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Where would you be if your friend or relative didn’t ask you to come to church or attend a Christian event? Think about it. Your friend was most likely your friend first before asking you to hear about Jesus. How we seek people, how we listen, how we engage and invite can make all the difference. It can soften hearts to hear the good news of the love of God through Jesus Christ.
Our God is not only a pursuing God, he is a sending God. Jesus’ great commission is for his people to go and do likewise. To go and seek those who are lost and share their witness, their testimony of who Jesus is and what he has done in and through our lives. God calls us to be part of the rescue mission, the search party, the body of Christ to love those who are lost.
We begin a new series in this new year. It’s entitled, “The One.” This first we we think and talk about ourselves being the one who Jesus sees. Before we become passionate about sharing Christ with others, we have to become secure in the fact that He first loved us. We have to personalize His promises and to a heartfelt understanding that we are God’s dearly loved children.
How many of you want God to do something new in your life? *Raise your hand* Scripture reminds us that it takes faith, a small amount, a mustard size faith for the new to come, to change, but we must be willing to change. Making a fresh start begins by allowing God to do His will and way in and through us to make all things new. When we hold onto what we’ve always done, where we’ve always gone it doesn’t take faith. In fact we then are stuck in a rut. Let this Fresh Start Sunday become truly a fresh start walking with God, talking with God and allowing His to do some amazing new things through our faith in what He can and will do.
Our faith as Christ followers needs to overcome the turmoil and testing that comes at us each and every day. We are called to be bold. Bold in our witness of what Jesus has done in and through our lives even if we come under persecution, even if the rains come, even if the floods start rising, even if we are rejected. Scripture reminds us that “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). I know we all want to be liked but standing up for our faith is more important than ever.
In order to continue using our gifts, being effective in this world for the glory of God we must be plugged into Christ. It bears repeating, no one can do anything without being plugged into the source of all things, especially when using and perfecting the spiritual gifts God has given you. Scripture reminds us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me [plug into me], you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5, emphasis mine). So, how do we remain plugged in for life? Well, glad you asked. Listen in on the Sermon today.
Join us as we begin a new 5-week Sermon and Study series entitled, “I Love My Church.” Jesus’ command to us as Christians is that all of our interactions must be bathed in love. How do our actions project love to one another in our church, and how will the love we have for those in our church affect the way we interact with our world? Let us step into this series with an introduction on Jesus’ words to His followers to be the light and love in the world.
This weekend we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday. Jesus’ divinity is revealed to Peter, James, and John, but also God the Father reinforces who Jesus is for those who believe. Jesus is the Son of God and the words He gave us, taught us are words we ought to follow as we go on our faith journey.
It’s hard to believe we are at the end of the first month in the new year. Have you been listening for God during this time? Have you heard Him speak to the one thing He wants you to do for Him this year? Maybe you have heard something or had a thought about what to do and yet you asked God, Why me? Why now? That’s exactly what we’ll be discussing this weekend during worship. We might know what God's answer is already— Why not you! Why not now! Imagine the people you know or that know you, there is no better person to speak to them about the love of Christ than you!
We’re hanging out the “Gone Fishing” sign— well not really, but it does make us think about going out. When someone hangs out that sign, they in fact are going fishing. As believers, as followers of Christ, He has given us a great commission to go out and make disciples teaching all He had taught us. Have you gone fishing lately? Have you told your story of how God through Christ has made you new? Listen in this week as we dialogue about what it takes to be purposefully active in ministry with Christ.
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