We His People - We Beseech

We His People - We Beseech

Dave Riddle - 9/24/2023

Key Passage: 2 Corinthians 5:20

Beseech: implore, beg, ask urgently and fervently. To request earnestly or anxiously.

We plead (beseech) on God’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

- 2 Corinthians 5:20

- The spotlight is on God, not us.

- …for Christ …God is …On God’s behalf… to God

- The gospel should be the only obstacle to receiving Jesus, not us.

- God could have revealed himself to the world in an infinite number of ways… he chose us as his ambassadors.

- We each have a role and a part to play.

- Ambassadors = presbeuo: to be a senior, act as a representative, to be an ambassador.

- You represent Jesus to everyone you meet.

Boldness and Urgency

- Ephesians 6:19-20

- pray that I might be bold…

- Do we have a sense of urgency in sharing the gospel?

- parakaleo: to call near. Invite, invoke, implore. To beg or beseech.

Be Reconciled to God

- Settle your debts and differences

- “Let God change you from enemies to friends” (GNT)

- Our message: live at peace with God. Come back to God.

- 2 Corinthians 5:17 - …God reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

We His People - We Believe

We His People - We Believe

Dave Riddle - 9/3/2023

Key Passage: John 3:14-16

You may have heard “Hope is not a strategy”

• There is some truth to that popular saying.

• But hope IS an essential part of our faith.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13

• Hebrews 11:1-3

• Romans 15:13

We Believe

• We are people of faith.

• John 3:14-16

• Ephesians 2:8-9

• Saved by faith though grace.

• Romans 5:1-2

• Faith and hope

We often struggle to live by faith

• So often, we walk by what we see, know, and feel, rather than walking by faith.

• Galatians 2:20

• 2 Corinthians 5:7

• walk = peripateo (Greek: περιπατέω) literally: to tread all around, walk at large. Figuratively: to live, to make one’s way, to regulate one’s life, to conduct oneself

• Are you living in a manner consistent with your confident belief in God’s promises?

• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

• We do not focus on what is seen!

On what our whom do you set your eyes?

• What/who are you chasing?

• Are we people who live by faith?

• Romans 8:24-25

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith 

• Matthew 15:21-28

• Great faith is powerful

The Disciples failure to heal

• Matthew 17:14-21

• Little faith is powerful

The Fiery Furnace

• Daniel 3

• We have faith even if God doesn’t answer our prayers.

• We have faith even in death.

Do you believe?

• John 11:25-26

Come & See All That God Is Doing

Come & See All That God Is Doing

Nate Gangwer - 1/22/2023

Key Passage:  Psalm 66

Psalm 66:5 (HCSB): Come and see the wonders of God;  His acts for humanity are awe-inspiring. 

Restoration

• Wrong view: cherubs and harps

• Correct view: Restoration

• Revelation 21 - a new heaven and earth

• A picture of physical restoration

• Revelation 7:9 - people of every nation and tongue, worshipping God.

• a beautiful picture of unity and diversity.

• “When life is hard, put heaven on the other side of the scale”

Redemption

• Access

• “Redemption is not just a ticket into Heaven”

• Not just mercy, but grace.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 - new creations!

• Adoption

• We are called sons and daughters

• There’s a big difference between being invited over for dinner and being part of the family

• Romans 8 - We can call God “Abba” Father

• We are co-heirs with Christ

Reconciliation

• Why should we care about the poor?

• Guilt? The overwhelming testimony of scripture?

• Because of what Jesus has done for us and because of the way God sees us.

• If we can understand how God cares for us we can care for others.

• Join the family business!

• 2 Corinthians 5 - God is reconciling the world to Himself. We have the ministry of reconciliation.

• Matthew 6: May God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven

• shalowm (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort, and more. 

• it has layers of meaning related to peace.

• Not just peace but full reconciliation

• “The voice and the power of the gospel is reconciliation”

• working by our own power = walking around with a candle

• Living in God’s power = allowing God to blow out the candles Ava turn on the lights.

Come and see all that God is doing!

Our Upside Down Mission

Message begins around 35 minutes

Our Upside Down Mission

Dave Riddle • 04/03/2022

Key Passage: Matthew 4:19

Our God is both Sent and Sender

• John 3:16-17

• John 17:1-4, 18

• John 20:21

Jesus followers are “sent ones”

• Matthew 4:19

  • A challenge and a new identity

• Mark 3:14

  • Why? To send them out.

  • Not to continue living their lives the same way they were before.

    • We say we believe… but we live like universalists.

• Do we see ourselves as “sent ones”?

  • To whom are you sent?

What does this calling look like?

• Matthew 28:18-20

  • Salt and light

• Acts 1:18

  • You will receive power…

  • You will be my witnesses…

• Matthew 28:19

  • Therefore go and make disciples…

• 2 Corinthians 5:20

  • We are Christ’s Ambassadors

Our Content and Our Conduct

• both must be in line with God’s calling for our life.

• We can stand for everything that’s true, but does our conduct repel people before they can hear our words?

• Philippians 2:14-16

  • Blameless, pure, faultless…

    • A high calling!

  • Hold firm to the word of life and hold it out to the world.

Hearts for Redemption and Restoration

• We are citizens of God right now… But it’s not yet fully realized

  • An “Already… not yet” reality.

  • Citizen of the Kingdom of God should be our primary identity here on earth.

• Revelation 21:5

Proclaim! So They Can Hear

Proclaim! So They Can Hear.      

1/2/2022 - Global Partner 

Key Passage: Romans 10:13-15

ROMANS 10:13-15 

• Disciples are sent.

• Disciples preach the gospel.

• Lost people hear.

• Some believe and are justified.

• They call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and are saved.

ALL PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THE GOSPEL.

• “Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

ALL DISCIPLES SHOULD PREACH THE GOSPEL.   

• 2 Corinthians 5:18–20

• Our witness may include more than the spoken Gospel, but it should never include less than the spoken Gospel. 

THE LORD SENDS ALL HIS DISCIPLES TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL. 

• Matthew 9:37-38

• John 20:21

• Mark 16:15 

• “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

  • People don’t even know that there is a saving message to hear.

  • They don’t even know that they need to believe and call on the Lord.

GOD SENDS ALL OF US TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR, BELIEVE, CALL ON HIM, AND BE SAVED.

Why Baptism?

Why Baptism?

Dave Riddle - Baptism Sunday 5/2/21

Key passage: Matthew 28:19-20

Why do we baptise?

• It’s a Perfect Picture

• Dead to sin (dunked) raised to new life in Christ (raised out of the water)

  • Romans 6:4

Why Immersion?

• Seems to be the regular practice in the New Testament and Apostolic Age.

• It’s consistent with what baptism symbolizes.

  • baptizo (Greek: βαπτίζω) - to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of sunken vessels); to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe.

  • Pickle recipe from 200BC

    • The immersion leads to a permanent change of the vegetable.

• It’s about identification

  • Romans 6:3-4

• It’s a public declaration faith

  • What are we declaring?

    • 1 Peter 3:8

      • What we believe about Jesus

    • 2 Corinthians 5:17

      • What we believe about ourselves. Made new!

  • Who should be baptized?

    • Acts 2:38 - Repent and be baptized...

    • Philip and the Ethiopian

    • Baptism follows salvation.

• It’s a Reminder of Who We Are in Jesus

  • Romans 6:6-7

  • Romans 6:11

  • Galatians 2:20 - ...it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me

Jesus, Giver of Life

Jesus, Giver of Life

The Gospel of John - Part 13 - 11/22/20

Key passage: John 5:21, 24-29

Jesus, Giver of Life

• John 5:24 - anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life ...

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 - if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation...

• John 5:21 - just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he wants.

A time is coming and has now come...

• John 4:23 - a time is coming and has now come when people will worship in spirit and truth...

• John 5:25 - a time is coming and has now come when the dead will be raised to life...

Jesus gives life because it is his to give

• John 5:26 - For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself.

Jesus is the Assessor of Life

• John 5:27 - Jesus is the Son of Man

• Daniel 7:13 - [The Son of Man’s] dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away.

All will hear his voice

• John 5:28-29 - a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice... both the good and the evil.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 - each one’s work will become obvious... the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.

Sent in His Name

Sent in His Name

Dave Riddle - 11/10/19

Key Passage: John 3:14-17

God is both Sent and Sender

• John 17:18 - “As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world”

Jesus Followers are “Sent Ones”

• Matthew 4:19 - follow me and I will make you fish for people.

  • Not, “I will make you perfect people”

• Mark 3:13-14 - apostles (sent ones)

  • They were with him

  • They were sent out

Salt & Light

• Matthew 5:13-16

  • Useful

  • Representatives of Christ

• Philippians 2:15

Ambassadors

• 2 Corinthians 5:20

• Representing Jesus in everything we do.

• He is making his appeal through us

Witnesses 

• Acts 1:8

  • As witnesses, the only thing we’re called to be is truth tellers.

  • Not the judge, jury, prosecution, or defense.

  • We are witnesses that Jesus is alive and that he has changed our lives.

Disciple-Makers

• Matthew 28:19 - therefore go and make disciples of all nations...

Content and Conduct

• We have something to tell

  • euaggelizō (Greek: εὐαγγελίζω) - to announce good news ("evangelize") especially the gospel.

• The way we live should show evidence of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

  • The life of a Jesus follower should be aligned with the truth of God’s word.

Redeem and Restore

• Has the Kingdom been fully realized? No. But we’re called, as members of the Kingdom, to play a role in that restoration.

  • Revelation 21:5 - “Look, I am making everything new”

What does it look like to live life as a Sent One?

• That’s going to look different in each of our lives. One thing is certain though, for followers of Jesus, it isn’t optional.

Baptism

Baptism

Dave Riddle - 09/29/19

Key Passage: Matthew 28:19

Why Immersion?

• Seems to be the regular practice of the New Testament Church.

• baptizo (Greek: βαπτίζω) - to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of sunken vessels); to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe.

  • ancient pickle recipe

Identification

• immersed into Christ

• Romans 6:3-4

Declaration

• 1 Peter 3:18

• A new identity!

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17

• Phillip and the Ethiopian

  • Acts 8:36

Reminder

• A reminder of the call to obedience

  • Romans 6:6-7

  • Galatians 2:20

• A reminder of Jesus’ great commission for us as believers.