Teaching from Curwensville Alliance (Pastor Steve Shields)
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What is the kingdom worth? If you could purchase citizenship in the kingdom, it would be worth giving up all you have. What is a person worth? In God’s eyes, your value is immeasurable.
Listen as Pastor Steve goes over the common interpretation and a concurrent interpretation of the parable found in Matthew 13:44-46.
In the common interpretation, the treasure and the pearl represent the kingdom. The man/merchant is a seeker. The response is to give all for the kingdom.
In the concurrent interpretation. The treasure is you and me. The treasure seeker is Jesus. The response is Jesus purchases persons with His blood.
Carry these truths in your heart. Pursue the kingdom of Heaven with all you have. Rest in the incomprehensible sacrifice that Christ made for you.
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Listen as Pastor Steve goes through the parable of the tenants.
People tend to reject God’s Word and those who bring it.
What’s up with the Stones? The Stone is Jesus. We get our life from the Stone.
How do we live from the Rock? Let go of sin that damages your connection with the rest of the building. Have an appetite for spiritual growth. Expect to become part of something greater. Jesus makes you one of many living stones.
The Father loves the stones. He is pleased with His Son. He is pleased with those who trust the Son. He is pleased to make us a part of the Kingdom.
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Pastor Steve will walk us through Matthew 13:3-23 and the Parable of the Sower.
You can walk with God if you really want Him. A key phrase in the passage is Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Experiencing Jesus requires your heart’s attention. People who want God don’t give up easily. People who want God don’t pretend.
Give your soil attention by giving your heart attention. Be on your guard against the evil one. Receive the presence of God deeply into your life – into every aspect of your life. Use weedkiller! Let anxieties push you to God. Manage your money intentionally. Don’t let money manage you. Allow the Spirit of God to produce His fruit in the soil that is your life.
Jesus invites you to hear the Word, understand it and let the Spirit of God use it to transform your life.
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How does kingdom growth happen?
God plants a seed. God brings the kingdom to life. The kingdom grows well in good soil. Kingdom growth is a process. Kingdom growth is absolutely certain because God makes it happen.
The kingdom is people. Not just numbers or influence. God grows the kingdom by growing us. Our place in the process is to cooperate.
How does personal spiritual growth happen?
God plants a seed. God brings you to life. You grow as the soil of your life receives the seed. Your spiritual growth is a process. God’s work in your growth is certain. Our job is to cooperate with God.
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Listen as Pastor Steve goes through Luke 19:11-27 and the parable of the ten minas.
Waiting is more of an art than a science. Science has predictable events and repeatable outcomes. Art is more open-ended. Perhaps more from the heart. We play a role. We manage our mina.
How do we play our role without a script? By knowing the Director. By knowing the big picture and the flow of the story. By knowing yourself. By being aware of need. By listening to the Holy Spirit.
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Listen as Pastor Steve speaks about drifting in our spiritual lives.
Who are the people who drift or kind of get lost? It can be people like you and me who drift. Often it isn’t due to something catastrophic.
It’s easy to get lost. We can get sidetracked by sin. We can get sidetracked by life. Even the good things in life.
How do we avoid drifting and avoid being sidetracked? Keep the main thing the main thing! Be sure you follow the right person. Be sure you are looking in the right place.
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Listen as Pastor Steve goes through the meaning of baptism based on Matthew 3:3-17.
Biblically, baptism is a cleansing with water by immersion.
Personally, baptism shows people your commitment to Christ. It shows God your commitment to Christ. It shows you that you are committed to Christ. It is a mile marker.
Spiritually, baptism reminds you that you are clean. Washed by the blood of Christ and free from guilt and shame. It reminds you that you are new, dead to sin, and alive to God.
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In this parable found in Luke 18, there are two different kinds of people. The Pharisee who is the epitome of what we understand as righteousness, and the tax collector who is the epitome of wickedness.
These two different kind of people had two very different kinds of prayers. The arrogant prayer was made by the pharisee who stood and was praying to himself. The broken prayer was given by the tax collector, who realized he was not alright.
There were two different outcomes. One is humbled and one is exalted. One is not justified and one is justified.
Jesus tells this parable to force us to see our need for grace. Coming to God clothed in our own righteousness is obscene. Jesus invites us to come to Him in our brokenness.
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Listen as Pastor Steve discusses the parable concerning the shrewd manager in Luke 16.
Remember that Scripture should be interpreted as the writer intended. What did the writer want his reader to understand as he penned these words?
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Pastor Steve begins by presenting the elements in the parable. The ten virgins are the bridal party. The bridegroom is Jesus. The wedding banquet is the reception. The lamps are necessary to make the journey. The oil is the Holy Spirit.
Foolishness can neglect an encounter with the holy, the sharing in the joy of others, or God-given glimpse of eternity.
Signs of neglect are a casual attitude toward the gift, a dimming of the light – a cooling of the fire, or a disinterest in the return of Christ.
To avoid the pitfall of neglect be sure you have the gift. Keep the end in mind always. Be alert.
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