Eastview Baptist Church Teaching Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Title: The Wisdom of ObedienceCore Passage: Ecclesiastes 1:1–14; 12:9–14Supporting Texts: John 1:1–14; Colossians 1:15–20; Luke 24:27Big Idea: Life “UNDER the SUN” is vanity; life “IN the SON” is victory.I. Introduction — The Search Beneath the SunII. Act One — The Kingdom Without the King (Ch. 1–3)III. Act Two — The Failure of Substitutes (Ch. 2–8)IV. Act Three — The Shadow of Death and the Shine of Resurrection (Ch. 9–11)V. Act Four — The End of the Matter (Ch. 12)VI. Conclusion — From Vanity to Victory

Why We Pray                                     1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 (v16-18)Pray – to talk with GodPRAY, v. t. To supplicate; to entreat; to urge.[1]PRA´YER, n. In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness.[2]6 Reasons Why We Pray:V12-13                  It Highlights Our Reliance On GodV14-15                  It Builds Up OthersV16-18                  It Sustains The Individual (The One Who Prays)V 19-20                It Leads Us In What NOT To DoV21-22                  It Leads Us In What We SHOULD DoV23-24                  It Grows Us Closer To GodV12-13                  It Highlights Our Reliance On GodAcknowledge (recognize and appreciate)                  Those who do the work [live out ministry in life] (evangelize, disciple and strengthen)Live In Peace With One Another                  We are all God’s creation, deserving of respect and concernV14-15                  It Builds Up OthersWarn                  The unbelievers and those who sit by, while the work carries on around themEncourage                  Those who have been *human* and encountered failures and fallsHelp                  The marginalized, the oppressed and those who sufferBe Patient                  With Everyone. Everyone. Everyone. EVERYONE.Do What Is Good For Each Other                  Do not pay back wrong for wrong. Do not live out a tit for tat life. V16-18                  It Sustains The IndividualRejoice Always                  No matter the circumstances, there is hope to be found! Our hope is in the Lord!Pray Continually                  Prayer is an opportunity to invite God in, we let down our guards and let God LEAD!Give Thanks In All Circumstances                  If we are alive and breathing, we still have reason to celebrate!= This is God’s will for you (in Jesus)!                   This is how we seek our God’s will for our lives: rejoice, pray and be thankful!V 19-20                It Leads Us In What NOT To DoDo Not!-              Quench the Spirit-              Oppose Spiritual Gifts (prophecy) instead, trust but verify…V21-22                  It Leads Us In What We SHOULD DoDO! -              Hold on to what is good-              Reject every kind of evilV23-24                  It Grows Us Closer To GodAsk God to:-              Sanctify you (Grow You)-              Keep you blameless (Keep You) o   You = Spirit, Soul and Bodyo   Numbers 6:22-27§  Lord Bless You and Keep You§  Lord Shine His Face On You§  Lord Be Gracious To You§  Lord Life His Continence (Face) On You§  Lord Give You PeaceGod =-              Calls Us-              Provides For Us-              Is Faithful To Deliver On His Word[1] Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).[2] ibid

“The Hallelujah Crescendo”                         Text: Psalm 80:14–19Theme: God restores His people when they return to Him.Big Idea: When we turn our hearts back to God, He turns His face back toward us; and what was dying begins to live again.1. RETURN to the Root (v. 14–16)2. REMEMBER the Son (v. 17)3. REVIVE the Relationship (v. 18–19)INTRODUCTION: “A Nation in Trouble”Before we get to verses 14–19, let’s remember what’s been happening in the first part of the psalm.Recap of Psalm 80:1–13:Israel is crying out to God.They remember when God used to shepherd them (v. 1) — guiding and protecting them.They remember when God planted them like a vine and blessed them (v. 8–11).But now, the walls are broken down (v. 12–13). The blessing is gone. The vine is trampled.They’re asking, “God, where are You? How did we get here?”The Psalms are a journey (as is the human experience) of highs and lows.From: "Blessed is the man" Psalm 1:1To: "Turn us again to yourself, O God" Psalm 80:7Arriving At: "Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:6BACKGROUND / TRANSITION: “The Broken Vine”Historically, Psalm 80 was written after the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria (around 722 B.C.). It took a long journey of exile (~700 mi) to make them realize 18 inches (head to heart) was the gap.It’s a national lament: a cry from a people who had been blessed, then broken because they turned from God.They had God’s favor, but they forgot God’s ways. They had God’s presence, but they stopped seeking His face.Now, the Psalmist (Asaph) is praying on behalf of the nation:“God, we’ve seen what happens when we drift. Please come back to us and help us come back to You.”That’s where verses 14–19 begin and it’s a powerful prayer for revival.

Series Integration — Practical RoadmapFlow: Begin with dependence (v.3) → honest lament (v.4) → character formation (v.5–8) → public witness & endurance (v.9–12).TEXT: Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (LSB)“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (BSB) God doesn’t fill the full; He fills the famished.The posture that receives the kingdom isn’t pride—it’s hunger. The Sermon on the Mount isn’t Jesus’ checklist for the “good life”; it’s His portrait of the renewed heart.By the time you reach verse 6, the crowd’s realizing something—Jesus isn’t after behavior modification; He’s describing spiritual metabolism.Hunger is the universal language of the human condition. You can’t fake hunger. You can’t intellectualize it. You either feel it or you don’t.Illustration:Ever notice how nothing in your pantry looks good when you’ve already been snacking? That’s the modern soul—stuffed with junk and starving for Jesus.BIG IDEA:INTRODUCTION: THE HOLY APPETITE

TITLE: “The Joy of Coming Clean”              PRIMARY TEXT: Psalm 32:1-11BIG IDEA:The deepest freedom is not the absence of sin but the presence of forgiveness. Confession is the doorway into joy.GOAL:Move people from hidden sin to healed souls through repentance, forgiveness, and spiritual formation.Blessing isn’t found in pretending. It’s found in confessing.INTRODUCTION: THE PRISON OF PRETENSEDavid writes not as a king at his strongest, but as a sinner who almost destroyed his own life with secrecy.Everyone wears masks.But masks multiply misery.David discovered: The thing sin promises is never the thing sin delivers. (James 1:14-15)You can’t outrun your conscience (Proverbs 28:13). But you can run to your Savior (1 John 1:9).The Background (2 Samuel 11–12) -> (Psalm 51, 32):David’s Sin (2 Samuel 11):David stays behind during the season when kings go to war. (2 Sam. 11:1)He sees Bathsheba bathing, “desires her”, and commits adultery. (2 Sam. 11:2-4)When Bathsheba becomes pregnant, David tries to conceal it. (2 Sam. 11:5-13)He arranges for Uriah, her husband, to die in battle. (2 Sam. 11:14-17)The Confrontation (2 Samuel 12):God sends Nathan the prophet, who tells David a parable about a rich man stealing a poor man’s lamb. (2 Sam. 12:1-4)When David condemns the rich man, Nathan declares: “You are the man!” (2 Sam. 12:7)David immediately confesses, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Sam. 12:13)Nathan replies, “The Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die. But the child born to you will die.” (2 Sam. 12:13)The Background (Psalm 51, The Immediate Effects)Theological Note:Psalm 51 gives us the anatomy of true repentance:Recognition of guilt (Psalm 51:3-4)Appeal to mercy (Psalm 51:1)Desire for transformation (Psalm 51:10-12)Commitment to renewal and worship (Psalm 51:13-15)It is immediate, raw, and vertical — between David and God.Theological Note:Psalm 32 shows the fruit of repentance:Peace replaces guilt, instruction flows from grace, and joy follows contrition(remorse).

Blessed Are the Meek: Strength Under The SaviorMatthew 5:5“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (BSB)Series Integration — Practical RoadmapFlow: Begin with dependence (v.3) → honest lament (v.4) → character formation (v.5–8) → public witness & endurance (v.9–12).INTRODUCTIONJesus does not begin the Kingdom Revolution by crowning the powerful, the platformed, or the popular. He blesses the meek. The world shrugs. Jesus smirks. Heaven applauds.Meekness is not weakness. It is strength under the sovereignty of God.It is a lion submitting to the Lamb.The Beatitudes are not motivational posters. They are the manifesto of King Jesus for His Kingdom people.BIG IDEAMeekness is not self-diminishment but Spirit-directed strength that trusts God to bring the victory.

Title: The Journey from Dust to Doxology                Reading: Job 22–Psalm 22Opening Text: Psalm 8Introduction: From Dust to DoxologySeven (Major) Types of Psalms - Summary ChartTypeFocusExampleHymnPraise for who God isPs. 8, 19, 100LamentCry for help in distressPs. 22, 44RoyalGod’s anointed king / MessiahPs. 2, 72, 110ThanksgivingGratitude for deliverancePs. 30, 40, 107WisdomTeaching godly livingPs. 1, 37, 73TorahCelebration of God’s lawPs. 19, 119ImprecatoryCall for divine justicePs. 35, 69, 137 Every follower of Jesus walks through seasons that test the foundation of our faith. Walter Brueggemann calls these orientation, disorientation, and new orientation.·       Orientation: when life makes sense — prayers are answered, faith feels strong.·       Disorientation: when the bottom falls out, and the questions come faster than the answers. — when the storm hits, and heaven feels silent.·       New Orientation: when God pulls you out of the ashes — when you see that the pain had a purpose, and your praise is deeper because of it.This is not just the rhythm of the Psalms:  it’s the rhythm of your life, your story, and the story of redemption itself.It’s the pattern of the Gospel itself:Creation → Fall → Redemption.Gethsemane → Golgotha → Glory.

Series Integration — Practical RoadmapFlow: Begin with dependence (v.3) → honest lament (v.4) → character formation (v.5–8) → public witness & endurance (v.9–12). The Gift of Holy TearsText: Matthew 5:4 (BSB)                             Title: The Gift of Holy Tears — “Those Who Mourn”4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Big idea: Honest mourning over SIN, SUFFERING, and INJUSTICE opens us to Christ’s comfort and drives us to restoration.HookMarky’s Story,  what we do with grief: hide or bring it to God?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikcV874pCFg Exposition & BackgroundGreek nuance: pentheó (mourning) = deep, wounding grief; includes lament over sin and corporate(universal) brokenness.Historical: Jewish lament tradition (Psalms, Lamentations) used public lament as spiritual practice. Jesus’ blessing honors lament.Scripture grid: Isaiah 61:1–3 (comfort for mourners), John 11:35 (Jesus wept), Revelation 21:4.The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.Jesus wept.‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”

“For Such a Time as This: Finding God in Silence”                      Main Text: Esther 4:12–17Opening Text: Hebrews 11:1-3           Big Question: Has God ever felt silent or hidden to you?Big Idea: Even when God feels hidden, His presence and redemption are at work; He is calling us to courage, trust, and intercession that mirror the heart of our Redeemer King (Jesus).Typology: Esther’s intercession prefigures Christ’s mediation; Job’s cry for a Redeemer anticipates Christ as the Resurrected Redeemer. Jesus is the anticipated one.Introduction:Esther 4:12–17 – Esther’s moment of decisive courage in a story where God is never mentioned.Job 19:25–27 – Job’s audacious hope in a Redeemer amid divine silence and suffering.Hebrews 4:14–16 – The ultimate revelation: our High Priest who meets us in our weakness, having entered the silence Himself.

Today's message is brought to you by Eastview's Worship Director, Taylor Ramey.

Dependence on God                 “The Poor In Spirit”                   Matthew 5:3 (BSB)3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Big idea: The doorway into the kingdom is confession of spiritual poverty, not moral failure only, but the surrendered posture of needing God. Read – Isaiah 57:15 Exposition & Background·      Dependence: The Kingdom of Heaven according to Jesus belongs to the little children (Matthew 19:14), those who provide for the least of these/marginalized (Matthew 25:34-36).Greek nuance: ptōchoi tō pneumati — literally “the poor (beggars) in spirit.” Not primarily economic; a posture of utter spiritual bankruptcy and need.Ptóchos (tow-khos): Poor, destitute, beggar1. a beggar (as cringing), a pauper2. (figuratively) distressedPneuma (new-mah): Spirit, wind, breath1. a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze2. (by analogy or figuratively) a spirit3. (humanly) the rational soul4. (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc.5. (superhumanly) an angel, demon6. (divinely) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy SpiritHistorical context: Jewish piety often equated blessing with material prosperity (much like the love of materialism today). Jesus flips this: kingdom blessing is for those who admit need.Scripture grid: Luke 18:9–14 (Pharisee vs. tax collector), 2 Cor 8:9, James 4:6, Isaiah 57:15. Read – Luke 18:9-14Point 1 — Embrace the Empty Hand (Admission)Subpoint A: Name what you cannot produce: righteousness, eternal life, ultimate peace.Subpoint B: Move from self-reliance to dependence (spiritual poverty is not passivity but receptivity).Illustration: The tax collector who would not even lift his eyes (Luke 18).Cross refs: Romans 3:23–24 (all sinners; justification by grace). Read – 2 Corinthians 8:8-10Point 2 — Receive the Kingdom as Gift (Access)Subpoint A: The kingdom is received, not earned — the posture of beggar receives.Subpoint B: Dependency reorients authority: God’s gift displaces our striving (life is better in His’ hands).Cross refs: Luke 18:16, Ephesians 2:8–9. Read – James 4:5-7Point 3 — Live as Apprentices, Not Consumers (Practice)Subpoint A: In rabbinic apprenticeship, a talmid (student) depended on the rabbi for daily teachingand provision — you lived under his roof and rhythm.Subpoint B: Spiritual poverty shapes practices: confession, communal reliance, vulnerability.Application: Create confession rhythms; seek spiritual direction; practice asking for help. SymbolismEmpty hands = readiness to receive. Beggar’s cloak = stripped identity, honest need.Bridging to First-Century ApprenticeshipA disciple didn’t simply attend lectures; he lived with and depended on the rabbi. The Beatitude calls us back to living dependence: rhythm, memorization, imitation.

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3)Fruit: agape – Humility [good-will] (implicit in Love)The poor in spirit recognize their need for God, which is the seedbed for love (the first fruit).Cross-ref: John 15:5; 1 Cor. 13:4 (“love is not proud”). 2. “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:4)Fruit: JoyParadox: through mourning over sin and brokenness, the Spirit produces joy that the world cannot take away.Cross-ref: Psalm 30:5; 2 Cor. 6:10. 3. “Blessed are the meek” (Matt. 5:5)Fruit: GentlenessMeekness is power under control, aligning perfectly with gentleness.Cross-ref: Gal. 6:1; Matt. 11:29. 4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matt. 5:6)Fruit: FaithfulnessA Spirit-born craving for righteousness results in loyalty to God’s ways.Cross-ref: Psalm 42:1–2; Matt. 6:33. 5. “Blessed are the merciful” (Matt. 5:7)Fruit: KindnessMercy flows as tangible acts of kindness to those in need.Cross-ref: Luke 6:36; Eph. 4:32. 6. “Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matt. 5:8)Fruit: GoodnessPurity of heart overflows in moral and spiritual goodness, reflecting God’s character.Cross-ref: 1 Tim. 1:5; Eph. 5:9. 7. “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9)Fruit: PeacePeacemakers embody and extend the Spirit’s gift of peace.Cross-ref: Rom. 12:18; James 3:18. 8. “Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matt. 5:10)Fruit: PatienceEnduring persecution requires Spirit-empowered patience/longsuffering.Cross-ref: James 1:2–4; 2 Thess. 1:4. 9. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me” (Matt. 5:11–12)Fruit: Self-controlResponding to insult and false accusation without retaliation demonstrates self-control.Cross-ref: 1 Pet. 2:23; Prov. 25:28. Putting it Together:Beatitudes = Kingdom Posture (what kind of people belong to Jesus).Fruit of the Spirit = Kingdom Product (what kind of life the Spirit produces in them).So, the Beatitudes are the soil conditions, and the Fruit of the Spirit is the harvest.

The Jesus Way – Week 3                      Title: When Love Poured Out               Text: John 19:28–30Framing Parable: John 15:1–8 (The Vine and the Branches)Big Idea: The cross is the fullest revelation of God’s love and the cost of following Jesus.Series Quote: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Defining Characteristics of Jesus’ Ministry on Earth1. The Kingdom of God Proclaimed           (Preaching)Jesus’ central message was: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15).He didn’t just offer moral teaching but announced that God’s reign was breaking into history in His person and work.This shaped His parables, miracles, and interactions—showing what life under God’s rule looks like. 2. Teaching with Authority              (Teaching)Unlike the scribes, Jesus taught as one with divine authority (Matt. 7:28–29).His teaching centered on:The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7)Parables of the Kingdom (Matt. 13)Reorienting the Law around love of God and neighbor (Matt. 22:37–40).His words cut through legalism, hypocrisy, and cultural norms, offering a radically new vision of life with God. 3. Miracles and Signs                       (Healing)Miracles authenticated His identity and message (John 20:30–31).They revealed His authority over:Nature (calming storms, multiplying loaves)Sickness (healing lepers, the blind, paralytics)Demons (casting out unclean spirits)Death (raising Jairus’ daughter, Lazarus).These works demonstrated that the Kingdom is both present now and a foretaste of what is to come. 4. Table Fellowship & Inclusion of the Marginalized                   (Welcoming)Jesus consistently broke cultural and religious boundaries:Eating with tax collectors, sinners, and outcasts (Mark 2:15–17; Luke 15).Valuing women (Luke 8:1–3; John 4).Touching lepers and the unclean.His meals pointed forward to the Messianic banquet (Luke 14:15–24) and the Lord’s Supper. 5. Prayer & Intimacy with the Father                    (Praying)Jesus’ ministry was saturated with prayer:At His baptism (Luke 3:21)Before selecting disciples (Luke 6:12)In solitary places (Mark 1:35)In Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36–46).His dependence on the Father modeled true sonship and Spirit-filled living. 6. Formation of Disciples                 (Discipling)Jesus called and trained the Twelve (Mark 3:13–19), but also drew a wider circle of followers.His method was life-on-life apprenticeship—“follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19).Discipleship meant learning His way, embracing His cross, and being sent on mission. 7. Conflict with Religious Authorities                    (Confronting)Jesus’ ministry provoked opposition from Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes.Points of tension:His authority over the Law and SabbathHis claims of divine sonship and forgivenessHis association with sinnersHis critique of hypocrisy.This growing conflict pointed toward the cross. 8. The Way of the Cross                   (Suffering)Jesus repeatedly predicted His suffering, death, and resurrection (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33–34).The cross was not an accident but the climax of His mission—to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).His resurrection vindicated His identity and inaugurated the new creation. 9. The Central Role of the Holy Spirit                    (Rising)Conceived by the Spirit (Luke 1:35), baptized and empowered by the Spirit (Matt. 3:16–17), and led by the Spirit (Luke 4:1).His miracles and preaching were Spirit-anointed (Luke 4:18–19).He promised the Spirit to His followers (John 14–16; Acts 1:8). Summary:Jesus’ earthly ministry was marked by the proclamation of the Kingdom, Spirit-empowered teaching and miracles, radical inclusion, life-on-life discipleship, prayerful dependence on the Father, conflict with religious powers, and climactic fulfillment in the cross and resurrection.

The Jesus Way – Week 2        John 19:1-11/Mark 4:1-20       “When The World Stands Against You”Big Idea: The Jesus Way confronts the powers of this world and true discipleship means standing firmeven when opposition rises up.1. Setting the Scene: The Trial Before Pilate (John 19:1–11)Movement 1 – Injustice of the World (John 19:1-6)Jesus is scourged, mocked, crowned with thorns, and presented as powerless.Fulfillment of Isaiah 53:3 – “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.”Discipleship truth: The world will often oppose those who follow Christ because His kingdom stands against the world’s values (John 15:18-20).Movement 2 – Authority of Heaven (John 19:7-11)Pilate claims authority, but Jesus reminds him, “You would have no authority over me at all… if it hadn’t been given you from above.”Cross Reference: Daniel 2:21 – God “removes kings and establishes kings.”Application: Even when earthly powers seem strongest, God’s sovereignty is greater.Movement 3 – A Call to Stand (John 19:7; Matthew 10:22)The Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy because He claimed to be the Son of God.In the cultural moment of opposition, Jesus stands silent yet unwavering. (Isaiah 53:7).Application: The Jesus Way requires us to stand for truth with grace even whenmisunderstood and/or opposed.Parable connection: In the Parable of the Soils, the seed that falls on rocky ground withers under heat (persecution). But Jesus, the true Seed, shows us what good soil looks like: steadfast under pressure, flourishing even in suffering.2. Jesus as the Example of DiscipleshipJesus lives out His own call:Deny Oneself — He refuses to save Himself, surrendering to the Father’s will (John 19:10–11).Take Up the Cross — He embraces suffering and shame, choosing obedience over escape.Follow the Father — He walks the path set before Him, unwavering even when the world stands against Him.Where the disciples scatter and deny, Jesus shows us what it means to endure as the faithful One.3. The Message Behind the MusicThe lyrics echo the Parable of the Soils — they become both our prayer and application:“Come on, rain down, rain down / Heaven, come and cover this Earth”→ We need God’s presence to soften our hearts, because opposition and trials harden us without Him.“Fall on good ground, good ground / We don’t wanna waste Your Word”→ Will we be the kind of soil that receives His Word deeply, or will we waste it when trials come?“When Your truth is hard to believe in / Let our hearts be soft for receiving”→ At the trial, truth was hard to believe. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Disciples scattered. But the good soil heart remains open even when the Word cuts against our comfort.“Make us good ground, good ground”→ This is the heart-cry of discipleship. To endure, to grow, to stand firm when the world resists.4. Application: What Kind of Soil Are You?              The Parable Explained – Mark 4:13-20V15 Hardened Path: Do you resist the Word, letting it bounce off?V16-17 Rocky Soil: Do you receive joyfully BUT wither when trials come?V18-19Thorny Soil: Do distractions, pleasures, and fears choke your faith?V20 Good Soil: Will you, like Jesus, stand firm when the world stands against you?The trial of Jesus is not just history — it’s an invitation. His endurance calls us to be the kind of disciples who remain steadfast under pressure, rooted deeply in Him.5. Invitation: Becoming Good GroundTo the seeker: Jesus stood firm for you at His trial so that you could find forgiveness and life in Him. Will you open your heart and receive Him today?To the disciple: Trials will come. Will you pray, “Make me good ground”? Will you let His Word take deep root, so you endure when the world stands against you?

9/24/25                “This Cultural Moment” Remaining Faithful          Revelation 2:10; Hebrews 10:23–25; Revelation 21:3-4Introduction: The Long ObedienceWeek 1: We recognized the moment (Jude).Week 2: We responded with grace (Hebrews/James/Revelation).Now: The challenge is to remain faithful — not just for a season, but for a lifetime.Eugene Peterson called it “a long obedience in the same direction.”Big Idea: In a weary world, the greatest witness is steady faithfulness — clinging to Christ, encouraging one another, and enduring to the end. 1. Hold Fast to Your Confession (Hebrews 10:23)“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.”Remaining faithful begins with remembering: God is more faithful to us than we are to Him.Cross Refs:Revelation 3:11 — “Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown.”1 Corinthians 15:58 — “Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work…”Teaching Emphasis: Endurance is not about clenching fists; it’s about holding onto the God who never lets go. 2. Encourage One Another Daily (Hebrews 10:24–25)Faithfulness is not meant to be lived in isolation.“…let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works… encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”Illustration: Redwoods thrive because their roots interlock — strength comes from connection.Root systems that grow no more than 6-12 feet deep but grow hundreds of feet wide!Cross Refs:Galatians 6:2 — “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”Revelation 7:9–10 — the faithful endure together, a great multitude from every nation.Teaching Emphasis: Remaining faithful is a community project, not a solo effort. 3. Endure Trials with Hope (Revelation 2:10)“Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”Our cultural moment will test us — persecution, hostility, temptation, distraction.The faithful church in Smyrna is told: suffering is temporary, His reward is eternal.Cross Refs:James 1:12 — “Blessed is the one who endures trials, because… he will receive the crown of life.”Hebrews 12:1–2 — run with endurance, eyes fixed on Jesus.Teaching Emphasis: Faithfulness looks beyond the trial, to the promise. 4. Remember the Reward (Revelation 21:3–4)The vision at the end fuels endurance in the present.“Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity… He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”Faithfulness today prepares us for joy tomorrow.Cross Refs:2 Timothy 4:7–8 — “I have fought the good fight… a crown of righteousness awaits.”Hebrews 13:14 — “For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come.”Teaching Emphasis: Our hope is not in this cultural moment, but in the eternal kingdom to come. Conclusion: Faithful Until the EndWeek 1: Recognize (Jude) → urgency of the times.Week 2: Respond (Hebrews/James/Revelation) → with grace and gentleness.Week 3: Remain (Hebrews/Revelation) → faithful in endurance, hope, and community.Call to Action:Where do you feel weary or tempted to give up?Who can you encourage this week to remain faithful?

The Jesus Way Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; John 12:23-26 “When Christ Calls A Man” Introduction: Following Week 1: The Trial Week 2: The Cross Week 3: The Resurrection Todays Reading: John 12:23-26 CSB 23 Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Today’s Quote: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

9/17/2025          “This Cultural Moment” Responding With Grace              Hebrews 12:14-15Introduction: From Awareness to ActionFirst: Jude called us to recognize the moment: contend for the faith, glorify God, and live faithfully where we are.Now: Hebrews and James call us not just to contend, but to respond with grace: to embody holiness and peace in the middle of cultural hostility.Big Idea: In a culture of tension and animosity, the way forward is the way of grace: pursuing peace, resisting bitterness, and embodying Christ’s love. 1. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Cultural storms will always swirl, the way forward is to keep our eyes on Christ.Grace is not natural, it’s supernatural, rooted in Jesus’ cross and resurrection.Cross Refs:Hebrews 4:16 — “Approach the throne of grace with boldness…”Revelation 22:12 — Jesus is coming soon; live as those who belong to His kingdom.Teaching Emphasis: The only way to sustain grace in a graceless world is to stay centered on Jesus. 2. Pursue Peace with Everyone (Hebrews 12:14)14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.Grace doesn’t compromise truth, but it also doesn’t inflame division.Our call: to actively pursue reconciliation, not passively wait for it.Cross Refs:Romans 12:18 — “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”Matthew 5:9 — “Blessed are the peacemakers…”Teaching Emphasis: Peace is not optional — it’s a witness to the world of the God we serve. 3. Guard Against Bitterness (Hebrews 12:15)15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.In cultural tension, bitterness grows quickly: against those who wrong us, against leaders, against “the other side.”Bitterness poisons communities and destroys witness.Cross Refs:James 3:9–10 — blessing and cursing cannot flow from the same mouth.Revelation 2:4 — the Ephesian church lost its first love in its zeal for truth.Teaching Emphasis: Grace uproots bitterness by choosing forgiveness, mercy, and love. 4. Respond with Gentle Strength (James 3:17) [IMO, the original “Fruit of the Spirit” verse]17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.Strength without gentleness crushes; gentleness without strength folds. Jesus modeled both.Illustration: Jesus before Pilate: firm in truth, gentle in spirit.Cross Refs:Matthew 11:29 — Jesus is “gentle and lowly in heart.”Revelation 12:11 — believers overcome not by force, but by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.Teaching Emphasis: Responding with grace is choosing strength under control, marked by mercy.  Conclusion: The Way of Grace in This Cultural MomentFirst: Light vs. Darkness (Jude).Now: Grace vs. Bitterness (Hebrews/James/Revelation).Call to Action:Examine your heart: where have you let bitterness take root?Where can you pursue peace this week?How can you reflect Christ’s gentle strength in your home, workplace, or neighborhood?