The Empire Strikes Back

Fellowship Church Knoxville

The Empire Strikes Back

May 23, 2021 • Greg Pinkner • Matthew 1:6–11

This week, Greg continues teaching on the genealogy of Christ from Matthew 1:6-11. The first section of the genealogy (verses 1-5), shows God's patience, kindness, and faithfulness to overlook sins and grant Israel their kingdom anyway. This second section (verses 6-11), focuses on God‚Äôs righteousness. It shows that eventually God's patience and mercy will run out and He will come in justice and wrath. We must learn from Judah and Israel and only look to the One who saves us and not to the false hopes of an evil kingdom.

The Kingdom is Near

August 29, 2021 • Matthew 4:17–25

This week, Greg teaches from Matthew 4:17-25. In these verses, Matthew continues to emphasize his main thesis: "Repent. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". Through Christ calling the disciples, we are shown what it means to be a follower of Christ. We are to repent, have a change of heart, and do something unimaginable. Matthew also shows us the things we are to be doing as churches and believers: discipleship, teaching, and serving. Christianity is not about Christ making our lives easier. It is about our lives being redefined by the Gospel of the Kingdom and following Christ no matter the consequences.

Dawn for the Dead

August 22, 2021 • Isaiah 9, Matthew 4:12–17, Isaiah 8, John 1:4–5

This week, RD teaches from Matthew 4:12-17 and opened with the question "Who is weary?" He Looks back at Isaiah chapters 8 and 9 to remind us of the despair that the Israelites were in when the promise of Christ coming was made. It is in the places of darkness where Jesus begins His work - He meets people on their worst day. As John 1:5 says, "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." The way to have access to this light is to repent and realine our lives to the Kingdom that is coming.

The Temptation of Jesus

August 15, 2021 • Matthew 4:1–11

This week, Greg teaches from Matthew 4:1-11. These verses tell us about the temptation of Jesus by the devil and what this battle between them tells us about who our God and Savior is. The devil was very cunning in the temptations that he chose and used them because Christ was both God and man. He wanted to put Jesus' flesh and spirit at war with each other. Satan tempts us the same way. He wants us to believe that what God has promised us isn't true and that the easier and faster way is better than holiness. Christ shows us that we learn obedience to God through our suffering and that the goodness of God is worth the suffering.