Our Story 2.0 - Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego | Sermon 07/28/24 - Grace Community Church

Grace Community Church - Loveland, CO

Our Story 2.0 - Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego | Sermon 07/28/24

July 28, 2024 • Erik Miller • Daniel 3

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, young men of nobility from the tribe of Judah, had been taken captive when Babylon conquered Israel. They had studied for 3 years in the king's school alongside Daniel; "to these 4 young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning" ....to the king they were found superior to all others; "ten times better than all the magicians, and enchanters in his whole kingdom." (1:17, 20) They rose to high levels of government in Babylon, set as administrators over the province of Babylon. As captives in a pagan land, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's ability to trust in God and obedience to worship and serve Him only is remarkable to be sure.

The hero of this story is God, who miraculously protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the king’s wrath and punishment of death by fiery furnace. God had been with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, giving them wisdom and courage as they navigated life in Babylon’s culture and false religion.

It is challenging to trust God and worship Him only when we are surrounded by a culture who neither acknowledges God nor honors our commitment to Him. We may never face such brutal consequences for our loyalty to God, but like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's we need Jesus to help us cultivate wisdom in navigating our current culture and to grow our trust in and love for Him. Jesus is able to keep us from falling and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy! To Him be all glory! (Jude 24-25)

Our Story 2.0 - Philemon & Onesimus | Sunday Service 10:30am

September 1, 2024 • Philemon

Paul’s letter to Philemon, a friend and Christian leader, is an appeal on behalf of Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus, who has also met Jesus and found refuge with Paul. While slavery was a common practice in the Roman empire, with legal support backing it, Paul’s basis for his appeal is the love and forgiveness of Christ. Paul is helping Philemon learn to forgive and receive his former slave back, not as a slave but now as a brother in Christ. Paul offers to pay Onesimus’ debt seeking to transform the relationship between the two men from master/slave to equals in the family of God. Jesus Christ paid our debt, transforming us from former enemies into beloved children of God. The hero of this story is Jesus whose life, death, and resurrection make us equal citizens of God’s kingdom. People from completely different backgrounds—like Paul, a former Jewish leader; Onesimus, a runaway slave; and Philemon, a Gentile slavemaster—are brought together by the gospel under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus helps us when we have trouble forgiving or seeing others as equal members of God’s family. In light of God’s love for us, we can be loving, kind, and forgiving to our brothers and sisters in Christ for the glory of God.

Our Story 2.0 - Priscilla & Aquila | Sermon 08/25/24

August 25, 2024 • Erik Miller • Acts 18:1–4, Acts 18:24–28, Acts 20:17–38

Priscilla & her husband Aquila, Jewish tentmakers exiled from Rome, had settled in Corinth when they met Paul. They opened their home, providing Paul with a place to stay and fellowship as fellow tentmakers. When Paul left Corinth to continue his mission work, Priscilla & Aquila went with him, eventually staying behind in Ephesus as leaders in the church there. Priscilla and Aquila helped Apollos understand the gospel of Jesus better and equipped him as another strong leader in the early church. Their friendship with Paul was deep and their commitment to the gospel was primary over their own safety and personal comfort. (Romans 16:3-4) The hero of this story is God, who used Priscilla & Aquila in the spread of the gospel and the strengthening of the early church. By supporting Paul and teaching Apollos, – two prominent ministers for Christ - Priscilla & Aquila’s faithfulness was used by God to impact many. We might think the things we do to help Jesus and His church are too small to count. Every time we teach someone about Jesus, share our home or give help to another Christian, we help God’s kingdom grow. Jesus takes our acts of love and multiplies them for His glory and the growth of His people.

Our Story 2.0 - Nicodemus | Sermon 8/18/24

August 18, 2024 • Erik Miller • John 3

As a member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus would have much knowledge of the scriptures and God’s promises to send a rescuer for His people. But his knowledge lacked understanding and when Jesus came on the scene his curiosity overcame his fear enough to visit Jesus at night. Jesus’ answers to Nicodemus’ questions led to more questions, as Jesus sought to draw Nicodemus away from the inadequacy of his intellect, proclaiming to him the necessity of spiritual re-birth. Later in the gospel of John we see Nicodemus defending Jesus before his peers on the basis of Jewish law. John gives us one last glimpse into Nicodemus with his open act of reverence in providing the hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes with which the body of Jesus was embalmed (Joh 19:39) Finally Nicodemus is willing publicly associate with Jesus, the King of the Jews. The Hero of this story is Jesus who met Nicodemus where he was at, challenging him to embrace the truth of Jesus identity and Nicodemus’ only source of righteousness and rescue. Although Jesus gave Nicodemus everything he needed to believe and be reborn, it took Nicodemus time to understand and be willing to commit to Jesus in a public way. Jesus helped Nicodemus when Nicodemus was afraid for people to know he was Jesus’ friend. Our own intellect is inadequate to lead us to Faith in Jesus and active obedience in following Him and sometimes it takes us time to fully grasp His character and His worth. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to show us our need and to understand His sufficiency in meeting that need. Jesus’ keeps His promise to be found by all those who seek Him and to save all those who call on His name.