CCF Sunday Messages

We now pick up where we left off in Galatians, in chapter 2 verses 1-10. As we focus in the beginning of 2020 on “seeing Christianity clearly“, we see the Apostle Paul fighting to defend the idea/truth that acceptance by God is based on a willingness to trust Him and not adherence to tradition, as important as tradition may be.

Every age has its spiritual battles to fight. In our own day the church is being tragically divided over same sex marriage and homosexualtiy. In the earliest days of the church, the issue was circumcision. For us, circumcision is for most a medical or hygiene decision made at birth for boys. But for the Jew, it was a matter of acceptance by God. The big question was, “Can a person be accepted by God without submitting themselves to ritually religious circumcision” and all that it meant.

Paul is willing to die on the hill of grace. For him there is no compromise on this issue. It is central to salvation itself.

Listen in and see how Paul defends both the message of grace and his authority to spread it to ethnic groups other than Jews!

We now pick up where we left off in Galatians, in chapter 2 verses 1-10. As we focus in the beginning of 2020 on “seeing Christianity clearly“, we see the Apostle Paul fighting to defend the idea/truth that acceptance by God is based on a willingness to trust Him and not adherence to tradition, as important as tradition may be.

Every age has its spiritual battles to fight. In our own day the church is being tragically divided over same sex marriage and homosexualtiy. In the earliest days of the church, the issue was circumcision. For us, circumcision is for most a medical or hygiene decision made at birth for boys. But for the Jew, it was a matter of acceptance by God. The big question was, “Can a person be accepted by God without submitting themselves to ritually religious circumcision” and all that it meant.

Paul is willing to die on the hill of grace. For him there is no compromise on this issue. It is central to salvation itself.

Listen in and see how Paul defends both the message of grace and his authority to spread it to ethnic groups other than Jews!

This is one of those passages I have been looking forward to preaching. What a pleasure to help people see what is in God’s Word! Paul spends the rest of chapter one—and all of chapter two—defending the basic message of the Bible using his personal experience with Jesus and with the apostles.

Question: Do you trust the message of the Bible? Can we know that Jesus really lived and died and rose from the dead? Is the Bible just a made up story that has been changed over the years? I think it will be fun to compare the historicity of Christ with that of Muhammed. Yes, there will be a little history lesson that I think you will find encouraging and fascinating!

Grab your journal, listen in, and then share this with a skeptical friend. The truth and trustworthiness of God’s Word is something we can depend on!

This is one of those passages I have been looking forward to preaching. What a pleasure to help people see what is in God’s Word! Paul spends the rest of chapter one—and all of chapter two—defending the basic message of the Bible using his personal experience with Jesus and with the apostles.

Question: Do you trust the message of the Bible? Can we know that Jesus really lived and died and rose from the dead? Is the Bible just a made up story that has been changed over the years? I think it will be fun to compare the historicity of Christ with that of Muhammed. Yes, there will be a little history lesson that I think you will find encouraging and fascinating!

Grab your journal, listen in, and then share this with a skeptical friend. The truth and trustworthiness of God’s Word is something we can depend on!

Given that this new year we are starting is “2020“, it is hard to avoid the visual theme. It is in that spirit that the theme for our study through Galatians will be “Seeing Christianity Clearly”.

After having been with the Corinthians for about the last two years, I think you will find the “pamphlet sized” letter to the churches in the region of Galatia a welcome change of pace. The issues in the church that prompted Paul to write this letter have given the church through history a basic primer on what Christianity is, and what it is NOT! This will be Christianity 101 as we look at what really makes Christianity different from every other world religion and pseudo-christian cult.

Grab your notebooks and bibles, invite a friend, and listen in as we launch into this simple and clear look at what it means to be a Christian!

Given that this new year we are starting is “2020“, it is hard to avoid the visual theme. It is in that spirit that the theme for our study through Galatians will be “Seeing Christianity Clearly”.

After having been with the Corinthians for about the last two years, I think you will find the “pamphlet sized” letter to the churches in the region of Galatia a welcome change of pace. The issues in the church that prompted Paul to write this letter have given the church through history a basic primer on what Christianity is, and what it is NOT! This will be Christianity 101 as we look at what really makes Christianity different from every other world religion and pseudo-christian cult.

Grab your notebooks and bibles, invite a friend, and listen in as we launch into this simple and clear look at what it means to be a Christian!

Today’s message brings our 2nd Corinthians to a close by covering all of chapter 13! Paul has finished defending himself and his foolish boasting. Emotionally exhausted, he takes a breath and discusses with this church a future visit before he closes the letter.

If you remember, Paul has been scrutinized and criticized by the Corinthians. But—wait a second—in verse 5 Paul uses the word “yourself” three times in an emphatic way. He tells them they should be scrutinizing themselves and taking a look at themselves! You know the old saying: “Every time you point the finger you have three pointing back at you!” You know it so much easier to criticize others than to actually look at ourselves. He asks them if they are really believers! What a question! Will they pass the test?

Paul is ready to play hard ball with this Corinthian church; if they are even a church at all! He is hopeful they will take a look in the mirror and sort things out so that when he comes they can have an enjoyable visit.

Listen in and see how this very personal and emotional letter concludes!

Today’s message brings our 2nd Corinthians to a close by covering all of chapter 13! Paul has finished defending himself and his foolish boasting. Emotionally exhausted, he takes a breath and discusses with this church a future visit before he closes the letter.

If you remember, Paul has been scrutinized and criticized by the Corinthians. But—wait a second—in verse 5 Paul uses the word “yourself” three times in an emphatic way. He tells them they should be scrutinizing themselves and taking a look at themselves! You know the old saying: “Every time you point the finger you have three pointing back at you!” You know it so much easier to criticize others than to actually look at ourselves. He asks them if they are really believers! What a question! Will they pass the test?

Paul is ready to play hard ball with this Corinthian church; if they are even a church at all! He is hopeful they will take a look in the mirror and sort things out so that when he comes they can have an enjoyable visit.

Listen in and see how this very personal and emotional letter concludes!

We will start off today’s continuation of our study in 2 Corinthians with a lighter view of parenting. Why? Although 2 Cor 12 is not a passage about parenting, Paul uses parenting as an analogy to discuss his relationship with the Corinthian believers. And it is ever so appropriate! They are a church of spiritual babies!

Paul has been forced into foolishly boasting and now he is winding down. He continues to defend himself against their cultural view of an accomplished pastor and their cultural view of being a Christian. He discusses an upcoming visit he will make. Gulp! How will it go? What will he find when he gets there? This is where the parenting analogy comes in.

You’ll have to listen in for the rest, but I will tell you that vv 14-15 have really served me well over the years. The lighter side of parenting will yield to the challenging side of ministry! As Charles Spurgeon said about ministry, “If you can do anything else and be happy, by all means do it. If you can’t, then maybe you are truly called to ministry.” Thats a quote from memory, but you get the idea! Come and see!

We will start off today’s continuation of our study in 2 Corinthians with a lighter view of parenting. Why? Although 2 Cor 12 is not a passage about parenting, Paul uses parenting as an analogy to discuss his relationship with the Corinthian believers. And it is ever so appropriate! They are a church of spiritual babies!

Paul has been forced into foolishly boasting and now he is winding down. He continues to defend himself against their cultural view of an accomplished pastor and their cultural view of being a Christian. He discusses an upcoming visit he will make. Gulp! How will it go? What will he find when he gets there? This is where the parenting analogy comes in.

You’ll have to listen in for the rest, but I will tell you that vv 14-15 have really served me well over the years. The lighter side of parenting will yield to the challenging side of ministry! As Charles Spurgeon said about ministry, “If you can do anything else and be happy, by all means do it. If you can’t, then maybe you are truly called to ministry.” Thats a quote from memory, but you get the idea! Come and see!