Element Christian Church

It’s easy to condemn the people of Sodom and Gomorrah when we read this story. Pride, injustice, sexual immorality, and violence were the ways of their people. Whether in great ways or small ways, these are not the ways of the kingdom of God. We are called to forsake the ways of Sodom and Gomorrah, both great and small, and flee to Jesus to save us from the wrath to come.

Damnation is walking our own way, but salvation is shown as OVER abundance. When the Kingdom of God TRANSFORMS our lives, in understanding of who He is by His own revelation; the abundance of His life in us should work itself out of us in abundance, truth, and grace.

Romans 2:28-29 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Genesis chapter 16 contains allusions to other important passages in Genesis; by bringing the events of Hagar and Abram into the larger context of these other passages, Moses enlarges the reference of the story beyond Abram and Hagar as individuals and ties their actions to the themes of the book as a whole.

Throughout the scriptures we are constantly reminded that our faith is in a big God who saves people despite their continued indifference and sin. We are also reminded that our righteousness before God has nothing to do with ourselves and everything to do with Him.

This covenant has called us to believe in Jesus Christ. It has called us to understand that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. We are all covenant breakers, and yet Jesus trades Himself for us. 2 Corinthains 5:21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

If we don’t understand Jesus, nothing in the scriptures will make sense, especially when it comes to money and our “things.” God spoke and created everything with His words; therefore, there is nothing that does not belong to Him. All things were made for His glory, to reflect His Glory, and be used for His purposes.

The Cinema. Today's modern day pulpit... telling today's story through the digital story form. We'll watch these popular movies and follow up with an expository exploration of the narrative themes and spiritual parallels of these movies.

John Piper wrote that there were Six Reasons for Jesus’ Coming: 1. to ransom many, 2. to call sinners, 3. to give sight to the morally blind, 4. to divide households, 5. to save from divine condemnation 6. to give eternal life.

Jesus constantly addressed our tendency to be over-impressed with how hard we are trying…that even in our servant-hood we would get prideful. When we truly learn to walk in grace, to understand God better, we will learn to live the call that places others above ourselves.

The Cinema. Today's modern day pulpit... telling today's story through the digital story form. We'll watch these popular movies and follow up with an expository exploration of the narrative themes and spiritual parallels of these movies.

Dallas Willard “Whatever our position in life, if our lives and works are to be of the kingdom of God, we must not have human approval as a primary or even major aim. We must lovingly allow people to think whatever they will.”

Joseph lived a life trusting and submitting to God, and when God called him and told to that he was to take care of Mary and raise Jesus he dropped everything, got his priorities in order, and simply submitted to God. As a father (or would be father one day) our main priorities are: 1) Jesus 2) Wife (or husband) 3) Children 4) Providing (work) 5) Everything else (Hobbies, friends, extended family, sports tv…the etceteras). This is mission in action.

The Cinema. Today's modern day pulpit... telling today's story through the digital story form. We'll watch these popular movies and follow up with an expository exploration of the narrative themes and spiritual parallels of these movies.

Predestination is the love of God in action.

The builders of the Tower of Babel unite to dishonor God by rejecting the truth of who He is and attempting to replace Him through Pagan idolatry.

In the end of the flood narrative, Noah dies, it doesn’t sound like a note of hope • But our hope doesn’t come from this father – but from our Father in Heaven. • Our hope doesn’t come from Noah’s son, Ham – but from the Son of God, JESUS. Until Jesus came and died and rose our sin was only covered, like Noah’s sin was covered, like Adam’s sin was covered; but Jesus takes away our sin.

The writers of the Old Testament were undone by the notion that God, who is free to do whatever He wanted, would bind Himself, restrict Himself, to the covenant.

Just as a mother’s love can be a reflection of God’s love, so can a mother’s anger and wrath be a reflection of God’s anger and wrath. The scriptures are constantly showing that God is not some far off being; He is closer than we could ever imagine. In God’s closeness we better understand His wrath, His love, and ultimately His grace. This too is reflected in our relationship with our mothers. Though God is called “Father” throughout the scriptures, a motherly love many times is the best representation of His grace.

The first priority in all things is the worship of God. Noah has great gratitude for his safe deliverance. God doesn’t command a sacrifice; Noah does this on his own initiative.