Why Church Part 2 – The Pastors Calling (Titus 2:15)
Why Church?
There are some things that we do without thinking about it very much. Breathing is a good example. Most likely, you did not have to consciously make yourself breathe when you woke up this morning. You do it because it comes naturally, and you don’t think much about it. But if you were forced to stop and think about it, you would remember just how important breathing is.
Maybe coming to church is like that for you. Perhaps you didn’t give much thought to why you came to church or how important it really is. Maybe you came simply out of habit, or duty, or for good luck, or just out of curiosity. Or it could be that you are here today because you understand the importance of the church and want to serve God and honor Him by participating in this Divine institution ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Beginning today and for the next few weeks, I want to ask and answer questions like, What is the church? Why does it exist? Why should we get involved in all the things that a church does? Why should we go faithfully? Why should we join? Why should we give money to the church? Why should we pray for the church?
In short, I want to answer the question, “Why church?” We begin with the big answer to that big question: the church exists because Jesus wants it to. The church is so important to Jesus that He began the church, He bought the church, and He is still building the church. If Jesus is important to you, then the church should be important to you, because the church is important to Jesus.
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- Jun 9, 2024Why Church Part 2 – The Pastors Calling (Titus 2:15)
Why Church Part 2 – The Pastors Calling (Titus 2:15)Why Church?There are some things that we do without thinking about it very much. Breathing is a good example. Most likely, you did not have to consciously make yourself breathe when you woke up this morning. You do it because it comes naturally, and you don’t think much about it. But if you were forced to stop and think about it, you would remember just how important breathing is.Maybe coming to church is like that for you. Perhaps you didn’t give much thought to why you came to church or how important it really is. Maybe you came simply out of habit, or duty, or for good luck, or just out of curiosity. Or it could be that you are here today because you understand the importance of the church and want to serve God and honor Him by participating in this Divine institution ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ.Beginning today and for the next few weeks, I want to ask and answer questions like, What is the church? Why does it exist? Why should we get involved in all the things that a church does? Why should we go faithfully? Why should we join? Why should we give money to the church? Why should we pray for the church?In short, I want to answer the question, “Why church?” We begin with the big answer to that big question: the church exists because Jesus wants it to. The church is so important to Jesus that He began the church, He bought the church, and He is still building the church. If Jesus is important to you, then the church should be important to you, because the church is important to Jesus.
- Jun 9, 2024Why Church? (Matthew 16)
Why Church? (Matthew 16)Why Church?There are some things that we do without thinking about it very much. Breathing is a good example. Most likely, you did not have to consciously make yourself breathe when you woke up this morning. You do it because it comes naturally, and you don’t think much about it. But if you were forced to stop and think about it, you would remember just how important breathing is.Maybe coming to church is like that for you. Perhaps you didn’t give much thought to why you came to church or how important it really is. Maybe you came simply out of habit, or duty, or for good luck, or just out of curiosity. Or it could be that you are here today because you understand the importance of the church and want to serve God and honor Him by participating in this Divine institution ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ.Beginning today and for the next few weeks, I want to ask and answer questions like, What is the church? Why does it exist? Why should we get involved in all the things that a church does? Why should we go faithfully? Why should we join? Why should we give money to the church? Why should we pray for the church?In short, I want to answer the question, “Why church?” We begin with the big answer to that big question: the church exists because Jesus wants it to. The church is so important to Jesus that He began the church, He bought the church, and He is still building the church. If Jesus is important to you, then the church should be important to you, because the church is important to Jesus.
- Jun 2, 2024The Potter and the Clay (Jeremiah 18:1-11)
The Potter and the Clay (Jeremiah 18:1-11)O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
- May 26, 2024Godly Counsel Illustrated (Joshua 9:1-27)
Godly Counsel Illustrated (Joshua 9:1-27)
- May 26, 2024Godly Counsel (Proverbs 12:2)
Godly Counsel (Proverbs 12:2)We have a universal need for godly counsel, Ironically, we also have a nearly universal tendency to spurn godly counsel. In our pride, we think that we have all the answers, or at least that we can figure them out on our own. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” It is rare for someone to admit their ignorance and consistently seek wise counsel as a matter of course. Those who do seek counsel often shop around until they find someone who tells them what they want to hear or agrees with what they have already decided.We need counsel because we do not know everything. We have gaps in our knowledge that we may not even be aware of. We need instruction and advice from outside sources to make up for this lack.Where we go for counsel is just as important as if we seek counsel. In fact, bad advice can sometimes be worse than no advice at all. It is crucial that we go to the right sources when seeking counsel. Getting good counsel is not always easy. It requires a lot of work, but the reward is worth it.Once we have received good counsel, it is up to us to use it properly. Knowing what to do and not doing it benefits no one. Having admitted our need and properly sought godly counsel, we must then act on it. When we do, we find that we make wiser choices. That is good for us, and it glorifies God the most.
- May 19, 2024The Passover Picture (Exodus 12)
The Passover Picture (Exodus 12)
- May 19, 2024What Will It Take? (Exodus 6)
What Will It Take? (Exodus 6)If we had to make a list of the most stubborn characters in the Bible, Pharaoh would certainly be close to the top of that list. When Moses told him that God said, “Let me people go,” he immediately responded by saying, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?”What followed were the most famous series of catastrophes in history known as the ten plagues. After each plagues, Pharaoh had the chance to yield to God but stubbornly refused to do so. He thought that he could defy God, but God would get the last word. The Lord told Moses, “Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.” (Exodus 6:1)Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart against the Lord until the last plague, when God finally broke Pharaoh’s will. The tenth plague was the plague of the death angel. That night, every firstborn son in Egypt died, including Pharaoh’s son. But God knew what it would take to make Pharaoh listen.Pharaoh probably never considered that his stubbornness would cost him his son. His pride and selfishness had blinded him to the consequences of his stubbornness, just as our pride and selfishness blinds us. If you are stubbornly refusing to yield to God, you need to know that it is not worth it to resist God. What will it take to get your attention?
- May 12, 2024The Generational Impact of Motherhood
The Generational Impact of MotherhoodHow much is a mother worth? The question seems almost disrespectful to ask, because they are priceless. Salary.com completed a survey in 2021 “tracking real-time market prices of all the jobs that moms perform. The result? The median annual salary for stay-at-home moms [was] $184,820.”But in a strange twist of irony, many mothers doubt whether the hard work, long hours, and sometimes frustrating monotony of motherhood is worth it. The modern ideal of a career woman who climbs corporate ladders, earns large salaries, and live free to do as she pleases tempts women to think that making motherhood a priority is somehow inferior.A godly mother will have a positive impact that will last for generations. A mother has influence on her children, her grandchildren, and everyone that is touched by their lives. The ripple effect of a mother’s faith will encircle more and more people as time goes on.We see proof of this in the testimony of two women in the Bible particularly. Both had such an impact one young man’s life that the Holy Spirit commended them in the pages of scripture. The young man’s name was Timothy, and the women were Lois and Eunice, his grandmother and mother. Their godly testimony became a blessing on countless souls through the life of Timothy. On this mother’s day, each mother must recognize that she if having an impact on generations to come and use her influence by God’s grace to lead others to follow the Lord.
- Apr 21, 2024What Being Spirit Filled Looks Like (Ephesians 5:18-21)
What Being Spirit Filled Looks Like (Ephesians 5:18-21)The city of Ephesus in ancient times was known for a festival in which they would worship a false god called Bacchus. Bacchus was the god of wine, and their worship involved rampant drunkenness. The first century Ephesian believers that Paul wrote to knew all too well the effects of being “drunk with wine,” yet the Holy Spirit chose to use that imagery to explain an important truth about how He works in our lives.When you are sober, your God-given ability to reason stops you from blindly following the impulsive desires of your flesh. When you are drunk, you don’t think things through properly. You don’t think about the consequences of your actions, but instead you do what you feel like doing at any given moment. People who are drunk are more likely to do things that will hurt themselves and hurt others. The more drunk one becomes, the worse it gets. That is why the Bible is crystal clear about avoiding intoxicating substances. (Proverbs 20:1)The Holy Spirit has the exact opposite effect in our lives. When we are under His influence, we are controlled by God’s desires and the desires of our flesh are inhibited. This is the concept known as the filling of the Spirit. Just like the unbelievers in Ephesus would fill themselves with their “god” and then behave horribly as they were “under the influence,” believers are to be filled with the Spirit and behave according to His influence. As Christians, we should be "filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18) allowing Him to influence every part of our life.
- Apr 21, 2024The Filling Of The Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-21)
The Filling Of The Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-21)The city of Ephesus in ancient times was known for a festival in which they would worship a false god called Bacchus. Bacchus was the god of wine, and their worship involved rampant drunkenness. The first century Ephesian believers that Paul wrote to knew all too well the effects of being “drunk with wine,” yet the Holy Spirit chose to use that imagery to explain an important truth about how He works in our lives.When you are sober, your God-given ability to reason stops you from blindly following the impulsive desires of your flesh. When you are drunk, you don’t think things through properly. You don’t think about the consequences of your actions, but instead you do what you feel like doing at any given moment. People who are drunk are more likely to do things that will hurt themselves and hurt others. The more drunk one becomes, the worse it gets. That is why the Bible is crystal clear about avoiding intoxicating substances. (Proverbs 20:1)The Holy Spirit has the exact opposite effect in our lives. When we are under His influence, we are controlled by God’s desires and the desires of our flesh are inhibited. This is the concept known as the filling of the Spirit. Just like the unbelievers in Ephesus would fill themselves with their “god” and then behave horribly as they were “under the influence,” believers are to be filled with the Spirit and behave according to His influence. As Christians, we should be "filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18) allowing Him to influence every part of our life.
- Apr 7, 2024Peters Journey of Surrender (Matthew 4:18-20)
Peters Journey of Surrender (Matthew 4:18-20)
- Apr 7, 2024Surrender to the Lord (Luke 6:46)
Surrender to the Lord (Luke 6:46)As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus is not a god. He is the Lord God, coequal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. But what exactly does it mean to call Jesus your “Lord”? The term “lord” is not as familiar to those of us who live under a representative form of government. In other times and places, a “lord” was someone who had total rule over others. The Biblical term means much the same thing. To call Jesus “Lord” is to acknowledge His right to rule. If you call Jesus your Lord, then He should have total rule over your life. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, but the question that remains to be answered is, is He truly your Lord?In Luke 6:46, Jesus said, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” It is possible to call Jesus your “Lord” and yet not be in obedience to Him. He could be your Lord in name only if you are not surrendered to his Lordship in your life.There is a direct connection between victorious Christian living and the Lordship of Christ. As long as we are following the desires of our flesh, we will continue to live in defeat to sin. As long as you are living for yourself, you will be frustrated and dissatisfied. To enjoy the victory over sin that Jesus has won for us and find peace and fulfillment in Christ, we must live surrendered to His rule in our lives.
- Mar 31, 2024“I say unto thee, Arise” (Luke 7:11-17)
“I say unto thee, Arise” (Luke 7:11-17)And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
- Mar 31, 2024“O Grave, Where Is Thy Victory?” (I Corinthians 15)
“O Grave, Where Is Thy Victory?” (I Corinthians 15)For all of human history, people have been obsessed with cheating death. There is something in our consciences put there by God that lets us know that death is not a good thing. Death came to creation as a result of man’s sin. Sin causes all our problems, and the greatest problem it causes is death. Is there a solution to our sin problem and, therefore, a solution to the problem of death? Despite all of our scientific advancements and attempts to avoid death, the fact remains that each of us will die.What, then, is to be done? Is there no hope? There is hope, but it is not found in us. Hope is found in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ solved our sin problem when he “became sin for us” and “died for us.” He paid the penalty for our sin so that we could be delivered from death. But the gospel message also includes the fact that Jesus rose again. The resurrection proves that Jesus is the conqueror of sin and death. Death has been “swallowed up in victory,” and now God offers to give victory over sin to all who will place their faith in Jesus Christ.God does not want us to live in defeat to sin. He wants us to live in victory, and He freely “giveth us the victory through Lord Jesus Christ.” Through faith in Jesus, you can be saved from your sins and receive eternal life. And as a Christian, you can live in victory over sin and death “through our Lord Jesus Christ.” On this Resurrection Sunday, let us praise the Lord who gives us victory in Jesus!
- Mar 24, 2024Man’s First Sin (Genesis 3)
Man’s First Sin (Genesis 3)
