Sunday – June 2, 2013, “Jesus Arrested, Follower Barely Escapes”

Posted on June 4, 2013 by PastorAndy

June 2, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Jesus Arrested, Follower Barely Escapes from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Mark’s version of the arrest of our Lord conveys a grim realism. A large mob deputized by the temple rulers converges on the garden of Gethsemane armed with swords and clubs as if Jesus were some terrorist bandit. But Jesus has been teaching in their temple all week long with nothing to hide and no revolution planned. Ironically, Jesus chastised the rulers of the temple for turning His Father’s house of prayer into a den of thieves and robbers. Now temple goons, led by Judas, arrest Him after His prayer as if He were a robber.
Join us in our continuing study of the Gospel of Mark as we learn about the power and sovereignty of our Lord Jesus as He delivers His disciples from arrest and delivers Himself up for for our sin as we examine Mark 14 verses 44 to 53 and see “Jesus Arrested, Follower Barely Escapes”.

Word On Worship – June 2, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 14:48-50
And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me; but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures.” And they all left Him and fled.

This mob does not understand the Scriptures nor has no idea they are involved in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and the promise of Jesus to the disciples in John 18:9 “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” The temple leaders on hand to supervise the arrest foolishly thought they were so clever in accomplishing their purposes with their plots and hired mercenaries to ensure the arrest of the rabbi from Galilee. But Jesus knew in all of this the plans of God were being fulfilled – plans which did not require swords and clubs. God’s power is manifest in weakness. Jesus has extended God’s mercy and forgiveness to sinners and now He is led off to be killed by sinners.

Peter previously told Jesus the disciples had left family and jobs, forsaking all things that they might follow Him. But now, their desire to save their lives causes them to flee into the night. At a time when all hope appears to be lost, Mark reminds us that God’s will is being fulfilled. What is taking place – the betrayal, the arrest and the desertion of the eleven – is all a fulfillment of the Scripture. And despite the darkness of the garden this night, Jesus has promised to be reunited with them in Galilee after His resurrection.

Are you in the darkness of the garden this morning? Maybe you stand with the religious leaders thinking how clever you are as if you were in control of your own plans and destiny. Or maybe you are waking with the disciples, overwhelmed and afraid at what stands around, looking to run. Each of these is vanity; a false thinking that you have outwitted God with your schemes or outrun His grace by your failure. The Lord is still sovereign in all things, and for those who plan against the Lord, He sits in the heavens and laughs (Psalm 2:4), but for those who have come to Him for mercy and grace, He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:6). Truly, what can man do to you?

Sunday – May 26, 2013, “The Essence of Hell”

Posted on May 30, 2013 by PastorAndy

May 26, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

The Essence of Hell from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Mark’s record of the Gethsemane scene is the darkest of the four gospels. Matthew’s account describes Jesus’ grief as simply grieving while Luke omits all references to Jesus’ grief entirely. The lack of description in the other gospels has caused many to wonder why Mark includes this description of anguish and wrongly concludes that Jesus suffered from an eleventh hour crisis of nerve. Join us as we look at Mark 14 verses 26 to 42 and learn the lessons of the Garden of Gethsemane and explore the “Essence of Hell” as Jesus prays to His heavenly Father.

Word On Worship – May 26, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 14:33-36
“He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

Mark’s record of the Gethsemane scene is the darkest of the four gospels. Matthew’s account describes Jesus’ grief as simply grieving while Luke omits all references to Jesus’ grief entirely. The lack of description in the other gospels has caused many to wonder why Mark includes this description of anguish and wrongly conclude that Jesus suffered from an eleventh hour crisis of nerve. How can Jesus challenge James and John to drink His cup when He now seemly shrinks from it Himself?

If we attempt to discount the strong emotions of Mark’s description then we fail to see that Jesus has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Many explanations have been suggested to explain His trembling and tears. Did He know the sins of the world were to be laid upon Him? Maybe it was from contemplating dying by a cursed method of hanging from a tree? Others suggest it was being abandoned by His closest friends when the disciples lose faith and scatter leaving Him alone.

Jesus’ mental torment during the waiting in the garden was yet another temptation He had to face. The suffering Jesus experienced at the beatings and floggings were a physical ordeal. But it is the anxiety of waiting that can make one fall to pieces. Jesus knew infinitely more about the holiness and righteousness of God and what would be required to pay for the sins of the world. Jesus was not worrying about the future as we do. He is not exaggerating possibilities. He knew precisely what the future held. What He anguishes over is exactly what He will experience and knew He must call upon His Father and to entrust Himself to His will.

So what do we get from Mark’s gospel which is not included in the other gospels accounts of the long night of Gethsemane? Mark allows us to see Jesus following His own teaching to the disciples – praying and drawing closer to His Father. Hearing Jesus pray at this moment of great crisis is the example He wants each of us to follow. Satan battles for every human heart and we are hardwired by sin to try to save our own lives. The disciples are no example to us as they flee in the night when Judas changes sides and Peter denies Him publicly. Jesus, our Great High Priest, resolves the anguish by coming to His Father in prayer and obediently submitting to the will of the God.

Sunday May 12, 2013, Mother’s Day: Et Tu Mommy?

Posted on May 14, 2013 by PastorAndy

May 12, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Mother’s Day 2013: Et Tu Mommy? from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

It is very easy for many to speak in glowing terms about their mother’s especially on Mother’s Day. But what about those who see Mother’s Day as a painful reminder? How does the young woman who has had an abortion or the young man who has know idea of what a father looks like because so many men have passed through their home because his mother’s immorality celebrate Mother’s Day? Jesus offers to call everyone who believes into a new family, a closer family, than any earthly experience we may have. Join us this week as we look at Jesus teaching on who is His mother and who are His brothers and sisters from Matthew 12 verses 46 to 50.

Word On Worship – May 12, 2013 Download / Print

Matthew 12:48-50
“But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Every news story we read or see on television seems to hinge on morality. Whether the issue is over homosexual marriage, immigration reform, health care, or even taxation (even sugary drinks and obesity are now issues of morality in our state), there are denomination and special interest groups which have become very visible and very vocal in promoting their agendas. Even evangelicals have become active in proclaiming morality, patriotism, and fidelity to traditional American values. And so everyone, from the left to the right, is trying to grab the ear of a legislator to turn the morality of the nation in a direction they approve.

As Christians, we must be concerned about moral and ethical issues. God’s Word is unequivocal in its standards of righteous living, justice and social responsibility and we should reflect that same standard. But morality cannot be separated from a right relationship to God. In fact the Scriptures give us many examples of the dangers of morality separated from right relationship from God such as the Pharisees. They were committed to the highest human standard of religion and ethics and were so convinced of their self-righteousness that when God Himself lived amongst them they rejected Him and crucified Him. Their acts of morality only cleaned the outside of the cup, but never brought regeneration or redemption of the soul.

Being rightly related to Christ, however, requires more than self righteousness or a verbal promise of loyalty to God. Jesus warned the disciples in the Sermon on the Mount that “not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) In fact many of these same people will point to incredible deeds and miracles they may even attribute to God. But these works of righteousness were not accompanied with a right relationship to the Lord. A saving relationship with Jesus Christ only comes from a submitting to Him and receiving the gift of salvation He offers.

Morality changes the outside of a person, in its best sense, but in some cases, it is barrier to the changes required of the heart. A right relationship with Jesus Christ brings about new life, both inside and outside. The central truth of the Scriptures is that Jesus Christ came to the earth to save sinners, which requires transformation not merely reformation. The message of the gospel, and also of the church, is not a call to clean living for the sake of morality, but a call to deliverance from sin through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday – March 31, 2013 – Lessons from the Empty Tomb

Posted on April 4, 2013 by PastorAndy

March 31, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Easter 2013: Lessons from the Empty Tomb from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

It is very easy to read the story of the women at the tomb of our Lord and to expect a very different message from the angels. When I consider my shortcomings and lack of faith, I hear the angels prepare a word of rebuke at why these women failed to take Jesus at His word at rising again on the third day. How many other things has Jesus spoken to us in the gospels that we acknowledge as Scripture but still fail to truly take Jesus at His word?
Join us this Resurrection Sunday at we “Learn From the Empty Tomb” lessons on taking Jesus at His word for life and living from the Gospel of John 20 verses 1 to 18.

Word On Worship – March 31, 2013 Download / Print

John 20:11-13
“But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

This is a teachable moment in the lives of these women, just as you and I have teachable moments when the Lord calls us closer to look and see, testing for ourselves that the validity of His promises is sure and not to throw away our confidence which yields great reward. Jesus is no longer in the tomb, but the evidence remains — the linen wrappings lying there with the face cloth rolled up to the side. No disciple has come to remove the body or any enemy to pillage the tomb. Jesus has yet again kept His word.

There is a time to believe the promises of God as a child believes a parent when told to be ready for school in the morning. But there comes a time when each one of us must learn by faith to believe the Word of God is unfailingly true. We will experience the prick of our doubts, just as the women must have felt when the angels reminded them in Matthew 28:6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” This resurrection Sunday is the day for us to move forward, past our previous doubts and failures, into the realm of faith. Not understanding how God will do what He has promised, but believing He who has promised is faithful, and will bring it to pass for our good and His glory.

For the church to believe Jesus rose from the dead is fine, but it is not enough. We need to personally understand what kind of Savior rose from the dead. He is the same loving Redeemer who healed the sick, comforted the mourning and died for the sinner. That is the Savior who now calls us to share with others — the news Jesus Christ has risen — just as He said. He laid down His life so we could share in the inheritance as members of His family, if we believe as John did that first morning when he entered the tomb and saw and believed.

Sunday – March 24 2013, “How to Ruin a Dinner Party”

Posted on March 26, 2013 by PastorAndy

March 24 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

How to Ruin a Dinner Party from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Do not let the Lord’s Table become more of an opportunity to examine your watch than your heart. We are more focused on schedules in our hurried lifestyles than we are concerned about how we may have betrayed our Lord this past week or how we might betray Him next week. Each of us should humbly contemplate our lives and consider all the ways, big and small, we have betrayed the Lord and confess such weakness. If one of the twelve who spent three years with Jesus could betray the Lord, every Christian has that potential.
Join us tomorrow as we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark 14 and see “How to Ruin a Dinner Party”.

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Mark 14:22-24
“While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”

The eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup is not a magic ritual. Its consumption brings no automatic guarantee of salvation. If Judas participated in the meal, and there is no indication in the passage that he did not, then eating the bread and drinking the cup must be internalized for it to be of saving value. The new covenant must be written on the hearts of God’s people, not completed by ritual in a stain glassed building. This is not the food of immortality, but a public proclamation of the Lord’s death until He returns.

When we come to this table, we are to examine ourselves just as the original disciples did. The Last Supper was not a sacrament of blessing, but a night of high tension and sweaty palms. Jesus had told them one who sat at the table would betray Him. The gathered disciples did not single out Judas as the guilty party, but rather looked to themselves and asked if it were them. Self examination, not cross examination, is Paul’s exhortation to us in 1^st Corinthians 11:27-29 when we gather to partake in this meal. We are only worthy of the Lord’s Supper when we recognize how unworthy we are. Its power is seen when we recognize Jesus has died for us and accepts us in spite of our unworthiness.

Yes, Judas was the one at the table guilty of treason, but none of the disciples are above reproach. Each of them will prove themselves to be an unfaithful servant before the night is done. In truth, the remaining eleven were concerned about themselves. We are no different in our egocentric approach to the table. Our separation and isolation from each other stands revealed before the bread and the cup. The Last Supper calls us to imitate Christ’s self-sacrificing love and should be a moment when we look to heal the breaks in our fellowship.

Sunday – March 10, 2013

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Bernie

March 10, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

The Darkside of the Second Coming from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Christians today continue to ask the same question as the disciples: When will these things happen? They want Jesus to give them the key to identify exactly when the end will come. History is riddled with predictions, and when they are proven to be as foolish as the last, they revise their calculations based on some obscure biblical passage they failed to take into consideration. Others compile their “rapture index” charting out the latest earthquake, civil war or cosmic disturbance to gauge the probability of the nearness of Christ’s return to the delight of an audience seeking to escape rather than persevere.
Do not be a victim of Last Days entertainment. The most important thing we as Christians have been called to do is preach the gospel to all nations. When the Lord Jesus returns, He will not quiz us on whose prediction was accurate but rather will want an accounting of what we have been doing. Were we proclaiming the gospel? Were we enduring suffering faithfully? Did we love others as we have loved ourselves? Those who have been asleep on the job will not just be embarrassed when the Lord returns, they will be judged.
Join us this Sunday as we conclude our study of the Olivet Discourse from Mark 13 in “The Dark Side of the Second Coming”.

Word On Worship – March 10, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 13:35-37
“Therefore, be on the alert — for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning — in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

We turn on the television to see pastors identify the Antichrist from their list of those they do not like and then preach fear to audiences that he is set to pounce and devour his prey. Others fall into extremist groups that quit their jobs, sell their homes and turn their backs on the world as they wait for the appointed time for Jesus to take them away from their earthly woes. Jesus specifically warns against such end-times hysteria, deliberately providing no sign or event that is helpful for fixing a specific date. Yet false teachers continue to pop up and reduce Christianity to simple answers to exploit the fears and the weaknesses of the saints for a handsome profit.

The temptation of end-of-the-world hysteria is to lead the saints astray from the very counsel of our Lord Jesus: Be alert. The life of the saint, whether in the first or twenty-first century, is full of painful paradoxes, tensions and uncertainty. Yet the Lord requires His saints to walk by faith, not by the comfortable security of sight. And so we fall prey to those who speak about what is next to happen on the world stage and we are told nothing about living in the light of such news, except to send in more money. Unlike Jesus, they provide no ethical implications for how this affects the way we live our lives, no urgency to share the gospel and no command to find ourselves to be ready.

Do not be a victim of Last Days entertainment. The most important thing we as Christians have been called to do is preach the gospel to all nations. When the Lord Jesus returns, He will not quiz us on whose prediction was accurate but rather will want an accounting of what we have been doing. Were we proclaiming the gospel? Were we enduring suffering faithfully? Did we love others as we have loved ourselves? Those who have been asleep on the job will not just be embarrassed when the Lord returns, they will be judged.

Sunday – March 3, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by PastorAndy

March 3, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

The Abomination of Desolation from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Many are fascinated with what Jesus said about the last days. The Olivet Discourse has all the elements of a great action movie: the tension of the saint’s persecution by those who hold earthly power set against the working of the Holy Spirit and the Jesus’ coming to gather His own, complete with cosmic fireworks. A series of sermons on the Great Tribulation and the identity of the Antichrist will usually draw far more interest from people than the ethical demands of the Sermon on the Mount. And while some view our passage a litmus test on certain views of the end, I think Mark 13 was intended to turn down the flame on apocalyptic fever because the passage contains far more puzzles than answers.
Mark’s message is far more subtle than fill in the blank answers for our “end of time” charts. Mark’s message for the saints of every generation, from first to last, is: God’s way, God’s Messiah and God’s people will be vindicated is such a conclusive way that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ to the glory of God. We should not be ignorant of the last days, but God has made it clear that we are to learn to cope with the last days.
Join us this Sunday as we explore what Jesus has to say about “The Abomination of Desolation” in Mark chapter 13 verses 14 to 23. Join us at 8:45 AM to show God is worthy of our praise!

Word On Worship – March 3, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 13:21-23
“And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. “But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.”

Mark wrote his gospel at a time when the world appeared to many to be falling apart, especially if you were a Jewish Christian. Tacitus, the Roman historian of the first century, documented three civil wars, the assassination of four emperors, numerous earthquakes and natural disasters all of which took place after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The warnings of Jesus in our passage provide a guide for the saints of every generation to make sense of what has happened and will happen in the course of human history.

Mark’s message is far more subtle than fill in the blank answers for our “end of time” charts. Mark’s message for the saints of every generation, from first to last, is: God’s way, God’s Messiah and God’s people will be vindicated in such a conclusive way that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ to the glory of God. We should not be ignorant of the last days, but God has made it clear that we are to learn to cope with the last days.

The question for us to answer is how shall we live in such difficult times, with the persecutions, suffering and trials as we wait for the blessed return of our Lord and Savior? The drama of the last days will play out according to God’s plan, scene by scene. The actors on the stage can estimate where they are in the play, but only the stage director knows exactly where they are. He has given the actors instructions on what they are to do and what they are to say as they see certain events and cues take place. The actors know how the play will end, but they still do not know when the curtain will fall.

Sunday – February 24, 2013

Posted on February 27, 2013 by PastorAndy

February 24, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Setting Our Expectations for the Last Days from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

What happens when real trouble comes your way, despite the promises of hope and change, if you have unrealistic expectations about what the future holds? When the promises fail to arrive on our timeline we are going to start asking questions. When reality does not meet our expectations we will question our reality before we question our expectations. Jesus cuts through the disciples’ expectations with perspective to the temptation is to look for an escape because your plan does not include suffering, trials and persecution. Without Godly perspective, the heart of man is directed to find someone whom they can trust to get us out of our present reality, instead of trusting the One who will see us through the trials of our reality.
What are your expectations for life? Is your expectation a honeymoon or is your expectation reality? What is your expectation of the church? Whether you are speaking of the pastor or the attitude of those who occupy the pews, our expectations need to be realistic. (You may want to read 1st & 2nd Corinthians to get your expectations in a reasonable zone.) Is the gospel we preach a realistic gospel, or do we only speak of the blessing and omit the cost of discipleship? Jesus never went light on the cost of following Him, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:25). If we have the right expectations, we will not become disillusioned when God’s timeline differs from our time line.
This Sunday we continue in our study of the Gospel of Mark and look to what Jesus has to say about setting our expectations for the last days. Join us Sunday morning as we look at Mark 13 verses 1 to 13 and “Setting our Expectations for the Last Days”.

Word On Worship – February 24, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 13:1-2
“As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

As Jesus departs the temple, the disciples are in awe of the magnificence of the construction around them. Many of us have seen models of the temple or read descriptions and marveled at engineering it would take to construct a building with such huge stones inlaid with gold. This structure went beyond civic pride; it gave the Jews a sense of security because it was the place where God lived. The psalmist wrote of the temple in Psalm 132:14 “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” How could the Lord abandon such a magnificent structure or allow it to be destroyed by an occupying enemy?

Just as the great harlot of Babylon mesmerized John in Revelation 17, the temple’s awesome majesty enthralls the disciples with its size, beauty and the power of its economic engine. What they need is perspective to see through the gleam of the gold and to realize this was not going to stand forever. God is no longer blessing this building which must come down stone by stone. The temple belongs to the old order, whose builders will reject the stone who will become central to God’s new temple. If there is one thing Jesus always gives people, it is perspective.

Despite the promises of hope and change, what happens when real trouble comes your way if you have unrealistic expectations about what the future holds? When the promises fail to arrive on our timeline we are going to start asking questions. When reality does not meet our expectations we will question our reality before we question our expectations. Jesus cuts through the disciples’ expectations with perspective to say the temptation is to look for an escape because your plan does not include suffering, trials and persecution. Without godly perspective, the heart of man is directed to find someone who they can trust to get us out of our present reality, instead of trusting the One who will see us through the trials of our reality.

What are your expectations for life? Is your expectation a honeymoon or is your expectation reality? What is your expectation of the church? Whether you are speaking of the pastor or the attitude of those who occupy the pews, our expectations need to be realistic. (You may want to read 1^st & 2^nd Corinthians to place your expectations in a reasonable zone.) Is the gospel we preach a realistic gospel, or do we only speak of the blessing and omit the cost of discipleship? Jesus never went light on the cost of following Him, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:25). If we have the right expectations, we will not become disillusioned when God’s timeline differs from our time line.

Sunday – February 17, 2013

Posted on February 22, 2013 by PastorAndy

February 17, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

How different are God’s ways when compared to the ways of men? The Pharisees loved riches and considered their wealth as the evidence of God’s reward for their piety. In their minds, God would be pleased with the size of their contributions. Yet in our passage we see Jesus condemn the “rich and famous” for their faulty thinking and elevate the insignificant gift of the widow. The rich were only focused on how much their gift was. Jesus was focused on what the gift meant to the giver. That small donation was her life and all she had to live on. In making this gift, she gave evidence of her faith in God, not her money, to provide for her needs.
I am not here to tell you or myself how much to give. I do not see in Scripture where Jesus was ever impressed with how much was given. But I do see Jesus is very impressed with how much was left after we give. How much faith do you have that God is Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord Will Provide)? With all the corruption going on, the widow’s gift was an act of faith. When those coins left her hand, she had totally entrusted herself to God. But she did what she believed God had for her to do. The question is what will we do as stewards with the limited time, talent and treasure He has given us?
Join us Sunday morning as we continue our series in the Gospel of Mark in Mark 12 verses 38 to 44 and see “Less is More”

Word On Worship – February 17, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 12:42-44
“A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

It is easy to use the widow and her two coins as an example of sacrificial giving. Clearly this is a woman who loves God with all she has and stands in stark contrast to the rich in light of her poverty. She also stands in contrast to the scribes who go to great lengths to highlight their piousness for personal gain and attention. She is just another person fallen through the safety net of society and holds no honor in this community of alleged faith. Yet she still loves God and will sacrifice all that she has in service to God as she responds to Him.

The so-called “little gifts,” which count as nothing in human circles, eclipse the gifts given from excess from God’s perspective. Religious institutions cannot build great temples with their massive stones from the meager gifts of widows. But then God is not looking for stone buildings to call His home. God is looking to occupy people’s hearts. But He can only do that with disciples willing to submit themselves to Him and to love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.

I am not here to tell you or myself how much to give. I do not see in Scripture where Jesus was ever impressed with how much was given. But I do see Jesus is very impressed with how much was left after we give. How much faith do you have that God is Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord Will Provide)? With all the corruption going on, the widow’s gift was an act of faith. When those coins left her hand, she had totally entrusted herself to God. But she did what she believed God had for her to do. The question is what will we do as stewards with the limited time, talent, treasure and breath He has given us?

Sunday – February 10, 2013

Posted on February 13, 2013 by PastorAndy

February 10, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Friendly Fire from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Let us be very clear: our love for God is a response to God’s love for us. So when did Christians decide our love would be like tithing? As long as I love 10% of the time, I must be in God’s good graces. We are overwhelmed by God’s infinite grace that does not save us by fractions, but still sadly surprised that God is not satisfied with a mere fraction of ourselves. The command given to Israel is the command given to the Christian: give your entire life to the personal God who first loved us by sending His Son as an offering for our sin.
The sum of what Jesus is saying is our love for God needs to be all of who we are: heart, soul, mind and strength. Not some fraction of ourselves, a tithe of who we are to somehow horde the rest of ourselves to squander as we see fit on ourselves. We sing about how the world will know we are Christians by our love, but love of God is how we are known by God. “But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.”
Join us this Sunday as we see Jesus give His commentary on the greatest commandments in the Scripture as we see “Friendly Fire” in Mark 12 verses 28 to 37

Word On Worship – February 10, 2013 Download / Print

Mark 12:29-32
“Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Let us be very clear: our love for God is a response to God’s love for us. So when did Christians decide our love would be like tithing? Some may reason: As long as I love 10% of the time, I must be in God’s good graces? Yet we are overwhelmed by God’s infinite grace that does not save us by fractions, but we are still sadly surprised that God is not satisfied with a mere fraction of ourselves. The command given to Israel is the command given to every Christian: give your entire life to the personal God who first loved us by sending His Son as an offering for our sin.

The heart is more than just our bodily pumping station. The heart is where our decisions are made, plans are evaluated and the calculations of our lives are weighed in the balance. We may agree with something in our mind and speak about it with our lips, but that is not where the decision is made. It is in the heart, not the mind, where we decide for or against God and expose our true loyalties. The people perceived the scribes to be models of those who loved God, but Jesus examined their hearts to unveil the object of their true love: themselves.

Our soul is the vitality and motivating power of our lives. Together, with the heart, the soul determines how we will conduct ourselves in our daily walk. To love God with all of our soul will focus our energy on pursuing God’s purposes no matter the response from those around us as we are consumed to proclaim the gospel and fight the good fight. The mind is what directs our opinions and judgments. Our love for God must be more than an emotional response, but a demonstration to all that we “know why” instead of trying to impress others with our “know how.” Our strength is all that we possess while we walk this earth. Yes, it is the physical demonstration of love by what we do, but it is also the leverage for the work of love that our possession can do. The widow who gives her last mite provides the best example of this love.

The sum of what Jesus is saying is our love for God needs to be every part of our being: heart, soul, mind and strength. We are not to offer God only a tithe of ourselves we are while we somehow horde and squander the rest on our own shallow purposes. We sing about how the world will know we are Christians by our love, but love of God is how we are known by God. “But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.” (1 Corinthians 8:3)

Sunrise Community Church

Jesus is THE Way, not only a statement of faith; the way of life.

Tag Archives: Andrew Kikkert