Taking Up
Taking Up Kindness (Meyer)
March 28, 2021 • Pastor Joe Meyer
Our last message was about giving up bitterness in our hearts and it naturally follows that we’d talk about actions connected to letting go on the heels of that subject. You see, if we allow bitterness to take root in our hearts, then the fruit of that root is bound to be seeking vengeance against the person who wronged us. We often “just want to get even” with the person who has wronged us. But that is not the way of the disciple of Jesus. The opposite attitude is what we’re called to display. We are different from the world around us who sees vengeance as the right of the wronged. We are different in that we love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. We are different in that we leave vengeance to the Lord and His will and instead we love and even serve those who have hurt us, no matter how deep the pain. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No...because nothing is impossible for God and God lives within http://you...so God lives through you and moves you to the place of “Taking Up Kindness” with everyone, even enemies, every single day.
Taking Up Kindness (Johnson)
March 28, 2021 • Pastor Ben Johnson
Our last message was about giving up bitterness in our hearts and it naturally follows that we’d talk about actions connected to letting go on the heels of that subject. You see, if we allow bitterness to take root in our hearts, then the fruit of that root is bound to be seeking vengeance against the person who wronged us. We often “just want to get even” with the person who has wronged us. But that is not the way of the disciple of Jesus. The opposite attitude is what we’re called to display. We are different from the world around us who sees vengeance as the right of the wronged. We are different in that we love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us. We are different in that we leave vengeance to the Lord and His will and instead we love and even serve those who have hurt us, no matter how deep the pain. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No...because nothing is impossible for God and God lives within http://you...so God lives through you and moves you to the place of “Taking Up Kindness” with everyone, even enemies, every single day.
Taking Up Letting Go (Phillips)
March 24, 2021 • Pastor Tim Phillips
All of us will be hurt by someone at some point. It’s simply http://inevitable...living with other sinners in a sinful http://world...you will get your feelings hurt and sometimes you will be hurt in very serious and deeply permanent ways. And the truth is, even if you are hurt only http://once...it can breed bitterness in your heart. Having said that, since you live in this sin-torn world and you will very likely be hurt multiple times throughout your life, and so bitterness can become a very real part of your heart and mind and root into the core of your being. But bitterness is not the life of the Christian. Bitterness is in fact the antithesis of the Christian life. We live a life of kindness, joy and forgiveness instead. We don’t hold onto things but instead live a life of “Taking Up Letting Go” every day, as we follow Jesus into this sin-torn world.
Taking Up Generosity (Meyer)
March 21, 2021 • Pastor Joe Meyer
How much is enough? That’s an important question to ask ourselves as Christians living in a very affluent society. We may not be rich ourselves, but the truth is, even the poorest of the poor in the U.S. is so far better off than the rest of the world, it’s truly amazing. Unfortunately, that affluence can breed in us a very insidious sin known as “greed” as we look out only for our own interests and not the interests of others. We can become greedy, hoarding for ourselves, rather than what the Lord calls us to http://be...generous...giving to others. In fact, it really doesn’t matter how much or how little we have, we can all be driven to greed rather than what the Lord calls us http://to...namely, “Taking Up Generosity”. Today we remember that the Christian life is a generous life.
Taking Up Generosity (Johnson)
March 21, 2021
How much is enough? That’s an important question to ask ourselves as Christians living in a very affluent society. We may not be rich ourselves, but the truth is, even the poorest of the poor in the U.S. is so far better off than the rest of the world, it’s truly amazing. Unfortunately, that affluence can breed in us a very insidious sin known as “greed” as we look out only for our own interests and not the interests of others. We can become greedy, hoarding for ourselves, rather than what the Lord calls us to http://be...generous...giving to others. In fact, it really doesn’t matter how much or how little we have, we can all be driven to greed rather than what the Lord calls us http://to...namely, “Taking Up Generosity”. Today we remember that the Christian life is a generous life.
Taking Up Trust (Meyer)
March 17, 2021 • Pastor Joe Meyer
All of us suffer to one extent or another with the “thing” called anxiety. Why are we anxious? Well, likely, there are as many answers to that question as there are people. We all have different reasons, different triggers, that bring on anxious feelings. While we will all struggle with it, and the whole of our lives we will always struggle with it, Christians are not to be anxious people. We are instead to trust in our loving Lord and Savior who not only has our best interests at heart but furthermore provides for our best interests every day. Looking to our amazing God and gracious Savior, as followers of Jesus we live a life of “Taking Up Trust” as we stand by and watch our Lord provide for our every need, or as Jesus said it, as we watch “all these things being added unto us”.
Taking Up Boldness (Johnson)
March 10, 2021 • Pastor Ben Johnson
Seems like there is so much to be afraid of in our world. We’re afraid of our inner-cities. We’re afraid of our suburbs. We’re afraid of pandemics. We’re afraid of a tanking economy. We’re afraid of climate change. We’re afraid of so many things and what brings fear our way is different for everyone! So it’s very comforting to know that as a follower of Jesus, we can in fact, by the power of the Holy Spirit, be a people who are “Taking Up Boldness”. Now we’ll still fear things, both temporal and eternal, but in Christ and through Christ we can give up fear and instead, remember our loving Lord has us firmly in His almighty hands every single day. Today we remember that our Christian life is one of daily “Taking Up Boldness”.
Taking Up Humility (Meyer)
March 14, 2021 • Pastor Joe Meyer
Unfortunately, our sinful human nature brings many things our way, but one of the more heinous things it brings is pride. While some will tell me that they aren’t “prideful” in any way, in truth, all of us are because pride is at the heart of sin. Pride is what causes us to be a self-focused “creature” and that description reminds us that every human being struggles with it. We want things done “my way” and sometimes we are so bold to indicate that we want things done “my way” or offer people “the highway”. But the Christian doesn’t live that way. The Christian lives “His way”http://...period. And “His way” is a life of humility and not pride. “His way” is a life of humble service to Jesus by humbly living in this world and humbly serving others in His name. So today we remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up Humility”.
Taking Up Humility (Johnson)
March 14, 2021 • Pastor Ben Johnson
Unfortunately, our sinful human nature brings many things our way, but one of the more heinous things it brings is pride. While some will tell me that they aren’t “prideful” in any way, in truth, all of us are because pride is at the heart of sin. Pride is what causes us to be a self-focused “creature” and that description reminds us that every human being struggles with it. We want things done “my way” and sometimes we are so bold to indicate that we want things done “my way” or offer people “the highway”. But the Christian doesn’t live that way. The Christian lives “His way”http://...period. And “His way” is a life of humility and not pride. “His way” is a life of humble service to Jesus by humbly living in this world and humbly serving others in His name. So today we remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up Humility”.
Taking Up Unity (Phillips)
March 7, 2021 • Pastor Tim Phillips
Many people are convinced that our Country is “divided”http://...and in many ways it is. There are certainly divisions along party lines and even divisions about core values. That’s simply going to be the way it is in these “United” States, since with human beings there will always be divisions. That truth is why it’s so critical for the Church, and more to the point, for followers of Jesus, to live lives of unity and solidarity. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we as Christian people would be “one” even as He and the Father were http://one...now that’s unity! And that is in fact God’s will for http://us...unity, not division. So today we’re reminded that following Jesus, living our Christian faith, is one of “Taking Up Unity”.
Taking Up Unity (Johnson)
March 7, 2021 • Pastor Ben Johnson
Many people are convinced that our Country is “divided”http://...and in many ways it is. There are certainly divisions along party lines and even divisions about core values. That’s simply going to be the way it is in these “United” States, since with human beings there will always be divisions. That truth is why it’s so critical for the Church, and more to the point, for followers of Jesus, to live lives of unity and solidarity. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we as Christian people would be “one” even as He and the Father were http://one...now that’s unity! And that is in fact God’s will for http://us...unity, not division. So today we’re reminded that following Jesus, living our Christian faith, is one of “Taking Up Unity”.
Taking Up Peace (Phillips)
March 3, 2021 • Pastor Tim Phillips
t genuinely seems that our world is becoming a very angry place to live. People are easily touched off and as such can be aggressive and hateful and hurtful. After all, we live in what has been called “The Cancel Culture” where someone’s anger towards another person or their actions can genuinely ruin careers and families and sadly, people’s lives. We are not called to “man’s anger” as James wrote it, but we are instead called to peaceful, loving, gentle lives, showing others who Jesus is to us and who He can be for them. Today we remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up Peace”.
Taking Up a Mirror (Meyer)
February 28, 2021 • Pastor Joe Meyer
We know the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” and http://yet...we do that very thing all the time, don’t we? We are a judgmental people and our judgments are often based on outward “things”, the “things” we think we know about the person we are judging. The Lord reminds us that there is only One Judge and He reminds us the the “One Judge” ain’t you! James writes it this way: “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12. Today we remember to love the people around us no matter what, look in the mirror at our own fallen-ness and to let God be God. Today we therefore remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up A Mirror”.
Taking Up a Mirror (Johnson)
February 28, 2021 • Pastor Ben Johnson
We know the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” and http://yet...we do that very thing all the time, don’t we? We are a judgmental people and our judgments are often based on outward “things”, the “things” we think we know about the person we are judging. The Lord reminds us that there is only One Judge and He reminds us the the “One Judge” ain’t you! James writes it this way: “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12. Today we remember to love the people around us no matter what, look in the mirror at our own fallen-ness and to let God be God. Today we therefore remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up A Mirror”.
Taking Up Love (Johnson)
February 24, 2021 • Pastor Ben Johnson
We begin our Lenten journey with what is perhaps the most difficult thing for us to give http://up...during Lent or http://otherwise...and that being giving up ourselves. To be sure, the Lord wants us to love ourselves and take care of ourselves and view ourselves as valuable creations of His almighty hand. But true Christianity is one of self-http://denial...more than http://that...one of dying to self and doing so on a daily basis that you may unhindered, follow Jesus wherever He wants you to go. As we begin our “Taking Up” sermon series, we begin by “Taking Up” what will cause us to truly live for Jesus in this world. As we give up ourselves, we find it easier to live for Jesus daily and follow Him! So today we remember that your Christian faith is one of “Taking Up Selflessness”.