Worthington Christian Church

A priest is a man who served at the Tabernacle or Temple, following God's instruction. He served as a mediator between the people and God. Jesus is the Great High Priest, offering himself as a sacrifice once and for all.

The Tabernacle did two things: 1. It illustrated a personal God. 2. It illustrated a loving God. Jesus fulfills the dwelling of God in the Tabernacle.

When we are exhausted, we must fight the temptation to think: * I'm all alone. * God is not with me. * Everyone is against me. * There is no hope. When we are exhausted, we must remember: * I'm part of a community. * God has and will continue to provide. * There are people for me. * There is hope. Jesus is the Rock flowing with Living Water.

We often get tripped up by life's worries and struggles, which can become a barrier to accessing the deeper level of God’s presence within us. The Israelites experienced this in the desert, but God provided and gave them what they needed each day. The manna provided daily bread. Jesus provides eternal fulfillment.  Jesus is the Bread from Heaven.

How does someone get to heaven? There are two ways, and two ways only. 1. Be perfect. 2. Trust Jesus by receiving the gift of salvation. By accepting that gift and trusting Jesus (who is the Passover Lamb for humanity) we can be redeemed.

Moses teaches us what it's like to be in a relationship with YAHWEH God. * We need to get rid of what is holding us back. * We need to be faithful in the place where God speaks to us. * We need to remember the God who sends us. Jesus fulfills the I AM. When God sends us into any situation with any person, He is with us.

God is a promise maker and a promise keeper. The Christmas story is full of promises! How should we respond to a "God promise?" Simeon responded by being faithful because God always keeps his promises.

We need to do two things in order to find something: 1. We have to know what we're searching for 2. We have to search for it All of us long for peace, and it can be found in Jesus.

We find peace knowing that God is with us in our challenges.

Does this equation look familiar to you? Isolation + a Challenging Circumstance + Christmas = a Disaster of Emotions Let's modify that equation a bit: Community + a Challenging Circumstance + Christmas = a Different Perspective We are not alone. God is near, and so are His people. Connect with both.

Jesus is a game-changer on all fronts! Often, unexpected plans (including pain) have a purpose, and it's not just for you -- it is for others as well.

The way of Jesus is humility. The way of Jesus is not one of seeking your own honor, it’s of honoring others.

Jesus taught us a lot about Gratitude. * Gratitude is more about perspective than it is about proximity. * Gratitude negates betrayal. * When we are ungrateful, we will do things regretful. * Gratitude can be expressed by words and actions. * We are grateful for an invitation to sit at Jesus' table.

The Ten Principles of Hurt & Forgiveness from Joseph's Life: 1. Hurt people, hurt people. 2. It's okay to have an emotional response to emotional hurt. 3. We decide in private how to respond in public. 4. Nothing good comes from fighting fire with fire. 5. Forgiveness often requires proximity. 6. Forgiveness can be one-sided. 7. If we avenge people for wrongdoings, we undermine the work of transfo...

Kindness takes action. Kindness breaks cultural assumptions. Kindness is often reciprocated.

How we pray is woven into how we live. We should be devoted to the power of prayer. We should reach people by word and deed. We need each other to remain faithful to Jesus. The Church needs the spiritual grit to remain faithful until the end, paired with spiritual grace to point people to Jesus.

1. As a church, we strive to live like Jesus relationally.  2. As a church, we strive to worship Jesus authentically.  * We worship authentically when we are at peace with each other.  * We worship authentically out of a grateful heart.  * We worship authentically when we preach the message of Jesus.   3. As a church, we strive to take Jesus with us daily. 

* The Cross gives us a new perspective. * The Cross commands a new lifestyle. * The Cross is an unrestricted invitation. There are three types of people who are listening to this message today: 1. Those who would say, "The Cross changed my life." 2. Those who would say, "The Cross is changing my life." 3. Those who would say, "I have yet to respond to the Cross." What group do you fall into?

We can have confidence in the truth of Jesus. 1. The truth of Jesus is available to all people. 2. The truth of Jesus has been and will be challenged. 3. The truth of Jesus changes lives.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. (He is the firstborn over all creation.) Jesus is the head of the church. (The church is the body.) Jesus is the reconciler of humanity. (He is the peace maker.)

In Paul's message to the church, he wanted us to remember: 1. Who you are. 2. What God has done for you. 3. Where God is taking you. Jesus is enough and we are enough through Jesus.

Rhythms form faith.  Rhythms have incredible power and affect who we become. When we go to God in Spiritual Rhythms, we lean on His power to help us grow.

The best way to sum up Acts 2 is like this: Alignment—Unity—Growth Those three things happen when we: * Keep the main thing, the main thing. * Keep spiritual rhythms. * Keep being unified. * Keep meeting consistently.

What type of church was the early church? * They were a reaching church. * They were a doctrine-based church. * They were a worshipping church. * They were a community-driven church. * They were a generous church. * They were a unified church. The mission of our church, to reach people who are far from God, hinges on our unity.

How do we keep our spiritual rhythms? 1. Scripture 2. Fellowship 3. Communion 4. Prayer