A Community of Forgiveness

Conrad Hilario

Matthew 18:21-34

Forgiveness is necessary to healthy Christian community. It calls on us to lay aside our right to make someone pay, even for grievous wrongs. While difficult, it reflects our appreciation for all our wrongs that God has forgiven.

Participating in Christ's Suffering

Jim Leffel

Colossians 1:24-29

Participating in the suffering of Christ involves counting the cost of the pain of living in interdependent community, knowing the purpose of that pain and receiving the prize of following him, that is, joy. The experience of joy is directly related to the value of the object of joy, the incomparable Christ.

Jesus and Saul

Ben Foust

Acts 9:1-27

The story of Saul's radical transformation from an enemy of God who persecuted the early church with vengeance to his becoming the foremost evangelist who died proclaiming the Good News is a showcase for how God's grace and mercy can change anyone, even the one who is least likely in our eyes. Sometimes our spiritual passions are misplaced and don't align with God's plans for us. God's mercy and grace is nothing short of scandalous. No one is too much an enemy of God to be accepted by God. His invitation stand today for each and every person.

Three Components for a Health Church

Ryan Lowery

Acts 17:1-7

1 Thessalonians is written to a church in Thessalonica--a group of believers Paul reached after God gave him a vision of a man in Macedonia who was seeking God. Here Paul spells out three components of a healthy church: faith, their labor of love, and putting their ultimate hope in Jesus' return. These components give us a great model today to emulate in our Christian communities.

Building with God (Part 2)

Mike Sullivan

Ephesians 4:11-16

God works through people to build his church--not just people we see up front teaching and leading, but all Christians. This has implications for the church as a whole and for us as individuals. We need to be in tune to leading from the Holy Spirit, stay connected to Christ, speak the truth in love, and be aware of and actively use our spiritual gifts to serve and build up others.

Building with God (Part 1)

Mike Sullivan

Ephesians 4:1-6

After spending three chapters on all of the amazing things God has done for us, Paul shifts his focus to what our response should be. God already laid the foundation for his church, and now he invites us to build on it by showing his love to the world as a group of believers committed to humility, gentleness, patience, and unity.

Three Aspects of Biblical Love

Ryan Lowery

Hebrews 13:1-25

The author of Hebrews concludes by issuing a series of imperatives, urging believers to continue to love one another. A healthy church must love those outside the community of believers, love other one another, and, in marriages, love their spouse, especially when times are difficult.

Living Stones

Ben Foust

1 Peter 2:4-10

Peter uses the metaphor of the temple to describe the proper functioning of the church. The stones represent individual believers, each with their own role, but also working together toward the purpose of proclaiming the excellencies of Christ to the world. The cornerstone is Christ, whom the whole building is built around, but who is also a stumbling block for those who disbelieve.\r\n

Jesus' Community

Dennis McCallum

Romans 12:5-21

What does it mean to be part of a community? Is there something more than just spending time together? This teaching looks at what community means in a biblical sense.