Responding to Radical Grace

Conrad Hilario

1 John 4:17-18

Since Jesus has fulfilled the entire Old Testament Law and forgiven us completely through His own death on the cross, Christians have absolute confidence in approaching God and can experience eternal security as well. This open access to God should foster a love for others that includes thoughtful encouragement and making time to build close friendships, and this counter-cultural love is the basis for authentic Christian community.

The Impact of Grace

Scott Risley

Colossians 3:9-11

Slavery and its interaction with Christianity has always been a contentious topic, and yet it is clear from the Bible that God is anti-slavery and that Christianity's principles directly contributed to the demise of slavery worldwide. The book of Philemon provides an intimate glimpse into an escaped first century slave's dilemma and Paul's response to the slave's Christian master, and through Paul's appeal we see God's power to reconcile diverse people.

Building Unity with Other Christians

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 3:12-16

Because of God's great love for us, Paul encourages us to embrace a lifestyle of loving other Christians by building relational unity. The local church cannot effectively accomplish its mission of reaching others for Christ and we cannot grow spiritually without a network of unified Christ-centered friendships. By helping each other be filled with the Word of Christ and by persevering with one another despite our messiness and sinfulness we can cultivate a lifestyle of love toward other Christians.

Christian Life & Christian Community

Jim Leffel

Colossians 3:12-17

There is a way to live in Christian community that transforms lives. The foundation for love is that we have received both motivation from being loved by God, and capacity from having a new identity. On this basis, we are able to reflect God's love in a way that is based on His Word as we let Him rule in our hearts.

Paul's Servanthood Perspective

Dennis McCallum

Colossians 1:21-2:3

There is no alternative to authentic Christian servanthood in the church. The Bible says that Christians are appointed by God to be His servants, proclaiming His message in a balanced and complete way. Christian workers are called to encourage others to commit themselves to closeness with each other, learning about God, and pursuing a deeper relationship with Him.

Joyful Suffering (Part 2)

Jim Leffel

Colossians 1:24-2:5

The Christian life involves activities that bring with them, at the same time, suffering and joy. One of these is the process of helping others along to spiritual maturity, which is an extremely fulfilling interpersonal process that comes with relational risk. Another is the commitment to unity in the church, which is incredibly rewarding but can grate against our selfish nature.

Real Community

Ryan Lowery

Acts 6:1-7

In the early church, Hellenistic Jews and Hebraic Jews were culturally at odds in the diverse city of Jerusalem. They overcame cultural prejudice in four ways: 1) The leaders acknowledge the problem publically; 2) they delegated authority to a trustworthy group; 3) they didn't overreact; and 4) both sides trusted in the leadership of the church. In order to fight division, we must understand the basis for our unity in Christ, be on the lookout for division, and be a community of the Word that also serves each other.

Spiritual Community

Ryan Lowery

Acts 2:42-47

The church of Acts bursts onto the scene in Jerusalem preaching the teachings of Jesus and sharing the Good News. The church was living alongside each other, steeped in prayer, and devoted to the teachings of Jesus. Gratefulness to God was the driving force in their community. God's grace is the motivating force that changes even the worst of us into loving self-giving workers for God.

The Lord's Prayer

Scott Risley

John 17:1-26

The human race has a wrong view of God. As Jesus approached the cross, the main thing on his mind was correcting that view. This passage contains Jesus' incredible prayer for his disciples and for all who believe through their message. Thanks to Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection, we can know God personally and have eternal life. We also have the privilege of glorifying God through our actions and words!\r\n