Holy, holy, holy

Holy describes the reflection of God’s infinite perfection and glory. To be holy means to be set apart for God’s use in the world. In Isaiah 6, we see a vision of the Lord.

We learn here that holy means belonging to God, dedicated for his purpose and use, and designed to reflect his character and bring him glory in the world. 

Covenant describes a binding relationship of reciprocal love and commitment. A covenant reflects a relationship. A contract can end. A covenant is meant to last. A covenant relationship with God means that God is for us and we are for God. 

We discover that love is God’s tender affection for his people and steadfast commitment to our good; love is our pleasing response to God in praise and our reflection of his character in how we live. 

The word this week is Hope. Hope is not wishful thinking. Hope is confidence in the unchanging character and goodness of God. Hope emerges most brightly during our darkest times. 

We discover that grace is God’s unmerited favor for all who believe providing forgiveness of sins through the cross and causing us to hope in the glory of God. 

Salvation describes God’s rescue in our lives. God aims to deliver us from the grip of evil and to bind us to himself in covenant love. We see God’s power on display in the moment of the Exodus.

We see that the gospel is in fact for all the world. The message of the gospel is that through the death and resurrection of Jesus salvation comes to all who believe. 

Faith is personal trust in Jesus as Savior and Lordand confidence in the gospel
as the power of God for salvation.

We find the word “church” over 100 times in the New Testament. We also find this word over 100 times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Paul addresses the Christians at Corinth in a way that helps us to understand who we are: “to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those  sanctified in Christ Jesus,  called to be saints together with all those who in every place  call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours” (1 Cor 1:2). We see that the church is the people of God, united through faith in Jesus, and called to make disciples everywhere. 

The word disciple is given a working definition. It is the first word of our summer series on the important words of the bible. Disciple (LEARNER) is the root for all its derived words both verbs and nouns.

This is a recp of the previous weeks on Romans. It is a wonderful joining together of all we have heard and a six point takeaway from Paul's letter.

Paul names 29 people in this chapter and commends them all. He was good with names and we should be too. It shows others a caring heart for them.

Romans 15 is the climax of Romans. If you hear Romans 15 well, you will understand the whole Bible. Paul's letter to the Romans asks for a response from us. The gospel asks that we become Vessels of Mercy to share share the gospel with others. Believers are the best evidence that Jesus died and rose again. Gathered in worship, they point the world to the gospel. The gospel produces a community of people through faith in Christ to make disciples of all nations. The church that the gospel creates longs to see churches where there are none.

Vessels of mercy strive for peace and building one another up. We keep a firm grip on the gospel and a loose grip on secondary issues.

We encounter the paradox that in light of the mercies of God, we are to present our bodies as a "living sacrifice". We are renewed in body and mind. We are called to use our gifts. We will overcome evil with good.

In Romans 11, Paul compares the people of God to a loaf of bread and an olive tree. These two pictures help us see the church as one single family. Both Jew and gentile are saved by God's mercy.

These chapters of Romans reveal the events of Holy Week are meant to be shared. All who receive grace are participate in mission.

Easter Sunday - Nothing can come between our God and us. 

This Holy Week we will see that it aims to conform us to the image of God's beloved Son. We will see that God has planned to save us through in Christ. Through Christ he calls us, justifies us, glorifies us.

We are set free in order to walk in newness of life. The Holy Spirit confirms our identity as children of God and we are adopted into His family.

The gospel breaks destructive, sinful habits and realigns our lives toward righteousness.

Justification by faith has roots back to Abraham.  Through faith in Christ we now move forward to share in God's renewed human family that has a vital purpose in the world.

We will find that the gospel reveals God’s righteousness at the cross of Christ. Here mercy is made known to all the world. God is seen to be righteous and just. At the same time, He is the justifier of all who have faith in Christ. John Stott called the ending of Romans 3 “the most important paragraph ever written in human language.”

Hypocrisy is the biggest problem non-Christain's have with Christians. How do we handle our hypocrisy? Through the circumcision of our hearts through Jesus Christ. 

We encounter the New Testament vision that the world i profoundly broken. How did this come about and what can we do about it?

We hear Paul's full presentation of his ministry vision. A message grounded in his experienced reality that faith in Christ forms us into vessels of mercy as a community. We are shaped by grace in order to embrace our responsibility and mission toward the world. The letter ends with a moving portrait of a united worshiping church as the people of God. Romans is Paul’s longest, and for many, his most profound letter. At the same time, it is important to remember that Romans is a missionary support letter, read publicly in just over an hour, and intended to be understood by all.

The habits we develop in work and play

Psalm 127 - Discover how to live with God in our relationships and patterns of devotional life. 

What it means to live with God as our shepherd.

The Psalms give voice to our habits of
covenant relationship with God through the ordinary patterns of human life such as waking and sleeping, eating and conversing, working and playing. We will learn together in this series by reading Justin Earley’s insightful book: Habits
of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms. 

God's salvation is revealed, our redemption has come.

The fourth Sunday of Advent is the week of Love. We will see that God’s love for the world is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

The third Sunday of Advent is the week of Joy. We will see that joy is found when we meet Jesus Christ.

We will explore the peace that is found when we dedicate ourselves in faith to God’s purpose in our lives.

This Sunday marks the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means arrived. This is the Sunday of hope as we learn of the anticipation of the prophets in their hope for the Christ.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah..."

Just as the Lord holds us accountable, so he treats the rest of the
world. Just as the Lord receives all who repent, so he restores the nations who turn in repentance. These chapters actually form a very hopeful ending to Jeremiah’s ministry. They confirm that the Lord is righteous in all of his ways. 

 God speaks in human language in Scripture. We see that and we hear it and we encounter it through the life in the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah. 

He will renew our covenant relationship with him and provide forgiveness for our sins.  The promise of the new covenant is the most important passage in Jeremiah.

God's word instructs us to trust him and to interpret our lives within his unfolding plan. 

Jeremiah's preaching led to his own suffering. Yet, he remained faithful and his word from the Lord proved true.

Jeremiah visits a potter to watch him mold and rework clay. This is a striking image of how God can reshape us.

We hear Jeremiah’s public preaching calling us to walk in God’s ways so that we might live. We encourage you to read Jeremiah chapters 11-17, especially 11:1-13 and prepare your heart for worship.

Jeremiah's powerful preaching depends upon his hidden life of prayer. It moves from grief to hope, sadness to glory, anger to confidence in God.

The Lord called Jeremiah as a young man to serve him as a prophet to the nations. His prophetic ministry lasted over forty decisive years. He lived through the most tumultuous time in Israel’s history and yet voices the most moving passages of hope in the Old Testament.

Following Jesus means experiencing the love of God. Peter came to know that his discipleship journey meant that he was beloved in Christ. “Beloved” is one of our most precious and important Christian words.  

Following Jesus is patient for his return. Peter heard Jesus’ teaching that the gospel must be proclaimed to all nations and then the end will come. We live in patient expectation that Christ will return in visible glory for all the world to see. 

Stay back from false teaching that provokes God’s judgement 

Peter’s journey of discipleship brought him to a place of great confidence in God’s Word. He listened to Jesus’ preaching and interpretation of the Scriptures. He came to believe that God’s Word was completely trustworthy, that is was not of human origin but came directly from God. 

Following Jesus produces a fruitful life. Peter’s journey of discipleship produced profound changes in his character and conduct. 

Peter stresses that leadership should be pursued not by compulsion but by God’s call. Leaders must act not for selfish gain but as eager givers. 

Peter’s experience led him to the conviction that following Jesus means being self-controlled and sober-minded. We are called to keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  

Peter’s experience over many decades led him to the conviction that we should be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and  respect” 

In his unswerving dedication to God, Jesus’ suffering defeats evil and becomes the source of salvation for all who believe. Peter experienced these very same dynamics in his own life of following of Jesus. 

Peter describes those who come to Christ share the life of Christ. Peter, whom Jesus named the Rock, describes Christ as a chosen and precious stone. In him, we are built into a spiritual house for God and offer our lives in priestly service to our Redeemer and King. 

What shapes our vision for growth? How do we recognize maturity? Peter likens maturity in faith to becoming obedient children. 

Peter, we need the strong encouragement of God’s blessing in our lives. When we know that we are born again to a living hope, we are not easily discouraged. 

“Fire-tested faithful” 

This week we will hear God’s Word in a biographical sermon on Peter’s life and calling to follow Jesus. We see a man with boldness and willingness to follow as he leaves his nets or steps out on the waters. 

Happy Pentecost Sunday! Jesus instructed his disciples to wait for fifty days after
his resurrection to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This 50th day is the day of Pentecost. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit is the gift of God’s real presence for all who believe.

What are spiritual gifts? Why are they given? How are they to be used?

Why We Need the Holy Spirit, we learn that God is now building a living
temple, made of rescued human beings.

The three things the Holy Spirit does for us

Cleansing and a new heart and new spirit

Why we need the Holy Spirit. Pentecost 

Following Jesus includes disciple-making in his name 

Following Jesus depends upon the resurrection. The bodily resurrection of Jesus means that everything he said can be trusted. His resurrection demonstrates the coming reward for all who believe in him. The conviction that Jesus has been resurrected is central to early Christian testimony. 

 Following Jesus gathers children and adults who find in him a Savior

Following Jesus brings forth life from death

Parable of the net and the fishermen

Following Jesus is worth everything you have

Following Jesus leads to exponential growth 

Following Jesus involves a spiritual battle with the weeds. Parable of the weeds and wheat

Following Jesus reproduces the life of Christ in the lives of others. Parable of the sower and different types of soil with Jesus' explanation.

Following Jesus is a dynamic ongoing work. Final week of the sermon on the mount is about not judging, knock and it shall be opened, the golden rule and build your house on the rock.

Following Jesus in public rests on following him faithfully in private. Scripture is the Lord's prayer and about fasting in private.

Deciding to follow Jesus brings his blessing on our lives and calls us to righteous living as the city of God in the world. Scripture is the Beatitudes. 

God’s Forgiveness: why confession is a key to true healing and real growth