Introducing the new Central Region

Matthew 4:23-24 – Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.

Sermon Outline – Jesus’ Heart for People with Disabilities preached by Joe Chiappetta on 6/9/2013

People with significant disabilities are all too often rejected or ignored by society, bringing high unemployment and poverty to a huge portion of the world. Contrast this with Jesus Christ, who loves, respects, and helps people with disabilities with consistency and compassion throughout his ministry. Jesus’ heart to heal was so radical in his time that it amazed people from all walks of life. That kind of heart is still radical in our time, and we must pursue the heart of Jesus.

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Matthew 5:7
We look for benefits, favors… a break in life but are we giving benefits, favors, breaks to those who truly need it. How much quality time do we spend with those with disabilities?

Matthew 4:23

• Jesus, in this passage, was helping people who were sick and those with disabilities. Are you doing the same thing?
• Is Jesus your recovery plan? People brought those who were sick to Jesus to be healed.

“Where does it say I need to help the poor and needy?” you might ask.

Dueteronomy 15:11

• There will always be poor people
• Commanded to be open handed
• You are part of God’s plan to help the poor

Exodus 23:6

• God says “Do not deny justice to your poor people” but sadly this is happening in our country. How?
  • Though there are well written laws in favor of people with disabilities, they are not fully enforced
  • Some have gone to institutions of their own free will and then were not allowed to leave
• This is recent history:
  • In 1990 the American with Disabilities Act was passed into law
  • The Olmstead decision by the Supreme Court in 1999 found it unlawful to keep people with disabilities in institutional settings against their will if they are deemed to be able to function in a community setting and the state can reasonably provide one. People with disabilities have the right to live in the most integrated community setting available. This decision is what led to the creation of the foundations we will serve this coming weekend in our Day of Mercy. (El Valor, Neumann Family Services)

Matthew 8:1-3

• Are you going to Jesus for comfort?
• Are you comforting those in need?

Commentary on Matthew chapters 5-10: What was Jesus doing before he healed the man with leprosy? He had climbed a mountain and preached a sermon… he wasn’t too busy to help people with disabilities. In fact, before and after one of his most famous and beloved sermons, he was fully engaged in helping people with disabilities. That was Jesus’ lifestyle, and it must be ours

Diana is Baptized! (L-R: Amanda, Sabrina, Aracely, Diana, Samara, Vero, Yuri)

Worthless Idols – Preached by Jay Shelbrack on 6/2/2013

How do you treat God? Do you ignore him? Are you distracted? So often we don’t realize what we are doing! We just don’t think or our thinking is foolish and many things that are not God start to take over our lives. Though in the midst of it we don’t realize we are becoming slaves to worthless idols.
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Today we send out the Santa Barbara Mission Team, photos above. We also welcomed back Mike, who was restored to God with the help of the brothers.

The Unsung Heroes – Preached by Mike Underhill on 5/26/13

Mike, who lead the church here in Chicago in 2012, opens by sharing about leading the San Francisco Mission team as they journeyed to plant the church there last spring. 19 people in cars and 1 moving truck made the cross country trip along I-80. After a few days, predictable irritability set in until they made a stop at the Donner Party Memorial. It commemorated a group of about 40 people who set out on a similar route from Illinois to San Fransisco 150 years ago in covered wagons. Their journey ended devastatingly in the Sierra Nevada Mountains that winter amidst unimaginable conditions. This sober memorial rejuvenated the disciples’ gratitude and showed that often our response to suffering is a matter of perspective.

Not only is our response a matter of perspective, it is a demonstration of our character. What makes a hero is not their fame, but what they do in the midst of their pain. Jesus is the ultimate hero, Mike shares insightfully about His heroic choices in his most painful hours hanging on the cross after being flogged almost to death.

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1. A hero saves others in the midst of their pain

Luke 23:32-43 – With his last breaths Jesus is still focused on saving others. For many of us we stop trying to save ourselves in our pain let alone others. (2 Timothy 4:16 says watch your life and doctrine closely and you will save both yourself and your hearers). But when we feel the pain we make it an excuse to give into our temptation

2. A hero doesn’t let their fear stop them from doing what is right

Facing your fears is a huge part of following Jesus. Mike shares with deep emotion about his grandfather who was baptized on his deathbed, facing his greatest fear – being submerged in water. As joyous as this moment was, the only regret was that it didn’t come sooner. How many let some fear stop them from doing God’s will only to later regret the time that was wasted over that fear. What is stopping you?

3. A hero serves others in the midst of their pain

John 19:25-27 – Jesus, in his pain, served other people. In our pain, we tend to get upset with those around us. We feel like because we are in pain we should be the center of attention. Instead Jesus is thinking how he can meet his mom’s need while he is bleeding to death on the cross.

4. A hero seeks God in the midst of their pain

Matthew 26:36- Sadly, a lot of disciples, when they go through an ordeal that causes pain, don’t turn to God but fall into sin. We stop praying and start going through the motions. We start trying to give the ‘right answer’ instead of being an individual of deep convictions.

5. A hero never quits

John 19:28-30 – In the pain that Jesus was going through, he finished the job. For us we go through the pain we want to give up. That is why it is so amazing these words were spoken, “It is finished”. When it gets hard, we can think, “Maybe this isn’t what I’m supposed to do. It shouldn’t be this hard”.

Question: What have you finished in life? What about when it was hard? That is the true test of integrity.

GOOD NEWS: There are a lot of exciting things coming up next weekend! These include our annual Latin Festival (and Salsa Dancing Contest), the wedding of Tia and Cornell, the return of many of San Francisco mission team members, and a sermon by Mike Underhill next Sunday.

The Big Picture – preached by Jay Shelbrack on 5/19/2013

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As a child, I had many questions like “Why is the sky blue?” Many of us have questions about God and why he did the things he did.

“Why did God create people?”
“Why are there two covenants?”
“Why is there an Old and New Testament — why not just have one?”
“Why did Jesus come when he did?”

Today, I am going to attempt to answer some of those questions by giving 7 points that show the big picture of God’s plan that is demonstrated in the bible.

Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:24-28 NIV)

1. Everything that happens in the bible is about a relationship with God.

• There is a plan for your life — you are not a random person
• We are created to seek God, but we seek other things instead
• Everything around us is screaming at us to pay attention to God, but we’re oblivious

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.’” (Genesis 6:5-13 NIV)

2. God destroys man. Why?

• Corruption will destroy us if we allow it to remain
• There were no boundaries and no sense of right and wrong
• Imagine leaving your kids with no rules; they become bullies
• Driving without rules of the road? Chaos.
• Through these events God is showing us what our lives would be like if we didn’t have boundaries so that we will trust him

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.” (Genesis 12:1-5 NIV)

3. God chooses a man of faith

• God said go and Abram went
• We, however, want all our ducks in a row
• What kind of faith do you have?
• Would God have chosen you?

4. God makes a Covenant

Genesis 12:1-5

• What kind of faith do you have?

Genesis 15:1-6

• What impact has resulted from your faith?

5. God gives the Law

“On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.” (Exodus 19:1-8 NIV)

• We are quick to break the law

6. Rebellion toward God

• The remainder of the Old testamant is about man’s rebellion against God and His Law
• They began worshiping other things (Jeremiah 11:1-5 )
• Asherah – goddess of fertility worshipped by orgies
• Molech – worshipped by sacrificing children to him.
• God is saddened by this, it is incredibly painful to Him to watch us do this (Jeremiah 5:14-22)
• God disciplined them by allowing other nations to conquer them
• They were eventually humbled, and ready for Jesus and redemption

1 Corinthians 10:1-11

• Where are you at?
• Are you like a faithful child (“Jump? OK. How high, Lord?”) or are you rebelling?
• Do you resist it when someone is trying to get involved

Matthew 5:21

• Deal with sin on a heart level

7. Jesus brought the Heart Behind the Law

• The purpose of the Law is to show us that it’s not possible to keep the whole law so that we can understand
• It is not about keeping the law, but about a relationship
• God provides a spiritual family to help us with this

CHALLENGE: Evaluate yourself this week. Are you faithful to God’s plans, or are you rebellious to them?

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fun sayings about moms:

• An ounce of a mother is worth a pound of clergy.
• Every beetle is a gazelle in the eyes of it’s mother.
• A man loves his sweetheart the best, his wife the most, but his mother the longest.
• God couldn’t be everywhere all the time, so he created mothers.

It is appropriate that we honor our mothers today. In fact, it’s a commandment as it says, “Honor your father and mother.” The Bible holds up the heart of a mother as a godly thing. Their gentleness, unconditional love, protectiveness, and mercy is absolutely a reflection of God’s heart.

Powerful Prayer — Preached by Jay Shelbrack on 5/5/2013
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There are a lot of ways people try to connect with God. Some people sing, some get out in nature, some read the Bible — you name it! The best way to connect with God, however, is through powerful prayer. A lot of people pray, but are those prayers powerful? Many pray because they know they should, but don’t know how to make it great. This lesson not only talks about how to pray, but also the heart behind it.

Deuteronomy 4:5-7

• To have a relationship with God, we have to talk to Him
• Whether you feel it or not, we bring God near us when we pray
• Do you feel the need to pray?

Proverbs 28:9

• In the midst of sin, your prayers are detestable

1. Prayers of the Pure

2 Kings 18:1-8

• Man needs to worship — if we aren’t worshiping God, we’ll worship something else
• We do that with God: we go to church, read our Bible, say our prayer, give our tithe, but go and worship something else in our heart

2 Chronicles 29:1-11

• Hezekiah not only removes the idols, he challenged those around him to serve God wholeheartedly
• He tells them if they don’t, it will affect the kingdom

2 Chronicles 30:25-27

• God heard them
• We need to have purity in our prayer

2. Prayers of Faith

2 Chronicles 31:20-21; 32:1, 7-8, 10-17

• God wanted to do something great, for His name
• Hezekiah’s faith was proven

2 Kings 19:14-19, 35-37

• Hezekiah is saying he trusts God and that it bothers him that they are insulting God
• God honored Hezekiah’s prayer

3. Prayers of Humility

2 Kings 20:1-6

• Hezekiah could have had a bad attitude with God
• His prayer wasn’t long but it was heart felt
• It moved God’s heart

Luke 18:9-14

• We need to humble ourselves before God
• It is not the length of the prayer, but rather the heart behind it

4. Prayers of Purpose

Matthew 6:5-13

• Talk to God — don’t make a show of it
• Prayer is something that you’re meant to grow into
• Humility is something you need to fight for

Daniel 9:4-6, 10:10-13

• You may not believe in your prayer, but Satan does and he’s trying to stop it
• God is eager to respond to our powerful prayers

CHALLENGE: Read through the book of Psalms and see David’s prayer life. Also, start praying 30-45 min a day.