Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

_________________________

GRACE

_________________________

Grace is the Christian faith’s best gift to the world!

Ephesians 2:1,8

Romans 3:21-24

2 Corinthians 5:21

There are no loopholes that disqualify us from God’s grace.

Luke 15, lost sheep

John 12, Mary’s anointing of Jesus

Mark 12, widow’s offering

Matthew 20, workers in the vineyard

We can only receive grace as a gift from God, not as something we work to earn.

In the realm of grace, the word deserve doesn’t even apply.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Isaiah 55:6-7

Romans 5:20

Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more.

And, grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.

But we look for loopholes.

John 8:7-11

Grace must be received (by repentance).

Romans 6:1-2

Romans 6:15

> gratitude

John 13:35

Mark 10:18

Grace conveys the best news possible – that the God of the universe loves us!

1 Peter 4:10

the “one anothers”

Matthew 5:16

For the common good…over-flowing with grace and gratitude.

Matthew 6:10

…dispensers of unconditional love, unconditional forgiveness, unconditional grace.

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

_________________________

KINGDOM OF GOD

_________________________

Matthew 4:12-25

What on earth is the Kingdom of God?

Three key moments:

1, Genesis 1:27-28

2, Abraham > Pharaoh > Moses

3, Covenant with Israel

Isaiah 52:7-10

What does it actually mean to live under this King’s reign?

Matthew 5, 6 & 7,

the Sermon on the Mount:

Jesus’ Manifesto for a whole new way to be human in the broken reality of the kingdom of God.

“The kingdom is…”

An encounter with Jesus compels us to deal with the core issues, the darkest parts of our character… to allow his mercy, love and wisdom to redefine who we are, and to change the way we engage with our Heavenly Father and with the people around us.

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

_________________________

TRINITY

_________________________

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…

Triune Godhead

What is the Trinity?

One God in three persons.

The Trinity is one God who eternally exists as three distinct persons – Father, Son, Spirit – who are each fully and equally God.

#1, There is one God.

Deuteronomy 4:35

Deuteronomy 32:39

Psalm 86:10

Isaiah 43:10

Isaiah 45:5

1 Timothy 1:17

1 Timothy 2:5

John 17:3

#2, The Father, Son and Spirit are God.

God the Father

John 6:27

1 Corinthians 8:6

God the Son

John 1:1

John 1:14

John 8:58

Romans 9:5

Titus 22:13

1 John 5:20

God the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Acts 5

Old Testament example:

Genesis 1:1-2

John 1:1-4

Hebrews 11:3

Psalm 33:6

Genesis 1:26

Genesis 3:22

Genesis 11:7

Isaiah 61:1

Luke 4:18,21

New Testament example:

Birth of Jesus, Luke 1:35

Baptism of Jesus, Luke 3:21-22

The triune nature of God puts love at the heart of who God is. God IS love.

1 John 4:8, “...God is love.”

You and I were made to love and be loved.

Why does this matter?

Trinitarian Life

#1, It’s Trinitarian!

…To the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit.

#2, It’s loving

#3, It’s communal.

...a community of oneness (John 17)

#4, It’s transparent.

#5, It’s humble.

…For the glory of God and the good of others.

#6, It’s happy!

How do we live in response to the Trinity?

Ephesians 1

vs 5-6

#1, Live in the love of the Father.

vs 7-8

#2, Live through the sacrifice of the Son.

vs 14

#3, Live by the power of the Spirit.

…The love of the Father,

through the sacrifice of the Son,

by the power of the Spirit.

Message by Ben Crosthwaite, Creative Arts Director

WORD OF GOD

______________________________

Ephesians 6:17

Hebrews 4:12

The Bible is the word of God -- but the phrase "word of God" is not synonymous with The Bible.

"Word of God"

50+ times in New Testament

250+ times in Old Testament

God often speaks to people.

The Bible itself never implies all you need to do is read The Bible.

The Word of God is the active and living voice and message of God.

John 1:1&14

JESUS is the Word of God!

Prayer from 1 Samuel 3:

"Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."

______________________________

For further reading:

Greek words for "word" in "word of God" passages =

Hebrews 1:1-3

Hosea 6:5

Isaiah 49:2

Isaiah 11:4

Revelation 19

Psalm 149:6-7

Genesis 1

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

HOPE

_________________________

Where you put your hope determines your level of peace and joy.

"Counterfeit Gods" [Tim Keller]

1, Comfort

2, Approval

3, Control

4, Power

Is the only hope you have the hope you've built yourself?

When you lose control, you hold tightest to your source of hope.

Human hope leaks.

1 Peter 1:3

A LIVING HOPE

Hope is what you have; faith is what you build.

Romans 5:1-5

1 Corinthians 13:13

Romans 15:13

What do we do with our hope?

Spread hope!

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

HOLINESS

_________________________

an attribute of God

a life of holiness

”set apart; distinct”

God is HOLY.

Isaiah 6:1-3

God's holiness is the essence of who he is.

We are called to live a life of holiness.

Distortions - - - - - - > biblical

#1, Holiness “equals perfection“ —> God’s grace

Holiness is who we are because of our relationship with God through Jesus.

Ephesians 1:4-5

We are already declared holy!

#2, Holiness “gives us status“ —> humility & selflessness

Matthew 6:1

Holiness looks like a glimpse of the kingdom.

#3, Holiness “looks like piety“ —> usefulness

Jesus uses his holiness to love others.

It is an inward reality that has outward impact.

Jesus lived a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit — do we have access to the same power?

Galatians 5

vs 13-17

vs 22-25

We have been made holy in God’s eyes, AND we are being made holy by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

What do you need to surrender in order to have the fruit that God wants to see in your life?

Message by Ben Crosthwaite, Creative Arts Director

Spiritual Formation:

"The lifelong process of growing closer and closer to Jesus, and becoming more and more like him."

Ephesians 4:11-13

1 Corinthians 3:6-7

The church, can help equip you.

You, and only you, can cultivate your own life.

God, and only God, can make the good fruit grow.

_______________________________

New at Faith Community

Formation Focus: Practicing The Way

starting September 2026

Life Guides

coming soon

_______________________________

Reflection:

What area of my discipleship am I being invited to grow in?

What wisdom or life experience can offer as service to others?

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

the FEAR OF THE LORD

_________________________

religion ~ fear

Proverbs 1:7

Proverbs 9:10

Is the essence of Christianity fear based?”

What is the fear of the Lord?

afraid … too familiar

Prodigal Son

Luke 15:28-29

**awe, reverence, wonder

Eugene Peterson: “The fear of the Lord pulls us out of our preoccupation with ourselves, our feelings, and our circumstances into a world of the wonder of God.”

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom… why???

#1, reminds us that God is God and we are not

#2, reminds us that our goal is to please God

How do we cultivate the fear of the Lord?

- behold the creation of God.

- behold the crucified God, Jesus Christ

Message by Megan Young

_________________________

BLESSED

_________________________

Genesis 1:27-28

Psalm‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬

Psalm 32:1-2

Psalm‬ ‭34‬:‭8‬

Psalm 106:3

Psalm 146:5

Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬

James 1:12

Matthew 5:3-10

good ≠ blessed

2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭

Circumstances don’t change who God is.

Circumstances impact our ability to see God’s goodness.

“Every blessing we don’t turn into praise has the potential to turn into pride.” - Craig Groeschel

Leviticus 26:12

Numbers 6:22-27

Ephesians 1:3

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

SALVATION

_________________________

1, What is salvation?

rescue; deliverance; wholeness; putting back together

Genesis 1 & 2: God creates; harmony

Genesis 3-4, 6, 11

sin: pulling apart

_________________________

2, What are we saved from?

Matthew 1:21

> saved from sin

> Sin is like a disease; all the things that we do or fail to do that violate our relationship with God, and our relationships with one another

been saved from the penalty of sin;

the consequence of a life apart from God

Ephesians 2:8-9

being saved from the power of sin

1 Corinthians 1:18

will be saved from the presence of sin

"new creation"

_________________________

3, What are we saved for?

Exodus 8:1

"Let my people go, so that they may worship me."

Romans 12:1

We have been saved for worshipful service to God.

Ephesians 2:10

Acts 4:12

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

reconciled with God = a new kind of relationship with God

Salvation is about rescue from the power that wants to destroy our lives, and restoration to the new life that you were made to live.