Port Orchard Church of the Nazarene

In this week's message, Pastor Jerry speaks about lenses and loving. Often times, people read the Bible with "a 19th-Century lense asking 20th-Century questions," but as it turns out, it may be more beneficial to read it with a 1st-Century lense and ask 21st-Century questions.

Port Orchard Church of the Nazarene

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul talks about how one could speak all the languages of Heaven and Earth, have the gift of prophecy, and the faith to move mountains, but if there is no love, they have nothing and are "...Only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." Obviously, love must be pretty important if it's more valuable than moving mountains! So when Jesus died humanity's death, it was perhaps the greatest act of love in recorded history. One reason, as Pastor Jerry explains, is that in the process, Jesus put an end to sacrifices- Jesus paid the price so we could be free!

In 1 Timothy 2:3-4, it talks about how God "wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth," according to the NIV translation. In Matthew 19, Jesus talks about a "Renewal of All Things," and in Acts 3, Peter says Jesus will "restore everything." Does this mean that God can save someone even in their final moments? As Martin Luther said, "Who would doubt that He could do this?" Pastor Jerry explores these ideas and more in this week's message.

This week, in honor of Mother's Day, Pastor Jerry talks about the Glory on the Girls. Pastor Jerry talks about how in the garden, Woman was given to Man, and it was a good thing. And even after the fruit was eaten, God never changed His mind about man- or woman!

Pastor Jerry defined grace as an absolutely free expression of the love of God finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of God. He also shared that peace could be expressed as "every kind of good to you today; harmony." A mystic once said that "to know everything is to forgive everything." Could grace and peace be the filter for our thoughts and conversations?

What is Freedom? Freedom is not freedom to sin, as some believe, but it's a freedom FROM sin! Galatians Five tells us that "Christ has made us free; Keep your free condition, and let no man put a yoke (of slavery) on you again!" Freedom is forgiveness; it's trusting without fear. When you walk in freedom, there is beauty and hope in everything. Let Freedom reign in your life! Once you get a taste, you'll always want more!

Romans 8:11 says that "...The Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you." That means you're full of the resurrection power of Jesus! So when the Bible mentions the "Good Fight of Faith," the reason it's so good is because not only does the enemy have no power over you, but he's already been defeated! You are powerful and equipped for anything that comes your way!

In this message, Andre talks about how important our perception is. Sometimes, two people can experience the same event- a concert, for example- yet tell two radically different stories when they get back. If two people can have such different perceptions of the same thing, it would be logical that we might have a different view of an event than God does.

Christ in you, you in Christ - the mystery predates history. Pastor Jerry shared that Paul's conversion results from God invading his understanding, not of him gaining understanding but Christ already in Him. If God included you in Christ, is it possible for you to successfully exclude yourself from Christ?