icon__search

Life Together

Grow in our commitment to discipleship for the sake of each other.

Love Your Neighbor

October 17, 2021 • Pastor Steve Poole • Luke 10:25–37, Genesis 2:18

LIFE TOGETHER: Love Your Neighbor – Steve Poole THEME – It is Not Good for Man to Be Alone (Genesis 2:18) TEXT – Luke 10:25-37 OUTLINE 1. Who is my neighbor? • Notice the motives. • Jesus extends the idea of ‘neighbor’ to uncomfortable places. • “Go and do likewise…” Luke 10:37 2. Why do we love our neighbor? How about this scenario: • What if Jesus is the Good Samaritan and we are the inn keeper? • What if the injured person is an unbeliever? 3. Two major hurdles to the hospitality involved in loving our neighbor: • We feel uncomfortable inviting people into our homes/lives because_________. • We don’t feel confident in sharing our faith because___________ 4. Tools to make hospitality easier (from The Simplest Way to Change the World by Dustin Willis and Brandon Clements) • The ‘ALWAYS rule’ • Make a plan – weekly, monthly, yearly • Use your passions NEXT STEPS 1. Practice GOSPEL this week so you are confident in communicating the Gospel story. 2. Practice the “ALWAYS Rule” this week 3. Make a plan – put hospitality on your calendar.

Witnesses

October 10, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • Acts 1:8

LIFE TOGETHER: Witnesses – Pastor Kent Landhuis THEME - We witness about Jesus with Holy Spirit power. TEXT - Acts 1:1-11 OUTLINE Three keys to moving forward as witnesses according to Acts 1:8. 1. Move forward with Holy Spirit power. * You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. (Acts 1:8) * Galatians 5:16-25 2. Move forward with Jesus focus. * You will be my witnesses. * Acts 4:10-12 * Acts 2:38-41 3. Move forward with people awareness. * In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. * Acts 2:42-47 * John 2019-23 NEXT STEPS * Join a small group. * Tell others about Jesus.

Ambassadors of Reconciliation

October 3, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • Colossians 1:21–23, Romans 5:6–8, 2 Corinthians 5:14–21, Isaiah 11:6–7, Isaiah 65:25

LIFE TOGETHER: Ambassadors of Reconciliation – Pastor Kent Landhuis THEME - Broken relationships destroy life together. OUTLINE - Three steps toward life together in 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. Step 1: We are reconciled to God in Jesus. * Colossians 1:21-23 * Romans 5:6-8 Step 2: We are ambassadors of reconciliation. * 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 * Ephesians 2:1-9 Step 3: We share the hope of life together. * Isaiah 11:6-7 * Isaiah 65:25 NEXT STEPS 1. Join a small group. 2. Tell your story.

Telling Your Story

September 26, 2021 • Pastor Steve Poole • Acts 9:1–18, 1 Peter 3:15, Acts 26:6–7, Mark 5:19–20, John 4:28–29

LIFE TOGETHER: Telling Your Story (Acts 9:1-18)– Steve Poole THEME – Stories are powerful. OUTLINE 1 .Stories are Powerful! * Acts 9:1-18 * “How has God changed my life?” * 1 Peter 3:15 * Acts 26:6-7 2. How do I share my stories of faith? * Reflect - take time to look for God’s hand working in your life * Practice - write it out - just do it (small groups will share this week) * Be focused a. Answer the question: “How has God changed my life?” b. Before God, Encounter God, After God c. Apply to context - abundant life - missing piece * As you grow, so does your faith story 3. ALL our stories of faith transformation are valuable and beautiful to God. * Mark 5:19-20 * John 4:28-29 APPLICATION 1. Do you have a testimony/story? 2. Write out your story. 3. Share your story.

Hope Together

September 19, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • 1 Peter 3:14–16

LIFE TOGETHER: Hope Together - 1 Peter 3:14-16 – Pastor Kent Landhuis

Witnesses to the Story

September 12, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • Luke 24:13–27, Luke 24:48, Acts 1:8

LIFE TOGETHER: Witnesses to The Story - Luke 24:13-27 – Pastor Kent Landhuis THEME - Our lives are part of God’s Story. OUTLINE 1. We Are Witnesses. * Jesus said, “You are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:48 2. We Witness to God’s Story. * Creation - origin story. Who or what do you credit for who you are? * Fall - brokenness. Why are things and people not the way they are supposed to be and who is to blame for it? * Redemption - rescue. Who or what will rescue me and fix what is broken? * Restoration - consummation. What will the world (your world) look like when all is as it should be? 3. We Love to Tell The Story. * “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.” Acts 1:8 NEXT STEPS * Join a small group. * Tell your story.

Forever Family Together

September 5, 2021 • Pastor Alan Crandall

LIFE TOGETHER in the FOREVER FAMILY - 1 John 4:7-8 – Pastor Alan Crandall OUTLINE 1. We are saved in and through a spiritual family in which God is our father and Jesus is our older brother. * Being “adopted” into God’s family underlines the unexpected, undeserved freeness of salvation. * New birth is divine election, or being chosen by God. * The Father’s love for us enables us to share that amazon glove with one another. 2. All families experience hurt, squabbles and misunderstandings. * Jesus prepares his disciples for this. Matthew 5:22-24; Matthew 7:1-5; 18:10-22 * Gifts of Gospel community are blocked whenever hurtful words and actions get wedged between us. * What seems impossible to us is possible with God. 3. A Community that embodies love. * Not a gift just for us, but to share with the rest of God’s beloved creation. (Eph. 1:3-11) * Abraham chosen to father a holy nation that would in turn bless all nations. (Gen. 12:1-3) * Ephesians 2:12-19 4. Gospel community flows directly from what God has done and is doing for us. * John 13:34 * Colossians 3:13 * Ephesians 4:32-5:2 * 1 John 4:7-11

Care Together

August 29, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • 1 Corinthians 12:12–27

CARE TOGETHER - 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 – Pastor Kent Landhuis THEME - Life Together requires authenticity and care. OUTLINE 1. Recap: Life together requires love and presence. (John 13:34-35) Life together requires kindness and respect. (Romans 12:10) Life together requires hospitality and grace. (1 Peter 4:9-10) * Love flows from the very essence of God. * Because God is love, we are loved and we are the kind of people who love one another. * Love expressed practically results in kindness and respect. * This love is lived out in the day to day nitty gritty of life. 2. Life together requires authenticity and care. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) * Everyone belongs to the body. * Everyone plays a unique role in the body. * Everyone celebrates or suffers together. NEXT STEPS * Celebrate your belonging. * Join a small group. * Start caring for someone today.

Serve Together (pt.2)

August 22, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • 1 Peter 4:7–11

SERVE TOGETHER - 1 Peter 4:7-11 – Pastor Kent Landhuis THEME - Life Together requires kindness and respect. OUTLINE 1. Recap: Life together requires love and presence. (John 13:34-35) Life together requires kindness and respect. (Romans 12:10) * Love flows from the very essence of God. * Because God is love, we are loved and we are the kind of people who love one another. * Love expressed practically results in kindness and respect. * This love is lived out in the day to day nitty gritty of life. 2. Life together requires hospitality and grace. (1 Peter 4:9-10) * Hospitality and grace flow from our good gifts. * Hospitality and grace cover a multitude of sins. * Hospitality and grace result in multiplying God’s grace. NEXT STEPS * Celebrate God’s love. * Keep an open mind. * Be a friend. * Start today. * No short-cuts.

Serve Together

August 15, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • Romans 12:9–10

SERVE TOGETHER - Romans 12:9-10 – Pastor Kent Landhuis THEME - Life Together requires kindness and respect. OUTLINE 1. Recap: Life together requires love and presence. (John 13:34-35) * Love flows from the very essence of God. * Because God is love, we are loved and we are the kind of people who love one another. 2. Life together requires kindness and respect. (Romans 12:10) * Together is better but this is messy. * Dealing with the mess requires practical expressions of kindness and respect. * We loved you dearly - so dearly that we gave you not only the gospel of God, but also our very lives. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Next steps: 1. Celebrate God’s love. 2. Keep an open mind. 3. Be a friend. 4. Start today. SUPPORT THE MINISTRY OF CEDAR HILLS http://www.cedarhillscr.org/give

Grow Together

August 8, 2021 • Pastor Kent Landhuis • John 13:34–35, Romans 12:10

GROW TOGETHER - John 13:34-35, Romans 12:10 – Pastor Kent Landhuis; THEME - Life Together requires love and presence. OUTLINE Two requirements of life together: 1. Life Together Requires Love. (John 13:34-35, “Love one another.”) * God loves God - the trinity teaches us that life together requires love. (I John 4:8) * God loves us - we learn to love from God’s love. (John 15:13) * We love one another - our love for others is a response to God. (Matthew 22:36-40) 2. Life Together Requires Presence. (Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in love.”) * We don’t love at a distance. * We don’t love in the abstract. * We love real people, in real places, in real time. NEXT STEPS * Celebrate the love that God has for you. * Reflect on the question: Who is God calling me to love more deeply? * Pray about connecting with others in a small group.