Series: “Basic.Church”

Message: “Teaching 2”

Scripture: II Timothy 4:1-5

Pastor Joel Zuidema

Paul wrote this word for the Lord from a prison cell, awaiting execution. He wrote to his spiritual Protégé, Timothy, whom he clearly loved and viewed as a son. These are his final instructions to the young man who would continue the mission that Paul had dedicated his life to, and for which he would not be killed. He instructs Timothy to hold fast to the faith, to defend it against those who would distort it, to fearlessly proclaim God’s truth even when no one will listen and to fulfill his ministry faithfully. This world is corrupt and will continue to corrupt itself. The world dearly needs the truth of the word of God to reorient itself. WE need truth. And week to week we have a truth encounter in God’s house, His church, as the word is read and preached. May God keep us in the light.

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Not only did Jesus’ death on the cross pay for the sins of all He came to save and reconcile us to God individually, but it also removed “the hostility between Jew and Gentiles.” This means that Jesus’ death also reconciles people groups to each other. This may not seem true at all in our cultural bickering, but it is true amongst Christians. Sin messes up people’s relationship to God and to others. Jesus’ death reconciles both. Then He puts us all in His new team called the church that serves as His witness to the world. Let’s explore this concept this morning in sermon and this afternoon in small group.

Message: “Priorities, Setting Course in 2018”

Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Pastor Joel Zuidema

Sunday’s new year’s message is a challenge to appropriately prioritize the two major communal gifts that God gives to Christians: family and church. Keeping them sized appropriately is a challenge, but is God’s call to us as He gifts, teaches and uses us in church and family.

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-25

Scandals are everywhere in the news these days. Witness the large amount of powerful men accused of sexual harassment and/or assault against females and/or males. If you haven’t been watching the news, here’s a snippet of the accused names drawn from movie, media, dining, TV, sports, and politics: Harvey Weinstein, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, Matt Lauer, Garrison Keillor, Charlie Rose, George H.W. Bush, Chris Savino, Roy Price, Mark Halperin, Michael Oreskes, Al Franken, Marshall Faulk, Donovan McNabb, and Lockhart Steele to name a few. If you don’t recognize the names, you would recognize either their pictures from media or the names of their respective institutions. Oh, and let’s not forget president Donald Trump and former president Bill Clinton. In some ways, there is nothing new here. Powerful men, and women, have leveraged their mighty positions for sexual gain, but the sheer tsunami of allegations is overwhelming. We have entered a new era in which women and men vying for positions of influence will no longer accept unwanted sexual advances. Yay!! That’s an advance! May that advance trickle down to the poor woman with two children working 50 hours/week at McDonald's and being hit on by her boss.

Let us not forget that Jesus came to earth in the midst of sexual scandal. A virgin conceived and gave birth to a son. However, this scandal was not mired in sin, but in the sovereign will of God unto His people’s salvation. Thanks be to God.

Sunday we consider how even scandal is used in believers' lives for God’s glory, whether a virgin’s conception spawned by God’s goodness, or our scandals conceived in sin or birthed by salacious rumor. God is with His people, even in scandal. Are you His? Is He yours?

"The gift is the giver. The giver is the gift.

Do I love God for His gifts or for who He is?

When we enjoy God's gifts more than God Himself,

we are like a fiancé who takes the ring and forgets the wedding."

~John Pipe

Message: “Christmas Lights and Jesus”

Scripture: John 1:1-14 and Romans 5:8

Guest Pastor John Hoffmaster

A manger scene figure becomes fully what it was designed to be only when the light bulb is energized within it. A person being becomes fully human only when the light of Jesus shines within him or her.

II Corinthians 1:1-11

Christians proclaim that God is with us. How can that be true in the storms of life that have us begging for relief? Let’s join the Apostle Paul as he proclaims how God was with him in a storm, and how God leveraged that storm for Paul’s and God’s good.

Nehemiah 1:1-11

The Bible teaches that God is with us. Even one of Jesus’ nick names is “Immanuel” meaning God with us. But how? How is He with us? Over the next 2 Sundays and then the Christmas season we will explore what it means that God is with us. This comes at a pivotal time for Pathway, as we end our 2 week fast and ask what God revealed. We sought His face over a building project that seems a near term impossibility ($1,000,000 short). Today we hear from you how He revealed Himself. Our message this week is “God with us in the mission.” Is He? If so, how?

Matthew 6:16-18

Last Sunday I set you loose to fast and pray after only one 15 minute teaching on fasting. The rest of the teaching was building project information. So, let’s return one more time to the topic and hear more about the blessings of a fast. This teaching will be disconnected from the building project. I’m encouraged by how many of you are participating and the sharing you’ve done on the email chain and at the adult family night group. God is blessing this commitment that we’ve made to Him and to each other. Continue to petition Him over a building project and be aware of what He does inside of you personally as you redirect your cravings to Him for a spiritual filling.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-13

There are two extremes that are dangerous with the devil. One, consider him more powerful than he is. Two, pretend he doesn’t exist. Today we will get an accurate fix on the Devil’s schemes, and our strategy for combating our dangerous enemy. Do not forget that God is stronger, and that you have authority in Christ to battle him.

Surpassing Worth