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.
"Revelation" Tagged Sermons
The message of Hebrews is clear: Jesus is better! He’s better than anyone or anything else we can put our faith in! But why was the author of Hebrews inspired to share this message? Why did the church who received it need to hear it? Some members of the church were persevering and holding firmly to their faith and some of them were drifting and falling away from it, but all of them needed this reminder that Jesus is better and an explanation of how he’s better. They needed it so all of them would persevere in their faith even when it was difficult, even when drifting away from it was easier. We need this message for the same reasons. Are you holding firmly to your faith? Are you falling away from it? Over the next six-weeks a variety of preachers will encourage you to persevere by God’s grace because, truly, Jesus is better! This Sunday, Executive Pastor Arik Stewart will share our first message entitled Persevere in Faith from Hebrews 1:1-2:4. If you are unable to join us in person, please visit the 9 a.m. livestream or view the recording here.
Many of us enjoy hiking to beautiful places. On the trail we often encounter those who have already experienced the beauty. They assure us that it’s coming soon and that it’s worth it. The moment we finally see it, it surprises us and amazes us, surpassing our expectations. In the same way, God’s people were assured by prophets, angels, and the Holy Spirit that the Savior of the world was soon to be revealed. When he finally was, the beauty, nature, and purpose of our triune God was boldly presented, a cause for worship and theological reflection.
An essential ingredient for a growing relationship with God is belief (also known as faith). Faith is being confident in what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see (Heb. 11:1). This kind of belief is essential for beginning and growing in our relationship with God. As we begin this 4-week series entitled, Ways to Grow, we are encouraged to cultivate the ability that God has given us to see His unseen realities and be awakened to the certainty of them.
God and His will are unchanging. It has always been His desire that the gospel be nondiscriminatory and that it eventually be received by all nations and all peoples. This was revealed to Peter, yet his Jewish heritage made it difficult for him to overcome his prejudice against the Gentiles. By submitting to God, he was able to bridge the gap with people he despised in order to share the truth and love of Christ. We ought to do likewise.
The inventor, Charles Kettering said, “My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.” The Christian’s ultimate hope is in the return of Jesus and the events that will soon follow. In this final message in The Story we celebrate several reasons to long for Christ’s return and a couple of practical ways to fan our anticipation.