Capital Vineyard Community Church

What does the message of grace and righteousness have to say about how we interact with the world around us?

Pastor Justin looks at a message from Dec. 30, 2018 about Bringing Your Best to God. This one takes an interesting turn.

Sometimes it feels like living the Christian life is like trying to catch a carrot on a stick. There's always one more issue to address, one more thing to do, one more sin to overcome- all in a pursuit of what God wants. But what if the reality is that the carrot is already in your hand and it's there because God has freely given it to you in Jesus? How would it change the way you live if you realized all that God has done for you is already true and in your grasp right now?

Guest speaker Rick Reams shares a message on REST.

Acts chapter 9 contains the story of a man who when from supreme law keeper to the foremost freedom fighter.

1. Receive the Lord joyfully. 2. Don't listen to the grumblers. 3. Sorry for the sound interference. We had issues with the mic.

New garments and new wine, don't fit in the old. In fact when we try to make the two work together, it ruins everything...

The good news is simple. Trusting Jesus to be enough when it goes against what you previously understood can be difficult. But choosing only Jesus is the only way to experience the freedom He promised.

Reading the first couple verses of Hebrews 12 makes many want to get on the treadmill and start running...but what if it actually points to the ability to rest?

In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul gives two realities for those who have been born again with a new nature: 1) As new creations, we now get to relate to ONE ANOTHER based on the nature of Christ within us (This is great news for the church!) 2) As new creations, we get to relate to THE WORLD based on the nature of Christ within us.

If we live in the Spirit let us also walk by the Spirit. It's the most natural thing for people born of the Spirit to live consistently with their newness. It's like saying "Since you are a human why don't you walk on two feet?"

Parenting is difficult. Things change in our relationship with our children as they grow. Mary the Mother of Jesus found that she was no exception. May we find some comfort and encouragement in this.

Continuing the "Empowered" series, Pastor Justin addresses 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul writes about gifts of the Spirit.

Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit came on them they would receive power. We inherit this same power, but this power goes beyond the momentary big and flashy events. This power has everything to do with the work of the Holy Spirit within each of us as He indwells and works within us.

Phil Majcher brought a message Sunday that reminds us that not only are you God's masterpiece, together WE are God's Masterpiece.

The Resurrection of Jesus means there is more to relationship with God than choosing to try to follow a certain set of teachings.

On the Sunday before Easter we take time to reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made before we celebrate the finished the work of defeating death in the resurrection (that's next week!).

As we go through life we often adopt spiritual practices and beliefs by the "if it works, it must be true" method. This played out in Jacob's life in Genesis 30 when he tried an interesting method to gain advantage over his father in law in a business deal. However, going through life like this means picking up unnecessary baggage in our relationship with God missing out on much of the freedom we are offered in Jesus' death and resurrection. What have you adopted as truth and a way of life, because one time it "worked?"

John 10 is a familiar passage of scripture to many, but in it Jesus uses several mixed metaphors. This often leads us to dividing the passage and interpreting it separately, which honestly can lead us to differing conclusions. Who's the shepherd, who's the door, and who/what is the thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy? Looking at the whole context of this statement from John 10 sheds new light on this familiar verse/passage.

When faced with decisions in life we often seek "the will of God", especially if we believe He has some great purpose or plan for us.  Abram clearly understood that God had a great purpose for His life in His promised blessing...but when the time came for a decision He left it up to Lot.  Many of us  want to do the will of God so we don't step out of the blessing of God, but what if for the Born Again the will of God is that we are blessed in Christ regardless of where we go or what we do?

Lost sheep look and act like lost sheep but Jesus said that He came to find the lost ones in order to bring them home, even while they are acting like lost sheep.

John the Baptist had a ministry preaching "repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins"...in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. That means he was preaching the forgiveness of sins before Jesus ever did anything.  Is the message of repent, be baptized, and try real hard to live a good life, really what we are given in Christ if it's the same message John was preaching before the Messiah?  Maybe we're missing something...maybe we have something better than that.

Behold the Lamb of God who TAKES AWAY the sin of the world.

Yahweh is my Shepherd.  He meets all my needs.  He protects and guides me.  He always has my best interest in mind.  He loves me.

Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him.  Of course Peter loved Him...Jesus knew that Peter loved Him.  So why was Jesus asking? The larger context of the passage and Peter's experience with Jesus reveals that Jesus was telling Peter something very specific: "You are not who you used to be anymore."

Moses made two trips from Egypt to Mt Sinai.  One of those trips was driven by fear in pursuit of safety that led him to meeting God in fear.  The other trip was driven by trust and resulted in Freedom meeting God in relationship.  The same two options lay in front of us today.

Joseph came from a family that was dysfunctional for generations but when the time came he decided that the cycle ended with him.  We all come from some kind of dysfunction...but we can choose not to continue it.  We can make a fresh start with our families and what we choose to pass on to the next generation.

The Magi were the definition of "outsiders" in this story.  To the Jewish people made aware of the messiah, these men must have seemed like uninvited guests to the party.  Yet God saw fit to include and invite them all the same...and the this was the plan all along.  Everyone is invited to experience the life changing love and grace of this savior.

The shepherds were the first to know that the savior had been born.   When the angel greets them and brings them the good news he also assures them that they are being given a sign.  What was the sign, and why would they need one?  God is communicating to you and me through this group of shepherds that He knows you and  He sees you.  You are important and valuable to Him.

We know from the life and ministry of Jesus that God reaches across religious and societal boundaries.  Zechariah and Elizabeth might look like they belong and are insiders to the untrained eye, but they likely didn't experience life that way.  In the middle of the biggest event in history, God remembers them and shows them that they have not been overlooked or forgotten.

In Acts 16 Paul and Silas have their backs literally against the prison walls.  We are often impressed by their reaction to the situation, but are they even reacting at all, or are they simply doing what they would be anyway?  For those made new in Christ, we no longer have to live our lives reacting to whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

What you believe about what Jesus accomplished dictates what you believe is possible for you life now.

Rahab The Prostitute: It was her label and her identity.  But when the opportunity (or need) arose, she chose to stop living by the label and embrace a new identity.  We have the same choice in front of us.  We have been given labels throughout our life and whether we embrace and live according to those is our choice.  As born again people we have an identity that doesn't come from those labels but from our Heavenly Father and what He has done in us.

In 2 Timothy 1 and 2 Paul describes a specific hardship that he and Timothy are facing.  Then, he encourages Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  It is only in grace and not self effort that we can find true strength.

Gideon heard some voices in his head that are likely familiar to us today:  "You are on your own" and "You are not enough".  But the Lord met Gideon in that place and spoke the truth to him.  Maybe you need that truth today too.

When there are differences in culture there is often conflict and offense.  When we are born again, we enter a new "culture".  From the moment of new birth we become the bride of Christ that is totally foreign to the world around us.  This difference between the "culture" of the world and the culture of the church, leaves lots of room for conflict.  This conflict though, is somewhat of a one sided affair, because we know that the only way for anyone to understand this new thing that we are a part of is for them to experience new birth.  There is no amount of arguing, politicizing, or convincing that can make the world understand why we believe what we believe or do what we do. The world needs a church who is willing to not fight back and "take a stand",  but rather love in the face of persecution, bless rather than curse, do good rather than return evil and invite people to experience the unfathomable love and grace of our heavenly Father.  If you want to change the culture of the world, don't do it by moralizing, do it by inviting people to be made new in Jesus.

Rather than letting some religious beliefs about how God relates to people dictate our understanding of what Jesus did, what if we let what Jesus did on the cross and in the resurrection dictate how we understand how God relates to us and others?

When we are born again we are't just given "new life", we are given "A new life".  We often focus on the fact that we have been given "new life" forgiven and free from sin, without realizing and living "the new life" beyond forgiveness.  In our new life things that were previously impossible can now be a reality for us.  Nothing is impossible for those who believe because we know the God of hope.

When we look at the Church in Acts it's pretty clear the purpose is for the community of believers to exist in relationship to one another.  The kind of relationship we see in Acts don't happen from 9-12 on Sunday mornings.  They happen in kitchens, living rooms, workshops and backyards.  We are putting all our eggs in the basket of real relationship rather than just the "service" of the church.

What Jesus promised us in abundant life is a reality, but many in the church have yet to experience that reality.  Instead, we settle for a life of wandering in the wilderness, eating bland manna and wondering if there ever was abundant life possible.  At the very least we are hoping that when we die we'll see that promise.    

You don't have to wait.  The promised land is a reality now.  But there is one key to being able to experience that life now.

Daniel Rogers delivers another message in the Milk and Honey series, this one from Exodus 3 and the very first mention of this term in scripture. 

Miphibosheth lived most of his life in fear of a King who had a very different plan for him.  What if the King (David) was really not who Miphibosheth thought he was, and what if Miphibosheth was not really who he saw himself as in relation to the king?  JD Woods shares how this relationship between David and Miphibosheth illustrates how some of us might experience our relationship to The King Of Kings.

The problem wasn't the honey, the problem was the way Samson went about getting the honey.  

Guest Speaker Ranjo Clements from GCF Vineyard in Wilmore, KY shares a word in the Milk and Honey series.  

Daniel Rogers brings the opening week of our latest series Milk and Honey. 

Jesus is the living cornerstone.  What is a cornerstone?  Why is it significant that Peter makes it clear that God has made Jesus the cornerstone of a new thing?  What does it mean that we too are now called living stones?  

"Who do you say that I am?"  The full answer to this question is only revealed to you by God Himself, and when He reveals to you who He is, you also begin to see who you are because of Him.

Abraham take your son, your only son, the one you love, Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering...Pardon me, What?!?

What if the completed work of Christ in you is so radical (imagine the resurrection from the dead) that you could set aside all manner of “should” or “ought” and completely live from the new heart he placed within you?  What could that mean for your life in Christ and your experience of this life with your Father?

The parable of the 10 minas (or in Matthew the parable of the talents) holds a special place for many in the church.  The statement “Well done my good and faithful servant” is something many long to hear and so live their lives in an effort to accomplish that goal.  We teach our kids the moral lesson of using our gifts and “talents” for the kingdom of God so they will earn praise from Him and hear “well done” at the end of their lives.  We press into the idea that this parable is a parable of stewardship of our money.

But what if this parable is not about the christian life at all?  When we look at the parable, we must ask, where is Christ in this parable?  Where is His sacrifice and resurrection for our rebirth?  Is He the demanding master who reaps where He does not sow and then throws his slaves out for their actions based on the fear of Him?

What if the parable of the minas or talents is actually about what life outside of Christ looks like?  Why settle for living life as a servant hoping to earn a reward from the master,  when the reality is, in Christ, God calls you a son who is heir to His entire kingdom?

SPOILER ALERT: If you are born again, this ones not about you.

When God created people, He created them male and female in the image of Himself. That means that there are characteristics that we generally associate with women, or in this case our mothers, that are characteristics of God Himself.  Jeremy dives into a couple of these Mom characteristics that we see in God in this weeks message.