On Sunday guest preacher Ben Kreps shared from Psalm 133. Jesus’ saving work unites Christians to one another. Unity in the church is a gift to enjoy, a treasure to protect, and a message to communicate. May we cherish and guard our precious blood-bought unity.
On Sunday Pastor Dustin preached from 1 Peter 4:12-19. We tend to see Christian suffering as evidence we’re doing something wrong. But Christians should expect to suffer when they’re doing something right. Opposition to Christianity is normal, it’s a God-given test of our faith, it proves God is with us, and it points us to our future salvation.
On Sunday Pastor Eric preached from 1 Peter 4:1-6. He reminded us that to do God’s will we have to resist our own. We must think like our Savior and be resolved to deny ourselves, to not fit in with the world, and to live for the future instead of the moment.
On Sunday Pastor Eric preached from 1 Peter 3:8-17. We have no say in many of life’s trials. However, when it comes to suffering for righteousness’ sake, there are plenty of times we have to choose. Faithfulness to God often means ridicule from men. When faced with the choice, we choose to suffer because the good life is a life of fellowship with our Savior, not a life of worldly comfort.
On Sunday Pastor Dustin preached from Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus Christ came into the world as a man to represent imperfect men before God. He took the lowest road imaginable, death on a cross. The Prince of Life forfeited His life so that we could be saved. All this He did to serve us. And we respond by gladly serving Him.
On Sunday Pastor Eric preached from 1 Peter 3:1-6. God calls wives to “the beautiful faith of fearless submission” as one author describes it. This is countercultural. It honors women. Christian women draw strength and dignity from the affirmation of God. They are precious to Him.
On Sunday Pastor Mike preached from 1 Peter 2:13-25. Jesus, who suffered silently at the hands of unjust authorities, calls His followers to do the same. We are to honor even those who act dishonorably. Politicians. Bosses. We submit to our great Overseer by submitting to those he has placed in authority over us.
On Sunday church member Israel Carbajal preached from 1 Peter 2:11-12. He reminded us that true liberty is found in obeying God — a liberty won for us by Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are not window-shopping the world. Rather, we joyfully obey God’s commands in order to experience peace, produce holiness, and give God the glory.