faith – Colona Community Church

Palm Sunday

April 19, 2025 by Laurin, posted in Uncategorized

Alan spoke last Sunday on Palm Sunday and two important questions we must ask ourselves. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes and links to Scripture he references.

Palm Sunday / Triumphal Entry Sunday / The Beginning of Holy Week

There are two important questions we should ask ourselves:
- Who is Jesus?
- What kind of Jesus do we really want in life?
  - the crowd in Jerusalem began the week shouting, “Hosanna!” and ended it shouting, “Crucify Him!” – Jesus wasn’t the Messiah they were expecting.
Matthew 21:1-17
- The people were expecting a Messiah who would save them from Roman oppression – a conquering king on a white horse, rather than a prophet from Nazareth on a donkey (the suffering servant)
  - He brought a kingdom, not of military might, but a kingdom of:
    - peace
    - forgiveness
    - love
    - justice
    - righteousness
- They shouted “Hosanna!”
  - a mix of two words
    - yasha (defend, deliver, help, preserve, rescue)
    - na (I beseech, I pray)
  - “Deliver us” – from Roman oppression
  - Jesus came for a bigger issue – sin
    - deliverance from the penalty of sin
    - by the cross & the resurrection
  - Jesus gives us so much more!
    - do you ever feel oppressed, tangled up?
      - the sin which so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1)
    - YHWH – breath
      - the idea in the OT was that salvation was the loosening of things that bind you so that you can breathe more easily.
  - They wanted a kingdom of earthly power.
    - Jesus brought a kingdom of heavenly power
    - the Beatitudes teach us how to live a kingdom life
  - Jesus showed the ultimate humility
    - washed the disciples’ feet (John 13)
    - death on a cross (Philippians 2)
The God we, as Christians, worship:
- He is a God of love.
- He is also a God of wrath.
- He is a triune God:
  - Father
  - Son (subject to the Father)
  - Holy Spirit (subject to the Son)
- Jesus is a keeper of His Father’s temple (Matthew 21:13)
  - He and the Father are one.
  - John 17 – to know what Jesus wants for you in this life
Hebrews 1:1-9
- Jesus is a deliverer, a king of a heavenly kingdom
  - Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
    - Why do you sometimes feel oppressed/depressed?
      - You’re looking at the world more than at Jesus.
- v. 1 – God (the triune God)
  - 1 in essence; 3 in personality
  - We tend to make God in our image, rather than realizing He made us in His image.
  - God spoke the Word – Jesus is God the Father speaking to us.
    - the final Word
    - Jesus represented God the Father exactly as God the Father was
    - Romans 3:23
      - in our thoughts and actions, we all miss the mark
      - Jesus never missed the mark!
- v. 2 – Appointed heir & creator of all things
  - In Greek, this is in the aorist tense, meaning once and for all time.
    - heir of ALL things
    - we are heirs & co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17)
      - must be a son or daughter to be an heir
      - those who believe in Him have the right to become children of God (John 1:12)
      - we are born children of Adam, but through Christ we are adopted by God
  - Jesus is the blueprint of all that has ever happened
    - “worlds” in vs. 2 is better translated as “ages”
- v. 3 – Sustainer
  - everything is sustained by the Word
  - John 1:14 – we beheld His glory
    - we only reflect His glory
    - Jesus IS the glory of God
  - Upholds
    - Jesus is the one who keeps everything going
    - Colossians 1:17
    - If He holds the universe together, can you trust Him to hold your life together?
  - Redeemer
    - He purged our sins
- v. 4 – Ascended
  - at the right hand of the Father in majesty
  - intercedes on our behalf
  - He is our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1-2)
He is Alive!
- Who is He? He is…
  - Creator
  - Revealer
  - Sustainer
  - Redeemer
  - Intercessor
  - King
  - the Prince of Peace
  - the Humble Servant
  - Everything

Communion & Our Purpose

April 19, 2025 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

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
John 21
- Peter had denied the Lord 3x; this story is now post-resurrection
- v. 10-17
  - v. 15 – what are “these”
    - maybe the other men
    - maybe more than the other men do
    - maybe the fish (Peter’s profession/career)
    - Peter says that he has phileo (brotherly affection) for Jesus
  - How does Jesus ask Peter to show love?
    - Feed the sheep – serve
    - Peter served by becoming the leader of the Roman Church
- v. 18 -25
  - serve, follow, sacrifice
    - how we glorify God
  - how much will you sacrifice for Him?
How do we glorify God & enjoy Him?
- serve, follow, sacrifice
- can’t do it of our own accord
  - doing it on our own is outward show – Pharisaical
  - empowerment through Christ living in you is the only way you can function in the image in which you were created
    - like a glove – without a hand in it, it has no purpose
When we take communion, we say we are taking in Christ.
- The only one who ever lived as mankind was intended to live is Jesus.
- Christ in us is the only way to live as God intended us to live.
- common – union / communion teaches us that Jesus is the hand in the glove that leads us to function as we are supposed to function
  - the cup
    - Matthew 26:36-46
      - prayed 3x
      - what is the cup?
        
        Isaiah 51
        
        Jeremiah 25
        
        Habakkuk 2:26
        
        other places in the OT
      - Jesus took the cup of God’s wrath upon Himself
        
        spiritual death is separation from God
        
        Jesus was separated from God so we could be reunited with Him
    - Luke 22:20
      - the New Covenant in My blood
      - the Old Covenant (Mosaic Covenant) – the Law
        
        sacrifices to temporarily atone for sin
        
        Jesus was the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10)
        
        we don’t have to sacrifice animals or do penance
        
        repentance (new covenant)
        
        the law is written on your heart (Jeremiah 31:31-40)
John 17:3 – Eternal Life is to know Jesus and the Father who sent Him
- what is to know Him?
  - not just knowing about Him
  - communing with Him
John 6:53-65 – the visual of communion
- Our purpose in life is to love Him above all else but we can’t do that without having Him in us – that is the point of communion.

True Christianity, pt. 16-20

April 17, 2025 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

Terry wrapped up his six-month series with a few messages on Matthew chapter 7. Each of the messages is included below, although one is missing notes (Sorry!). To listen to a message, simply click play on the audio player of the message you’d like to hear. All links will take you to the Scriptures referenced at BibleGateway.

True Christianity, pt. 16

Matthew 7:1-6

Intro: Matthew 6:33 tells us how to live in God’s peace and rest. When He is our priority, everything else falls into place. It’s not an idle life; we must be disciplined and diligent. All we need to know can be found in the Word and we need to walk that out in our lives. Psalm 139 reminds us that we are continually on the mind of God; He wants you to have Him on your mind continually. To love God is to know His Word.

Matthew 7:1 – Don’t Judge
- to judge is defined as criticizing or condemning others
Matthew 7:2 – Standard of Measure
- checks & balances
- the way you judge others is the standard by which you will be judged
- James 2:13
  - if you’re not merciful to those around you, God won’t be merciful to you
  - God is willing to forgive, but He’s watching everything you do
Matthew 7:5 – Hypocrite Pharisee
- thought he was better than everyone
- couldn’t see his own faults
Matthew 7:3-4
- oftentimes, we’re the last to know about the things that are wrong in our lives
- Christians need to help each other
- look closely at the Scripture:
  - Does it say, “Don’t judge”?
  - It says, “Don’t judge lest you be judged.”
  - If you are doing the same thing, you will be judged in the same way
Judge Righteous Judgment
- John 7:24
- 1 Corinthians 5 – sin within the Church
  - v. 3 – Paul judged the situation
  - v. 9-11 – don’t associate with those who are immoral
    - the Word tells us to judge those within the Church that they might repent and be restored (v. 5)
  - v. 12-13 – God will judge those outside the Church
- 1 Corinthians 6 – Right Judging
  - v. 1 – don’t take your business to the worldly courts
  - v. 2 – the believers shall judge the world
  - v. 3 – you shall judge angels
  - v. 4 – you have to make righteous judgments now
    - even the least among you in the Church should be able to judge righteously by the power of the Spirit
  - v. 5 – Paul rebukes the Church for not being able to judge wisely among themselves
- Judge the world with righteous judgment
Matthew 7:6 – Don’t Cast Your Pearls Before Swine
- Be careful and discerning when handling the Word in dealing with unbelievers steeped in sin.
  - don’t use the Word flippantly
  - the Word stands forever
  - the Word is the most powerful and priceless thing we have
    - let the Spirit work through you so you can know how to share/use the Word wisely
    - Jesus spoke in parables (starting in Matthew 13)
      - so those who were receptive would receive it
      - so those who were opposed would have it hidden from them
      - Matthew 15:14

True Christianity, pt. 17

Matthew 7:7-12

Review: Judges have the power to set free or condemn. We are able to judge those in the Church; God judges those who are unbelievers. The point of judging is to bring people to repentance.

Matthew 7:7 – Ask, Seek, Knock
- this is a command
- followed by a promise – it shall be given, you shall find…
  - our portion triggers God’s response
  - present perfect tense – continually, ongoing
  - prayer, prayer, prayer
    - it’s a privilege to come directly to God Almighty
    - “Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Take it to the Lord in prayer.”
    - cast all your cares (1 Peter 5:7)
- God is under no obligation to hear the prayer of an unbeliever
  - we are to intercede for those around us who don’t have access to Him
  - God looks to and fro (2 Chronicles 16:9)
  - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- The example of prayer is Jesus Christ
  - constant communication with the Father
  - only spoke the Father’s words (John 12:49)
Matthew 7:8 – Response
- ask, seek, and knock are action words
  - He’s waiting on us
- Everyone!
  - that’s the love God has for us
  - All things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26)
  - don’t limit your prayers
    - ask for big things – He can do anything
    - don’t walk by sight
    - pray by faith
      - pray the Word
        
        “God, you said…”
Matthew 7:9-10 – Man
- Fallen man cares about his children
Matthew 7:11 – Man vs God
- if an unrepentant, sinful, evil man cares about his children
  - HOW MUCH MORE
    - James 1:17
- Your Father
  - we have a relationship with the Lord to benefit from these promises
  - intimate relationship
    - praying continually
    - meditating on Him, His Word
  - we are all created by God, but not everyone is a child of God
    - when you are saved, you are adopted into His family
    - closer relationship with Almighty God allows the cares of the world to fade
    - when we come together, we grow/encourage
Matthew 7:12 – The Golden Rule
- Do unto others (my part)
- What you would have them do unto you
  - treat others the way you want to be treated
- This is a summary of the law and the prophets
- the Golden Rule is a barrier-breaker between us and the unredeemed
  - when we love our enemies, treat them with respect, it changes us & them
Hebrews 4:14-16 – Come to the Lord’s Throne
- we have a Great High Priest
  - He is our advocate
- because of v. 14-15
  - let us come boldly to the throne of Grace
  - direct access to God through the blood of the Lamb
    - Jesus tore the veil separating us from God
    - you will obtain mercy and grace
    - Matthew 7:7 – Ask, Seek, Knock

True Christianity, pt. 18

Matthew 7:13-14

I apologize for not having notes available for this.

True Christianity, pt. 19

Matthew 7:15-20

Intro: If there is true Christianity, then there is also a false Christianity. We need to be aware of false Christianity in order to not fall into it.
- Galatians 5:16-25
Matthew 7:15 – False Teachers
- In the OT, false prophets spoke words that were not from the Lord (though they claimed they were).
- In the NT, Paul speaks of teachers rather than prophets.
- They look like they are harmless.
  - Sheep’s clothing – to get in amongst the sheep and scatter them
- They are ravenous wolves.
  - Trying to destroy the people of God
  - Like tares among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30)
  - They twist the Word, etc., to fit their worldview
  - Paul said the wolves are going to come (Acts 20:29-30)
Matthew 7:16 – Fruit
- You can tell whether a person is true or not by what their lives produce.
Matthew 7:17-18 – Trees
- Good trees produce good fruit.
  - Galatians 5:22-23
- Bad trees produce bad fruit.
  - Galatians 5:19-21
Matthew 7:19 – Bad Trees Cut Down
- Teachers who deceive will be destroyed by the Lord.
  - Maybe not in this life, but certainly in eternity.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – prove and test
- 1 John 4:1 – test the spirits
- Acts 16:16-19 – what the spirit was saying was true, but the spirit was not of God – only discernment can tell the difference
- Right judgment
  - Discernment is judging, but it is righteous judgment
    - judge the fruit of people’s lives
      - not by worldly “success” standards
      - by spiritual standards
    - listen VERY carefully to what they are saying
  - Jude – how false teachers are deceiving the Church
  - Matthew 24:24 – even the elect can be deceived, especially in the last days.
Matthew 7:20 – You Will Know
- It doesn’t say, “You will know them by their words.”
- Their fruit = their lifestyle
  - Jesus’ life matched His message
- Mark the false teachers and depart from them.
Galatians 5:16-25
- If we abide in the Vine (John 15), we will produce good fruit.
  - the Holy Spirit will cause us to live a holy life and produce the fruit of the Spirit
- If we are attached to a rotten vine, we will produce bad/fleshly fruit.
- v. 16 – The power of the indwelling Spirit breaks the power of sin
- v. 17 – tug-of-war of the spirit
  - the Christian life isn’t easy
- v. 19-21 – the works of the flesh
  - who we are apart from the Lord
  - God takes these away by the power of the Spirit, as we ask Him to (He won’t take what we don’t give)
- v. 22-23 – godly fruit – who our God is
  - what the Spirit brings
    - Romans 5:5 – God puts His agape love in us
    - Ezekiel 36:26 – He changes our heart of stone to one of flesh
  - Joy
    - Nehemiah 8:10
  - Peace
    - John 14:27
    - completely at rest, no striving
    - doesn’t come and go
    - is always there if we keep our eyes fixed on Him
  - Patience/Long-suffering
    - put up with a bad situation or difficult person
    - rubs the hard edges off of me
  - Gentleness & Kindness
  - Faithfulness
  - Goodness
  - Self-control
- You can tell who has the Spirit by these fruits
  - all the fruit will increase as we grow closer to the Lord
  - the worries of the world fall away & our focus turns heavenward
Fruit is important to God!

True Christianity, pt. 20

Matthew 7:21-29

Intro: The truth of God can pierce the heart, deeply, through all the deception of the world. The truth is found in the Word of God.
- Matthew 7:19 – False teachers come to lead us away from the Word of God
- Matthew 24:24 – even the elect can be deceived
Matthew 7:21-23 – “I never knew you.”
- Many people think they are on their way to heaven, but they aren’t.
  - only those who do the will of the Father
    - hear what God says AND
    - do what God says
  - we are not saved by our works
    - we are saved by faith in Jesus
    - our works demonstrate what we believe
    - our lives need to match what we profess
  - Matthew 7:13, 18, 21-22, 24-25
    - Two ways:
      - 2 gates
      - 2 trees
      - 2 types of people
      - 2 foundations
  - hypocrisy – from the Greek for actor/putting on a mask
- v. 21 – not everyone who cries out Lord
  - Lord = Master
- v. 22 – many will call Him “Master,” but haven’t let Him be the Master of their lives
  - you must yield – turn your life over to Him
  - Matthew 16
    - deny yourself
    - take up your cross
    - follow Jesus
    - fall in love with God & He will transform you into the image of Christ
  - 2 Corinthians 13:5
    - take inventory of your life
    - religion is just adding God to your life
    - holding onto you rlife will not take you down the narrow way
  - God never knew them
    - they knew who God was, but God never knew them
    - they prophesied – knew the Scriptures
    - they cast out demons “in Your name” & performed miracles
      - were terribly deceived
      - were trusting in their works, not in Jesus
Matthew 7:23 – Depart from Me
- Do you know the President of the US?
  - You may know who he is, may have heard him speak, but does he have any idea who you are?
Matthew 7:24-27 – The Two Foundations
- Everyone who HEARS the Word & does it
  - nothing can destroy them
  - Jesus is the solid rock of our salvation
  - walk out salvation moment by moment
- Your responsibility
  - What will you do with what the Lord has given you?
- 1 Peter 1:6-7 – out faith will be refined by fire
- Everyone who HEARS the word & doesn’t do it
  - will crumble when problems arise
  - have nothing solid to stand on
- Exact same trials/difficulties in v. 25 & 27, but faith makes the difference in the outcome.
  - 1 Peter 4:12
  - James 1:23-24
    - Do you do what God tells you to do?
    - What is the evidence of your belief?
Matthew 7:28-29
- The people were amazed.
  - overwhelmed

True Christianity, pt. 1-3

November 30, 2024 by Laurin, posted in Sunday Message

Hello! Terry has begun a series, entitled “True Christianity,” to explore the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. The first three parts of this series are included below, with both audio and written notes. Praying this series blesses you, whether you can be with us in person or over the internet.

True Christianity, part. 1

Intro: What does true Christianity look like? Jesus tells us.

Jesus’ Ministry Begins
- Matthew 4:17 is where Jesus begins to preach (His earthly ministry)
  - fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-2), quoted in Matthew 4:14-16
- Jesus taught in Galilee (Matthew 4:23-25)
  - People came from all over (see map)
- Three-Fold Ministry of Christ
  - teaching
  - proclaiming
  - healing

Jesus Prepares for Teaching (Matthew 5:1)
- sees the multitudes
- goes up a mountain
  - mountains are places where God meets His faithful
- disciples come to Him
- people wanted to know how to get into the Kingdom of God
  - Pharisees & teachers of the law each set their own standards of external righteousness & requirements were different depending on which teacher you followed (called the “yoke” of the law).
Jesus Begins to Teach (Matthew 5:2)
- these attributes are what God will begin to manifest in the life of a believer
- Matthew 11
Poor in Spirit (Matthew 5:3)
- spiritually destitute apart from the Lord
  - recognizing you have nothing without Him, that you desperately need a Savior
  - opposite of what the world believes
  - Romans 7:18
    - you can’t obtain righteousness apart from God
    - James 1 – the anatomy of sin
  - Ezekiel 36
    - to be in the Kingdom of God, He must first exchange your heart of stone for a heart of flesh
  - Jesus is all we need (the “I am” statements of Jesus – John 6:35, 8:12, 10:9, 10:11, 11:25. 14:6, 15:5)
- when we recognize our spiritual destitution/poverty, we turn to God for His grace and mercy
- the reward for those who are poor in spirit
  - entrance into the Kingdom of God/eternal life
Those Who Mourn (Matthew 5:4)
- we mourn for the things that break God’s heart, that grieve Him
  - is a spiritual mourning that comes when we see how sinful we are apart from Him, coming short of what God expects of us
- shall be comforted
  - only the Lord can comfort and strengthen a broken heart
    - Hebrews 4
  - spiritual mourning should lead us to truly care about all the people who are hurting around us
    - take the focus off of self and put it on loving others
Conclusion
- As we draw closer to the Lord (as He prepares us to join Him in eternity), we turn towards the cross & put our backs to the world more and more.
  - 1 John 1:9

True Christianity, pt. 2

Introduction: Biblical Christianity means denying yourself, taking up your cross, & following Christ.
Matthew 5:3 – what’s important is our relationship to God through Jesus
- The “Blessing Sandwich:
  - joy on earth comes through right relationship with God
  - joy in heaven comes from eternity with God
- Humility – the lower you go, the closer you come to God
  - 1 Peter 5:6
  - Matthew 10:39
  - Philippians 3 – let go to take hold
    - don’t just add Jesus into your life
    - get rid of the old, grab onto the new
  - David’s sin with Bathsheba & murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11) led him to humility
    - Psalm 51, esp. verse 17
    - the word “contrite” in Hebrew (daka) can mean “deflated” or “crushed”
  - We need to see our spiritual bankruptcy before God.
    - Isaiah 64:6
    - Acts 26:18
    - Our life apart from the Lord is like a cup with a big rock in it. That rock is our pride, filling up the cup. We must empty it out (humble yourself) before we can fill it up with Christ.
Matthew 5:4 – mourn over the things God mourns about
- the sin in my life
- the hell-destined world filled with transgression against a holy God
Matthew 5:5 – meekness does not equal weakness
Luke 18:9-14 – The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Tax Collector)
- Pharisee
  - compares himself to other people around him
  - thinks he’s better than they are
  - filled with selfishness & pride
  - self-exaltation
  - external religion
- Publican
  - stands far off
  - wouldn’t even lift his eyes
  - beat his chest
  - “Be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.”
  - All signs of a broken and contrite heart
- Jesus notes that the lowly, contrite tax collector was declared justified/righteous
  - v. 14
    - Matthew 23:12
    - Luke 14:11
  - 1 Peter 5:6 – either you let go of your pride & humble yourself or God will humble you
Conclusion: We have been given a way to be right with God.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21
- Micah 7:19
- Living in right relationship with God is true Christianity.

True Christianity, pt. 3

Intro: Being/becoming a true Christian is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is a self-less life, modeled for us by Jesus Christ.
- To be blessed is to:
  - have God in your heart
  - yield to Him daily to do His will for His glory
- John 10:10
- The lower we go in emptying ourselves, the higher God will raise us (1 Peter 5:6).
The Meek (Gentle/Humble) – Matthew 5:5
- They will inherit the earth!
- often overlooked/looked down on by the world
  - praised by God
- opposite of what the world expects of successful people
- characterized by joy & peace that can only come from God
- can’t be shaken by the world/the enemy
  - secure in Christ
  - untouchable by the powers of darkness
The Beatitudes are a spiritual progression
- recognize your need for a Savior
- then mourn over the things God mourns
- then we become humble
- then we hunger & thirst for righteousness
- etc.
The Hungry & Thirsty – Matthew 5:6
- Jeremiah 29:13
  - must desire to find God & be willing to set aside the useless things of the world to yield to Him
- We all have a God-shaped hole that only He can fill.
  - He wants us to know Him.
- The closer we walk with Him, the more insatiable becomes our hunger & thirst to walk right with Him.
- Matthew 6:33
- We will be satisfied to the degree with which we hunger & thirst.
The Merciful – Matthew 5:7
- We are not merciful apart from God.
- God has unending mercy for us
  - 1 Corinthians 13:12
    - trying to figure out who this God is
  - We deserve His wrath, but He extends us mercy.
    - James 2:13 – with the degree we extend mercy to others, God will extend the same to us
    - Matthew 6:12
- Keep short accounts
  - confess
  - be thankful
  - don’t hinder your rest by holding onto grudges
The Pure in Heart – Matthew 5:8
- live at peace with others
  - let offenses go
  - don’t hold onto grudges
- keep the world from defiling your heart
- be clean spiritually
  - Acts 24:16
The Peacemakers – Matthew 5:9
- come in the middle of those who are at odds with each other & help restore peace
  - in the world
  - in the workplace
  - in the home
  - in the heart
- the biggest peace a believer can offer anyone is peace with God
  - we are all caught up in spiritual warfare
  - the unbeliever is at war with God
  - when we offer salvation, when someone accepts relationship with Christ, peace floods in
- Jesus is the door (John 10:7)
  - all sin has been atoned for
    - when you accept Christ, that atonement is applied to you
- be a peacemaker, led by God
The Persecuted – Matthew 5:10
- persecuted for the sake of following Christ
  - when you are walking closely with Christ, Satan & his minions will oppose you
  - persecution (Greek: dioko – persecuted) -to pursue after; to inflict suffering
  - Jesus said that they hated Him, they hated His Father before they hated Him, and they are going to hate us (John 15).
The Insulted & Persecuted – Matthew 5:11-12
- If we’re going to be His disciples, we can expect to be insulted, persecuted, and spoken falsely about.
- Rejoice over being persecuted for living righteously, for His name’s sake (James 1).
  - great is your reward
    - not on earth, in this life
    - in the heavenly realm for eternity
- Persecution has been happening to the people of God since He first created us.
Stand firm!

The Faith-Rest Life

September 21, 2024 by Laurin, posted in Uncategorized

We had a few weeks of mission reports and a special musical service before Pastor Alan began a short series on the Faith-Rest Life. Unfortunately, the first message (“Living the Sabbath Principle”) did not get recorded, but I’ve included Alan’s outline with a few notes below. The second and third messages, with their recordings, are below that, each with its outline. Praying these messages bless you.

Living the Sabbath Principle (The Faith-Rest Life)

Introduction
- Genesis 1:27-2:3
  - Adam & Eve were created on the 6th day; God rested on the 7th day.
  - Adam & Eve entered into God’s rest; sin took them out of that rest.
Sabbath Principle – what is it?
- The Sabbath is not a specific day – it is resting in God
- Hebrews 4:8-10
- Exodus 20:8-10
- Leviticus 16:31 (the Day of Atonement)
- Mark 2:25-28
- Matthew 11:28-30
- Psalm 46:10
- Isaiah 40:28-31
- We have what we need in Christ to live a life of purpose and peace, but we have to practice faith…real faith.
  - John 15:5
  - Hebrews 11:6
Four passages of scripture with Sabbath implications.
- Exodus 17:1-6
  - God had just delivered the Israelites from Egypt, and they grumbled. He has delivered us from so much more, and yet we still grumble.
  - Key truth: God puts us in testing circumstances, the “no water” places. Will we respond in faith or fear? To not respond in faith is to in effect believe God isn’t present.
- Numbers 20:1-13
  - This is God’s grace. He gives us living water, even when we don’t deserve it.
  - Key truth: We often will blame others, or God, and want to escape a testing circumstance. We will miss God’s blessing if we don’t follow his instruction.
- Hebrews 3:7-13
  - Key truth: What we hear can determine how we respond to life’s tests. Do we hear God’s promises and act in faith or do we hear all kinds of other voices? If we don’t hear, we will never rest, and it’s hard to hear if we aren’t still.
  - What keeps us from being able to be at peace in life’s stormy tests? This passage says there are 5 things:
    1. An evil heart of unbelief
    2. Departing (standing off) from God
    3. Deceitfulness of sin
    4. Wandering hearts
    5. Ignorance of God’s ways
- Hebrews 4:1-16 (Next Sunday)
Conclusion
- We can live in Sabbath rest or circumstantial chaos. There’s a choice to be made.

Sabbath Rest (The Faith-Rest Life)

Hebrews 4:1-12

The dynamics of living the Sabbath rest (Faith-Rest Life)
- God’s rest is a standing promise to stand upon. vs 1
  - 2 Peter 1:4
- God’s rest must be entered into by faith. vs 1
- God’s rest can be missed. vs 2, vs 5
- God’s rest if rejected angers God. vs 3a
- God’s rest is based on His resting. vs 3b-4a
- God’s rest, if rejected is an act of disobedience. vs 6
- God’s rest is a time sensitive offer. vs 7-8
- God’s rest is a rest from work as we know work. vs 10
- God’s rest involves an effort. vs 11
- God’s rest involves God’s word as a revealing source. vs 12
Conclusion: Living the faith-rest life is available through actively resting on God’s promises. The time to start living is now.

Great Necessities for Sabbath Rest
Hebrews 4:12-16, Isaiah 40

Introduction: Sabbath is not a day of rest; it is resting on the promises of God. Faith-rest is not based on our feelings, but on His promises. You’re never going to be able to say, “It is well with my soul,” if you carry around the baggage of the past.
- Matthew 11:28-30 – rest in Him
- Matthew 23:1-4 – the burden of “religion” – the yoke of the Pharisees
- 2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has given us everything we need to live a godly life.
- 1 Peter 5:5, 7
The necessity of evaluating life by God’s word.
- Men do what is right in their own eyes.
  - This leads to unrest, anxiety, and fear.
- The only way we know if we are obeying in faith or disobeying in unbelief, is by the evaluating power of God’s word.
- Hebrews 4:12-13
- God’s word has evaluating power because it is:
  1. Alive
  2. Powerful
  3. Cutting
  4. Penetrating
  5. Judging
The necessity of holding to one’s profession of faith by holding on to our high priest, Jesus.
- Hebrews 4:14-15
- There are trials and temptations that test our faith. We can look at how Jesus responded.
  - He used the Sword of the Spirit to battle temptation
    - Three ways Satan tempts (1 John 2:26):
      1. lust of the eyes
      2. lust of the flesh
      3. pride of life
The necessity of prayer.
- Oh, what needless pain we bear…
- We often look at prayer as a last resort.
- Hebrews 4:16
  1. Pray with confidence (James 1:2-8)
  2. Pray for grace and mercy (Luke 18:13)
  3. Acknowledge your need!
The necessity of waiting on God in dependent trust.
- Isaiah 40:28-31
- The idea of waiting on God has many aspects in the Hebrew language.
  - It means to believe God is reliable and can be leaned on. The Hebrew word “amen” carries this aspect.
    - Genesis 15:6
  - It means you can throw your cares on God.
    - Psalm 37:3
    - 1 Peter 5:7
  - It can mean taking refuge in God by fleeing to Him.
    - Psalm 57:1
  - It can mean trusting God for deliverance from pain.
    - Job 13:15-16
- All of these things can be involved in waiting for God. The outcome of waiting on God is we exchange the limited resources of our strength for His divine power.
The necessity of trusting in God instead of idols of our own making.
- Isaiah 40:18-20
- How many things in our life do we put our trust in that will just topple over?
- What makes you think you can run with the horses? (Jeremiah 12:5)
Conclusion: The faith-rest life is still offered; will we enter in?

Confidence

March 29, 2020March 26, 2020 by Laurin, posted in Church Information, Devotion

A message from Pastor Steve:

As we endeavor to meet the challenges of these days in America, it becomes increasingly clear that our peace and confidence are found only in one place: Jesus Christ. Our success in overcoming the trials and adversity is not dependent on the ways of the world around us, but comes by focusing on our faith, our belief, and our trust in the Son who was willing to suffer more than we ever will.

Why would He ever choose to give up so much honor and glory for those that still reject His free gift of salvation? It’s because of love. A love that is so deep, strong, and powerful that, once we have it, there isn’t anything on earth or in the universe that can take it away from us (Romans 8:35-39).

As we accept the challenges of these times, it becomes especially critical to properly dress yourself each day for the spiritual battles ahead. If you put on the “belt of truth” you won’t be persuaded by the lies of this world around us. Your “shield of faith” becomes your defense against the fiery darts of Satan, which he uses to cause doubt and disobedience in your affairs. And it is your “helmet of salvation” that will remind you, in this season, that by God’s grace, through faith in the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have nothing to fear (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Perhaps we should not be asking “why” is this happening, but “what” is it that God wants me to learn from this. “What” is in it that will cause me to grow closer to Jesus through this time?

By God’s grace and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we can be confident and secure when we employ the Spiritual Armor of God.

be still

Comfort in the Chaos

April 22, 2018 by Laurin, posted in Devotion

I’m going to confess something: I’m a bit of a worrier. I worry about my parents getting older and needing more specialized care, about my brother traveling for his photography business, about the lack of moisture and the consequent fire danger, about answering the phone because my introvert nature makes it a scary proposition, about all sorts of things! And absolutely none of them are actually within my control.

Last fall my mom had complications with a back operation that put her at serious risk and in the hospital and a physical rehab unit for nearly two months. I found myself spending way more time worrying and crying than I did reading the Word and praying. Driving to the hospital one day, I remember God pressing on me that if I have enough time to worry about the situation, then I also have enough time to pray about it. If I can devote time to being concerned, I can devote time to reading His Word.

The Bible never says that we should worry more or stress out or try to do everything on our own. It actually says the exact opposite: Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to pray and give thanks about everything. Worrying will not change anything, but trusting in God can change everything!

And Jesus Himself told us not to worry. His words remind us that since we see God cares for even the birds and the grass, we should know that He will take care of us. And after all, worrying will not add a single hour to your life or make anything better in the long run (Matthew 6:25-34). These reminders, among so many others in the Word, are the only thing that can keep me from spending too much time worrying.

When we worry, it is an attempt to take control over situations that can never be in our control. We turn from faith in God to fear of the unknown. We worship the problem instead of the Problem-Solver.

But every time we pick up the Word or turn to the Lord in prayer, He takes our burdens upon Himself. His words can give us peace in the midst of the chaos, comfort in our trials. What a tremendous blessing He gives us, when we turn to Him!

Refined in the Fire

February 4, 2018 by Laurin, posted in Devotion

The silversmith must pay very close attention when he is melting down silver to create his lovely pieces. He can’t simply toss chunks of silver into a bowl and place it in the fire, checking back on it in a few hours to see how it’s melting. No, he must sit right beside the crucible, constantly watching and caring for the silver. Should he look away for even a moment, the silver can scorch. So he sits and he stirs, ever mindful of the moment when the silver is finally ready to be taken from the fire. And how does he know when that moment has arrived? When he can see his reflection mirrored perfectly in the surface of the melted silver.

And so it is in our own lives. God is our silversmith, placing us in the fire to refine us through trials and tests of our faith. But He never leaves us alone in the fire. He doesn’t take a break to grab a snack or watch the Super Bowl or walk the dog. No, He is always right there beside us during those difficult times, caring for us, ensuring we don’t scorch in the flames. And when He can see Himself more clearly reflected in us, that’s when He knows that the refining has been complete and He removes us from the fire.

Know that when times are tough, God is right there beside you, watching you transform — and if you are trusting in Him, you will be refined into something more beautiful than you can even imagine: a reflection of God Himself.

I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. Zechariah 13:9
For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. Psalm 66:10
Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?” Jeremiah 9:7
Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. Daniel 11:35
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Malachi 3:3

Praying that you have a blessed week!

A Perfectly Imperfect Example

January 28, 2018 by Laurin, posted in Devotion

In my quiet times recently, I’ve studied Jacob/Israel more deeply than ever before. To me he is a fascinating paradox: an often faithless patriarch of the faith.

I can imagine things weren’t easy for him in his early years, knowing that his father so obviously favored his brother, Esau (Genesis 25:28). Yet it seems he forgot the lessons he learned in that experience and went on to favor his own son, Joseph, above all his other sons (Genesis 37:3). And, of course, we know that Joseph is the one who paid for that favoritism (Genesis 37). Imperfect.

Jacob was forced to flee his home after he deceived his father (with the help of his mother) and stole Esau’s blessing (Genesis 27), yet he literally met God while he was on the run to his uncle’s home (Genesis 28). God spoke to him, blessed him, promised him that his descendants would outnumber the specks of dust on the earth and that the land would belong to Jacob and his descendants forever (Genesis 28:13-15). And what did Jacob do? He acted like a typical human and put conditions on God: IF God would protect and provide for him until he returned to his father’s house, THEN Jacob would consider the Lord his God (Genesis 28:20-21). Imperfect.

Even if we skip his time at his Uncle Laban’s home and all the ways that God provided for him in his twenty years there, we still find Jacob depending more on himself than on God. When he left Laban and wass told that his brother, Esau, was coming to meet him, Jacob again behaved like most people: crying out to God for help, but still thinking up ways he could get himself out of danger. One moment he was praying for God’s help and the next he was scheming up tricks to pacify the anger he assumed was driving Esau toward him (Genesis 32). As Warren Wiersbe put it, “[Jacob] prayed to be delivered from Esau, but he really needed to be delivered from himself.” Imperfect.

Even though Jacob, now Israel, had learned so much about God, had seen God, struggled with God, he still depended on his own means (bribery, lies, etc.), because he spent so much time dwelling on his past transgressions, instead of looking ahead in faith. He was far from a perfect example of faith, yet God used him to teach us at least one very valuable lesson:

When we meet God, when we give our lives to Christ, our sins are washed in His blood, tossed to the ocean floor, never to be brought up again. If you find yourself dwelling on the sins of your past, know that it is not God who is bringing them to your mind. It is the Deceiver, who wants to take your mind off of God. When we dwell in the past, we forget to trust God with our present and our future. Look ahead instead, to all God has waiting for His good and faithful servants.

Must we be perfect? I know God would like us to be, but we are human and odds are we will mess up. We should strive for perfection, but maybe we can find contentment in imperfect perfection, always leaning on God, having faith that He is in control and that He cares for us.