Risen Church Nc

The third section of Revelation begins in chapter 4 and continues until the end of the book. After speaking to the things which God had done through Christ and addressing the Church, John is called up to Heaven to see what the future holds. In this message, we learn about the promise of rapture and resurrection that the Church will experience one day. We discuss all that the Bible teaches about this our ultimate hope. We also catch a glimpse of what awaits every believer upon our arrival to Heaven and discover how we can get a taste of it here on earth.

We all want forgiveness. We all want to feel forgiven, free from our guilt and shame. In this message, we look at this universal longing of every human heart and how God alone can answer it. He has always wanted us to know that He is forgiving and desires to give us peace. Jesus made the great exchange, when He took our guilt and shame, in order to give us salvation. Through Christ, we can receive forgiveness and by His grace, we can be redeemed in full.

Jesus' final word to the Church in Revelation spotlights two different congregations, on opposite extremes of the spectrum. One was persevering against all odds, while the other had lost sight of God completely. In this message, we hear Jesus encourage us to embrace all of the grace that God has for us and make the most of every opportunity. We also hear a word that challenges any notion of complacency or sin that may creep into our hearts. He has set an open door in front of us all, but we must keep the door to our hearts opened. He is always willing, but we must always keep heart set on Him.

Jesus issues a stern warning to the Church about the Enemy's plot to sidetrack us from our mission. The greatest danger may seem to be from those who seek to do us harm, but according to Jesus it's something much more subtle. In this message, we talk about Satan's strategy to corrupt the Church from within, to plant seeds of compromise and turn us away from the Truth. Listen as Jesus calls us all to be wake up and walk in our sacred purpose.

If Jesus were to speak to the Church today, what would He say? It would probably be pretty close to what He said to the Churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3. In this message, we look at His word to the first selection of congregations, bringing both peace and pressure. Our time serving as His Church is limited and borrowed. His return is certain, which brings us comfort. However, this also brings us a certain level of conviction, knowing that we will give an account for how we spent our time on His stage.

Every decision we make and action we take involves some kind of sacrifice. Regardless who those sacrifices are made for, there's no denying that all of our priorities are a result of a series of sacrificial choices. In this message, we once again hear Jesus call us to a life devoted to following Him- one in which we must be willing to lay everything down for God. We consider how Jesus is speaking to the sacrifices we all make and that He is simply trying to steer us in the best direction. If we are going to live forever in Heaven and if how we live on earth is going to impact our eternity- shouldn't we welcome Jesus' guidance on how to spend our lives? If He knows what's best and how we can avoid making the wrong sacrifices, why wouldn't we listen to what He has to say?

From the day that Jesus launched His Church, He has invited every one of His followers to join it and help build it. Yes, that includes every one of us. Ephesians 4 is one of many invitations from God to us all, that we would wake up to our calling and realize the role we've been given. Not only are we all called, but we are also all gifted by God. Called and gifted, this message shows us how we can live lives that matter for God's Kingdom and make much of every opportunity. The Church services equips us so that we might serve and edify the Church Body. If we all do our share, the Church will become a stronger, more united movement for God.

Revelation was given to the Church to be a timeless resource of inspiration for every generation. As the church exists in the margins of society, enduring great trials, this book is meant to always restore our hope. In this opening message, we look at the landscape of the Church across the first century and see how God was calling them to maintain their witness and keep their hopes anchored in Christ. Revelation 1's words prove just as relevant to us and remind us to keep our eyes on Heaven, always.

Of all the powers that ruled and fought for control of the Ancient Middle East, Persia was the one nation that Israel never engaged in conflict with. In fact, Persia played a special role in restoring Israel after a long period of captivity. This makes the mention of a future war between Israel and Persia one of the most perplexing prophecies of the Bible. Fast forward a few thousand years, and a long winding road has led to our current world, where Israel and Persia (Iran) have seemed destined for war for decades now. After years of threats and false starts, Iran has finally made its first move against Israel. In this message, we chronicle the journey that Israel has taken over the past 2000 years and discuss the fulfilled prophecy of Ezekiel 37. We also take a look at how the Arab nations responded to Rome's erasure of Israel and how history was rewritten in its absence. All of this leads us into a historical overview of the 21st century, where Israel was reborn and Iran became its greatest rival. List

It's His Church. It's our turn. And Peter is our greatest example of how to mature from a Jesus consumer to a true Jesus follower. Simon Peter started following Jesus for the same reason anyone does- Jesus did something for him. Peter immediately got lost in the wonder of what else Jesus might do for his life, so he became one of Jesus' first and most vocal disciples. As Jesus cast His vision for what His movement would look like, Peter and others questioned their involvement. While Peter made bold confessions, his behavior clearly revealed his compromised heart. When association with Jesus proved to be a great risk, Peter abruptly unfollowed Him. However, Jesus didn't give up on Peter... In this message, we see Peter's transformation from self-seeking to Kingdom-seeking. We see how he eventually arrives at an all-in mentality and challenges the rest of the Church to do whatever it takes to stay obedient to Jesus.

Easter brings us into a brand new, resurrection reality. We don't have to fall back to our old ways, our former emotions and behaviors because we have been lifted up with Christ. Listen and learn how Jesus' resurrection transforms us from the inside-out!

Jesus cast a grand vision from the very onset of His ministry that became more and more central to His message as time went on. After His resurrection, He reminded His disciples how everything had been building up to this moment. Now it was their turn... In this message, we hear Jesus lay the foundation for His Church and learn how it is God's big plan for every generation. Listen as Jesus passes the baton to us and learn how He prayed specifically for us- that we might make the most of our opportunity to be His Church. Now it's our turn...

What's so "good" about the Friday on which Jesus died? Hindsight is everything and allows us to see exactly what God was doing through Jesus' crucifixion. Listen as we discuss the major promises of Good Friday: Our Hope, Our Purpose, and God's Love

Jesus came to redefine what it meant to know and follow God. While many believed He was Messiah after seeing the signs and wonders, they still had a warped understanding of what the Messiah had come to do. The heart of Mark's Gospel shows Jesus challenging His followers' conviction about godliness, teaching them about a true, genuine relationship with God. In this message, we hear Jesus detail what living a godly life looks like. He teaches us how to be/do good and how to be great in the Kingdom of God. His way stands in sharp contrast to our preconceived notions and ideologies, but will save us from a wasted, selfish life.

On Palm Sunday, the shouts were, "Hosanna, Blessed be the name of the Lord." Just a few days later, on Good Friday, the cries were, "Crucify Him!" and curses were shouted at Jesus. Things changed so quickly, revealing the ongoing, hypocrisy and rebellion at the heart of humanity. However, Jesus' resolve and mission remain the same. He wasn't a king like they had expected, when they waved palm branches and lauded Him with praise. He was a different kind of king, come to do something unthinkable and unexpected. Jesus had come to bring redemption to our rebel race, to bring salvation instead of judgment. As Passion Week unfolded, the worst of humanity would be on full display, while the absolute best would be poured out by God. On this Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus the King - a King like no other. Although the celebration 2000 years ago was short-lived, He has indeed ascended to His throne and we owe Him nothing but shouts and praise.

How did Jesus meet (and exceed) all of the Old Testament expectations for what the Messiah would be like? Listen as we study and discuss how Mark presents Jesus as: - The Most Brilliant Teacher, revealing the secrets to knowing God - The Master and Lord Over All, deserving our full trust - The Ultimate Healer, who saves us from sin and death

Religion often makes it seem that God is most passionate about being right and condemning sinners. Jesus came to reveal that God was actually most passionate about being right with sinners. In this message, we see Jesus face off against the Pharisees, with a sinful woman's fate hanging in the balance. We learn how Jesus came to save us from our sin and the debt we all owe. We also learn how Jesus came to save us from having to save ourselves. Because of Jesus, sinner and pharisee alike can be fully saved and totally freed. In Christ, there is no more shame, no more sin, and no more self-righteousness.

Jesus is the full expression of God's passion. As Jesus told Nicodemus, His mission on earth was driven by love and meant to demonstrate God's love for the world. The story in John 4 underscores God's passion for people in that it features Jesus going out of His way to reach a certain woman. In the same way that Jesus was driven by passion, so can we find a new, totally satisfying way of life in Him.

Check out the first installment in our Road to Calvary Bible Study. An outline is providing below: The Road to Calvary: Heaven Sent - Mark 1 1) A Bridge from Old to New - 1:1-8 - Fulfilling Old Testament - Replacing Old Covenant - Providing New Way 2) A Connection between God and Man - 1:9-13 - Relationship with man - Relationship with God - Rescue from Enemy 3) A Pathway from Earth to Heaven - 1:14-20 - Change your outlook - Change your occupation - Confront your opposition

Sometimes God's plans for our lives are different than the plans we've envisioned for ourselves. Sometimes we can easily conflate worldly success with God's perfect will. Listen as David learns that God was taking his life in a different direction than he anticipated. While at first he resists and fights against it, he later surrenders to the greater work that God had in mind to do.