Risen Church NC

2000 years ago, a relatively unknown Jewish carpenter cast a vision about the movement He was building and the unstoppable power that would fuel it for all time to come. At the time, before a modest audience of a rabble group of misfits and outcasts, this seemed like a pipe dream. Even those who esteemed this man to be someone special - perhaps even Israel's long-awaited Messiah - wondered if His...

On Good Friday, God established that He will forever be FOR US, by doing something FOR US. He provided a solution for all the ungodly, unrighteous sinners, when Jesus took our place on a cross. He bore the curse of this fallen world FOR US, so that we might be cured from its power and bondage. There is a healing that we can exclusively receive by trusting in Jesus' work on the cross. No matter our...

As every household in Jerusalem gathered to celebrate the Passover, so did Jesus and His disciples. However, nobody was prepared for Jesus' spin on this foundational holiday. His words that night still ring loud and powerful all of these years later, literally defining the work He would do the following day. Jesus broke the bread and raised the cup and declared that from now on this night would re...

What would you do if a pathway appeared for you to be a king? No, not necessarily in the royal sense, but in terms of autonomy and control. What if you could maximize power and privilege, and minimize all weakness and limitations. What if the world around you suddenly leaned in your direction and bent towards your will? All that resists, frustrates, and works against your will - suddenly all began...

As Paul signs off on his letter to Corinthian Church, he invites them to look beyond their local body, and consider the work being done elsewhere. His lengthy message about the health of Corinth concludes with a reminder of the work it takes to plant and foster other healthy churches. In this message, we hear Paul invite us to not only prioritize our role in our local church - as the entire letter...

We often confuse and conflate God's goodness with what's expected and what's easy to process. Sometimes however, God's good plans involve subverting our expectations so that we might gain a stronger faith through in the end. The story of Lazarus is one that we all know so well, but had we been there and were observing it in real-time, can you imagine our emotions? Can you imagine what Lazarus was...

As Paul continues to emphasize how the Resurrection of Christ is an inseparable pillar of the Christian faith, he focuses in on one particular aspect. He teaches the Corinthians how the of the Resurrection takes on its ultimate meaning as we suffer and face the various trials of this life. In this message, we heed Paul's invitation to view our hardships through the lens of Jesus' death and resurre...

All of our stories feature something that challenges or takes away our ability to see clearly. Perhaps we were born into something that has made it hard for us to see past all the obstacles in our way. Perhaps we experienced or encountered something along the way that frustrates our outlook on life. It could be, however, that we've set certain expectations and developed a particular set of beliefs...

In this text, Paul begins to address his final area of concern within the Corinthian Church: Many were denying the Resurrection. While they believed in Jesus, they had trouble accepting His humanity and were questioning what the big deal was about His resurrection and the hope of our own resurrection. They saw no redeemable value in this physical world and longed for an escape. Also, they wondered...

One fateful morning, as hundreds began ascending the Temple Mount with animals in tow, the religious leaders came to make a different kind of sacrifice. Their forces had caught a woman in adultery and they were set to make public example of her just outside the Sanctuary courtyard. There they would stone her and send a message to the whole land, that while sacrifices for sin were being made a few...

The final major topic of 1 Corinthians is all about the Resurrection of Christ - what it promises us and the kind of life it propels to. In this first look at chapter 15, Paul recaps the simple Gospel, emphasizing some key elements that can easily be misunderstood. We are reminded of the grace of God that saves us and sustains us and about the importance of spreading the simple, yet powerful messa...

When John set out to write his account of the life of Jesus, he took a different approach than his contemporaries. Rather than recounting every sermon, parable, and big event, John chose to focus in on the people that Jesus impacted the most. In his Gospel, he highlight several in-depth, one-on-one conversations between Jesus and people just like us, to show us that all of us have a place in God's...

In this chapter, Paul uses the subject of Spiritual Gifts to address an overarching concern he has about the Church at Corinth - and all local bodies of Christ for that matter. Even just a few decades into the Church movement, Paul was noticing a trend that Church services and Church communities were becoming very insider-focused and mostly about appealing to the senses of those who already belong...

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul returns to the subject of Spiritual Gifts and enlightens us even more about their intended use. God envisions a Church filled with devoted members, filled with His Spirit, and leaning in each others direction. Paul makes it clear to us that Spiritual Gifts only find their true purpose when in service to one another within the Body of Christ. In this message, we break down...

In our final installment of our "We Believe" series, we take a look at the place Jesus says that all true, devoted followers will end up eventually. When He called His original disciples, He cast a vision over them concerning what would become their number one passion, even if it would take years for them to arrive at it. Listen as we discuss how God wills that all of us be filled with a heart for...

We believe that if we have been reconciled to God, we will seek to be reconciled to one another. Early on in the story of humanity, God confronted one of the first people about the risk of unresolved and unchecked anger. As it turns out, the Bible has tons to say about how dangerous anger and hatred are. In this message, we discover that anger and hatred ultimately stem from a disconnect in our re...

The New Testament anchors the entire Christian ethic and lifestyle in love. On every page and from every author, we find and hear reminders of the love of God displayed and demonstrated through Jesus. We are invited to receive that love and we are commanded to share that love. In this message, we look at Paul's definition of this selfless, sacrificial love. Paul details how we can embody this love...

We Believe that Redemptions leads to a Relationship, and that leads to our Renewal and Restoration. As we continue our "We Believe" series, we dive into the New Life that is available to us in Christ. We take a look at an Old Testament story of a great man who had a major, devastating secret and see how his healing is a picture of God's power at work in our lives. That story of renewal and restora...

In his explanation of the Spiritual Gifts and different ways that we all can serve in the church, Paul expressed concern over the contention and judgement that may settle upon the church in this area. He knew that the church was prone to go the way of religion, and allow each members' aspiration for holiness create within them a sense of self-righteousness and arrogance. He warns the Corinthians t...

We believe that redemption leads us into a relationship. In week two of our "We Believe" series, we discuss what comes after salvation and forgiveness of sin. While this is our foundation, the Bible makes it clear that in tandem with our redemption comes a real relationship with God. Everyone who sees their sin washed away in Christ, also receives a new heart and the very Spirit of God within them...

Chapter 12 is really the heart of Paul's letter to the Corinthian Church, wherein he reveals why he's stressed unity and accountability in the preceding chapters. In this text we see Paul's high and sacred view of Church membership come into full light, as he defines and details what it means to say that we are the Body of Christ. In this message, we discuss all of this and more - focusing in on o...

There was a time when the core, foundational beliefs of any given local church were practically impossible to miss. They were apparent in how the church conducted and promoted itself. As faith and culture have blended, and all sorts of opinions and agendas began to have greater influence, it became a lot harder to identify these key beliefs. However, it's not hard at all to figure out what the chu...

Paul has established that being saved means all of us are being transformed by the Spirit of God. With this new nature, comes new desires and new opportunities in life. As the natural body breathes and moves, the Spirit-filled body will seek to do and participate in Spiritual things. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul introduces us the gifts of the Spirit, which every Christian can receive and experience i...

There's no way to talk about the life of a Christian without discussing the Spirit of God. We are literally products of His Resurrection power. The same power with which Jesus arose from the grave lives in the heart of every believer. This means that we are now supernaturally transformed, given a new nature and new desires. This also means that our lives are being guided in a new direction. In cha...

Did you know that the man known for his wisdom, power, fame, and success is also known for his tremendous regret? King Solomon was the envy of his day, yet in his own reflections on his life, he spoke of shame and disappointment. In this message, we conclude our series on our Souls and how we should give priority to them, by listening to the words of Solomon. He contrasts a life well-lived with a...