CCF Sunday Messages

After 11 chapters of the truth about God’s grace, last time we were together in Romans we saw the opening of chapter 12 getting very practical. In those opening verses of chapter 12, Paul challenges us to present our bodies to God! This is the beginning of long lasting and true transformation. This is when we begin to see God’s will working in and through our lives. This is when the changes become internal and not just external.

So, if I give my body (life) to God, what will he make me do? This is a scary thing, right? Verses 3-8 give the starting point for the first changes that happen when you stop trying to be like worldly people and start being godly! What do you think Paul hits on first? Maybe you would think that the first thing would be to tell them to go out and evangelize? Or maybe to join a local church? Or get new clothes?

Listen in as Pastor Steve reveals what Paul does address as he talks about this transformation. As you might expect, these are very important issues in life and the church!

After 11 chapters of the truth about God’s grace, last time we were together in Romans we saw the opening of chapter 12 getting very practical. In those opening verses of chapter 12, Paul challenges us to present our bodies to God! This is the beginning of long lasting and true transformation. This is when we begin to see God’s will working in and through our lives. This is when the changes become internal and not just external.

So, if I give my body (life) to God, what will he make me do? This is a scary thing, right? Verses 3-8 give the starting point for the first changes that happen when you stop trying to be like worldly people and start being godly! What do you think Paul hits on first? Maybe you would think that the first thing would be to tell them to go out and evangelize? Or maybe to join a local church? Or get new clothes?

Listen in as Pastor Steve reveals what Paul does address as he talks about this transformation. As you might expect, these are very important issues in life and the church!

While Pastor Steve is away this Sunday, one of our elders, Todd Giszack, continues the study through the book of Ephesians, covering chapter 5.

While Pastor Steve is away this Sunday, one of our elders, Todd Giszack, continues the study through the book of Ephesians, covering chapter 5.

While Pastor Steve is away this week, Associate Pastor and Elder Dave Vollmer continues the study through the book of Ephesians titled "Every Spiritual Blessing." In this installment, Dave covers Ephesians chapter 3

While Pastor Steve is away this week, Associate Pastor and Elder Dave Vollmer continues the study through the book of Ephesians titled "Every Spiritual Blessing." In this installment, Dave covers Ephesians chapter 3

Continuing our study in Romans, Paul, having finished the section in chapters 9-11 dealing with Israel, now turns his attention to the church, and so do we!

After eleven chapters spilling over with the discussion of, and argument for, being saved by grace and not religious performance, Paul will not neglect to bring it home to our practical lives!  What we believe will always impact how we behave. These final chapters of Romans are intensely practical, and in chapter twelve Paul wastes no time getting to the heart of the matter within the life of the church: what do we mean when we talk about “worship”?  For some, including the religious Jews, worship involves carefully planned and performed ceremonies, meticulously conducted by only the select few while others participate with fear that they might make a mistake or misstep and bring down the wrath of God!

For others worship is the emotional feeing of letting loose altogether and raising hands and singing and having a feeing that we have experienced God in some way that might even include incense, candles, chanting, or other sensory stimulus.

In this passage, Romans 12:1-2, Paul gets right to the issue of worship in terms that would be understandable by Jew and Gentile alike. Listen in as Pastor Steve covers these two power-packed verses that open Romans chapter twelve. As a side benefit you'll hear how modern scientific discovery about the human brain is catching up with what Paul wrote over 2000 years ago!

Continuing our study in Romans, Paul, having finished the section in chapters 9-11 dealing with Israel, now turns his attention to the church, and so do we!

After eleven chapters spilling over with the discussion of, and argument for, being saved by grace and not religious performance, Paul will not neglect to bring it home to our practical lives!  What we believe will always impact how we behave. These final chapters of Romans are intensely practical, and in chapter twelve Paul wastes no time getting to the heart of the matter within the life of the church: what do we mean when we talk about “worship”?  For some, including the religious Jews, worship involves carefully planned and performed ceremonies, meticulously conducted by only the select few while others participate with fear that they might make a mistake or misstep and bring down the wrath of God!

For others worship is the emotional feeing of letting loose altogether and raising hands and singing and having a feeing that we have experienced God in some way that might even include incense, candles, chanting, or other sensory stimulus.

In this passage, Romans 12:1-2, Paul gets right to the issue of worship in terms that would be understandable by Jew and Gentile alike. Listen in as Pastor Steve covers these two power-packed verses that open Romans chapter twelve. As a side benefit you'll hear how modern scientific discovery about the human brain is catching up with what Paul wrote over 2000 years ago!

As we finish up Romans chapter 11 today, we close out this section of Romans we've entitled the "Synagogue of Israel." If you do a quick breeze through the book of Acts, you will see that Paul the apostle would first visit the local synagogue and give them first “dibs” on the good news.  When the Jews would reject it, Paul would reach out to then Gentiles!  See Acts 13:46 and 18:6 for particularly strong examples.

Given his experiences we can see why Paul, seeing this pattern of rejection over and over again, would have been so troubled by it. Here are the very people of God with all of their heritage and privileges, and they have rejected Jesus! Paul was so heartbroken over this.  But, Paul saw the brilliance of a bigger plan at work!  That plan is laid out in the rest of Romans chapter 11. 

Listen in and understand the plan God has for the Jewish people and how that plan is unfolding. May God give us a love and appreciation for the Jewish heritage of the church!

As we finish up Romans chapter 11 today, we close out this section of Romans we've entitled the "Synagogue of Israel." If you do a quick breeze through the book of Acts, you will see that Paul the apostle would first visit the local synagogue and give them first “dibs” on the good news.  When the Jews would reject it, Paul would reach out to then Gentiles!  See Acts 13:46 and 18:6 for particularly strong examples.

Given his experiences we can see why Paul, seeing this pattern of rejection over and over again, would have been so troubled by it. Here are the very people of God with all of their heritage and privileges, and they have rejected Jesus! Paul was so heartbroken over this.  But, Paul saw the brilliance of a bigger plan at work!  That plan is laid out in the rest of Romans chapter 11. 

Listen in and understand the plan God has for the Jewish people and how that plan is unfolding. May God give us a love and appreciation for the Jewish heritage of the church!