Saturday, March 28, 2020

The COVID-19 Church


Pericope: Acts 2:42-47 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 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, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Sermon Text: Acts 2:46 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
The COVID-19 Church
vs. 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Point 1: There is a Shift in the COVID-19 Church vs. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
The Greek for everything in common means to share all things equally.
Point 2: There is a Shaking in the COVID-19 Church vs. 5:41, 42; 8:1; 12:1-3
5:41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
8:1 On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
12:1-3  It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The church was told to go
·       The church settled
·       The church has settled in beautiful sanctuaries
·       The church must go COVID-19 changed the game.
Point 3: There is a Sharpening in the COVID-19 church – vs. 9:1, 4, 15, 31
9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
·       New emergent leadership
·       New leadership style
·       New leadership focus
·       New leadership vision
Point 4: There is a Shaping of the COVID-19 Church vs 44, 46-47 
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 46 Every day they continued to meet together.... They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. They were together (and so will we)
·       They were powerful (and so will we)
·       They were influential (and so will we)
·       COVID-19 Distraction or Traction
·       COVID-19 choices make us…crisis reveal us
Life Application:
1.  Register for LifeGroup – become a COVID-19 church
2.  Pick up communion kit and invite another family to have communion next Sunday
3.  Invite a person for Easter service to view or in person TBD

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Spirit of Emotions

Sermon Text:            2 Timothy 1:7 - 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Sermon Title:            The Spirit of Emotions
Matt 8:26- 26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  He said they shouldn’t be afraid and they had half of faith. Jesus told Peter a similar thing in Matthew 14:31 -  31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
Num 13:26-33 - 26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan." 
 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." 
 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." 

Emotional Anointing
Faith Anointing
Diminishes - vs 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."
Makes you think small, seem small, and act small. You shrink 
When your emotions grow….the Israelites emotions got the best of them.

Enlarge VS27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.
Caleb saw the big things of God
Emotional Anointing
Faith Anointing
Deteriorates VS 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.
Emotional anointing can break down the entire moral, strength and confidence of the entire move of God. 
Empowers VS  30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." 
Faith strengthens in the fall of problems.






Emotional Anointing
Faith Anointing
Delays 14:1-41 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
40 years verses a few days all because of emotions
Accelerates VS  30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." 

God does a quick work
Who are you listening to? Whoever you are listening to is going to increase the anointing/spirit in you. I John 3:21 -  21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God  
This will help you understand confidence in God to do Ps 34:4 -  4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;  he delivered me from all my fears. 

Sunday, March 22, 2020

NEWLIFE Live Stream

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Dont Just Sit There


Pericope:  2 Kings 7:1-7 - 2 Kings 7:1- Living Bible (TLB)
7 Elisha replied, “The Lord says that by this time tomorrow two gallons of flour or four gallons of barley grain will be sold in the markets of Samaria for a dollar!”
2 The officer assisting the king said, “That couldn’t happen if the Lord made windows in the sky!”
But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen, but you won’t be able to buy any of it!”
3 Now there were four lepers sitting outside the city gates. “Why sit here until we die?” they asked each other. 4 “We will starve if we stay here and we will starve if we go back into the city; so we might as well go out and surrender to the Syrian army. If they let us live, so much the better; but if they kill us, we would have died anyway.”
5 So that evening they went out to the camp of the Syrians, but there was no one there! 6 (For the Lord had made the whole Syrian army hear the clatter of speeding chariots and a loud galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. “The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us,” they cried out. 7 So they panicked and fled into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else.)
Sermon Text:  2 Kings 7:4 . 4 “We will starve if we stay here and we will starve if we go back into the city; so we might as well go out and surrender to the Syrian army. If they let us live, so much the better; but if they kill us, we would have died anyway.”
Sermon Title:  Don’t Just Sit There
Point 1:  Why are you here? vs. 4 “We will die if we stay here and we will die if we go back into the city…
        I believe the first reason they believe their options were limited was because they were stationary “why sit here”.  The Hebrew definition for what they were doing is not talking about just sitting in a chair; it means to inhabit, dwell, live, marry and join in a marriage relationship. 
Point 2:  Don’t Just Die Therevs. 4 …if they spare us we will live, if they kill us we will die. 
        They go on to say until we die.  The Hebrew for this phrase means:  be dead and in a state of physical absence from the body.  In other words, “until we die” means they already see themselves as being dead.  It also mean corpse.  The phrase is in the Hebrew perfect tense, which means a completed process has taken place.  In other words, in English, we don’t have a perfect match for the Hebrew perfect tense so we say it like it is happening now when in fact the Hebrew means it has already happened.  So in their minds the lepers are already dead and they say as much – “we be dead”...we are dead men walking.  They were saying our options are so limited we are dead to any alternative to our present state.
Point 3:  Speak Up – vs. 3 …They said to each other…
        Three things happened to change their situation.  They said we will enter in.  The Hebrew means they will set a goal, determine a clear direction, and make linear movement to a particular reference point. 
Point 4: Get Up – vs. 5…they got up..
Point 5:  Line Up – vs. 1Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.” 16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the Lord had said. 20 And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Calm Down, It’s Just a Storm - 10am Service


Pericope: Matthew 14:22-32 - 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”  34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.
Sermon Text: Matt 14: 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Sermon Title:  Calm Down, It’s Just a Storm
Point 1: Get in the boatvs. 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
Point 2: Go into the storm.  Vs. 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Eccl. 1:9 - 9 What has been is what will be,
    and what has been done is what will be done,
    and there is nothing new under the sun.
Point 3: Get out of the boat. Vs. 28-29 - “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus
Vs 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
Vs 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down
Point 4: Go to the Other Side.  Vs. 34 - 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.
Romans 8:34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Life Application:
1.  In a storm, you must get out of the boat to get closer to Jesus.
2.  In a storm, Jesus is watching you so trust him.
3.  Storms grow your faith and get you to the other side of your situation.

Saturday, March 14, 2020

I Live In Goshen - 8am 3/15/2020


Sermon Title: I Live in Goshen
Sermon Text:  Exodus 8:22-23 - 22 “‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’”
Point 1: I Live in Goshen because it makes a Differencevs. 22 - 22 " 'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land.
Galatians 6:9 say Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Point 2: I Live in Goshen because it makes a Distinction – vs. 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.' "
Point 3:  I Live in Goshen because it Defends meEx. 9:7, 26 7 Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.... 26 The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.;
11:7- 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.' Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
12:13- 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
15:26 - 26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."
Psalm 61:3 - For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
Proverbs 18:10 - The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Point 4:  I Live in Goshen because I am Determined Gen. 45:10, 11; 46:34; 47:4 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.'
34 you should answer, 'Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians."
4 They also said to him, "We have come to live here awhile, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants' flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen."
Point 5:  I live in Goshen because God dwells therevs. 22 – a...where my parents live...
        Goshen is the place of:
1.  Faith in God
2.  Common sense and boundaries
3.  Where God dwells

Virtual Family Sunday Questions

What ways can we create community as a family? How has our viewership/church attendance enhanced or diminished our family covenant? What way...