February 10, 2025 strive4theprize

Everyday Disciple: A Life Founded on the Rock

Matthew 7.13-29

Jesus invited those who heard Him to experience life in His kingdom. The same invitation is available to us today. The choice is clear. There are only two kingdoms, two ways, two kinds of fruit, two foundations…heaven or earth, narrow or broad, good or bad, rock or sand. So how do we take Jesus up on His invitation? How do we enter into the kingdom life that He invites us to experience?

Well, it starts with trusting in Him for eternal life. It’s a free gift available to all who recognize that they are sinners in need of a Savior and who believe that Jesus is the Savior that God promised. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on our behalf, and was raised again the third day, conquering both sin and death, so that by faith in Jesus we could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We could become citizens of His kingdom…sons and daughters of the King.

But then what? In Dallas Willard’s, Divine Conspiracy, he says that discipleship is not something that just happens, but it’s something that we have to intend to do. Living life in the kingdom, following Jesus, being an everyday disciple doesn’t just happen. It is something we have to intend to do…we have to make the choice. And our failure to make that choice may explain why we have such a hard go at kingdom living. Once we make the choice, being a disciple of Jesus…walking Torah Road…is a life-long process…a process that requires us to get to know Him. And the only way we get to know Him is through His Word…and prayer and time with other believers, sharing our story and living a generous life. Cultivating the inner life of the Spirit. It’s a me-thing that’s a part of the we-thing.

And as we grow individually, we also grow as a church. With the goal of reaching the lost, expanding the kingdom, and making Jesus more famous. A group of everyday disciples who are shining brightly and having an IMPACT around the block and around the world.

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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.

February 3, 2025 strive4theprize

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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January 27, 2025 strive4theprize

Everyday Disciple: A Tale of Two Kingdoms

Matthew 6.19-34

Jesus makes it pretty clear. We either pursue an earthly kingdom where we are the hero…everything is geared toward our own glory…we’re the main character in our story, or we pursue the kingdom that Jesus came to bring where He is the Hero…everything is geared toward bringing glory to the Father…where He alone is the Main Character of the Story. There is no middle ground.

While Jesus primarily addresses a religious audience, He also mentions the Gentiles, who were running their own kingdoms as well. You don’t have to be religious to seek the favor of men. The desire to build our own kingdoms has plagued us since our first parents decided that being image bearers wasn’t enough…they wanted to be their own gods. And we’ve been building kingdoms ever since.

Why are we so stressed? Maybe…just maybe it’s because we are busy trying to build our own kingdom. Hard not to do particularly when, as a society, we’ve made it pretty clear “it’s all about me”. The American Dream has made earthly kingdom-building a virtue. And for many of us, we’ve fooled ourselves into thinking we can pursue both. We fail to see the impossibility of pursuing our own agenda, our own kingdom, while at the same time claiming citizenry in the kingdom of heaven. We compartmentalize our lives so that God gets Sunday morning, maybe a night during the week for youth group or small group, but then the rest is ours. And we build our kingdoms. A quick glance at our calendar or our checkbook is a pretty good indication of where and what kingdom we’re investing in. That and of course our level of stress.

You can’t pursue both kingdoms successfully…eventually your true loyalties will become clear. As kingdom citizens/everyday disciples, Jesus wants us to live worry-free lives, but that’s only possible as we learn to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…then everything else falls into place.

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January 20, 2025 strive4theprize

Everyday Disciple: Through the Lens of Prayer

Matthew 6.1-18

In the middle of these three examples, giving to the poor, praying, and fasting, Jesus stops to give instruction on prayer. But why? If Jesus considers it so important, shouldn’t we?

I think if we’re honest, for most of us, prayer is an optional exercise with no real power. We pray because we feel like we should…or maybe we feel like praying will change God’s mind and get Him to see things our way. But that’s not real prayer. The prayer that Jesus talks about has the power of rending the veil between heaven and earth…the spiritual and the physical. It allows us to see more clearly the reality of the kingdom. In prayer we practice the presence of God.

Prayer brings heaven and earth together. When we pray, we bring our cares and worries to the One who infinitely cares about us. And He gives kingdom perspective to our day-to-day lives. The inner life of prayer nourishes our soul.

Watch out for the pretenders of righteousness…those who want others to see their good deeds. Hard to miss them. They tend to make it obvious. And again, if we’re honest, it’s all too easy for us to slip into a righteousness of show…attempting to impress others with how “good” we are, right? The praise and approval of men is very alluring. But as kingdom citizens/everyday disciples our job is to cultivate the inner life of the Spirit, learning the secret life that the Father calls us to. Seeking only His praise. Living only for Him. And as we cultivate the inner life, we begin to live in the true righteousness of the kingdom. Beautiful irony…the more we cultivate our inner life with the Father, the brighter our light shines. Prayer is certainly a big part of that.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

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January 13, 2025 strive4theprize

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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January 6, 2025 strive4theprize

Everyday Disciple: A Dangerous Idea of Blessedness

Matthew 5.1-16

Jesus’ idea of those who are blessed is not necessarily the folks we would have picked. It’s not the spiritually elite, the I’ve-got-it-all-together crowd, the my-universe-is-running-just-fine-thank-you crew. But the kingdom belongs to those who recognize their desperate need for Him and long for the reconciliation of heaven and earth.

As we track the beatitudes, there is a progression…poor in spirit, mourning for sin, gentle, hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemaker…that leads inexorably to persecution. Aligning ourselves with the King is a dangerous proposition. It could even cost us our life. And why does the persecution come? Because of the undeniability of those who embody kingdom characteristics. The difference that being an everyday disciple makes in us is going to be obvious to the whole world. We won’t be tasteless salt or a hidden light. We will be noticeable. We are going to be a light on a hill. By doing that. By embodying those qualities and living that way, we are bearing the image of God brightly. Pointing people to Him and bringing Him glory. Said another way, if we embody the beatitudes, we will force a response from those around us. Some will persecute us and others will give glory to the Father. Both are good things!

Some of you have not yet trusted in Jesus, you don’t know what it means to be a son or daughter of the King. The beatitudes are not a how to manual for kingdom membership. They reflect the internal qualities that characterize those in the kingdom. It starts with the recognition of your need for Jesus.

For the rest of us, we are all in process…trekking down Torah Road…striving to follow after Jesus. Not easy, especially when we create boxes (work, school, recreation, weekend, church, etc.) that neatly divide our lives and keep us from experiencing the kingdom life that Jesus has for us…that keep us from being everyday disciples. The solution? Blow up the boxes and allow the character of the kingdom to permeate all aspects of our lives so that we can truly begin to experience the abundant life…complete with persecution.

Jesus’ definition of blessedness is dangerous…but it is true blessedness. It’ living life in the kingdom now. It’s being an image-bearer of the King…being an everyday disciple.

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January 8, 2024 strive4theprize

5 Marks of a Disciple: Prayer

Matthew 6.5-15

Prayer is something we have talked about before. Has it been woven into the fabric of your daily routine yet? Time spent with just you and your Father? If not, today’s a great day to get started.

If you are new to prayer, having a plan is helpful. It’s going to take some intentionality to get started because as much as we may want prayer to just happen, unless we are intentional about setting aside time to pray it doesn’t and it won’t. So plan it into your schedule…maybe in the car on your commute to work. Maybe before your feet hit the floor in the morning or after your head hits the pillow at night. Maybe on your lunch break or over your first cup of coffee. You could even do it while you’re in line at the store or working out at the gym. Maybe all those times. But get in the habit of praying. (Brother Lawerence’s The Practice of the Presence of God)

A couple of resources that will help you in your prayer journey…the Central prayer calendar and The AV School Prayer Project. Jared has put together a prayer calendar for the month of January where you can pray for each of our ministries every week. It’s a great way to not only practice the individual aspect of discipleship, but also the corporate. It’s an easy, yet super important opportunity for you to be involved in every one of our ministries here at Central.

The AV School Prayer Project kicked off this past fall. Lots to say about this one, but let me narrow it down to this. Prayer is important and desperately needed. There is a spiritual battle that is being waged for the hearts and minds of our students. And we have the opportunity to step into the fray and do battle with the spiritual forces of darkness in the heavenly places.

You can find out more about both opportunities on our website or the Central app.

May you have an ever deepening experience of contentment, joy and confidence in your everyday life with God when you spend time with Him in prayer in 2024.

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This post is based on a sermon from our January series: 5 Marks of a Disciple. 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 8, 2018 strive4theprize

When You… Week 1

Matthew 6.1-15

Time spent in prayer…something we have talked about before. Has it been woven into the fabric of your daily routine yet? Time spent with just you and your Father? If not, make the answer to the question, “When?” today.

Giving may be a new concept for you, but Jesus assumes that those who follow Him will be generous givers. When we give as an expression of love and out of a desire for God’s glory…to invest in His kingdom…we are storing up treasures in heaven. We are investing our resources in things that moth and rust cannot destroy and no thief can steal.

But we have to have a plan.We have to be intentional…it starts with recognizing that all that we have belongs to God anyway. We are just stewards of His resources. Then make giving a regular practice…give as an act of worship on the weekends. Give to folks who are in need around you. Give generously of both yourself and of your resources. But give.

Same is true for prayer. As much as we may want prayer to happen, unless we are intentional about setting aside time to pray it just doesn’t. So plan it into your schedule…maybe in the car on your commute to work. Maybe before your feet hit the floor in the morning or after your head hits the pillow at night. Maybe on your lunch break or over your first cup of coffee. You could even do it while your in line at the store or working out at the gym. Maybe all those times. But get in the habit of praying.

May you have an ever deepening experience of contentment, joy and confidence in your everyday life with God when you spend time with Him in 2018.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our When You… series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

January 16, 2017 strive4theprize

A Dangerous Idea of Blessedness

Matthew 5.1-12

Let’s be honest…Jesus’ idea of blessedness doesn’t fit the ideal of the American dream. Those He lists as blessed are not necessarily the folks we would have picked. He doesn’t list the courageous, the wise, the popular, or the just. Not the the agreeable, the funny, the intelligent, the attractive, or the “it” kind of folks. It’s not the spiritually elite, the I’ve-got-it-all-together crowd, the my-universe-is-running-just-fine-thank-you crew. No…the blessed are those who recognize their desperate need for God and long for the reconciliation of heaven and earth…the kingdom belongs to them.

Welcome to the strange world and wisdom of Jesus. Welcome to His narrow-gate theology that separates the “crowds” who want it all…health and wealth…right now and the “disciples” who are willing to deny themselves, pick up their crosses, and follow Him (cf. 5:1). Welcome to what it means to be “blessed” according to Jesus.

Choosing to follow Jesus…to be a kingdom citizen…is a dangerous proposition that will put you at odds with the kingdoms of this world. Why? Because when you choose to follow Jesus, you begin to live and love like Him. You start to embody kingdom characteristics. The difference in you is going to be obvious to folks around you. You will stand out like a light shining in a dark place. By doing that…by embodying these qualities and living this way, you are bearing the image of God brightly. Pointing people to Him and bringing Him glory. Said another way, if your life reflects the beatitudes, you will force a response from those around you. Some will persecute you and others with give glory to the Father. Both are good things!

So how “blessed” are you? Do you recognize your desperate need for God? Do you mourn over your sin and the brokenness of this world? Do you have a hunger and thirst for God and the things of God? Are you showing the same kind of mercy towards others that you want God to show you? Are you actively pursuing peace with others?

As I said earlier, we never outgrow our need for Jesus. We’re all broken…even those of us who have trusted in Him. One day we will experience complete freedom from sin, but until that day we’re still in process. As Luther put it, “We are saved…we’re being saved…and we will be saved.” We are all addicted to sin…we all have hurts, habits and hang ups that keep us from experiencing the life that God intended for us. But again somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that only the really, really, really broken people need help. You know, those who need Jesus more than we do. But the truth is, we all need help. That’s why the picture of the church as a hospital is so powerful. We all need spiritual healing. And we need each other to help each other to experience it. That doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit is not involved in the process. There is no spiritual transformation…there is no spiritual progress…we can not live and love like Jesus apart from the Spirit’s work in our lives. But as I’ve said it before, discipleship is a group project…it’s a team sport. We’re in it together. Success is not one person crossing the finish line, but “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4.13)

That’s what Celebrate Recovery is all about…about taking off our masks and being real about our brokenness, about bearing one another’s burdens, about encouraging each other to pursue Jesus, about spiritual and emotional healing. It’s a way of discipleship…a step by step process to overcome hurts, habits and hang ups. Now’s a great time to get involved…new year/new you…new opportunity to pursue Jesus.

Jesus’ definition of blessedness is dangerous…but it is true blessedness. It’ living life in the kingdom now. It’s being image-bearers of the King.

Until next time…stay salty.

“May we live as kingdom citizens…as those whom the King calls blessed.”

This post is based on a sermon from our Celebrate Recovery series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

February 27, 2015 Central Christian Church

Easter Devotional – February 27

Matthew 5:1-12

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Here’s a glimpse of possibly a whole new way to live. A way that’s not necessarily popular and definitely not natural. And to top it off we’ve been assured that we’ll be persecuted for it. Any takers?

It seems like this new kingdom of God is full of people who have been through the ringer. People like you and I.

Deep down in our souls is this yearning for our world to be flipped upside down, this yearning for a King to make everything right — to restore order and righteousness. While it’s easy to follow the pattern of the world and be concerned with building our personal kingdoms, Jesus is concerned with our hearts and how we are living for His kingdom. He assures us that although we will face trials and persecution in this life, all will be righted in His kingdom, the Kingdom of heaven.

Which of the beatitudes resonates the loudest with you? In what areas of your life are you experiencing persecution? How are you living for the Kingdom of heaven?

Prayer: Jesus, help me to grasp this new way of living. Help me to follow You and Your ways as I look forward to Your new Kingdom

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