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Wise and Foolish Builders:
Parables Week 4
Previous Messages
In the story Jesus tells about the wise and foolish builders from Matthew 7:24-27, it's not about the builder or even about the house. It's about the foundation. When our lives are built on the rock that is Jesus Christ, we can weather any storm.
Pastor Steve preached on The Good Samaritan from Luke 10:25-37.
This story invites us to take the POV of the different characters:
The priest and the Levite
The Samaritan
The beaten man
The Innkeeper
And when we see the POV of each, we are invited to apply the story to our own lives.
Pastor Steve looks at the two related parables Jesus tells in Matthew 13:44-46 and asks:
Who does the “man” or the “merchant” represent?
What does the “treasure” or “pearl” represent?
If we are the treasure, then:
1) you are of immeasurable worth
2) you are being searched for
3) the One who searches for you (Jesus) paid the ultimate price for you: his own life.
In Ephesians 6:10-24, Paul concludes his letter to the church in Ephesus discussing spiritual warfare. But this is not something completely different, but a recognition that it is in the context of our closest relationships where spiritual stacks often happen. In this message Pastor Steve discusses:
1) The reality of war: it is here and involves attacks on our closest relationships
2) The believers’ role in the war: we are called to be both on the defensive and to go on the offensive
3) The result of the war: Jesus wins!
Pastor Steve teaches on Ephesians 6:1-9 and how a gospel-fueled family brings a brave new world as those with authority and those under authority are alike called to serve one another as Christ himself came to serve the church.
Children and slaves are called to joyful, eager obedience while parents and masters are to a love and serve those under their authority with a sincere heart. And for all, children, slaves, parents, and masters, they are to obey as in serve to the Lord and powered by the fuel of the promises and power of God.
In this message from Ephesians 5:21-33, Pastor Steve teaches on how both submission and sacrifice in marriage serve as symbols of the relationship between Jesus and his church. At its best, marriage points us to the sacrificial love of Christ and is itself empowered by the sacrificial love of Christ.
Compare and contrast a baseball and a pen. Kinda a weird comparison right? In Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul makes a similarly odd comparison: being drunk vs. being filled with the Spirit. In this message from Ephesians 5:15-21, Pastor Steve looks at how those who are awake in Christ are invited to celebrate in such a way that the world around us can't quite understand because we celebrate in anticipation of the coming of the New Creation in Christ and the eternal celebration it will bring.
In Ephesians 5:1-15, Paul calls us to "awake, o sleeper." Those who are sleepwalking 1) walk in impurity, 2) walk in darkness, and 3) walk in foolishness. But those who are awake in Christ 1) walk in love, 2) walk in light, and 3) walk in wisdom.
In Luke 14:12-24, Jesus tells the story of a master throwing a party and sending his servant to invite guests to his party. Because the servant knew how great the party is going to be and how good his master is, he invites people in. While some decline, the "others" joyfully receive the invitation into the master's home.
Ephesians 4:25-32 calls us to a maturity, empowered by the Holy Spirit, that:
Replaces Falsehood with Truth (v. 25)
Replaces Anger with Forgiveness (v 26-27)
Replaces Stealing with Giving (v. 28)
Replaces Corrupting Words with Words of Grace and Encouragement (v. 29)
Where the light is gone, there may Christ be born. In our first Christmas as a new congregation, we consider the great promise that Jesus came not into a world that had it all together, but into the midst of sadness and sorrow, brokenness and hurting.
Pastor Steve invites us to walk the Grace Walk, not the Futile Walk. The Futile Walk is marked by living as the old self. The Worthy Walk means living as the new self. And The Grace Walk is that worthy walk of living in light of the cross.
Guest preacher Paul Martin looks at the first part of Ephesians 4 and highlights four crucial truths:
1) All of us are called to be growing in spiritual maturity.
2) The work of ministry belongs to all of us, not just the leaders. In fact, the job of the leaders in a church is to equip everyone to serve.
3) All of us need someone who is discipling us to help us grow as a follower of Jesus.
4) All of us are called to disciple someone and help that person grow as a follower of Jesus.
Pastor Steve looks at the prayer of Paul over the church in Ephesus... and over us today. In that prayer we see: God’s great plan of salvation fills us with his Spirit, fixes us in his love, and flows out of us in doxology.
The mystery of the gospel is that it is for all people, bringing with it both the riches of the inheritance in Christ and suffering. In this message, Pastor Steve looks at:
1) The posture of the mystery - a right view of oneself.
2) The people of the mystery - a gospel for all nations.
3) The proclaimers of the mystery - the place of the church.
4) The promise of the mystery - the invitation of Christ in both riches and suffering.
5) The priority of the mystery - the glory of God.