Diversity is something to be celebrated within the church, whether it’s generational, ethnic, socio-economic, or preferential. But what happens when diversity in the congregation leads to disunity? When the church exhibits disunity, it dishonors Christ. In this passage, we find three keys to unity within the body of Christ: embracing God’s grace, realizing our identity … [Read More…] Achieving Gospel Unity
What’s the defining moment of your life? How did that experience chart the course for the rest of your life? In this passage, we see the defining moment of Jacob’s life when he physically and spiritually wrestled with God. When we truly meet with God, we are never the same again. Genesis 32:22-32
Human nature tends towards exclusion, a mindset of “us” and “them”. This disposition existed in the time of the early church, where the gospel of Jesus first came to the Jews and was yet to be communicated to the gentiles (non-Jews). In this passage, we see Peter struggling with prejudice towards gentiles; but God miraculously … [Read More…] Even Them
Life is full of things that bring fear into our lives. If we don’t know how to handle fear, it can stop us in our tracks. How should we respond to fear? In this passage, we learn from the life of Jacob how to approach fear. Genesis 32:1-21
Is anyone beyond saving? The gospel is the power of God to save anyone. In this passage, we see Paul converted from a persecutor of Christ’s Church to its champion. If God can change the heart of Paul, He can change anyone. Paul’s story illustrates three important lessons: God can save anyone, God can use … [Read More…] God Can Save Anyone
Does our security reside in our own schemes or God’s wisdom? In this passage, we find Jacob and Laban scheming to outmaneuver each other. The narrative provides an important lesson: our security as people rests in the character of God, not the cleverness of our schemes. Genesis 30:25-31:55
How did Christianity spread in the early church? In this passage in Acts, we see that for the church to grow, God’s people must go. The message highlighted three essentials for our approach to evangelism: we must rely on the Spirit, we must discern the core needs and struggles in our listeners, and we must … [Read More…] Contagious Christianity
Every family has some level of dysfunction, and Jacob’s family was no different. What can we learn from Jacob’s family dynamics? In this passage, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise for offspring despite the family conflicts. We also learn some important lessons about how God responds to our brokenness: God sees our pain, God … [Read More…] The Un-Ideal Family
When push comes to shove, would you stand up for Jesus? Is He worth the cost you may have to bear, even to the point of death? In this passage, we see the martyrdom of Stephen. We learn three important points about how to respond to persecution: Jesus is the message, Jesus is the model, … [Read More…] Jesus Is Worth It
Have you ever struggled with God’s plan for you life? In this great love story, we see how God is directing the steps of Jacob and Rachel towards one another. We learn that God is faithful to guide those who love and follow after him. Genesis 29:1-30
