What we hold as our most important belief helps set the direction for our life and faith. It is the same for organizations too. If a particular baseball team believes that winning at all costs is most important, the direction that team takes will lead to moral compromise and relational failure. If a person believes that acquiring material possessions is most important, that trajectory will crush intimacy and extinguish compassion.
Churches are no different. What they hold as their most important belief about Jesus defines who they are and the direction they will go. Some churches believe that Jesus’ top priority is caring for the poor. Others that His first priority is saving souls. When the most important belief held about Jesus is mistaken the entire direction of a church, and a life, heads off course.
In this morning’s passage from First Corinthians 15, Paul (the writer) states without hesitation that the most important belief about Jesus for Christians is the death of Jesus FOR US, and Jesus’ ultimate and final defeat of death. This is the central and first belief about Jesus, priority one, for all Christians. It sets our direction, it instructs what we believe about God, it helps us understand God’s relationship with us, it informs us regarding God’s power and love.
What belief about Jesus does Grace hold as most important? What belief about Jesus do we personally hold as most important? And, because of that belief, where are we headed?
Priority One (9am)
October 24, 2021 • Curt McFarland • 1 Corinthians 15:3–11
How Should We Give? (10am)
November 21, 2021 • Curt McFarland • 1 Corinthians 16:1–4
For the past three Sundays we have focused on the importance of Christian stewardship. Stewardship is defined as "How we take care of what we have." Everything we have has been given to us: the education we received, what we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, our health, our friendships and loves, the family we enjoy ... or don't, our talents and abilities, all of our stuff, our mind and memories, even time itself. 100% of what we have has been given to us by the One who created us ... and loves us. If we forget that everything we have that's good is God given our life loses balance, our focus turns inward, our priorities get twisted, our relationships become commodities. And so, as part of our Christian stewardship, we reflect, we think, we pray, we ask God for the strength and courage to let go of what will not last and take hold of what will. We ask God to help us live generously. Giving that is forced, or a response to guilt, adds nothing to our soul. Intentional Christian stewardship helps us remember who we are and why we are. Christian stewardship helps keep our perspective clear and our priorities in order. Today is Stewardship Dedication Sunday. Near the end of the service you will be invited to come forward and offer your financial commitment to God in support of our life together here at Grace. This morning's passage will offer practical steps on how we give. It's a personal decision. It's a faith decision. It's a community commitment. Here at Grace we seek to love and serve God and others as we live out our faith in Jesus together. Where is God leading us? Somewhere good. Somewhere exciting.
Everthing - Love = Nothing (11am)
November 14, 2021 • Curt McFarland • 1 Corinthians 13
We are halfway through November. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Christmas is approaching fast. This morning we are in week three of our four week focus on Stewardship (how we take care of what God has given us). How do thankfulness, stewardship and Christmas fit together? Honestly, for Christians, they should not, cannot, be separated. With the birth of Jesus God confirmed His love for us. His love for us leads to gratitude. Gratitude grows into generosity. Love, Thanksgiving, Stewardship, all three, fit together and flow from One source. 1 John 4:19, "We love because HE FIRST loved us." His love leads, everything else follows. Our Bible passage this morning is 1 Corinthians chapter 13. This is, in my estimation (many others too) the greatest chapter on love ever written. How we steward what God has given us (which is everything) is a direct result of how thankful we are, and how aware we are, of God's love. Together at Grace may we grow in our love for God and our love of others every season of the year, every season our life.
Everthing - Love = Nothing (9am)
November 14, 2021 • Curt McFarland • 1 Corinthians 13
We are halfway through November. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Christmas is approaching fast. This morning we are in week three of our four week focus on Stewardship (how we take care of what God has given us). How do thankfulness, stewardship and Christmas fit together? Honestly, for Christians, they should not, cannot, be separated. With the birth of Jesus God confirmed His love for us. His love for us leads to gratitude. Gratitude grows into generosity. Love, Thanksgiving, Stewardship, all three, fit together and flow from One source. 1 John 4:19, "We love because HE FIRST loved us." His love leads, everything else follows. Our Bible passage this morning is 1 Corinthians chapter 13. This is, in my estimation (many others too) the greatest chapter on love ever written. How we steward what God has given us (which is everything) is a direct result of how thankful we are, and how aware we are, of God's love. Together at Grace may we grow in our love for God and our love of others every season of the year, every season our life.