Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

1. Our calling as Christians – being salt (v.13a)

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

2. What if we lose our saltiness? (v.13b)

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

3. You are the Light (v.14-16)

John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

A. Light Exposes Darkness

Ephesians 5:8-13 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.

B. Light serves as a guide

C. Light causes us to know Him more

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Revelation 2:1, 5 “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands…

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stands from its place unless you repent?”

Guarding The Gates – Part 5 [The Mouth Gate – Pt 2]

1) The tongue is disproportionately powerful

James 3:1-2, James 3:3, James 1:26, James 3:4-5a, James 3:5b-6

2) The Tongue is bad from Birth

Proverbs 12:18 

A. Lying

Proverbs 6:16-19 

B. Strife

Proverbs 17:14, Proverbs 16:15, Matt 22:37-39, Isaiah 29:13 

C. Gossip

Proverbs 20:19, Proverbs 16:28

D. Slander

Proverbs 10:18b 

E. Talebearing – Breaking Confidences

Proverbs 11:13 

F. Contentious Speech

Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 26:21 

G. Cursing

Ephesians 4:29 

3) The Tongue is Humanly Untamable

James 3:7-8, Exodus 4:10-12, Proverbs 21:23, Proverbs 10:19, Isaiah 6:1-4, Isaiah 6:5, Isaiah 6:6-7, Isaiah 6:8 

4) The Tongue can be Contrastingly Productive

James 3:9-12 

5) Speak Life

Guarding The Gates – Part 4 [The Mind Gate 3]

1) We are vulnerable to think we have to be perfect.

2) When we’re critical of ourselves, it makes us critical of others.

Isaiah 54:4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

The New Living Translation says it like this…Isaiah 54:4 “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Acts 13:39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

Romans 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Don’t live by what the world knows about you… live by who He says you are. This is what I was… it’s no longer who I am. You are set free from your shame.

I’m no longer a slave to what I did… rather I am free because Jesus died for me!

5 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken

Guarding the Gates – Part 3 [The Mind Gate 2]

Jeremiah 17 says the heart is deceitful… The only way to live in the truth is to expose the evil… and I am tired of waiting behind a mask wondering if it’s ok to come out again… It’s time to unveil the mask… and live in what Christ has already given us… 

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 

1) My God is always for me. 

Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? We do not live our lives chasing the approval of God. We live our lives as an overflow from what we already have.

 Hebrews 10:22-25 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

2) My God always helps me. 

Hebrews 13:5b-6 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” 

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 

3) My God is still working in me. 

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The Heart of God Luke 6:45 (NLT) A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Bottom line: if you want to know what God is like look closely at Jesus

Verses 2-3 For you have given him [that is Jesus speaking of Himself] authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Verse 6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

Verse 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

ginosko – “to know” in the present tense, active voice- meaning it implies a continual action 

John 14:6 Isaiah 43:11 (NASB) 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV) John 10: 18 (NIV) 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV) Romans 3:23 Romans 3:23-24 (NLT) John 16:33 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

1) You may want to talk to your friends.

Mark 14:32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

Mark 14:33-34 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

2) You can talk to GOD

Mark 14:35-36 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

3) You talk to your emotions

Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

HCC definition of unity: “yoU aNd I working Together towards our whY”

What is our why?

Heritage Community Church is a community of Christians devoted to nurturing love for God, love for self and love for others. Matthew 22:34-40

How do we get there?

We develop a culture of:

1. Honor

2. Accountability

3. Trust

Romans 15:5-7  May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

John 17:20-23  “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

We desperately need each other.

The world will see God's love.

John 13:34-35  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

We can do infinitely more together than we can apart.

Acts 4:32-33  All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all

2 Chronicles 7:14 If MY people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.