Practice - October 2023 - New Apostolic Church USA

New Apostolic Church USA

Practice - October 2023

...be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed... train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come (excerpt from 1 Timothy 4:6-8 ESV)

As with any skill or talent, practice, commitment, and discipline are necessary to be good servants of Christ. A strong faith requires time and effort. And our commitment to being a disciple of Christ is made evident in the priority we give to practicing our faith.

This month’s sermon series will focus on six areas of “practice”:

•October 1 - Humbling ourselves in worship and wonder of God the Creator

•October 8 - Speaking to and connecting with God in prayer and solitude

•October 15 - Comforting and edifying one another in our conversation

•October 22 - Finding Christ as we study Scripture

•October 29 - Seeking God and responding to His call

•Midweek - Longing for our Savior and preparing for His return (midweek)

As disciples, let us be examples of these practices, so we can encourage others, as Paul did - What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things... (Philippians 4:9 ESV).

Empowered - May 2024

After witnessing the proclamation of the resurrection, we turn to anticipating the Holy Spirit. Jesus says to His disciples: And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high (Luke 24:48-49). May is a celebration and commemoration of the sending of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The self-revelation of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is concluded in the Pentecost event. The Holy Spirit is not only the presence of God on earth, but the Person of God who empowers believers and the church to carry out the mission given by Jesus Christ. We are... •Empowered with promise - the pouring out of the Spirit was foretold in the Old Testament •Empowered with blessing - Jesus' ascension bestows blessing and responsibility on believers •Empowered with clarity - the Spirit brings to remembrance the presence of Christ in our lives •Empowered with teaching - the church is built on a foundation of the apostles' doctrine •Empowered with proximity - as God reveals Himself to humanity, we are brought closer to Him

Proclamations of the Resurrection - April 2024

Lent gave us the opportunity to prepare our hearts for Holy Week, to walk the path to the cross with Christ. April leads us into the joyous season of Eastertide - the longest liturgical celebration in the Christian calendar. It also gives us the time to truly celebrate the Risen One; an event as astounding as the resurrection could not be contained in just one day. Christ's victory over sin and death, prompt our April sermon theme: Proclamations of the Resurrection - truths that we will unearth as we, along with the disciples, encounter the Risen Christ: •April Midweek: I live with Christ! - now and in the future •April 7th: The tomb is empty! - the women's testimony •April 14th: I believe! - Thomas' move from doubt to faith •April 21st: Enlightened in wisdom, Rooted in love - a prayer for the church •April 28th: He is perfect! - the people recognize their Messiah From our Meditations of Lent resource: He who this day rose from the clods of earth, we expect one day from the clouds of heaven: to raise our bodies, to perform His promises, to finish our faith, to perfect our glory and to draw us unto Himself. Let us celebrate the Risen Christ!

The Path With Christ - March 2024

The month of March leads our preaching through Lent and the holy days of Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. Lent is a time of reflection and repentance that allows us to intentionally know Jesus in a new way; we walk with Him on the path that led Him to His death, and ultimately His victory on Easter. Each sermon leads us further on the path with Christ: •A prayer of confidence in God's mercy, •A reflection on the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, •An invitation to the realities of Christ's table, •A perspective of His kingdom through the events of Palm Sunday, •A journey to the foot of the cross on Good Friday, and •A celebration of His resurrection on Easter Sunday. To walk and preach this journey takes focus and intention. This is our proclamation for this month - resolved to know nothing... except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).