Archive for the ‘by Tony Marra’ Category
Jesus Turns Water Into Wine!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: commands, Faith, first miracle, God's Calling, God's Faithfulness, God's glory, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's love, God's Mercy, God's Power, God's Unconditional Love, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Humble, Humility, Jesus Christ, Jesus' identity, Jesus' Miracles, John, John 2: 1-12, Love, Miracles, Mission, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Rebellion, Reconciliation, Religion, responsibility, Resurrection, Salvation, Self-righteousness, Sin, Sinners, Stewards, Stewardship, The miracles of Jesus, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trust, Unconditional Love, water into wine, wine
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Part 1a: 26min
Part 1b: 30min
Full Message:
Main Passage: John 2:1-12 NLT
“John did not recount the story of Jesus turning water into wine for our entertainment; by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he intentionally presented the truth that Jesus’ miracles reveal God the Father. Through the details of this miracle, we see Jesus’ compassion for our needs, a glimpse of His identity, and His ability to reveal God in all He does.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
The miracles of Jesus were part of His purpose in bringing glory to God. – [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit]
“With [Jesus], nothing is incomplete or done at the wrong time, just as with the Father there is nothing haphazard.” –Irenaeus
Christ Connection:
Sin has disrupted our relationship with God, leading to spiritual barrenness and sorrow in our lives. Christ’s miracles are a sign that joyful reconciliation with God is possible again through faith in Jesus’ glorious life, death, and resurrection.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to do whatever Jesus tells us to do as we seek to display His glory and lead others to faith.
“Now this transformation of the water from its own substance into another, testified to the powerful presence of the Creator. Only he who had made it out of nothing could change water into something whose use was quite different.” –Maximus of Turin
“By this first sign, Jesus revealed His glory, ‘the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’ (1:14). His glory would be revealed in greatest measure in his cross, resurrection and exaltation, but every step along the course of his ministry was an adumbration of that glory.” –D. A. Carson
“So what does this have to do with me?” you might ask. “Jesus is not on earth anymore; I don’t get to see His miracles.” Correct. But you are a miracle of Jesus, pointing others to God.
“Me?” you might ask, “I’m a sinner saved by grace.” Exactly. And when you tell others how Jesus won your heart, called you by name, and changed you from the inside out, you are just as amazing and awe-inspiring to unbelievers as the turning of water into wine.
Just as Jesus considered His purpose before each miracle, we should consider our purpose before each conversation, each lunch meeting, each relationship, and each trial: Am I reflecting Christ? Do I point others to Him? Can others tell by my words and actions that Jesus is King of kings, Lord of lords, and the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world? – The Gospel Project
Photo compliments: BLCF: thefirstmiracle
The Father Of Two Lost Sons!
Filed under: by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Celebration, Faith, Faithfulness, Fatherly Love, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's love, God's Mercy, God's Power, God's Unconditional Love, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Humble, Humility, Love, Luke, Luke 15: 11-32, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Parable, Parable of Jesus, Parables, Rebellion, Religion, Religiosity, Religious Observance, repentance, Seeking The Lost, Self-righteousness, Sin, Sinners, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Unconditional Love
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Part 1a: 23 min
Part 1b: 18 min
Full Message:
Main Passage: Luke 15:11-32
“Jesus told a famous parable of a loving father with two lost sons. In the characters’ attitudes and actions, we see a picture of human sinfulness, the grace-filled posture of God, and the deadliness of self-righteousness. Like the original listeners of this parable, we are called not to resent God’s grace but to celebrate God’s goodness in embracing any sinner who repents. ” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
God- Father, Son, and Spirit, rejoices whenever a sinner returns to Him in repentance.
Christ Connection:
The Pharisees and scribes criticized Jesus for His practice of welcoming and dining with sinners. The stories He told in response to their criticism focused on God’s joy over sinners coming to repentance. The God who seeks and saves the lost is Jesus, the Savior whose search-and-rescue mission is accomplished at great personal cost to Himself.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us not to resent His grace toward others but to celebrate the Father’s goodness in welcoming any repentant sinner home.
“A banquet of great joy is provided by this waiting [Father], who is none other than the waiting, running, embracing, partying, and kissing God. The parable describes God’s goodness, grace, boundless mercy and abundant love.” –Paul John Isaak
“Whoever departs from the Word of God hungers… Whoever leaves treasure lacks. Whoever departs from wisdom is stupefied. Whoever departs from virtue is destroyed. It was fitting that he begin to be in need, because he abandoned the treasures of wisdom and the knowledge of God.” –Ambrose (circa 339-397)
Photo Compliments: Yesterday’s Prophecy, Today’s News
Nicodemus And The New Birth!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John 3, John 3: 1-21, Matthew 4, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 24min
Part 1b: 28min
Full Message:
Main Passage: John 3:1-21
“In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus taught this religious leader about the mystery of regeneration, what He described as being “born again.” As Christians, we have been born again by the Spirit of God through faith in God’s Son. The new birth is the basis of our confidence that God is at work transforming us and all who believe in the gospel.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Regeneration is God’s [Father, Son, and Spirit] supernatural transformation of believers IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
Christ Connection:
Nicodemus was a religious man who was interested in Jesus’ teaching. Jesus told him that he needed new life, not more religious activities. Jesus’ teaching on the new birth reminds us that there is no spiritual life apart from Jesus. God loved the world in this way: He gave His Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to trust in His power to supernaturally transform us and those with whom we share the gospel.
“The work of regeneration is a supernatural work of God, not the natural work of man. Nevertheless, the responsibility of getting the message of the gospel out is the work God has called every believer to participate in. We should never assume that because people are familiar with religion, Christianity, or even the church that they know Jesus as their Savior. God has called every believer to trust in His power as we are transformed by the Holy Spirit.” – The Gospel Project
Photo Compliments: http://www.slideshare.net
Rebuilding The Wall!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Nehemiah, Nehemiah 4, Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah 6, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life
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Part 1a: 22min
Part 1b: 22min
Full Message:
Main Passages: Nehemiah 4:7-14; 5:1-13; 6:15-16
“The Book of Nehemiah is the story of God restoring His people in the promised land and their reorganization as His covenant people. As we continue Nehemiah’s story, we see that God’s people are faced with conflict from the outside and inside. However, because they persevere in repentance and faith, they accomplish God’s will in spite of their circumstances. From Nehemiah we learn that God calls us to do the right thing in the right way and then give Him glory for success. We also learn that God is glorified not only in our fulfillment of a task but also in the way we fulfill that task.” – the Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is glorified not only in our fulfillment of a task but also in the way we fulfill that task.
Christ Connection:
In Nehemiah’s day, the people joined together to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and protect the city from their enemies. Jesus later prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem, but through His death and resurrection, He made a way for His people to be protected from the enemies of sin and death.
Missional Application:
God, through the Holy Spirit, calls us to participate with Jesus in doing the right thing in the right way! This glorifies Him and is a great blessing for us and all creation!
“Christian history is full of examples of God’s people triumphing despite their inability and the circumstances in which they found themselves (consider Moses before Pharaoh; the reformers before the Catholic Church; the growing church in communist China). The church itself is an example of God’s triumph despite the frequent failures of God’s people and the opposition from the societies and cultures that they inhabit.
If you look around your own church, you will be struck by the fact that it is only by the power of God that so many different people from different backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and interests can be so closely bound in love for one another (e.g., Gal. 3:28). There are no worldly explanations adequate for such things. Only God can do this!
It’s important to remember that God has a purpose in all that He does. There are no random acts that come from the hand of the sovereign God of redemptive history. During the time of Nehemiah, God was restoring His people in the promised land and reorganizing them as His covenant people. God is working just the same in our day.” – The Gospel Project
God Brings His People Home!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Assistant Pastor Tony Marra, Discipleship, Evangelism, Evangelizing, Ezra 1:1-8, Ezra 3: 1-13, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's love, God's Power, God's Protection, God-Father-Son-and-Spirit Wants to Be Known, Goodness, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Grace Communion Seminary, Inclusion, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission With Jesus Christ, Pastor Tim of New Life Fellowship, Relationships, Sent by Jesus, Sent Out by The Holy Spirit, The Coming King, the Coming of Jesus, the Coming of the Lord, Unconditional Love, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worshipping Jesus
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Part 1a: 24 min
Part 1b: 21 min
Full Message
Main Passages: Ezra 1:1-8; 3:1-13
“God kept His promise to bring His people out of exile and back to the promised land. As God’s people gathered in Jerusalem, they made their worship of God their first priority and proclaimed God’s faithfulness through their actions. As Christians, we celebrate and give thanks to God for bringing us out of our exile to sin and death. In our worship, we proclaim the goodness of the Lord so that others might taste and see that He is good.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Worshiping God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit should be the first priority of His people.
Christ Connection:
God kept His promise to bring His people out of exile in Babylon and restore their freedom to worship Him. Since Adam and Eve sinned, all humans have been in exile from the garden and are in need of deliverance. Jesus came to end this exile, bring His people home, and restore our freedom to worship.
“It is only when we grasp God’s unyielding desire to be with us that we begin to see the ultimate purpose of the cross. It is more than a vehicle to rescue us from death; it transports us into the arms of Life.” –Skye Jethani
Missional Application:
God The Holy Spirit calls us to make worship our first priority so others will see the goodness of the Lord.
“The primary reason the church gathers is to glorify God. We gather together for corporate worship to ascribe unto God the worship that is due Him.” –Matt Boswell
*Picture courtesy www.callieharbin.org
The God Who Deserves Our Allegiance!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Sermons, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, Uncategorized, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Abednego, Assistant Pastor Tony Marra, Daniel, Daniel 3, Faith, Faithfulness, Fiery Trials, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Power, God's Protection, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Jesus Christ, Meshach, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Obedience, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Power, Shadrach, Suffering, Trust, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus
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Part 1: 24 mins
Part 2: 23 mins
Full Message: 47 mins
Main Passage: Daniel 3
Theological Theme: God – Father, Son and Spirit alone deserves our ultimate allegiance.
Christ Connection: The same God who was faithful and present with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the flames will also deliver us through His Son, Jesus the Christ, who is with us in the fiery trial and who saves us from sin and its consequences.
Missional Application: God the Holy Spirit calls us to embrace a countercultural lifestyle with full confidence in His power, regardless of what the immediate outcome may be.
*Picture Courtesy of livingmyfaith.blogspot.com
The Great Fall Of Jerusalem!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Church, Faith, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Inclusion, Love, Ministry, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Gospel Project, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship | Tags: 2 Chronicles 36: 11-21, Bible, By Tim Brassell, Celebration, Christian Living, Christianity, David, David and Goliath, Faith, Gideon, God Father Son and Spirit, God pursues You, God reveals himself, God speaks, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faithfulness, God's good news, God's Grace, God's love, God's Power, God's Presence, God's Return, God's songs, God's Words, God's Work, Goliath, Gospel, Grace Communion International, inspiration, Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah 38: 14-18, Jeremiah 38: 24-28, Jesus Christ, Jesus Transforms, King, life, Love, Messiah, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Overcoming Fear, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pastor Timothy Brassell, redemption, Relationships, self-worship, Sermons, The Gospel Project, The Suffering Servant, The Triune God Who Whispers, the Truth, Timothy Brassell, Triune God, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship, Worship The King
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Full Message: 31 min
Main Passages: 2 Chronicles 36:11-21 Jeremiah 38:14-18, 24-28
“One of the most important events in the Old Testament era was the fall of Jerusalem and the capture of God’s people. Due to the hard-heartedness of the people and their leaders, including the despising of His Word, God displayed His justice and wrath through His punishment of His people. Yet even here, in this display of God’s justice, we see how God preserves a remnant of people who will carry the hope of His promise to make all things new through a Messiah.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
God [ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] patiently pursues sinners, but His patience will one day come to an end.
Christ Connection:
God righteously punished His people for their sin, but He remained faithful to them and kept the promise He made to David to preserve a remnant and provide a king. Ultimately, God punished our sin through His Son, Jesus, and made Him our King forever.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to listen to His Word and proclaim His patience and righteousness to others while there is still time.
Photo Compliments: https://biblicaltruthresources.wordpress.com
God Reveals The Coming Victory!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Church, Faith, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Inclusion, Love, Ministry, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, Relationships, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Gospel Project, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship | Tags: 2 kings 19: 32-37, 2Kings 19: 8-20, Bible, By Tim Brassell, Celebration, Christian Living, Christianity, David, David and Goliath, Faith, Gideon, God Father Son and Spirit, God reveals himself, God speaks, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faithfulness, God's good news, God's Grace, God's love, God's Power, God's Presence, God's Return, God's songs, God's Words, God's Work, Goliath, Gospel, Grace Communion International, inspiration, Isaiah, Isaiah 52:13 53:12, Isaiah 6, Isaiah 6:1-8, Israel, Israel's first King, Jesus Christ, Jesus Transforms, King, life, Love, Messiah, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Overcoming Fear, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pastor Timothy Brassell, redemption, Relationships, self-worship, Sermons, The Gospel Project, The Suffering Servant, The Triune God Who Whispers, the Truth, Timothy Brassell, Triune God, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship, Worship The King
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Part 1a: 23min
Part 1b: 22min
Full Message: 45min
Main Passages:
“God’s glory is personally beneficial to those who follow Him. Understanding God’s glory reveals the certainty with which we can receive His promises. There is never a dichotomy between displaying God’s greatness and resting in His love. The ancient story of Assyria’s calloused threats against Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah illustrates that God saves us for the glory of His name and for our good. We, in turn, make known His glory so that others will rest in His grace.”– The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
God the Father saves us for the glory of His name and for our good.
Christ Connection:
Hezekiah prayed for God to manifest His glory by saving His people from the pagan kingdom that was rising against them. God exalted His name by answering Hezekiah’s prayer. Jesus also prayed for the salvation of His people, and through His death and resurrection, He accomplished the ultimate manifestation of God’s glory through defeating the enemy and saving His people.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to live on mission for His kingdom because we know that God is victorious over His enemies.
Photo Compliments: http://soul-candy.info/2017/04/victory-of-the-cross/
“God Reveals The Way To Healing!”
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Inclusion, Love, Ministry, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Gospel Project, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship | Tags: 2Kings, 2Kings 5:1-19a, Bible, By Tim Brassell, Celebration, Christian Living, Christianity, David, David and Goliath, Faith, Gideon, God Father Son and Spirit, God speaks, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faithfulness, God's good news, God's Grace, God's love, God's Power, God's Presence, God's Return, God's songs, God's Words, God's Work, Goliath, Gospel, Grace Communion International, inspiration, Israel, Israel's first King, Jesus Christ, Jesus Transforms, King, life, Love, Messiah, Ministry, Naaman, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Overcoming Fear, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pastor Timothy Brassell, redemption, Relationships, self-worship, Sermons, The Gospel Project, The Triune God Who Whispers, the Truth, Timothy Brassell, Triune God, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship, Worship The King
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Part 1a: 22min
Part 1b: 21min
Full Message: 43min
Main Passage: 2 Kings 5:1-19a
The prophet Elisha healed a foreigner named Naaman. This story gives us a beautiful illustration of our need for salvation and healing from God as well as the humility required to receive that healing. Unless we are humble enough to receive God’s salvation in the way He has planned, we will not be healed of our spiritual disease. Once we humbly receive His grace, however, we are then set free to testify to His goodness and reflect glory back to Him through our obedience.- The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Unless we are humble enough to receive God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit’s salvation in the way He has planned, we will not be healed of our spiritual disease.
Christ Connection:
Naaman was sick with a skin problem, and his disease went away only after he obeyed God’s instruction to wash in the river. All people are sick with a sin problem and in need of healing. God calls us to humbly repent and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior so that our sin can be washed away.
Missional Application:
Like the servant girl in this story, we (through The Holy Spirit) are to point others to the place where their disease can be washed away.
No amount of effort, resources, or human connection can rescue us from the deadly prognosis of our moral infection. Left to ourselves, we will die in our trespasses and sins despite our attempts to the contrary. Apart from the compassionate interruption of the cross, our lives spiral toward certain death and judgment (Rom. 1:18-19).
The good news is that Jesus Christ bore the leprosy of our soul by sacrificing Himself for us (Isa. 53:4). Jesus is not the best hope we have; He is the only hope we have. Receiving the grace of God through His Son in no way diminishes the offense of our fallen existence. If anything, Christ’s insistence that He must do for us what we cannot do for ourselves reinforces how painfully wicked we are apart from God’s rescue.- The Gospel Project
Photo Compliments: unboundbylove.com
Job And The Dilemma Of Suffering!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Inclusion, Love, Ministry, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Gospel Project, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union with Christ, Witness, Worship | Tags: Called, called to belong to Jesus Christ, Celled to belong, Christian Living, Christianity, Faith, Fellowship, Gideon, God Father Son and Spirit, God speaks, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faithfulness, God's good news, God's Grace, God's love, God's Power, God's Presence, Gospel, Grace Communion International, humanity, I will be your God, inspiration, Jesus Christ, Jesus Transforms, Job 16: 1-5, Job 16: 18-22, Job 1: 20-22, Job 1: 6-12, Job 40: 1-5, Job 42: 7-9, King, King who fights, life, Love, Luke 11, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Overcoming Fear, Participation, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Reconciliation, redemption, Relationships, Resurrection, self-worship, Sermons, Solomon, Temple, The Gospel Project, the Truth, Timothy Brassell, Tony Marra, Trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Union with Christ, Wisdom, Wisdom of God
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Part 1a: 25min
Part 1b: 31min
Full Message: 56min
Main Passages
“The story of Job confronts us with the question “Why do good people suffer?” And the story offers us insight into right and wrong ways to pursue the answer to this question. The suffering of Job points us forward to the ultimate answer to the problem of evil—the redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ and the promise of a world made new. And as Jesus’ followers, we seek to alleviate suffering as we walk alongside others.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme
God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, does not give us the answer to why we go through suffering, but He does give us Himself.
Christ Connection
In his time of suffering, Job yearned for a mediator—someone to stand between him and God. Jesus is the mediator who suffered, even though He had never sinned, in order to pay the price for human sin and to put an end to suffering on earth.
Missional Application
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to comfort people going through a time of suffering, not by answering every question but by assuring them of God’s great love.
“Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is Himself the way”
― Karl Barth
Photo Compliments http://www.krexy.com
