“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”         Ephesians 3:20-21 Today a new modern worship service begins.  I am so grateful for the time you have taken to pray and spiritually invest in the task of reaching a younger demographic.  As we begin, we place this service and focus in God’s hands.  We know the hopes we have for this emphasis, but the desire of God is even greater than ours.  Ultimately, God is…

“I appeal to you, brother, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”  1 Corinthians 1:10 Unity is the spiritual fuel of the church.  When God’s people agree and are united their witness is clear.  When the church has the same mind and is of one purpose and direction their energy and efforts are powerful. Over the past weeks we have seen that God has a heart and desire to reach the lost, and his desire to build His body through worship, discipleship, and…

“Finally, brothers, rejoice.  Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”  2 Corinthians 13:11 To rejoice is literally to joy again.  We can renew our joy when we remember how much God loves us and how salvation brings peace with God.  Just to think about what God has done can stir a deep eternal joy within us.  When we rejoice by remembering the love and peace we have with God through the sacrifice of Christ, it becomes easier for us to continue that joy by seeking to love and be at peace with others. …

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 Sometimes it is not what is said, but what is unsaid that is powerful.  Notice what is not said by Jesus.  The world will not know we are disciples by our knowledge.  We need to know what we believe, but knowledge is not the greatest mark of a disciple.  The world will not know we are disciples by our works.  We need to serve others and be engaged in ministry and missions, but that is not the greatest mark of a disciple either. It is simple and yet complex and…

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” Romans 14:19 The old adage “to thine own self be true” has served to defined the lives of countless people.  We live in a society that seeks itself first and others second.  Scripture confronts our society with the message “it is not all about you”.  Paul urges the church at Rome not to get caught up in a selfish secular message, but rather to invest in others.  The church lives to build up the lives of others.  We do that when we put their needs ahead of our own, and live a lifestyle that is counter to…

“Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3 One of the amazing benefits of salvation is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  Think about that, God the Holy Spirit lives inside a believer.  Our God desires unity and is not a God of confusion.  One way the presence and power of the Holy Spirit becomes evident in the church is through unity.  The Holy Spirit will not lead one member in a direction that would cause division within the body.  The Holy Spirit may call different members to different actions, but all those actions serve an overarching unified purpose in the life…

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2 The term encouragement means to place courage into someone or something.  Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather commitment to action in the face of fear.  Encouragement in Christ means you and I cannot allow fear to stop us from proclaiming and living the Gospel.  Our unity becomes a focus upon the overwhelming need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power it…

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that you have sent Me.”  John 17:20-21 Jesus gives us two ways that people come to believe in Him, through our words and through the unity of the church.  You and I have to be able to clearly explain who Jesus is, how to trust Him, and what that means for eternal life.  That means we need words to express our…

“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Peace is something we seek, cannot buy, know when it is absent, and overlook its value till we need it.  In our busy world, we face struggles, difficulties, and problems, which test us spiritually.  Jesus calls these spiritual tests, tribulation.  Only in Jesus do we discover the peace that overcomes the pressures, temptations, and tribulations of the world.  Living a life of peace in the midst of storms in this world becomes a bold statement to others.  Your peace…

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you- unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 There is no substitute for the Biblical preaching and teaching of salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  In theological terms…