In week two of Great Expectations at Grace Church.

Last week was – The God of the Gap, about the Magi (listen here).

This week is – I didn’t sign up for this, about Mary and Joseph.

Let’s face it…many times in life things happen that cause us to say,

I didn’t sign up for this.

But rest assured, in that moment, God has a plan and a provision. The real question is our response. On Sunday I’ll share 10 responses we can have when we’re in the desert and we don’t understand God.

Has there ever been a gap between what you’ve expected and what you’ve experienced?

What filled those gaps?

Joy? Sorrow? Pain? Love? Peace? Anger? Bitterness? Disillusionment? God?

On Sunday, we’re going to explore the God of the gap and discover how He wants to change us and change our responses into Great Expectations. 

Hope you can join us.

(This sermon will be recorded and posted at a later date)

I can’t wait for the sermon on Sunday.

We’ll be taking a look at a rich passage: Philippians 2:1-18.

The sermon in a sentence is: We must act, get off the bench, and get in the game.

 Hope to see you there. (It will be recorded and posted too).

 ¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 ⁵In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 ⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!

 ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

 ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

 ¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Society has a view.

You have a view.

But most importantly, God has a view:

It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. – Matthew 5:31-32

But what does this mean? How do we live it out?

On Sunday I will be sharing the 7 Myths of Marriage. Here they are:

1. My spouse will make me happy.
2. My spouse will keep me happy.
3. I married the wrong person.
4. The marriage bond can be broken for any reason. (Deut. 24:1-5)
5. Marriage should be approached casually.
6. Popular opinion of marriage should define our beliefs. (Mt. 19:10)
7. Remarriage is always wrong.

Hope to see you there. (The Sermon will be recorded and posted)

Are you a guy who wants to become a better leader at work, home, and life?

Why not come to our monthly breakfast?

Each gathering we will learn a Law of Leadership (from John Maxwell’s book, the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership), examine a Biblical character, and evaluate their leadership (good or bad).

Come join us at Grace Church from 6:30-8:00 am, the second Friday of the month in the church basement. Bring a friend and/or co-worker.

Where were you when the BOMB went off?

The Bomb?

Yeah, we think of that phrase negatively, don’t we?

Yet sometimes we refer to God as wrecking our lives or dismantling our comfort zone (in a good way of course).

The most written on passage in the Bible, the Sermon on the Mount, went off  like a Bomb for Jesus’ audience.

When the Sermon concluded, what was the Aftermath?

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. -Matthew 7:28-29

Sunday we’re going to explore why this Sermon packed so much power and why even today it splits scholars straight down the middle.

• Was the Sermon on the Mount for Jesus’ day, or our day, or a future day?
• Why do many Buddhists and Hindus traditionally welcome this Sermon?
• Why did this Sermon illicit anger from a religious and political sect?
• How should we respond to the Sermon?
• And if we don’t respond, then what’s the cost?

Bring your questions and together we’ll find answers.

…PREDESTINATION.

We can all say with Neo:

I don’t like the idea that I’m not in control of my life.

The Bible seems to say that we are NOT the ones writing our own script:

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

Then again, maybe we have more control then we think. After all:

1. God invites us to partner with Him (Philippians 2:12-13; Eph. 2:10).
2. The Bible is written from a posture that assumes we have free will. The book of James has 54 direct commands.
3. God will evaluate our lives and reward accordingly, based upon our choices (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

See you Sunday. (The sermon will be recorded)

If you’ve missed the other topics in our current TRUTH IN LOVE series (homosexuality, hell, evil, truth, etc.) click here.

Find out tomorrow at Grace Church.

9:00 or 10:30 AM

See you there.

Last week

Well, the next 24 hours is my fasting day, so comment below and I will lift up you and your needs.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Last week

Well, the next 24 hours is my fasting day, so comment below and I will lift up you and your needs.

Thanks for the opportunity.