"The Vision" “All in” means, every Christian who calls Central their church home being totally committed to Jesus and His church. We look at five areas where we need to be “all in” in 2019 and how we did in 2018.

Jesus says in John 10:10: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.   My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”  The good news about Jesus is not just an eternal life insurance policy.  Jesus’ main purpose in coming to earth was to seek and save the lost.   He gave His life to pay the ransom for us.  But another reason Jesus came, so we could have the best life here on earth.   If we will obey and serve Jesus, really follow Him, we’ll have the richest and most satisfying life possible on earth.   We will look at four ways Jesus delivers a rich and satisfying life.   

Jesus says in John 12:46: “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.”  People in darkness are thrilled to see a light.   It’s a symbol of hope.  This world is covered in spiritual darkness, and people are groping to find their way.  The qualities of light remind us of the impact Jesus still makes today.

Jesus says in John 14:27: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” God’s peace is more wonderful than the human mind can understand. In Jesus Christ, God offers a peace that amazes even the receiver of the gift. Peace is something we can all use at Christmas time.

Jesus says about Himself in Mark 10:45: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Some people want to see Jesus as a caring social worker or a thought-provoking teacher. But the main reason Jesus came to earth was to give His life as a ransom, so we could be free from the slavery of sin. We can never really understand why Jesus came; we can never really understand the cradle of Christmas without the cross of Calvary.

Jesus says Luke 19:10: “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”  When we study His statement, it will help us understand, not only why Jesus came, but also why we so desperately need Him.   We will look at Jesus’ motive, mission, and method, for seeking the lost. 

Discipleship Pastor James McKinzie talks about how to be a part of The Church.

In the final lesson of the series, we see Samson as a restored man at the end of his life. We will look at the steps Samson went through in coming to spiritual restoration.

The reason Samson’s life ended up a tragedy can be summed up in one word: pride. Samson’s ego got out of control and was the source of his downfall. The result was not something amazing like falling off the edge of a cliff, but just kind of a gradual slide down the slippery slope of sin.
Samson was too proud to be satisfied with Hebrew women. Samson was too proud to listen to his parents. Samson was too proud to accept defeat from the Philistines. Samson was too proud to depend on God for strength.
But we need to remember God can sometimes use our greatest failures for His glory. 2 Corinthians 12:10says, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.”

Samson had very strong blessings. He was born at a great time, to godly parents, and given amazing strength from God. 
It is important for us to recognize God is the giver of our gifts and our strengths are to be used for His glory and not our own. When the blessed use their talents for the work of Jesus, the Body of Christ, the church, is lifted up and the whole world benefits. But it requires the humble admission all talent comes from God and it is to be used for Him.