New Work Fellowship Podcast

Work: More To This (07/21/19)

Work: Because Life’s Not A Vacation

More To This

Colossians 3:23-24

Christ’s work of redemption on the cross changes everything for the believer.  This redemption even reaches into your work.

 How does Jesus redeem work?  (Colossians 3:23-24)

1. In Christ, your passion for work can increase. (Col 3:23a)

a. As you rest in the work of Christ, you gain the space needed for passion to grow. (Matthew 11:28-30)

2. In Christ, your purpose for work can be crystal clear. (Col 3:23b)

a. Abiding in the presence of God keeps your focus in the right place. (Psalm 16:11)

3. In Christ, your reward can be experienced here and now. (Col 3:24)

a. We experience the generosity of God as we follow Christ. (Ephesians 1:5-11)

Final Thought:  You can get the most out of work by placing it under the Lordship of Christ. Are you in Christ?

Work: More Than This (07/14/2019)

Work: Because Life’s Not a Vacation

More Than This

Genesis 1:26-27; 2:1-3, 3:17-19

 

What is the strangest job you have ever had?

 There is more to the Christian life than work:

1. God’s best plan for you includes identity and order. (Genesis 1:26-27 & 2:1-3)

     a. As a believer, your identity is found in Christ, not your job. (Galatians 2:20)

     b. As a believer, Christ is your master, not work. (Colossians 3:23-24)

2. You live in a Genesis 3 (Genesis 3:17-19)

The Tower of Babel.  (Genesis 11:1-9)

     a. When identity is attached to work, you will experience confusion.

     b. When work doesn’t fit into God’s order, your life will be incomplete.

3. As a believer in Christ, you can order your life according to God’s best plan: (1 Corinthians 14:33)

1. God.
2. The blessing of life.
3. Family.
4. Work.
5. Friends. 

Final Thought:  Let your identity be found in God, through Christ, not in yourself, through work.

Work: Made For This (07/07/19)

Work: Because Life is not a vacation

Made for This

Genesis 1:1 & 2:8-15

  

- The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime.

- 8 of every 10 Americans are outright dissatisfied with their jobs.

- In the US, stress from work is the fifth largest cause of death.

Is this what you were created for?  NO!

What is the biblical view of work.

1. Work is a universal blessing. (Genesis 1:1)

 a. God works.

2. Work is to be life-giving and sustaining. (Genesis 2:10-14)

 a. Work was part of God’s perfect plan before the curse of sin.

3. God has called you to join in His work. (Genesis 2:15)

a. We can only join God in his work through Christ.

b. All work has dignity. 

Final thought:  “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”  Colossians 3:23-24    

Grace Made Visible: Everywhere, Every Day (06/30/19)

Grace Made Visible

“Everywhere, Every Day”

Hebrews 10:23-25

 “Encourage one another.” 

To Encourage is to “add courage or to impart courage”.

Discouragement is the temporary loss of perspective.

 How do we Encourage?

1. WORDS

v24, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another…”

Proverbs 25:11 (CEV) “The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.”

            Courageous Words are not all Happy Happy words.

2. SERVICE

v24, think of … acts of love and good work

3. PRESENCE

v25, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…”

The Lord’s Supper …

v 23, Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

1 Corinthians 11:21, “…you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.”

Grace Made Visible: The Church Fought For It (06/23/19)

Grace Made Visible

The Church Fought for it

Galatians 6:1-3, Galatians 2:11-14, Acts 15

 

Love one another… John 15:17

Accept each other … Romans 15:7

Forgive one another… Matthew 6:15

Share each other’s burdens,

and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Galatians 6

V6a, 2,  “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.” “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”   

Key: Keep one another on THE RIGHT PATH

Galatians 2

V11, 13, “When Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong.” “As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.”

Key: Be careful not to LEAD OTHERS ASTRAY

What was at Stake?

1. Theologically DANGEROUS (SALVATION)
2. Community FRAGMENTATION (FELLOWSHIP)

Acts 15

V19, “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”

Key: Do all you can to OPEN THE WAY for others

 Acts 15 is the LINCHPIN of the book of Acts

 So What? What does it have to do with us?

 We are:

CALLED OUT

(Acts 15:16-18, “… so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord…”)

CALLED TOGETHER

(Acts 15:19, “…we should not make it difficult…”)

CALLED APART

(Acts 15:20, 29, “…abstain from sexual immorality…)

 Final Thought: Because we are the CALLED OUT we must do ALL we can so every man woman and child might be CALLED OUT to Christ.

Grace Made Visible - Jesus Required It (06/16/19)

Grace Made Visible

Jesus Required it

Matthew 6:15

 

 

“But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” - Matthew 6:15

Forgiveness is the serious work of the Father.

Forgiveness is the serious work of all who call Him Father.

How do you practice forgiveness?

1) Begin where you are: We all HURT

       Proverbs 14:10, “Each heart knows its own bitterness…”

2) Beware of the danger: We all HATE

Hebrews 12:15, “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

Romans 12:18, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” (NLT)

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” (NIV)

3) Believe the possibility: We can HOPE

Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

4) Brave the journey: We can HEAL

Hebrews 12:15, “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

James 5:16, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

Final Thought: Grace is made visible in you when the forgiveness you have experienced is graciously extended to those around you.

Grace Made Visible in the Church- Jesus Prayed for It (06/09/19)

Grace Made Visible in The Church

Jesus Prayed for it.

John 17:20-24

 

 1.  One of Jesus’ greatest desires is for Christians to be unified. (John 17:20-21)

     a. How can all believers be unified?

1. In the essentials, Unity.
2. In the non-essentials, liberty.
3. In all things, love.

 2.  Jesus wants the world to see God’s grace in you. (John 17:22-23)

1. What is God’s best plan?
2. Do you want God’s best plan for others?

3. Jesus longs for all of us to be with(John 17:24)

1. How can I be accepting of others without slipping into tolerance or rejection?
   1. Know what you believe about yourself:
      1. Created in the image of God.
      2. Called into relationship with Him.
      3. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
      4. Empowered to be an ambassador for Christ in bringing healing to a broken world.
   2. Do you want that for others? Then extend that same belief to them.

Final Thought: “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.” (Romans 15:7)

Grace Made Visible in Jesus - Jesus Embodied It (06/02/19)

Grace Made Visible

Grace made visible in Jesus—Jesus embodied it

John 15:12-17

Love each another …

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”                                                                             John 13:34-35

Your skin is God’s presence made visible in this world.

How did Jesus love?

(1) When Jesus loved, He put other’s first

v13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

C ________________

A ________________

K ________________

E ________________

Romans 12:10, “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."

Love Lesson: Our ability to love can never exceed our willingness to be vulnerable.

(2) When Jesus loved, He took the initiative

v16a, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you.”

Move from contract thinking to covenant living.

 Love Lesson: Love is the courageous choice to risk going first.

(3) When Jesus loved, He refused to settle

v16b, “I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit…”

Love Lesson: Love requires we bring out your best so as to bring out the best in others.

Final Thought: His Grace in me shows up in me, when I am living out of His Grace.

Charged: What Does A Sprit Led Life Look Like? (05/26/19)

Charged:  The Power of a Spirit Led Life

What does a Spirit led life look like?

Galatians 5:16-26 

What your life looks like if you are led by the Holy Spirit:

• You have a peace about where you are going. (Galatians 5:16-18)

1. Where do you want to be? _________________

• You know where you are. (Galatians 5:19-23)

1. Where are you now?

Desires of the sinful nature:

Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties.

Fruit of the Spirit: 

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

• You are willing to move forward. (Galatians 5:24-25)

1. What will you have to do to follow Christ?

• Repent of the sin the Spirit reveals.
• Spend time at the foot of the cross.
• Abide in the love of Christ.

   

• You know there will be challenges and you are ready. (Galatians 5:26)

•  

1. What is going to trip you up and what will you do when it does?

•  

  Final Thought:  Do you want to live a Spirit led life and go deeper into faith?

   

Charged: What Does The Holy Spirit Do In the Church? (05/19/19)

Charged: The Power of a Spirit Led Life

What does the Holy Spirit do in the church?

2 Corinthians 3:12-18 

The Holy Spirit works in the church to:

• Glorify (2 Corinthians 3:12-18) 

The glory of Christ is experienced in the weight of His presence.

If you want to glorify Christ, be present.    

• Teach Biblical truth. (Ephesians 1:13-18) 

When biblical truth is studied in community, transformation is inevitable.

If you want to grow, get in a small group.

• Bring peace and joy in Christ. (Romans 15:13)

Peace and joy are infectious. 

If you want peace and joy, find refuge in Christ.

• Equip God’s people for Kingdom work. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Kingdom work is tangible in the Church.

If you want to experience purpose, step into service.

Final Thought: The Holy Spirit is working in the Church, when you join Him, you step into the fullness of Christ.