Sermon Reflections from Transform the World | Damon Hopkins | August 27, 2023
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This Sunday Damon embarked on part 2 of the sermon he started last week.  He reminded us that the first step is to take in from God.  Be that going to church, from Christian radio, podcasts, or your own study, we need to avail ourselves of hearing the Word and encountering God.  When we do, the next step is to take it and share it.  Our love for God is energized by encounters with Him.  We are to use opportunities within the week, within our sphere of influence to share about Him.  God commands us to do this in Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Part 2 of this process is to make the sharing real.  We are not perfect for sure, as we are all sinners saved by grace, but our sharing should be authentic and genuine to the core.  We should seek to reflect Jesus in our lives then the hearer or seer will see that our walk with Jesus reflects our talk about Jesus.  Damon had several examples of this from his life and pointed out to us that humility is required.  One needs to be quick to admit their inconsistencies and praise God for His forgiveness and righteousness that covers our sin.  Admitting our own constant need for the Savior requires humility. Although humility is difficult, scripture teaches us that it has great benefits.  It is the high calling of all Christians and helps us reflect our Lord and Savior to the world.
Benefits of humility:  Rest for our souls, Matthew 11:29
                               Salvation as our crown, Psalm149:4
                               Wisdom, Proverbs 11:2
                               Guidance and His teaching, Psalm 25:9
                               Grace, God’s unmerited favor, Isaiah 66:2b
                               Exaltation from God, Matthew 18:4, Matthew 23:12
So when Damon encourages us to be real, vulnerable and open in our sharing, it is the attitude God desires.  To be like Jesus we need humility in our walk with Him.  Our lives are constantly being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.  We need to listen, accept and respond with boldness so we may show Christ to our needy world.  

If we seek to show Christ in our lives, we will see a growth in the fruit provided by the Holy Spirit.  Check yourself, think back and reflect on how you have changed in regard to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life. 
Galatians 5:22-23  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.’  How have you seen growth in the fruits of the Spirit in your life?  Are you more forgiving, patient, faithful? 

Do you allow the Holy Spirit to use you to comfort others? 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 “ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
How about your desire to talk to others about Christ?  Do you feel His boldness spurring and engaging you in conversations that before you would have wanted to avoid?   Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

Scripture also speaks of a hope that comes from His indwelling Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:3 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Are you feeling this, are you more hopeful in Christ and willing to share that hope of a solid affirmed future with others? Do experience peace when you know the situation is desperate but God gives you peace and joy?  That is the work of the Holy Spirit in your life!

How about your time with others at work or church?  Do you seek unity of Spirit or demand your own way? Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

The Holy Spirit imparts gifts to every believer.  Think about your gifts and ask yourself- am I allowing God to use them within me? 1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-6,7-11  Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 

There is much to ponder and evaluate this week.  If we are to reflect Christ in our lives we need to be humble and use the gifts God imparts to us through His Holy Spirit. 

Thanks Damon for your encouragement to dynamically seek to live for Jesus in both word and deeds.  It requires intentional living for Him!  Thankfully, those He calls he equips!  (Hebrews 13:21 and 2 Timothy 2:17)
Linda
 
MESSAGE LINK
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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.
                                

Sermon Reflections from Transform Through Others | Damon Hopkins | August 20, 2023
 
After hearing Damon’s impassioned sermon about sharing Christ with others, I asked myself what did I learn or experience that I want and need to share this week?   Damon’s premise was – if I love the Lord, then I should be compelled by my love for Him and excited to share it with anyone and everyone I meet.  Many of us are so worried about the circumstances, is it the right time?, will it be received? is it the right place to share?, that we decide the answer is No- it is not the right time, place or people and say nothing.  

As Damon pointed out saying nothing is not an option!  We are commanded by Christ to go and share.  Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Jesus did not say, do you want to?, He said, Go and do it!   He seeks to reassure us that He will be with us and empower us though His Holy Spirit all the way! 

So again, what did I learn that I can share?  I learned anew that it is my privilege to share God’s love with others.  I have His Spirit living inside me and I feel His love and care every day.  Why wouldn’t I want to share that with someone so they can feel loved and cared for by the Lord Almighty?  As I was reading in Psalms this morning Psalm 107:1-3 jumped out at me. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story--
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.

Those of us who know Christ as our Savior are redeemed.  He bought us back from the pathway to death and gave us life through our faith in Jesus’ work on the cross.  We need to tell our story-how we came to faith, what God is doing in our lives, the benefits we see each day in walking with Jesus.  God is good and works in my life each and every day.  I need to look around, see Him and His work in my life, and talk about it to others. Say So!

Another thing I learned was from Ezekiel 33:1-6 “The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’  Believers are put in this world as watchmen, like Ezekiel was.  We are to watch and warn others about the coming destruction.  God’s judgement on sin. 

​Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  If they listen and heed our warning, praise God!  If they do not, then the consequences are on them.  However, verse 6 says, it is our responsibility as God’s watchmen to warn others and if we do not we will be held accountable.  That is a sobering thought, Jesus asks us to tell others about His plan of Salvation and if we remain silent and do not speak of Him we will be held accountable.  Damon reminded us of this with his life verse: Matthew 10:32-33 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.  Sobering words.
I am convicted anew of the truth our memory verses hold for us. 

​Philippians 2:1-2.  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.  If we experience Christ in our lives tell others, say so!

Thanks Damon for the challenge to speak up and speak out about our love for Christ.  It is a command and good to be reminded it is a privilege with benefits. 
Linda

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.

Sermon Reflections from Transform For God | Alex Hardt | August 13, 2023
 
Pastor Alex began his message on Transformation by God by helping us to see who God really is.  We know our finite minds cannot fully comprehend God, but He has given us reason and intellect to see that He is undeniably good.  His attributes describe His character both the things we cannot obtain like His incommunicable attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, eternality, immutability and omnipotence.  God also has communicable attributes like love, holiness, grace, peace, faithfulness, wisdom, and kindness.  In these communicable attributes we cannot attain the fullness of His character but we can draw nearer and have those as part of our character too.  It is like saying He wants us to be more and more like the character of Jesus, His Son.  I was reading Psalm 89 this morning and came across these verses that seem to mirror what Alex was saying.  Psalm 89:6-9, 14-15
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.
8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
The psalmist was seeking to understand and praise Almighty God.  God is above all and worthy of our praise and love.
Once we grasp who God is, we see Him in stark contrast to the sin-filled world we live in.  We see His motives, ways and actions are above this world and are pure and driven by his Omnibenevolent character.  The world is motivated and driven by greed, hate, discrimination, hopelessness, division, and strife as a result of SIN.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they brought sin into a perfect world.  Sin corrupts both man and the world in which he lives.  Pastor Alex reminded us that when we identify with the world and let it dictate who we are and what we are doing, we buy into a destructive narrative that leads to death.   We see the truth of Romans 3:23 in our own lives. “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   If we follow the world’s standards we fall short of what God has for us.  We let sin invade and pervade our lives.  If we turn to Him, we can see an end to the destructiveness of the world and its influences.  Romans 6:23 reminds us of the joy of turning to God “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Christ is the answer and the way to God.
Pastor Alex’s final point in our transformation to God was to receive the promises of God and to reorient ourselves to God and His plan.  We know from Isaiah 55:9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  We will never fully understand God but we can know His character and His promises. His promises are true and are tangible hope we can cling to as we seek to follow Him.  He are a few life changing promises you can claim.
The accessibility of God Almighty in my life:  Psalm 86:5-7 “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.6 Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.7 When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.”
The faithfulness of God in my life:  Lamentations 3:21-23 “Yet this I call to mind   and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,    for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning;   great is your faithfulness.”   And Matthew 11:28-30 ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
 
The Forgiveness of God towards me:  1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
 
The Guidance of God in my life:  Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
 
The Hope God give into my life: Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  And 1 Peter 1:3-5  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
 
The Salvation God gives through my faith in Jesus:  John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. And Romans 10:9-10 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
 
The Love God inputs into my life for now and into eternity:  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
 
Which promises of God will you claim today?  Which will you use to reorient your life and your thinking towards God?   God keeps His promises- ALL of THEM!
Linda
 
If you want to study more about living a life that is more and more like Jesus, try my devotional book “Strategic Living.”   If you want to study more about specific promise try my devotional book “Promises for Dynamic Living.”  I have copies of both or you can order them from Amazon or Certa Publishing.  Both are topics I am passionate about.

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.