New Day Christian Church - Weston, WI

Levi’s Gospel Revisited: Persecution

Levi was a tax collector who became a disciple of Jesus. We know him better as Matthew, one of the Gospel writers. In his record of Jesus’ teaching, Levi made sure that future disciples were fully warned that there would be persecution. That is still true today, even though we are insulated from it.

KEY TEXTS:

Matthew 5:10 (NLT)  God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Hebrews 13:3 (NLT)  Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

ADVENTising 4: Heaven on Earth

God’s messengers, the angels, ripped through the sky with light and music to announce the arrival of Jesus, the newborn King. Heaven invaded Earth in a dramatic way. Heaven still invades Earth in large and small ways today. We look forward to a time when Jesus returns to set all things right, to make all things new, on earth as it is in heaven.

KEY TEXT: Luke 2:13-14 (NLT) 13  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14  “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

ADVENTising 3: You’re Invited!

God works in unexpected ways. The Messiah could have been born in a palace where powerful people from all around would have been invited to celebrate His birth. Instead, He was born in an underdog village, and simple shepherds were invited to the celebration. You might not get invited to parties where you socialize with the elite, but you are invited to the event of the season!

KEY TEXT: Luke 2:20 (NLT)  The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/kdzhbv2eGxk

ADVENTising 2: Bethlehem Inn (Underdogs)

At Christmastime we celebrate Jesus being born in Bethlehem. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the bigness of the holiday that we miss the rich significance of Jesus’ small-town heritage. Take some time this Advent season to clear out the clutter of Christmas advertising make room in your heart Christ Himself.  

KEY TEXT: Micah 5:2 (NLT)  But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.

ADVENTising: Arriving Soon!

Advertising is cleverly planned to stir up discontentment in us, with the promise that three easy payments one little pill will ease our aching hearts. “Advent” on the other hand is the season of celebrating the gift God already gave us when He sent His Son, and looking forward to the return of Christ. It’s a joyful, hopeful outlook. It’s ADVENTising!

KEY TEXT: 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)  The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

 

BIG IDEA: Even as the world falls farther away from God, we are SETTING the STAGE for Christ to return.

Further Reading:

Before Christ, Isaiah Predicts a Suffering Savior: Isaiah 53

A Glimpse Into the End and a New Beginning: Matthew 24; 2 Peter 3; Revelation 20-22

 

**NOTE**

There was a technical issue with the recording this week.  Around the 11:00 minute mark, the audio quality will change.

Winning with the Hand You're Dealt: My Choices

This is the wild card. There are certain cards you are dealt--your chemistry, your connections, your circumstances, your consciousness. Your choices impact every card in your hand. Thank God for the hope and the future He has in mind for you!

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NLT) 16  So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

 

Five Factors that Influence Your Identity 

My Chemistry: I can choose to become HEALTHIER.

My Connections: I can choose to DEEPEN my RELATIONSHIPS.

My Circumstances: I can choose to TRUST GOD no matter what.

My Consciousness: I can choose what I THINK ABOUT.

My Choices: I can choose JESUS as my SAVIOR.

Winning with the Hand You're Dealt: My Consciousness

Our brains are always at work. Sometimes they feed us true and helpful information about the world around us. Other times our thought patterns are built on misinformation. God gives us paths out of our mental ruts and into healthy thinking that benefits us and glorifies Him.

KEY TEXT: Romans 12:2a (NLT)  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  

BIG IDEA: I can choose what I THINK ABOUT.

Winning With the Hand You’re Dealt: My Circumstances

Our circumstances are the things that happen to us that we didn’t choose. A lot of our identity is built by those circumstances. That doesn’t mean we have to live as victims. God gives us hope and power to win with the hand we’re dealt.  

Winning with the Hand You're Dealt: My Connections

Our connections are our relationships in life. They have a lot to do with our identity, particularly in our early years. While these relationships and their impact are important to understand, we also must understand that God calls us into a relationship with Him. In Him we find unfailing, unconditional love, and our true identity.  

KEY TEXT: 1 John 4:18 (ESV)  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

 BIG IDEA: I can choose to deepen my relationships.

Winning with the Hand You're Dealt: My Chemistry

We’re stepping out of our Levi’s Gospel series into a five-part series about understanding different aspects of our identities. The first week is about our physical identity--how each of us is both blessed and broken in unique ways. This service will include an on-stage interview with the director of a local biblical counseling center who will assist with teaching a godly perspective on mental health issues.

KEY TEXT: Psalm 119:73 (NLT) You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands.

BIG IDEA: No matter your physical limitations, you can choose to get healthier.