The Simplicity in Christ

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 5:6

Paul explained that the message of Christianity is quite simple. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and all we have to do is accept God's free gift of forgiveness through Jesus in order to start a relationship with God and go to heaven. There is no reason to add any unnecessary barriers to this message.

The God of Fatherly Love

Jim Leffel

Exodus 4:22

God reveals His fatherly love to the nation of Israel. This fatherly love is seen through God's son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was the future hope for Israel. Today, we can have redemption through Jesus and be adopted by God as His children.

When God's Commands Seem Burdensome

Gary DeLashmutt

1 John 5:1-5

Our relationship with God can be hindered when we try and earn His acceptance through our performance or obedience to His commands. Often, we try and follow His commands by our resources, leaving us alienated and forgetful of His love for us. We should cultivate focus towards His promises and ask for Jesus' help to guide us and empower us. As a result, we can have renewed awareness of God's love and an ability to rest in His grace and lean on our brothers and sisters for help in our weakness.

The God of Compassion

Jim Leffel

Exodus 2:23-25

Exodus gives two examples of God's compassion. First, in our suffering. God is moved by human suffering because He hears people and God is an emotional being. Secondly, God is not only moved by our suffering but His compassion produces action. An example of how God takes action is seen in His forgiveness and redemption for the people of Israel. This message of redemption is the Bible's central message.

Servants of a New Covenant

Dennis McCallum

Exodus 34:29-34

Paul explained that through Christ the veil of the law has been lifted and now we relate to God through grace. Christ died for all of our sins and now we can view our relationship with God as something where we draw near to Him and depend on Him, rather than trying to try to justify ourselves to Him. God's grace offers us freedom and peace as we work with Him.

Motivations for Generosity

Gary DeLashmutt

Acts 4:32-33

This teaching is part of a funding campaign for Xenos Christian Fellowship. What is generosity and what motivates is highlighted throughout this teaching. There are 6 motivations for generosity. First, God has given generously to you through his son Jesus; grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. A second motivation is because God has made you a steward of His resources. A comparison of stewardship and ownership mentalities is included. Thirdly, you can be generous even if you are not wealthy; it is an attitude of giving that God is looking for, not a specific or large financial amount. Fourthly, God wants all of his people to have enough and does so through His people's generosity. Fifth, your financial gift will be handled with integrity among church leadership. Lastly, God will richly bless you for your generosity. You cannot out-give God! Refers to Craig Bloomberg's book Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions as a valuable resource on generosity topic.

David and Bathsheba

Dennis McCallum

Psalms 32:1-5

Years after David''s throne is established, he begins making poor choices that lead his life in a bad direction. The culmination of this is when he commits adultery with Bathsheba, impregnates her, then tries to cover it up by having her husband killed in battle. A prophet named Nathan confronts him about this, and David finally chooses to admit to his wrongdoings and repent rather than continuing to lie and hide his sin. Through his repentance, we see the joy and happiness that comes from the release of guilt that God's grace offers. We also see that God's grace covers all sin, no matter how big.

Mephibosheth

Dennis McCallum

Ephesians 2:8-9

When David finally became king, he sought out the last known living relative of Saul in order to show him God's kindness (chesed) for Jonathan's sake. He went to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, and promised to show him kindness, restore to him the land that belonged to Saul, and take care of him. This is a perfect picture of God's grace (chesed) toward us, from Mephibosheth's awe of David's kindness to the life-changing impact it had on him. Grace is an important character trait of God and the only way anyone can come to Him. Just as God shows us grace, we should learn to show it to others the way David did.

Christians and Their Neighbors (Part 3)

Dennis McCallum

Colossians 4:4-6

Three ways to reach out with the message of God: 1) prayer; 2) lifestyle; 3) words. Five main components to consider when using our words to share God's message include: 1) sender; 2) message; 3) encoding/decoding; 4) receiver; 5) noise. Most effectively this is done through relationship with an emphasis on grace. The point is to communicate God's message of grace in a way that the receiver can hear best. This is an exciting part of the Christian life! All Christians should look for ways to be part of what God's doing around us.\r\n