Citylights Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Citylights Church
ROMANS 6:3-14
MAIN POINT: The reason we often don't share in the new life of Christ is we resist sharing in the death of Christ.
Passage: Matthew 21:1-11
CENTRAL TRUTH: God saves the world not through force but through humility, meekness, and sacrifice as demonstrated by Jesus.
HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO KING JESUS? 1. With ADORATION. 2. With DEVOTION.
PASSAGE: GENESIS 22:1-18
MAIN POINT: God, because He's God, must come before everything else in our life.
CLOSING THOUGHT: In light of God sacrificing his son for us, don't withhold anything from God.
PASSAGE: LEVITICUS 16
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH: Sinful beings approaching a HOLY GOD, should not be done lightly.
PASSAGE: EXODUS 12:1-14
CENTRAL TRUTH: Biblical redemption can be described as salvation from (bondage, oppression); and a Calling to (community, relationship w/ God, blessing).
WHAT THE PASSOVER/LORD'S SUPPER TEACHES: 1. A great exchange has taken place: bondage to sin (Egypt) to freedom (in the presence of God). 2. God has purchased his people for himself and called them to relationship (sonship) with Himself and one another. 3. Redemption is costly and is received by faith.
PASSAGE: GENESIS 6:9-22
What the Flood Narrative Teaches Us: 1. The FLODD teaches us that God hates sin and sin must be punished. 2. NOAH teaches us that God is honored by the response of faith. 3. The ARK teaches us that God provides deliverance from his punishment.
PASSAGE: GENESIS 3
CENTRAL TRUTH: Sin has corrupted mankind's relationship with God, each other, and creation to the displeasure of God.
THE 5 P's of GENESIS 3: 1. PREMISE (v1-5): God created all the world and it was good. 2. PROBLEM (v6-13): With the capacity to choose obedience or disobedience, Adam and Eve gave into temptation brought about by the evil one resulting in guilt, shame, and discord. 3. PUNISHMENT (v14-19,22-24): Because sin is such a disruption of the way things are supposed and goes against God's created order, it by nature needs to be dealt with. 4. PROMISE (v15): Though things are broken, they won't remain so forever. 5. PROVISION (v21): God does not abandon his creation even though the dynamics of the relationship changes. He remains benevolent and gracious as the source of all things necessary to live before him.
Passage: Psalm 1
THE MAIN POINT: The battle to avoid the path of the world and choose the path of the righteous is won by DELIGHT.
ADD-ON: Delight is NOURISHED by meditation on the Word of God.
PASSAGE: JOHN 20:1-18
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyii6avd3kjb48u/6.27.21.m4a?dl=0
CENTRAL TRUTH: The resurrection tells us that Jesus is God and there's NOTHING He can't do!
THIS MEANS: 1. Jesus is to be obeyed completely. 2. Jesus should be trusted fully. 3. Our priorities shift dramatically.
PASSAGE: JOHN 13:1-17
CENTRAL TRUTH: Jesus RE-DEFINES what it means to be a servant.
TWO TRUTHS FROM THE FOOTWASHING OF JESUS IN JOHN 13: To experience UNION WITH CHRIST, we must accept His RADICALLY HUMBLE SERVICE by faith. To demonstrate our UNION WITH CHRIST, we must imitate His RADICAL SERVICE towards one another. CLOSING THOUGHT: But it is the mandate of the church to become a community of love, a circle of Christ's followers who invest in one another because Christ invested in them, who exhibit love not based on mutuality and attractiveness of its members, but on the model of Christ, who washed the feet of everyone (including Judas). - Gary Burge (NIVAC - John, p.387)
Central Truth: Jesus allows his beloved to experience suffering for a greater good.
When you experience suffering remember: 1. Suffering is not evidence you are not loved by God.
- God's plan is better.
PASSAGE: LUKE 10:38-42
CENTRAL TRUTH: Our service for Jesus cannot be at the expense of learning from, devotion to, and/or communion with Jesus.
HOW CAN WE GUARD AGAINST ANXIOUS LIVING: Value the Word over work. Value faith over worry. Value the eternal over the temporal.
PASSAGE: Matthew 19:16-30
CENTRAL TRUTH: Jesus demands to be followed without restrictions.
THREE THINGS ABOUT FOLLOWING JESUS FROM THIS PASSAGE: 1. Jesus demands to be first, to be number one. 2. When we cling to the things we look to for happiness, we end up sad. 3. Money itself is uniquely positioned to challenge Jesus' position as Lord over your life.
Luke 11:37-44
3 Things Jesus condemns about religion:
- Religion that is self-centered.
- Religion that is self-promoting.
- Religion that leads others astray.
PASSAGE: Luke 5:17-26
MAIN POINT: Jesus knows the most significant thing He can do for us is to provide forgiveness of sins.
IMPLICATIONS OF THE MAIN POINT: 1. We wrongly think that Jesus' primary role in our lives is to give us the things we want. 2. It affects how we view ourselves. Forces us to re-evaluate everything else. 3. It affects how we view others. We think the people who need Jesus are "those people" who are most broken.
John 4:17-26
TWO LESSONS:
- What Jesus Does - Jesus prioritizes reaching across cultural boundaries to reach the "other".
- What Jesus Says - Jesus is the source of inner-satisfaction for your soul's thirst.
John 3:1-21
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH: The new birth is the initiation into a life-long dependence on God in Christ.
THREE BENEFITS OF DEPENDING ON JESUS: 1. It makes ROOM for the work of the Spirit. 2. The love of the Father is made REAL. 3. RIGHTEOUSNESS flows out of our lives.
Passage: Luke 5:1-11
Central Truth: Jesus calls his followers to an entirely new purpose.
Three Things are required for embracing your new purpose:
- Obedience
- Humility
- Treasuring Christ
Matthew 3:13-4:11
Foundational Truth: Jesus faced temptation, so we should not be surprised when we do.
Weapons For the Fight Against Temptation: 1. Scripture - the word of God 2. A Strong Resolve 3. Remember Jesus - His example, His abiding presence
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH: The resurrection means we can experience new life IN CHRIST.
3 REPONSES FOR EXPERIENCING NEW LIFE:
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STICK CLOSE to God.
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SET YOUR HOPE on eternity.
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STAY in Christian community.
Hebrews 9:11-15
Central Truth: The joy of the new covenant in God is a clear conscience and a relationship with God.
Two reasons why we may not be enjoying a clear conscience: 1. Holding onto the shame of past sins 2. Willful continuation of sin
Jeremiah 31:27-37
Four relational blessings from the new covenant:
- God’s word works from the inside out as believers receive a new heart.
- His unique and faithful presence in and among His people.
- An authentic and personal experience with God.
- Complete and total forgiveness of sins.