I think I would probably be pretty terrified to hear Jesus say,” I'm going to blow that up.” But you get Pastor Ricky’s point. Jesus will not ever, never ever ever, coexist with our worldly opinions and ideas. He wants to be the absolute center of our lives. Then all of our thoughts and opinions can flow out of that relationship with Him. Today Pastor Ricky will help you identify places where you might be holding on to your own ideals, rather than the ideals of the kingdom.
Jesus Movement - When Religion Misses the Point, Part 1
Well, I don't know about you but I love a good summer cookout. The warm sunshine surrounding you, an ice-cold drink in your hands, and the smell of meat cooking on the grill, it’s wonderful. It's a feast. The Bible is full of talks like this about good meals and friends around the table and today, Pastor Ricky helps us understand the difference between fasting and feasting. Religious people in Jesus' day really missed the point and Jesus had to help them see more clearly.
Jesus Movement - Jesus, Lies, Zombies and Hope, Part 2
The last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began unpacking the horrendous life of a leper, what it look like, what it felt like. It was awful and anyone who came into contact with someone who had leprosy steered completely clear. Not Jesus though. Jesus walked right up to those affected with leprosy and provided the healing that they needed. So what about you? How do you respond to those that are in need? Maybe even full of sin? Pastor Ricky will challenge you to be willing, just like Jesus was, and help those in need.
Jesus Movement - Jesus, Lies, Zombies and Hope, Part 1
It's really hard for us to imagine what it was like for someone infected with leprosy. It wasn't just the physical suffering that one endures with a major illness, it was more. It was complete isolation. These poor people were cut off from everyone they knew and loved. Today Pastor Ricky will help you see that you were the leper in God’s eyes. You were infected with sin. You were isolated from God and because of the work of Jesus you have been brought near to God.
Jesus Movement - From Teacher to King, Part 2
Stop and think about the world that we live in. It's shifting sand, everything's changing all the time. There's very little that's stable in this world. This is one of the main points that Pastor Ricky is making today. Jesus is the firm foundation that you can stand on. You can trust Jesus for all of your life, not just the big things, the small things too, and the best part is that Jesus doesn't change. His mission is the same as it was yesterday. It'll never change and you can partner with Him in that mission.
Jesus Movement - From Teacher to King, Part 1
Hollywood has portrayed the battle between God and Satan as ongoing, like one day God gets a victory and then the next day Satan gets one. But that's not the case at all. God completely won the battle against Satan at the cross and this victory is final and it’s eternal. The wonderful truth about this fact is that you can trust Jesus as the supreme victor. Pastor Ricky will unpack the kingship of Jesus in his message today. You’ll learn that Jesus has you, every part of you, whatever you're facing now and whatever you will face in the future.
Jesus Movement - From King to Kingdom, Part 2
None of us who name the name of Jesus in our lives wants to be known as Instagram followers of Jesus. We want to be known as real genuine followers of Jesus who do His will and live for His purposes here on earth. That's the difference between your kingdom and the kingdom of God. Today Pastor Ricky will continue to show you the stark difference and how you can move from pursuing your own thing to a life of fulfillment in the center of God’s will.
Jesus Movement - From King to Kingdom, Part 1
You may be wondering if you have ever really repented? Pastor Ricky wants to encourage all of us today, repentance is something that should be a normal and regular part of our lives. Why? Because though we are destined for heaven as followers of Jesus, we still sin every single day. Perhaps that's you and you find yourself in the mire of sin and long to be set free. Join us as Pastor Ricky shares more about what the glorious Kingdom of Jesus looks like.
Jesus Movement - From the Wilderness to the Garden, Part 2
Even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed and asked God would remove the cup or spare Him from the suffering that He knew was coming but there was no other way. Jesus, the perfect man, had to die in our place in order to make a way for us to be reunited with God. This single act brought complete cleansing for our sins. The simple way to access this cleansing is to place your faith in Jesus.
Jesus Movement - From the Wilderness to the Garden, Part 1
Throughout all of history, many have spoken in the name of God. There were the prophets and sages that had words from God for all of mankind. Today as Pastor Ricky continues in Mark chapter one, you'll learn that the definitive voice of God was in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the final voice from God because Jesus is God. When you read the words of Jesus you can take it to the bank. He’s speaking on the authority of His Father in Heaven.
Jesus Movement - From First to Second, Part 2
Last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began to unpack what it means to be a part of a Jesus movement and this movement is so very countercultural. Think about how the world instructs you to get ahead. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and you're encouraged to step on and over anyone who gets in your way. Well, today Pastor Ricky reminds you that the Kingdom economy is much different than the world's economy. Jesus says if you want to be first then you need to learn to be last.
Jesus Movement - From First to Second, Part 1
The turmoil in our world today is at the highest levels that we've ever seen. A quick flick of the channel on your TV, or a scroll on Facebook and you'll see that we are divided and one of the saddest things of late is the contribution of the church to this matter. Yes, we do need to be divided on certain issues, there's no question, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself what the world really needs? Pastor Ricky invites you to join him on a journey in Mark where you’ll learn what it means to be a part of a Jesus movement in our day.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Child, Part 2
What a beautiful truth. As Pastor Ricky leads us through the story of Christ's humble birth, we’re reminded that no one would have been turned away from that manger. Jesus came for you. He knew full well the brokenness that He was being born into and He willingly took it so that you and I could be made clean, once and for all in the eyes of God. You don't have to get yourself right. Just come to the humble King who longs to embrace you and make you whole.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Child, Part 1
The shepherds that watched their flocks nearby as Jesus was being born into this world were blessed to be one of the first messengers of the Gospel. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, to be a shepherd was a humble but important job. They not only provided meat and wool but they would have raised the spotless sheep that would have gone to the temple as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Their role in welcoming the final spotless lamb has a beautiful significance that is often overlooked.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Husband? Part 2
Jesus came to earth in the midst of scandal. While Mary was innocent of her suspected sin, most of her community didn't know that. She would have been the subject of gossip and rumors and Joseph took that on himself when he agreed to be the father to her child. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, Jesus is not afraid of your scandal. He doesn't care about the opinion of men. He cares about you and He'll come to you in the midst of your sin, embrace you and pull you out of that mess.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Husband? Part 1
Was Jesus' father Joseph perfect? No, of course not. He was a flawed, humble man yet God had a great purpose for him. He was a necessary part of fulfilling prophecy and raising God's very own son, as he took on human form. As Pastor Ricky will point out in today's message, many men would have walked away from Mary and the scandal of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Joseph even considered it. But because he had faith in God, he took on the task he was called to and helped raise our Savior.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Family? Part 2
This broken world is like a long night in the wilderness. If you imagine yourself cold and hungry, with the sounds of wild animals all around, it's a place of vulnerability. But then the sky gradually fades from black to a smokey blue, followed by tinges of orange, and then at last the sun breaks over the horizon. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, as a believer the horizon is glowing with that orange light, and true to God's promise, Christ is going to return and bring light that will put our sun to shame.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Family? Part 1
You need family. Sadly because of sin and selfishness, as well as things that are out of our control, all families are broken in some way. Even the most perfect-looking family has its faults if you start to dig deep enough. That's just a part of living in a fallen world. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, the situation isn’t hopeless. Your family may not be perfect but if you cling to and rest in God's promises, you can find peace and unity that you can't find anywhere else.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Mom? Part 2
God doesn't love you because of your talents or your skills. He doesn't scan humanity looking for people to add to His team because they possess some useful talent. He desires for everyone to come to Him not because of what they possess but because they're His creation and they lack the intimacy, freedom, and the life that He designed them for. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, to come to the Father you have to humble yourself and allow Him to save and equip you for any good work.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Mom? Part 1
Throughout scripture, you can see a pattern in the way that God works. He doesn't look for the powerful, the rich, or the famous. It's not that He can't use those people, but as Pastor Ricky points out in the example of Jesus's mother Mary, God chose her because she was humble. She was a nobody and God loves to work with nobodys. When you acknowledge that you're incapable and incompetent on your own, it allows room for God to come in and work in a way that glorifies Him alone.