David: The Heart of a Leader

Jim Leffel

1 Samuel 16:1-21

God calls David "a man after His own heart" & selects him as King. David's heart is for God. Despite circumstances of life, David is transformed by the Spirit of God and his response is compassionate, gracious and humble. All character qualities necessary for leadership.

Betrayal and Denial

Dennis McCallum

2 Corinthians 7:10

Judas Iscariot notoriously betrays Jesus the night before Jesus's death, but Jesus's right hand man, Peter, also betrays Jesus by denying him 3 times. Both Judas and Peter feel sorry for what they did, but one ends up hanging himself while the other goes on to lead the early church. We will explore the difference between guilty remorse which leads to death and humble repentance which leads to salvation.

Patience (Part 2) - Patience with Sin

Ajith Fernando

Romans 13:1

Patience is an often sought-after virtue, but it is not achieved in the Christian life without trials. As we encounter sin, we are faced with an opportunity to be refined. Even in times when we have been greatly hurt by others, we can forgive by the power of Christ and learn to endure patiently, without having to take vengeance on our own shoulders. This fruit of patience brings relief and freedom into our lives.

Humility and Love

Lee Campbell

Matthew 11:28-30

One of the most common and greatest sins is pride, something that hinders our love for both God and people. As we seek to become more humble believers in Christ, we must first understand the biblical definition of humility, that it is to see ourselves as we are and to think less often about ourselves. It is the freedom from self that inclines us to love others and to love God. Thus, we should seek to humble ourselves before the Lord, cultivating both a hunger for the glory of God and a hunger from God. This, combined with meekness, can truly change the way we love others.

James 4 - A Self-Diagnostic Tool in Conflicts

Cathy Treyens

Proverbs 27:20

We all experience conflict, but we often do not correctly assess our own contributions or our role in them. Through the insight given in James 4, we can break down our conflicts, often brought on by what we demand from others and God. Our emotions acts as the tip of the iceberg, on top of what we want, and on top of what we deeply need. As we learn to diagnose ourselves, we can receive God's healing through submission and humility.

The 6:8 Assignment

Derek Sanford

Micah 6:8

The Micah 6:8 assignment is to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. As a church, the 6:8 assignment means to redemptively engage the culture and to step into the mess. As an individual Christian, the 6:8 assignment means to overcome apathy, increase awareness, and take action.

The Pharisee, the Tax Collector, and the Children

Dennis McCallum

Luke 18:9-17

Jesus confronts the Pharisees' self-righteous attitude with a parable of a tax collector and a Pharisee who went to the temple to pray. Jesus condemns the prideful Pharisee who boasted to God about his own good works and praises the humble tax collector who begged God for mercy. Then Jesus explains to His disciples that people must receive the kingdom of God like a child to enter it. God wants us to approach Him in childlike humility and to reject the Pharisees' comparative and judgmental attitude.

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Scott Risley

Luke 18:9-14

Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to demonstrate what is needed to be right with God. While the Pharisee demonstrated self-righteousness in his prayer, the tax collector demonstrated humility and his need for mercy in his prayer. Righteousness before God can only be obtained by faith in Jesus' atoning sacrifice, not on the basis of our own works.

God's Attitude Toward Those Who Reject Him

Dennis McCallum

Luke 15:1-32

Jesus speaks to an audience of both the lowest of society's low as well as the self-righteous. Jesus addresses the self-righteous lot by telling three parables that each reflect God's character. He teaches how much God loves the humble sinner and the lengths God goes to win that person to Himself; as well as the dangers and consequences of a self-righteous person's attitude toward God.