Grace Church In Noblesville & Fishers, In

You're fabulous! I love you! And we're going to be friends! And that is exactly how you should feel when you enter into a spiritual community - when you enter a church. That is what I expect you will feel when you walk into the doors of any campus at Grace church. You're fabulous! We love you! And we're going to be friends! Now, dear brothers and sisters,[a] regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this. 2 You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of u

Every human being was created to live within a community of love. A community in which the song that is sung over them is "I like you as you are!" A community that invites people out of isolation into family A community in which normal sinners, fools and evil people are loved the way they need to be love. A community that will not throw hippies out the door. A community that lovingly insists that everyone surrender their lives to Jesus…the only means to become a child of God. 3 Enemies of a Loving Community: The devil The world The flesh 19When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, disse

It's important to talk about a community where everyone is welcome. Why? We live in lonely times. Jesus gave us a clear mandate to be a community of love. Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. Jesus Becoming a welcoming community of love will not be easy. Right off the bat the first churches founded within decades of Jesus mandate of love struggled and had to be reimagined. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3:26-29 The point is clear: Stop discrimi

Romans 8:26-27 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. In other words, until all things are restored in the New Creation - until we are resurrected to live face to face with our Creator - we must face the troubles and weakness of this current life. But… and this is what Paul is trying to say - we don’t have to face all this alone. We don't have to be self-sufficient. He says the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Our God is not a distant deity, but a present and loving Father who helps us carry the load of this life. Romans 8:28-30 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and ar

This sermon uncovers what it means to be free from shame. Romans 8:35-37 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. The takeaway here is pretty simple. None of the scary realities of life in Rome hold a candle to the overwhelming love of God. Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow; not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below; indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in C

We are in the second week of our series, Home Free, where we are looking at the freedom that can be ours in Jesus. Today, we're talking about how to be free from death. Romans 8:18-22 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. In a practical way, humanity's selfish choices - theft, murder, adultery - bring harm to others. That's not how we were meant to live. So humans have been enslaved to sin (and therefore death), while creation has been enslaved to corruption and decay. It's parallel. They're connected. Because of Jesus, the h

Romans 8:1-4 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. God's heart for humanity from the very beginning is that we would live in a world of love and harmony and peace - where our actions towards one another - and even to the creation itself - would reflect God's goodness and creativity and justice. Sin is when we choose to rebel against God's intentions for this world. Sin is selfish. Romans

Today, we are talking about the Gospel of John. It doesn't begin with any details about the actual birth of Jesus; it begins with a very complicated, philosophical introductory passage about Jesus and tells us a great deal about "why" Jesus was born in the first place. It tells us that Jesus was born: To bring light into our dark world. So that he could introduce us to his good Father. To bring an end to our loneliness and isolation. So that everyone would know that we can become children of God!/p> John 1:14-16 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me." From his abun

John 1:1-5 In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. The man who wrote this, the apostle John, was one of Jesus' closest friends. We believe he wrote this towards the end of his life. Which means he had seen the power of Christ at work for decades. As John planted churches and shared the teachings of Jesus he saw life after life after life transformed by encountering the Word - by encountering Jesus. Which is why he doesn't just tell a heartwarming story of a baby in an animal's food trough. He tells a story of the very light which animates the universe becoming human to awaken us to a new way to live.

We need to be known by others. We need to be loved by others. We need to be celebrated by others. We need to be understood by others. We all share a profound need to be in the presence of others. Similar to your need to be in the presence of others but magnified by a factor of 100 is your need to be in the ongoing, constant presence of God. We all share a profound need to be in the presence of God. Life is impossible on your own. You do not have the capacity to deal independently with the vagaries and tragedies of life. You are not, nor will you ever be, strong enough to be a spiritual free agent. You are in desperate need of the Coram Deo: the presence of God. Implications of Coram Deo: There is no such thing as a compartmentalized life. There is no need to fear. You might not recognize Him. He may be hard to hear.

May God sustain you and keep you resilient my friends; don't let your dismay overwhelm you, remember that Jesus was born for you, and may that give your comfort and joy! That is this church's prayer for you, personally this month. To you who know dismay. To you who are not strong. To you who are lonely. To you who are in pain. This sermon focuses on John 1:10-12 "He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." God calls us his children. When He adopts you, you have: A future home/eternal life. A miraculous internal presence, a spiritual guide and supernatural consoler. His blessings to let you know you are loved, valued and His child.

What this whole series is about: you don't have to be afraid of the dark anymore. And I want this series to be like a warm hug from God letting you know He's with you, he loves you, and it's going to be ok. This sermon focuses on the Gospel of John 1. We can't see God, but Jesus reveals him to us. And what is revealed in the life of Jesus? A God of compassion A God of mercy A God of grace A God of radical, self-giving love We all face caverns of darkness. But Jesus is the shining path out of the cave. He's the "light that leads to life." You can take comfort and joy knowing that: You don't have to be afraid of the dark anymore. God has chosen to reveal himself to us in the most unexpected of ways: he became one of us. The Word of God became human. He stepped into our darkness so that his blazing light could cast away the shadows of our fear and shame. &#

The simple truth is that followers of Christ can and do experience tremendous freedom in their lives. They are free from the power of sin and death and shame. Because of this, they live differently than they used to because of what Jesus has done. In Roman's 8, Paul talks about: Freedom from sin & control Freedom from death & decay Freedom from self-sufficiency Freedom from shame So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 And, Paul doesn't just say that Christ-followers were once slaves, but are now free. He takes it one step further. He says we once were slaves, but now we are adopted. Adopted into God's family. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit

This sermon dives into the conversation of loneliness. Nearly half of Americans report being lonely. Why is there so much isolation? Americans are isolated by nature. In our American personal arrogance, we turn our nose up at saying I need you. Another reason for the increased isolation - Most of us cling to a "code of privacy" that leads us to not know our neighbors. Yet, another reason is we've bought into "the cult of busyness". Most of us buy into a workaholic ethos that leaves us with little time for community. And then there's the "faux community of social media" that gives us the false assurance that anyone gives a rip about us. We live in bubbles that bounce off other bubbles. What do we do? How do we, ourselves, find our way out of isolation? And how do we help others? We can look at Acts 2 for the answer: 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper[a]), and to prayer.43 A deep sense o

Grace Church sits at the intersection of two truths: The world is broken. You were made to find your calling and change the broken places. Throughout this series, you'll learn that: This church will breed champions of justice who love the marginalized and confront the endless cycles of poverty and hopelessness. Grace will be a source of healers who confront pain. This church produces nurturers who create community that provides love for the lonely and isolated. This church makes activists who stand against hate, racism, bigotry, and tribalism. This church encourages stewards who seek to heal the physical world. Grace Church gives rise to ambassadors of the gospel who lead people to salvation. In a world where people are apathetic, hurt, and broken, we need to come alongside them and let them know we car

This sermon looks at Exodus 14 and how the Israelites found hope in God speaking through Moses. We've learned to trust in the Lord, you need hope and faith. Here are a few ways to find hope: If you want to feel hope you should pay attention to the present. If you want to feel hope you should pay attention to the past. If you want to feel hope you should listen to your mentors and dear friends. If you want to feel hope you should not be surprised by the presence of angels. If you want to feel hope you should watch for signs of the enemy's defeat.

This sermon will look at The Passover in Exodus. Passover is not the celebration of a 'passing over' but of God defending and protecting... it is a celebration of God personally not allowing the destroyer to touch a single Israelite son or animal. I am really drawn to this image of God standing in the doorway keeping death at bay. In fact, what has occurred to me is that Passover was actually an opportunity for the Jewish people to show their faith in God's promise. God wants us to believe Him when He tells us He has a promise for us that is good news... and the good news is that it doesn't matter where you find yourself today... no matter what how downtrodden or enslaved or frightened or isolated or oppressed or painful or sinful you may feel today, the promise of the Passover and the promise of the Resurrection of Jesus is that it is God's desire is to stand guard over your life and protect you from all that seeks to destroy you. His desire is to claim you as one of His precious children... to take away you

When life feels hopeless, remember this: Faith + Hope = Trust! The 10 plagues in Exodus show us waves of discomfort and pain had a purpose...to grow Israel's faith, Moses' faith, and Pharaoh's faith! And we learn that our ability to move into the world with courageous trust will always arise out of a robust faith and experienced hope.

This sermon looks at Exodus 3 & 4, the story of Moses and the burning bush. God appeared to Moses at the age of 80 to show him the "more kind of life" God had planned for him. Moses doesn't think he's worthy. He even gives God excuse after excuse why he cannot go. But, God never gives up on Moses. Just like Moses, God wants to use you to fulfill His promises and His purposes and He has a calling specifically created for you. Sometimes, you just have to say yes. God knows our weaknesses - He knows our imperfections - He knows our sin. God is not going to ask us to do more than he knows we can handle - we can just handle more than we believe we can. Remember, you are special. You are a promise filler. And, no shame, no guilt, no self-doubt should get in the way of that. Answer His call.

In this series, we will show you that Exodus actually sets the stage for the rest of the Bible and can even shape how we live today. Ultimately, we're going to talk about a God who kept his promises to the Israelites and who keeps his promises to us. Today, we are focusing on Exodus 1. The promises of God are not always what you might expect. He doesn't promise He's going to give you a bunch of money. He doesn't even promiseHe's going to fix your problems for you right away. What He does promise is that he will be with you in the midst of your struggle. He promises that he will give you the strength you need to endure. Sometimes God parts the Red Sea for us. And sometimes we wander in the wilderness with God by our side. In either case, God's promises endure. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will be your strength to make it through. He will give you rest.