God

March 24, 2025

Prelude to Ephesians – Goodbye Ephesus

Acts 20.17-38

Paul says goodbye to his friends at Ephesus. In his absence, he warns them of the need to be ever vigilant…to stay true to both the teaching and the living out of the Word.

Last words are lasting words, and Paul’s last words to the folks from Ephesus are a reminder of the spiritual battle that rages all around us, of the importance of Truth, of our need to stand our ground. When we compromise on the Truth of God’s Word because it’s uncomfortable or unpopular, it won’t be long until we begin to compromise in all areas of faith and practice. Soon truth becomes relative…what feels good must be right…and the difference between the world in here and the world out there becomes negligible.

That’s true for the Church…but it’s also true for us as individuals. How intentional are you in following Jesus? As I asked earlier, are you running the race or just wandering around in your spiritual walk? What impact is God’s Word having on your life? Is it causing you to think and act differently? Are there parts of Scripture that you refuse to believe because they don’t agree with your or the culture’s worldview?

My challenge for you this week…take one intentional step down Torah Road by… Praying. Reading the Word. Spending time with fellow believers. Sharing your story. Finding a place to serve. Giving generously to someone in need. Inviting someone to come along with you on the discipleship journey.

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

March 10, 2025

Prelude to Ephesians – A Riot at Ephesus

Acts 19.21-41

Paul prepares to leave Ephesus to return to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. But before he can leave, a riot breaks out in the city. The gospel is transforming lives, which is proving to have an adverse effect on the local economy.

The gospel is good news. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, those who believe in Him have forgiveness of sins, eternal life, a new heart and God’s Spirit living within them. They pass from death to life, from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the beloved Son…they are not who they used to be. Jesus changes everything!

For the folks at Ephesus, that meant confessing their sins and making a clean break with their past…no more magic, but also no more Artemis worship. And it made an IMPACT on their city. The IMPACT can be seen in two ways. First there’s the number of folks who believe, then there’s the radical change in their behavior. One or two or a handful whose behavior is radically changed will have an IMPACT, but probably not enough to cause a riot. And a great number of folks whose behavior changes a little will have an IMPACT, but again probably not enough to cause a riot. But when you combine those two…a large number of people who are radically changed…then you have the recipe for a riot.

So I wonder what kind of IMPACT we are having on our community, and is it the IMPACT we want to have…are we causing a stir by the way we follow Jesus? Are we disrupting the economy of those who are peddlers of sin and bad choices? The Ephesian Christians caused a stir, not by picketing outside Demetrius’ shop and not by running a smear campaign against Artemis. How did they cause a stir? By living a different kind of life. A noticeably different kind of life. A life marked by the gospel and transformed by God’s grace. And if we want to make an IMPACT on our community for good, that’s where it starts…by living lives that have been radically transformed by the gospel of God’s grace and sharing the hope that we have with those around us who so desperately need it. So let me challenge you this week…if one or two of us live lives that have been radically transformed by the gospel of God’s grace and share the hope that we have with others, we’ll have an IMPACT…but if hundreds of us do it, we’ll have a riot. Let’s start a riot!

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

February 3, 2025

Everyday Disciple: The Golden Rule

Matthew 7.1-12

The way we judge others is a revealing measure of our progress in kingdom living. It is a good indication of whether or not we are treating others the way we want to be treated. Let’s be honest…how many of us have attempted the Golden Rule, only to find it frustratingly impossible? Maybe it’s because we’re too busy treating ourselves the way we want to be treated that we don’t have the time or the inclination to do the same for others.

But it is possible for those of us who have trusted in Jesus…kingdom citizens/everyday disciples…to treat others the way we want to be treated. It starts with simply recognizing that they are in need of the same mercy that we are. Just as the Father has been merciful to us, it’s extending that same mercy toward them. Just as the Father has loved us, so we too are to love others. Whether we think they deserve it or not. They probably don’t, but…neither do we. And the Father still loves us…He still shows us mercy. We’re to do the same.

But it is impossible to treat others the way we want to be treated without Jesus. He’s the one who gives us a new heart and true righteousness that allows us to love others the way that He loves. If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, it starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior…being poor in Spirit. Believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day conquering sin and death, so that by faith in Jesus you could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The kingdom of heaven…yours.

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

January 13, 2025

Everyday Disciple: Beyond the Rules

Matthew 5.17-48

Jesus quickly dismantles the rule-based system of the Pharisees. To be sure, He doesn’t abolish the Law, but He shows very clearly that keeping the rules, if not from a transformed character, will never accomplish kingdom righteousness. That is very freeing, and very scary. It’s a life of being first and foremost that then naturally leads to a life of doing.

It is pretty convicting that the five examples that Jesus uses to illustrate our need for a heart transplant all have to do with interpersonal relationships. That our failure in so many of these areas to “keep the Law/Torah”, to even do the externals, is a natural consequence of our failure to love. We expect it of the Pharisees, but what about those of us who claim to be kingdom citizens? If life in the kingdom is characterized by love…love for God and love for others, what causes the break-down in our love? Sobering thought.

Life in the kingdom can only be experienced fully as we learn to allow the character of the King to infect all of our lives…breaking down the walls…and asking Him to change us…to transform us…to make us into who He created and saved and called us to be. Focusing less on doing the right things and more on becoming everyday disciples and the right things will come. Because if we become who He wants us to be, then we’ll do what He wants us to do.

I said this last week, but remember this isn’t a how-to manual for getting into the kingdom. On your own, you don’t have what it takes. Your brand of “righteousness” won’t cut it. Let me say it as clearly as I can… If you are like the Pharisees and are counting on your good works or “law keeping”…rule following…to get into the kingdom, Jesus is telling you that you are out of luck. His standards are too high. You need a new heart. And you need the righteousness of the King. Only His will do.

The good news is…that righteousness…His righteousness…is available to you right now today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior…being poor in Spirit. Believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day conquering sin and death, so that by faith in Jesus you could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The kingdom of heaven…yours.

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

December 23, 2024

O Holy Night (Peace)

Isaiah 9.2-7

Isaiah pictures a time of good news for a group of people who desperately needed it. They were under oppression by the enemy. They were defeated. They were without hope. They knew no peace. But God hadn’t forgotten them. Light was coming. God Himself would rend the veil of time and space and come down to the earth He had created in the Person of Jesus. He would rescue them. He would save them from sin and death by sacrificing Himself in their place. He would die that they might live. He would reconcile them with their  heavenly Father. He would establish a kingdom where they could live and reign with Him forever. Where they would know true and lasting peace.

And so Jesus has come…

I like the way Paul talks about it in Romans 5…“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5.1-11)

If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, make today the day. It starts with acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised would come. He lived a perfect life. He died a sacrificial death on your behalf. He was raised the third day showing that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him you could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

May you experience the peace that Jesus came to bring this Christmas season.

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

December 9, 2024

Joy to the World (Joy)

Genesis 3.1-19

The LORD God created a perfect world. All that He had made was good, including the man and his wife. It’s paradise…heaven on earth. What happened? It’s hard to describe the catastrophic results of one single awful decision. Welcome to life as we know it. Every act of violence, every natural disaster, every terrible thing that has happened since is a direct result.

What was the sin of the garden? It was rebellion. It was pride in its purest form. The Image-bearers were not satisfied with merely bearing the Image…they wanted to be the Image. Instead of trusting their loving Creator who had so “fearfully and wonderfully” made them, who had entrusted them with representing Him to His creation, who had made them king and queen over planet earth, they rejected Him and spurned His love. They sought to oust Him from His throne and take His place. They wanted a shot at the title.

But lest we too quickly fault our first parents, don’t we see that same act of rebellion repeated legion in our own lives? If man and woman in a perfect environment fail to follow God on their own, what hope do we have? Our only hope is Jesus.

That’s why the angel’s pronouncement in Luke 2.8-15 is such joyous news…“good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” God’s not done yet. The Hero has come to save the day. Joy has returned. Unimaginable, unspeakable, incomprehensible joy. Not the counterfeit, sugary-sweet, fleeting, unsatisfying joy that the world offers. But the real deal…the true joy that only Jesus can bring.

May you experience such a joy this Christmas season.

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

November 11, 2024

IMPACT Promise Week 6: The Generosity of God

2 Corinthians 9.10-15

“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all generosity, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”

Last weekend Wendy and I were visiting our son’s church, and the pastor said something that stuck with me about giving. We will call it four views of “my stuff”: 1) all that I have is mine 2) the more is mine 3) some of what I have is mine or 4) all that I have belongs to the LORD (generous/kingdom IMPACT mindset). Helpful way of thinking about this idea of generosity.

Everything we have comes from the LORD. Everything. He has entrusted us with His resources. He provides the seed…time, talent, experience, gifts, money/stuff…and He expects us to invest those resources until He returns. Parable of the Mina’s in Luke 19. Guess what He wants us to invest in? Our kingdoms? Building bigger barns…seeing who can die with the most toys…having a YOLO attitude? And who gets all that stuff when you die? Eventually it all goes to the graveyard or the junkyard. What a foolish way to live! Or are we to invest in His kingdom? Yeah…His kingdom. Easy to say, but hard to do. It requires us to let go, rather than hold on. To recognize that we are not the main character in our story. He is. Our job is simply to say “yes” to Him.

Here’s the thing…our money/stuff and how we use it…is a good indication of our spiritual health (all mine vs. all His or somewhere in between). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges His disciples not to worry…about food or clothing…the necessities of life…God will provide for us just as He does for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. He says instead that we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to us. For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.

Now’s the time to make an IMPACT. Strive to become a generous giver, not a bigger barn builder. Then watch and see what the LORD does.

IMPACT Promise is a great place to start.

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

October 28, 2024

IMPACT Promise Week 4: Teamwork

2 Corinthians 8.16-24

Each of us is called to make an IMPACT. And all of us can have IMPACT in different ways. Sharing our story. Serving in a ministry. Investing our financial resources in kingdom purposes. Loving our neighbor. All of the above.

Our greatest IMPACT is the one we make together. Serving alongside one another with an earnestness…a diligence…an eagerness…a zeal to reach the lost, expand the kingdom, and make Jesus more famous.

So what about you? What IMPACT are you having right now? What kind of IMPACT do you want to have  around the block and around the world?

It starts today…sign up to be a part of our IMPACT Promise and say “yes” to the LORD.

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

October 21, 2024

IMPACT Promise Week 3: Finish What You Start

2 Corinthians 8.8-15

Why be generous? Because of Jesus. Though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich. That’s God’s grace. That’s the gospel.

Being generous is a heart attitude. Not really something that’s easy to teach. It starts with the recognition of God’s grace…His generosity towards us. Those forgiven much, love much. Those forgiven little, love little. Truth is…we’ve all been forgiven much. And when that sinks in, we will do a much better job of loving. Loving God and loving others. We will simply be more generous. We will have an IMPACT mindset.

Everything we have, we’ve been given. It’s been entrusted to us. It all belongs to God. We are managers of His resources. And one day we will have to give an account…have we been generous with His stuff? Have we been generous with the money, time, relationships, etc…with the life He’s entrusted to us?

Another way to ask that is…what kind of IMPACT are you having right now for the kingdom? What kind of IMPACT would you like to have? 

Let’s start today…sign up to be a part of our IMPACT Promise and say “yes” to the LORD.

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

December 4, 2023

Mighty God (Hope)

Isaiah 9.2-7

Isaiah pictures a time of good news for a group of people who desperately needed it. They were under oppression by the enemy. They were defeated. They were without hope. They knew no peace. But God hadn’t forgotten them. Light was coming. God Himself would rend the veil of time and space and come down to the earth He had created in the Person of Jesus. He would rescue them. He would save them from sin and death by sacrificing Himself in their place. He would die that they might live. He would provide the way back to Father God. He would establish a kingdom where they could live and reign with Him forever. Where they would know true and lasting peace. This was their hope.

There are lots of things we “hope” for in this life….some good and some not so good. As I thought about my own life, I realized how often I set my hope on people or events that only disappoint…they can’t carry the weight of my hope. Not their fault. They weren’t designed for that.

How about you? Where is your hope this Christmas? Who are you hoping in? Is your hope big enough to carry you through the storms of life, the disappointments and frustrations, the trials and the suffering that come from living on planet earth? Is your confidence in people or things that are destined to disappoint? Hope placed in anyone or anything other than Jesus will disappoint…it will fail. Why? Because hope based anywhere but in Him is based on things that are fleeting and subject to decay…where thieves break in and steal or moth and rust destroys…

You see, the hope that the Bible talks about is so much more than a feeling. It’s not wishful thinking. The hope that the Bible talks about is a confident expectation. It’s a sure thing. How can it be so sure? Because it’s based in God Himself. He will bring it about. And that’s why only a hope in Jesus is a living hope…living because He is alive and gives life to those who trust in Him…a life that starts today and continues forever. So while we mourn the disappointments in life, we can also choose to worship God in the knowledge that He will never disappoint us. That’s why we never need despair.

If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, make today the day. It’s as simple as admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Believing that Jesus came to save you from your sin. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on your behalf, and was raised the third day, so that you might have forgiveness of sins and eternal life…that you might have a secure and certain hope.

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This post is based on a sermon from our Advent series: He Shall Be Called. 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.