Nelsonville Assembly

Christians celebrate on Good Friday the basis for all of our hope and faith. It was on a cross, that dark Friday afternoon, that Jesus died for His people to bring salvation to the lost. Pastor Isaiah preaches here from the Luke account of this final day in the ministry of Jesus.

"If you are a Christian, then this story is more than just a story: it’s the most precious, awe-inspiring, humbling and worship-provoking account of what God did to save you through Jesus."

In Week 5 of our series, Pastor Isaiah looks at the familiar story of Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus that radically changed the life of this lost sinner. Jesus came to bring hope to those who are lost, the least likely and most undeserving. From there to the Triumphant Entry where Jesus is heralded as the King, it is our looking to Him that marks the Christian life and worship.

Having seen the Scriptural foundations which build out the doctrine of the Trinity for us, we turn to those who have gone before us in the faith to see how historical errors and heresy has led the church to develop more clear language and teachings to safe guard the church and help us maintain a Biblical belief in God.

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable to a group of people who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous" and in speaking to them, He also speaks powerfully to us. The contrast between the religious, self-reliance of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector underscore how God looks at the heart, not just our actions. Those who are sinners, and know they are sinners, find mercy and grace when the come to God in humility.

Luke 7 contains a favorite passage for many Christians. The story of the sinful woman who interrupts dinner with Jesus at a Pharisee's home in order to honor & worship Jesus because of her faith in Him is a moving picture for a Christian to observe. Pastor Isaiah unpacks this beautiful story and calls us to respond to Christ like this woman and to find in Him the extraordinary grace and mercy which Hs gives to sinners.

From Luke 4, Pastor Isaiah takes us to the start of Jesus ministry. In Nazareth, His hometown, Jesus proclaims who He is and what He has come to do from the prophecy of Isaiah 61. But the people respond to Jesus with unbelief, with demands for signs, and with pride in their hearts. Jesus exposes this in them, and by extension in us, because God is truly God alone. He works as He determines is best and mankind is called to respond to Him in faith and trust, not arrogance or pride.

Pastor Isaiah continues to discuss the Doctrine of the Trinity, specifically showing how the Bible refers to both Jesus and the Holy Spirit as Creator. These connections make it clear to a person with a Biblical mindset that the authors of Scripture are equating these two Divine Persons with the name and being of Yahweh.

The New Testament opens with God again speaking, after 400 years, through a man name John. This man was a special messenger from God, sent to fulfill prophecy and to pave the way for the True Hope, Jesus Christ, to come. John models for us the life we should have, pointing away from ourselves to Jesus Christ, the True Hope.

The final sermon in our series focuses on modeling faith in our lives. People learn by observing what we do, how we do it, and the things we say. God is calling us to live as examples, taking the opportunities that we are given to point to Him and His work. We need to love Him and be growing in Him so we can be effective disciple makers. We end with the celebration of Communion together, a tool to remind us of the work of Christ and to be used to share His Word with others.

In Week 2, we dig into the Second Person of the Trinity: God the Son. The Scriptures speak often, clearly, and compellingly about the confession that Jesus Christ is God. The claims of those who reject this have no ground from the Scriptures. Turning to several key passages, claims by Christ Himself, and arguing from the Word of God - Pastor Isaiah unpacks this crucial tenant of our faith: We believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and God!