Mission City Church w/ Pastor Josh Hershey

Gift Wrapped! (Guest Speaker: Keith Hershey)

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15) The gift of Christ Jesus transforms the way we can view ourselves as well as the world around us. We no longer view things from a fleshly perspective (2 Cor. 5:16). Rather, we view things from being “wrapped” in the Indescriable Gift, Jesus Christ! Join us as Keith Hershey shares this important message.

JOY INEXPRESSIBLE AND FULL OF GLORY (PART 2)

Last week we saw how the birth narratives of Christ moved from joy, to great joy, to exceedingly great joy. This morning we are going to look at the ministry of Christ and His apostles. How they taught and brought a kingdom which is “righteousness, peace, and JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” (Rom. 14:17). We can “BE OF GOOD CHEER” no matter what storms or trials we face in life because we have been given the “joy of the Lord” which “no one will take from us!” (John 15:11; 16:22). Join us!

JOY INEXPRESSIBLE AND FULL OF GLORY

We are in the season of Advent. A season where we are reminded of the importance of “waiting” and “watching” for the coming of our Lord. The apostle Peter wrote, “Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory!” The joy of the Lord that accompanies the believer is so great and glorious that it cannot be put into words! It is a deep well of gladness that abides no matter what trials or sorrows we pass through in life. It is a gift of Christ and fruit of the Spirit. Jesus has given us EXCEEDINGLY GREAT JOY that cannot be taken away! Join us as we dig into what the joy of the Lord is and seek to rejoice in the Lord at all times, especially during this Advent season.

PARABLES — “THE REJECTED STONE”

The last parable Jesus tells in Luke is a prophesy concerning His death. It is a parable directed against the leaders in Jerusalem who were not embracing His ministry. It is sometimes referred to as “the parable of the wicked tenants.” But I want to instead place the focus on Christ. Christ says He is the CORNERSTONE of God’s work in the world. As we center our lives around Him as living stones, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, we are structuring our lives on solid ground that will never be shaken. No matter what storms come our way!

PARABLES — THE TEN MINAS

As Jesus was preparing to enter Jerusalem the week He would be crucified, His disciples believed the kingdom of God would fully appear at once. In light of this, Jesus told his disciples a parable about a king having to go away (alluding to His ascension into heaven) and entrusting His servants with great gifts that they are to put to use until His return. Join us as we learn what it means to live from the resources of Christ, not being fearful of being good ambassadors for King Jesus as we await His return and the full ushering in of His kingdom!

PARABLES — THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector…’” (Luke 18:9-10). Join us as we unpack this powerful parable about pride, arrogance, humility, prayer of the heart, and grounding ourselves in the mercy of God!

PARABLES — “THE PERSISTENT WIDOW” & “THE FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT”

Jesus taught 3 parables on prayer. This morning we will be looking at the first two. In these parables Jesus was teaching us the importance of “always praying” and “never giving up” (Luke 18:1). He wants us to pray with BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE in the goodness of our heavenly Father. Jesus’ teaching, as well as his responses to many people throughout his ministry, demonstrated that “the prayer of a righteous person is POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE” (James 5:16). Seeing this is the case we must seek to “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

PARABLES — “THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS”

Jesus has been reclining with tax collectors and sinners while His disciples and some Pharisees watch and listen to His parables. After Jesus’ fourth parable in this setting, the Pharisees begin to “sneer” at Him because they were “lovers of money” and His parable had to do with God’s stewards abusing God’s wealth. Jesus is in no way intimated by their sneering, but goes on to teach yet another that also has to do with wealth. A parable with vivid imagery. A sore-covered poor man. A lavishly dressed rich man. Dogs. Gates. Angels. Chasms. Father Abraham. Moses. The Prophets. Join us as we dive into this fascinating teaching of our Lord.

PARABLES — “THE SHREWD MANAGER”

In Luke 16 Jesus tells two parables that have to do with money and how God’s stewards are to treat the poor. Jesus is still reclining with tax collectors and sinners as He is telling these stories, and the Pharisees are still listening in. In the first parable, “the Shrewd Manager”, Jesus paints a picture of how a wise religious leader must respond to His ministry. They must come to grips to their sin and death (like the prodigal son in the parable before this), and then begin to treat those under their authority with great mercy. Join us as we continue our parable series through the Gospel of Luke and allow the Word of Christ to challenge and encourage us!

PARABLES — “LOST AND FOUND”

Jesus hung around and dined with tax collectors and sinners. This frustrated certain people and caused them to ‘murmur.’ In response to this murmuring, Jesus delivered three powerful parables about the God who seeks and saves that which is lost! Join us as we journey through the parables of THE LOST SHEEP, THE LOST COIN, and THE LOST SONS.