Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

Power is fueled by currency:

money, position, time, platform, network

...exchanging our power for something meaningful

When you have power, how do you handle it?

How do we handle the power of the local church?

JOHN 13:1-17

A life following Jesus means there's no bottom to humility

and there's no lid on love.

The early church…

- shared the gospel

- had radical hospitality

Let’s be FOR our community!

↓

We give up our preferences

for the new guest and

the next generation.

We serve one another.

Are you using your currency, and turning it into something meaningful?

…serving people?

…pointing people to Jesus?

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

Let's talk about church…

guilt, uncomfortable, curious, confused

You can’t separate Jesus from the church.

The church is a global movement…

the church is on the move!

** all the generations together

** pooling our passion, creativity and resources

Church:

Bride of Christ

Body of Christ

You can't love Jesus without loving the church.

A church worth finding looks like the Jesus who found you!

Luke 15:11-32

We want to be the kind of church that welcomes the prodigal.

The younger brother was lost in his own badness, and the older brother was lost in his own goodness.

Do you know the love of the Father in a real way?

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

We take the light for granted.

What is the big deal about light?

Could you be taking Jesus for granted?

John 1:1-5

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

How has Jesus impacted you?

It’s easy to take the light for granted until all you have is darkness.

What do I do beyond Christmas?

Live in the Light!

Embrace the Light!

Come and see!

Message by Bob Crosthwaite, Pastor Emeritus

3 Purposes of Christmas

Luke 2:8-14

1, Celebration

John 3:16

1 John 4:8

God did not bring love; He Himself is LOVE.

2, Salvation

3, Reconciliation

Isaiah 9:6

John 1:1-5

Ephesians 3:14-18

A very special one-of-a-kind gift:

fellowship with Jesus!

1 Peter 3:18

Romans 8:13-14

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

MARY, THOMAS, PETER

John 20-21

SCENE 1: Mary

20:11-16

When we are overwhelmed with sorrow, Jesus calls us by name.

SCENE 2: Thomas

20:24-28

God left the scars for us!

SCENE 3: Peter

21:3-7

…shame & disillusionment

Mary: Where do I belong?

Thomas: How do I believe?

Peter: Who have I become?

Message by Ben Crosthwaite, Director of Spiritual Formation

"Comparison is the thief of joy." ~ Teddy Roosevelt

Luke 2:8-10

Comparison leads to...

Consumerism

Matthew 6:25-27

The 10th Commandment - Exodus 20:17

James 1:15

Criticism

John 21:20-22

"What is that to you?"

Antidotes to comparison...

Gratitude and Generosity

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

THE DISCIPLES AT THE LAST SUPPER

John 13

“What does the love of God actually look like?”

vs 1-5

Observation #1:

Through Jesus, the love of God becomes visible, personal and tangible to us.

vs 12-15

As we love Jesus, we begin to love like Jesus.

We become what we love, and who we love shapes what we become. (St Claire of Assisi)

Observation #2:

Through us, the love of God becomes visible, personal and tangible to those around us.

The closer you get to Jesus the more you see people

vs 6-10

Resist // Refuse // REST

Message by Josh Young

Exodus 2:11-15

Exodus 3:7-10

Moses:

from murderer and fugitive to human instrument of deliverance for and leader of a nation

2 Samuel 11:2-4

2 Samuel 11:14-17

David:

from adulterer and murderer to a man after God’s own heart

Genesis 25:29-33

Genesis 27:18-19, 24-27

Genesis 32:22-30

Jacob:

from a liar and deceiver to the father of the 12 tribes of Israel

Matthew 14:24-29

John 18:10

Matthew 16:13-18

Simon/Peter:

from a compulsive and violent man to one of the founders of the early church

Luke 18:1-2

"I was one way and now I am completely different, and the thing that happened in between was Him" - Mary Magdalene in The Chosen

Mary Magdelene:

from a demon-possessed woman to one of the first followers of Jesus

Luke 19:1-8

Zacchaeus:

from a lying, thieving tax collector to a generous benefactor

Transformed by the renewing of your mind

Romans 12:2

Transformed into a new creation

2 Corinthians 5:17

Death → Life

Darkness → Light

Rebel → Son/Daughter

Message by Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

MARY OF BETHANY

John 12

vs 1-2

1, worship is a grateful response

Psalm 103

vs 3

2, worship is an extravagant outpouring

Jesus desires worship that is all-consuming.

vs 3, 7

3, worship is a prophetic revelation

In the NT, prophecy is primarily an unveiling of who Jesus is

Worship is prophetic when we say something is true.

Jesus is always the most extravagant person in the room.

Everything we give to him is what he's given to us.

Heavenly things confuse earthly minds.

John 18 is man at his very worst – and – God at His very best.

Judas sacrificed the eternal for the temporary.

John 18:1-4

Jesus didn’t run from the cross -- He moved TOWARD it!

John 18:5

“I always was; I AM; I always will be.”

John 18:6

Sin begins as a thought (temptation); thought leads to action;

action leads to habit.

John 18:26

The Downward Spiral:

1, presumption

...trying to replace God’s will with our own will

2, pride

“A failure that leaves us humble is better than a victory that leaves us proud.”

Ephesians 6:12

3, prayerlessness

...praying vs. playing

Jesus (in John 21):

“Peter, do you love me?”

Romans 5:20