What is inner beauty that lasts and how do we get it? In today’s quest for physical beauty amidst a burgeoning population of aging Boomers who are finding it difficult to reconcile the ravages of time on their bodies, surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are seeing explosive growth in this country. This craze is not particular only to celebrities and socialites but now includes the rest of society who can afford the cost of the procedures. We all want to look good, but all external and applied adornments will fail sooner or later. The Bible puts forth a better goal of the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. There is power and value in this inner beauty that all women can acquire. Scripture gives us a solid example of such beauty in the Old Testament character of Sarah. She was a woman of recognized great beauty in her society but Scripture credits her with a greater inner beauty of character that was more commendable and precious to God, described in First Peter, chapter three. Here, all Christian women are called to be “daughters of Sarah,” to emulate her lasting beauty of character quality and attitude. Ultimately for women, the beauty of eternal value is like that which Jesus demonstrated in his submission to and hope in God, in doing what is right without giving way to fear. This is true beauty in God’s sight.
Text: 1 Peter 3:1-6Mrs. Baker, a fifth grade teacher, observed a student in her class flipping a coin as he answered each true/false […]
Text: Titus 1:5-7Our fourth purpose is that we serve God by serving others. Jesus is our model: we must be available, grateful, and faithful.
Text: Ephesians 2:10The second purpose is fellowship. We commit to others by choosing to belong (membership), learning to share (friendship), doing our part (partnership), and loving believers like family (kinship).
Text: Ephesians 1:5Are you looking around and complaining, or are you looking up and comprehending? As God eavesdrops on our lives, He makes a distinction between those who know Him and those who do not. We see this in the last verse of Malachi 3: “And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Text: Malachi 3:13-18Jesus sometimes puts us in the fire in order to purify us until He can see His image in us. Remember that He prunes so that we can grow because He is much more interested in our character than He is in our comfort. He takes His launderer’s soap and cleans us so that we’re forgiven. Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Text: Malachi 2:17-3:5If we want to be truly great, we must be sincere servants.
Text: Matthew 20:20-28; Romans 16Since we’ve been saved so that we can serve, it’s important for us to understand how God has wired us. When we serve in ways that maximize who we are, and what we’ve been given, the church will be fortified and we’ll experience fruitfulness and fulfillment. This message will introduce the topic of spiritual gifts.
Text: Romans 12:1-8In contrast to our self-seeking ways, Jesus is the personification of servanthood. Just as He came to serve and not to be served, we’re called to do the same. Becoming a servant means that we swim against the cultural current and follow the model of the Master.
Text: Matthew 20:20-28; John 13:1-17It’s important to not just focus on our conversion – we’re called to demonstrate our commitment on a daily basis by going deeper with God.
Text: Colossians 2:6-15