In Christ, God has resurrected our identity and given us a new way to live. We no longer live with guilt, shame, fear, purposeless, hopeless and desperate for love and acceptance. Our identity is now His identity, because we have been chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgive, and lavished with love - with a future inheritance that is sealed.

Raster marks the date that Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, the most important event in History. If the Resurrection was a lie then Christianity is dead and a colossal waste of time. If the Resurrection is true, then Jesus is God, the Gospel is true, and there is hope for our future and our lives right now.

God invites people into relationship and transforms them with his love. Transformed people invite others to meet God, and when these people band together they form a church - and that’s when real momentum is developed. When everyone takes responsibility for that kind of culture, we build momentum and reach more and more people for Christ.

God invites all of us into relationship because He loves us. Last week we looked at the wheel of discipleship: Seekers - Believers - Followers - Laborers. Part of God’s invitation is to become his invitation. 2nd Corinthians 5 gives us a picture of what a laborer looks like. Laborers are courageous from an eternal perspective, actively seek to persuade others, are motivated by love, believe in changed lives, and understand that they are ambassadors for Christ. Essentially laborers are God’s invitation. We invite with both actions and with words. Our actions should point to Jesus, and we must be prepared to open our mouths and do the same.

The great story of the Gospel is that God invites all people into relationship with Him through faith, and deeper in relationship through obedience. The main point of the message is for people to see clearly where they are on the path, and to accept God's invitation to make the next move.

The nation of Israel has committed genocide against the tribe of Benjamin, leaving only 600 men alive. This chapter closes out the dark book of Judges, giving us a sobering picture of what happens when there is no King, and we all do what is right in our own eyes.

This passage covers the retaliation of Israel against the Benjaminites as they seek vengeance for the death of the concubine. When we become hardened with being right, we miss out on Jesus. We don't need another judge, we need a King.

This story serves as a stark reminder that God has no grandchildren, only sons and daughters. Each must individually choose a relationship with God, and whether or not to conform to His will of God.

Today we fall into the traps of worshipping God on our own terms, with images that we fashion, when it's convenient, and never really giving God control. The bottom line for us is to worship God as he is, not as we want him to be.

Samson is regarded in the Hebrews 11 hall of faith. This can only be a testament to salvation by grace alone through faith alone. It is staggering to consider what Samson could have been and done for God. Built before being too hard on Samson, we can also see ourselves in his journey and learn what not to do.