Blaze Church

Every person has a dream. But the grass always seems to be greener on the other side of the fence. It’s so tempting to look “over there” and think, “If I only had that, I’d be happy.” Before we realize it, jealousy takes root in our heart and our thoughts run wild, leading to words and actions that are destructive. There is a better way! In Jesus, we can choose to be content – no matter the circumstances around us. Contentment in Christ enables us to chase the God-given dreams in our lives!

Many people believe in God. He is great. He is powerful. He is good. But still, something’s missing. You can know about God, but still miss the most important thing there is about Him – that He loves you! In this message, Peter shares how he was a Christian for over 40 years, but has just recently discovered this life-changing truth – that God wants a close relationship with every person. Discover how God loves you and wants to know you personally today!

Do you need relationships? And if you do, what do healthy relationships look like? The Book of Galatians not only shows us that relationships are essential and possible, but also discusses three aspects of a healthy relationship that is fueled by the love and grace of God. The gospel: That Jesus died for our sins so that we can have a relationship with God.

Have you ever done something you knew was wrong, and then thought, “Why did I do that?” We all have those moments. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you are sinless; it does mean we have the freedom to sin less! The apostle Paul expresses his own frustration about the sinful nature being opposed to the Spirit. We have this hope that by belonging to Christ, the sinful nature has been crucified. We are empowered to walk by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit produces fruit in our lives that we cannot attain on our own. Jesus has set us free to live free!

What’s your name, and what do you do? These are common introductory questions that help us share our identity with other people. We find meaning, purpose, and security in knowing our identity. Christians have been given an identity that outshines all gender, social class, and ethnic identities. We are children of God! This revolutionary identity brings us from a position of slavery to sonship. God sent His Son to redeem us from the curse. He sent His Spirit to reassure us of our true identity. On days when we don’t feel like we are saved, we experience the truth of the gospel that declares God the Father has become our personal “Papa”.

We all know what it feels like to keep a certain rule when other people are breaking it. Pride wells up in us. We compare ourselves to others and feel more deserving of the result. What about keeping the law of God? The Galatians were being influenced to put more trust in the law of God than the grace of God to be saved. The law was given not to show us how to be saved, but to show us how much we need to be saved! The law shows us our sins. Under the law, every person stands condemned. In grace, Jesus became a curse for us by dying on the cross. In Christ, the law is no longer the leading authority in our lives. We are free to keep the law, through the power of God, because we’ve been accepted and forgiven.

Is it easy for you to honor people who are not like you? We all have preferences and opinions. When we apply our personal choices to other believers in Christ, we create a space for pride and fear to develop. Attaching anything to the gospel of grace nullifies the work of Christ! The Apostle Peter allowed fear of others to drive him to change the gospel message. Paul confronted Peter’s racism and bigotry through gospel motivation. When we believe that we are justified by faith in the perfect work of Christ, all potential for superiority is broken down. Christians aren’t called to tolerate one another; we are called to honor other believers. We may be different, but that doesn’t mean that any of us is better than the other. Small Groups are essential because they provide the environment for us to live out the gospel of grace with other people.

Your story matters! In the age of influencers and celebrities, It may not seem like you have a story to tell. But if you have a story of grace, you have a story to share! As we begin our journey through the letter of Galatians, we discover that the gospel changes everything, the gospel changes us, and the gospel changes others. The foundation of the gospel is grace; anything that adds to that gospel is no gospel at all. You are loved by God, not because you deserve it, but simply because God chooses to love you. That is Good News worth sharing!

God is never late on His promises. It is us who demonstrate impatience and want to control the situation. This message looks at the story of Sarah (Sarai), Abraham’s wife and the mother of a great nation (Isarel). Throughout Sarah’s faith journey, she discovered that God was in control of fulfilling His promise and that her attempts created a messy situation.  We will learn that even though Sarah had barren faith, God still used her and fulfilled His promise through her. In the process, God’s fulfilled promise also changed Sarah and she was able to receive the gift of grace. For us today, God is still a God who fulfills His promises despite our attempts to fulfill them ourselves. He will build our FAITH through our mistakes and prepare us to receive His gift — Jesus!

How do we respond when we wound ourselves? Shame and despair creep in, causing us to believe there is no hope. As we look to the moment when King David chose to wound himself and others, we discover three warning signs that can empower us to prevent wounding ourselves. The wound is not the end of the story. God has the power to redeem our wounds; to take our mess and make it a message of His grace and glory. There is hope in Jesus when we confess our sins, and trust that He is faithful to forgive!