Redeemer Coast Church Podcast

Romans 4:4-5 “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favour, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,” Faith is the currency in which we receive righteousness. Believing what God has done in Jesus for us is how we receive salvation. This is why faith is essential. Without faith, we can’t receive salvation. The only correct response to Gods grace is faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” This beautiful verse is right in the middle of the Holy Spirit saying through Paul that we’re in this world, we’re experiencing the decay of this world, and yet, because of the Holy Spirit and the life of God inside us, we can live powerful and effective lives that are pleasing to God! We live these victorious lives by faith! When we’ve learned to walk by faith and not by sight, we have bold cheerfulness! We can be godly cheerful because we know that no matter what we’re facing, we win! So, what do we do with this precious faith that God has given to us? As we go through life, we always have a choice of how we’re going to walk and live our lives. Either by sight- the things that are seen in the natural, our own strength, ability and resources, or by faith- what God has said and promised in His Word. Are we going to walk by what we see and feel? Are we going to walk by faith? We are called to take the paths that are guided by what God has said about us!

Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.” Faith is not just for salvation; faith is for all the troubles we will ever face in life. We can look at the heroes of faith and see how they used their faith to overcome and implement God's will and purpose on the earth. If they received the promises of God and overcame the trials of life, then so can we! It’s important to understand that faith in God's Word is the foundation of what we are hoping for. Our faith is the title deed that what God has promised belongs to us. We may not see it yet in the natural, but because of faith, we know and are convinced that we have what God has said. God's Word is our evidence that we have it!

Matthew 17:20, “He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” It’s so encouraging to understand that where we are now in our faith, is not where we will be. What matters is what we do with what we have. In this Scripture above, we can see how Jesus compared faith to a mustard seed. When we look at a seed, we understand there is so much ability and potential within it. A mustard seed, as small as it is, when planted produces one of the biggest trees. For a tree to be produced, that seed must be planted. In the same way, our faith, just like a seed can grow. There is so much potential and ability within our faith, but we must use what we have to see fruit in our lives.

Mark 4:18-19 “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Faith is precious to God. Someone who will simply take Him at His Word. How can we, as His creation, offer Him something that pleases Him when He created the heavens and the earth? Yet, we can please Him with our faith. (Hebrews 11:6) Satan knows how powerful faith is; he understands that faith in God’s Word is the answer to everything he tries to throw at us. His aim is therefore to steal the Word of God because he knows that if he can steal God’s Word, he can hinder us from living the fruitful life God has called us to live. Therefore, we must protect our faith!

Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭YLT98‬‬ ‭ “And Jesus answering saith to them, ‘Have faith of God; for verily I say to you, that whoever may say to this mount, Be taken up, and be cast into the sea, and may not doubt in his heart, but may believe that the things that he saith do come to pass, it shall be to him whatever he may say.” Jesus uses the opportunity of cursing the fig tree as an opportunity to teach His disciples how faith works. In the Young’s Literal Translation, it highlights the point that Jesus tells us that we can have faith like God has faith- have the faith of God. We can have faith in the same manner that God has faith.

James 5:15-18 “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” We need to understand that there are different kinds of prayer. (Ephesians 6:18 Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty.”) Prayer is a vital part of living a victorious Christian life. There is a kind of prayer that the Bible calls the prayer of faith. The prayer of faith is different from spending time in fellowship and communion with the Father. The prayer of faith is when we know the Father’s will in a situation and boldly declare His will over the circumstance. 

1 Timothy 1:5, “ Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and fromsincere faith.” The Bible speaks of many different kinds of faith: Strong faith, weak faith, sincere faith, shipwrecked faith, little faith, etc. The Apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy, reminds him of the purpose of his commandment: love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Sincere can also be translated as genuine faith. It is a kind of faith that is not pretend or masked, it’s real. It’s the kind of faith that is stood the test of time, it has stood the test of trials, and it comes out purified and sincere.

Hebrews 11:11 (Moffatt) “It was by faith that even Sara got strength to conceive, bearing a son when she was past the age for it — because she considered she could rely on Him who gave the promise.” Growing strong in faith is a process. We can see it in the life of Abraham and Sarah. Their journey started with God calling Abram to leave his father and mother and go to a land that God would show him. Over the years, Abraham developed in faith and was able to trust God for bigger things. Even believing for a son when he was a hundred years old.

Genesis 13:14-17, “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” The life of Abraham is a wonderful example of what it means to walk by faith. The Bible says we are to walk in the steps of faith that Abraham, our father in the faith, also walked. (Romans 4:12). If we look at his life, we can see that Abraham didn’t start with this amazing, strong faith; it was a process. God took him on a faith adventure, starting with just leaving his father's house for a land God would show him, and through his obedience to God’s instructions, step by step, he grew strong in faith and became the father of many nations.

John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Jesus’ arrival on the earth became the biggest shift in how man related to God. Before Jesus came, everything was performance-based, obedience determined outcome. Protection and blessing were conditional, based on how well people could keep the law. However, when Jesus came, He established the new covenant between God and man. Under grace, we receive what Jesus secured for us. God’s blessings are no longer conditional; God’s blessings are already ours. We no longer have to try to earn protection and blessing; we simply stand in the truth of what Jesus has done for us, in us, and through us. Problems arise when people try to mix the two covenants. People end up striving instead of standing. People tolerate what they should be resisting, and blame God for what the devil is doing.

Romans 4:19-21, “And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” There are various types of faith listed in the Bible, including weak faith, little faith, shipwrecked faith, dead faith, strong faith, and great faith. It’s important for us to understand what it means to have strong faith so that we can receive the promises of God and live the life that He has for us.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 (Moffat Translation), “We do discuss 'wisdom' with those who are mature; only it is not the wisdom of this world or of the dethroned Powers who rule this world, it is the mysterious Wisdom of God that we discuss, that hidden wisdom which God decreed from all eternity for our glory.” Easter, a time of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour! This is the time when we come together and celebrate what Jesus has done for us. Praise God for what He has done for us at the cross, the grave, and resurrection, but there is so much more that God did in Christ at the resurrection. The Bible says that there is a wisdom of God that was hidden throughout the ages for our glory. It is a wisdom that is not of this world, nor of the dethroned powers of darkness; it is God’s Wisdom hidden for us to be revealed at the resurrection of Jesus. This wisdom is the complete and total victory that Jesus has won for us!

Matthew 9:28-30 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened.” The Apostle John, by the Holy Spirit, says, “This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (1 John 5:4) Jesus has already won the victory over the kingdom of darkness, and He has given us His authority and power here on the earth. As Christian’s, living the victorious life is the norm. We triumph, we are victors, we are in the Kingdom of Light! It is now our privilege to learn how to walk in the reality of what Jesus has done for us, in us, and through us. It’s our faith in God that overcomes the world.

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬-5 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” According to these verses, we once were dead in our sins but now we are dead to sin! Praise the Lord! We have been made alive and we are now free to live our lives for God. We were once sinners by nature but now that we’re in Christ, our new, Born Again nature is righteous. This is the Gospel, the power of God unto Salvation. The revelation of who we are in Christ is essential to walking in the victory that Jesus purchased for us. When we read the Word of God, His Word begins to transform the way that we think.

Numbers 14:8-9, “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” There is a saying that goes, “If you think you're defeated, or if you think you will win, you're correct either way.” This is a very true statement. The way we view ourselves will determine the outcome of our lives. We can define ourselves by our past, our failures, other people’s opinions, our feelings, our actions, our successes, etc. However, as Christians, our identity is not found in ourselves or other people’s opinions; we are who God says we are.

Hebrews 4:1-3 “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest…” God’s Word reveals His will for our lives. When we read the Word of God, we begin to understand His plan and will for His children. His Word is full of exceedingly great and precious promises, promises that cause us to overcome problems and enable us to reign in life. What a wonderful gift God has given us through His Word. However, just because God has said it doesn’t mean that it automatically comes to pass in our lives; we have a part to play too. This is where our faith comes in. What we believe about what God has said is important.

Mark 1:41, “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”” Strong faith is faith that is anchored in the Word of God. It’s in God’s Word where we can find God’s will, and once we know and are persuaded of God’s will, we can lay hold of what belongs to us as children of God. We need to be on guard for wrong beliefs and wrong ways of thinking that can hinder God’s Word from working in our lives. For instance, many people will compromise God’s Word to match their experience, or what they heard someone else say. Rather than let God’s Word be their anchor, they let the experience tell them what to believe. The example of the leper found in Mark chapter one is a beautiful example of someone finding out for themselves the true nature of God.

Galatians 3:10-11 “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” Our faith in God is crucial in determining the outcome of our lives. Living the life of faith is completely different from the life we once lived. We live in a world where we are judged and viewed based on our performance. In the kingdom of God, everything is by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) Now we, as the ones who have been justified, live by faith. Everything that God has made available to us in Jesus is His will for His children. However, just because it is God’s will for us to live in all that His grace has made available, our response to what His grace has made available will determine if we experience and live in all that God has for us. God’s promises aren’t automated; they are activated! Faith is what activates them.

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” As a local church, it is important that we understand who we are, where we are going and why. We’re here to fulfill the god-given mandate that He has assigned to us. We are a New Testament church, a grace faith church because we believe that it is by grace that we are saved through faith. It all started with the mercy of God, who loved us so much that He saved us, not only from sin, death and eternal judgment, but He saved us from any harm and destruction that comes against us.

Ephesians 1:18 “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” In the natural, we learn about who we are from our parents. We watch how they react, their responses to the issues of life, their actions, their decisions, how they carry themselves, etc. In the same way, we get our Born Again identity from our Heavenly Father. We learn about our new nature from Him. We learn how to live and walk just like our Heavenly Father. Not only do we get our identity from Him, but we also have an inheritance as children of God.

Ephesians 3:20 AMPC “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]” Getting saved and going to heaven is definitely a wonderful truth of the New Birth, but it is not the only amazing, wonderful privilege of receiving Jesus as Lord of our lives. When we heard the Gospel, believed it and called on the name of the Lord, everything changed. We went from living a life in darkness and despair to one of victory, triumph and purpose. We’re not saved just so we can go to heaven one day, we’re saved so that heaven, the Kingdom of God, lives on the inside of us right now!

John 4:29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”” It is through experiencing the true grace of God that we can go out and testify to the goodness of God. When the woman who was at the well encountered Jesus, even though she was living in sin, her sin did not disqualify her from experiencing the grace of God. Jesus took time with her and revealed to her one of the most amazing truths about worship. “The Father seeks those who worship Him in spirit and in truth.” When this woman experienced the kindness and grace of Jesus, she boldly went to her city and testified saying “Come and see a man who has told me all things I ever did.” I don’t know too many people who would invite people to come and see someone who knows their past. Most people want to hide in the darkness when they’re in bondage to sin, but this woman, when her sin was exposed, she wasn’t condemned, she wasn’t accused, she experienced the true grace of God and was set free because the light of God’s grace empowered her! As a result, she boldly became a witness for Jesus in her hometown.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” In the message of the Gospel is the power of God to transform the heart of a person. When we received Jesus as our Lord, our inner man, our real self, was made completely new. We have become a brand new creation in Christ. By hearing and believing the Gospel message of the finished works of Jesus, our hearts were changed from a sin nature, to a righteous nature. From living in darkness and deception, defining ourselves by our behaviour and self-effort, to living a life where our identity is found in Jesus, we are made righteous.

Ruth 4:9-10 “And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” The story of Ruth is a beautiful portrayal of God's grace towards us. Ruth was outside of the Jewish covenant; she did not know God, and she was in a very difficult situation with no husband and no children; she only had her mother-in-law. Ruth made the decision to follow her mother-in-law. Though the grace and favour extended towards her through Boaz, Ruth went from having nothing to living a full life.

II Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬ ‭ “that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” We’ve been given the ministry of reconciliation! That means we have the wonderful privilege to let those around us know that they have been forgiven, that God is not mad at them, in fact, God has forgiven their sins, they simply need to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. What God has done in Jesus was a gift available to anyone who would receive it. God doesn’t consider one group of people as cleansed and the other group unclean. When God gave that vision of the food to Peter, God was declaring that to Him, all people are cleansed and are worthy of Salvation because grace has made it available to all.

Acts 10:15-16, “And a voice spoke to him again the second time, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.” How we see ourselves is how we conduct ourselves. If we see ourselves as sinners, trapped in the cycle of guilt and shame, we will live our lives from that place. But, if we renew our minds to the truth of what God’s grace has done in us, then our actions will change to line up with how we see ourselves. What God has cleansed, we must not call common. (Acts 10:15)  Common means unclean, defiled, or to count as unclean. By God’s grace, we have been washed, we have been sanctified, we have been justified from our old nature, and now our new nature is pure, holy and righteous! (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Romans 4:24-25 “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised because of our justification.” ‭ The Gospel is truly a message of grace. The Gospel is good news for everyone, regardless of their age, gender, culture, background, etc. The Gospel of grace is for everyone and it is available to anyone who would simply choose to hear it, accept it, and believe it. Grace is an inexhaustible subject because it's as endless as God. God is the God of grace. Throughout human history, it has been God’s desire for us, His creation to understand Him. He has shown His kindness and goodness through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is full of grace and truth. It’s of His fullness that we have received grace upon grace.

Galatians 2:19-20, “For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” When Jesus was on the earth, He showed us the heart of the Father. He is the exact representation of the Father’s nature. When He came, He came full of grace and truth. Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, He came to show us the kindness and goodness of the Father because it is the kindness of God that leads people to repentance. (Romans 2:4) Everything Jesus did was full of grace and it drew people to Him. Even those who were considered the “worst” sinners knew that they could come to Jesus and receive forgiveness and the restoration they were so desperately looking for. They were looking for life, and they knew that Jesus had what they needed because He was full of grace and truth.

Galatians 3:2-3 “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” The truth of the grace of God can be a struggle for human nature to understand. Grace is so often the opposite of what we experienced in life. We grow up with a mentality of being defined by our works. We either justify ourselves by comparing ourselves to others, or we condemn ourselves by thinking that we’re never good enough. Trying to live life by our own self-effort seems to be ingrained in our way of thinking.

Ephesians 2:7-10 “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We receive salvation by grace through faith. We didn’t earn Salvation through our own works; we heard the Gospel, we believed it, accepted it as true, and received the forgiveness of our sins through the finished work of Jesus. If Salvation, which is the most important thing we could ever receive, is by grace through faith, all of God’s promises are received the same way, by grace through faith.

John 1:16 “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” When Jesus came to the earth, He represented the true nature of God and came in the fullness of everything that the Father is. Jesus is full of grace and truth. He came to show us who our Heavenly Father is and how He truly sees us. When God, the Father sees us, He sees the beauty of His creation. We were always meant to be His crowning creation, we were never meant to live in bondage to sin and condemnation, we were always created to reflect God’s glory. Now, in Christ Jesus, the glory of God is in us and we can reflect His true nature.

John 1:12-13, 16-17“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God…For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realised through Jesus Christ.” The right to become a child of God is for anyone who would simply believe in Jesus. We have been given the right to become a child of God, not because of what we have done right, but because of what Jesus has done for us. True life can only be found in Jesus because He is the true Light that has come into the world. When we see Jesus, we see who we are. When we see Jesus, we see what true life is meant to be. When we see Jesus, we see the will of God the Father in action.

Philippians 4:9 AMPC “Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.” Practice is required in order for us to become skilled at something. Just like the best athletes in the world have practiced the basic fundamentals of their sport in order to become the best in their area, as believers, we are to practice thinking like God. We can have peace just like God has peace because He has given us His peace, and peace is a fruit of the Born Again spirit.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” The peace of God has enabled us to live a life that is free from worry, anxiety, and fear. Just like any gift that comes with an instruction manual, we must learn how to walk in the peace of God that is already within us. As Christians, living in worry and fear no longer has to be the norm for us. The world tries to self-manage worry and anxiety, but Jesus came and conquered worry! There are different kinds of peace one that the world has to offer, which is based upon circumstances being right, and everything going well, but it is superficial and weak. It doesn’t take long for a troublesome thought or bad situation to come along and steal any peace that someone had.

2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As those who are “in Christ,” we have been given a new identity, and that new identity is Jesus! When we look at Him, we see who we really are because He has come to live on the inside of us and we now carry His presence. We behold, just like looking into a mirror, the glory of Jesus and we are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory!

Luke 10:20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” There is so much joy when we know that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! Jesus said that this truth is what we can rejoice over. In Philippians, when Paul was addressing two women who were in the middle of a disagreement, he reminded them that both of their names are written in the Book of Life. It was a statement that we can easily read over, but if we take the time to think about what the Holy Spirit was saying through Paul, we realise that this is a significant truth that can greatly help us in our relationships.

Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”‭‭ How we see ourselves and the world around us begins in our hearts. Proverbs 23:7 says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” The words that we allow into our lives are what shape the way we see ourselves. Words that were spoken to us as children by our peers, parents and teachers can create a picture of how we see ourselves, whether positive or negative. Circumstances that we have been dealing with for a long time can create a strong hold in our minds, and we can begin to think that “it will always be this way”, and it creates a picture in our hearts of how we see ourselves. The good news is that the Word of God has the power to transform these negative pictures into ones that line up with God’s Word.

Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.” Everything that we would ever need in this life and in the world to come has been finished in Jesus. He has already won the victory for us, all we have to do is stand firm in what has already been accomplished in Jesus. Many believers make the mistake thinking that have to fight to win something against the devil when in fact, Jesus already defeated the devil, we simply have to reinforce and stand in the victory.

Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul describes a beautiful picture of redemption in the verses above. The Bible first introduces Paul as Saul, who had a history of persecuting believers, was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, was well-trained, and was a keeper of the law. He had a whole history of self-righteousness and one of sin in the name of the Jewish religion. Then he had a life-changing encounter with Jesus and he was forever changed. Saul became a new man who experienced redemption with a new name, Paul.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Before we received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we were dead in our sins. We had no covenant with God, we lived in death and produced works of death. Everything we tried to be was worthless in our own strength. We looked for life in our works, defining our value through self-effort. At some point in our lives, we came to the realisation that our purpose can only be found in Jesus. It was His life that He gave for us that gave our life purpose, His death and purchase for us, determined our value and worth.

Colossians 4:17 “And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”” Every Born-Again Believer has a ministry. It may not be one of the ministry gifts listed in Ephesians 4, but every believer has been given a God-given gift, and it is needed! In order for the Church to fulfil its assignment, every member of the Body needs to be in their place and bring their supply. The apostle Paul encouraged Archippus to “take heed to the ministry that he received.” Fulfilling God's assignment in our lives doesn’t happen automatically; it requires a dedicated and committed decision to find, follow, and fulfill God’s call in your life.

Ephesians 4:11-13, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...” These gifts that Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter four are what the church calls ministry gifts.  These gifts are Christ’s provision for His Church to build up, edify, and mature the saints. People don’t call or appoint themselves with these gifts; they are given by God as He chooses. Notice that these are gifts that God has given to His Church.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Many people have different views of the church due to their experiences, but regardless of what people’s opinions or experiences have been, the way God views the Church is what matters. To Him, the Church represents His glory and the Bible says in Ephesians chapter five that Jesus is coming back for His glorious Church. To Jesus, the Church is His Bride and she has His heart. Even though the church can be messy, in the end, she will be beautiful, without spot or wrinkle. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul says that the Church is a representation of the glory of God. How does one even begin to understand and describe God’s glory?

John‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Everything changed when Jesus came to the earth. He is the only mediator between us and God. Under the Old Covenant, people defined themselves by how “good” they were. They worshipped God based on their performance. But when Jesus came, He showed us the true heart of the Father, and that was that the Father is seeking those who would worship Him in spirit and in truth. Our own efforts never impressed God, what He wanted was hearts that loved Him and believed in Him. When Jesus said “in spirit and in truth”, He created the new basis on which the Church was to come to God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that qualifies us to worship God. It’s not because we have been so good that we can come into His presence, it's because He made us worthy and changed our very nature from a sinner to a Born Again believer, made righteous.

Acts 2:3-4, “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” In order for the Church, the Body of Christ, to function, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. God knew that we couldn’t fulfill the Great Commission on our own; we would need divine help and strength. That is why, before the disciples could go off and start proclaiming the Gospel to the world, Jesus told them to wait for the promise of the Father. (Acts 1:4-5) When the day came and the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples who were gathered together in that upper room, everything changed. The Church was mobilised, empowered and equipped to carry out the most important assignment that ever existed; preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is important for us to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church so we know how to yield to Him. Last week we talked about the purpose of the Church through the Modal, the Mission and the Mobilisation. We saw that Jesus is the model which the Church follows. The mission of the Church is to carry the Gospel to the world. The mobilisation is the command to “Go!”

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be[c]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In the first chapter of Acts, we begin the unfolding of the plan of God for His Church. Luke, the writer of this letter, starts with “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach…” Notice how he says all that Jesus began to do. What Jesus started in His ministry, we as His Church are to continue. Understanding the purpose of the Church is vital when it comes to us receiving clear direction. When we look at the life of Jesus, He modelled how we as followers of Christ are to act. We are “In Christ,” and Christ is in us. That means everywhere we go, we carry His presence with us. How Jesus lived on the earth is how we live. How He responded to situations is how we respond. How He talked is how we talk. How He acted is how we act.

Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬ ‭‬‬ “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Before we were Born Again, we were in this world with no hope, without God, and with no place to belong. But now that we’re in Christ, we have been brought near and we belong in Gods family. We’re now in the “Love family.”’ In this family, love is the way we function and operate. Our Heavenly Father is love, He doesn’t just have love, He is love. Therefore, we, as His children, carry His love in our spirits. We have the God-given ability to love like He does. We can see people the way God does. We can forgive the way God forgives. We can give the way God gives.

The Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, warned us that in the last days, people will no longer endure sound doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:3 says, "For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their owndesires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear." Paul finishes his letter to the church in Rome warning the believers to note those who cause divisions and bring offences. He knew that there would be people who would try to come in and cause division through false doctrine. This warning is just as important for us to heed as it was for the church in Rome. Every Christian needs to know for themselves what God's Word says. This is how we will not fall prey to wrong doctrine and false teaching.

Every person desires to belong. The need for connection and love is within every person. God put that desire in us because that is also His desire and we are made in His image. The Church is God’s family and He has uniquely designed it so every person has a place, purpose and belongs. The Church is united through the common belief that Jesus is the Christ. It is upon this rock, that the revelation that Jesus is the Christ is the rock that Jesus is building His Church. (Matthew 16:18) We are saved into community, strengthened through fellowship, and called to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.