Ccf Sunday Messages

The second half of Romans chapter five could be summed up as "Two men in a one act play." Paul uses the picture of "two Adams"; a first Adam, the Adam in the garden, bringing original sin into humanity, and then the "second Adam"--Jesus Christ--who provides a remedy for this sin. Listen in as Pastor Steve teaches through this important theological description of both our original sin, but also our justification through the death and resurrection of the "second Adam," our savior Jesus Christ.

Starting chapter five of Romans, Paul has laid out the "case for faith"--that we are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ, and because of that, he now lays out the beautiful story of grace in this first section of chapter five. Listen in as Pastor Steve unpacks this powerful and important section of scripture!

As Pastor Steve closes out chapter four in our study through the letter to the Romans, we get a close-up of the story of Abraham. Specifically, the promise to Abraham in Genesis predates the law, the Jewish nation, and anything else the Jews would want to depend on for righteousness. God's fulfillment of this promise is the perfect picture of our call to "walk by faith and not by sight" and that it is only through God's work and our faith in Him that we are saved! Listen in to this powerful message on God's gift to us and the call for us to live by faith.

Our youth pastor, Dave Blaha, continues our study in Romans this week. In this first section of chapter four, Paul lays out a powerful argument for salvation through faith alone using both the super-patriarch Abraham as well as King David. These arguments were necessary to help the Jews see that faith and righteousness were "accounted" before the following of the law, and that this same faith in Jesus is available to us today without any ability to work for our salvation. Pastor Dave clearly showed the freedom and peace that comes from knowing that it is not based on our righteousness, but His!

The first three chapters of Romans have led us to this crescendo--there is no one righteous before God: not the religious person, not the atheist; no one! The reason Paul led us to that point is to reveal the beauty of the gospel: it is by faith in Jesus we are rescued from this divide between our sin and a holy God! And by nothing else and no one else can we be saved. Only this grace can save us. Listen in as Pastor Steve takes us through the end of Romans chapter three with this good news!

As Paul completes the full circle of his argument that all have sinned, he starts Romans three by rhetorically answering questions he knew would come up from those who wanted to find flaws in the argument. However, he ends with a heavy charge: "they are all under sin," using passages from the Old Testament to show the full depravity of mankind. As hard as it is to hear this truth, without it we won't understand the amazing grace of God that Paul will now lay out in the courtroom of God!

Continuing our study in Romans, we remain in the "courthouse" as God, through Paul's masterful writing, shows that all are guilty before the law. In this section, the religious are shown to also be guilty, even though they believe they are righteous before God. In the end, the rights and rituals even of the Jews--God's chosen people--were not enough to make one righteous, as righteousness is an inward trait, not an outward ritual or sign.

Associate Pastor and Elder Dave Vollmer brings a message of application from the life of John the Baptist, following his declaration "behold the Lamb of God" in John chapter 1, weaving in additional details from the other gospel accounts. Listen in as Dave applies John's call to repentance and his humility even in light of a powerful earthly ministry: "I must decrease so that He might increase."

As we continue to sit in the courtroom of God, so to speak, in these first chapters of Romans, now God deals with those who pass judgement on others--the judgemental. God shows that only he is the righteous judge; that our judgement always fails because we do the very thing we judge others for! Listen in as Pastor Steve continues to teach through the letter to the Romans.

Our second week in our new study of Romans, and Pastor Steve finishes out the first chapter as God lays out the case for his wrath, not because people sin and don't know better, but because they actually *do* know and understand, but instead, have traded God's truth for lies. Listen in to this powerful message of not only God's wrath, but also His grace that awaits those who turn to Him.

This week we began a new study as we closed out the book of Acts and started Paul's letter to the Romans! Pastor Steve has entitled this series "Amazing Grace" as Paul lays out in his letter the gospel of grace to the believers living in Rome. Listen in as Steve opens our study with some background, context, and history of this powerful letter to the church.

In this final message from our study through Acts, we are told of their final journey into Rome after the horrific storm and shipwreck, causing them to winter at Malta. There in Rome Paul is under house arrest with some freedom, and spends time with the believers there as well as talking to the Jewish contingent in Rome, witnessing to them. Listen in as Pastor Steve closes out this last message from the book of Acts!

Continuing in Acts 27, we are in the middle of the violent storm that Paul, as prisoner of the Roman empire, and his traveling companions are in the midst of. Picking up in verse 39, they realize they are approaching some landmass, and by morning they get stuck on a sandbar that begins to destroy the ship. True to God's promise, they are all saved and on the island of Malta, the locals show "unusual kindness" to the group as they end up sheltering there for winter. Listen in as Pastor Steve talks about how we as believers should be those who show "unusual kindness"!

As Paul is now sent from Caesarea with Roman guards and companions to head towards Rome, it is late in the year and good sailing weather is quickly passing. The traveling group makes it as far as Crete, but the port of Fair Havens was not good for a winter's stay and against Paul's advice they attempt to continue on. They enter a huge storm that clearly endangers everyone's life, but Paul is given wisdom and encouragement from God that He will bring him safely to Rome. Paul takes charge and provides comfort as they prepare for the worst. Listen in as Pastor Steve shares about our lack of control in the storms of life and our dependence on God.

As we continue in Acts 26, Paul is in the middle of sharing his life story/testimony of his miraculous conversion again, with royalty and Roman leadership there listening to him. It is towards the end of this that Festus has had enough of Paul's words, but Paul has clearly convicted King Agrippa, who says "you almost persuade me to become a Christian"! Realizing that there is nothing in any of the Jewish charges against him, he could have been released, but he has appealed to Caesar and must now go to Rome to stand trial.

We are told at the end of Acts chapter 24 that Paul was under arrest by Felix for two years in Caesarea before Felix is replaced as governor by Festus. Acts chapter 25 and 26 continue this story after these two years as Festus tries to understand what to do with Paul. In today's message from chapter 25 and the beginning of chapter 26, Festus runs his own trial to try and get to the bottom of why the Jewish leadership wants Paul dead, and is then visited by Herod Agrippa and Bernice who also want to hear Paul out. Paul begins to share his life story and testimony again, proving both his innocence to the Jew's charges as well as sharing the gospel.

On this Communion Sunday, and as a preface to the evening concert titled "Deeper Still", Pastor Steve walks through the vision given to Ezekiel of the life-giving river flowing from the temple and discusses the concept of going "deeper still" with God in our own lives.

Continuing Paul's initial hearing in Caesarea before Felix in chapter 24, Paul defends himself, and clearly states his case for acquittal before Felix. Even though the charges are clearly erroneous, Felix has political pressures related to his relationship with the Jews and keeps Paul in chains for the time being. During this time, Paul has the opportunity to witness to Felix and his wife Drusilla, and meets with Felix regularly over a period of two years. At this time Felix is replaced with a successor. Listen in as Pastor Steve teaches through this section on Paul's defense and his witness about the truth to Felix and his wife.

Continuing the story of Paul's fateful trip to Jerusalem in Acts 23, a murderous plot is uncovered by a young relative, who brings it to the commander and Paul, leading to a late night military escort to get Paul safely out of Rome, and to Caesarea, the seat of Roman military leadership. The governor, Felix, invites the Jewish leadership back in Jerusalem to bring their charges against Paul so he can hear them out. Listen in as Pastor Steve talks about "God-incidences" (versus coincidences) as we see God preserving Paul and using him as his saga continues.

We pick up still in Acts chapter 22 as Paul continues to be allowed to address the large crowd from the edge of the temple, sharing his testimony as a way to combat the charges leveled against him (that we was anti-Jew, anti-law, and anti-temple). However, when he mentions that it was Jesus who sent him to the Gentiles, the crowd loses is again and the commander of the Roman regiment has to save Paul's life again from the crowd. Paul is then brought before the Sanhedrin as the commander wants to get to the bottom of why Paul is such a troubling figure! Listen in as Pastor Steve discusses a moment of failure for Paul and God's awesome encouragement to Paul in the final verse we covered today.