Episodes
Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
A People of Influence
Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
Tuesday Feb 26, 2013
Series: A City Set on a Hill 2/24/13 In these few verses, Jesus spoke about the influence of His followers on the world for God and for good. Jesus makes it plain that he expects us to be people of influence in this world for the sake of His kingdom. We must move beyond the narrow, self-focused understanding of being a Christian that it is about being forgiven and having a relationship with God, God is there to bless me and meet my needs and one day he will come and take me to heaven. Christ makes it clear that He has a purpose for us here on earth. He has called us to be people of influence in this world, agents of cultural transformation. Culture is simply the ways of thinking, living, and behaving that define a people. It is the standards we set and enforce for ourselves and for others: our definitions of duty, honor, and character. It is the collective mind and conscience of a nation or group. As Christians we are called to be salt and light, we are called to influence the world system around us, the godless culture that pervades society. When our life is truly transformed by the Kingdom of God in us (that means truly surrender our life and letting Him rule in us), we will become agents of transformation for His Kingdom in this world.
Tuesday Feb 19, 2013
The Light of the World
Tuesday Feb 19, 2013
Tuesday Feb 19, 2013
Series: A City Set on a Hill 2/17/13 A CITY SET ON A HILL: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (Matt. 5:13-16) Matt 5-7 contain perhaps Jesus’ most famous sermon, known as the Sermon on the Mount. In this message, or series of teachings, Jesus is setting forth the norms of kingdom life. What will citizens of His kingdom look like? When He rules in our hearts and minds, how will we act? When we have experienced the blessings of life in Him, what are our responsibilities? Now that we are citizens of a different kingdom, how are we to relate to the world? How do we differ from the world? Jesus addresses all of these questions in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matt 5:13-16 Jesus describes the impact of Kingdom living upon this present world. When we live as citizens of His kingdom, we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world, a city set on a hill. We exert a powerful influence on this world. That influence is what we have been looking at over the past several weeks. I believe this is God’s word for New Life at this time. He is calling us to be a people of influence for His glory and honor. He is calling this church to be a city set on a hill, not so we can gain the attention or recognition of men, but so that His name may be lifted up, and His Kingdom purposes advanced. Today we are going to consider what it means for us today to be the light of the world.
Tuesday Feb 12, 2013
The Salt of the Earth
Tuesday Feb 12, 2013
Tuesday Feb 12, 2013
Series: A City Set on a Hill 2/10/13 Jesus’ vision for His Church, is to be a people of infectious influence in the world. Jesus uses two metaphors to describe the Church in this passage: Salt and Light, both of which have strong influential properties. You do not come into contact with either without being affected. Jesus holds a very high view of the importance of our influence in the world. One preacher stated: “That earthly community and society has within it the bacteria of decay and corruption due to the sinfulness that is present within the hearts of people. Followers of Jesus, by their very presence in these societies and cultures, together, as a body (not just individually) are the salt that will prevent the human community from utter chaos and decay. For true followers of Jesus have within them the redeeming presence of Jesus himself and the empowering influence of God’s Holy Spirit.” Salt must be applied to be of any benefit, it must get out of the salt shaker, and come in contact with the world, with the unsaved. This message considers the implications of being the salt of the earth, and what that means for us today.