Mid-Week Moment

April 29, 2012

Pastor R. Greene

“The Marks of the Kingdom”

Mark 1:40-45;  Mark 3:1-6

SOAP:      S:  Scripture     O:   Observations    A:  Application   P:  Prayer

IS THERE ANY PLACE IN YOUR LIFE THAT NEEDS HEALING?            

·      God is the Great Physician

·      He can heal any disease

·      God uses many means for healing us.

S:   Mark 1:40-45

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.   He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Observations: 

·      Need for healing:  numbness,  unfeeling,  lacking compassionate

·      The leper was an “untouchable”; alone, lonely,  distressed.

·      The leper got down on his knees;   he called on the name of the Lord.

·      The leper believed that Jesus could heal him. (v. 40)

·      “You will never know what God can do until you ask Him. “  (Pastor R.)

·      Jesus was angry at the disease, at sin, at the effects of sin.

·      Jesus was compassionate at the same time.

Mark 3: 1-6

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. ³ Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone”.  ⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Observations: 

·      Jesus’ enemies were looking for something to accuse Him about

·      Jesus was bold in asking the man to stand up in front of everyone.

·      Jesus was angry at the hardness of the Pharisees hearts.

·      The man had to admit his need “He stretched out his hand”.

Application/Action

·      Are you willing to stand up and admit you have a need?

·      Are you willing to pray for others who have needs?

IS THERE ANY PLACE IN YOUR LIFE THAT NEEDS HEALING?

ARE YOU READY TO PRAY OVER THOSE WHO NEED HEALING?

Midweek Moment - May 9, 2011

Midweek Moment

May 8, 2011

Faith: Generation to Generation

Pastor R. Greene

Faith: Generation to Generation (Ephesians 3:20, 21)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

· God wants us to pass on our faith to our children and grandchildren

· His power works in us to transform us into faithful followers.

Timothy: Three Generations of Faith ( I Timothy 1:5-7)

⁷That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich (sincere) faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. (The Message)

· Paul believed in Timothy and thanked God for him

· Paul affirmed Timothy’s faith and his heritage of faith.

· Timothy was raised in the faith by his mother and grandmother.

· Timothy’s father was probably unbelieving as a Greek.

· God wants to fan the Flame of Faith in our lives!

· God has given us a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline.

Holding Fast to the Foundation of Faith (II Timothy 3:14-17)

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)

· Paul urges Timothy to hold onto what he was taught about the scriptures.

· Spiritual growth comes ONLY from meditation, memorization and reflection on His Word……..we are transformed by the Word!

· Some people are “auditing” their faith…listening but not taking responsibility for their own spiritual growth.

· The key to spiritual growth is discipleship…..(Christina and Rachel Rapp)

· Discipleship is about pouring into others, fanning their flames of faith.

Pass on the faith to the next generation, be the oxygen to their faith flames…..!

Midweek Moment - May 9, 2011

Midweek Moment
Living the Christian Life: Our New Identity
Colossians 3:10-14
The Well -Dressed Christian Woman
May 9, 2010
Pastor R. Greene

We have a new identity when we become believers in Jesus Christ, everything is different and new. We have a new self.

Our New Identity: (Colossians 3:10-12)
· Therefore as God's chosen people….we are chosen.
§ Chosen: He chose you before you were born.
§ Holy: You are set apart for God's use.
§ Dearly Loved: He loves you unconditionally.
Our New Clothes (Colossians 3:12-14) Virtues that Flow from our new identity.
· Compassion: bowels of mercy, deep empathy, we are called to extend compassion
that takes action.
· Kindness: loving care of others and their feelings; extends itself for the benefit
of others.
· Humility: thinking of ourselves less; the opposite of pride.
· Gentleness: strength under God's control; soothing; not weakness.
· Patience: an eternal perspective; faith that God is at work; longsuffering in the
face of suffering.

Will you clothe yourself with these qualities? God will help you to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient.
Col. 3:13-14 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
· We are called to forgive from the heart as God forgave us.
· What are holding against someone else?
· Will you forgive them?
Put on Love: binds the clothes together; they all stem from Love which comes only from God.

Midweek Moment - April 3, 2011

Contemplations of the Cross: Love, Obedience and Abiding

Pastor R. Greene

Text: John 15: 1-15

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater Love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

God’s will is that we bear “much fruit” , the fruit of sincere love of others.

What is love? Agape love (not Eros) is the highest level of love; (I Cor. 13: 4-8)

ü Unconditional

ü Genuine

ü Unending

ü Sacrificial

Am I bearing the fruit if love? (John 15:8)

· Love is the evidence of being His disciple (v 8)

· Love abides, perseveres, persists

How does the Father love? (John 15:9)

· Perfectly

· Patiently

· Consistently, deeply

· Warmly w/ deep affection

· Not like human fathers

Love and Obedience: (John 15:10)

· Loves leads to obedience

· Jesus obeyed His Father out of love

· Fruit: comes from the combination of Love and Obedience

Love + Obedience = Joy (John 15:11)

· Love and obedience completes our Joy

· We are commanded to love others as He has loved us (v. 11).

· God showed His love by sending Christ to die (John 3:16)

· “If you hang around Christ you will smell like love”. (R.)

Love Multiplied (John 15: 12, 13)

· Love like you have been loved

· Love those you don’t like or don’t like you.

· Love sacrificially….

How is God’s love flowing in and out of me? (2 Corinthians5:14, 15)

· Are you loving others with agape love?

· Are you loving out of God’s love for you?

· Do you live like God’s servant or God’s friend?

Midweek Moment - March 30, 2011

Midweek Moment

March 27, 2011

Contemplations of the Cross: Seed, Soil, Fruit

Pastor R. Greene

What season of Life am I in? (Eccl. 3:1-2)

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

· Seasons of life change

· When need to be planting seeds in others lives…..

What kind of soil am I? (Luke 8:4-8)

· Hard soil: hostile, mocking, unbelieving heart living in a relativistic world. A hardened heart usually takes a severe trial to soften it. Don’t lose hope for those you are praying for who’s hearts are hardened.

· Rocky soil: Shallow roots that when exposed to adversity (sun) withers the roots. Adversity is intended to strengthen and deepen roots.

· Weeds: choke out the seed: worries, material distractions fueled by desire or love of money, pleasures.

· Good soil: When God sows growth, comfort, wisdom into you, you then sow that into someone’s else’s life.

What kind of fruit am I bearing?

John 12:23-26

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

· “Glorification” refers to the Cross and the Resurrection.

· From Death comes Life: Only when the kernel of wheat dies does it produce much fruit.

The only way to get to Life is through Death. The only way to gain eternal life if for Christ to die. It was necessary for Christ to die and resurrect in order for us to live. When He died He became our sin for us. When we accept the gift of God’s work on the cross He grants us His righteousness as a covering and grants us eternal life.

The Gospel: God really loves you but you sinned and are separated from Him because He is holy and can’t be around sin. Accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross gives His Holiness to you so he doesn’t see your sinful state.

· Dying is the requirement for spiritual vitality. If your life is static there is something God is asking you to die to – selfishness, hatred, unforgiveness, addictions, gluttony.

· What sin in your life is God asking you to die to?

· Being crucified in Christ means to die to sin and be raised to spiritual life, to die to the old self so that the new self can be raised anew in Christ.

Midweek Moment - March 23, 2011

Wednesday, March 23 - From Sunday, March 20 Sermon by Pastor R

Contemplations of the Cross - Our new sermon series!

Can you find your Joy no matter what happens?

How bad do the circumstances of life have to be for you to turn your back on God?

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT)

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.

Entering into Christ’s Joy: (Hebrews 12:1, 2) (NIV)

Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning the shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

· Throwing off hindrances and sin

o A hindrance is anything that weighs you down and slows you down.

o Sin slows us down and distracts us from the race….

o What is the sin that “so easily entangles” YOU?

· Run with Perseverance

o He wants us to run with a commitment to finish through His power and receive the prize.

o Like Christ endured the Cross we need to endure our “cross”.

o God loves us and went to the Cross willingly for us!

o “You won’t understand the Cross until you see it against the backdrop of man’s sin.”

· Fix Your Eyes of Jesus

o Don’t look at the world, CNN, politics……lock your eyes on Him!

o Watch Him….contemplate Him……feel His amazing Love for you!

o Tune out everything else and focus on His face til the end of the Race.

Midweek Moment - January 16, 2011

Midweek Moment for January 16, 2011

Sabbath Rest: Stop and Rest

Pastor R Greene

Spiritual Disciplines: Slowing and Unplugging

· We suffer as a culture from “hurry sickness”

· We must relentlessly eliminate hurry from our lives

· Unplugging: no technology (cell phones, computers)

· We need face to face contact with real people.

Stop and Rest (John 5:1-18)

· In this chapter Jesus performs a healing miracle on the Sabbath.

· He heals a paralytic man at the Pool of Bethesda.

· The man is broken as we all are. We are all broken!

· Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed.

· Do you want to be healed? Well, do you? Really?

· God will heal you but you must want to be healed.

· Jesus said “Get up” (faith needed) “Pick up your mat” (trust needed) and “walk” (obedience needed).

· The Pharisees condemned Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.

· Jesus says that His Father was at work at all times and Jesus was also working like the Father. (John 5:17).

Colossians 2:16, 17

· Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

· Do what is restful to you and don’t judge how someone else spends their Sabbath.

Burning Questions:

· You are broken……

· Do you want to be healed?

· Ask God to heal you of your brokenness NOW!

Please give us your thoughts, feedback and comments if you're willing.

· What is God doing in your life?

· What is God speaking to you about our new series on "Sabbath Rest: Stop..Rest..Delight..Contemplate!"?

· What new insight or concept have you learned and how have you been applying it to your life this week?