Evergreen Christian Community

The Big Idea: No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them. John 6:41-59 43-44, “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” There Are Two Ways People Don’t Get It: 1. I don’t get it, but I WANT TO 2. I don’t get it and I don’t LIKE IT! What Does Jesus Mean? We would never see...

Debating Jesus – About the Afterlife Mark 12:18-27 Two areas we error in: 1. We don’t know SCRIPTURAL truth. 2. We underestimate the POWER OF GOD. Big idea: We live differently, grieve differently, and hope differently because we serve the God of the living not the God of the dead. 1) We are ETERNAL created beings Ecclesiastes 12:7 Romans 6:23 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 2. We will all experience the D...

LOVING GOD Mark 12:28-34 (pg.709) The Big Idea: Love for God is the foundation of the Christian life and the characteristic of a true believer. 1. THE APPROACH Mark 12:28a “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating, noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer…” 2. THE QUESTION Mark 12: 28b “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 3. THE RESPONSE Mark 12:29-31...

The Big Idea: Jesus calls us to participate politically while working with Him to activate a completely different kind of revolution. Mark 12:12-17 The purpose of the question was to TRAP Jesus. They aren't trying to make Jesus unpopular - they are trying to get him EXECUTED as a revolutionary. The Wisdom of His Answer: Jesus calls us to refuse political SIMPLICITY, political COMPLACENCY and polit...

The Big Idea: My calling from God is lived out through who I am, whose I am, and how I love. 1 Peter 2:1-10 Jesus Introduced a New Model for Life with God: TEMPLE Model: Sacred places, Sacred texts, Sacred men, Sacred sacrifices. JESUS Model: New covenant. New command. New ethic. New movement. What Am I Called To Be? A person of the people of the PRESENCE of God; a member of God's FAMILY 2 Corinth...

The Big Idea: We are a people, a priesthood and a nation - declaring together the praises of our Deliverer. 1 Peter 2:1-10 (pg.850) The Call to a Living Community: 3 metaphors in these verses for the church CITIZENS in a nation We are a chosen people, royal priesthood, and holy nation 2. CHILDREN in a family. V2:17 We have the same blood line 3. STONES in a Temple A spiritual house V4-5 We are the...

The Big Idea: Everybody serves something or someone. Choosing to serve God initiates a life of true freedom. • 1 Peter 2:13-17 • 1 Peter 4:1-5 • 1 Peter 5:1-11 What is Christian Freedom? We are free people because we are God's SLAVES. This makes no sense unless you buy two assumptions: 1. There is no such thing as negative FREEDOM. 2. Freedom is finding the LIBERATING restrictions. Which restricti...

Walking With Jesus Week 6: Our Path - The Cross of Suffering June 4, 2017 The Big Idea: Suffering is inevitable and provides enormous opportunities in our faith development. 1 Peter 1:6-9; 1 Peter 3:13-18 Two Facts of Life: 1. Suffering is INEVITABLE 2. Suffering is a pathway to BLESSING We suffer as EXILES We suffer as ones who need FAITH GROWTH We suffer as ones who follow the SUFFERING SAVIOR T...

Walking with Jesus, Week 5: Our Power - Spirit Filled Living May 28, 2017 Scripture references: 2 Peter: 1:3-11; Acts 2 & 4; James 1:12; Galatians 6:9; Colossians 1:11-12; John 13:35; Matthew 22:37-40; John 15:13; Romans 12:9-13 Big Idea: Without God’s power, it cannot be done; without my participation, it will not be done. Without God’s power, you cannot understand His goodness; without effort, y...

May 14, 2017 Walking With Jesus 3 - Our Call: Holy Living Jim Ladd The Big Idea: The call of God to you is to be holy. 1 Peter 1:13-21 What is Holiness? Holy” means “SET APART” The core of holiness is that I BELONG to God. How does Holiness grow in me? A Sharp MIND A Child-like OBEDIENCE A reverent FEAR A grateful HEART

Missionaries Jonathan & Vanessa Capone John 10: 7-16 SHEEP NOT OF THE PEN There are other sheep Scattered outside the present pen God’s commitment to the lost sheep They will come FEELINGS WHEN YOU MOVE OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Moving from comfort to courage will... ... cause you to doubt your decision. ... cause you to doubt your abilities. ... cause you to look for the easy way out. ... cause yo...

Walking With Jesus Week 2 “Our Birth: Supernatural” Big Idea: The Big Idea: We have been given new birth into a living hope that grows us up and secures our inheritance. 1 Peter 1:3-12 What happened to you? You were given NEW BIRTH Being born again spiritually is about a new LIFE-SOURCE and a new IDENTITY 2 Peter 1:4 ; Titus 3:5 Where does it happen to you? It happens to you in your HOPE HOPE is a...

Walking With Jesus Week 1 - “Encountering the Risen Christ” April 23, 2017 Big Idea: A disruptive collision with the grace of God is what opens the door to the process of my restoration. Peter’s episodes with grace serve as a paradigm for us: Mark 14:27-31 Mark 16:1-8 Jesus already knows YOUR NEXT FAILURE. Jesus is focused on YOU, not your BEHAVIOR. John 21:1-17 Growth requires that you focus on J...

Easter Sunday April 16, 2017 Knowing Jesus, 4 Big Idea: Because of the resurrection, your future is certain and unimaginably wonderful. Luke 24:13-49 Three things we can learn from the resurrection: 1. The Resurrection is a PARADIGM-SHATTERING historical event Luke 1:1-4 Luke compiles evidence that this was a BODILY resurrection. Historical facts always shatter false PARADIGMS. 2. The resurrection...

Knowing Jesus 3 - Worship Big Idea: You can’t know and understand Jesus unless you know Him as King! Luke 19:28-40 Palm Sunday means, “Jesus is KING” 1. He is the TRUE King 2. He is the HUMBLE King Zechariah 9:9 Isaiah 11:6-9 3. How can you make Him YOUR King? WORSHIP Him OBEY Him EXPECT GREAT THINGS from Him.

Knowing Jesus, 2 “Life With A Mission” April 2, 2017 Big Idea: When your purpose and mission are clear, life is far less complicated. Luke 5:1-25 1. Jesus calls you on mission in your VOCATION Do your work WITH GOD Colossians 3:23 Keep RESULTS and PROFITS where they belong 2. Jesus calls you on mission to the FRINGES 3. Jesus calls you on mission among your PEOPLE Mark 9 When you know the WHY of y...

Knowing Jesus, 1 “Saturated in the Scriptures” Luke 4:1-13  Big Idea: Jesus shows us how engaging the Scriptures leads us to victory over the strategic, complicated and very real activity of Evil. The complexity of evil: Luke 22:3; Ephesians 4:27; Genesis 4:6-7; John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8 The Bible describes three enemies: the WORLD, the FLESH and the DEVIL  If you nurture spiritual DARKNESS, it give...

Seeing Jesus 8 – Lazarus John 11:18-44 Big Idea: Jesus knows no barriers in resurrecting life and restoring hope. Even in times of DOUBT Jesus is present and FAITHFUL. ““Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21 It’s possible to TRUST Jesus and still experience profound DISAPPOINTMENT. “Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha...

John 9:1-7; 35-38 Matthew 6:22-24 Misunderstanding SUFFERING can contribute to spiritual blindness. Three problems with attaching suffering to SIN 1. It creates tremendous pride and SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS in the heart of the blessed 2. It’s not TRUE to the FACTS. Luke 13:2-9 3. People suffering BEAT THEMSELVES UP even more. Romans 8:28 To experience life in Jesus we must gain SPIRITUAL SIGHT To see is...

Seeing Jesus, Week 6 "Walking on Water In A Storm" The Big Idea: God refuses to allow us to control Him, yet uses His uncontrollable power to lovingly and sacrificially redeem us. John 6:16-25 The huge subject of this sign is our need for CONTROL There is a Universal Effort to CONTROL God. Jesus did not come, primarily, to deal with our POLITICAL, ECONOMIC and SOCIAL problems, as crucial as they a...

The Big Idea: Jesus is, in Himself, the source and supply of the life you were created for. John 6:1-14; 27-35 The Bread: - SUSTENANCE - FRIENDSHIP - PROVISION from God - DEPENDENCE upon God Of Life: Two words for life - BIOS and ZOE Jesus: I am the TREATY with God The number one answer to every challenge you face is more of JESUS What About Us? v69 and 70 1. God already knows and sometimes TESTS...

Seeing Jesus, Week 4 “The Good Stuff” The Big Idea: Every human soul is searching for the good stuff and we find it in Jesus alone; not in people or in religion. John 5:1-18 Every human soul is searching for the GOOD STUFF. The Man and His Stuff: His first four words reveal his heart: “I HAVE NO ONE.” When confronted by the Pharisees he chooses his STRATEGY. Jesus urges him to stop looking to MEN....

Seeing Jesus, 3 “The Development of Faith” The Big Idea: Out of his great love for us, Jesus oversees and designs much of our faith development journey. John 4:46-54; John 20:30-31 We learn 5 things about Faith 1. Belief systems begin with REASON and involve your REASONING. V45-47 2. Life-giving faith has to move beyond REASON to real TRUST. 3. Jesus will lovingly push you from REASON to life-savi...

The Big Idea: Jesus is the One who carries away our guilt and shame so that we can experience joy - even in the face of suffering. John 2:1-11 John records very few miracles and calls them SIGNS 3 things help us understand what this sign points to: 1. The six stone jars “I have come to bring the reality that the Jewish rituals only POINT TO.” 2. The interesting exchange with his mom. Jesus is thin...

Seeing Jesus, 1 “The Lamb of God” The Big Idea: Truly seeing Jesus changes the way you see every thing and every one. John 1:19-34 John is being asked, WHAT IS YOUR IDENTITY? John could not see his own GREATNESS Matthew 11:7-15 John's View of Jesus: YAHWEH The One on whom the SPIRIT SAT His SANDALS I am not worthy to UNTIE John was great because he grasped the GREATNESS of Jesus. EGO keeps you afr...