Romans 1:28-32, 2:1-5
03 The Thesis
01 The Introduction
ten:character
#9 Imitators of God
series: Love Incorruptible
title: #9 Imitators of God
date: June 25, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 5:1-14, Genesis 6:5, Genesis 1-3, Genesis 4:6-7,
One thing Drew always says, and he says it about the most simple things, (it's hilarious) is he says: “This changes everything.” He said it on Thursday, I told him at Kids Club “we have a slip and slide today” and he said: “This changes everything.”
That is exactly the way that we should look at the gospel. This truly is the one thing, that changes everything.
and the thing that it should produce in you, probably more than anything else: is Thanksgiving. It is the word “eucharisteō” (you-har-estay-o) - bundled into this Greek word are the Greek words charis and chara which means “grace” and “joy” - when you understand how every finite detail of your life all the way down to your salvation is grace, it produces unspeakable joy, which equates to thankfulness.
and when that Thanksgiving is genuine, the behavior side of things begins to happen automatically.
Not because you aren’t trying to do the right thing… part of growing up in Christ means learning how to live your life with INTENTION… but the difference between the old and the new self is: the old self WANTS to give way to the flesh… the new self WANTS to resist it.
#8 The New Self
series: Love Incorruptible
title: The New Self
date: June 11, 2017
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Ephesians 4:17-32, Matthew 7:12, Ecclesiastes 7:2, 2 Corinthians 5:14,
This section begins by working on the issue of ME. The issue of YOU.
Paul tells us to put OFF the old self… put away everything that used to be us… the former life… the corruption… the greed that drives most of our lives. Put it all away.
That used to be your life… That is not your life anymore.
You have learned Christ… Christ has done something NEW in you.
#4 Loving our Neighbors
series: Neighbor(ing)
title: Loving Our Neighbors
teacher(s): Jacob & Dawn Bender
date: March 19, 2017
scriptures: Luke 10:30-37, Acts 2:42-47, Galatians 2:6, Galatians 2:9-10, James 1:27, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Isaiah 32:8
#2 Salt and Light
series: Red Letter City
title: Salt & Light
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: April 17, 2016
scriptures: Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 18:19-20, 1 John 1:5, John 8:12, Matthew 25:14-30
Detroit is the darkest city in America.
We have less working street lights than anyone. And maybe that statistic has changed by now, because I know that the mayor and our city officials have been working really really hard to put up new lights around the city and really make it feel safer for people when they are walking to their cars or walking down the street at night. But most of you who live here have probably experienced what it feels like to walk down a street at night, with no lights.
Its a horrible feeling.
All sense of confidence is gone. Its just gone. You walk on eggshells. You wonder what is around you. Because its really really dark. You can’t see whats right in front of you. and there is something about experiencing a lack of light in a context like that one that makes you realize how valuable the light truly is.
It shows us what is right in front of us. It shows us what is a few feet down the road. It shows us where we parked, and who is walking toward us in that moment.
It brings certainty to a moment.
But how many of you know, we live a world that is filled with uncertainty. It is filled with doubts. It is filled with people walking through their days not knowing what is on the other side of it, not knowing if people are on their side, or are out to get them… not knowing if tomorrow is even going to come.
and in this dark city that still lacks lights to even guide our steps as we walk on the streets… in this dark city that is Detroit but in so many ways can represent life… Jesus tells us that in this city… we are supposed to be another city… a city on a hill.
#1 Life of Hope
series: Lets talk about Hope
title: Life of Hope
date: March 13, 2016
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: Isaiah 9:2-7, Hebrews 6:19, Titus 2:13, Matthew 10, Proverbs 13:12, John 5, Mark 3:1-6, John 1:4-5, John 11:53,
#3 Community
series: Jesus and Me (and the people we need)
title: Community
teacher: Jacob Bender
date: February 21, 2016
scriptures: Acts 2:42-47, Acts 2:5-12, Joel 2:28-29, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Matthew 5:42, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 19:16-30, Matthew 16:18, 1 John 3:17, Psalm 133:1-3, Hebrews 10:24-25, Galatians 6:2.
#2 The Pretending Heart
DATE: May 24, 2015
TEACHERS: Jacob & Dawn Bender
SERIES: Intentions
TITLE: The Pretending Heart
SCRIPTURES: 1 John 1:5-10, Jeremiah 1:5, Isaiah 6, Genesis 2:16, Hebrew 6:17-19, Ephesians 6:20-21, Hebrews 4:13-16.
Who are you?
Where are you?
What are you hiding behind?
What are you hiding in front of?
Why are you hiding?
And when do we get to see the real you?
#1 The Sinful Heart
DATE May 17, 2015
TEACHER: Jacob Bender
SERIES: Intentions
TITLE: The Sinful Heart
SCRIPTURES: Proverbs 20:6, Matthew 6, Romans 2:16, Psalm 103, 2 Corinthians 5, Matthew 5:27-30, Matthew 5:17, Luke 13:10-17, Philippians 4:8, James 1:14-15, Matthew 5:21-22, Ephesians 4:26-27, Hebrews 12:15, Isaiah 53:5, Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 42:3, 1 John 1:9, James 5:16,
The Hebrew word picture for the word iniquity is: an eye. a hook. and fish multiplying.
Its the word Avon. A-V-N.
And what it means is “whatever your eye hooks to, multiples.”
Most people believe that when Jesus came to earth, he made things easier for us. He came and died for us and saved us by grace, and now we don’t have to worry about the letter of law or anything like that. He came that we may be free. and he did.
But a closer examination of the sermon on the mount will reveal to you that in a lot of ways he actually made it harder, before making it easier. He made it easier because he took the weight for us… because he knows that there is no way to live up to the law… but he did not come to abolish the law, but to sustain by properly interpreting the law (Matt. 5:17)
And then he goes on to start saying things like, “you have heard it be said not to murder… BUT I SAY…” and suddenly he takes it further beyond the letter of the law and addresses the Spirit of the law… what is going on in your heart?
Matt: 5:21-2 – you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder… but I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…
Matt: 5:27-28 – You have heard it said, “you shall not commit adultery… but I SAY that everyone who even looks at a woman with lustful INTENT has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The key word is intent. What is going on inside your heart? Do you have secrets? Do you have a part of your life that you don’t want anybody else to see? Jesus understood that transgression (outward actions) ALWAYS begins with iniquity (inward motivations)
And with this thought, we are embarking on our intentions series. Looking deep into the depths of our hearts, to work out the things that we know are in there… the things that we don’t even realize are in there… the things that we know are in there but don’t want anybody else to know are in there, and even the things that we know are not in there but want other people to think are in there.
I want to invite you to join us over these fives weeks that we really begin to work out ourselves, before we look at what is next for our church.
Because “you have to have intent, before you can have content.” (Ravi Zacharius)