ANTHEM CHURCH - Chicago, IL: Recent Episodes
ANTHEM CHURCH
Weekly podcast of sermon audio from Anthem Church (Chicago, IL)Follow: @anthem_church_chicagoVisit: anthemforall.org
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Music Copyright:
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Music promoted by Copyright Free Music - Background Music For Video
@podcastbackgroundmusic
Precious To Him Series - Understanding a Biblical Sexual Ethic through the lens of our Identity in Christ.
anthemchicago.org
Precious To Him Series - Understanding a Biblical Sexual Ethic through the lens of our Identity in Christ.
anthemchicago.org
Precious To Him Series - Understanding a Biblical Sexual Ethic through the lens of our Identity in Christ.
anthemchicago.org
Precious To Him Series - Understanding a Biblical Sexual Ethic through the lens of our Identity in Christ.
anthemchicago.org
Are you willing to get heavenly risky with your earthly life? Jesus invites us out of the self-focused religious rat race and into an obsession with His Kingdom.
The most redemptive force in the universe was opened to us through Christ, it changed history and is real and powerful to impact our lives today.
To cap off our Leadership Summit, we invited Jody & Vanessa Romero to minister at our Sunday Celebration.
The Kingdom of God — the realm of the un-grieved Spirit — starts within our hearts before it impacts the way we live. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes what it looks like when God’s Kingdom overflows from our hearts to those around us and He starts by confronting an attitude in which we’re most likely to grieve the Holy Spirit — anger.
The Beatitudes (“Beautiful Attitudes”) are not prescriptive — telling us what do — but descriptive. They tell us who were are now that we are part of God’s Kingdom with Jesus as King. Knowing that it’s not so much what we do but realizing and living in the freedom and fullness of who we are will enable us to change the world around us.
There’s an exhortation from Nehemiah 12 and a few cautions — things to be aware of — from Nehemiah 13 that are essential for us in this season of change.
God will use anyone, at any time. God is after everyone-- no exceptions. The City of God is not full yet.
The devil is real and actively opposes those who pursue the covenant purposes of God. But he’s not at all creative so he attacks us in the same way time after time. Our response is therefore simple and clear…remember the Lord and fight.
How do I use the power, influence, status and wealth (privilege) that I have in a God-honoring, compassionate way that will bless and benefit others?
Like Nehemiah, we too can say yes to partnering with God. Or we can be like everyone else.
A look at how we can go about rebuilding the broken walls around us by understanding that 1. We are anointed for the task 2. We have been given authority 3. We need to put first things first 4. We need to build together
Every faith journey towards the promises of God being fulfilled always involve WHO (Who made the promises?), WHAT (What did God promised?), HOW (How will God fulfill His word?) and WHEN (When will God come good on His word?). The mistake we often make is focusing on that which God does — the HOW and the WHEN — when our focus should be on WHO (the God of the Impossible who made the promise) and WHAT (the unique and specific things He’s promised me).
When you abide in God you begin to move with God; or more to the point: He begins to move you and the burden of your heart begins to move away from radical individualism, which is the culture of the day, towards God’s view of human flourishing which is how can I love and serve others according to God’s will and way — it’s then that you start to see the world around you “rightly”. How does the compassion of Christ overflow from me to others? 1) Have a right view of God 2) Have a right view of yourself 3) Have a right view of your situation
Nehemiah’s vision didn’t start as a vision, it started as a concern and burden for his nation and its people. Vision begins as a concern. What burdens and concerns you? What breaks your heart? (1) Let His heart become your heart (2) Follow God’s “general will” (3) Take the long view (4) Make the decision to belong (5) Don’t settle for what you can do
God is our life source - in every way faithful and abundantly good. When the world sees us as a church, our hope is that they see an overwhelmingly generous family.
God has established a unique and beautiful unity for His people...but how are we actively guarding unity in our local church?
When partnering with God to share Jesus with others, my effort is never redundant but neither is my ability decisive as to whether someone believes in Jesus or not.
We need to recognize the God of the impossible working in our lives- He reveals our hearts and helps us to respond to Him.
Because Jesus has defeated death, all the lesser implications of sin (shame, sickness, separation, demons, destruction, desolation) have also been overcome.
All of us for Jesus is about LORDSHIP — who do you follow — and WORSHIP — what do you hope for. Surrendering to Jesus as Lord happens as together we partner with the Spirit and as we follow the pattern of Christ. Worshipping Jesus as Lord means our joy and confidence and hope is in Jesus and Him alone.
It’s impossible to reach EVERYONE with the "ALL" OF JESUS without starting with SOMEONE. Who is that someone to you?
"All" is the portion of God that He's always intended to give to us, and God's "all" is finally and completely revealed in Jesus. We respond with our "yes" to Jesus-- both as Savior and as Lord.
The power and presence of Jesus deeply transforms lives by gifting us intimacy with the Father and by freeing us from everything that holds us down and holds us back.
In the final sermon in our series on the radical church, we learn that we, as the church of Jesus are doing so much more than "life together"... we're on mission together as a radical people.
A radical church is one that simply displays the DNA of her Father. We transform what necessarily must be transformed, and this will be at odds with the world.
Praying for Hannah Sudworth as she recovers from emergency brain surgery. God's radical church calling for His radical healing in Jesus' Name.
The Lordship of Jesus and the reality of Jesus sending us on mission to continue the work He started intersect within the context of His Kingdom. We can never place a withdrawal on God’s grace that depletes the resources of heaven.
Jesus describes a Father who loves His children even in the midst of a brother's hard-heartedness.
God reveals Himself in Jesus, and He reveals Himself primarily as Father. Today is the day to come home.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is the only One who knows how to lead us and name us; the only One who knows how to truly speak identity, settle our worth and define our destiny.
Faith has God as its object. Faith chooses to see from God's perspective. Faith looks beyond the circumstances and expects the impossible. Faith is undivided and holds on to the promises of God.
Two kings are introduced to us in the Christmas story: Caesar Augustus, and Jesus Christ. Despite appearances, only one is the eternal true King.
Ken Grenfell visits us from Leesburg, VA to teach on the supremacy of Jesus and the resulting glory we have in Him.
Is there a better Sunday than TESTIMONY Sunday? We think not. Jesus is glorified for all that He is doing among us, and we celebrate one another because...we're just better together!
Worshiping God takes many forms, but why do we sing? When the enemy comes against you, SING. Because when you sing, God brings VICTORY. When life is against you, SING. Because when you sing, God brings INCREASE. When circumstances are against you, SING. Because when you sing, God brings FREEDOM & SALVATION.
Through Jesus, God has accomplished a matchless salvation for us, and although we are exiles in this world we can stand firm in what has never changed: God's grace.
When we begin to agree with the devil’s lies we start to question the word of God. We must resist him. How? By standing strong in the Lord — spiritual warfare is not about strategies or techniques; it’s about relationship with Jesus.
By living counter-culturally, we get to “show and tell” others the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection (He is my Savior and therefore I am free) and His ascension (I trust Him as my Lord because He knows how to lead me).
Living as believers in Jesus in the midst of a hateful, unjust and broken world means that we must endure. But we endure on God's terms-- not ours-- because the endurance God calls us to bears eternal fruit.
As Christians — as God’s holy and royal priesthood — we have been given the greatest right of all: the right of access to His presence. But unless we exercise that right, it means nothing.
God has expressed the Gospel in mystery, grace, holiness and love. We respond by expressing the Gospel in our lives through belief, hope, holy living and sincere love for one another.
Who's voice are we listening to? Everyone and everything around us? Or are we listening to God's voice?
Times of hardship, trial and sorrow don’t have to harden us. They can actually make us softer, wiser, more compassionate. In their midst, we can actually find a joy that is both glorious and unspeakable when we remember who we are in Jesus and what He has done for us.
If we are clear on God's design of His Church, His gifts, His love and our response, then we have a choice: live according to the power freely given to us by the Holy Spirit, or accept a lifeless, partial substitute.
We must eagerly desire the gifts but we must never boast in them; we must never find our worth, our value or our identity in them – there is something, or someone, far greater for us to boast in.
How do the gifts of the spirit impact those around us, the lost and those we love within our spheres of influence? The Holy Spirit highlights the love of God in us and causes the world to see His love, His grace and His power unto salvation.
We need to eagerly desire and fan into flame the gift of tongues because, as a way to pray and praise, it deepens our relationship with God – the very thing prayer and praise are meant to do.
The prophetic is such a beautiful way to know Jesus and to make Him known. It draws us into a closer and more intimate relationship with God, as it reveals the incredibly passionate and compassionate heart of God. The great news is it's freely available to us!
As we move in the Spirit we move in God’s character and nature, which is love. Because God is love we can live in the Spirit from that truth...including moving in the gifts from Father, Son or Holy Spirit.
The fitting response to how God has designed the Body of Christ ("One"), His good gifts (from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and His partnership with us is FAITH. As a church matures, faith will be her response, more and more- the humble expectation that God will do what He's more than able to do, according to His commands, desires and purposes.
Manifestation gifts are from the Holy Spirit; they are the power of God made available to us all to reveal God’s nature and will. Minimizing the "flesh" maximizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the life of God through the gifts of the Spirit.
Maturity is knowing Jesus and trusting Him completely. Jesus is desperate for us to grow up – perhaps more than anything – because He’s coming back for a mature bride. So to help us, Jesus has given us gifts (servant-leaders) who with skillful hands and integrity of heart help us prepare for His return.
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A mature church – made up of mature believers – is one that operates effectively in each of the 5 areas of gifting.
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When we invite Eph-4 gifts it’s for our collective and your pesonal good so prioritize the time.
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When we receive these gifts with honor we receive the benefit of the grace of God on their lives.
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Honor the gifts but ultimately desire to become more like Jesus.
When I function faithfully in the grace God has given me to serve others, not only do I release God’s grace to those I serve, but I’m refreshed and recharged as well.
- Everyone is uniquely gifted.
- Ultimate purpose of the grace gifts is to serve others to the glory of Jesus.
- The context for grace gifts (all gifts) is ALWAYS the body of Christ.
- Don’t judge or compare with others who are not graced as you are.
- Remarkably God doesn’t remove these grace gifts from our lives.
- Practice the impartation.
We cannot hope to see a dying world come alive thru a lifeless // powerless gospel of our own interpretation or preference.
(Jn 7:37-38) If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.
How we view Jesus determines the way we live our daily lives. This teaching explores the story of the Samaritan woman and how her life was transformed as her view of Jesus went from “just a man” to “just a prophet” to “Savior of the world”. Jesus challenges us to live our daily lives with a view into eternity. This passage is a beautiful picture of how Jesus meets with us by his grace and gently lifts our gazes heavenward to see who He truly is. What does daily life look like when lived with fresh revelation of Jesus as Savior world?
Faced with challenging political and cultural questions of His day, how did Jesus respond to those who questioned Him and what can we learn?
Understanding what grace is and how its power can transform us in our suffering, sharing, seeking and striving.
Just as individuals from the Bible were transformed by encountering Jesus, we are transformed by encountering the Word of God made alive through the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel is given by God for everyone, but can't be changed for anyone. At the same time, God has prepared the Gospel for everyone and has prepared every heart for the Gospel. No one is disqualified.
Healing is not a distraction (something to be avoided or ignored) but neither is it the final destination. Rather, it’s a signpost to the reality of a new kingdom – the Kingdom of God where there is joy, freedom, hope, justice and healing but ultimately forgiveness of sins and relationship with God available to all who trust in Jesus.
In Jesus the unknowable God, the One we cannot fully grasp intellectually, can be intimately known. Somehow God “makes sense” relationally in Jesus.
God has chosen us to partner with Him. Prayer is the key to see personal and corporate promises come to pass. The Lord is encouraging us to press in during this season individually and corporately in prayer.
Mike Hanchett joins us to impart equipping towards a faith that is strengthened for God to move-- right where we are today.
What a joy it is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! This Easter we heard from members of CITC's family how Jesus has changed their loves forever...Testimony Sunday!
On Good Friday, we celebrate the fullness and completeness of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross-- for our sins, because of His great love.
Being a prophetic people is a Biblical, wonderful, mysterious thing. But that doesn't mean it needs to be an inaccessible mystery. God's voice, spoken by His people, destroys the lie of His distance and shines a light on His nearness.
God flips the script on Abraham’s (and our) expectations of His character and subsequently the very nature of religion.
- Are you on a journey of faith like Abraham was?
- Are you not clear on the details of his plan?
- Are you being confronted with choices which go against conventional reason and logic?
- Is God testing your faith as you seek to trust His will?
- Are you trusting for God’s provision in the face of overwhelming odds?
As God blessed Abraham and reiterated His promises, He wants to do the same for you.
Imagine CITC being a church so grounded and secure in God and the Gospel that when God puts before us the outcry from our city, our hearts break for both the oppressed and the oppressor - and our response is to rise up and cry out to Him on behalf of a people that don’t know how to cry out to God themselves. In God, such a church can change their city.
God gives us what we would ask for or He asks us to do what we would want to if we knew everything He knows.
Know that God... ...sees me, ...finds me, ...goes with me, ...which is why I can trust Him.
The promises of God are guaranteed (they become reality in God’s perfect time) when we respond to His faithfulness with faith.
In Jesus, we're perfectly positioned to live by faith... - to live in His Presence - to live on His faithfulness - to be secure in my status in the Kingdom - to learn how to wait patiently for God's perfect timing
The ultimate goal of faith is not God’s promises fulfilled-although He does fulfill them-but intimacy and closeness with God Himself.
Remember, Jesus is the ultimate promise!
Returning to the grace of God allows you to once again rest in the faithfulness of God and be reminded of the promises of God.
Everything that is in the world will come with at least a twinge of condemnation. Only faith in (believing) Jesus Christ gives the free gift of salvation.
Heb 11:5 // Gen 5:21-24
The good news of the gospel - what should blow our mind - is not just that in Jesus I can walk with God but that God in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit comes down to walk with me.
What does it look like for CITC to walk with God? 1. We walk worthy of the call (PURPOSE): Eph 4:1 2. We walk in the ways of God (WISDOM): Ps 86:11 3. We walk thru adversity (COMFORT): Ps 23:4 4. We walk in newness of life (FREEDOM): Rom 6:4 5. We walk the land (SALVATION): Gen 13:17 // Jos 1:3 6. We see the lame arise and walk (POWER): Mt 11:4-5
Settling God’s absolute and forever acceptance of us is the firm foundation to live by faith.
"By faith" is our response to the promises of God; it’s how we live as we wait for God to show His faithfulness.
While we wait... 1. ...we WORSHIP (SEE) 2. ...we remain in the WORD (HEAR) 3. ...we WALK in step with the Spirit (OBEY)
Heaven came when Jesus was born on earth. With His birth, God's unstoppable work of redemption began and His peace inhabited the earth. God has done the work and His peace is ours in Jesus. In His goodness, He now invites us to join in letting heaven come more in our lives and on earth as it is in heaven.
We step into more of our inheritance, by letting go of idols in our lives-- freedom from a "spirit of mammon" in order to embrace the call of God.
Testimony Sunday is one of our favorite Sunday Celebrations! We celebrate it each year on the weekend of Thanksgiving. On Sunday we had a number of people share stories of how God is working in and through their lives. Listen, and be encouraged by our great God!
God's original design, His intent for man is one of relationship and partnership. In Christ, intimacy is restored and we have access to natural and spiritual riches that we're called to steward and draw upon for Gods glory and pleasure. He has called us to live with Him in a garden called "Eden" and to build a city called "Eternity".
We invited Terry and Sandy Kreuger, from Redemption City Church in Westminster, CO, to come and minister at Church in the City. Terry preaches here on the supremacy of Jesus as Lord-- and the fullness of the Gospel for EVERYONE.
Gathering with God's people in God's presence to declare praises to God's Son is what heaven coming to earth looks like. It's what church should look like, too.
Be AWARE of God’s presence – show me Lord. Be EXPECTANT for God to move – help me Lord. Be AVAILABLE for God to use you – here I am Lord.
Remember ALL that He’s done for you yesterday in order to walk into ALL He has for you today.
Coming to Jesus and believing Him is how we grow in LOVE, TRUST and OBEDIENCE which is the ENVIRONMENT for FAITH.
Just steps out of Egypt, God is inviting His delivered people to essential foundations of knowing Him.
The revelation of God's character comes through His name (YHWH: I am who I am) and His acts (to execute judgment on Egypt and to deliver His people).
Israel's liberation from Egypt is a fulfillment of God's unconditional covenant with Abraham.
The Passover is symbolic of a new beginning for God's people and is a foreshadow of Christ's death and resurrection.
We invited Jody & Vanessa Romero (from Restoration Church, East LA) to come and minister with us for a weekend. They have an incredible testimony of God's faithfulness and salvation in their own lives, and we were privileged to have them. Jody and Vanessa left a rich deposit of God's goodness and passion for those who don't profess Jesus Christ as their Savior-- and for the partnership the Church has with God to reach them.
Jody Romero visits from East LA to share about the fullness of the power of the Gospel-- and how we must not disqualify anyone from God's full intent for them: to know Jesus Christ and salvation through Him (Part 1).
Jody Romero visits from East LA to share about the fullness of the power of the Gospel-- and how we must not disqualify anyone from God's full intent for them: to know Jesus Christ and salvation through Him (Part 2).
Jody & Vanessa Romero (from Restoration Church, East LA) minister to married couples at a weekend training time.
God never draws us to a task. He draws us to Himself, and what He has intentionally crafted in us comes alive.
When we do things by faith - no matter how small - we break into a realm where the rule and reign of God is the greater reality.
Worship is a posture of the heart that results in physical expression and faith-filled action. Our Good God pours out His presence and empowers His people through this surrender and intimacy.
In our personal and corporate worship we partner with the transformational work of God's advancing Kingdom.
Because of God's glory, worship is always about Him. And because of His character and relationship to us, worship is always about us, too.
Because Christ is in us and we are in Christ, God has anointed and commissioned us - and the strategies on the enemy will not stand.
God intended us to live in the fullness of continuing the supernatural ministry of Jesus (salvation, signs, wonders). We can cancel our reservations about the Giver of that power (God Himself) and about the inadequacies of the recipients of that power (us).
The mystery has been revealed, it's Christ in us the hope of glory. And when God moves through us in love, his glory is revealed for the world to see. The miraculous points to Jesus!
God has commissioned us, as His sons and daughters, to carry His heart for all people and to touch the world with His love and healing.
On the journey towards our destination as a church (vision), following the road map given by the Lord (values), the supernatural life of God is the fuel that empowers us.
We are all called and equipped to bear Kingdom fruit - which means manifesting Christlikeness. In oder to bear Kingdom fruit we need Kingdom roots (identity in Jesus) and shoots (Kingdom priorities).
The journey from HERE and THERE – living in the tension of NOW but NOT YET – is only possible if we’re secure and settled in God’s FAITHFULNESS and LOVE.
Jesus invites us to rest in him-- instead of in our significance, our calling or our circumstances.
Go into each day armed with authority, courage and confidence…as well as the fragrance of Christ (the anointing of God).
We invited David & Kathy Swart from 614 Church in Columbus, OH to minister to us at our 12th birthday celebration weekend. Kathy shared an update on 614 and how God has been working there, and Dave shared a foundational word of challenge and encouragement about our good Father and the importance of knowing and walking with Him.
In closing the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish builder and exhorts us to build wisely by not just hearing the Word, but putting it into practice. That's how we build our life on a firm foundation and are able to stand.
Because we are citizens of God’s Kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ, we get to show the world what it looks like when Jesus is King. In doing so, we need to settle and come to terms with the fact that the Kingdom of God is not like the world and neither is it just another religion. The Kingdom of God is upside-down and inside-out.
Jesus teaches the character of His Kingdom, the ways we are led by the Holy Spirit to live daily in righteousness, peace and joy.
He SEES us – God’s prophetic future, who we can become IN HIM – and He QUALIFIES us, even if we think or we’ve been told we’re DISQUALIFIED, by CALLING us to follow Him and continue what He began; SHARING THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S KINGDOM
Because of Jesus victory over satan we have victory because we are in Him. And because we are in Him we can live the Kingdom life we were created to live.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the stroke of God's eternal victory that knocks us off our feet...and the one we should have seen coming!
As we contemplate the death and resurrection of Christ, whether we have never heard the message or have heard it many times before: it requires a response.
In announcing the news of Hue and Vanessa planting in Lincoln Square in the fall of 2016, this sermon is a summary of CITC's vision and values and the call to advance God's Kingdom in various ways, including a dream and desire to plant 50 churches in 50 cities across our nation and nations.
A lifestyle of being in God's presence allows us to hear Him with wisdom and discernment.
Once we realize we're sheep, God can shepherd us into His incredible plans for us. He shepherds us primarily through our personal relationship with Him and through the governmental authority He's given the local church.
We are all commissioned, with full power and authority from Jesus, from the moment we declared that He is our Savior.
God has designed the church to be together (universally in Spirit and locally in location and government), and He moves in power when the local church gathers. Here's how we gather and why.
We need to rediscover the breathtaking privilege of gathering together as the church. It's the most important thing happening on the earth today. As God's people, we gather together in His presence, to worship Him and learn from Him how we can declare and display the wonder of His grace to our city and nations
God sent His son Jesus and the Spirit of His Son (the Holy Spirit) that we might come into fullness of sonship ourselves and enjoy the massive privilege of being children of God. Jesus as redeemed us, God the Father has adopted us and the Holy Spirit has filled us so that we can enjoy the fullness of being God's children.
Ken & Michelle Grenfell are dear friends of ours from Leesburg, VA. This weekend of teaching and ministry centered on walking freely in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, understanding how Jesus ministered in relationship to the Father, and how we can minister to others in the fullness of the life of God by His Spirit.
Ken & Michelle Grenfell are dear friends of ours from Leesburg, VA. This weekend of teaching and ministry centered on walking freely in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, understanding how Jesus ministered in relationship to the Father, and how we can minister to others in the fullness of the life of God by His Spirit.
Ken & Michelle Grenfell are dear friends of ours from Leesburg, VA. This weekend of teaching and ministry centered on walking freely in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, understanding how Jesus ministered in relationship to the Father, and how we can minister to others in the fullness of the life of God by His Spirit.
Ken & Michelle Grenfell are dear friends of ours from Leesburg, VA. This weekend of teaching and ministry centered on walking freely in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, understanding how Jesus ministered in relationship to the Father, and how we can minister to others in the fullness of the life of God by His Spirit.
Ken & Michelle Grenfell are dear friends of ours from Leesburg, VA. This weekend of teaching and ministry centered on walking freely in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, understanding how Jesus ministered in relationship to the Father, and how we can minister to others in the fullness of the life of God by His Spirit.
There is immeasurable safety and identity in how the Father has pursued us and made us a part of His family through His Son, Jesus.
The way to respond to God's promises is to ask "How can we partner with God in order to prepare for Him to answer in His perfect time?" Ultimately, whatever God has called us to will only ever be achieved if we long for the loveliness of Jesus more than anything and learn to practically love the people right in front of us.
“Working out our salvation” involves us not standing on the sidelines, but rather engaging God as a church and as individuals, listening to and obeying all that Jesus commands. It’s not for nothing-- it’s “to fulfill His good purposes.”
God is sending us, His sons & daughters, into the world to participate in His grand mission of reconciliation.
The story of Christmas - in fact the good news of the gospel - can be summarized in one word; Immanuel, which means God with us.
God can be known. In fact God desires for us to know Him! And to that end God seeks us and sends Jesus as our angel of the Lord.
God wants us to understand the heart behind the Great Commission and how we are called to live it out in the relationships He has entrusted to us.
The Great Commission and Finances. Learning obedience that comes from faith in the area of our money.
Who do you say that Jesus is? God wants us to know His Son, Jesus Christ, and to be compelled by continual revelation of Him.
There is no set way that God makes Himself known but what is common to each encounter with God; He moves in power as His people humble themselves and pray on behalf of those who don't know Him. So, how does the Bible teach us to pray in such a way that helps us to fulfill the Great Commission?
The conclusion of our study through Jonah: yes, God is relentlessly after the lost, but He's after our heart as we obey Him to reach them, too.
God has called His people to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Who is waiting on the other side of our obedience?
Chapter two of Jonah takes a break from the chaos and action as God corners Jonah in the belly of the fish to convince Jonah to stop running from His presence and start living in it. Despite Jonah's blatant disobedience, God pursues him and won't relent until Jonah surrenders to God's presence and is reconciled to Him. This slow, existential scene is about the sending and saving heart of God not only for the lost, but also for His own children.
As Jonah runs away from what God told him to do, we see that God's mission continues, with and despite his messenger.
Since the Great Commission has always been God's heart, we can confidently know what His desires are for the lost and for the Church He sends unto them.
Do you have a 'going' mindset? As followers of Jesus, we are called to go and make disciples.
God has given us a sure identity and a rich calling as believers, as the church, and as individuals.
Loving with Father's heart makes our actions worthwhile. We can think and do many things, but, without being motivated by a love for God, we will tend to find our value in achievement or self-promotion. Knowing God's love for us will protect and sustain us, and enable us to love others.
As the people of God, we need to rediscover the breathtaking privilege of enjoying God's presence. When the world sees us loving His presence they know Jesus is from God.
Love is risky; there are no guarantees It puts us in a position that is vulnerable to another's free will but this is how Jesus loves us (while we were still sinners) and how we are to love others.
A reminder of God's call to His people to step out of our comfort zone and love deeply as we advance the kingdom. This sermon reminds us of the heart with which the Apostles crossed boundaries to share the love of Christ, and the incredible destiny in store for those who overcome.
When we gain a revelation of how God sees people and nations -- and our enemies -- we can, by His Spirit, extend the compassion, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus. We give what we have received, and we co-labor with our loving God.
God has called us to show and tell the gospel of Jesus in loving words and actions to our neighbors -- but, "Who is my neighbor?"
Followers of Jesus are called to live in the same "way" that Jesus did -- The Way of Love. We learn this way by seeing and experiencing the love of Jesus for us. The great commands to love God and love people beckon us to lay our lives down in the same way of self-sacrifice, trusting in the transformational power of God's Spirit working through Calvary-like love to accomplish God's plans.
Living like Jesus is Lord is the adventure of counting the cost of following Him and resting in the promise of His victory.
Is thanksgiving dependent on circumstances or the consistency of who Jesus is and what He's done for us?
Honor has incredible power. We pursue honor by starting with a revelation of Jesus' honor and value for us. We take practical steps of avoiding comparison, taking the effort to honor others, considering what's important for others, avoiding offense, and thinking the best of one another.
Those who are faithful with little can be entrusted with much. As we seek to become people of great impact for God's Kingdom, we fix our eyes on Jesus and run the race with endurance through faith and hope.
Our obedience is rooted in the Lordship of Jesus, and we are invited into a partnership of participation with God as we walk in response to all that He says.
What is our dream for CITC? To be a covenant-community - a family - of God’s people where He is present, wanting nothing more than to see His reign and rule come to our neighborhoods and the nations while understanding the vital role of partnership and accountability in achieving this.
If Jesus is my Lord then how does grace shape my identity? And how do we ensure that God's grace is not in vain?
We can trust Jesus because He is safe. It's those leaders that make us feel safe that we can trust and follow--Jesus' sacrifice was the ultimate demonstration of servant-leadership. When we fully trust a leader like Jesus, fear leaves. Every organization, group or family with a leader has an environment that motivates their action--we live in a fear-based society, yet the sacrificial lamb of God is a leader who demonstrates why we can trust Him. We, as followers of Jesus, serve those around us and establish environments of safety and trust, and, in doing so, expand the reign of Jesus and make way for people to know the true King.
Freedom in Christ gives us the ability to choose to truly love, give & serve. When we walk by the Spirit, we deny the destructive "self" and sacrifice our lives for the glory of God and the love of people.
Framing the series, "Because Jesus is Lord..." by answering the question 'Who is the King of God's Kingdom?" and "How does the Kingdom of God daily impact the way I live?"
The greatest event in world history - the Father sending His Son to a world who needs to hear the good news of the gospel - is repeated each and every day in each of our lives as we are sent by Jesus to those we're called to love and impact with the good news of the gospel.
God the Father showcases his ultimate victory in raising his Son, Jesus Christ, form the dead. Celebrate the fullness of the completed Gospel!
Terry Krueger, a dear friend of Church In The City & member of NCMI’s Ephesians-4 Team, ministers to us and ordains new elders in our church — Mat & Sheetal Philip — and celebrates the return to eldership of Mark & Courtney Nelson. In this message, Terry challenges us all to look to the Good Shepherd and find Him as our source of life and example of leadership.
Jesus, continuing His Farewell Discourse, displays great love and care for his disciples. He explains the nature of His campaign so that His disciples will not be confused or offended about the things that are about to happen to him and to them. He prepares the disciples so that they can grasp their role in His coming Kingdom, and equips them with the promise of the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit. In the same way, today, Jesus wants his disciples to understand his campaign and to participate, by His Spirit, in the transformational work of the Kingdom of God.
Because Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, there is the promise of fruit. But the time between the promise of the bud and the fulfillment of the fruit can be a lonely and difficult time. How do we navigate our way through that difficult season? We abide in Jesus; more specifically we abide in His word and in His love.
Jesus reveals that God has made a way to be with him, to know him and to live in him now.
Greatness in the Kingdom of God is so counter-cultural to greatness in the world. By washing His disciples' feet (a foreshadowing of his death on the cross), Jesus demonstrates unconditional love and that serving others is the hallmark of true greatness.
The Father reveals His shepherding heart through his Son, and leaves us with the essential question, "What do you make of Jesus?".
Jesus reveals that holiness and grace are carefully crafted partners in the heart of God the Father.
Despite how difficult the storms are, we encounter Jesus and see Him in ways like never before; He is the God who rescues us from storms and calms the roaring seas.
The Sabbath was an enforced day of rest but what kind of rest comes with following rules and regulations? True rest - rest for the heart - is found in Jesus. We can rest because Jesus is at work.
We're surrounded by so many good things that masquerade as ultimate things but they will never quench our thirst - the longing for "more than this" - that we all have. Jesus is the giver of living water.
We are studying the Gospel of John in the hope of answering the question, "Who is God?" From arguably the greatest verse in all of Scripture (Jn 3:16) we learn that our God is a God who saves.
We Know God By Knowing Jesus The Greatest Command calls us to "Love the Lord your God...". But who is He? The Gospel According to John answers that question by telling us about Jesus since, in Jesus' own words, "If you've seen me you've seen the Father." Today's sermon is an introduction to the 14 week series through John's Gospel.
A look at what we are trusting for in 2015 -- Exalting Jesus as Lord in our lives and in our city. We desire to fulfill the Great Commission by obeying the Greatest Commands, and we are excited for the year ahead of loving God and loving others.
Jesus inaugurated “a new way to be human” by which man can live at peace with man. Those who follow Jesus are called to be peacemakers… …demonstrating the reality of Jesus’ reign as King and Prince of Peace, …making tangible the transformational message that we preach.
We invited several people from our body to share what God has been doing lately in their lives. We hope you are stirred by these testimonies of God's goodness and faithfulness, and we join you in trusting for more great things in each of our lives, families, and our church.
Nancy preaching a word from her heart on the overflow of intimacy with Jesus: Living a life of service and sacrifice out of a love relationship with Him.
Mike ministered to us about God's great heart for all people and His desire to use us to be a blessing and bring about His mission of healing, redemption, and restoration.
Jody ministered at our Sunday Celebration about the simplicity of our call to love God and love others: the 2 Greatest Commandments, the only "rules" that we live by in Christ.
Scripture is packed with inconvenient truths, especially related to finances. We tackle 3 of them, (1) I am blessed ... in order to be a blessing, (2) Knowing God changes everything ... I can't keep anything back, and (3) Loving God means loving others ... we give where we enjoy partnership.
God is our PRIORITY and we are His PRIZE and when we know our POSITION in Him, what we do is an extension of who we are. And who we are is sons and daughters of God and with that we all have a new PURPOSE which radically effects our PRODUCTIVITY in the work place.
2/3 of Americans are worried about their financial situation. How do we avoid being part of this statistic? From Phil 4:10-19 we learn contentment and investing in our heavenly savings account.
We face fear regarding our finances all to often. But faith overcomes fear every time and faith is released when we are more convinced by what God says than what we see.
Clutter slows us down and holds us back from being the pilgrims, sojourners and adventurers that God has called us to be. Over the past two weeks we've been encouraged to revisit and strengthen our foundations so that we'll have the ability to embrace God's increase. What is Jesus building at CITC? Todays sermon answers that question with a look back into past.
Terry & Sandy Kreuger ministering at our 10th Birthday Sunday Celebration -- celebrating God's goodness over the past10 YEARS and looking forward with faith for what God will do in our future.
Ken ministered at our Sunday Celebration about the essence of true Christianity, and what that means to the believer today.
Ken ministered for two nights on the four calls that all believers are called to: Salvation, Sonship, Service & Sacrifice.
Ken ministered for two nights on the four calls that all believers are called to: Salvation, Sonship, Service & Sacrifice.
David is at the end of his life and is passing the leadership baton to his son Solomon. What can we learn from his encouragement to his son that will help us leave a Kingdom impact on the world around us.
Christians generally tend to be too heavy-handed with repentance or avoid it all together, thinking it's religious and old-fashioned. But repentance is a beautiful gift from God. Without it, we tarnish the magnificence and glory of God's grace, mercy and love. So, "what is repentance and how does it bring about deep, meaningful and lasting change?"
David's keys to growing in God's call even during the tough or mundane times: 1) Live in Worship & Awe of God, 2) Live to Bless People
In David we find an example of someone who lived out the great commandment -- Love the Lord your God with all your heart.
Allowing God's faithfulness to impact everything about us, spurring us on to simple and profound victories.
Worship is not a style or time and place; it’s a life lived as a sacrifice to the glory of God. This is what we learn from David but ultimately, what we learn from Jesus.
The plan and purpose of God comes with opposition (from the devil), weakness (from within) and delay (from God). Delay is perhaps the hardest to understand. No matter the struggle, we walk into God's plan and purpose through faith - trusting in His faithfulness - and patience - trusting in His timing.
We often ask ourselves or others "What is in your hand?" meaning; what do you have that the Lord has given you that you can use to advance His Kingdom. But the more important question is, "What is in your heart?" because what is in your heart will determine how you use what is in your hand.
Look back and remember in order to look forward and say yes! The goodness and faithfulness of God – His covenant faithfulness, which means He is devoted to us as we should be towards Him – is best and most clearly seen as we look back. And that increases our faith to look forward and say yes, despite the opposition or obstacles before us. Our faith grows as we remember the faithfulness of God.
God's faithfulness and grace pursue us through our trials, pain and circumstances- even when we disobey.
The devil will do everything he can to cause confusion about our position (in Christ and all that comes with that) and hamper our practice (becoming who we already are – God’s people displaying His glory to creation). How do we fight? By standing firm and strong in the Lord and by taking up and putting on the whole armor of God.
God wants us to partner with Him and to take action as He leads and guides us. Our time is now to respond and take the next step of faith, knowing that He has been faithful to us and will ever be with us.
Huge thanks to Amanda, Nancy and Wendy who joined Steve on Sunday for a time of discussion and encouragement over our church body.
The New Man, in the New Society, culminates with in relating to Jesus in all of our relationships. Marriage, Family, and Work are major categories of our human relationships, and they each are transformed when we understand them in our ultimate relationship to Christ.
Purity and holiness (Christ-likeness) is not achieved by legalism or licentiousness but rather by spending time with Jesus and becoming more like Him. When we do so we live a life of love because He is love, we walk in the light because He is light and we live wisely because He is truth.
For God so LOVED the world that he sent His Son, Jesus, to OVERCOME the problems of mankind (Sin & Satan) with a "not-of-this-world" upside-down Kingdom of love, service, and sacrifice. The Cross is the ultimate picture of love and image of God's Kingdom ways, and the Resurrection is the ultimate victory over death and promise of new life for all who believe. Our hearts respond to Jesus with belief and worship! Christ has OVERCOME!
As we await the fullness of the Overcomer's Kingdom, we bring brokenness to Jesus. We bring our "WHY?s" to God, we trust Him for HELP, and we worship Him in the YET to be outworked. God deeply cares for us, and in our places of difficultly or doubt, He shows himself strong and faithful. In the Cross we find the place where Christ took on our sorrows and paid for our sins.
We live a life worthy of the calling we have received by living in UNITY (last week) and PURITY (last week). But how can we “live like God in true righteousness and holiness”? By putting off the old self, putting on the new self by changing our thinking.
Spiritual maturity is best developed within a church family and a mature and unified church family reflects the glory of God.
Paul has taken half his letter to the Ephesians to describe the incredible things God has done for us in Jesus and he wants to get to the practical outworking of it all. But before that, there's one final, essential truth to tackle -- how these great truths become life changing experiences. It's by the power of God strengthening our inner being by the Holy Spirit.
God's intent is not just to raise us from the dead as a new man (singular) but into a new people (plural). Salvation brings us into the new people of God - we are citizens of His Kingdom, members of His family, bricks cemented together to form the temple of God where He dwells by His Spirit. This is counter-cultural. We limit the presence, power and work of God in our lives to the degree to which we isolate ourselves from healthy Christian community.
The greatness of sin and the desperation of man’s condition outside of Jesus is overshadowed by the “greater-greatness” of God’s grace by which we are saved and the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus is raised from the dead, ascended into heaven and seated on the throne of glory AND WE’RE IN HIM! We are citizens of heaven because He saved us by grace through faith.
Christians are generally ignorant of the incredible blessings we already have in Jesus. Paul not only encourages us to pray for a revelation of our citizenship in heaven - what it means to be IN CHRIST - but gives us specific things to pray for...for ourselves, and also for others.
Paul's opening prayer to the Ephesians praises Father God for the blessing of Christians being "in Christ". Paul alludes to the fulfillment of Israel's history, while stressing our inheritance of being adopted into God's family. Christians have been marked with the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead- this changes everything!
God wants to bless us. He wants us to be fruitful where there is barrenness and to enjoy freedom from shame and guilt from the past. But He blesses us in order that we can be a blessing to others.
It is all about Jesus. It is a proclamation of truth that, despite tireless use, will never be a cliché. The church is about Jesus, speaking the Gospel in truth and love. The church does not offer trend, community outreach, or even family; those will not save. Only Jesus Saves; it is a revelation that will never grow old. It is because of Jesus that we have peace and know our future is secure. Although Human Nature is to wander from the Lord, believers are never out of His grasp. He died on the cross and finished the work. Those who call on His name share in his victory over sin, death, and the flesh. The spoils of his great conquest are for the multitude that is saved.
Jesus is building His church (Mt 16), a radiant and glorious church that reflects and releases His goodness, grace and life to the nations (Rev 21). Amazingly, we're called to partner with Him, to work under Him to build this glorious community. His community is distinct (walls) but we don't hind behind those walls or keep others out, rather we spill out into our neighborhoods and nations to invite people to enjoy what we have.
In the Ancient Near East watchmen held a vital role, his words altered the perception and understanding of those who heard. He spoke of what was beyond their line of vision and gave tangible understanding to what was yet to come. Likewise, as spiritual watchmen, the proclamation and exhortation for the people to behold the Lord of Lords and King of Kings gives vision and sight to those who cannot see beyond the “hill.” The watchman is put in place not by virtue of his own merit but by the merit of his proclamation; Jesus is Lord. He is placed at his post with overwhelming expectation of what is yet to come. His very presence speaking to the anticipation that something is coming. Church in the City, called to be a watchmen in the city of Chicago stands in the gap bringing heaven into view of earth and pointing earth to heaven.
We were privileged to host Ken & Michelle Grenfell at our 2013 Fall Staytreat and to receive their ministry -- it was an incredible weekend of worship, teaching, and ministry.
We were privileged to host Ken & Michelle Grenfell at our 2013 Fall Staytreat and to receive their ministry -- it was an incredible weekend of worship, teaching, and ministry.
We were privileged to host Ken & Michelle Grenfell at our 2013 Fall Staytreat and to receive their ministry -- it was an incredible weekend of worship, teaching, and ministry.
We were privileged to host Ken & Michelle Grenfell at our 2013 Fall Staytreat and to receive their ministry -- it was an incredible weekend of worship, teaching, and ministry.
We were privileged to host Ken & Michelle Grenfell at our 2013 Fall Staytreat and to receive their ministry -- it was an incredible weekend of worship, teaching, and ministry.
It was a privilege to host Kevin Bruursema from New Life Lakeview and have him minister God's Word at our Sunday Celebration. Kevin shared on living with a "sent" mindset, and he used a visual formula to illustrate that you can view here
Ash Bell, along with his wife Nadine, lead an outstanding base church in Johannesburg, South Africa called New Covenant Church Bryanston. Under their leadership, NCCB have planted a number of churches throughout South Africa, north into Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and, more recently, into Europe. In addition to this, NCCB is an incredible apostolic resource releasing teams, gifting and finances that have and are opening up various nations to the gospel and church planting.(apologies for the poor sound quality)