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Friend of the house Kristian Holmes ministered a powerful message on the love of Christ and our union in Him. John 14:20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
A reflection on Mark 14:1-9This week we look at the tension between striving for perfection and utility versus surrendering fully to Jesus in love and humility, looking at the indignation expressed toward Mary's act of worship.The voices of condemnation were telling Mary “what she should have done” while Jesus was blessed by what she could do. He says in Mark 14: 8 - 9 “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
The ‘Great Commission' did not begin when Jesus gave that command to GO, it began long ago in the hidden depths of God's own heart!• The mission of the Father was the sending of His Son. • The mission of the Son, JESUS, was becoming flesh and to reveal the life and heart of the Father. • The mission of the Spirit is to bear witness to the Son through the Church, THROUGH US.... His disciples!The co-mmissioning of the Church is to share God's life, love and on-going mission to the world.
Week 2 of our Heart For The House series where Pastor Sean teaches on 'Community'.
" In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."3 week series catching the vision and heart that the Lord has for His house, the bride, the church!
Hunger Series:Breaking Free From Over FamiliarityJesus links the Kingdom of Heaven with Seeking and Discovering. A heart that is smothered in over familiarity has lost its wonder, its childlikeness, its readiness to receive all that Jesus has for us.
Galatians 4:4-74 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[a] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.The greatest revelation of the Incarnation of Jesus is not just that we have a "scapegoat for our sins" but a loving Father who pursued us. We are not left as orphans.
Isaiah 42:3 "a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice."
Mark 3:5And he looked around at them (Pharisees) with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
"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.” John 13:34-35The reason this "old" commandment to love is now "new" is because we now have a new PATTERN (Jesus) and a new POWER. (Holy Spirit)We are to love AS Jesus loved.Jesus had taught many things, revealed many miracles but He teaches that the world would be drawn to His message when it SAW His disciples love.
The path of discipleship involves being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus and doing the things that Jesus did. In order to help the disciples grow, there were three things that Jesus gave them: proximity, teaching and opportunity. A previous sermon has looked at proximity to Jesus by abiding in the vine, and a future sermon will look at how Jesus gave his disciples the opportunity to step out and have a go. This sermon will focus on learning from Jesus.
Part 4 of our Discipleship Series. The previous sermon in this series looked at how we can be with Jesus through abiding in the vine. This message moves on to thinking about how we can become like Jesus, and it does so by considering a series of short parables and illustrations that Jesus taught in Luke's gospel.
At the heart of Jesus' call to his first disciples is the invitation to be with him. The path of discipleship is not primarily about a particular set of practices (although there are practices that help). Rather it is about intentionally remaining in the presence of Jesus.Bible Text: John 15:1-11
Part 2 of our Discipleship Series.We look at Jesus' invitation Mark 8:34 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Jesus never demands faithfulness but invites us to follow Him. To live in His resurrection life we have to walk in His ways and receive His truth.
Being Followers of Jesus means means responding to His call to:Being With JesusBecoming Like JesusDoing what Jesus Did“Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if he were you.” - Dallas WillardSuggested reading :'Practicing The Way' - John Mark Comer'The Kingdom Life' - Dallas Willard'Long Obedience in the same Direction' - Eugene Peterson
Gratitude's purpose and design is to place us into a BIGGER more HOPEFUL perspective than our own, it directs our HEARTS towards Gods heart. Gratitude hands every circumstance over to Him trusting that He works it all together for our good.https://encounterchurchnapa.com
Forgiveness is letting go of resentment and giving up any claim to be compensated for the hurt or loss we have suffered. Love is the context in which the Kingdom of Heaven manifests. John 3:16 "for God so LOVED He GAVE His only son.."
1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called CHILDREN of God; and so we are…Healing the orphan spirit. We are the beloved, the children of God created for life.
A timely message by Pastor Eric Daniel.https://hccnapa.comGalatians 6:7-97 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Seeing through the lens of the Gospel, through Christ heals our image of the Father. In Christ the heart, love and passion of the Father was made manifest. He made the first move to rescue and reconcile His children. The image God chose to portray to the world was Jesus! Thats the healing the Gospel brings. John 3: 16-17“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.“The cumulative testimony of the four Gospels is that when Jesus Christ sees the fallenness of the world all about him, his deepest impulse, his most natural instinct, is to move toward that sin and suffering, not away from it.” ― Dane C. Ortlund (quoted at 17:30 seconds)Additional reading suggestions:'Abbas Child' by Brennan Manning'Gentle and Lowly' by Dane Ortlund
Part 3 of our People of God series.Our lamps, our PROFESSION of faith are not enough for the journey...We need the oil of the Holy Spirit, the resurrection life who keeps our hearts fixed on the bridegroom, Christ who is coming for us!
Part 2 of our People of God sermon series.1 Peter 2:9"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”Jesus Christ as the living stone is critical to understanding for whom we the people of God, the church exist.
Week 4 of 4John modeled a life of surrender and pursuit.
Week 3 of 4 of our John the Baptist series.John the Baptist played an essential role in God's story of salvation. “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” https://encounterchurchnapa.com
Week 2 of 4 of our John the Baptist series.John the Baptist played an essential role in God's story of salvation. John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.”https://encounterchurchnapa.com
Week 1 of 4 of our John the Baptist series.John the Baptist played an essential role in God's story of salvation. Mark 1:1 describes the ministry of John the Baptist as “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ"Johns story illustrates that God moves on our obedience to Him.
A teaching on the Gifts of the Spirit by Dan Skadal.Romans 11:29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Jesus offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to cleanse us from sin. His blood alone can purify our consciences, bringing forgiveness, restoration, and renewal. The blood of Jesus has the power to wash away our sins, and it SPEAKS a message of redemption and salvation.
Part 3 of our 4 week 'A Gospel of Grace' series on the the book of Galatians.
Part 2 of our 4 week series on the book of Galatians.
A 4 week series on the book of Galatians.Galatians 1:6-17
"Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us."
"For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness excel in glory. "2 Corinthians 3:9
"It is one of the major transitions of life, to recognize who has taught us, mastered us, and then to evaluate the results in us of their teaching. This is a harrowing task, and sometimes we just can't face it. But it can open the door to choose other masters, possibly better masters, and one Master above all!" - Dallas Willard Suggested reading on the subject: John Mark Comer - Practicing the WayDallas Willard - Divine Conspiracy
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do YOU believe this?" John 11:25-26