Give up, or Endure?

Give up, or Endure?

Dave Riddle - 6/16/2024

Key Passages: Hebrews 12:1-13

Look at the winners

- Hebrews 12:1

- A great cloud of witnesses

- Those mentioned in Hebrews 11

- Examples from your own life.

Look at yourself

- What is weighing you down?

- Hebrews 12:1

- Let us lay aside every hindrance

- Not necessarily sinful or evil things.

- Possibly even things we would consider to be good things.

- And the sin that so easily ensnares us.

- What is the sin that ensnares you?

- Unbelief?

Run with endurance

- Hebrews 12:1

- Look at the winners

- Look at yourself

- Throw off whatever weighs you down

- Look at Jesus!

Look at Jesus

- Hebrews 12:2

- The finisher!

- Jesus struggled, but he finished the task.

- He had the steady determination to keep going.

- He endured the cross.

- It is finished!

- Why did he endure?

- So that you won’t grow weary and lose heart (12:3)

Remember His Love

- Hebrews 12:5-6

- Don’t lose heart

- Don’t disregard what God is doing (discipline)

- Hebrews 12:7-8

- Discipline = training/raising/instructing/correcting a child.

- Hebrews 12:9-10

- The reason we receive discipline/training is for our benefit. To share in His holiness.

- Hebrews 12:11

- So that we may produce fruit

Never give up

- Hebrews 12:12-13

- Stay strong in the Lord and resolute in your faith in Him.

We His People - We Become

We His People - We Become

Dave Riddle - 9/17/2023

Key Passage: Philippians 2:5

Spiritual Formation/Development

- “The process of being formed in the image of Christ…” – M Robert Mulholland Jr. - Invitation to a Journey

- Luke 6:40

- We should be becoming more like Jesus.

- Matthew 28:19-20

- We should be forming others to be more like Jesus.

- Teaching for transformation, not just information.

Imitators of Christ

- John 14:15 - If you love me, keep my commands.

- 1 John 2:4-6

- …walk just as Jesus walked.

- 1 Peter 2:21

- Ephesians 5:1-2 - be imitators of God

- 1 Corinthians 11:1 - imitate me as I imitate Christ

- Galatians 2:20a

- …I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

Belonging and Becoming are intrinsically tied together

- We are meant to walk and grow together.

How do we do this?

Philippians 1:6

- God is at work in you!

- Surrender, listen to the Holy Sprit

- Walk with brothers and sisters in Christ

Hebrews 12:1-3

- Jesus starts and finishes the work

- Our job? Throw off all the weight that entangles us.

2 Corinthians 3:18

- be transformed

Galatians 5 - Fruit of the Spirit

- are you filled with these things?

- Are you growing in them?

“The process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others” – M Robert Mulholland Jr. - Invitation to a Journey

If we aren’t becoming more like Jesus, what’s the point?

- “the church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that… [it’s] simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.”

- CS Lewis

Joyful Generosity

House Rules - Joyful Generosity 

Dave Riddle - 11/20/2022

Key Passage: Mark 12:41-44

Joyful Generosity 

Recognizing that all we have is a gift from God and learning to share what we have.

God Gave

• God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son. John 3:16

  • Jesus is the embodiment of generosity.

Generous: A readiness to give more of something that what is expected 

Jesus Gave Willingly

• John 10:18

Jesus Gave Joyfully

• Hebrews 12:2

Jesus Gave Purposefully

• 1 Peter 3:18

Jesus Gave Sacrificially

• Philippians 2:6-8

Our Generosity Should Be a Reflection of God

• John 13:34

Generosity is An Attack On a Would-Be “King”

• Matthew 6:24

  • Money = mamōnas (μαμωνᾶς) - Mammon - everything we pursue in life. Riches, treasures, dreams, feelings, idols. Everything that isn’t God.

  • Consumerism vs Generosity

Five Resources to be Generous With 

• Physical Capital

• Intellectual Capital

• Relational Capital

• Spiritual Capital

• Financial Capital

An Example of Generosity 

• 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Upside Down View of Generosity

Kids Choir Starts at 9:30 // Baptisms at 14:30 // Message at 30:00

Upside Down View of Generosity

03/20/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Key Passage: Mark 12:41-44

Oikonomics: The economy of God’s household. The way our family on mission invests it’s available resources in and for the family of God.

Five Capitals:

• Spiritual Capital is about the depth of our relationship with God as a follower of Jesus, producing a spiritual equity that we invest in others.

• Relational Capital refers to the quantity and quality of our relationships which produces a relational equity we have to invest.

• Physical Capital is all about our ability to devote time and energy to both people and tasks. It includes the time we make available and the capacity we have to use that time.

• Intellectual Capital refers to our capacity to think and reason, to use our minds as something to invest as part of God’s family on mission. Ideas and knowledge.

• Financial Capital is perhaps the capital that we are most familiar with. Money. Treasure.

Generous: showing a readiness to give more of something than is strictly necessary or even expected.

The Widow’s Gift

• Mark 12:41-44

  • Not a parable but an event Jesus is witnessing.

Priority, Regularity, Individuality, Proportionality

• 1 Corinthians 16:2

• They responded zealously!

  • 2 Corinthians 9:1-2

No one can serve two masters

• Matthew 6:24

Give Thanks

• Hebrews 12:28

Love Generously

• John 13:34

An Assertion of our Trust

• Mark 12:44

Give Cheerfully

• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

  • God loves it!

• “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who cannot repay you” - John Bunyan

United in Heart & Mind

Message begins around the 24-minute mark

United in Heart & Mind
01/23/2021 - Dave Riddle 
Key Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:10-11

You are all one in Christ Jesus

• A theological scriptural fact

  • Acts 4:32

  • Galatians 3:23

  • 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

• This is what Jesus prayed for.

Unity is our Calling

• 1 Corinthians 13:11

• Romans 12:16-18

• Romans 14:19

• Philippians 2:2

• Ephesians 4:3

• 1 Peter 3:8

• Hebrews 12:14

• 1 Corinthians 1:10

Undivided

• 1 Corinthians 1:10

  • There should be no schism, split, gap, divide…

• 1 Corinthians 1:11

  • There are quarrels among you

• 1 Corinthians 1:10 - Made complete, perfectly joined together.

Is Unity in this church possible?

• The redeemed live as one… are we?

  • Galatians 3:23

• What is God’s calling for me? Not for my brother or sister, but for me.

• Repentance seems to be rare, almost non-existent.

  • How is God calling us to respond?

  • Can we be agents of unity rather than division?

The Impact of Peace

The Impact of Peace

12/26/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Jesus is…

Isaiah 9:6 - Prince of Peace

• Peace = shalowm (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort, and more.

  • it has layers of meaning related to peace.

  • Widely used in the Hebrew Bible, shalowm clearly depicts a satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness.

Luke 2:13 – 14 - Peace on Earth

• Peace = eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - a state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation.

(Re)Connection

• Peace with God Himself

  • Romans 5:1

Confidence

• John 16:33

  • Peaceful confidence provides escape from anger, worry…

Rest

• Matthew 11:28

  • Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….

A Gift

• John 14:27

  • Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you…

    • Something only Jesus can give.

    • An invitation, a gift.

• Philippians 4:7

  • A peace He gives to us, not something we develop

  • A peace that is so great we can’t understand it!

A Spiritual Orientation

• Galatians 5:22 - fruit of the Spirit.

  • You are peaceful now live in peace.

    • A reality and a challenge

A Calling

• Colossians 3:15

  • Let peace of Christ rule in your heart.

• Romans 12:16

  • As much as it depends on you…

• Hebrews 12:14

  • Strive for peace with everyone.

Surrender your will to the will of the Father

Pray and ask for the peace of Christ to rule our hearts

A Struggle

• Matthew 10:34

  • Jesus becomes the dividing line

  • There is no peace without him.

Blessing

• Matthew 5:9

  • Blessed are the peacemakers.

Reflect, Encourage, Share Peace

Peace - God in Our Midst

Peace - God in Our Midst
12/27/20 - Dave Riddle
Key Passage: Isaiah 9:6

Prince of Peace

• Shalom: a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort and more. An unconcerned state of peacefulness.

  • Matthew 10:34-39 - do not suppose that I have come to bring peace...

    • Jesus is our number one priority, and that will lead to division.

• eirene: a national state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation

Confidence

• John 16:33 - you are going to have suffering, but you can have confidence because Jesus has conquered the world!

Rest

• Matthew 11:29 - Take up my yoke and you will find rest.

(Re)Connection

• Romans 5:1 - since we have been justified we have peace with God through Jesus.

Invitation (A Gift)

• John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

• Philippians 4:7 - peace that surpasses all understanding.

Challenge (A Calling)

• Colossians 3:15 - let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, as members of one body you were called to peace.

• Romans 12:18 - as much as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

• Hebrews 12:14 - pursue peace with everyone.

Orientation (A Fruit) 

• Galatians 5:22-23 - peace is a fruit of the Spirit, not something we can create or attain on our own.

Peace be with you!

Stay The Course

Stay The Course

02/02/2020 - Dave Riddle

Key Passage:

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Generosity Pt. 2

Vitals - Generosity Pt. 2
Dave Riddle - 08/25/19
Key Passage: Mark 12:41-44

Generous: the readiness to give more of something than is strictly necessary or expected.

Scripture: at the core it’s about God giving to us.

Embracing a lifestyle of generosity...

• A Reflection of God

  • John 13:34 - Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

    • Jesus is the perfect picture of generosity for us to emulate.

• A Display of Gratitude

  • Mark 12:44

    • Even though she had very little, she realized that she was blessed.

  • Hebrews 12:28

    • We’ve received a kingdom that can’t be shaken. Our response should be an outpouring of gratitude.

• An Assertion of Trust

  • Mark 12:44

    • She gave everything and, trusted that God would provide for her.

      • Not a suggestion that we are all prescribed to do the same.

      • But a challenge for us to examine the way we give.

    • Do we give out of our surplus, or do we give sacrificially?

• An Attack on the “King”

  • We are our own biggest enemies: our selfishness, our self-centeredness, our greed. We are the kings of our own lives.

  • Matthew 6:24 - ...you cant worship God and money both.