Grace Baptist Santa Clarita: Service Podcast

As we have studied, God created everything very good, but sin came in bringing great corruption. But God was not to be defeated. He planned and provided a Rescuer, a Savior … Jesus Christ, God the Son. Taking on flesh and living a sinless life, Jesus was the perfect substitute for sinful humanity. On the cross He took on our sin and withstood the full weight of the judgment we deserve. Today we look at the Resurrection of Jesus as that chapter in the story which confirms and validates all that God promises to those who entrust their lives, by faith, to the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we have seen, God’s perfect creation was riddled with corruption due to Adam’s sin. But God determined that sin would not have the last say, and immediately promised a solution … a Savior … the “HE” of Genesis 3:15. In God’s timing, God the Son took on human flesh. He was the Man we needed: sinless, sympathetic, righteous, and God in the flesh. Yet, since the penalty of our sin was eternal death, not even the perfect life of Jesus could provide salvation for us. What was needed was a redeeming death that would put death to death and rescue all who turn to Christ in repentance and faith. This weekend we explore the death of Christ and give praise and thanks to God the Father for His great and gracious gift of redemption!

When the sin of Adam caused God’s creation to be riddled by sin, the future of humanity was in grave danger. Yet, even in the midst of humanity’s downfall, God spoke words of hope declaring that, one day, the “HE” would come to deal decisively with the effects of sin. God determined sin would not have the last word, and so the search for the “HE” began. Throughout the Old Testament, many good men were introduced, but in each case, their lives fell short. Their sinful lives demonstrated they were not the Savior, for they were in desperate need of a Savior. But that all changed when Jesus came on the scene. He was – and IS! – the Man we needed, and this weekend we take time to remember the first part of God’s solution to the problem of sin: the life of Jesus Christ!

In Genesis 1-3, we read about the Creation and the Fall -- two of the four primary plot movements in the entire Bible. It is the beginning and the turning point for all of human history, and the lens through which all Scripture must be read. Before the events of Chapter 3, humanity is walking with God in obedience and fellowship. After Chapter 3, the human relationship with God is severed and sin begins to infect all of creation.

It took three nights in the belly of a great fish for Jonah to acknowledge God’s power and right to rule over all things … including him! And so he headed off to Nineveh where his preaching was the tool God used to turn the people of Nineveh from their wicked ways. The mission had been accomplished, and Jonah was mad about it. This weekend we close up our look at Jonah, the reluctant evangelist. Along the way, we’ve found there is some Jonah in all of us. Like he did in Jonah’s life, God is asking penetrating questions of us to make us more and more aware of ways our fear and commitment to comfort may be blinding our eyes to the joys of going “all in” for Christ, of delighting to obey from our hearts.

The story of Jonah intersects with our lives in many powerful ways. Jonah was a religious leader and very committed to his worldview. Yet, when God asked him to do something he didn’t like, he ran the other direction. And, when he ran into trouble, he chose death rather than obedience. But God in His mercy, delivered him through discipline, and in the belly of the great fish, Jonah determined obedience was his best option. This weekend we see the mercy of God on Nineveh. Jonah, the reluctant evangelist, is simply the messenger. It is the power of God, working through the simple message of the prophet, that changes hearts and lives.

When Jonah chose to rebel against God and go his own way, he soon realized it was impossible to run from the presence of the Lord. Yet, it was through the gracious discipline of God on the prophet that he came to realize the sovereign grace of the Lord. While in the belly of the great fish, Jonah had time to reflect, and he came to the conclusion that God was in charge, not him. God alone holds the power of life and death, of salvation and judgment.

The story of Jonah, while ancient, forces us to deal with the question the prophet faced: when we know what God asks of us, will we do it? This is especially relevant in the area of living out the Gospel in our everyday rhythms of life as “everyday evangelists.” Throughout this study, we will consider how deeply Jonah’s biases and fears may be influencing our desire to be contagious carriers of the Good News of God’s redeeming love, offered freely to all in Christ Jesus.

Why should those who follow Christ join a local church as members participating joyfully in the mission of Christ? After all, you won’t find a membership process or list in the New Testament! Yet, the fact is, you cannot understand the New Testament’s description of, or exhortations to, the local church without recognizing they absolutely knew who was ‘with them’ and who wasn’t. Here at Grace Baptist Church we believe being a partner, and joining the membership of our church is a great privilege, bringing both wonderful ministry opportunities, and the personal satisfaction of obeying the call of Christ.

Let’s face it ... we have a consumeristic streak in us that wants what it wants wherever it can find it. And while, in our heads we know the Church doesn’t exist for us, we too often think it does, and treat the Body of Christ like Amazon. When we need or want something, we engage Amazon and expect to get what we want, when we want it, with little or no inconvenience. But is this really how to get the most out of the Body of Christ? Or is it our Savior’s desire that we see the church as His way of gathering together a group of people to care for and serve one another as they pursue a common mission? Today we start a 2-week series on Church Life. Our purpose? Simply to remind ourselves that, as Christ-followers, we are not only privileged to be united to the Savior. We are also called by Christ into union with the brothers and sisters of Grace Baptist Church, to serve in mutual love while pursuing the mission of Christ through Grace to our world together.

For centuries, global evangelism has been part of the local church’s ministry, and rightly so. But, it was not always so! This weekend we ask and answer three essential questions about the global mission of Christ through the local church: Why a global mission? Why a local church/global mission partnership? What does a local church/global mission partnership look like?

Last weekend, we learned how evangelism begins with understanding and delighting in our identity as Christ-followers. We learned that putting service before privilege, and pursuing accommodation without compromise, and living out the Gospel actively rather than passively demonstrates that we really believe Jesus is better and those in our world need to see that in us. This weekend we take this theme a bit further and look at ways to show our kingdom patriotism. That is, to live in ways that passionately promote the surpassing benefit of following Jesus Christ!

Over the next few weeks, we want to think together about what it means to be a Gospel-ambassador — the calling God has placed on the life of each of His children. As we think about sharing the good news of Christ, we must shake off unbiblical attitudes before we can begin to be the messengers of hope that we are called to be. We cannot allow ourselves to be shaped by the culture around us. We cannot take our cues from activists or bloggers or politicians. The attitude of a true Gospel-ambassador must be Christ-like humility. What our valley, our country, and our world needs are not belligerent Christians or milquetoast Christians — they need Christ-like Christians. The manner of Jesus’ coming to earth and His lifestyle here provides us with a foundational example as we represent Him to others. Our mission efforts should be shaped by the life of our Savior. Sharing Christ means emulating Christ. And emulating Christ means living in humility.

As we close one year and open the next, we take time this weekend to consider the privilege we have been given as the Church, the Body of Christ. Where are we, both as individuals and as a church family? And where do we want to be in terms of passionately pursing the mission of Christ in our lives, our homes, our careers, and our world? This weekend we pause to reflect on God’s great love and faithfulness, and consider what it will look like to raise our spiritual temperature a few degrees, and take the next vital steps toward spiritual maturity.

As we have looked at the coming of God the Son Incarnate, we have viewed it through the lens of the prophets, angels, and shepherds. But, while all these have helped us understand God’s faithfulness, what is most important is our own perspective. Who is this baby born in Bethlehem? The answer to this question makes all the difference.

On this Third Sunday of Advent, we pay particular attention to the shepherds whom God Himself chose to be the first to hear of the birth of the Promised King. It was to these, whose job it was to raise and guard the Temple lambs, that the invitation first came to worship the Lamb of God. They were the first to experience the reality that the promise of a Savior had been fulfilled, and it is through their perspective that we glimpse yet another view of the majesty of the Incarnation.

Throughout the Bible angels play an important role in the unfolding drama of redemption. They are especially important in announcing and explaining the birth of the Savior. This weekend we look at the glorious event of Jesus’ birth through the lens of the angelic messengers who brought God’s message to Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds.

Living on this side of the Incarnation, we often forget what it was like to look forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the “He” of Genesis 3:15, Jesus the Christ, our Savior. But, when we stand with the prophets and look forward through the lens of God’s covenant promises, we come to see just how faithful God has been and how we can trust Him fully for the promises yet to be fulfilled.

Well … hold on to your hats, the Christmas gauntlet is just around the corner! But before we rush headlong into a frantic season of socializing, shopping and spending, let’s pause to consider how best to make the most of Christmas … for Jesus Christ, our Savior! After all, the season is really about God the Father’s promise being fulfilled in the birth of God the Son! It’s no secret that I love Christmas! But … with you, I know the season brings with it the stresses of a hectic schedule that can overwhelm even our best laid plans. So, this weekend we take a look at what God’s Word says about keeping our minds focused on Jesus, by winding our Christmas celebration around Him.

This weekend we take another look at the privilege of giving thanks to God from a heart of gratitude using David’s words as our guide. David certainly knew what it was like to deal with adversity, and yet, through all the difficulties he was able to lift his gaze away from circumstance to find rest and joy in the God of his salvation.