Renewal Church

Sunday, Nov 27 Isaiah 2:1-5

Sunday, Nov 20 Galatians 3:16-17

Sunday, Nov 13 Hebrews 1:1-4

This Sunday, we conclude our study on the Book of Philippians with one of the most recognizable statements in all of Scripture: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me“ (Philippians 4:13). These words were written by the Apostle Paul from prison, unjustly incarcerated for preaching the gospel in the Roman Empire. Facing an uncertain future of ongoing pain and maybe even the temptation...

Sunday, Sep 25 Philippians 3:12-21

In Philippians 3, Paul gave a strange warning. He said to “look out for the dogs.” Did he have some sort of canine phobia or was he speaking metaphorically? He then goes on to say something else sort of weird — he said that those of us who worship God by the Spirit are “the circumcision.” Why does he equate this very specific and cringeworthy surgical procedure with true Christianity? There’s a lo...

Sunday, July 17 Philippians 2:19-30

Sunday, July 10 Philippians 2:19-24

Sunday, July 3 Philippians 2:1-18 In Philippians 2:5, the Apostle Paul entreated the small group of believers in the Greek city of Philippi (aka the church there) to “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” He had just finished encouraging them to practice friendship in an entirely new and counterintuitive way. Rather than just surviving this life – just watching out for...

In Philippians 2:5, the Apostle Paul entreated the small group of believers in the Greek city of Philippi (aka the church there) to “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” He had just finished encouraging them to practice friendship in an entirely new and counterintuitive way. Rather than just surviving this life – just watching out for “you and yours” – they were to int...

Sunday, June 19 Ephesians 1:3

Sunday, June 12 Garry Ingraham Love & Truth Network

Sunday, June 5 Philippians 2:1-4

Sunday, May 29 Philippians 1:27-30 Grace comes to our lives in several unique ways. It’s surprising and overwhelming at times. Madeleine L’ Engle said, “We are suspicious of grace. We are afraid of the very lavishness of the gift. But a child rejoices in presents!” Normally we see grace as unmerited favor. Grace is also unmerited strength to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Come join us as we discover...

Sunday, May 22 Philippians 1:12-26 Toward the end of Philippians 1, the Apostle Paul confessed that he was “hard pressed,” conflicted by two competing desires. On the one hand, he wanted to depart this world and be with Jesus. It wasn’t because he wanted to merely escape the trials of this life, but because he had come to love Jesus so profoundly. He longed to be in the presence of his Lord. On th...

Sunday, May 15 Philippians 1:12-18 What do you think about suffering? Besides not liking it, can you see any value to it? Some people say things like, “It will all work out for the good,” or “There’s a reason for this.” That may be true, but there’s something even holier, more divine, and more meaningful related to our afflictions. In Philippians 1:13, the Apostle Paul asserted that his “imprisonm...

Sunday, May 8 Philippians 1:1-11 We begin a new series on the Letter of Philippians, Pressing On. It’s about a small congregation in the heart of the militaristic and calloused Roman Empire whose very existence could elicit threats and danger. It’s about a community of believers – imperfect as all such communities are – whom Paul referred to as “saints.” And it’s about the preserving power of the...

Sunday, May 1 Acts 3:1-10 God’s Love for the Struggling - Psalm 41:1 (NIV) - Proverbs 19:17 (NIV) - Psalm 35:10 (NIV) - Psalm 68:5 (NIV) 400 Scriptures refer to the poor... If God means it, what keeps me from engaging? 1. We define who is deserving 2. Unwilling to engage for the long haul or deeply 3. Our desire for stuff 4. Living as if our resources are limited Isaiah 58:10 (NIV) Three things Pe...

Sunday, April 24 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 The Apostle Paul founded a church in the ancient city of Corinth. Like much of the Greek world, it was pagan and decadent. Sadly, some of the values and assumptions of the surrounding society began to creep back up in the Corinthian church, leading to a host of scandalous dysfunctions requiring Paul’s urgent attention. He addresses these issues and as he begi...

Easter Sunday April 17 - John 20 It’s the morning of the first Easter. Mary Magdalene stands outside the garden tomb in tears. Traumatized from witnessing the torture and death of her Lord, she’s mustered all her strength to come and tend to his body. But he’s gone! Was killing him not enough? Now they resort to stealing his body? She can’t bear the pain. She breaks down. It seems as though her te...

Palm Sunday, April 10 John 12:1-36 We come to what many see as Jesus’ final sign — his triumphal entry into Jerusalem where a multitude greeted him with waved palm branches (hence, Palm Sunday). What might seem like a strange act of worship made a lot of sense back then. Almost 200 years earlier, the Jewish liberator, Judas Maccabaeus, overthrew ruthless Greek invaders, ending centuries of their d...

In John 11, Jesus raised a his close friend, Lazarus, from the dead. This is a story that is as strange as it is astounding. Why did Jesus wait two days once he got word that Lazarus was deathly ill? Why did Jesus allow Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, to grieve the death of their beloved brother when he could’ve immediately healed him? In this passage, we see the goodness of God, but we’re also...

Jesus has just fed the 5,000 – one of his “signs” as highlighted in John’s Gospel. He will soon reveal that he is the true bread from heaven and whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. But, right in between these two passages, we find the disciples on a boat with the wind blowing and the waters churning. As Jesus approaches the boat, the disciples see him walking on water, to which Christ r...