Grace United Family Church

In the message today, we make a side by side comparison between the gospel that Jesus and the Apostles preached, and gospel that is preached in our day. Is there a difference, and if so, what it is? Are there false gospels proclaimed in our day, and if so, what are the talking points of the so-called modern gospel? Come with the Grace United crew, as we seek to understand the gospel that Jesus preached.

When Jesus preached the gospel, what was it that he told people to believe? Was it a prediction of his own death and resurrection, or something else? John the Baptist preached the gospel and part of his proclamation included "hell fire". Jesus also preached that people needed to repent of their sin. Belief in the gospel was not enough according to Jesus. So, what was the gospel that Jesus preached? And how does that compare to what the modern church labels as the gospel? Come with the Grace United crew as we examine and appreciate the gospel Jesus preached.

Gabriel told Zechariah, "Your barren wife will have a son and you shall call his name John"-"God is gracious." Indeed, God was gracious to this couple who were way past childbearing age. What would John be like? Did he have a special mission from God? After all the Lord was about to perform a miracle, much like he did with Sarah and Abraham thousands of years earlier. What was so special about this kid? Come with the Grace United crew as we explore the marvelous story of Zechariah, Elizbeth, and John, so named because God is gracious.

Do you realize that the Bible is an overwhelmingly Jewish book? It is a collection of 66 documents of stories, poems, prophecy . . . and gospels. 64 of these writings were penned or compiled by descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts were written by a Gentile. This alone makes these 2 books significant. As a medical doctor, Luke had a gift for attention to detail. And a love for people to know the Lord Jesus as he did. Come with the Grace United crew as we see some of the backstory about what made Luke tick and be challenged to serve others as Luke served his friend Theolphilus.

Luke was a Gentile. He was not an apostle. His gospel, along with the book of Acts are the only 2 writings in all of the written word of God which were written by a non-Jew. Given these facts, who was Luke? How did his writings about the Jewish Messiah, "make the cut" to be included as part of inspired Scripture, on the same level as the other 64 writings that make up the Bible? Come with the Grace United crew as we get oriented for our study through the Gospel of Luke.

"The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay." Don't you love Christmastime? Baby Jesus. Mary Joseph and the wise guys--and don't forget the shepherds! All serve to bring into focuse "the reason for the season." But we know that Jesus didn't stay a baby. He grew up, spent time as an iternant preacher, did miracles, trained disciples. The Jesus died. Crucified. Then he was buried and rose again! He ascended to the Father's right hand as Lord of all. As Lord over all. As we know, our governmnental system does not indicate "Lord." But Christians do. Come with the Grace Unted crew as we explore what it means that Jesus is Lord.

Christmas is a time to celebrate baby Jesus. But Jesus is "all growed up!" He is called various things in Scripture--metaphors which depict the Lord Jesus as someone far more than a man, for he IS far more than a man. He is the Son of the Living God. Scripture also refers to him as "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah". Why is Jesus pictured as a Lion? Come with the Grace United crew as we continue our Christmas series, 2022, discovering Jesus as "Lion."

Join the Grace United crew as we continue in our Christmas series for 2022 as we explore and appreciate Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and how that profound truth applies to our lives today.

"Christmas time is here", so the kids sing the opening song of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." A holiday favorite. Along with many other holiday favorites. But is it possible that what we look forward to the most this time of year are all the trappings of Christmas? The lights. Tinsel. Non-stop Christmas songs. And of course, Santa at the tail end of the Christmas parade. But what would Christmas look like with the trappings chiseled away, with only Jesus there? Join the Grace United crew as we explore the first of 4 pictures of who Jesus really is: Christ as the Light of the world.

Another Thanksgiving Day observance has come and gone. Traditionally, another round of stuffed bird with which we stuffed ourselves. Family and friends around the table, and for some, the first time since last Thanksgiving. Football for many. We know the story of the First Thanksgiving--or have we forgotten it? Pilgrims arriving in new world to escape religious persecution. Squanto. And all the rest. Is there a part of the story that we may have missed? There just might be. And what about how the Lord sees thanksgiving in the lives of his sons and daughters, not just one day a year but every day? Come with the Grace United crew as we reflect on the powerful thing called "thanksgiving."

As Grace United, we have a tradition: when we finish a book of the Bible, we review the entire book in one message. Today's message reflects our tradition, for today we finish Deuteronomy. Come with the Grace United crew as we step back and attempt to take in the entire "Gospel According to Moses."

When you pass away, what would you want on your headstone at the cemetery? How would you want your obituary to read? At your funeral, what would you desire the minister to say in your eulogy? Now, what you want the Lord to say in your eulogy? What do you think he will say? When it comes to Moses, we don't have to guess. It's all right there in God's word. Some of his statements about his servant might surprise you. But is there anything we can learn about the Lord's character and about Moses himself through the story surrounding his death? Plenty, actually. Come with the Grace United crew as we explore what the Lord has to say about his servant, Moses in the moments surrounding his death.

With all the unhappiness in the world, does the Lord want us to be happy? If so, what does that mean? We have billions of people on the planet, each with their own idea of what happiness is. So, what is God's definition, his description of happiness? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover "Torah happiness" and how both Moses and Jesus bestowed this on God's people

Christians are familiar with the last command the Lord told them before he went back to heaven after he was crucified for the sins of the world and then raised from the dead: "Make disciples of all nations". This is consistently referred to as "The Great Commission." There is another "great commission" but it is found in Deuteronmy. Joshua was getting ready to lead the people into the promised land. The Lord commissioned him to do so. What was this commission all about? And how does it tie in to followers of Jesus even today, thousands of years after Joshua's commission? Come with the Grace United crew as we observe the Lord commissioning Joshua to lead the people into the promised land.

Christians are familiar with the last command the Lord told them before he went back to heaven after he was crucified for the sins of the world and then raised from the dead: "Make disciples of all nations". This is consistently referred to as "The Great Commission." There is another "great commission" but it is found in Deuteronmy. Joshua was getting ready to lead the people into the promised land. The Lord commissioned him to do so. What was this commission all about? And how does it tie in to followers of Jesus even today, thousands of years after Joshua's commission? Come with the Grace United crew as we observe the Lord commissioning Joshua to lead the people into the promised land.

The words of the Spiritual come to mind: "Joshua fit the battle of Jericho." We all know him as a mighty, God-infused warrior. But there is so much more to Joshua than his ability to wield the sword. Joshua was not only the commanding general who led Israel to dispatch the pagans from the Lord's land, Joshua had taken the place of Moses, for the Lord forbade him from even going into the Land of Promise. So, how did Joshua get to be where he was as Israel's human leader? The luck of the draw? God's finger "out of the sky" pointing to Joshua and thus appointing him to take Moses' place? Come with the Grace United crew as we discover just who this man was and he gained the Lord's approval to lead his people.

The Scripture is book of life. The Lord through Moses tells his people that he is their life. Fast forward thousands of years. The Lord Jesus tells his disciples the same thing. In Christ is life. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Jesus also said, "And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." But lest anyone think that Jesus means a mere eternal existence, think again. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly." Whether it is the Old Testament or New Testament, the issue is life. Come with the Grace United Crew as we explore what real life is about.

Exactly how can "repentance" be beautiful? Perhaps we need to ask a more fundamental question: What exactly does repentance mean? Does it mean we get a second chance from God--as in he will forgive "this time" but never do it again? Is it the same as "penitence" or even "pennance"? And what does repentance have to do with God and his Old Testament people, Israel? Careful Bible readers know that Jesus spoke of repentance often. What is Israel supposed to do with this? So many questions, so little time. Come with the Grace United crew as we discover what the Lord says to Israel, his chose people about the issue of repentance and how repentance is indeed a beautiful thing.

The central issue of Christianity is the cross, for it was upon the cross that Jesus died. All sin of all people, from Adam to the last person to pass through a birth canal was placed on the heart and shoulders of the Lamb of God. What was it that motivated Jesus to do such a thing? It had everything to do with the heart relationship he had with his Father. Push rewind thousands of years. Under the Law of Moses, the central issue between Israel and the Lord was a matter of the heart. Indeed, the heart of the matter is the heart. Come with the Grace United crew as we hear God's call resonate down through the ages: "Give me your heart."