Worthington Christian Church

What is the purpose behind the Parable of the Ten Minas? 1. Following Jesus will not go the way we think it will go. 2. Jesus blesses us so we can bless others. This parable also shares two promises: 1. We're blessed to be a blessing. 2. Jesus will come back, and we will give an account of how we spent our time, how we used our talent, and how we invested our treasure.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector teaches us three things. We must move from... Pride to Humility. Separation to Unity. Hate to Love.

In the Parable of the Great Banquet, we learn the following truths about the Kingdom of God: 1. Everyone is invited. 2. Everyone is invited, but not everyone will accept. How will you respond to the invitation?

We declare that we will empty the jar of generosity. Jesus doesn't see labels, status, or income. He sees a grateful and repentant heart. Grace fuels our generosity. * Generosity takes a plan. * Generosity sets the pace of vision. * Generosity sees past the cultural norms. * Generosity is blessed. We must ask ourselves -- "What type of church do we want to be?"

We declare that we will choose joy in fellowship. Grace + Gratitude = Transformation Joy is found in God's grace and celebrated in fellowship with others.

We declare that we will continue to invest in the next generation. * Let’s share the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. * Let’s care about what happens in and with the next generation. “When decisions are made, children come first.” -- Elgar Brown

We declare that we will worship no matter the circumstance. We have the freedom to choose how we respond to the things that we would not choose. 1. Our praise comes from our heavenly perspective. 2. Our praise becomes our testimony.

Things that aren't properly cared for die. We declare that we will take spiritual growth seriously. "Spiritual growth" is our desire to know our Savior. Our goal is to be a church made up of disciples who are actively making more disciples.

We declare that we will make the Great Commission personal. In Mark 2, we learn about the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by four of his friends. When they couldn't get to Jesus through the crowd, they lowered him down to be healed by digging through the roof. If we're declaring that the Great Commission is personal, we should: 1. Not be in the crowd. 2. Carry a corner. 3. Wreck the roof. 4...

We declare that we will prioritize relationships. Problems in the church (and in our lives) arise when people focus on minor differences instead of major commonalities. We can’t live like Jesus if we're obsessed with living for ourselves.

We can’t trust that God holds all things together if we’re still hiding parts of our lives from Him. God sees potential where we often see problems. Here's a reminder of how God has turned problems into potential: * God parts the seas so there is dry ground. (Exodus 14) * God makes the sun stand still. (Joshua 10:13) * God removes prison doors. (Acts 16:26) * God speaks light into darkness. (Genes...

The best thing we can do with our greatest weakness is... Admit it - Honesty Submit it - Humility Commit it - Intentionality Jesus is not asking us to hold it all together. Jesus is asking us to trust that he can.

Matthew 6:26-34 teaches us two things:  1. We matter to God. 2. We need to seek God's Kingdom first. God equips us with everything we need to navigate life's chaos, challenges, and uncertainties.

When we believe that we can do it on our own, we grow proud. However, we must be cautious: a proud heart forgets the Lord. A proud heart thinks, "I can hold it all together on my own." When we try to hold everything together, we risk forgetting the Lord. We need to address the small leaks in our lives so they don’t lead to big problems. 1. How well am I showing up for others? 2. How well am I conn...

We need to trust Jesus to take care of what we cannot. Jesus has the power to rebuild what is broken.

Jesus wants to take us from death to life.

In Mark 2:14, we read that "Levi got up and followed him [Jesus]." This didn't just happen. There was first a teaching, then an invitation, and then a response. This tells us that Jesus is for us and is inviting us. How are you responding to Jesus' invitation?

The Parable of the Prodigal Son should really be titled, "The Parable of the Forgiving Father." The father obviously represents God, and the Prodigal Son represents the new Christian, but who does the older brother represent? If you're a long-time Christian, he probably represents you. Do you respond to God's love for you with love for others?

Your greatest pain can be your greatest story. Your victory over your greatest struggle might be the very thing that "one who is close to you but far from God' needs to hear about — that God can bring us from hopeless to hopeful.

Jesus sees whatever hurt you are carrying. * Jesus isn't afraid of our condition. * Jesus' power to heal is greater than the power of our hurt. The people Jesus healed took the first step.

No one is too far from God's grace. We have a responsibility to reach people with God's message. God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

Pride promotes self, while grace demotes self. Pride = I know best. Grace = God knows best.

God is the God of second chances. If we aren't reaching people with God's word, we are on a boat headed for Tarshish. When we repent, God relents.

When you hit rock bottom, Jesus is the only way out.

God's word is always speaking to us, but there will always be something that will allow us to run from God.   The truth is that we have all run from God at some point in our lives. So, the big question to ask yourself is: Where am I running from God?