We're a Gospel-centered church fellowship in Columbia, Missouri, proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ and following Him together as a community of believers. Our emphases are sound Bible teaching, joyful worship, hearty fellowship, and ongoing evangelism.
Mark 9:14-29 describes Jesus healing a demonized boy after His own disciples had failed to deliver him. From this account we can learn six practical lessons:
1. The Christian life alternates between refreshment and warfare (v14).
2. Satan is cruel to all, even children (v17-18,20-22).
3. Jesus can set any captive free (v19,25-27).
4. Jesus abhors unbelief (v19).
5. Jesus honors spiritual honesty (v24).
6. Spiritual power is obtained through believing prayer (v23,28-29).
Luke 9:28-36 describes one of the most spectacular events to occur on this planet: the Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. It happened in these fives stages:
1. Prayer (v28-29).
2. Glory (v29-31).
3. Visitors (v30-31).
4. Suggestion (v32-33).
5. Declaration (v34-36).
It accomplished three things:
1. Jesus was encouraged for the final part of His mission.
2. The Apostles were encouraged about the true nature of their Master.
3. We today can be encouraged, comforted and exhorted.
Psalm 1:1-3 gives extremely practical instruction regarding the influences upon our thinking, originating either from "the counsel of the wicked" or God's Word.
Luke 9:1-10 describes Jesus sending His twelve apostles on a ministry tour. This passage provides many lessons for us to apply to ourselves in our own areas of ministry:
In Luke 8:40-56, both Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage were dealing with huge problems that they had no power to solve on their own. Help for both came as they put their trust in the Lord Jesus.
Because most Redeeming Grace Church members will be participating in the Fall Fellowship Camp, October 10-13, the worship service on Sunday the 13th will be held at the chapel of the Turkey Hill Ranch Campground near Freeburg, MO at 10:00am, with lunch served afterwards. Anyone is welcome to join the meeting at the Campground. Our regular weekly schedule will resume, Lord willing, after the Camp.
Luke 8:22-25 recounts the wonderful story of Jesus stilling the storm on the Sea of Galilee. We work through the details by discussing these seven elements:
1. Guidance: Jesus led them into the crisis (v22).
2. Sleep: Jesus showed His true humanity (v23).
3. Storm: An unexpected trial came upon them (v23).
4. Prayer: They went to Jesus in the crisis (v24).
5. Faith: The crisis exposed their unbelief (v25).
6. Power: Jesus revealed unprecedented authority (v24).
7. Fear: Desperate panic gave way to reverent awe (v25).
Luke 8:16-21 contains an expansion and amplification of some truths we covered last week in the parable of the sower and the soils, specifically the importance of how we respond to truth of God's Word.
The Truth of God’s Word…
1. Should be widely dispersed (v16).
2. Will reveal and judge all secrets (v17).
3. Must be listened to carefully (v18,21).
4. Has either an expanding or disappearing effect on us (v18).
5. Leads to a privileged family relationship with Christ (v21).
Luke 8:1-15 contains one of Jesus' greatest parables in which He uses the imagery of a farmer sowing seed to picture different categories of people who hear God's Word. The four kinds of soil:
1. Beside the Road. Like those who hear the Word but never believe it because the Devil immediately takes it from their hearts (v12).
2. Rocky Soil. Like those who joyfully receive the Word, believe it briefly, but then fall away during temptation and persecution (v13).
3. Weedy Soil. Like those who receive the Word but have it eventually choked out by the worries, riches and pleasures of life (v14).
4. Good Soil. Like those who hear the Word with an honest and good heart, hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (v15).
Lessons from the parable:
1. Keep spreading God’s Word.
2. Don’t let the Devil steal truth from you.
3. Realize that false conversions are common.
4. Don’t trust emotions to prove one’s salvation.
5. Beware of soul-choking things in this life.
6. All genuine Christians will fruitfully persevere.
As our church begins the process of considering candidates for future eldership, we discuss Biblical answers to 12 relevant questions, and then we hear from the candidates themselves.
1. What is an elder?
2. Who are our elder candidates, and why were they chosen?
3. Why consider three candidates at once?
4. Why now? What events have led to this?
5. What are the anticipated benefits of team leadership?
6. How would adding new elders affect church finances?
7. How would adding new elders affect Sunday preaching?
8. Should all elders be considered equals?
9. Should we be concerned about a lack of deacons?
10. How will the candidate evaluation process work?
11. Who will have a say in the final decisions?
12. What should our attitude be toward this process?
Neh. 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Luke 7:36-50 describes the prostitute who anointed Jesus' feet with ointment and the parable which Jesus gave in response. The passage can be broken-down using this outline:
Luke 7:18-35 describes Jesus' response to John the Baptist's unexpected question for Him: "Are You the Expected One, of do we look for someone else?". This surprising passage yields six lessons for us:
1. Realize great men have surprising weaknesses (v19-20,28).
2. Answer your doubts by focusing on Jesus and Scripture (v21-22).
3. Don’t be offended at Jesus (v23).
4. Expect Jesus to defend His friends (v24-28).
5. Appreciate our spiritual benefits in the New Covenant (v28).
6. Don’t make excuses for rejecting the truth (v29-35).
Luke 7:11-17 describes the first time Jesus raised someone from the dead, the widow's son at the city of Nain. This rich account includes these five themes:
Luke 7:1-10 records the fascinating account of Jesus healing the centurion's slave. We focus first on the centurion himself and his surprising character qualities:
1. His compassion (v2-3)
2. His generosity (v4-5)
3. His humility (v6-7)
4. His faith (v7-9).
Applications:
1. God works in the most unlikely people.
2. To have authority, we must submit to authority.
3. Jesus delights to see our faith and eagerly rewards it.
In Luke 6:37-45 Jesus addresses the subject of judging. His teaching on this topic is frequently misinterpreted and misapplied, but it can accurately be summarized in these four statements:
1. We must make judgments about others (v39,42-45).
2. We must make these judgments with a gracious spirit (v37).
3. We must first judge ourselves before addressing others’ faults (v41-42).
4. We will be judged in the same way we judge others (v37-38).
In Luke 6:20-26 Jesus declares that some people are "blessed" while others are under God's curse or "woe". What's surprising is that these categories are completely opposite from what most people would assume:
In Luke 5:33-39, Jesus uses several illustrations to portray His spiritual kingdom. Jesus is like a bridegroom at His wedding, and His Gospel is like new wine which must go into new wineskins. His message of salvation by grace alone differed radically from Pharisaic traditions.
Luke 5:27-32 describes Levi (also called Matthew) the tax collector being called by Jesus and becoming a Christian. This account provides these five important Gospel lessons:
1. Following Jesus is the essence of the Christian life (v27).
2. God’s calling can compel a surprising response (v28).
3. Evangelists must personally interact with bad people (v29-32).
Luke 5:1-11 describes Simon Peter's experience with Jesus, including first a miraculous catch of fish and then a lifetime calling to catch men. We study the story in these seven parts, from Simon's perspective, each with a personal application question:
1. His loan (v1-3). Are you being faithful in the little things?
2. His skepticism (v4-5). Do you speak honestly with God?
3. His obedience (v5). Do you still obey when things don’t make sense?
4. His amazement (v6-8). Are you often amazed at the Lord’s works?
5. His confession (v8). Do you feel your guiltiness before the Lord?
6. His calling (v10). Are you trying to “catch men”?
7. His commitment (v11). Have you “left everything” to follow Jesus?
Luke 4:31-44 describes one amazing day of the Lord Jesus' ministry in Capernaum. The account highlights His complete authority over demons and disease.
Luke 4:1-13 describes Jesus' wilderness temptation. This message first describes the events and then makes a series of practical applications, following this outline:
1. The setting (v1-2).
2. The temptations
Turning stone into bread (v3-4).
Gaining worldly power via false worship (v5-8).
Leaping off the Temple (v9-12).
3. The outcome (v13).
Applications:
1. The same Devil also tempts us to destroy us.
2. The Devil takes advantage of our difficult circumstances.
3. Jesus understands our temptations by personal experience.
4. We must have absolute confidence in Scripture’s authority.
5. We need to know the Bible well in order to use it effectively.
6. Beware of escaping from trials in an unrighteous way.
7. Beware of pragmatic compromises to gain worldly influence.
8. Beware of presumptuously testing God.
9. Relief from temptations comes from steadfastly resisting them.
This message examines five major things that happened when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (based on Luke 3:21-22, John 1:32-34, and Matt. 3:13-17):
Luke 3:1-20 describes the ministry of John the Baptist, one of the most fascinating and underappreciated people in the Bible. We discuss these seven aspects of the man and his ministry:
[We apologize for the echo-y audio in this recording, but we believe the content is still worth posting.]
Matthew 2:13-23 contains the dramatic account of infant Jesus' escape to Egypt and safe return to Nazareth. This message focuses on these four characters in the story:
1. King Herod: his cruelty (v13,16) and his death (v19-20).
2. The baby boys: their murder (v16-18) and God’s sovereignty (v17).
3. Joseph: his leadership (v13,20,22) and obedience (v14,21,22-23).
4. Jesus: His protection (v15) and His humiliation (v22-23).
Luke 2:21-38 records an impromptu encounter between Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Simeon and Anna in the Temple. Our teaching focuses on these five key elements in the story:
Luke 1:46-56 contains Mary's famous song, traditionally called the Magnificat. It's a hymn of praise that reveals two things about Mary and six things about Mary's glorious God.
