Looking to Jesus - Continued
Week of 9/17/2017
September 17, 2017 • Pastor Steve Pope
Looking to Jesus, Part 40 Greater Wealth! Hebrews 11:23-29 Since 1959 young girls in our culture have received Barbie dolls for their birthdays. Never contented, Barbie then beckons her new owner to acquire more goods; outfits, shoes, cars, dream-houses, furniture and even Barbie R.V.’s to add to her ever-increasing wealth. The luckiest Barbies were also given a very good-looking, fully passive and compliant Ken doll for company. As the old joke goes, “I want to be Barbie. that (young woman) has everything!” Satan’s most deadly strategy for destroying a believer’s joy and effectiveness is to take something God created good (namely everything) and subtly bend it into something evil. Sex, work, homes, hobbies, and even family can all be twisted when we love them above our first-love for Jesus. Satan’s strategies are never new, but are usually effective. His schemes are clear in Scripture and easily identifiable; unless you’ve fallen prey to them. In his classic work, Confessions, Augustine reveals that all sin is simply a matter of “disordered loves.” When we displace our first love for Jesus Christ with the pursuit and enjoyment of lesser things, this is sin. The problem develops when we love something we should love, but begin to love it supremely. Moses had it all. He was a beautiful child, loved by parents who even loved him enough to give him up. Adopted into the royal family, he grew up as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; a Prince of Egypt. The riches and treasures of Egypt were his! Moses decided that His love for God and His people was the greatest treasure of all - of more value than all the gold of Egypt. On this earth, God was Moses’ first love. There was no confusion in Moses’ mind - to know and serve God was the greatest treasure on earth. God even spoke “to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” (Ex. 33:11) This faith was counted to him as righteousness, and he has now received his “great reward!” And now Jesus encourages us to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33) See you this Sunday! Pastor Steve
Week of 6/25/2017
June 25, 2017 • Pastor Luke Dailey
Hebrews 10:26-31 When I was a child, my dad would take his kids out weekly. Often we would go out after the Wednesday night events that we were a part of at my home church. We never had a lot of money, but my parents made sure to "treat" their kids when they could. I remember one week we stopped at McDonalds. We ordered our food and waited for our order to be ready. While we were waiting, one of the workers offered me an ice cream cone. Being only about nine years old at the time, I thought that if I received the ice cream cone, I would have to pay for it. So I said, "No, thank you." The worker looked at me with a surprised and confused face. She quickly gathered herself and put the situation together and clarified by saying, "You don't have to buy it! I'm giving it to you!" In our passage this Sunday we have a strong and frightful warning. The warning is that if we deny God's grace there will be a price to pay. The passage works itself in way that when read you hear it saying, "You're passing up something free and good!?" My prayer, along with the author of Hebrews, is that we would realize what we are offered and receive it with great joy! See You Sunday, Luke Dailey
Week of 6/11/2017
June 11, 2017 • Pastor Steve Pope
Looking to Jesus, Part 27 Never Forsaking, Always Encouraging Hebrews 10:22-25 I have a friend who claims to love Jesus and expects Heaven at the end of his journey. He, however, has never been willing to sacrifice time for involvement in a local church. Although considering himself to be a fully obedient follower of Christ, his faith is impoverished by selfishness and the refusal to participate in the life of the Body of Christ. In a recent interview, Dr. John Piper responded to the statement some make that they love Jesus but are done with His church; “To say, ‘I love Jesus, but I don’t submit to his word’ is a lie. ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word’ (John 14:23). Jesus founded the church. I didn’t. Paul didn’t. Jesus founded the church. This is not man’s idea.” To be a fully obedient follower of Jesus requires observance of the 30 or 40 “one another” statements found in the New Testament. The life of Jesus flows through the life of His church. This Sunday, we will hear the author of Hebrews’ exhortation that we never forsake joining with the local assembly, but gather to serve and encourage those in need. I hope you won’t forsake worship this Sunday - let’s encourage one another! Pastor Steve