Where was Jesus? Everyone was seeking him in Capernaum and couldn't find him, When his disciples did find him he was outside of town praying! What was he thinking? The crowds were his. Why did he leave?
The answer reveals why Jesus was the most successful person to ever live. His 'secrets' of success were simple. We can apply them to the same effect.
We begin our study of the Gospel of Mark this morning. In Mark 1:1 we'll discover Mark's theme, then in Mark 1:2-34 we'll begin to discover who Jesus is. Interestingly, Mark says nothing about Jesus before he appears to be baptized by John. No angelic announcements of his birth, no manger, no shepherds, no wise men. Jesus is a grown man when he shows up in Mark's gospel.
Mark's story moves quickly. Despite this, one question seems to be on everyone's lips, "Who is this man, Jesus?". It is a question that people will continue to ask in his Gospel. It is exactly the question Mark wanted his readers to challenge his readers with.
Mark's also story challenges us to answer this question. We'll find plenty of evidence in these opening verses to begin to form an answer.
Rest has always been a part of God's plan for us. In a nation of overworked and tired out people many of us need to relearn God's intentions for rest, value rest as God does for us, and make room for rest in our lives. That's what this message is about.
In this message we'll remember a simple fact about Jesus that can have a profound effect on how we look at our work. This truth calls us to a decision that can have far-reaching consequences on our work, career, and Christian life. Hopefully it is a decision you've already made, but if not, one that you'll make right away.
As a follower of Jesus I want to influence every place I am for Him, including work. That is a challenge. Can I take God to work and if so, how? That is what we'll discuss in this message.
We've learned that we were designed by God for work and that work produces many benefits for us and others. But how much work is enough work? This is a very real question since statistics tell us over 66% of American workers don't feel they have work-life balance.
In this message we'll share some truths that apply to this question, look for a Biblical perspective on this issue, and then list four steps to take if we feel we need better work-life balance.
Does God have any directions for how we are to work? We know he wants us to work, designed us to work, and we've learned why we need to work, but does it matter how we work?
We'll discover he does, and we'll find four answers to that question in this message, Working God's Way.
Last week we discovered (or rediscovered) that God and work go together. God is a worker and he designed us to be workers as well. This week we'll expand on that second point as we discover what the Bible says about you and I and work. We'll do this under two headings: 1. You and I need work, and 2. You and I need a Biblical perspective on work.
Most of us will spend 90,000-100,000 hours working at a job. What does God think of work? Is work part of his plan? If so, what priority it should have? How much should i give to my job? How do I handle a difficult supervisor or co-worker? Am I in the right job?
These and other questions come up whenever Christians have serious discussions about work.
In the next few messages we'll take up the subject of God at work and try to answer some of these questions. This week we'll lay a foundation by asserting three things about God and work: (1) God and work go together, (2) Work is part of God's plan for our life, and (3) All of life (including work) is to be one integrated whole.
Jesus took time with a curious Jewish leader named Nicodemus to explain that he needed a new birth, a spiritual rebirth. In this message we learn how through faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary we can experience the new birth.
Isaac Watts penned Joy tot the World way back in 1719, over300 years ago, and yet it is in the record books for being in the most North American hymnals, 1387 at last count. It was also Time Magazine's second most recorded song between 1978 and 2014, It is certainly popular and for good reason, Joy and Christmas go together.
In this message we'll discover the many connections between the words Isaac Watts wrote and the good news that has brought millions of people throughout the world to new life in Christ.
The Gospel in Our Favorite Christmas Songs #3: Joy to the World
O Holy Night was the #3 most recorded Christmas song between 1978 and 2014 according to a Time Magazine study of copyright information for that 35 year period. It's clearly one of our favorites.
The song has an interesting back story. The words contain a wealth of gospel content. Singing it leads most of us into meaningful worship. Its worth our time to see what the words convey so that we might sing it with deeper meaning this Christmas.
The Gospel in Our Favorite Christmas Songs #2: O Holy Night
I love playing and hearing Christmas music during the Christmas season. I know in church we enjoy singing Christmas songs during Christmas. Christmas music puts us in the Christmas spirit, and lets us celebrate what Christmas is really about.
In this message, and the next two, we'll look a three favorite Christmas songs of our church and they to see how the gospel (which we just studied in the book of Romans) is revealed in them. Hopefully this will allow us to hear and sing them with greater appreciation and to see the entire Christmas story more clearly. Christmas isn't just about mangers, shepherds, stars, and wise men as these songs reveal.
The Gospel in Our Favorite Christmas Songs, #1: O Come O Come Emmanuel
Paul draws his letter to the Roman church by greeting over 25 gospel-transformed Jewish and Gentiles believers he knows in the Roman Church. He then warns them of a danger they must watch out for, sends greeting from his team members, and then points them to the God of the gospel, the one worthy of all glory forever.
Paul thus finishes the most important Christian letter ever written, a letter focused on the gospel of God from beginning to end. It is full of important truths for all born-again believer to this day.
Paul turns from the gospel to sharing his future plans with the Roman Christians. He wants to visit them on the way to Spain and to be helped by them in getting to Spain and being able to do mission work there.
Paul needed the Romans to partner with him in missions. He needed financial support, practical help, and perhaps, a fellow traveler or two from the church to join him.
Missionaries and missions need partners today. Will you partner with a missionary or mission to further the gospel in our time?
As Paul begins to close out his letter he deals with the possibility of his motives for writing being misunderstood. Since he'd had no direct contact with the church in the past, some might have wondered why he'd suddenly be writing them and writing, at least in some cases, rather directly.
To explain, Paul refers to his mission and how the Roman Christians are part of that mission. He goes on to glorify God for the role he's allowed him to have in that mission, a unique mission, to preach the gospel where it had never been preached.