Colossians 3:16-17

16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

“Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

• The Word in us
  • Word of Christ refers to the word to Christs teachings
  • Dwell – to be at home. Like when someone says “make yourself at home”.
    • visitor vs family
  • Richly – abundance. more than you need to survive
  • Have the teachings of Christ in you.
  • When the teachings of Christ are missing – humanity feels a soul craving that it trys to fill with nonsense
• Share the Word
  • Teaching – sharing what you are getting – after service!
  • Admonishing – has to do with duty. we owe our brothers and sisters
• Praise God
  • And sing, sing your hearts out to God!
  • Taking in the teachings of Christ then sharing the teachings of Christ with each other – Praise should be the immediate result

Colossians 3:17

Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

• Don’t act or speak unless you have the teachings of Jesus dwelling richly in your life.
• Your mouth and your actions can hurt more than help.

So for us…. don’t waste a good pandemic.

Meaning, you have time to press in.

Mark 2:1

“When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home.”

• Theologians believe Jesus made his home at Peters house
• People could find Jesus not at the church, but by finding the disciples.

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me….And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

• What will they think if I ask to pray for them?
• If I win the lottery then I can tithe, but until then I can’t afford it.
• I can’t talk about Jesus to that person.
• Conditional faith – we will see what happens. I can’t… until…

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

John 13:35

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Mark 9:33-37

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

1. Fail to pay attention- Jesus is speaking, are you listening and discerning.

• The drivers seat belongs to Jesus
• Your focus is on the driver and the passengers
  • Jesus (listen, understand, see how He is leading you especially in hard times
    • Psalm 23:4
    • Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
  • Yourself (follow and don’t be a backseat driver trying to tell Jesus where to lead you)
  • Others (if your seats are empty practice inviting) I believe loneliness can be a tool that Jesus can use. So we are forced out of our comfort zone to bring others in.

A diet will change how you look, but a fast will change how you see.

Matthew 9:27-31

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

• blind from denial
  • things have changed but you have refused to adapt and follow Jesus into the new season.
  • covid has shaken up the world, and a chunk of believers have refused to move and follow Jesus.
• blind from selfishness
  • I don’t like that. Jesus didn’t ask about whether you liked it. He asked you to follow Him.
• blind from bitterness
  • someone or something hurt you, now your bitter.
• blind from isolation
  • the more alone we become the less community we have. we lose the vision of the kingdom of God
• blind from disobedience
  • Psalm 119:29 – Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.

• Pursue Jesus
• Know the authority of Jesus
  • First time in New Testament the title of Jesus was called out. They knew the position Jesus held as Messiah.
• Have some Faith
  • It’s, “Because you have faith,” not “In proportion to your faith.” Jesus did not provide healing according to the amount of faith the blind men had.

Ever see a child open a present they “needed” at Christmas but not what they “wanted”? Thanks for the socks and underwear Grandma. As a society we have come to place greater value on what we want than what we need. But Jesus was the ultimate need gift and still is today. We are in our sermon series – Change Your City – it’s all about Jesus showing up on the scene of a city called Capernaum and the city was changed; which then changed the world. Capernaum means – village of comfort – your ability to change your city is linked to moving past your comfort. Today’s message is “All I Need For Christmas”…

There are no mentions of Christmas in Capernaum. But the Holy Spirit began to speak and prep my heart after I read a historians look at Capernaum. Josephus, who turned to be the best historian for this time, writes about the area of the sea of Galilee and Capernaum:

“The country also that lies over against this lake hath the same name of Gennesareth; its nature is wonderful as well as its beauty; its soil is so fruitful that all sorts of trees can grow upon it, and the inhabitants accordingly plant all sorts of trees there; for the temper of the air is so well mixed, that it agrees very well with those several sorts, particularly walnuts, which require the coldest air, flourish there in vast plenty; there are palm trees also, which grow best in hot air; fig trees also and olives grow near them, which yet require an air that is more temperate. One may call this place the ambition of nature, where it forces those plants that are naturally enemies to one another to agree together; it is a happy contention of the seasons, as if every one of them laid claim to this country; for it not only nourishes different sorts of autumnal fruit beyond men’s expectation, but preserves them a great while; it supplies men with the principal fruits, with grapes and figs continually, during ten months of the year  and the rest of the fruits as they become ripe together through the whole year; for besides the good temperature of the air, it is also watered from a most fertile fountain.”

The Holy Spirit revealed to me what was happening to the plant life in Capernaum and paralleled it to believers.

A plant needs 3 things to live –

1. soil,
2. environment,
3. water –

A believer finds all 3 of those in Jesus

All I need for Christmas…The Gift that is Jesus:

1 – Soil  – The success of a plant depends on it remaining planted in the soil that feeds it.

John 15:1-4 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

REMAIN* – stay planted. Stop hopping into a spot you think will be fruitful for you. All you need for Christmas is Jesus. Stop confusing your pruning for your relationship with Jesus.

Doing Life Together –

When we are planted where Jesus wants us planted we dont choose who or what  we are next to. Jesus chooses. I love the quote from Josephus. “it forces those plants that are naturally enemies to one another to agree together”. What does the verse John 15:1-4 on remaining planted mean to you? Are you working with or against the people or resources Jesus has given you?

2 – Environment – Plants live or die based on the environment.

Mark 4:37-40 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. 38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Winter is always before spring…. storms will try and take you out before you’re fruitful. Your faith in Jesus will keep you planted during the storms.

3 – Water – Plants can only live as long as they have  water

John 4:13-15 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

Your source of Life is Jesus. Don’t confuse your wants for your needs.

Next Steps – Your next step is more about what you are giving. “the inhabitants accordingly plant all sorts of trees there” – You inhabit the Kingdom of God – Are you planting all sorts of seeds there? the seed of hope, peace, kindness, love, joy?

Matthew 4:13

13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Nazareth – guarded one. – we can look at this definition 2 different ways.

• 1 – Step Up – we are the guarded one like Jesus. protected in our infancy of Christianity. At some point we need to realize through the authority of Jesus we have a mission. to bring the love of Jesus to those who can’t get it themselves. There can be an attitude of wanting to stay guarded.

Ephesians 3:11-12

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

• 2 – Let it Go – we have something we are guarding from our past. we haven’t let go of. It could be sin, it could be comfort, it could be anything that was in a past season that you are holding onto. It’s what is preventing you from changing your city with full effectivness.

Matthew 19:16-22

16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do so that I may obtain eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man *said to Him, “All these I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be [a]complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

Matthew 4:13

And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Eph 3:17

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

1. on the boat secure or
2. in the depths of the ocean grabbing on to what we cant fully see or comprehend.

You do not have hope connected to Jesus when you have a pessimistic attitude of “we’ll see what happens”

You aren’t dealing with change. You are waiting to see if the change is acceptable for you to move in.

How do we move past the road blocks that try to stop our faith? Listen in to this next message in our Change Your City series – “Faith Blocks”. Follow along to find out…

What happens you face an obstacle, a roadblock, or a barrier? Do you shut down? Get frustrated? Avoid or walk away?

Matthew 17:24-27 24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax[a] came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter?[b] Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?[c]” 26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

IXTHUS – “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Savior.”

1. Faith Block of “Not Enough”

Believers can fail to act in the kingdom of God when they feel …

• they can feel like they are not enough so they fail to even try –
• they can feel like they don’t have enough resources, finances, or understanding…. and don’t try

26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

To move past the faith block of not enough – go to Jesus first in what you lack.

Jesus will speak to you in action – It will be something hard, or tough, and very personal.

**But Jesus is testing / stretching you so that you stop focusing on what’s missing and focusing on what Jesus is providing.**

2. Faith Block of “Doubt” –

• Do you doubt Jesus is speaking to you? –
• Do you doubt He has chosen you to participate in the growth of this Kingdom?

Most people do not fully understand what Jesus is speaking to them about so they shut down. They fail to comprehend what Jesus is speaking because they fail to spend time listening.

The sermon last week – Peters mother in law was touched by Jesus then immediately started using her skill for the kingdom. We all were touched by the Jesus last week; but did you immediately start using your skill for the kingdom?

The Holy Spirit revealed to us Monday, that most people did not because there was a Spiritual Blockage. And most would say it was lack of understanding, or knowing…

**The Spiritual blockage of doubt prevents movement in the kingdom of God.**

Luke 24 41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

**The Spiritual blockage of doubt is broken through what you give to Jesus.**

vs 45…. then he opened their minds…

Doing Life Together –

What does luke 24:41-45 mean to you? What are you going to do this week that is different than weeks prior? Be accountable to each other. If someone says something get their number and check up.

3.Faith Block of “changing your city”

Changing your city is not a sermon series….. it’s a LIFESTYLE that every believer is enrolled in the moment they call Jesus Lord. We are all called to change our own city.

15 That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”16 But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.” 17 “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered. 18 “Bring them here,” he said. 19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. 20 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.

• Jesus is Jesus…
• Disciples are all believers…
• the crowd is our different cities…
• the bread and fish are what we have to offer. It’s not enough without Jesus.

We will change our cities if we are willing to participate and be involved in the group project known as vision.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Next Steps – Seek the Lord. Jesus will reward you with what you need to change your city. Hold someone else accountable. Check in. See how they are doing in seeking the Lord in the coming weeks.

Do you remember high school math? There was always that one teacher that was super passionate about math even 1 week before summer vacation. Every other teacher had the AV kids roll in that old tv strapped down to the cart to watch a movie; but here you are in math with a teacher pouring their heart out on variables, fractals, and quadratic polynomials.

Growing up in Oregon – late afternoon blue skies were a treasure. Skip math?

We continue our “Can’t Cancel Hope” series with today’s message – HOPE is in Session. We’ve been looking at people in the Bible experiencing tests and dark situations of isolation, despair, hiding, lost, and lonely; and how they found Hope.

Follow along:

School is in session – conducting classes.

• What are you learning when life happens?

We are jumping into the book of Job today to look at 3 different sessions.

• Oppression
• Recession 
• Depression

Ultimately the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy.  –  according to John 10:10

The enemy uses tactics to try and get you to misplace your Hope.

You can’t cancel Hope. You can’t kill Jesus. So the enemy uses tactics to get us to place our Hope on anything but Jesus.

1 – Hope is in Oppression

Job 1:6-12

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Does Job fear God for nothing? Is Job’s Hope tied to the blessings or the blesser. 

Satan has this theory – if bad things happen to good people; then good people will lose their Hope in God.

He ultimately wants us to accuse God of the bad things.

Satan has a 3 step program for you loosing Hope:

1. Move hope from God to stuff
2. Wait for stuff to fail
3. Get you to accuse God for stuff failing

Hope is in oppression by placing our Hope correctly.

Too many people don’t learn the lessons found in life. Things get tough, they blame God.

2 – Hope is in Recession

Job 1:20-22

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

may the name of the Lord be praised.”

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Recession is a significant decline in the economy. I want to look at Job’s response in complete recession. He lost his family, his wealth, his everything.

• It is not wrong to grieve from loss. 
• It is healthy to grieve.
• It is wrong to accuse God of your loss.

Satan wishes that you would blame God too.

Job didn’t blame God here. He tore his Robe and shaved his head and worshiped God.

You can’t control what you loose; but you can control your response.

Robe, hair and worship were all very public expressions.

When we are grieving it is ok to be public about it. Don’t think you need to hide how you feel.

Job was public about his grieving….. but he was public about his worship too. 

His robe and his hair were symbols of ethnicity, background, wealth, tribe, land owner, successful businessman.

He tore his robes and cut his hair to show his identity was grieving; but his posture was worship.

Hope is found in recession when we worship.

***Pause here to join us in the chat or comments and do life together:***

What are different ways you worship God?

3 – Hope is in Depression

Job 1:20-22

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

may the name of the Lord be praised.”

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Finding hope in depression is first rising up out of your emotions, your mind, and your state. 

…then he fell to the ground in worship.

Hope is in depression through our position to Jesus

Hope is found in oppression, recession and depression.

If something still feels off something is miss-aligned.

God questions Job.

…..then Job replies.

Job 40:2

“Will you discredit my justice

and condemn me just to prove you are right?

Job 42:5-6

5 My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you.

6 Therefore I despise myself

and repent in dust and ashes.”

NEXT STEPS THIS WEEK:  Find something to repent to Jesus about.  Maybe it’s misplacing your hope on stuff, maybe it’s a lack of worship, or maybe it’s failing to position yourself at the feet of Jesus.

Have you ever felt so alone it weighs on you? Where you’re longing for an answer that seems forever away or impossible? Not actually talking about coranvirus and the ongoing stay at home orders. I’m actually talking about leprosy. Lepers were required to stand 6ft away and wear cloth face masks. Crazy similarity to today, right? We are continuing our “Can’t Cancel Hope” looking at people in the Bible experiencing their own isolation, dark, hidden, places holding on for the HOPE that is Jesus. Today, we’re in Matthew 8… a message that places our biggest breakthrough from a million miles off to just 6ft away.

Matthew 8:1-4

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

What closes the gap of our breakthrough?

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

How do you get closer to breakthrough?

1) Receive – you gotta listen to receive. 

word > precedes > breakthrough

2) Positioned – you must position yourself at the foot of the throne.

The reason we fail is not believing. The reason why people secretly lack faith is from bad positioning…

The leper calls Jesus Lord. Lord – meaning: owner, person I belong to….

Jesus had disciples. He had a church services. But up to this point people called him teacher, rabbi…. why do you think Jesus asked the question later on who do people call me? Who do you call me?

Many people follow Jesus and have not positioned Him as Lord.

Is Jesus your teacher? Or is He your Lord that teaches?

**Join the discussion down below in the comments**

Discussion question today is – How can you personally position Jesus as Lord this week?

The leper called Him Lord publicly, bowed at his feet and worshipped Him before any healing ever happened.

3) Motivated – Why was he motivated?

He wanted to rejoin community, he wanted to do life together….

Jesus reached out his hand and touched him.

2 perspectives.

1st – Leper that needed a breakthrough.

2nd – Jesus who showed the man His love.

For some of us we are in the shoes of the leper needing breakthrough.

For some of us we need to realize that we need to be the shoes of Jesus.

There is a 3rd perspective – the crowd that stayed on the sidelines. They watched but did nothing.

!!Our church does life together and takes the next steps.!!

Jesus healed 3 people after Church.

• Leprosy – those that society rejects.
• Centurion servant – those that we hate
• Peters mother-in-law – those we love

Jesus demonstrated His love through healing.

YOUR NEXT STEP: This week is to demonstrate the love of Jesus to someone. Someone that bothers you, someone you hate, or someone you love. But most importantly it needs to be someone who doesn’t live with you.

What do you do when you feel stuck? Or are in fact stuck… like we’re all stuck at home right now. Stuck with limited options for how we’re used to living our lives these days. Do you panic? Do you fight it? Do you shutdown? We’re in our “Can’t Cancel Hope” series where we look at people in the Bible who were in dark, isolated, places; and how they kept hope alive.

Follow along with Pastor Matt here:

Acts 9:8-9

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Internal stuck happens usually when God is teaching humility to show you the kingdom. Kingdom being your relationship with Jesus and with People.

Philemon

1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

External stuck is usually the devil trying to exchange humility with pride, envy, jealousy, bitterness… to tear down your relationship with Jesus and with people

Paul is doing life together even when he’s stuck.

Just because you can’t see someone doesn’t mean you can’t do life together…

Can we break down what doing life together is? Its mutual impact. 

It’s about what we are giving and receiving. Don’t be that person who thinks they know more than Jesus.

Your impact is not determined by your situation.

Paul impacted hundreds if not thousands of people. Even when he was in prison he still impacted. 

Sermon title is “Hope is Now” – Hope is not getting out of a situation. 

Hope is with you in your situation. 

What are you and Jesus doing while you’re stuck?

Mutual impact 

Philemon 4-7

Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, “Oh, thank you, God!” I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which brims over to other believers. And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it. Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see your hospitality to fellow believers.

Here’s what “Doing Life Together” looks like through Paul’s eyes:

1. Praying for each other.
2. Being thankful for each other.
3. Feeling joy and happiness when the other person is doing well and successful.
4. Genuine love for each other.
5. Communicating with each other.

Romans 12:15 

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Who is he doing life together with? Who is he impacting?

• People that are in the same situation – family, relatives, best friends…
• People going through what you’ve gone through –  Oneisimus
• People far away – who is long distance? How can you do life together? Paul did life long distance before technology. 

Pick a person to do life together outside your home. 

Your next step this week: write a letter to someone long distance. Share with them how they build you up. Speak into their life. Write a letter as if you were Paul writing a letter. 

Have you ever waited too long? When we feel stuck for too long; hope becomes hurt. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Moses is the perfect example.

This is the latest message in our “Can’t Cancel Hope” series, about people stuck in places, holes, caves, boats, isolation… They are separated and we have studied how they kept or found their hope and the actions they took to do so; and how we can apply that to our lives today.

Follow along with Pastor Matt here:

Exodus 3:1-7

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.

What brings you to the presence of God? 

“Moses led the flock to the far side”

• nahag – to lead or to lament

Exodus 3:3

Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

• It doesn’t matter how you get to the presence of God. 
• It just matters what you do while you are there.

What do you do in the presence of God?

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

1 – Be fully Present

• • Have respect
  • Take our time

2 – Take time

6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”

• Elohiym Ab – Elohiym (supreme, ruler. nothing over me) Ab (father, head, found, originator). Originator of Art!

3 – Gain Identity

7 The LORD said, “I have indeed SEEN the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have HEARD them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am AWARE of their sufferings.

4 – Acquire Heart of Jesus

• See – Acknowledge what’s happening
• Hear – Listen to stories
• Know – Do life together

Hope is on the way and it’s delivered by you. No excuses! Be like Moses… without the excuses!

Our prayer today is that…Hope is on the Way!

How do you find hope in a hopeless situation? It is so hard to keep hope alive when it feels like there’s no way out, no other side, or no possibility for a good outcome. We are continuing in our Can’t Cancel Hope series. That’s why it’s so important to be tethered and connected to HOPE. Like an anchor. During this series we will explore characters in the Bible that have found themselves in caves, caverns and dark places. Today we visit Lazarus.

Follow along here:

John 11:11 – 15

11 He said these things, and then announced, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I’m going to wake him up.”

12-13 The disciples said, “Master, if he’s gone to sleep, he’ll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine.” Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.

14-15 Then Jesus became explicit: “Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let’s go to him.”

Disciples – Their hope was based on perspective, not Jesus

John 11:17-22

17-20 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.

21-22 Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.”

Mary – Her hope was based on results, not Jesus

Martha – Her hope was based on her timing, not Jesus

John 11:41-44

41-42 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.”

They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.”

43-44 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”

Lazarus is all of us. we are dead without Jesus.

Let’s look at the 4 things Jesus did for Lazarus.

1. Gave a New Life
2. Removed His Obstacle.
3. Called Him to Next steps.
4. Vulnerably connected

•   Lazarus is all of us – and we are called to be the Church, take the next steps, and do life together.

•   When we have these 3 things happening in our lives. we will find hope in any hopeless situation.