We all grow up with assumptions about which people are "our people," but God moves us beyond those assumptions. In Acts 10, Peter finds himself in the 'wrong' neighborhood with the 'wrong' people, and the Holy Spirit comes to a Roman centurion and his family. In one of the great turning points in the history of the church, people who were enemies become family. Today, the Holy Spirit still invites us to broaden our circles of welcome.
Bible Text: Acts 2:21 | Teacher: Dr. Mark Foster | Series: Come Holy Spirit | True fellowship shares much more than common beliefs or core values. It involves time together…
After all the disruptions of recent weeks, now is the time to remember who the church really is. We are much more than people who gather in a building once a week. We are the people of God on mission with Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. In this message, Dr. Mark Foster shares about the birth of the church and what it means for us today.
Even in Jesus' day, racism was an issue. Jesus' teaching challenged his hearers to go beyond loving people who were easy for them to love. He taught them even to love their enemies—like Samaritans. And when we love God and love neighbor, unity happens.
In the midst of a global pandemic, problems abound, and we often want out of those problems as quickly as possible. But God is not as concerned about getting us out of problems as in getting us through them. Problems bring us to the end of ourselves, and they teach us to rely on God, who uses those problems to help us grow. While it's uncomfortable, when life is disrupted, we can learn to embrace problems as gifts.
Blame feels good at first, but ruins us over time. It keeps us stuck in shame. But when we learn to own our stuff, Jesus helps us create a new life of freedom and joy.
If we don't leave our baggage behind, our past will become our present. But baggage we carry around does not go away until we deal with it. In week 4 of the Disrupted sermon series, Dr. Mark Foster shares how acknowledging, grieving, and forgiving can set us free to enjoy the freedom God has for us.
When we don't know what to do, we need wisdom—skill and knowledge applied to living. The Bible promises that if we lack knowledge, we can ask God. And Jesus promises that if we seek, we will find him.
The happiest people regularly surround themselves with spiritually mature, well-grounded people. God is sending supportive people into our lives to help us get to the next step. In this sermon, Dr. Mark Foster shares how to find and become the kind of friends who can help us find the way God is creating.
We need someone greater than ourselves to tell us what to do when we don’t know what to do. God made us, so God knows what we need. When we ask God for help, everything changes. Most of the time, God helps us through other people. God can be trusted to take care of us. God’s power and resources are not just for special people; they are for all people like you and me.
The first step in God making a way for you is for you to say yes to God. God promises when you say yes to God first, everything else you need will be provided for you.
When we say yes to God, a whole new world can open up.
