Author: strive4theprize

June 5, 2023

Serving

Romans 12.1-8

We all have ways that we are conforming to the world around us. Hard not to do when you walk this planet. But as we spend more time in God’s Word and allow God’s Word to spend more time in us, the Spirit uses the Word to renew our minds and transform us to live and love like Jesus. We begin to see the world more and more through His eyes. We begin to want what He wants. We see that His will for us is perfect. And then offering the whole of ourselves to Him…serving Him…just makes sense. It’s the only reasonable thing to do.

Because of what God’s done for us, we want to serve Him…and we do that by serving others.

God’s gifted you for a reason…are you using your spiritual gift to build up the body? Of course that assumes that you know what your spiritual gift is. One way to discover what your spiritual gift is…is to serve. If you hear about an opportunity that sounds good to you, then just try it. If it’s an area of giftedness, you’ll know. It will “feel” right, and we won’t be able to talk you out of it. If not, you’ll know that too, and you can try something else. Remember the Christian life is not a one-and-done but a lifestyle…training not just trying.

If you want to experience the fullness of joy and abundance of life that Jesus talks about, you’ve got to get serving. So find ways to serve. As you exercise your spiritual gifts, don’t be surprised to see God use them in tandem with others, bringing you closer together and closer to Him.

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This post is based on a sermon from our For Future Reference series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

May 15, 2023

Some Mother’s Day Encouragement

1 Samuel 1

Hannah was a woman of prayer, a woman of faith, a faithful woman, and a grateful woman of worship. Oh, and of course Hannah was a mom.

Prayer, faith, faithfulness, gratefulness, and worship…all things that are not just good for moms. They’re good for all of us.

Moms…you have the incredible responsibility of caring for your kids, and one of the most significant of  your responsibilities when it comes to raising them is the time you spend pursuing after the LORD yourself. You can’t lead them where you’re not going. So your training them up in the fear and admonition of the LORD is simply the overflow of the life you are living before them. That’s where prayer and Bible stories and taking them to church and your own lived-out faith come into play. Teaching them to worship the LORD just like you.

And Moms…as much as you want to, you cannot protect your kids from everything forever…especially as they get older. They will make mistakes, just like you did. So, take advantage of every one of those teachable moments while they are young. Teach your kids to be in the world, but not of the world. You won’t always do it perfectly, and your kids won’t always respond the way that you would have hoped, but moms, when you have done all that you know to do, continue to pray for your kids and be in the Word. You won’t always see the fruit of your labor…it may not seem like it’s “taking”, but remember…when they are in distress, when they are alone, when their worlds are crumbling…they will remember what their momma taught them. So be encouraged.

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This post is based on our Mother’s Day sermon. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

May 8, 2023

Forgiveness

Luke 17.1-6

Jesus warns His followers about the sad reality that there will always be those who cause others to stumble…either by their words or actions…cause them to turn away from following Him. Don’t let it be you. For those who do fall into sin…confront, confess, forgive, repeat is our mantra. It won’t be easy…it requires faith and obedience. Faith because forgiveness is a supernatural act; obedience because it’s not an option.

Where are you struggling today? Are you making lifestyle choices that may be causing others to stumble, maybe even becoming a barrier to others coming to know Jesus? We are to live lives worthy of the calling…doesn’t mean that we’re perfect, but it means that we are choosing to love God more. More than our other relationships that may not be honoring to Him. More than our careers. More than our popularity. More than our stuff. It means saying “no” to the things that might trip others up.

Maybe your struggle’s on the other side…forgiving those who have caused you to stumble or have wronged you in some way. That’s a tough one. It’s hard to confront those who hurt us…especially in a loving way. And it’s even harder to forgive those who hurt us, especially when we begin trying to evaluate whether or not they really mean “I’m sorry” when they say it. And when they do it over and over…forget about it. But forgiveness is not an option for those who have been forgiven by God. So if that’s you today, ask God to help you forgive. The main issue isn’t faith but obedience.

Sometimes our forgiveness problem is a love problem. Remember…he who has been forgiven much loves much. Until we see ourselves as sinners who have been forgiven a tremendous debt, we, like Simon, are going to have a hard time loving others, much less forgiving.

And maybe you have yet to be forgiven yourself. Maybe you haven’t yet trusted in Jesus. Maybe you don’t think He can or will forgive you…like that woman. But that’s exactly why Jesus came…to save sinners. Sinners like you and me. You simply have to ask.

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This post is based on a sermon from our For Future Reference series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

April 24, 2023

Final Words

James 5.7-20

Knowing that the Lord is coming, how then shall we live in the chaos of the various trials that we find ourselves in? With patient endurance. Waiting for the Lord, and waiting through our circumstances. Prayer will be an integral part of that. Prayer for wisdom in our suffering. But also prayer for others who are weak and have strayed, trusting that the Lord will restore them and lift them up.

Consider it all joy my brethren when you fall into various trials…how is that working for you? Are you asking for wisdom in the midst of the trial to see things from God’s perspective? Are you seeing it as an opportunity to grow in your faith? To take another step towards Jesus? It’s not easy. It takes practice. Training and not trying. Good news is…life is full of trials and opportunities to practice. Even when we blow it there’s always the possibility of making it right. Submit. Resist. Draw near. Cleanse and purify. Repent. Humble yourself. You can do it.

Remember the King is coming back, and when He does we will each give an account for how we lived our lives. Good news is…you won’t have to give an account for me or vice versa. We will all give an account for our own lives. Our choices. Steps we took toward and steps we took away from the Lord. So what you do today matters. Make it count.

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This post is based on a sermon from our James series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

April 17, 2023

Warning to the Wealthy

James 5.1-6

James has some strong words for the rich…those who have chosen to store up for themselves treasures on earth rather than treasure in heaven.

And while James’ warning certainly applies to many believers today who have bought in to the lie that “he who dies with the most toys wins”, it doesn’t have to apply to you. Money can be a tool for great good as well as great evil. It depends on how you use it. And it depends on Who or what you are trusting in. Am I trusting in the Lord or my stuff? Sounds kind of absurd that we would trust in our stuff…but does it really? That’s what building bigger barns is all about.

But if we see our stuff as simply a resource that God has provided for us as stewards (it’s all His, right?) to help others and invest in His kingdom, then our stuff…our riches can become a tool that God uses for great good.

Reminds me of the story of a guy named Zaccheus from Luke 19. Jesus is in the vicinity of Jericho headed for Jerusalem. The head of the Jericho tax cartel…the kingpin if you will…is a guy named Zaccheus. Chief tax collector. Worst of the worst. Hated and despised by everyone who fell victim to him…which was pretty much everyone. Kind of guy that would be hard for a mother to love. And like the rich young ruler, he was rich. Filthy rich. Not a likely candidate for the kingdom.

Oh, and Zaccheus is also vertically challenged. Luke describes him as small in stature…we might call him a wee little man. Anyway, Jesus is in town and Zach wants to see Him. Why? Not sure. Maybe curiosity…maybe he’s heard about Jesus healing the blind man…maybe he’s a friend of Levi…maybe he’s heard that Jesus is a friend of tax-collectors and sinners from some of his tax-collecting buddies at the annual tax-collectors’ conference, buddies who had shared a meal with Jesus when He told the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost/prodigal son. But for whatever reason, Zach really wants to see Jesus. One problem though…did I mention he’s vertically challenged?

With his profession, you can imagine that no one is interested in helping Zach out. The crowds are barring his way from seeing Jesus. Not only is he small in stature, but he’s also small in the estimation of others. But Zach is not to be denied. He does something very undignified for a rich Jewish man…he runs and climbs a tree. Running and climbing…that’s not an old man’s game, that’s something that kids do. But it shows Zach’s desire and singleminded intent to see Jesus. He doesn’t care what others think. Didn’t Jesus say something about becoming like a little child to enter the kingdom (Luke 18.15-17)?

As Jesus passes by He looks up and sees Zaccheus…imagine Zach’s surprise when Jesus says, “…hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” Not words of rebuke, but of compassion. Almost sounds like Jesus is on a mission to find Zach… and notice the sense of urgency. Zach runs to the tree, Jesus says hurry and come down… you can almost feel the excitement and anticipation.

Zach receives Jesus gladly…joyfully…same response we’ve seen from folks throughout Luke’s Gospel when they are rescued by Jesus (Luke 1:14; 8:13; 10:17; 13:17; 15:5, 9, 32; 19:6, 37). But while Zach rejoices, what is the crowd doing? Same thing we’ve seen the Pharisees and scribes do before…grumbling and complaining (Luke 5.30, 7.37-50, 15.1-2). Why? Because Jesus is hanging out with the wrong crowd. Zach is a sinner…and a really good one in a bad sort of way.

Don’t know if Zach hears the grumblings of the crowd, but something’s going on with him. He turns to Jesus and offers to give half his possessions to the poor and payback anyone that he’s cheated 4x the amount. The Law required a person who defrauded their neighbor to pay back the stolen amount plus 20 percent (Leviticus 6.1-5, Numbers 5.5-7). He goes way beyond what is required. So how much would Zach have left if he gave half his stuff away and paid back 4x the amount stolen, especially assuming that he made his living by stealing…by defrauding others? Not much.

But Zach has had an encounter with Jesus that changed everything. An encounter that changed him from being a taker to a giver. “…where your treasure is…” And so Jesus became Zach’s treasure, no longer his stuff. It made being generous easy. He had found the pearl of great price. What the rich young ruler could not or would not do, Zach does. What seemed to be impossible with men, is not with God (Luke 18.18-27). Zach is walking through the eye of a needle and living to tell about it. 

Zach provides us with a powerful counter example to the rich that James warns us against. His is a life that’s been radically changed by Jesus. So has ours, but sometimes we forget that and make ourselves the main character of the story that God is telling. Don’t let that be you. And if you are afraid it might be, remember the tale of the wee little man.

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This post is based on a sermon from our James series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

April 10, 2023

The Resurrection (Easter)

Mark 16.1-8

The women have a front row seat to the miraculous events of that first Easter morning. Though all hope seemed to be lost…the Hero was dead…God was not finished yet. Not by a long shot. Instead, there’s an astounding twist to the plot…the Hero is raised and is alive. Death is conquered. Sin is atoned for. The way is made available for us to return to God. Death is swallowed up in life, despair in hope, mourning in astounding joy. Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!

The resurrection proves that Jesus is the Hero that God promised to send and that everything He said is true…His death satisfied God’s wrath on sin, and His resurrection means that He is able to give life…new life, eternal life…to all those who believe in Him. And as He promised, He will be with us always, even unto the end of the age. So no matter how much the world may shake around us…and there’s sure a lot of shaking going on…God is able to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, victory out of sure defeat.

Sometimes we lose sight of that, even as believers. Maybe that’s you today. Maybe the circumstances of life have caused you to lose hope. You’re living as if Jesus is still in the tomb. Maybe you need to be reminded today that Jesus is alive, and He is still rolling stones away…revealing Himself in specific ways to those who have believed in Him. He wants you to experience resurrection life…the abundant life that He saved you for. Now’s a good time to re-up on following Him.

But maybe you haven’t yet trusted in Jesus. If not, today can be the day of salvation for you. He has already done all the heavy lifting. You simply have to recognize your need to be saved…that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. And believe that Jesus came to do just that…He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death in your place and was raised the third day, conquering both sin and death. When you do that, the Bible says that your sins are forgiven, that you have eternal life, and that you are now a part of God’s family…a son or daughter of the King.

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This post is based on our Easter sermon. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

March 27, 2023

Do the Right Thing

James 4.11-17

We need to be careful not to speak against or judge our neighbor. Doing so puts us at odds, not only with the law (love your neighbor as yourself) but even more terrifyingly…it puts us at odds with the Lawgiver and Judge, the only One who is able to save and destroy.

And when it comes to making plans, we should put the Lord at the center of them. That can be a pretty scary proposition…it may cause us to change our plans altogether, especially the ones we know He wouldn’t approve of. But when we put Him at the center, there’s a great chance that whatever it is, it will bring glory to Him. Remember, we’re not the main character in our story. He is. He has the right to call the shots. To set the agenda. Brings to mind Proverbs 3.5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

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This post is based on a sermon from our James series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

March 20, 2023

The Source of Conflict

James 4.1-10

What is the source of (destructive) conflict among us? Well, it’s…us. Our pleasures raging war within our members. All of us looking out for number one. We all want to be the main character.

Of course that leads to some very ungodly behavior. And unfortunately when that happens, the church doesn’t look much different than the world. We don’t realize that our actions/words/attitudes/desires are tantamount to idolatry. We are choosing friendship with the world over friendship with God. Or we try to play both sides, but it can’t be done. We are either all in or all out.

If that’s you today, the good news is that James has laid out a pretty clear path from pride to humility, from friendship with the world to friendship with God. Submit, resist, draw near, cleanse and purify, repent, and humble yourself in the presence of the Lord. And He will exalt you.

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This post is based on a sermon from our James series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

March 13, 2023

Wisdom From Above

James 3.13-18

Much of what James says here about the wisdom from above echoes what Jesus said in the beatitudes, which in turn comes straight out of the OT. Shouldn’t surprise us…because it’s the wisdom that comes from God. From His Word.

So, if you want to be wise, spend time in God’s Word. Make it a daily habit. Ask God to use it to change you…to change the way you think, to change the way you see the world around you, to change your attitude and your responses to those around you, to transform you to live and love like Jesus.

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This post is based on a sermon from our James series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

March 6, 2023

Be Careful What You Say

James 3.1-12

We all stumble in many ways. If we don’t stumble in what we say, then we are certainly on the road to a perfected faith.

That’s not easy, especially when it comes to trials. I think I can safely say that most, if not all of us, tend to lash out when things are not going well. At least initially. When the trial falls upon us. But if we will ask for wisdom…wisdom to see our circumstances, the trial…from God’s perspective rather than our own, then there’s hope that we will not only endure, but that we will also grow through the process. Our faith will be purified and strengthened. It will become aged and refined. And our words will reflect a heart that is turned toward the Lord.

Words do hurt. They can cause a lifetime worth of damage. So be careful what you say. Practice being quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Ask God for help to bridle your tongue. Your words have great potential for both good and evil. Blessing and cursing. Choose the good. Choose to bless. Choose to encourage and build up. Admonish when necessary, but always speak the truth in love. And point them to Jesus.

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This post is based on a sermon from our James series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.