The Church at Grace Point: Recent Episodes
Dr. Phil Griffin
This weekly podcast contains the Sunday morning teaching from The Church at Grace Point. Located in Cleveland, Tennessee, The Church at Grace Point seeks to combine praise oriented, vertical worship with teaching based on sound Biblical principals.
There is a law in this universe that was not created in Washington, DC, but instead created by God that says: "You shall reap what you sow." Evidence of the truth of this statement is clearly seen throughout the Christian church today. The lack of Biblical knowledge in the life of the average believer has a direct link to the lack of Biblical preaching in many of the pulpits throughout America. We are simply reaping what we have sown. The fact that you cannot read the Bible without coming face to face with the reality that following Christ often is accompanied with suffering, yet we rarely if ever hear sermons addressing this truth serves to drive home this point. Join us as we explore the real reasons that following Jesus is many times accompanied by times of challenge and suffering.
We are living in a day where the importance of the father seems to have been diminished by society. Truthfully this distinction has been earned by the total lack of commitment and responsibility taken by many men as it relates to being a committed father. Someone rightly said it this way: "It is biologically easy to become a father, but Biblically challenging to actually father children." Without question, many of the greatest problems in our society today can be traced back to the failure of men to be Godly fathers to their children and husbands to their wives. Despite the continued failure of men to step up and assume their responsibility and the resulting damage it is causing the next generation, I continue to believe that fatherhood matters. Join us as I explore why fatherhood is so vitally important.
Someone much smarter than me once said: "We should never attempt to replace what God has put in place." The wisdom of this statement is clearly seen in the attempts by our society to redefine the family and also redefine the church. God created the family unit and He also created the church. No person or group has the right to redefine or change what God intended His church to be. Join us as we explore how God's view of success for the church differs from the world view of success.
We live in a world that seems to have no problem with believing in an afterlife. Everyone seems willing to accept that perhaps there is an eternal home called heaven while at the same time rejecting the possibility of an eternal home called hell. To be sure, the Bible teaches that every person who has ever lived, is living now and will ever live will live forever in one of two eternal places. For those who have placed their faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross there is a place prepared by God called heaven. The Bible also makes it abundantly clear that for those who reject Christ and His redemptive work on the cross there is also a prepared eternal home called hell. Join us as we explore seven reasons I do not want my friends to go to hell.
When you search through human history it becomes clear that people have seemingly always had an infatuation with the concept of heaven. Amazingly, even those who reject the idea of Christianity speak about a place of eternal rest following death. Is there truly an eternal destination for those who have surrendered their lives to the Lordship of Christ? What does the Bible actually have to say about this eternal home? Join us as we explore the subject to Heaven, what it is like, how big is it, who will go there?
If I were to ask you, "What is the toughest job in the world? How would you answer? I believe, without a doubt, that the toughest job in the entire world is being a mother. I, like myriads of other Fathers, have had a front row seat over the past 30 years to watch my wife be a super hero in the raising of our three daughters. Though no one would dare argue about the fact that motherhood is challenging, they would have to admit that it is also incredibly rewarding. Join us as we explore why motherhood truly matters.
Over the years I have heard people claim that they do not believe in the rapture of the church because the term "Rapture" does not appear in Scripture. This is an interesting argument because though the term rapture might not appear in Scripture, the event is described with great clarity. Join us as we explore what the Bible describes as a time in the future when Jesus will come and call His people to Himself in the sky.
Toward the end of His ministry here on this earth, Jesus stops to remind His disciples that He will soon be laying His life down for the sins of the world. With that thought fresh on the minds of the disciples He then tells them that He will be leaving but His leaving will be to their advantage. I can only imagine how the disciples must have reacted to that news. Join us as we explore the reason Jesus shared that it was to their advantage for Him to go away and for the Holy Spirit to come.
We live in a world that has made it almost fashionable to redefine many of the foundations and core beliefs found in the Christian faith. Examples are not hard to find. Whether it is redefining marriage, questioning when life begins, or even questioning whether God truly created just males and females, examples are everywhere. One of the areas most concerning is a redefining of holidays set aside to celebrate the amazing acts of grace and mercy by our heavenly Father. Easter is a prime candidate, as a time set aside to praise and honor the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross has been replaced by bunny rabbits and a federal holiday for time off from work. Why does Easter Matter? Join us as we explore what the Bible has to say on the subject.
We live in a world that seems very willing to concede that Jesus was a great teacher of truth, a very moral man, and a wonderful example worth following. The issue that many have is when you begin to speak of Jesus in exclusive terms like Savior, Messiah, or the only way of salvation. Truth is, any person who exclaims to the world that He is "The Way, The Truth and The Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him" is either who He says He is or He has lost His mind and needs to be placed in a psychic ward of the hospital. In our text Jesus asked a very important personal question: "Who do you say that I am?" I am quick to proclaim that Jesus Is Lord! Who do you say that He is?
When I was younger I remember a pastor friend who said to me: "Phil, if you won't stand for something, you will fall for anything." Whether we are willing to admit it or not, we all have a standard of authority that we use to guide us in our daily lives. The problem with most standards of authority offered by the world is they never seem to stay the same. For the believer, we must have a standard of authority that remains the same and never changes. For me, and many millions of believers, that standard of authority is the Bible. Join us as we explore why I believe the Bible is completely trustworthy and eternally dependable to guide us through our daily lives.
In the journey to draw intimately close to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there are many important commitments that a person must make. For example, being intentional, teachable, and choosing to imitate Jesus just to name a few. Without question the secret ingredient to truly drawing near is yielding or submitting our lives fully to the control of the Lord. This demonstration of humility positions the believer to truly walk in close fellowship with the very one who gave His life for our redemption. Join us as we explore "the secret ingredient of intimacy with Christ."
If I were to ask you: "What is the great challenge facing the body of Christ in 2022?" How would you answer? Some might say we need to be more faithful in attendance, or faithful in giving, or faithful sharing our faith. None of those are inappropriate answers to the question. But when you break it all down, I believe the greatest challenge facing the body of Christ is Spiritual apathy. While our world is falling apart right before our very eyes, the church seems to be satisfied instead of burdened. As we will learn from our text this morning God wants His church to be alert, awake and alive. Join us as we explore how we can remain alert so we can make the difference God has called us to make for His glory.
The process of sanctification is a lifelong journey. Unfortunately we live in a world that is filled with distractions and disruptions that serve to constantly blur our focus on drawing near to our Savior. In our text Proverbs 3:5-6 God reveals the road map on how to stay motivated for this lifelong journey. Join us as we explore all that God has provided to help us not just start this journey but also finish well.
All throughout the New Testament we are taught that God's ultimate goal is to mold and make us more into the image of His Son Jesus. This process of sanctification is a daily journey that requires our full commitment, our consent, and our character. Paul clearly reminds us to "Work out our salvation with fear and trembling." He did not say "Work For" he said "Work out." Join us as we explore how we can be assured that we are truly following Jesus' example in the daily journey called life.
Everyday that we wake up we enter into a spiritual battlefield. The battle is between two different wills for your life. You see, Satan has a plan for your life, just as surely as God has a plan for your life. Every day we have to filter through the messages of this world and the messages from God. Learning how to distinguish between the two is essential to maintaining a close, personal relationship with Jesus. Join us as we explore God's classroom for lifelong learning, given to us to help us successfully navigate the minefields of this world.
Anyone who has lived any length of time knows that life comes with many twists and turns. No one is immune from times of challenge and trial. Unfortunately, many believers allow those times of challenge and trial to slow down or even block their spiritual growth. Our text reveals a time when the nation of Israel was forced into 70 years of captivity in Babylon. In their time of challenge God reminded them that He was always thinking about them and that He was never far from them. Join us as we explore how God uses our times of challenge to prepare us for the future He has planned for us.
If someone were to be allowed to walk around and observe your life for one full week, what would they say is the greatest priority of your life? If they were allowed to see how you spend your time, spend your money, use your talents, what would they conclude? In our text Paul reveals that nothing this world could offer him could compare to the joy of knowing Christ and serving Him. Does your life demonstrate a similar testimony to the world? Join us as we explore what it means to not only live life with purpose, but also live life on purpose.
Our text today serves to reinforce the truth that God not only desires to have a personal relationship with all people, he desires for us to live our lives as close as we can possibly get to him. The writer of Hebrews makes it abundantly clear that God loved us so much that He was willing to send His only Son to provide access to draw close to him by trusting His finished work on the cross for our redemption. Join us as we explore how to draw close and have true intimacy with God.
In our text we will discover that Jesus desires His followers to treat others not in a way they think they should be treated but instead the way they want to be treated. Jesus was our greatest example in the demonstration of His love towards us, being willing to lay down His life for undeserving sinners like you and me. Jesus further goes on to remind us that for everyone who has ever lived, is living now or will ever live on this earth there are two possible gates, two ways, two destinations and two options as it relates to our eternal future. Join us as we explore this exceptionally important truth.
Although the disciples walked with Jesus and ministered with Him for three years, they never stopped and asked Jesus to teach them to preach or heal. Without question though, they did ask Jesus to teach them to pray. As they observed His life it was obvious to them where His power came from. In our text Jesus shares insight on how we too can have a powerful prayer life. The secret is found in persistence in prayer.
It seems strange to think that many non Christians actually have a favorite Bible verse. Anytime a Christian takes a firm Bibilical stance on Abortion or Homosexuallity or any other controversial subject, almost immediately we hear a non believer quote Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, lest you be judged!" The world has decided that Christians have two options when it comes to standing up for righteousness. 1) Say nothing. 2) Immediately fall under the condemnation of Matthew 7:1. Join us as we discover what Jesus was actually teaching in Matthew 7:1-6.
Having the privilege to live in the United States is truly a dual edged sword. On one hand we all live in the most prosperous nation in the world. One the other hand we are constantly bombarded with the temptation of obtaining more and more treasures of this world. Those who have little stress about having more. Those who have much, lose sleep worrying about losing what they have. It is a vicious cycle that leads to anxiety and worry. In our text Jesus reminds us that worry is never God's best for us because it demonstrates a lack of faith in His ability to care for and provide for us. Join us as we discover how to win the battle with worry.
Living in the most blessed nation in the world can truly be a double edged sword. On one hand the poorest among us are truly wealthy by the world standard. On the other hand we live our everyday lives completely unaware of how most people are forced to struggle daily to meet their basic needs. If left unchecked, the average person can be swallowed up in their pursuit of the next material conquest. To this point, Jesus comes along to remind each of us that we cannot share the throne of our hearts with God and materialism.
One of the greatest mistakes a person could ever make is to allow their prayer lives to grow stale. For many believers prayer has become just another thing they do on their list of religious exercises. Truth is, God never intended prayer to be a religious exercise, but instead a gateway to an intimate relationship with Him. Join us as we discover how to have a vibrant, intimate and powerful prayer life that is motivated out of a sense of love and appreciation, not a sense of duty.
In the selfie society we are presently living in it seems like everyone so focused on themselves that it is impossible for them to even notice the needs all around them. Instead of being sensitive to the needs of others, we are too busy pretending to be good Christians. In our text Jesus confronts those who have a form of Godliness but truthfully are just performing for God. Here Jesus reminds us that God is very concerned about what we believe, but equally concerned about what we "Do" about what we believe.
Every person has experienced a moment when they were treated unfairly or even publicly embarrassed by another individual or group of individuals. How we as believers respond in such a moment speaks volumes about the genuineness of our faith in Christ. Join us as we explore one of the most misquoted and misinterpreted passages in the New Testament.
We are living in a day where many people seem to conduct their lives as though there are no absolutes. The only thing that guides their direction in life is what makes them happy. Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than a discussion about the importance of being a person who keeps their commitments. In our text we will discover that Jesus believed that telling the truth in every situation of life is extremely important. Here He confronts the Scribes and Pharisees who were counseling people to side step the truth instead of embracing the truth. Pay close attention, this passage has a clear message for us today.
We are living in a day where traditional marriage is under attack. The world has decided that they have the right to redefine something that they did not create. God created marriage, and only He has the right to define what constitutes a marriage. God makes it abundantly clear that He hates divorce. (Malachi 2:16) but that does not mean He hates people who have gone through divorce. Join us in our message as we discover what Jesus had to say on the subject of Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage.
So many people who claim to be believers in Jesus Christ today make the same mistake the Pharisees made in the days of Jesus' ministry here on earth. Namely, they concern themselves with outward righteousness and ignore their inward motives. In our text, Jesus reminds the reader that the inward motives are just as, if not more important than the outward actions. Join us as we explore how a simple look can mushroom into a sinful action.
Earth truly is not our home. We are only sojourners. When the church is the church God calls us to be, we get a taste of Heaven here on Earth. In this talk, we as followers of Christ are challenged five ways to be the Church.
All throughout His earthly ministry Jesus routinely criticized the Scribes and Pharisees for their focus on their outward obedience to the law but lack of concern for their motives inwardly. It is entirely possible for someone to do all the right things and do them with the wrong motives. In our text today we will explore the truth that genuine righteousness is first birthed in the heart before it can be revealed by our outward obedience. Jesus reinforces that: "It's What's on the Inside That Counts."
We are living in a day when I fear churches and pastors have lost sight of what it means to be in a leadership position in the local church. Despite the fact that the Bible clearly defines pastors, deacons and elders as chief servants in the body of Christ, we see pastors being made into celebrities who live above their people instead of among their people. Join us as we rediscover what it truly means to be servants to the body instead of celebrities who lord over the body.
When I was a teenager playing sports I remember several times hearing my coach say something like: "Leave it all on the field gentlemen." By saying this he was simply encouraging us to give it our very best during the game. Question: "Are you leaving it all on the field in living your life?" If your life ended today, would you be pleased with the effort you gave to serve Jesus while here on this earth. Join us for this message as we explore how at the end of life you can know with certainty that you have lived your life on purpose.
In our world today there seems to be a resurgence of those who believe that even though Jesus came to fulfil the law by living a perfect life, dying a tragic but voluntary death on the cross, being buried and rising from the dead three days later, that we are still subject to the law given to us in the Old Testament. Join us as we discuss why Jesus' finished work on the cross truly fulfilled the law and once, for all, conquered death and hell by becoming the perfect sacrificial lamb of God.
Why are we here? Why did God leave us on this earth after He saved our souls? The answers to that question vary from Christians should remove themselves from society to Christians should take over society. In our text we will see that God has a completely different answer. Join us as we unpack what it means to be "The Salt of the Earth and The Light of the World."
We are living in a society that has been successful in manipulating the church into compromising its principles and convictions all for the sake of making peace with the world. Unfortunately many in the church have used Matthew 5:9 as a reason for this decision. At the same time many pastors have adulterated the Word of God by taking verses out of context to falsely teach that those who live by faith will never suffer persecution. Join us in our message to learn why both of these messages are false and why following Christ will always lead to you influencing the world around you and often to experiencing persecution in the process.
We live in a world that seems to be obsessed with their outward appearance. Research reveals that Americans spend enormous amounts of money every year on weight loss products, unused gym memberships and beauty supplies. All of this to focus on the outward appearance. Though it is important to maintain good physical health outwardly, many do so while at the same time ignoring their spiritual health. Join us as we investigate how we can maintain a pure heart and in the process grow in our intimacy with God.
Something all people share in common is we all know what it is like to be hungry. Every so many hours that pass by bring a new feeling of physical discomfort that can only be satisfied by eating food. Jesus understood this truth because he was fully human as he lived here on this earth. In our text we will discover that physical hunger is a real motivator that pushes us to action. Jesus wanted to use that illustration to remind us that spiritual hunger is not only a great motivator but also an indicator of our genuine commitment to the things of God. He drives home the truth that a person who truly hungers and thirsts for righteousness will be equipped to extend mercy to others and reap the benefit of being granted mercy by God.
When you study the Beatitudes it quickly becomes obvious that they are paradoxical in nature. Simply stated they present information that at face value seem to be contradictory. No where is that more evident than in Matthew 5:4 when the Lord says: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." One of the biggest mistakes that people often make when reading and studying the first 12 verses of Matthew 5 it they interpret the information in the physical light instead of the spiritual light. To fully understand verse 4 we must see the truth in a spiritual light. Join us as we explore the personal application of what it means to mourn and receive comfort.
If someone asked you, "Who is the greatest preacher that ever lived?" What would be your answer? If someone were to ask you "What is the greatest sermon ever preached?" How would you answer? In our message today we will explore the greatest sermon ever preached, by the greatest preacher who ever lived. The Sermon On The Mount preached by Jesus marks many of the most famous words Jesus ever spoke. The fact that He preached this amazing sermon from the overflow of His heart places it far above any other message ever uttered. Join us as we begin the journey to mine out the valuables contained in this astonishing message.
If we were all forced to be honest, we would all have to admit that we have from time to time found ourselves distant from God as it relates to our relationship with him. None of us ever set out with the goal of growing cold in our prayer life and devotional life. But the truth is, we have all found ourselves far from God with stale prayer lives and little desire for God's word or will.In our text we will discover that all of us are just five steps away from that place of loneliness and despair. The Good News is this, if you find yourself in that distant place, you are only five steps from complete restoration.
In our text for this message we encounter Jesus confronting the subject of self righteousness or the possessing a judgmental spirit. We have all found ourselves in a position where we question another person's motives and actions. The major mistake we often make is when we allow ourselves to stand in judgment of others. In the greek, the term judge means to "condemn." Scripture makes it clear that the position of judge is reserved for God alone. When we come to the place where we feel we have the right to judge we place ourselves in a position that we do not belong in, while at the same time placing ourselves under the same judgment. Join us as we explore the speck and the log.
It's amazing how Jesus had the ability to tell a brief story in just a few verses that could open the windows of heaven to explain the importance of the Gospel. In our text, Jesus tells the story of the fig tree and how it has the ability to let you know that Summer is just around the corner. Through the story of this fig tree Jesus reminds us that we can also pay attention to signs of the times and know that His return is just around the corner. Join us as we explore another of these earthly stories that Jesus told that had a heavenly meaning.
Why is it that God allows good and evil to co-exist in our world? In our text Jesus shares the parable of the Wheat And The Tares. In this word picture He reveals the truth that we all live our daily lives in a spiritual war zone. The battle between the will of God and the will of Satan can be traced all the way back to the garden of Eden. Join us as we explore Jesus' solution to the "Weeds Among The Wheat."
There is no greater feeling in the world quite like knowing you have been forgiven. In our text we discover a beautiful picture of genuine forgiveness. In Jesus' parable, He describes a master who forgives a debt that could never, under any circumstances, be repaid. Yet, instead of being humbled by the experience, he wiped his feet on the grace and mercy that was extended to him by refusing to do the same for his own slave. The Bible reminds us that "To whom much is given, much is required." When we have been extended grace, we should be the first to do the same for others. Join us as we explore the parable of the unforgiving servant, and rediscover the Savior who was willing to forgive, each of us, a debt we could never repay.
At the beginning of this series we established that Jesus used parables (Earthly stories with a heavenly meaning) to clearly explain the Gospel message to the audiences who gathered to hear Him preach and teach.His purpose was to use familiar stories to make His message easy to understand to those of all ages. One of the favorite themes used throughout the teachings of Jesus and other writers of the New Testament was that of the Shepherd. In our text we will learn at least two important lessons. 1) It is the heart of God that all men, women, boys and girls come to find Salvation through a personal relationship with Christ. 2) It is God's will that all believers commit themselves to the task of assisting our Lord in bringing people to Jesus. Join us as we explore the story of the Shepherds' love for the lost sheep.
How many believer's in Christ were there when Jesus ended His time here on this earth? Some might guess thousands, other tens of thousands. The reality is more like 120. When we read passages like Acts 2, we see a picture of a growing and vibrant church where thousands were coming to Christ daily. Truth is, the New Testament Church had very humble beginnings. In our text we will rediscover this truth as Jesus shares the story of The Mustard Seed. Like the small mustard seed which is planted and grows to be 10 to 15 feet tall, so too the church had humble beginnings that today numbers more than 2.4 billion believers. From those humble beginnings, the church today is a source of blessing and refuge to our lost and dying world.
From my youngest years my parents made me aware of the words written in red in my Bible. They taught me that these were the words that Jesus spoke. When you pay close attention to the words that Jesus spoke you will quickly learn that He strongly desired for all people of all ages to understand what He was teaching. He often accomplished this by speaking and teaching using parables. In The Gospels there are at least 36 times He used a parable to get His point across. Parables are simply earthly stories that have heavenly meanings. Join us as we explore The Parable of the Sower.
In 1 Peter chapter one, we are told about our living hope. We have a living hope because our Savior is alive. Verse 13 transitions with a very important, “Therefore.” Peter is saying, “We have a Living Hope, therefore do this.”
Someone once said: "You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep." In other words, if you really want to know a person, you need to take a close look at their friends. If that is true, our text for this message offers us a front row seat to take an up close look at a few of Paul's friends. As we walk through Philippians 2:19-30 we will be exposed to one of the primary sources of living a joy filled life. Pay close attention to how Paul speaks about both Timothy and Epaphroditus and you will come to understand that how we treat others has a direct link to living a life filled with joy.
One of the greatest mistakes anyone could ever make is to tie their source of joy to the circumstances of life. When a person makes that mistake they set themselves up for an emotional roller coaster ride that will inevitably end in frustration. Paul, writing from a Romans dungeon demonstrated how we can overcome that frustration and live a life of joy, despite our circumstances. The key was to make sure we tie our joy to the bedrock of the only source of genuine joy, our Lord Jesus Christ. In our text this morning Paul will go the extra step and reveal the secret of not just gaining joy, but giving joy away.
I suspect it would not take much effort on my part to convince you that we are living in an ever increasingly dark world. With recent studies showing that for the first time in the history of the United States the majority of people are not members of churches. With church attendance plummeting across our nation, it is as if the light of our nation is growing dim. As our world grows darker spiritually, it is more important than ever that believers shine bright in our society. In our text this morning we will discover exactly how we as followers of Jesus can become a lighthouse in our dark world.
The book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul from a Romans dungeon, yet in only 104 verses he mentioned the word Joy 16 times. How could a man chained in a prison maintain joy despite the horrible conditions he found himself in? In Chapter 1:19-21 Paul answers that very question by ultimately reminding the believers at Phillipi that his source of joy was not anything found in this world, but instead only found in his relationship with Christ. Specifically, he states in verse 21, "For Me To Live Is Christ, and to die is gain." Simply stated, Paul's joy was a result of how he filled in the blank in the statement: "For me to live is_________." If we fill in that blank with anything except Christ we sentence ourselves to live a life filled with constant disappointment and void of genuine joy. Little wonder we live in a grumpy world.
Could it be that the primary reason that many people, including believers, seem to live lives seemingly void of joy is because they are focused on the wrong thing. Most people in this world, certainly in the United States, have their focus on the things of this world. A new house, better car, a new boat, better vacations and on and on. That plan works really well as long as you are getting the things you think will bring you joy. But when the gravy train stops and circumstances change so too does their source of joy. Paul in Philippians 2:5-8 presents another plan. Instead of fixing your eyes on the things of this world, fix your eyes on Jesus who never changes and is always faithful. He has demonstrated his love towards us by sacrificing His life for us on the cross. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. The more we fix our eyes on Him, the more our lives will be filled with genuine joy in the midst of a grumpy world.
It probably would not take much convincing on my part to get you to agree with me that we are living in a grumpy world. Despite the fact that no other nation in the world is as blessed as we are in the United States, we seem to lead the world in complaining and griping. The Apostle Paul lived an amazing yet challenging life as a believer. No where is that made more evident than his writing of the book of Philippians. Here, writing from a Roman dungeon Paul mentions the word Joy 16 times in only 104 verses. This might make sense if he was writing from a vacation retreat in the mountains, but not from a prison. This morning we will explore why he could maintain joy despite his circumstances. His memories of his time with the Philippians believers tell the story of why we should maintain our joy and why we should be thankful for the Church.
For the past eight weeks we have been on a journey to discover what we need to do to put ourselves in a position of becoming fully devoted followers of Christ. We have carefully explored the ingredients necessary to make the commitment but this morning we take the final step as a congregation to implement our game plan going forward. You do not want to miss this special message delivered by Matthew Dennis our Associate Pastor for Intentional Discipleship.
If we are to truly become everything God ever intended us to become, we must first come to the realization that it will never be done by our own efforts. Simply stated, our best is just not good enough. If we are honest with ourselves we all know that we are broken people. None of us have arrived, and left to our own ability we never will. Thankfully, the Bible has good news for broken people. In our text we will learn that there is a person, who has a purpose, and a plan. He also created a position and made each of us a promise. Join us as we explore the good news for broken people just like you and just like me.
For most of us, the story of Jesus walking on the water always led to criticizing Peter for his apparent lack of faith. Upon reflecting on this event it seems to me that perhaps we have criticized Peter a little unfairly. What about the 11 disciples who never took the risk of getting out of the boat? Could it be that the weakened condition of the Christian church in America is described clearly in this amazing event? Could the reason be that there are so few disciples in our world today be traced back to the fact that most Christians are comfortable staying in the boat instead of taking the risk of walking on the water to get closer to Jesus? Becoming a fully devoted follower of Jesus requires taking a risk. Remember if it was easy, everybody would be doing it.
It seems that most Americans are really good at starting things but not so great at finishing what we start. We start an exercise program and soon find ourselves missing workouts and then stopping them all together. We commit to eating a better diet but soon find ourselves back in our old eating habits. This weakness is not limited to physical matters, it also influences our Spiritual decisions. How many times have we promised God that we will start reading our Bibles every day? How many times have we committed to spending more time in prayer? If we are to become fully devoted followers of Jesus, we must be passionate about our commitment. That passion must enable us to refuse to be distracted from our goal of finishing what we have started. In our message today we will explore what it means to "Focus on the Finish."
If a person is to make the commitment to become a fully devoted follower of Christ, that commitment must begin with pressing in as it relates to our personal relationship with Christ. Only then can we hope to represent Christ in an honorable way in the highways and byways of this world. When we are right in our relationship with the Lord and walking in an honorable fashion before our fellow man we place ourselves in a position to be tremendous encouragers of others who are on this journey with us. In our message we will explore the nuts and bolts of how we navigate this process.
Could the reason for the decline in the Christian church in America be the willingness of most Christians to give God the leftovers of their lives instead of pursuing Him with excellence? Could it be that we have grown comfortable with being converted by Christ but not willing to pay the price of becoming disciples of Christ? In our message, we will be exploring what it means to pursue God with excellence. This process will require that we "Realize, Recognize and Remember." Join us in the journey of becoming fully devoted followers of Christ.
With the beginning of every new year many of us find ourselves searching for a new start, a new commitment, a new resolution for the year ahead. A resolution is defined as "a promise we make to ourselves to commit to something of great value." Often these resolutions involve a commitment to lose a few pounds, start a new exercise program, even to read the bible daily. What if this year we decided to commit to something a little deeper? What if we decided to commit our complete devotion to Christ by giving Him our complete loyalty, our life, our labor and our last? Join us as we explore in what might happen if we made an honorable new years resolution.
Without question the year 2020 has been the most frustrating and challenging year in my life. I am pretty sure I am not alone in feeling this way. As we enter the year 2021 I wanted to take the opportunity to share my heart with those I have the privilege to serve as their spiritual shepherd. The words found in Colossians 1:9-12 are a prayer that Paul prayed for the believers that made up the congregation of the church at Colossae. From these verses I come to share the prayer that I commit to pray for our congregation each day throughout the year 2021.
God never intended for our Christian walk to ever become stagnant or mundane. In fact, the opposite is actually true, He intends for our walk with Him to always be moving forward. Every one of us would have to admit that dwelling on the past is a constant temptation as we venture through life. In today's passage Paul shares his personal testimony of how he fought through those temptations and was eventually able to proclaim: "This one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Join us as we explore, from this passage, three goals to apply to our lives as we move forward into a new year.
Bethlehem was an incredibly tiny place on planet earth, but the greatest event in all of human history occurred there. The culmination of 1,500 years of prophecy became a reality with the incarnation of Christ in a manger, because there was no room in the inn. That event in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago teaches us several important lessons as it relates to Christmas. In a world that has been successful in pushing Jesus out of the celebration of Christmas, Bethlehem pushes back. In our message we will learn three important lessons to help us refocus our celebration of Christmas.
The road to Bethlehem was a long, hard journey. For 1,500 years Prophets had been writing about the day when the Savior of the world, born of a virgin, would be born. Amazingly, all of this would take place in a small, obscure place named Bethlehem. Think about the generations that came and went during those years. Mom's and Dad's taught the truths of the coming Messiah to their children only to be repeated by the next generation and so on and so on. Now, at last the day has arrived and God has made sure everyone would know by placing a star above the manger where Jesus would be born. The most anticipated event in all of human history is taking place just as the Prophets had described.
What if I told you about a day when a Savior that would be born as the child of a virgin in a small obscure village named Bethlehem. What if I told you that He would be born in a certain family lineage, live a perfect life and die a tragic but voluntary death and then three days later rise from the dead. What if I told you all of this and then 800 years later it all occurred exactly as I predicted it would. Do you think you would have a hard time believing that He was the Savior? Our text this morning is a record of just such an event. Here we will be reminded that Jesus was not simply a child, He was The King! God's plan was for Jesus to go from "The Cradle To The Crown."
In a world that seems to believe we are doing our children a favor by not keeping score and giving all participants a trophy for their efforts, it is little wonder our children struggle when they grow up and discover that life does not work that way. From my earliest memories I remember my dad teaching me and my two brothers that life is hard and seldom fair. In our message this morning we will explore the truth of that statement from the Scriptures. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that true growth in life comes when God allows us to go through challenging circumstances. Come along as we discover the truth in the statement: "No Pain, No Gain."
We all live in a world that is great at starting things. We are great at starting a new diet, a new exercise program, a new job, a new educational endeavor etc. The problem we all have is that we start well but we often finish poorly. In our message this morning we will examine the encouraging truth that, unlike us, whatever God starts, He finishes. By the end of our message, my prayer is that we will all live each day in full and complete confidence that our God is constantly working in our lives to complete the good work He has begun in us.
In the living of the Christian life we often encounter roadblocks that threaten our ability to walk in blessing. For many of us, one of those major roadblocks is a tendency to worry. In our message today we will explore why worry in the life of the believer is a total and complete waste of our time. Someone said it this way: "Worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere." If God is who He says He is, why would we worry? In our text this morning we will be reminded of the truth that worry has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.
We are living in a world that with the passing of each day there seems to be less and less respect for God. America used to be a nation that revered the Word of God and followed it's teachings in everything from governmental policies to average everyday personal decisions. Today we pass laws that are diametrically opposed to the clear teachings of the Bible. In our Series: "Lessons For Life" we will be exploring a collection of ideas and lessons that all people would be wise to heed and follow. Today we begin with Lesson #1: "He's God And We're Not." It is my prayer that these lessons will help us rediscover and return to a nation that honors God and one again respects the authority of His Word.
We are living in a day where many people attend church with the mentality: "What's in it for me?" Their chief concern is what they can get out of church, a thought process that would have been completely foreign to those in the early church. The church we read about in Acts 6 was much more concerned about what they could contribute to the church than what they could get out of it. When a problem arose in the church it became an opportunity for the followers of Jesus to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty meeting the needs within the body. I wonder what would happen in the year 2020 if a group of believers were willing to deny themselves and focus on serving the needs of others instead of worrying about their own needs?
So often I hear people making references to church attendance that go something like this: "I will only go if the music fits my taste, or the preacher preaches the way I like, or even things like as long as the services don't last too long. Somehow we have been led to believe that church is about what "we" can get out of it, instead of what we can give to it. God designed His church to be a place of sharing, not taking. In our pattern found in Acts 4:32-37 we find a group of people committed to caring for one another but also committed to caring for the community around them. It's little wonder that those outside of the church were so attracted to being a part of the body of Christ. Who wouldn't want to be a part of a group that did such a masterful job of sacrificing for one another.
Being a part of the New Testament church just after Jesus' resurrection and ascension back to heaven was definitely not for the faint of heart. The criticism and persecution came upon the church almost immediately and without warning. Their personal connection with Jesus prepared them for such a time of challenge. These believers had observed, first hand, the importance of prayer in the daily life of Jesus. They watched as He consistently found time to retreat to a lonely place to spend time praying to His Father. This discipline had thankfully rubbed off on them to the point that they emulated the pattern they had observed in the life of Christ. Their reliance on prayer serves as a reminder to us today that a church that prays together stays together.
Though our lives have all been altered by the Covid 19 pandemic, my prayers have been that God would use the disruption to cause His people to draw closer to Him. With the need to be cautious, our church like many others went through a season where we were meeting online only. It is during that time that I began praying that church members of all churches would realize the blessing that church attendance is in their daily lives. From the testimony of many I believe God has certainly answered that prayer. In our new series: "A Place To Call Home," we will seek to be reminded from God's Word exactly why God designed the local church. In this specific message we will come to understand why we all need a place to belong and a people to love and serve with. Remember, His plan to reach the world has always been through the ministry of local churches just like The Church at Grace Point.
In our study of entitled: "Are We There Yet?" we have established that though we cannot know the precise moment of Jesus' return, we can see the signs that point to His return. Not knowing the exact time, how are we as followers of Christ to conduct our daily lives? In our text today we will take a close look at what the Lord expects every believer to do with their lives while we wait for His return.
To this point in our study of Matthew 24-25 we have learned that though we cannot know the exact day and time of the Lord's physical return, we can know some of the signs of His coming. Secondly, we learned that in the later days of the seven year tribulation that the antichrist will rise to power making earth an unbelievably difficult place to live, especially as a believer. The next event in world history will be the bodily return of Jesus to this earth where He will set up His kingdom and judge harshly His enemies. Matthew 24:31 says it this way: "And He will send forth His angels with A Great Trumpet!" With all that is going on in our world today, truly the Bible coming to life before our very eyes, could it be that we will be the generation to see the return of Christ? Could this be the generation that hears the trumpet?
The setting of our series "Are We There Yet" is Matthew 24-25, what we commonly refer to as the "Olivet Discourse." It is here that Jesus attempted to answer the disciples question of when He would come again to this earth. He first gave them a list of signs that we should be paying very close attention to. Beginning in verse 15 of chapter 24 Jesus gives us a detailed description of the setting in which the antichrist will appear on the world's stage and take over the control of this world. The Bible refers to this event as the Abomination of Desolation. Could this event be just around the corner in world history? What will be the indicators to watch for? Let's dig into our text and find out.
Over the past few weeks we have been taking a close look at various words that come to mind when we think about Jesus' finished work on the cross. Words like sacrifice, love, victory and mercy. In today's message we will explore exactly what it means when we say that Jesus became our substitute on the cross. He alone was uniquely able to assume this role because only He was perfect in every measure of His being. Turn with me to II Corinthians 5:21 and let's rediscover "The Substitution Of Christ."
As you know we have been taking a close look at the various words that come to mind when we think about the finished work of Christ on the cross. Words like sacrifice, love, victory are the first words that came to my mind when the idea of this series came to my heart. I would like to introduce my next word by asking a question. Having established from Scripture the fact that all men, women, boys and girls are born sinners by nature and by choice, what would you say is the greatest need of mankind from God? There are perhaps many good answers to that question but one exceeds them all. What we all need most from God is mercy. Stay tuned to find out why.
Over the past few weeks we have been exploring the various words that come to mind when we think about the finished work of Christ on the cross. The first word that comes to my mind is "Sacrifice." The second word that comes to mind is "Love." In today's message we will look at the word "Victory." When you think about it, what Jesus accomplished on the cross was the greatest victory in all of human history. Our text this morning, I Corinthians 15 provides us a front row seat to see with great clarity how this victory applies to our individual lives. Pull up a chair and feast your eyes greatest champion of all time as he demonstrates His amazing love for mankind.
In our first sermon in this series "Crosswords" I asked what was the first word that comes to your mind when you think about the crucifixion of Christ? I shared with you that for me that word is "Sacrifice." If you asked me what the second word would be I would say it is the word "Love." When you think about it, the cross was God's greatest demonstration of love for the world. In our message today we will examine fully the depth, width, and height of God's amazing love for every person who has ever lived, is living now and will ever live.
If I were to ask you what word best describes Jesus' willingness to be crucified for the sins of the world, how would you answer? So many words quickly come to my mind, but first among them is the word sacrifice. Though Jesus' death on the cross was voluntary, we must not ever lose sight of the fact that it was a great sacrifice. In Isaiah 53:4-6 we are treated to the most detailed description of what Jesus was willing to endure to make a way for our sins to be forgiven. Join me today as we explore the greatest sacrifice ever made, and rediscover how that sacrifice applies to our individual lives.
Back in 2017 I felt led by the Lord to dream out loud about what God would have our church accomplish by the end of the year 2020. Each year since I have given an update early in the new year on our progress toward certain goals as well as an update on a new theme for the year. In our message today we will take time to look back and celebrate successes, look around at present needs and look forward to what we still need to accomplish for the Kingdom. Here is praying that God will empower us to make the year 2020 the greatest year in the history of our wonderful congregation.
We live in a world where some studies have determined that as much as 80% of the American population claims they believe in God. The problem with statistics like that is they paint a false picture of what it means to truly be a Christian. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that just because we say we believe in God does not mean we have a personal relationship with Him. As the Bible reminds us in James 2:19 "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and tremble." In our text this morning, James 1:26-27, we are given three tests to help us determine whether we have religion or a genuine relationship with God. According to our text we can tell the difference by our conversation, our compassion and our character. Let's talk about it!
Without question the most controversial subject mentioned in church when discussing living the Christian life is the subject of financial giving. When we discuss the commitment of giving of our time and talent it is a refreshing conversation, but once you bring up giving of our finances all bets are off. Truth being told, you cannot ignore the fact that God commands all believers to give of their time, talent and treasure to further the Kingdom. My personal belief is that every need a local church has financially, God has equipped the people who make up that congregation with the finances to meet those needs. When we give joyfully to the work of the Lord through His church we are never more like Jesus. Our text II Corinthians 8:1-5 makes it abundantly clear that God expects all believers to give Sacrificially, Spontaneously, and Spiritually.
It probably would not take much time for me to convince you that we are living in a time where commitment has become an endangered species. It seems that in our world very few people are truly committed to anything of great value. The term drop out used to apply to a person who decided not to attend school anymore, but today we see people dropping out on their marital vows, financial commitments, jobs, and friendships at an astonishing pace. One place where this trend is most visible is in the local church. Where once the church was a place where commitment was demonstrated in a wide variety of ways, today we see a steady decline in that demonstration. If we are ever to become all that God designed us to be, both as individuals and as a congregation we must be committed in at least three foundational areas. In our message today "Are You Truly Committed" we will explore those three areas.
Maybe it is convenience, maybe it is our unbelievably busy lifestyles, or could it be just a sign of the times? What I am referencing is the obvious lack of commitment in the Christian faith when it comes to worship attendance. Yes, I know that people have more options than ever before to tune in for worship. Whether it is radio, television or live streaming through the internet, the options are seemingly endless. What does the Bible have to say on the subject? Does it really matter whether I gather on a regular basis with other believers for worship? In today's message "Our Absolute Need For Corporate Worship" we will explore these and other important questions and reveal why corporate worship is so vitally important in the life of every believer.
As we continue our journey to build a solid foundation for the new year, the brick and mortar we are choosing to use are the spiritual disciplines revealed to us in the scriptures. Perhaps the most overlooked of all of these spiritual disciplines is Fasting and Praying. Although many of us were never taught this discipline, Matthew 6:16 makes it abundantly clear that God expects all believers to practice fasting as an integral exercise while living out the Christian life. In this message you will be exposed to a challenging but spiritually rewarding pathway to becoming a greater blessing for the Lord and being greatly blessed by the Lord.
Here at the beginning of 2020 we are going to spend five weeks concentrating on how we can both individually and corporately position ourselves to both be a blessing for God and be blessed by God. The title of our first message in this series truly speaks for itself. Getting "Positioned For Blessing Starts With You." Our text (Psalm 51:1-12) will reveal the exact steps we each need to take to begin this journey. It will involve taking responsibility for our sin, asking for and receiving God's forgiveness and requesting a fresh work of God in our lives. None of this will ever occur until you are willing to take a good look in the mirror and let the transformation start with you.