How The Gospel Of Christ Is Good For Us

Last night we wrapped up our series on the book, Good News For Anxious Christians and reviewed the major points of the book. This blog post will be short and if you want to know more about what we talked about last night, read the last 10 posts. Also, if you didn't know, you can listen to all the sermons on our website. The link is http://www.hillsidelbc.org/#/media/lumen

The message of the gospel is that Christ has done everything for your salvation. We have a mixed up view that in order to be saved we have to do something. Pastor Bruce used the example last night of drowning. If you are drowning, by definition, there is nothing you can do to save yourself. If you could, you wouldn't be drowning. Christ saves us. He has done the work. You don't have to do anything. This is truly good news and why the gospel is good for us. Next week we will be video chatting with Phillip Cary. He will be answering "all" of our questions so come prepared. If you haven't read the book, you still have one week left!

Jeff

Setlist

Freedom Is Here - Hillsong

The Lord Regins - Gateway Worship

Sing Sing Sing - Chris Tomlin

Maker Of Heaven - Desperation Band

Unfailing God - New Life Worship

Why Basing Faith On Experience Leads To A Post-Christian Future

On Tuesday night Pastor Bruce shared with us about the importance of doctrine. Phillip Cary shares in the last chapter that much of what we based our faith on is our experience is with God. This unfortunately leads to bad doctrine because sometimes our experiences are good and sometimes they are not. For instance, if your life and what you are experiencing makes you feel like God is far away and distance from you, you could create a doctrine in your own mind that says "sometimes God leaves me" or "God has abandoned me". That is what our experience is teaching us. But we need to base our doctrine or what we thinking about God on His Word. In Joshua 1:5 God speaks to Joshua and says, "I will not leave you or forsake you." That is comforting news, especially when God "feels" far away. While we may feel like God is far away, He is actually is very close because he has said he will not leave us. Cary makes the argument that eventually all of the doctrines are lost when we base our faith on experience. We must dig into God word, so that when we do experience hard times, we know who God is, and that he is always with us.

Jeff

Setlist

For Who You Are - Hillsong

Your Name High - Hillsong

Hosanna - Hillsong

You Alone Can Rescue - Matt Redman

Came To My Rescue - Hillsong

Why "Applying It To Your Life" Is Boring

Last night Pastor Brad shared with us about why applying a sermon thought or idea to your life is boring. Many times we are so interested in what we need to do with the message that we miss the most important part, the gospel. This is the good news. This is what Christ has done. Ultimately it is what Christ has done that is the most important thing, not what we do about what Christ has done. Unfortunately this a very common trend in churches today. You will often hear people comment about how much they like a church because it "helps them" or they "learned how to do x,y,z..." Is that what preaching is about? Helping people become better people? Or is it about sharing the gospel with people who really can't help themselves at all? Does the gospel message have added benefits that make our lives better? Yes, of course. But our "better lives" are not the purpose of preaching or the church. Our better lives are the by-product of what Jesus has already done! They are the begin of our faith, not the end or goal. Let us together, focus on the fact that our transformation in Christ, is at the beginning of our faith and ultimately accomplished when Christ returns. In the meantime, we have to share the gospel with everyone so they can experience God's grace and receive eternal life, not just become better people.

Jeff

Setlist

Here For You - Chris Tomlin

Hosanna - Paul Baloche

Glorified - Jared Anderson

How Great Is The Love - Paul Baloche

Stronger - Hillsong

Why You Don't Have To Keep Getting Transformed All The Time

Last night Pastor Bruce shared with us about why we don't have to keep getting transformed. This was a hot topic because many people stayed and spoke to each other about the topic. As Christians, sometimes we get caught up in the latest fad, or trend is Christianity. This is not uncommon. A book becomes a New York Times best seller and suddenly everyone's life is purpose driven and the prayer of Jabez is prayed like never before. While I believe the intentions of these authors in good, I believe that the Christian community takes these book and ideas to the next level. An example would be tithing. Tithing is a wonderful practice and a biblical principle that we should follow. But when we hear terms like "seed money" and "God blesses a joyful giver", what was once a good practice and biblical principle has become a distortion and a lie. God desires for us to become holy, just as our God is holy. But we do not need to become "better" Christians. It's actually an oxymoron. We can't become better, it is Christ who works through us while we are in our fallen state. God has done an amazing work in your life if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. Embrace this. Learn more about it in His word and don't be anxious about the work you have to do to become "transformed". I will be on vacation next week and will miss you all terribly.

Jeff

Setlist

Freedom Is Here - Hillsong

Alive And Running - Kristian Stanfill

The Stand - Hillsong

To The Cross - Paul Baloche

How Great Is The Love - Paul Baloche

Why You Don't Have To Worry About Splitting Head From Heart

There seems to be a constant battle in our own heads about how we should make decisions and live our lives. This battle is between the our brains or our logic/reason and our hearts or our emotions. Should we react to situation with logic and reason or should we rely on our emotions to guide us? Many times in our spiritual lives we want to separate the head from the heart so we can "do great things for God" because we don't want our brains talk us out of it. We need to "Let go (of thinking) and let God". Right? Last Tuesday Pastor Brad shared with us about why we don't have to worry about splitting our head from our heart and that God made us the way we are for a reason. God gave us minds to think and hearts to feel and these are not enemies. God wants all of us, not just our hearts. He wants us to feel the emotion of love for Him, but not at the sake of "knowing" him for who he really is. Sometimes when we first meet a person, we can think, "Wow, that person is really good looking." Maybe we admire them from a far and begin to develop a crush or feelings for this person. When you actually meet them, talk to them, and begin to know them, sometimes the beauty goes away because you "know" that person for who they really are. Sometimes the person becomes even more attractive because they are a great person on the inside as well. We need to know God in this way. We need to know who he really is(psst, the details are in the Bible) and also love God for who he is and what he has done.

Jeff

Setlist

The First And The Last

One Way

Your Grace Is Enough

Jesus Paid It All

To The Cross

Why You Don't Have To Be Sure You Have The Right Motivations

Last night Pastor Bruce shared with us about why you don't have to be sure you have the right motivations. Often times when we are making decisions, we wonder what the driving force is behind the decision. This is often a question for worship leaders like myself. If we are introducing a new song, why? Because I like and I want to do it? Yes. Because it will fit with the set as a whole and make a good illustration for the sermon? Yes. Because God placed this song on my heart for such a time as this? All yes! It's impossible to know for sure why I'm introducing this new song because the Bible speaks of the heart being deceitful above all things. I'm sure I could go around and around with the reasons for why I'm doing this, but ultimately I can't tell because I may be lying to myself. The Bible speaks of not looking so much at my motivations, but if my actions are actually helping my neighbor. To use the example of introducing a new song, if that song helps people understand God truth, if that song helps people worship God, if that song helps people understand the gospel better, then it's a good thing and my motives for why don't really matter. Regardless God worked through that song. Sometimes we will have bad motives. Sometime we will have good. Sometimes both. We have to look at things on the basis of whether it helps another, cares for another, and loves another, not as to why we are doing it. The heart cannot examine itself and is deceitful above all things. Let's make sure we are loving and serving our neighbors and be less concerned with why we are doing it. We are doing it because God first loved us.

Jeff

Setlist

Happy Day - Tim Hughes

The Lord Reigns -Gateway Worship

Overcome - New Life Worship

Just to Be With You - Paul Baloche

Unfailing God - New Life Worship

Why You Don't Have To "Find God's Will For Your Life"

Last night we had our first ever, Lumen Tailgate! It was awesome. If you missed it, that's unfortunate. Don't worry, we will be having more over the summer. Pastor Brad shared with us about the most important topic (it seems) of God's Will for Your Life. We have so many decision to make in life, who to marry, where to go to college, what line of work we should pursue. All of these things are important, and they matter to God. Many of us think that God has a hidden will for our lives. If we could only discover it, then we will be perfectly happy and doing exactly what God has for us. Cary, in his book Good News for Anxious Christians explains that God does not have a "hidden will" for your life, but that He has expressed His will for your life in His word. God desires all men to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Therefore, part of God's will for your life is that you live in a way that brings glory to your Father in heaven (general) and that you tell others about your relationship with God and tell them that God wants to have a relationship with them also (specific). It's not that God doesn't care about who you marry or what you do with your life, but he leaves that up to us. We can make those decision by becoming wise through the scriptures. Wisdom is the key, not a view of God where we need to consult him about what t-shirt we wear or what we should have for breakfast. Let us, as a church, pursue the revealed will of God, that He Himself has revealed in His word. Let us love mercy and justice and walk humble with God. Let us love our neighbors as ourselves. We can do it through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we still need to it! Maybe you are experiencing anxiety about something in your life or maybe even "God's Will for your life". We are always here to talk to you and care for you. We will see you all next week!

Jeff

Setlist

Your Name High - Hillsong

Alive And Running - Kristian Stanfill

Hosanna - Hillsong

The Stand - Hillsong

Why You Don't Have To "Let God Take Control"

Last night Pastor Bruce shared with us from the gospel of Luke, the parable of the minas, or talents. I am sure you have heard this saying before. "You just need to let God take control of your life." We even have hit country songs like "Jesus take the wheel." What does it mean to Let God Take Control? And again, as I mentioned in the last blog post, how do we know

(there is that question again) if we are letting God take control of our lives. In the parable of the talents, Jesus explains that the Master (God) gives each of His servants (us) a talent or minas to invest. A minas is about 20 years salary, so it's quite a bit of money! The Master receives the first two servants because they have used their talents to create more talents, one making 10 times and one making 5 times. The last servant keep his talent and does nothing with it. The Master is very angry and has the servant killed in the end of the parable. Wow, that's harsh! So what does this all mean? This means that God gives each of us work to do once we have received the gift of salvation. Some of this work is specific, our careers, our individual ministries, and some are more general, sharing your faith, giving to the work of the church, etc. But all of this work is done by us, through the grace that God gives us. Even though it is through His grace, it is still our work. We are doing it. Often times we think of God working through us as an Either/Or statement. Either God is doing the work, Or I am. But this is not true. In fact, this is a Both/And statement. When you are working, both God and you are at work. Pastor Bruce makes the point that because God is all powerful, all knowing, King and Lord over everything, you don't LET God do anything. God works and moves, not because we LET Him, but because he is God. Be encouraged that we don't have to let God take control, he already is. We again need to seek wisdom and accomplish the task that God has already revealed to us in his Word. Thank God that he has given us the Holy Spirit and that we able to do the work he has for us through His grace.

Jeff

Setlist

Counting on God - New Life Worship

Break Free - Hillsong

Salvation Is Here - Hillsong

Here For You - Chris Tomlin

Freedom Is Here - Hillong

Why You Don't Have To Believe Your Intuitions Are The Holy Spirit

Last Tuesday Pastor Brad shared with us about how God has given us all the ability to think and act. Sometimes we are confused as to whether this is our own minds, or if these thoughts are the Holy Spirit? This is very similar to the week before when Pastor Bruce shared about God speaking from our hearts. So the question is, what are these thought, and how do we really know if they are the Holy Spirit or not? Cary, in his book, explains that any time we have the question, "How do you know?" LOOK OUT! This is probably what is causing anxiety in our lives and is a part of what he calls the "New Evangelical Theology". The Holy Spirit ministers to us by comforting us and convicting us of sin. Again the Holy Spirit, and God the Father have revealed themselves to us in the Word, and do not speak from within us. They minister to us from the outside, to our hearts, even though when we become Christians, Christ dwells within us. We must strive for wisdom because that helps us to make better decisions in our lives. The Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, shapes our hearts also and helps us to use that wisdom to accomplish the will of the Father, i.e. preaching the gospel, love your neighbor. More to come this week and I'm looking forward to it.

Jeff

Setlist

Your Grace Is Enough - Matt Maher

Great and Glorious - ALM:UK

You Alone Can Rescue - Matt Redman

Maker of Heaven - Desperation Band

How Great Thou Art - Paul Baloche

Why You Don't Have To Hear God's Voice In Your Heart

Last night we started a new series based on the book "Good News for Anxious Christians" by Phillip Cary. The first chapter of the book is entitled Why You Don't Have To Hear God's Voice In Your Heart. Pastor Bruce explained that God does not speak from your heart, but rather the voice or sense that you have from your heart is in fact, yourself. God has spoken and continues to speak from His Word. If you want to hear the voice of God, read the Bible. Often times we want to make sure we are making the right decisions in life, who to marry, what job to take, etc. We can become anxious because we want to follow Christ and His ways, but we also have our own feelings and emotions that tell us all kinds of things. God has given us His Word so that we can know who Jesus is, and also so that we have instructions about what to do with our faith once we receive it from God. An example of this would be "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength", or "Go into all the world and make disciples". When we have questions that are not specifically answered in scripture, we have the freedom in Christ to choose what we want to do. The example Pastor Bruce gave is, "Do you buy a Chevy or a Ford?" God created us with brains to think, and also minds that can make wise decisions. Ultimately God is not concerned about the car you drive or purchase, but there are biblical principles (wisdom) that can go into making a major decision. Stewardship would be a good example of how you would choose to purchase a car, using the money you have to buy the best product possible. It is ok to listen to your heart, but realize that it is yourself that you are listening to. God has spoken and continues to speak in His Word. Let us strive to know Christ more from His Word and let us also seek wisdom in our own lives to bring glory to God!

At the end of the night, we had a Q&A session where we texted in question for Pastor Bruce to answer. This was really cool and gave us a chance to hear how people responded to the message, and also what questions people had about the topic. We will do this again and have some of the questions posted here and we can discuss them. Also, if you ever want to respond or have questions about anything that I write on this blog, please feel free to leave a comment below! We love you guys and have a great week.

Jeff

Set List

The First And The Last - Hillsong

Say Say - Kristian Stanfill

One Way - Hillsong

From The Inside Out - Hillsong

Disciplines:Simplicity

On Tuesday night Pastor Brad shared with us from the sermon on the mount about the discipline of simplicity. The main text for the night was Matthew 5:37 "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil." The context is making Oaths and swearing by God's name, the heavens or your own head. Jesus is instructing them to let your yes or your no be good enough for whatever agreement or argument you are in. By living a life where you are true to your word, it simplifies a lot of the problems we have in our personal lives. Many of the problems we have in life come from broken vows. We make promises we can't keep, but make them anyway in the hope that circumstances will change or situations will be different. Ultimately these promises, when broken, hurt our relationships with others. This is very hard discipline because things are not always black and white, yes or no. This week, ask God for wisdom to make the right decisions, the discipline to live a simple life and for strength to keep the oaths we make to God and to each other.

Jeff

Setlist

Here For You - Chris Tomlin

Happy Day - Tim Hughes

We Will Sing - New Life Worship

The Stand - Hillsong

Came To My Rescue - Hillsong

Disciplines:Committment

Last night we meet in the fireside room because the sanctuary is under construction. It was a great night of simple worship without all loudness of drums and electric guitars. Don't get me wrong, I love drums and electric guitars, but there is just something special about singing music to God with simple instrumentation. Pastor Bruce shared again from the sermon on the mount in Matthew about Lust and Divorce. In the passage Jesus makes some startling statements about gorging out your eyes and cutting off your hands. These are meant as exaggerations and not literal actions. But Jesus' great point is that the smaller sins, lust and anger, lead to greater sins such as murder and divorce. Jesus wants us to avoid every kind of sin so that we can maintain our faith in Him, and also so that we don't have to live with the consequences of that sin. When I think about my own life, I am so thankful that I am in a committed relationship with my wife. I am very secure in that relationship because we have vowed to stay together. We are committed to each other. If two humans can be so committed to each other that they vow to stay together regardless of feelings and actions, how much great must God be committed to us, to sacrifice His only Son so that we can have a relationship with Him. Be encouraged, God is for us, he is committed to us, and He loves us with an everlasting love! Have a great week and hopefully next week we will be back in the sanctuary.

Jeff

Setlist

How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin

Glorified - Jared Anderson

Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman

Healer - Hillsong

Just To Be With You - Paul Baloche

Disciplines:Forgiveness

Hey everyone,

Sorry this is a day late, I've been really busy because we are doing some major sound renovations in our sanctuary. Please pray for this project which is the rest of this week and most of next week.

Pastor Bruce shared on Tuesday night about the discipline of forgiveness. Forgiveness is hard because, once again, we can't stand on our right to be mad, stay anger, or get revenge on a person who has wronged us. Romans 5:8 says "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." That verse doesn't say, "Once we felt bad about what we have done and asked for forgiveness, Christ died for us." Christ died for us while we were still His enemy. We are enemies of God in our fallen state. It is only because of the blood of Jesus that we can have a relationship with God. That blood washes and covers our sins so that we can truly be forgiven.

I understand that people can hurt you very deeply, and that it is hard to truly forgive those who have done such things. But embrace the forgiveness that Christ has given you, through His Son, and hopefully that forgiveness will make it's way, through you, into others lives as well.

Jeff

Setlist

My Savior Lives - New Life Worship

Alive And Running - Kristian Stanfill

Break Free - Hillsong

Hosanna - Hillsong

How Great Is The Love - Paul Baloche

P.S. Next week we will be meeting in the fireside room because of construction in the sanctuary! See you then!

Disciplines:Holiness

Last night Pastor Bruce shared about the discipline of holiness. Holiness means set apart, or completely other. God is holy because it is his nature, and also because he is completely set apart and completely other from us. Pastor Bruce encouraged us that as we are salt and light in the world, we should be different and set apart, not in an arrogant or condescending way, but that people should notice a difference. Salt makes food last longer and taste better. Light is helpful to discover new things and dispel darkness. While the discipline is hard, it will ultimately bring glory to God and help us battle the devil. The concept of Lumen is actually based on Matthew 5:15, "You are the light of the world." Be a light to those around you this week, and as "let your light shine before others, they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Jeff

Setlist

Your Name High - Hillsong

Alive and Running - Kristian Stanfill

Counting on God - New Life Worship

Overcome - New Life Worship

Sweetly Broken - Jeremy Riddle

Honk If You Love Jesus

Last night Pastor Brad finished up the series on Bumper Sticker Theology. The season of Lent and Easter reminds us of the great sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, so that we might have a relationship with Him and eternal life after we die. Honk if you love Jesus is a kind of bumper sticker that helps us to feel a part of a greater community. It lets us know that we in fact do love Jesus and we want others to know that. But why do we love Jesus. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love Him because He first loved us." (KJV) That is an awesome thought. That the God of the universe would love us so much that he was create a plan to redeem us. That's why we love God. Once we have experience this great love, how do we respond. Usually in romantic relationships, once a person confesses their undying love for someone else, they want to make the other person happy, spend time with them, and get to know them on a "deeper level". Jesus actually tell us exactly how he wants us to respond to his love. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." John 14:15 The Bible isn't about rules and laws just so that God can control us or manipulate us. We respond to God's love by keeping His commandments or doing what he says. As we go through this week, keep in mind that as you love God and your neighbor, you are responding to a God that loved you first.

Jeff

Setlist

Here for You - Chris Tomlin

Where The Spirit Of the Lord Is - Chris Tomlin

Salvation Is Here - Hillsong

Unfailing God - New Life Worship

The Stand - Hillsong

Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven

What a great time of praise and worship last night. We had lots of visitors and my hope is that you felt welcomed as we worshipped together. Pastor Brad shared from Romans 3 and referenced the bumper sticker, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven". I think the whole premise of this bumper sticker is just off. Do people, both believers and unbelievers expect us to be perfect? I don't believe this to be true. I believe that if you have a moral standard for your life, what is told to us in scripture, I believe that people expect you to live by it and not be a hypocrite. Personally, I extend a lot of grace to others because I know how much grace I need just to live day to day. "Just forgiven" is also a faulty premise. Are we "just forgiven"? When I receive junk mail and my wife asks me "Did we get anything in the mail?" I say, "No, just junk mail." Forgiveness is an amazing thing. It should be in the forefront of our minds and something we should thank God for daily. As we are in the midst of Holy Week, it is awesome to think that the God of the Universe would send His only Son to die on a cross for me and for you, so that we might be forgiven of our sins! Join us next week as we wrap up this series. Also, if you don't have plans for Easter, come and worship with us at Hillside! We have a traditional 9:00 service and a contemporary 11:00 service. Have a great week!

Jeff

Setlist

Hosanna - Paul Baloche

Great and Glorious - ALM:UK

Freedom Is Here - Hillsong

The Stand - Hillsong

Just To Be With You - Paul Baloche

My Boss Isn't Your Boss

Last night Pastor Bruce shared with us from 1 Corinthians 9:15-23 ¹⁵But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. ¹⁶For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

¹⁹For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings."

It is amazing how Paul intentionally witnesses to people through their context or worldview. Pastor Bruce shared how people place their own context on the bumper stickers we have on our cars, the words that we say, and the way we live our lives. A friend of Pastor Bruce mistook a bumper sticker "My boss is a Jewish carpenter" as being racist, even though he is a believer. He didn't make the connection....Jewish Carpenter......Jesus......

We need to live in a way that witnesses to Christ work in us, our unintended witness, but we also need to make sure we are looking for opportunities to intentionally share with others the hope that we have in Christ and "share with them in it's blessings". As you pray this week, ask God to open your eyes to the opportunities you have to share His love with the people around you.

See you all next week!!

Jeff

Setlist

1. Great and Glorious - ALM:UK
2. Happy Day - Tim Hughes
3. Here For You - Chris Tomlin
4. Revelation Song - Gateway Worship
5. Maker of Heaven - Desperation Band

Bumper Sticker Theology

Last night Pastor Brad shared from 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." Often times we like to play "gotcha" with people, when we argue or disagree. Is that the best way to share the gospel with those we know and care about? Is it about proving that we are right and they are wrong? I often think about bumper stickers as a drive by shooting. The van passes by, the shots are fired and the carnage is not really our responsibility, we have delivered our message. We truly do have good news and I believe we can deliver it in a better way. I am looking forward to the rest of this series and I hope that you will join us! I will also be posting the set list from the night from now on as well.

Setlist

Here For You - Chris Tomlin

My Savior Lives - New Life Worship

One Way - Hillsong

Your Grace Is Enough - Matt Maher

From The Inside Out - Hillsong

Jeff

New Series

Hey Everyone! We will be starting a new series this month at Lumen. Pastor Brad will be preaching most of the series entitled "Bumper Sticker Theology". Please come Tuesday nights in April to worship with us and learn from God's Word. I will be trying to update the blog more often so check back! Jeff