Message by Megan Young

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BLESSED

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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

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1, What is salvation?

rescue; deliverance; wholeness; putting back together

Genesis 1 & 2: God creates; harmony

Genesis 3-4, 6, 11

sin: pulling apart

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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"

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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.

Message by Bob Crosthwaite, Pastor Emeritus

Moriah = God is my Teacher

For Abraham: Place of Provision

Genesis 22:1-5

Hebrews 11:17-19

For David: Place of Penance

2 Samuel 24:24

For Solomon: Place of Praise

2 Chronicles 3:1-2

For Jesus: Place of Passion

**Isaac was a “type” of Christ. An Old Testament person or element seen to prefigure one found in the New Testament.

2 Corinthians 5:21

“On the cross, Jesus became what we WERE, that we might have what HE IS!” (Petton)

Testing of Abraham; His Response; Results of Testing

John 3:16

**The simplicity of the Gospel

Message by Ben Crosthwaite, Creative Arts Director

DISCIPLE

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Matthew 28:19-20

Be disciples who make disciples.

Disciple: Follower and Learner.

Matthew 11:28-30

Yoke = a rabbi's teachings

FOLLOWER

Matthew 4:18-22

Luke 6:40

The goal of our discipleship is to become like our teacher -- to become like Jesus.

Originally, "Christian" was not a self-description, but a public verdict.

What do we follow?

The Way of Jesus

The Spirit of Jesus

LEARNER

The goal of discipleship is not information -- it is formation.

Mattew 7:24-25

A Disciple is an Apprentice.

"I want to be an apprentice to Jesus, rather than...

someone in the crowd

a hypocritical religious person

a student of information

a follower of my own self-interests

a disciple of anything other than Jesus:

my career, politics, family, or anything else

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

What is the faith of the next generation worth?

What are we handing off to the next generation?

2 Timothy 1:3-7

fanning the flame

Tomorrow is now.

Challenges:

1, disconnection

2, no room for processing

To 3 groups:

next generation: You are who God says you are.

parents & caregivers: You are chosen by God for this.

all of us: We are the body of Christ.

Tomorrow is now.

Message by Bob Crosthwaite, Pastor Emeritus

1 Peter 4:8

Ship #1: FRIENDship

Benefits of a solid friendship:

less stress

better healing

healthy behavior

greater sense of purpose

add life to your years

Ephesians 4:2-3

2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Types of friends to pursue:

Mentors (Paul)

Peers (Jonathan)

Disciples (Timothy)

Ship #2: RELATIONship

Galatians 5:15

** Making relationships work:

1, Be thankful for differences

Romans 15:7

2, Go to God with Disappointments

Living has a tendency to get in the way of life sometimes.

1 Corinthians 13:7-8

3, Trust God, not just feelings

Numbers 23:19

Ship #3: FELLOWship

Key Principles:

Love & Service

Encouragement & Growth

Forgiveness & Unity

Affection & Purity

JESUS: Support, Love, Comfort, Peace, COMPANIONship

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

Words reveal what you believe to be true, AND words influence what you believe to be true.

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FELLOWSHIP

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…community

the deep human longing to be known, to be loved, to belong

the one anothers

belonging

koinonia: sharing of life

Acs 2:42

Romans 12:4-5

Fellowship is shared life.

Ingredients of fellowship:

1, participation

Philippians 2:1-2

Philippians 3:10-11

Philippians 4:14-15

2, partnership

Philippians 1:3-7

3, contribution

Acts 4:32-35

Ephesians 2:19-22

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

Lexicon: words church people use

Words reveal what you believe to be true, AND words influence what you believe to be true.

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GOSPEL

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What is the gospel?

Romans 1:1-3

the gospel is fundamentally about Jesus

Romans 1:16

the gospel establishes a new way of being human

About preaching the gospel:

Matthew 28:19-20

Mark 16:15

Acts 1:8

John 20:21

“The Gospels are the gospel.”

Mark 1:14-15

Euangelion: “good news”

The gospel is the good news that God's kingdom has come near in the Person of Jesus.

Isaiah 61

The Kingdom of God

here in the present // coming in the future

unlike the kingdoms of this world

expands and grows through love

Romans 1:17

gospel reveals God's righteousness

(the way that God makes things right in the world)

“It’s all on me, and it’s for you!”

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Three groups:

1) Believe but wonder

2) How could anyone believe…?

3) Believe again

We can have extraordinary confidence

in the resurrection of Jesus.

**Paul’s writings, historical accuracy, dates, context

CREED:

"Christ died for our sins and was buried.

He rose from the dead and was seen.”

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1 Corinthians

- proves the resurrection was not a product

of decades of oral transmission

- documented while eyewitnesses were still alive

The resurrection of Jesus launched Christianity!

Acts 4:12

Believe but sometimes wonder: Your hope is not in vain.

How could anybody believe? Here’s the proof.

Believe again: come back & reconsider

Follower of Jesus:

The foundation of our faith is what we celebrate on Easter.

Your faith is not in vain.

Your faithfulness is not in vain.

Your hope is not in vain.

Message by Ben Crosthwaite, Creative Arts Director

Palm Sunday

Mark 11:8-10

Word for the day: DEVOTED

Acts 2:42-47

Romans 12:1

Worship is less a thing we do sometimes, and more how we do everything all the time.

"a long obedience in the same direction." - Eugene Peterson

A life of worship is not feelings -- it's engaging in acts of love regardless of feelings.

A life of worship is not empty gestures or rituals.

Amos 5:21-24

Micah 6:6-8

Psalm 50:8-9,14-15

God's love language is who we become.

We show love to God, not by doing something, but by becoming someone.

3 practices

- Gratitude

- Surrender

- Self-Sacrificial Love