Sermons

God has given us ordinary means to encounter him and be changed in an extraordinary way. His Word, Our Prayer, and His Church are all gracious gifts given to the people of God by God Himself. God graciously speaks to us, listens to us, and relates to us through these means. The church, though imperfect, is one of the most important means God has given us to experience him and be changed.

God has given us ordinary means to have an extraordinary encounter with Him. He has given us His Word, Prayer, and His Church so that we might become more like Jesus every day. When we read the Scriptures, when we spend time in prayer, and when we spend time in fellowship with other believers we put ourselves in the pathway of God's grace and will experience spiritual growth as the God makes us more like Jesus in those encounters.

God has given us ordinary means to know his extraordinary grace more and more every day. The mains means God has given us to know Him is His Word. If we want to be more like Jesus we must encounter Jesus. If we want to encounter Jesus we must encounter his word.

One cannot encounter Jesus and remain the same. Jesus changes us and we have a new identity where we find our purpose and place in his person and work. Paul tells the church that they must not only pursue unity but that they must also pursue holiness. God's grace is not a cheap grace. The grace we have in Jesus leads to a pursuit of Jesus where we will not remain unchanged.

God gifts the church so that they might transform the culture. It is good that w meet together to worship, but our worship must continue throughout the week. We are called to use the gifts that God has given us so that He might transform the community through us. As the church grows in depth and number the community of which they are a part will be transformed.

The unity we have in Christ is multiplied by the diverse and gracious gifts Jesus has given to his Church. A healthy church is a church where every member of the body of Christ is looking to discover their gift, enjoy their gifts, and worship God by using their gifts to serve others and love Jesus.

Jesus prayed that the church might be one as He and the Father are one. Unity is a big deal for Jesus and it is a big deal for the Apostles. Why? Because a church that is united under the Gospel puts the manifold wisdom of God on display for the world to see. We are united under one Savior and our pursuit of the one Savior testifies to his power and glory.

Our calling to follow after Christ is a gift and a privilege. But it is also a life that demands the pursuit of holiness. Jesus, who is our hope, has not called us to follow him and remain the same; his love for us continues as he prunes and sanctifies. The Christian is to take seriously this work, as the unity of the church is greatly affected by our sin. This involves identifying sin patterns, walking in community, and wrestling in prayer with the Holy Spirit as we each seek to put off sin and put on righteousness.