Sermon Reflections from Citizens of Joy: Joy in Knowing Christ| Nathanael Gregoriev | July 14, 2024  

It was a pleasure to have Nate, Darla and Eliana Gregoriev visiting with us this Sunday.  Having those we support speak to us in person and share about their work for the kingdom is uplifting and affirming.  As Nathaniel shared about their work for Wycliff Bible Translators 3 things came to mind.  The work is big but God is bigger.  The work is overwhelming and worldwide but one ‘bite’ at a time God is chipping away at the lostness of the world through us.  Knowing Christ and doing His work in the world brings joy to the heart and soul and provides purpose for our lives.
Nate shared stories about God’s work and the impact of His Word upon the hurting world.  Those are the stories that cause us to press onward and upward for Him. To not count the cost as Paul states in Philippians 3:7-8 “ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and coun.”t

What stories to do you have of pressing onward, regardless of the personal cost to you?  What stories do you have of God intervening in your life with his guidance and provision?   Like Nathaniel, we need to be willing to step out and share what God has done and is doing in our lives.  How will anyone know unless we tell them?

I have a story of my own to share.  When I retired, I was at a very fearful point in my life.  I was paralyzed when I had to make decisions about the future.  I began studying the places in the Bible where we are told to not have fear.   As I studied and journaled the list grew to 70 passages and the lessons and truths became more and more evident that to walk with Jesus I needed to allow Him to apply those truths to my life.  As a result I ended up writing my first book, Fearless Living, based on those journals. Gradually, the Lord took my fears and replaced them with hope and trust in Him.  When I begin struggling with fearful situations from time to time, I go back and reread the lessons and truths God taught me.  It never fails to booster my hope, reliance upon him and decrease my fears.  God does not want me to live in fear but to trust in Him. He gave us His Word to guide, support, affirm and convict us as we seek to live for Him.

This week ponder your own journey and where God is leading and how He is using you.  Just like Nate and Darla, God has a plan for your life.  Ask Him for an opportunity to share a story with others that testifies to your faith in Him.
Linda

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Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
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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. 

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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.