Duty & Pleasure of Loving One’s Enemies (Second Sunday of Advent)

Peace on earth! How? Jesus has inaugurated His Kingdom, and gave us His manifesto up on the hillside. The Redeemer’s campaign for world dominion begins with loving one’s enemies. What? Wait, is that how the Good News wins? It is.

Continue reading “Duty & Pleasure of Loving One’s Enemies (Second Sunday of Advent)”

Renew Oneness in Marriage

Sharing this special marriage event video and audio with you. As a husband and wife team, Kari and I ventured down to Corvallis to speak at the planned Thrive Marriage night hosted by Calvary Corvallis. Months ago when this was originally planned we imagined sharing dinner with a large gathering of people, and instead it was a livestream shared in the presence of very few. This also made it possible for many beyond that place, you included, to join along. Here’s the livestream video of the whole evening, our talk just under an hour with questions and responses included.

Continue reading “Renew Oneness in Marriage”

Loving God Wholly & Loving People Well (Mark 12:28-34)

Jesus spoke the essence of the Law of God, the greatest commandment in two parts:

“The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Why does this matter so much? And what happens if we swap the order of the two?

Message title: Loving God Wholly & Loving People Well (Mark 12:28-34)
Forty-third week in the Gospel of Mark
Scriptures: Mark 12:28-34; Deuteronomy 6:1-9 
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 6/30/19

Listen or download:

Quotes:

“What you yourself hate, do not do to your neighbor; this is the whole Law—the rest is commentary. Go and learn it!” —Rabbi Hillel the Elder (1st century BC)

“The command to love one’s neighbor as oneself does not in any way legitimize self-love (as has sometimes been thought); but in it God addresses us as the men that we actually are, sinners who love ourselves, and claims us as such for love to our neighbors.” —C.E.B. Cranfield

I Love You (in Theory)” – an original song by Brant Hansen

You’re my neighbor
And I know that
You’re a little challenging
To be around
When you talk on your speakerphone
So loudly outside
When you could just hold your phone up to your ear but you don’t
Why?

And when you leave your dog outside
On the balcony
And you leave for the whole day
And your dog barks like it’s lost its mind
Why?

I love you
In theory
But you’re making it so hard
To love you
In any more than a theoretical way
I love you technically
But wow, you gotta give us a break, man

You’re a nice lady
In our church
And we’re glad you run the puppet team
But good grief
Please don’t take it so personally
It doesn’t make us evil
If we all can’t join the puppet team
Wow

I love you
In theory
But you’re making it so hard
To love you
In any more than a theoretical way
I love you technically
But wow, you gotta give us a break

Scripture readings:

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (ESV)

The Greatest Commandment

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Mark 12:28-34 (ESV)

The Great Commandment

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

New City Catechism | Question 52

In finishing our first journey through the New City Catechism, we revisited Q1, then finished with Q52

Q1. What is our only hope in life and death?

Kids response: That we are not our own but belong to God.

Full response: That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Q52. What hope does everlasting life hold for us?

Kids response: That we will live with and enjoy God forever in the new heaven and the new earth, where we will be forever freed from all sin in a renewed, restored creation.

Full response: It reminds us that this present fallen world is not all there is; soon we will live with and enjoy God forever in the new city, in the new heaven and the new earth, where we will be fully and forever freed from all sin and will inhabit renewed, resurrection bodies in a renewed, restored creation.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

—Revelation 21:1-4

Prayer

Eternal God, we eagerly await the fullness of your kingdom. We long for every tear to be dried. We groan for the day when we no longer struggle against the flesh. Let the sure hope of everlasting life give us courage to face the trials of this life. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Gospel of Mark


Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or Google Play podcasts here, now on Spotify podcasts here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

Relational Rent: Share One Another’s Beliefs, Thinking & Spirituality

We continue this community-focused study of the “one anothers,” exploring the community-building practices God intends for us to live in and live out as the body of Christ.

This is how we love each other and show the world how Jesus is the good life.

Let’s call it Relational Rent (see series outline/schedule with key Scriptures). We began with affirmation, and now focus on sharing.

Followers of Jesus share one another’s belief’s, thinking, and spirituality.

Some guiding Scriptures: 

Colossians 3:16: “Teach and admonish one another”
Ephesians 5:19: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”
Romans 12:16: “Live in harmony with one another”
1 Corinthians 1:10: “Agree with one another”

Note the doctrinal harmony. We are not to use theology “on” or against one another.

Together we took a look at our foundational documents, Renew’s doctrinal statement.

Share One Another's Beliefs, Thinking & Spirituality

Message title: Share One Another’s Beliefs, Thinking & Spirituality
Sixth week of Relational Rent series on the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture
Scriptures: Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19; Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 6/28/15

Listen or download:

Community-building practices on sharing one another’s beliefs, thinking & spirituality:

Colossians 3:16: “Teach and admonish one another”
Ephesians 5:19: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”
Romans 12:16: “Live in harmony with one another”
1 Corinthians 1:10: “Agree with one another”

Relational Rent
Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Relational Rent: Share One Another’s Needs & Problems

In order to truly help we must be willing to encourage and exhort, which means we must first enter into other’s pain, problems and needs.

We continue this community-focused study of the “one anothers,” exploring the community-building practices God intends for us to live in and live out as the body of Christ.

This is how we love each other and show the world how Jesus is the good life.

Let’s call it Relational Rent (see series outline/schedule with key Scriptures). We began with affirmation, and now focus on sharing, especially the messy part:

  1. Encourage: “Encourage one another” (1 Thess. 5:11)
  2. Exhort:Exhort one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13)
  3. Enter In: “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2)

Share One Another's Needs & Problems

Message title: Share One Another’s Needs & Problems
Fifth week of Relational Rent series on the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture
Scriptures: 1 Thess. 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; Galatians 6:2
Preacher: Devlyn Kozol
Date: 6/14/15

Listen or download:

Community-building practices on sharing one another’s needs & problems:

  1. Encourage: “Encourage one another” (1 Thess. 5:11)
  2. Exhort:Exhort one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13)
  3. Enter In: “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2)

Relational Rent
Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Relational Rent: Share One Another’s Space, Goods & Time

Often what keeps us from sharing with others and instead keeping everything for ourselves has less to do with having “enough,” and more to do with thinking “I’m good.”

We continue this community-focused study of the “one anothers,” exploring the community-building practices God intends for us to live in and live out as the body of Christ.

This is how we love each other and show the world how Jesus is the good life.

Let’s call it Relational Rent (see series outline/schedule with key Scriptures). We began with affirmation, and now focus on sharing.

Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”
1 Peter 4:9: “Offer hospitality to one another”
Galatians 6:10: “As we have opportunity, let us do good”
1 Thessalonians 3:12: “[May] your love increase and overflow for each other”

Let us discover why many do not want to share, and how we must re-learn the true meaning of sharing.

Share One Another's Space, Goods & Time

Message title: Share One Anothers Space, Goods & Time
Fourth week of Relational Rent series on the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture
Scriptures: Romans 12:10, 1st Peter 4:9, Galatians 6:10, 1st Thessalonians 3:12; Luke 18:18-30
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 6/7/15

Listen or download:

The Rich Young Ruler

Scripture reading: Luke 18:18-30

The Rich Ruler

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers[a] or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Footnotes:
  1. Luke 18:29 Or wife or brothers and sisters
Community-building practices on sharing one another’s space, goods & time:

Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”
1 Peter 4:9: “Offer hospitality to one another”
Galatians 6:10: “As we have opportunity, let us do good”
1 Thessalonians 3:12: “[May] your love increase and overflow for each other”

Relational Rent
Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Relational Rent: Affirm One Another Through Visible Affection

We continue this community-focused study of the “one anothers,” exploring the community-building practices God intends for us to live in and live out as the body of Christ.

This is how we love each other and show the world how Jesus is the good life.

Let’s call it Relational Rent (see series outline/schedule with key Scriptures), beginning with affirmation: AFFIRM one another though visible affection. (Sorta like a Theology of Hugs.)

Romans 16:16: “Greet one another with a holy kiss”
James 1:19: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak”
Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another”
1 Thessalonians 3:12: “[May] your love increase and overflow for each other”

Relational Rent: Affirm one another through visible affection

Message title: Affirm One Another Through Visible Affection
Third week of Relational Rent series on the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture
Scriptures: Romans 16:16; James 1:19; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Thess. 3:12
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 5/31/15

Listen or download:

Scripture reading: 1st Thessalonians 3:6-13

Timothy's Encouraging Report

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers,[a] in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Footnotes:
  1. 1 Thessalonians 3:7 Or brothers and sisters
Community-building practices on affirming one another through visible affection:

Romans 16:16: “Greet one another with a holy kiss”
James 1:19: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak”
Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another”
1 Thessalonians 3:12: “[May] your love increase and overflow for each other”

Relational Rent
Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Relational Rent: Affirm One Another’s Equal Importance in Christ

We continue this community-focused study of the “one anothers,” exploring the community-building practices God intends for us to live in and live out as the body of Christ.

This is how we love each other and show the world how Jesus is the good life.

Let’s call it Relational Rent (see series outline/schedule with key Scriptures), beginning with affirmation: AFFIRM one another’s strengths, abilities, and gifts.

Romans 15:7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you”
1 Corinthians 12:25: “Have equal concern for each other”
1 Peter 5:5: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”
James 2:1: “Don’t show favoritism”

Relational Rent

Message title: Affirm One Another’s Equal Importance in Christ
Second week of Relational Rent series on the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture
Scriptures: Romans 15:1-7 (et al)
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 5/24/15

Listen or download:

Scripture reading: Romans 15:1-7

The Example of Christ

15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Community-building practices on affirming one another’s equal importance in Christ:

Romans 15:7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you”
1 Corinthians 12:25: “Have equal concern for each other”
1 Peter 5:5: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”
James 2:1: “Don’t show favoritism”

Relational Rent
Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Relational Rent: Affirm One Another’s Strengths, Abilities & Gifts

This week we begin a new study of the “one anothers,” exploring the community-building practices God intends for us to live in and live out as the body of Christ.

This is how we love each other and show the world how Jesus is the good life.

Let’s call it Relational Rent (see series outline/schedule with key Scriptures), beginning with affirmation: AFFIRM one another’s strengths, abilities, and gifts.

Romans 12:10: “Honor one another”
James 5:9: “Don’t grumble against each other”
Romans 12:3-8: Confirm the gifts of one another
1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

Affirm One Another

Message title: Affirm One Another’s Strengths, Abilities & Gifts
First week of Relational Rent series on the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture
Scriptures: Ephesians 4:1-16 (et al)
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 5/17/15

Listen or download:

Seekers today need to not only get a body of content, but also see Christianity embodied in individuals and a community.” —Tim Keller

“Paul immediately portrays the life worthy of our calling as being characterized by five qualities—lowliness, meekness, patience, mutual forbearance and love. He has prayed to God that we may be ‘rooted and grounded in love’ (3:17); now he addresses his appeal to us to see to it that we live a life of love. This is where he begins, and this is also where we should begin.” —John Stott, Ephesians

“When you serve with the heart of a king, you are looking for the royalty in others they don’t yet see in themselves.” —Bill Johnson

Scripture reading: Ephesians 4:1-16

Unity in the Body of Christ

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”[a]

(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[c] and teachers,[d] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[e] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Community-building practices on affirming one another’s strengths, abilities and gifts:
Romans 12:10: “Honor one another”
James 5:9: “Don’t grumble against each other”
Romans 12:3-8: Confirm the gifts of one another
1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
Footnotes:
  1. Ephesians 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  2. Ephesians 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?
  3. Ephesians 4:11 Or pastors
  4. Ephesians 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers
  5. Ephesians 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man

Relational Rent
Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.