Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: Encouragement is a blessing every human being needs to experience. That is why the spiritual gifts God has given his children are so precious; such a treasure. Some of God’s children have a wonderful and weighty gift of encouragement they joyfully share with the spiritual family. Encouragement is strengthening; it builds up and gently nudges one forward.

In the Old Testament, we find many priestly blessings of encouragement for God’s people. This was not only a spoken spiritual blessing from faith leaders, it was a provisional blessing because the people’s needs were practical. They needed food, water, health, children, protection, and security; so, a blessing was prayed over the people and, by faith, they began to look for their supernatural God to provide in some way.

The world speaks cutting, shaming, judging, criticizing words over people every day; it is anti-God. To use our words to build and strengthen the hope and trust of others in Christ—our living Lord—brings forward the love of God that unites us in Christ. We care about helping one another. Encouragement helps the weak and weary to gain strength in the Lord. Jesus was always encouraging his followers by nudging them forward toward greater transformation in their lives. In Christ, may we be encouragers of one another.

In our passage today, the writer of Hebrews shares a priestly blessing to encourage believers to stay focused on their relationship with God and his involvement and favor operating in their lives. Our Good Shepherd not only laid down his life for us, he continues to provide out of concern for us as his family; those who do the will of the Father. Our needs matter to the Lord. He has promised to provide strength and equip us to share his goodness with others in spiritual, as well as practical ways.

Hebrews 13:20-21 NLT
20
Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21
may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Prayer: (Num 6:22-26) May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Every person develops a reputation—the opinion people have about us—over time based on the behavior that is demonstrated in our relationships whether personal, work, leisure, etc. If we have a habit of acting unjustly, disrespecting others, or making negative or condemning statements, we will develop a bad reputation. Depending on how often we display this poor character, we can gain a bad reputation very quickly. Unfortunately, it is hard to lose or repair a bad reputation once we have set it into motion. Only humility and grace can bring healing and restoration.

In our passage today, the tax collectors—those working for the Roman government—have established a bad reputation of corruption with the Jewish people. In fact, any Jew who became a tax collector was consider a traitor, as well as a thief—a notorious sinner. Jesus was aware of all these accusations, but the bad reputation of these tax collectors did not detour him from spending time with them. Jesus was determined to be a Voice of Truth for the sinners; he was not worried about his own reputation being soiled. However, the religious leaders and Pharisees saw the tax collectors as unworthy of God’s love, so sharing a meal with them was considered unthinkable, as well as spiritually defiling. The Pharisees’ image of their piety was as wrong as the tax-collectors’ image of their corruption, so Jesus reminded them every person’s way of life needs to be changed.

Jesus uses a parable to explain why he was willing to spend time with sinners: He felt deep sorrow for them because they were like lost sheep in need of a shepherd. In the Old Testament, God is pictured as the Shepherd of Israel who cares about his people’s well-being (Ps 23). In the New Testament, Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd. Since the religious shepherds of Israel failed to show concern for God’s people who were lost in sin, Jesus proved faithful as the Shepherd who laid down his life for the lost (John 10:11).

We can all wander away from our Shepherd and the protection of his care; however, we may face the difficult consequences of our sin when we do so. May we never forget the gift of mercy and grace, as well as the goodness of God to come and find us in order to lift us from sin and restore us in relationship with Father. May we live with gratitude that God changes our identity by making us his children, so our reputation can begin anew when we are born again. In Christ, we are a new person—the old life is gone…a new life has begun (2 Cor 5:17). Have a blessed weekend! Hope to see you Sunday!

Luke 15:1-7 VOICE
1 Jesus became increasingly popular among notorious sinners—tax collectors and other social outcasts. 2 The Pharisees and religious scholars noticed this.
Pharisees and Religious Scholars: This man welcomes immoral people and enjoys their company over a meal!

Jesus (with another parable): 3-4 Wouldn’t every single one of you, if you have 100 sheep and lose one, leave the 99 in their grazing lands and go out searching for the lost sheep until you find it? 5 When you find the lost sheep, wouldn’t you hoist it up on your shoulders, feeling wonderful? 6 And when you go home, wouldn’t you call together your friends and neighbors? Wouldn’t you say, “Come over and celebrate with me, because I’ve found my lost sheep”? 7 This is how it is in heaven. They’re happier over one sinner who changes his way of life than they are over 99 good and just people who don’t need to change their ways of life.

Prayer: Father, as your children, may we care greatly about the reputation we are developing while we are in this fallen world. Our lives need to emulate your beauty and holiness. Please continue to bring change to our lives, so by our attitudes and actions we begin to emulate your character and reputation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: I am truly enjoying our new Bible Study Video Series: The Chosen. If you haven’t been joining us on Wednesday evenings, you are missing a blessing. It’s not too late; simply go to our website and click on the Bible Study tab on the menu bar. You will be able to get caught up very quickly. There are so many valuable lessons we can apply to our lives. Each one nudges us forward with a renewed perspective of the Living Word of God—Jesus—and how we grow as his disciples. Christians represent God to others; we witness to the reality of our reconciliation with God made available in Christ. I cannot imagine what life would be like without Jesus and I am so glad I will never know.

The world does not recognize Christ, so we must help them see the Lord in us. In the Old Testament, heaven came to earth symbolically in the Tabernacle/God’s dwelling place. In the New Testament, heaven came to earth in Jesus/God with us. And, at Pentecost, heaven came to earth in the work of the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer. Everything in heaven is directed by God—operates by his principles and authority. So, the chosen should be permeated with the glory of heaven.

Please do not allow the world to define you. Instead, invite God to reveal to you who he created you to be; a person with great worth, value, and special gifts he designed just for you. Truthfully, because believers are loyal to God, we automatically position ourselves in opposition to the world’s way of thinking, speaking, and acting. Being rejected by the world is no big loss; being cherished by God is the greatest treasure.

1 Peter 2:9-12 NLV
9 But you are a chosen group of people. You are the King’s religious leaders. You are a holy nation. You belong to God. He has done this for you so you can tell others how God has called you out of darkness into His great light. 10 At one time you were a people of no use. Now you are the people of God. At one time you did not have loving-kindness. Now you have God’s loving-kindness.

11 Dear friends, your real home is not here on earth. You are strangers here. I ask you to keep away from all the sinful desires of the flesh. These things fight to get hold of your soul.

12 When you are around people who do not know God, be careful how you act. Even if they talk against you as wrong-doers, in the end they will give thanks to God for your good works when Christ comes again.

Prayer: Lord, I am so grateful to belong to you; heaven is my home. Thank you for the love and mercy you extend to anyone who desires a relationship with you. As your children, may we honor you with how we live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the disciples have decided to go fishing. Fishing is familiar and the disciples need to do something that brings them comfort. They are still trying to process the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and what it all means for Israel. They know they are to meet Jesus in Galilee, but there are still so many unknowns. Perhaps the disciples are wondering what is to become of them now? Or, will Jesus continue to provide for his own? The answers to those questions are swimming their way.

Even though the disciples are knowledgable fishermen, they encounter a fruitless night of fishing. They find no comfort from their own hard work. Remarkably, finding people in fruitless places is Jesus’ specialty. The Lord always seems to add his miraculous substance to our lack; we cannot take credit for grace, can we?

No matter how much knowledge we may gain in a certain area—and certainly knowledge is good—we will always require the supernatural work of God to take us into miraculous results. None of Jesus’ instructions make sense in the natural—“Put your net over the right side of the boat”—yet, it makes perfect sense for the supernatural. By this miracle, the disciples realize the man on the shore is the Risen Christ—the Lord—in whom all comfort and provision is found. When you experience a miraculous work of grace, you know the Lord is involved and has chosen to provide for you.

John 21:1-11 The Risen Christ Talks to His Followers
1 After this, Jesus again showed Himself to His followers at the lake of Tiberias. It happened like this: 2 Simon Peter and Thomas who was called the Twin and Nathanael from the town of Cana in the country of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two other followers were all together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” The others said, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into a boat. That night they caught no fish.

4 Early in the morning Jesus stood on the shore of the lake. The followers did not know it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They said, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Put your net over the right side of the boat. Then you will catch some fish.” They put out the net. They were not able to pull it in because it was so full of fish.

7 Then the follower whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put on his fisherman’s coat. (He had taken it off.) Then he jumped into the water. 8 The other followers came in the boat. They were pulling the net with the fish. They were not far from land, only a little way out.
9 When they came to land they saw fish and bread on a fire. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went out and pulled the net to land. There were 153 big fish. The net was not broken even with so many.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your generous provision for our lives and for the miraculous way you work to communicate and deliver grace to us. Thank you for bringing provision to our lack. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Nothing can ruin human relationships quite like hateful speech and lying. When someone implements these tactics of evil within relationships, it is not long until others around him or her begin to distance themselves. For those wounded by words, maintaining a distance becomes a way to guard their hearts from further injury.

God did not create us to use our words in unloving or cruel fashion. When we lie or talk about others behind their backs, we are hypocrites and Jesus is dishonored; nothing can justify such behavior from believers. If we are willing to be honest, we know better. When we belittle other people or speak unkindly to them or about them, we have forgotten the mercy and goodness of God toward us. Instead of casting blame or pointing out the shortcomings of others, let’s take responsibility for our imperfect behaviors—this is what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

We can all learn something from our passage from Peter, today, because he is a very credible witness to the verbal traits God had to redeem in his very own life. Many times, Peter spoke and then thought; by the way, this is just the opposite of what believers should be doing. Jesus calls us to remember his goodness to us and respond to others from that point of revelation.

The Apostle Paul also knows how dangerous evil speech is for those wanting a relationship with Christ, so he tells believers, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Eph 4:31-32). So, let’s be mindful to carefully choose what we say and how we treat others.

1 Peter 2:1-3 NLV Food for Christians
1 Put out of your life hate and lying. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. Do not always want something someone else has. Do not say bad things about other people. 2 As new babies want milk, you should want to drink the pure milk which is God’s Word so you will grow up [become mature] and be saved from the punishment of sin [God’s Wrath]. 3 If you have tasted of the Lord, you know how good He is.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the truth we clearly understand from your Word, today. Holy Spirit, please convict us every time we fail to honor others with our words or actions. Please don’t let us become hypocrites who speak evil and dishonor the mercy you have granted to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Biblical hope is connected to holy living which is God’s desire for believers. Conduct is a big deal with God and it takes faith and self-control to live wisely. The chosen people of God conduct their lives by his standard or plumb line, because God is the one who will be doing the measuring (Amos 7:7-8). God’s plumb line helps the born again understand holiness, righteousness, justice, and love. Scripture unveils the Truth for how believers are to live while we wait for the return of Christ.

No one knows the day or time, but Jesus is coming back; he has promised and given his Word (Matt 24:29-31, 35-37). Therefore, we need to live alert and prepared for every promise Jesus made about the Kingdom of God. God will gather his chosen people for the perfection of Christ’s salvation, grace, and glory, because Jesus will return to set up God’s rule over creation and humanity (Zech 14:9).

In our passage today, Peter tells us our relationship with Jesus allows us to become holy people, because God makes it happen. If we welcome Christ’s work to make us holy, we will have to separate from the world’s way of thinking and living. This is Good News, because it means we will be separated for God and have the ability to imitate his attitude and actions. Holiness is not based on our nature or character, it is based on God’s power and our relationship with him. This is a very exciting aspect of our faith, because we are set free to live a fruitful and meaningful life by putting our hope in the power of God. “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” (Luke 18:8b).

1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT A Call to Holy Living
13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.

Prayer: Lord, you have called us to build our lives on the foundation of your glorious and holy presence. Help us to choose obedience to your standard rather than living for our pleasure, so we can be ready for your return. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Salvation is for the whole person not just an inner portion of a person. Christ brings the gift of salvation to both the physical and spiritual dimensions of life. Believers are being saved in terms of past, present, and future time by the power of God (1 Cor 1:18). When we call upon Christ for salvation, God forgives our past sin, empowers us with grace to follow the Spirit in the present, and prepares and equips us to be witnesses in the future as we look for Christ’s return.

As we obediently give our whole bodies and lives to Christ, he begins to live in and through us bringing salvation—Christ is God with us—and he is creating his righteous dwelling place IN human beings. The salvation Christ brings includes: peace and restoration between God and humans, peace between human beings, and peace between human beings and nature. Christ is the Prince of Peace—his peace is not the absence of conflict but rather wholeness—so he is always wanting to reconcile and restore lives and relationships (Isa 9:6).

God loves you! He calls you by name and he reaches down to touch your life with his saving goodness as each day he refashions you in his righteous character and image. This is a process of transformation in which human beings surrender to the purposes of God. To deny this transformation is to reject the salvation Christ actually offers. We must stop trying to live like we are our own god. So, live by faith and trust God’s plan for you. As you walk with the Spirit, you will experience more and more wholeness and the inexpressible joy found in God’s presence. It is all possible because Jesus brings us a right relationship with Almighty God.

1 Peter 1:8-12 NLT 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

10 This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the transformation you are bringing into the lives of your children as you dwell with us. We welcome the changes you bring, because we want to bring you the glory you so rightly deserve. Be glorified in us today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen (Heb 11:1). Therefore, faith is a humble attitude of expectation and trust in Christ to draw God’s grace or favor into our lives. We do not deserve grace, but when we humble ourselves and repent, God responds in love and pours his goodness upon us. The law of Moses [Mosaic covenant made by God] was a good thing, but grace and truth through Christ is even better (John 1:17). In fact, we are taught in Scripture “to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it” (Eph 4:7). Grace is an extravagant Gift from God; the riches of heaven that are apportioned as Christ directs. As his followers, let’s wisely position ourselves with our Master.

In our passage today, the teachers of religious law demand a sign to prove Christ’s authority; that he was sent by God. God’s grace empowered Moses to perform many signs that would convince others he was sent by God. The religious leaders demand a sign to see what Jesus can do in order to decide if God sent him. Jesus confronts these faithless expectations with a sign of salvation he had already sent so many years earlier; as Jonah was resurrected out of the belly (grave) of the fish, so the Son of Man would be resurrected from the tomb of the earth (grave).

To reject Jesus is to make evil one’s master which brings God’s judgment. Jesus walked by faith and lived in the grace provided; in doing so, he demonstrated a deep love for humanity and performed one miracle after another for those willing to embrace humility and repentance. As Christ’s humble followers, miraculous signs can continue among us in order to demonstrate the power of Christ to save humanity from sin and death. I am so grateful Christ has written his law on our hearts and given us the Spirit who bears witness to the Truth, so we can walk obediently by faith and receive the grace of God as we live, move, and have our being in Christ (Acts 17:28).

Matthew 12:39-42 NLT The Sign of Jonah
38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. 42 The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.

Prayer: Lord, throughout history, you have proven your love for humanity. Everything we could possibly need for salvation has been provided in Christ. Thank you for your favor and for grace that is more than sufficient for our every need. By faith, we will walk forward each day knowing you are with us and your purpose for our lives will be fulfilled. You have promised and by faith we believe. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Eternal life (a quality of life or abundant life with God) is the proof of Christ’s resurrection and our relationship with the Father. In Christ, we have the assurance our sins are forgiven and we are free from the judgment of God. Believers can enjoy tastes of eternal life now while we are in the world, because we have died with Christ and been raised with him into new [resurrection] life. So this reality gives us a different perspective of our lives; a heavenly one filled with hope.

We can know the power that raised Christ from the dead right now, because the Spirit helps to raise us from sin and dead living. This is where we place our faith; in the presence, provision, and power of God. And let us not forget, according to Scripture, there will be another resurrection in the future—all people will be resurrected either into eternal life or into judgment.

For this reason, please make sure you have an abiding relationship with Christ now; make him the Lord of your life. By obeying the Lord and living according to his will, we can look forward to stepping from this corrupt and sinful world into God’s glorious paradise (Luke 23:42-43). This is where God’s people place their hope [Heb: tikvah—expectation]. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13).

1 Corinthians 15:19-28 NLT

19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.
20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) 28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for people across the world to be drawn to you and to reach for the salvation you offer in Christ. As believers, our hope is in you and everything you have promised to do in bringing us into the fullness of eternal life. We know one day you will conquer all evil on this earth once and for all. It cannot be soon enough for us, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Humility is not associated with believing we are worthless; on the contrary, it is simply recognizing God’s all-powerful redemptive work alive in and for us making our lives worthy of His call to be his sons and daughters (2 Thes 1:11). We need to see ourselves from God’s perspective; from the immense love he has for us as his ‘adopted’ children (Gal 4:5). We are adopted on the basis of grace to be a part of God’s family; we are no longer children of the world (Gal 4:3-7). Therefore, we eagerly humble ourselves before the Mighty Hand of God, because what Father brings into our lives is so much better!

In our passage today from the Apostle Paul—a religious Pharisee who was at one time considered an enemy of the church—is now proclaiming the gospel message of Jesus. I can only imagine how unworthy Paul could have been feeling to be in such a position, but he is exactly the person God wanted to use. The Truth Paul earlier rejected about Christ and his followers actually prepared him to share the gospel of grace that turns the heart of people back to God and his redemption. Paul had to humble himself to become a son of God and follower of Christ. Who better than Paul to testify to the power of God’s grace to change a human perspective?

Therefore, Paul was very strategic with how he shared the gospel. First, Paul began by telling those listening about how the promises of the Old Testament have been fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ps 16:8-11; Isa 9:6-7). Second, Paul shared about God exalting Jesus by resurrecting him to be the head or Messiah of a new people with a fresh perspective—born again or adopted (Phil 2:6-11). Third, Paul, as well as all the apostles were eye witnesses to the miraculous works of Christ, so Paul shared his personal experience which was very influential (Mat 14:15-21; Acts 9:3-20). Fourth, Paul taught a true believer’s response to these things should be one of humility, repentance, and faith (Acts 20:21). Lastly, Paul affirms that God sent the Holy Spirit to move a person from sin into a life led by the Spirit (Ro 8:5-9, 14).

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NLT The Resurrection of Christ
1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

Prayer: Father, thank you for adopting us as your children through the work of Christ whom you sent, as well as the work of the Spirit who helps us to grow and experience salvation and life from your perspective. Teach us, guide us, and place your message on our lips, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.