Relevant

Relevant

Sermon Notes

“We are…”

  • Finding and living into our identity as a church.
  • Please turn to 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
  • Page 957 in the Pew Bibles / Stand for the reading of God’s word
  • Pray

(Directly from our website at http://www.goletavalleychurch.com/what-to-expect/ )

We have been around awhile. That said, we are excited about a new season for us!  In July of 2016 we hired Bobby Grossi as our new Senior Pastor with the intent of revitalizing our church. This type of season brings change but whether you are visiting for the first time or haven’t been in a while, there are a few things that you need to know that will remain the same. Here they are.

SIMPLE

We proclaim a simple message; Jesus Christ is THE hope of our world.  Though this news has been around for 2000 years we believe it’s just as relevant today as it was then.

Relevant

We believe the truths of the Bible connect humanity back to it’s creator. It also teaches that if we have peace with God it begins to effect all other areas of life, including the way we treat others.  Therefore every sermon will have some relevance to what we believe and/or how we live.

Historical

Our church has been serving Goleta and Santa Barbara county for over 140 years but the Church universal was established over 2000 years ago. We believe that our local expression of church is a small part of a large family of faith that is made up of all cultures, tribes and tongues.

Therefore, we are connected by faith to history, relevant to the needs of our city, and simple in the solution we offer.

Define Relevant.

SLIDE- Relevant: Appropriate to the current time, period, or circumstances; of contemporary interest.

  1. Is the “solution we offer” appropriate for today?
  2. Current for our time and the circumstances we face?
  3. Can we make a 2000 year old message a contemporary interest… or should we?

How can we be relevant to the needs of our city?

#1. Is the simple solution we offer of Jesus Christ appropriate for today?

  1. No… and yes.
    1. Why “no”? Because we have misused the Gospel… for years.-Strange philosophy that the Gospel should make people more like us.   (Hawaiian Islands and the Kiawe (kee-AH- vay)
    2. We do the same. If you become a christian you should be_____. a Democrat, Sing hymns, decorate this way, dress this way, talk this way.
    3. How have I done this? Evangelism-Telling people about Jesus.
    4. Read 1 Cor. 9:19-21
      1. How? By going to them. Learning the ways of others and then finding “gospel bridges” so that the message becomes appropriate.
  2. Define “Gospel bridges”
    1. Two cultures. We know one, we learn the other, and we bridge the gap between the 2 using stones (building blocks)
      1. In Hawaii,   1. Hawaiians have a respect for “holy man”
      2. BUT, it has been taken advantage of which comes across as disrespectful, so SHOW RESPECT to their culture.  (A stone)
      3. Las Vegas, it was not a “show Respect to their culture” because there was no set culture, it was a boom so it was a mutt of cultures, it was a city defining itself.  ESTABLISH RELATIONAL TRUST. Who will be there if it all falls apart.

Relevant to the needs of our City by being relevant and serving the people who live in it.

Read vs. 22

#2. Is the simple solution of the Gospel current for our time and the circumstances we face?  YES. it’s not if, it’s how.

  • Community groups we watched a short video (Jeff and his kids)

SLIDE- All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17

SLIDE- His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.   2 Peter 1:3-4

Jesus is still THE hope of the world.

Turn to Acts 17: 16

  • Read vs. 16-21
  • What should he say? What would you say?
  • “All that you believe is false” “Stop it!”
  • Maybe just the Gospel?
  • Paul builds a gospel bridge

Read Acts 17:22-29

  • How? Relates to their worldview “unknown God” (stone)
  • Quotes one of their poets (stone)
  • Reasons FROM their perspective.
  • Relevant to the needs of our City by being relevant to the people who live in it

#3. Can we make a 2000 year old message a contemporary interest… or should we?

Read Acts 17:32-34

You

  • Who knows I am a Christian?
  • What Gospel bridges can be built?
  • How can I influence/ create Gospel culture?

Others

  • Who does you calling/ gifts reach?
  • What needs are you fulfilling?
  • How does it bless your city?

Church

  • Who can I invite?
  • What areas in my church keep me from inviting others
  • How can I help?

Sermon Slides

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Historical