Amazing Grace Community Church

Jesus, the Humble king

Christmas is about the advent of the Messiah, the humble king.

Those who waited with pride of heart were disappointed at His first advent.  He came as a humble servant king not a warrior king.   Upon His second advent He will come as a warrior king.

“Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

Being under the thumb of the Romans they wanted power to overcome them. Instead, Jesus gave them the power of the Holy Spirit - to be witnesses for Him, not warriors.

And in fact, just a few decades after this conversation, Jerusalem was sacked and the Jews were disbursed.  The nation-state of Israel was dismantled in order to expand the borders of the Kingdom.  

And instead of being equipped to drive out the oppressors with swords, the disciples are told to pray for them and respond with foolish generosity and grace. What??!!

How then do we imitate Jesus’ humility as our role model?

Are we Christians waiting for the second advent with proud hearts bent on fighting the unsaved world to bring it about? 

Scriptures: Zechariah 9:9,10; Acts 1:1-11; Philippians 2:1-11

Shadows and the Substance

The spiritual change that Christmas brought, is that, the substance belongs to Christ.  The Birth of Christ marks the replacement of shadows of heavenly things with the substance from heaven. A shadow is a partial revealing of what the light is shining on.  Shadows can become idols.

Do you feel like you must DO something to be accepted by Him?

The spiritual solution to the spiritual problem is the same for everyone everywhere. 

Scriptures:  1 John 5:20,21;  Hebrews 7:23,24; 8:1-5; 9:1-14;  1 Corinthians 7:19;  Colossians 2:16,17; Mark 2:27,28; 7:18,19

The Day of the Lord

 Peter tells us what this is, what it looks like, how it comes. We want to know when it will come. What should we be doing?  Peter is echoing what is prophesied by Joel 2,3.  Paul too, speaks of The Day of the Lord.  And knowing this about the coming Day of the Lord, how should we be living our lives?  This challenging message concludes with 15 Be Attitudes that will help us along our way.

Scriptures:  2 Peter 3:10-14; 1 Thessalonians 5

Out To The Wilderness

Jesus asked, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?”

Come and See! Come experience life in Jesus, in it’s most raw form.  Come experience the supernatural.   Come out of the city to the quiet and remote places.  Amazing Springs. What does Jesus offer that the World doesn't?  Listen in for the answer.

AGCC is preparing the saints for what lies ahead before Jesus comes for us and God’s wrath descends upon the world.

Scriptures:  Mark 1:4-8; Luke 7:18-26;  Acts 2:42; 11:19-26

 

Trusting God’s Foresight

Have you ever…. taken a different route or made a change of plans or ran late only to discover God’s foresight…?

Trusting in God’s foresight is hearing God’s direction and doing it while not knowing the way things are going to work out—but having a great trust in God’s omniscience. When we take on things that are bigger than we are, we know that upon completion it was of God.

God is worthy of our trust!

Scriptures:  Matthew 2:12-23;  Acts 26:24-27:12

Be Fruitful and Multiply

Family is critical to civilization. The number of births per family to keep population from decreasing is 2.1. Most Western nations have fallen very close to that or below. In 1950 the global fertility rate was 4.7. In 2021 it was 2.3.

Marriages are needed to create a sound social construct for births.  The marriage rate around the world has plummeted. In 1950 it was 16 marriages per 1000 people; presently 5 / 1000.

Having a family is the adventure of a lifetime! 

Being in the household of God is the adventure of eternity!

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,” Eph 2:19

Immutable

Immutable.  An attribute of God. God does not change. He is unchanging in His nature, His plan, and His being.  We can trust Him BECAUSE He doesn’t change.

The world we live in is constantly changing. As a people, we have anxiety, panic attacks, depression, mania.  Why?

Scriptures: James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 13:8, 6:17-20; Mark 4:35-41

Judas Iscariot: Jesus does things with a Purpose

How could Judas spend 3 years with Jesus and not be affected or born again?

At first glance, none of the story of Judas makes sense.  However, I think it can teach us a lot about discernment, faith, trust in God, and the mercy of God.  This character study challenges us on living and loving like Jesus.  

Jesus knows there will be betrayers and is not scared of them.  Why should we be?  He lived among them.  He demonstrated grace, power, and glory.  He did not join in on their sin.  He didn’t go to pagan temples and festivals.  He went to weddings, Jewish, not same sex or pagan.

Jesus didn’t force Judas to change.

Scriptures: Psalm 41:9, 109:8;  Zechariah 11:12,13; and compilation of all scriptures regarding Judas Iscariot.

The Thirsting Soul

Psalm 63 is ‘looking up’. 1st commandment. Before the 2nd.

     Love God: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deu 6:5

If we’re going to love others we first need to love God.   The invisible God.  All powerful.

If we forget about loving God and just focus on loving others, we are doing it without His strength.  It’s a temporal love.  It’s a love without roots and opens us up to being swayed by the carnal love of the world.  The world that is under the temporal reign of the Prince of the Air.

 

Patience of God

As the church grew, the apostles could not be in attendance at every church.  So they had to write letters.  Letters to correct and warn.  Believers were taking the message of ‘Jesus is returning soon’ to mean SOON.  It was causing people to get impatient, even doubting the gospel of Jesus.  Others were becoming idle or engaging in immorality.  

Seems like this could describe last week to us!

Scripture:  2 Peter 3:8-17