Physical Building:

• By mid-May, the building will have a completely new roof.
• This summer, we will begin some inside renovations and also a bit of a “face lift” on the front of the building.

Building Uses:

• We have an extensive children and youth ministry on Weds evenings at the church, so we have already moved our mid-week adult prayer/Bible study to this location.
• We will periodically use the facility for children and youth activities and outreaches.
• The building will be open during certain hours as a place for community residents to gather.
• We plan to continue to make the facility available for voting and some Elliott Community Group meetings.
• We will eventually simulcast our Sunday morning service to this location for overflow attendees and community residents who aren’t able to climb the hill to get to the church.

As a church, we believe part of our job is to help spiritually renovate our community, but we are excited about the opportunity we have been given to help physically renovate as well.

If you would like to assist in our community renovations or outreach efforts, tax deductible donations may be sent to the church at 912 Lorenz Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15220.

 Week 1: The Gift of Choice

• Too many people are content to simply take whatever happens to them

Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”   So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

• We take it for granted, but free will is one of the attributes of God that He placed in man when He created us
• Making good choices is important because our entire life is made up of a series of decisions

Over the next few weeks, we’ll look more in depth at some of these statements:

• The exercise of our free will determines how much light or darkness manifests in the earth
• People have used “God’s sovereignty” as an excuse to remove responsibility from their choices; there are far fewer “victims” in the world than society leads you to believe
• God’s intervention in human affairs depends on our choices
• Some choices have greater consequences than others
• In many situations, more than one decision may be in line with God’s will (assuming they are not sinful)
• Moving from servants to friends changes the dynamic of decision making
• Our choices impact ourselves and the lives of others
• We can set ourselves up to be enabled to habitually make good choices; you don’t have to keep going around the mountain

A “Famous Bad Choice”:

Genesis 2:15-17 – The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;  but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

• Adam & Eve were given the power of choice
• God put the tree there knowing it was a dangerous mix with man’s free will
• God was so unrepentant on free will, that he gave it even though some of our choices lead to pain & death
• God so wanted a people to live in (a glorious bride) that He was willing to give us the ability to make choices that would even affect Him

Genesis 3:6-12 – When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.  Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”  He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”  And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”  The man said, “The woman you put here with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

• Adam’s bad choice was sinful
  • Choices can be wise, unwise or sinful
  • Stupidity does not necessarily equal sinful
• Adam’s bad choice triggered a whole series of bad choices
• They put their eyes on the fruit instead of the Lord – leaving God out predisposes us to selfish choices
• We try to cover up and rationalize our bad choices; when all else fails, we pass the buck
• We are often dishonest with ourselves about our choices and think that hides them from God
• Their bad choice released sin and death into the world

Good choices produce life in us; bad choices produce death

Week 2: The Intersection of Wills

In many situations, more than one decision may be in line with God’s will (assuming they are not sinful choices)

• God’s will is the best plan for our lives; the more you walk according to it, the better it is
• Even if something is God’s will, you still get to choose whether or not to come into agreement with it
• If we think there is only one “right” choice in any situation, it paralyzes us from ever moving
• However, if the Holy Spirit specifically speaks to do something and we disobey, it makes even “good” choices bad

One reason God gave us free will is because He wants us to have some input into shaping things

• 1 Chron 13:1-2 – …If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God…
• Acts 15:28-29 – …It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us
• The choosing of the deacons in Acts 6 – …choose from among you…
• Gen 2:19 - …whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

It wouldn’t be freewill and it wouldn’t be a gift if God came back after every decision and “fixed” it

We must define the “will of God” for our lives and then see how our desires/interests fit in with it

1 Cor 2:9-16 – However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit…

• We can know what the will of God is because He has revealed it to us
• As we commune with the Holy Spirit, we find that we can know what God’s will is

There are things that are the will of God for all of us (we need to start by choosing/doing these things):

1. To be spiritually whole (this includes salvation and Holy Spirit baptism)
• John 6:39-40; 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 18:14; Romans 10:9
• When you get saved or get someone saved, you are doing the will of God
2. To be whole in your soul (this is deliverance in our mind, will and emotions)
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; Romans 6:13; Romans 12:2
• When you get free or you help someone get free, you are doing the will of God
3. To be whole in our bodies (healing)
• Jesus paid for healing through His suffering
• Everywhere He went, He healed people
• When you heal someone, you are doing the will of God
4. To walk in our calling
• 1 Cor 1:1 – Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…
• God’s will for us is to walk in the call of God on our lives
• This often has nothing to do with where we live or work
• Your calling is whatever you have the ability to do that gives you the biggest platform to extend His kingdom
• Matt 10:8 – Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
• When we walk in our calling and manifest the Kingdom, we are doing the will of God

Week 3: Financial Choices

Money itself is not bad; it is simply a tool that God has given us

1 Tim 6:10 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

• Making the accumulation of money our goal causes all kinds of other problems
• When you love money, you wander from the faith and put your confidence in your finances

Heb 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

• Our contentment is directly tied to His presence with us

Our money literally represents our blood, sweat & tears; our talents, passions & energy

What we choose to invest our money in shows what is important to us

Practical choices about finances include:

• If you have no income, get a job (this is not to demean those who are searching and cannot find employment)
• Don’t spend more than you earn
• Don’t spend money on sinful pursuits
• Don’t rely on someone else (including the government) to do what God has given you the ability to do
• Cultivate a life of generosity

One question that many often greatly wrestle with is what should I give back to God?

• People try to rationalize how much they should give
• Sometimes they just want the Pastor to tell them how much to give
• Those are wrong ways to approach giving

2 Cor 8:1-4 – And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.  Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. (emphasis added)

• When have we ever had an attitude to give like that?

The New Testament standard of giving is this:

2 Cor 9:6-7 – Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

• If you find yourself giving reluctantly or begrudgingly, keep your money and ask God to work on your heart of giving

What about tithing?

• At NLF, we practice and encourage tithing, but not as a method to escape from a curse
• Jesus took the curse on our behalf (see Gal 3:10-14)
• Tithing is just one of the many things available to the believer to position us to walk in God’s blessings

Week 4: Good Choices With Our Bodies

Rom 12:1 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.

• Your sacrifice is not just the things you do with your body, but your body itself
• The Amplified says, “reasonable, rational, intelligent service and spiritual worship”
• God want to continue to break down the wall that we have erected between natural and spiritual

Jesus sacrificed His body for ours; He would like to use it more often

Why is giving God our bodies important?

• Jesus’ physical body is seated at the right hand of the Father now, but He still wants to manifest His Kingdom in this realm where we are now His Body
• You help God accomplish His will as long as you are here on earth in your body
• When we die, we will be with Jesus (it will be awesome), but we will no longer be here speaking and doing things in the realm where He wants them accomplished

Paul said it this way in Philippians 1:20-25: I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  (emphasis added)

How do we offer God our bodies?

• Don’t sin
• Rom 6:11-13 – In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
• Before becoming a Christian, you had no choice but to sin
• Your fellowship with sin has been broken and you can choose what to do now; we can choose not to sin
• The easiest way to do this is to cultivate His presence; the more aware I become of Him, the less desirable sin is
• Engage your body in corporate worship
• Theologically, our worship at NLF is modeled after the tabernacle of David
• David engaged his body in worship to the point where his wife despised him (2 Sam 6)
• Practically, this means we need to challenge ourselves to sing, clap, dance, lift our hands and otherwise engage our bodies in worship
• Steward our health
• 1 Tim 4:8 – For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the
  present life and the life to come.
• Paul didn’t say physical training was of “no” value
• Eating less and exercising would be a good thing for many of us
• Not smoking, eating less junk, watching our blood pressure, getting check-ups would be good – not because things are sinful, but
  because we’re most valuable to Him here and we want to be good stewards of the life he’s given us
• Picture doing everything for Him
• Col 3:17 – And whatever you do , whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• Col 3:23-24 – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
• Companies don’t succeed with a bunch of people who just punch a clock and can’t wait to go home and neither does the church
• Make ourselves available to Him
• When we see a sick person, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit saying, “excuse me, I’d like to use your body right now to heal them”
• When we see our neighbor in need of help, let our hands & feet be His hands & feet
• These are good choices because our will lines up with His, we get blessed in our obedience and God gets glory

When we make one of these choices to give Him our bodies, let’s begin to stop and tell God, “I am giving this to you as worship”

Week 5: Stewards of God

We must make wise choices with what we have been given (this is called “stewardship”)

Matt 25:23 – His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put
you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

• What we have been given must increase if we want to receive any more
• Telling God “I don’t want any more responsibility” is not an option
• Stewardship opens the door into the joy of the Lord

Matt 10:7-8 – As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those
who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

• The seeming paradox of Christianity is that we must give away what we have received in order to increase it
• A kingdom principle: hoarding causes decrease, giving causes increase

1 Cor 4:2 – Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

• Every person has been given a trust (e.g., my family, my neighborhood, the knowledge of God, etc.)
• Hearing testimonies increases the trust we have been given

What have we been given that we must give away?

1 Cor 6:19 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You
are not your own

• We have received the Holy Spirit
• “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons” is a great description of how to give away the Holy Spirit

Col 2:9-10 – For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

• We have been given the fullness of the Deity
• We need to be clothed with humility, because GOD lives in us
• The Creator is experiencing His creation through you and I; not only that, but He is using us to restore His creation to the way He made it

1 Peter 2:10 – Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

• We’ve received mercy and become part of a people
• The quickest way to appropriate the effects of mercy in your life is to extend mercy
• He expects us to be people of mercy
• Not doing anything wrong in the future is not a condition to give/withhold forgiveness

These are just a few of the things Scripture says we have received; let us choose to freely give them away to others.

The activities they did included visiting children’s homes, orphanages and schools, going door-to-door, preaching at churches, ministering at a worship conference and conducting a four day pastors/leaders conference.

Below are some pictures from the trip:

Old vs. New

OT model for “church”: “Come and see”

• God had to physically separate His people from other nations
• They had no indwelling of the Holy Spirit and were easily led astray
• If you wanted to see God do something, you had to go wherever Israel was living

NT model for church: “Go and show”

• The Holy Spirit indwells and seals us
• We are still “called out”, but no longer physically separated
• Jesus sent out His people to demonstrate the Kingdom (12, then 72, then the church)
• The commissioning involves more than just telling people nice stories about Jesus

We must make sure we are building our churches and people with a “go and show” mindset.

Think about the ministry of John the Baptist:

• He was the forerunner, preparing the way for Jesus
• His message was: “Get ready for Jesus to come” and “the good stuff is on the way”
• He was outside of the city baptizing and people had to go see him where he was

During many periods, many churches have operated a “John the Baptist” ministry

• They tell people “get ready for Jesus to come” and “the good stuff is on the way soon”
• We stay to ourselves and expect people to “come and see” just like the OT model of church

According to Jesus, John the Baptist was the promised “coming Elijah”

• His ministry was the culmination of the Law and Prophets
• In Malachi, God says that He will send Elijah (John) to “turn the hearts of the fathers and children towards one another”
• John’s anointing softens hearts and turns them, but it must be followed by the ministry of Jesus for true reconciliation
• We aren’t content with just telling the generations they should value each other, we want reconciliation
• We aren’t content with just telling people “healing is available”, we want to see them healed
• We aren’t content with telling people heaven is coming, we want to see them walk there now
• We are supposed to be walking in the fullness now

Matt 11:16-17 – “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:  “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

• In other words, don’t just talk about the stuff, let’s begin to do it

John had spent time with Jesus and knew the Lord’s message:

Matt 3:7-10 – “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

• Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” (Matt 12 & Matt 23)
• Jesus told them Abraham wasn’t their father, the devil was (John 8 )
• Jesus said “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40)
• Jesus tells them that His Father cuts off every branch that doesn’t bear fruit (John 15)

Yet, John still had doubts:

Matt 11:2-3 – When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

When John essentially says, “Is this it? It’s not like I thought it would be”, Jesus sends an answer:

Matt 11:4-6 – Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:  The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.  Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

Jesus’ response is “I am doing the stuff!”  It reminds us that:

• John was sent to prepare the way for the Way
• We are called to walk in the Way

Matt 11:11 – I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

• No one walked in the “preparation anointing” better than John
• But even then least able/equipped person walking the “fullness” message is greater than John
• You can keep talking about the stuff coming, but you’ll never do it as well as John
• Or, you can begin to demonstrate the stuff and have a greater message than John

Matt 11:12-13 – From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.  For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

• Seeds of the kingdom were planted throughout the OT
• As soon as John began to point to Jesus and the kingdom began to forcefully appear
• “forcefully” = biazo = crowd oneself into – the kingdom began crowding itself into our space
• “forceful men” – those who won’t take no for an answer
• “lay hold of it” = harpazo = to eagerly claim for yourself; to forcefully snatch something up
• Wherever we see the work and fruit of the enemy, we must believe that the Kingdom of God is ready to burst into that space; we must forcefully claim it and not take no for an answer.  (e.g., “That is mine!”)
• Those who will aggressively grab it will see it

If we stay in “John the Baptist” mode, we will eventually become isolated (John was imprisoned), begin to doubt and die (cut off from our head, Jesus).  You will decrease and the one who is producing will increase (John 3:30).

“He must increase and I must decrease” was a John the Baptist confession.  As NT believers with the fullness, we can say “He must increase and I will increase with Him”

As our church prepared to institute communion on a weekly basis, Pastor Chris preached a series on the meaning behind this activity.  The notes from this series are below and the audio messages can be found on the sermon page.

Communion – weekly or otherwise – is not a prerequisite for eternal salvation  (see Romans 10:9)

Week 1: Food is Always a Good Idea

Throughout Scripture, it becomes clear that food is important to God:
- Adam in the garden (Gen 1:29 – God gave Adam all the trees for food)
- Gen 18 – The Lord appeared to Abraham and he made Him something to eat
- Profound miracle of feeding 1 million people a day for 40 years in the desert
- 1 Kings 17 – Elijah was sustatined by food every day (even in a drought)
- Ps 104:27 – all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.
- The wise woman in Pr 31 “provides food for her family”
- One of Jesus’ most famous miracles was multiplication of food
- Matt 25:35 – I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink
- Acts 2:46 – the early church ate together
- Peter with Cornelius – Acts 10:41 – Jesus was seen “by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.”
- Rev 19:9 – blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb

Even in the Old Testament, God foreshadowed that there would be “special food” appearing:
- Tree of Life in Genesis – whoever eats it will live forever
- Gen 14:18 – Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High
- Passover
- Bread of presence (showbread)
- Manna

Then, Jesus comes on the scene and has this discussion with them:
John 6:48-59 – I am the bread of life.  Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.  But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”   Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is real food and my  blood is real drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

- This was offensive and unsettling to natural and “religious” minded people
- The religious teachers were thinking “God said the life is in the blood, we can’t do this”
- “Religious” mindsets always focus on negative aspects and consequences
- Grace and mercy always focus on “look how he made a way!”

Sometime after that teaching, Jesus is observing the Passover with his disciples and says the following:

Matt 26:26-28 – While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  (Luke 22 and 1 Cor 11, include “do this in remembrance of me”)

- The disciples realized this was what He had been talking about – partaking in the benefits of His death and resurrection

Week 2: What Happens? (a.k.a. Bread & Mystery)

Form of Communion:
- Texts indicate that this “remembrance” was done as part of – or in conjunction with – a meal
- In fact, the meal became so extensive that Paul had to bring correction to the church in Corinth
- What you use as elements is not as important as what you believe
- Like anything else in Christianity, it is not a formula.  God may lead it to be somber and reflective.  He may cause it to be full of joy as we approach him as little children and receive His life.
- We will provide the elements as a time of reflection, however, He wants us to remember Him anytime we come together

Views of what happens during communion:
- Transubstantiation – elements literally become the physical body and blood of Jesus (predominately Catholic view)
- Sacramental Union – the body and blood of Christ are present “in, with and under” the bread & wine (primarily Lutherans)
- Spiritual (pneumatic) Presence – Christ is present by the power of the Holy Spirit and received by faith (Reformed & others)
- Symbolic – the elements are merely symbols of what Christ did on the cross (many Protestant denominations)

What did Jesus say about those views?

Matt 26:26-28 – While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins

- Jesus really didn’t comment on any of those “doctrines”
- Why aren’t we comfortable with leaving it in the realm of mystery?
- Mystical = having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence
- The bread and juice are not magical – your faith is what activates and gives substance to communion
- Faith transforms this simple act into receiving the very life of Christ

In Luke 22 and 1 Cor 11, it includes “do this in remembrance of me”

- Same Greek word as used in Hebrews 10:3 when it says ”sacrifices were a remembrance of sins”
- Remembrance = to perpetually give life to something through recollection
- Those animal sacrifices were a big billboard in the spirit-realm proclaiming “SINNER” (i.e., “You can cover it with new clothes or a fresh coat of paint, but you’re still rotten to the core”)
- We were instructed to be “Christ-rememberers” not sin-rememberers
- Every time you partake in communion you perpetuate and give life to the work of Christ within you
- Literally, the cross gave birth to a spiritual reality that could only be experienced completely different than how they had ever known God before
- Partaking in communion in faith is a testament that you are not of this world; that you are in Christ; that you are one with God, even as He and Jesus are one

So what happens?

When you partake of communion, you are internalizing the Word Himself and coming into agreement with God
When we partake of communion, it often tangibly activates the benefits of the cross

1 – Forgiveness of sins
2 – Wholeness (healing of all forms)
3 – Freedom from the curse

See Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24 & Galatians 3:13-14

Week 3: Worthy Eating

We practice an “open table” at NLF – this means if you are a Christian you are welcome to receive, regardless of your denomination

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 – Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.  A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.  For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.  That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.  But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.

- This passage was not written to make us afraid
- It is important to be a Christian to partake, simply because without faith, nothing happens
- If you aren’t a Christian, your eternal fate doesn’t get worse because you eat the elements
- This passage has been used to scare people and caused many not to receive communion (e.g., “If you’ve got sin in your life…”), but as mentioned earlier, it is supposed to be Christ-remembrance (good news), not sin-rememberance
- The “examining” of yourself, is supposed to be a reminder of “I am a new creation in Christ, not of this world…”
- According to Vine’s, the phrase “unworthy manner” means treating something as common or natural (vs. supernatural)
- “Unworthy manner” is not a comment on your soul, but what you believe is happening at the table
- Paul brought correction because they were treating it as a natural act and not expecting something supernatural (v. 20 – “it is not the Lord’s supper you eat…”)

If you don’t “recognize the body”:
- You put the judgment on yourself instead of on Christ (where it belongs)
- Anytime we come to judgment without Christ, it’s always a bad thing
- v. 32 – if you judge yourself as “in Christ”, you don’t come under judgment

- If you don’t come in a “worthy manner”, you don’t expect healing, therefore, you stay weak, sick and die
- If we come expecting to partake in the life of the risen Christ, we receive His benefits!

Saturday evening: 6:00PM

Sunday morning: 11:00AM

Please see our contact page for directions.

A word about Dennis’ ministry:

At New Life Fellowship, we have had Dennis in for many years and receive him as a Prophet to the Body of Christ.  Every time he has been to our church, people have been encouraged and strengthened in their personal walk with God and the church as a whole has been blessed.  He has been a personal friend to our church leadership and proven to be a man of integrity.  Please come with an expectation to see God building His church through the gifts that He has placed in Dennis.