Witness in the World: Living as Christ's Ambassadors
This message is a powerful reminder that God is actively working through His people as witnesses who share the Gospel in both word and deed. It emphasizes that our calling as ambassadors of Christ is dependent on the Holy Spirit’s power to be lived out effectively in our local communities, our nation and throughout the world.
These testimonies from our people serve three purposes:
to encourage faith
to stir people toward love and good deeds
and ultimately to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Know Who You Are — The Life You Were Created For Sermon Series (2/3)
Pastor Jimmy continued the series on the calling of Abraham and the life we were made for by focusing on God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, specifically examining what it means when God says "I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and so you shall be a blessing." This message built on last week's teaching about Abraham's call to leave his country, relatives, and father's house to enter God's promised land of fruitfulness.
The heart of this sermon centers on understanding biblical greatness versus worldly greatness. While the world defines greatness through self-made success, celebrity status, wealth, and external recognition, Jesus redefines greatness as serving others. Drawing from Mark 10:35-45, Pastor Jimmy emphasized that "whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant." This servant-hearted greatness flows from understanding our identity as God's children - we are blessed, chosen, redeemed, and part of God's eternal purpose.
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Let Go & Lay Hold — The Life You Were Created For Sermon Series (1/3)
This message launches a three-week series on Abraham's life, focusing specifically on God's call to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and how that connects to His calling on our lives today.
Pastor Jimmy shared how his family's story became intertwined with God's purposes through Baylor University and Waco, illustrating that none of us are here by chance but by God's divine hand. The central theme of the message emphasizes that God has a specific story and purpose for each of our lives, just as He did for Abraham.
To enter into God's story for our lives, we must follow Abraham's example of letting go to lay hold. God called Abraham to leave three specific things: his country (representing worldliness and sin), his relatives (unhealthy relationships that don't support spiritual growth), and his father's house (dependency on others' faith rather than owning personal faith).
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House to House: Find us Faithful - 1 Peter 5:1-4
This sermon wraps up our House to House series and focuses on the often-overlooked but essential quality of faithfulness in Christian leadership, particularly within Acts 2 communities and Lifegroups.
Pastor Carl Gulley begins by honoring the life group and section leaders who faithfully serve week after week, comparing them to the lesser-known biblical figures like Nympha, Apphia, and Archippus who opened their homes for church gatherings. These individuals may not be household names, but they are forever inscribed in Scripture because the church Jesus is building relies not on the talents of a few, but on the sacrifices of the many.
The sermon explores how spiritual leadership differs from worldly leadership, emphasizing that it requires different qualifications and operates by eternal rules. Using 1 Peter 5:1-4, Pastor Carl highlighted that spiritual leaders should shepherd God's flock willingly, not for personal gain, but as examples to others. The reward for such faithful service is not earthly recognition, but a crown of glory that will never fade away when the Chief Shepherd appears. This eternal perspective motivated the early church and should motivate believers today.
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House to House: Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing — Romans 12:2