The weekly messages of New Life Irvine
In this week's passage, Jesus tells a story that flips our sense of justice on its head: a landowner hires workers throughout the day, from early morning to late afternoon—and then pays them all the same. Those who worked all day are outraged. Wouldn't you be?Matthew 20:1–16 isn't just a lesson about the nature of God's kingdom; it's a confrontation with our hearts. This parable reveals the self-righteousness that lurks in our hearts and sabotages our capacity for joy. Jesus, however, offers another way--to live with glasses of grace.
People tend to be hopeful about their future yet often their present circumstances are far from ideal. Why is life in this world so challenging? And why do we maintain such hope for the future despite difficult circumstances? We'll look at Genesis 3 in order to get a glimpse at what our future will be and what it could be.
Throughout this sermon series on Abide, we talked extensively about why we need to abide and how we can abide in Jesus. Yet, one thing we haven't covered yet is the goal and purpose of our abiding. To answer that question, we will go back to where this series started and unpack Jesus' words in John 15 where He identifies Himself as the vine and us as the branches.
Don't invite your friends or family?! How do we make sense of what Jesus says in Luke 14 in light of the scripture's teaching on the importance community? This Sunday we will delve into the tension of engaging in community with one another and extending hospitality to those outside our community is a practice that helps us "Abide" in the Lord.
Most Christians understand the importance of community. They've heard over and over again about how God has created a "we" instead of simply a "me". What many don't understand, however, is how to deepen and strengthen community. How do we go about cultivating the type of community our hearts long for? How do we go beyond the superficial and create the type of depth and vulnerability we were created for? Join us this Sunday as we continue our talk about relationships within the body of Christ.
Up until now, the practices of our Abide series have largely been individual practices. Solitude, sabbath, scripture, prayer, generosity, and fasting...these are all practices you can do alone. However, the Scriptures make definitively clear that when it comes to abiding in Jesus, when it comes to growing our faith, community is indispensable. We cannot grow unless we tether our lives with fellow brothers and sisters. Our pursuit of God must be done in the context of community. Join us this Sunday as we understand the importance and challenges of doing life together.
Fasting is a doorway to deeper experience, clearer discernment, and a more intimate walk with Jesus. It is a practice found all over the pages of Scripture and one that is frequently observed throughout the global church. It's time for the Western church to take advantage of this spiritual discipline. Join us this Sunday as we finish up part 2 of our mini-series on fasting and talk about how fasting amplifies our communion with God.
One of the most powerful practices God has given us to abide in Him also happens to be the most neglected: the practice of fasting. While there are some today who regularly fast because of its health benefits, many fail to see its overwhelming spiritual benefits. Join us this Sunday as we rediscover this spiritually renewing practice and learn how we can more faithfully abide in Jesus.
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