Steve Johnson

The author talks about a friend who left the church to become Buddhist and how he was so close to finding what he was looking for in Christianity. The author then relates this to the book of Hebrews and how it speaks to the question of what happens when we are so close to the answer and yet drawn by something else. The author explains that the book of Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who had come from Judaism and were thinking of going back to the sacrificial system to deal with their sins. The author then relates this to Christians today who may still sin and struggle with guilt and shame and offers encouragement to approach the throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and find grace to help in times of need.

The passage in Hebrews 4:14-16 addresses the struggle with sin and the need for a mediator between God and man. The high priest mediates between God and man, but only once a year and only the high priest can go into the Holy of Holies. Jesus, as the Son of God, is the perfect high priest who mediates between God and man continuously and has access to the Father 24/7, 365 days a year. He made one sacrifice, covering all sins past and present. We must remember that we never graduate from the gospel of Jesus Christ and must live it every day.

The passage in John 14:15-31 emphasizes that loving God and obedience are interconnected. Jesus says that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments. This statement must be taken at face value and we cannot reason our way out of it. While Jesus might not be saying that failing to keep His commandments means we don't love Him, He is saying that obedience is a display of love towards Him. We must wrestle with this truth and recognize that it is a statement we cannot ignore.

The passage in John 14 talks about how obedience is a sign of love for God, and those who love God will be rewarded with the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help believers remain obedient and remember the teachings of Jesus. It's important to note that obedience is a lifestyle, not just a one-time action, and the degree of obedience will determine the degree of presence of the Holy Spirit in one's life. It's important to rely on God's grace and the Holy Spirit's help to remain obedient.

The world is not supposed to be like this, but as Christians, we must respond to the hardships we face. In Romans 8, Paul says that our present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation itself is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed, and it has been groaning in pain. God subjected the creation to frustration in hope that it will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We, as Christians, have received the first fruits of the spirit, but we still groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and the redemption of our bodies. Our hardships make us yearn for even more and remind us that what is coming is greater than what we experience now.

The speaker explores the idea that suffering serves a purpose in our lives and that it actually produces in us a hope for the future. He references Romans 8:18-27 and argues that our present suffering is nothing compared to our future glory and that the hardship we experience now actually makes us yearn for even more. The speaker also discusses how the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express, praying for us when we don't know what to pray for. He encourages us to have a proper perspective on our suffering and to learn from it, rather than just trying to get out of it too early. Overall, the speaker argues that suffering can lead to growth and character development, ultimately leading to a stronger faith and hope for the future.

The Church service is like a potluck dinner. Everyone should come prepared to bring something, whether it's a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. The key point is that we should be prepared to give something, not just receive. The Spirit of God wants to speak to us through everyone, not just the person with a microphone or instrument. We should prepare our hearts to listen to the Lord and speak out of what we hear into the lives of the people in the Church. God doesn't force us to speak, but if we're not prepared to be used, He might choose to use someone else.

The purpose of spiritual gifts is to build up the body of Christ, and each member of the congregation should come prepared to give in some way. Speaking in tongues is a gift from God, but it should not overshadow the other gifts and aspects of worship. Paul sets limitations on the use of tongues in church so that they do not override everything else. The analogy of a potluck is used to illustrate the importance of everyone contributing their best dish to the service. This can include engaging in worship, praying for others, or serving in some way. When people feel connected to a group, they are more likely to bring their best dish. Each member of the congregation should take it upon themselves to give up some freedom to serve and contribute to the church.

The birth of Jesus is an absurd story, but it's true. It's hard to believe because people had preconceptions and expectations of how the Savior would come, and Jesus came as a baby in a dirty manger from a poor teenage girl in the middle of nowhere. But Jesus came to save us, to give us eternal life and deliver us from our sin, oppression, and circumstances. He died for our sins so that we could be saved. This is the gospel, and it's the message of Christmas. Without a baby in a manger, we wouldn't have salvation from our sin. We trust and believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation.

The message of Christmas is that God came to Earth to save us from our sins through Jesus Christ. This grandiose story is a true myth that creates a foundation for our lives and culture. We should devote our lives to the Savior and remember that Jesus is coming back. We need to live our lives as if Jesus were coming back, focusing on the truth of the gospel during this season. It's not easy, but it's easier now than any other time. Let us pray for the reminder to focus our lives around these truths.

The speaker asks if the audience feels loved and shares a story about his parents' marriage to emphasize the importance of trust and experiencing love in a relationship. He then discusses Ephesians 3:14-21, where Paul prays for power to understand the love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God. The power is not for external expressions of strength, but for understanding and knowing the love of God through Jesus Christ. This power helps us live a lifestyle rooted in love and faith in Christ. The passage can be hard to understand but emphasizes the importance of experiencing and trusting in God's love.

The love of God is an ongoing, continuous thing that helps us live a lifestyle rooted and founded on Jesus Christ. It is beyond our ability to understand or explain, but we know it by faith and experience. We can be filled with the fullness of God if we understand that love, which is demonstrated in all that God does for us. This includes taking the most basic discrimination in history, Jew and gentile, and reconciling them through Jesus Christ.

The speaker discusses the feeling of being an outsider or foreigner, whether due to traveling, moving to a new city, or being of a different culture. In the early church, non-Jews felt like aliens and outsiders, but through Jesus Christ, the divide between Jews and gentiles was broken down, making everyone full citizens in the body of Christ. This unity created a mandate for the church to break down racial, cultural, social, economic, and "coolness" divisions. The church is being built like a building with the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, and everyone starts as a foreigner. This reality breaks down any right for one culture to claim dominance over another. In a church like Lion of Judah, everyone is a full citizen and equal, regardless of culture or background.

The passage discusses the importance of the church as a dwelling place for God, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and the Apostles and prophets. It emphasizes that God is the one who builds the church and uses believers as materials, and that the church must be sanctified and set apart for God's service. The passage also highlights the idea that what we believe affects how we live, and encourages believers to trust in God's building process and not force their own agendas.

The speaker shares three stories of broken promises and the resulting destruction in people's lives. He then turns to the book of Joel in the Bible to show how the nation of Israel's turning away from God led to devastation and despair. The speaker notes that sin, rebellion, and broken promises bring brokenness and destruction into our lives. He encourages listeners to recognize their own choices and turn to God for healing and restoration.

Joel is telling people to actively repent and turn away from their sins and towards God. This involves outwardly turning away from sin and inwardly breaking their hearts over their wrongdoing. God is compassionate and will forgive and restore those who repent and trust in Him. It is important to trust in God to take care of the consequences of past sins. A sacred assembly should be called to gather people to repent and seek God's forgiveness.