Cinco Ranch Church of Christ: Recent Episodes
CRCoC
Whenever we go on a long journey, we crave the destination more as we get closer to it. We're all on a journey of some sort and we're all in different chapters and legs of this journey. Something that we oftentimes get concerned with toward the end of our work is the fear of not reaching the end. What if we don't make it? What if we don't achieve the success that we set out to accomplish? Perhaps instead of carrying this fear into the final stages of our journeys, we should accept a new and different invitation: to walk into a that isn't the one we have dreamed of, but the destination that is so much better than anything that we could have imagined.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
This summer we have been focusing on caring for our souls in the busyness of life. Oftentimes some of the more difficult seasons of our lives lead us into making poor choices. So what do we do when we fail? What do we do when we make a mistake when caring for our soul or even for the souls of others? Failure is difficult so a natural human response is to avoid or even flee. God invites us into something that may seem tougher on the surface, but is the most redeeming when we fully accept it.
Scripture: Numbers 20:6-13
At different points in our lives, we are tasked with something that can be overwhelming. Sometimes, this feeling can leave us feeling deprived. We will oftentimes try to counter this by going on a vacation or add something else to our plate to help take our minds off the more daunting tasks. Those things never really work though and they don't work because they don't satisfy our most basic need. In the dry and weary land of depleted souls, we most long for the presence of God.
Scripture: Exodus 33:12-20
If you have followed Christ for any period of time, then you have likely prayed on behalf of someone. Whether that person was sick or struggling with sin or dealing with a loss, we approach the throne of God on this person's behalf out of a sense of love. This is called "intercessory" prayer. What difference does this prayer make though? What value does intercessory prayer have in our lives and the lives of those around us? When we look at the scripture, we find that it is far more than we could imagine.
Scripture: James 5:13-15
We are wired in different ways of how we go about our day. Some people love a good routine. Some love breaking their routine. Regardless of where you might fall on this, we all have rhythms of life that move us along. We have ways in which we like to approach tasks and people. While there are seasons when these rhythms must change shape, we are all drawn to a way of life and whether we know it or not, this is an essential road for feeding our souls.
Scripture: Exodus 16:23-26
In a world where so many different things are moving and happening around us, we try to keep up with the pace. Some of us are better at keeping up than others. What happens as a result though is that we often miss certain things happening around us because of one simple reason: we aren't really paying attention. God's presence is amongst us but many times we feel like He is not present or moving. What if the opposite were true? What if we just aren't really looking for Him?
Scripture: Exodus 3:1-4
Last week, we talked about the monster within each of us and the damage it can do when we aren't aware of it. This week, we will follow this up by naming who our monster is. It is in this place that we name who we are (for better or for worse) that we arrive at the place that we want to be in our spiritual lives: the place of our own conversion.
Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11
There is a goodness in each and every one of us. Paul wrote that goodness is a fruit of the Spirit, but we are not always good. Oftentimes when we are not good, it is because of the condition we allow ourselves to live and operate in. Earlier Christian writers refer to this version of ourselves as the “false self” and it exists in each and every one of us. This morning, we will talk about the false self and the damage it can bring about in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
Scripture: Exodus 2:11-15
Summer is off and running! While we think this is a break, it usually ends up being busier than our normal routine days. We plan time to see families and friends. We make time for camps and other special events. At the end of the summer, we are usually looking for a vacation from our vacation. This morning begins a series about the value of caring for our own souls. We will not be able to become the best versions of ourselves if we do not allow God to shape and mold us.
Scripture: Luke 9:23-27
Something that our church family celebrates every week is what we call our communion or the Lord's Supper. In some other traditions, this is also referred to as the "Eucharist." What is usually said before this time is that this is where we remember the body and blood of Jesus shed on the cross. However, what isn't always mentioned is that God never designed this to be a sad, solemn, or somber time but a time of celebration. This Sunday, we will come to the table and celebrate our communion with God.
Scripture: Psalm 116:12-19
This is a time of year that can be hectic for many. School is winding down, it's getting hotter, vacations are around the corner and these things mean that our routines and rhythms are probably going to change a bit. In the process of all of this, we can start to feel disconnected from one another. Perhaps you already feel disconnected from people, particularly at church. This morning we will talk about one of the best ways to create community with the people you feel so disconnected from and in so many ways, it is what Jesus modeled within His own community.
Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48
Mother's Day is a special day in our country where we honor mothers, grandmothers, and other motherly figures. John the elder writes a letter to "the lady and her children" mostly about love, but he also warns them about something very serious. While love is important, guarding the souls of those whom we love is equally important.
Scripture: 2 John 4-11
The book of Jonah gets pretty weird at the beginning of the story, but It might have an even weirder ending. Jonah is livid with God for sparing the city of Ninevah and he lets God hear about it. This is a VERY common tendency that we have in our own lives. We have a tendency to want to play God and when God doesn't move in the ways we think that He should, we blame Him for our inability to see past our own shortcomings and justifications. Praise God for the fact that we are not Him though, for we would be so lost if this were the case.
Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11
Jonah kicks off with a very weird beginning to his story when he gets swallowed by a fish. However, the only thing that might be weirder than being swallowed by a fish is to be grateful to be swallowed by a fish and that's exactly how Jonah felt while he spent three days in the belly of the fish. This is about more than just being grateful though. This is about noticing God moving and redeeming our story like He redeemed Jonah.
Scripture: Jonah 1:17-2:10
On this Palm Sunday, we recognize the triumphant entry of Jesus into the holy city of Jerusalem. It is also on this day that we are invited to not only recognize who Jesus is, but to also accept His function in our own lives. We live as though we dictate our own fate or destiny, in shouting Hosanna though, we not only praise Christ, but we ask Him to save us the way that only He can.
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11
Jesus has always carried a reputation for loving and looking after the "least of these" and it's something that we find very compelling about the story of Christ. However, we also love the idea of justice or vengeance against those who wrong others, especially the "least of these." So what happens when Jesus chooses to reach out specifically to someone who was notorious for taking advantage of weaker people? What does this mean for us? Essentially, we are invited to experience a microcosm of Luke's gospel and Jesus's purpose for coming into the world.
Scripture: Luke 19:1-10
We live in a society that deeply believes in and values merit-based entitlement. We have a tendency to believe that when we have accomplished certain tasks, then we should receive our due reward. Jesus turns this teaching upside down in a parable about an entitled group of workers. With that said, he also talks about the last being first and the first being last. This morning, we will explore what the real meaning might be behind this famous saying.
Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16
Oftentimes we have an idea of the kind of person that is getting into heaven. It is someone who has done the right things, lived the right kind of life, and inspired others to do the same. While I don’t think that is wrong it would still be impossible for our very “best” person to make it on their own. Ancient Israel, and in our passage, the disciples struggled with this too. If someone like the rich young ruler couldn’t get into heaven, what chance does anyone have? Yet we serve a God who makes the impossible possible. Isn’t that good news for the very “best” and “worst” of us?
Scripture: Matthew 19:16-30
Jesus' ministry took place during a time when children were not highly valued. Outside of being a "future asset," children weren't really valued much at all. They were fairly low on the pecking order. Jesus turned his culture upside down with his teaching the disciples that children were actually the greatest in the Kingdom. Kids are now seen through a different lens in our culture and society today. This gives us new and fresh opportunities to love kids in ways that can truly change the world and introduce others to the way of Christ.
Scripture: Mark 9:33-37
This week we are kicking off a new series that will take us all the way to Easter! We begin at the furthest point north that we believe Jesus went during His ministry. It is in this place that something truly incredible happens as Jesus is transfigured. A lot of questions can come from this though. Why did only a few get to see this? What was the significance of who got to be there and why did this happen in the first place? While there are a myriad of potential answers to some of these questions, the beauty is in the simplicity of the overall story.
Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9
Prayer is a core theme and discipline to the Christian faith. It's a core discipline to other faiths as well. While this is an integral aspect of our relationship with God, it is something that we have limited ourselves on for quite some time. When we examine our lives and ask ourselves why there isn't something deeper going on, perhaps it is our opportunity to wonder about it with God, as opposed to expecting God to perform for us.
Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6
When parents find out they are expecting, they being to prepare. We start thinking about names, dreaming of what they will become and the titles they will hold. Should we name them after a parent or a historical figure? Should we encourage them to be a basketball player, a dancer, or a doctor? Most importantly is the question of how do we teach our children to be a Child of God. We need to teach them what it means, how to get it, and how to live our lives with it. It is the most important title that they will ever have and it is our job to guide them to taking it on.
What separates Christ-followers from everyone else? Less or no sinning? That tends to be the answer from many whom you might talk to. However, God invites us into a different way of living, an alternative lifestyle. This life isn't about doing all of the right things or even not doing the wrong things. This life is about living differently from everyone around you because this new life is more liberating than any other life that you could imagine.
Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17
As we prepare to ring in a new year, we being preparing by making plans and setting goals. What if we chose not just to be more like God, but to even look more like God? how might one go about doing that? What would be the results and how would they change us? At our very core, the focus would need to be the same that it has always been: Jesus Christ.
Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20
The Advent season culminates in the arrival of baby Jesus. While we celebrate bringing in a new year, this season is celebrating everything changing as well. Out of darkness comes light. Out of depravity comes fulfillment. It was lowly shepherds who heard this news first and they couldn't help but drop everything to join in the celebration. This morning, we remember this invitation to join in the celebration.
Scripture: Luke 2:8-20
Life comes at us in seasons. Some seasons are easier to work through than others. Some seasons are busier than others. Regardless of the season, a choice is always laid out before us. While happiness is a state of being which we are always told to strive for, it is only a temporary feeling. Joy is what we can choose even in busy or desolate seasons and joy is what God invites us to experience at the birth of His Son.
Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
Christmas has not received the nickname of "the most wonderful time of the year" for nothing. There is a difference in the air. Decorations look different, homes and trees look different. In a time when leaves have fallen and died and cold should have kicked in, there is an excitement about our environment. A major reason for all of this isn't circumstance, it's preparation. As peace comes to earth, God invites us to prepare ourselves for the gift of His Son and His birth.
As we prepare for the Christmas season and the celebration of the arrival of Jesus, we sometimes find ourselves in a place that we hate in our current day and age: waiting. We wait for school or work to let us off, we wait to travel to see friends and family, we wait for Christmas. In a time where so much of our lives are built around NOT waiting, this is a discipline that God has set before His people in all phases of life. We wait for Jesus and God waits with us.
Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9
We have so many different ways of messing things up. Sometimes it's just accidents that happen and other times we just seem to get in our own way. The latter is one of the stories we enter into this Sunday morning. Whether our plans or actions are well intentioned or not, God always find a way to work in and through our mess to make something beautiful out of our lives.
Has there ever been a time in your life when you were treated extra special and you knew you didn't deserve it? Sometimes we believe that we don't deserve special treatment because of our social status with other people and other times it's because of mistakes we've made in the past. This is what makes the story of Jesus so special and we can see this in the story of Ruth as well. When we are treated this way and when we treat others in this way, a life-altering transformation begins to occur.
Checklists help us keep track of things that are important to accomplish and they help us stay on task. They help keep us accountable and focused. We often use checklists – even if not written – to help us as we attempt to live up to our calling in Christ, as we attempt to be righteous. But what happens when we can’t check all the boxes on our list? What happens when our checklist includes the wrong boxes (i.e., when important things are left off the checklist and incorrect things are added to the checklist)? Thankfully, God answers these questions by telling us our righteousness always comes from him – not our checklist and not our works.
Many of us have heard stories from others or from the media about people who say they have witnessed Heaven. We read about a few of these experiences in scripture as well. This is something that we all wish to encounter on some level, but a fair warning: if you truly do experience it in this lifetime, there will be a cost that comes with that experience. The question we must ask ourselves then is "Is it worth it?"
Sometimes God calls us to do some crazy things. What happens if you're called to go somewhere though? How do we discern God's calling and when we do, what if it's something that we weren't ready for? The only two things that can ultimately get us through this involve God: His presence and His promise.
We live in a world of constant strife and competition. We must do our best and be our best. Sometimes we even need to be better than our best. This is why we tend to only get recognized, appointed, and promoted when we have accomplished enough and are considered to be the best choice. This is a primary way that God turns our lives upside down. God constantly chooses people who have no business being chosen. The unqualified are His top picks. This is a wonderful thing though because we are all unqualified and therefore, God chooses each of us.
This morning, we will officially begin the process of appointing new shepherds (also known as elders) for our congregation. What makes a good shepherd? What qualifies or disqualifies one from being a shepherd? More importantly, what do good shepherds do and how do they reflect Jesus? This morning, we will explore mentors and shepherds in scripture and in our lives as we begin this sacred journey together.
When you hear the phrase "spiritual warfare," what is your response? Some people are afraid of it. Some people refuse to acknowledge it. Paul, however, wants Christians to prepare and be ready for it. He also goes into detail about what it will take to withstand the assaults from Satan. Not only is this battle for real, it's been going on for an incredibly long time. This is a winnable though for one simple reason: we have the ultimate weapon on our side. His name is Jesus.
A lot of how we determine what a healthy Christian home looks like can be drawn straight from Ephesians 5 and 6. While this is a good source, it's even more fascinating to look at the culture of the time of this writing because of how this turns the world upside down. Much like today, relationships were about power. It was about knowing the right people and climbing the social ladder. Paul changes all of this in sharing the news of Jesus and showing the church how this example becomes a guide to sharing the gospel in our everyday relationships: through submission.
Throughout Ephesians Paul paints a picture of what faithful living looks like. In this section, he contrasts a followers former way of living and his new life with darkness and light. Paul urges us to live a life of light in a way that honors and pleases the Lord.
Something that many of us will hear from people about Christianity at times is how exhausting it can be trying to be a Christian. They feel like there's a big checklist of things that you have to do and not do in order to be a "good Christian." What is important when looking at passages that look like checklists is to understand the WHY of the checklist. If we don't understand the why of the list, then the list will feel less and less important. The core essence of the checklist in the passage this morning is holiness.
Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24
After Jesus, what do you think is the most important thing about church? Paul is writing to the Ephesians about a number of important things that a church should practice but he begins with the top two things that every church MUST have: unity and discernment of spiritual gifts. This morning we will dive into what these mean to us in this day and age.
We live in a world where we're told on a regular basis that what we are doing isn't enough, that we need more, and we need to do more. We eventually start to believe that we are not enough. However, God sends a message to us that not only says otherwise, but turns this message on its head. This message is that because of Christ, we already are enough right now! Those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ are exactly whom God has called us to be and we know this by the seal that comes with this promise: the Holy Spirit.
Over the last few weeks, we've talked a decent bit about how messy family can be and that finding family amongst our church can be a real blessing in place of the holes that family can sometimes leave in us, but sometimes church family can be just as much of a mess and sometimes even more so! What's beautiful about it though is Jesus's love for His church and how, despite us getting in the way, God's tendency to do some of His best work through us.
For a long time, our culture almost expected families to look the same way. So much has changed now and so many things are now out in the open. Blended families are practically the norm for so many nowadays. While this can be a good thing, it's also a mess. There are territories to navigate and feelings to be attentive to. Usually, there's some form of hurt to work through as well. What we can find throughout scripture though is a variety of people who experienced the blended family life, especially Jesus. These people's stories don't reveal how to perfectly navigate this life so much as it does reveal who the actual family in your life truly is and what really matters most in that family you have is.
What does it look like when we choose to be part of a messy church family? How does it help us as individuals, families and the Kingdom of God?
This is a special morning in that it is Senior Sunday! Loving our graduating high schoolers is something that our family does so well because our students are so easy to love. Loving our children is a command that goes back to Old Testament law and it came shortly after the greatest command of loving God with everything in ourselves. But with a culture that continues to change so rapidly, this can be tricky to love younger people in the ways that they need it. What's crazy is that the answer that most experts are offering on how to do this is actually one that's been around since the original command itself was instituted.
There are so many things that come into play with adoption. If there’s one thing I can promise, it’s that every adoption story is different. There are times in everyone’s adoption story when the clarity you felt in the calling gets messy. It’s in the middle of that mess that God’s plan is truly taking shape.
Anyone who has been married for any length of time will tell you the same thing about marriage:it is both difficult and a blessing. While every marriage is different, there are always challenges to be overcome on a variety of levels. However, this is also a beautiful picture of Christ and the church. Paul illustrates God's love for the church through the image of a bride and groom. In this way, marriage can be something that puts God's love for us on display to the world.
Throughout the Old Testament, we see a myriad of stories that depict a group of people who represent God's chosen people, the nation of Israel. Most of these stories share a plethora of moral failures on just about every level imaginable. Some of the stories are frustrating while some of the stories are just devastating. The truth about the Israelites is that they are ultimately one giant, messy family. In a lot of ways, that describes our own families too and we have the same thing going for us that the Israelites had: we have a God who is in the midst of the messiness showing us what cleaning it all up really looks like.
In the "I Am" statements that we hear from Jesus throughout John's gospel, we notice one thing: Jesus is more than just one thing. He is exactly who we need Him to be in our various seasons of life. This morning, we celebrate the resurrected Savior who was, is, and will be all of what we need at all times if we only choose to notice Him in our midst.
Some of the simplest thing that the Bible teaches us are oftentimes some of the hardest things for us to do. In John's gospel, Jesus gives a LOT of things to consider before he leaves the upper room. One of these things is the final "I Am" statement in His being the true vine. After this though, Jesus's command is simple: "Remain in me." Yet at the same time, this is incredibly difficult. Quitting is not only easy to do, it feels easier and easier to do as time goes on. When things don't go our way, the easy thing to do is to quit and do something more convenient. This is where the command to remain becomes much harder. Perhaps this is a staple test of a true follower of Jesus. When things get difficult, those who truly love Jesus do one simple and difficult thing: remain.
We make sense of the world by learning, storing and analyzing facts. We inherently take that analysis and form expectations by applying it to new situations or imagined situations. As Christians, this same pattern of exploration and analysis is used to develop expectations of who God is and what He is doing in the world around us. Unfortunately, our analysis and expectations are, at times, simply wrong and, as a result, can be difficult to reconcile with our experiences. Dealing with unmet expectations can be incredibly disorienting and debilitating, including as applied to our spiritual lives and expectations around God. Initially, in disorienting times, Jews found their way, security and identity by looking to the tabernacle and the law. Now, as the disciples begin celebrating Passover and remembering their deliverance from the Egyptians, Jesus tells his disciples in the coming days as they experience extreme spiritual disorientation arising from the crucifixion, they have a new spiritual compass - Jesus - because, he says, I AM the way, the truth and the life. He tells them they know the way to God because he is in God and God is in him. These powerful and life-giving declarations still provide us with a spiritual compass today, so that we can experience peace and have a guide as we process and grow through spiritually disorienting events and the associated pain. We can find life and direction in the mystery and reality of the incarnation and knowing that Jesus overcame the world.
When we talk about resurrection in our churches today, it is something that probably sounds fairly common since so many people in church know about Jesus' own resurrection. When Jesus tells Martha that He IS the resurrection, it would have been received far differently because no one believed that it was actually possible until the last day or judgment day. Jesus isn't only revolutionizing people's view on resurrection, He is wasting no time in starting that immediately in that moment. This morning, we will dive into what revolutionary resurrection might look like in our world today.
A shepherd is something that is mostly only talked about in Christian circles nowadays, especially in our community, simply because of how rare it is to find sheep. That being said, this idea of Jesus as "the good shepherd" would have connected in a very deep way for those who heard this. In a lot of ways, it's the difference between an authentic relationship and a surface level one. Hired hands will leave sheep at the first sign of trouble but a good shepherd will always protect, love, and defend his sheep. God will never leave us to face our troubles alone regardless of how bad things might get. He is our Good Shepherd.
Pop culture will tell you a number of things you can do to live your best life. This will involve being healthy, doing things you love, and being around the people you love. While these things aren't necessarily wrong or bad things, they don't lead to the life that is the fullest that we could have. Only Jesus can offer that. Not only that, but we can do nothing to earn this life. We can only accept it and then live it. While this is a joyous message, it is an incredibly challenging one as we continuously tend to get in our own way.
Whenever we talk about the "I Am" statements in the book of John, we are usually talking about seven particular statements. This morning, we will be looking into a time in John when Jesus said "I Am" that is not included. This moment actually got very heated very quickly when it took place. Jesus knew He was going to say something wildly unpopular and yet He did it anyway because He knew the truth. While this is an imperative example to follow, it happens less and less in our culture mainly due to fear. We shouldn't run from this though, we are actually invited to anticipate it.
It's always a special time when someone special makes an entrance so it is incredible that God makes his in the form of a burning bush to just one lowly, outcast man in Moses. God calls on Moses to be his spokesperson to the Egyptians and Moses searches for a lot of reasons not to do this for God in the form of questions. While God is answering Moses's questions, he's also setting the stage for His entrance, His name, and His presence. In doing this, God's redemptive process and purposes begin to take shape.
Whenever we pray, we tend to simply tell God what we want and then hit the send button on our prayer (amen). What might it look like for us to spend time in prayer and listen to God. This morning we will walk through an incredibly intimate expression of this examination practice (examen) led by King David himself in Psalm 139. In some ways, we do this practice on a fairly regular basis with other people. This morning we will explore what it might look like to walk through the highs and lows of our days and lives with just God. The presence and movement of God is all around us, this is our invitation to simply stop and notice.
As parents, we struggle dealing with the people our children are going to have in their lives. Are they going to lead them where we want them or lead them astray? Are they going to help build our child’s relationship with God or tear it down? Are they going to help them to become the people God wants them to become? No matter who comes into our children’s lives, one thing we know for sure is that God wants us to greet them with love and to do that we need to teach our children to love like Jesus.
Many of us have been very intentional about reading our Bibles, but if you're anything like me, you've struggled in how you read the Bible. When we open up the text, what are we looking for? Are we trying to prove ourselves to be correct? Are we trying to do church or Christianity "right?" Perhaps God has invited us to read scripture through a different lens, one that brings forth a life that we may have never imagined before.
We live in a hurried world. Not only that, our society tells us to hurry and that we aren't valuable if we can't do things quickly. We also live in a world where we need to be around people and noise. However, some of the most incredible things that God does in scripture involve a healthy amount of silence and solitude. Perhaps this is why Jesus seeks out these two things so often. As Satan wages war on our lives, stillness may be the very best thing we can do to combat him.
As the new year takes off, many of us are making resolutions that we believe will lead us to better, fuller lives. These changes can be difficult but also wonderful at the same time. What might a resolution in our spiritual life look like? What if I told you that doing more or less of something might not actually be the most important piece of spiritual growth? Perhaps God is not inviting us into doing more or less, but instead, we are being invited to abide. Perhaps we are being invited to simply be.
Our lesson will dive into the Lineage of Christ according to Matthew.
We will explore some of the more notable and questionable names in this list.
All while trying to understand why they are mentioned, how they set the stage for Jesus's birth, and what this long list of names means for us today.
As Christmas season is fast approaching, we are experiencing an array of emotions. We look forward to seeing families and friends. We make decorations to prepare for the season. We buy presents for everyone we've ever met. At the same time though, there is stress over getting everything done and set up in time. All of the chaos causes us to forget why we do this in the first place. Long ago, there was no hope and there was no Savior and this morning, we will explore what that world was like.
Last week, we explored church hurt. We heard a real story where church hurt took place that ended up being two-sided. Church hurt is real, so how do we become a place where healing and reconciliation can occur? While we can carry scars from other places, God is ever-present in those times of hurt and invites us to be transformed through them. This morning, we will discuss and explore becoming a place where those things can take place.
Church hurt is real, so how do we become a place where healing and reconciliation can occur?
When the church asks you to give, it is usually a bit awkward. I mean what institution doesn't ask you to give. What is different about the church though is the fact that God doesn't need anyone's money in order to go about completing His mission for the world. Why then might God ask for money? Perhaps it isn't a need so much as a test. Our money and how we use our money is simply an extension of who we are. Therefore, God isn't asking for our money so much as He is asking for us to give of ourselves.
We are coming off of a week where we got to see several familiar faces and celebrate what God has done at our church over the last 30 years. Remembering is something that God longs for us to do and something that is even commanded in several areas of scripture. Remembering is essential to living the life God invites us into because it allows us to know and appreciate God in ways that go deep into history. Being a church who remembers can be challenging at times but this remembering help us come to better know ourselves and in turn, know God.
Today is a super special Sunday as we celebrate what God has done in this church over the last thirty years! Those who have been here a while know that this church has enjoyed some incredible things take place during that time as well as some things that have been very difficult to endure. When we look at our heroes in scripture, something that they all tend to have in common is that they never stopped. Paul writes about this same concept in 1 Corinthians in saying that at the end of all things, three things remain: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. This is a church who continues because we never stop believing, never stop hoping, and never stop loving our God who is always faithful and has never left us to face our perils alone.
Fake news, and its next of kin, mis-information and dis-information, are not new. They’ve been around since the dawn of creation (e.g., consider the creation story with the serpent telling Eve she wouldn’t die) and they were around in the years following Jesus’ death. John writes into a world where people are teaching things like (i) matter is evil and only the spirit is good (and so some argued it didn’t matter what you did in your physical body), (ii) Jesus’ physical body was not real but only seemed real, (iii) Jesus was not the Christ, (iv) etc. John tells the believers what these other teachers are saying is fake news - Jesus is real and believers do not make a practice of sinning. Through faith, every child of God overcomes the world. Believers should be encouraged because they can know now that they have eternal life and have fellowship with God through Jesus.
Loving others is a simple command that can be so hard on some days. Sometimes it's even hard to love ourselves, let alone anyone else. John writes that if we are to be like God, then we should love because that's not just what God does, it's in the very fabric of God's being. Love is who God is. Love isn't simply something that we are invited to do, it's who we are invited to become.
Something that biblical scholars and theologians have discussed for centuries is the imago dei or the "image of God." Not only do we want to know what God looks like, but we also wonder about this because we want to adopt that same image. We want to look like God. John shares with us in his letter that we are already well on our way to doing just that not just because of what we do, but also because of who we are: God's children. As God's children, living into our DNA and likeness of God starts with something so simple and yet so rich: love.
This month we are kicking off a new series from the book of 1 John. While so many books of the Bible have a lot of do's and don'ts, John is a little more simplistic in His writing. If you're a big picture person, you might connect with him a lot because at the epicenter of his writing is one simple command: love. This morning we will begin this exploration of what it looks like to love one another in deep ways that show the full expression of God's love for us.
Whenever we are sick, injured, or hurt, there is a healing process. Some processes are longer than others depending on the hurt or illness. Sometimes when those processes are longer, we begin to get used to life with that hurt or illness and it can sometimes begin to define us. Jesus comes across a man who had been lame for decades but before healing him asks the man "Do you want to get well?" It is at this moment that Jesus invited this man (and us) to confront a very difficult problem that we have started to embrace at this point: we would rather be ill or hurt. Jesus can heal us, but a cost comes with this healing.
Sometimes Jesus teaches things that are simply difficult. A rich young man came to Jesus once asking what was required for eternal life and left very disappointed by the answer. While the naked eye looks at this story and sees Jesus telling someone to remove the obstacle of money, He's actually asking for much more. He's asking for total sacrifice.
At what point do we decide that our lives are beyond control and we are in need of God's help? Why do we tend to wait until this point to ask for help? This morning we will look at these questions through the eyes of a man who brought his son to Jesus and His disciples as a last resort. At some point in our lives, we can all resonate with his confession to Jesus, "I believe, help me overcome my unbelief." Parents will do just about anything for their children, this can sometimes include naming and owning the fact that there is an incompleteness in each of us that only God can fill.
This week we get to peer into a peculiar encounter with Jesus. A gentile woman is in dire need of help and healing for her child and Jesus's response is very different from what we are used to seeing. To the naked eye, this story may seem elitist and maybe even a little racist, but in reality, we get to look into what limitless faith can do in the eyes of one who believes in the healing power of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Son of David. God's power extends beyond any boundary that we can come up with and this is a story of just that.
In so many of the encounters that Jesus had with normal, everyday people, it seemed like Jesus was the one doing the engaging. Sometimes there would be the occasional person who would engage Him though. Then there's this man who is paralyzed. Neither he nor Jesus engaged one another. It was a group of the paralytic's friends who helped arrange this meeting. Friend is a word that we will throw around in a variety of ways, but Jesus valued friendship in a deep deep way and because of this encounter of friendship, Jesus gave the man and His friends exactly what they were looking for.
We believe that Jesus is all knowing. So when Jesus chooses to ask a question (even though He knows the answer) it would make sense to really think about the question. He's probably trying to reach the people and us in these questions. Jesus asks a question that doesn't make much sense in the moment. He asks a blind man, "What do you want me to do for you?" While the answer may seem obvious, this question is one that still rings out to this day to each and every one of us. What would you like for Jesus to do for you?
Join us this week as Casey begins his first series - We will be diving into the personal conversations that Jesus had with every day people like you and me and see what the lasting effects were.
One of the more difficult realities that plagues us in many ways is the fact that we don't truly have control on things. If we're being honest, we don't have much control on hardly anything. What do we do when something occurs that is beyond our control? What should our response be? The natural response tends to be fear and when we respond in fear, the evil one usually wins. The only way forward that leads to life is through God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
We all have big goals and aspirations in our lives. While these all might vary in what they are, we all want to become better than we currently are. WE, as a church, are no different. We want to grow and become more than we actually are and we are taking steps toward this. However, this can be a frustrating and difficult process for many reasons. This morning we will explore the beauty of that process both as individual followers of Christ and as the collective bride of Christ, the church. Growing can be painful, but it is a beautiful journey as well.
In God our Father and in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit we find our truest hero. Today we remember and celebrate our fathers. Father's Day is a difficult day for many people for a variety of reasons. Good fathers do a lot of things for their children but it is only God who is able to fix anything, including death. What do all good fathers have in common though in how they are able to fix things? They start with their presence. They start with showing up.
Join us this coming Sunday as we “Prepare the Way” for Cinco Ranch’s next preaching minister, Casey Lankford. Our interim minister Greg Anderson is sharing wisdom from the Apostle Paul to his younger protege Timothy - wisdom that can also help disciples of Jesus grow as Good News people.
The Israelites have now crossed the Jordan and they are officially in the promised land! However, they don’t find a promised land that is empty. They find many adversaries and Jericho, the most fortified city in all the land is first. In so many ways, we are coming out of the wilderness ourselves and into our promised land, the question now becomes “What will we do to take what God has given us?”
Sometimes, greater forces than we can imagine are at work to steal our joy and derail us from realizing the God intended potential that lies within every one of us. Join us this Sunday as we examine the big picture of our times and as we look to the story of Nehemiah to see how God has prepared us for such a time as this!
Nehemiah Chapters 11 & 12
Sometimes, it is easy to feel the weight of the world on our shoulders and find little to be joyful over. Is it possible we're looking for joy in all the wrong places? Join us this Sunday as we journey through an encouraging story from the book of Nehemiah and find the source of our strength in the joy of the Lord.
Nehemiah 8:1-10
Have you ever been taken advantage of? Most of us can probably answer, "Yes!" Join us this Sunday as we explore themes from the book of Nehemiah that can help us deal with our disappointments when others let us down and our commitments when God opens the door for lavish generosity!
Last week, we explored options before us when the walls of our lives collapse. This Sunday, we explore how we can minister to others when the walls of their lives collapse. Join us as we learn to love well in the name of Jesus!
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed, you just feel like giving up? If so, you might be surprised to know there are stories in the Bible of people who felt the same way. You might also be surprised to learn that God always makes a way, even when it seems impossible. Join us this Sunday as we engage the story of Nehemiah, who in the face of great opposition trusted an even greater God.
Fear seems to sell these days. We are constantly bombarded with fear of missing out, fear of this group, fear of that trend, fear of a bad economy, the list goes on and on. Fear sometimes helps with good decision making, like when meeting a bear in the woods. However, sometimes we listen to our fears more than we listen to God, and that's when things can begin to fall apart. The good news? God always provides a way. Join us this Sunday as we explore the story of Nehemiah, a man who wrestled with his fears and ultimately turned them over to God.
Have you ever been disappointed? I’m not talking about, “Oh, I missed my exit” type disappointment. I’m talking about a kick in the gut type of disappointment – the kind where someone you put your trust in just tears your heart out – and the pain is so overwhelming you just sit down and cry; possibly for several days. Have you ever experienced that kind of disappointment? Did you know there was an Old Testament prophet named Nehemiah who can totally relate? More importantly, did you know God worked through Nehemiah's disappointment to do amazing things? Here's the best part - That same God can work through your disappointment just as powerfully as he did through Nehemiah. Join us this Sunday as we begin a series of sermons on one of the most amazing faith stories in the Bible!
Anxiety is the air we breathe. Everything has changed and is changing. Throughout Scripture, it is times of transition when God leads his people in new ways. As God's people, we are called to be faithful to God---to have a God-centered identity in a spirit of dependence, discernment and trust. What does this look like in our soul and life with others?
Join us for our regular weekly worship - all are welcome! This week, Kelly Davidson will be delivering our message.
Michael Thames from Camp of the Hills will be with us. Michael is coming to preach Sunday and share more with our congregation about Camp of the HIlls.
Discover and discuss the differences between earthly and eternal hope with Mark Williams
I once heard it said, "Life is a series of and's." At first I was puzzled, but then it hit me; We live between good and bad, ups and downs, rich and poor, life and death, and much more. The question for this Sunday is, "What do we do with our and's as followers of Jesus Christ?" Join us this Sunday "and" find out!
With Greg Anderson
God loves us and God calls us. We as His children, His disciples, and as parents, we must teach our children that He not only loves us, but He calls us to Him and to His Kingdom. We have to listen and respond to Him.
With Cami Cooper-Doll
What happens when members of a community of faith choose "we" over "me?" Join us on Sunday, January 2, as we begin the New Year answering that question (along with a few others) from Romans chapter 12.