Northgate Powell River - Podcasts

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Big Idea:  Jesus makes some clear statements in regards to marriage.  The challenge for us is to uphold God’s ideals with grace for the situations in which we find ourselves.
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-Main Text: Matthew 9:1-12; Genesis 2:18-24; 1 Corinthians 7:8-9

1.  “You complete me”-Matthew 19:1-6; Genesis 2:18-24
a. No one like you
- In all of creation there was nothing else compatible for relationship with Adam, until God created Eve.
b. Became one
- This is a picture of becoming entwined, a point where spiritually you can’t tell where one ends and one begins.

2. Polluted - Matthew 19:7-9 
a.It’s not like it used to be
-Adultery: adulterāt- which means "to pollute." Adulterer means “to another” so the idea is to pollute another.
b. Restored
- Like water can be made clean again, we can be restored.  It may not be like the original, but there is still hope.

3. Wait there’s more - Matthew 19:10-12, 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
- Nowhere is it said that marriage is a requirement, instead, it’s taught that this could be to your advantage: to devote yourself to prayer and work without the consideration of another.

Conclusion:
- The ideals of God are clear when it comes to marriage.  The importance of upholding those ideals is also clear.  The challenge is to maintain those ideals but to also have grace when those ideals are not met.

Relate: Created for Family

Big Idea: Created in the image of God, we were designed for relationship; that relationship mainly takes on the form of family. We are created for family, both in our immediate family and within the family of God.

Main Text: Genesis 1:27-28a. 2:18-24, Acts 2:42-47

1. That hits the spot   Genesis 2:18-24; 1:27-28a
a• Lonely place - In everything that God had created there was still a relational void for Adam that could only be filled by Eve
b• In the image of God - We were created in the image of God and with that the desire for relationship.

2. Plan B: The Family of God   Acts 2:42-47
• Perfect died a long time ago - Although for some of us our immediate family situation resembles brokenness more than relationship, God designed the body of Christ to be family to us.

3. The Values of family   John 13:35
•  “One Another’s” - God not only establishes family within the local church, he also establishes values in which to live by.

Conclusion: 
The idea of the family of God has to go past talk alone. Instead, our family will solidify when we demonstrate and uphold these values amongst ourselves.

Big Idea: The death of Jesus, to the disciples, was met Witt shock and bewilderment even though they were given advance notice. God had a plan that was beyond their expectation and they needed to trust Him and let go of something good to experience something greater.

Main Text: Luke 24:13-21, Acts 1:2-10 ; 2:1-12 ; 2:42-47

1. Loss of hope  Luke 24:13-21
a. Their expectaion - the thing they hoped for was now gone
b. Not a surprise - They were prepared for this day having been taught that there was something greater bit they were stuck in their expectation.

2. Promise of new life  Acts 1:2-10
a. Expectations haven't changed - In their minds they haven't placed their hope in a physical Savior; Christ's idea had a bigger focus

3. The plan all along  Acts 2:1-12; 42-47
a. The promise fulfilled - The plan was beyond their expectation, something they could not plan for and something they naturally grew.

Conclusion: The plan of our Father is new hope realized through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and exceeds all of our expectations.

Living.Hope.: Want hope, ask me how!

Big Idea:  In the midst of being overwhelmed with life and circumstance, we are all looking for the beacon of hope to help us find our way.

Main Text:  1 Peter 3:15-16, 4:1-11

1. Glow  1 Peter 3:15-16
a. Set apart Christ as Lord
- Making Christ first in our hearts. When we look to our circumstances for hope, then those become our idols.
b. Give a reason
- We need the courage to communicate the source of our hope, and wisdom to know what to say. 

2. Understand the goal  1 Peter 4:1-7
a. Know the goal- The attitude of Jesus was one of certainty.  He understood the end goal and shaped His life to pursue it.
b. Enough time: Vs 4-7          
  Two questions: 
    1. Do you know who you are?
    2. What is the end result?

Conclusion:
Our actions make real the image of God.  It acts as a beacon, standing out from a suffocating crowd. That beacon is our hope in Christ.  When people ask where does our hope come from, what will our answer be?

Living.Hope.: Evangelism - looking good!

Big Idea: The way we live our lives needs to reflect the example of the God we believe. And when someone asks, “What’s the reason for your hope?”, what will your response be?

Main Text: 1 Peter 2:11-25, 3:1-7,15-16

1. The challenge  1 Peter 2:11-12,13-20
a. Live good lives
- Our choice to submit/be obedient testifies of Jesus Christ
- Submission is the act of willingly giving over our rights to honor another.

2. The example  1 Peter 2:21-25
a. He entrusted himself…
- The example of Jesus is giving up His rights and trusting that God, the Father, is just.
b. We are made whole
- Because of Christ’s sacrifice we are made whole. Where we’ve been hurt we can be healed.

3. The next step  1 Peter 3:15-17
a. There’s more
- The next step is to give a reason for our hope. Would anyone ask us? And if so, what will we say?

Conclusion:
The source of our hope is in the sacrifice of Jesus, by His wounds we have been healed. Because of this hope, others need to hear.

Living.Hope.: Around and Around 

Big Idea:  Sometimes we can feel stuck in a rut, going around in circles spiritually and physically.  The call of Christians is to grow spiritually, like a baby who starts with milk and moves towards maturity.

Main Text:  1 Peter 2:1-12

1. It’s time to develop   1 Peter 1:23-2:12
a. Ground hog day- Spiritually it’s time to grow up and break from our cycles and to fully realize our new Hope.

2. The reason   1 Peter 2:9
a. Who we are- Throughout our different topics: 2 Corinthians, Advent, Revelation 3, Presence and now 1 Peter, God continues to confirm how He views us.
b. Why?- “That we may declare the praises of Him who called you us out of darkness.”

Conclusion:
- The desire of God is that we fully realize our new Hope.  And part of that process is growing up a little bit.  It doesn’t mean we need more content, but rather more application of what we already know.

Living Hope
Speaker: Jen Wright 

HOPE

What have you hoped for?
What do you hope for?
How does hope motivate you?
What do you hope for in your relationship with God?
What do you hope for in your relationship with the church?

Hope in God  vss. 3, 21
We have new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Living for God  vss. 13-17
1. Prepare your minds for action
2. Be self-controlled
3. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed
4. Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance; be holy in all you do
5. Live as strangers in this world in revernt fear of God 

LIVING

+     =

1. Prepare your minds for action

2. Be self-controlled

3. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed

4. Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance; be holy in all you do

5. Live as strangers in this world in revernt fear of God 

Living Hope: Drop the Anchor!
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio 

Main Text:  1 Peter 

1. Blessing: A new hope   1 Peter 1:3-5
● A new day with a new hope
- We can be trapped by our past, and limited by our own history, but through Christ we’re given a new life, and with it new hope.

2. Duties: A point of decision   1 Peter 2:11-17
●  How we live
- The Christian lifestyle ought to be a testimony to our family and community around us.

3. Hard times: It’s going to get a little bumpy   1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
a● Rejoice?
- We can only rejoice if Christ is our Anchor
b● Who are we up against?
- Perspective can be a great motivator.  We need to realize what our goal is and what can prevent us from realizing it.

Conclusion:
Our Hope needs to be anchored by Jesus Christ.  This is our hope if we choose to accept it.  Storms will come but it is the strength of our Anchor that keeps us from crashing.

Presence: Who is this Guy?

Main Text:  John 14:12,15-17

1. We want what that Guy has   Matt 4:23-25, 8:16-17, 9:35, Mark 1:33-34, 6:56, Luke 5:15, 9:11 and Matt 21:12-14
a● This is His testimony
- Matt 11:4-5 Jesus says He’s the real deal by the testimony of His life.

2. The Promise   John 14:12
a● Jesus set the standard
- Let’s not lower the standard because we haven’t realized this yet or are not sure of it or are even afraid of it.

3. How in the world?   John 14: 15-17
Another: In this instance means replica.  The expectation is not that we do this on our own.  We need the Holy Spirit.
- Our focus needs to be the reality of future

Conclusion:
● The baptism of the Holy Spirit is more than speaking in tongues; it’s a baptism of Power.
● We don’t see the frequency of Power because we are not Jesus, but that does not mean we lower the standard or change what we pursue.

Scripture

John 4:12

¹² Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 14:15-17

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

    ¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you.

Presence: Holding Back What We Have To Offer
Speaker:  Pastor Sam Alescio

Big Idea: As God continues to show Himself faithful with His promise of blessing, we need to ask the question, “Are we offering all we have?”

Main Texts: Malachi 3:6-18

1. He Never Changes   Malachi 3:6
● Promise of Jacob 
- In Genesis Jacob wrestles with God, in turn God changes his name to Israel and blesses him. 

2. How Can We Return?  Malachi 3:7-12 
● Tithe And Offering: Contribution
- We have been taught or know about tithing but it’s also our offerings that we have withheld from God.

3. Have We Given Up?  Malachi 3:13-18
- While it’s not our intention, our attitude can be offensive to God 
- Our focus needs to be the reality of future

Conclusion: 
Like Revelation 3, the invitation is to return to God and have His promise in our lives restored. What affects His presence? Our tithe and our offerings do.

SCRIPTURE  - Malachi 3:6-18

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

 ⁶ “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷ Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

 ⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

   “In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.

Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

 ¹³ “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the LORD.

   “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’

 ¹⁴ “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? ¹⁵ But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

The Faithful Remnant

 ¹⁶ Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

 ¹⁷ “On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Presence: It's Good to Have You Back
Speaker:  Pastor Sam Alescio

Big Idea: As we continue our teaching on the presence of God we’ve looked at the importance of His presence, our response to His presence, and now we will discover that scripture also teaches that we have the ability to hinder God’s presence.

Main Texts: Mark 6:1-13, 1 John 1:5-2:3

1. The reality of His presence   Mark 6:1-13
● Doubt 
- To be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe. 

2. Stuff that in the corner   1 John 1:5-7 
● The cover up: We lie to ourselves if we say we have fellowship with God but willingly go on living in spiritual darkness

Conclusion:     1 John 1:8-2:3
- We are preparing to entertain something amazing!  We’re making those last minute preparations, making sure everything is perfect for the Guest we’ve been waiting to meet. 

SCRIPTURE  - Mark 6:1-13, 1 John 1:5-2:3

Mark 6:1-13

A Prophet Without Honor

 ¹ Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. ² When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

   “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,^[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

 ⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ⁵ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

    Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. ⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

 ⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. ¹⁰Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

 ¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

1 John 1:5-2:3

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

 ⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[a] sin.

 ⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

 ¹ My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

 ³ We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

Presence: It's Good to Have You Back
Speaker:  Pastor Sam Alescio

Big Idea: David's response to the presence of God has a lot to teach us about our own response; obedience, sacrifice, focus and humility. It also shows the effect the presence of God can have in the place where it rests.

Main Texts: 2 Samuel 6

1. The reality of His presence   2 Samuel 6:1-9
a● Celebration
- The city of David was not complete without the presence of God
b● Reverent Fear
- The casual response to the law brings the reality of God's presence

2. His presence is noticeable  2 Samuel 6:10-12
a● Blessing: The invoking of God's favor upon a person, thereby bringing happiness
b● People take notice: The result of His presence makes people take notice

3. Our Response to His presence  2 Samuel 6:13-23
David's response vs. Michal's response:
Blessing vs. Fruitlessness

Conclusion:
Are we prepared for His presence?
What will our response be to His presence?

SCRIPTURE  - 2 Samuel 6

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

 ¹ David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. ² He and all his men went to Baalah^[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,^[b] the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. ³ They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart ⁴ with the ark of God on it,^[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵ David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets,^[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

 ⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷ The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

 ⁸ Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[e]

 ⁹ David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” ¹⁰ He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹¹The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.

 ¹² Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

 ¹⁶ As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

 ¹⁷ They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD. ¹⁸ After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. ¹⁹ Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

 ²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

 ²¹ David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. ²² I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

 ²³ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Presence: Are We Open or Committed?

Big Idea: In a time when we have access to everything we need, from food and entertainment to media presentations and programs, we need to make the presence of God a greater priority..

Main Text: Exodus 33:12-18

1. Frustration and unrealized promise  Exodus 33:12-13
a● Promise land
While moses was away Israel turns back idol worship
Instead of waiting they replace God.

2. Your Presence or broke   Exodus 33:15-18  
a● Priority of Presence: Moses makes it clear that the presence of God is the most important thing
b● It leaves a mark: His presence sets us apart; "Be Holy as I am Holy"

Conclusion: 
● Are we open to His presence or are we committed to His presence?
● Committed: Actively pursuing His presence, at all cost and inconvenience.  

SCRIPTURE

Exodus 33: 12-18

Moses and the Glory of the LORD

 ¹² Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

 ¹⁴ The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

 ¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

 ¹⁷ And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

 ¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

Open the door: Our lives have significance

Big Idea: We need to come to a realization that Jesus Christ is our King, and he makes us his heirs. We are challenged to live to that standard.

Main Text: Revelation 3:14-22, Romans 8:1-17

1. We're Invited  Revelation 3:20
● The Invitation of God is relationship
● The promise is to come in and eat with us (relationship), not to fix us.

2. Who are you  Romans 8:1-17
● We have real significance becuase we ae made His sons and daughters
● Obligation: Bound by some duty

Conclusion: 
● "To him who overcomes"
  ● To conquer: That held fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, temptations and persicutions

SCRIPTURE

Revelation 3:14-22

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

   These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

   ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

   ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Romans 8:1-17

Life Through the Spirit

 ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you^[a] free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[b]God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.^[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

 ⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

 ⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[d] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of^[e] his Spirit who lives in you.

 ¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

 ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[g] Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Open the door: Turn From Your Indifference? 

Video: Juice Box Christian

Big Idea: We all have potential to be passionate, although it needs to be fought through the natural tendency to settle for indifference.

Main Text: Revelation 3:14-22

1. It’s still here  Revelation 3:19
a● Passion is not just for the new believers
b● Passion is not just for the young

2. Come out, come out, wherever you are!  
a● There is a strong spirit of complacency assigned to any church body
b● It starts with individuals
c● Sit down and ask yourself
- What is sitting on a dusty shelf that I haven't picked up in a while?
- Am I living for all that I was created for, or have I simply settled for what is convenient within my circumstances?
- What causes me to feel most fulfilled while using my giftings?
- 10 Years ago, where did I hope to be today? Am I there? How will I get there from here? 

3. Get uncomfortable  1 Corinthians 9:19-27 

Conclusion: 
What do you choose for today?  
Passion vs Indifference

SCRIPTURE

Revelation 3:14-22

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

   These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

   ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

   ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

 ¹⁹ Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. ²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

 ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Open the door: What? There’s more?

Big Idea:  The foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ and his sacrifice that made it possible to be saved, fully by Grace.  It doesn’t stop there; the call of God is “To be holy, as He is holy”

Main Text:  Revelation 3:14-22

1. I’m out of my league  Revelation 3:18
a. Counsel
-     To advise, not a command, so there is a choice on our part
b. Buy from me
-     In a place where Christ reveals we are truly poor, he counsels us to buy:
Gold: Come through fire
      White Robes: Righteousness
      Salve: Eyes to see our sin and the needs around us

2. There is life after salvation  1 Peter 1:13-2:3

1. Reverent fear: Understanding we are in the  presence of a Holy God.
2. Not with perishable things: Not status or guilt
3. Grow up in your salvation: Spiritual growth

Conclusion:
How will we respond to Christ’s advice?

Open the door: How do I let Him in? 

Video: I'm Good

Big Idea: God sees past our attempt at hiding. We try to put up a front and on the outside We appear to have everything together, but God sees our heart and wants to come in.

Main Text: Revelation 3:14-22

1. It’s still here  Revelation 3:17
a● On the outside- We put up a Wall to hide What’s behind it, and We justify that as strength and courage.
b● We don’t even realize- We can’t clearly understand the true state we are in because we have kept it hidden for so long.

2. Come out, come out, wherever you are!  Genesis 3:1-10
● Our response to being exposed is to run and hide; but God’s response is to seek us out and clothe us.

Conclusion: Genesis 3:9
● God is saying “where are you‘?”
● The key to opening the door is repentance: which means turning to God.

SCRIPTURE

Revelation 3:14-22

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

   These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

   ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

   ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Genesis 3:1-10

The Fall

 ¹ Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

 ² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

 ⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 ⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

 ⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”

 ¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Open The Door
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio

Main Text: Revelation 3:14-22

SCRIPTURE

To the Church in Laodicea

    ¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

   These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

   ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

   ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Baptism of Ryan Southern and Elizabeth Wegner

Performed by Pastor Sam Alescio and Dawn-Marie Small

Traditions: God With us

Big Idea:  As the excitement for Christmas day has passed, and all our presents are open the true gift of Christmas remains.  The gift presented to all who believe is Immanuel, God with us.

Main Text:  Matthew 1:18 – 2:12

1. God with us  Matthew 1:18-23
a. Immanuel
● The gift that we received goes past Christmas.  It’s God with us
b. Encounter
● The birth of Jesus Christ marks an encounter with God.  Those encounters continued through the gospel and after his death.

2. Our Response  Matthew 2:1-12
● The magi sought after Christ to see the promise of God fulfilled.
● The magi recognized that they were in the presence of the King.

Conclusion:
● Is our response to pursue an encounter with Christ?
● How are we preparing for our encounter?

SCRIPTURE

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

 ¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

 ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

 ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[d] (which means “God with us&rdquo.

 ²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 2

The Magi Visit the Messiah

 ¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[e] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

 ³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

 ⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, 
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; 
for out of you will come a ruler 
   who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[f]”

 ⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

 ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Advent: Traditions
My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation
Speaker: Jen Wright 

Main Text: Luke 2:25-38

Salvation to the whole world

Salvation for the whole person

Salvation through our lives

SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:25-38 (New International Version)

------------------------------

● The Four Spiritual Laws
1. God loves you and created you to know Him personally.
2. Man is sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love.
3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love.
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love.

● Evangelism Explosion
1. If you died today are you certain you eould go to heaven? If you stood before God and he asked you why he should let you in, what would you say?
2. Heaven is a free gift. It is not earned or deserved.
3. Man is a sinner and cannot save himself.
4. God is both merciful and just.
5. Jesus is God come to earth to die for sins and then rise from the dead.
6. Faith is trusting fully in the cross and living out of gratitude to God.

● The Romans Road
1. Romans 3:23 - All have sinned
2. Romans 6:23 - The wages of sin is death
3. Romans 5:8 - Christ died for us
4. Romans 10:9,10 - Believe and confess what Jesus did for you

● The Way of the Master
1. W - "Would you consider yourself a good person?"
2. D - "Do you thing you have kept to the Ten Commandments?"
3. J - "If God judges you by the Ten Commandments will you be innocent or guilty?"
4. D - "Do you know what God did so you wouldn't have to go to hell?"

● Two ways to Live
1. God is the loving creator and ruler. He made us rulers under him.
2. We rejected God and rebelled against his rule, but failed to rule even ourselves.
3. God won't let us rebel forever and we will be punished.
4. In His love God sent Jeus to die in our place.
5. In His power, God raised jesus to life as ruler and judge.
6. Our choice is to reject God or to repent and believe.

Advent: Traditions 
Good News
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio 

Big Idea:  Advent marks the moment an entire nation experiences great hope as the promise of the Savior has finally come.  We also sit in expectation to see God impact a community like he did 2000 year ago.

Main Text:  Luke 2:8-20

1. Good news
Luke 2:10-12
a. Good news
● The revelation of the good news leads to great joy
b. Expectation
● The expectation was that a great man would lead the nation to freedom; what they got was God giving people new life

2. Peace man
Luke 2:13-14

Definition of peace: Cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension, freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction and anxiety.
● God finds favor in us because of Jesus

3. Spread the word
Luke 2:15-20
● They returned, glorifying God because the good word was confirmed

Conclusion:
Proverbs 13:12
● Put your hope in the only place that can produce joy

SCRIPTURE

 ⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, 
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Advent: Traditions
Good timing
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio 

Big Idea:  God is the God of the improbable.  God brought all the events and people together at the right moment in time to break into history.  Using the improbably to accomplish the impossible.

Main Texts:  Luke 2:1-7
- God brought all the events and people together at the right moment in time to break into history.

1. It doesn’t make sense: But everything works.  
Luke 2:1-7
a. The Census
● People look at this as improbable, it doesn’t make sense.  But history say’s it happened.
b. He fulfills his prophecies
● Micah 5:2 – Born in Bethlehem, not just a coincidence, but on purpose.

2. The insignificant to important
Micah 5:2
● A town seen as small, insignificant was chosen by God
Isaiah 11:1-10
● Where he rests will be glorious, will you carry the banner?

Conclusion:
God, the author who brought everything together, beyond anyone’s expectation, is the God of the improbable and the impossible.

SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:1-7

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

 ⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Michah 5:2

² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 
   though you are small among the clans^[a] of Judah, 
out of you will come for me 
   one who will be ruler over Israel, 
whose origins are from of old, 
   from ancient times.”

Advent: Traditions
Building the forms: It's beginning to take shape
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio

Big Idea: when laying down foundation, you need to build the forms. Jesus Christ is our foundation; His birth begins to lay down the forms.

Main Texts: Luke 1:26-55
• as we look at the promise of the coming Christ we behind to see God's character develop.  Not only does He give us His son, but also He chooses Mary.

1. The Forms • Luke 1:26,27
a. The virgin birth
- God sending His son in the flesh, but not corrupted by man.
b. The line of David - vs.30
- "You have found favor with God." Favor was not determined by what they already have accomplished, but rather because of whom they are.

2. The eyes of a good Father
- God sees, in us, who we really are and of what we can truly be capable.
vs. 30 "You have found favor"
vs. 34 "How could this be?"
vs. 38 "May it be as you have said."
vs. 45 "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord has said to her will be accomplished"

Conclusion:
Like Mary, does God fond favor is us?

SCRIPTURE

The Birth of Jesus Foretold 

 ²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

 ²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

 ³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

 ³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

 ³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth 

 ³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

 ⁴⁶ And Mary said:

   “My soul glorifies the Lord 
 ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful 
   of the humble state of his servant. 
From now on all generations will call me blessed, 
 ⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me— 
   holy is his name. 
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him, 
   from generation to generation. 
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; 
   he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones 
   but has lifted up the humble. 
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things 
   but has sent the rich away empty. 
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, 
   remembering to be merciful 
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever, 
   just as he promised our ancestors.”

 ⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Traction: A Series on 1 Corinthians
It Affects Us
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio 

Main Texts:  1 Corinthians 15:1-11, 15:56-58
- God’s unconditional love for us and free gift of grace should have an affect on our lives.

1. Oh… That’s going to leave a mark  1 Corinthians 15:1-11
a. The foundation of our faith is real.
- Just as the grace of Jesus Christ had a profound affect on Paul’s life, God’s grace in our life should leave a mark.

2. Really? 1 Corinthians 15:29-34
- What if this isn’t true?  What if the foundation of our faith isn’t real? “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Conclusion:
1 Corinthians 15:56-58
- This is where the rubber meets the road, where our faith needs to have some traction.

SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ; 56-58

¹ Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

 ³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas,^[b] and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

 ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. ¹¹ Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Traction: A series on 1 Corinthians 
Love: It's time to try something different
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio

Big Idea: When we accept that we are unconditionally loved we feel safe to grow and become the person God has intended us to be. It allows us to step out and do something different.

Main Texts: 1 Corinthians 13: 8b-13
- Paul teaches us that there is a link between working out our spiritual gifts and love.

1. Taking it all away
> 1 Corinthians 13:8b-9
When you pull away the things we do, the exterior,  and look at what’s beneath it, what do we see? 
- Our identity is not tied to what we do, but to who we are.

2. Not Perfect, but pretty darn close!
> 1 Corinthians 13:10-12
- Christ love for us is the example of perfect
- As we use our gifts in love, it is the in reflection of God.

Conclusion:
> 1 Corinthians 13:13
- All we have is Faith, Hope and Love

^SCRIPTURE
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Traction: A series on 1 Corinthians

Spiritual Gifts: Hey buddy you dropped your arm!

Big Idea:  The community around us sees a more complete image of God when the body of Christ uses its gifts.

Main Texts:  1 Corinthians 12:4-31
- We represent the image of God that has been broken by the fall.

 1. Jesus is made tangible
      1 Corinthians 12:7
Definition of manifest: To make actual and visible, tangible.
- It is for the good of the community

2. We need you
      1 Corinthians 12:14-27
-         There are two parts:
                         i.            Those who don’t
                         ii.            Those who won’t

Conclusion:
- We are all part of the puzzle.  With one piece missing we do not complete the full picture of what Christ intended for the Church

**Please Watch this Video first to introduce today's message.

Traction: A Series on 1 Corinthians
Why Do We Gather?
Speaker: Dawn-Marie Small

Main Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17
The Lords Supper

1. To partake in a healthy balance of give and take within the family 
Vs. 21
We are not called to live this Christian life alone, but we are wired for fellowship.

2. To worship corporately after getting fuelled up on our own time with God 
Vs. 22
Sunday mornings are not designed to be our weekly pit stop for fuelling up for the rest of the week. We are to do that on our own time so that we are tuned and on the same page for when we gather together.

3. We gather together to be challenged and refocused.
Vs. 23-26 
Communion is a great way for self—reflection of where we are at with our relationship with God

1 Peter 2:24
Ephesians 1:7
Hebrews 8:7-12 ; 9:12-15

Traction: A Series on 1 Corinthians
Rights vs. Responsibility
Speaker: Pastor Sam Alescio

Big Idea: As believers we face the ongoing battle of our rights vs. responsibility. The Bible teaches we are not only responsible for ourselves, but also the people around us.

Main Texts: 1 Corinthians 8-10

- On of the characteristics of God is boundaries. We see them displayed in the creation story.

1. Watch what you eat
   1 Corinthians 8:4-13
   We are responsible for the people around us.
2. I’m right, but that’s okay
   1 Corinthians 9:15a, 19-27
   Your goal sets your standards. You lay down your rights to accomplish what you’ve set out to do.

Conclusion:
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
What is beneficial for your maturity as a believer in Jesus?