Point of Grace Online Worship - March 31, 2024 (Easter)

Point of Grace - 3.31.24 Sermon Notes – Easter

Re-thinking Easter!

Matthew 28:1-10 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Easter challenges my thinking not just about “resurrection” but about all of life.

Easter invites me into a whole new way of thinking.

But changing my thinking is hard …… we have some well-worn paths through which we process life’s realities and most of the time we are more “stuck” than we think.

These women were called to a whole new way of thinking … 3rd Day Thinking

They started the day in 1st and 2nd Day thinking but ended it in … 3rd Day Thinking

Is my focus today about:

The “Resurrection of Jesus”

or

The “Jesus Who is Risen”?

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

1st and 2nd day thinking defaults to fear, because what we face is bigger than who we are and what we have?

How does this show up in your life?

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

3rd Day thinking constantly has the Risen Jesus in the picture… His presence affects everything.

With 3rd Day thinking the Risen Jesus is our “frame of mind”! He graciously gives us new thinking as we yield to His presence every day. He graciously helps us let go of 1st and 2nd day thinking. “Do not be afraid!”

3rd Day thinking changes everything towards fullness of life!

A Prayer for 3rd Day Thinking and Living

Jesus, I receive you as my Life,

and I receive all the work and triumph in your Resurrection,

through which you have conquered sin, death, judgment, and the evil one.

Death has no power over you, nor does any foul thing.

And I have been raised with you to a new life,

to live your life—

dead to sin and alive to God.

I take my place now in your resurrection and in your life,

and I give my life to you to live your life.

I am saved by your life.

I reign in life through your life.

I receive your hope, love, faith, joy,

your goodness, trueness, wisdom, power,

I receive Your, strength, humility, courage, vision

and I receive Your union with the Father.

Oh Jesus, apply to me today

all the work and triumph in your resurrection; I receive it with thanks,

and I give it total claim

to my spirit, soul, and body,

my heart, mind, and will. Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - November 26, 2023

Last Day of the Church Year                                                   11/26/23

Reflect on your year: Through each season, what are the high’s, low’s and in between’s? Do you see a thread of God’s movement?

Church year: Top half we receive identity | Bottom half we work out of that identity

Already & Not Yet | We are already fully adopted, redeemed and forgiven. Yet we also do not fully experience the complete reality of the Kingdom of Jesus.

1. Reorient to the Biblical trajectory.

2. How do we live in our ‘already’ life?

3. Engage the hope for our ‘not yet’ life.

Reorient to the Biblical trajectory.

We are God’s Temple

• Holy Spirit lives in you

• Holy Spirit lives among us

• According to the Bible, followers of Jesus, who are Jilled with the Spirit, are the best place to meet with God.

How do we live in our ‘already’ life? Jude 17-25 | NIV

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the Jire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted Jlesh. To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Jude 20-21 | NASB | Rearranged "But you, beloved, keep yourselves in the love of God, [by:]

• Building yourselves up on your most holy faith,

– Building yourselves as a temple, a meeting place, for people to come and encounter the risen Lord Jesus through the presence of His Spirit living and active inside you.

 – on the foundation of the good news

 • Praying in the Holy Spirit,

– "Prayer is simply the medium through which we communicate and commune with God. The practice of prayer is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him in the world." - Practicing the Way

 • Prayer is not just talking, it is listening. Prayer is not just words, it is communicating. Prayer is like texting your friend throughout the day, it is like long conversations over a meal with your partner, it is like holding the hand of a loved one while watching a movie.

• Prayer is the language of communication

• Looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Engage the hope for our ‘not yet’ life.

There is a day when all sad things become untrue

When Jesus shows the disciples his hands and feet, [after his death and resurrection] he is showing them his scars. The last time the disciples saw Jesus, they thought those scars were ruining their lives. …they believed those wounds had destroyed their lives. And now Jesus is showing them that in his resurrected body his scars are still there. On the Day of the Lord - the day when God makes everything right, the day that everything sad comes untrue - on that day the same thing will happen to your own hurts and sadness. You will Jind that the worst things that have ever happened to you will in the end only enhance your eternal delight. On that day, all of it will be turned inside out and you will know joy beyond the walls of the world. The joy of your glory will be that much greater for every scar you bear. So live in the light of the resurrection and renewal of this world, and of yourself, in a glorious, never-ending, joyful dance of grace.

Point of Grace Online Worship - May 14, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 5.14.23 Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 6”

Resurrection Rescue – Rescue from Evil

Ephesians 6

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

The battle is real! In my baptism, God gives me real and effective armor …to wear! Putting on the armor of God is like a parent helping a child get dressed.

Don’t take off what God puts on! Wear it!

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, Jesus is the Truth who speaks truth. We need to be belted with truth and the Truth! “I am the Way the Truth and the Life” John 14

with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 2Cor5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God The end of striving …. True life is not performing to be approved it is the overflowing result of being given approval.

15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Peace with God through Jesus replaces the burdens of fear and anxiety with a ready agility to respond to Jesus. John 16 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Eph. 2:8 “By grace you have been saved through faith, this is a gift from God” Faith is the relationship conduit through which God gives His gifts to us. This connection extinguishes the enemy’s arrows .

17 Take the helmet of salvation Romans 8:6 the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. My thinking needs saving. My mind needs boundaries and leading.

the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Matthew 43 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Armor of God Prayer

Jesus, I now put on the full armor of God to stand firm in this day of battle,

I put on the belt of truth….. I receive you Jesus as the Truth

I put on breastplate of righteousness …… I receive Your perfect righteousness to cover me perfectly

I fit my feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace – I receive Your peace Jesus …   

Peace with you gives me agility and confidence to love and serve today as You direct.

I take up the shield of faith, with which I can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ---

Jesus I receive afresh the gift of faith…. I believe help my unbelief…

I take up the helmet of salvation – Holy Spirit, govern my mind, save my thinking, reign Jesus over my mental life.

I take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God….. give me ears to hear, a heart to desire and a mind to remember your word.

Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - May 7, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 5.7.23 Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 5”

Resurrection Rescue – Rescue from Evil

John 8 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

Jesus called the devil the father of lies! Satan – the adversary, the accuser

The Rescue from Evil Recipe: “The truth in me and me in the Truth”!

truth #1 Every day we wake up in a world at war with our enemy on the prowl!

Ephesians 6 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

1 Peter 5 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

The enemy is a trinity – the devil and his accomplices!

The Devil – the enemy above -Satan – the lying deceiver- accuser – a conscious less enemy of God and His children

The World – the enemy around - collective humanities values, initiatives, institutions and culture formulated without God in the center– a godless endeavor

The Sinful Self – the enemy within – every person is born estranged from God – our natural default is to trust “self” over God for life

Third Party Alert

What I need is my Rescue Recipe: “The truth in me and me in the Truth”!

truth #2 Our enemy is a conscious-less deceiving liar who hates God and all God loves!

Genesis 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it

With every lie comes the temptation to believe it and then live like it is truth.

The Lie of Lies

We can have true “Life” (love, joy, peace. hope, happiness, meaning, fulfillment, etc.) without God… … in fact God and His rules for living are in our way. Not sure He can be trusted if He is there at all. It is up to us. In other words, we can have Eden again by human effort and will … without God.

This is the bottom line lie of all lies!

Living this lie is signing up for a life of pain!

What I need is my Rescue Recipe: “The truth in me and me in the Truth”!

truth #3 Jesus is Truth, tells the truth, is good, is alone victorious over evil and in Him we are victorious too! Rescued!

Colossians 1 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins

Genesis 3 14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring[a] and hers; he will crush[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Ephesians 6 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,

My Rescue Recipe: “The truth in me and me in the Truth”!

Jesus, all authority in the heavens and on this earth has been given to you and you are worthy to receive all glory and honor, power and dominion, now and forever. I sincerely receive you as my everlasting victory against Satan and his kingdom and I now take my place in your victory.

In my identity given me in baptism, I bring the authority, rule, and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the full work of Christ over my life, over every aspect of my living and over all my kingdom and domain.

I bring the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and the full work of Christ against every evil power coming against me, my family and my kingdom and domain, [You might need to name them—what has been attacking you?] I cut all forces of evil off and banish them away from me and mine in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Point of Grace Online Worship - April 30, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 4.30.23 Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 4”

Resurrection Rescue Fundamentals – Forgiveness Forgiveness is ……… forgiveness is not……….!

Forgiveness rescue has two interlocking dimensions. Forgiveness rescues as it comes “to” us and comes “through” us to others.

1John 1;8-2:2 - Forgiveness “to us” Rescue If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Forgiveness “to us” rescue can be sabotaged by not agreeing with God about sin, not owning our sin through confession and not believing the atoning work of Jesus is payment enough.

I am sorry for ___________! I receive Your complete and total forgiveness!

Matthew 6 – Forgiveness “through us” Rescue 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgiveness is a decision based on faith in God and His forgiveness of us.

When it comes to forgiveness, faith must lead and feelings must follow!

Words are a good place to start!

I am sorry for ___________! I forgive You for __________!

Forgiving others means I am giving up the right to make them pay for their sins against me because

God doesn’t make me pay for my sins against Him.

Forgiveness makes reconciliation possible but doesn’t insure it.

Forgiveness is given freely ……. Trust in a relationship must grow through trustworthiness.

Forgiveness “through us” Rescue:

If it is worth an “I’m sorry!” … it is worth an “I forgive you!”

Luke 7 36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[c] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Point of Grace Online Worship - April 23, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 4.23.23 Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 3”

One of the greatest rescues the Resurrected Jesus brings is the rescue of our “thinking”!

Romans 12:2 “2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

My mind needs rescuing? - The Battlefield of the Mind - Clarity is needed!

Romans 8 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind (mindset) governed by the flesh is death, but the mind (mindset) governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

The “flesh” is the natural state of sinful man we each are born with. Our sinful nature is “self-reliant”! This stands in contrast to the “born again of the Spirit” nature of the Christian who is “Spirit-reliant”! Therefore, the Spirit-reliant me is in tension with the old self-reliant me – Which one will lead my mind today?

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

My identity in Christ is a gift that leads to a change of life everyday – not the other way around!

My identity in Christ means the daily life of my mind gets to be governed more by the Spirit of life and less by my self-reliant flesh!

- Soaking in the presence and truth of Jesus invites Him to govern (leads) my mental narrative every day!

- Rescue from worry! Matthew 6 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

- Consecrating my mental life daily!

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I consecrate my mind to you, I offer my mental life to you and you alone. I surrender my thoughts, attention and focus, my memory, speculation and worry, my understanding, imagination and interpretation of life events, past and present I give it all over to you … for Your leadership and Lordship. I present my thinking life to You Holy Spirit …. I ask you to govern my thinking … I need your provision and protection over my mental life.

“The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Holy Spirit… govern my mind … fill my mind with Life and Peace. Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - April 16, 2023

Point of Grace Worship        4.16.23     Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 2”

Our rescue needs are many ….. our Rescuer is One!

John 21  Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

When life is frustrating, disappointing and aimless!  “Oh, Jesus, Catch my heart!”

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”    “No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Is it time for a ridiculous run to Jesus?  “Oh, Jesus, I want You … I need You…You are so faithful!”

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

“Come and have breakfast?”          “Oh, Jesus, Yes Jesus, I get to be with You.”

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”   Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”Jesus said,  “Feed my sheep.

Jesus loves us too much to leave us burdened!    Jesus, I love You.  I love You Lord.  I love you Jesus”

 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

“Jesus, Help me follow You …. No matter where You lead.”

“Oh, Jesus, Catch my heart!”    “Oh, Jesus, I want You … I need You…You are so faithful!”

“Oh, Jesus, Yes Jesus, I get to be with You.”

 “Jesus, I love You! Jesus I love You! Jesus I love You”   “Jesus, Help me follow You …. No matter where You lead.”

Point of Grace Online Worship - May 29, 2022

Point of Grace Worship 5.29.22 Sermon Notes – “Ascension!”

The Ascension of Jesus

Luke 24 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Acts 1 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

1 Peter 3 22 who (Jesus)has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Philippians 2 (Jesus) who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We have a powerful friend at the top

who is for us!

We get to live like it!

Ephesians 1 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

We have a powerful friend at the top

who is for us!

We get to live like it!

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

•                     20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and

•                     seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And

•                     God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

We have a powerful friend at the top

who is for us!

We get to live like it!

We get to live like it! As followers and “sent ones” of Jesus!

Ephesians 1 …his incomparably great power for us who believe …. He is head over everything for the church

Hebrews 4 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need