Risen Church Nc

We are constantly comparing ourselves and being compared to one another. Our world today makes it extremely easy and natural to do this, with social media and society pressure. At the heart of this notion to compare ourselves is jealousy. We may not be jealous of others, but we are jealous of who they are and what they have. Jealousy's power and influence is deceptive, leaving us vulnerable and vindictive. When we give our minds over to jealousy and comparison, we are emptying our hearts of purpose and peace. Solomon describes jealous ambition as causing us to chase after the wind, which causes us to be filled with dissatisfaction. In this message, we hear and heed Solomon's words, and take a sober look at our lives and purpose, and we check the tank on our peace and joy. Our goal is to restore faith in God's plan for us, so that we wouldn't be distracted by His plans for others. We learn that it is possible to escape the comparison traps and secure peace and contentment.

In our last look at the Great Commission, we go beyond our call to witness and talk about what it looks like to be a truly welcoming people. As it turns out, when Jesus called His first disciples, He quickly began teaching them a brand new Kingdom ethic. Jesus emphasized their place in this world as salt and light, stressing that their good works towards others would be as important as their preaching the Good News. Combined with a message about Jesus, if our lives reflect Jesus we can always be on track to fulfill the Great Commission.

CS Lewis wrote, "There is within all of us a curious idea that we ought to behave a certain way, however, we do not in fact behave in that way." Romans 2 confirms that there is indeed this notion within us, which confirms that deep down we all acknowledge God's righteous standard, even if none of us can live up to it. In this chapter, Paul confronts the Jews' appearance of godliness and confirms that even those unreached are still accountable. His goal is to show everyone that there is salvation found in Christ, who can bring actual, authentic change to every believer.

In this edition of our Romans study, we unpack the Mercy and Kindness of God. We discover that God's mercy allows us to walk away from Him, while it also works to call us back. We discuss how it is the kindness of God that works to empower that which sin has weakened, to enable us to find new life. While no excuses are made for our sinful nature, no barriers are in place keeping us from obtaining a new nature. Romans 1 makes it clear that we are all deserving of judgement, but Romans 2 begins revealing the overwhelming kindness of God, that offers us grace instead.

Every single day, we face an enemy who seeks to tear down that which God is building up. He works against all that God works for: Redemption, Preservation, Sanctification. He attempts to leverage our world's fallen nature and God's patience with it, against us so that we might lose our joy and faith. The Apostle Paul details this battle that rages around us, and makes specific note of how Satan seeks to wound our hearts. He aims flaming arrows at us day after day, hoping to set our hearts on fire in all the wrong ways. In the introduction to this series, in which we'll cover many of the fiery darts that the enemy targets us with, we discuss the seeds of doubt that have been planted in the collective heart of the Church. Too many Christians have become overwhelmed with doubt and have lost their confidence in God and His Plans. Listen as we discuss the ramifications of doubt and the depressed state that we easily slip into if we forfeit the confidence and courage available to us. May we swiftly confess our

In the introduction to Romans, Paul extols the gift of salvation made available through Jesus Christ, but the tone changes midway through chapter 1. This transition however is very appropriate, because it addresses the question ,"Why do we need to be saved?" Beginning in Romans 1:18, Paul begins to unpack why humanity finds itself in dire straits apart from Christ. He explains what caused us to be far from God and details our unrighteous nature. This passage gives us incredible insight regarding our predisposed bent against God's will and way, exposing how we repeatedly exchange God's glory for our own shame. All of this serves to drive us to repentance and call us to worship, so that we might break the fallen cycle of humanity.

The heart of the Great Commission is a call to be witnesses for Christ - but what exactly does that mean? In this message we discuss what is necessary to effectively share the Gospel. What begins as a personal passion for Jesus, translates to and produces an eagerness to witness and a mindfulness for those outside of Christ. Are you willing to take the LEAP and obey the Great Commission? Listen and discover that you can be empowered to serve God in this way.

In this introduction to the Book of Romans, we look at how it uniquely fits into the Bible and serves as an incredible intersection of Old Testament promise and New Testament reality. The Apostle Paul shows us how that which was longed for across all of history was finally made available through Jesus Christ. Listen as we define what it means to be in a relationship with God.

The Great Commission is an imperative that hangs over every Christian. Those who know Jesus are called to live their lives with an ultimate purpose of making Him known. However, for many different reasons the majority of Christians don't feel up to the task and wonder if this commission really applies to them. The main reason we miss the calling of the Great Commission is because we misunderstand the essence of it and how truly accessible and inviting it is. We often think that witnessing is where it begins and ends, but really the Great Commission begins with worship. Worship is the first essential step in fulfilling the Great Commission. When we engage in worship we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit's lead. When we understand that Jesus is worth EVERYTHING, we will live a life full of worship. Not only will we exalt God vertically, but our lives will overflow with His goodness and Gospel. A lifestyle of worship is what we need if we are going to begin making disciples. If we possess a worshipful sp

A message from 2 Chronicles 20 about the power of prayer and a collective dependence on God.

All of our lives are telling a story. What if they all could tell the story of God's redeeming power? No matter what our lives are filled with, they all can be touched by and saved by the grace of God. Often we allow the wrong narrative to take hold in our lives, but what if God has a plan and wants us to bring everything to Him? In this message, we take a look at what God's Word has to say about our weaknesses and hardships in life, and how in them we actually intersect with God's grace and power. We learn how we can reframe our trials, find redemption for them, and find strength in them. We learn how to pray and what to pray for, and why God's Will is always best, even when we can't wrap our minds around it. We also learn to rejoice in even our struggles, because of the special encounter with Jesus awaiting us.

As Christians, we are called members of the Body of Christ. What exactly does this mean? How does the Local Church take discipleship to its intended place? In this message, we break down how participating in the Church allows our faith to grow. We may can follow Jesus from anywhere, but finding our place in a Church community opens our lives up to so much more. Find out how God is able to give us much more than we may have settled for, and how our brothers and sisters in Christ are essential in helping us discover this.

What sort of New Year's Resolutions should Christians make? Is there one vow that every follower of Christ ought to devote themselves to? Ephesians 4 identifies one thing that every Christian is called to do. The Apostle Paul declares that all who have put on Christ have this shared imperative over their lives. It turns out that this passage in Ephesians is just the tip of the iceberg of the New Testament's greatest message. In this message, hear how every Christian is called to consider how we relate to those around us. Our beliefs in God are actually proven and authenticated by our behavior towards others. As God has done for us, we are called to do for others. As we consider all that this passage introduces to us, we marvel at the possibility of a world where every Christian follows this path. Can you imagine what would happen if we all loved one another the same way God has loved us?

We all have a great work to do in 2022. Perhaps we haven't identified yet, or it could be something we've walked away from in the past. In this message, we turn to Nehemiah for inspiration about how we might commit our hands to the work God would have us do in this year. Nehemiah teaches us how to identify the "great works" that believers should prioritize. His story also shows how important accountability and persistence are, lest our works be abandoned. As you listen to this message and consider the text, ask yourself these very important questions: - What is my "Great Work" for 2022? In light of my faith and what God expects from me in my current walks of life - What can I not possibly ignore? Consider your role as a man/woman, husband/wife, single person, church member, etc. - How can I ensure that I will remain accountable to this work throughout this year? What support systems do I have in place to keep me from coming down from this work? - What temptations do I face, or could I face, that mig

At the dawn of a new year, we turn to God's Word for inspiration and direction. Naturally, there's no shortage of wisdom and guidance to be found. Romans 14 is a brilliant passage that calls for unity amongst a diverse group of Christians, who were quarreling over traditions vs liberty. One side argued that there were certain days that required a specific measure of reverence, while the other side advocated for less accountability and individual discretion. The Apostle Paul does a wonderful job at bringing everyone under their shared calling and shared cause. Paul reminds them, and us by way of inspiration, that every day belongs to God, and we are called to maximize them all for His glory. In this message, we gain incredible insight about God's sovereign design of us and the place in time He's placed us into. Turns out, every day that we wake up to was made with us in mind. Likewise, we were made with these very days in mind. We were made for these days, and these days were made for us. Listen to find ou

Every year that passes is another lap in an incredible journey towards our eternal destination. In 1 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul rallies the Church to consider the invitation and opportunity we have been given. We are called to run this race for the glory of God, devoting every day to Him. As we close another year, it's right that we evaluate the progress we've made. What did we add to our eternal portfolio in 2021? What do we need to change in order to live with the proper urgency and necessity in 2022? There is a gravitational pull on every one of our hearts that compels us grow as believers and go as followers. As we conclude another lap around the Sun, may we begin the next one with a heart of passion and purpose.

After enjoying the wonder of Christmastime and in reflection on another year under God's care, we spent the last Sunday of 2021 doing the only sensible thing: Savoring our Savior. Shouldn't our biggest regret of the year be that we didn't savor Him and seek out all of His grace? We are often full of worry or given to worshipping lesser things. If only we would spend every day soaking up all of God's goodness and allowing His grace to change our hearts. As we put a wrap on 2021 and look forward to 2022, this message helps put in perspective just how good our God is. Zephaniah's word to Israel is just as relevant to us, as he spotlights God's gift of salvation for us all.

Jesus was known to keep company of people from all across the spectrum. He dined with both Pharisees and Tax Collectors. Both sides, especially the religious crowd, wanted to keep Him for themselves, but Jesus could not be contained. On one occasion when Jesus sat down with a group of Pharisees, an unexpected and unwelcomed guest found their table. A woman labeled as an outcast and considered irredeemable came to worship Jesus, and this drew great ire from the religious men. This fateful encounter proves to be a perfect window into the Kingdom of God, and Jesus's thoughts about both sin and religion. In this message we discuss what the world had gotten so wrong about both matters, and how Jesus came to change everything. He came to lift the burden of judgement from every sinner. He came to expose religion's incapability to justify and satisfy our souls. He came to bring the love, hope, peace and joy that we all long for. Jesus came a Savior unto us all.

Matthew's version of the Christmas story doesn't begin with a grand introduction, nor does it immerse us into the drama and wonder of it all. No, Matthew's Gospel begins with a list of names. This isn't an ordinary list of names of course, but it is the genealogy of Jesus, tracing Him back to the beginning of Israel's story. Matthew assures us that Jesus's bloodline included the who's who of Israel's history - Abraham and David. However, much of the list features relative nobodies, that aren't so much as mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. There are also plenty of everyday sinners, who are remembered for all the wrong reasons. Yet, they're all included just the same. Matthew 1:21 tells us that Jesus came to save His people from their sins. The genealogy details just who His people were - People just like us. The message Matthew wants to send is pretty clear: Christmas is for EVERYBODY. Matthew's Gospel goes on to tell an incredible story about Jesus inviting and including sinners like him in the family

Christmas promises to produce a hope within us that is unwavering and thrilling beyond all compare. During the seasonal lead-up and celebration, it seems easy to believe that this is true and obtainable. However, for many of us once December 26 rolls around, Christmas is already a memory. The indication of whether we've embraced and received the true spirit of Christmas is not our hype in the build up, but our hope in the aftermath. When we've fully trusted in Jesus and have placed our hope in Him, we find everything this world won't and can't give us. Often we settle for hype because to truly find hope requires that we let go of any and all false hopes. For this reason, many celebrate Christmas but fewer are changed by Christmas. In this message we talk about why hope is always better than hype, and we identify and expose our false hopes. Christmas creates a space where all who are wearied can be honest about it and can rejoice knowing that Jesus is our unwavering hope.