Risen Church Nc

We've all heard the story of the Wise Men who following a star, came to Jerusalem in search of a newborn king. Perhaps however, you haven't heard their backstory. Yes, their dedication to studying the heavens for a sign from God was a longstanding quest, that generations of stargazers had pursued. Practically the entire world featured religious societies which looked to the stars for a sign from God. Only the descendants of Abraham seemed to go about worship another way... In this message, we learn that God had long been planning to bring the rest of the world to Him. Listen and marvel at the phenomena that changed the course of history.

In this conclusion to our Acts series, we look back at the road taken by the Disciples from Jerusalem to Rome. It's clear that we can learn a lot from the early Church's constant, forward motion. They embodied the true spirit of being Jesus Followers. Arriving at Rome wasn't the end of the Church's journey, but rather, it was just the beginning. If we continue to be the movement, as they were... if we continue to follow Jesus and take steps forward... we too will impact our world just as they did.

In this message, we considered the familiar Christmas story in a different light, and what we discovered is pretty remarkable. It turns out that the people that we celebrate as the stars of story, were actually ridiculed in their day. Yet, that’s what makes their role in the story so perfect, because it captures the heart of Christmas. From Jesus's entrance into this world, He identified with those rejected and outcast by religion and culture. He spent His 3 year ministry totally focused on engaging and uplifting every downtrodden and oppressed person. Those marginalized because of their age, gender, profession or disabilities, were given a special place in Jesus's story. Ultimately, this was all part of His goal to make it known and felt that EVERY soul is valuable to God. Jesus made it clear that there is room and there is a place for EVERYONE in God's family. Even to those that are still a long ways off, Christmas sends a message that God has drawn near to us all.

Given the option, wouldn't you always want to be wherever God is? Even if God's choice is to lead us into a storm, if that is His dwelling place of choice, there remains no more desirable place for us. In Acts 27, we once again witness the Apostle Paul exemplify faith and delight in the Lord. In the eye of a hurricane, Paul leads a ship full of nonbelievers in a time of worship. They begin thanking God before He gives them their victory. In this message we learn that any moment in time wherein God is with us, is never a wasted moment. Our goal should be that we learn to live a "worship first" life, so that we might see the glory and good in every season of life.

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, Advent teaches us how to wait patiently and expectantly on the Lord. Christ's coming is certain, but in Advent we lean into the wait and realize that it's not in vain. The Bible is full of promises from God, that He will visit us in our waiting and deliver us. If and when we ever consider giving up, we are reminded that just as Christ came the first time, He will come again. We've never lived in a world apart from His care, and have nothing but more of His goodness to anticipate. In this message, we juggle the frustration that often comes from our seasons of waiting with the unwavering promises of God. We look back at the time before Christ came, at a world in great distress. Listen and learn the story behind the earliest Christmas prophecies, and discover that the message is just as relevant for us today. When it feels like God is NO WHERE, Advent reminds us that God is NOW HERE.

How can our thanksgiving outlast just a day or a season? Is it possible for us to be thankful every day and in every season? Even in challenging circumstances? The Bible teaches us that the key to this kind of thankfulness is a life of giving and sacrifice. Choosing to leverage our lives, our blessings and burdens, for the glory of God allows us to stay in tune with the work God is doing and wants to do through us Blessings come to us from God so that they might work through us for God. We have been enriched in everything and in every way so that we may serve God through it all. In this message we talk how this will leads to a harvest of thanksgiving to God. We learn that our hearts are most full when we are living sacrificial lives. We will always be MUCH MORE blessed from loving, serving and giving than we will from living any other way.

This portion of Paul's custody and trials in Caesarea, features two leaders who are remembered for all the wrong reasons. They thought Paul was at their mercy, but the story reveals that they were truly blessed to be in his presence, and given the invitation to Christ through him. However, both of these men fail to capitalize on the opportunity presented to them. One thought it was too inconvenient, while the other just couldn't break the generation cycle his great-grandfather had started. We remember them for being so close, but not in Christ. In this message, we talk about the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ, and how the blessings of knowing Christ far outweigh whatever inconveniences that come from following Him. We also talk about the power of God that intervenes into the most unlikely of stories, to work His glory. Listen and marvel at the invitations that God gave to Governor Felix and King Agrippa, and consider the tragedy of their rejection.

Having been arrested in Jerusalem and now set to appear before the Roman governor of Judea, the Apostle Paul isn't worried at all. He knows that the accusations made against him by the Jewish leaders are baseless and he has done nothing to disgrace Rome. Neither of these charges would pose any threat to him. When he finally stands trial before Governor Felix, the Jewish leaders bring these two accusations against him, and he quickly discredits them. However, a third charge is mentioned, to which he doesn't deny one bit. In fact, he embraces it. Upon being accused as the ringleader of the Jesus Movement, the one who was spearheading all the mission trips around the Roman Empire, planting churches in every province, Paul gladly accepts the blame. Even though there was nothing illegal about his faith, the unknown motives made everyone uneasy. Paul wasn't concerned what his Christian faith might cost him, and used this trial as an opportunity to boldly preach Jesus. In this message, we talk about Paul's unas

All of us share memories of being reminded again and again as children to say, "thank you." Thankfulness is a learned behavior, not simply an emotional reaction. If we were aren't taught to be thankful, we won't be thankful... The Bible is full of reminders to praise and worship the Lord, giving us an infinite number of reasons why we should. However, the Bible is also clear that no matter how blessed we are and full we are, we are more likely to be forgetful, than thankful. In this two-part conversation about Thanksgiving, we establish why God is always good and sovereign and thus always worthy of our praise. We talk about our nature to forget, and why we must choose to say "Thank you, Lord" early, often, and out loud.

If only we had more, better, different, another... If only things were different. Often we look at where we are at in life and we grow frustrated at what is missing or what we need. We've all found ourselves dissatisfied and discontent because of our own inabilities and this world's unpredictabilities and uncertainties. If we're being honest, these same frustrations can keep us from pursuing or growing in a relationship with God as well. We feel as if everything has to be just right to know God and follow Him. If God could change one thing about us, this would be it. In fact, what holds us back the most in life is our unbelieving nature that resists and doubts God. In this message, we study the story of Abraham who was overwhelmed and wearied by his own inabilities and the unpredictability and uncertainty of his world. God invited him to trade all of that in for faith. Abraham trusted God's promise to him and showed us all the way to a true relationship with God. God's Word is as good as His blood, as

The Apostle Paul was relentless in his attempts to reach his Jewish brothers and sisters with the Gospel. Against the will of his companions, he returned to Jerusalem to preach that Christianity was the fulfillment of Judaism and that Christ did what the Law could not do. After being assaulted at the Jewish Temple and then seized by the Roman tribune, Paul was even more determined to use this as an opportunity to address the Jewish crowds. In this message, we marvel at Paul's love and passion for his kinsmen, and consider how this reflects Jesus' heart for us all. We examine the sincerity in his approach and measure our own ministries against it. We also hear from Paul's testimony how remarkable God's grace truly is, and see how his story was totally flipped around for God's glory. What was true about God's pursuit and redemption of Paul is also true for us. His compassion is great for us and His sovereignty is mighty over us. What the enemy weaponizes for evil, God can rewire and redeem for good. There i

After addressing several churches with a call to repentance, and a message of renewal and reform, John is called up to Heaven. His experience is meant to invite every believer to understand the bigger picture and adopt a new perspective for their lives. Catching a glimpse of Heaven and seeing our eternal destination, compels us to take even more seriously and sacredly the mission that God has given us. He has called us lights of our world and ambassadors of His Kingdom. How blessed we are to have been given such a role! In Heaven, John sees that the scene is one of constant praise and worship around Jesus. He alone is worthy of all the glory, honor and fame. This begs the question - Are our lives proclaiming and pointing to His worth? Or are we carrying water for lesser beings and smaller matters? In this message, we consider the worth of our Lord and Savior, and hear His call for reform and renewal once more. How urgent it is that we examine our lives and filter every choice we make through who's worth we

Paul begins a remarkable journey in Acts 21, which will result in him being arrested in Jerusalem and sentenced in Rome. Everyone knew that Paul was facing danger on this journey, and many tried to talk him out of it. However, Paul could not be persuaded. Paul had a heart to reach his Jewish kinsmen and had a passion to take the Gospel to the heart of the empire. He knew it would be a costly road, yet he was willing to do whatever it took to glorify God and advance the Kingdom. There's no question, Paul embodied what it meant to be a true Jesus follower. In this message, we marvel at how Paul's journey literally mimicked the steps of Jesus and compare the structure of Luke's two-part story. We unpack Paul's Christlike determination to give instead of take, and consider how much more joy there truly is when we choose the former over the latter. How great a blessing are we leaving on the table by choosing to take instead of give, defend instead of sacrifice?

There is often duplicity between something's appearance and its true substance. Sometimes there is a disconnect between what we claim to be and what we actually are. When it comes to Christianity, this equates to hypocrisy. The Church at Sardis and Laodicea both had a great reputation. Sardis was recognized as a thriving, booming church. Laodicea was renown for doing great things and offering lots to its community. However Jesus reveals to them that their hearts were not in line with their professions and reputations. In this message, we talk about the nature of an apocalypse, meant to reveal what is often hidden or covered up. God's Word is constantly presenting an apocalyptic opportunity to us so that nothing remains in darkness. When God reveals to us something that needs to change, He gives us the ability to make those changes. Sardis and Laodicea may have drifted far from their confession, but Jesus was lovingly pursuing and waiting for them to return to Him. Likewise, He stands at the door of our he

Acts 20 serves as a reminder of all that had made the launch of the Church a success. Special attention is given Paul's commitment to encouraging and equipping believers and communities with all they needed to thrive as a local Church. In this message, we break down what faithfulness looks like in a modern context, and how we can see our churches reach and maintain their full strength.

In this message, we continue to talk about the tension between the world and the Church, particularly the trials and tribulations that come on the people of God. We hear Jesus' word to Smyrna and Philadelphia, as they were facing increased opposition and persecution. His Word to them was to fear not and remain faithful. He made it clear that following Him would cost them, explicitly saying that many would die for their faith. Revelation is honest and raw about the sufferings of this world, but it puts them in the proper perspective of our mission and the purpose of God. As God is patient with the world to come to Him, are we patient in our struggles? Are we faithful to endure our trials in order to become more like Him and do more for Him? Jesus whispers to us through His word to Smyrna and Philadelphia and reminds us that Heaven's doors are open, and help is on the way. Do we trust Him more than we fear the world? He is trustworthy and His plans for us forever good and promising.

Christianity made a huge splash in Ephesus, leading many to forsake their idols and cling to Jesus. In this message, we talk about how idolatry persists in our world today, even and especially in religion. God calls all of us to cast down our idols, and totally surrender to Him. True Christianity should threaten the idol industry, just as it did 2000 years ago.

Revelation identifies the Local Church as a candle placed by God to light up a dark world. Jesus' critique of the first few churches is most concerned with each church's ministry and mission. In this message, we consider the calloused church at Ephesus, the compromised church at Pergamum, and the causal church at Thyatira, and hear God's call to repentance. These churches all share a common issue: Their passion for and commitment to Jesus had faded away. As a result, their light had began to dim. Ephesus had drifted away from a relationship into religion. Pergamum and Thyatira seemed to be people of worship, but lacked a true witness and walk with God. Ephesus was all about truth, yet lacked a true heart for God. Pergamum and Thyatira appeared faithful in service, but lacked a faithful lifestyle. These churches remind us that what matters most is knowing Jesus in a personal way. We learn that our church membership is only as effective as our relationship with Christ. Jesus promises that He can heal our ca

In this message we take a look into the greater, spiritual reality that we live in. Paul's encounter with the Sons of Sceva in Acts 19, gives us insight about the Darkness at work in our world, but the Light available to believers.

On this week's episode, we discuss how the Incarnation of Christ is continually realized and manifested through the local Church. Learn how participation in the Body of Christ draws us closer to God and brings Him closer to our world.