The second part “ohim” points to His creativity/creative power. Shown in Genesis 1-3.
He is the God who makes covenants with those He has created. A covenant involves a binding agreement between two persons. God spoke His covenants.
Genesis 5: 23-24, 27 – Methuselah means “Man of the dart” or “His death shall mean judgment.” He lived for 969 years and then came the flood, God’s judgment upon mankind. After the flood, the rainbow was a promise of His covenant with Noah to never destroy the earth again with water.
Isaiah 42: 1-2, 6-7 – The New and Better Covenant through Jesus Christ. Elohim made this covenant with all humanity through His Son who was also a perfect man. Jesus is the Mediator of this new covenant. Hebrews 8:6 and 9:15. It was a covenant sealed with blood, with His life. Last Supper: “This is the cup of the New Covenant in my blood.” (Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20 and I Corinthians 11:25).
God has many Names. This is one of the ways that God REVEALS Himself, His character, attributes, will, works, etc. so that we might know Himmore fully. His names are also a PLEDGE and a PROMISE of Himself to humankind.
El – is Hebrew for “God, the One True God of Israel.”
EL SHADDAI – the All Sufficient One. Derived from(a)field which produces crops in abundance. (b) breast, i.e., the Many-breasted One meaning abundant provision, nourishment, and productiveness.God shows His all-sufficiency by turning nature around and providing miracles that are contrary to natural events.
ADONAI – The Master, Owner, LORD who owns His people, His servants, and protects, provides for, and directs them. This name signifies ownership and reflects our responsibilities to Him as His servants who are owned by God. We must allow Him the room to control our lives, and we then submit to, obey, and serve Him.
Exodus 21:1-6– a “bond servant,” a freely voluntary servant for life. Adonai is the God who totally owns His people and whose servants have chosen to serve Him because they love Him. He protects, provides for and directs them. Beautiful illustration of the Father-Son relationship between God the Father and the Son.
Philippians 2: 6-8. Consider Jesus’ struggle in the garden of Gethsemane.
Exodus 3:10-15 Yahweh (Hebrew) which was the common form of the name of God used by the Jews. Verse 14 – Derived from the Hebrew chavah which means to live, to be, or being. Translated “I AM THAT I AM,” or “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.” This namebrings Him forth (a) in the present tense, the God of the Now, and (b) in a personal way: Who He is – the One True God who is self-existent, unchangeable (James 1:17, Psalm 102:27), and eternal. He is the intimate God Who is ever revealing Himself through His Names, Word, and Spirit.
Jehovah is the Latin derivation of the Hebrew name Yahweh which precedes other Names of God that reveal His role. I AM eternally exists to be our ____________.
Romans 3:10-18, 21-24 – We are all unrighteous and fall short of the glory of God. We cannot earn His righteousness through ourselves or our own good works. Jehovah Tsidkenu made it possible for us to be righteous in His sight through faith in Christ Jesus (See also Matthew 6:33; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 5:21).
Covenant Names of God, pt. 4
John 3:16 – Imagine Yahweh/Jehovah, the Great “I AM THAT I AM” had a One and Only Beloved Son and that He freely gave His Son to us and for us. John 3:16 and Matthew 3:17
Colossians 1:15-20 and Ephesians 1:19-23 describe this Son in His fullness, His glory, His power, His position of authority – all of Who He is and what He has. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him”and “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
Philippians 2:9-11 – “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.”
John 1:14, 16– The Great I am Jehovah summed up everything that He that He has revealed through His many Covenant Names and put Himself in the “package” or form of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Name “Jesus Christ” itself embodies and encompasses the entire scope, significance, and power of God’s Names.
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which mean “Jehovah is Salvation” or “Jehovah Saves.” Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean “Anointed One.” In John 18: 1-3, Jesus declared “I AM” – Yahweh/Jehovah.
Seven times Jesus said “I AM” in the New Testament:
His Name encompasses and sums up every Covenant Name of God and includes salvation from everything that sin plagued us and provides love, grace, mercy, promise, health, power, authority, dominion over the devil, etc.
II Peter 1:2-4– Reassures the believer that they are not missing anything essential for living a life that pleases God. As a part of our inheritance in Christ, the Father has given us accessto and use ofHis Name: Jesus Christ.
In the Gospels, Jesus introduced and spoke of Almighty God as His “Father” which was often offensive to religious Jews.
Matthew 6:7-9 – He taught His disciples to pray “Our Father” and to relate to God as their Father.
John 20:17 – After His death and resurrection, He said, “I am returning to my Father and your Father.”
Jesus discusses His relationship to the Father in John 14:6-12, When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we become “born again” because God the Father gives us a second spiritual birth (John 3:3-8, II Corinthians 5:17) by His Holy Spirit. God literally becomes our “Heavenly Father”, and we become His very children (Ephesians 3:14-15; I John 3:1). Unlike many earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father is now a perfect, accessible, close, loving, kind, forgiving, trustworthy “Parent” who is intimately acquainted with us, helps us, answers our prayers and wants us to know Him. (Matthew 7:7-11, John 17:3,Eph. 1:17).
II Corinthians 1:19-22 – The Father gives us the Holy Spirit to show His seal of ownership of us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, as a guarantee of what is to come.
Romans 8:14-18, Galatians 4:6-7 – God sent the “Spirit of Sonship” into our hearts to dwell there. The Holy Spirit causes us to cry “Abba” to our Father which is a very tender, intimate name to address God, like “Daddy” or “Papa.”
Covenant Names of God, pt. 7
REVIEW: John 1:18 – Part of the ministry of Jesus Christ was to make known God as our Father. John 17:3 – Knowing the Father and the Son is eternal life. Ephesians 1: 17 – The Father has given us the Holy Spirit to know Him better.
Who is the Father? He is the Great Elohim, El Shaddai, Adonai, Yahweh/Jehovah, the God of all creation, of heaven and earth who wants to be our spiritual “Parent” and be intimately acquainted with us, help us, answer our prayers, and wants us to know Him. In fact, His nature is LOVE and He is LOVE Himself (1 John 4:8,16). He has poured out His own love abundantly upon us (Romans 5:5; I John 3:1-2).
He is depicted most accurately in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-24. “But while he (the son) was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” V. 20. The Father clothed him in a robe. put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, killed the fatted calf, and feasted and celebrated because “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” V. 24.
II Corinthians 1:21-22 – The Father loves us so much that in His Son Christ Jesus, “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us (“Adonai”), and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Romans 8:14-18andGalatians 4:6-7 – To mark His parentage of us (i.e., His “adoption papers”), the Father poured the “Spirit of Sonship” into our hearts to dwell there. The Holy Spirit allows us to cry “Abba” to our Father which is a very tender, intimate name to address God, like “Daddy” or “Papa.” As the children of God, we also can led by the Spirit of God (See Romans 8).
Alan is back and began his spring/summer teaching by giving a message on Communion and Our Purpose. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes and link to Scripture he references.
Communion & Our Purpose
Intro: The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a tradition that was to be used by fathers to teach their children the important parts of the faith. It can still help us understand our purpose today.
What is the chief end of mankind?
to glorify God & to enjoy Him forever
we glorify Him by enjoying Him
what & who do we love most in life?
to glorify God is to love Him/to enjoy Him more than anything else in life
Since Alan is in Texas for the winter, Terry has taken the teaching reins for the next few months. He began with a four-part series on hell that he titled, “The Devil’s Best Kept Secret.” All four parts are included below with audio, notes, and links to Bible Gateway for Scripture references. Be blessed!
Alan took us through a short series on the power and importance of the resurrection. The three messages are all posted below, with audio & notes for each. Praying they bless you!
The Power of the Resurrection Now and Forever
Big Idea: The bodily resurrection of Jesus changes everything in the world and in your life. It gives us hope for now & for eternity. The resurrection is the heart of the gospel message. When a person encounters the resurrected Christ, they are changed. The resurrection is the surety that this world we live in of death, chaos, and decay will one day give way to Christ’s kingdom and a new heaven and new earth.
The resurrection is at the core of the gospel.
Paul says it is of first importance.
The gospel is: the death of Jesus, the burial (empty tomb), the resurrection, the post resurrection appearances.
Without the resurrection, you’d still be imprisoned in your sins.
Big Idea: In America and the world, all kinds of relationships are broken, and we are in utter chaos. These include race relations, class relations, wealth relations, one-on-one relations, and sexual relations. In short, it’s a big mess, and we must view all relations in light of the reality that we are new creations due to the resurrection of Christ.
The resurrection and race relations.
“It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
It’s not WHO you are, but WHOSE you are.
It still happens in the Church today, thought that’s the last place it should EVER happen.
Bottom line: Jesus says that those who are in Him shouldn’t play socially elitist games for their own gain. Instead, help those who have no means to repay you.
The resurrection and our relation to our finances (wealth).
Material possessions mean nothing if you’re not rich in Christ.
It’s not about the amount you give; it’s about your sincerity & willingness of heart.
Bottom line: Be careful not to jump to judgement. “Vengefulness, quick to litigation, and self-interest (pride) are part of the spirit of this age” -Timothy Keller. When we say, “Vengeance is mine,” we want to play God. (Romans 12:18)
Bottom line: What we do in our bodies matters. In light of the resurrection, we are to flee porneia (sexual immorality).
Conclusion: The fact we are new creations through the resurrection of Christ, impacts everything we relate to.
Living Christ Risen
Big Idea: Only in understanding the reality of the risen Lord can the way be open to live as God intends us to live. Morality alone will not save you. As Paul stated, “to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). What is sin? To fall short of the glory of God! The wages of that sin is death (Romans 6:23). The following are crucial dynamics to living life as God intends us to live it:
“The only one who ever lived life fully, as God intended life to be lived was Christ. The only life we can live as God intends us to live is the life of Christ.” -Major Ian Thomas, Founder of Torchbearers International.
Lose your life for Christ so that Christ may live in you.
CONCLUSION: Christ is alive to live in us. The extent to which His living in us becomes apparent is the measure to which we die to ourselves so as to reflect the reality of Him in us. “The life that Jesus lived qualified him for the death that he died. The death that he died qualifies us to receive the life that he lives. That’s the heart of the gospel in action.” -Major Ian Thomas
Terry stepped in while Alan was away to take into the book of Colossians and teach us about persevering to the end. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below.
Pastor Alan finished up his series in the book of 2 Timothy with chapter 4, verses 9-22, “The Final Farewell.” We have a tendency to skip over these verses at the end, but they hold very valuable lessons. To hear this message, simply click play on the audio player below.
Paul is dealing with final matters, and as he does, he mentions numerous people. Some are his friends and allies; others are harmful enemies. Paul did not have a problem calling people out by name if they were causing harm to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We were blessed to have Dr. Jeff Leigh visit our little church and share a wonderful message with us. He taught about Elijah’s experience from 1 Kings 19. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included notes from his message with links to Scriptures he references. Enjoy!
Lessons from the Valley – 1 Kings 19:1-18
Ephesians 6:13 – it’s not about the tremendous victory in your battle; it’s about simply standing strong in the midst of your valleys.
Valleys are tough things to go through. They reveal our character and weaknesses, what we are standing on. But they can also strengthen us.
Don’t rejoice in the little (or even big) victories in your valleys – rejoice in your salvation by faith through grace. That is the unfailing/unfading mountain that will always give you strength.
Pastor Alan is still taking us through the book of 2 Timothy. One week did not get recorded properly, but I have posted the outline below (for 2 Timothy 2:14-26). The following Sunday took us into 2 Timothy 3. To listen to that message, simply click play on the audio player below. The outline can be found below, with links to Scriptures referenced. Enjoy and be blessed!
Alan continued to take us through the book of 2 Timothy with a teaching on the second chapter, verses 8-13. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below.
A key concept of 2 Timothy is enduring in both hardship and in the good times (since we can become complacent). We must remain faithful (not deny the faith). Paul is a picture of remaining faithful – 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 is a resume of suffering. Remaining silent can be a form of denying Christ.
Colona Community Church 