 Sermon Reflections from Divine Connections | Joselin Hernandez | September 10, 2023
Have you visited the grocery store, coffee shop, or gas station this week? Chances are, you've stepped out of your room or bed at some point during your week. And what happens when you do? You encounter people. What if we viewed every interaction as an opportunity to share the Gospel? Millions of people haven't yet come to know Jesus, our Lord and Savior, but we can make a difference one person at a time. Maybe striking up a conversation with the barista at your favorite local café could eventually lead to a chance to share the Gospel with them. Or perhaps taking your dog on your usual route each day could provide an opening to impact someone's life. The truth is, we can't predict the impact we might have on someone's life with just one encounter. Often, it feels easier to remain silent about our faith to avoid offending anyone. But what if the person you encounter is the one whom God has placed in your path to lead to Christ? Would you feel regretful if you missed the opportunity to bring them into God's kingdom? Perhaps the initial conversation won't immediately lead to their conversion, but you could plant a seed, offer them a starting point, and help them experience Christ's love. Throughout the scriptures, we see ordinary individuals called by God to share His message of goodness. When they obeyed, something extraordinary often occurred: those they shared God's message with came to know Him. Reflect on your own faith journey—did someone introduce you to Jesus? Was it a friend, family member, or perhaps a stranger who handed you a pamphlet or offered a prayer? Maybe it happened while you were on a sports team, at work, or at camp, and someone had the courage to discuss Jesus with you. The pivotal point wasn't necessarily your immediate decision to follow Jesus; it was that someone recognized your worth and importance and decided to share the most significant news in human history with you—that Jesus was a manifestation of God's love, and His love was meant for you. What could be more crucial than that? It's easy to talk about our favorite sports teams, jobs, or coffee orders, but imagine if we focused our conversations on Jesus instead. What if we shared something that could genuinely shape, mold, and transform lives? In one Bible story, this is precisely what happened. Philip, prompted by God, approached a eunuch who was already a believer but didn't fully comprehend his faith. Philip didn't hesitate to engage in conversation, and as a result, the eunuch gained a clear understanding of his beliefs. Not every experience will mirror Philip's, but in all our interactions, we have the opportunity to make God known. So, what will you choose to do—conceal your faith or share the greatest news ever? MESSAGE LINK Click Here to View the Message on Youtube Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass. 
Pastor Alex used the text in Acts 16:9-15 to show us how encompassing God’s love is. Last week we saw how Cornelius was let to faith in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. God meant for Gentiles to be included in His family. This week, we see Paul extending the love of Christ to Lydia, a gentile woman, who readily embraced Christ and then led her whole family to faith. Both Cornelius and Lydia wanted their loved ones to come to the saving knowledge of Christ. They wanted them to know the joy of being filled with the Holy Spirit and having a purpose greater than themselves. We see the God has not put limitations on His love and it cannot be contained. Both Cornelius and Lydia brought their families to faith. That required an open heart and a willingness to risk their lives and reputations. The desire to see their loved ones come to know Christ surpassed any fears they may have had. Is that the same with you? Are you willing to ‘risk’ it to see your family come into the family of God? Here we see that Lydia and Cornelius were willing, and through their open hearts they were able to lead generations to come into the knowledge and love of God. Pastor Alex directed us to 2 Corinthians 5:20. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God’. Lydia counted it a privilege to be Christ’s ambassador in her family and in her community. An Ambassador is a spokesperson, an official of the highest rank who is sent on a mission. The mission Lydia and Cornelius were sent on is the same one we are to embrace which, is to spread the good news of Christ, the gospel message. Do you need to hone your ambassador skills? Are you representing Jesus and speaking out for Him? I am reminded of our memory verse for this week from Romans 1:16-17. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Are you willing to proclaim the gospel without being ashamed of it? Do you truly believe it contains the revelation from God, Christ, which allows us to live within His righteousness? If so, it is the best message yet. Hope, redemption, right living with God, what could be better? If so, who do you need to tell this week? You too can have an immeasurable impact for Christ right where you live: in your family, neighborhood, town and country. Linda The ruins at Philippi which are just over the hill from the stream where Paul and Lydia worshipped. Continue reading Acts 16 for further adventures of Paul and Silas at Philippi that landed them in jail and led to the conversion of the jailer and his family coming to know Christ, too. SERMON LINK Click Here to View the Sermon Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.
 Sermon Reflections from The Unintended Pass | Alex Hardt | April 23, 2023
I can really identify with the title of Pastor Alex’s sermon- The Unintended Pass. From our scripture reading in Acts 10 and 11, we see that Peter was unaware of his need to change his thinking so that God could use him to pass on the gospel to the Gentiles. Prior to this vision and change of thinking, the Jewish believers felt that Gentiles that accepted Christ as their savior needed to also adopt the Jewish faith and customs. It never occurred to them that belief in Jesus would override the need to follow the feasts, sacrifices and holy days. They did not get the scope of what God had planned. Isn’t that just like us? We have such narrow vision about things sometimes that we miss how broad, deep and wide God’s plan truly is! Peter was quick to accept the change- considering he had been born and raised not eating with uncircumcised people, believers or not, and keeping himself set apart from the worldly world. By the third repeat of the vision, Peter had gotten the message. It was providential that the men immediately knocked on his door and asked him to come to Cornelius’ home. If he had had time to think about it, he might have thought he was dreaming or that the vision did not happen. But, the knock came immediately and so Peter went as instructed by the angel without a second thought. At Cornelius’ home, the vision was confirmed by what Cornelius had experienced. I love Peter’s remarks in Acts 10:34-35 “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” Peter got the message from God that the Gentiles were to be welcomed into God’s family as equals. They were not second class believers as the Holy Spirit ushered them into God’s family by indwelling them dramatically just as he had done earlier for Peter and the disciples. Acts 10:44 “ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.” Peter had it confirmed by the Holy Spirit that God’s love is wide enough for all and God is impartial. God’s love surpasses human comprehension. Peter was caught unaware of the scope of God’s love but was quick to embrace it for all believers. How about you? Do you think God shows favoritism to one group over another? Romans 2:10 “For God does not show favoritism.” James 2: 1-3 specifically reminds us of how we are to treat our brothers and sisters equally. “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” Outward appearances, difference in beliefs, etc. should not cause us to treat others differently. God’s love is wide enough for all and is beyond our human thinking. God’s blessings are not for us to judge or withhold. We are to seek to show God’s love in a non-judgmental way and to seek to bless others by loving them. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, he said in Mark 12:31-32 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Pastor Alex ended his message with the truth of Romans 10:13 “ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” No matter who you are, how much you make, what you do in life, what family you come from…. All people are equal before God. Jesus is the only way, John 14:6 ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He alone brought us into His family though faith in His work on the cross. John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? So… who do you need to tell about Jesus? The door is open and Jesus has his arms open wide beckoning us to bring others to Him. Let the truth of our memory verse sink in this week as you seek to talk with others about Jesus. 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” Be prepared to talk about Jesus but in a gentle and kind way- loving others into the kingdom. Linda SERMON LINK Click Here to View the Sermon Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.  Every year we make New Years Resolutions or Goals in hopes that this year will be the best ever or that we can improve ourselves in some shape or form. Those lofty goals that we make tend to fizzle out after a month or two and we wonder why we always seem to be doing the same thing over and over. We never see any real change. This year as I was searching for Goals or New Years resolutions, I sought something more than superficial fluff.
If that was my desire, then I had to change what I focused on. And I began to think...What if my goals weren’t based upon what is on the outside but what is different on the inside? What if my goals didn't just affect the superficial mask of me, but the whole of me? The only think I knew that could change me in such a way...was the thing I always knew to be true, God. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, [a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Acts 2:42 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. We are created in the image and likeness of God. If we really want to discover a New You then we have to reorient ourselves back to God. Our thoughts, words, and actions would have to reflect our creator. They would have to mirror the life and teachings of Christ. We would have to be in responsive obedience to God. In other words, be in communion WITH God and allow his word and spirit to guide us. Though we messed up and fractured our relationship WITH God, which allowed sin to enter the world and us to experience brokenness, God in his grace and mercy, sent his son, Jesus Christ, so that our relationship WITH God might rightfully be restored. What I discovered is that A New You is only possible through conversations and connections WITH God, which leads to a conversion of the heart. Are you ready to take a journey to discover A New You? By Alex Hardt  |
AuthorA collection of thoughts from our community Archives
September 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
Moving To Connect Ourselves and Others to God |
We are on Spotify!
|
Hours |
Contact |
Location
|