Grace Church In Noblesville & Fishers, In

Following Jesus' resurrection, he made a bold claim "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth." Matthew 28:18 That phrase should get our attention. It should cause us to go back and put a filter over everything we have recorded that Jesus ever said. Every word out of his mouth is like a truth sledgehammer. Every sermon, every illustration, every story that Jesus told has more weight than we've probably ever given it. His stories are not folksy. His parables are not quaint. And they aren't just rhetorically brilliant. They are mammoth. And they are desperately crucial to right living. We better know them and live them. Our preaching team has chosen 4 of Jesus stories that we find intriguing and complicated and stunning. This series begins with maybe the most famous story Jesus ever told, the story of the Good Samaritan. Here's the moral of the story: If you say you want to love God and love your neighbor, here's how you do it. This is a faith authenticator. An obvious mark of a

The story of Easter changed everything for the world and for eternity. It provided hope to all that eternal life is possible through Jesus our Savior. It changed everything!

1 "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn' produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9 "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you o

You are not alone...ever. You have an advocate. John 14 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home.[a] If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?[b] When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going." 5 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.[c] From now on, you do know him and have seen him!" 8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." 9 Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, here's what happens: 1. Jesus takes communion with his disciples for the first time and tells them to continue the practice 2. There's a bit of dialogue about which of the disciples will betray him (spoiler alert: it's Judas) 3. Jesus predicts that Peter would deny him three times John 13:1-5 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. Our God is a

The story of Isaac was a reminder that when God called the Israelites to stay put, they had to dig wells to do it. Sometimes God calls us out, out into grand adventures and far off locales. But sometimes God calls us to stay put just like Isaac, and frankly, it's often a much more difficult task. When that's your calling, of course you pray. Of course you search Scripture to understand the heart of God. Of course you seek out moments of silence and solitude to listen for the Spirit's guidance. You need it! But when you're called to stay put, to live in a culture constantly enticing you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, a culture where the voice of God can so easily be lost in all the noise, it can be much, much more difficult to keep your faith vibrant and alive. When God calls us to stay put, we must keep digging spiritual wells.

The purpose of tests is not for God to decide whether you are worthy of His love, but to strengthen your resolve to fulfill what God has called you to. Abraham experienced this in his life and we have much to learn from him. So, we ask you this: What test are you facing? What are you being asked to sacrifice? Where is God providing?

This week, we laid out the ground rules for approaching God. Invite Him into the home of your heart as He invites you into His. Go in expecting miracles & answers. Be ready to negotiate. Be respectful & reverent. For the God who sees you invites you into a dangerous wonderous relationship with him that will change you and quite possibly change the world around you.

No matter who you are... no matter what your place in the world may be... whether your circumstances are good or bad.... God is present, He is watching and caring for you. He sees you! And even though things today may seem difficult and hopeless and you may feel unworthy or marginalized in the moment, God has a special call on your life and His desire is to be with you and to bless you in surprising ways as He leads you into your destiny!

Do you struggle with belief - believing God or believing in God? The beautiful thing about the story of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob is that they are so relatable. In these stories, we get a ring-side seat to watch human beings learn to believe. This story, in particular, is ground zero.

God's love for you has nothing to do with how "good" you are. Or how holy. God loves you. Period. And he has already sent his son, Jesus, to die for your sins. It is finished. Your job is not to earn it, but to trust in it! Do you believe God has chosen you? What is God calling you to surrender? What part of this broken world is God calling you to heal?

This sermon looks at 3 questions to move your faith forward: 1. Do you see God anywhere in your life? 2. Do you believe God? 3. Are you talking with God?

Is Jesus your King? Is he a religious mascot to you or the sovereign monarch of your soul? Do you evade him or embrace him? Is he fake news or is he the truth? KEY SCRIPTURES: Matt 2:1-18 Luke 2:34-35 Luke 14:26 Luke 14:33

Join us for the 2017 Christmas Service as Dave Rodriguez delivers a sermon on Simeon & Anna looking for hope. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul. Luke 2:34-35

The world we live in is desperate for peace. And this is not a new thing. The search for peace has been going on for many years. Doesn't that sound good about now? Peace with God, with ourselves and between people? The elusive peace promised by the Roman Empire, the Pax Romana (Peace of Rome), was now being offered through Jesus to ALL people on earth. This peace was not enforced by power and might - it came through humility and service - the birth of Jesus was ushering in a new kingdom and a new peace. This peace has its roots in the Jewish idea of shalom, which means wholeness. To be whole means that one has right relations with God, with other persons, and with oneself. This was not the pseudo peace offered by the Roman government - but the real peace that had eluded them and all of God's people since the entrance of sin into the world. And that same peace is extended to us today. And it is a peace that is only possible if you choose to accept it. If you choose to accept and surren

A Thrill of Hope is going to explore four different "scenes" in the gospel of Luke - four different mini-stories that capture some of the things that happened right before and after Jesus was born. We are going deeper to see what these stories really mean. Beyond just the facts. What they meant to the people who actually experienced them, what they meant to the original readers of these stories, and what they mean for us today. The common thread with each of the characters we're looking at is that they are all looking for Jesus - for different reasons. They're looking for salvation, for justice, for peace, and for hope. This sermon looks at Mary: A story of how God chose the least expected woman to change the world.

When you look at Luke & Acts together, you realize that it isn't a biography of Jesus. The second half isn't even about him. It's about his Church! This is the story of God's salvation coming to all of humanity through Jesus. Looking at it with that perspective in mind, you realize that the first couple chapters of Luke aren't actually the beginning of anything. They're a continuation. They're picking up the threads of a story that started long before - all the way back at the beginning of the people of God. Luke wants his readers to know that the story they are caught up in - the story of Jesus and his Church - is the same story they read about in the Old Testament. The story of Abraham and Moses and David and the Israelites. This is all one story. The story of God's mission to redeem humanity.

Jesus is calling us to be his disciples. I challenge you to move beyond your existing relationships and levels of comfort and build new relationships within our ever-growing community.

The journey into gratitude is essential to maintaining peace and perspective in the ups and downs of life.

Just as Rahab provided protection to the Israelite spies, our church and homes should be a places of refuge and reform. We are called to extend and elevate the presence of God in this world.