MCC Podcast

Last week we looked back 100 years to see what life was like here in the U.S. This week we’ll see a few predictions that people made in 1923 that they thought would be true about life today. While some of them are not accurate (at least at the moment), some are hauntingly similar to everything happening in the world right now. What’s true in the world, is true in the church. The more some things change, the more others do not. 

This weekend we’ll see an issue they had in the church in Corinth in the first century which could tear the church apart, is still an issue in the church in the 21st century, and still has the ability to tear the church apart. It can tear MCC apart. This week we’ll see what Paul has to say about unity in the church. And in the process we’ll see what unity is, and what it is not.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This week we will begin to walk through the letter Paul wrote to the church in the city of Corinth to find out that it’s not just true of the US one hundred years ago, but the church 2000 years ago. We will also see what we can learn from them about how to respond to people and issues in our culture today.

This Sunday I get to conclude our Ekklesia series by jumping straight to the last verse in the book. For the last few weeks we’ve been following how God used Paul.

Paul, who helped start at least 10 new churches in his life.

Paul, who wrote 13 of the of 27 books in the New Testament.

Paul, who influenced people whose names appear on books in the New Testament, people like Mark, Luke, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and others whose names you may recognize: Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, and Aquila and Priscilla.

In the big picture, in the grand scheme of things, when we consider the eternality of God's Kingdom and the work that is done in His Name, in terms of lives that are affected not merely for a lifetime but for all time, it seems fair to say that Paul “lived on mission.”

Why was that? And is it possible that what made Paul's ministry so successful and to leave a legacy of so many touched and changed lives for the sake of Jesus, is it possible that those things can be true of you and me and even what God is doing through us here at MCC as well?

By now, you should be seeing some obvious characteristics of the early Church. Acts doesn’t paint a rosy picture of first century Christians. We see personality clashes and differences of opinion regarding strategy. The missteps of God’s people trying to be a part of Kingdom building.

This week Rich will guide us through chapter 18 where we see the fruit of Christian’s loving God, loving people and living on mission. Did you think we came up with that on our own?!?

Take a few minutes to read through chapter 18. Familiarize yourself with the people in the story. Dig around in the background and even look at what they go on to do.

Your investment in the lives of your neighbors is a wonderful part of God’s redemptive plan. That’s what it means to Live On Mission!

Outside of the Spirit of God, one of the most powerful tools the early church had was __________.

How would you answer that?

Miracles?

People sharing their faith?

Good deeds?

There are a lot of ways to fill in that blank. This weekend may surprise you as we will be in Acts 16 with Paul and Silas, in prison, singing.

This week we see another HUGE moment in Acts. The first 12 chapters focus on the work of the Apostle Peter and the church in Jerusalem. But beginning in chapter 13 that focus shifts to the Apostle Paul and the church in Antioch. So this week we will see what God is saying to us about being a witness for Him.

This Sunday is special as we turn a corner with an event in the life of the early church. What we talked about last week, the conversion of Saul (later known as the Apostle Paul) was a major event for the early church, this week is about to be a bombshell.

And if this is your first time reading through Acts, you probably won’t pick up on this.

And maybe if you’ve read this book many times, it’s possible you still did not pick up the significance. 

Today we read about a man named Cornelius who became a disciple of Jesus. And he was a Gentile. The FIRST Gentile convert to the church. And I know we’ve talked about this, but a Gentile is anyone who is not a Jew. So for all of you who are gentiles like me, this is a pivotal moment for us.

Eric and our intern Leah talk about the gospel.

Eric and Josh talk about sanctification.

This week, we will continue our study of Acts and early church disciple making. This series has been so fascinating to examine and I am really excited to hear what Mike will share with us about Paul!