Be Undivided

Message starts around the 30:00 mark

Be Undivided
01/09/2021 - Dave Riddle 
Key Verse: John 17:11

Our Current Reality

  • The last few years have been hard.

  • Evangelicalism is fracturing.

    • “Not merely dividing but becoming increasingly incomprehensible to each other.”

  • Relational dissonance.

  • Galatians 5:15 - But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

  • The statistics are discouraging.

  • The Reality: we all sinners

Our Calling

  • The Calling: Unity

    • John 17:11 - …that they may be one.

      • This should be our starting point.

      • Not unanimity, not uniformity, maybe not even union… but absolutely Unity!

The Model

  • John 17:11 - …as we are one (Jesus & the Father).

    • Not my will, but the will of the Father. Not my words, but the words of the Father.

      • As humans this level of unity is only possible through the power of the Spirit.

Our Response

  • Repent and believe

  • Communion: look up, look back, look forward, look around.

    • Koinōnia (Greek: κοινωνία) - fellowship, association, community, intimacy, joint participation (the share which one has in anything), communion.

  • Do I have the humility to align myself with God?

Proclaim! So They Can Hear

Proclaim! So They Can Hear.      

1/2/2022 - Global Partner 

Key Passage: Romans 10:13-15

ROMANS 10:13-15 

  • Disciples are sent.

  • Disciples preach the gospel.

  • Lost people hear.

  • Some believe and are justified.

  • They call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and are saved.

ALL PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THE GOSPEL.

  • “Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

ALL DISCIPLES SHOULD PREACH THE GOSPEL.   

  • 2 Corinthians 5:18–20

  • Our witness may include more than the spoken Gospel, but it should never include less than the spoken Gospel. 

THE LORD SENDS ALL HIS DISCIPLES TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL. 

  • Matthew 9:37-38

  • John 20:21

  • Mark 16:15 

  • “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

    • People don’t even know that there is a saving message to hear.

    • They don’t even know that they need to believe and call on the Lord.

GOD SENDS ALL OF US TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR, BELIEVE, CALL ON HIM, AND BE SAVED.

The Impact of Peace

The Impact of Peace

12/26/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Jesus is…

Isaiah 9:6 - Prince of Peace

  • Peace = shalowm (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort, and more.

    • it has layers of meaning related to peace.

    • Widely used in the Hebrew Bible, shalowm clearly depicts a satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness.

Luke 2:13 – 14 - Peace on Earth

  • Peace = eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - a state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation.

(Re)Connection

  • Peace with God Himself

    • Romans 5:1

Confidence

  • John 16:33

    • Peaceful confidence provides escape from anger, worry…

Rest

  • Matthew 11:28

    • Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….

A Gift

  • John 14:27

    • Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you…

      • Something only Jesus can give.

      • An invitation, a gift.

  • Philippians 4:7

    • A peace He gives to us, not something we develop

    • A peace that is so great we can’t understand it!

A Spiritual Orientation

  • Galatians 5:22 - fruit of the Spirit.

    • You are peaceful now live in peace.

      • A reality and a challenge

A Calling

  • Colossians 3:15

    • Let peace of Christ rule in your heart.

  • Romans 12:16

    • As much as it depends on you…

  • Hebrews 12:14

    • Strive for peace with everyone.

Surrender your will to the will of the Father

Pray and ask for the peace of Christ to rule our hearts

A Struggle

  • Matthew 10:34

    • Jesus becomes the dividing line

    • There is no peace without him.

Blessing

  • Matthew 5:9

    • Blessed are the peacemakers.

Reflect, Encourage, Share Peace

Christmas Eve - The Impact of Life

Christmas Eve - The Impact of Life

12/24/2021 - Dave Riddle 

God gives us life

  • Genesis 2:7

    • From the very beginning

  • John 1:4

    • Life from Jesus

We are surrounded by death

  • Romans 5:12, 17

    • Because we’ve all missed the mark

  • Romans 6:23

    • The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life

  • John 10:10

    • …life and life to the fullest

      • zōē (ζωή): life

      • perissos (περισσός): life to the fullest! superabundant or superior. Exceeding some number, measure, or rank. Over and above. More than necessary. Extraordinary. Excellent.

John 5:25 - …and those who hear will live

1 Corinthians 15:54 - …Death has been swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? 

The Impact of Joy

The Impact of Joy

12/19/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Luke 2:10 - Good news of great joy! 

Joy is Not the Same Thing as Personal Happiness

  • Happiness is circumstantial

    • Joy is different

  • 1 Peter 1:8 - …inexpressible and glorious joy

    • “Joy unspeakable and full of glory“

    • Joy = chara (χαρά) a calm delight

  • Pipe dream or attainable reality?

Joy is Commanded

  • Philippians 4:4 - Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again rejoice.

    • An imperative.

Joy Requires Intentionality & Commitment

  • Colossians 3:2 - set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

    • Set your mind = phroneō (φρονέω) To direct one's mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for

Joy Can Become Our Orientation

  • Galatians 5:22 - The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy…

How Do We “Set Our Minds…”?

Remember How Loved You Are

  • The love we experience on Earth pales in comparison to the love the Heavenly Father has for us.

Remember Who(se) You Are

  • 1 John 3:1, 1 Peter 2:9-10 - This is our identity! This is who we are!

Remember What You Have

  • 1 Peter 1:3-7 - …an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading…

John 15:11 -  “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

  • Complete, full, overflowing = plēroō (πληρόω) - to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim

The Impact of Hope

The Impact of Hope

12/5/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Psalm 42:11 - why are you overcome with despair? Hope in God!

  • We are the people of Hope.

    • Surrounded by despair, but not living in despair.

How is it that we can be legitimately hopeful?

God is.

  • He exists

  • Jeremiah 10

    • The worthlessness of idols compared to a true God. (10:10)

      • Jeremiah 10:16

God is here.

  • Matthew 1:23 - God is with us.

  • Hebrews 1:3a - Jesus is God in the flesh

    • Philippians 2:5-7

God is love.

  • 1 John 4:8-9 - God is love.

  • John 3:16-17 - How much God loves us.

  • Titus 3:4-7 - what it means for us.

God is Salvation.

  • Roman 8:38-39 - there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God.

  • Hebrews 1:3 - God the Savior

God is King.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - don’t live as those who have no hope

    • Ephesians 2:12 - We were… without Christ, without God, without hope. No longer!

  • 1 Timothy 6:13-15 - Celebrating his first coming while awaiting his second coming!

    • God will make all things new!

  • Hebrews 10:23 - hold tightly, without wavering, to the hope we affirm…

How can we embrace hope today?

Receive this truth in faith

  • 1 Peter 5:7

Reflect on how God is providing hope in your life

  • Psalm 9:1

Encourage another Jesus-follower you’ve seen exhibiting hope.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Share hope with someone in your missional context.

  • 1 Peter 3:15

Lazarus & Jesus

Sunday Service 11/21/21 : JOHN—Raising of Lazarus
Phil Woodman
Key Passage: John 11

Jesus Waited

  • John Mark Comer said “Hurry is violence on the soul. We get sucked into the tyranny of the urgent, not the important.”

    • Going going going doesn’t allow our soul to breathe. Do you feel that? Especially as we approach the holidays. The pace of everything picks up doesn’t it?

    • Maybe before jumping into anything, the best thing we could do would be to stop, seek our Father in heaven and be filled by the Spirit to prepare ourselves for what’s ahead of us whether it be a crisis, a busy season, or simply the day ahead of us so that we can function out of the fullness of God, rather than depending on the strength of man.

    • That is not the point of the story, but something we would probably benefit greatly from if we put it into practice.

    • There was purpose to Jesus waiting. So that God would be glorified.

Martha Believed

  • She knew, she believed…but Lazarus’ death was still final in her mind.

  • Which is a little interesting because Jesus had already raised someone from the dead….twice! But both of these times, the person was still in their home and had been dead for a few minutes or hours. Like they might not be fully dead. And Mary and Martha had not been present for those occurrences. I’m sure they probably heard about them, but they took place in Galilee far from their home.

Jesus Was Deeply Moved

  • We see the humanity and emotional side of Jesus on display in this passage. We hear of his deep love for his friend that leads him into certain danger to visit. We see mourning and sadness as Jesus weeps, but he is ultimately led to anger.

  • B.B. Warfield writes: “It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death, and whom he has come into the world to destroy. Tears of sympathy may fill his eyes, but this is incidental. His soul is held by rage: and he advances to the tomb, in Calvin’s words, [slide] ‘as a champion who prepares for conflict.’”

  • Where have you put him? Let’s go.

Mary and Martha Believed in a New Way

  • Death is the physical result of what sin does in the spiritual realm. God grieves and mourns those who are spiritually dead. And just days later he would do something about it to show his power over death and sin once and for all.

  • Do you KNOW Jesus as the resurrection and the life? Can you clearly state how Jesus has made you alive and transformed you from death to life? How is God making you new each day? If you can’t see how Jesus has changed you, is it possible that you know Jesus, but you don’t KNOW Jesus? Like Mary and Martha, your faith may be sincere, but limited.

  • In this season of thanks, what are we, what are you doing to proclaim the life we have experienced in Christ to those needing resurrection from the spiritual death they live in? It moved Jesus to tears and made him angry to the point he needed to do something about it. May God move in our hearts that we are lead to DO something to help people experience Jesus and have the opportunity to move from death to life.


Jesus is the resurrection and the life. I pray you KNOW that and have experienced that life. 

Jesus at Hanukkah

Jesus at Hanukkah 

11/14/2021 - Dave Riddle

Key Passage: John 10:22-42

Festival of Dedication / Festival of Lights

A hostile group surrounds Jesus

  • John 10:22-24

    • How long will you trouble our souls?

    • Are you the Messiah?

  • Are you going to be like or great ancestors who freed us from a tyrannical empire?

    • Like the Maccabees they were celebrating.

You don‘t have the faith to see what is plainly in front of you.

  • John 10:25-27

My sheep? I know them and they follow me.

  • John 10:27

    • Incredible comfort for those who follow Jesus

  • John 10:28

    • Eternal life (a statement not merely of quantity, but of quality)

  • John 10:29-30

    • Jesus doubled down on the security of his followers.

      • No one will, and no one can, snatch us from his hands.

      • We love this message but how did the hostile crowd respond?

They picked up stones

  • John 10:31

    • An illegal act, but not without precedence.

  • They were highly motivated.

    • There wouldn’t have been stones readily accessible at Solomon’s colonnade

“For which of these good works are you stoning me?”

  • John 10:32-33

    • An improper accusation

  • John 10:36

    • “My life is an open book“

John never did a miracle… but everything he said about this man was true.

  • John 10:41

He’s got us in his hand

He knows us and loves us

He is the Son of God 

We want to be people who bear witness to WHO he is.

  • So that others may say “everything they said about Jesus is true”

Jesus Says "Come" - CDC

Jesus says “Come”

Central Detroit Christian

Key Passage: Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus’ Rough Day

  • Jesus sends out the disciples.

  • The Disciples return with news of the death of John the Baptist.

    • His cousin has been beheaded

  • The feeding of the five thousand.

  • Jesus sends the disciples away in the boat and dismisses the crowds

    • Putting the kids to bed and doing some house work.

  • Jesus went to pray. He went to the Father to recharge.

  • He walks on the water.

Peter: “Lord, if it’s you, call me to come out onto the water”

  • your ways are better than mine…

  • When Peter practiced obedience to Jesus, Jesus responded with “come”.

Matthew 11:28 - “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

When those in the boat saw Peter’s obedience and Jesus’ response they were deeply impacted.

  • Matthew 14:33 - Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

God is good despite our weakness and foolishness.

Jesus & Abraham

Jesus & Abraham

10/10/2021 - Dave Riddle

Key Passage: John 8:48-59

2 Claims: 

  • I honor my father - 8:49

  • I am the giver of life - 8:51

“Are you greater than our father Abraham!?” - 8:53

  • “who do you claim to be?”

John 8:56 (CSB): Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 

  • Genesis 12, 15, 17, 18, 24

  • “You’re not even 50! How have you seen Abraham?”

John 8:58 (CSB): Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”

  • “I am.”

    • They pick up stones to kill Him

    • The chapter is bookended by stories about throwing stones.

What does this passage teach us about Jesus?

  1. He came to tell the truth

  2. He came to bring honor to His Father

  3. His teaching brings life.

  4. He is God in the flesh.

The Truth Teller & The Lie Giver

The Truth Teller & The Lie Giver

10/03/2021 - Dave Riddle

Key Passage: John 8:30-47

Genuine Discipleship

  • Discipleship, in Jesus’ day, had both a spiritual and a physical component.

  • John 8:31 - if you continue in my word, you really are my disciples…

  • pistueo: to think to be true. To be persuaded of; to place confidence in. To have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing). To believe.

  • Jesus is offering a clear caution to us so that we understand what it truly means to be his disciples.

    • Continue, abide, remain, stay… in the word of my teaching.

Real Freedom 

  • John 8:33: referring to spiritual freedom, not political freedom.

    • Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome…

  • Slaves to sin!

    • Only the Son can set you free.

    • John 8:34-36

Actual Identity 

  • John 8:37-47

  • Jesus: Who is your spiritual father?

    • The crowd: “Our Father is Abraham!”

      • Jesus: “You aren’t responding how he did”

    • The crowd: “Our father is God”

      • Defending themselves and their heritage.

      • Jesus: your father is the devil.

  • This passage is helping us see The Truth (singular) and The Lie (singular)

The Light of the World

The Light of the World

9/26/2021 - Dave Riddle

Key Passage: John 8:12-29

The Feast of Tabernacles - Illumination Ceremony

  • John 8:12 (CSB): “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

    • Another purposeful use of the phrase “I Am”.

      • The original language shows that this was not coincidental.

      • An incredible, staggering claim

“Your testimony is invalid”

  • The Pharisees try to catch Jesus on a technicality.

    • John 8:13

  • Jesus defends his testimony

    • John 8:14-18

    • Two Witnesses.

      • Jesus and the Father

The Pharisees don’t get it

  • John 8:19-20

    • “Where is your father?”

    • “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”

“To Die”

  • John has a unique perspective and focus on death.

    • John 8:21

  • The Pharisees completely miss the point

    • John 8:22

  • John 8:24 (CSB): “…For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

Who are you?

  • John 8:25

    • “Exactly what I’ve been telling you since the very beginning!”

  • They still didn’t get it - John 8:27

John 8:28 (CSB): When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own.

  • lift up = crucify

An Omitted Passage?

An Omitted Passage?

Dave Riddle 9/12/2021

Key passage: John 7:53-8:11

Not included in most of the oldest manuscripts.

  • not commented on by the early church fathers until the 10th century.

  • Writing style is more like that of the synoptic gospels than that of John.

Nobody likes getting caught at fault.

The standard for this accusation was fairly high.

  • the quality of the evidence and the quality of the witnesses were both important.

  • John 8:4 - this woman was caught in the act.

    • Where’s the man? Possibly a trap?

The law says… what do you say?

  • they were not telling the full truth.

    • Leviticus 20, Deuteronomy 22

    • Where is the man?

  • Only the Romans had authority to enact capital punishment.

    • “What do you say Jesus?”

  • Lots of people were participating in adultery.

    • “Do they all deserve this punishment Jesus?”

  • They were trying to trap Jesus with a difficult situation.

    • “We’ve got him! There is no right answer.”

How Does Jesus Respond?

  • John 8:6

    • He ignores it.

    • He has another plan.

  • What did he write?

    • The sins of the accusers?

    • His official sentencing of the accused?

    • Exodus 23:1?

      • Do not spread false reports…Don’t help a wicked man by being a false witness.

        • A warning to the accusers.

    • We don’t know.

The accusers are just as guilty as the woman.

  • Busted! Caught in the act!

    • Nobody picks up a rock.

Who is left?

  • The only one who could rightfully pick up a rock.

This is the story of YOU and me!

  • we all stand before a holy God as broken people who have been caught in the act.

    • Jesus didn’t condemn her and he doesn’t condemn you!

  • “Go and sin no more”

    • He didn’t condemn her, but he also didn’t condone her sin.

  • We don’t know how she responded.

    • How will you respond?

  • John 3:16-17 - He came, not to condemn, but to save!

    • When we deserved the “rock of execution” he became the “rock of our salvation”.

Unchanging Love

Unchanging Love

Dave Riddle 9/05/2021

Key passage: 1 Corinthians 13

The Highest Way of All - Love

  • 1 Corinthians. 12:31 - Love!

… is Lonnnnnnnng-tempered 

  • Patient - 1 Corinthians 12:4

…is Kind

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4

  • 1 John 3

…Does Not Boil Over with Jealousy 

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4

…is not Boastful

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4

  • This word is only used one time

…is not self-inflated

  • psysioo- literally, to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4

…is not crude or inappropriate 

  • 1 Corinthians 12:5

  • Lacking in care for others around them

…isn’t self-centered

  • 1 Corinthians 12:5

  • “Cure selfishness and you have just replanted the Garden of Eden” - RCH Lenski

…Isn’t moved to anger

  • 1 Corinthians 12:5

  • Of our interactions are defined by rage, we aren’t living in love.

    • Irascible - not just angry but anger that leads to wrong action.

…doesn’t keep score

  • loguzomai- to take inventory, an ancient bookkeeping term that means to calculate or reckon. To make it keep a permanent record.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:5

…Responds Correctly to  Truth and Iniquity

  • 1 Corinthians 12:6

  • Love doesn’t find joy in unrighteousness or the failures of others.

…Persists

  • 1 Corinthians 7-8a

  • “Bears all things” - covers, supports, protects.