Sermon: What is church? Love one another

1Jn 3:11-18 Love one another.
- "one great priority of the church is one anothering one another." Much of this takes place outside of the sanctuary/church building.
-we must love each other, not hate each other.  1Jn 3:12-13, 15 Cain and Abel. Hating others is like murder. How do we handle it when we are angry with others in the church? Mt 5:23-24 make it right with your brother or sister. It's way easier to avoid the conflict than to face it.
---always operate from a position of grace. 1 Jn 3:1 extend grace
---take it serious and fix it now.  Mt 5:23-24, 18:15-17.
---watch your words! Jas. 3:2-6
-the love that we have for each other as brothers and sisters must make an impact. 1 Jn 3:16-18,  Jn 13:33-35. "Love one another as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
★Trust that if you love one another, God is going to do something spectacular!

Sermon: What is church? Serious about our sin

We have to get serious about dealing with our sin.  We can be honest about our sin in church.
-the church is a place where the gospel needs to be proclaimed over and over...
-when you repent and are saved, transformation takes place, and you begin to have a hatred for sin Mt 4:17; Rev 2:5, 2:22, 3:2, 3:19.
REPENTANCE
-2 Cor 7:8-11 sorrow led to repentance.
-there is grief involved in repentance. We need to be sorry for our sin.
-our sin must repulse us. Energy to fight against sin. Hate sin.
-desire to make things right with other people.
-Godly sorrow leaves no regrets, but worldly sorrow leads to death. Worldly sorrow is more about us (sorry I got caught, sorry it hurt you...). Luke 18:9-14

Sermon: What is the Church? The Manifest Presence

What is the church? The body, a family, a people, the bride. Mt 16:18
The church is important.
Eph 2:17-22 Jesus preached peace to Jews (you can be religious and still not be saved) and Gentiles. Through Jesus, we have access to God by his Spirit. Eph 2:1.
We are family in God's household, the church, built on the foundation of Jesus. Jesus is doing a transforming work in our lives. All of us are joined together to be God's church, and he is building each of us to become a dwelling place for his Spirit.
★Did I come today longing for God's presence? Do I have an expectation that God will be here working through his Spirit? Don't settle for anything less than the manifest presence of God, God working in and through us.

Sermon: I Am Second ... John Carruthers

John 3:30 He must increase, and I must decrease.
John 1:6-9, Luke 1:16-17 John was a forerunner to the Christ. His purpose was to preach the coming of Christ. John 3:28
- to be second, you have to submit and give control to who is first. John 3:27-30, John was full of joy and content to give all over to Christ.
- to be second, you must remain second. 1 Cor 3:7
- because I am second, I am forgiven.  Rom 3:23-25, Jn 3:16.
- because I am second, I belong to the Lord. Rom 14:8
- because I am second, I am an example. Gal 2:20
★ in my life, what is God trying to use me for?
Iamsecond.com
Mt 11:28-30