What is church truly suppose to be? What is the true message of the church? And how do we determine if a church we are looking at is a good one to attend?

As we look at the compliments and warnings that Jesus gives to the church at Sardis, let grasp them for ourselves today! 

Questions:

Points:

False teaching? How does Jesus address His church on what it looks like and how to handle it? And what is the reality for those who can endure through it and stand firm on the truth of Jesus' Word? 

Join us as Trevor fills in for Pastor Mitch this week and tackles the Letter to Thyatira! 

What does the word repentance mean to you? Is it only for when sharing the gospel or a daily discipline of the believer? Join us as we discuss how the comfort and conviction that Jesus brings to this church challenges us to seek a life of daily repentance. 

I want to take you to a quote from a book called “Regeneration” by David B. McWilliams:

“It is important to point out that faith and repentance continue throughout the Christian life. Every day the Christian believes and repents and cries out ‘convert me, that I may be converted’ (Jere. 31:18). The first of Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1517 was intended to distinguish repentance from penance. Here Martin Luther pointed out the ongoing relationship of repentance to the Christian living: ‘when our lord and master Jesus Christ, said, repent, He willed the entire life of the believers to be one of repentance. The truly regenerated sinner will genuinely repent and will continue so to do. The standard that determines our initial and ongoing repentance is the law of God. this, then, points us to another essential fruit of regeneration, love for the law of God.”

Points:

1. Never think you are past the point of conviction, Get in church and under sound teaching.

2. A life of genuine repentance gives us a life of regular assurance in our salvation.

3. Stop seeking the “moment” or “Experience” to solidify, rather cling to the Word and Name of Jesus!

Question:

1. What does the word Repent conjure up for you?

2. Do we think of repenting as a sign of our growth or only as a sign of condemnation?

3. What can you be implementing in your walk to bring about daily humility and repentance?

How do we suffer? what is suffering in light of Jesus? What is church hurt? How do we handle it? 

Join us as we dive into the exhortation that Jesus gives to a church that is truly suffering for His sake!

Points:

1. If you are saved, yes there is forgiveness, but there is also eternal family. Remember to live and participate in God’s family!

2. Suffering will happen, but with Jesus, suffering will be purposeful and temporal!

3. Never suffer alone, you have the family of God aka the church. Get plugged in!

Questions:

1. What does salvation mean to you? Do you realize you are now part of an eternal family?

2. What does Church mean to you?

a. What about church hurt?

b. Is church important to you?

3. Suffering is going to happen, how does knowing you are adopted by God into a family change the way you see suffering?

How does the Book of Ephesians lend to the proper reading of the Letter to Ephesus that Jesus gives in Revelation? Come listen and join the series!

Let this quote from the teachings of Charles Spurgeon on the church set our focus:

“The church is the kingdom of God among men. It is purely spiritual – comprehending only spiritual men and existing only for spiritual objects. And who is king? None but Jesus! we can truly say, as they did of old who proclaimed the kingship of the crucified. ‘we have another king, one Jesus.’ to Him the assemblies of the saints pay all regal honor, and at His Throne, the entire church bows itself, saluting Him as master and lord.”

Points:

1. Jesus loves relationships! Stop working for Jesus and work with Jesus as your guide and king!

2. Being a part of the church is essential, find one that’s about Jesus first and all else second!

3. Don’t abuse the grace of God, He will remove your impact for His kingdom individually or corporately.

Questions:

1. What are some ways individually, we can be so busy DOING stuff for Jesus that we lose sight of Jesus?

2. What are some ways as the church, we can be so busy or wrongly focused that we lose sight of Jesus?

3. Where is your foundation?

a. Is it simply on the basis that Jesus will make this life better? Or that He will bring you home one day to a restored and eternal life?

What is Revelation about? Who is at the center of it all? Has Revelation been difficult to read or approach? 

Join us as we dive into this series and build a solid foundation on where to stand when it comes to this scripture! 

Points:

1. Jesus is big enough to hold His whole church, yet personal enough to love you eternally.

2. All scripture is either looking towards, about or the result of Jesus. keep Him at the center.

3. Jesus wins. When life seems impossible, remember the one who overcomes the “impossible”.

Questions:

1. What were your views on Revelation before tonight?

a. What are they now?

2. How do the attributes that John describes about Jesus and the claims that Jesus make about Himself change the way you see Jesus?

3. Knowing that Jesus radically cares for and is concerned with His church, how do you view the church?

This is our final sermon of the Christmas season! Come see how Jesus fulfills all of the OT covenants and brings to light the reality of all that the Bible talks about. The best gift you could receive this year is either new life in Jesus or a deepened relationship with Jesus! 

The video of the sermon is on our facebook! 

This message is all about the covenants of the Old Testament and how they had two important roles. First, there is the immediate reality for the people it was spoken too. Second, they had the eternal side that is foretelling of the Messiah. We pray this blesses you and challenges you to see the bible as one unified story of Jesus! 

This sermon is taught by our one and only Trevor who stepped in for Pastor Mitch who had a family wedding going on!

In this Mail Bag Episode, we have an amazing guest with us, Pastor DJ. we tackle:

1. How to handle family and friends who only come to church on Christmas and Easter.

2. If God is so good, why does He allow evil?

We pray this conversation is challenging, thought-provoking, and Christ-glorifying! 

Ask us more questions! 

Welcome to Christmas time at the Refinery! We know this season is either a really big high or a bit low, but even for some, it's just weird. Our prayer is that through this sermon series you find that eternal hope! Jesus was promised, layout, and presented through the full story of the bible! join us as we venture through the amazing reality of Jesus as our savior and redeemer. this message focuses on the Promise of the coming redeemer and how God Himself made it very clear that when He promised Redemption and forgiveness to us, He was going to see it through! 

From the message:

Genesis 12

Now pay attention to two major details of why we trust God will be faithful and why we can from this see how serious God is about salvation and His glory:

1. Abram was in a dead sleep. Why? So that he was but a bystander and beneficiary of the covenant!

2. God alone passed through the carcasses as the fiery utensils. Why? The promise was on Him Alone!

Here is my conclusion and lead-in for next week:

There is a redeemer foretold by God, God makes a promise to see it happen, and God will protect this plan at all costs!

Next: We will cover the outworking of this promised redeemer as he is foretold by the covenants of the OT!