South Ridge Church FXBG

Jesus made a promise that He would return. As He talks about His return, His followers from Galilee would have understood the imagery from a wedding. Jesus promise of a return provides hope to those waiting because it will be physical and public. We’ll find how the rapture is part of His return.

Jesus’ disciples wanted to know when the end would happen. He explains to them that the end would happen when certain signs would occur. Decades later, John echos that the same signs have continued and will continue. Even with the uncertainty, we have no reason to fear.

Like last year as we were just a weeks into the pandemic, the message of Easter is more relevant to the modern world than it has it about 100 years when the world faced another global pandemic. Now we are over a year into the pandemic and the message of Easter is just as relevant to us as it was last year. Why? The events of Easter are relevant because they address our greatest fears.

Jonah is angry and we find the reason why he disobeyed in the first place. What we really find is a Jonah who isn’t willing to admit that he no longer values what God values. He couldn’t love and show grace because he didn’t understand love and grace. Even when we didn’t understand love and grace, God loved and provided us grace.

We find Jonah arriving in Nineveh. After everything he experienced in his relationship with God, he reluctantly obeyed and preached a heartless message. We’ll find that reluctant obedience is not complete obedience. Even when we heartlessly obey, God uses us in spite of us for His purposes.

We’re introduced to Jonah, a prophet who was called to speak on God’s behalf and decided that wasn’t for him. Jonah’s decision changed his life...and not for the better. The decisions we make have consequences. Even though disobedience leads to descent, God continues to pursue us for His purposes.

Pharaoh finally relented and allowed God’s people to be free. Perhaps angry from his defeat, he changed his mind and pledged to revenge the death of his son. Pharaoh was not going after Moses’ and God’s people he was going against God, who would defend the freedom of his people.

For freedom, there had to be sacrifice. God provided a salvation for His people but it cost something. Something had to die in order for there to be life. Those willing to sacrifice were spared or saved and those unwilling to sacrifice experienced great loss.

Moses was born into slavery. With a step of faith from his mom, Moses was born into slavery and adopted into the royal family. After running away to avoid getting caught for murder, God provides Moses purpose that redirects him back to the royal family.

What we mean is that found people find people comes down to talking to each other about something you enjoy or someone you find enjoyable, which in our case is a relationship with Jesus.

Trust is a currency in relationships. If there’s not much in the account, relationships are poor. There is no “expecting the best” in each other. If there’s much in the account, relationships are rich. There’s plenty of giving the benefit of the doubt to each other. There’s cheering someone on who may be better at something than you—no jealousy. There’s this love between each other.

From the very beginning of time, we were designed to work and serve. It was a good thing. This design never changed when sin entered the picture...it just became harder for us. When Jesus came to defeat sin, He never changed the design. Instead, He modeled it to perfection.

The Gospel doesn’t just save you or provide you your ticket in to heaven. It’s so much better than that—it’s the full experience of life with Jesus the leader of your life. The good news is not just for tomorrow but for today.

Every generation of Jesus followers is responsible to ensure the news of the Christian faith stays true to the original. So are you good news? What if you’re the only news someone gets?

People close to Jesus were convinced they had met good personified. So they documented the story. They were convinced it wasn’t just for a nation or for a generation, but for all nations and every generation. This was good news, great joy, for all people—perhaps especially for those of us who aren’t all that good. If it’s not good news, you may have the wrong version. It’s not a good story. It’s g...

Gratitude is definitely more than an attitude. While we all have much to be grateful for, gratitude doesn’t always fill our hearts. Gratitude is a good goal, but not the best goal. So what is greater than gratitude?

Gratitude is definitely more than an attitude. While we all have much to be grateful for, gratitude doesn’t always fill our hearts. Gratitude is a good goal, but not the best goal. So what is greater than gratitude?

Gratitude is definitely more than an attitude. While we all have much to be grateful for, gratitude doesn’t always fill our hearts. Gratitude is a good goal, but not the best goal. So what is greater than gratitude?

What does success look like to you? Perhaps before you could describe it, how would you define success? It seems like all of us want success. With everything we’ve talked about over the last seven weeks, Peter gives us very practical handles on what success looks like at church and at home.

Suffering affects all of us. Some more than others. What if suffering was more than just a good thing or bad thing but a necessary thing? Peter helps us to expect suffering, understand suffering, and prepare for suffering because it’s coming.

Peter provides us clarity on God’s plan for the home. God has created men and women with different roles. As men and women live out their roles, it’s best for kids and the church. It’s clear that the love in the home overflows into the church. The church is a picture of the home.

Politics. It just means the way we make decisions as we live together. Politics is much more than just a definition. It brings emotions, avoidance, and debates. Peter wrote this while living under an emperor. As we live under two major political parties, what if there was more than just a donkey and an elephant?

Have you experienced family drama? It can be something that you laugh at later or something that leaves irreparable collateral damage. Peter helps us understand that our adoption brings us into God’s family. Our church is made up of other adopted sons and daughters of God. We’ll find best practices on how to best treat one another.

Have you ever said, “You just never know. I might need that.”? Preparation is important. Peter provides us a way to prepare our minds so that we can think clearly, act differently, see ourselves appropriately, and love our church correctly.

Ever receive an inheritance? Maybe know someone who has? Perhaps a better question is do you plan to give an inheritance to someone? Peter reminds us that we have an inheritance as adopted sons and daughters of God. Our future home is a place where we are completely safe, secure, and satisfied.