Into The River

First message in our Branches series, teaching on the fruit of the Spirit.

John 15:1-11:

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

Livestream

Welcome to our fourth ever teaching talkback, where Renew Church is invited to send in questions in response to Sunday's sermon. (503) 765-5785

In this episode Pastor Jeff Patterson is joined by Anna Hunter, our church administrator, for the first question.

Questions:

2nd Corinthians 9:1-15:

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;    his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Teaching podcast link: Having All Sufficiency In All things at All Times

What is the difference between being willing to give, and being ready to give?

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

2nd Corinthians 9:1-15:

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

- - -

“Once we understand that we are giving away God’s money to do God’s work, we discover a peace and joy we never had back when we thought it was our money!”

—Randy Alcorn

Welcome to our third ever teaching talkback, where Renew Church is invited to send in questions in response to Sunday's sermon. (503) 765-5785

In this episode Pastor Jeff Patterson is joined by Anna Hunter, our church administrator, to talk about grace giving.

Questions:

2nd Corinthians 8:1-9:

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Teaching podcast link: Self-Giving Generosity

What good could we do with the Lord's resources entrusted to us?

2nd Corinthians 8:1-15:

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

“Once we understand that we are giving away God’s money to do God’s work, we discover a peace and joy we never had back when we thought it was our money!”

—Randy Alcorn

Sunday announcements audio clip from November 10, 2024, featuring a preview of Advent season, beginning December 1st.

Advent is the liturgical season of anticipation connected to the promise and birth of Jesus, as well as His return as King. Specifically, the Advent season is the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day (in 2024: December 1, 8, 15, 22).

We observe Advent as a way to intentionally focus, anticipate, and celebrate Jesus’ birth. And to anticipate His soon return, the Second Advent of Christ our King.

Each Sunday we will gather at 10 AM, with food in a shared potluck, and continue to meet together in song, teaching, a craft for kids and parents together, and the Gospel message as we come around the communion Table.

Welcome to our second episode of teaching talkback, where Renew Church is invited to send in questions in response to Sunday's sermon » (503) 765-5785

In this episode Pastor Jeff fields a question clarifying the imagery of weaned child mentioned by David in Psalm 131, and what that means. Can this metaphor be taken too far? Then we close with an Anti-Psalm, the opposite of Psalm 131, written by David Powlison. Text and links below. 

Psalm 131 (ESV)

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the LORD

from this time forth and forevermore. 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Teaching podcast link: Psalm 131 » Letting the Lord Be King

⁠Youtube livestream⁠

⁠⁠The Anti-Psalm, by David Powlison: 

Self,

my heart is proud (I’m absorbed in myself),

and my eyes are haughty (I look down on other people),

and I chase after things too great and too difficult for me.

So of course I’m noisy and restless inside, it comes naturally,

like a hungry infant fussing on his mother’s lap,

like a hungry infant, I’m restless with my demands and worries.

I scatter my hopes onto anything and everybody all the time.

–“Peace, be still”: Learning Psalm 131 by Heart, by David Powlison. Source: The Journal of Biblical Counseling, Volume 18, Number 3, Spring 2000 [PDF]

A timely word as we pause in the middle of Second Corinthians, to be continued next Sunday (2nd Corinthians 8 on 11/17).

Psalm 131

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
    my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
    too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Preached on Sunday, November 10, 2024 by Pastor Jeff Patterson

Livestream

Welcome to our first ever teaching talkback, where Renew Church is invited to send in questions in response to Sunday's sermon. (503) 765-5785

In this episode we talk about voting on the first Tuesday in November, Pastor Jeff notes why he does not emphasize the end times in teaching, and we received a question about what godly grief looks like in our lives.

Grace, Renewal, Hope & Love

The difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.

2nd Corinthians 7:1-16

verses 1, 9, 10-11:

7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

⁠⁠Teaching podcast link: Godly Grief

Youtube livestream

⁠

Grace, Renewal, Hope & Love

The difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.

2nd Corinthians 7:1-16

verses 1, 9, 10-11:

7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.