Blaze Church

We all know murder is a terrible thing. There’s good reason God gives the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder.” All life matters to God. Every person is created in His image and loved by Him! But there’s also more to this commandment. Jesus elevates this command by showing us how hurtful anger is just as severe as murder because it has the power to kill relationships. Because Jesus restored our relationship with God, we now have a choice – to hurt or to restore others. We can’t do it by trying harder – we need a new heart! The Gospel restores us so that we can restore others!

Every parent/child relationship is unique. How do we honor our parents when they fail us? For some, the thought of honoring their parents seems wrong because of neglect and abuse. God’s command becomes possible when we look to Him for strength and help. We are free to honor our parents in the Lord because God is our Father!

Do you ever feel like there isn’t enough time to accomplish everything in your week? The fourth commandment calls us to cease our work. The Sabbath is a reminder, a gift, and a sign. We can keep the Sabbath holy today by choosing to rest and worship one day a week. The best way to “make more time” is to slow down and keep God’s command to trust Him.

Names matter! We all understand the importance of a name. In the third commandment, God instructs is to not take his name in vain. We can easily break this command in our speech and our actions. When we claim to be a Christian but don’t live like God calls us to, we misuse the Lords Name. The best way to keep the third commandment is to KNOW God and SHOW God to the world around us.

All over society, we hear: “Be yourself.” This well-intentioned mantra is oftentimes a pretty disguise for the great lie that Satan has placed in this world: Create your own god. God reveals Who He is in the second commandment and warns against creating idols. Like the impatient Israelites, too often we can fashion for ourselves an image of God that we prefer. Jesus is the perfect image of the invisible God. When we choose to worship God for Who He is, He will make us more into His likeness.

Before God gave the people of Israel the Ten Commandments, He redeemed them from slavery in Egypt. His movement of saving grace is the same for us today: Redemption, Requirement, Reward. We do not obey the law to be saved; we obey because God already saved us! The first commandment is relational and forms the foundation for the commands that follow. We can determine who/what we are serving by identifying where we place our adoration, trust, invocation, and thanksgiving. Jesus is the only God worth living for!

The Christian faith isn’t based on teachings; it is based on a historical event: The Resurrection of Jesus. As we read an eyewitness account of the empty tomb, we will discover how the resurrection informs our heads, hearts, and hands. A woman named Mary experienced the gentleness of Jesus in a moment when she was despairing and searching for answers. Today, we are invited to know God personally because Jesus came to find us and make us new.

The crowd worshipped Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem. Yet He didn’t come riding in on a stallion; he rode a colt. He didn’t take the throne or overthrow Rome; he was nailed to the cross. The people expected a military King who would give them what they wanted. Jesus came gently and humbly to die for His people. This Palm Sunday, we ask, “Who/what is the king of my life?” We give praise for the Servant-King Jesus.

How can we no longer be paralyzed by uncertainty when it comes to sharing the gospel with others? You can make an eternal impact if you decide to bring others to Jesus. A man named Drew had no formal training in sharing his faith; he followed Jesus for less than one day. His decision to be a bringer completely changed his brother’s life. Discover the beauty of being someone who invites others to know God.

It’s easy to forget God when life gives us Hevel. As Ecclesiastes concludes, the author gives us a beautiful invitation on how we can remember God in the most confusing and challenging times of life. It’s foolish to walk away from Ecclesiastes and continue chasing the wind. Discover how to live a wise life that produces real, lasting impact!