Element Christian Church

Who inherits the earth? It is JESUS, which means you and I do as well. No matter what happens, no matter what people do, no matter what people say, no matter what is culturally acceptable at the moment, we do. Which means we must live like it is ours now, not in a snobbish way, but where wickedness does not have a place in it, and the Kingdom of God is seen in His people.

True mourning sees ourselves for what we are and what we have done, but also sees Jesus for who He is… our needed savior.

Jesus’ announcement, at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, to the crowd of people, is BLESSED are all the people who have no reason why they should be blessed.

The “blessing” of the Old Testament was a straightforward blessing; the blessing of the New Testament is a divine paradox: an experience of the kingdom’s inner riches amid external poverty and trial.

The Heidelberg Catechism: What is your only comfort in life and in death? Response: That I am not my own, but belong, body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is referred to as the Wonderful Counselor. This means Jesus is well beyond our understanding. He inspires awe in those around, and is never lacking in wisdom or love for us. Jesus counsels his people in a way that is much more profound than how a modern therapist would. The word or deed of Christ in the Gospels frequently both comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. Jesus knows our suffering, and will walk beside us in our own brokenness.

Luke 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. Jesus noticed US, that is why we notice others, for the glory of God. We get to speak of His great salvation that has touched souls physically and spiritually.

God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Titus 3:3-7 "For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Matthew asks you: Who is your king? Herod or Jesus Luke asks: Who is your savior Caesar or Jesus Luke 2:34-35 Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Matthew 18:3-4 Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The Gospel: We were all separated from relationship with God because of our own actions, but by the grace of Jesus, He has found us, cleaned us up, and adopted us into His family. We now live our lives for the Glory of Christ, boldly sharing this Good News: that Jesus Has Saved and Redeemed us.

Why did God love His people? Deuteronomy 7:7-8 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you...

We serve and love a God who has a great sense of humor. Through-out scripture we see God joking around, having fun, and drawing people into repentance through humor. In the history of men no one was as funny as Jesus. Jesus used humor at parties, with His disciples, but His best humor was used in His teaching. He would use humor and sarcasm to call people into repentance. He would joke around with the way religious people lived out the law while teaching how the law should be lived. Through this kind of teaching we laugh and cry realizing that our attempts at gaining heaven on our own power are truly laughable. Through laughing we are drawn to our Father who loves us and brings us hope and joy in spite of our stupidity. Through His joy we learn to take ourselves lightly and God seriously knowing that He is trustworthy and true, and that our salvation is secure in Him, not in our own works. With hearts of worship we praise Him for the joy and humor He brings into our lives.

Jesus did not say, “I have come that you may have safety and have it abundantly.” He came to give us a big, bold, messy life where we see God’s power unleashed and walk in His authority and live in His victory and shine with His joy.

World history is speckled with the lives of leaders, kings, conquerors and iconoclasts who shaped their culture, region and even generations. There has been no leader in history who has made such a lasting and far-reaching impact on humanity as our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ served first, obeyed God, sacrificed for his followers, developed leadership in others, and led with unquestionable divine authority. The impact that Christ made as a servant is just a glimpse of the impact He will make when He returns as King!

What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever. -Westminster Shorter Catechism We need to be always preaching the gospel to ourselves.  We should spend our entire lives learning the gospel.

Jerislav Pelikan wrote “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about Him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of western culture for almost 20 centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super-magnet, to pull up out of that history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of His name, how much would be left?”

Evangelicalism is trying to fight a war on many fronts about pluralism, sexuality, error and compromise. We want you to have a coherence to be able to filter everything, so you can understand our culture better. Christendom is less about being saved for eternal life and the kingdom of God, and more about living a moral life to build a good society and a great nation. Matthew 7:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you...