Category: September

How good is God? Well… he knows how important reconciliation is. After all, that was the ENTIRE reason Jesus came to earth — to reconcile us to God. But in echo of that, Ben didn’t even know, as he laid out his plans, that this sermon would land on this date. But God did, and it’s little things like this that remind me that God is sovreign over all our mistakes.

Reconciliation is more than a word to us. It is an understanding that we are all messed up. But God still loves us and chooses to reconcile with us. And in that divine transaction, we are made new creations. Let’s look at that a bit closer today.

This is all about the FRUIT (singular) of the spirit.

What are the qualities of Christ living within us?

This hit me hard. Think of an apple that you’d want to eat and that is meant to sustain you: Crunchy, Firm, Juicy, Sweet (sometimes balanced with tart/sour), Refreshing, Fragrant

If you don’t have ONE of those attributes — if the apple isn’t Firm, for example — is it still an edible apple? What if it’s not refreshing–dry and dehydrated? Is it still something good for us to consume?

Now look at your own life and measure that against these qualities of the fruit that the Holy Spirit should be cultivating in you. Is the fruit your life produces in line with this list? Let’s discuss that!

HOW does God transform us? WHAT should be the signs of this most powerful transformation going on in our lives? It starts with the renewing of our minds. This word “renew” isn’t about renewing our lease, or renewnewing our subscription to Apple Music. This is about “Making a thing NEW, clean, whole, transformed… for a second time.”

RE-NEW.

Does this describe your mind? Is it something NEW? Is it something whole? Let’s talk about that.

Does the power of God, working in you, transform you? When Jesus encountered any situation, he transformed it. Water to wine. Deaf people hearing. Lame people walking. And… those bound by legalism freed from their chains in profound truths. Like Nicodemus. Listen today and ask yourself honestly — Has the impact of Jesus in your life changed you? Imagine being truly, absolutely, complete born a second time to live a truly second life — this one built on love and trusting God.

This is why we gather and celebrate! Not because we are sinless, but because we do sin, but God is building something new in each of us. And we come together to share in that and celebrate