First Love | Revelation 2:1-7; 2 Tim 1:7

Our series is “The best is yet to come” as we walk through the prophetic apocalypse that is the Revelation of the Risen Christ, a circular letter to the early church—and us today. My prayer is that you’ll be strengthened, comforted and encouraged through this word today.

Now some of you may be thinking right now...things can’t get much worse. Better is good, best, well, I’m listening.

This week’s main idea: “Rev 2:1-7 teaches us that the great commandment matters to God. Jesus identified our greatest obligation was wholehearted love for God, which declares to us that God is not pleased by dutiful obedience that does not flow from genuine love. Here, Jesus mercifully reveals his glory to the church in Ephesus to summon forth from them the first love that he requires.” (Hamilton, p. 63)

My Bottom line: Remember how far you have fallen! Repent and return doing the things you did at first. (Remember, Repent, and Return)

Motivated by the Risen Jesus | Revelation 1:9-20

This week’s main idea: “The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches. The incomparable glory of the risen Christ motivates John’s audience to heed what John has been commissioned to write. The matchless splendor of Heaven’s King attracts the attention and compels the obedience of the churches John addresses.” -Hamilton

My Bottom line: When we (the Church) see the risen Jesus today, we’ll be super motivated to trust and obey.

The Best is Yet to Come | Revelation 1:1-8

We are beginning a new series on the Book of Revelation. You will recall last week’s title: As We Wait in Uncertain Times, Put Your Hope in Him for All Time (Psalm 146). This week’s title: “The Best is Yet to Come” Main idea: “Those who hear and obey God‘s word concerning who Jesus is and what he does will be blessed by the Lord.” Bottom line: No matter how bad things get, the best is yet to come. And his name is Jesus. As pastor Darien Gabriel walks us through the book or Revelation, we look forward to Christ’s second coming just has we have remembered HIs first advent.

Heading Into A New Year | Psalm 146

Bottom Line: We should Be Praising the Lord! As we wait for His return in uncertain times, lets put our hope in Him for all time.

Times are uncertain. In times like these, it is easy to put our hope in people and things. But, our hope should not be in presidents, supreme court justices, governments, finances, or anything like that. We must hope in the Lord. You can tell whether or not someone has hope by how they react in uncertain times.

Remember that we are commanded to give an answer for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). If we don’t have hope, we can’t give an answer. Our hope must be in the Lord, because Christ has by His atoning death and resurrection saved us from the power and penalty of sin and restored us to relationship with God. Not only do we have future hope of eternity with Him, we have present hope in delighting in God day by day (Psalm 16:11).

Psalm 146 gives us a picture of what it means to worship the Lord regardless of our circumstances.

What are we so excited about? Who are We Waiting for? | Luke 2

Luke 2: What are we so excited about? Who are We Waiting for?

Bottom Line: God Became a Man

So, what we’re NOT trying to do on Christmas Eve is try to make the birth of Christ more exciting. 1. If we don’t think “God became a man” is exciting enough, we should get our pulse checked.

God Became a Man, and He shouldn’t have to compete for our affection with a new phone, nunchucks, a new car or a big guy in a red suit. We don’t have to hang lights on the Light of the World.

God Became a Man – the greatest event to occur in the history of the universe

Guest UserDecember 22, 2020Grace Fellowship ChurchAdvent, Christmas, Luke 2, Angels, Shapherds, Baby Jesus, Jesus, Christian, Messiah, Christ

Transformed to Transform | Luke 1:57-80

Bottom line: God’s great mercy leads to radiant joy and praise that transforms lives Transformation is visible. Transformation is dramatic. Transformation is life-changing. I was transformed the first time I saw the Atlantic Ocean as a kid. When we talk about transforming lives, that’s exactly what we are going for. We want a life that is so transformed that maybe the most dramatic comparison is the difference between a corpse and a person fully alive and healthy. (Eph 2:1-9). Join us as Pastor Darien teaches on Luke 1.

Believe It Or Not, Jesus Is Coming | Luke 1:5-38

Bottom line: whether you believe God’s word or not, Jesus is coming...again.

Whether you believe God’s word or not, it will come to pass. Even when you fail to believe, God’s mercy is there for you. He disciplines his children when they fail to trust him. But he brings them back into fellowship as well. Just ask Zechariah. You can please God when you take him at his word. Just ask Mary. (Cf. Heb 11:3). Make sure you don’t miss the point for the pointer. The point is that God wants to walk in fellowship with you. He sent Jesus to restore our fellowship with him. That’s why he came the first time. The second time he’s coming to finish what he started. A re you ready?

Be Prepared To Answer | 1 Peter 3:15-16

Bottom line: Doing good means always being prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you why you have hope and to do so w/ gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. That includes your enemies and your persecutors. Be prepared & ready to share with anyone why you have hope.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place where people went to meet with God. This was God’s home as we see in our Old Testament passage for today (Ezekiel 43:5).

The message of our New Testament passage though is that the glory and presence of God is to be found supremely in Jesus. It is at the very moment that Jesus is rejected and crucified that God’s presence among people is finally and fully realized. From that point on there is no need for a physical temple. The only church building the New Testament speaks about is a building made of people (Ephesians 2:20–22), founded and built upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me. This is God’s new home.

Church Discipline is Essential for doing Good together | Titus 3:9-15

Bottom line:
- Church Discipline is Essential for doing Good together. (Around the corner and around the world)
- Church discipline calls us to avoid the foolish, reject the divisive, confront sin, and follow the leaders devoting ourselves to doing good.

What is it?

It is the effort to lead a wayward church member towards repentance and faith that results in reconciliation.

Saved To Be And Do Like Christ | Titus 3:1-8

Bottom line: We have been saved to be and do good. Our bullseye to fruitfulness. We do this when we embrace the grace of Christ letting it shine outward where we live, work, learn and play.

What do you want said about you at your funeral?

Your answer reflects what you truly value in life.

is it worthy of Christ?
is it all about you?

Are you ordering your life around what you value most?

I want my funeral to be about family and friends reflecting on my life in such a way that it exalts who Jesus is and what he's done in my life that’s praiseworthy. That way, my legacy is simply stories of a life lived reflecting Jesus in such a way that others trust and follow him.

Daniel SammsNovember 18, 2020Grace Christian Fellowship

The Amazing Grace of God | Titus 2:11-15

Recap

1. Grace isn’t cheap. Don’t treat it cheaply and don’t represent it as cheap. That’s false teaching.

Grace Christian Fellowship –the sign says: “Love God, Love People”. We love God, and we love

people because we so strongly desire to show people the true Grace of God through Jesus Christ.

That tells people

the message is more important than the brand…

that love is more important than a logo…

that the objective is more important than optics

that it’s better to be a hospital for the lost, than a country club for the saved

that Grace itself is precious…that time here is short, but eternity isn’t…

that conviction is more important than comfort

we can’t say “we’re good”, when we know we’re all bad

Grace is costly. Grace is Honest. And Grace is redemptive

but at the same time, any of this done without love is worthless

2. Let Grace train you…like a marathon. Training can hurt, but understanding what you’re training for

puts everything in perspective.

3. Put away anything in your life that doesn’t bear fruit for God’s kingdom, and keep Him as your main

focus.

4. Know His word and teach it with authority.

5. Stand tall, confidently and passionately love God and love people.

Our hearts should well up with praise in response to the Grace of God.

Grace has a Face and He truly is amazing.

Be On Display | Titus 2:9-10

Be On Display Titus 2:9-10
Titus Chapter 1 - Guidance for Church Leadership

Titus Chapter 2 - Guidance for a Holy Example

Titus Chapter 3 - Guidance for a Holy Lifestyle

Truth: God Revealed It. We Teach It. | Titus 2

The Main Thing

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Keith Eitel

Bottom line:

•When we see God as he truly is, it reveals to us how we are to live. [Principle]

•When we see God as Truth, we teach it with character and competency so that God’s people live good, godly lives.

Most people are blind to the truth. That’s why they don’t teach it.

The War on Error | Titus 1:10-16 | Undeserved Grace

For the Church to be sound in the faith (doctrine & deed; belief & behavior; creed & conduct), we must confront false teachings and the Errorists who spread them.

Remember what an elder does:

Lead - Follow me as I follow Jesus
Feed - Teach/Train
Protect - Confront/Rebuke/Correct

Choosing Your Elders | Titus 1:5-9

Series: Underserved Grace Scripture: Titus 1:5-9 (Main passage); 1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Tim 3:1-7 Title: Choosing Your Elders
Bottom line: Choose elders who are blameless under-shepherds where they live, work, learn, and play. Pastor Darien walks us through the qualifications for elders as it relates to their role as husbands, fathers, Christians, and theologians. Having qualified, biblical elders is part of churches coming into maturity. Elders shepherd the flock, guard against false doctrine, sin, and other dangers. Additionally, they nurture, lead, and teach.

Sons & Daughters, Saved, Selected, & Sent to Serve | Titus 1:1-4 | Undeserved Grace

Have you ever felt like a failure, or of no use to God, or thought that God wouldn’t want to answer your prayers?

Until I first read Colin Urquhart’s book, In Christ Jesus, I had never realized how significant that little word ‘in’ is in the New Testament. Understanding that, as a Christian, you are ‘in’ Christ Jesus revolutionizes how you see yourself, your self-image, your identity and how you understand your value to God.

Write your name on a piece of paper. Take hold of your Bible to represent Christ. Place the paper in the book and close it. You are in Christ. Where the book goes you go. Where the paper goes he goes. You are not part of the book, but you are now identified totally with the book.

Paul uses this expression, ‘in Christ Jesus’, over and over again. God has taken hold of you and placed you inChrist. In Christ, you have received ‘every spiritual blessing’ (Ephesians 1:3). All of the blessings, including those that the Old Testament speaks about, are yours in Christ.

Who are we? Why are we (still) here?

Wake Us Up, Lord! | Better Together | Psalm 85

Pastor Darien takes us into a study of Psalm 85 and the events surrounding it. We learn about the critical need to remember movements of God in the past, and pray for Him to move now. Revival. Bottom line: Recall what God did in the past, Pray for God to wake us up in the future, and in the meantime Trust and Obey today in the present.

Daniel SammsSeptember 30, 2020Grace Christian FellowshipPsalm 86, Psalm 85, Sardis, Turkey, Medes, Pray, Revivlal, American Awakening, Restoration, Spurgeon

Better Together | Turning the World Upside Down | Acts 17:1-15

Scripture: Acts 17:1-15. “Turning The World Upside Down” Bottom line: Paul and Co. gives us a battle plan for turning things around (180˚) where we live, work, learn, and play. We learn from the Bereans about how to approach the truth of God, and we learn from others on what NOT to do.

“Body Builders” | Better Together | 1 Corinthians 12

Continuing our series , “Better Together” Pastor Darien Gabriel takes us into a study of 1 Corinthians 12 in the sermon, “Body Builders.” Pastor Darien teaches on how God has designed every Christian to have a gift or many gifts that come together to edify, that is to “build up” the Body of Christ. Bottom line: God sovereignly arranges the body of Christ with his spiritual gifts for the common good. Listen now.

Better Together: When it's time to deliver, it's time to move!

Continuing our series, “Better Together” Pastor Darien teaches on Matt 9:35-37 and Acts 2:42-47. This sermon’s bottom line: When it’s time to deliver, it’s time to move. Therefore, check your spiritual vital signs and move out! The church is pregnant with harvesters ready to enter the harvest. The harvest is ready to receive. Now is the time to faithfully make disciples, proclaim the Gospel, and do the ministry work.

Sermons

Bottom line: We have been saved to be and do good. Our bullseye to fruitfulness. We do this when we embrace the grace of Christ letting it shine outward where we live, work, learn and play.