Rhythms
Brookline
Rhythms: Generosity
February 3, 2019 • 2 Corinthians 8:1–15
When people usually think of the word "blessing," they think of "prosperity" in terms of material things like health and wealth. The word for "blessing" in the New Testament is makarios, which actually means "the highest level of happiness." Therefore, God's greatest blessings are not material, but spiritual. God longs to give us makarios --inexpressible joy. One of the clearest paths to experiencing more makarios is generosity. Therefore, the way we experience a more blessed life isn't getting more, but giving more.
Rhythms: Worship
January 27, 2019 • Ivey Rhodes
The question isn’t whether we are going to be worshipers. Rather, it is, what are we going to worship? To worship anyone or anything less than the all-powerful, all-knowing God, we sell ourselves short. But what does true worship look like in our daily discipline? Mosaic Boston Jamaica Plain Pastor Ivey Rhodes brings us the message this week to discuss a true life rhythm of worship.
Rhythms: Community
January 20, 2019 • Acts 2:42–47
When Scripture talks about community, it doesn't talk about a social club of peers or a Meetup interest group. Godly community is Gospel-centered community on mission with God, for His glory! The early church committed (devoted) itself to gathering together corporately, and in small groups in homes for studying the Scriptures, prayer, and fellowship.
Rhythms: Rest
January 13, 2019 • Psalm 127
God hard-wired humans to both work and rest, in a healthy rhythm. If we stop doing either, we stop living full, flourishing lives. This is why God actually commands us to rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and this is meant to be a blessing, not a burden. In fact, regular rest is so important that God put it in the Ten Commandments, right up there with "Don't commit adultery" and "Don't murder." Thus, resting every seventh day isn't just a nice suggestion, but actually morally binding. If we break this commandment, it breaks us.
Rhythms: Prayer & Fasting
January 6, 2019 • Matthew 6:5–18
When every day becomes a feast, no day truly is. We've lost the rhythm of feasting (celebrating God's bounty and kindness), because we've lost the rhythm of fasting (celebrating God). We don't fast to fast, but fast to pray--and we don't pray to pray, but pray to fellowship with Our Heavenly, our greatest need, even greater than that for food. By looking at the spiritual rhythm of fasting, we can feast on fellowship with God.
Spiritual Rhythms: Scripture
December 30, 2018 • Psalm 19
In the same way that God has designed our bodies to function optimally when aligned with circadian rhythms, He has designed our souls to function optimally when aligned with spiritual rhythms. For the next six Sundays, we are devoting our attention to the spiritual rhythms the Lord has prescribed for us in Scripture as a means of grace for spiritual flourishing: Scripture, Prayer & Fasting, Sabbath, Community, Worship, and Generosity. Once these rhythms are a natural part of your life, you will be on your way to a successful 2019 (and beyond)!