Eastview Baptist Church Teaching Podcast

"Come and See" — John 1:35–42 | First DisciplesBig Idea: Following Jesus begins with seeing who He is, continues by staying with Him, and leads us to bring others to Him.Opening Story: In 1931, C.S. Lewis walked and talked for hours with J.R.R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson — twelve days later, Lewis came to believe in Christ. Someone stayed up until 3 a.m. for Lewis. Who stayed up for you?Walking Through the Text:John the Baptist points two disciples away from himself and toward Jesus: "The Lamb of God" (v36)They immediately follow Jesus — the pattern of belief: hear, come, find truth (v37)Jesus turns and asks, "What do you want?" — an invitation everyone must answer (v38)"Where are you staying?" — they wanted more than information; they wanted transformation (v38)"Come and see" — one of Scripture's great pivot points; a curious seeker meets an abundant God (v39)They spend the day with Him — relationship grows by doing life together, not just hearing words (v39)Andrew immediately finds his brother Simon and says, "We have found the Messiah" (v40–41)Jesus meets Peter, knows his full story, and renames him Cephas — chosen in spite of, and ahead of, his failures (v42)Andrew never seeks the spotlight — the truest discipleship happens behind the scenesEmbody: Pick one person. Before Sunday, send them one message (2 sentences or less) naming one true thing Jesus has done in your life. Just Andrew's sentence: "We have found something. You need to see this too."Extend: Someone already came to mind when you heard that question — that's not coincidence. Go be Andrew for someone today. Find them. Say the sentence. Bring them to see for themselves.

Finding God in the music. Structure:1. The SongListen together.2. The LongingWhat ache is underneath?3. The ScripturesWhere has God already answered this?4. The GospelHow does Jesus fulfill this longing?5. The InvitationHow should we live?

Better Than Advertised | John 1:29–34We spend much of our lives waiting for something to finally deliver on its promise—the relationship, the career, the dream, the next thing. But eventually, most of us discover that what we hoped would satisfy us is often smaller than advertised.John the Baptist points us to someone different.When John sees Jesus, he declares, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus isn't another temporary solution to humanity's deepest problem. The sacrifices of the Old Testament could cover sin for a time, but Jesus comes to take it away.At the Jordan, John sees the Spirit descend on Jesus and remain on Him. The Messiah has arrived—not as another philosophy, program, or set of instructions, but as a Person. God Himself has come near.And this confronts one of our deepest idols: control.We keep trying to build our own way back to God through effort, achievement, morality, and self-reliance. But the Gospel tells us that salvation isn't something we accomplish. It's something we receive through surrender to Jesus.The freedom we're looking for isn't on the other side of more effort. It's on the other side of surrender to the Lordship of Jesus.Jesus isn't just as good as advertised.He's better—and unlike every promise that has ever let us down, He's not going anywhere.John 1:29–34Jesus is better than advertised: He is the Lamb of God who takes away our sin, the Son of God who reveals the Father, and the One who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit.#John1 #Jesus #Gospel #ChristianSermon #JohnTheBaptist #LambOfGod #HolySpirit #Faith #Surrender #EastviewBaptistScriptureBig Idea

Come and See | Week 4 | John 1:19–28 | “Who Are You?”John the Baptist: The Voice Preparing the Way                      Phase 1 Question: What is God like? Big Idea: The healthiest identity of self isn't found in becoming the most important person in the room but in becoming who God called you to be and using it to point to Jesus. (We are not the Point, we are here to point, to the Point!)1. DON'T CONFUSE IDENTITY WITH IMPORTANCE — v.19–21"I am not the Messiah." / "I am not [Elijah]." / "No [not the Prophet]."2. FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN GOD'S STORY — v.22–23"I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness... make straight the way."3. USE YOUR IDENTITY TO POINT TO JESUS — v.24–28"Among you stands one you do not know... I am not worthy to untie his sandal."ONE-SENTENCE John knew exactly who he was, refused every identity that wasn't his and used the one that was to point everyone to Jesus. Have you arrived at the end of yourself, to point to the greater one?LANDING LINE

Finding God in the music. Structure:1. The SongListen together.2. The LongingWhat ache is underneath?3. The ScripturesWhere has God already answered this?4. The GospelHow does Jesus fulfill this longing?5. The InvitationHow should we live?

John 1:14–18 | Phase 1: Come and See (What is God like?) | Week 3 | “Grace and Truth”Big Idea: In Jesus, God has come near, given Himself and made Himself known.OPENRead John 1:14–18Every worldview answers: is God distant or near?v.1–5 → Who is Jesus | v.6–13 → How does humanity respond | v.14–18 → What is God likeAnswer isn't a doctrine — it's a Person.________________________________________________________________________________1. GOD COMES NEAR — v.14a"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us."Word = God, uncreated, eternal → became flesh (sarx = ordinary, mortal body)Not humanity climbing to God — God descending to usBabel (up) vs. Bethlehem (down)"Dwelling" = eskēnōsen = "tabernacled" / pitched His tentEden → Tabernacle → Temple → ChristMessage paraphrase: "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood"Truth: Not distant — present. Immanuel.Illustration: Love that never shows up isn't love. God didn't send a letter — He sent Himself.Apply:Stop searching for a far-off GodJesus entered our weakness (Heb 4:15)Your wilderness → Emmanuel is already thereTransition → He didn't just show up. He opened Himself completely...2. GOD GIVES HIMSELF — v.14b–17"Full of grace and truth... we have all received grace upon grace.""We have seen his glory" — glory revealed through ordinary/suffering, not despite it"Grace and truth" = echo of Exodus 34:6 — God's own self-description to Moses (hesed/emet) → OT's summary of God's character now has a facev.16 — "grace upon grace" = wave after wave, never runs dryv.17 — Law (Moses) vs. Grace & Truth (Christ)The greater Moses (prophet) has arrived [Deuteronomy 18:18-19]Not law vs. grace as enemies — Law was gift tooMoses delivered a message. Jesus is the message.Key Truth: Jesus doesn't just tell us what God is like — He embodies it.Illustration: Road sign vs. Guide — a sign points, a guide walks with you and IS the destination.Apply — ask yourself:Truth without grace? (harsh, weaponized)Grace without truth? (soft, no backbone)Jesus: "Neither do I condemn you" + "Go and sin no more" (John 8:11) — same breathTransition → But John's biggest claim is still ahead...3. GOD MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN — v.18"No one has ever seen God... (the Son) has made Him known."No one has seen God fully — not even Moses (Ex 33:20–23)"Made known" = exēgēsato — exegete, unfold, interpretJesus isn't a spokesperson — He's God's own self-explanationJohn 14:9 — "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father"Key Truth: Want to know what God is like? Look at Jesus.Illustration: Can't stare at the sun directly — but see it perfectly reflected in still water. Jesus = exact reflection (Heb 1:3).Apply — don't build your picture of God from:FearAssumptionsTraditionPainful experienceBuild it from Christ alone.RECAPIncarnation (14) → Testimony (15) → Reception (16) → Fulfillment (17) → Revelation (18) Christ = subject AND substance at every step.ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARYThe God who seemed distant has come near in Jesus, poured out His grace and truth and perfectly revealed Himself; so we could truly know Him.CLOSING INVITATIONCome near — because God already has.Receive — grace upon grace, available now.Look at Jesus — God's final, fullest revelation.Landing line: If you've ever wondered what God is truly like, John answers with one word: Jesus.

Come and See – Week 2  Who Is Jesus?        John 1:6–13 — Into the LightBig Idea: The true Light demands a response: reject Him and remain in darkness, or receive Him and become a child of God.1. The Light Is Announced (v. 6–9)John's mission was not to be the Light, but to point people to the Light.2. The Light Is Rejected (v. 10–11)The Creator entered His creation, yet many refused to recognize Him.3. The Light Is Received (v. 12–13)Those who receive Christ receive a completely new identity.One Sentence SummaryJesus, the true Light, came into a dark world; though many rejected Him, everyone who receives Him by faith is born into God's family.Closing InvitationCome into the Light.Stand in awe that the Creator entered His creation.Receive Him by faith.Leave as one who now carries His Light into the world. 

PHASE 1: COME AND SEE (John 1–4) Who is Jesus?Theme: Awakening – Encountering JesusWeek 1 — John 1:1–5 The Eternal Word: Jesus Before TimeBig Idea: Because Jesus is the eternal Word, every disciple is formed by hearing, believing and living His Word.Textual Movements:Movement 1 — The Eternal Word (v. 1–2)Movement 2 — The Creating Word (v. 3)Movement 3 — The Living Word (v. 4–5)The Big Send:Radical Hospitality Before Radical Holiness: Jesus brings light into darkness before demanding change. Likewise, Eastview welcomes people as they are, trusting that the Light of Christ transforms lives from the inside out. Grace initiates the journey toward holiness. Identity Recap: Because Jesus is the eternal Word, we will become a people who are shaped more by Scripture than by culture.

WEEK 3 – "The Gospel of Moralism"                               The Lie: "Being Good, Is Good Enough"Opening Reading: John 8:1-11The Three SayingsCleanliness is next to godliness. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Hate the sin, love the sinner. These three sayings focus on external behavior while missing heart transformation. Big Idea: Jesus did not come to IMPROVE behavior; He came to TRANSFORM hearts. Teaching Movements:"Cleanliness is next to godliness."Point 1: God cares more about inward holiness than outward appearances.Matthew 23:25-28 – Woe to you Pharisees; you clean the outside of the cup, while the inside is full of greed and self-indulgence..Psalm 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spiritClean HANDS without a clean HEART accomplish nothing.What the Bible actually emphasizes:Purity of heart (Matthew 5:8) Inner holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16) Spiritual cleansing (Psalm 51) God is far more concerned with INWARD TRANSFORMATION than OUTWARD TIDINESS. "Spare the rod, spoil the child."Point 2: Biblical discipline is discipleship.Hebrews 12:5-11 – Endure hardships as disciple, if you are not disciplined you are not legitimate sons and daughters of GodEphesians 6:4 – Fathers do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them, bring them up in instruction and discipline that comes from the LordGod's model is not PUNISHMENT but FORMATION.Many assume this comes directly from Proverbs. The exact phrase originated in a poem by Samuel Butler.It comes from the epic-length 17th-century poem ”Hudibras”, written by Samuel Butler (1612-1680), a cheeky British poet who enjoyed mocking religious extremists and hypocrites.[1]Proverbs does discuss discipline (Proverbs 13:24), but its advice is the OPPOSITE.24The one who will not use the rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently. "Hate the sin, love the sinner."Point 3: Grace and truth belong together.John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and made His home among us…Luke 5:31-32 – Healthy people don’t need a doctor, the sick do…The phrase "hate the sin, love the sinner" is not Scripture.Jesus did something better. He LOVED SINNERS while CALLING THEM TO REPENTANCE.While many view it as a useful summary of Christian ethics, the phrase itself never appears in Scripture.The concept has historical roots reaching back to thinkers such as Augustine of Hippo.It’s from St. Augustine. His Letter 211 (c. 424) contains the phrase Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum, which translates roughly to “With love for mankind and hatred of sins.” The phrase has become more famous as “love the sinner but hate the sin” or “hate the sin and not the sinner” (the latter form appearing in Mohandas Gandhi’s 1929 autobiography).[2] Gospel InvitationReligion says: "Clean yourself up."Jesus says: "Come to Me and I will make you new." Conclusion:The false gospels of self-reliance, comfort and moralism are all inverted remnants of the truth; in reality…We are WEAKER than we think. God is WISER than we think. Grace is GREATER than we think. [1] https://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2017/11/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/[2] https://www.catholic.com/qa/who-said-love-the-sinner-hate-the-sin

Almost Gospel Week 3Opening Parable

WEEK 2 – "The Gospel of [self]Comfort" Opening Reading: Romans 8:26-28 These three sayings distort God's purposes in su=ering and hardship.The Lie: "God Exists to Make My Life Easier"Core Passage: Romans 8:18-30Big Idea: God's goal is not our COMFORT, but our CONFORMITY to Christ.Exegesis Romans 8:18-30 – helps break down the misrepresentation of Romans 8:28Teaching MovementSaying 1: “Everything happens for a reason”Not everything that happens is good.• Acts 2:23Evil is genuinely evil.Not in the Bible.Romans 8:28 is often mis-paraphrased this way, “God works all things together for my(our) good”, but theverse says something much richer:"God works all things together for good for those who love Him..."The Bible does not teach that every event is good.It teaches that God is sovereign enough to redeem evil, su=ering, and tragedy for His purposes.Saying 2: “This too shall pass”Temporary su=ering is not meaningless su=ering."This too shall pass" isn't Scripture.I believe Gandalf better says it in his epic battle with the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-Dum “you cannotpass” {four times by the way book, not the one usage from the movie of “you shall not pass”}.But:• Revelation 21:4God uses su=ering as formation.Not in the Bible.The phrase has roots in ancient Middle Eastern wisdom traditions.- Originating from medieval Sufi poets like Attar of Nishapur, the phrase is famously tied to a fable about a king whoasked his wise men for a ring with an inscription that would keep him grounded in both bad times and good.Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism withoutchurch discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personalconfession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, gracewithout Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.Dietrich Bonhoe=er, “The Cost of Discipleship”Saying 3: “God works in mysterious ways”God's ways are often hidden but never absent.Not in the Bible.The expression itself, is actually a misquotation of the hymnist William Cowper. The properquotation is actually “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.” It is found in theHymn that is titled, “God Moves In a Mysterious Way” from 1774.• Isaiah 55:8-9Mystery is not abandonment.Again, the great theologian Gandalf the Gray says it this way, “A wizard is never late, nor is he early, hearrives precisely when he means to.”The concept is biblical; the quotation is not.Practical ApplicationWhen life hurts –Instead of asking: "Why did this happen?"Learn to ask: "How is God meeting me here?"InvitationAt Calvary, God transformed history's greatest evil into history's greate

WEEK 1 – "The Gospel of Self-Reliance"                    The Lie: "I Can Do This"Core Passage: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 Big Idea: The Christian life is not about becoming strong enough FOR God; it is about becoming dependent enough ON God. Teaching MovementPoint 1: God helps those who help themselves.On the contrary, God helps the helpless. He is near to the brokenhearted. Example: Israel at the Red SeaExodus 14:13-14 – Stand firm, see the Lord’s salvation, He will accomplish, He will fight for you (you must be quiet) Romans 5:6 – We are helpless, Christ salvation is our helpNOT IN THE BIBLE.This saying is often attributed to Scripture but is more commonly associated with ancient Greek thought and later popularized by Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1730’s). The exact phrasing is actually attributed to English political theorist Algernon Sidney 1698.What the Bible actually teaches:God often helps those who cannot help themselves.Psalm 121:1-2 – Our help comes from the Lord, not from ourselves or our circumstancesIsaiah 41:10 – Our strength comes from the Lord, life is in His’ power and His’ strengthRomans 5:6 – We are helpless, Christ salvation is our helpThe gospel itself is built on the reality that we were helpless apart from God's grace. Point 2: God won't give you more than you can handle.The opposite is true, God often allows more than we can handle.2 Corinthians 1:8-9 – We were completely overwhelmed, beyond our strengthPsalm 34:18 – The Lord is near the brokenhearted, He saves those crushed in SpiritNOT IN THE BIBLE.This is probably the most common misquotation among Christians.People often derive it from *1 Corinthians 10:13*, which speaks specifically about TEMPTATION, not SUFFERING.What the Bible actually teaches:God regularly allows circumstances that are beyond our ability so we learn dependence upon Him.2 Corinthians 1:8-9 – We were completely overwhelmed, beyond our strengthJudges 7:2-3 – In “success” man often elevates themselves, over God, in “victories”The biblical message is often: "You cannot handle this alone, but God can." Point 3: Follow your heart.Your heart is a poor compass. Do not lean on your own understanding, RELY ON HIM. Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is more deceitful than anything else, who can understand the heartProverbs 3:5-6 – Trust your heart with the Lord, do not rely on your own understandingTHE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.This phrase is everywhere in modern culture.What Scripture says:"The heart is deceitful above all things..." (Jeremiah 17:9)The Bible consistently teaches:Trust God above your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) Submit your desires to God's will Allow God to transform your heart The biblical message is closer to: "Follow God, HE will lead your heart with truth." Point 4: To thine own self be true.The truest version of yourself is found in Jesus.Luke 9:23 – To follow Jesus is to deny ourselves. Take up our cross daily, and follow JesusGalatians 2:20 – I am crucified in Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in meSHAKESPHERE, NOT SCRIPTURE!The phrase comes from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3. It is spoken by the character Polonius to his son Laertes before Laertes leaves for France.The famous line appears in a longer speech:"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."The Biblical ContrastThe Bible approaches the self very differently. Scripture certainly values integrity and sincerity.For example:Matthew 5:36-37 – We should not rely on ourselves, but let our integrity come from the LordEphesians 4:25-27 – Do not lie, do not give power to mistrust. Be angry, but don’t sinActing out of impulse comes from Satan the Father of Lies Again, Scripture is remarkably skeptical about the human heart as the ultimate source of truth. Gospel Invitation:The world says: "Believe in yourself."Jesus says: "Come to Me."

Title: Real Men, Follow Him                       Text: Luke 9:23-25 Opening (Problem, Facts, Hypothesis)The “solution” to many of our problems within this shattered world, in which we all share, sits in this room RIGHT NOW!What if we took the call of Jesus to “Follow Him (Daily)” seriously in every detail of our lives? Then we would be the spark of change this world needs, based on the most basic and fundamental call of discipleship from Jesus (Follow Him).  Three Marks of a Man Who Follows Jesus1. Let God Be Your Direction (v23)"If anyone wants to come after Me..." 2. Pick Up Your Cross Daily (v23-24)"...deny himself, take up his cross daily..." Sin says, "My will be done." Discipleship says, "Your will be done." The first sin in Eden was humanity attempting to occupy God's throne (Genesis 3:1-7). The first step of discipleship is climbing off that throne.3.    Be a Dad Worth Celebrating (v25)"...what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose themselves?"The Context Provides The Prescription (Revisit, THEN, Luke 9:22)Jesus doesn’t ask us to do anything He hasn’t already done Himself. He lived in the same way and same temptations of this life in the incarnation, and yet He was without sin.The Christian life is not merely admiration of Jesus. It is participation in the pattern of Jesus.Cross before crown. Death before resurrection. Surrender before glory. ChallengeToday we are giving every man three gifts. Each gift represents a challenge.First, a Compass. – Let God be your direction.-       Stop following the crowd.-       Stop following culture.-       Follow Jesus.Second, a Cross. – Pick up your cross daily.-       Choose surrender over selfishness.-       Choose obedience over convenience.-       Choose Christ every day.Third, a Trophy. – Be a dad worth celebrating.Not because you are perfect. Because you consistently point your family toward Jesus.

WEEK 4 — “LIVING WITH A SOUND MIND”          Reflect – “How do I become a witness of healing?”Series Core Text: 2 Timothy 1:7       Primary Text: Philippians 4:4–9        4 Questions of a Sound MindBig Idea: A sound mind becomes visible through a transformed presence.TENSION QUESTION: What does a healed life actually look like?1. Rejoice (v4) [present imperative, not momentary but a posture of life]-       Joy comes from the Lord-       The Lord’s joy is a double share (rejoice…again I say rejoice)2. Gentleness (v5) [Possessing power, but possessing more restraint]-       Grace, mercy and kindness has been given to us, we are to likewise extend it3. X-Anxiety (v6) [Putting an X in anxiety]-       Anxieties(worries) will come and go, do not be consumed by anxiousness-       Prayer and Petition-       Thanksgiving-       Turn all our worries over to God4. Guard (v7) [Military metaphor, in a Roman Military Colony]-       God’s peace transcends human understanding-       Guard your heart – affections and desires-       Guard your mind – thoughts and reasoning-       The Lord is protector and provider for the whole man5. Virtuous (v8) [Characteristics of Christ-likeness]-       True - Aligned with reality as God defines it.-       Noble - Worthy of respect and dignity.-       Right - Morally upright according to God's standards.-       Pure - Free from corruption and impurity.-       Lovely - That which awakens affection for goodness.-       Admirable - That which deserves commendation.-       Excellent - Moral excellence.-       Praiseworthy - Worthy of celebration before God.6. Practice (v9)  [Paul’s Quadrilateral of Discipleship]-       Learned – Learned from experience (formal teaching)-       Received – Lived out in community (Apostolic tradition)-       Heard – Sought out by listening (verbal instruction)-       Seen – Watched in real-time (embodied example)o   I do, you watch. We do it together. You do, I watch. You do, I support (we train others.)Full Circle Moment - The God of Peace (v7) – The Peace of God (v9)FINAL CONCLUSION: A sound mind is not the absence of storms. It is the presence of Christ in the storm.

Sound Mind Week 3 – “The Small Things Change Everything“Theme: Reorder – “What Practices Reshape My Life” 7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV Big Idea: A sound mind is not built by winning tomorrow's battles. It is built by faithfully surrendering today's moments to God. (If you don’t win today, there is no tomorrow.) The Space RaceIt began in 1957 when the Soviet Union shocked the world by launching Sputnik 1, the first satellite in space. The Soviets followed with several early victories, including sending Yuri Gagarin into orbit in 1961. In response, President John F. Kennedy challenged America to land a man on the Moon before the decade ended. Many years ago, the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it? He said, “Because it is there.” Well, space is there, and we’re going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. -       JFK (on going to the Moon) “We choose to go to the Moon” Rice University 9/12/1962The race culminated in 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.July 20, 1969 4:17pm EST “The Eagle has landed!”Why was it significant? Because it wasn't really about space. It was a global demonstration of which system—communism or democracy—could win out. The same rocket technology that launched astronauts could also launch nuclear weapons, so success in space was seen as evidence of national power and security. When the United States reached the Moon first, many viewed it as a symbolic victory in the broader Cold War struggle. Transition: It's only your greatest battle, until you hand it over to God. Teaching Point 1: A Sound Mind Begins With Rest30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”Mark 6:30-31 NIV“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”When life feels out of control:Stop.Rest.Sit with Jesus.If you don't come apart and rest, eventually you'll come apart from stress. Teaching Point 2: A Sound Mind Focuses On God’s Assignment33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Matthew 6:33-34 NIV“Seek First His Kingdom”God gives grace for today, not previews for tomorrow. How a Janitor helped land a man on the moon.1962, JFK is visiting the NASA Space Center. He happens to take a few wrong turns and get himself lost in a service corridor. Here he sees a janitor mopping. Seeming so out of place in the spaces JFK has found himself, he stops. He walked over to him and said “Hi, I’m Jack Kennedy. What are you doing?” The janitor responded, “Well Mr. President, I’m helping put a man on the moon.” Conclusion: Sometimes it is the unexpected, seemingly mundane, moments that when lived in surrender; change our entire lives. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”Revelation 21:3-4 NIV Honest Reflections: Asbury and my first EV VBS Takeaway: A sound mind is built when we stop carrying tomorrow and start surrendering today.

WEEK 2 — “RENEWING THE MIND”             Reframe – What is true in Christ?7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJVTheme: Examination - Reframe              Primary Text: Romans 12:1–2 BIG IDEA: Your thoughts shape your life.MAIN QUESTION:       What if the loudest voice in your head is not God’s voice? TEACHING POINT 1 — WRONG THOUGHTS CAN TAKE OVER2 Corinthians 10:3–5TEACHING POINT 2 — JESUS CHANGES THE WAY WE THINKPhilippians 4:4–8TEACHING POINT 3 — TRUTH MUST MOVE FROM THE HEAD TO THE HEARTJohn 17:16–17PRACTICAL EXERCISE — THE LIE / TRUTH PRACTICELie:            “I am abandoned.”Truth:        “God will never leave me.” (Hebrews 13:5) Lie:            “I can never be forgiven.”Truth:        “There is no condemnation in Christ.” (Romans 8:1) Lie:            “Nothing will ever change.”Truth:        “God makes all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)SIMPLE NEXT STEPS1. Replace lies with ScriptureWrite down promises from God’s Word.2. Step away from toxic thoughtsGo outside.Take a walk.Breathe.Pray.3. Spend less time doom scrollingToo much noise hurts the mind.4. Think about God’s truth every dayPray through the Psalms.5. Start your day with JesusBefore phones.Before social media.Before stress.Spend time with God first.

WEEK 1 — “NAMING THE INNER WOUND”Theme: Understanding                      Primary Text: Psalm 42:5–11 Big Idea: You cannot heal what you continue to hide.We live in the most mentally exhausted culture in human history.We have never been: More connected. More informed. More (over)stimulated.Yet anxiety, depression, loneliness, addiction, panic and despair continue rising.What if the problem is not simply that our minds are sick… but that our souls are starving?TENSION QUESTION: Why do I know God loves me; yet still feel overwhelmed, numb, anxious, angry, exhausted, or hopeless?TEACHING POINT I: YOU CANNOT HEAL A LIFE YOU REFUSE TO NAMEPsalm 32:3–5(v5)1 Kings 19(v3-5)Elijah: defeated false prophets, called down fire, witnessed revival…and immediately collapsed emotionally afterward.TEACHING POINT II: WHAT YOU BURY CONTROLS YOUUnprocessed pain never stays buried. It leaks.John 8:32: “The truth shall make you free.”Freedom begins when honesty begins.TEACHING POINT III: JESUS ENTERS THE WOUND, NOT JUST THE SINHebrews 4:15–16Christ is not detached from suffering.The Gospel is not: “Jesus helping healthy people.” (Mark 2:17) It is not the healthy who need a doctorThe Gospel is: “God entering human ruin.” (Mark 2:17) but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”TIE IT TOGETHERA sound mind begins with truth.Not polished truth. Not curated truth. Actual truth.Healing starts where hiding ends.CONCLUSION: God will not heal the version of you that you pretend to be.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThis week:Name what hurts.Stop pretending.Tell someone trustworthy.Pray honestly instead of religiously.Begin journaling recurring thought patterns.

Alive Week 6                                    Live It (Joy Sustained)                   Teaching Text: Luke 24:50-53Opening Reading:  Acts 1:6-11                            Teaching Title: Luke 24:50-53 Big Idea: The risen Jesus did not merely save us from sin. He ascended as reigning King, empowering His people to live as joyful witnesses until He returns.Tension: How can followers of Jesus live with lasting joy and confidence in a world still filled with: suffering, waiting, uncertainty and opposition?Transition Statement: The resurrection proved Jesus is alive. The ascension declared Jesus is Lord. And because He reigns; His people can live with joy, purpose, power and hope.Teaching Movements:1. Jesus Ascended as Our Reigning King (v50-51)The Ascension Introduces: Jesus is reigning now, Jesus is interceding now, Jesus is victorious now and Jesus is still working now2. The Ascension Turned Fearful Followers into Joyful Worshipers (v52)The same followers who once ran away now bow in worship because resurrection and ascension transformed their understanding of Jesus.3. The Ascension Launches the Mission of the Church (Acts 1:8)The Ascension Means: Christ reigns from heaven, The Spirit empowers the church, The Gospel advances to the nations and Witness becomes the calling of every believer4. Baptism Is a Public Witness to the Reigning Jesus (Romans 6:3-4)Baptism declares: Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus reigns, Jesus saves and Jesus is worth following publicly5. The Church Lives Between Ascension and Return (Acts 1:11, Luke 24:53)The church lives in the tension between: Christ’s enthronement and Christ’s returnBring It All Together: The resurrection tells us: Jesus is alive. The ascension tells us: Jesus is reigning. Pentecost tells us: Jesus is empowering. And the Church exists: to witness to all three.Conclusion: The Ascended and Reigning Jesus: intercedes for all believers, sends the Holy Spirit, reigns over all things, builds His’ Church and prepares eternity (already/not yet) for His people. The ascension is not Christ’s absence. It is Christ’s universal reign.Invitation: The ascended Christ still saves.The same Jesus who: died for sin, rose from the grave, ascended in victory and reigns in glory. Now calls people everywhere to repent, believe and follow Him.And one day, the King who ascended will return again.

“Blessed in the Ordinary”                       Text: Luke 1:46–55             Mother’s Day 2026Big Idea:God chooses the humble and ordinary to accomplish His extraordinary redemptive purposes.Tension Question:Can God really use my ordinary, overlooked life for something eternal (and bigger than me)?Transition Statement:Mary’s song of praise (The Magnificat[1]) reframes everything we think about significance. Teaching Movements:God Sees What the World Overlooks (v46-48)“He took notice of his lowly servant girl…” 1.Young, 2.Female, 3.Poor, 4.From NazarethThe Kingdom reverses worldly value systems. Matt. 20:16 “The last will be first…” True Blessedness Is Rooted in God, Not Circumstance (v49-53)“…He is Holy… He has done great things… He shows mercy… He has done tremendous things… He has brought down princes, exalted the humble… He has filled the hungry with good things, sent the rich away empty handed…”Joy flows from who God is (at least 11 characteristics here), not what life looks like. God’s Work THROUGH You Is BIGGER THAN You (v54-55)Mary participates in redemption history (Israel, and the world’s) salvation comes from her.Faithfulness (see v.38) places us inside God’s larger story (see v.31-33). Tie It All Together:Mary doesn’t just carry a child; she carries hope and the promise of salvation. Conclusion:Ordinary obedience can carry eternal significance. No moment is too big or too small."A mother is a missionary every day in her home." -Elisabeth ElliottInvitation:Trust God with your “ordinary” Surrender your life to His purposes Gospel Thread: The Savior Mary bore is the Savior we need [1] from Latin, magnifies, from magnificare to magnify [Mary’s first words, “my soul praises{magnifies} the Lord”]

Alive – The Formation of a Witness     Week 5: Share it (Mission embraced)Teaching Text: Luke 24:44-49                  Opening Scripture: Romans 1:16-17 Big Idea: The risen Jesus does not simply prove His identity; He interprets reality itself. History, Scripture, sin, forgiveness, mission and power all converge in Him. Tension: What would it look like for you to fully embrace the mission that Jesus has explicitly stated and challenged each believer to, “to make disciples of all nations”? Transition: Jesus doesn’t just challenge us to “go and make disciples”, He equips us with the Word and the Spirit to be able to effectively and enthusiastically live a life of obedience. (see v.44-45) Teaching Movements:I. The Necessity of the Cross (v. 46)“It was written… the Christ should suffer” (see Lk 9:22,44; 17:25; 18:32; etc.)II. The Reality of the Resurrection (v. 46)Victory over deathIII. The Call to Repentance and Forgiveness (v. 47)Response to the GospelIV. The Scope of the Gospel (v. 47)All nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (see Romans 1:16) Bringing It All Together: With the challenge and empowering of Jesus in mind, we cannot sit on the sidelines. (v.48-49) We are called to spread the message of salvation, the offer of hope and a new way of life to any and everyone who will believe. Conclusion: The life Jesus undertook on this Earth was not random chance; it was a Divinely appointed rescue mission to bring salvation to those who would believe. Invitation: 1. Come to Jesus; 2. Be Empowered by the Spirit; 3. Embrace the Mission; 4. Live Sent

Alive Week 4 – The Formation of a Witness (Luke 24)                           Theme: Establish Confident FaithTeaching Text: Luke 24:36-43              Title: “Peace in the Proof”      Opening Reading: 1 Cor. 15:12-14  Big Idea: The risen Jesus does not demand blind faith. He forms confident witnesses by revealing Himself in ways that confront fear, engage doubt and anchor belief in reality.Tension Question: What does it actually take for a fearful, doubting person to become a confident witness of the resurrection?Transitional Statement: Luke 24 shows us that transformation doesn’t begin with what the disciples do for Jesus, but with what the risen Jesus does among them. The Emancipation Proclamation Reaches Texas (1865)When Union soldiers arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865; led by General Gordon Granger with General Order Number 3—what we now remember as Juneteenth—they announced that enslaved people were free.Many did not celebrate immediately .Slavery had been abolished, yet the law had been unenforced in Texas. One woman, Susan Merritt, recalled hearing the news and simply standing still:“When they told us we was free… we didn’t know what to do. We just stood there looking at one another.”A man named William Green described hearing the announcement but hesitating to accept it:“Some of us thought maybe they was foolin’ us… it sounded too good.”George Johnson, another formerly enslaved man, described the varied reactions:“Some shouted, some cried, and some just stood still like they couldn’t move.” Teaching Movements:I. He Brings Peace Into Fear (v. 36-37)Transition: You don’t think your way into peace; you receive it from a Person.II. He Engages Their Doubts (v. 38–39)Transition: Faith grows when doubt is brought into the presence of Jesus—not hidden from it.III. He Meets Them Where They Are (v. 39–40)Transition: Jesus does not ask for blind faith; He gives sufficient evidence for surrendered trust.IV. He Patiently Leads Them Into Joy (v. 41–43)Transition: Jesus is patient with the process, but persistent in revealing truth. Why It Matters, Doctrine That Sticks:Jesus is revealed as – -              The crucified yet risen Lord-              The embodied Son of God-              The giver of peace-              The restorer of faith Conclusion:Luke 24:36–43 reveals:-              Fear confronted by presence-              Doubt answered by evidence-              Confusion clarified by truth-              Joy awakened by reality Invitation:Step Into the ProofThree Movements of Response1. Receive His PeaceStop trying to resolve everything first.Let the risen Jesus meet you in your fear.2. Bring Him Your DoubtNot polished faith, but honest questions.He is not threatened by your process.3. Respond as a WitnessThe goal of this moment was not just belief, but commission.

Alive – Week 3    Theme: Understand It (Scripture Illuminated) Text: Luke 24:25–35Title: “Burning Hearts, Open Eyes”  Opening Reading: Matthew 22:36-40Big Idea: Real transformation happens when you see Jesus in Scripture and experience Him personally.1. The Problem: Right Information, Wrong Interpretation (v. 25)Truth: Partial belief is practical unbelief. You can know Scripture and still miss Jesus.2. The Key: Suffering Before Glory (v. 26)They wanted a conquering King. Jesus reveals a suffering Savior who becomes the reigning King.3. The Revelation: All Scripture Points to Jesus (v. 27)The Law whispers: “Someone greater is coming.”The Prophets declare: “He must suffer.”The Writings show: “This story has always been about Him.”4. The Thread: One Unified Gospel StoryIf you compress the entire Bible into one thread:God promised a Deliverer who would suffer for sin, defeat death and rise to reign. Ultimately bringing redemption to His people and the nations.5. The Turning Point: Revelation Becomes Personal (v. 28–31)Their eyes were opened (v31). Not just through teaching, but through encounter6. The Transformation: Word + Spirit (v. 32)Information alone doesn’t change people. Illumination does.7. The Response: Clarity Produces Movement (v. 33–35)You cannot truly see Jesus and stay the same direction.Conclusion: Why This MattersJesus is teaching how to read the Bible:It’s not just moral lessonsIt’s not just disconnected storiesIt’s a unified story of revelation centered on ChristThe cross is the interpretive key to everything.Without it:         Scripture feels fragmentedWith it:              Everything ignites

Alive – Week 2: Feel it (Process Disappointment) Open: Luke 8:16-18 Title: “Hallelujah Is A Heart That’s Broken” Text: Luke 24:13-24 Big Idea: Without the heartbreaks, without the “human experience”, we cannot live out the Hallelujah that God has intended for our lives. We are made to worship Him! The heartbreaks remind us of the love of the Father that follows! Wrestling Question: - Where have you experienced God stepping into your story and you missing Him because of your desire to see your kingdom and not His? Transitional Statement: With 4 apparent warnings in this passage we can move FROM disbelief, doubt, disillusionment and death TO new life and new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

WEEK 1 — Luke 24:1–12Title: When Hope Feels BuriedBig Idea: God is working even when we cannot see or understand it.1. Devotion Without Revelation (v.1–3)The women are faithful—but confusedThey come prepared for death, not resurrectionInsight: You can be sincere and still miss what God is doingApplication:Where have you settled for honoring Jesus… instead of expecting Him?2. Heaven Interrupts Earth (v.4–7)“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”Angels don’t bring new truth—they remind them of Jesus’ wordsInsight: Revelation often comes as remembranceApplication:What has God already said that you’ve forgotten?3. Faith Must Be Received (v.8–12)Some remember, others dismissPeter investigates—moves toward the tensionInsight: Resurrection demands a responseCall to Action:Move from passive belief → personal pursuitGospel Moment:The empty tomb is not an idea—it is an invitation

Title: “Hosanna In the Heartbreak” TEXT: Matthew 21:1–11Key Verse: “Hosanna… Blessed is He…” (Psalm 118:25–26)1. HOSANNA WITHOUT SURRENDERTruth: Many proclaim, few follow.2. THE GREAT EXCHANGE (TEMPLE CLEANSING)Truth: Jesus overturns what we normalize.3. THE TABLE OF GRACETruth: Jesus serves those who will betray Him. (Luke 22:17-22)4. DENIAL IN THE DARKTruth: Distance leads to denial.5. THE ILLUSION OF CLEAN HANDSTruth: You cannot wash away guilt solely externally.6. THE CROSS: WHERE IT ALL COLLIDESTruth: Jesus carries what we denied.7. WATER → WINE → BLOOD → (LIVING) WATERTruth: The mission comes full circle.8. “IT IS FINISHED” (TETELESTAI)Truth: Not defeat—completion.

“WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT”            Text: John 2:1–11BIG IDEA: Jesus doesn’t just fill what’s empty—He transforms it into something better than before.1. WHEN JOY RUNS OUT (v.1–3)The Setting: A wedding; because the Kingdom begins with joy, not fear.The Crisis: “They have no more wine.” Not inconvenience, collapse.ShameFailureEmptinessBiblical RealityWine = joy, life, blessing (Psalm 104:15)When the wine runs out… joy has left.Human RealityWe all reach this moment:Marriage runs dryFaith feels mechanicalSoul feels numbMary’s Response: She doesn’t fix it, she brings it to Jesus.KEY TRUTH: You cannot experience transformation until you admit depletion.2. WHEN JESUS WORKS IN HIDDEN WAYS (v.4–8)Jesus’ Perspective“My hour has not yet come.”Even here, He sees the cross.Anchor Statement“Do whatever He tells you.” → This is discipleship.The Command“Fill the jars with water.” (120–180 gallons)What It RepresentsRitual → RelationshipLaw → GraceExternal → InternalThe Hidden Miracle: Only the servants knew.How God WorksNot loud, but:QuietGradualUnseenKEY TRUTH: If you wait to understand before you obey, you will miss the miracle.3. WHEN GLORY LEADS TO BELIEF (v.9–11)The Result: Not just wine, the best wineThe ReversalThe world: best is behind youThe Kingdom: best is aheadThe AbundanceMore than neededBetter than expectedLater than imaginedThe Sign Points To:The Cross (“hour”)The New Covenant (wine = blood)The Bridegroom restoring joyThe coming Kingdom feastOutcome: “He revealed His glory… and they believed.”KEY TRUTH: When you see Jesus rightly, you cannot remain unchanged.FINAL INVITATIONThe MovementEmpty → OverflowShame → JoyDesperation → FaithThe Gospel ThreadAt Cana: water → wineAt the cross: death → lifeThe joy you long for will cost Him everything.DIRECT CHALLENGEWhere has your wine run out?JoyFaithPassionPurposeNext Steps:Have I brought it to Jesus honestly?Am I obeying what He’s already said?Am I trusting Him in the unseen?CALL TO ACTION (THIS WEEK)Name your empty jarBring it to Jesus in prayerObey one clear stepCLOSING MomentJesus doesn’t just refill empty lives, He transforms them into something better than before.

Week 2 – Theme: Through the Waters               Title: “From Judgment to Passage”Texts: Exodus 12:29–32; Exodus 14:13–22      Opening Reading: Psalm 77:16-20Context of the Exodus NarrativeHistorical SettingThe book of Exodus opens with Israel enslaved in Egypt for roughly 400 years.They are oppressed under Pharaoh, forced into labor, and their population is controlled through violence.God raises up Moses as deliverer.The confrontation between God and Pharaoh unfolds through the ten plagues, which demonstrate that the Lord is superior to Egypt’s gods. After Pharaoh’s continued refusal to acknowledge God’s will, the Blood has been applied to the Doorposts of Israel; only those who have had the blood applied will be spared. The final plague — the death of the firstborn — is the sign of God’s deliverance in the Passover.Passover: Deliverance from JudgmentText:Exodus 12:29–32On the night of Passover:• judgment falls across Egypt• the firstborn of every household dies• Pharaoh finally releases IsraelBut Israel is spared because of the blood of the lamb placed on the doorposts.The blood signals:substitutionprotectioncovenant mercyThis becomes the foundational salvation story for Israel.Later the New Testament identifies Jesus with this imagery:“Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.”— 1 Corinthians 5:7Important theological observation:Passover saves Israel from judgment, but it does not yet free them from Pharaoh.Freedom still requires crossing the sea.The Red Sea CrisisText:Exodus 14:13–22Soon after leaving Egypt, Israel becomes trapped.Behind them:Pharaoh’s armyBefore them:the Red SeaThe situation is humanly impossible.Israel panics and cries out to Moses.Moses responds with one of the most powerful declarations in Scripture:“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD.” (V13-14)God then performs the miracle of the Red Sea.The Miracle of the Red SeaGod commands Moses to stretch out his staff.A strong east wind parts the waters.Scripture describes:walls of water on both sidesdry ground beneath their feetIsrael passes through the sea safely.Later the waters collapse and destroy the Egyptian army.The same waters become:For EgyptFor IsraelJudgmentSalvationDestructionDeliveranceThis reveals an important biblical principle:The same act of God that saves His people also judges their oppressors.The Baptism ConnectionBelievers' baptism mirrors the Red Sea pattern.Texts:Romans 6:3–4Paul teaches that baptism represents:dying with Christburial of the old liferesurrection into new lifeJust as Israel left Egypt behind in the sea, believers leave the old life behind in Christ.Practical ApplicationsThree key applications can be emphasized:I. Salvation is more than forgivenessGod intends to lead believers into freedom and transformation.II. God often leads through impossible placesMoments that appear like dead ends may actually be the place where God reveals His power.III. The old life must remain behindThe Red Sea closed behind Israel.Egypt was no longer accessible.Likewise, discipleship requires leaving the old life behind.Recap of EventsThe Passover blood saves Israel from judgment.Pharaoh still pursues them.God leads them to the Red Sea.Israel appears trapped.God parts the waters.Israel walks through on dry ground.Pharaoh’s army is destroyed.The sea becomes the doorway into freedom.The Gospel ConnectionThe Exodus story foreshadows the work of Christ. Jesus accomplishes the ultimate Exodus.Through His death and resurrection, humanity is delivered from slavery to sin.

Week 1 – Theme: The Blood That Speaks         Title: “Blood on the Doorpost”Texts:Exodus 7:14-24Exodus 12:1–13John 1:29Big Idea: The blood on Israel’s doorposts pointed to a greater deliverance; Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, whose blood marks and redeems a people for Himself. I. The First Plague – River into Blood (Exodus 7:14–24)The Nile was Egypt’s lifeline and deity-source.God turns their symbol of life into death.Judgment falls on false gods before redemption comes to God’s people.Christological Connection:At the Cross, Jesus absorbs judgment so that what should be death for us becomes life in Him. II. The Pattern of Redemption (Exodus 12:1–13)Passover begins with a lamb without blemish (Hebrew: tamim – whole, complete).The blood is placed on the doorposts and lintel(crossbar), forming a visible covenantal sign.In Hebrew understanding, blood (dam) represents life (see Lev. 17:11).Deliverance begins not with effort, but with substitution.Christological Connection:John the Baptist declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” (John 1:29)Jesus is not merely another lamb; He is the fulfillment of every lamb sacrificed since Egypt. III. Blood as Boundary and BelongingThe blood marked who belonged to YHWH.Deliverance was not ethnic but covenantal.It was not ancestry that saved them but applied blood.Application:Thinking over your life, has the blood been applied?-       Salvation is not inherited; it is received. Gospel Clarity:At Calvary, the Angel of Death does not pass over because we are righteous, but because Christ was slain.

Todays Teaching Text:Luke 9:23-24The Five Questions of Wrestling:Who have YOU called me to be?MORE of YOU = LESS of MEWhat would YOU have me to lay down?When have I refused to answer YOUR call in my life?Where have YOU called me to go?Why am I holding onto the things YOU’VE told me to lay down?

“A Recipe For Revival”             Key Texts: Gen. 3:1-5, 15; Psalm 85; John 19:40-42; Rev. 22:1-5 Opening Reading – Genesis 3:1-5The Fall in The Garden (Genesis 3:1-5)            Hope in hopeless times – Protoevangelium (Genesis 3:15) Rescue by the Son of ManPreventative spiritual maintenance includes:Scripture – feeding the soulPrayer – communion and communication with GodCommunity – accountability and encouragement with/from othersRepentance – restoring alignment with GodPsalm 85 – Recipe Short-Cut:past grace (1-3) → present need (4-7) → divine reply (8-9) → future glory (10-13).V1-3 – Remember What God Has Already Done! – Remember all God has spared you fromV4-7 – Cry Out for His Blessing – Cry out for His intervention in all parts of your lifeV8-9 – Invite Him into Your Garden – Invite Him into the soils of your everyday lifeV10-11 – Reflect On The Nature of Our God – Reflect On His work in all of creationV12-13 – Live From a Garden State Of Mind – Live From a place of trust and submissionGod’s Great Intervention – Restore Us (Grant Us Your Salvation)Redemption in The Garden (John 19:40-42)Conclusion – Life as God Intended – Revive Us (Show Us Your Loving Devotion)Eternity in The Garden (Revelation 22:1-5)

THE PURPOSE OF HUMANITY                              Genesis 2 | The Human Story: Glory and RuinBIG IDEAHumanity was created for life with God, work under God and relationship alongside others. All as an act of worship. PURPOSE BEFORE THE PROBLEMGenesis 1: The cosmic overview of creation.Genesis 2: A close-up of humanity’s formation and function.Before sin entered the story, there was:CallingResponsibilityRelationshipKey Insight: God defines human purpose before human failure. 1. LIFE WITH GOD (Gen. 2:7)God formed the man from dust and breathed into him the breath of life.Formed from dust → Humility and dependenceFilled with God’s breath → Dignity and divine intimacyWe are both earthly and eternal.Truth: Life is not self-generated; it is graciously given. 2. WORK UNDER GOD (Gen. 2:8–15)God places humanity in the garden to:CultivateServeGuardProvision precedes responsibility.Work is not punishment — it is sacred stewardship.Vision: The garden is the first temple, and work is the first act of worship.Real-World App.: Your vocation is not separate from worship; it is often the primary expression of it. 3. RELATIONSHIP ALONGSIDE OTHERS (Gen. 2:18–24)“It is not good for the man to be alone.”Humanity is created for shared life.The woman is equal in dignity and complementary in design.Marriage reflects covenant partnership and shared mission.Beyond marriage, this establishes the necessity of:FriendshipFamilyCommunityTruth: Human flourishing requires mutual presence and shared purpose. PURPOSE SUMMARIZEDHumanity was created for:Life with God — sustained by His breathWork under God — stewardship as worshipRelationship with others — community by designRemove one, and the others unravel. GOSPEL HOPESin distorts:Work (toil)Relationships (conflict)Worship (idolatry)But God’s original design is not erased.Jesus is the true and faithful human who restores:Our relationship with GodThe meaning of workThe possibility of redeemed community LIVING WITH PURPOSE TODAYReceive your life as a gift.See your work as worship.Invest deeply in God-centered relationships.FINAL SUMMARYWe were created to live from God, work for God and walk with others. Until all of life becomes worship.

FORMED BEFORE THE FIREActs 1:12–26 | Journey to the Ends of the Earth BIG IDEABefore the Spirit empowers the church for mission, God forms the church through prayer, unity and faithful discernment. THE IN-BETWEEN SEASONJesus has ascended. The mission has been declared. The Spirit has been promised — but not yet poured out.The disciples live in the tension:The King reigns.The power is coming.The church must learn to wait.Truth: Before public witness comes private formation. 1. A GATHERED & PRAYING COMMUNITY (1:12–14)They return in obedience.They gather in unity.They devote themselves to constant prayer.This community includes apostles, women, Mary and Jesus’ brothers — diverse, reconciled, centered on Christ.Key Principle: The church is most powerful when it is most prayerful. 2. HEALTHY LEADERSHIP MATTERS (1:15–20)Peter steps forward in restored humility.Judas’ betrayal is addressed through Scripture, not avoided.Leadership continuity protects the integrity of the mission.Insight: Healthy churches confront brokenness with truth and biblical clarity. 3. DISCERNING GOD’S WILL TOGETHER (1:21–26)Qualifications for leadership:Faithful presence with JesusFaithful witness to the resurrectionLeadership flows from character, not ambition.The community prays, searches Scripture and submits to God’s sovereignty.Principle: Discernment is communal and Scripture-shaped. THE SPIRIT’S FORMING WORKEven before Pentecost:The Spirit is shaping hearts.The Spirit is strengthening unity.The Spirit is preparing structure.Theological Anchor: The Spirit forms the church before He sends the church. LIVING THIS TODAYPrioritize gathering over isolation.Make prayer foundational, not supplemental.Choose leaders marked by faithfulness.Trust God in seasons of waiting.Delay is not denial. Preparation is not punishment. FINAL SUMMARYBefore the Spirit ignites the church in power, He gathers, grounds and guides the church in prayerful unity — preparing a people ready for fire.

MADE IN HIS IMAGE                     Genesis 1:26–28 | The Human Story: Glory and RuinBIG IDEAHuman beings are created in God’s image, possessing inherent dignity and commissioned to reflect God’s rule into the world. I. WHY HUMANITY MATTERSEvery culture wrestles with three foundational questions:Who are we?Why do we matter?What are we here for?All of these echo a basic sense of longing and belonging.Genesis does not answer these with human achievement, but with divine intention.Foundational Truth:Before humanity is given a task, humanity is given an identity.·      Foreshadowing: Something splinters within God’s intended created order…

ACT I — The Risen Christ & the Promised SpiritActs 1:1–11 | Jerusalem: Witness Prepared BIG IDEAThe risen and reigning Christ advances His kingdom through Spirit-empowered witnesses living between ascension and return. 1. THE STORY CONTINUES (Acts 1:1–2)Acts is Volume Two of Luke’s orderly account.Focus is not merely church history, but what Jesus continues to do.Resurrection did not end Jesus’ work — it expanded it.Key Truth: Jesus is still active, still leading, still advancing His mission. 2. THE KINGDOM PROGRAM OF THE RISEN CHRIST (Acts 1:3)Jesus teaches on the kingdom of God for forty days.The resurrection vindicates the kingdom message.The kingdom is already inaugurated but not yet consummated.Key Insight: Before power comes clarity. Truth precedes task. 3. THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 1:4–5)Jesus commands the disciples to wait.Waiting is not inactivity, but dependent obedience.The Spirit is promised not for experience alone, but for mission.Warning: Ministry without the Spirit leads to burnout and moralism. 4. THE COMMISSION OF WITNESSES (Acts 1:6–8)The disciples misunderstand the scope of the kingdom.Jesus redirects them from timing to testimony.The mission is clear:Jerusalem — familiarJudea — regionalSamaria — hostileEnds of the earth — globalKey Calling: We are witnesses, not empire builders. 5. THE ASCENSION OF JESUS (Acts 1:9–11)The ascension is enthronement, not absence.Jesus reigns at the Father’s right hand.He will return in the same way He ascended.Eschatological Tension: We live between confidence and hope. LIVING BETWEEN ASCENSION & RETURNDepend on the Spirit through prayer.Witness faithfully where God has placed you.Hope confidently in Christ’s present reign and future return. FINAL SUMMARYChrist reigns in heaven, the Spirit empowers on earth, and the church bears witness until the King returns.

2-1 Week 4 Title: Christ, the Image of the Invisible God [God’s Love and Faithfulness]Text: Colossians 1:15–20                      Impact: God's glory displayed in Jesus. Big Idea:The fullest, clearest and final revelation of God is not an idea, a doctrine, or an experience. It is found in and through a Person (Jesus). To behold Him rightly is to be reordered entirely.Jesus Christ is the visible manifestation of the invisible God. The One THROUGH whom all things were made, the One IN whom all things hold together and the One BY whom all things are being reconciled. Practice (Assess The Following In Your Relationship With God):Sit honestly before God and ask:Where are you?(What currently holds your attention and trust?)Where are you struggling?(What feels fragmented or heavy?)Where do you want to be?(What would it look like to place Christ at the center again?)

Why We MUST Study the Book of Acts Still Today (and with a goal in mind)The Apostles (or Nicene) Creeds – A centralized emphasis of core doctrines in which we MUST agree upon in order to assure we share in the same salvific faith in Jesus Christ as Lord AND Savior James – As the target of our study and the basis of information that became readily disseminated-              How we know James (the brother of Jesus) was compelled to collect a centralized letter of instruction for widespread dissemination.o   At The Jerusalem Council as found in Acts 15:12-15 (BSB)§  How we know this is James, the brother of Jesus? (See Acts 12:1-2 and the martyrdom of James the Greater [James of Zebedee]) The Jerusalem Council – As the conference (to confer; have discussions; exchange opinions) of a need for closed handed, centralized core doctrine-              See, Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (BSB)-              See also, Jesus further into a need for a centralized core doctrine in Revelation 2:4-5 (BSB) What happened to get us here? – In a nutshell, certain things that were a caveat, had been enforced on people who they were never intended to apply to (see circumcision to the Gentiles, in this context)-              Not everyone felt the same level of conviction for “The Law” but rather the necessity to believe in the grace upon grace that was a prerequisite for salvation, see Acts 15:7-11 (BSB). Why does this still matter today? – There are many different denominations, affiliations, cooperations, etc. who divide themselves today not over core beliefs necessary for salvation but over tertiary issues of governance and organization structures, styles of worship, clothing for gathering of the saints, etc.-              These divisions do more harm than good in an increasingly post-Christian world. One where non-believers have no interest in the gathering of the saints as the saints cannot favorably gather and often tear one another down over trivial issues. We MUST rightly teach and orient ourselves around the core doctrines that are necessary, not to divide amongst ourselves, but to “separate the chaff from the wheat” (Luke 3:17) or to distinguish those who are sealed believers and those who are pretenders or are distant from the Gospel.

WEEK 3 — THE WORD WAS GOD, THE WORD BECAME FLESH           Text: John 1:1–18Series: GOD: The Holy, Loving, Near CreatorFoundational Truth: God is triune and self-revealingDisciple Mark Formed: Christ-centered, Scripture-shaped knowing of God BIG IDEA / THESISGod does not remain hidden, distant, or abstract.The eternal Creator has made Himself knowable, personal and near by becoming flesh in Jesus Christ.To know God rightly, we must behold Him as He reveals Himself: Father, Son and Spirit; perfectly united in love.MOVEMENT I — THE WORD WHO ALWAYS WASText: John 1:1–2MOVEMENT II — THE WORD THROUGH WHOM ALL THINGS WERE MADEText: John 1:3–5MOVEMENT III — THE WORD WHO ENTERED OUR WORLDText: John 1:9–13MOVEMENT IV — THE WORD WHO BECAME FLESHText: John 1:14MOVEMENT V — THE INVISIBLE GOD MADE KNOWNText: John 1:16–18THEOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS — WHAT THIS TEACHES US ABOUT GODGod Is TriuneLove is not something God does.Love is who God is.God Is KnowableNot exhaustively, but truly and ever increasing with pursuit.God Is Near Without Ceasing to Be HolyJesus does not dilute holiness.He translates it into grace.God Is Like JesusThere is no hidden God behind Jesus.Jesus is the clearest revelation of God there is.CONCLUSION — THE INVITATIONStop asking first:What must I do for God?The gospel is not first, your salvationStart asking:Who has God shown Himself to be?The Gospel is first, God’s holiness/loving-kindness/nearnessHe is:Eternal WordCreating LightIndwelling PresenceRevealing SonAnd He has come toward you. PRACTICE FOR THE WEEKRead John 1:1–18 slowly — once per dayPray this sentence daily:“Jesus, show me the Father.”Take note of where you behold God as distant rather than revealed, seek Him there

The Beatitudes - Blessed When Hunted Big Idea: A life earnestly pursuing God’s righteousness will inevitably be pursued by opposition. Yet, that very pursuit becomes the pathway to peace, joy and eternal reward. I. The Blessing Jesus DescribesText – Matthew 5:10–12Persecuted does not mean mildly inconvenienced.The Greek word διώκω (diōkō) means:to chase aggressively, hunt down, pursue with intensity.This word is used both:Positively — to earnestly pursue (Philippians 3:12–14)12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.Negatively — to zealously hunt down (Acts 8:1-3)1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.Jesus is saying (My Paraphrase):“Blessed are you when the world hunts you, not because of who you are, but because of whose righteousness you are chasing.” II. Why This Language MattersJesus did not teach persecution as theory; He taught it from experienced spiritual warfare.Scriptural thread:Matthew 4:10 – “Away from Me, Satan.”1 Peter 5:8 – The devil prowls like a roaring lion.James 4:7 – Resist the devil and he will flee.The PatternSatan pursues what God has made clean, to corrupt it.He targets people on a path of purification.Persecution is not random, it is strategic.The Apostolic WitnessPeter: Stay alert — don’t give ground.James: Don’t rely on yourself — submit to God.The hunted are not cursed.They are dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. III. The Prerequisite of Holy Persecution: Righteousnessδικαιοσύνη (dikaiosýnē) –Not moral superiority, but God’s judicial approval.It is righteousness examined and affirmed by God Himself.“The LORD is righteous; He loves justice.” – Psalm 11:7“God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” – Romans 3:26Righteousness is not abstract virtue, it is God remaining faithful to His character while rescuing sinners. IV. Why Righteousness Provokes ResistanceJustice is restorative, not retaliatory.We wronged God, yet He bore our sentence.The cross is where mercy and justice collide.God does not ignore unrepentant injustice (Exodus 34:7),Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.but He forbids His people from becoming instruments of vengeance.Matthew 5:38–42 – Lay down your right to retaliate.Matthew 5:43–48 – Love your enemies.The greatest act of justice is not striking back, it is entrusting judgment to the only One who is truly just. V. The Promise That Sustains the PersecutedJohn 16:31–33You will be scattered.You will feel alone.You will face trouble.But…“In Me you may have peace.Take heart, I have overcome the world.” VI. Embrace the PursuitYes, it is hard.Yes, it defies the instincts of the flesh.Yes, it will isolate you from the spirit of the age.But:Jesus has already absorbed the judgment of this world.Jesus has already endured what you will never have to.Your victory is not in your endurance, it is hidden inside His triumph. Closing InvitationWHEN (not if) the world begins to chase youDO NOT RETREAT.REJOICE.Because heaven has already written your name in the record with the prophets.

The God Who Reveals His Name — Holiness That Moves Toward UsCore Text: Exodus 34:5–7             Introduction Text: Exodus 3:13–15Foundational Truth: God’s character is the anchor of faith.Discipleship Aim: We do not begin transformation by “fixing ourselves”, but by beholding God as He truly is.Big Idea: The Christian life is not built on our perception of God, but on God’s self-revelation. When God speaks His name, He unveils His heart.

WEEK 1 — THE GOD WHO ISSeries: GOD: The Holy, Loving, Near Creator   Text: Genesis 1; Psalm 145Foundational Truth: The Character and Nature of God – God as Creator & SustainerDisciple Mark Formed: Grounded in ScriptureBig Idea / Thesis:The Gospel does not begin with our sin, but with God’s glory. Before creation tells us who we are, it reveals who God is.I. OUR PROBLEM: WE READ GENESIS WITH WESTERN EYESII. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS HOLY ORDERER OF CHAOSIII. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS GOODIV. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS SOVEREIGN KINGV. GOD IS LIKE JESUSVI. DISCIPLESHIP BEGINS HERE

The Six Marks of a Disciple Who Lasts 1. Grounded in Scripture – John 4:23-24           Worship in Spirit and TruthTruth:             You cannot worship who you don’t know. And you CANNOT know Christ apart from the Word of Christ.Self-Examination:  If your Bible is dusty, your theology is probably jacked up.Tie-in to Mark 1:     The Word doesn’t just inform you; it reforms you.Teaching:·       Scripture IS NOT a supplement — IT IS the soil.·       The Bible doesn’t just show us Jesus — it shapes us in His likeness.Application: If you’re not rooted in the Word, you’re one storm away from collapse.2. Formed by Jesus – Matthew 11:28-30           Come to MeTruth:             Discipleship is not self-improvement. It is surrender to apprenticeship.Self-Examination:  Jesus didn’t die so you could manage your sin — He died so He could master your life. New life calls for the death of the old, you can’t follow Jesus and remain in sin…Tie-in to Mark 2:     You don’t follow Jesus to “feel better” — you follow Him to become different.Teaching:·       Jesus doesn’t offer tips — He offers a yoke.• Joined two lives together• Directed their movement• Transferred the burden to the stronger animal·       Formation happens through submission, NOT information.Application: Stop asking Jesus to bless your plans. Start letting Him rewrite them.3. Devoted to Holiness – Luke 11:33-36             The Lamp of the BodyTruth:             What fills your eyes eventually fuels your appetites.Self-Examination:  You don’t just “fall into sin” — you stare at it until it feels normal.Tie-in to Mark 3:     You can’t shine light while flirting with darkness.Teaching:·       Holiness is NOT moral superiority — IT IS spiritual clarity.·       Darkness doesn’t announce itself before it enters the room — it dims you slowly.o   Said another way, it “hides in the shadows”Application: What you tolerate privately will eventually sabotage you publicly.4. Resilient in Suffering – Luke 9:23-25              Take Up Your CrossTruth:             There is no discipleship without death, death to: comfort, control and convenience.Self-Examination:  Jesus DOES NOT carry crosses for spectators. You can’t follow from inaction.Tie-in to Mark 4:     The cross you carry (daily hurts) might be the place God does His deepest work.Teaching:·       Pain doesn’t disqualify you — it defines you.·       Comfort produces crowds. Suffering produces saints.Application: If following Jesus hasn’t cost you anything, you’re probably not following Him at all.5. Abundant in Love – Mark 12:29-31                Love God, Love PeopleTruth:             Love is the evidence that transformation is real.Self-Examination:  If [you think] your theology is “right” but your love is wrong — your theology is wrong.Tie-in to Mark 5:     You can’t carry the heart of Jesus while holding grudges like trophies.Teaching:·       Love is NOT an emotion — IT IS sacrificial action.·       The deeper you go in Christ, the wider your heart grows.o   Vertical devotion ALWAYS produces horizontal compassionApplication: We don’t love people after they change — we love people so they can change.6. Multiplying the Gospel – Mark 4:26-29                      The Growing SeedTruth:             If it’s alive and living in its God-given calling, it reproduces.Self-Examination:  If your faith never multiplies, it is terminally ill and killing someone else’s.Tie-in to Mark 6:     You don’t measure success by seats — you measure it by stories of transformation.Teaching:·       Disciples DO NOT “collect knowledge” — they cultivate harvest.·       The kingdom doesn’t grow by addition — it grows by reproduction.Application: Who is coming to Christ because of your life?

The Six Marks of a Disciple Who LastDrawn directly from the Impact Goal 1.    Grounded in Scripture – John 4:23-242.    Formed by Jesus – Matthew 11:28-303.    Devoted to Holiness – Luke 11:33-364.    Resilient in Suffering – Luke 9:23-255.    Abundant in Love – Mark 12:29-316.    Multiplying the Gospel – Mark 4:26-29

ADVENT 2025 – Overarching Theme: “Wood to Wood: From the Manger to the Cross”Thesis: The cradle and the cross are not two disconnected symbols but a single redemptive storyline. The wood that held the newborn Christ would one day give way to the wood that held the crucified Christ. -              Advent is the season where we behold the humility of His coming (reflection) and herald the purpose of His mission (response).  (12/21) WEEK 4(A) — THE WOOD OF THE CROSSThe Wood Of:1. Promise     2. The Manger                      3. Obedience             4. The Cross(A)        New Creation(B)Advent, The Message Of:I. Hope           II. Peace        III. Joy                        IV. Love Theme: Love - The Fulfillment of Perfect LoveBig Idea: The cradle finds its meaning in the cross; the cross finds its redemption in the resurrection. The Child born in Bethlehem is the Lamb sacrificed at Calvary.Opening Reading: Acts 10:34-43(V36) The Greek word kerygma (KAY-roog-mah) means “proclamation.” In the New Testament, the term is often associated with preaching the Christian message, especially the fundamentals of the gospel. Primary Passage: 1 John 4:7-12Cross References: Galatians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 2:13-15Burning Question: What is love?-              The “simple” or “churchy” answer. Love is sacrifice, specifically the sacrificial love that is poured out for another without expectation of reciprocation.  Textual Movements:Focus: How love is revealed within the economy of salvation.A. The Father as the Source of Love (vv. 7–8)7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.·       God’s very nature is loveo   V7 – Love’s command and origino   V8 – Love and the knowledge of GodB. The Son as the Revelation of Love (vv. 9–10)9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.·       The sending of the Sono   V9 – Love manifested in sending the Son·       Atonement (“propitiation”) as love’s climaxo   V10 – Love defined as atoning sacrificeC. The Community as the Manifestation of Love (vv. 11–12)11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.·       Divine love reaches completion in mutual loveo   V11 – Love required in response·       God abides in believerso   V12 – Love perfected through mutual indwelling  Hard Reality: Love has consequences, good or bad. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.-              hilasmos[1] (hē-läs-mos'): Propitiation, Atoning Sacrificeo   A fully satisfying payment for a debt that is owed. o   Love paid our cost… Conclusion (Bringing It All Together):The wood of the Manger is the altar that appears again in Christ’s life as the altar of The Cross. -              The love that saved and transformed the world, was costly o   God gave His’ Sono   The Son gave His all Reflection: How does the cross reshape the way I understand the birth of Christ?Response: An invitation to lay one’s life at the foot of the cross and embrace Christ as Savior AND King.[1] 2434 hilasmós – properly, propitiation; an offering to appease (satisfy) an angry, offended party.  2434 (hilasmós) is only used twice (1 Jn 2:2, 4:10) – both times of Christ's atoning blood that appeases God's wrath, on all confessed sin. By the sacrifice of Himself, Jesus Christ provided the ultimate 2434 /hilasmós("propitiation").

“Whose Peace Is It Anyways?”               Matthew 5:9                12/17/2025Teaching Movements:The Father Ordains PeaceHebrews 13:20-21 BSBEmphasis: Peace begins outside of us, not inside of us.God is not merely peaceful; He is “the God of peace.”Peace is covenantal before it is emotional.Notice the logic: resurrection → covenant blood → equipping → obedience.Peace is not calm feelings; it is God making a people fit for His will.Pastoral Insight:Many believers are exhausted because they’re trying to manufacture peace instead of receiving what God has already ordained through covenant. The Son Secures PeaceEphesisans 2:14-16 BSBEmphasis: Peace is costly reconciliation, not sentimental unity.“He Himself is our peace” peace is a Person before it’s a posture.The “dividing wall” is both vertical (God/humanity) and horizontal (human/human).Peacemaking is cruciform: hostility doesn’t disappear, it is killed at the cross.Key Clarification:Jesus does not keep the peace; He makes peace by confronting sin, absorbing wrath, and reconciling enemies.-       There is no peacemaking without wounds. The Spirit Produces PeaceGalatians 5:22-23 BSBEmphasis: Peace is grown, not forced.Fruit is cultivated over time, not demanded on command.Peace here is relational wholeness flowing from surrender.This means peacemakers are formed in private before they act in public.Warning:If peace is absent, the solution is not trying harder but yielding deeper. Sons(and Daughters) of God, Through Divine AdoptionRomans 8:14-17 BSBEmphasis: Peacemaking is family resemblance.“They will be called sons of God” is not a reward, it’s recognition.Sons act from security, not fear.Peacemakers don’t escalate conflict because they don’t need to defend their identity.Crucial Connection:Only adopted children can suffer without becoming bitter and reconcile without becoming proud. Application:Examine Your Definition of Peace – Ask:·       Do I equate peace with silence?·       Do I avoid hard conversations “for the sake of peace”?·       Do I call control wisdom and withdrawal maturity?Where peace costs me nothing, it may not be biblical peace. Submit to the Slow Work of the Spirit – Practices that cultivate peace:·       Confession instead of concealment·       Listening before responding·       Prayer that releases outcomes·       Refusal to dehumanize opponentsPeace grows where the Spirit is trusted to work over time. Conclusion: Pulling It All TogetherBringing the Beatitude back into focus.Blessed are the peacemakers; not because they are nice, not because they are passive, but because they look like their Father. Bringing the Trinity together:The Father ordains peaceThe Son secures peaceThe Spirit produces peaceAnd the children of God carry peace into a fractured world Final Word:We do not make peace to become sons of God.We make peace because, in Christ, we already are. 

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”        Matthew 5:8 BSBTitle: “I See The Light” Key Text: Matthew 5:8 Opening Reading: Matthew 15:10-20Cross References: Psalm 24:3-4; Exodus 33:20; Revelation 22:4; 1 John 3:2-3; Hebrews 12:14; Isaiah 29:13Burning Question: What did Jesus mean by pure in heart? Pure-katharos (kath-ar-os'): Clean, pure, clear2513 katharós (a primitive word) – properly, "without admixture" (BAGD); what is separated (purged), hence "clean" (pure) because unmixed (without undesirable elements); (figuratively) spiritually clean because purged (purified by God), i.e. free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of sin.(In) Heart- kardia (kar-dee'-ah): Heart1. the heart2. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind)3. (by analogy) the middle[Heart (2588 /kardía) is mentioned over 800 times in Scripture, but never referring to the literal physical pump that drives the blood. That is, "heart" is only used figuratively (both in the OT and NT.]Will See (God)-horaó (hor-ah'-o): To see, perceive, attend to1.   (properly) to stare at2. (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally)3. (by extension) to attend to4. (by Hebraism) to experience5. (passively) to appear Burning Question: What did Jesus mean by pure in heart?We can turn to Jesus to answer this Himself, elsewhere in scripture to find a more complete answer. Matthew 15:10-20.   *Spoiler Alert: Sometimes The Best Way to Know What “It” is, is to Recognize What “It” isn’t…* V10-14 – What it DOES NOT look like to “see” God1.   The Proud (the Pharisees) were offended, pride is found in self-righteousness [v12]2.   Self-Righteousness does not “see” the Eternal God [v13]3.   The Self-Righteous will lead the lost AWAY from God [14] V15-18 – An Troubled Heart is the Sign of a Troubled Soul1.   A troubled heart sometimes takes more tilling [v15-16]2.   The things of this world are temporary and failing [17]3.   A proud mouth comes from a troubled heart that remains unchanged [18] V19-20 – Those Who Won’t SEE God1.   Those who live from a troubled heart [v19] *The side effects of a troubled heart are…*Internal Realitya.   Evil Thoughts - the seedbed of sin (Gen 6:5; Prov 23:7) [1st-3rd Commandments]Destruction Against Personhoodb.   Murder - the culmination of unchecked anger [6th Commandment]c.    Adultery - the betrayal of covenantal fidelity [7th Commandment]d.   Sexual Immorality - the distortion of God’s design for embodied life [10thCommandment]Destruction Against Communitye.   Theft - the violation of trust and property. [8th Commandment]f.     False Testimony - the corruption of justice [9th Commandment]g.   Slander - the poisoning of communal relationships [10th Commandment]2.   Those who live from tradition rather than transformation [v20] Perspective Shift: How Does This Change Our Lives?-       They will see God.o   Not merely a glimpse or a momentary recognition. Rather an eternal dwelling. To live alongside of God. o   I can “see” the most beautiful things in this world: The Grand Canyon, The Mona Lisa, the look on my brides face as she walks down the isle, the birth of my children, etc.§  I can capture those in photographs, videos, etc. and I can enjoy them for temporary fleeing moments. But they all come to an end. This “reality” as we know it comes to an end. §  Only those who dwell Within the Most High God, Yahweh, will truly “see” Him. An eternal destiny without end.  Closing Scripture and Prayer: 2 Corinthians 4:4-6Those living in darkness, will never see GodThose who see God, will be bearers of His Light-       Pray for opportunities to be a bearer of His Lighto   That is what it means to be one who is pure in heart, a bearer of His Light…

ADVENT WEEK 2 – THE WOOD OF THE MANGERTheme: Peace — The Humility of God Opening Passage: Luke 2:13-14Primary Passage: Luke 2:1–20 Support: John 1:1–14; Philippians 2:5–8BIG IDEA:The wood of the manger reveals the self-emptying nature of Christ; true glory wrapped in true humility.THESIS:The cradle and the cross are not two disconnected symbols but a single redemptive storyline.The wood that held the newborn Christ would one day give way to the wood that held the crucified Christ.- Advent is the season where we behold the humility of His coming (reflection) and herald the purpose of His mission (response).REFRAMING – PEACE AND HUMILITYPeace:Peace is a settled heart birthed from a surrendered trust.It is the inner stillness that grows when you stop clenching your life and start resting in God’s hands.Sticky image: Peace is when Jesus becomes the quiet center of your storm.Humility:Humility is strength turned downward, the willingness to serve rather than be seen.It is choosing God’s way over self-promotion.Sticky image: Humility is when you kneel low enough for others to rise.TEACHING OUTLINE 1. God Steps Into the World’s Story (Luke 2:1–7)“A global decree creates a divine doorway.”2. Heaven Announces a Better King (Luke 2:8–14)“Rome announced power; heaven announced peace.”3. Those Who See Jesus Become Witnesses (Luke 2:15–20)“The manger creates missionaries.”ADVENT: REFLECT AND RESPONDReflection:Where in my life am I resisting the downward way of Jesus?- Am I: clinging to control, status, or self-importance?Response:Embrace His humility as your calling and His peace as your strength.- Let the wood of the manger shape the posture of your heart.

“WHEN THE GRACE OF GOD IS SEEN”                        Acts 11:19-26(NIV)(A movement emphasizing the visibility of grace in a community)Grace is the free, sovereign, undeserved favor of God, by which He acts for the good of His people—saving, sustaining, empowering, and transforming them through Jesus Christ.Grace means God gives us His love and help even when we don’t deserve it. He saves us, takes care of us, gives us strength, and helps us grow to be more like Jesus—because He loves us. 1. Grace Goes Where Pain Scatters Us (v. 19)19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.·      What looks like loss becomes the seedbed for kingdom expansion.·      The gospel spreads through the wounds God redeems.2. Grace Reaches Further Than Our Comfort Zones (v. 20–21)20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.·      The bold witness to Greeks reveals a grace not limited by ethnicity or tradition.·      When God’s hand is on His people, outsiders become family. o   “Strangers” are just friends you haven’t met yet.3. Grace Is Recognized by Spirit-Filled Encouragers (v. 22–23)22News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.·      Barnabas “saw the grace of God”—you can see grace in a church!·      Our task is to call it out, nurture it, and exhort it toward steadfast devotion.4. Grace Forms a New Kind of People (v. 24–26)24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.·      Discipleship produces Christlikeness.·      A community so shaped by grace gains a new identity: “Christians.”·      Grace visible → grace formed → grace named.

ADVENT 2025 – WEEK 1              THE WOOD OF PROMISE            Isaiah 9:1–7Opening Reading: Genesis 3:14-15        Theme: Hope – The Promise in the ShadowsSupporting Texts:       Genesis 3:15; Micah 5:2; Hebrews 10:5–7Big Idea:Long before Christ laid in a manger, the promise of His coming was whispered through Israel’s prophets, sung in their psalms, and carried in their long ache for redemption. Advent opens our eyes to see that hope is not an idea but a Person. One whose throne, built of promise, would one day be built of wood.The Wood:The Wood of Promise — The Throne of the Coming MessiahNot yet the wood of the manger, not yet the wood of the cross; this is the wood of the throne, the ancient promise that a righteous King would arise whose rule would heal the world.

“Here I Am. Send Me.”             Text: Isaiah 6:1–13 (NLT)Opening Reading: Isaiah 6:5-8 (NLT)                    Theme: The Holiness of God.Big Idea: A fresh vision of the enthroned Christ dismantles our pride, cleanses our sin, reshapes our calling and sends us into a world that desperately needs the hope only He can bring.Side Theme: Sent Ones - Christians are fundamentally “Sent Ones” and witnesses of Christ - this is not optional, but an essential part of their identity. This missional purpose reflects God’s heart, with Jesus embodying divine love and God’s longing to gather people to Himself. Sent Ones = witnesses of Christ, who reflect God’s heart. (Gatherers of God’s people.)Isaiah's readiness to be sent foreshadows the ultimate sending of Jesus Christ, who was sent by the Father to fulfill His redemptive mission (John 3:16-17).[1] Outline:I. WHEN EARTHLY THRONES SHAKE (v1-4)II. WHEN HOLINESS BREAKS IN (v5-7)III. WHEN GRACE TOUCHES YOU (v8)IV. WHEN YOU OBEY (v9-12)V. WHEN EVERYTHING IS CUT DOWN (v13)[1] BSB Study Bible. V8. https://biblehub.com/study/isaiah/6-8.htmCONCLUSION – STEP INTO THE CALL: “LOOK UP, BREAK OPEN, RISE UP, GO OUT.”1. Look Up – behold the true King in all His glory. (v3) “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts”2. Break Open – confess with honesty and receive cleansing. (v5)“For I Am Ruined Because I Am A Man of Unclean Lips”3. Rise Up – let grace rewire your calling. (v7)“Your Iniquity Is Removed and Your Sin Is Atoned For”4. Go Out – step into mission as a sent one in the image of Christ. (v8)“Here I Am. Send Me.” Final Call to ActionThis week:Recover awe – refuse a small view of Jesus.Practice confession – name what God wants to purify.Pray availability – “Here I am.”Live sent – bless someone, invite someone, speak hope to someone.

The Miracle of Mercy – “The Merciful”Text: Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”Title: The Miracle of Mercy — “The Merciful”Big idea: Mercy flows from the heart that’s already received mercy; showing mercy situates us within God’s economy and opens the door to receive mercy in return. SummaryMatthew 5:7 teaches that:·       Mercy flows from hearts shaped by God’s own character.·       Mercy is a kingdom marker.·       Mercy radiates Christ’s presence in a harsh world.·       Mercy reveals that one belongs to the family of God.·       Those who show mercy live in the continual stream of God’s mercy now and forever