This Weekend's Message: Doing Justly: No Distinctions Allowed

Doing Justly: No Distinctions Allowed
Luke 10:25-37
I love to watch people. It’s fun for me when I’m out with Miriam and we are walking Victoria Gardens to observe people. I like to see what people are wearing, who they are with and wonder what their life is about. What is their story? What are their values? What experiences have they had that makes them the people they are today. Of course all of this is pure speculation but the down side is that it can cause me to be judgmental. They never know it but in my mind I’ve made distinctions. And these distinctions are filtered through my own life and beliefs and experiences.

I think many of us, without even thinking, make distinctions when it comes to people. I guess the question we need to answer is whether this is a good thing for those who call themselves Christians. If in the process of making distinctions with people, will that cause us to act differently toward them? This week as we continue our series called “Love in Action” we will look at the words of Jesus and see what he says about what it means to love others by doing justly and how making distinctions can hinder what God calls us to do. I hope to see you Sunday.

Pastor Gary

This Weekend's Message:

What Does God Really Want?
Micah 6:6-8

This week starts a new nine-week series called “Love in Action.” Usually when we hear the word love thoughts of romance or thoughts of a good friend and companion who is always there come to mind. Or maybe it’s a movie that you think of when you think of love. I still remember that famous line in a movie called “Love Story.” Ryan O’Neal said to the love of his life, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” I remember hearing people in the theatre say, “Aw, that is so right” when that line hit the movie screen. But I think today we all know that love means just the opposite.

With all the ideas about love out there what is love really? God has much to say about love and you might be surprised to know that it involves action. What does it mean to put love into action? Come this week as we begin to find out.

Pastor Gary

This Weekend's Message Sept 11th

Where were you when you heard the news of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001? Depending on your age you may have been a teenager or a young adult but most likely you will not forget the circumstances surrounding that day in your life. As we think about that Tuesday morning 10 years ago we are reminded not only of the tragedy but also of the actions of hundreds of our countrymen. I will never forget the New York Firefighters who rushed into those burning buildings – the heroes who in the course of their duty to save life lost their own.

Now ten years later the rubble has been cleared away, the ashes washed clean by rain; but as a people we have been changed forever. How have we changed and what do we need to remember 10 years later. This Sunday we will explore three things that we must never forget in light of 9/11. 

We hope you will join us this weekend for a special service remembering September 11th.

This Weekend's Message Sept 4th 2011

 

As the sun rises, temperatures on the volcanic rock can reach a scorching 135 degrees. From the moment the contestants exit the water after their 2.4 mile open water swim they will be battling some of the most extreme conditions and pushing their bodies to the limit as they cycle 112 miles and then finish their day off with a marathon run.

Why do they do this? For some it is the thrill of competition. For others it is simply to see if they can. But for the most elite it is to be crowned Ironman Champion.

For most of us running around the block, or maybe a local 5k is what we consider really pushing ourselves. But life, as most know, is an endurance race where there will be trials and injury, joys and triumphs. How are you training for it? Are you striving to be an Ironman, or hoping that you will never be tested?

This weekend we are going to look at what it takes to be a Spiritual Ironman, and why it is so important to start training now!!

See Ya Sunday,
Jeff 

Heart Condition
Proverbs 4:20-27
If I asked you to take your finger and point to yourself, where would you point? Most of us, I think, would not point to our heads. That’s interesting isn’t it? In spite of the great importance of good thinking, we instinctively know that what is most essential about us is not our brain. I’ve never heard anyone say to the person they love: “I give you all of my brain.” But I’ve also never heard someone say, “I dedicate my full bladder to you for the rest of my life’ or “I pledge to you my lungs.” In fact there is only one body part that we refer to when we talk of love or dedication or devotion; and that body part is the heart. When we talk about that aspect of ourselves that is most central to whom we are and what we want to bring to life, we speak of the heart. 

In saying this, of course, we don’t mean our myocardial muscle. No, in the Bible the heart is the center of the person, the control center of life. And the condition of that heart directs and dictates the kind of life we will live. What is the condition of your “heart?” This week we are going to look at some essentials to keep the condition of our hearts (not the muscle) healthy.

I hope to see you Sunday!
Gary Keith, Lead Pastor

Weekend's Message Reflection - Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries

This weekend we hope that you were encouraged and challenged as we looked at what it means to consider our lives for God's mission. I believe a commitment to God’s mission starts in our hearts, and is seen in the way that we live our lives in response to His mission.

As we look at scripture it is clear that people matter to God. He sent Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the penalty we never could pay. We’re saved by grace, through faith. We are adopted into his family and God becomes the perfect Father who loves us completely and unconditionally. In addition we get to do great things for God’s kingdom. Not only are we saved from the despair of the world; we are saved to make a difference at our schools, in our families, and with our friends. 

Here are some things to think about.

Tips for telling your story:

• Commit to praying and serving before you share your story with people.
• When talking to someone be a good listener.
• Share what it is that you love about being a Christian. Talk about the hope you have in Jesus.
• When you finish sharing, give your that person a chance to respond to what you shared.
• Keep it simple, keep it real, and be clear!

 Questions to that you might be asked:

• What does it mean to be a Christian?
• How do you know if someone is a Christian?
• How do you know what you believe is true?
• How can you say that Christianity is right and all the other religions are wrong?
• How do you know that God really exists?

I hope that this helps and that God gives you amazing opportunities to change someone’s life forever!

God Bless,

Matt Sasso

This Weekend's Message: Chasing Your Tail?

Chasing Your Tail?
Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Have you ever seen a dog chasing its tail around and around? I heard about a guy whose dog chased its tail constantly. One day the neighbor came over and asked, "Where's that dog of yours that always chases its tail?" The man replied, "Well, he finally caught it, then fell over the embankment, and got hit by a car." Tragic, huh? The only thing sadder than a dog chasing its tail is a person chasing their tail.

Question: What are you chasing? Do you feel like your life is just going around and around? Have you ever caught the thing you were chasing, only to be disappointed, even hurt by it? Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon describes life under the sun in terms of people chasing their tails. This weekend we are going to cut to the chase and learn how to avoid chasing our tails in "The Game of Life."

Spoiler alert: We are going to look deep inside Solomon's word picture of "life under the sun" in order to discover four mirages that people tend to chase.

Looking Forward,
Pastor Jim Botts