The Night Before the First Christmas. Today, Pastor Michael is preaching on Christmas Eve, and that’s special all by itself!  So where was Jesus on Christmas Eve?  In the womb of Mary! But where was Jesus before that?  When did he come into existence?  Was it when He was conceived?  Or before? Six Truths About Jesus BEFORE Bethlehem: Jesus was pre-existant. He was there before time existed.  Before Genesis 1:1.  Before ANYTHING.

1. Jesus was (and is and continues to be) God’s ultimate message.
2. Jesus was in fellowship with God, even before He existed in a material form. He existed in an immaterial form, in perfect fellowship with God.
3. Jesus was one with God.
4. Jesus was creating and nothing was made without Him, including Him.  Jesus was not a created being.  He was the conduit of creation.
5. Jesus was and is salvation.

Long before what we would call the beginning, Jesus was there.  When all of this is said and done, when everything we know is gone, Jesus will be there! Merry Christmas, everyone! Verses can be found in John 1: 1-5,  John 14: 20, John 17: 5, 1 John 4: 1-3 and Colossians 1: 16. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

God With Us. Today, Pastor Michael introduces us to Beverly Burton of the Peacemaker’s School of Petit-Goave, Haiti.  Her message is incredibly inspiring, being in their tenth year of school in a country that is lawless and run mostly by gangs.  Her message makes anyone appreciate the luxuries we enjoy in this country, but we can always do more to help folks in Haiti.  Please pray for Beverly’s ministry in Haiti to allow safe passage of needed food supplies and for the safety of her teachers and the children. After Beverly’s message about her Haitian ministry, we had our children’s play but had to trim that out as the audio was pretty hard to hear.  Micheal then goes right into a story of an old man living in a cellar in Persia who has very few things, but he shares what little he has with a stranger who appeared at this door and even gave his shoes to the beggar.  The king of Persia at that time was actually a man who loved his people so much that he would go out in the clothes of a beggar and visit them, allowing him to understand their struggles.  Of course, you’ve probably figured out that the beggar who showed up at the old man’s place was the king! However, the beggar was simply amazed that the king would actually visit him and give the greatest gift of all: the gift of himself.  God visits us in the person of Jesus Christ, who took on humanity and lived amongst humans.  And Jesus gave us the same greatest gift; He gave us Himself. Merry Christmas to everyone! Verses can be found in Isaiah 7: 14. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Joy to the (Messed Up) World. Today, Pastor Michael is talking about our current world where the stress and the struggle can pile on!  Christmas amps it up, with all the shopping crowds and noise.  If only life weren’t so full of chaos! So, we should strive for inner peace: true joy is inner contentment despite outer conflict.  How can we have this?  How can we get this? Jesus = Joy!  If you want joy in this messed up world, you’ll have to gain inner contentment, and the only way to have that is to have Jesus in the right place in your life. Jesus is coming again to bring peace on earth, but first, He came to bring peace in us!  Verses can be found in Luke 2: 8-20 and Isaiah 65: 17-25. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Jesus vs The Authorities Today, Pastor Michael is in the heart of a quiet forest with a cold stream meandering through, and two soldiers in shining armor move forward to a figure, standing in plain wool clothing and a wicker basket with large fish in it.  The man is whistling as he’s swinging a bamboo pole, and he’s fishing in the ROYAL POND!  He’s trespassing on the King’s land.  The man, however, is not frightened at all.  In fact, he encourages the soldiers to join him in fishing.  Soon, one of the soldiers poked the man with a spear, and the guard just got madder and madder.  The man asks the soldier, “Who do you think I am?”.  This man who was fishing in the King’s stream is the King himself!  Indeed, the guards did join the King and filled the basket promptly.  They learned that true authority isn’t about power; it’s about compassion.  In another story, with another King, folks confronted him as a trespasser.  This story takes place a few days before the crucifixion.  Officials questioned Jesus’ authority.  The Sanhedrin were the formal spiritual and political leaders of Israel at the time (the true authorities).  They questioned Jesus by what authority he was doing things.  The things he did yesterday… running people out of the temple, chasing animals out….this was the Sanhedrin’s area to control, but they let thieves take over the temple.  So here, the Sanhedrin questioned Jesus’ authority, and He questioned theirs! Jesus asked the Sanhedrin if the baptism of John was from heaven or from men.  Jesus was asking something completely legit to the Sanhedrin; it was their role to explain all things spiritual.  They reasoned amongst themselves, realizing this was a trick question, so they answered, “We do not know,” so Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” This tells us that the authorities are more concerned with keeping their power than the truth.  True authority isn’t about setting yourself up (for your benefit); it’s about setting others free.  Mark 11:27-33 (CSB Study Bible Notes) 11:27 The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders made up the Sanhedrin, the seventy-member governing body of the Jews. These were representatives, not the whole body. In his first death prediction, Jesus named these groups as those who would put him to death (see note at 8:31). 11:28 The questions focused on the nature (by what) of Jesus’s authority (Gk exousia) and on who gave it to him. Jesus’s authority had been at issue since the beginning (1:22,27; 2:10). These things probably refers to his temple clearing and his royal entry into the city. 11:29-30 John’s baptism encapsulates John the Baptist’s entire ministry. From heaven means “from God.” Jesus’s question turned the tables on the Pharisees. If they admitted that John was sent by God, they would have to admit the same about Jesus. 11:31-33 A genuine prophet has authority from heaven. If John was a prophet from God, Jesus was even more so. Unwilling to admit this, the authorities refused to answer Jesus. Verses can be found in Mark 11: 27-33 Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

What's Been Taking the Air Out of Your Prayers? Today, Pastor Michael is talking about forgiveness and regular daily forgiveness, an essential part of any relationship that lasts.  And the big part here is the relationship of forgiveness to our prayers. The main idea of the day is, “Unforgiveness takes the air out of your prayer!”  If you realize there is something unforgiven between you and another, God can refuse to forgive you! Michael’s “Top Six” Reasons to Forgive Someone Who Doesn’t Deserve It:

1. Jesus commands forgiveness.
2. Forgiveness is a witness to God’s grace.
3. Forgiveness reveals your heart.
4. Forgiveness sets you free.
5. Forgiveness is essential to healthy relationships.
6. Unforgiveness hinders your prayers.

The person you damage most with unforgiveness is you! (CSB Study Bible Notes) 11:25 A second condition to petitions being granted is to forgive others. Standing while praying was the usual Jewish posture for public prayers (cp. Lk 18:9-14). If you have anything against anyone recalls Mt 5:23-24 (cp. Mt 18:21-35). Verses can be found in Mark 11: 25-26. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

God Meets You Where You Are. Today, Pastor Michael turns over the reigns to Billy Huneycutt, who is doing his “The Potter” sermon.  This, coincidentally, cannot be fully appreciated as audio only, so we’re linking to his sermon a year ago here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuBI82gXXkE; here, you can get a visual of what he’s doing.  Verses can be found in John 8 and Jeremiah 18.  Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Move the Mountain. Today, Pastor Michael summarizes the sermon: “Prayer moves mountains, and the first mountain that must move is in me.” Today’s story takes place three days before His crucifixion.  This is two days after the Triumphal Entry and one day when He ran the money changers out of the temple.  In that table-turning story, Jesus encountered a fig tree, found no fruit, and cursed the tree.  It seems the fig tree, the temple, and everything aren’t related, but they are! Jesus pointed out that the true power to move mountains is faith.  (CSB Bible Notes) 11:12-26 Matthew recorded the temple clearing (Mt 21:12-17) and the cursing of the fig tree (21:18-20) as distinct events. Mark divided the cursing of the fig tree (Mk 11:12-14) from its withering (vv. 20-21) and placed the clearing of the temple in between (vv. 15-19). Thus he meant for readers to see the connection between the barren fig tree (symbolic for Israel) and the barren temple. Jesus’s cursing of the fig tree was an acted-out parable of God’s judgment on Jerusalem and the temple. Verses can be found in Mark 11: 22-24. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The Fruitless Tree Today, Pastor Michael discusses when you thought something would help you, but it didn’t.  A time when Jesus found a fruit tree that didn’t grow fruit.  An obscure story that surrounds a famous story, but the fruitless tree withers whether it be a fig, a nation, or you and me.   This is one day after Jesus entered Jerusalem, and He knew deep down that the folks therein did not understand why He was there, so he left the city.  Now, He’s on his way back to Jerusalem and spots a fig tree looking for figs.  Jesus knows (because he’s omniscient) that this tree will never produce fruit.  And this fig tree was a symbol of Israel.   So they went to Jerusalem and came upon the temple, and Jesus stopped folks from conducting commerce in the temple; essentially, the folks had made the temple a den of thieves.  The temple was for worship, but many had turned the temple into a trading post of sorts.  The fruitless fig trees pointed to the fruitless temple, a connecting point of this story.   This story isn’t about a tree; it’s an illustration.  This story is about a spiritually bankrupt temple and nation. (CSB Bible Notes) Thus, he (Mark) meant for readers to see the connection between the barren fig tree (symbolic of Israel) and the barren temple. Jesus’s cursing of the fig tree was an acted-out parable of God’s judgment on Jerusalem and the temple. Verses can be found in Mark 11: 11-21.  Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The Expectation of Transformation Today, Pastor Michael is talking about how disappointment can be rooted in expectations that weren’t matched with reality.  Having expectations rooted directly in the Word of God is central to a vibrant, joy-filled life with Jesus.  Picking up in Mark, Jesus is in a crowd following him, based on an expectation that did not rely on reality. The right expectation is transformation, our learning nugget of the day.  Jesus and His disciples are almost to Jerusalem.  He tells two of His disciples to go into a little village, and they’ll find a donkey, untie him, and bring him to Me.  And if anyone asks why you’re doing this, say, “The Lord has need of it.”  The disciples did that very thing and were busted.  The owners let it ride and allowed the donkey to go. Jesus now rides the donkey into Jerusalem.  One doesn’t usually think of a king riding into a city on a donkey, but in ancient Israel, a donkey was a sign of royalty, and Jesus came in peace, fulfilling a 500-year-old prophecy.  Onlookers carpet the road with palm fronds and their clothing, shouting for joy.  Jesus went to Jerusalem, visited the temple, and left the city.  He leaves the city with the disciples to Bethany.  Jesus knew the welcome was not truthful; they believed in their concept of Jesus as a king on the throne, with his disciples occupying traditional roles.  They expected him to reveal His plan, eliminate the Romans, and reestablish Israel as a sovereign nation.  So Jesus heard the shouts of welcome but knew that by the end of the week, those same people would want him crucified.  Their expectations were theirs and did not match Jesus’. Expectations that are real (real reasons to believe in Jesus supported by scripture).

1. Salvation and forgiveness.
2. Spiritual transformation.
3. Personal relationship with Jesus.
4. Guidance and direction.
5. Strength in trials.
6. Eternal life.
7. Spiritual gifts.
8. Joy and peace.
9. Purpose and calling.

Verses can be found in Mark 11: 1-11, and Zechariah 9: 9. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

God’s Plan for Church Leaders Today, Pastor Michael’s subject is church leadership.  The New Testament calls these leaders “elders”.  Elders, shepherds, and overseers are our keywords today.  Elders lead by wisdom, love, stewardship, and trust. A shepherd is someone who shepherds or cares for God's flock. In our churches today, we typically call them pastors. The overseer directs and guides.  These categories are the qualities of church leaders.  Today, Recreate Church recognizes three men as church elders, and the ceremony is contained here in the podcast.  (CSB Bible Notes) 5:1-4 Peter charged elders to be exemplary, responsible servants. The term elders refers to the office of pastoral leaders in the church. The word appears to be used interchangeably here with shepherds/pastors and elsewhere with overseers (Ti 1:5,7). Peter’s appeal was based on the fact that he was a fellow elder and witness to Christ’s sufferings. This helped him identify fully with the elders he was addressing and gave added support for his plea. He commanded them to be shepherds of God’s flock. In other words, they were to nurture, lead, and protect God’s people without lording it over them. Elders who have served faithfully, despite suffering while on earth, will receive glory in heaven from Christ, the chief Shepherd. Verses can be found in 1 Peter 5: 1-5. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.