Thoughts from the Sermon, “The Promise of Joy and Peace in Christ” John 16:16-33

Thoughts from the Sermon, “The Promise of Joy and Peace in Christ” John 16:16-33

by Vermon Pierre, Lead Pastor

1. We all will face and have faced difficult times in our lives. No one is immune from dealing with trial, suffering, and pain. Many times our response to trouble is one of sorrow, fear, despair and even cowardice. We retreat into ourselves. We either fail to do what we should do or we do the things we shouldn’t do, things which aren’t ultimately helpful for us but that we do nonetheless in order to somehow deal with our situation.

2. There can be a different response to our trials. Rather than running away from difficulties we can lean into them, meeting them with joy and peace and confidence.

3. How do we make this transition? By the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus promises his disciples that because they will see him, their sadness will turn to joy. Indeed, because Jesus has conquered sin and death in his resurrection, we who believe him can find peace in him.

4. What believers gain because of the risen Jesus is a transformed life. It means having a joy that no one can take away (John 16:22). It means never being alone because we have a permanent relationship with God as our Father. We can speak to him and know that he will hear us and answer.

5. Being a Christian does not mean life gets easier. Believing in and following Jesus will mean some unique difficulties and hardships. Jesus never promises that we will be saved out of trouble (“In the world you will have tribulation” John 16:33). What he does promise is that in the midst of trouble we will be able to act differently. We can rest in his peace, respond to trouble with joy, and know that ultimately we will overcome all our troubles through him and the victory he has already secured by virtue of his resurrection.

6. “This is the great departure of Christianity from every other religious faith. It does not simply set out an ideal or a moral code; it offers a means of achieving it. Christianity is the offer of God to live in his followers and achieve in them the victory demonstrated in his Son Jesus Christ. And in that indwelling, an indescribable peace will be ours despite the fury and foment of the world around us.” Gary Burge, John: The NIV Application Commentary

7. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:4

Loving Children When They’re Unlovable

Loving Children When They’re Unlovable

Check out Dennae's NEW post ("Loving Children When They’re Unlovable")
 at the Together for Adoption website here.

- http://www.togetherforadoption.org/?p=10429

Voice of the Martyrs Mini-Profiles

Voice of the Martyrs Mini-Profiles

Today's sermon was from John 15:18-16:4 and was called I HEART HATERS. We talked a lot about the modern day persecution of Christians all over the globe and at the end of the service, prayed for some of them together. Here is a list of the folks we profiled today. Please continue to pray for them.

CHINA
Shuying, 77. Tortured and imprisoned for her faith. Her husband died the day after she was released.

SUDAN
Mary Achai. Kidnapped, sold into sex slavery, burned, leaving her arms “frozen”.

INDIA
Vasant. Ex-radical Hindu, persecuted Christians. Now an evangelist, locked away by his family, poisoned by his mother, but continues to pass out 25-30 tracts a day in remote areas.

SOMALIA
Musa. House church leader. His two oldest sons were beheaded after their father gave a prominent Muslim woman a Bible which resulted in her conversion.

NIGERIA
James Kake. Muslims burnt his church down then macheted his hands and wrists after they asked him if he was an infidel and he said “yes”.

NEPAL
Shyma Kumar. Teenager who was severly burned while attending church and it was bombed by Hindu extremists.

PAKISTAN
Pastor "Joseph". Bound for praying with a beggar. Preached to his attackers as they beat him.

NORTH VIETNAM
Pastors Phan and Trang. “Running pastors” who flee from tribe to tribe, conducting services, baptisms, and communion for small rural congregations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE FOLKS AND MORE LIKE THEM, GO TO http://www.persecution.com

Interview with Pastor Vermon and Dennae on Adoption [video]

Interview with Pastor Vermon and Dennae on Adoption [video]

Great Interview with Pastor Vermon and Dennae on Adoption at a House Conference in Phoenix, Arizona by Together for Adoption. Also, be sure to check out Dennae's post ("Adopted") at the Together for Adoption website here.

Dan Cruver of T4A interviews Vermon and Dennae Pierre about their foster-to-adopt story, which could not have happened without their local church.
The house conference initiative is an effort to bring teaching on God’s story of adoption and its implications for the global orphan crisis to living rooms in select cities across the United States. Obviously, not everyone can fly across the country to attend a T4A conference. So, in part, the house conference initiative aims to “bring a T4A conference to a living room near you . . . for free.”

"Be Merciful to Me" Unpacked

"Be Merciful to Me" Unpacked
by Alden Powers, The Music Guy @RCC

A song we have been doing for a few months now is Be Merciful to Me by the band Caedmon’s Call. This song isn’t particularly “new” (it was released in 2006), but it is a recent addition to RCC’s song repertoire. I love to sing this song after we come to the Lord’s Table. It gives us an opportunity to ask for God’s mercy, and at His table we see the ultimate display of His mercy in His broken body and shed blood. The language of the song isn’t as clear as some other more modern songs we might do during worship. The lyrics are taken from a 19th Century hymn. However, once we dig in and examine what the song is saying, the truths will jump out more vividly and I think we will gain a greater appreciation for the song.

Out from the deep I call,
To Thee, O Lord, to Thee.
Before Thy throne I fall
Be Merciful to me

The first verse puts us squarely in the mindset of a faithful worshipper. Throughout the Bible, we see God’s faithful servants, when encountered with God’s holy presence, respond by falling down and pleading for mercy. In Isaiah 6:1-6, the prophet Isaiah comes face to face with the glory of the Lord. All he can say is “woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips”. Ezekiel does likewise in Ezekiel 1:28. John also falls to his feet in Revelation 1:17. When we come into the presence of what is supremely holy, we are instantly reminded of our great unholiness. All we can do is fall and plead for God’s mercy.

From the garden to the Cross,
Thy mercy did endure.
My soul purged from all dross
In blood made pure

The great news is that God is merciful. Although He is supremely holy, He is also supremely merciful. His mercy is displayed again and again in the Old Testament. "Garden” in this song refers to the Garden of Eden, where mankind originally fell from grace and was cast out of God’s presence. Even in that moment, rather than destroy his rebellious creation, God clothed them and promised that the offspring of the woman would one day crush the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15).

This longsuffering continues all throughout Israel’s history where they continually rebel, only for God to respond with mercy. God’s ultimate act of mercy is seen at the Cross of Jesus Christ, where God’s wrath for sin was placed on His Son. His sinless Son was the sacrifice for our sins and His death was the death that we rightfully deserve.

The third line can be the most challenging for the modern listener to understand. A basic understanding of metallurgy is necessary in order to appreciate this line. When you have a freshly mined piece of precious metal such as gold or silver, it is hardly ever found in a pure form. The metal has to be melted and the impurities separated. These impurities are called “dross”. The Bible uses this term to symbolize God getting rid of wicked people from the nation of Israel, as well as purifying the hearts of His faithful followers in Christ Jesus. So to summarize, lines 3 and 4 tell us that our souls have been purged of all impurity and made pure by the blood of Christ.

Thy mercy Lord is true,
As ever truth will be.
But still I cry for you,
Be merciful to me.

Paul tells us in Philippians, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Phil 3:12). God has shown us the supreme act of mercy at the cross. His blood has made us pure. Yet we still need to ask God for forgiveness for our sins daily in order to be made Holy. The process of sanctification in the Christian’s life is an ongoing process and we should never take the grace we have received for granted.

May this song remind us of the mercy God has given us through His Son. And may we continue to see His mercies in our lives all of our days.

Thoughts from the Sermon, “Love through Obedience” John 14:15-31

Thoughts from the Sermon, “Love through Obedience” John 14:15-31

by Vermon Pierre, Lead Pastor

1. God is not pursuing a casual friendship with us. He’s not looking to date us and then try things about by living together. God is pursuing a committed relationship with us.

2. A committed relationship with God brings with it certain obligations. Central to these obligations is obedience to Jesus (John 14:14, 21, 23). Jesus makes it clear – we can’t truly love him, and thus can’t truly love God, apart from keeping his commandments. As Leslie Newbigin put it, “Obedience is the test of love, love is the content of obedience.”

3. Jesus promises that we will receive two tremendous gifts as part of our committed relationship with God.

  

    a. The gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-20, 26) 

    The Holy Spirit is the person of God resides within us. He ensures that God is always with
    us, ready to encourage us, strengthen us, and guide us in all situations. He is “the Spirit
    of truth” who reveals God’s truthto us and helps us remain faithful to God’s truth.

   b. The gift of peace (John 14:27) 

   Jesus will give us a peace that gives us a sense of composure and confidence even in
   the midst of trouble and conflict. His peace helps us to maintain unity with other believers.

   

4. And so, our committed relationship begins ultimately with God, since he must move towards us through Jesus Christ in order that we might be in relationship with him. Our relationship will develop and grow by the grace of God as he gifts us with his Spirit and peace and as we obey him in love.  

So Why Can't Johnny Preach? [Backpack Radio audio]

So Why Can't Johnny Preach? [03/20/2011]

What’s happening in the culture that’s degrading the quality of preaching? What’s the impact of media on people in general, and in particular the Christian preacher? Describe the typical preacher today – what’s his typical background, typical hobbies, typical approach to pastoring and preaching? Why have we (the church) accepted such poor preaching?

Guest(s): Professor of Religion and Greek at Grove City College, T. David Gordon.
Reference(s): Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon.

Run Time: 42:56

Link: http://backpack.podbean.com/2011/03/22/so-why-cant-johnny-preach-03202011
Download: http://backpack.podbean.com/mf/web/3sxbm/3-20-2011-BPR.mp3

The Privilege (and Responsibility) to Spill Your Guts Out to God

An excerpt from a recent blog post at Dennae's blog, Thankful 4 Adoption: 

I [often] treat going to the Lord with my fears, worries, and anxieties as optional. But it is not optional; I have a responsibility to turn to him. It is both a privilege of adoption and an act of obedience. When I look to God with my fears, I trust that God knows my every need before I even ask. When I cast my anxieties on God, I am exercising an unshakable faith that God cares for me. When I dwell on my problems, worry about the future, and think about all the possible negative scenarios that can come from some bad news I just heard, I deny the responsibility I have as God's daughter and make myself the "god" of my problems. Instead of placing my hope in my loving, sovereign Father, I place my hope in my own abilities. In doing this, I am not demonstrating that God is my loving Father who adopted me through the blood of Jesus.

Understanding this truth empowered me to look to God when I began to feel anxious. Several times this past week, I noticed thoughts and emotions that showed there was anxiousness or fear in my heart. Instead of letting those thoughts fester, I was able to direct my thoughts to the fact that I have a Father that lovingly demands I turn to him for protection and guidance. Just like I do not expect my children to carry their own burdens, how much more does God expect me to give him mine!

"The Things of God Could Get in the Way of God" [video]

"The Things of God Could Get in the Way of God" [video]

Clip from this Backpack Radio program featuring some of pastoral staff of Roosevelt Community Church.



Good insight for all those who engage in evangelism and other ministry.

Thoughts on the Sermon, “God is Gracious - So We Do Not Have to Prove Ourselves” Ephesians 2:1-10

Thoughts on the Sermon, “God is Gracious - So We Do Not Have to Prove Ourselves” Ephesians 2:1-10    

by Vermon Pierre, Lead Pastor

1. People try to prove their lives matter in all sorts of ways. Some try to do it through family. Others through their achievements. Others through their relationships. Still others through religion or doing lots of “good things.” In all these cases what we are trying to do is show that our lives have significance and worth. Unfortunately our efforts tend to lead to stress, anxiousness, guilt, shame, and bitterness as we try to hold on to the things we think will show our lives have meaning or try to attain the things we think will give our lives meaning.

2. The fact that God is gracious frees us from the lifelong campaign to prove ourselves. God’s grace means we can have God’s approval, which means having eternal significance and worth.

3. To fully receive the grace of God in your life you must first accept that you have no power on your own to prove yourself to anyone. The reality of sin means that our lives are shackled to emptiness and meaningless. This sinful reality is shown in how we deny the greatness of God, try to be glorious over against God, and seek to replace the goodness of God with ugliness and evil. We are given to self-proving, self-seeking, and self-glorifying – all of which puts us in opposition to God and facing a rightful judgment from God.

4. The answer to our sinful situation is the grace of God. God shows great love and mercy towards us through the death of his Son, not because of anything we’ve done or could have done but because God was pleased to be abundantly loving and kind to an underserving people. God’s grace totally transforms us. By his grace we were who dead in sin are now made alive in Jesus. By his grace we are placed in Jesus forever, where we found ourselves remade, restored, and raised up to his level. This new position lifts us out of our sins and frees us to know, enjoy, and live for God.

5. God’s grace is demonstrated by God’s saving us out of our sinful deadness and also giving us the faith to receive this very salvation. Truly then, everything about who the Christian is now is a function of the grace of God.

6. Having been saved by the grace of God through Jesus we now are to live out the grace of God through Jesus. This means the following:

  

a. All boasting is eliminated

There is no need to prove ourselves to anyone. There is no need to perform or feel we need to earn approval in order to justify our existence. We have been forever justified and approved by God.

b. Self-esteem is firmly established

We have been given an identity in Jesus Christ. Since Jesus is perfect and unchanging and is ruling in heaven, we who have been placed in Christ are established and secure. We have been "created in Christ”(v.10) which means that when the cosmos looks upon us all it sees is Christ.

c. Good deeds can be done

God’s grace prepares us and releases us to act in good ways and to do good things in this world. This good comes out of being created anew in Christ, which gives the good things we do a divine quality and meaning. It means we that the good we do now is God’s good, done in Christ, not for our glory (which is transient and blesses us primarily) but for God’s glory is eternal and blesses everyone who experiences it).

And so we have experienced the grace of God can now be abundantly gracious to the people who’ve hurt us and who we’ve hurt. We can be abundantly gracious to the people who’ve neglected us and who we’ve neglected. We can be abundantly gracious to the people we have trouble getting along with or who frustrate us. We can do all these things and more, because of the grace of God in our lives through Jesus.