Audio by artist rich_doebler

August 12, 2007 message by Pastor Rich Doebler

3-16-08 message by Pastor Rich Doebler

Galatians 3:2-3 (NIV) ² I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? ³ Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Designed to Grow: Grow Healthy-Living as God Intended

Designed to Grow

Grow Strong—Facing life's challenges

Last week we began a series of messages on growing in the kingdom. We saw that the kingdom of God was designed to grow—that growth is a core characteristic of the kingdom. God's life flows through the kingdom, so the kingdom itself is alive. And if it's alive, it grows.

Jesus described the kingdom of God as a farmer planting seed in the ground: it is the nature of seed to grow—and it is the nature of God's kingdom to grow.

Designed to Grow...Grow in Faith

A healthy church is a growing church. Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a seed that grows "all by itself" (Mark 4:26-28).

It is the nature of the kingdom to grow! In its natural state, the kingdom of God is to grow bigger and stronger—not smaller and weaker. The kingdom isn't retreating or shrinking.

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. (Heb 10:39)

Designed to Grow...to grow small

Over the past few weeks in our current series of messages we've seen that God's plan for us is to grow. God intends that we mature in our faith, that we develop as believers. We are "Designed to Grow."

One Touch...a willing touch.

For five years no one touched me. No one. Not one person. Not my wife. Not my child. Not my friends. No one touched me.

They saw me. They spoke to me. I heard love in their voices. I saw concern in their eyes. But I didn't feel their touch. There was no touch. Not once. No one touched me.

Matthew 13:24-30 (NIV)

Why Church?

If the church were in an election—even in this country, in so-called Christian America—it would lose the popular vote. Even though the vast majority of Americans (something like 90%) believe in God, they don't necessarily believe in the church. They vote for God, but not the church.

Last week we began to discuss an answer to the question "Why church?" It's certainly a question a lot of people in society are asking today.

Some dismiss the church as merely a benign segment of society—boring but not dangerous.

Others, however, say the church fosters dangerous old-fashioned views like prejudice and intolerance—that it has done more harm in society than good.

We've been talking the last few weeks about what the church needs to be: it needs to be a life-giving community; it needs to be relevant—it must offer ancient relevance.

Today we're concluding this series of messages, but we're not going to stop talking about what the church as a community of believers should be and can be. During the coming year, I want to continue stretching and challenging us to become more what God wants us to be.

When someone gives you a gift, how do you receive it?

• "Why didn't you give me more?" — the self-centered receiver can't be thankful for what he has.
• "Well...it's about time" — the entitled receiver thinks he deserves the gift.
• "Ah...you shouldn't have" — the self-conscious receiver is embarrassed about all the attention.

The Gift We Become

This month we've been looking at "The Gift"—not only the gift that God gave to the world when he sent his Son, but the gifts that we receive, the gifts we give, and today: the gift we become.

Today's message is about potential. About the future. About what is possible when we allow God to have his way in our lives.

What kind of tests did you have to take this last year?

• If you're in school, you must have had all kinds of tests—spelling, math, science.
• If you got your driver's license, you had to take a driver's exam (written and on-the-road).
• You also had to look into a machine and read back some letters—a vision test.
• If you're in sports, your coach put you to the test everyday—evaluating how well you're doing.

For the past couple of weeks we've been looking at a story Jesus told about two brothers—a younger brother who was rebellious and an older brother who was righteous. We've been using "The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhatten.

Last week we talked about the verse that says, "work out your salvation." So we began a series of messages to show the balance (and the tension) between what God does in salvation and what we're supposed to do.

After last week's message someone asked me to define grace. She said that "grace" is a word that's not often used these days, and that's true.