February 5 East Rock

Relationship Keys part 1: Selflessness

Who is it in your life today that has the most keys?

Relationships matterRelationships are everything

God made us to be in relationship With other people around us

We are created for connection

Relationships are hard

Consider Jesus when he was asked the most important commandment he responded, not with one, but with two

“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭40‬God’s word offers us the help, the wisdom, the keys that we desperately need in our relationships.“

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭If you want to test the quality of your love for Jesus measure the quality of your love for others.“

When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭Anything short of Jesus standard is not a biblical standard of love“

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭8‬Selflessness is a key to Godly relationships. What does it look like?Selfless, love really means these four things – It’s not about you

Selfless love is about sacrifice

Which means, selfless, love takes courageIt’s not about blame“

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬

The model of Jesus is the laid down life.

http://bible.com/events/49022924

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Mission in Action Part 4: Christ

Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ.

Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ”

We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers.

So, this teaching series- called Mission in Action is not just to make sure you know the mission statement, but so that you understand it more deeply, find excitement in its possibilities and desire to engage with us to see this mission lived out.‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬‬May 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.CHRIST

When we talk about Christ Jesus, we affirm the biblical truth that He is indeed God.

God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible; what a pity we plan to do the things we can only do by ourselves.-A.W. Tozer

Knowing Christ vs. Knowing about Christ‭‭

Matthew‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬-‭9

‬‬“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬-‭23

‬‬“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭11‬‬

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

When Paul speaks of “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” then, he means that he has acknowledged God’s great act of deliverance in Christ and submitted to Christ’s lordship.‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18‬-‭20‬‬Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ

Mission of YOUR Life:

To know and serve Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord

Christ has staked a claim on our life. Be glad of it. He is incomparable! It is your calling, and honor, to serve Him. There is no other way to live a life that matters.- Dennis Rainey

Prayer of Response

Jesus, everything hinges on you- knowing you and serving you is what empowers and inspires us to accomplish your mission.

I surrender to your Lordship in my life. May your will/your purpose/your mission be fulfilled in and through my life. Amen

Giving at COTN

If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Mission in Action Part 4: Christ

Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ.

Our mission statement says “Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ”

We believe this concise, yet powerful statement gives light and guidance to our purpose as the church and as individual believers.

So, this teaching series- called Mission in Action is not just to make sure you know the mission statement, but so that you understand it more deeply, find excitement in its possibilities and desire to engage with us to see this mission lived out.

While Christ is literally the last word in our mission statement, it’s not just a play on words, It’s there on purpose.

We are committed to giving Christ the last word, to focus on Him, to give him the authority in all we do as the church. After all, apart from him- we really don’t have anything to offer others.‭‭

Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭11‬‬

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

To give Christ the last word is to see him as the central focus and authority of our lives and of our mission together. It means we give Christ the authority over our lives, the past, and the present. And to make him the focus of the future.

To give Christ the last word is to give him authority over everything, even if that’s what it costs.

The invitation to give Christ the last word over our past means that we decide to abandon anything that would keep us from experiencing relationship with him now.If that’s pride in our accomplishments, our jobs, our families, or even our self-reliance- we must let the past go to embrace Christ

If it’s Guilt, or shame, or regret that have you paralyzed- Give Christ the last word over your past.

Your past doesn’t have that power over you when give your life to Jesus.

To see Christ have the last word means we don’t just give him authority over our past- We give all our lives over to him for the sake of Christ.

Paul is helping us to see, there is absolutely nothing in this world worth as much as knowing and experiencing Jesus as Lord. Nothing!

As a church we are called to see others come to know Christ- to experience him as their lord and savior.

To give Christ the last word means that he is not only the life we experience, but also the authority that will guide our actions.

That’s going to challenge me, that will challenge you, because Christ having the last word means that we follow him, no matter what.

It’s not going to be our preferences that are get the final word.

It might not be what’s popular

It’s probably not what’s easiest or even what’s comfortable. It might even feel un-safe in the moment.

In those moments, will we give Christ the last word?

That’s our mission!

Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ!

Giving at COTN

If you have ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@abeaconofhope_pbz6m2

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!https://www.cotnaz.org/giving/