Pipeline.church - The Podcast

Tina Turner is famous for asking... "what's Love got to do with it!?" When we talk about faith and salvation, we rarely consider consider love as anything more than, as Tina would say, "a secondhand emotion." Really, how does love play in to anything when it comes to our faith? John makes it clear that LOVE is the ultimate result and action of a life truly changed by God. When we stand in the light of Christ, all the things that we think are a big deal seem to fade away. We no longer fight to be "right" b/c we know the true standard. We no longer fight to be the most important because believers know who is the highest and greatest. This passage really clarifies for us, the call of God and His word... Love God, Love Others!

Again, we start reading a chapter that starts with the endearing words of grandpa John, calling us "little children." What starts out sounding like something that is going to draw us closer and make us feel all warm and fuzzy, takes a serious turn when John starts making sure we understand what sin can do to our lives. With his instruction in the first few verses of this chapter, we are encouraged to clearly discern the things that make a follower of Christ! We are clearly instructed that not all who look like followers of Christ truly live it. So the big question for us is... are we living it? What makes us different? Do we daily take stock of our lives and call to be "in Him," asking Him to change us daily. We also are encouraged to look at our life as a church and as the "body of Christ." What is the true measure of a believer as part of Pipeline Church and how do we communicate that?

Everyone is doing it! While that may be the way it seems... it isn't always true, but it still hurts! What do you do when a friend walks away from the faith or when you're directly confronted about your faith by someone you love who does not believe? Where do we get our strength to stand? Where do we get the wisdom to know who and what is right to wrong? Again, grandpa John helps us as he walks us through the pain of seeing people reject the Christ we love. The truth is, the pain never goes away when you truly care and love people the way that God has called us to love them. Our hope lies in the fact that the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit is promised to us as a way of knowing and standing for what is true.

Does loving one another really matter? Do I really have to care what other people think? Does God really care about me? What about all the fun stuff I'm missing out on? These are just a few of the things that are covered in this section of scripture that we're going to jump in on tonight. John starts by making sure we know that this isn't anything new, but we're going to do it all a "new" way! John points to character over action repeatedly and it's so incredibly important that we hear his call and warning. Love one another like never before and Love the Lord your God with all your heart... that's the story morning glory!

We struggle, we do good, we struggle some more, we ask for forgiveness, we let everyone down again... That seems to be the cycle that we find ourselves in. From the very beginning, we have struggled with consistently living out the faith in God that rescues us from ourselves. Solomon wrote that there isn't a person without sin and Paul followed in the New Testament saying, "all have sinned and fall short of His glorious standard." I hope we get the point by now, we need His help! Today's message through "grandpa John" gives us hope that Jesus is right there with us every step of the way. While the goal is for us to avoid sin and the destruction that follows it, the text makes it clear that God has provided new life for us through His son... no our own power. Be encourage today, He's got this!

How often have you tried to convince yourself that "everything is ok"? We look at our lives and our actions and we tend to rationalize our behaviors when we realize that they don't match up to God's standard. Today's message is a challenge to stand in the full light of God's glory and measure ourselves to His standard. When we realize we don't match up, we have the ability to truly find salvation through Him.

Everyone wants to be loved... We look for love in so many places and seem to keep coming up empty! What's our standard? Where is there a real example of what it looks like to really love and be loved? Love is defined at the cross of Jesus. Stop hating others by closing your eyes to their needs. Jesus loves, then we love. Jesus serves, then we serve. Jesus gives, then we give. It starts with Jesus. He changes us so we can be more like him. As a general overview of the book of 1 John, we try to paint a good picture of the author and his intent for this letter. This book is really a collection of lessons and "Bible studies" if you will by the one known as "beloved"

All of us have a story. Many times we don't consider our story all that exciting or really anything worth telling. That's not true! Your story is important because it's a visible and constant reminder that God is at work in us and He has a plan for us!! Looking at Paul's story and the way he communicated it in tense situations, will help us better understand the "POWER of a STORY"

Who's in?! It's time to get to work As students, educators and volunteers head back to school, the question is... what are we headed out there to do - really? In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus sends His disciples out to do the work that he has prepared them for. In tonight's message, we will take a look at what we're really called to do and how we can accomplish it!

Galatians 6:11-18 - What do you believe in? When it all comes down, wether you say it or not, people know where your trust and confidence really comes from. For the Galatians, they were faced with finding faith in the law and following the law, as opposed to following Christ and the "way" that was being proclaimed. The question tonight is... where is your trust?!

Galatians Galatians 6:1-10 - What does "doing good" look like? Have you ever connected with a person who does "good things"and just can't wait to let everyone know about it?! How about the person who thinks they are helping and really, they just mess things up? It seems comical, but this section of scripture is a specific call and order from "Pastor Paul" to the church in Galatia... do good - and don't stop doing it!

Galatians 5:13-26- Freedom and Power... is it in you? When we typically think of being "free" we think of relaxing on a beach with not a care in the world outside of what we want with our guacamole! What if freedom means something a bit more? What Freedom actually makes us more busy and gives us less "free" time? What if the things that we end up doing with our freedom end up actually making a difference in the world? What if I told you that living for something more, might actually help you find the "rest" you've been looking for?

Galatians 5:1-15 Motives... Fear & Love We do what we do for so many reasons. It seems that sometimes we can get caught between doing things out of fear (or even a sense of duty) vs. doing life out of the Love that God calls us to live and walk in daily. So, the big question is... what's your motive?