In the last message we were introduced to Acts 2:42-47, which provides a snapshot of the early church in those heady days when thousands came to faith in Jesus following Pentecost. These verses describe a rare kind of church community that few of us have ever experienced personally, but which stirs in us a longing for the perfect communion we will know in heaven and a desire to see and be a part of a more perfect communion even here and now. Many commentators point out that these verses des…
This week we continue worshiping God through the study of His Word as we prepare our hearts for the launch of Small Groups in October. Over the past two weeks we have explored primarily two passages of scripture that demonstrate that there is a Biblical mandate for believers to pursue deepening relationships with a small group of believers away from the general gathering of God’s people in a large worship service context. This week we’ll change direction slightly and begin looking beyon…
Here at State Road we are looking forward to the launch of small group Bible studies this fall. To prepare the way for this exciting new season of ministry we will be spending a few Sundays laying out a Biblical understanding of why small groups are something every believer should consider being a part of. Each week we’ll be looking at portions of scripture in which God appeals to us through His Word to seek out smaller, more intimate gatherings of believers for the purpose of mutual watc…
In 1 Peter 2:21 we read, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” This verse is laden with language that should cause all true disciples of Jesus to sit up and take notice. It speaks of calling, Christ’s example, and once more we find the explicit expectation that we would “follow in His steps.” At the center of the verse is an ugly, uncomfortable word, “suffered.” To what have we b…
Elisabeth Elliot was made a widow and single mother on January 8, 1956 when her husband, Jim Elliot, and four of his missionary friends were speared to death by the Huaorani people of Ecuador while trying to reach them with the Gospel. It would have been easy for Elisabeth to wash her hands of Ecaudor, pack her things and return to the safety of the United States. Her husband had been unfairly and violently stolen from her and their infant daughter, who was only 10 months old at the time, …
As part of our sermon series on becoming sincere, from-the-heart imitators of Jesus we have been studying a portion of scripture (Matthew 6:5-15) from the Sermon the Mount where Jesus gave a significant amount of instruction on prayer. In verses 5-8 Jesus gives us some general guidelines for prayer and then in verse 9 Jesus says “Pray then like this…” before giving the Disciples an example of how to pray, which is commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer,” or sometimes, “The…
***The audio file for this sermon was corrupted.***
In Colossians 4:2 it says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”
The word used here in the phrase “devote yourselves,” is the Greek word, “Proskarterountes.” Other Bible translations render it as “Be constant in prayer,” “Continue steadfastly in prayer,” or “Be faithful in prayer,” and those are all good translations, but I think I prefer the phrase “devote yo…
Come with me into the upper room. As we enter we smell and see a dinner laid out on a low table. Around the table are some men, and there is Jesus. I don’t know how we would recognize Him, but I suspect that the Holy Spirit that lives within us would leap in recognition of Him if we were to encounter Him face to face. Yes, it’s Jesus alright. Suddenly, Jesus rises, takes off his outer garments, wraps a towel around His waist, and pours water into a basin. Then he does a surprising thing…
Here in the United States we often greet one another by shaking hands, but shaking hands is not the norm everywhere around the globe. For example, in parts of Asia it is customary to bow. The French often greet each other with air kisses. In Malaysia you place your hand over your heart. It’s a bit odd, but In Tibet they stick out their tongues. In Mozambique and Zimbabwe they clap. The Maori of New Zealand rub foreheads and noses together when they greet.
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