Grace Point Baptist Church's Podcast

When we think of self-control, we think of keeping a grip on our temper, our fear, or our emotions.  But what about control of self? The world around us cries out for exactly that: boldly determine your own direction, chase your own dreams, control your own self destiny. I want to challenge you to stop controlling your self; your plans, your destiny. There is a better way to live, and a more fruitful way to spend your life.  The Gift of the Spirit The key to Romans 8, the key to this new life in Christ, is the presence of the Holy Spirit. If you are a true believer, the Word of God says you have the Spirit of God living in you. Romans 8:9 puts it plainly, “…Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” The evidence of conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit; our bodies become the temple of God's presence (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Do you know and experience that presence daily? Sometimes we get so used to the light that we forget what it was like to walk in the dark. The Spirit awakens even our thinking, giving us wisdom and clarity in an age of brain fog, where our phones and feeds are tools the enemy uses to dull our senses. Three things the Spirit does for us: He gives us victory over the flesh — not just the power to resist temptation, but a distinctly better path to walk.He is a seal of belonging to God — Jesus purchased us by his blood (see Revelation 5:9), and the Spirit's presence means we've been adopted into God's family.He gives new life — not revised life, but new life. A creative miracle where there was no life before.Do you know this life? This isn't an optional extra. This is the definition of being a Christian.  So Then Romans 8:12 opens with "so then" — in light of everything just written. Paul writes that we're debtors to live according to the Spirit, not the flesh. We have no obligation to the old way of life; it has no claim on us. That's the freedom we have in Christ. If the Spirit has given us life, we cannot live according to the flesh, which only leads to death. How could we possess life and still chase what kills us? We're indebted to the Spirit of life, so we put to death anything that threatens it. Verse 13 says it directly: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Two Plots of Land Picture two plots side by side. The first is neglected. Nobody plants or waters weeds, yet within weeks, thorns and thistles take over. Why? That's what uncultivated soil naturally produces, at zero effort. That's the flesh: sin and division spring up naturally in the human heart when it's left alone. The second plot is a managed greenhouse. To grow the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23), you need deliberate cultivation, watering, pruning, (a kind of death), and light from an outside source, God's light. Healthy, fruitful Christian lives require a cutting off. The old KJV language calls it mortification. How Do We Put Things to Death? 1. Understand what mortification actually means. It's not masochism, not taking pleasure in hurting ourselves. It's seeing clearly the results of living in sin and the pain it causes us and everyone around us. No matter what sin you're wrestling with, it always affects the people near you. That's a spiritual law. Jesus said it plainly in Mark 8:34: to take up your cross meant one thing in the Roman world, it was a one-way ticket to execution. He wasn't exaggerating. The only way to follow him is through self-denial, putting to death any use of our mind, eyes, tongue, hands, or feet that serves our own desires instead of God's will. 2. It takes action. Pruning a tree or pulling weeds takes work. So does putting the flesh to death. While the Spirit does the work in us, we still have a part to play, this is especially clear with addiction, but it's true of every sin. Someone caught in addiction might say, "I prayed, and God didn't take the desire away." But freedom from addiction is a miracle that still requires hard work on our side. Only the Spirit gives us the desire and discipline to reject evil; but we have to take action. Don't entertain sinful thoughts; they lead to sinful actions (see Romans 13:14). And it's more than avoidance; we're called to change how we think (see Philippians 4:8). If your mind is a garden, you'll never find beautiful flowers growing in pornography, social media, or the news feed. Beautiful thoughts come from enjoying God's creation, reading his Word, and having life giving conversations that build people up. 3. Know your why. This life of putting things to death is hard. It runs against our natural pull toward ease and self-indulgence. In a wealthy culture, we can get by on very little effort. So why do it? The end of verse 13 gives the answer in one Greek word, translated into three English ones: “you will live.” The word is zēsesthe, from zoē, which is the supernatural, God-empowered life. Jesus came to give us life, not just a pulse and breath, but life that's vibrant and supernatural, life that overflows to the people around us. We can't contain it (see John 10:10). That rich, satisfying, abundant life is yours and mine as we live by the Spirit and put the flesh to death. Life through death. Are you fully alive? What the world calls life is selfish, and it causes us, and those around us, pain. What the Spirit offers is authentic, vibrant life. Do you know this life?Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Sunday August 23, 2026Acts 6:1-7 Dan MadaszRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Sunday August 16, 2026 Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 TravisRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Access Granted The Jewish people had a system of religion that was designed to keep people out of the presence of God. In the temple, the holy of holies was the place where the ark of the covenant, the presence of God was. And only the high priest could enter into the holy of holies to atone for the sins of the people once a year. So when the first readers heard Hebrews 10:19, “Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,” it must have shocked them And it should shock us; we are invited to enter with confidence. Confident because our sins are forgiven, confident because our prayers are being heard. Do you know that confidence today? We have access, “…by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,” Hebrews 10:20.  As the high priest had to pass through the curtain to get into the holy of holies, so the broken body of Jesus, his weak flesh that was destroyed on the cross, had to be torn for us to enter in. And it is only by putting on the righteousness of Christ, that we can have access to the throne of God the Father.  Jesus didn’t die, rise again and ascend into heaven; He is the High Priest now and forever. He is our righteousness, he is interceding for us, he advocates for us to the Father (see Hebrews 10:21). Since we have a high priest who represent us, we don’t have to doubt or waiver, we can be assured of our salvation (see Hebrews 10:22).  The Mosaic Law required the priests to undergo many washings and daily rituals in preparation for them to enter into the presence of God. The message of the Old Testament was, “stay back, do not come near.” But the New Covenant message is, “draw near, you are welcome.”  What changed? God’s requirement for holiness has not changed. If you have placed your faith in Jesus as your savior and repented of your sins, you are invited to enter the presence of God through faith in the completed work of Jesus. However, there is preparation we need to do, we must confess our sins (see 1 John 1:9). Repentance must be a part of our daily prayers.  There are two problems with unconfessed sin: Unconfessed sin hinders our prayers (see Psalm 66:18-19).Unconfessed sin affects our worship experience. When we come to church and gather as the Body of Christ; our sin affects our worship time, our hearing and encountering God.Hebrews 10:23 encourages us with these words, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” It does not matter what people say or how much the moral compass of our culture deviates, we must hold fast to the unchanging promises of the Word of God.  A Stirring Church These are incredible verses set the stage for the next two verses, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25. The focus here is not what we can get out of being a part of the church, but rather, what are we called to contribute to the Body. God calls us to provoke and stir one another up to love and good works (see Proverbs 27:17). We come together to provoke one another, not to irritate one another, but to provoke one another to love (see Matthew 22:36-40), and to good works (see Ephesians 2:10). Being a part of the Body of Christ is not for spectators; we are all called to do our part. Verse 25 continues to encourage the readers to not neglect the gathering time of the church. All the more, as we see the signs of the end times around us.  Whenever there is a tragedy that shakes the nation, church attendance increases. People want stability and hope in times of crisis. Gen-Z Phenomenon An interesting research project has just been done on Gen-Z, the demographic group born from 1997 to 2012. This generation loves the spiritual disciplines. Embracing spiritual disciplines like silence, solitude, and Sabbath-keeping, etc. However, this passion for spiritual disciplines is not accompanied by a rise in church attendance. In other words, the zeal for spiritual discipline is based on how the disciplines make the individual feel. However, spiritual disciplines separated from church community does not create disciples. The reason is that the focus is on the individual and their desires, not the Lord or serving His church. More than Sunday That said, meeting together should include much more than how you spend a few hours on Sunday mornings. We have so many more ways to connect with each other than the first century church.  While nothing can really replace getting in the same room with people, we also need to take advantage of those other opportunities. Simply being mindful of the Holy Spirit’s prompting is a great place to start. If God puts someone on your heart, send them a text or give them a call. If your small group shares prayer requests, make sure Sunday morning isn’t the only time you’re taking those requests to God.    Let’s look for ways to encourage one another, to spur one another on. At the end of the day, God wired us to need one another. How well are you living out the true meaning of meeting together? Is Sunday morning the full extent of your commitment to other believers? Is Sunday morning even part of that commitment? And when you come on a Sunday, is it to be a passive observer or are you coming prepared and expectant, ready to encourage one another?  Who is God prompting you to stir up today?  Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Healthy community is a goal for every church, but cultivating it is challenging. Even the first century church had to be encouraged to work towards a healthy community.   Watch and Pray In 1 Peter 4:7, Peter writes, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” Many would agree that we are rapidly getting closer to the day of Christ’s return. As we see “the day” approaching, we need to be mindful of how we live. We should be focusing on living as the salt and light of the world, being self-controlled and sober minded. To be sober minded is to use right judgment, to have steady and clear thinking. If you are sober minded in this world, you will not be drawn to false teaching regarding the return of Christ. Instead, you will be focused on preparing for his return. If our minds are confused, we will have an unfocused prayer life. It is crucial that we are people of prayer; watchful, alert, and sober minded. Peter wrote these words with his own painful memory in mind. Jesus asked him to watch and pray, but Peter fell asleep and couldn’t pray with Jesus as he fought the greatest battle in human history before going to the Cross (see Mark 14). There is no place for listless prayers in the Church. Love One Another Peter continued in verse 8, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins”. Within the body of Christ, we must prioritize loving one another earnestly and with intentionality. We can only love with the love that comes from God; it is a supernatural love by the Spirit of God. It is not an optional extra (see John 13:34). It is always humbling to realize how little grace we have for someone we don’t know and love, yet for someone we love, we are quick to overlook an offense. Out of relationship comes grace. If someone is bothering you, take the time to learn about them. Get to know them and see how God has uniquely designed them to be a blessing to the church—including to you. Show Hospitality to One Another In verse 9, Peter exhorts the church to be hospitable, which is a spiritual gift and essential for a healthy church community. This is not the sole function of a small team in the church; it is everyone’s responsibility. We cannot outsource this command. Serve One Another In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul teaches about the spiritual gifts given to the church for the health of the church. Peter underlines the fact that these gifts are for us to steward within the church family (see 1 Peter 4:10). If you are not serving one another, you are missing out by not exercising the gift God has given you. Everyone is gifted differently, and we all have differing roles to play. Two Spiritual Gifts In verse 11 Peter highlights two gifts, “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies…”Preaching: This is more than simply information transfer; this is declaration of the truths of God’s word. This is the crucial declaration of the Bible in the church. Serving: Serving one another in the Body of Christ. Why are these two so important? In 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul wrote, “…But earnestly desire the higher gifts.” What are the higher gifts? I would like to propose that the higher gifts are the servant gifts. The gifts done behind the scenes, the “non-platform” gifts (see what Jesus said in Matthew 20:26). Prescription for a Healthy Church In the context of the church, we value worship, prayer, missions, compassion and various forms of ministry, but what did the early church value? In Acts 2 we see that the early church devoted themselves to a few things.  Preaching of the WordActs 2:42, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Recently, an increasingly loud group of voices say that we don’t need preaching in the church. They suggest that we simply gather, worship, and discuss the Bible together.  But the Bible constantly shows us that preaching or declaring God’s Word has always been God’s method for equipping His people, even in the Old Testament.   As the Apostle Paul trained and encouraged Timothy, his young church planter, he didn’t focus on the worship team, the building aesthetics, the welcome team, or the free coffee… no, he instructed Timothy to, “preach the word” (see 2 Timothy 4:1-2).  Eric Spady preached on this text at my ordination in 2014, and it has always been my primary goal, to faithfully declare the truths of God’s Word by the power of the Holy Spirit.   A church without declaration of the Word of God will starve to death.  Sacrificial CommunityActs 2:44-45, “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” This is not promoting a form of socialism, rather it is how the church voluntarily showed each other that they valued one another above earthly things. One of the most valued commodities in our culture is our time. We value “me time”; we want flexibility to do our own thing when we want to. But when we value community, we give our time and serve one another. When you are serving the Lord, you have the promise of the Lord’s supply. You are tapping into a supernatural resource, and it brings glory to God (see 1 Peter 4:11).  All for His Glory This is what we were created for. This is our God ordained purpose, to declare the Gospel and to serve one another. And it is all for His glory. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

There is a frequent, and sadly accurate, accusation against the church that there are too many hypocrites in the church. Hypocrisy is evident when people claim to be followers of Jesus but still want to live on their own terms.  The heading in most Bibles before Romans 12:9 reads, “Marks of the True Christian.” What follows seems to be a list of attributes that we can easily gloss over. In the first portion Romans 12, Paul writes about spiritual gifts that every member of the Body of Christ has been given. Those gifts are to be exercised to build up the church to effectively minister to their community. But exercising the gifts without love is merely a clanging cymbal (see 1 Cor 13:1).  Love Paul uses two Greek words for love in this passage: 1: Agape (Romans 12:9), This is a sacrificial love, like the love displayed by Christ on the cross (see Romans 5:8).  2: Phileo (Romans 12:10), This is affection for one another, particularly within the family. Think of Agape as the steady, immovable anchor that holds a marriage together through the fiercest storms, or the quiet grace that moves us to care for a broken stranger. Phileo is the sweet, joyful warmth shared around a table of dear friends and beloved family. To build a truly flourishing life and community, we need both—the tender affection of Philéo and the enduring covenant commitment of agape. In Romans 12:9-16, Paul focuses on the attitudes of those people in the church who are exercising their spiritual gifts. It is possible to use a spiritual gift in a way that is damaging and destructive to the Body of Christ. For example, teaching can be used to manipulate people, even generosity can be used for selfish motives. Without genuine love, spiritual gifts are not helpful to the Church. Warren Wiersbe writes, “Love is the circulatory system of the spiritual body, which enables all the members to function in a healthy, harmonious way.” Paul lists twelve attributes in these verses: 1. Verse 9, “Let love be genuine.” This is love, without hypocrisy or without motive. 2. Verse 9, “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Love is not a blind sentiment, if we see a brother or sister straying from their walk with the Lord, we don’t sit idly by, we confront them in love and help them to come back to a healthy relationship with God. 3. Verse 10, “Love one another with brotherly affection.” This is the Phileo love, affection within a family. Our warmness for one another in the church is what keeps us in unity. 4. Verse 10, “Outdo one another in showing honor.”We should be in competition with one another to show honor to one another. 5. Verse 11, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”  The word “fervent” means to be boiling over with zeal for the Lord. This is excitement and passion that keeps us fervent when the enemy tries to destroy our witness. Paul encourages us to maintain our zeal, boiling over in serving the Lord even  when things get hard. Remember, we cannot do this, but as we cry out to God the Holy Spirit gives us fervency and zeal. 6. Verse 12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Here we have three in one, but the key is the hope we have, remember this is not a hope in some uncertain future, this hope is based on the certainty of the promises of God and the return of Christ. 7. Verse 13, “Contribute to the needs of the saints.“ This is generosity, sharing what we have with one another. This was a mark of the early church (see Proverbs 19:17). 8. Verse 13, “seek to show hospitality.” Coupled with our love for one another, we need to have a love for strangers who are part of the greater Church (see Hebrews 13:2). 9. Verse 14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” The world watches how we respond when mocked and persecuted. As Christians we don’t have the right to curse those who persecute us. It is not easy, but we have the enabling power of the Holy Spirit when we pray for those who persecute us. And when we do pray for those who persecute is, a miracle takes place and Satan loses his power over our lives (see Luke 6:27-28). 10. Verse 15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” True love never stands apart when people are suffering. If we love one another, we sacrificially care for them and identify with their suffering. Our natural tendency is to avoid people who are suffering, because we feel awkward, but that is selfish motivation. Love motivates us to action.  11. Verse 16, “Live in harmony with one another.” This simply means, thinking the same things, being of one mind. No ulterior motives, living in agreement (see Philippians 2:2). When we keep the Gospel as the thing that unites us, we will live in harmony. When there is disharmony, it is because we have taken our eyes off Jesus as the head of the church. Usually this is because of pride, which leads to our final point. 12. Verse 16, “Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.” Don’t be prideful! Prideful people are obsessed with their status in the church. Jesus was drawn to the lowly and rejected the influential people in society. Pride and love of position is always destructive.  These twelve points from these few verses remind us that being a part of the church is so much more than showing up on a Sunday and patting a few people on the back. It means doing life together, sharing burdens, blessing one another, and bringing glory to God through our relationships.  If people in the church, who claim to be filled with the Spirit of God cannot honor and love one another, how can we ever represent Christ to a lost world.  Let us love one another with the supernatural "agape" love of God. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 The first three chapters of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians addresses our position as followers of Jesus. The next three chapters speak about the very practical aspects of our Christian walk. We need to know our position in order to walk out our faith.  Paul urged the church in Ephesians 4:1 to walk worthy of their calling. Being a follower of Jesus is not a religion or becoming a nice person who follows a set of rules, becoming a Christian is about becoming a new person. Walking a different walk. The term Christian literally means, “little Christs”. The more we walk with him, the more we look like him, daily being changed into his image.  Paul knew who he was, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord…” HE didn’t say, “I therefore a prisoner of Rome”. He didn’t let his temporary situation define his position. Paul was a prisoner for Jesus, he had surrendered his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. His position with Christ had led him to be temporarily imprisoned in Rome. Are you defined by your current work situation, relationships, or financial status? If you are defined by your temporary situation, you will never know what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. As followers of Jesus we have a common call, we are all saved by grace alone in Christ alone. We share a common experience of grace; this is what unites us. A healthy church is marked by unity. When a church struggles with a lack of unity, it is often because they have taken their eyes off their common call and identity. In verses 2 and 3, Paul explains how to walk worthy of this calling by listing five characteristics of the follower of Jesus: humility, gentleness, patience, love, and unity. Jesus exemplified these 5 characteristics in his life on the earth: Humility (Philippians 2:5-8); Gentleness (Matthew 11:28-29); Patience (1 Timothy 1:16); Love (Romans 5:8); and Unity (Ephesians 2:14). The more we look like Jesus individually, the more we live like Jesus relationally, and the more united the church will be. Looking at each of these individually: Humility Paul constantly refered to humility as an essential characteristic of being a Christian in his letters. Humility was not common in the first century, Greek literature shows us that a conceited attitude was highly valued and admired. We live in a similar time. If people a thousand years from now look at our culture, they would see a culture obsessed with our own self-image. Our culture screams, “exalt yourself, pamper yourself, think about yourself first”. But being a follower of Jesus calls us to walk in the opposite spirit (Philippians 2:3). “The essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less”.  Tim Keller  Gentleness:  This does not mean weakness or timidity, rather it is self-control. Moses, arguably the greatest leader in the whole Bible, was the role model of meekness and gentleness (see Numbers 12:3). Moses had a special relationship with the Lord. He knew that God would defend him, and God was the source of his strength (see Galatians 5:23).  Patience:  For some of us, no matter how fast the microwave heats up the milk, it will never be fast enough. A lack of patience is a display of a lack of humility and a lack of love. In 1 Corinthians 13, the Bible says that love is patient. So how do we cultivate patience? By relying on the Holy Spirit and meditating on the patience that Christ has shown us (see 2 Peter 3:9).  Accepting one another in love: Out of relationship comes grace. Unity in the church is impossible without loving acceptance of our differences. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:8, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Diligently keeping unity. Ephesians 4:3 reads, “…eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Notice Paul doesn’t write, “work towards unity,” rather this is an active maintaining of unity. We don’t create unity. We have unity because of the Holy Spirit. God unites us as the body of Christ; our role is to keep the unity. How do we keep unity? By walking in humility and preferring others.By renouncing harshness and walking in gentleness towards others.By setting aside our own agenda and walking in patience.By setting aside our own expectations and walking in love.Anytime the church lacks unity, it is because we have stopped living in Christlike humility, patience, gentleness, and love.  One Body In Ephesians 4:4-6, we have what was possibly an early church creed, which includes seven “one” statements" One body: the church is the body of Christ.  One Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the one who creates unity and then empowers us to maintain it.  One hope: We share a common hope in Jesus Christ. This hope is not wishful thinking, and the Greek word used here is one of trusting in a certain outcome. Jesus is coming again and those who put their trust in him will be saved.  One Lord: The early believers, by stating that Jesus is Lord, they were proclaiming that Caesar is not Lord. This could mean the death penalty. By declaring Jesus is Lord, we are giving him authority and lordship over every decision of our lives. One faith: These are the essential truths of our faith.  One baptism: This may refer to the act of being baptized in water, but it probably means the baptism of the Holy Spirit that John the Baptist referred to in Luke 3:16.  One God and Father: We have been adopted into the family of God. Regardless of our ethnicity and background, we are all part of one body.  This creed includes the doctrine of the trinity. The three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in perfect unity. The trinity not only creates unity but serves as the ultimate picture of unity.  A healthy church maintains unity by focusing on humility, gentleness, patience and love.  Ask the Lord to help you maintain unity in the Body of Christ. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

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Why is the prayer meeting often the least attended meeting on the church calendar? I wonder if we actually believe in the power of prayer. Samuel Chadwick once wrote, “Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His one concern is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil; he mocks our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” James, the half-brother of Jesus, was known as a man of prayer. Early church historians called him James the Just. He would enter the temple alone and be found kneeling and praying daily for the people's forgiveness. He was such a prayer warrior that his knees would be calloused; he was described as having camel knees because of his constant worship. The activity of prayer does not come naturally to us. From the moment we are born, we are taught how to take care of ourselves and to be self-reliant through education and financial resources. But prayer, at its core, is dependence; it is based on faith and trust in the unseen realm. Prayer is offensive to our proud human nature.We can never overemphasize the importance of prayer and the power of prayer. It is the life blood of every true believer, not just something we turn to when we run into problems in life. Prayer is so much more; we get to communicate with the creator of the universe! James 5:13 states, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." No one will go through life without suffering. In this fallen world, we will have trouble (see John 16:33). And when trials come our way, usually the last resort is prayer. Then James goes to the opposite end of the spectrum, the cheerful heart, and he instructs us to sing praises to God. James writes that from suffering to joy, across the entire spectrum of life, we should be praying, looking to heaven (see Philippians 4:6).Then James narrows it down to sickness, James 5:14-16, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”Translations differ on these verses, but the NIV seems to make a categorical statement in verse 15: “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.” James does not give a time frame, but he says the healing will take place, maybe not in the time we hope for it to happen. Sometimes healing takes place over a long time; sometimes it only occurs in glory. We must never give up praying for the sick; we must be a people of faith and a people of prayer; we need to wrestle with this and apply it to our lives.But what is the prayer of faith? We find the answer in 1 John 5:14-15: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” A prayer of faith is a prayer offered when we know the will of God, when we have spent time with God in prayer, discerning His will in the matter and then praying accordingly. This is how Jesus operated when he walked the earth (John 5:19-20). Jesus never did anything outside of the will of the Father.Most of the time, we view prayer as a horizontal petition. But a prayer offered in faith is circular; we wait on the Lord, He gives us the direction and clarity of what to pray for, and then we pray accordingly. Faith is not something we muster up; faith comes from God, and we respond in faith by praying to him. We now come to the two “One-Anothers” in verse 16: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working”Confess your sins to one another.This verse doesn’t mean that we need to line up in front of the church and confess our sins from the stage – although sometimes we might need to. A good rule is the following:• Private sin requires private confession• Public sin requires public confession. James is not implying that we have the power to cleanse one another’s sins; only the blood of Jesus through repentance can do that. Confessing to one another is a private confession with someone you can fully trust with your sinful mistakes; someone who loves you and is willing to hold you accountable. Pray for one another. This is such a vital part of the Christian community, not just praying for one another when they are sick or going through a hard time, but continually praying for one another. Verse 16 ends with the phrase, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”TThe word righteous means our position in Christ. Firstly, as believers, we are covered by the righteousness of Christ. Philippians 3:9 states that it is not our own righteousness, but the gift given to us, that we are in right standing with God. But we must never neglect personal holiness, daily walking in right relationship with the Lord, which brings power to our prayers. Jimmy Draper wrote, “A man whose life is a holy life, whose life is consumed with the desire to love and serve God, who walks with and lives for God, will have power in prayer.”Our personal holiness, or lack thereof, does affect our prayers (see Psalm 66:18). May we seek to walk daily, repenting of our sin, living in communion with our Heavenly Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us be known as a praying church. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 In Ephesians 4:17-22, Paul reminds the church in Ephesus of their spiritual condition before they became followers of Jesus. He used words such as futile, darkened, alienated from God, callous, greedy, and impure. This is the condition of everyone before meeting Christ. But then in verses 23 and 24, he encourages the believers, “… be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” A Peculiar Life When we become followers of Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit, who enables us to live a different life. It is a peculiar life, a life that makes little sense to a lost world. Paul begins listing instructions for how believers are to live their lives; put away falsehood, speaking the truth, do not sin when angry, work and don’t look for dishonest gain, speak to build one another up, and in verse 31, he writes, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” There is tremendous power in the words we say. We have the Holy Spirit in us; we have the presence of God with us, and whatever we say is in the presence of God. Sadly, Christians have accepted gossip and slander, even vulgar joking, as acceptable. The fruit of such language leads to sickness in the Body of Christ (see Matthew 12:36). It is all about spirit-filled living. Putting on the cloak of Christ’s righteousness. The Power of Forgiveness One of the most powerful ways a Christian demonstrates being filled with the Spirit is through forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32 states, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” The Word of God instructs us to put off all negative ways of communicating and replace them with kindness and compassion. Compassion is one of our foundational values at Grace Point. Both kindness and compassion will cost us; it will not always be easy, but the rewards far outweigh any cost. But then Paul writes this phrase under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Psychologists have studied the act of forgiveness for many years. Why do some people hold on to offence and refuse to forgive, while others are able to let go and forgive? They found that the people who forgave, even when it was completely undeserved, were those who experienced a deep sense of their own forgiveness. We have been Forgiven much.  When we are reminded of what we have been forgiven, it changes how we respond. Forgiveness is not something that we should grit our teeth and do simply because the pastor tells us to; that doesn’t really help. Forgiveness must flow from grace, supernatural spirit-filled grace, knowing how much we have been forgiven. That is unconditional Christlike love. It changes how we treat each other.  The greatest act of injustice ever committed was when Jesus was nailed to the cross. He did not deserve punishment, but he took on himself the punishment for our sins, and in that moment, he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do…” Luke 23:34. We don’t have to keep score, because the cross removes any excuse for us to hold a grudge. When Jesus walked the earth, the rabbis were teaching that if someone offends you, you must forgive them three times, and then after that, you are entitled to hold a grudge or take retribution. When Peter came to Jesus in Matthew 18:21-22 and asked the question, “…Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Peter thought he was being exceedingly gracious, extending more than double the grace of the rabbi’s teaching, but Jesus said, no, you must grant unlimited forgiveness. This does not mean that there should be no consequences for wrongdoing. We are not required to allow people to abuse or continually hurt us or those we love. That is not what is being taught here. This forgiveness is a matter of the heart. Not taking revenge but allowing room for God to take vengeance. Do you know God feels your offence, and we can trust Him for justice? In Romans 12, under the heading, “Marks of a true Christian,” we read in verse 19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” The Freedom of Forgiveness Unforgiveness comes at a cost, John Chrysostom wrote, “We punish ourselves by hating others, even as on the other hand we benefit ourselves by loving them.” It has also been said many times, “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”  There are real physical consequences of unforgiveness; the body is placed in a constant “fight or flight state”. This leads to cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure, lower immunity, depression, anxiety, not to mention bitterness and a lack of joy. Unforgiveness comes at a high price.  I promise you, based on the promises of God’s word, you will never regret forgiving the person who has hurt you. It is a supernatural transaction that happens and sets you free.  Do you want to know that freedom today? Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 Charles R. Swindoll wrote, “Love has been called the most effective motivational force in all the world. When love is at work in us, it is remarkable how giving and forgiving, understanding and tolerant we can be.” The phrase “one another” is used often in the New Testament alongside commands for Christians on how they are to live out their faith in relationships. It’s used more than 47 times to give instructions to the church. These instructions include humility, unity, truthfulness, corporate prayer, hospitality, and most importantly, love. Something New Ever since sin entered the world in Genesis 3, there has been brokenness in relationships. Sin is evidenced in pride, selfishness, and all kinds of conflict. Sadly, we see these same characteristics of sin in the church today, causing much pain. This should not surprise us, but we should never accept it; it is not the way Jesus intends for his church to exist. In John 13, we read about the final encouragement and instructions Jesus gave the disciples at the last Passover supper with them. Jesus was preparing his disciples for what lay ahead, and in verse 34, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” The word new does not mean “new in time,” it means “new in experience, fresh.” It is the opposite of “worn out.” Love would take on a new meaning and power because of the death of Christ on the cross (see John 15:13). With the coming of the Holy Spirit, love would have a new power in their lives. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is not an added feature; rather, it is a totally new way of living and seeing the world. The commandment Jesus gave was only doable because of the coming Holy Spirit. This is a supernatural love that we can have as believers for one another in the church because of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. Sadly, churches get so used to the word love that it can be dismissed as people gloss over the necessity of love in our community. “A community built by God through the gospel of Jesus Christ that is evidently supernatural.” Mark Dever. The Gospel Revealed The unity and commitment within the community of the church is only explainable by the redeeming work of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. This kind of community is a Gospel revealing community; when we love as Christ commanded, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth and the power of the Gospel is evident to the community around us. It is a supernatural experience. God is glorified when His church operates in unity, humility, and love, intentionally seeking the care and well-being of one another. This is the kind of community we must always pray for. The fact that we have the One Another commands in the Bible reveals that God wants us to work towards this, to make every effort to give Him our yes for community. God wants His Church to exert effort to care for one another. As we will see, this is not an optional part of our Christian walk. The “one another’s” are not just for church leaders but for all who call themselves Christian. John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” There will be a conspicuous difference in the church that is committed to bringing glory to God through our love for one another. It is love that is the true evidence that we belong to Jesus Christ.  D.A. Carson writes, “This display of unity is so compelling, so un-worldly, that their witness as to who Jesus is becomes explainable only if Jesus truly is the revealer whom the Father has sent.” John 13 begins and ends with Love, verse 1 reads, “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” The church leader Tertullian quoted the pagans as saying of the Christians, “See how they love one another?”Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

This past Sunday we honored and prayed for the mothers in our church family.Honoring our parents is a command from God as we see in Deuteronomy 5:16, “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."This is something that Jesus modeled for us, considering his mother even in the most difficult time of his earthly life as he hung on the cross and bore our sins (see John 19:26-27). Honoring our parents can be hard, and sometimes our parents are hard to love due to poor choices that they have made. How is God inviting you to honor your mother this week?Below is an article relating to Mother's day from the ministry of the late Dr Charles Stanley - In Touch Ministries--------------------------------"Train up a child in the way he should go;even when he is old he will not depart from it."Proverbs 22:6If someone asked us to name the greatest and most influential people, we’d probably think of presidents or leaders of industry because their decisions shape the world. But who shaped them? It’s likely their mothers played a key role in their success.When a woman is in the process of changing diapers, wiping noses, and settling squabbles, raising children may not seem like important work. However, God has given mothers the responsibility of shaping those young lives and teaching the importance of knowing and loving Him. Timothy is an example of how women can impact the faith of the next generation (2 Timothy 1:5).If you’re a mom, you have tremendous influence in the lives of your children. There’s no way to know how God will use them in the future. But whatever His plans may be, you can equip your sons and daughters by determining to spend time with them each day, reading and teaching them God’s Word.Perhaps you don’t have children or your children are grown. You can still have an impact! Look for those to whom you can be a spiritual parent, teaching and loving them as Christ did. When they see you modeling godly character or trusting the Lord in the midst of trials, they will want to know and love God as you do. That’s a wonderful way to support the next generation.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 In Romans 8:5 Paul writes, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” There are two kinds of people; those who live according to the flesh, and those who live according to the Spirit of God. In Romans 8:5-8, Paul contrasts the difference between living according to the flesh and living according to the Spirit. In these verses, we find four aspects of this contrast.  The Mindset The Holy Spirit writes the law of God on our hearts. This is only true for the believer; the unbeliever is not led by the Spirit, but rather is led by the flesh, thinking about how to satisfy their own desires. The person living in the flesh has a self-centered attitude. Our sinful nature looks at every situation and decides how to live based on how it will be of benefit to us. It is a question of what motivates us: what are our ambitions? What are the concerns that engross us and consume our energy? The answer to these questions determines who we are, or better yet, whose we are. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit and led by the Spirit, then your ambitions, motivation, and mindset will be to glorify God through your life. You live for a higher calling (see John 16:13-14). This does not mean that the unsaved person never does anything good, or that the believer never does anything bad. It means that the bent of their lives is different. One lives for the flesh; the other lives for the Spirit. The Consequences Romans 8:6 says, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” The unsaved person is alive physically but dead spiritually. The inner man is dead toward God and does not respond to the things of the Spirit. He may be moral, and even religious, but he lacks spiritual life. The mind of the unsaved man leads him to death and eternal separation from God in Hell. Without Christ, this mindset is selfish and leads to death. The person whose mind is set on the things of the Spirit, the person who has a personal relationship with Jesus, experiences life and peace. The person whose mind is set on the Spirit has peace with God (see Romans 5:1). Having peace with God, having eternal security, allows us to live at peace in this world. Trouble may come, but we can weather the storm because we experience the peace of God in our lives. This is more than getting through this world to get to heaven. The Holy Spirit works in our lives as we make daily choices that lead to life or death. What we decide to watch or listen to, what we do with our time and money, are all choices that either lead to life or to death. These are decisions that determine our pursuit of holiness. The Hostility Romans 8:7, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.” Our mindset determines our fundamental attitude towards God. If we have our mind set on the flesh, aimed at pleasing our sinful nature, we are hostile towards God. This hostility affects all our thoughts and attitudes towards God. Paul wrote that the person who is hostile to God does not submit to the law of God. That person is unable to follow the law of God because they lack the power of the Holy Spirit.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

What is Sin? Sin is defined as falling short of the glory of God – missing the mark of God's standard of holiness. Sin is the common human condition. Even Paul the apostle sinned as he wrestled with his sin nature (see Romans 7:14-20). If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you can relate to Paul’s struggle with sin. As believers, when we sin, we are convicted of sin. In fact, if we don’t sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit, there is a good chance that we are not saved, we don’t know Jesus (see 1 John 1:10). If we know sin is missing the mark, what is the mark? What is the Law? We have the Ten Commandments, as clear, concise set of regulations for relating to God and to our fellow man. But Jesus took the Law and raised the bar in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5:21-28). Jesus stated that sin is born in our hearts; we are all guilty of thinking and saying things about other people that are sinful. Romans 8:3 states, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.” The nation of Israel was given the law of Moses. Remember, Paul is writing to a mixed audience. Some Jewish believers grew up with the law of Moses, while Gentile believers knew very little about the feasts and the sacrificial system. Paul didn’t say that the Law was bad or that it failed; it was weakened because human beings could not do what the Law required. We may follow all the rules and regulations, but our thoughts will still drift into sin, and we break the law. What is the Gospel? The law couldn’t save, but God provided a way: He sent His own Son, born of a virgin, who lived a common life as a carpenter. Jesus looked and spoke every bit like a Jewish boy growing up in the first century. Paul wrote this to combat a heresy that taught that Jesus was fully God, but he was never a human; he only appeared to be human. Jesus had to be fully man to be the perfect sin offering for our sins. If he were not a human, the cross would have been meaningless.  But Jesus was perfectly human, and he was the final and perfect sin offering for the sins of mankind. The verse clearly states that Jesus died for sin. But more than dying for sin, God the Father condemned sin in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). God not only made Jesus to become sin; God made Him bear our sin. He also condemned that sin; Jesus was judged and punished for our sin. It was a transfer of guilt, a sentencing, and an execution by God the Father.   But why did Jesus have to die? Paul explains in verse 4, “in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  When laws are broken, there are consequences. The Law of God points out sin, and when we sin, the righteous requirement of sin is death. But the Good News is that Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law. We who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ as our savior will never die; we will live eternally in the presence of Jesus.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

In Romans 7, Paul writes about the Law God gave Moses, which had become a point of tension in the church in Rome. The Judaizers wanted everyone to follow the Law, and the Gentile believers wanted everyone to be led by the Spirit. In Chapter 8, Paul highlights the freedom that believers have in Christ through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  Chapter 8 can be summarized in three phrases: no condemnation, no obligation, and no separation. We will begin by looking at the first phrase.  No Condemnation “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1. No condemnation and justification mean the same thing. If you have repented of your sins and asked the Lord Jesus to forgive you, your sins are forgiven. We are justified and made to be in right standing with God because of our faith in what Jesus has done on the cross. He died, shed his blood, and rose again so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (see John 3:16). But what does condemnation mean? These verses conclude the argument in chapter 7, where Paul addresses the personal problem we all face in dealing with our own sinful nature. Paul cries out in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” In the Bible, the word condemnation is synonymous with damnation, judgment, punishment, destruction, and verdict. In its strongest sense, condemnation means “the banishing to hell all those disobedient to the will of God.” Remember, Jesus spoke frequently about hell and the eternal punishment awaiting all who reject him. The Law of Moses pronounces every person guilty because it shows us what sin is. Before Christ, everyone had to offer animal sacrifices every year, as a reminder that God punishes sin but also offers forgiveness through repentance. However, animal sacrifices were just a temporary method of dealing with man’s sin until Jesus came to deal with sin forever. Jesus made it clear that without Him no one can enter the kingdom of heaven (see John 14:6). We all know John 3:16, yet two verse later Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18). Though the Law condemns all mankind, we as believers in Jesus Christ have this glorious promise, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). But does that mean we can go on sinning without consequence? Not at all, in Romans 6, Paul addresses this very question (see Romans 6:1-3). In both these passages, Paul uses the phrase, “In Christ”. When we believe in the name of Jesus for salvation, we receive the Holy Spirit, and we are in Christ. Those who are in Christ are set free from the condemnation of sin. In Christ I doubt we grasp the depth and the breadth of those two words. Paul uses this term about 164 times in all his letters. To be in Christ is the heart of Christianity. Baptism is our public profession of faith in Jesus. It is us publicly declaring that when Christ died, our old man died, we are aligning ourselves with his death. It is total surrender to the new life in Christ.  Paul explains that when you become a Christian, you move into a realm of new life in Christ, and you come under new management. How can we still desire and walk in the ways of our past life? (see Galatians 2:20).Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 One of the richest chapters in the Bible is Romans chapter 8. Paul wrote the letter we know as “Romans”, to a blended church in Rome, made up of Jewish and Gentile believers. Many of the Jewish believers held on to the Mosaic law and taught that to be a true Christian, you needed to follow the Law in addition to faith in Christ. While the Gentiles came from many different pagan religions and held to faith in Christ alone.  Paul wrote to a church that struggled with unity, giving them a theologically rich letter on which to establish the growing church. We need this letter as much today. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Philippi, where he stressed the unity that believers have in Christ.  Encouragement in Christ Philippians 2:1 begins, “If there is any encouragement – In Christ…” Being in Christ is our position as Christians, our standing before God. Being In Christ is one of the primary ways Paul describes what it means to be a Christian. This is our vertical resource; we experience encouragement because of communion with God through the Holy Spirit. This is the first and primary position for unity in the Church. Comfort in Love “…if there is any comfort from love…” When you become a follower of Jesus, your attitude changes towards other people. The first Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 is love. Love is the natural byproduct of a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for love used here is a love that is governed by a willful decision to seek the highest good of the other individual.  Participation in the Spirit  “…any participation in the Spirit…” This is fellowship that is more than simply sharing a meal together, this is unity because we are united by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we become followers of Jesus we are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:13).  Affection and Sympathy “…any affection and sympathy”. Because of the tenderness, mercy and compassion that we have received from Christ, we display this to one another. To not have concern for others, is a very clear indication that a person is not in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. Joy through Unity In Philippians 2:2 we see that the first result of unity is joy. Paul was overjoyed by their response because he knew that as the Philippian church grew in unity, they would become more effective as a church, being used by God to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Paul was joyful because he knew that they would be like-minded. This unity is not temporal, based on feelings and situations, rather, we remain in unity, because the message of the Gospel is what binds us together. We have a common message, we have the same Holy Spirit, thus we have unity. This does not mean that we never have disagreements. It is quite normal to expect differences of opinion on certain methods of church activity, but we never compromise on the essentials of our faith and the truth of the Word of God. When we have differences of opinion, the governing principle must be love, the preferential love that always seeks the highest good of others. In Full Accord “…being in full accord and of one mind”. To be in full accord and of one mind means that the church knows their purpose and mission. At Grace Point we have the Four Pillars that we come back to; Worship, Word, Mission and Compassion, this is what we exist to do. The mission of the church always superseded our personal preferences, that is Holy Spirit unity.  Avoid Selfish Ambition Paul gets to the heart of the matter in verse 3, addressing issues that destroy unity. The first sin he attacks is selfish ambition, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit”, conceit is vain glory, this iRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

From Broken Hearts to Burning Hearts Do you remember a time when you were on fire for God, but somewhere along life’s road, you had a disappointment? A leader let you down, someone took advantage of you, your child walked away from the faith, your sickness and pain didn’t go away. Whatever the pain, it caused your heart to break, and you grew cold towards the things of the Lord.  The good news is that the risen Lord Jesus still heals broken hearts and sets them on fire today. Jesus did this for two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24.  An Unexpected Encounter The disciples of Jesus witnessed the incredible entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as people waived palm branches and shouted his praises. They had seen Jesus perform incredible miracles. But then, everything changed. Jesus was arrested, falsely accused, and sentenced to be crucified. Within days, elation turned to heartbreak and rejoicing to fear as Jesus was crucified and laid in a tomb. The disciples had been certain that Jesus was the promised Messiah who would overthrow the Roman rule over Israel, but now their hopes were dashed. As heartbreak turned to fear, some of the disciples fled Jerusalem, fearing persecution from the religious leaders. Two of them were walking on the road to Emmaus when Jesus began walking alongside them. Jesus’s identity was hidden from them, but he began asking them what they were talking about (see Luke 24:16). One of the two, Cleopas responded incredulously, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” (Luke 24:18). Jesus claimed he did not know. They responded by giving him an overview of all that had happened in the last several days (see Luke 24:19-24). It was as if the words came flooding out of their mouths as their emotions spilled over in recounting the events. An Unexpected Unraveling They mentioned four key points in their account: 1: “Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people” (v. 19). The people thought Jesus was a mighty prophet because he taught the Scriptures with an authority that they had never seen before. He also performed many mighty miracles.    2: “He was handed over by the religious leaders and was crucified” (v. 20). In fact, it had been three days, and like Jesus, their hopes were dead. 3: “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (v. 21). This statement reveals their heartache. They had hoped for a king to reign in Israel; they had placed their hope in Jesus to be a new and greater King David. Little did they know that Jesus had done something far greater; he had defeated sin and death. He had established an eternal Kingdom.  4: Finally in verse 22 and 23, they recall that some women gave testimony of the empty tomb and their encounter with angels. But Peter and John had effectively checked the tomb, and Jesus was not there. They dismissed the testimony of the women as implausible.  Everything the disciples said to Jesus reflected their misconceptions about who he was, even their misunderstandings of the things that he had taught them. Jesus told them that he would suffer and die at the hands of the religious leader; furthermore, Jesus told them he would rise again (see Matthew 17:22-23). But they only heard what they wanted to hear.   Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Sunday March 29, 2026 Luke 19:36-48 Pastor Athol BarnesRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 We all know that the Bible teaches that God is good. But what about the times when that statement is tested, and we struggle to believe that God is good?  The Bible is full of accounts of real people going through extremely challenging times. The book of Job is a classic example of faithfulness in times of suffering.    David also had many challenging times. In 1 Samuel 21, David was fleeing from King Saul; he fled his homeland and sought refuge with the Philistines. After a time, he was recognized and brought before the King Achish – the king of Gath, referred to as Abimelech in Psalm 34. David, fearing for his life, acted like a madman, and as a result the Philistine king let him go thinking he was demon possessed.  The Lord sustained and protected David in one of the worst situations of his life at a time when David could have despaired, even doubted, the goodness of God. It was in this context that David wrote this Psalm 34. David had the promise of God that he would be king; had God forgotten him?  Taste and See David had a unique way of singing himself through the trials, singing the promises of God. In Psalm 34:8 David declares, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Taste is an important figure of speech in the Bible. Everywhere it’s used figuratively, taste suggests full participation in or experience of the thing enjoyed. Here, the invitation to “taste and see that the Lord is good” is a call to rely fully on Him and to experience the benefits of a personal relationship with God. It is tasting the things of the Lord through faith. When you are going through the trials, – taste and see by faith that the Lord is good. Only Good Things In verse 10 we read, “The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” Again, David is singing himself into faith – declaring the promises of God. But what does this mean?  The verse does not say, “you will lack nothing”; it says, “you will lack no good thing.” That is a significant distinction. Not every good thing brings us comfort. For example, cough mixture doesn’t always taste good, but it is good for us if we have a bad cold. Discipline and hard work don’t feel comfortable, but they are good. The discipline of the Lord in our lives is not comfortable—often it is painful, but we cannot deny that it is good for us.  Faith Over Feelings Looking further to verse 18 we read, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” In our current age, we are so driven by feelings, people base decisions on feelings alone in many cases. But the Bible says that faith needs to override feelings in our lives (see Hebrews 11:6). We should be ever mindful to live according to the promises of the Word of God. Do you live life based on feelings or based on the promises of God’s Word? You Will Have Trouble It would appear that the modern Prosperity Gospel peddlers have not read Psalm 34:19 which reads, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Based on their false teaching, when you become a follower of Jesus, everything goes smoothly; you are never sick, your mortgage is paid off, and you get a promotion at work! But these are lies, the Bible says that many are the afflictions – troubles, of the righteous. Jesus warned us of the same in John 16:33, with a glorious promise included, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Sunday March 15, 2026 Pastor Tim Duitsman Philippians 2:5-8 Sitting in the dust Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 The church structure at Grace Point includes Elders, Pastors, Deacons, and ministry team leaders. While we may have different roles and responsibilities—some more visible than others—we are all called to be ministers of the Gospel. We are all part of the royal priesthood (see 1 Peter 3:9).  The church is called to be the Body of Christ, his ambassadors and light in this troubled world. The apostle Paul was well aware of his responsibility as a messenger of the Gospel as we read in Ephesians 3:7-9,“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things.” Paul knew that the message he had was a gift, and it was his privilege to declare “the unsearchable riches of Christ”. Paul was overcome with gratitude for his responsibility to share the most powerful story ever told. Do we realize the privilege we have to share the Gospel?  Through the Church When reading the Bible, we can be guilty of glossing over a verse and not waiting for a while to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through it. Verse 10 can be one of those verses that we quickly skip over, “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” God’s intent all along has been for the church to play a cosmic role in His eternal plan. We live in the church age—we are part of that eternal plan. There are three keys in this verse: The Audience:  “Rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” Theologians agree that this refers to all spiritual beings outside of our visible realm: angels, demons, both good and bad heavenly beings. Though unseen to us, there are billions of created beings that are either carrying out the plans of God or are serving Satan. The angels look on and marvel at the grace and wisdom of God. 1 Peter 1:12 declares that the angels long to look into these amazing things. Demons look at the church and know that their own rule on the earth is coming to an end once and for all. The Message: The proclamation is the manifold wisdom of God. Wisdom is more than knowledge; it is the ability to rightly use knowledge. God knows all things and He is all wise; wisdom is found in God. God is teaching the universe by taking people from all the ethnic groups of the world and bringing them together into one body, the Church, the Body of Christ. Only God could take people so vastly different and bring them together in unity and love in the Church universal. The Church is preaching a cosmic sermon to the universe. Kent Hughes writes, “The inescapable conclusion is that the angels watch us because we are part of the mystery!... We have a far bigger and more observant audience than any of us realize!”  We frequently teach and discuss the purpose of the church including missions, evangelism, worship, compassion, and discipleship. But there seems to be an even bigger purpose: God is pointing to the church and schooling the angels, demons, principalities, and powers in the heavenlies about His wisdom.  Doesn’t that fill you with wonder and awe? We, as broken and weak vessels, stumbling from different walks of life, come together under the banner of God’s grace. And as we do, we testify of the wisdom of God to the heavenly beings. Never underestimate the glory of God in the church!   Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Do you remember a time when you were waiting and not sure what the outcome would be in a situation you were facing? The Bible is filled with accounts of people facing uncertainty. One of these moments occurred when Jesus and his disciples gathered to celebrate the Passover Meal. It was a night of celebration that quickly turned into a night of uncertainty and then fear as Jesus was arrested before his crucifixion.The celebratory meal took a turn as Jesus began talking about what was about to happen (see John 13). It was a heavy discussion, and Jesus himself was troubled (see John 13:21). But in chapter 14 Jesus began by encouraging the disciples, saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1a).Whatever you might be going through today, Jesus knows, because he experienced it. He experienced loneliness, grief, betrayal, and being misunderstood. And he says to you as he said to his disciples, “let your hearts be troubled.”What Jesus said next is the reason we can overcome these trials: “Believe in God; believe also in me” John 14:1b. Jesus continued to teach his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for us and that he is coming back again (see John 14:2-3). There is so much more than the trials of this life, so much more!Then Jesus made this powerful declaration, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).Jesus made three self-identifying statements to his disciples that give us comfort today.Jesus is the WaySadly today, many people are on the wrong path, and the result is eternal suffering andseparation from God (see Proverbs 14:12). Jesus doesn’t simply point out the way; he is the way!Our pride tempts us to follow our own way. Our schedules are overwhelming and we make rash life choices that lead to pain. But Jesus offers us a much better way (see Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus says, “if you’re worn out, burned out, and you don’t seem to be seeing any breakthrough, come and join me because I am the way” (my paraphrase).Jesus is the way for struggling marriages, those battling addictions, those with chronic illness, and for every challenge of life. Jesus promises peace in times of uncertainty.   Are you living a life that follows Jesus as the Way? Or are you making your own way and hoping for the best?Jesus is the TruthWe are inundated with lies within and without. Culture tries to convince us that truth is relative. The news media, AI, and social media are constantly bombarding us with blatant lies. But there is only one person with whom we will have perfect peace (see Isaiah 26:3). What is your mind fixed on? What consumes your mind? There is no shortage of things to consume our mind: politics, finances, health or even the Middle East (see 2 Corinthians 10:5).But how do we do this? By daily adjusting our thinking and aligning our thoughts with the Word of God (see Philippians 4:8). This is where we will find peace.Nothing changes until we face the truth. And the truth isn’t an opinion; truth is a person, and his name is Jesus. As we develop a personal relationship with Jesus, we discover the way to God and the truth of God that puts our entire existence into perspective.As Christians, we are to be a people of the truth. Not just people who believe the truth, but we need to be people who are so indwelt with the presence of Jesus that it does not even occur to us to misrepresent ourselves or to tell a lie (see Ephesians 4:25). Are you allowing Jesus and his truth to indwell you every moment of every day, or are you swept away by the lies of the world, the enemy, and yourself?Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

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 Last week we celebrated Valentines Day, a day for the celebration of love. However, our capacity to love is tainted by our sinful nature; every human emotion suffers the effect of sin.  As we have been looking at the emotions of Jesus, his love is pure and untainted by any sin. His love is perfect, yet he commands us to love the same way as he loves (See John 13:34-35). Can we love like Jesus? Jesus displayed selfless and sacrificial love. Where does love come from?  God Is Love This is a fundamental statement about the nature of God; thus, the essential nature of Jesus is love. Satan will constantly attempt to twist the understanding of the nature of Jesus. The Bible says, “God is love”, the world says, “Love is love.” With the notion that love is something that we possess and define, ignoring the pure and essential nature of God as being the source of love. In John 14:7, we read, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Real, authentic love has its source in God. And loving others with this God-fueled love gives evidence that we have been born of God, we have been born again. This is not only loving people who love us, but also those who are hurting us, annoy us, and even our enemies. This is the supernatural love of God because this is what He displayed on our behalf. Love is a fundamental aspect of God’s nature. All that he does is ultimately loving. God does have wrath, but He is love. Dane Ortlund writes this, “For God to cease to love His own, God would need to cease to exist, because God does not simply have love; He is love.” John 14:8 challenges us, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” We simply cannot love our enemies without the love of God empowering us to love. And the great news of the Gospel is that God made the first move, simply because we are not capable of loving this way. “In 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.” John 14:9.  You Are Loved God loves us so much that He sent His only son to free us from the bondage of sin and the penalty of separation from God. Jesus was sent by the Father as the spotless lamb to be sacrificed to atone for our sins. Jesus walked into enemy territory to rescue sinners like us. We were not looking for God; he is reaching towards us. God took the initiative. God sent His Son to die (see Romans 5:8). Christian love is based on this. It is not simply excusing sin or allowing someone to do whatever they want. Christian love is standing in the gap; it is in the shape of a cross. Do you know how much Jesus loves you? The love that Jesus has for you now is the same love that compelled Jesus to go to the cross. Knowing that we are fully and perfectly loved by the creator of the universe changes the way we respond to life’s situations and how we make choices. Knowing that Jesus loves me… ...Enables me to Love Others Well. As we are in Christ, living by the power of His Spirit, then the supernatural love of God flows through us for the world to see. Displaying love is practical; it is action and costs us something, but this is the normal Christian life (see Romans 5:5).Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

People are often surprised when they hear that today Jesus is still in a human form, permanently in his resurrected body. Many people tend to think that Jesus had a real body while he walked the earth, but when he ascended into heaven, he reverted to a spirit form. But the reality is that Jesus permanently became fully human, all the while still being fully God. Jesus has a resurrected body, like the one that we who believe in him will one day receive (see Philippians 3:20-21).Jesus’ Emotions.In addition, Jesus also experiences the full range of human emotions. He did on earth, and he still does. Jesus experiences joy, sorrow, frustration, anger, and all the emotions we experience (see Hebrews 2:17).John Calvin wrote, “The Son of God having clothed himself with our flesh, of his own accord clothed himself also with human feelings, so that he did not differ at all from his brethren, sin only excepted.”Our Emotions.But there was a significant difference between the emotions of Jesus and our emotions. Jesus had perfect emotions; ours are obscured and affected by sin. We tend to overreact emotionally. When we get sad, we can wallow in sadness beyond what is healthy. When we get angry, it can lead us to do things we shouldn’t do. We overreact.We also underreact. We can be numb to pain, numb to injustice. When we see someone suffering injustice, we can be unmoved. Because we are sinful and are desensitized.Perfect Emotions.But Jesus experiences unrestrained and unfiltered emotions. When Jesus is happy, he is all in; when he is moved with compassion, he displays unrestrained compassion. When Jesus experiences anger, it is perfectly righteous anger.In the account in John 11, where Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, we see Jesus displaying a wide range of emotions.In verse 35, we read, “Jesus wept.” Jesus was not weeping because he felt helpless at the loss of his friend. Rather, I believe Jesus wept because of sin, death, pain, and all the accumulated effects of the original sin in the Garden of Eden. Jesus wept because he saw the bigger picture and was moved with compassion for his friends.But there is also another emotion on display here. In verse 33 and verse 38, we read, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” John 11:33.“Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it” John 11:38.The original language is lost on us when we read, “greatly troubled” or “deeply moved.” The actual meaning of the Greek word is profound fury or rage. When Jesus saw the pain that death had caused, he was furious.The theologian, B.B. Warfield, writes, “Tears of sympathy may fill his eyes, but this is incidental. His soul is held by rage.”Jesus experienced perfect anger, rage unfiltered by sin. In fact, it would have been a sin if Jesus hadn’t responded in anger, because his perfect compassion would have to be suppressed for him not to get angry. If Jesus had no compassion for those around him, he would not be angry at the effects of sin in their lives. But Jesus has perfect and unfiltered emotions, so he experienced rage.Jesus’ Anger.In John 2, we read where Jesus cleansed the temple. He saw the money changers and the people selling oxen and sheep, and he was enraged because of his zeal for the house of God. But he didn’t fly into a rage; he took the time to weave a whip and then turned over the tables, sending all the money flying. He got perfectly angry, and that fueled his actions.Did Jesus lose his temper? No, he was angry, but he did not lose his temper; he acted out of righteous anger. Jesus never lost control of his emotions; whether joy, anger, or any other emotion, he was perfectly in control. We know this beRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Do you have someone praying for you?You do; someone is interceding on your behalf every day. The writer to the Hebrews, speaking about Jesus as our Great High Priest, writes in Hebrews 7:25, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”Jesus is no ordinary high priest; He is the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, majestic, mighty, and holy. When Saul encountered this Jesus on the road to Damascus, he fell down and was blinded by his glory (see Acts 9). When John saw the vision of Jesus, he fell at his feet as though dead (see Revelation 1). This is Jesus today, awesome in power and majesty (see Hebrews 7:26).This same Jesus invites us to come near and talk with him; he invites us into a growing relationship with him. If only we could fully understand the privilege we have of knowing Jesus, the creator God.If we fail to grasp his majesty, we won’t value the opportunity to know him.Because Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World (see John 1:29), he is able “to save to the uttermost.” This means that he has the power to save anyone who comes to him in repentance.Verse 25 continues, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Jesus lives to make intercession for those of us who have believed in him for salvation.Jesus our IntercessorIntercession is the act of praying on behalf of others, “standing in the gap” between God and someone in need of mercy, healing, or guidance. We intercede for our unbelieving family and friends, the sick, and the nations. We should be interceding for our nation daily.Isn’t it incredibly encouraging that our savior brings us before God the Father daily in His presence (see Hebrews 8:1-2). Jesus is the only human mediator between God and man. It is pointless to pray to Mary or another deceased Christian; only Christ has the power to intercede for us before the throne of the Almighty (see 1 Timothy 2:5).Jesus is interceding for you, the King of Kings, who names your name before the Father when you are struggling with temptation, trials, and the hardships of life. You have a mediator – someone who is interceding for you.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

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Have you ever wondered if Jesus cares for you? We know from the Bible that Jesus demonstrated compassion for many people, but sometimes, when life’s trials assail us, we may begin to doubt whether Jesus truly cares. Some of you are there now, wondering if Jesus sees you and your situation.But the Bible assures us that Jesus has never lost his heart of compassion. We read about a display of his compassion in Matthew 14 from verse 13. It was also a time when Jesus was dealing with his own pain; John the Baptist, his relative, had just been beheaded. Jesus was grieving and needed some time alone (see Matthew 14:13). He told everyone to go away, so that he could go and absorb his grief and contemplate his personal loss.But the crowd followed him and found where he was. I am sure Jesus could be forgiven for being a bit frustrated; he was human, after all. However, we read in verse 14, “As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”The Greeks thought that one’s stomach or inner core was the place where pity and love originated. The Greek word used here for compassion conveys the meaning that Jesus was moved to the pit of his stomach with compassion. This is the nature of Jesus.Compassion and WrathBut is Jesus all compassion? Is he a pushover who just overlooks our sin because we are too weak to resist temptation? No, he is also the God of justice, the mighty king who will one day destroy his enemies. We can fall into the danger of seeing Jesus as all compassion and no justice, but he is fully both. Something we need to always bear in mind, the mercy and compassion of Jesus is not at odds with the wrath of Jesus as judge.Dane Ortlund writes, “The more robust one’s felt understanding of the just wrath of Christ against all that is evil both around us and in us, the more robust our felt understanding of his mercy.”Compassion and SinWith that in mind, we must never be tempted to abuse the mercy and compassion of Jesus. When we are tired, having worked hard or simply staying up too late, we are weakened to withstand temptation. Maybe someone has hurt us, and we are angry and offended. It is in these moments of weakness that we can be tempted to justify our actions and excuse our sin. We lean into the compassion of Jesus and rationalize our sin.When we do that, we fail to remember, or we choose to ignore, what it cost Jesus to be our Savior. Jesus suffered more than any human in history, taking on the wrath of God for our sins. Jesus bore the weight of our sins on the cross so that we could know his presence and be restored in our relationship with the Father (see Romans 6:1-2).But what about when we do sin? How does Jesus respond to sinners?With compassion.In the Bible, Jesus moved towards sinners. He went to the prostitutes and the tax collectors. He is moved with compassion towards those who are bound by sin, because he knows the pain that sin causes. Jesus moves and opens his arms towards sinners, to bring the invitation to repentance and grace through the conviction of the Holy Spirit.Compassion and the ChurchWe read in Matthew 14 that a large crowd had gathered, it was getting late, and the disciples informed Jesus of the building problem. Jesus responds in an unusual way in verse 16, “But he replied, “They don’t need to go. You give them something to eat.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

When I ask people if they know Jesus, most people answer yes. But the reality is that their lifestyle and moral choices do not remotely reflect a relationship with Jesus Christ.What does it mean to know Jesus? Is he knowable?In Matthew 11, Jesus was teaching people in the region of Northern Galilee, a region where he had performed many incredible miracles. While the people had seen Jesus do amazing things, most of them did not know him. They loved what he did, but they had no desire to know him.Many people today know what Jesus did; they can explain the Gospel and that salvation is only found by repenting of our sins and placing our faith in Jesus. But do they really know him? Do we?Come to MeIn Matthew 11:28, Jesus offers an incredible invitation, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This invitation was so different from the teaching of the Pharisees, who taught a list of things to do and mandated endless rules to follow. Jesus knew the burden of the law of Moses. Instead of piling on more expectations, he invited the people—as he invites us today—to enter into a relationship with the God of creation, where he promises rest.In 2025 it seemed that burnout was all too common within Christian ministries. I believe that the feeling of ministry exhaustion can be a result of laboring for Jesus rather than with Jesus.At the start of 2026, Jesus invites us to come to him and rekindle our relationship with him—or perhaps get to know him for the first time. Take my YokeJesus continues in verse 29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”A yoke allows two animals to share a load and pull together. The animals yoked together need to be close in size and weight for the cart or plow to pull evenly. In the Bible, the yoke is sometimes referenced metaphorically to describe the weight of a task or obligation (see 1 Kings 12:11 and Isaiah 10:27). When Jesus speaks of his yoke being “easy”, he means that when we let him share our yoke, our burden is no longer heavy because he is pulling with us. When you work for Jesus, it is a heavy yoke; when you work with Jesus, it is easy.Jesus invites us to take his yoke, and we will find rest for our souls (see Philippians 4:5b-7). When you are yoked with the Lord, you know the peace of God that passes all understanding (see Philippians 4:7).Learn from MeJesus invites us to learn from him. As we come to Jesus,submitting to his leadership in our lives, we learn from him. We learn his ways, we learn his nature, and we find peace. Do you know what it means to learn from Jesus? The best way to learn from Jesus is by meditating on his word. The Bible is the revelation of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we see Jesus revealed in its pages.Developing and growing our personal spiritual disciplines is good, but what if this year, our goal is to know Jesus more and to learn from him rather than trying to do more things for him?His Yoke is EasyIn verse 30, Jesus continued, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The yoke that Jesus has for us is tailor made for us. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and when we are yoked together with Christ, it fits us perfectly.However, Jesus does not mean that the Christian life will be one of carefree ease. The Greek word for “easy”, can be translated as, “suitable fit” or “kind”. Jesus is saying that his yoke is kind and a suitable fit for our lives, and it will not weigh us down. This does not mean we won’t have challenges in life (see John 16:33); rather, we will be yoked with Jesus through the challenges of life.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Merry Christmas!May the Lord bless you and your families this Christmas week, and may you know the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ over your homes.As we continue our series on the “why” of Christmas, I have three more questions.Why is His Name Jesus?As Shakespeare once wrote in Romeo and Juliet, “What’s in a name?” We associate people or characteristics with names. Let’s face it; the reason we don’t like certain names is because we once knew someone by that name whose actions or personality ruined the name for us.But the name Jesus is a name that means so much to us. Not because the letters grouped together carry any sort of power in themselves but because the man Jesus gives power to the name.The name Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Joshua” meaning, “God Saves”. The Hebrew name Joshua and the Greek equivalent Jesus were common names at the time of Jesus’ birth. The name Jesus continued to be popular during the life of Jesus Christ, but after he died and rose again, the name became uncommon.Historians have found that after the 1st century,  the name Jesus simply vanished from use in that region, presumably because the name held controversial meaning following Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection. For early Christians, the name means so much that they felt that no child was worthy to carry the same name as the Messiah. For those who did not believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, they did not want their child to be associated with such a controversial character.The fact that God chose such a common name for His son demonstrates that Jesus came to the earth as a common person. The people of Israel expected their Messiah to come as a mighty warrior; they missed him because he came as a carpenter.The name of Jesus holds profound meaning for us; we call on the name of Jesus for our salvation, and we pray in the name of Jesus (see 14:13-14 and Acts 4:12). The name of Jesus carries immeasurable power; there is no more powerful name in the universe than Jesus, not because of the name itself, but because of the One, the Christ, who gives the name power.Why Did He Come as a Baby?Why didn’t Jesus simply appear as a full-grown man and immediately perform miraculous signs and wonders? Why did he go through all the difficulties and challenges of youth and only begin his ministry when he was thirty?The teachers of the day, when speaking of the promised Messiah, must have described someone who had the wisdom of Solomon, the charisma and authority of David, the leadership ability of Moses, and the military genius of Joshua. But instead, Jesus comes into the world as a little baby—weak, needy, and humble, just like any other baby.But Jesus was both God and man. The virgin birth is proof that he was divine; he was not a product of this world—he was God. Being born as an infant shows that he was also human in every way. Jesus went through trials and testing of being a young boy, a teenager, and a young adult (see Hebrews 4:15).If Jesus had not taken on the form of a man, his sacrifice would have been unconvincing because he would have been aloof and separated from the common man. If Jesus had been a mere man and not God also, he would have died a martyr’s death, just like thousands of others. We can trust this same Jesus with our lives because he knows what we are going through, yet he overcame the world and all its temptations (see John 16:33).Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Why did God decide to intervene in history at the time He did? It was a campaign to bring freedom and salvation into the world, to provide a way to reconcile man to God.The Creator of all things was on a mission to set the captives free. Jesus came to a world enslaved by sin to set us free. The timing of this mission had to be perfect; the pieces had to be in place. “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son” (Galatians 4:4).The Perfect TimeWhen we study the historical context of Jesus’ birth, we see that the pieces perfectly aligned for Jesus to be born. The Roman Empire had ushered in a time when all the nations and peoples of the known world in the Mediterranean region were unified. The Roman roads and transportation linked people groups and nations that previously had no contact with each other. Sailing ships had been developed, and the vast distances of the Mediterranean were connected. All these developments paved the way for the message of Jesus Christ to be easily spread.This was also the period in world history of unusual peace, from 27B.C. to 180 A.D., known as Pax Romana. The Roman Empire was stable, and there was relative peace across the known world. The Prince of Peace came at a time of peace in the World.The Perfect LanguageThe Roman Empire was influenced by the Greek Empire, and the common language across all the Empire was Greek. Greek became the common trade language. Language experts say that Hellenic Greek was one of the most articulate languages in history, making it a perfect language for the greatest story ever told.The Perfect TownWhy should Bethlehem be the location for the one born who was to be the savior of the world?Bethlehem was not a major city of any importance, but when Jesus was born there, it became the most important town on the face of the earth. Reading the Old Testament, we see that Bethlehem has quite a legacy. Jacob’s wife, Rachel, was buried in Bethlehem (see Genesis 35). She died giving birth to Benjamin, Joseph’s favorite brother.The story of Ruth and Naomi also takes place in Bethlehem. Boaz married Ruth and was the great grandfather of King David.In 1 Samuel 16, we read of the prophet Samuel anointing young David, who became Israel’s greatest King and the man after God’s own heart. That is why Luke in his Gospel calls Bethlehem the town of David (see Luke 2). The name Bethlehem means “House of Bread”, and Jesus was well aware of that when, in John 6:48, he says; “I am the Bread of Life”.These are just a few examples, but we see a thread running through the Old Testament that ties Israel to this little town. For most of history past, God had been preparing this place. Bethlehem was ready; it was the culmination of these people and stories across time.For Christ to be born in Bethlehem at that time in history was not an accident. The fullness of time had come for the arrival of God’s Son.Why Are You Here Today?Why are you and I here at this time in history?Time is one of the most precious commodities that we possess. But the truth is that we don’t possess time; we are given time with the purpose of stewarding it. In other words, each of us is granted a certain amount of time. God entrusts us with that time. We can choose to use it wisely, or we can simply sit back and let it run by like water running down a hillside stream. The Psalmist David wrote that God gives us a certain number of days and even writes them down before we are born (see Psalm 139:16).Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

In a culture that can be described as post-Christian, why do we still celebrate Christmas?What is the point of Christmas if we leave out Jesus? I fear that in a generation to come we will still have this celebration called Christmas because the retailers demand it, but nativity scenes will be illegal and all reference to Jesus will be taken out. When that time comes, people may begin to ask, why do we celebrate Christmas?In Isaiah 9 we read about two tribal areas in the northern kingdom of Israel: Zebulun and Naphtali. In 732BC the Assyrian army attacked and overran the northern Kingdom, and the first two tribes to be routed were Zebulun and Naphtali. The area became dominated by Gentiles and was known as Galilee of the Gentiles, as described in Isaiah 9:1. Over time it was inhabited by many different peoples and became known as Samaria. At the time of Isaiah’s early prophetic ministry—before any of this had taken place—it must have been inconceivable to the Israelites that this region would be inhabited by Gentiles.  In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, this part of Northern Israel was the first to be overrun by the Assyrians, the first to fall into darkness, and by God’s wonderful grace, they were also the first to see the light of the promised Messiah (Isaiah 9:2).Jesus could have launched his ministry anywhere. In fact, it would have made sense for him to start his ministry in Jerusalem, as this was a major hub. Instead, as we read in Matthew 4:13, when Jesus began his ministry, headed to Capernaum, which was in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. Not only is this significant because Jesus is coming to the area where the destruction of Israel began, but Jesus was also demonstrating that he was coming for both Jews and Gentiles. In verse three we read; “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy”. Here the prophet is speaking of God enlarging the nation of Israel through the inclusion of the Gentiles.As a result of Jesus’ coming, the kingdom of heaven expanded because Jesus came for both Jew and Gentile. We who have believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are part of the Kingdom of God, grafted into the nation of Israel. This is an incredible prophecy that Isaiah pens. The Old Testament has over three hundred prophecies directly relating to Jesus. So, the first question is:Why Prophecies?The role of a prophet is to preach, to declare the truth of God’s Word, declaring to the current age the  eternal truths of God. Frequently in the Old Testament the prophets spoke about a coming champion. At the time of the prophets, Israel was a dying nation; many of the people had been taken into slavery and exile. They had lost their identity; the people yearned for the days of David and Solomon when the nation was at its greatest and most powerful. It was in this troubled era that God used the prophets were to encourage the nation and give them a glimpse of greater days ahead.The prophecies were necessary because when combined, they reveal that Jesus must be the Son of God, the promised Messiah. Today, even though we have seen the fulfillment of almost 300 prophecies about Jesus in the Gospels, we need the prophecies just as much as the ancient Jewish nation needed them.They needed the prophecies  as a warning to keep them faithful and hopeful. We need them to remind us that Jesus was no ordinary man, and that God always fulfills His promises.Every year we read those familiar words in Isaiah 7:14; “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”Immanuel means; “God with us”, God in human form, which leads us to our next question.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 Sunday November 23, 2025 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 Pastor Athol Barnes Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 Sunday November 16, 2025 Ephesians 4:11-16 Pastor Athol Barnes Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

The 6th letter to the church at Philadelphia was a faithful and true church that held on to His word. The Lord had only commendation for this church, not correction. And Jesus introduces himself as the one who hold the key of David. We take a look at the end on how these churches actually show a progress or downfall in our own spiritual life. October 19th, 2025 Eric Spady Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 Sunday October 12, 2025 Revelation 3:1-6 Pastor Athol Barnes Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

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Sunday September 28, 2025 Revelation 2:12-17 Letter to the Church in Pergamum Pastor Athol Barnes Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Today, more than 380 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. Persecution has always been a hallmark of the Christian church. Sadly, most believers in North America have very little knowledge of what is happening to our brothers and sisters around the world.Over the last year, we have sent out a couple and a family to two different countries, both of which are listed as a place where it is dangerous to share the Gospel. These are our family members, and they have gone to the hard places of the world to share the incredibly Good News.Persecution has always been the refining fire of the church. By God’s grace, the American church might soon experience persecution, it might be just what we need.In Revelation 2, Jesus wrote a letter to the church in Smyrna. Today this city is called Izmir in Western Turkey.The name Smyrna means “bitter”, related to the word myrrh, which is an aromatic resin which comes from a thorn tree. For the aroma to be released, the branches need to be crushed. Such a significant picture for the persecuted church.Smyrna was an important center of the Roman imperial cult, and anyone refusing to acknowledge Caesar as Lord would be excluded from business. This would mean unemployment and abject poverty.You are SeenJesus begins in verse 9 with the words, “I know your tribulation…”This is a promise that is echoed throughout the scriptures. Our God sees. There is no pain, suffering or persecution that God does not see and that He will not make right, either in this world or the next. Jesus does not simply look down on us disconnected from our suffering, he intercedes for us, and one day will return to bring everlasting justice.Revelation 2:9, “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slanderof those who say that they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.”Jesus recognized their poverty, but he said that they are rich. When we grasp that we are part of the Kingdom of heaven and the incredible promises of Jesus, we will begin to understand the riches that we have. Riches that far exceed the world of bank accounts, houses, cars and other temporal things (see 2 Corinthians 8:9).Not only were the Christians in Smyrna poor, but they were also being slandered. The Greek word used for slander here, is better translated as blasphemy. Jesus said, that when people slander the church, they are slandering him. Blasphemy is to disrespect God. Jesus takes slander of the church very seriously.Jesus called these slanderers, the “synagogue of Satan”. These were Jews who did not believe in Jesus as the Son of God. These unbelieving Jews were being used by Satan to persecute the Church.Most of the persecution the early church faced came from the Jewish community. Even most of the Roman persecution was an effort to appease the Jewish authoritiesWhat a comfort to know that when we are slandered for being a follower of Jesus, we don’t have to defend ourselves or try to argue back, rather, we can rest in the knowledge that Jesus is our defender. As we are reminded in Ephesians 6, our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Satan uses people to accomplish his purposes.Do not FearJesus continued in verse 10, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”The suffering was about to get worse, but Jesus instructs them no to fear (see Matthew 6:31-33).Today, anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide. Anxiety contributes to a myriad of health problems, increased mortality, obesity, heart disease, cancer and much more. We are a fearful generation, yet we have incredibRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Do you really love Jesus and his church?As we look at the first of the seven letters that Jesus wrote to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, we will start with the letter to the church in Ephesus.The Successful Church (v. 2, 3 and 6)This first century church in modern day Turkey was one of the favorites of the apostles. Paul pastored this church along with Timothy and John. This congregation had a legacy of being one of the most fruitful and well-known Gentile churches.We see that they were a church that served well, doing the work of the Lord. They probably had a calendar full of events and church activities. They were a church that sacrificed and labored even under intense persecution. In spite of the hardship, the Lord commended them on several things that they were doing well.The Ephesian church rightly tested false apostles and refused to let them teach. This struggle is relevant for us; daily there are ample false teachers who post videos online and gain millions of followers. The only way we will be able to identify and warn against false teaching is by knowing the truth found in God’s Word.Jesus continues to commend them in verse 6 saying, “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate”.The Nicolaitans were a sect of the early church who persuaded people to abuse the grace of God and promoted sexual immorality. In addition, the Greek word Nicolaitan means “to conquer people”. And it is suggested that their leaders used their authority to abuse and control the people. This, too, is relevant for us, as we have seen countless examples of leaders who abuse their authority. The root of this is pride; God opposes prideful leaders.The church in Ephesus appeared to be doing well: their doctrine was sound; their ministry was seemingly fruitful. But something was off. Despite these commendations, Jesus had a problem with this church.The Failing Church (v. 4)This model church seems to have lost their “why”. They had lost their first love, the reason why they were doing all they were doing. They were busy with activity and bearing good fruit, but their passion for Jesus had gotten lost in their good works. Jesus points out the ailment and then gives a prescription.The Prescription for the Church (v 5)Jesus offers a three-step prescription to remedy their sickness of forgotten first love.1. Remember: When a married couple forgets the love that drew them together at first and takes each other for granted, the marriage is in danger. Nostalgia can be effective medicine for failing love in romantic relationships, and the same is true in our relationship with Jesus. Jesus tells the church to remember – and keep on remembering! A daily reminder of the grace and love of Christ that drew us to himself is an antidote for fading passion for Jesus.2. Repent: Jesus instructed the church to repent because they were taking the grace of God for granted. They were neglecting the love of a relationship with their Savior. Even though their external works looked good, Jesus still wanted them to repent for their internal apathy.3.   Do: Jesus called them back to the disciplines they did when they first were saved—worship, prayer, meditating on the word of God, and sharing the Gospel; all the spiritual disciplines that came so naturally when they first believed.The Warning for Our ChurchWhat happens when we lose our first love for Christ? We see tasks and duty in place of adoration and worship. We get burnt out, and serving the Lord becomes a drudgery.When this happens, many people stop attending worship servicesbecause they are exhausted from doing things for God, but this is counterproductive. It is a lie from the enemy, when we think that separating ourselves from the BoRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

What is the most important message you have ever been asked to give?Imagine for a moment the awesome responsibility that the Apostle John had in writing down the Revelation. We have spent much of the summer looking at the early church from Acts 2 and answering the question, what are the markers of a healthy church? Ultimately, only Jesus, as the head of the church, defines the health of the church. He is committed to his bride who is preparing herself for the great wedding at the end of time (see Revelation 19).  Jesus inspects his church, and the seven letters found in Revelation 2 and 3 are a report card on the health of the churches in Asia Minor in 95 AD. While these letters were written to specific churches, they are applicable to all believers, even today. The SituationThe beloved disciple and apostle John was a prisoner on a small island called Patmos, which lies in the Aegean between Greece and Turkey. Under Emperor Domitian, Christians were experiencing terrible persecution. John’s revelation exhorted the early church as they were experiencing tribulations. They believed in the imminent return of Jesus, an expectation of the glorious eternal reign of Jesus, and this expectation gave them hope in the midst of trials. If this letter was written with the expectation of the imminent return of Christ, how much more should we pay attention today? The VisionWhat John was allowed to see was way beyond what any human has ever been permitted to see. He saw the risen Lord Jesus in all his resurrected glory. I am sure, even in the Greek language, he struggled to describe what he saw and was told to write. There are things that we can learn from John as he begins this book. He positioned himself (v. 10).  Even though John was in prison, he was worshipping the Lord. He was meditating and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. He had positioned himself to hear from the Lord. Our worship cannot consist of a ninety-minute gathering once a week. We need to position ourselves daily, waiting on the Lord, meditating on His word. As John waited on the Lord, the silence was ripped apart by a voice with the force of a trumpet. It was the voice of Jesus. John was an old man by this time, and he was probably one of the few people alive who had heard Jesus speak before his ascension, but that was over 60 years earlier. John must have recognized his savior, but this time, his voice was different. It was glorious. He looked (v. 12).It was crucial that John turned around and looked. This might sound obvious, but so often we miss what God is doing because we don’t pause to look. We miss simple things like beautiful sunsets, stars, mountains, and pieces of art because we are too busy and are unprepared to turn around and look. The first things John saw were the seven golden lampstands. The lampstands represent the seven churches who were about to receive the letters. A candle’s role is to convey light; the church is called to be the light of the world (see Matthew 5:14-16). The mission of any church is to be the light of Jesus wherever it is placed. Next John saw Jesus, but he didn’t look like the son of a carpenter who came from Nazareth. John saw Jesus in his resurrected and glorified state as the King of Kings (see Revelation 1:13-16): He was dressed in a robe with a golden sash around his chest.  This depicts a King and a judge.His had white hair, symbolizing his eternal existence and wisdom (see Daniel 7). His eyes were like blazing fire, seeing through all pretense and disguise (see Hebrews 4:13).  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace. This is a picture of the judgment and purification that Jesus will bring when he comes agaiRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

 Sunday August 31, 2025 Acts 4:13-20 Pastor Athol Barnes Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

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I’ve had two trees in our backyard since we moved into our house eleven years ago, both of which grew  rapidly and quickly exceeded my ability to manage their growth.As I was thinking about this problem, I realized that this is a common problem in churches that are experiencing growth. When the growth exceeds the capacity to manage the growth, the result is a poorly maintained organization that leaves people frustrated on the outside and burnt out on the inside.Growth can be challenging, so how does a healthy church grow?The early church is a model of church health and, as we have seen in Acts 2:42, there were 4 distinctive indicators of a healthy church: they were devoted to the Apostles’ teaching, to a healthy community, to breaking bread together and to prayer. These are four devotions of a healthy church that lead to dramatic results as we read in Acts 2:43:47.An awe-filled church  (vs. 43)The apostles had walked with Jesus; they had seen his many powerful miracles, and they began to do the same things. Signs and wonders are for the express purpose of bringing glory to God. Today, all over the world, amazing miracles are happening, and their primary purpose is to declare the glory of God and the Gospel message. We see this throughout the book of Acts; signs and wonders lead to people being saved. Awe came upon everyone as they recognized a greater power at work; they couldn’t ignore that God was working in power and it caused a reverent fear (see Hebrews 2:3-4).A unified church (vs. 44)The church was in its infancy. There were no arguments over doctrine or opinions about buildings and programs. They were unified in their devotion to the gospel. A church that is devoted to the things of God will be a unified church.When we lack unity, we have likely lost our purpose and our focus. The early church had an intense feeling of responsibility towards one another which was an answer to Jesus’s prayer (see John 17:21-22). Many were drawn to the Savior as a result.A generous church (vs. 45)This verse is not promoting a form of socialism, rather this was voluntarily caring for each other as they shared their wealth to help those in need.The rapid growth of the early church resulted in many physical needs. During Pentecost, there were Jews from every nation of the world.  Many of them stayed in Jerusalem after being converted. They would have quickly run out of money and food, and they needed places to stay. There was an outpouring of generosity as the unity of the church led to caring for these needs.Generosity must be an essential mark of the church (see 1 John 3:16-18).William Barclay wrote, “a real Christian cannot bear to have too much while others have too little.”Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

Do you know who you are?If you have been at Grace Point at any time during the last 10 years, you will know that we value prayer. But even though we emphasize prayer, we still don’t see our prayer times well attended. I have been wrestling with this and would like to suggest that we don’t have a prayer problem, we have an identity problem. We don’t pray because we don’t believe our prayers make a difference, because we don’t know who we are in the Kingdom of God. As followers of Jesus, we have an identity problem.  A Priestly CallingAs Christians, our identity should not be in our nationality, our education, our career, nor any other criteria, our identity is to be found in being a child of God, adopted by the creator of the universe and being a member of the eternal kingdom of God. But more than that as the Apostle Peter wrote, I am part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession (see 1 peter 2:9).If you are a follower of Jesus, someone who has committed your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you are a priest, that is your identity.Andrew Murray in his book, “With Christ in the School of Prayer” writes, “Every member of the Body of Christ – the church, has a right to the priesthood. But not everyone exercises it, many are still entirely ignorant of it. And yet it is the highest privilege if a child of God.”What does it mean to be a priest in the kingdom of God?As a church we believe in the priesthood of every believer, we believe that every believer is called to fulltime ministry, whatever their vocation might be (see Revelation 1:5-6).A New AccessIn the Old Testament, under the Mosaic Law, God’s people had a priesthood. There were definite qualifications for this, and it was an awesome privilege. No man in Israel could serve at the altar, or enter the tabernacle or temple holy places, except those born into the tribe of Levi and consecrated to God for service. The priest’s role was to be the mediator between God and man. And only the High priest could enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. Once a year, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the high priest was permitted to enter and sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial animal on the mercy seat of the Ark. By doing so, the high priest atoned for his own sins and those of the people.The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the tabernacle/temple by the veil, a huge, heavy drape made of fine linen that was up to 6 inches thick.When Jesus died on the cross, this veil was torn by God from top to bottom. It was a supernatural event done by the power of God to declare that man was no longer separated from God. The Old Testament temple system was made obsolete as the New Covenant was ratified. No longer would we have to depend on priests to perform sacrifices on our behalf (see Hebrews 10:19-22).We as followers of Jesus now have a great and eternal High priest, who mediates for us, he represents us before God the Father. More than that, because of the perfect and final sacrifice that Jesus performed on the cross, we are declared righteous before God. Jesus is not only the High priest, but he is also the King of Kings, therefore we are a royal priesthood and a holy nation, because we are forever covered and made holy by the blood of Jesus.We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, to be priests where we live, praying for our community and representing God to the culture. Sadly, we don’t realize who we are, we have a case of mistaken identity, and we don’t see ourselves as priests, we are happy just to take our salvation and hide from the world until we die, or Jesus comes again. Instead of influencing our culture, we hide from our culture.Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

We live in an era when we are more connected than any other time in the history of man.But psychologists tell us that loneliness is the number one health issue of our time. How can it be that we are so connected but at the same time so lonely?In Acts 2:42, we read that the early church devoted themselves to fellowship. The Greek word “Koinonia” means partnership, participation, communion, and companionship.In Romans 15:1-7, the Apostle Paul instructs the Roman church how to live and relate to one another in light of the Gospel.The Gospel Leads to UnityIn the first verse Paul gets straight to the point, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” He uses the word obligation, which could also mean duty, or legal requirement.We don’t like this kind of language in our culture today; we are free individuals, so why should we be obligated to do anything for someone else? This issue existed in the first-century church as well. Paul answers the question very clearly in verse 3 of Romans 15, “For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.””Christ gave himself for us. This is the foundation for the Gospel message: Jesus, being obedient to the Father, preferred us over his own life and his position in heaven. True unity in the church is an outworking of the Gospel; it is a miracle as the Holy Spirit draws us to prefer each other in light of what Jesus has done for us.Endurance and Encouragement Leads to UnityThough unity among believers is an outflow of the gospel, it still takes work. Paul repeats the phrase “endurance and encouragement” in verse 4. Being devoted to the fellowship of believers, as the early church was, takes endurance, hard work, and commitment.Endurance is the ability to  persevere in doing something even when it is difficult or when the finish line never seems to get any closer. Walking in unity requires endurance; there are days when it seems easier than others, but we keep on going because we are committed to each other just as Christ is committed to us.Along with endurance, we need encouragement. We are encouraged by the faithfulness of those who have gone before us (see Hebrews 12:1). We are encouraged by the Word of God, and by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the church.All of these encourage us and keep us moving forward towards greater unity, towards a healthier community.The Purpose of UnityCommunity literally means living with unity. But what is the purpose of unity in the church?Is it so that we can just get along or portray the image of a nice happy family? Is it so that we attract more people to our happy community and grow? Actually, unity is significantly more important than all those outcomes; unity in the church is to bring glory to God (see Romans 15:6).How do we display the glory of God as the church? In Ephesians 3:10 we read, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”God is using the followers of Jesus to display His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. The word for “manifold” is the same word that one would use to describe the many facets of a diamond. God holds the church up like a diamond and points to the church, teaching the angels and principalities of the spirit world about Himself....Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/

What is a healthy church? 1 Corinthians 12 describes the church as a body, with each part functioning well so that the whole body is healthy. But we all bring our brokenness and pain with us, how can we function together as a healthy body?In Acts 2, we have a model of a healthy church. One hundred and twenty followers of Jesus, praying in the upper room, were filled with the Holy Spirit and they went into the streets proclaiming the Gospel message. Three Thousand people were added to the church that day and this same church has influenced the world for the past two thousand years. But what was their secret?A Focused ChurchThe few weeks have been filled with mission trips, outreaches and praying for those going out to share the message of the Gospel, focusing on the lost in our city and across the nations. This is all good, but a church that only looks at missions without caring about the discipleship of the members is not healthy. Just like a church that focuses only inward is not healthy.There needs to be a balance of equipping (discipleship) and mission (going out).Athletic trainers will tell you that a strong core is vital for the body to function well and spend hours strengthening the core. If the core is weak, the whole body is weak and cannot operate at its best. The same applies to the analogy of the church as a body. If the core of the church is weak, the whole body does not function well.The early church was more than a gathering of like-minded believers who came together once a week for a time of fellowship and worship. It was a body of fully committed people, committed to the lordship of Jesus Christ personally, and committed to each other in fellowship and unity. The first church was the healthiest and most effective the Church has ever been.A Devoted ChurchActs 2:42 begins with the phrase, “And they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching…”Devotion means a regular observance. Individual committed devotion is a sign of genuine salvation. Saying that you do not desire to read God’s Word regularly is like saying that you are alive, but don’t need to drink water. The foundational mark of a true believer is someone who abides in Christ, who feeds on God’s word (see John 8:31).So, what were they teaching? The Apostles had sat under the greatest teacher of all time for three years. In the upper room at Pentecost, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth and now they were teaching the new believers who in turn taught others. This is the pattern of the early church and sadly something that we have lost in the modern church. We all need to carefully study doctrine, know what we believe, why we believe it and then be able to teach it to others. This message is intended to come to us and then flow through us (2 Timothy 2:2).In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), Jesus commands all of us to make disciples, to win converts and disciple them. This is not only a command to go to the ends of the earth, but also to the person sitting next to you, or the young person who is desperate for a mentor to help them walk the Christian life in the twenty-first century.A Dead ChurchThe Dead Sea is the lowest body of water on the planet and lies between Israel and Jordan. The river Jordan flows into it from the sea of Galilee but does not flow out of it. As a result, the Dead Sea has ten times the concentration of salt than the oceans and is unable to sustain any life. This is a picture of many individuals and even churches who pride themselves on their theological knowledge, amassing more teaching, but never applying the word.Such people and churches are deep, salty and dead!A healthy body of water allows the life-giving resource to flow in and then out again, feeding another pond or stream. Are you stagnating on the word? Or are you allowing the word to flow through you to otheRead More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/