Austin Life Church

Jesus came proclaiming the good news of God that He was King, and He was bringing God’s kingdom to earth, to our lives. But is the Kingdom of God only something that people there & then experienced, or that we will experience there in heaven one day? Or is the Kingdom of God for us here & now, today?

As we continue through the Gospel of Mark, this passage in Mark 1:21-28 points us to surrendering to the saving power of Jesus.

Throughout all of history, and even today, humanity has been on a search to find the fullness of life. We spend much of our time thinking that will be found living our own way, for ourselves, in our own kingdom. But Jesus comes saying that He brings a new kingdom, a new way, where He is king. And He invites every person to shift allegiance from self to Him. The time is now. Will you follow Him?

Whether we recognize it or not, there is a spiritual battle happening all around us. An enemy is continually seeking to deceive us and steal, kill, and destroy. BUT, we do not have to live defeated. Jesus came to bring us freedom, life, for eternity, but also today. In Jesus, we have an overcoming power.

The public ministry of Jesus begins with His baptism. Jesus identifies with us, fulfills old testament prophecy, and is approved by His Father. Here’s why this is so important and what it means for us.

From beginning to end, Mark wants his readers to see, know, delight in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This Jesus must be someone pretty incredible, huh? So incredible, that John the Baptist, a headliner of his day, would voluntarily take a backseat to the person and work of Jesus. Who is this Jesus? And why is His gospel good news to us?

The world and all within it was created by a move of outward, generous love. God did not need anything. Yet His character is that which moves outward to give love to others. God loves all people, and wants all to know and love Him. As Christians, we are His ambassadors, spokesmen to the world of the life that is found in Jesus.

If we love God, we will love others. It is impossible to love God and not love others. This is the second great commandment. But what does that look like? Who do we love?

Order matters. It is important to do the most important things first in life. So what matters most? Jesus answers that question for us as we talk about how we at Austin Life will walk in His answer.

Why is Austin Life Church here? Are we just trying to create a religious gathering? Are we most interested in the 3 B’s - building, budget, and butts? Are we just hoping for good church folk? The answer is a resounding ’NO!’. So why are we here? What is our purpose?

Christmas is a wonderful time of joy and happiness and festivity. But do you ever wonder if we have drifted away from God‘s original design for Christmas? What really happened on the first Christmas? Why is it so important? May we recover the awe and wonder of that first Christmas.

Every single person desires to be wanted, to belong, to be welcomed in. And it is God’s heart to welcome every single person into His life and family. As Christians, we are called to welcome one another just as Jesus welcomed us in. Hospitality truly can, and will, change lives.

We are moving so fast as a culture and in our schedules that we often forget who is in control of our lives. We are called to live with purpose and to place intentional habits in our lives as followers of Jesus. One of these is sabbath. Here’s what sabbath is, why it’s important, and how to start this practice. Exodus 20:8-11

Fasting is the intentional, and temporary removal of something from our lives with the aim of gaining something else, something better. Christian fasting is the intentional, and temporary remove of something with the hopes of gaining more of God. Christian fasting is motivated by a deep, hunger for God. Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-17

In an ever-changing world where every day is approached differently due to our culture's impact, it can be hard to establish normalcy. God, however, calls us to regularly gather together in order to grow one another up in love while advancing the Kingdom of God. Join us as we look at why, what, and how we are to corporately worship God!

Being with God must precede doing for God. When our hearts are connected to God, we will naturally follow Him and obey Him. And we will delight in doing so. This is the blessed life. This is a full life. And the key to walking in this is meditating on His Word.

The second we stop and slow down to read our Bibles and pray, doesn’t it seem all too common for our minds to start screaming, “Do something”. But here’s the reality - the path to the fullness of life in God is built on a foundation of being with God more than doing for God. austinlifechurch.com

With everything going on in our culture such as COVID, the election, job loss, and the end of the year, how do we press on and persevere towards the fullness of life found in Jesus? We must never lose the wonder of the Gospel. Philippians 3:12-4:1

Waaaaaake up! The fullness of life is there to be had in Jesus. A life loving God, loving others, and leading people to the fullness of life in Him. But we have to wake up from the spiritual slumber and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we will just stay put.

We are all seeking the fullness of life; a life near to the presence of God and becoming more and more like Jesus. However, we will never experience more of God if we do not put off any weights or sins that create obstacles and hindrances to being near to Him. We must put off darkness and walk in the light of Christ.

We are all seeking the fullness of life; a life near to the presence of God and becoming more and more like Jesus. Jesus came that we may have it in Him. Yet, so often we miss it. Even when we know the right way. Why? Pride. Only with a heart of humility can we become like Jesus and move closer to God.

Jesus has come to give us abundant life, and at the same time we have a real enemy who is against us. Luckily, we have God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit, to equip us and make us complete in Christ. Here’s how reading the Bible is a battle, but how we can actually read it and apply it to our lives.

We all are seeking the fullness of life. And God tells us in Psalm 16:11 that what we are seeking is found in His presence. Well how do we get there? The answer is not in what we do, but in what Jesus has done for us.

There is within every one of us an active search for the fullness of life, a life that is only found in the presence of God. Psalm 16:11

We all long for community. We all desire real, authentic friendships, the sharing of life that runs deep and lasts long. Why? Because that is how God designed us. So how can we live in this community here at Austin Life?