There is one common analogy used throughout the New Testament regarding the local church. It is not a business, farm, team, school, or hospital, though those word pictures are frequently used by us to convey various dimensions of congregational life. The most often used analogy is that of a family. God is our Father; we are called His offspring—sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, even fellow heirs.
Jesus was the master teacher. Against relentless and hostile opposition, and in spite of many who followed Him for all the wrong reasons, He spoke with wisdom and taught with skill. Among the methods He preferred to use, the parable was one of His favourites. By placing a familiar and simple word picture before His audience, Jesus was able to draw out profound analogies that have intrigued even the brightest minds for centuries.
Are you the worrying type—fearful of the possibilities tomorrow may hold but also grieving mistakes of the past? As we stand at the beginning of a new year, we must admit that we can’t predict the future and we can’t change the past. Trying to do either is a waste of time and energy. Learn from Philippians 3 and Hebrews 12 how to keep your eyes focused on Jesus and run your race of faith today.
We can read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in 15 minutes or less. No teacher or preacher has ever packed more truth into such a brief period of time. For centuries, these words from Matthew’s gospel have been scrutinized by millions of Bible students, authors, pastors, and missionaries. Yet, no one has even come close to exhausting Jesus’ message.
We’ve all heard it said that we never stand taller than when we kneel before God. But what happens when we offer our prayers and petitions to God? Does He change His mind? Can we alter His plan or reverse His course? If not, then why pray?
You will be irresistibly moved to worship and wonder as you listen to Fullness of Grace, featuring the incredible choir and orchestra of Stonebriar Community Church with guest soloists and Chuck Swindoll’s message, “It’s Christmas…So?” Sing along with the Christ-centred hymns. Reflect on the humble beginnings of our Saviour. And rejoice that the Son of God is also Immanuel—the greatest gift we could hope for.
Every Christmas we all receive two amazing gifts from the Creator. First, we receive a reminder of God’s astonishing, unconditional love. Second, we receive a reminder of Jesus Christ’s audacious grace. In this message, let’s focus on the grace Christ demonstrated on the first Christmas day so long ago.
Yes, a baby boy was born to a virgin in a dirty stable. But this baby boy was not just any baby. He is God in the flesh—Immanuel, God with us. This message will explore the reason for Christ’s coming: God’s astonishing love.
Christ’s teachings continue to bring about powerful transformation and arouse the attention of all who study them. Nothing Jesus stated was ever more profound than His Sermon on the Mount. With searching wisdom, He peeled back the externals of hypocritical religion and addressed the issues that really matter. In the section of Scripture we’ll examine in this lesson, Jesus discussed the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law.
Far too many Christians have bought into the “pursue pleasure at all costs” philosophy. Marriages are breaking up at almost the same rate inside the church as outside. Christian leaders often create just as much scandal as any movie star. And many churches no longer place holy living at the top of their priority list. But purity, as Paul explained in Romans 6, is a powerful alternative to our culture’s formula for living.
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