Less than a week before Thanksgiving – my hope is that everyone is able to share this with friends and family – yet no matter our circumstances, we all have much to be thankful for; chief of which is God’s redeeming love for us! We’re going to be considering God’s redemptive plan for creation in our study this Sunday, as we read Acts 2:14-41. Its a lot of verses, but they read pretty quickly.

Peter is going to be sharing what is essentially the very first message of the gospel given by the church. Read through the sermon, but outline it thusly:

a) verses 14-21, the fulfilling of prophesy

b) verses 22- 36, the means by which the prophesy has been fulfilled

c) verses 37-41, the response to the fulfillment

What promise is focused on in part A? What is the means by which the promise has come to pass in part B? What is the emphasis and meaning of part C? In answering those questions, we have the core components of what the good news, the gospel, is. What characteristics jump out at you as you read this sermon by Peter? How does it square with your, or even the modern evangelical church’s explanation of the gospel? Does this challenge any of your ideas of what the good news is, and if so, how?

I’m really stoked about this study…hope to see you this Sunday!

This Sunday we’ll be reading Acts 2:1-13 as we continue our study of the Ragamuffin Revolution.

It’s interesting that this passage begins with everyone together – united in one place, yet nothing has polarized the Evangelical church in the last century like this passage. Jesus commanded his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from the Holy Spirit to enable them to advance the Kingdom of God on this earth. Here in chapter 2 events take an exciting turn as that promise is fulfilled.

Luke tells us that this happens on the day of Pentecost. If you follow the previous link to learn about Pentecost/Shavuot, what significance can you discern about God choosing that day to fulfill his promise of the coming Holy Spirit?

Three distinct phenomena accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit – the sound of a rushing wind, light which appeared like fire flickering over the heads of those present, and the recipients began to speak in languages that were unknown to them. All of these become significant representations of the nature of this new covenant we now have in Christ. The noise and fire correspond with the events surrounding God’s appearance on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:16-20. The idea of wind corresponds with the creation account, where God breathed into Adam to give him life. Fire is often the representation of purification and righteousness. New covenant, new life and purification; these are the attributes of this new covenant. How does the Holy Spirit advance this in your life?

Speaking in tongues is a dicey subject for some people. There are a lot of people who act almost embarrassed that Acts 2:4 is even in the Bible. Have you ever experienced this phenomena or been in an environment where others practiced it? What was the experience like – positive or negative? There was a specific reason for this happening in the account in Acts 2, what was it? Paul mentions speaking in tongues later on in 1 Cor 14:14-15 and indicates that the experience is valuable for him, so its hard to think that this experience has no relevance in our modern church. What do you think – is this intriguing to you, or not?

The section finishes up with some people mocking the disciples, saying that they sounded drunk. Not everyone will appreciate what God is doing in our lives and in the world around us. What can we learn about the way we are treated by some in this world?

Well…it should prove to be a provocative study…hope to see you then!

Hey all – we’re going to start a new series this Sunday in the Book of Acts! I’m pretty stoked about it and I think we’ll all be challenged and encouraged by this glimpse into the early church.

Acts is the second part of a two volume set that Luke wrote – Luke’s gospel and the sequel: Acts. (Nowadays it would have been titled “Jesus II: Global Conquest”)

This week we’ll begin by reading the first 11 verses of chapter one. It’s sort of Luke’s introduction and a segue between the conclusion of the Gospel accounts and the inauguration of the Church.

In v1 Luke says something very important about what he recorded of Jesus’ ministry. He wrote about what Jesus began to do and teach. What does that word imply to you?

This was Luke’s heading – as if to say, the rest of that ministry is in this account.

V2-5 inform us about what was inspiring to the disciples at that time. What does Luke highlight – and what kind of impact do you imagine that would have on Jesus’ followers? What impact, if any, does it have on you now, as a reader of this account from 2,000 years ago?

V6-8 reveals a bit of confusion on the disciple’s part. What were they expecting the kingdom of God to look like and how did they expect it to be established?  Where did they have God’s kingdom localized? In what way does Jesus redirect their understanding of the “kingdom project”?

I find v9-11 to be delightful. Apart from the amazing theology wrapped up in the ascension – I love how Jesus’ disciples just stand there staring into space after he’s gone. That’s so wonderfully flawed yet so relatable! I often try to imagine myself on the mountain that day, wondering what I would have thought, if I’d start to question my perception of reality. For them, it’s the very last place they’ve seen Jesus at work…and they are apparently reluctant to move on. Do you discern a message in that, and in what the angels (or very clean dudes in white) say to them? In what ways might we be tempted to stand still, staring at something in the past, instead of moving forward into life as we wait for Christ to return? Can you think of ways that the church in general has made that mistake? How can we avoid it in the future?

This should be a really challenging and encouraging study we’re embarking on! Hope to see you this Sunday!

 

Last week we started our short series on the basics of what Eastgate is about. We looked at our purpose; We are here to learn how to love God and love people, experience and express the radical grace of God and advance God’s kingdom in the world where we’ve been placed. That’s why Eastgate is a thing…but then the question arises from that: “Why do we go about fulfilling that purpose the way that we do?”

That’s where we will look at our values as a community. What are the things we prioritize as we pursue our purposes?

Here are a few passages of Scripture that we’ll be looking at as we go.

Psalm 119:104-105

Galatians 5:1-6 along with Romans 15:1-5

1 Samuel 16:7

Ephesians 2:19

Mark 10:42-45 ; Matthew 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-3

You may start to get a picture of the things we prioritize as a church from reading these. I’d be interested to know what your thoughts about Eastgate are. As you’ve been part of it, what would you identify as our values (things we place an importance on in our meetings and activities). Share your thoughts in the comments here.

It should be an informative session – hope to see you this Sunday!

 

Hey ever’body! This Sunday we’ll be starting a short (3 Sunday) series on the basics of Eastgate – what our purpose, values, vision and responsibilities as a church are. It’s pretty important for us to all find ourselves on the same page concerning these things. Since we don’t have a formal membership in our church, this is a way to remind us about why we’re here and what we’re up to. Hopefully, it will lead us towards a unity in our pursuit of Christ.

This Sunday we’ll be looking at our purpose…sort of asking, “Why is Eastgate a thing?” We’ll be examining what we believe the church is purposed to do universally, then we’ll look at some specifics as it touches our unique group.

One thing we’ll be talking about is grace. Eastgate is big on grace. There are reasons for that, which we’ll expound on this Sunday – and we believe there is a Scriptural necessity behind this kind of emphasis.

Over on the Eastgate group page in Facebook, I started a thread where I asked if any of you have had a significant encounter with God’s grace at Eastgate – and if so, how did it happen and what effect did it have on your journey with Christ. I’ve really been touched by the responses. Head over there and share your experience with God’s grace – I’d love to hear your story! The thread is found HERE.

Hope to see you on Sunday!

Well Kats and Kitties – we’re coming to the last teaching in our study of 1 John.  I really enjoyed reading his letter – and I gained a lot from digging into his instructions. This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 John 5:14-21.

John will be wrapping up his letter, and giving us his parting thoughts. He wants us to be confident as we continue our journey into life. What does he want us to anchor our confidence on in v14-15? I used to belong to a crazy church that used those verses to teach that if we just could muster up enough faith, God would do whatever we asked him to do in life. That, of course, is not what the text is saying. But what is it saying? What qualifier does he put on our prayers? How does that effect the way you ask God, and what your expectations are?

V16-17 are like finding a live hand-grenade hidden in a flower basket. The views on what John is talking about here are many and varied – and unfortunately, there is no universally held interpretation of what he means. The Roman Catholic Church uses these verses as the foundation for their doctrine of mortal vs venial sins – which the Protestant church rejects. Some believe he is referencing what Jesus talked about in Matthew 12:30-32 – what has become known as the “unpardonable sin”…but most conservative scholars believe Jesus is talking about an obstinate rejection of salvation through Christ – a rejection of forgiveness results in no forgiveness. Plus…how would anyone know if a person had consistently rejected salvation enough to consider them over and done with? The Apostle Paul sure started out that way…but things changed. Another view is that this is talking about physical death only, not spiritual. That if a person is suffering the consequences of bad choices, God has not necessarily obligated himself to undo those consequences. Even there, we aren’t told not to pray for such a person, only that there is no guarantee of efficacy. In all honesty…most scholars that I read in preparation for this teaching sort of throw the views out there and then tip-toe away…..which is what I’m doing now. Do you have any thoughts on this subject?

We sort of loop back to the ideas he presented back in chapter 3 when we get to v18. The phrase “keep on sinning” doesn’t mean sinless perfection, but is talking about a new normal for life. Sin is no longer a tolerable option, but something to be overcome and rejected. We still stumble, but now within a new framework of expectations for our lives. John throws a promise in at the end of v18  – in what way can that promise result in confidence in our walk?

Truth is mentioned three times in v19-20 – who or what is he describing as truth? How can acquiring that truth stabilize us in our spiritual journey?

When we get to then end, v 21, we get the overview of his whole intent. In The New Living Translation it says:  Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. That’s about the best understanding of idolatry we can present. Given all that John has addressed in this letter – what could be an idol to be on guard against in your life? How can we keep ourselves from them?

Well…I hope you’ve enjoyed this study too! Hope to see you Sunday!

 

 There have been a lot of stories from the church world in the last year of leaders who have had to step down or were removed from their place of leadership because of some moral failing. One pastor was not faithful in his marriage, another on the other side of the country was abusive and therefore not faithful to his calling. Everyone’s hope for both these men is that they will repent and honestly seek the help they need. At least, that’s my hope and prayer for them.

But there is another type of unfaithfulness in ministry, one not so easily identified or dealt with. There is the possibility of a leader being unfaithful to the gospel, representing a different Jesus than the one revealed there. This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 John 4:1-6, and John will send a strong caution to the church to be careful about the leaders we follow.

What do you believe John means by “test the spirits”? Why do you believe he uses that term instead saying leaders or pastors? It’s not that I’m looking for a right answer, I’m just curious about what you think of that.

What is John’s criteria for a message that is consistent with the Spirit of God? What, or who does it center on? Why do you think John focuses on that issue? How important is that issue to your determination of orthodoxy?

On the other side of this, John doesn’t want our carefulness to result in paranoia. He encourages us in v4 that the One inhabiting our lives is greater than the one who directs the flow of this world’s system. What do you believe he means by greater…greater in what way?

Take some time to read the story of Elisha and the army surrounding him. What do we learn from a story like that, and how can we apply it to what John writes in v4?

Hope to see you on Sunday!

When people really get into football season, they can sometimes go to outrageous lengths to display their hope and faith in a team. The things they wear, the chants they chant, almost everything they project is a display of their loyalty. This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 John 3:11-24, and we’ll be considering how Jesus gave his followers some specific instructions about how we would display our loyalty and faith in him….through our love for people.

As John begins, he takes us back to basics. The first command the churches he planted heard was the one that Jesus gave in John’s gospel, that his disciples should love one another. Then he goes back further – to the creation story, where Cain murdered his brother Abel over religious rivalry. He equates Cain with the broken world’s system of life, and he contrasts it with Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf. The love we are called to express displays the difference between Christ and the world’s systems. What are some of the contrasts that come into your mind as you consider Cain’s path and Christ’s path?

John uses Jesus’ sacrificial death to describe the shape of love. This kind of love was not just sentiment – it had practical impact on the object of love. Who benefits from Christ laying down his life? What is displayed in that kind of love? How does John picture our love for each other taking shape in our community? In what ways does this challenge you about your purpose in the church?

John even gets into the dynamic of our relationship with God. We can look at a lofty calling to love sacrificially and start to feel a little queasy about the many times we’ve failed to do that – we can start to condemn ourselves for how poorly we seem to be able to suppress our egos and put others first. But even there, John reminds us that “God is greater than our hearts and knows everything” – that is, he’s bigger than our failures and is all about drawing what’s best out of us, not condemning us. To know that we’re accepted in his love inspires confidence, which inspires us to love God in return, which results in expressing that love to others. There is a wonderful rhythm and flow to this that mere religion is oblivious to.

John summarizes the commandment in v23. What are the two words he uses to epitomize God’s intent for us? What do they display about our relationship with God? This will be a challenging but encouraging passage to explore!

The last Surf N Grill of the season is this Sunday – hope you can make out to hang with the fam and support those making a public declaration of following Christ (getting baptized…I know, I’m too verbose).