Common Ground Christian Church

Ephesians 3:1-13 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. God has made the two one. Christ has become the bridge. The Holy Spirit has given them gifts. The Church is given an unbelievable responsibility in this text according to Paul. That task is to not only let the world know that Christ is King but to let the rulers in the heavenly places know that Christ is King. Our love, our worship, our forgiveness is making the mystery of Christ manifest to the natural and the supernatural. How are we doing? Join us as we look at this mystery and worship Christ who is our wisdom and joy!

Ephesians 2:11-22 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. Every gender divide. Every racial divide. Every economic divide. Every religious divide. Every parental divide. Every neighborly divide. Every vocational divide. Every marital divide. Every sexual divide. Every political divide. Every national divide. Every church divide. Every psychological divide. Every single divide has been destroyed by the peace that Christ has offered both parties through is body making reconciliation through his broken body and through the blood of the cross.  And here we are bickering, fighting, name calling, throwing bombs on the other side, demanding our rights and that we are right. Paul refuses to let the mi

Ephesians 2:1-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. There is hard work ahead for the church of Christ. We have been saved to do good works, not because of them. Join us as we explore the incomparable grace of Christ that has been poured out on us his church and as we keep looking to Jesus to form our desires and habits through worship and community.

Ephesians 1:3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Paul can't control himself as he shoots out of the gates in this Ephesian letter. Like a trained and skilled runner, every step and every verb and every preposition is leading to a crescendo of glory being given to God for his spiritual blessings that are ours in Christ. We've been chosen, we've been appointed, we've been given an inheritance and many other gifts that are ours in Christ set aside our false selves to remind us out of the block that we are truly blessed. Not in the Joel Osteen way, but rather in a profoundly rich way that has little or nothing at all to do with monetary gain. Our blessings in Christ make us all theologians to seek out the mystery that is ours and to hope for the final reconciliation of all things as we wait for it

Ephesians 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We have to start at the beginning of Ephesians if we are going to hear what the Spirit has to say to Common Ground. The beginning of Ephesians however is not with chapter 1. It rather begins in the book of Acts with a brooding murderer ready to kill and destroy everyone sitting in a pew and holding a church hymnal. It begins with Saul, the Apostle who's heart was set free. Join us as we begin an amazing journey through Ephesians.

Ezekiel 34, Mark 9:42-47 Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. Before we just say that this is a Catholic problem, we need to take a long hard look in the mirror. Protestant pastors, shepherds, leaders, and teachers are not immune to corrupt systems and abuse. Sin knows no denomination and we want to have yet another hard conversation about the kind of leadership and protection that it takes to train up a child in a church of safety and joy. Where children, men, and women are safe from the abuse of power from the top down and humble leaders are leading like Jesus. Join us as we look at the Oscar winning film Spotlight. We will use this story to talk about our own sin and the cover-ups that we allow so that we won't be exposed as frauds. We will also take a serious look at God's pr

1 Corinthians 9:19-27 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. We all get into the ring when it comes to our faith journey and we think we have the stamina, the skill, and the endurance to finish the fight. Life has a way of taking us all out one way or another. When it comes to our life in Christ we are called to endurance and legacy. The story of Rocky and Creed remind all of us that the underdog is not just lucky, but rather, has trained their body's and minds for the fight. How are you doing in the ring? Has life knocked you out? Have circumstances left you bloody? Who is in the corner telling you to keep the gloves up, to keep throwing punches? Join us as we look at Paul's amazing words to the Corinthian church about how he fights for the sake of the

Judges 11:1-7; 29-40 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering." There is no doubt that violence against women and children is epidemic. Not just in the city, but in the church as well. As I'm writing there is a 3 year old Spotsylvania boy who's been abducted. He'll either be dead by church on Sunday or he'll be found with severe trauma. His mom was already beat up last night. What are we doing to train our boys and girls to live like Jesus? What are we doing to combat our own anger, power, and control issues? The story of Jephthah is not a perfect parallel but it is a story of a father killing his own daughter. It is a story of violence. It is a story of a young women who doesn't get the hero's parade that she deserves. The film Room brings to light the trauma and post trauma issues that sur

2 Samuel 12:1-15 Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? Our sexual bodies get us in trouble. What was created gets desecrated and what is left is either total repentance or total deception. In our final message on Self-Deception we will look at the lies we believe about love, sex, marriage, accountability and romance. Come thirsty for change and trust that God in his goodness wants to restore you even if that means complete honesty. Join us as we look at God's great romance for us in spite of our sin and how through getting honest we can be restored, made clean, whole.

Numbers 22:1-41But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. The story of Balaam is the story of rationalization. As more and more money is offered he delays, procrastinates, prays selfish prayers, and then ultimately takes the deal of self-deception. With his mouth he gives eloquent descriptions of the God of Israel and yet with his life he can't fully grasp anything but a self-seeking existence. When we hold Balaam up to ourselves the image is not very pretty. Join us as we attempt to pull the wool off of our eyes that we ourselves placed there. We can't wait to worship and celebrate Christ with you!

Socrates famously asserted that the unexamined life is not worth living. We make all sorts of deals with ourselves every day in order to stave off examination and remain happily self-deceived. Many of these "little deals" we make allow us the guilt free pleasure of sin or we simply deceive ourselves so that we don't have to face the painful reality of grief, loss, or abandonment. At face value we are great liars. Often times these lies comfort us or excuse us. However, Christ's offer of life to the full demands an examined existence fully exposed to ourselves, our God, and our world. Join us as we look at four aspects of self-deception and the Christian life that will help us to live more wholeheartedly.Guest Speaker: Matt McCauley

Matthew 21:1-7Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” Nearly everyone in Jerusalem that day had an idea of what the Messiah, when he came, would do for them. We are not much different. We peddle our merchandise in the temple, even if that is the temple of our own bodies. We treat the sacred as it is the common. Ye through this beautiful, heart-wrenching narrative we see that Christ wants to inhabit every temple and will flip over every table until his is given the the honor due his glory. Palm Sunday is one of the most celebratory Sunday's in the Christian calendar but that is only for those with eyes and ears to see that Christ has come to throw out any and everyone who

Matthew 20:20-28 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” We live in a part of the country that understand the destructive abuse of power. Either on our school boards, our jobs, our homes, our politics, and even in our churches. In this world of ambition and coercion, Jesus hits his disciples with an unthinkable platform; humility. If we are to be his followers we are going to have to rethink our ladders of success. As we begin our Easter series, join us as we worship together the one who gave up his power in order for us see God!

Matthew 5:38-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." We think that it is fitting during our Taboo series and during Lent to have diverse and constructive conversation about violence. As we all know Jesus was tortured and executed at the wishes and by the hands of the angry mob. No matter what century the church has lived through there has always been a division of belief in how we are to live in a violent world. Each of these divisions argues their case from scripture. There are however, unquestionable theological implications for all of us. 1. Be peacemakers. 2. Love our enemy. 3. Act Justly. 4. Love Mercy. Bear God's image in the world. 5. Follow Christ. How each of these get lived out as disciples holds great significance. Join us as we hold up the Cross of Christ as the greatest act of violence the world has ever seen while at

Matthew 5:38-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." We think that it is fitting during our Taboo series and during Lent to have diverse and constructive conversation about violence. As we all know Jesus was tortured and executed at the wishes and by the hands of the angry mob. No matter what century the church has lived through there has always been a division of belief in how we are to live in a violent world. Each of these divisions argues their case from scripture. There are however, unquestionable theological implications for all of us. 1. Be peacemakers. 2. Love our enemy. 3. Act Justly. 4. Love Mercy. Bear God's image in the world. 5. Follow Christ. How each of these get lived out as disciples holds great significance. Join us as we hold up the Cross of Christ as the greatest act of violence the world has ever seen while at

Matthew 5:38-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." We think that it is fitting during our Taboo series and during Lent to have diverse and constructive conversation about violence. As we all know Jesus was tortured and executed at the wishes and by the hands of the angry mob. No matter what century the church has lived through there has always been a division of belief in how we are to live in a violent world. Each of these divisions argues their case from scripture. There are however, unquestionable theological implications for all of us. 1. Be peacemakers. 2. Love our enemy. 3. Act Justly. 4. Love Mercy. Bear God's image in the world. 5. Follow Christ. How each of these get lived out as disciples holds great significance. Join us as we hold up the Cross of Christ as the greatest act of violence the world has ever seen while at

1st John 3:1-3Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. We live and are sharing the Gospel inside a culture where gender lines are being explored and rights are being demanded. How the church responds in this hour is critical for how we engage the world as the church. How do we live in the tension between love and purity? Doesn't the Bible have a lot to say about our gender being sacred? Where is Jesus in this conversation? Are we a place where people can feel at home while cross-dressing? If we don't understand intersex, how can we understand gender dysphoria? There is a lot to comprehend, and there is a lot that psychologists and theologians just don't know. Join us as we look to the Gospel and to the standards set by Christ for holiness and belonging.

Luke 20:19-2621So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. 22Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24“Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” If anything can shut down a conversation it's politics. How does this dividing reality come to play in our Christian witness? How do we support life while also remembering the poor? If Jesus is to be all in all, reconciling the world back to himself where does he do that best? In the realm of the church or in the realm of changing society? How do we "Give to God what is God's?" The gospel has been hijacked by both parties and it's time for a healthy and hard conversation about where Christ just might be in the matter. Join us as we, from all different political opinions, gather around the table of Christ.

Matthew 19:1-15And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” One might ask, "What is so taboo about divorce? Isn't the Bible clear that God hates divorce?" We would have to be a community not living in reality to see the hurt and damage caused by divorce. Relationships are at the core of what the Gospel means and yet it is sin in our hearts that drive so many wedges between us. What are the options when it comes to divorce? Should I live forever unhappy? Should I stay with an abuser? Can I stay even after my spouse has committed adultery? Why does God care so much and it seem the church care so little about these things? What do I do with my pain and my shame? Join us as we talk about the tragedy of divorce and how Christ can heal our broken hearts.