Isn't She Lovely?
Apr 2015 - May 2015
Isn't She Lovely? That's the question. Examining passages from the Book of Acts during the Easter 2015 season, Pastor Jeff Alexander shows us the good, the bad, and the ugly, both in the earliest days of the church and in our own day. The church has been trashed a lot recently--by terrorist networks, by media outlets, and by those who seek to limit her influence in society. The church has also brought a lot of her own problems on herself--scandalized by what her own people have done to others both outside and inside the community of faith. Yet, through it all, the church is called "the bride of Christ." Purchased with His cross-shed blood and open-tomb resurrection victory, Groom Jesus never gives up on His bride. Neither should we. Isn't She Lovely? | Sunday, April 12 - Sunday, May 31, 2015 | iTunes: "Converse with God | Twitter: @Root66Route
Passage: Acts 2:22-36 & Colossians 1:17-20
On the First Sunday after Pentecost, the Christian church throughout the world glorifies the Triune God for His work to save us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this final part of our "Isn't She Lovely?" sermon series, Pastor Jeff Alexander teaches from Acts 2:22-36, where we see all three members of the Trinity at work. Through God's Word, the Holy Spirit focuses us on Jesus as our true and lasting Source of growth and the only Giver of eternal life. Let's connect on Twitter | @Root66Route
Passage: Acts 1:1-26
Jesus ascends into heaven, and the Bride looks up! As we study Acts 1:1-26, we see how Jesus Christ--40 days after His resurrection victory--ascends to the Father's right hand, where He now reigns in great power and glory. He leaves, yet He doesn't leave us alone. As we look up to Jesus in faith, He empowers us with His Spirit to be His witnesses "to the ends of the earth." Enjoy this message from our 2015 Confirmation Service as our youth confirmands publicly confessed their commitment to Jesus! | Follow us on Twitter @Root66Route
Passage: Acts 10:34-48
Has God's Truth ever directly confronted you with something that uprooted your biases and challenged everything you've ever known? That's Peter in Acts 10. Even though he would've known Jesus' call was for him to go to "all nations," Peter still needed the Spirit-given Word to bring him to the full realization that "all" means "all"! Peter first learns himself and then preaches to others that Jesus alone is the Savior of both Jews (like Peter) and Gentiles (not like Peter), because all people need His forgiveness, full and free! Today's message by Pastor Jeff Alexander focuses us on the completed work of Jesus Christ and the reality that all who trust in Him stand accepted, by His grace, as His Bride.
Passage: Acts 8:26-40 & 1 Peter 3:13-16
Persecution strikes. Christians scatter. Yet, so does the Word of God. In today's message from Acts 8:26-40, we see how Deacon Philip, a servant leader in the early church, seized the Spirit-given opportunity he was given to share the good news of Jesus Christ with a man from Ethiopia. How are you and I doing the same? How are we following the Spirit's guidance? How are we reaching out--even across cultural divides--to proclaim the gospel? | Follow us on Twitter @Root66Route
Passage: Acts 4:1-22 & John 15:18-19
How can we proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ boldly, lovingly and persuasively in a culture that's increasingly intolerant of Jesus Christ's exclusive claims to be "the Way, the Truth, and the Life"? Today's message guides us in dealing with this dilemma through the model of Peter and John as they proclaimed Christ amid hostility. Pastor Jeff Alexander teaches from Acts 4:1-22 so we can learn from the earliest church, the Bride of Christ, as "She Keeps Growing," both rooted in and routed in God's Word.
She Finds Healing
Sun, Apr 19, 2015 by Pastor Jeff Alexander
Passage: Acts 3:11-21
We don't see all that Jesus sees. He sees His Bride in the past, the present and the future. He sees her both on earth and in heaven. He sees the good, the bad, and even the ugly. Yet, He (the Bridegroom) says, even sings, of her: "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious?" Kind of like Stevie Wonder. Kind of. But that's beside the point. When Jesus looks upon His Bride, the church, He sees that she finds healing--both on the inside and on the outside--by His name and through faith in Him.
She Lacks Nothing
Sun, Apr 12, 2015 by Pastor Jeff Alexander
Passage: Acts 4:32-35 & Ephesians 5:25-27
The good. The bad. The ugly. Jesus sees it all. Yet, He still says of His people, His church: "Isn't she lovely?" This is no Stevie Wonder chorus; this is how Jesus feels about His "bride"! As a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband, the church lacks nothing because she is the recipient of everything the Bridegroom gives through His life, death and resurrection for her.