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Recap | 2015 Topical | Glory & Humiliation

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 15:30:00 +0000

This weekend, Bill taught from Isaiah 11, asserting the prophet’s promise of a redeeming Savior as the foundation of the Christmas celebration. Isaiah’s prophecies were issued around 700 BC, after the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and taken into exile. Therefore, his prophecies are meant to give hope to exiled Jews, who had been cut off from their homeland. However, the prophecies also contain Messianic expectations that foretell the coming of Jesus, the ultimate King and Redeemer.

Chapter 11 begins, “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot – yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” God had promised David that he would always have a descendant on the throne of Israel (2 Samuel 7:16), but the disobedience of the people and their subsequent punishment had hewn the strong tree of David’s house into a derelict stump. From this stump, however, God promises to raise up a Savior.

This promise is a personal one, fulfilled in an individual. Verses 2-5 go on to highlight the characteristics of this righteous person. He will be wise, understanding, fair, just, powerful, and true. He is the type of king that transcends earthly political systems – not a cruel, oppressive dictator nor the corrupt and greedy representatives of a democracy. Instead, He is a righteous king exercising His power in justice and love.

Peace and flourishing will characterize His reign. Brokenness and danger will be eradicated (vv. 6-9). Gentiles will be included in the peaceful kingdom as well as Jews (v. 10). The exiles will return and the kingdom of Israel will again be united (vv. 13-14). All obstacles to God’s kingdom will be removed, and God will again act in favor of His people, as He did in the Exodus (vv. 15-16).
These promises of prosperity create tension for us, however. Are these promises reality, or are they mere sentiment? How can we look around at the suffering and brokenness in the world, in our own lives, and believe that these promises are true?

Bill used a story from Matthew 11 to answer these questions. In this passage, John the Baptist is in prison. He was the first to recognize the truth about Jesus and His ministry; before he was even born he leaped within his mother’s womb at the presence of Jesus (Luke 1:41). However, even John had his doubts. Jesus’ ministry looked nothing like the promises of Isaiah and the other prophets. His kingdom was a spiritual one, not the political one that the Jews had expected. For this reason, John sent a messenger to Jesus, asking, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (v. 3). Wrapped up in John’s question are his doubts – if Jesus is the Messiah, why is John in prison? Why do Jesus’ followers suffer? Why has Jesus not restored the world and ended suffering?

The last sentence of Jesus’ answer is startling, yet comforting: “God blesses those who do not turn away because of me” (v. 6). God’s solution is not to fix the suffering in the world. His answer is not found in remedies, but in the person of Jesus. The blessing of God is found in trusting the King of Isaiah 11, not in the earthly benefits that He brings.

The Scriptures do not ignore the doubts and questions that we have. They are expressed by John the Baptist, one of the first followers of Jesus. However, he does not receive a solution to his earthly suffering – he ends up decapitated on the whim of an immature princess (Matthew 14:1-12). His story illustrates that our present problems may not be solved. We will not understand the world and its brokenness. However, we must choose to personally trust in the prophesied King, Jesus Christ. In Him lies the eternal hope of the world’s redemption and restoration.

Bill gave three ideas to take away from these passages:
1. Our struggles don’t mean that the promises of God aren’t true. God works through brokenness and evil. Christ had to die in order to rise again – in doing so, He worked through the power of death to overcome death itself.

2. Jesus does not give us solutions. He is the solution. He cannot be manipulated as some sort of magical provider; we must accept Him as He offers Himself to us.

3. Some of us need to take steps to move towards Jesus. Some of our lives are broken, crushed, and hopeless. We can take comfort in the knowledge of God’s sovereignty and move towards Jesus in hope.

-Nate Emery

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

The Name of Jesus Christ: Philippians 2:6-11, Isaiah 45:22-23
Angels We Have Heard On High: Luke 2:8-18
Hallelujah What A Savior (Christmas Version): Isaiah 53:3, Psalm 13:5, Isaiah 63:9
The Greatness of Our God: Deuteronomy 32:1-3, Romans 8:38-39, Isaiah 40:26-31
Man of Sorrows: Isaiah 53, 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Recap | 2015 Topical | Christmas Yes

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 22:17:00 +0000

Scripture unfolds for us a grand narrative of God’s work in the world for the redemption of the world, one that continues even today. As He directs all things for this purpose, He continues to work through His people – finite, sinful people.

In the face of what God asks, a person’s reaction is often the “Who Me?” question; the needs of a given situation and the actions that are required of us seem to be too big for us. The second question one might ask is “How Me?”. How am I going to accomplish this? How am I going to get through this?
Despite, and because of, such insignificance and inadequacy, God beckons us to trust Him to give us everything we will need to carry out His work.

The narrative of the foretelling of Jesus birth shows us this very truth – that though we may be insignificant and inadequate, we are also the favored instruments of the sovereign Lord. Though ministry is not at all about us, it does take place through us. God’s “program” in the world – the plan by which He directs all things for His glory and the good of His people – is actually carried out primarily by way of human agency.

We pick up in Luke 1:26 to see three movements in the text, the first one being the “Who Me?” movement. Upon being called a favored woman whom the Lord is with by the angel Gabriel, Mary is confused and disturbed. She is taken aback at the thought that she – a young woman in Galilee, far away from the bustling significance of Jerusalem and the domineering muscle of the Roman Empire – has been chosen by God for His purposes. Mary experiences humble surprise at this fact.

In verse 30, the second movement begins – “How Me?”. Gabriel informs Mary of what is to take place through her: the conception and birth of a baby boy who would be named Jesus. Through this insignificant, inadequate young woman will come a figure who would reign over Israel forever, the king of a Kingdom with no end. Again, Mary balks, wondering at the thought of it since she is a virgin. This is a question of inadequacy – she is doubting her instrumentality.

Most, if not all, of us can sympathize with Mary’s self-doubt. The work that God would have us do in the world is in no way easy, comfortable, or even clear. It is fraught with difficulty stemming from our own sinful natures, that of others’, the regular responsibilities of the world, and our own creaturely limitations, among many other things. We ask of God, “But how can this happen? I am… inadequate.” Asking this question is perhaps exactly where God would have us be, as we question our own ability and look outside of ourselves for what we need.

The third movement – the “Yes Me!” movement – begins in verse 35. Gabriel responds to Mary’s doubts by pointing to the power of God to accomplish His work. In effect, Gabriel is affirming Mary’s doubts – yes, Mary, you are inadequate in and of yourself, but this was never meant to be just a work of human hands anyway.

Mary’s role, then, is to simply acknowledge her appointment to this task and accept her assignment in faith. It is entirely passive in the sense that the work is ultimately accomplished by God Himself through Mary; as Gabriel says, “the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Mary’s insignificance is refuted, her inadequacy swallowed up.

To further affirm her role, God gives her strong circumstantial validation. Gabriel tells Mary of her cousin Elizabeth, who has become pregnant in her old age. Gabriel’s declaration that follows must echo even today in our thoughts as we consider the often-too-large mission that God calls us to: “For the word of God will never fail,” or in another translation, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” By these words, we are urged to let go of anything and everything that we may trust in for our work, save for the ability of the sovereign Lord to bring His will to pass.

In the face of such a declaration, Mary accepts her role. Despite incessant insignificance and self-doubt, she declares herself to be a servant – a bondslave – of the Lord. Though she has no certainty about how the situation will end, and though she faces great consequences if she is mistakenly suspected of adultery, she gives a joyful, holy, “Yes, me!”.

Mary, of course, is unique as mother of the Messiah according to the flesh. None of us will play this same role. But the insignificance and self-doubt, which threaten to overwhelm her in the face of what God asks, are illustrative of every believer’s condition. Who can make the dead sinner live? Who can teach the living sinner to be holy? No creature, not one. Find now the end of your ability and reckon upon the alien significance that is bestowed on you. The sovereign Lord, He of unfailing words, fills His people with His own Spirit and delights to overshadow them in His own power. At His hand we find sufficiency for our every need.

-Brian Barbee

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: Luke 2:8-18
Great and Mighty King: Psalm 47:6-8, Revelation 5:11-14, Isaiah 6:1-3
O, Come All Ye Faithful: Luke 2
This I Believe: 1 Corinthians 15, John 3:16, Romans 1:16-17, Hebrews 1
Worthy of It All: Psalm 51:16-17, Psalm 139:23-24, Amos 5:21-24, Psalm 19:12-14

Recap | Esther | The Great Reversal

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 20:30:00 +0000

This weekend brought to a conclusion our series on Esther, an orphaned Jewish castaway whose improbable rise to Queen of the Persian Empire became an instrumental piece in the preservation of the Jewish people. As we examine the last two chapters, an initial decree from King Xerxes had left the Jewish people on the brink of extermination until a second edict allowed them to take up arms against their enemies. Chapter 9 opens on the day upon which both laws went into effect.

The first 19 verses recount the Jewish victory over their would-be destroyers. In yet another giant reversal, the Jews were able to defend themselves and were even given a second day to eliminate all of Haman’s vengeful family. The passage states pointedly that the Jews “took no plunder,” emphasizing that this was not killing for conquest but for survival. This illustrates the reality that judgment always has two sides: salvation and condemnation. This is a transcendent idea for us, appearing in both the Old and New Testaments. This will continue until the final judgment, as Jesus revealed in Matthew 5, where the work of the cross will be the only accepted currency to reach salvation rather than condemnation.

What’s ironic is how often we experience God reversing something and how quickly we forget it, often looking back and rationalizing the situation as if there weren’t really a sovereign God acting on our behalf.

Beginning in verse 20 an annual festival is established to remember this landmark event in Israel’s history. This was a calling for them to live and be shaped in the future by this past salvation. Like most Jewish festivals, a feast is enjoyed, but this festival in particular is an opportunity for the people to give a portion of their food and wealth to others, particularly the poor. Verses 23-26 tell us how the name of the celebration was coined. Purim, meaning dice or lots, came from the fact that Haman had cast lots to determine the date of the Jewish genocide. The random outcome of this dice roll became their lots, or portion.

The big idea here is that evil men who throw dice do not determine your portion. A benevolent, all-knowing God gives it to you. They celebrate Purim by giving a portion because God first gave them a portion.

Our belief in this is tested and tried every time something doesn’t go our way. After all, who do we really think is throwing the dice? Our anxiety, stress, and panic are indicative of who we really think is running the universe. We are quick to let time water down the reversals God orchestrates in our lives. For this very reason the festival was further solidified at the end of the chapter, preserving the memory of God’s intercession for His people.

The story ends much the way it began, with a decree of authority. Mordecai became Prime Minister, second in command only to King Xerxes himself. He was faithful in his duties to the Jews and was rewarded and lifted up for it. King Xerxes remained the king, but we as readers no longer view him as we did upon his introduction. Xerxes may have retained his title, but there is little doubt in any reader’s mind that someone else is clearly running the show. An unnamed power is sovereignly at work in our story, and no earthly kingdom, decree, or enemy can contend with the true Author.

For non-Christians, this idea should prompt an honest consideration of the reversal nature of our world. Nothing is as it seems to be. We could not imagine a world beyond our own if this were all life had to offer. Eternity is embedded in us. Our hearts are inclined towards kingship and freedom, yet the outworking of those yearnings in our present world leaves us in the bondage of sin.

For the Christian, the story of Esther should bring comfort that God stands between our present opposition and in time will deliver us. For now we hold to the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:21 which tells us that Jesus has already brought justice to your sin and rest to your soul.

-Nate Emery

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

A Day of Glory: Isaiah 60, Luke 1:51-52, 2 Corinthians 4:17
The First Noel: Luke 2:8-20
Great and Mighty King: salm 47:6-8, Revelation 5:11-14, Isaiah 6:1-3
God With Us: Joshua 1:9, John 1:14, Psalm 68:19-20
Stronger: Philippians 2:9-11, Romans 6:9-10

Recap | Esther | A Compassionate Crown

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 20:47:00 +0000

Despite Haman's death, Esther and Mordecai still have work to do, as Haman's decree that all Jews are to be annihilated from the land still remains. Esther's compassion for her people drives her to plead for them before the King and points us to Jesus' compassionate intercession on our behalf.

Soon after the execution, King Xerxes distributes Haman’s property. Giving much of Haman’s former possessions to Esther, Xerxes gives his signet ring to Mordecai, granting him great authority and elevated status in the kingdom.

Esther then returns to Xerxes in order to plead the case of the Jews, “falling down at his feet and begging him with tears.” The contrast between Esther’s approach here and that of her first appeal to Xerxes (Esther 5:1-8) is striking. Whereas Esther was diplomatic before, acting tactfully and strategically, she is now moved to tears on behalf of the Jewish people – her people.

Though she has the role of queen, she has firmly grasped her fundamental identity as a Jew. She makes herself vulnerable to the superior power of Xerxes, freely offering up the power and security that she has risen to as a way of aligning herself with God’s purposes.

Xerxes invites Esther to speak to him, and she meekly pleads with him on behalf of her people. She offers compelling appeals to Xerxes, and finally, fully affiliates herself with the Jews, saying, “how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?” In identifying with the Jews, Esther makes herself completely vulnerable to Xerxes. Her compassion for her people draws her out of herself and causes her to spring forward into action with little regard for her own safety or comfort.

Xerxes, however, is largely apathetic. Unable to revoke the law Haman made ordering genocide of the Jews, he does give Esther and Mordecai the authority to send the Jews any message she pleases, with his own seal. With the King’s authority, Mordecai issues a decree to Jews in every province granting them authority to defend themselves with lethal force against anyone who would attack them.

We are able to see two truths about how the world works here. First, authority is always derived, sometimes many times over. The authority that the Jews have to defend themselves has trickled down from Mordecai, who received it from Xerxes. And before any of this had begun, Xerxes’s authority had been derived from the supreme authority of God.

We also see that when we are given authority, we are also handed responsibility. Our actions (or inactions) have consequences for us and for others. By them, we either further entrench the world in evil, or, just as Esther did with her authority, we align ourselves with God as he unwinds this evil. We are absolutely responsible for what we do with our lives.

At the same time, God’s sovereignty is implicit in the entire narrative of Esther, as it is in our own stories today. This truth, splayed across the pages of Scripture in both explicit and implicit ways, assures us that God is in process throughout all of the events we see.

Oftentimes, our unbiblical thinking about God’s sovereignty leads us to over-spiritualize the events of our lives, wherein we seek clear and immediate meaning in any hardship we endure. Other people respond to hardship out of entitlement, blaming their troubles on the actions of others. The people in each of these categories are lacking a proper understanding of their own responsibility for their lives, which exists hand-in-hand with God’s absolute sovereignty. In fact, because God is working in the world, we are responsible for aligning ourselves with His purposes. How then can you know if you are aligned with His purposes?

• Do you cling to power and authority, or do you use it to empower others? When God grants a person authority, it is always done so that it will be used to the benefit of others. In Matthew 20:25-28, Jesus describes God’s intention for leaders to serve those who are under them.

• Can your life be disrupted? As you move forward in life, becoming more stable and secure, attaining status and influence, do you become more or less movable? When we acquire wealth, margin, and comfort, it is not at all a bad thing; but it can expose for us whether the driving force behind our lives is those things or the purposes of God.

Esther’s example of grasping her own responsibility and aligning herself with God’s purposes is a worthy one, and it flows out of the compassion that she has for her people. When she sees the Jews in peril, she is moved to act on their behalf.

Furthermore, Esther’s compassion towards her people points us to the greater compassion that Jesus has towards us as believers. When Jesus looked at the crowds in Matthew 9:36, “He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless.” Jesus is the one who could not endure to see His people and family slaughtered and destroyed under the power of sin. His compassion moved Him to saving action on our behalf, right at the core of God’s purposes in the world, and now we are free to extend this compassion to others.

-Brian Barbee

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: Matthew 1:20-23
Dwell: Psalm 91:1, Isaiah 54:17
Be Thou My Vision: Deuteronomy 4:28-29
Seas of Crimson: Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 26:28, Revelation 12:11
Yahweh: Exodus 3:14-15
Worthy, Worthy: Revelation 5:12, 1 Chronicles 16:25, Psalm 146

Recap | Esther | Justice Served

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 14:00:00 +0000

This week, Matt taught from Esther 7. In this passage, Esther finally asks King Xerxes to spare the lives of the Jews, and Haman is punished for his evil actions. This story demonstrates the big idea that you can control your actions, as Haman did, but their consequences will spiral out of your control.

This chapter begins with a huge banquet at which Xerxes, Esther, and Haman are present. In verse 2, King Xerxes promises Esther anything she wants, up to half the kingdom. In this promise, she sees the opportunity to save her people. She asks that “my life and the lives of my people will be spared” (v. 3). In this simple request, she makes a massive disclosure: she is a Jew. Her people have been condemned to death, and he is the only one who can save them. In verse 4, she claims, “if we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.” For her, slavery and oppression are bearable, but genocide is a different matter.

After Esther paints this grim picture, Xerxes is roused to anger. As he has demonstrated throughout the book, he is slow to understand the situation. He asks, “Who would do such a thing?” (v.5). In a tactful and brilliant statement, Esther distances herself from Haman and moves closer to the king. She answers, “The wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy” (v. 6). She portrays Haman as “wicked,” “adversary,” and “enemy,” while siding herself with the king.

Upon hearing this, Xerxes storms out of the palace in a rage. Haman stays behind to plead with Esther for his life. This produces some satisfying ironic justice. In the beginning of the book, Haman contrives a plot to kill all Jews because Mordecai, a Jew, would not bow down to him and show him respect. Now, because of this evil plot, Haman is bowing before a Jewess and begging for his own life.

Haman collapses in grief on Esther’s couch. Just as he does this, Xerxes returns to the palace to see the guilty man compounding his sin by appearing to assault the queen. Xerxes misinterprets this collapse as an attack on Esther, and Haman’s doom is sealed. The randomness of this event – Haman falling on the couch just as Xerxes enters the palace – is another instance of God’s providence appearing in this book as a seemingly random occurrence.

With darkly ironic comedic relief, one of the king’s eunuchs informs Xerxes that Haman had set up a massive impaling pole to kill Mordecai. Xerxes orders Haman to be killed upon this contraption, and Haman is thereby destroyed by his own evil plot.

This chapter illustrates the idea that the consequences of our actions are beyond our control. Haman clearly controlled his own actions in hatching a plot to kill the Jews. However, his evil spiraled out of control and ended up swallowing him. This idea of uncontrollable consequences is illustrated throughout the Old and New Testaments, in characters such as Adam, Moses, David, Judas, and others. It is illustrated most prominently in the case of Satan, who wields the power of death. However, Jesus, who became man to die as a man, used death to defeat Satan. Hebrews 2:14 says, “For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.” Satan was defeated by his own weapon as Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for all sin.

Matt closed the sermon with a reminder of the reality of this death. Hebrews 2:15 states that Jesus died to “set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” Many of us are not afraid of death because we are young. Others do not fear death because our culture makes it easy to escape the imminence of death with technology and busy schedules. However, there will come a time when the distractions are eliminated and the reality of death is made clear to us. If we have lived an unreflective life, this moment will terrify us. As Christians or non-Christians, we must embrace the inescapable nature of our mortality and consider the incomparable offer of life that our Creator offers to us through Jesus Christ.

-Alexander Batson

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

Found: Philippians 3:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:43
Man of Sorrows: Isaiah 53, 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Great Are You Lord: Psalm 104, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 98
Sovereign Over Us: Genesis 50:20, Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 8:28
God of the Redeemed: Psalm 10:17-18, Ephesians 1:4-6, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:4
I Will Look Up: Psalm 57:7-11, Isaiah 26:1-8, 2 Samuel 22:26-31

Recap | Esther | Pride: The Soul of a King

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 22:11:00 +0000

In chapter 5, Esther has now grasped the eventual inevitability of her own death, a prospect which moves her, not to fear, but to freedom and action. Having resolved to go to the king’s hall in order to prevent Haman’s plot to kill the Jews, she fasts for three days. She then goes to the king.

Upon seeing Esther enter, the king holds out his scepter, preserving her life. He then offers to grant her a request – any request. At this, Esther invites the king and Haman to a banquet that very day.

The king accepts, and soon after finds himself drinking wine with Esther and Haman. Seeing through Esther’s pretenses in part, he tells her, “Now tell me what you really want.”

Esther, unruffled, replies by inviting both the king and Haman to yet another banquet the following night, where she will “explain what this is all about.” What is she doing? We can’t see it just yet. However, Esther, working in a culture of honor, is shrewd and determined. While it’s not clear what the details of her plan are, we can be sure that she does have one.

As all of this takes place between Esther and the king, Haman’s pride swells to outrageous levels by the invitations that he receives. His pride is expressed in an internalized rage toward Mordecai and irrational boasting to his friends and wife.

Haman, we see, is chronically, cancerously prideful. And here is where many of us can immediately find ourselves within this story – many of us having pride like Haman’s. Here are some ways that our pride manifests itself:

• A recurring pattern of hurt feelings at the hands of other people. When we don’t get the affirmation that we expect, or we receive criticism that we think we do not deserve, it causes a strong emotional reaction in us. We are fragile.
• A demand for honor or gratefulness from others. When we are constantly measuring and judging how thankful others are toward us.
• We are in conflict often, critiquing other things or pushing back on critique aimed at us.
• Being wrong is not an option. We can’t let go of our point and allow the other person in an argument to have the upper hand. This doesn’t mean that those who are humble never argue a point, but rather that they are able to recognize the truth when they are on the other side from it and admit defeat.

Haman, still in the throes of his pride, then tells his company about the banquet that he has been invited to. However, after all of the great things he has told them, he sours in an instant: “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.” Despite all of his prosperity, just this one thing is able to thwart his enjoyment of it.

Haman has the soul of a king. In his pride, he rules over everything he encounters, and he demands utter submission from his kingdom. Any lack thereof is a challenge to his sovereignty, making peace and enjoyment impossible. Such, again, is often the condition of our hearts. The Bible paints a colorful picture of our pride and God’s disposition towards it – see Proverbs 16:5,18, 32, and 1 Peter 5:6-7.

The chapter ends with Haman’s wife, Zaresh, enabling his pride. To deal with the irreverent Mordecai, she urges Haman to set up a tall pole and have the king impale Mordecai on it in the morning. Haman eagerly complies.

That night, the king, unable to sleep, has his attendants read him the records of his reign. He hears about how Mordecai had exposed the plot to assassinate him (see Esther 2:21-23), and realizes that he has never recognized Mordecai for his loyalty.

At this moment, Haman arrives at the king’s court intending to ask him to impale Mordecai in the morning. The king, thinking to recognize Mordecai, asks Haman, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?”

At this, Haman only thinks of himself, and he urges the king to elevate the man in question to a king-like level. The king, Haman says, should adorn this man in the king’s own robes, set him upon the king’s horse, and parade him through the city for all to see. The king excitedly sends Haman to do these things for Mordecai. After doing so, Haman hurries home in absolute dejection and humiliation.

Haman finds himself in this dejection and humiliation because of his own pride. It has taken him on a veritable rollercoaster of emotions: up to the honors of dining and drinking with the king, down to enragement at Mordecai’s unwillingness to tremble at even the sight of him, back up to the fleeting pleasures of boasting in his accomplishments, plotting to impale the lone challenger to his reign on a 75-foot pole, and seemingly dictating his own ceremony of honor to the king. Here the rollercoaster plummets to the depths as he is relegated to serving his adversary.

All of this is evidence. It shows us that Haman is clamoring and struggling to have what he lacks. He is clamoring after control, and validation, and worth. And we are very much like him. Though we may acquiesce to the idea that Jesus is sufficient for us, in our pride we often expose our real belief that He is not. At some point, we will likely find in ourselves the soul of a king.

But God offers two gifts to prideful Christians. He offers us the eyes to see our pride and the freedom to acknowledge it to ourselves, others, and God Himself. In Christ, we are free to associate ourselves with the guilt of our pride that makes the very atonement He has accomplished necessary.

And then, God offers us the freedom to turn from this pride. He beckons us to a new and better way of living, grafted into the perfect life of love and service lived by Jesus, and He sends the Holy Spirit to live inside us and enable us to live in humility. No longer are we slaves, gripped and oppressed by pride and other sins; we have died to this sin and been raised to eternal life. This world, where we used to clamor and scramble over others to build our own kingdoms, is revealed to be a surprisingly small and brief place.

-Brian Barbee

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

Look and See: Revelation 1:4-8, Psalm 66:1-5, Revelation 4:11
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: Ephesians 2:7-8, 1 Peter 2:9-10, Colossians 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 1:22
Worthy of It All: Psalm 51:16-17, Psalm 139:23-24, Amos 5:21-24, Psalm 19:12-14
God You Are My God: Zechariah 14:9, Isaiah 2:2, 1 Peter 1:18-20
Lamb of God: John 1:29, Hebrews 4:14-16, Romans 6:5-11
O God of Our Salvation: 1 Chronicles 16:29

Recap | Esther | The Crucible

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 17:42:00 +0000

As Esther 4 opens, Mordecai has just learned of the king’s edict for the destruction of the Jews. He immediately goes into mourning and begins fasting, weeping, and lamenting. Esther, still unaware of all that had occurred between Haman and the king, sends new clothes to Mordecai in hopes he will remove his sackcloth, but Mordecai refuses the clothes. Determined to learn what has happened, Esther sends a eunuch to inquire as to the cause of his mourning. Mordecai responds to Esther with copy of the written decree which called for the destruction of the Jews and commanded the young queen to beg for the king’s mercy on behalf of her people. Esther knows she risks her own life by entering the king’s presence without invitation, but Mordecai warns her that even she will not be able to hide behind her title and position to escape the same fate that awaits all her people. Esther submits to Mordecai’s command and tells her uncle to gather all the Jews found in Susa to fast on her behalf. She also promises to fast for three days and then go to plead with the king.

This account of Mordecai’s and the Jew’s lamentation draws obvious attention to their physical display of mourning. Yet, there is no mention of calling on God’s name for deliverance or reaching out to Him in prayer. God has warned His people not to lose themselves within the world of Babylon, but the Jewish people fell in love with the culture and an illusion of safety they constructed. Up to this point, Esther has kept her Jewish identity a secret from the king. But now, her attempt to create her own security unravels before her, and she is faced with a monumental task that could ultimately end her life. Yet, in the midst of the chaos created by Haman’s vengeance against the Jews, Esther also realizes her status as queen cannot override her status as a Jew. Mordecai reminds Esther that God can and will bring about deliverance, but it may not be what the people expect. Suddenly, Esther’s rise to become queen does not seem quite so random, as Mordecai suggests that perhaps it has been part of a greater plan. Ultimately, Esther accepts her fate and is willing to die if she must.

Obedience is not a requirement or a necessity for God’s sovereignty. The Lord will ultimately accomplish whatever it is that He wishes to accomplish, with or without our submission. But it is actually in our best interest to obey and to be caught up in His plan, because God doesn’t want us to be fulfilled; He wants us to be a sacrifice for others.

For us, some of the best decisions follow the hardest times in our lives when our dream collapses and our idolatry is exposed. It is in these moments that we, like Esther, realize that true safety cannot actually be accomplished, and anything earthly can fall apart at any moment. Once we can reorient ourselves to the reality that our lives and our stories are not actually our own, that as believers we have already died to ourselves, we can then be free to obey God, impact the world, and do hard things. (Romans 6:11)

As believers, we need to be obedient in the small areas of our life, as well as the big ones. We need to share what God has done for us to bring about our salvation. We need to be willing to sacrifice our time to serve others, to share the resources God has entrusted to us, and to be part of a cause that is bigger than ourselves. God wants to use us, but we are expendable. Jesus came to earth to be a consumable for us. Now, we are called to pour our lives as consumables to be a part of His redemption in the world.

Applications:

1. Your value comes in serving God. You must lay your life down for Him to acknowledge what you believe.
2. Comfort comes later, not now. We can take breaks after difficult seasons, but we are called to spend our lives working for His Kingdom and trusting that our comfort will come when we leave this world.

-Katie Gural

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

The Name: Psalm 135:13, Joshua 9:9
Worthy of It All: Psalm 51:16-17, Psalm 139:23-24, Amos 5:21-24, Psalm 19:12-14
Raised to Life: Romans 6:4-11, Micah 7:19, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Hope of the World: Romans 5:1-3; Ephesians 2:11-13; Psalm 33:20-22
The Greatness of Our God: Deuteronomy 32:1-3, Romans 8:38-39, Isaiah 40:26-31
Hallelujah What a Savior: Isaiah 53:3, Psalm 13:5, Isaiah 63:9

Recap | Esther | An Inadequate Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:00:00 +0000

In the final verses of the second chapter of Esther, Mordecai learns of a plot to kill the king and immediately alerts Esther of the danger. Esther in turn warns the king in Mordecai’s name, and when all is found to be true, Mordecai and Esther both rise in their standing with the king. Mordecai’s and Esther’s plan to work together from the inside to secure their future seems to be continuing flawlessly as they gain places of honor with the king and continue to maintain the secret of their Jewish identity.

However, as chapter 3 opens, tensions begin to mount. A man named Haman is promoted by King Xerxes above all other officials. Haman is an Agagite, descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Israel), and Amalek, whose descendants murdered the Jews as they journeyed to the Promised Land. God had instructed His people to put an end to the Amalekites in the past, but the Jews disobeyed and let the Amalekites live. Now, rather than the Amalekites receiving judgment for the evil they brought against the Jewish people in the past, they are still doing harm to God’s chosen people because they were never dealt with as the Lord commanded.

When Mordecai refuses to bow before Haman and reveals his Jewish identity, the Agagite is filled with anger. Discontent to harm only Mordecai himself, Haman devises a plan to destroy all of the Jews. After lots are cast to determine the day of his vengeance, Haman goes to King Xerxes and convinces him that the Jewish people are a threat to the kingdom and offers Xerxes a vast sum of money for the king’s treasury. The king, in turn, offers Haman his signet ring, authorizing him to act as he wishes with royal authority.

Mordecai and Esther began their plan with deep roots in the world and culture in which they lived. Rather than placing their trust in the one true God, they instead tried to create their own security in the world. But because the world is a hostile and unsafe place, their best intentions eventually crumbled beneath them and wreaked havoc on their world and their people. When Mordecai reveals his Jewish identity, he imperils the plan of God to bless all nations of the Earth by endangering the Jews.

The same reality that faced Mordecai and Esther faces us now as well. When we think things are going the way we want, we can’t let our guard down because this world is not a safe place. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us that the world is especially unsafe for Christians; therefore we cannot be flippant in the way we live our lives. Any plan or sense of security we try to piece together in this world can disappear in an instant.

Applications:

Do not put your hope in your ability to make the world work for you. The world cannot give us eternal salvation; it is bent and broken under the curse of sin just as we are.
Do not forget that this world is a dangerous place. It can be especially easy for us to place our trust and find our security in the world around us when things seem to be going our way. If we are not careful, we can easily attach our hearts and minds to our lives here. Yet, the reality is that if we truly follow Jesus, this world will be a hostile place for us.
Do not fear, because we serve a true king. King Xerxes is the most pitiful figure in this excerpt from Esther. All of his power, wealth, and strength has been squandered on a fool. Xerxes is a king that is willing to kill his people, oblivious to what God is doing, and interested only in his personal gain.

We now live with the knowledge that there is a king who is worthy of all of our trust and honor and hope. Jesus came not to kill, but to save, not oblivious to God’s plan, but submitting Himself to it fully, and not for His own personal gain, but to give up His own life for us. He is a king who is invested in His people, even to the point of His own death, and therefore our hope is secure in His promise, in His truth, and in His salvation.

-Katie Gural

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

Open Up Our Eyes: Psalm 118, Psalm 136, Exodus 14:13-14
Love Shines: 1 Corinthians 12:4-8, Matthew 27:45-46, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, 1 John 4:8-9
This I Believe : 1 Corinthians 15, John 3:16, Romans 1:16-17, Hebrews 1
Thank You: 1 Chronicles 29:13, Psalm 30:12, 1 Samuel 2:2, Psalm 31:16
We the Redeemed: Psalm 74:2, Revelation 5:9
Worthy of It All: Psalm 51:16-17, Psalm 139:23-24, Amos 5:21-24, Psalm 19:12-14

Recap | Esther | Esther's Emergence

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 13:57:00 +0000

This past weekend we were led through our second week of teaching in the book of Esther. The story of Esther is one that mirrors our own normal lives in terms of seeming randomness, logic, and complexity. What is helpful for us to recognize is that without directly acknowledging it in word, it is very clear to see how a sovereign God has His divine hand of authority on every little detail. What may at times seem frustrating is that we do not actually have any real control over our world. As much as we would like to be in the driver’s seat (and often we may think we are), God dictates even the smallest occurrence.

In chapter two of Esther’s story we get to see a staggering and unlikely meeting of unparalleled power and unsuspecting weakness. Following his abrupt and harsh dismissal of Queen Vashti, King Xerxes began a search for a new queen that would better suit him. Meanwhile, there was a man named Mordecai who was living amongst his fellow exiled Jews. He took in his niece as his own, adopting her after her parents had died. This girl’s name was Hadassah, but she also went by Esther. Esther, along with many other young women, was selected and taken captive to be in the King’s harem, awaiting his summoning. At this point, Esther had been exiled twice – from her homeland and now from even her family.

Even among a great number of other women Esther stood out. Her beauty and character drew much attention, and she was elevated for this. There is, however, a building tension. The passage mentions more than once that she kept her identity a secret. Her status as an exiled Jewish orphan was quickly being reversed. If things did not go well after being summoned by the king, she would actually be put into a third level of exile as a concubine in the king’s harem. Through God’s divine ordination, Esther wins the favor of Xerxes and is declared the queen.

God used Esther’s humble life in exile to bring about this great reversal. The original readers of the book were intended to see this. We are left with another reminder that Esther’s new status has created an even greater tension and rift between her two identities, which makes her elevated status even more remarkable. God has a track record of using weak and broken people to accomplish His will. His coming to earth as a man reflects the ultimate reversal: a story where the greatest becomes the least and uses the worst crime in human history to enact the greatest act of redemption. This is a story that only an all-knowing God with a perfect perspective could write. As we look on the improbable rise of fortune for Esther, it is important to recognize that no matter how weak or strong we are, nothing is truly within our grasp or as it seems. This is a challenging idea that we often acknowledge as true on a surface level but something we rarely allow to influence and shape our day to day.

If we really believe that God is sovereign and in control, what will that change about how we feel, think, spend time, respond, and act?

-Nate Emery

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

Recap | Esther | Sovereign

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 14:42:00 +0000

This week, Matt kicks off the new series in Esther by teaching through the first chapter of the book. Though Esther does not explicitly mention God, it contains powerful lessons about divine sovereignty. It presents a narrative that clearly displays the transcendence of God’s plan in the seeming randomness of human life.

Chapter 1 begins with an introduction to the Persian Empire, which ruled over the land of Israel during the time of Esther. Verses 1-9 display the opulence of the empire and the power of its king, Xerxes, by detailing the magnificent parties that he hosted. The king was clearly an incredibly powerful, influential, and wealthy ruler.

However, verses 10-12 provide a stark contrast to the power of the king. He summons his wife, Queen Vashti, to appear before the nobles of the court and to display her beauty. She refuses to come, and Xerxes is incensed. In a poignant display of irony, the ruler of the largest empire of the day cannot even exercise power over his own wife.

To solve this problem, Xerxes consults his advisers and seeks to coerce Vashti by legal means (1:13-18). The advisers sympathize with his problem and compound it by suggesting that Vashti’s rebellion against her husband will incite women across the empire to resent and resist the authority of their spouses.

In the face of this threat, the advisers suggest issuing a decree that would banish Vashti and depose her as queen. A new queen, “more worthy than she,” would be chosen from among the women of the empire (1:19). This decree was put into action, “proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases” (1:22).

This narrative highlights the randomness of human life. Often, the events around us, whether they be on a personal, family, or national scale, can seem very arbitrary and meaningless. Certainly, these events in the first chapter of Esther appear to have no real significance. However, Matt asserts that within the randomness of human existence, God exercises sovereignty over His creation. In the book of Esther, we see that a divine plan, often imperceptible and beyond our comprehension, overarches the mess of human life.

However, there is also a logical side to human life. We search for simple cause and effect relationships in everything and try to rationalize the events around us. For example, we can use science to understand patterns such as weather or sickness. However, Matt states that neither randomness nor logic can fully explain the complexity of human experience. For example, the crucifixion of Jesus may have seemed random to a disinterested passerby. To another, it may have seemed logical – Jesus was executed because He was a criminal. However, both of these perspectives fail to capture the reality of the situation: that God is working in a powerful and transcendent way.

In the face of this truth, Matt gives three ideas to consider as we read through Esther:

Our basic assumption has to be that God is working. We may not be able to see or understand His plan, but we should seek to see God’s work through prayer, meditation, reading of the Scriptures, and living in community.
We should pay attention when things around us don’t make sense. Our lives can read like a story, full of irony, randomness, and reversals. When things go wrong, if we lose a job, or go through a breakup, or are hurt by a friend, we should try to understand what God is teaching us rather than blaming others for adverse circumstances.
We are idolatrous of control. Our culture teaches us to control everything, whether our jobs, our children, our relationships, or anything else. If we want to live in obedience to God, we must abandon this idol, embrace the complex and unclear realities around us, and trust that God is moving. If we can trust Him with the eternal fate of our souls, we can trust Him with the future.

-- Alexander Batson

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***

Worship Songs from the Weekend

You Reign: Psalm 146 • Psalm 47:5-9 • 1 Chronicles 29:10-20

In Your Presence: Psalm 16:11 • Deuteronomy 31:6 • Romans 8:31-34

God With Us: Joshua 1:9 • John 1:14 (ESV) • Psalm 68:19-20 (ESV)

God of the Redeemed: Psalm 10:17-18 • Ephesians 1:4-6 • Romans 8:23 • Romans 9:4

Sovereign Over Us: Genesis 50:20, Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 8:28

Christ is Enough: 2 Corinthians 12:9, Matthew 16:21-27

Resources | Parallel Stories: Esther & Joseph

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

We all want to know and understand the Bible better, but when it comes to putting all the pieces together and making sense of the bigger story of Scripture, things can get complicated. How do we glean the meaning and message of a particular book? Is each book meant to be understood standing alone? Or are there ways that the different narratives of the Bible are interrelated, meant to bring meaning to one another and point to a larger story of what God is doing in the world? And what do you do with a story that doesn’t mention God at all?

As a church this fall we will study through the Book of Esther, which is one of only two books in the Bible (the other being the Song of Solomon) that never mentions God’s name. You can imagine that this apparent absence of God in this story can create difficulty for many Christians who try to read and make sense of this wonderful story. Yet, in spite of this unique challenge, we believe the story of Esther is inspired by God and can be immensely useful to teach us what is true, correct us where we are wrong, and equip us as believers (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

One of the ways that we can engage the truth within Esther is by reading it in light of what the Bible teaches in other places — letting Scripture interpret Scripture. Doing so helps us make sense of the Bible not as a series of independent stories, but as one unified, overarching narrative.

As a whole, the Esther story bears a striking resemblance to an earlier story in the history of Israel: the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). Esther is written in a way that at times alludes and points back to Joseph’s story. This is meant to shape our expectation as readers that God is in fact very much involved in the events, even if he is not directly mentioned. At the end of the Joseph story, God’s role was made explicit: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20). Given the similarities between the two stories, one might infer the role of God to be similar in the story of Esther, only implicitly rather than explicitly.

Below are just some of the parallels between the stories of Esther and Joseph.

Both are set in the court of a foreign, pagan king, in which the characters maintain some level of secrecy about their identity.
In both, there is a character who rises and experiences great favor with the king, but then suffers a sharp decline.
In both, the heroes overcome their misfortune, emerging to lead to the deliverance of their people.
In both, the turning point involves the king’s remembering an Israelite on a sleepless night.
In both, there is a royal banquet in which the invited guests (Joseph’s brothers; Haman) do not know the true identity of the host/hostess. These banquets serve as a crucial turning point in the deliverance of the Jewish people.
In both, the heroes are rewarded with some measure of royal power.

By following along with our Reading Plan this fall, you will have the opportunity to read through not only the Book of Esther but also the story of Joseph. Over time you will pick up a series of echoes from the Joseph story that will serve to frame the Esther story in a similar light. The distinction between the two stories helps show us that the same God who is present as deliverer through miracles, dreams, visions, and prophets is still present as deliverer in the absence of these things. The same God who has saved through signs and wonders also works through a subtle, sovereign, and providential control of history. Though on the surface He may appear to be absent and uninvolved, He is, in reality, providentially at work to accomplish His purposes and deliver His people for His glory and their good.

Kairos High School Impact | Learning to Bear Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Andy Golla is a senior at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. This past summer he interned at Grace Church through the Kairos High School summer program. Andy learned what it means to be a leader, the value of bearing weight and responsibility, and what it means to come under authority. Hear Andy's story in his own words!

What ministry area did you serve in and what were some of the projects you helped with during the summer?

Between Justin, Catherine, Tj, and Scofield, I ended up working a lot. My main role during my internship was research and development for Forge. I helped gather materials, identify problems, and brainstorm solutions. Because of this, I was involved in a lot of different projects. As a Pelham intern, I met every Thursday to find ways of improving our Forge program. Along with Sean Feign and Peter Jones, I helped coordinate a service project for our Widows-and-Single-Mothers ministry. I also volunteered in 24/7 and was an assistant leader on the Greenville Mission Trip.

In what ways did you grow over the course of your internship experience {whether spiritually, personally, or professionally}?

To me, the idea that you’re supposed to obey when you don’t want to obey, and respect those in authority over you when you don’t want to respect them, is not a foreign one. But it didn’t occur to me until recently how that actually works. Just telling myself, frankly, that I’m going to do this and respect him—that doesn’t really pan out. The key to authentic obedience and respect is to recognize the weight and responsibility that the person over you bears. If you can easily disregard that weight, or fail to recognize it, it is likely because you bear no real weight or responsibility of your own. So disobedience, I realized, is rooted in passivity. And I think I’ve gotten better at accepting my responsibility and trying to live as a leader, not just take on the role in certain situations. At least, I’m still working on it.

As a side note, I also received some practical help as to how to write an email. Apparently, they’re not like letters at all…

How did Kairos High School change your perspective towards ministry?

Everyone, to some extent, knows in their head that they’re supposed to be producers, not just consumers, in the church. It’s a Christian cliché, and like most clichés, after experiencing the real thing, it seems wholly inadequate. It’s not just that you have a responsibility towards the other people in your church who sacrifice of themselves to provide for you—that much is true. But more than that, you are the church. The local church isn’t an institution designed to funnel information into your head; it’s a living body, made up of uniquely gifted and burdened individuals who spend their own personal comfort and energy so that God, not themselves, may be glorified. Now, when I attend church, it’s not that I think differently. I feel different. The atmosphere feels different, the worship feels different, because I’m no longer just one part of the equation. I’m producer and consumer simultaneously, pouring out and being poured into.

How do you feel Kairos High School equipped you for your future?

Kairos equipped me to bear weight, even weight beyond what I think I can bear. Working with so many people on so many different projects over the summer, inevitably, some balls were dropped. In those situations I had the opportunity to really tangibly work through what it means, as a man, to step up and lead in a vacuum, as well as what it means when those things you took responsibility for start to develop complications and fall back on you. (And the responsibility on me was only a fraction of the responsibility that the leaders I served under bear every day…)

What was the most impactful takeaway from your internship experience?

The most impactful takeaway of my Kairos internship was definitely a growth in love and appreciation towards the local church. Serving under hard-working leaders, gathering a greater understanding of how the church actually works, and having personal responsibility towards it—I find the way I experience church has been completely reoriented. Scofield loves to talk about the value of coming under authority, how ultimately comforting it can be, and he’s absolutely right. When you come under the authority of the church and serve it to the best of your ability, you begin to understand the joy of humility, of allowing yourself to be directed by something or someone other than yourself.

What type of student would you encourage to do Kairos High School?

I would encourage any student who desires to acquire more responsibility and a better picture of how the church works to apply. However, I would caution any students interested in applying that High School Kairos is still a big commitment, not just of your time, but of your responsibility — if you intend on applying, be ready to follow through. That being said, Kairos is a wonderful opportunity that will challenge you to grow as a leader, a man or woman, and a believer. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it, and you’ll have a lot of fun along the way.

-Andy Golla

Kairos High School is an 8-week summer internship for rising junior and senior high school students. This internship is designed to introduce students to the core Kairos teachings, including Bible Study methods, leadership principles, theology of work, and the importance of the local church. By serving in the church, students also learn what it looks like to take ownership and responsibility in their work. The application process for next summer's Kairos High School will begin in early 2016. For more information, check out whatiskairos.org.

Personal Stories | Two Hearts, One Mission

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

When Randy and I were asked to write about adventure, we thought, “what could we possibly say about it to be of any help?” There was no grand plan in the beginning of our marriage to have “adventure” in our life. Like romance in our culture, which is mostly unrealistic, we could easily write about adventurous moments that might entertain and portray only the positive, but that is not the reality of our path. Our journey, because of risks taken and sorrows experienced, has taught us to cling toward each other and has given us direction to move forward.

"...it is clear to me that for Randy and I this exciting, challenging journey we have shared has been, and always will be, a mission that came from two hearts desiring to follow God by pursuing a relationship with Him and each other."

My adventure started with a look and a thought that Randy had the characteristics to be a good husband and father, and he had goals. These thoughts were about a young man whom I worked with that became my friend. Looking back, I realize that we did not have any idea about what we were beginning or what our life would entail. Even as I type these words, it is clear to me that for Randy and I this exciting, challenging journey we have shared has been, and always will be, a mission that came from two hearts desiring to follow God by pursuing a relationship with Him and each other. This simply has been our compass.

From our dating years, God brought together two very “Type A” individuals with significantly different backgrounds, homes, and spiritual lifestyles. Randy came from a broken home with a lot of instability in his younger years with little knowledge about Christ. I grew up in the “all-American” home where we ate dinner at 5:15pm every night, lived in the same house, and all my friends went to church with me. Despite these differences and all of the individual brokenness brought into our marriage, at the core of who we were as a couple was an idea of creating a life together fashioned around being on a mission for the Lord. Randy was committed to changing the broken patterns of his family’s legacy. Although I grew up in the “all-American” home, my own father did not come to know Christ until 57, and I wanted to improve on the loving home that I grew up in where commitment to each other was a given.

Little did I know at the time that this young man would eventually take me (the girl who had lived all her life in the same house) on an adventure that included ten different moves, ten different churches, and seven different states called home. Together we endured war, two plus years of separation and many absent holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. Despite these hardships, it was this sense of mission and our desire for each other that aided us, and along the way we learned more about ourselves. These were difficult years because I had the culture’s view of what a romantic life was supposed to be and had placed Randy on a pedestal that no human man should stand on. But the constantly changing environments that came with his career as a military pilot taught us about the fragility and brevity of life, and as a result, we learned more about what it meant to be one. True open communication became easier for us because we could not waste time, and a level of trust began to develop between a “spunky” woman and a very driven young man. These conversations, while many came with sparks, brought security and vulnerability. Even though those times were difficult and stressful, God took us to a place, and still does, where we can only finish if we hang on to Him for strength.

"Despite these hardships, it was this sense of mission and our desire for each other that aided us, and along the way we learned more about ourselves."

We have learned that sometimes we get to pick the adventure, and sometimes it picks us. Life has brought us on many adventures—the blessings of children, the hardship of raising a son with a non-verbal learning disorder, the task of creating an intentional environment for laughter and fun (sometimes created through “Forced Family Fun Nights”), learning to find contentment and joy in just sharing life together, and even pursuing a business venture together in owning two Chick-fil-A restaurants. Our adventure has included some bold moves that haven’t always made sense. But through it all, we are continuing to learn, listen and follow what God is leading us to do, and this has drawn us together even more. Sometimes clarity is not present and the path forward can be downright scary, but in the midst of our journey, God has used these opportunities to teach dependence upon Him and has galvanized our marriage in the process. God has been more graceful than we deserve and has deepened our love for one another on our adventure where we are becoming more of one than two in Christ.

-The Goffs

As part of our One series, we've asked several people to share some of their experiences and stories as it relates to each sermon topic and how it has played out in their marriage or in their life. We appreciate the Goffs taking the time to share some of the hardships and struggles they've overcome on their marriage adventure and how God has been at the center of it all. Has the One series prompted any questions you would like addressed? We'd love to answer some in a Q&A at the end of the series. Email questions to marriage@gracechurchsc.org.

Recap | One | Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 20:42:00 +0000

God’s design for all marriages is that they would be a grand adventure, working toward a shared purpose worthy of the entire lives of each spouse. The challenge for spouses is to discover what this will look like for their own marriage. What is the adventure that God is calling us to go on?

Somewhat ambitiously, we mean to seek God’s very will for our lives and our marriages. With no mountaintop to ascend to where we are assured of hearing the very voice of God, how are we to discern what He would have us devote ourselves to?

It’s complicated and requires some real work on our parts. Here are three perspectives to utilize in order to seek and eventually, by God’s grace, find what God would have us do with our marriages. We believe that these three perspectives are vital to truly identify God’s purpose for our marriages.

Common Calling

God’s purpose for our marriages will necessarily only be derived from the common calling that He has given to all of His people. The way that we work towards His calling is not so objective that it will look exactly the same for each marriage. But, His calling is not at all so subjective that the purpose of one marriage will be wildly different from another. For each marriage, the end of our efforts will be the same; the means by which we attempt to accomplish this end will likely be different.

In Genesis 1:27-28, God creates the first man in His own image and gives him purpose – He gives him an adventure. God’s design for man is for him to join with God in His purposes for the world — to work, lead, and govern the world around us; to create, produce, and be fruitful; and to exercise a dominion and authority that is derived from that of God over creation so as to make it flourish and ring with His praises.

And just as God is the Creator of the world, He is its Redeemer. Even in Genesis 3, redemption for the world at the hands of God is promised. Later, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gives His disciples the Great Commission. His charge for all of us is to join Him in His redemptive work in the world, to proclaim the Gospel before all men and teach them to live in a relationship with God under His lordship. God’s work in the world has not changed from the beginning — His work has always been redemptive — but it is now revealed in full to believers.

If we don’t tie the purpose of our lives to God’s purposes in the world as its Creator and Redeemer, then we cannot be on the right adventure. If His purposes do not inform our decisions each and everyday, then we can only miss the calling that He has for our lives.

Unique Individuality

While calling is common to all marriages, the uniqueness of each spouse and the way they mesh together is entirely different across marriages. The adventure that one marriage embarks on will never look the same as another.

Because we are all unique, our marriages will have unique strengths and weaknesses. The gifts that we have -- both spiritual and natural -- are different for everyone but allow us to be especially effective in certain areas. Some pursuits will seem right for us, and we will be able to accomplish more in these areas. Here, at this intersection of gifting and calling, God’s adventure for each marriage becomes clearer. Each adventure is unique according to the individuality of the people in it.

Season of Life

Responsibilities, challenges, and the nature of life in general vary dramatically across the many different seasons of life that we will find ourselves in. In addition to the common calling for all marriages and the individuality of each marriage, the season of life of the two people involved in a marriage is the final vital perspective by which we may discover the adventure God means us to be on.

Singles need not wait until marriage to begin figuring out the adventure that they and their potential marriages should be on. Even in youth, the time is ripe to begin engaging with the purposes of God in the world and to uncover and hone unique giftings. Alhough employing our gifts as singles to find out what it looks like be on adventure with God should not be done solely for the purpose of finding a spouse, many find that others like them are on the same journey.

Young married couples must guard against the temptation to make their adventure end with themselves. The danger for these couples is that unity is built upon themselves instead of the calling that they share. The beginnings of a marriage are a time to delight in your spouse and invest in your marriage, but it is important to create a culture of service and dream dreams that are worthy of your time and marriage.

In families with young children, spouses should aspire to replace themselves with better versions of themselves. What God intends to do in the world encompasses much more than just our own place and time; His work spans all generations, compelling us to work to lay out the purposes of God in the world as the foundation and priority of our lives. If our adventures end with our families, we will miss our calling and our families will suffer for it.

Later, the teen years are a season of reaping for spouses -- of both good and ill. In this season, spouses must continue to hold to the original purpose of their families, repenting of uncovered sin and forgiving each other.

With children gone from the home, empty nesters must recalibrate their lives and devote their (now freed-up) energies to serving others. After decades of work in the marketplace and home, empty nesters are able to use their wisdom to serve others.

Regardless of the season of life we find ourselves in, God’s calling for our lives remains the same. It’s about going on the adventure God has for us, in the season of life we find ourself in, with the unique gifts God has given us.

-Brian Barbee

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***
Worship Songs from the Weekend

The Name of Jesus Christ: Philippians 2:6-11, Isaiah 45:22-23
Kingdom Come: Matthew 6:7-13
All Creatures of Our God and King: Psalm 66:1, Psalm 148, Luke 19:40
Man of Sorrows: Isaiah 52, 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Dwell: Psalm 91:1, Isaiah 54:17
I Will Look Up: Psalm 57:7-11, Isaiah 26: 1-8, 2 Samuel 22:26-31

Kairos High School Impact | Learning from Your Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Lydia Fastzkie is a senior at Traveler's Rest High School. This past summer she interned at Grace Church through the Kairos High School summer program. Lydia learned a lot about herself, the importance of trusting the Lord, and gained a broader perspective on working in ministry. Hear Lydia's story in her own words!

What ministry area did you serve in and what were some of the projects you helped with during the summer?

I served in student ministry this summer. I helped plan events and run programs. I was also able to help on the Greenville mission trip. One of my favorite projects I was a part of was the 20Forgeseven Waterslide Extravaganza. At first it was super stressful but then once we (High School Kairos) hopped in full force to the project we had a blast. Although there were some stressful parts, we ultimately became closer because of working through the obstacles together. In the end, the event was a huge success!

In what ways did you grow over the course of your internship experience {whether spiritually, personally, or professionally}?

I learned so much during this internship I think I learned something in every aspect of my life whether it be spiritually, personally, or professionally. Spiritually and personally I learned to trust the Lord in more ways. The whole summer, God was trying to knock that into my head. He kept on showing me that things always work out as long as you are working for His glory and you are doing what He desires. This summer I was so worried I would disappoint the staff at the church (which was a pride thing for me) but every time I messed up they used it as a learning experience and made me feel like it was okay to mess up, it’s what you take away from your mistakes and how you learn.

How did Kairos High School change your perspective towards ministry?

I never realized how much work went into ministry. For example, when you plan events you aren’t just thinking about how to make it fun but the “why?” behind the event. When I say the why I mean you have to come up with an idea of why and how this will be beneficial to the ministry. I was able to use this thought process in planning an event for the Fusion students. In all of our student ministries we often have the problem that we seclude ourselves to only getting to know our small groups. So the Downtown interns and I decided we needed a “get to know you” game night for Fusion students. The “why”, in this situation, was finding the problem in our ministry and fixing it by creating something with that underlying message, and easing that message in throughout our time.

How do you feel Kairos High School equipped you for your future?

This summer equipped me so well for my future. I was constantly surrounded by people who spoke truth into my life daily. They impacted my faith tremendously. One of the people who impacted my faith so heavily was Rachel Pelz (she was a college intern). She did so by constantly hanging out with me and getting to know me. She was very intentional in that way and was able to teach me how to work and live in a way that brings glory to the Lord. One of the specific ways was she taught me how to stay positive rather than having a critical mindset. This summer I had a tendency to come to her and vent about things that could have gone better, and things that frustrated me. She always listened and talked me through it afterwards. Also some practical things I learned was to speak in front of others well, improve in my time management, and lead in a more humble way.

What was the most impactful takeaway from your internship experience?

I would say that the most impactful takeaway from my internship was increasing my understanding of how to use the strengths and talents God blessed me with, to benefit others. For example, I have a natural tendency to take charge as a leader, which can be both a blessing and a curse, at times. This summer my ministry leads and the Kairos teachings helped me figure out how to enhance that skill and essentially not become prideful in it. They taught me how to lead behind the scenes and to be a leader by allowing others to lead.

What type of student would you encourage to do Kairos High School?

The type of student who should do this is the student that wants to further their walk with Christ, wants to be challenged, and wants to have an amazing summer. If you even have a small desire to do this, sign up, you won't regret it!
-Lydia Fastzkie

Kairos High School is an 8-week summer internship for rising junior and senior high school students. This internship is designed to introduce students to the core Kairos teachings, including Bible Study methods, leadership principles, theology of work, and the importance of the local church. By serving in the church, students also learn what it looks like to take ownership and responsibility in their work. The application process for next summer's Kairos High School will begin in early 2016. For more information, check out whatiskairos.org.

Personal Stories | Rejoicing in the Differences

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

My husband and I met in student ministry when we were 12 years old and started dating when we were 16 and 17 years old. We had amazing marital counseling during our engagement and managed, by God’s grace and protection, to practice purity our entire dating relationship. By the time we were 22, we were celebrating our 1st anniversary and moving to the Midwest for new jobs. These things, coupled with the fact that we had known each other for almost 10 years, gave us both a false sense of security in our understanding of each other and what we thought it was going to take to maintain oneness. We had done everything right – surely God was going to reward us with life-long passion and intimacy that came naturally.

My female tank of newlywed sexual energy was, surprisingly and disappointingly, emptied quickly. We celebrated our 2nd anniversary in the hospital welcoming our first child. Ryan’s job was not as amazing as we thought it was going to be, my career was done since I became a stay at home mother years before I planned to, and after three moves in two years, we were broke and lonely. Life was not going according to our plan. Even in all of the stress and changes, Ryan still wanted to have sex. I viewed the path to sex as a linear equation; time plus talking equals great sex. Since we hadn’t yet learned to be intentional about making time to spend with each other, there were things missing from that equation for me. I didn’t feel like having sex, so I thought that meant I didn’t have to. Truthfully, I did not understand him at all, and I wondered if there was something wrong with me since I did not want to be physically intimate as much as he did. I began to despise that desire in him because I felt guilty.

"We had both been treating our marriage like it existed for us, and our selfishness was slowly killing our marriage."

We had arrogantly banked on our tenure as a couple giving us an advantage, believing we had put in so much groundwork in the beginning that our marriage could operate on auto-pilot. We couldn’t have put it into words at the time, but we were both completely discouraged with how difficult it was to maintain unity in our marriage. How was it possible that we were finally married and felt less intimate and unified than we were before we wed? Life was so hard already, we thought, our marriage should not be.

While we did have a solid foundation, any further development of our oneness was stalled out in a pit of selfishness and self-pity. We had both been treating our marriage like it existed for us, and our selfishness was slowly killing our marriage.

The truths that came out of the One series six years ago shed light on our sinful patterns and ways of thinking. The truths of Ephesians 5 were made new to us. The idea that as a man and a woman we can be radically different, yet equal in value, was life changing and freeing for me. Marriage is not about roles or self-fulfillment, expecting the other to pull their weight and meet in the middle. Marriage is about sacrifice, and we had failed to practice that kind of loving sacrifice in our marriage. Sacrificing and choosing others first is hard. It’s uncomfortable, and more often than not, I don’t always feel like being obedient to Christ and sacrificing. When it comes to practicing faith in Jesus, emotion is not a necessary predecessor for obedience; obedience is an action, not an emotion. The act of sex within a marriage, while there are many emotions tied to it, is just one of many avenues to create intimacy within a marriage. Sex is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. Instead of thinking we wanted different things – my husband sex, and myself connection – God showed us we actually want the same thing from our marriage: intimacy. We just go about moving towards it differently.

"Instead of thinking we wanted different things – my husband sex, and myself connection – God showed us we actually want the same thing from our marriage: intimacy."

Just like we cannot operate on auto-pilot in our marriage, our faith cannot operation on auto-pilot either. If we want a thriving spiritual life that grows in dependency on the Lord, we must make time for Him, listen to Him, and talk to Him daily. Following Jesus takes hard work, and a vibrant, life-giving marriage takes hard work too. God showed us that marriage is not about us at all. It is an opportunity for Christ to show the love He has for His people. It is a reflection of the unity and intimacy of the trinity. It is a glimpse of the beauty and perfection that awaits us as participants in God’s kingdom.

We have to work hard for the marriage God wants for us. The fact that we want a marriage God wants, instead of a marriage for ourselves, is a testament to the change that the Holy Spirit has wrought in our lives. Armed with faith in what God will do in our marriage and the understanding of how He made us different but equal, image bearers of Himself, we can rejoice in the differences instead of allow them to separate us. The differences are actually what make our union so beautiful and exciting, and we now allow those differences to connect us instead of divide us.

-The Burns

As part of our One series, we've asked several people to share some of their experiences and stories as it relates to each sermon topic and how it has played out in their marriage or in their life. We appreciate the Burns taking time to share their struggles with maintaining intimacy and oneness. Has the One series prompted any questions you would like addressed? We'd love to answer some in a Q&A at the end of the series. Email questions to marriage@gracechurchsc.org.

Recap | One | Intimacy

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 21:03:00 +0000

As an essential aspect of oneness, marital intimacy tends to be emblematic of the overall health of a marriage. Sadly, this area is most often marked by brokenness and bitterness instead of the power and enjoyment that God means it for. If we are to experience marital oneness, we must recover the Biblical vision of marital intimacy and work to restore it in our marriages.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul very succinctly lays out God’s design and boundary for sexual intimacy and direction to spouses for how to engage in it. God’s intention for those who marry is that “each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband” (1 Corinthians 7:2) – that spouses should mutually submit to and give themselves to each other. The boundary for sexual intimacy is a marriage relationship; this level of intimacy is not to be known outside of marriage, but it is to be known plentifully within it.

Spouses actually give up their rights to independence when entering a marriage. God directs both husbands and wives to fulfill each other’s distinct needs and to give up authority of their bodies to each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-4). God doesn’t just forbid sexual intimacy outside of marriage here, He wholeheartedly urges it within marriage.

Interestingly, all of this is actually a concession (1 Corinthians 7:6-7). Paul says that he would rather the Corinthians be single! But, if that cannot be the case due to the rampant sexual immorality in Corinth, well, he concedes that they should marry and have their sexual needs fulfilled in this relationship only. In all truth, singleness is ideal according to Scripture because it allows Christians to devote much more of their energy to building and serving the Church.

There are eight points on intimacy that are either derived from or are tangential to 1 Corinthians 7. The intent behind these points is to put married couples in a position where they are able to work through the idea of marital intimacy—and all of the issues that come with it—for themselves and for their marriage.

First, intimacy is the pursuit, as opposed to merely sexual expression. Though a vital one, sex is only one component of marital intimacy. To pursue a sexless intimacy would limit and undermine the bond that is created. And to pursue a purely carnal sexual relationship would be nothing more than a domesticated form of porn that leaves both parties empty in the end.

Second, sex is a good thing, and it is okay to embrace it as such. For many, believing this is remarkably difficult due to background. For those from a very religious background, sex itself may have been shamed and condemned as evil in an attempt to keep one from sexual sin. The reality is that sex is not wrong at all as long as it is within marriage. Conversely, the internal guilt and shame of having engaged in sexual sin in the past may resurface when becoming intimate within marriage. Fundamentally, some of us may actually believe that we are tolerating something less than good in sex.

Third, sex is powerful. While greatly oversold outside of marriage as a seemingly infinite fount of enjoyment, it is undersold within marriage, often delayed due to the great number of distractions of life and marriage.

Fourth, sex is broken. Sexuality is intensely connected to identity, meaning that sexual sin leaves us with wounds that are profoundly deep and scarring. Sexual sin has become an all-too-accessible tool that we seek to deal with the brokenness of our hearts at any given moment, and it leaves us dried up and worn out.

Fifth, sex is different for men and women. The uniqueness of each gender, when not handled well, can cause spouses to despise each other over how they view sex. One thinks sex is a means to an end, and one thinks it is that end. Who is right? Well, it’s complicated—both men and women are right in some senses. There is something profound missing from a marriage when sex is viewed as too important or not important enough.

Sixth, “do not deprive one another.” This is God’s command concerning intimacy in marriage, and both men and women fail to obey it in different ways. Husbands deprive their wives by not pursuing them, often due to hurt feelings or perhaps channeling and bleeding off his energy for pursuit somewhere else instead. Wives, in turn, deprive their husbands by not being open to being pursued.

Often the question that follows is this: Does that mean that a woman can’t ever say no to sex? This is actually the wrong question and can reveal deeper issues in the relationship. For the wife to think she can say no at any time for any reason is not Biblical, just as it is not Biblical for a husband to think he is entitled to sex at any time for any reason. The question for us is not about holding onto rights; the clear truth of Scripture is that both spouses give up their rights to do what they want for themselves when they enter into marriage.

Seventh, the goal for men in marriage is to be the sexual leader of the home. Husbands must lead in having conversations about sex, initiating and moving toward their wives, knowing and studying their wives, and helping to free their wives from other responsibilities and burdens.

Eighth, for women, how do you manage the autonomy you have versus your responsibility to serve and lend strength to your husband? Do you look down on your husband because your version of intimacy is more docile or seemingly spiritual than his? Is sex, as a part of your marriage, too low of a priority?

Intimacy is an area of marriage that is fraught with bitterness, wounds, and great hardness of heart. However, Jesus has died to establish peace between God and us, and also between husbands and wives. However great the divide that exists in a given marriage, Jesus’s death and resurrection means that it has been overcome. Peace is possible if husband and wife would only move toward each other in love and sacrifice.

-Brian Barbee

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***
Worship Songs from the Weekend

Found: Philippians 3:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:43

Whole Again: John 6:53-54, Mark 14:24, Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7

Only The Blood: John 6:53-54, Mark 14:24, Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7

Holy Is The One: Philippians 2:7-11, Isaiah 6:3

This I Believe: 1 Corinthians 15, John 3:16, Romans 1:16-17, Hebrews 1

Look And See: Revelation 1:4-8, Psalm 66:1-5, Revelation 4:11

Personal Stories | A Guy's Guide to Being Single

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

God has been faithful and will continue to be faithful through every season of life. I am currently single in all senses of the word (from a tax payer’s standpoint and a dating standpoint), and although I do have the desire to one day be married, I have been taught by God that He will provide everything that I need today. As you can imagine, being single has its times of loneliness. As I see many of my friends having serious relationships or getting married, it makes me wish that I could experience the same thing. As human beings we are wired for intimacy and to be known and loved by another. This is a very good thing that God has put inside of us all.

"I have spoken with enough married men to know that being intentional with my time now in regard to leadership, purity, accountability, and community will be very beneficial for marriage in the future."

I know during this season of life God has called me to continue to move forward in my walk with Him in order to become the man that He has called me to be. I have spoken with enough married men to know that being intentional with my time now in regard to leadership, purity, accountability, and community will be very beneficial for marriage in the future. I have seen growth in each of these areas, especially over these past two years since graduating from college.

Leadership in a spiritual context has been an area where I have felt intimidated because I often feel that I need to be further along in my walk with God in order to lead anybody else spiritually. I grew up in church and always knew conceptually that Jesus has given me the command as His disciple to make disciples (Matthew 28). I hadn’t tangibly experienced this until recently when I got plugged into our Forge high school ministry and am now leading a group of high school seniors. God has taught me so much in regard to dependence on Him and reminding me that true change comes only from the power of Christ. He shows His grace to us by choosing us to be a part of that journey with others. In respect to dating and marriage, this is a huge step forward because I want to be able to lead spiritually as well as continue to make disciples as Christ has called us to.

Purity has been one of the clearest ways I can see God’s sanctifying work in this season of singleness. At a relatively early age I came across pornography, and what was once a curiosity, over time progressed into hidden sin and enslavement. Many of you reading now can attest to the feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation this brings. By God’s grace I have been set free from this habitual sin. Practically speaking this has come about through opening my life to other guys who will keep me accountable (*shameless plug for Covenant Eyes software), going through books and sermons such as Finally Free and Men’s Roundtable studies, and ultimately being spiritually nourished by God and His word. I have spoken with countless men who assure me that if I am dealing with sexual sin before marriage that becoming married will not solve the issue.

"Even though I am moving forward and growing in these areas, God has also taught me during this time that marriage is not the end goal for me and will not be a sustaining force to keep me progressing."

Even though I am moving forward and growing in these areas, God has also taught me during this time that marriage is not the end goal for me and will not be a sustaining force to keep me progressing. Jesus uses the language of marriage when speaking about the church (God’s people) and Himself saying that we will experience complete relationship with Him in heaven. Marriage here on earth will be great, and it is definitely a good thing to work towards, but the end goal for me must be God Himself and growing closer to Him.

For those who are worried about their singleness, let us remember what Jesus says about our lives in Matthew 6:25-34 — to not worry about our lives, to remember who provides for us, and to seek Him and His righteousness above all.

-David Garrigan

As part of our One series, we've asked several people to share some of their experiences and stories as it relates to each sermon topic and how it has played out in their marriage or in their life. We appreciate David taking time to share how God is currently teaching him and how he is growing in this season of singleness. Has the One series prompted any questions you would like addressed? We'd love to answer some in a Q&A at the end of the series. Email questions to marriage@gracechurchsc.org.

Personal Stories | Finding Joy in Singleness

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:00:00 +0000

I graduated from Clemson University just a few short years ago. Since then, I have attended upwards of thirty weddings—having the honor to stand with six of my best friends as bridesmaid. My life is not quite the story of 27 dresses just yet, but I can surely catch a bouquet on auto-pilot. I have met a lot of single, Christian girls through this season of showers, bachelorette parties, and rehearsal dinners, and under the bright smiles and tears of joy, I often find just a hint of bitterness. It has become the culture of Christian singles to ask, "Why is it not me up there? Why don't I get to be happy, too?" And, a few weddings in, just off of a breakup with someone I thought I might marry, I found myself there. I found myself unable to stand in true joy at the front of the Church with friends making beautiful vows to one another.

That's when I knew this was a heart issue. I was not able to "Rejoice with those who rejoice" as Romans 12:15 commands. I had to get my joy in this season back. Let me stop here for a second to explain something: The desire for marriage is one that I believe is from God. Marriage is His design and a beautiful expression of how much He cares for us. I think Piper says it best:

“The most foundational thing to see from the Bible about marriage is that it is God’s doing. And the ultimate thing to see from the Bible about marriage is that it is for God’s glory...Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God.”

So, I do not think this deep desire in myself is wrong, but I do think that I had twisted a God-given desire into a selfish one. I had made something intended to show the honor and glory of God into one that allowed me to glorify myself—seeking after butterflies and flattery and someone to validate my existence. No man can hold up to the weight of fulfilling a relationship that only God can make complete.

"Instead of finding verses where God gave His people what they want when they wanted it, I found a lot more passages where He made them wait."

The day I realized that I was looking for a man to be God for me was paramount. My entire outlook changed. I had been so angry at God for giving me this desire and not fulfilling it. And I searched the Scriptures to support my anger. Instead of finding verses where God gave His people what they want when they wanted it, I found a lot more passages where He made them wait. I found stories like Abram and Sarai who waited decades to have a child (Genesis 21), stories like Moses who wandered and wandered in the desert (Numbers 13-20), and stories like that of Hannah who only got to hold God's gift in her arms for 3 short years. (1 Samuel 1-2).

This broke down my anger pretty quickly. If these people, who earnestly sought the Lord, still had to wait on God, then who am I to complain about having to wait a few years or a couple of decades if He wills? My outlook changed completely, and I knew I couldn't sit there stewing any longer. Instead of twittling my thumbs, I decided to start serving in the Church—Christ's bride.

When I first started volunteering at Forge, I was honestly just looking to fill my time. Little did I know the unspeakable joy that would come from the last couple of years. I have made life-long friends, had hard conversations, seen my students "get it," acted ridiculous in front of large groups of people, and ultimately, I have seen God change me. My outlook on this season of life now is one of joy and thankfulness. For every walk with a girlfriend (and our pups!), for every late-night conversation, for every spontaneous moment, I am truly, truly THANKFUL. This season offers me so much flexibility to serve the Lord in whatever way He tells me to, without the burden of all that much responsibility. I think if all of us singles saw it that way, our churches might be much better served.

"I may still be in the wait for this particular season to turn, but what a beautiful wait it is."

This is not a fairytale story where I tell you I met someone last week—I can't tell you how many times I've been told I'll meet "the one" as soon as I stop looking for him. But now I can walk in the knowledge that I already know "the One," and I get to meet with Him in prayer and petition constantly. I may still be in the wait for this particular season to turn, but what a beautiful wait it is.

-Liz Wall

As part of our One series, we've asked several people to share some of their experiences and stories as it relates to each sermon topic and how it has played out in their marriage or in their life. We appreciate Liz taking time to share what she is learning and how God is using her in a season of singleness. Has the One series prompted any questions you would like addressed? We'd love to answer some in a Q&A at the end of the series. Email questions to marriage@gracechurchsc.org.

Recap | One | Singleness

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 20:44:00 +0000

To a similar degree as the truth about marriage, the truth about singleness has become tangled and twisted for Christians today. The Church has become alarmingly prone to borrowing its view of singleness from the surrounding world, and the distinctions between dating and marriage have become blurred, if not altogether lost. If we are to escape this confusion and live out God-honoring singleness, we must be directed by Biblical truth about marriage and the wisdom offered by those who have gone before us.

To get to the truth about singleness, we’ll examine it using each of other five teaching topics in the One series: Oneness, Uniqueness, Redemption, Intimacy, and Adventure.

Oneness

Right from the beginning, we can begin to draw lines between a marriage and dating relationships between singles. In a marriage, a man and a woman become one in the eyes of God and then live out that oneness in tangible ways. In a dating relationship, oneness cannot be a goal because it does not reflect the ultimate reality of this relationship.

Neither is intimacy the goal of a dating relationship. All varieties of intimacy are merely a reflection of the oneness that is meant to exist in a marriage relationship, making intimacy a goal exclusive to marriage. A deep, abiding, and heartfelt attachment is not meant to be found outside of marriage.

What is the goal of a dating relationship, then? It is to inform and direct two singles toward a potential marriage relationship. Dating allows for two singles to explore each other and examine the person in front of them. Who are they really once you are able to get up close to them? The answer to this kind of question should become clear for each person after time in a dating relationship.

Uniqueness

In addition to the ideas of gender identity and (to a degree) marital role, uniqueness in personalities is also at play in a dating relationship. Sometimes even unconsciously, we are drawn to another person because of personality traits. Whether they are similar or complementary to us — there is no universal formula here — we are drawn to that person because of aspects of their personality that we may not even understand. This lack of awareness is just one more reason for singles to find married couples to help process what they are feeling and thinking.

In fact, community of all kinds is vital to singleness. Singles at all stages of life will benefit from platonic, unvarnished friendships with members of the opposite sex. Singles in a dating relationship should make it a point to have a number of mutual friendships and to allow these friends access to their relationship. Mentors can provide perspective and guide singles through the long process that is dating.

Redemption

Amid the thrill of discovery, a dating relationship is bound to be fraught with imperfection. As two people move closer and closer toward each other, they will invariably hurt each other, intentionally or not, and forgiveness will be required to continue the relationship. A relationship will not flourish and move toward marriage in a healthy way unless the two in it have a robust grasp of the redemption of the Gospel.

As a single, are you able to grant forgiveness to the people around you now? Do you understand that the Gospel frees you and compels you to forgive others (see Ephesians 4:31-32)? Being able to do so today, where you are, in small ways, will help to prepare you for the days of marriage when forgiveness and grace will need to be given in abundance.

Intimacy

As an aspect of oneness, true and complete intimacy of all types is appropriate only in marriage. In a dating relationship, intimacy is bound to increase over time as two people grow towards each other. The challenge for singles, then, is to manage this intimacy and ensure that it is at an appropriate level and pace of growth for the relationship. As intimacy grows, objectivity inevitably lessens as the two people become more and more emotionally connected, as illustrated in the chart below.

With this being the case, singles only really have a short window of time to make a truly objective decision about the person they are in relationship with. Not only is managing intimacy tremendously important to a wise decision about marriage, but it is necessary if singles are going to avoid defrauding each other in idolatry of relationship or sexual sin.

Adventure

While it is tempting to look for formulas promising success in dating and marriage, they cannot deliver in the way we would want. We are unable to distill and control these relationships for ourselves because God has intended them to be adventures. Along the way, there will be much distress, uncertainty, pain even, but in the end we will look back and see that God has led us on an adventure that is found in, and points toward, the grand narrative of His work in the world.

For singles, the adventure consists of figuring out who you really are, what you do well, and what you care about and are passionate about. It is a time of self-discovery and finding your purpose in the world in the greater purposes of God.

Along the way, as we run after this, there is a possibility that we will look over and see someone else running in the same direction. There is also a possibility that we won’t ever find that. Regardless of which gift is given to us — the gift of marriage or the gift of singleness — we are able to find hope in the fact that we will not find ourselves alone in the end.

Application

1. Do you have deep, sustaining, non-romantic relationships with members of the opposite sex?
2. Ask yourself: Do I meet my deepest needs for intimacy with God, or am I expecting the person I date/marry to do that?
3. Does God look great in the way you live as a single person and the way you date?
4. For singles: Who are the married people that you spend time with? For married people: Who are the singles that you spend time with?

-Brian Barbee

To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.

***
Worship Songs from the Weekend

Love Shines: 1 Corinthians 12:4-8, Matthew 27:45-46, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, 1 John 4:8-9
Hope of the World: Romans 5:1-3, Ephesians 2:11-13, Psalm 33:20-22
Be Thou My Vision: Deuteronomy 4:28-29
Seas of Crimson: Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 26:28, Revelation 12:11
Give Me Faith: Psalm 73:25-26
The Greatness of Our God: Deuteronomy 32:1-3, Romans 8:38-39, Isaiah 40:26-31

Resources | Singleness & Dating

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 21:00:00 +0000

As we continue in the One series and explore the topic of singleness, we wanted to pull together some additional resources for both adults and students that we've produced in the past to further equip our church body.

Below are some past sermons and articles surrounding the ideas of dating, sexuality, and sexual integrity from past sermon series and from our Forge high school student ministry.

Adults

Sermons

Theology of Sex — Dating: Managing Intimacy & Sex
Theology of Sex — Parenting: Training & Sexuality
Theology of Sex — Sexual Integrity Defined
Theology of Sex — Healing from Sexual Sin
Ruth 3
1 Corinthians 7 — Live Where You Are
1 Corinthians 7 — A Single Purpose

Articles

Practical Principles for Dating
Parenting — Training in Sexuality
Parenting — Student's Top Questions & Challenges Regarding Sex
Parenting — Sexual Integrity

Students

Sermons

Forge — Sexuality & Holiness
Forge — Sexual Integrity, Lust, & Modesty
Forge — Marriage & Dating
Forge — Homosexuality & Same Sex Attraction
Forge — Healing & Freedom

Articles

Godly Dating
Sexual Integrity FAQ
Dating FAQ
Healing & Freedom FAQ

Meet the Interns | Cultor House 2015-2016 | Take Two

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Each year from August to May, Grace Church offers an internship called Cultor House. The internship provides recent college graduates with the opportunity to learn and work in the ministry structure, while also gaining experience in another part-time job. Interns also receive teaching and instruction from Grace pastors and staff. This year we have six Cultor House interns who have just graduated from college. Click here to read more about three of our interns. Keep reading to learn more about the remaining three.
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Julia Cline

Where are you from?
Arlington, VA

What was your major?
History

What school did you graduate from?
Furman University

How did you find out about Cultor House?
I found out about the Cultor House while I was pursuing work with Mill Village Farms.

What are you going to be doing at Grace through Cultor House?
I am working at Mill Village Farms.

What's the best book you've read in the last two years?
A Voice in the Wind

What's one interesting or weird fact about you?
People tell me I should be a silent movie actress because I make a lot of different facial expressions.

If you had to describe yourself in hashtags, what would they say?
#isneezealot #tinyandawesome #freshisbest

What's one thing you hope to learn, experience, or gain through Cultor House?
I'm excited to learn about my strengths and get experience working, while having support and community surrounding me.
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Stephen Owen

Where are you from?
Charlottesville, VA

What was your major?
Nutrition and Dietetics

What school did you graduate from?
Clemson University

How did you find out about Cultor House?
Drew Dodds spoke to me about the program and all the great things that he had and was learning.

What are you going to be doing at Grace through Cultor House?
I am working with the CE department and tackling the tasks that I am given.

Where else will you be working?
Regency Hospice

What's the best book/movie you've read in the last two years?
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

What's one interesting or weird fact about you?
Only 10 percent of the population has foot arches that are as high as mine.

What's your dream job?
Emergency Room Physician

If you had to describe yourself in hashtags, what would they say?
#spiritualgiftisnothashtagging

What's one thing you hope to learn, experience, or gain through Cultor House?
The reason that I applied for and am doing Cultor House is to spend a year understanding the Lord and His truths, as well as learning from the leadership. What I hope to gain from Cultor House is a strong insight into life from the leadership of Grace Church.
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Preston Bailey

Where are you from?
Greenville, SC

What was your major?
Communication Studies

What school did you graduate from?
Clemson University

How did you find out about Cultor House?
I have a few friends at Clemson who have gone to Grace and have done Kairos, and they got me connected to Grace this spring.

What are you going to be doing at Grace through Cultor House?
I'll be working with Josh Murphy as a Video Intern.

Where else will you be working?
I'll also be working with Grace Facilities.

What's the best book you've read in the last two years?
The Reason for God - Tim Keller

What's one interesting or weird fact about you?
I know how to ride a unicycle.

What's your dream job?
It would be awesome to be a photographer for National Geographic and travel the world.

If you had to describe yourself in hashtags, what would they say?
#SolidOrange

What's one thing you hope to learn, experience, or gain through Cultor House?
I'm hoping to gain a better understanding of how the church operates and how videography can play a part in that ministry.

For more information on our Cultor House Program, visit www.whatiskairos.org.

Personal Stories | Grace in the Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:00:00 +0000

It had been one of those days. You know the one…the house is a wreck, the kids aren’t getting along, you haven’t showered or even finished the half bagel you started to eat at breakfast. And then you look at the time and realize it’s nearly 5:00pm and dinner hasn’t even crossed your mind. I was having one of those days and feeling the weight of all of my shortcomings as a parent, as a homemaker, and as a wife. When David walked in the door, looking for dinner and a pleasant greeting, all I had to offer were pancakes and a bucketful of tears. And in that moment, he extended me grace for all the ways I was “failing”. Dropping his briefcase and changing his clothes quickly, he called out to the girls to get outside – it was time for a game of kickball! On his way out the door, he smiled at me. That look, the grace he gave me, is a summary of the thousands of tiny moments of redemption in our marriage – an active extension of grace in the moment.

"That look, the grace he gave me, is a summary of the thousands of tiny moments of redemption in our marriage – an active extension of grace in the moment."

When I considered writing this, I really wondered what the Lord would want us to share from our marriage. Thankfully, as a married couple, we have not had any insurmountable conflicts between us. David usually wears blinders to my faults and imperfections, and when we do clash, I am comforted by the fact that 28 years ago, David chose me.

When our home is not the haven of calm, order, and refreshment David thinks it should be, he offers me grace and adjusts his expectations. And when he shows me less emotional sensitivity than I thought was needed, I adjust my expectations.

We were friends in high school, dated 7, have been married 28 years, and have produced 5 children and 1 grandchild (and another grandbaby on the way!). Often it feels like we’ve always been together.

While we were dating, I would quit after every conflict, giving up on us. He, instead, would run towards me, with an unfailing commitment to our relationship. During our early years of marriage, we slipped into worse habits – he avoided dealing with the aftermath of a conflict, while I sulked for days. I often talked myself through a conflict by reminding myself that he chose me; he loves me. But reconciliation was more often a burial of the issue than a meeting of the minds to sort through what happened.

After years of poorly resolving conflicts, we have finally come to a better place. We have learned to run individually to the Lord and then meet together to resolve the conflict. It seems that more than a big event in our marriage that needed redeeming, we have a marriage of small redemptions occurring often as we extend grace in the moment. Neither of us is perfect, of course, but we know that about each other, so when conflict arises and we exchange harsh words or silence, the episode is bathed afterwards in grace that takes off the prickly edges of poorly chosen words or bad timing. We each react at times with unrestrained emotions, however we try to dissect the issue with each other’s perspective in mind. And then, as we let the Lord work on us individually, He has a way of prompting a softened heart in the offended one and giving the offender insight into the other’s pain. David knows that I am always for him, so when he has needed to apologize, he never fears an “I told you so” or “It’s about time”. And because I know that he chose me 28 years ago and loves me, I am able to forgive more easily.

"Neither of us is perfect, of course, but we know that about each other, so when conflict arises and we exchange harsh words or silence, the episode is bathed afterwards in grace that takes off the prickly edges of poorly chosen words or bad timing."

Now in recent years of our marriage, events outside of our marriage have affected us individually: children going to college, marriages of children, deaths of parents and friends, to name a few. And although we know that none of these events are unique to our marriage, they are potentially areas of conflict. I think that these are the times that our past conflicts have trained us well. We allow each other to show emotions and/or to withdraw for a time. But even in those times, we often “check in” with each other in regard to our marriage. A simple question, “How are we doing?,” or a statement, “I know it might not look like it, but I still feel close to you,” are often just the words we need to hear from one another.

The Ezer Biblical Femininity study used this verse describing Jesus’ response to accusers, and it holds me in line and directs my prayers to Him who is sovereign over every dispute and blessing.

1 Peter 2:23

When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate;

when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself

to Him who judges justly.

Grace in the moment, which is freely given to us, to then give freely to others, is the redemption that we continually need in our marriage.

-Karen and David Swoap

As part of our One series, we've asked several people to share some of their experiences and stories as it relates to each sermon topic and how it has played out in their marriage or in their life. We appreciate the Swoaps taking time to share how they've experienced redemption in their marriage and the grace that they extend to one another on a continual basis. Has the One series prompted any questions you would like addressed? We'd love to answer some in a Q&A at the end of the series. Email questions to marriage@gracechurchsc.org.

Recap | One | Redemption

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:25:00 +0000

This weekend, Chris Curtis taught on redemption in marriage from Ephesians 5:31-33. In this passage, Paul explains that marriage is not about us but about illustrating the relationship between God and His people.
Marriage is not characterized by emotion or duty, as our culture teaches, but by loyal, steadfast, committed love, just as God has for us. Both romance and duty fail to provide solid foundations for marriage because they entail a commitment to something besides the other person. The only true foundation for oneness in marriage is a loyal, unfailing commitment to the other person, as exemplified by God’s love for His people.
In Ephesians 5:32, Paul makes a statement that infuses marriage with spiritual meaning. He says, “This [marriage] is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.” Marriage is primarily a tool to illustrate the Gospel. We forget this too often. We like to make our marriages about happiness – whether for ourselves, for our spouses, or for both. However, all of these models fall short, because they focus our marriages on human happiness. This may work for a while, but it will fail in the long run, because our marriages aren’t designed to hold up under the weight of those expectations.
It is clear that marriage is primarily a picture of God’s love for His people. But how do we move past this spiritual statement to practical application? Chris provided two questions to shape our thinking and help us make our marriages about God, not ourselves:
What if God designed our marriages to make us holy rather than happy?
Marriage is the closest, most invasive relationship possible. It is exposing and difficult, and it is impossible to escape. It confronts our selfishness and points out the darkest parts of our souls. In some ways, our spouse is a mirror that is designed to reveal the most sinful and selfish parts of us. In marriage, God uses all of these things to show us our sinfulness and our need for Him. This may not always make us happy, but it sanctifies us and makes us holy (Ephesians. 5:25-27).
What if God designed marriage to be our teacher?
Marriage is designed to teach us about the Gospel. Chris listed four redemptive themes that are brought out in marriage:
1) Grace – Marriage shows us our need for grace. We must confront the fact that we are more sinful than we can imagine, and we need grace both from God and from our spouses. 2) Repentance – In marriage, we will sin against our spouses often. When this happens, we must admit, confess, and turn from our sin, just as we must do with God. 3) Forgiveness – When our spouses do sin against us, we must forgive them, just as Christ has forgiven us. When we receive forgiveness in marriage, it reminds us of Jesus’ love for us. 4) Self-Sacrifice – Just as Jesus died for us, we must die to ourselves in marriage, whether in service to our spouses or in self-denying forgiveness that absorbs the pain the sin caused.
Finally, Chris presented five relationship phases to be used in analyzing our marriages:
1) Infatuation – This is the beginning stage, which is characterized by high emotions and uncritical adoration of the other person. 2) Distraction – As the marriage progresses, energy is diverted from the spouse to other things. Distractions can come from kids, increased career expectations, home ownership, or other responsibilities. 3) Apathy – As these distractions draw us from each other, we become tired and escape into hobbies, friends, or work. Love for our spouses fade, and we begin to merely co-exist. 4) Special Circumstance/Event – This may be the death of a parent, an illness, loss of a job, sickness of a child, etc. that changes the dynamic of the marriage in some way. 5) Crisis – As apathy is compounded by a difficult event, we begin to flee the marriage to something or someone else.
We can use these stages as a diagnostic for our marriages and consider how to apply the Gospel to our unique situation. Redemption does not come to marriages overnight, but it is a process requiring work, perseverance, community, and committed love. Hopefully, in the redemption of our marriages, God will illustrate His loving and faithful relationship with His people.
-Alexander Batson
To listen to, view, or download this sermon, visit our website here.
***
Worship Songs from the Weekend
You Reign: Psalm 146, Psalm 47:5-9, 1 Chronicles 29:10-20 Lamb of God: John 1:29, Hebrews 4:14-16, Romans 6:5-11 Great Are You Lord: Psalm 104, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 98 Worthy, Worthy: Revelation 5:12, 1 Chronicles 16:25, Psalm 146 Song of Moses: Revelation 15:3, Exodus 15:1-3, Psalm 28:7 We the Redeemed: Psalm 74:2, Revelation 5:9

Meet the Interns | Cultor House 2015-2016 | Take One

noreply@blogger.com (Megan Burleson) — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Each year from August to May, Grace Church offers an internship called Cultor House. The internship provides recent college graduates with the opportunity to learn and work in the ministry structure, while also gaining experience in another part-time job. Interns also receive teaching and instruction from Grace pastors and staff. This year we have six Cultor House interns who have just graduated from college. Keep reading to learn more about them, and stay tuned for more bios next week!
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Adrionna Pruneda

Where are you from?
Charleson, SC

What was your major?
Psychology

What school did you graduate from?
Anderson University

How did you find out about Cultor House?
I learned about Cultor House through the Anderson campus while attending a Discovery class.

What are you going to be doing at Grace through Cultor House?
I am the children's ministry intern for Central and I am working for Allyison Merritt.

Where else will you be working?
Line therapist for the Early Austism Project.

What's the best book you've read in the last two years?
A House in the Sky

What's one interesting or weird fact about you?
Both my parents are prior military and we moved around a lot when I was growing up and we spend some time living overseas.

What's your dream job?
Working as a social worker for an elementary school.

If you had to describe yourself in hashtags, what would they say?
#coffeeandtheword #sweaterweather #toblessedtobestressed

What's one thing you hope to learn, experience, or gain through Cultor House?
I hope to gain a better understanding of the Gospel overall. I want to be better equipped to share my faith in a meaningful and productive manner.
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Anna Baumgartner

Where are you from?
Ames, Iowa

What was your major?
Child, Adult, and Family Services

What school did you graduate from?
Iowa State University

How did you find out about Cultor House?
I had a friend who did Kairos in summer of 2013. She recommended doing Kairos or any internship through Grace and after talking with her more and praying about what I should do post-graduation, I decided it was a good move.

What are you going to be doing at Grace through Cultor House?
Student Ministry at Pelham Campus

What's the best book/movie you've read in the last two years?
Jesus the King by Timothy Keller! (Please read it if you haven't!)

What's one interesting or weird fact about you?
I have a lot of extended family on my dad's side. He has 16 biological brothers and sisters--so the number of cousins I have is wild!

What's your dream job?
Photographer & world traveler--some combination of both.

If you had to describe yourself in hashtags, what would they say?
#MidwestisBest #grannieannie #casual

What's one thing you hope to learn, experience, or gain through Cultor House?
I hope to be able to grow closer to Jesus in a real way. I want to trust Him with my future and my dreams and that He has created me with specific gifts to glorify and draw people to Himself (is that one thing?!)
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Matt Liebmann

Where are you from?
Greensboro, NC

What was your major?
Business Administration

What school did you graduate from?
Bob Jones University

How did you find out about Cultor House?
Attending services at Grace. Shout out to my Saturday evening people!

What are you going to be doing at Grace through Cultor House?
Student Ministry at Harrison Bridge

Where else will you be working?
Cut Above Enterprises

What's the best book you've read in the last two years?
Go Set a Watchman (Really, it's great. Don't listen to the critics)

What's one interesting or weird fact about you?
I got kicked out of the Vatican because I laid myself down on the floor of the Sistine Chapel to get a better view of the ceiling.

What's your dream job?
When I was younger I wanted to be the voice of one of the Muppets, but now I'd like to start my own business.

If you had to describe yourself in hashtags, what would they say?
#NC #barbecueconnisseur #showersinger #ragamuffin

What's one thing you hope to learn, experience, or gain through Cultor House?
I would really like to learn about how how a church operates and pick up some practical things that I can do to help the churches I am a part of for the rest of my life.

For more information on our Cultor House Program, visit www.whatiskairos.org.