Teaching from Curwensville Alliance (Pastor Steve Shields)
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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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There are right and wrong ways to build a life.
They differ in terms of the builder. Is the builder wise or foolish?
They differ in the place. Am I building on rock or sand?
They differ on the outcome. Does it stand in the storm or does it fall with a great crash?
The deciding factor on the way to build your life is the builder and the foundation.
How to be a good builder? It’s more a matter of being than doing. It’s more a matter of dying to self and becoming alive to Christ. It’s more a matter of internalizing Jesus’ Words than busying yourself.
Keys to being wise. Be a person of Godly character. Be a person who sees your own faults. Be a person who trusts in God.
These keys are found at the cross. I want to build well, God, but I don’t know how. So, I come to the cross; I come to die to self. I come to the cross because I trust You completely.
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What does being found mean?
The Gospel of Christ brings hope to those struggling for hope. Some people avoid looking at their real needs. God is looking for people who know they are spiritually hungry. The rejoicing in heaven is greater because the deep lostness of that person demonstrates the incredible value and power of God’s salvation.
Take a look at yourself. Do you ever struggle to find hope? Do you ever find good things crowding out the best things? Do you ever forget that God pursues you radically – seemingly recklessly?
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Listen as Pastor Steve walks us through the parable of the prodigal son.
What the father saw in his son. He saw the rebellion of his son. He saw the futility of pushing for control. He saw the hope of reconciliation.
What the older son saw. He saw his father’s pain. He saw the apparent injustice. He saw a gracious father.
What the younger son saw. He saw a lot of stupid rules. He saw the chance to live without restraint. He saw the outcome of his life. He saw the mercy of his father.
What do you see when you look at God the Father? A Father who gives guidance. A Father who gives forgiveness. A Father who gives love.
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Listen as Pastor Steve goes through the parable found in Luke 14:28-33.
This message is for the disciples. All of Jesus followers are disciples. We are all disciples of someone or something.
Jesus wants us to do three things. Consider “Do I want to be a disciple.” Consider what it means to be a disciple. Consider again “Do I want to be a disciple.”
What does being a disciple mean? It means having a radical set of priorities. It means setting aside less than honorable desires (sin). It means embracing the cost of discipleship. It means surrendering to the King.
There is a beauty in discipleship. It is sad that humankind is marked by sin. It is sad that people refuse Jesus’ invitation. But there is a beauty in seeing the Spirit work in lives, turning our hearts to Christ and finding salvation.
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The resurrection affirms God’s promises. The promise of forgiveness. The promise of eternal life. The promise of the Holy Spirit. The promise of final victory, and His return.
You can trust the promises of God. About your sin and shame. About your destiny. That you are never alone. That your home is in Christ.
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