The Power of the Gospel to Spread

Gary DeLashmutt

Colossians 1:1-8

The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Colossae, a church he's never met, around 60 AD while imprisoned in Rome. He begins the letter by thanking God for their faith, hope, and love that overflows from the power of the gospel and continues to spread as they understand more and more about it. The gospel refers to the good news that Jesus Christ wants a personal relationship with each person and made it available through his death on the cross. As we deepen in our understanding and appreciation of the gospel, we will begin to see our lives being transformed as well.

Spiritual Dynamics of Holiness

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Peter encourages believers to be holy. Holiness means living every aspect of life in the way God designed it. Peter discusses two key dynamics of holiness:1) holiness begins when we experience spiritual rebirth; and 2) holiness grows through loving community and craving God's Word.\r\n

Gospel of Radical Grace

Jim Leffel

Mark 2:13-17

In Rome, tax collectors represented a system of extortion and betrayal, and were seen as sinners and outcasts. The Pharisees were correct in their moral assessment of tax extortion, but drew the wrong conclusion about Jesus spending time with them. Jesus demonstrates that the gospel of radical grace is both mercy to the undeserving and healing for the sick. Malia Bauer's testimony about her experience of God's healing and grace was included.

(Re)Shaping the Future

Jim Leffel

1 Timothy 2:1-3

Jeremiah uses a parable that describes a potter working on a piece of clay. When something goes wrong with the clay, he crumbles it up and creates a new vessel. God is the potter, and Israel is the clay. There is something is wrong with Israel: they have continuously disobeyed God. God, as the sovereign creator, will enforce his covenant and judgment upon Israel and the nations. However, if the nation renounces its evil ways and turns back to God, then the Lord will not destroy the nation. This is a picture of God's grace, and its culmination is the cross of Christ. God wants to save people from their fate of destruction and values reconciliation with them. We need to turn back to God and agree with him regarding our standing before him as the perfect God. In this way, Israel mirrors our lives and who we are: broken people. God is offering complete transformation, into a new creation. Someone who has experienced God's transformation is Kelly Kline, and she gives her testimony on ways God has created her new. \r\n

Walking According to the Spirit (Part 3)

Dennis McCallum

Romans 8:28-29

Growing in our relationship with God not only involves building up our inner spiritual person, it also requires our outer man be broken. Paul says later in chapter 8, "If by the Spirit, you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." God uses outward circumstances to crack our outer man, and as that outer man is put to death, the Spirit of God within us become more visible. In order to experience this life out of death, we have to actively cooperate with what God is doing in our lives, reject illegitimate pain reducers, and have a position-oriented perspective.

Walking According to the Spirit (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

Psalms 119

In order to walk according to the Spirit, we must be rooted in Scripture. The Word is powerful, God-breathed truth. It transforms our minds, satisfies us spiritually, allows us to encounter God, and builds us up. It is essential for us to not only read the Bible, but to study it in depth and put it to use.

Walking According to the Spirit (Part 1)

Dennis McCallum

Romans 8:1-8

Having been set free of the law of sin by Christ's death on the cross, Christians are now free to walk according to the Spirit. A mind that is set on the things of the Spirit is focused on Christ, others, grace, and eternity. Several things are necessary in order to have a spiritual mindset: presenting yourself to God as one who is alive from the dead, prayer, Scripture, fellowship/service, and the discipline of the Holy Spirit. It is when we are focused on the things of the Spirit that we allow the Spirit's power to transform our lives.

Spiritual Birth vs. Spiritual Growth

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

What we do arises out of who we are. Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden resulted in all of his descendents (us) being born with a sin nature. However, just as spiritual death was brought through Adam, spiritual life was brought through Christ. When one is baptized into Christ, he is given a new identity because he is identified with Christ. It is this new identity that is the key to lasting change and spiritual growth.

From Past to Future

Jim Leffel

Colossians 3:4-11

We are transformed when we enter into a relationship with Christ, but we are still susceptible to being drawn back into a way of living that represents our old or "earthly" nature. We should strive to identify these dangers, agree with God, and move forward towards what He has for us!\r\n\r\n