Risen Church Nc

Whereas Romans 9 is all about God's sovereignty, Romans 10 is all about Human responsibility. In this chapter we see that these are indeed two sides of the same coin. God makes a choice for us, but we must also make a choice for Him. He initiates, but we must respond. And if we do respond, God will hear and He will save. Always.

Salvation belongs to and comes only from the Lord. Romans 9 is a thorough study on how God's sovereignty is at work in our salvation.

Jesus' ascension to Heaven's Throne doesn't mark the end of His story or His followers' hope, but rather a new beginning. When He sat down, a new reign began over all creation. All of the earth no longer has to settle for bondage under the beasts that deceive and distract us. When we look to Jesus, we find peace, power, and purpose that's not of this world, nor limited by this world's weaknesses. In this message, we consider how Jesus' reign changes how we process our world's brokenness and burdens. We find comfort and are compelled to bring as much of Heaven to Earth as possible. The Ancient of Days is our anchor in these days. In Him we find the courage and boldness to not bow to the kingdoms of this world, but seek His Kingdom and realize its values and ideals while we wait.

The story of Samson reflects God's desire and ability to change a life that is dedicated to Him. However, it's also a story of God's patience and mercy, as Samson was far from a perfect man. There were blatant moral blind spots in his life, and after flirting with disaster again and again, his poor choices finally caught up with him. Satan set a trap for Samson, and being led by his unchecked lusts, he fell headlong into it. He found himself drained of his power, robbed of his vision, and bound in chains. The once shining star, Israel's heroic leader, was captured in shame, and the whole nation suffered as result. This is what sin will do to us all. Satan tempts, then traps, and takes away our capacity and ability to enjoy life as God intends. However, God's grace was greater than Samson's sin, and God did not forsake him. In Samson's final moments, he brings his sorrow and shame to God, and prays for redemption. More than just confessing his wrong, He trusts that God was always right and clings to Him

Within all of us, there is a tendency to drift away from God. Through salvation and the gift of God's Spirit, we can be restored to God and find New Life in step with Him. If not for the Spirit's lead however, we all inevitably and helplessly fall away. The story of Judges features the nation of Israel drifting from God, even though they had ample reasons to trust Him and worship Him. God raised up deliverers in this generation to bring the people back to Him and to help reestablish their connection with Him. While the judges were pictures of Jesus, they also are pictures of Christians. Yes, they acted as saviors for their people, but they were still sinners themselves. If not for their reliance on the Holy Spirit, they would never been able to help the nation. In this message, we look at the story of Samson and see how his life was changed by the Spirit of God. We observe how joyful he was when he remained in step with God. The goal of this conversation is to cause us to see how vital the Spirit is in

In this introduction to our study on Samson, we take a look at the world that he was born into. In the Judges' era, Israel's faith had wavered and the whole nation felt the effects of this breakdown. God was actively working to redeem His people though, lovingly disciplining them and repeatedly rescuing them. He was looking for a faithful few through which He might perform wonders for and thru. In this message, we are introduced to Samson's parents, who felt as unworthy and unqualified as could be. However, they dared to believe that God was indeed able to change their story and bring a breakthrough.

In our last look at Romans 8, we wrap up our conversation about the new heart we have in Christ, and move on to what is our ultimate Christian Hope. Paul pivots from talking how our salvation changes our behavior, to how it effects our response and perspective amidst this world's brokenness. He shows us how even this world's fallen and fragile nature is actually, actively being reinterpreted and reframed by Christians who put their hope completely in Christ. This hope affords us an exclusive opportunity to see even the worst days in a different, redemptive light. In Christ, we cling to the promise that all things are being worked out for good.

In part two of our Romans 8 study, we continue to talk about our newfound life in Christ. In some of the most rich and transformative verses of all Scripture, hear the Apostle Paul's plea that we take hold of all that has been deeded to us now that we are heirs of God.

For the most part, those recognized as famous throughout history were people of power, wealth, and great success. However, when it comes to the history of the Christian faith, most of the people that we celebrate were relative nobodies in their day compared to their contemporary leaders and influencers. It is truly remarkable how kings and rulers of the ancient world are mere footnotes in the stories of peasants, shepherds, and refugees. The truth is, the stories from ancient Israel and the first century church only survived because the original followers of Jesus believed they were worth telling. They were willing to sacrifice everything to make the redemption story known to everyone, everywhere. In this message, we take one more look at the aftermath of the Resurrection and see how Jesus convinced the disciples to choose Him instead of an easier, more convenient path. We also see how this same calling is over our lives, how we are sent just like the first century church was. The question over us today

There is probably no better or more pure expression of Christianity than Romans 8. Having established that we are justified by faith alone, Paul uses this chapter to exult over the benefits of saving faith. In this message, we break down the blessing of being in Christ. Paul gives us two major revelations regarding what salvation means for us. Listen as we marvel at the work that God has done on our behalf and discover just what manner of power rests upon us as a result.

Across the first six chapters of Romans, Paul has made a few things very clear: We need to be reconciled to God and are incapable of accomplishing that on our own. In Romans 7, he is going to make one final case about the unreliable and counterproductive nature of religion insofar as bringing about justification and salvation. Paul emphatically states that even the Jewish Law, as holy and inspired as it may be, is not a means of salvation for us. He also offers us a proper understanding of the Law's purpose and place in our lives today. We cover all of this and more in this message. Listen as we uncover a true and certain way to overcome sin and stay in fellowship with God.

Whether or not Jesus would fulfill His earthly mission was never in question. However, whether His followers would accept their mission was a whole other story. After unfollowing Him and hiding out in fear, on top of outright scoffing at the idea of Jesus being resurrected, the Disciples weren't exactly eager for whatever Jesus had planned next. Jesus spent a period of 40 days after His resurrection persistently working to re-recruit His Disciples and turn them loose on the world. After several encounters, while they seemed glad that Jesus was alive, they weren't all too inspired. Eventually, they realize the errors of their ways and surrender to God's plan. But what if? What if Peter and the others had stayed on their self-centered path? What if they had chosen to stay in Galilee and reverted back completely to their former lifestyles. In this series, we study the aftermath of Easter and consider the potential directions things could have taken. We hear from Jesus how crucial and urgent it is that we c

Easter has had an undeniable impact on the world. A New Creation was put into place through Jesus' death and resurrection, and we can experience New Life through Him. In this message we hear how Jesus changed everything and how He can change our lives for the better. Easter can be summed up as our inheritance. God has done something for us and desires that we take hold of this gift and make it personal.

2000 years ago, Crucifixion wasn't something only heard about in history books, it was a constant backdrop of every day life. In the Roman Empire, people were crucified regularly, and as a result everyone was familiar with the sights and sounds of this brutal, inhumane practice. This makes the demand for Jesus to be crucified all the more bewildering. Over the last few days of Jesus' life, the cries were ever-growing for Him to be put to death in the most devastating way. What had humanity come to? How could things have descended to this place. Was this the world and the people to whom God had sent Jesus? Was there any hope for redemption and regeneration? As Jesus suffered, John tells us that His mother Mary watched it all from the hillside. Can you imagine the emotions she experienced? Assuredly, God the Father watched from Heaven as well. Both were near the cross, not only in proximity but participation. While Mary felt helpless, surely God could do something about this. Jesus was one with the Father

On Palm Sunday, Jesus was by far the most popular person in all the land and had enough support to overturn both Temple and Empire. By Friday of the same week, everything had changed. Everyone had turned on Jesus. Shouts of praise had turned into jeers. "Hosanna" was replace with "Crucify Him!" How did this happen? How did Jesus go from beloved to betrayed? Chosen to cursed? Destined for exaltation to delivered over for extermination? The Apostle John was there for it all and gives us the inside scoop of how it all unfolded. He heard the sermon after the parade on Palm Sunday that thinned the crowds. He heard the rumors of the religious leaders colluded with Judas to set a trap for Jesus. He tells us exactly how Jesus went from adored to unfollowed. Listen as we unpack how Jesus' movement appeared to unravel over a single week. One thing becomes clear with each passing day, Jesus wasn't panicking at all. Even when He was left alone, arrested, and falsely accused, He was absolutely committed to His plan -

On two different occasions, the crowds that accompanied Jesus tried to make Him king. WIth numbers greater than the average Roman legion, all Jesus had to do was lean into their support and they would be unstoppable. He had displayed such greater power and wonders, clearly He was able to do whatever He wanted. After refusing the support again and again, one thing was becoming clear - Jesus didn't want to be king. Indeed He was a king, but a different kind of king - one unlike this world had ever seen. In this message, we take a look at Jesus' response to the crowds rallying around Him on two different occasions. We hear Him inform His Disciples in private the true nature of His Kingdom and cast a vision over them for how they should represent Him going forward. As Jesus entered Jerusalem to shouts of "Hosanna, Hosanna", He would refuse the throne and embrace a cross. This is why He came into this world, leaving the glory of Heaven to face a gory punishment from Rome. Herein is Christianity defined, showin

In this message, we unpack yet another powerful passage from Romans, regarding the impact salvation should and can have on a believer. After teaching us about what it means to be "alive in Christ" and "made new", Paul takes us deep into a conversation about grace and sin. Now that we're under grace, we can come out from under sin. We no longer have to be slaves to sin, because sin is no longer our master. If we are still obeying our sinful nature and walking in the flesh, we are out of step with Christ. Romans 6 is a must-read text for any believer, but especially anyone that is struggling to break free from their old life. Paul gives us practical instruction about how we can take full advantage of our forgiveness and freedom. He calls us to a place of total dependency and devotion to Christ, so that we can be filled with His life and power. As we'll discover, following Jesus removes the burden of sin and the pressure of religion, and opens us up to True and Eternal Life.

Within just a few decades of Jesus’ time on earth, the Roman Empire was totally immersed in the Jesus Movement. Try as they might to quell its growth and destroy it, Rome was powerless. However, it was undeniable that there was great power behind and within the Church. As Jesus became a household name, questions burned within every heart and mind: Who is Jesus? Why are so many worshipping Him? What exactly did He accomplish in His ministry? In this series, we follow John’s telling of Jesus’ story to learn from an eye-witness and Day One Follower the answers to these important questions. John gives his testimony of who Jesus was to him and why he came to worship Him. John’s words are bold and profound, and leave us without a doubt regarding Jesus’ identity and impact. John tells us that if there’s ever been an expression of God, Jesus is it. John identifies Jesus as God’s definitive Word - the full revelation and manifestation of God. To many, Jesus appeared to be just a man, but to John, Jesus was clearly

Maybe you’ve asked the question, about yourself or someone else, “Why am I the way that I am?… Why is anyone the way that they are?” Research shows that the the answers to these questions can be quite complex, but the short of it is a combination of genetics and conditioning. We are all born with certain predispositions and we are all conditioned into certain behaviors. According the Romans, these factors prove to be true regarding our connection to God. We are all born into sin and fallen in our nature, thanks to the first man, Adam. Try as we might to rehabilitate ourselves, we need more than just religious conditioning. We need to be made new. Jesus promises to undo what Adam did and reverse the curse of sin. His death and resurrection unleashed a brand new reality on the world, and opens the doors for us all to find new life in Him. Our sinful nature can be overcome and we can learn to walk in the newness and power of resurrection life. In this message, we breakdown the gift of salvation and talk ab

The Church reminds us that we have a better belonging and invites us to find a more satisfying life. Deep down all of us long to find a life of true, deeper meaning. None of us want to be forgotten, and are well aware of our world's ability and tendency to wear away and dispose of life. Jesus came to make sure we all can find true and full life. He came alongside everybody in every possible walk of life, including those who were as far from God as one could imagine. In this message, we consider the final person He visited during His earthly ministry, and how that exchange still speaks to us. If you're looking for eternal hope and hoping to ensure that your life makes an eternal impact, Jesus invites you to follow Him. Only in Him can we find our way to God and the way to make our lives count for all eternity.