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