Peter makes a passionate speech after Pentecost that lays out who Jesus was and why he was resurrected. He also points out even though we have this Spirit it isn’t just for us we are called to overflow this hope and restoration into our community. So even though this message was for the Israelites it is still for us today. We are still called to show hope, love, and that restoration is possible.

Peter makes a passionate speech after Pentecost that lays out who Jesus was and why he was resurrected. He also points out even though we have this Spirit it isn’t just for us we are called to overflow this hope and restoration into our community. So even though this message was for the Israelites it is still for us today. We are still called to show hope, love, and that restoration is possible.

After having his feet washed by Jesus, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times. When he sees what he has done he weeps bitterly. But the good news is that even after that Jesus shows his resurrected self to Peter and calls him to take care of the flock. No matter where we have come from or been if we repent God can and will still use us. There is no place that is too far for the grace of God.

Forgiveness is hard but we are called to forgive. It is a high cost of discipleship but Jesus makes it clear we are called to forgive.

Today we explore several key similarities between Daniel and Jesus.

Forgiveness is hard but we are called to forgive. It is a high cost of discipleship but Jesus makes it clear we are called to forgive.

The cost of discipleship is high. It costs our lives, our aspirations, we give our dreams, our lives to God for Him to use however He wants. There is no half in, half out!

As we’ve been following through the life of Peter in the Biblical text, we come across this scripture in Matthew 16 wherein Jesus declares Peter is the rock with which He will build His Church. The keys to the Kingdom is the Gospel message which Jesus charges the disciples to share. We must share that same Gospel message with our lives, a message of hope! And that’s the gospel truth!

In Matthew chapter 16 Jesus asks his disciples “who do you say I am?” Peter responds back you are the Messiah the son of the living God. That title carried a lot of weight and implications. The Jewish were questioning if maybe Jesus could be the Messiah but He didn’t look the way they thought He would. We are faced with the same question in our lives, who is Jesus to us? Eventually we have to answer that question.

In our text today we read about how Jesus cared for Peter. He cared for the little issues in Peter’s life including his mother in law’s health and how his fishing was doing. Jesus loved Peter not for the benefits but just because Jesus wanted the best for Peter. We should reflect that kind of love for others.

In Galatians Chapter 5, Paul tells us we can’t use our freedom in Christ to either extreme. We are called to focus on Christ and Christ’s mission is to love.

In Luke chapter 8 we are given this story of two daughters each of them are sick and each of them have a Father that wants them to have healing. The good news is that no matter what is wrong, no matter what is happening we have a Father that wants us to have healing and wants us to have peace.

The fruit of the Spirit which Paul talks about in Galatians 5 could also be called tools of the trade for Christians. If we are allowing our lives to be lead by the Spirit then these fruits should flow through us.

Jesus makes it clear he isn’t there for the insiders but the outsiders in Matthew 9. The church is the same. We as a church are called to help others come to know Christ, so pray with us on how God is going to use us in that way.

In Matthew we see this beautiful picture of stepping out in faith. Peter walks on water towards Jesus, but then he sees the waves and his faith wavers. Paul warns us of keeping our eyes on Jesus in Galatians 6:9. Don’t waiver if our faith because harvest is coming. Jesus is bidding us come, step out and keep our focus on Him.

God calls us all into the ministry in one way or another. In the different seasons of our life our service might look different but that doesn’t make our service any less. The important part of the scripture about Mary and Martha was that they needed to listen to God’s direction. Neither service was degraded, they both needed to listen to God and do what God asked.

“God loves a cheerful giver” is a passage that we see on precious moments figurines. It is a passage we all know, but I think we can all agree we are not always cheerful in our giving. When we come into relationship with God we give our lives, our everything to God. But in many ways we tend to want to tell God how to use us. We are fraudulent givers. God calls us to give for His glory and if we give according to how He asks when He asks, how He asks, He will get the glory. Let’s give out of a love for God not fraudulently.

In Joshua chapter 1 God is bringing the Israelites towards the promised land. God tells Joshua that they need to be strong and courageous, keep God’s law and God will be with them. They were excited to get where they were supposed to be going, but longed for comfort. We do the same, we tend to want to go on the adventure of where God is taking us but only if it is comfortable.

Pastor Dorothy fills in for Pastor Marci today and speaks on the Apostle Paul.

Today we look at a passage in Acts 4 where the believers pray for boldness. They know they are called to spread the gospel, both men and women and when they pray together they pray God will give them boldness to proclaim the word. I pray we pray the same and lean into whatever calling God has on our lives.