May 20 Worship Set

May 18, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

Solid – Solid Impact – Matthew 5:1-16

Jesus begins His sermon with eight statements about character called the Beatitudes. This term comes from the Latin word beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful. Each statement starts with the character of a blessed life. Before Jesus addresses real life issues, He tackles the issue of character. There are no strategies for living apart from developing Christ-like character. We live and respond to life out of our real character. That is the starting point. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, merciful, meek, seekers of righteousness, pure in heart and who seek to be peacemakers. This is counter-cultural living. This is a life that is markedly different. These are people others notice.

Jesus then says this kind of character cannot be hidden. People who reach out to Christ in this way aren’t hiding in the shadows. Someone who has a real desire to see God’s righteous truth and resulting justice on this earth will have their voice heard. People take notice when you go out of your way to show mercy. Peacemakers are welcomed into many circles of influence.

Character just doesn’t happen. A person who lives their life firmly planted focuses on their character and that character is developed in surrender and prayer before Christ and His Holy Spirit. Spend some time with Jesus and the Holy Spirit this week building your character.

May 13 Worship Set

May 9, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

Solid – Rock Solid Living – Matthew 7:24-29

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with this parable about wise living and foolish living. You can either be smart about life or be a fool. The difference is the foundation you choose to build your life upon.

The two people in the story build their lives on very different principles. You can build your life on sand or you can build your life on these principles Jesus gives. These are not idle words. They come with time-tested authority. Even Jesus’ sharpest critics saw something different in His teaching.  Other teachers spoke “by” authority, but He spoke “with” authority. Jesus was so confident of the truth of His own words that He dared call those who obeyed Him “wise” and those who disobeyed “foolish.”

How important is the Sermon on the Mount? Can you simply take it or leave it? Not according to Jesus who concludes the sermon by saying these words are a matter of life and death. These are the truths the Christian life is built upon.  Hearing is not enough. Believing them to be truth is not enough. Memorizing and preaching and singing and celebrating and defending what you’ve heard are not enough. We must be act upon them, do them, and obey them. We must return to these truths again and again to build a victorious, kingdom life.

May 6 Worship Set

May 1, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

50th Anniversary Celebration Service

Join us this weekend as look back at all that God has accomplished through Calvary over the last 50 years and look forward to what He will do in the coming years! Get ready for what God’s going to do this Sunday at Calvary by worshiping with these songs all week before we celebrate together as a church.

April 29 Worship Set

April 24, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

Aftermath – Probe – Matthew 5:3-10

Join us this weekend as we continue to look at the Beatitudes as a template for spiritual growth and recovery. This is a series on how to recover from living in the aftermath of sin and dysfunction to living in the aftermath of grace. More than that, it is a series on growing in Christian faith. We want to show you how to identify those issues in our lives that keep us from fully experiencing the presence of God and learning to deal with them.

April 22 Worship Set

April 16, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

Aftermath – Crave – Matthew 5:3-10

What is it to live in the light and the power of the resurrection of Christ, the aftermath of the cross? This is a series on how to recover from living in the aftermath of sin and dysfunction to living in the aftermath of grace. More than that, it is a series on growing in Christian faith. We want to show you how to identify those issues in our lives that keep us from fully experiencing the presence of God and learning to deal with them. We will continue to look at the Beatitudes as a template for spiritual growth and recovery.

April 15 Worship Set

April 11, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

Aftermath – Yield – Matthew 5:3-10

What is it to live in the light and the power of the resurrection of Christ, the aftermath of the cross? This is a series on how to recover from living in the aftermath of sin and dysfunction to living in the aftermath of grace. More than that, it is a series on growing in Christian faith. We want to show you how to identify those issues in our lives that keep us from fully experiencing the presence of God and learning to deal with them. We will look at the Beatitudes as a template for spiritual growth and recovery.

Easter Worship Set

April 6, 2012 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Aftermath – Luke 24:1-35

After the crucifixion, when Jesus appeared to His followers, they were not able to recognize Him – but Jesus soon assumed His familiar role as the One who had turned their lives around. He explained to them all that had happened, all that had seemed so strange, including the Christ having to suffer and die before entering His glory – all was part of God’s plan to redeem the entire world.

It was the ultimate turn-around. Jesus who had died in agony, was before them, explaining how God had ordained it for His glory and their good. God’s purpose for us is that we would be a part of that new life, for His glory, as we trust Him who died and rose for us.

Good Friday Worship Set

April 6, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

Blackout – Luke 23:33-46

They led Jesus to the place of His crucifixion. When they got there, Jesus prayed to His Father for the forgiveness of those crucifying Him – because they did not know what they were doing. They did not know the meaning of the crucifixion, they did not see its place in God’s plan to redeem men and women and the entire creation. Many people today are in the same situation – the meaning of the crucifixion is lost.

It is at the crucifixion where Jesus experiences God’s wrath on our behalf. In order for us to have eternal life,  to have a chance at a turn-around and a new spiritual life, the penalty for our sin must be paid for. That is what Jesus does on the cross.

April 1 Worship Set

April 6, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

180 – Consideration – John 13:1-1

The way down is really the way up. To exalt Him, we too must serve one another. For Him to increase, we must decrease. What part of serving other people is hard for you? The job itself? The lack of recognition? The tension it creates inside you because deep down you want to be served more than you want to serve? As a leader at work, do you serve those you manage, or are they there to serve you? Our culture tells us to get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the can. Jesus tells us to get off our cans and serve one another!

March 25 Worship Set

March 19, 2012 in Worship Set with 0 Comments

180 – Celebration – John 12:12-19

The crowds in Bethany greeted Jesus by waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna”.  During the next few days, Jesus challenged the religious leaders and drove crooks out of the temple. In just a few days the people made a complete 180⁰. Jesus didn’t live up to their immediate expectations so they shouted, “Crucify Him!” They killed Him because He wasn’t the One they had bargained for. And like people today and people in all times who want Jesus, they want a Jesus of their own invention. They want the Jesus who walks in and says, “I’m going to solve all your problems. I’m going to deliver you from all your enemies and make life wonderful for you.” They don’t want a Jesus who is going to come into the city and immediately clean up a dirty house. .

How many times do you proclaim the greatness of God or celebrate His goodness and then when things don’t go right shake your fist at Him? We would never admit that we’ve done that. We might instead turn to quiet resentment. Which crowd do you identify with? Is it those who sang “Hosanna” or those who said, “Crucify Him?” Do you want the Jesus you’ve invented or do you want the new life that following this rebel king Jesus will bring? Is this where you need to make a 180⁰?

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