January 31, 2024 • Brenan Hudgens • John 21, John 17:3, John 15:12–17
During the trial of Jesus we all remember Peter’s threefold denial of being a follower of Him and how Peter went out weeping bitterly over his public rejection. Putting ourselves in the shoes of Peter we can certainly sympathize with his feelings of shame and regret as we have also been faced with the same questions Peter was faced with… Are you a follower of Jesus?
As we fast forward to the 21st chapter of John we see the disciples back in their home town fishing when the resurrected Jesus appears to them a third time. Although Peter has seen the risen Jesus, it is likely Peter has not yet come to terms with his denial of Him. Jesus sits down with Peter to ask him a series of questions and commands to draw out his love for Him. He does this because if Peter is going to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and be obedient to the mission He is giving to Him it would have to be motivated out of love and not obligation. Jesus gives Peter the assurance of forgiveness and that His love towards His followers is not contingent on our shortcomings. Jesus extends forgiveness and mercy to everyone who places their faith in Him as their Savior and we can be sure of this truth, that nothing can separate us from His love.
The Kings Compassion
January 24, 2024 • Jeremy Toomey • John 20, Romans 10:17
After the resurrection many saw that Jesus was alive and declared the good news to Thomas but he demanded that he wouldn’t believe unless he could place his fingers in the holes created by the crucifixion. Eight days later Jesus appears in a closed room to all the disciples and meets Thomas where he was at by allowing him to place his fingers in His wounds. Thomas responds with now “I believe” but then Jesus responds by saying “you believed because you have seen me. Those who believe in Me without seeing Me are blessed.”
We can learn a lot from this story because like Thomas we have all found ourselves doubting who Jesus is, or even wrestle through our faith in terms of His guidance for our life. We don’t get to physically see all the things that Jesus did, like the people of Thomas’ day, so how do we have faith without seeing? We also see that Jesus didn’t respond to Thomas in anger because of his disbelief but instead with gentleness and compassion showing us that the true King meets us where we are at. His desire is for us all to come to repentance and belief in Him as our theme verse says.
Peace in the Kings Presence
January 17, 2024 • Michael Fitzgerald • Luke 24, Psalm 16:11
Mankind longs to be filled with an everlasting peace that this world cannot comprehend. The problem is most people don’t know where to find true peace. Living life separated from our Creator is the most hopeless feeling one can have. The disciples of Jesus had spent three years being closely discipled by the King of the universe and walked in close fellowship with Him. Jesus told them plainly how He had to go away to do the will of the Father by giving His life- but He left them with the promise that He would return (John 16). The disciples learned what it was like to be in the presence of the Lord and experienced the peace that came with His presence. When Jesus was crucified they were crushed and left feeling hopeless, lost and discombobulated. For those who have placed their faith in Jesus alone, believers know what it is to be in the presence of the Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Even though followers are always in the presence of the Lord, we can feel detached when we do not diligently seek Him as our closest friend. To stay in close fellowship with Jesus we need to have a hunger and thirst for righteousness which comes through spiritual disciplines such as prayer and spending time reading the Bible.
The King is Alive
January 10, 2024 • Michael Fitzgerald • 1 Corinthians 15, Hebrews 9:27, Luke 24
The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews 9:27 “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (second death). Death is a reality we all must face and inescapably comes to us all. We must ask is there hope for mankind not only from the effects of physical death but spiritual death? Who can rescue us from the effects of sin and reverse the effects of it on humanity? Join us for this message titled The King is Alive where we aim to unpack the significance of both the cross and the resurrection.
The Good News
December 13, 2023 • Luke Mcalister • Luke 2:8–12, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6, John 3:14–16, Luke 2:15–20
We encounter all sorts of situations that we would consider bad news. When we hear this news it can leave us feeling down and out with no where to turn. We hope and long for good news to shatter the bad. Join us in this message as we look to a group of shepherds that were the first to hear the heralding of the best news the world would ever hear.
Submit
December 6, 2023 • Cameron Hatfield • Luke 1:26–56, Matthew 1:18–24, Proverbs 3:5–6
God created us to have a relationship with Him and to bring Him glory, but God also created us to have purpose which means He graciously partners with us to carry out His plan as we submit to His will. As God carried out His plan of redemption, He used various people throughout time that had a heart that was postured towards Him. He also used people throughout time that did not belong to Him which tells us that regardless of our submission, God will carry out His plan. We have learned that God used men like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and now as we approach the birth of our Savior we see He used both Mary and Joesph in such a mighty way too. They both submitted (trusted) to God out of their love for Him and as a result they were used to bring about the Messiah and raise Him, but what if they said no? God still has a plan today and it involves you just like it involved Mary and Joseph. Imagine the impact you could have in partnering with God to build His Kingdom, if only you submitted. Knowing that God is in control will you submit to His plan for your life?
Scarlet Thread
November 29, 2023 • Michael Fitzgerald • Galatians 4:4, Acts 13:22–23
Often when we read the Bible we think it’s just a book with many stories that have different lessons to teach us how to follow God. While this is true, there’s a much bigger picture in motion. The Bible is one collective story that tells of God’s perfect plan to rescue mankind. God weaves a scarlet thread through the pages of history, story after story of not only revealing His character and nature but showing mankind that He is the supreme King that has a plan to save you. Even in man’s folly and the enemy’s attempts to stop this plan from being carried out, we see that God is in control and will carry out His plan regardless. This week we enter into the Christmas season to discuss God’s plan to send the perfect King (His Son Jesus) into the world to rescue mankind. Do we trust His plan for salvation and in our daily lives?
Set Apart
November 15, 2023 • Michael Fitzgerald • Matthew 7:13–14, 1 John 2:15–17
This week we wrap up our Old Testament study of the kings and kingdoms by moving over a vast period of history. Both the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel were essentially a disaster because the kings and the people chose their own path. We have seen time and time again through this series that without God everything will fall apart. We have also seen that when someone has a heart that is postured after the Lord radical change ensues. Even tho most of the kings were bad we do see a handful of kings that chose to make hard decisions to follow the true King. The Bible says that we are all on a path, the wide way which is rebellion towards God, and the narrow path which is the righteous path. Followers of Jesus traverse the narrow path and are willing to make hard sacrifices to wholeheartedly follow Jesus. We are members/subjects of a heavenly Kingdom - living as ambassadors in this world submitting to Christ as the One True King. We are called to be set apart.
This week we look at king Rehoboam as the fourth ruler over the nation of Israel. King Rehoboam was the son of king Solomon and his reign began with rebellion against God from the start. He was a man that had a vertical fracture with God which resulted in a horizontal fracture with others. When faced with an opportunity to serve his people in humility and maintain unity he chooses his own way by listening to people who led him in the wrong direction and as a result the kingdom is fractured into different nations. Unity with the Lord keeps us in step with Him and His plans and gives us the ability to be at peace with all men and to maintain unity within the body of Christ. Godly counsel will affirm what we know from Scripture, and encourage us to continue walking in obedience/righteousness where ungodly council will turn us to unrighteousness. This week we learn that without God unity falls apart.
This week we look at king Solomon as the third ruler over the nation of Israel. King Solomon was the son of king David and when Solomon was anointed king he asked God to give him knowledge, wisdom and understanding so he could govern over God’s people well. Because of the humility of Solomon's request God grants the request and also makes him the richest and most famous man that has ever lived. Solomon started out well but overtime we see that his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord and as a result things began to fall apart. Even though Solomon was the smartest & wisest man - his wisdom was meaningless apart from God. His success, fame and fortune were worth nothing - because without God everything falls apart.
Heart of Repentance
October 25, 2023 • Micheal Fitzgerald • 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 57:17, 2 Samuel 11—12, Psalm 32, Psalm 51
This week we continue looking at the life of David focusing on the posture of his heart when it came to repentance. When we look at the life of David it is very clear he was not a perfect man. We have all heard the story of David and Bathsheba and are aware of the crazy sequence of events that progressed through David’s conquest to take Uriah’s wife as his own. When we read this story we cannot help but ask how God still considers him a “man after His own heart”. When confronted with his sin we see David respond in brokenness, humility and guilt for his actions against God. David reaches out to God for forgiveness, repents and God responds with laying out consequences for his actions but forgives David. We have all fallen short of God’s glorious standard as Romans 3:23 says. When we humble ourselves before the almighty King, God is faithful to forgive us as well. This week we learn that a heart that is postured after the Lord is a heart that is repentant.
October 4, 2023 • Brenan Hudgens • Jeremiah 10:10, 1 Samuel 13:14, 1 Samuel 16—17
In this message we begin talking about the life of David by introducing him as the shepherd boy who was anointed king by Samuel then defeated the Philistine giant of Gath. We will learn that David was a man after God’s own heart and one of the biggest ways he demonstrates this is through his faith and reverence of the living God of Israel. Because of his faith and reverence in the Lord, David had no fear of the great giant because he trusted in God to fight the battle and to deliver the enemy into the hands of Israel. God deserves and demands on our full trust in Him and when we trust, fear is dissolved showing that our hearts are postured after the King of the Universe.
Heart of Obedience
September 27, 2023 • Michael Fitzgerald • Jeremiah 10:10
Now that we have laid the foundation of different heart postures, we will start to look into the lives of the 3 kings during the time of united Israel. In this message we will focus on the life of King Saul. King Saul is the first king we see in the time of the monarchy. Saul had an opportunity to set the benchmark for all future kings- to obey God and wholeheartedly follow Him. He started off promising but quickly became arrogant and full of excuses when he went his own way. Join us for this message titled "Heart of Obedience" as we communicate the importance that a heart towards God results in obedience which is the opposite of how Saul lived his life as king.
Is Jesus the King of your heart?
