Cy-Fair Christian Church

Peter writes, “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.” Over the past four weeks we have been taking a journey through the Book of Malachi. We have learned that the people of God felt abandoned. They felt like God had forgotten about them and wondered if his presence would ever return to the temple. Peter lived in such a time that God’s presence did return to his temple. It was a different temple however, its foundation was none other than Jesus Christ. The stones are precious and one of a kind. They are each and every one of the people of God from every tribe, tongue and nation. They include you and me. This temple is not found in Jerusalem, Rome, or Houston. It is found every where the people of God gather for worship and every where the people of God scatter to do life. We are so thankful that 40 years ago God called a unique group of people to gather as Cy-Fair Christian Church. We are thankful that over the years this gathering of followers of Jesus have lived their lives for God’s glory. We are thankful for those who have gone before us and those who gather today who claim each other as close family. We are one facet of the incredible temple of God called the Church. God’s presence is among us. He has blessed us and calls us to be a blessing to our community and world, all for His Glory.

There’s no doubt. It assuredly looks foolish from the world’s point of view. It doesn’t seem to accomplish anything. It’s a senseless. It’s futile. Even the bible teaches us that it doesn’t change how God looks at us. We’re still chronically messed up, constantly tripping over ourselves. Moreover, it doesn’t change anything about God. He’s still "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulnes” (Ex. 34:6). So what’s the deal with worship? Who cares, really?American theologian, Marva Dawn, calls worship a “royal waste of time,” but not for the reasons the world believes. It is a royal waste of time because it “immerses us in the regal splendor of the King of the cosmos” and by doing so we are “empowered by a Spirit who does not equip us with means of power or control, accomplishment or success, but with the ability and humility to waste time in love of the neighbor.”This week, we embark on a new journey in the book of Malachi in a sermon series entitled, “Who Cares?: From Dead Religion to a Living Hope." The theme of this minor prophet’s book is that God deserves our best and He begins by discussing the topic of worship. Who cares about worship and why does it matter? God does. And in the end, He’s the only One that matters.

There’s no doubt. It assuredly looks foolish from the world’s point of view. It doesn’t seem to accomplish anything. It’s senseless. It’s futile. Even the bible teaches us that it doesn’t change how God looks at us. We’re still chronically messed up, constantly tripping over ourselves. Moreover, it doesn’t change anything about God. He’s still "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6). So what’s the deal with worship? Who cares, really?American theologian, Marva Dawn, calls worship a “royal waste of time,” but not for the reasons the world believes. It is a royal waste of time because it “immerses us in the regal splendor of the King of the cosmos” and by doing so we are “empowered by a spirit who does not equip us with means of power or control, accomplishment or success, but with the ability and humility to waste time in love of the neighbor.” This sermon series takes us on a journey through the book of Malachi, entitled, “Who Cares?: From Dead Religion to a Living Hope." The theme of this minor prophet’s book is that God deserves our best and He begins by discussing the topic of worship. Who cares about worship and why does it matter? God does. And in the end, He’s the only one that matters.

Ziplining? Swimming with crocodiles? Wing walking? Volcano-boarding? Extreme zorbing? If any of these things sound appealing to you, you might have a Type-T personality. That’s what Temple University’s professor of educational psychology, Frank Farley, uses to describe thrill-seekers, or those who are on the hunt for the next intense adventure. "It's the excitement,” he says. "It makes things interesting, keeps you going. When this life is over, you want to be able to look back and say, 'I lived.’"In the fifth installment of our series, Finding Your Way Back to God, we will discover the final awakening: Awakening to life. You first became aware of your desire for something more (awakening to longing). Then you charted a course in a new direction (awakening to regret), but you also realized that you couldn’t do it without God to make a change, and so you came home (awakening to help). When you arrived, He welcomed with inconceivable grace (awakening to love). Now, it’s time to really live the abundant life that God offers.You don’t have to be a Type-T personality to really experience life. It’s only in losing your life for Jesus's sake that you’ll be able to look back and say, ‘I lived.'

One analyst calculated that it is four times more likely for us to get hit by an asteroid than to have a winning Powerball ticket. If only the same statistics were true for identity theft! In one year approximately 1 out of 15 people will experience identity theft. Overall, 33% of Americans have already experience identity theft, which is more than twice the global average. There is a variety of forms of identity theft; identity theft involving bank accounts, credit cards, social security numbers, etc. There is one form of identity theft that is the most insidious of all; the theft of our identity in Christ.How does our identity in Christ get stolen? It is possible to have our identity stolen when we are not living up to the standard of how we believe a “good” Christian should live. It is possible our identity gets stolen when we have problems aligning the daily struggles of life with being a “new creation in Christ”. It is possible our identity in Christ gets stolen when we experience a marriage failure or when we feel we have failed as a parent. Finally, it is not just possible but probable our identity in Christ gets snuffed out by the guilt and shame we experience after a moral failure. We ask ourself, “If I am truly a child of God, how could my life have ended up here?”The truth is our identity in Christ can never be stolen. It may feel like it has been lost forever but the truth is our feelings deceive us. Our identity is forever secure in Christ. Our performance did not enable us to become a child of God in the first place and our performance cannot threaten our remaining a child of God. Our identity in Christ is forever secure because of God’s unconditional, unending, unbreakable love. God is for you, He is not against you. Paul tells us in Romans 8 that nothing, absolutely nothing, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. You are his adopted child. He smiles when he thinks of you. He is longing for you to return to Him—He is watching, He is waiting patiently. ..what’s that I see? I think your Father God is running to embrace you and restore the identity you thought was forever lost!

Likely his final work, The Return of the Prodigal Son was painted by the great Rembrandt within two years of his death in 1669. It’s a somber, quiet version of the celebratory moment depicted in scripture. The elder brother and other onlookers watch the touching moment from a distance. There’s no new robe around the young man. No shiny ring. No fattened calf. No celebration just yet. In this tender moment, Rembrandt draws all of the attention to the father.Dutch Theologian, Henri Nouwen, stated that instead of being called The Return of the Prodigal Son, this painting could easily be called, “The Welcome by the Compassionate Father.” In the great parable, much is made of the prodigal’s squander of wealth, his repentance and return. Many also spend time exploring the elder son’s envious perspective. And while there are many truths to be mined from the reactions of these characters, it is the father that makes this story so significant.This Sunday, we draw our attention to the Father in part three of Finding Your Way Back to God. If you are living in a far away country, rest assured that there is a God who is scanning the horizon waiting for you to come home.

Tom Brady was being interviewed not long after he won his third Super Bowl, and he was ask, “This whole experience—this whole upward trajectory—what have you learned about yourself? What kind of effect does it have on you?” Brady answered, “Well it put an incredible amount of pressure on me. When you feel like you’re ultimately responsible for everyone and every thing…there’s a lot of pressure. Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what it is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think: God, it’s gotta be more than this…”What is the answer? Brady replied, “I wish I knew.”The truth is Tom Brady and all of us were made for more. No accomplishment on earth is going to fill the void in me or you or even Tom Brady that only a relationship with God can fill. Wherever you are from, whatever your past hurts, shame, or regrets you might have, whether you call yourself a Christian or not, you have something deep inside you that longs for a connection with God. It is part of being human, it is part of being created in the image of God. Over the next five weeks, we will be taking part in a series called, Finding Your Way Back To God. I want you to know that God has not forgotten you. He is actually running to you! He longs to have a relationship with you

God longs to transform your life. He wants to take you from the outhouse to the penthouse. He wants you to come to your senses, turn to him and experience a life worth living. He not only wants to change your life, he wants others to see that anyone can experience real change through the good news of Jesus Christ .

In a rapidly changing world it is important to communicate the unchanging message of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Adults who care about the future of the next generation should find ways to help a kid…make friends, stand up to bullies, problem solve, laugh, develop integrity, show respect, take care of their body, communicate effectively and wait for what they want…just to name a few. Children desperately need people just like you to communicate to them the message that “every kid is made in the image of God to love God with all their heart, soul, strength and trust Jesus for a better future.”

When sin entered the world through Adam & Eve, it distorted what God intended for us to experience on earth. But Jesus wouldn’t allow this sin to keep us separated from Him. Praise God, we can look forward to the hope of Heaven in Jesus Christ! Together we can say with the Apostle Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death where is your victory? Oh death where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:54b-55).

God loves variety. He demonstrates that over and over through His creation. And while we don't know everything about the New Earth, one thing is for sure, there will be amazing variety there. The most incredible variety will be found among those who are the image-bearers of God Himself—people just like you, from different cultures, of different colors, with different shapes and sizes, who speak different languages, possess different gifts, and contain different passions.

This week, teens in the CFCC Student Discipleship Ministry share their experiences from a summer of service.

In John chapter 14 Jesus promises us that he is going to prepare a place for us. It will be a place that is not marred by sin. A place where God’s glory, creativity, and love are on full display, and most importantly a place were his people get to enjoy his creation in the full presence of the creator.

Commonly referred to as the “love chapter,” chapter 13 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is often read during marriage ceremonies. However, this passage is also pointing to another even greater marriage that won't be fully realized until Jesus is united with His bride in eternity. "Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 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. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:8–13)This is the most astounding fact about our eternal state: We shall see God face to face. Rest assured friends, beholding the Uncreated Creator of the universe will be so magnificent that it will fill us with an ever-increasing joy, love, and wonder for all eternity. Our God will dwell with us. We will know Him and be known by Him. More than streets of gold or mansions in glory, this truth is the essence of paradise.

Listen to these words…reconcile, restore, redeem, recover, return, regenerate, resurrect—the “re” prefix signifies a return to the original condition. In the beginning, Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the perfect paradise He created. They were created in God’s image to be His image bearers and bring Him glory on earth. You and I are created in the image of God as well. He longs for us to be His image bearers on this earth and for all eternity in the New Heavens and New Earth. Make no doubt, this restoration, this reconciliation, this regeneration comes at a great price. That price is found in the word redemption—God bought back what he formerly owned. The price was no less than the death of His very own perfect son—Jesus. Restoration is far more expensive than recycling comes close to being. I for one am thankful God is the God of restoration.

Don’t forget, “What you believe about eternity, determines how you live today.” Please remember, this is not a theoretical series about someday, this is a series that impacts how we live today! I am so glad you are here to take this journey with me.

What comes to mind when you think about Heaven? Is it an eternal sing-along? Will you have to learn to play the harp? Will we have wings? As it turns out, most people’s view of eternity is shaped more by television, movies and conversations with friends than it is shaped by the Bible. For others, heaven isn’t really worth thinking about.Yet, if Heaven is where those in Christ will spend their eternity, doesn’t it seem odd that we don’t have a better understanding of it? If you were moving to another state and knew nothing about it, wouldn’t you want to learn about the place in which you would live? At the very least, you’d research what the landscape looks like, what the locals do for fun, and where they like to eat. The same should be true about Heaven! And if you feel guilty about looking forward to the treasures of Heaven, please don’t, because the essence of Heaven is the presence of God.For that reason, we’re kicking off a new 9-week series beginning this week entitled, The Hope of Heaven. Though our wildest imaginations will still fall far short of the grandeur of Heaven. We’ll discuss topics like: What does the present Heaven look like? What will the Resurrected Earth be like? What will we do in Heaven? What will it look like? And will there be Blue Bell Ice Cream and Whataburger?

Yoda was right, “The greatest teacher, failure is,” but Biblical wisdom is the ability to learn from the failure of others. So over the past three weeks we’ve looked closely at several Bible figures and how they have handled adversity in their lives. This week, we’ll focus our attention on Moses, one of the greatest heroes of faith in all of scripture, and explore how he learned from loss.

Have your dreams been shattered? Do you find yourself on the floor picking up the pieces? Have you ever felt abandoned? Take heart, God is up to something good. Though you may feel you are alone, your shadow is not the only one who walks beside you. There is ONE out there who wants to rescue you.

It is hard to get our arms around the fact that God’s purpose is often accomplished through tragedy. If we can look at Eric and his family’s losses, and others’ losses, and see some divine purpose in them, it can help us believe that there is purpose in our own losses as well. It can help us believe the blood-bought promise of God: “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Loss. If there is any certainty in life, it is the fact that we will all experience loss. Loss is inevitable. The loss of health. The loss of a friendship. The loss of an investment. The loss of a child. The loss of freedom. The loss of a parent. The loss of a home. The loss of a marriage. The loss of your memory. Loss devastates our lives. All of us are going to experience loss. The question is, how will we respond to loss when it occurs? Will it paralyze and cripple us for the rest of our life? Will we learn painful lessons from loss and the grief that accompanies it?

Our lives matter. Where we invest our time and resources matter. We can make an impact that last forever. It was obvious to see how the sacrifices Oskar Schindler impacted the lives of others. I am afraid that sometimes the impact of our sacrifices are not as obvious. We need to always remember, we are involved in a rescue work as well. Lives of millions of people depend on this work. Serious sacrifice are involved in this work. We have one brief opportunity to take part in this work and then…THE END.

When we grip the stuff of life too tightly we become trapped in selfishness. It can literally rob us of life. When we live life with a loose grip and an open hand we experience generosity and contentment.

The average human tongue has more than 10,000 taste buds. When your tongue senses salty, sweet, savory, sour, bitter, or umami flavors, those taste receptors synapse with neurons and pass on electrical impulses to the brain. All of this combines to give you the wonderful flavor of a double meat Whataburger with cheese (no pickles and no onions), “Whatasized” with a large Dr. Pepper. And this is the reason I’m convinced that food is one of God’s love languages. Food is not only something we need to survive, but what a gift it is that God also makes it something that we enjoy. So much so, that when the Old Testament prophets wanted to speak of the day that God’s reign would finally come, they depicted a great feast. The best meal you’ve ever had is only a foretaste of what’s to come at this most extravagant banquet. Not only will this be a meal for the ages, all that was broken will be made whole, every wrong will have been made right, and on that day we will feast in the presence of the King of All!

There’s a reason why scripture encourages us to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8). It's because food is one of the best things on earth! Is there anything better than sharing a rich, delicious meal with close family or friends around a table? Not in my book!It’s interesting then, that tables are one of the most important places of human connection. We’re often most fully alive when sharing a meal around a table. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, to find that throughout the Bible, God has a way of showing up at tables. In fact, it’s worth noting that at the center of the spiritual lives of God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments, we find a table: the Table of Passover and the Table of Communion.Take a moment to consider the Lord’s table and discover why this meeting place is so important to our faith.

There are a few jobs in society that have bad reputations—some for good reasons and some not. The tax collectors in Jesus’s day had a bad reputation for good reason. They were as corrupt as the day is long. They were free to assess the value of goods and could demand a tax higher than what the government required. Talk about a major perk! They got to pocket the difference! Bottom line, tax collectors were among the most hated people of society. They were corrupt. They were traitors.Then in walked Jesus. He invited a tax collector to become one of his apprentices, one of his disciples. The tax collector accepted his invitation and hosted a dinner so his friends could meet Jesus. The Pharisees watched in horror as Jesus mingled with the worst of the worst. I am sure they were thinking, “who does he think he is hanging out with those traitors?!”It is funny how we can see the wrong in someone else far easier than we can see it in ourselves. That was true then and it is true today. The truth is we are all traitors—not of our country but of our God. We have all turned our back on Him and chosen our way over His way. We have all sinned.

Sell By Date”, “Use By Date”, “Best Before Date”, “Expiration Date”. I am so confused!!! Did you know that stores can sell food after the date expires? Thank goodness some states require milk to be sold by the expiration date! There is nothing worse than pouring yourself a glass of milk and you got it—it is sour! Milk is not the only thing that sours, people do as well. Did you know that you have a “shelf life”? Your shelf life is defined as the period during which you remain effective and free from deterioration. It refers to the period of time during which you may be stored and remain suitable for use. I can assure you that you cannot remain on a shelf long and remain effective. Your life when placed on a shelf is prone to deterioration.Why do some people end up on the proverbial shelf? Some people burn out and step back from it all. Some people get their priorities mixed up. Some people fall flat on their face and have a hard time recovering. Their fall may be the result of poor choices, out right rebellion or circumstances beyond their control. Peter was a perfect candidate to end up on the shelf. He blew it. He fell on his face not once but multiple times. He was a miserable failure, heavy on the miserable. My guess is he did not see how he would ever rebound. He betrayed the most important person in his life. He could not see beyond his failure.Listen closely, Jesus had other plans for Peter. He still saw a future for him. Jesus wanted to restore Peter’s life. The restoration did not leave him a second class failure, not at all. The restoration left him whole. If you are on the proverbial shelf. I want to warn you, you have a shelf life. You will sour on the shelf if you stay there too long. You were created for active engagement. You were created to love God and love people. You were created for worship and ministry. God has gifted you for both. He has placed you in a body, a church, to do both. The body needs you and you need the body. Take a risk, get off the shelf, get connected. I can hear Jesus calling you to the table!

Two men were walking down a road; one says “one thing I have learned this weekend is.... don’t get your hopes up. Because if you do, they will get knocked to the ground". The other man stares at the road ahead and asks him, “Do you really believe that?” The first man replies, “Yes, I believe it! Can you give me one reason why I should not?”A dialogue like that could have easily taken place between the two travelers on the road to Emmaus. Their hopes were sky high. Their long awaited Messiah was in Jerusalem. After waiting a lifetime, freedom was finally within their grasp. But they found out what happens when you get your hopes up. They get knocked to the ground and crushed. Their hope, their Messiah, their deliverer got knocked to the ground. He was slapped, beaten, belittled, whipped to a bloody pulp, humiliated and then punished like the worst criminal!I can see why they were struggling. Can’t you? The very moment when their lives seemed to be heading in the right direction, everything seemed to be aligning, real life was in their grasp—defeat was snatched from victory.Why hope? Why dream? Why believe that life can be any different? Why believe that this world can actually change? We can easily get tired of getting our hopes up, and ask ourselves - what’s the use?Sometimes it takes someone to come alongside us, walk and talk with us and help us see life from a different perspective. The travelers on the road to Emmaus had someone do this for them. It changed their lives forever. He even came to their home that very evening. He sat down at their table and broke bread with them. The crazy thing is, they did not know it was Jesus until he was already seated at the table!Their lives would never be the same. Their hope was restored. The worst story they ever told, became the greatest story they ever told. Their knocked to the ground Messiah was actually their resurrected Messiah King. Rome still existed. Caesar was still in power. But they knew the truth. Their hope was forever secure and anchored in Jesus!

It is finished.

Use your imagination for a moment. Jesus has just entered Jerusalem. He is riding on a colt. The people shout “Hosanna to the Son of David…Save us we pray.” They lay their cloaks and palm branches in front of Jesus as he proceeds down the road. They welcome their long awaited King. It is a little strange that the first thing Jesus does is run people out of the temple. As Jesus is kicking out the money-changers, the sheep and dove sellers, he says, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” The money changers and sacrifice sellers had set-up shop in The Court of Gentiles, the only part of the temple where Gentiles were allowed to go. Gentiles were forced to worship and pray with all this commotion going on. Imagine trying to worship and pray with the “cha-ching” of the cash registers, the squabbling of the salesmen and their patrons, or the bleating of the sheep and cooing of the doves.

Without a need to serve the widows, Stephen wouldn’t have emerged as a deacon. Because he became a leader, Stephen took advantage of opportunities to preach. Since he preached so passionately, the Jewish leaders arrested him and stoned him. Because of the persecution of the church, the message of the gospel was spread all over the region. And it is likely that at Stephen’s death, the first seeds of the gospel were planted in the heart of Paul—who would carry the gospel to the Gentiles.In this episode, we will pick up the story of the Holy Spirit's work in chapter 28, the conclusion of the book of Acts. Paul felt God had been calling him to Rome for years, but each time he had been prevented from getting there. God could’ve intervened at any point, but he didn’t. Why? Well, it would appear He had a plan all along.