As we start moving forward toward a new sermon series for September I find myself reflecting on the various series from the past year and wonder if anyone else ever stops to think about how they connect. I personally like to have a mental picture from the words. As I reflect about where we've been in the past year and all the things that God is doing in our congregation I can't help, but want to connect the dots. There is just something fascinating about seeing the picture that begins to form when you step back from the moment you are in.
We started the year with a series titled If Only... We looked at the different regrets we have that might hold us back from becoming the people that God intended us to be. We then moved on to our Revealed in Red series where we looked at what God told us through Scripture. We explored the history book He has given us and were able to see where over centuries He spoke through prophets telling of a future that we actually get to see unfold with the death of his Son in the Gospels. We then moved on to our Mission and Vision series Greater where we looked at what it is Jesus instructed us to do. We explored our Mission - 2MD - To Multiply Disciples and our Vision - 2LV - To Love God Completely and Others Authentically. We learned about being the X Factor and we discovered what it takes to become Greater. We moved on to our Covenant - The Pursuit of God series where we took a look at what our history book - The Bible shows us about our relationship with God under the Old Covenant and how it changed with the coming of Christ and a New Covenant was established. We saw how the story and connection between the two was a love story of God pursuing us. We then took the Summer and talked about what it looks like to be Fearless. What it looks like as we start to overcome the fears that hold us back from being the people that God intended us to be. Which brings us to Margin: Time & Space for Real Life.
So if you've been around since the first of the year you might be wondering why exactly is there a need to recap. Well.... the thought comes to mind that you can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been. As I look at these series a story starts to emerge. The If Only and Fearless series serve to remind us of the things that hold us back from pursuing the life that God wants to give us. Whether it's fears or regrets if we dwell on them they keep us in a corner. When we face them we allow ourselves to move forward to the life God wants to give us. Revealed in Red and Covenant serve to remind us from a historical and scriptural perspective that God has taken great effort to design a plan for us and that He actively pursues us wanting to give us the best life possible. Greater is to bring to our attention the simpleness of his plan. He doesn't expect us to memorize a list of rules, only take so many steps on Sunday or even sacrifice a lamb every so often. He simply wants us to learn to live in genuine, authentic relationship with Him and others. He wants us to get out of ourselves and have relationship and multiply disciples. He wants us to move past being content that we have a lukewarm relationship with Him and a casual relationship with others and wants us to become Greater than we've allowed ourselves to think was possible. Rather than keep it to ourselves He wants us to share what he's doing so that others can experience a full, meaningful life with Him. And then we are left with Margin. Margin helps us figure out how in the busyness of our everyday life we can purposefully use our resources so that we aren't just adding more things to the "to-do" list and exhausting ourselves. Margin helps us learn when to be selective "yes" people so that we are using our time, energy and resources wisely to help us fulfill our Mission and Vision in the way God intends for us to as individuals.
It's amazing when you stop and realize that God just doesn't randomly throw things at us. Everything is a building block or reminder that we are called to be Greater both as individuals and as a congregation. God reminds us of the things we allow to hold us back, continues to pursue us and has the play book ready and waiting if we are willing to jump into the game. So going forward I encourage us all to think about where we've been this year and look with fresh eyes going forward to where God is leading us!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
GREATER TOGETHER!
UNLEASHING THE PEOPLE
OF GOD FOR
THE PURPOSE
OF GOD
In Acts 2:42-47 we find very descriptive words about the Church soon after it's birth...
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47 NIV)
So much could be said about the early Church based on these verses! One word that is prominent (it is used 3 times in this passage) is the word TOGETHER. And that word is a key to much of the early churches effectiveness!
We know they had the power of the Holy Spirit...
We know they lived sacrificial lives...
We know they were devoted to God and each other...
We know they valued prayer, God's Word and serving...
But much of what God did through them came from the powerful fact that they did these things TOGETHER! They were an irresistible environment! People wanted to be a part of what was happening among these fledgling followers of Jesus! And so we see that "...the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." WOW!
If it happened then...it can happen now!
WE ARE GREATER TOGETHER!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Margin: Time & Space for Real Life!
MARGIN: An amount available beyond what is actually needed; extra resources; the space between our current performance and our limits.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:2-3)
God rested? Why? Isn't He all-powerful? Isn't He infinite? Isn't He...God?
The answer to those questions is yes! God is all of those things, but God also CHOSE to rest! Not because He had to, but because He wanted to. And also because He was communicating a powerful truth to us: WE NEED TIME, SPACE, REST, MARGIN
Join us as we look at how we create and sustain healthy margin in our lives! It's vital for our spiritual, emotional, relational and physical health!
God intentionally created margin for Himself! You can too!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
FEAR(LESS)
FEAR(LESS)
Beginning Sunday, June 23
10:00 a.m.
| “…do not be afraid”. These are the last four words of John 14:27. Jesus repeated this phrase many times as He taught His followers. Is this a reasonable thing to ask in the world we live in? Doesn't everyone wrestle with fear of some kind? This summer we will take the risk of examining our fears. Seeing what God’s Word tells us about it. And making it our goal to move from fear…to fear(less)! The entire verse of John 14:27 says this, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus has the power to overcome our fear! Let’s spend this summer letting Him |
Monday, June 10, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
COVENANT: The Pursuit of God
Beginning Sunday, May 19, 2013
10:30 a.m. at Mooresville Church of God
- God established a covenant with the people of Israel through Moses. It began with 10 commandments and grew to over 600 laws. It was written on tablets of stone.
- God sent His Son, Jesus, to fulfill the requirements of those laws and commandments. Jesus established a new covenant with God's people. It was written on hearts of flesh.
Old Covenant? New Covenant?
Stone? Flesh?
Monday, April 1, 2013
Mission & Vision Series!
Beginning Sunday, April 7
10:30 a.m. @ Mooresville Church of God
Jesus said in John 14:12 - I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…
Jesus' plan worked like this:
1) He paid the penalty for our sin and saved us!
2) He invites us to follow Him!
3) We accept His grace and His invitation!
4) He puts His Spirit in us!
5) We join in unity with all followers of Jesus!
6) With His Spirit in all of us we accomplish GREATER things!
7) The Great Commandment & Great Commission are accomplished!
How does this happen in our individual lives?
To the best of our ability we live out John 3:30 - He must become greater, I must become less.
It requires things like surrender, sacrifice, passion, commitment, determination, courage, joy, peace...and most of all...LOVE for God and for everyone that He created!
"Greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city"! (God of This City, by Chris Tomlin)
Join us for a GREATER journey into God's mission and vision for our lives and for our church!
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