The church of Christ on McDermott Road

Scripture: John 21

Scripture: Mark 5:30-34

Scripture: Exodus 14

One of the primary reasons Israel was supposed to love and care for their neighbors was because they were God’s holy representatives. Their generosity towards the poor, their honesty, their justice, and their forgiveness were supposed to represent God’s holy character to the world. As followers of Jesus, we are filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Therefore, our lives and our homes should be beacons of holiness and love. The world should be able to recognize a Christian home by a family’s love for their neighbors; by their generosity, honesty, justice, and forgiveness. (Scripture: Leviticus 19:9-18)

Scripture: Genesis 6

The modern world has as many idols as the ancient world, they are just a little more insidious. An idol is not just something we treat as more important than God. God has never been interested in simply being our favorite God, he wants to be our ONLY God. We must make sure we don’t worship God on Sunday, then go home and worship something else the rest of the week. Christian homes should be places of worship, where God alone is worshiped all week long.. (Scripture: Leviticus 19:4)

Clarence Ross, Jr.

Scripture: Genesis 1

In the opening message of our Summer Series, Clarence Ross Jr. reminded us that God is not limited by time, space, or circumstance. Drawing from Genesis 1 and Daniel 3, he encouraged us to trust in a God who brings order from chaos—not by force, but by speaking. When life feels overwhelming or uncertain, the same God who created the world with a word can still speak into our lives today. Whether you're facing discouragement, waiting on answers, or wondering how your story will turn out, the message is clear: keep reading—God’s not finished yet.

As many commentaries have remarked on this passage, “Holiness begins in the home.” When Israel was commanded to be holy, the first instruction was for children to revere their parents. This idea is not only echoed in the New Testament, it is infused with even greater meaning “in Christ.” When we listen to, learn from, honor, obey, submit to, respect, and care for our parents, it is a way of engaging in holy service to Christ. (Scripture: Leviticus 19:1-3)

Sexual immorality has always been a sin with very serious consequences; it defiles everyone involved and makes them unclean. Additionally, under the Law of Moses, even the lawful intimacy of a husband and wife made them temporarily unclean. In Christ, our bodies have been purchased and have become the temple of God. This makes sexual sin even more serious, gives married intimacy a whole new meaning, and allows singleness for Christ to become a priestly vocation. (Scripture: Ephesians 5:25-33)

Under the Law of Moses, if a person came into contact with bodily discharges or skin diseases, that person was unclean and unable to participate in tabernacle worship until they had been purified. They had not sinned by touching the sick, but they were no longer holy. Jesus, on the other hand, is incorruptibly holy. He touched the sick and rather than being defiled, he healed, cleansed, and purified those he touched. Now, because of Christ and like Christ, we can care for the sick without being defiled. In him, our help is holy work. (Scripture: Luke 5:12-16)