Living On Purpose

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Living On Purpose

December 10, 2023 • Jason Corder • Daniel 1:8–12

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Life is defined by a series of choices. You may have heard the analogy before that just like great oak trees grow from small acorns, the decisions we make turn around and make us. In many ways, we are who we are today because of decisions and choices we made years ago. Most of the time, we don’t realize how important small choices can be. That’s especially true when we are young. Ironically many of life’s most important decisions are made during our teenage years. Simpler things like; What music will I listen to? What movies will I watch? Who will be my best friends? Or much deeper questions like; where will I go to college? What will I major in? What career will I choose? Should I get married? And if so, who will I marry, how will I meet my future mate, and when will it happen? Questions like will I drink? Will I take drugs? How far will I go? And that list literally goes on and on. So much of life’s success or heartache depends on how we answer those questions.

This week in our review of vintage stories of the Old Testament, we find the answer to many of these questions in a passage found in verse 8 of the book that bears his name: “But Daniel resolved …” The King James Version says, “But Daniel purposed in his heart.” Another translation says he “made up his mind.” Really everything else in life flows from this one choice.

All Things New

December 31, 2023 • Jason Corder • Revelation 21:1–12

I love music. I've always loved music. But when I started playing a musical instrument in fourth grade, I had (and still do sometimes) a poor sense of rhythm. Each Friday, my mother would drop me off at Mrs. Mooberry’s house for piano lessons, and I can still remember her asking me, week after week, "Are you counting this?" and "You didn't count this week, did you?" The truth is, counting was something I reserved for math class, and I found counting the rhythm repeatedly while playing the piano very difficult. My mind doesn’t seem to want to do those two things simultaneously, and honestly, I didn't really see the point. I was well into my Jr high school years, before I really began to develop some sense of rhythm. So, how did I survive all those years of playing recital pieces and playing in a band? I used external cues. I would watch for my teacher’s tapping my foot or listen for a specific note/chord, and then I would know it was time for me to come in. Over the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at “Vintage” Old Testament Bible stories. Each of the stories has one thing in common: in the midst of the struggles and opportunities that presented themselves, each character is looking forward to something better, a day when God’s plan of salvation would enter into the world. Last week we celebrated that plan. Jesus chose to be obedient to the Father, leaving behind all the glories of heaven so that he might become one of us, teach us how to live, how to respond to a broken world, and ultimately give up his life so that we might have forgiveness and freedom from our own sins. What makes the gospel extraordinary isn’t just the forgiveness of sin. It’s the fact that God gives us His Spirit that, together with our spirit, allows us to write a new story. The process of writing that new story is often very similar to the process of internalizing a beat. At first, it all feels unnatural, and you end up mimicking others in order to "fit in," but as God does His good work in your heart, what was once externally motivated becomes internally driven because your character and your heart are more and more aligned with the one who was born with a perfect moral rhythm, Jesus.

God With Us

December 24, 2023 • Jason Corder • Matthew 2:1–12

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers successfully got their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." Katherine hurried to the local newspaper editor and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." It’s so easy to miss the most important stories: the night of Jesus' birth, the world was distracted by many things. Emperors and Kings sat on their thrones and ruled their nations in power and splendor. In meek contrast, God’s visit to earth occurred in an animal shelter with no attendants present and nowhere to lay the newborn king but a feed trough. Indeed, the event that divided history, and even our calendars, into two parts may have had more animal than human witnesses. Jesus had every right to be celebrated like royalty, but he chose a humble birth. If only our humility could resemble that of Christ’s. Someone once said that if our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

Speak Lord

December 17, 2023 • Jason Corder

Have you ever been in the presence of greatness? Perhaps you shook the hand of a world leader. Maybe you got close to a famous athlete. Or you may have had a book signed by a bestselling author. To be near such icons of popularity and prestige can almost take your breath away. You’ve seen them on television or read about them in the newspaper, but now you’re in their presence! It can make your skin tingle. I mean no offense to anyone, but it really shouldn’t. No slight to the world’s top athletes, business leaders, politicians, or prestigious actors, musicians, and authors, but they are all ordinary people. They may have done something great, but they are just like you and me at the heart of it all. In God’s eyes, they are sinners who need the grace of the only One who can truly be called great: Our Almighty God. Isaiah put it best when he said, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5). He had seen the living God and was devastated by the contrast between himself and the Lord. Until God rescued Isaiah, the prophet was powerless. We’re all equally ordinary. But we can be lifted to incredible heights through the salvation God provides. Only an extraordinary God could do that for ordinary people! This Sunday, we will look at the legendary life of Isaiah and gather lessons that will change our lives today.