Faith

Ashley Anderson (Church of the City)

(10/15/2023) Compelling Missional Disciples: Identity Formation 

WHO SAID?? What are you telling yourself? ...How does GOD define you?

"Israel" because you have struggled with man and God, but overcame

Traditional cultures - look at community to determine self

Modern cultures - look within and ask community for validation

both are fragile...Inconsistency when people determine good/ bad - bias invlolved; Who is around you and what is within you is always changing

The pressure to gain significance is crippling - operating out of a deficit ; ie a track runner who has 10 seconds to justify existence

Shame - crisis of identity; we cant be our full self; we cant be in perfect union with God

What's your identity built around? You or God? -- what the world decided you will be? How you feel in the moment?

Wrestling...with sense of self - to God vs man / with security - with what God did vs what I can do / with self worth - with God said to me vs others thing

Knowing Gods truth vs knowing it to be true

What you know vs what you believe -- What you believe is your identity

Off the Pulpit Podcast 

"Lukewarm faith, wilderness seasons, and hope."

 When you do things in anger/ cynicism you know what you're against, but you dont know what you're for. 

People mad at the institution miss the beautiful parts -All lead pastors should be thinking about discipleship 

Admitting to being in lukewarm faith makes the highs sweeter; Cultivate a deeper longer for God's presence 

Struggle experiencing God in the present - we're often, like in the psalms, in a sad state searching for God

Not loving the emotional state, but loving God himself - maybe the reason God allows this lukewarm state

Unlike in the old times when being Christian could mean death, it's easier to take our faith for granted and be in that lukewarm state

The fact you care is good; when you think youre good, youre in trouble {*reminds me of a sermon I heard discussing the devil like a lion ready to pounce - when youre not going after God the devil is coming for you. The night before Peter denied Jesus 3x, he confidently stated he would never. Our intention vs action}

Be in the wilderness, but not alone. - The road to amaod - two disciples walking away from Jerusalem after the crucifixion. Wrestling with what they gave their lives up for and seeing their savior killed. 

Putting yourself in arenas where God can work in your heart. Elijah bult the alter and God brought the fire. We have our role, wait for God to do his works. 

Practices given to us - pray, silence, solitude - are we putting ourselves in a position to receive the grace that is always flowing towards us?

Get into regular practices - confession, sabbath - allowing God to love you without doing anything; getting out of our self-sufficient mentality; Not sloth (scrolling instagram), but real rest

After the wilderness is when something new and revealing happens - we're being formed more deeply.

Pastor Suzy Silk (Church of the City )

(07/10/2023) "Rediscovering Church: The Model Church" 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - 10

We are all imitating and influenced by people - Take note of who we allow ourselves to imitate: models tell us what to wear, Ads tell us how our lives should look, but look even closer - our friends, family....

Paul learns that following Christ (being Christian) means mimicking Christ, but also provides an opportunity for others to imitate your life. Discipleship involves imitation. (Luke 6:40; John 15:14); 

It's one thing to hear the gospel, it's another thing to live it out. ( 1 Corinthians 4:14) Their persecution gives encouragement to young believers.

We are meant to be in the world but not of it. To challenge our current culture. 

Work produced by faith -- the only lasting work in our life is produced by the Holy Spirit. All our other efforts are temporary. (1 Corinthians 3)

John 15:5 - I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Without love, I gain nothing.  Labor prompted by love. Not diligence or obedience, but everlasting love. 

Endurance inspired by true hope.  We boast in the hope that is the glory of God. Peace in the glory of God. 

Glory in suffering because suffering produces perseverance, perseverance --> character, character --> hope. 

The gospel is not just words, but the power of God. This power requires a deep conviction and change in our life. So we wither under pressure.

The ability to handle suffering has made Christian's become a model to others because they're able to endure as they have hope in the glory of God

We may not have idols, but we idolize wealth, influence, sex...What do people see when they watch you? Are you a church leader? People are leaving the church because the church doesnt look like Jesus. 

"Prayer, Grief, and Lament"  (Habakkuk 3:16-19)

Why do we need to pray in the midst of grief?

Grief is right and proper response - We often try to speed through grief and move on to happiness without proper acknowledgment 

Numb avoid dismiss - cultural response; self medication to addiction 

God comes in the waiting - The greatest gift we can receive from God is his presence/ spirit

So many stories of the faithful patiently waiting...The choice in the waiting…remain faithful 

Habakkuk 3:18 - I will rejoice and be glad

Why can we rejoice? Because you know who God is, that God heard you, and that “I AM” - he doesn’t change/ his word is 

Reaffirm you faith: I will not let the circumstances of my life dictate my faith

I’ve made the choice - God strengthens; transforms; enables  - We know God because he enabled us to know him so he will strengthen us when we call for him

2 Samuel 22:33-34

In pain, we are being trained for battle - Hope can not be taken from us

Rev David Ellis (Redeemer East Side )

(07/30/2023) - "Caring and being cared for" 1 Peter 5:1-14

The life of faith is lived out in spiritual danger. How do we not only survive, but thrive in this dangerous world?

Stay awake. Stay connected. Stay Hopeful

1) Stay awake: 1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Peter  says humble yourself so God can exalt you at the proper time

Even Peter confidently proclaimed that he would never abandon Jesus the night before denying Jesus 3x

We applaud that self-confidence, but it can lead to our downfall. Not being led by prayer, putting ourselves in setting we dont belong - we put too much faith in ourselves to do what is right. 

2) Stay connected : Life in a church community. Love the church. Not the perfect church, not the concept of the church - love the real imperfect. people of the faith community.

3) Stay Hopeful: God will restore, confirm, and strengthen you

Christ suffered for our sins - the righteous for the unrighteous to being you closer to God

"Growing in Grace" (09/03/23)

2 Peter 3:14-18

Graceful; Gradual; Intentional; Essential; Personal 

Grace - the unmerited love/ acceptance of God

“Grow in grace” Not INTO grace…God already has you in his love and perfect place so you just need to accept it. 

Parents love a child so they want to see growth but they don’t love their child based on their growth 

Be patient with yourself. Be patient with the people around you. 

Since we’re waiting, be diligent. Make every effort, do your best, strive - the reward is coming. Intentional effort. 

Had a guitar in my house for 13 years. I’ve always wanted to play guitar. Can’t do it - why? I’ve never taken lessons, I’ve never practiced, I’ve never even picked it up to strum with intention.

People don’t drift towards success. It takes effort to fight the lazy tide. 

If you’re not growing in your faith, you’re in danger of falling, drifting from your faith.

Especially seasoned Christians who get into a rhythm and stop growing. New Christians know they need growth and seek it. 

Why experienced church leaders have a huge moral scandal - they stop growing because they’re experienced. David, different old testament leaders, etc fall from gods grace in old age. 

The only way not to fall, is to advance. 

1 do you thirst for God?

2 are you increasingly governed by the word of God - I don’t understand this but I’ll do it if that’s Gods command 

3 do you have a growing concern for the needs of others 

4 do you still grieve over sin 

5 are you getting quicker at forgiving others

Personal isn’t private - personal means getting to know a person - experiences, relations 

Roman Virtues - justice, courage, prudence, self controlled, wisdom…these are self improvement growths

If personal growth is reduced to only self-improvement, it’ll become soul crushing. You become hard, proud, lonely when you accomplish these. If you don’t accomplish this, you see yourself as a loser. Either way, you will not have joy. 

Rev Rich McCaskill (Redeemer Upper East)

"Living for what is good" 

Early Christians were confused as the new church was so different from what they knew to be religion

No sacrifices - Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice; No temple - we are the temple (the holy spirit is within us)

Christians live within the culture, counter-culturally...Results in people asking for your reason of hope? People reviling your way of life

You will be criticized and ridiculed when you are counter-cultural, if no one in your life is questioning the way you live, maybe you should re-examine the way you're living.

Why do you spend you time and money in that way? 

Religion is not contraty to reason but beyond it {reminds me of the Dan Brown interview where, to paraphrase, he says religion didn't answer his questions so he turned to science. Science, when looked at deeper, leads to more questions so people again turn to religion.}

Pastor Steve Furtick (Elevation Church)

The God of Also (07/23/2023)

We try to live by reason and not trust Gods revelation. 

Your potential is a mystery. Not to God, but to yourself. The more you mature and go into what God calls you into, the more you discover your potential. 

Dont define your potential with your past. The danger of being called into something when you feel caught in something else. God knows what youre caught in and He still called you. 

God knows "what youre not" so dont worry about that. He knows what you are - even if you dont know yourself yet.

He knows what im not. Who I was. And what I will be. 

All self development is self discovery. 

Dont box God into only being in our good decisions. God works and uses us in our bad situations too. 

Rev Aaron Bjerke (The Well)

Love is difficult to give because it’s giving someone else power and control (vulnerability)

With power you’re afraid of being humiliated; With control you’re afraid of losing control - not the perfect husband/ father and you grab something so tight you accidentally destroy it

 With control, you need to give it up to God vs with power you need to find humility in Christ  

Nathan  Finochio 

Evening college Oct 17 2017

See how God is maturing you in the situation- how God will enable you to grow

For leaders - Check the bridge you are about to drive that heavy load over...make sure the person can handle it or break it up into pieces - don't break the bridge

1 Peter 2:9 Israel and the church is "called out" - we are called out of the world not of the world 

Noah built as he was told - the idea was Gods - Noah was given the pattern by God (God is the designer and the creator) - the materials and resources were provided by God (gathered by Noah) and the animals came to Noah

Hebrews 3:1-6 - Jesus is the builder of the church - it is his house - the idea was his fathers and the pattern was his fathers - the materials were purchased by Christs blood 

We can not look to the world for ways to build the church - it's Gods and he has a blueprint (Roman's 12:1-2)

Elijah - test the wall - don't judge the wall by the color of its paint

In a relationship you love the person for who they are...love God for who he is and what he wants for you...stop trying to love a God that you want for your planned life...it won't work

1 Corinthians 11:30

My Faith is in God (through text)

Psalm 25 - 

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul...I Trust in you. Let me not be ashamed. 

For you are the God of my salvation; On You I will wait all the day.

Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to your mercy remember me. 

Turn yourself towards me...For I am desolate and addlicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged. Bring me out of my distresses!

Let me not be ashamed, For I put my trust in you. 

Psalm 44 - 

For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own army save them;

But it was Your right hand, your arm, because you favored them.

For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies.

In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever...For He knows the secrets of the heart. 

Strength in times of trouble

Psalm 91 - 

He who dwells in the secret place of the  Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty...

My God, in Him I will trust...under His wings you shall take refuge...

A thousand may fall at your side,  and ten thousand at your right hand, BUT it shall not come near you