"The Case for Forgiveness"

Friendship Community Church

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"The Case for Forgiveness"

September 22, 2024 • Pastor Logan Ames

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"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" ~ Ephesians 4:32

One of the most important things for Christians to remember every day of our lives, and one of the things many sadly forget, is just how much God has forgiven us. This remembrance should go a long way in dictating how we will react toward others. Some believers pretend that the choice to forgive or not to forgive gives them some power in a given situation. But if we persist in unforgiveness, it's not power that we are ingesting but poison. And it's poison that not only sickens you for the rest of this life, but also prevents you from spending eternity with Christ - a much more severe penalty. Part of the change that must happen when we experience salvation - when we begin to learn what it means to work out our salvation with fear and trembling - is that we no longer count others' sins against them. This is not optional for believers; it is a command. This week at Friendship, we'll make "The Case for Forgiveness" and look at the eternal danger of refusing to let go of others' sins while knowing that God has let go of ours. We all experience pain at the hands of others, which means this message is for all of us!

Gratefully Generous

November 24, 2024 • Pastor Logan Ames

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" ~ Hebrews 13:16 I used to get into debates with friends and people from an old church about an opinion of mine that was apparently a hot take, but I never understood why. It was my view that anytime we go out to dinner, we should always tip generously, regardless of how we feel about the quality of service provided. For me, we always have the right to choose whether to return to the restaurant in question, but we might not get another opportunity to tip the server in question. Even now, some of you reading this who are on the other side of the debate think I'm crazy. Maybe you think like my friends, who would tell me their tip was a sort of judgment on the server for their work ethic. But I felt, and still feel, strongly that our level of generosity toward others must come not from how we feel about them, but our recognition of how good God has been to us. If you are in a position to afford eating dinner out at a restaurant, you have been blessed in a number of ways that should make it a relative no-brainer to bless others who are serving you. This week at Friendship, for our last sermon in the current series, we'll talk about what it means to be "Gratefully Generous" as followers of Jesus. There is a reason that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas, as true humble gratitude should beget generosity. We hope you'll join us for this spiritual checkup, where you'll also hear from one of Friendship's own members on some specific ways we can practice generosity as we head into 2025.

"Mutual Accountability"

November 17, 2024 • Pastor Logan Ames

"When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned" ~ Galatians 2:11 This one short verse seems problematic without properly understanding the context. "Cephas" is another name for Peter, so what we have here is a confrontation between two of the most influential apostles in the history of the Church. Paul's boldness to publicly oppose Peter, then also to turn around and write about it, seems like the very thing we might condemn today. Some would even say it's an example of "toxic masculinity". But Paul gives his clear reason - Peter stood condemned. The rest of the passage outlines Peter's sin; he behaved according to fear of his peers rather than the gospel. Paul's willingness to oppose him was ultimately based on a love for Peter and an urgency to maintain the truth of the good news of Jesus Christ. Peter was a leader in the Church, and his sin would lead others astray as well. Paul was willing to risk losing friendships and being labeled a "meanie" in order to stand in truth and love. This, my friends, is the responsibility of ALL believers. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about "Mutual Accountability", another mark of the faith that helps us work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Join us to hear about God's plan for you to stay accountable, as well as help restore others who currently stand condemned.

"Made to Serve"

November 10, 2024 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ~ Philippians 2:3-4 NIV Now that the elections have ended, are you ready to serve your neighbors? Regardless of who is in the White House, there is only one King of kings and Lord of lords! His reign is FOREVER, and there are no term limits. As followers of Jesus Christ, our purpose in life is defined by our desire to follow Him to heaven for an eternity. That means we are "Made to Serve" and that is the title of our message this weekend. If you are suffering from a lack of purpose and are not sure what you are supposed to be doing as a believer, then the Holy Spirit is calling you to service this weekend! Bring a friend or family member with you! We will also have two servants that will be telling us about their ministries join us for Sunday services, and one of them will be with us on Saturday also!