Archive for the ‘By David Stonesifer’ Category
God’s Grace Expressed Through Jesus’ Love!

Part A: Pastor Tony Marra:
Part B: Pastor Dave Stonesifer
Part C: Pastor Ann Vinson
Part D: Pastor Timothy Brassell
Part E: Full Message: NLF Pastoral Team
Bible Verses: Mark 1: 14-16 Ephesians 1 2 Cor 12: 19 Numbers 6: 24 – 26
Introduction:
“God loves you so utterly and completely that he has given himself for you in Jesus Christ his beloved Son, and has thereby pledged his very being as God for your salvation. In Jesus Christ God has actualized his unconditional love for you in your human nature in such a once for all way, that he cannot go back upon it without undoing the Incarnation and the Cross and thereby denying himself. Jesus Christ died for you precisely because you are sinful and utterly unworthy of him, and has thereby already made you his own before and apart from your ever believing in him. He has bound you to himself by his love in a way that he will never let you go, for even if you refuse him and damn yourself in hell his love will never cease. Therefore, repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.” —(T. F. Torrance, “The Mediation of Christ,” 94)
Theological Theme:
“The gospel announces that salvation is available by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and not through additional obligations and works.”
The gospel is the Good News of God, that we are included in the life and love of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit by grace. It is nothing we have earned or deserve but rather something given as a free gift to us. We have to remember that Jesus is THE Savior of the world. The struggle in believing this good news is that it sounds really good but it is not easy to receive and can only be received by the grace of God; That means GOD working in us to WILL and to DO and to BELIEVE that it is actually the truth of our lives in Jesus, in our place and on our behalf!
“Grace is the hardest thing for us to be reconciled to, because it implies the renouncing of our pretensions, our power, our pomp and circumstance. It is opposite of everything our ‘religious’ sentiments are looking for.” —Jacques Ellul
Christ Connection:
Salvation is a Revelation, something God has to lead us to. Since Jesus Christ is the center-point of God, then Salvation is actually the Person Jesus Christ. But this is something only God can reveal, and through Jesus Christ. That means from beginning to end, Jesus Christ is the only one who pulls off what God wanted done with us.
The primary message of the gospel is NOT that you need to receive the gospel, but rather the gospel HAS RECEIVED YOU! The Father HAS RECEIVED YOU in Jesus Christ, by The Holy Spirit; but the good news always proclaims REPENT! When we say Jesus Christ lives IN US, we mean Jesus lives inside our human nature hence He made “human nature” capable of being able to receive that He did good for us. However the Father-Son-and-Spirit-God is NOT a substance but a relationship. God IN us means us having an INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP with God, Father, Son and Spirit!
Because Jesus is our Salvation, Salvation is a proclamation not just in Word but also in Deed.
“God came in Christ, in our place and on our behalf, to actually undo what we had done (Eph. 1:10). In that undoing, a real relationship (via the hypostatic union) between God and mankind was forged in the Son of God’s own person.”—Clarifying Our Theological Vision, by Gary Deddo
Missional Application:
Salvation is a Proclamation and that proclamation is— Repent and receive Jesus as your Salvation! Salvation as a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ. It is relying on Jesus Christ. It is praying to God The Father through Jesus Christ in The Holy Spirit, and this is what we witness to others about that they may share in this relationship with us! All of humanity is encouraged to turn from what they were thinking and doing by turning to Jesus Christ! The Father calls His humanity to turn from turning away from Jesus and begin to relate with and trust Jesus in union with the Holy Spirit! God-Father-Son-and-Spirit loves and includes all of mankind in relationship with Himself through Jesus, the Son of God made human..
“Grace is to be understood as the impartation not just of something from God but of God Himself. In Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit God freely gives to us in such a way that the Gift and the Giver are one and the same in the wholeness and indivisibility of His grace…”—(Thomas F. Torrance, Reality and Evangelical Theology. Westminster Press. 1981. pgs 14,15).
Photo Compliments: https://www.secondnaturebyhand.com/
The Messenger – Converted and Called!
Audio – Part A: 25 min
Audio – Part B: 24 min
Audio – Full message:
Bible Verses: Acts 9: 1-25
Introduction:
“The most meaningful changes in life are the ones that move us closer to fulfilling our God-given purpose—starting with being converted as new followers of Christ. We don’t change and grow to be better people with better lives with the goal of feeling better about who we are. We grow to become faithful Christ-followers sent by the God who sends.
Saul, later known as Paul, collided with God on the road to Damascus. More precisely, it was “the God who sends” who collided with Paul, and this Pharisee’s life was never the same. Paul’s story reminds us how God can transform even the hardest of hearts and what it looks like to become a converted, called messenger of the God who sends us on mission with His Son.”
Theological Theme:
Conversion to Christ comes with a calling to ministry with God [Father, Son and Holy Spirit]
Christ Connection:
The conversion and calling of Saul, later Paul, is a demonstration of God’s power to save. Through an encounter with the crucified and risen Jesus, this once-hardened persecutor of God’s people began his journey to becoming the greatest missionary the world has ever known. Only the gospel can transform a public opponent of Christ into a fervent witness to His salvation.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to pray with full confidence that God can transform even the hardest heart.
Photo Compliments YouTube
The Wicked Tenants!
Part 1a: 19min
Part 1b: 21min
Full Message:
Main Passage: Matthew 21:33-46
“One of Jesus’ most famous parables about judgment was the parable of the wicked tenants. In this story we see the privilege and responsibility that comes with God’s calling on our lives. We also see the grace of God in His warnings to sinners and the judgment of God in His retribution toward those who reject His Son. This parable’s stark imagery reminds us that we are called to bear the fruit of repentance and mission and thus fulfill our purpose as God’s people.” -The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Judgment comes on those who reject the commands, warnings, and Christ, The Son of God- [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit].
Christ Connection:
Jesus’ parable of the wicked tenants is one of the clearest denunciations of the religious leaders in His day. The story implies that God is the vineyard owner, Jesus is the owner’s son, and the religious leaders are the ones who have rejected God’s Word. Applying Psalm 118 to Himself, Jesus saw Himself as the cornerstone—the person in whom God’s judgment and salvation come together.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to bear the fruit of repentance and mission, fulfilling our purpose as His people.
“Jesus teaches that seemingly endless patience of God is extended toward those who oppose him. But when this patience ends at the rejection of his Son, God’s swift retribution is sure to follow.” –Simon J. Kistemaker
“The portrait of a mild Jesus who spoke only of grace and never of judgment is a figment of the imagination. We serve a Savior whose scandalous grace was matched with the ferocious roar of judgment. In this parable, we see a glimpse of God’s patience but also His swift retribution. Let this story from Jesus shock your senses and lead you to see yourself as a steward of His blessings” -The Gospel Project
Photo Compliments:
The God Who Goes Before
Full Message: “https://trinityandhumanity.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/16-10-30-the-god-who-goes-before-joshua-3-4-tah-guest-stonesifer.mp3”
Theological Theme: God – Father, Son and Spirit’s presence and power does not negate our responsibility to obey in faith; rather, it makes possible our faith response.
Christ Connection: God told Joshua and the Israelites to set up memorial stones to remember what God had done to bring them into the promised land. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus told His disciples to remember the sacrifice He was going to make to save us from our sins. When Christians eat the Lord’s Supper, we remember God’s plan to ultimately destroy sin through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Missional Application: God calls us to recount His mighty works in Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, and in our lives so that others will know He is powerful.
*picture courtesy of pinterest.com
The Redeemer Judges and Saves
Theological Theme: God’s righteous judgment is coming to everyone without distinction, but salvation is offered through the sacrifice of a perfect substitute.
Christ Connection: Just as a spotless lamb was sacrificed in order to spare God’s people from His judgment, so also Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb who was sacrificed in order to protect us from God’s wrath. He is the Judge Who was judged in our place!
Missional Application: God calls us to warn others of the coming judgment of God and to offer the good news of salvation through Jesus, the substitute Lamb.
*picture courtesy of: http://www.alfa-img.com
The Redeemer Responds
Theological Theme: God is good and just. He sees the suffering of the oppressed and promises redemption.
Christ Connection: God told Moses His name “I AM” as a revelation of His good and righteous character. Jesus is the great “I AM” who gave us an even greater revelation of God’s goodness and righteousness.
Missional Application: God calls us to be conscious of the plight of the oppressed and, in response, to show and share the love of God.
*picture courtesy of zazzle.com
In The Image Of God, Father, Son and Spirit!
In this message of Good News understand what it means to be made in the image of God, Father, Son and Spirit and what that has to do with grasping and participating in your great value, significance, and present hope!
*photo courtesy of http://www.knowing-jesus.com