The Future is something we don’t control. For some it is something to look forward to. For others it is something to fear. As disciples of Jesus we have a future to be hopeful and excited about – Heaven! But, we are not there yet. How can we live well now with our heavenly future in mind? This week complete’s our series, The Relevance of Christ.
"Christ" Tagged Sermons
Continuing our series, The Relevance of Christ, today we’re examining Jesus’s relevance to the world in our present age. In Colossians, Paul says that Jesus is “reconciling all things to himself.” Wow, what a big and bold statement! Can you really believe it? The state of our world during this “in-between time” – where Jesus ascended to the throne of Heaven but we’re waiting for him to come back to bring his new Kingdom in its fullness – has made this idea the subject of much debate, doubt, cynicism, and pure disbelief. In short: for many people from many generations, it can feel like God isn’t at work at all. A natural reaction is to try to take things into our own hands, just like Abraham after he was tired of waiting for God’s promise. But maybe we have a tendency to look for Jesus’s work in all the wrong places. In times like these, we need to hear the encouraging ongoing work of Christ himself: for us, to us, in us, and through us!
Living in the world we live in; it is easy to fall into a “side” of an argument or discussion. This ease often causes divisions and breaking in relationships. Unfortunately, even in the early days of Christianity, this breaking and division began to happen in the Church. But in 1 Corinthians, Paul begins to lay out the beautiful possibility that we can have a change of mind and live in unity with all who “are being saved” by Christ and His Gospel Message. Not only is this possible, but it is God’s desire and plan to have our relationships reconciled and be fully united in Him.
Many people pray. Who we pray to and what we pray for makes all of the difference. As Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, he expresses his thanks to God for them following Christ and then he shares with them what he prays for them. What he prays is not for their safety or their prosperity, but for their full experiential knowledge of what they have in Christ – Hope and His Great Power! What would change in our lives if we received this type of prayer and prayed it for each other?
On the night before His crucifixion Jesus extended a new invitation to His followers, “Abide in Me.” To abide means to live in a close continual dependent relationship with our resurrected Christ through the presence of his Holy Spirit who indwells all who put their faith in him. In this message we discover move about this beautiful way of life and the…
Have you ever read about an historical event in the Bible and wondered why it matters? It is easy to dismiss passages that do not seem relevant to our present or eternal lives. Yet, Jesus Himself said that scripture points to Him. This is obvious in many Old Testament prophecies, but New Testament Scriptures, like the Riot in Ephesus, need a more thorough investigation.
As thousands of runners passed by mile 21 ½ for the Denver marathon this morning, many people encouraged them to keep going all the way to the finish. In our service we received 3 encouragements from God’s Word to “run the race with endurance that is set before you.” Endurance is the ability to continue in the midst of pain until the task is finished. If you ever consider giving up on Christ because it is too hard, first reflect on these encouragements and the huge reward at the finish line for all who run with endurance!