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Impact Church

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Transforming Lives to Impact their World

2d ago

Homecoming | Hopeless- The Lost Coin

Series: “Homecoming” Sermon: “Hopeless-The Lost Coin” Luke 19:9-10 “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” John 1:17-18 “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has (Revealed NLT) declared Him.” (Message) “made him plain as day.” Luke 15:1-3 NLT “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told this story” One parable in three parts. Sheep — One in One Hundred. Coin — One in Ten. Son — One in two Pattern: Something Lost, Found and then a Party Healthy sheep stay with the flock. The Wandering is a symptom, not a wilful act. Result of: injury, illness, parasites, exhaustion, or some other physical or mental distress that makes it unable or unwilling to keep up. The sheep has no recovery strategy. The sheep doesn't demonstrate its worthiness. The sheep doesn't find its way home. The shepherd goes looking, finds it, puts it on his shoulders, and rejoices. “… Until he finds it.” Not: Until it’s dark. UNTIL HE FINDS IT. Not: Until I’ve done my best. Not: Until I’m exhausted. Only one acceptable ending. FOUND Sheep — Hopeless. Coin —Helpless Son—Rebellious. Pharisee —Self Righteous Grace finds them all. Jesus you eat with sinners??? YES!!! That is exactly what I do. Luke 15:8-10 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, … …she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.’” 1. The Loss Doesn’t Change Value Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 2. Love Takes Responsibility For Loss Psalm 23:3 “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” Ephesians 2:4 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,…” 3. Love - Continuous Sacrificial Action John 1:9 “That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.”Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 4. Love Demands Joyful Outcomes Religion grumbles when sinners are welcomed. Heaven rejoices when the lost are found. Hebrews 12:2 NLT “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Jude 24-25 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise …” Pharisees judge behaviour. Jesus saw people of value. They saw their failures. Jesus saw God's image. They saw reasons to exclude. Jesus saw reasons to pursue. The coin doesn't know it's lost. The coin doesn't repent. The coin doesn't call for help. The coin doesn't cooperate. The woman searches until she finds it. The greatest danger isn't always losing something. It's losing the desire to recover it. Joy disappears Peace disappears Love disappears Passion disappears Hope disappears Acts 3:20-21 “… and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”
Oct 25

Homecoming | Careless - The Lost Sheep

Series: “Homecoming” Sermon: “Careless - The Lost Sheep” Luke 19:9-10 “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” John 1:17-18 “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has (Revealed NLT) declared Him.” (Message) Luke 15:1-7 NLT “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep. In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” One parable in three parts. Sheep — One in One Hundred Coin — One in Ten Son — One in two Pattern: Something Lost, Found and then a Party The answer to the oldest question ever asked. Why does God always let the wrong people in? Grace always feels unfair to the person who feels they have earned their place in the Kingdom. “… even eating with them.” They grumble about the meal that heaven exists to throw. This is about the Father's heart toward the lost—and the religious leaders who failed to understand it. Their objection reveals a distorted understanding of holiness, lostness, and the heart of God. Proverbs 4:14 NKJV “Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.” SEPARATION Psalms 1:1 NKJV “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;” MORALISM Healthy sheep stay with the flock. The Wandering is a symptom, not a wilful act. Result of: injury, illness, parasites, exhaustion, or some other physical or mental distress that makes it unable or unwilling to keep up. The sheep has no recovery strategy. The sheep doesn't demonstrate its worthiness. The sheep doesn't find its way home. The shepherd goes looking, finds it, puts it on his shoulders, and rejoices. “… Until he finds it.” Not: Until it’s dark. Not: Until I’ve done my best. UNTIL HE FINDS IT. Only one acceptable ending. FOUND Not: Until I’m exhausted. Heaven celebrates the ONE sinner coming home. REPENTS No celebration for Ninety Nine self righteous. NO NEED TO REPENT Vs.7 “Just persons who need no repentance.” Acts 5:31 “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”“Repentance, as defined by the parable under consideration, is not a meritorious work which the believer completes. Rather it is likened to a sheep who does nothing but get lost. The shepherd then in turn … … must come after that sheep and carry it home. The costly action of the shepherd who finds the sheep and carries it home now defines repentance.” Dr, Kenneth E, Bailey (Finding The Lost) 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” Sorrow is not repentance. Romans 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuﬀering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” A. T. Robertson (Word Pictures In The New Testament) — Regarding the translation of metanoia as repentance, “… a linguistic and theological tragedy.” Misplaced by latin church fathers. The latin Vulgate: poenitentiam agite “do penance” be sorry again and again. REPENT :-- Compound Word Re :-- Return to; get back Pent :-- The top as in penthouse Metanoeo (met-an-o-eh’-o) :-- compound of after and thought; to think diﬀerently afterwards, that is, reconsider Changed mind in light of new evidence. Ezekiel 34:11 “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places …” 1 John 4:19 NASV “We love, because He first loved us.” Psalm 23:1 AMP “The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.” John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” The call of Homecoming is not only for the lost to come home, It's for the religious to come into the Father's heart. We can’t preach about determination of the shepherd while treating broken people as disposable. Sheep — Careless. Coin— Helpless Son — Rebellious. Pharisee — Self Righteous Grace finds them all. Jesus you eat with sinners??? YES!!! That is exactly what I do. Vs. 6 “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.” “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Revelation 19:9 “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I one was lost buy now I’m found was blind but now I see.” Fights Till I’m Found! WELCOME HOME
Oct 18

Grace Alone

Sermon: “Grace Alone” John 1:17 (NASB) “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” Jesus revealed God's grace truthfully, faithfully, and completely. John 10:10 NLT “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." There is a diﬀerence between seeing a promise and experiencing its fulfilment. Number 20: 8-13 “… speak to the rock before their eyes, that it shall yield its water. … Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staﬀ; and water came out abundantly, … for that reason you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” Deuteronomy 34:4 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, I will give it to your descendants. I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’” Moses represents the Law that points toward the inheritance. Joshua represents taking the inheritance. Jesus is the greater fulfilment. What the Law points toward, Jesus fulfils. What the Law describes, grace delivers. 1. The Law, Moses, can show you the address, but it cannot take you home! Romans 8:3 “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh (Adam), God did by sending his own Son.” The Law could tell you what righteousness looked like. The Law could not give you the reality of that life. Galatians 2:16 “…yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” Galatians 3:10 “For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.’” “…Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” The Law doesn’t provide an answer it raises a problem. Galatians 3:19, 22 “Why, then, was the law given? … But the Scriptures (LAW) declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 8:13 (NLT) “When God speaks of a ‘new’ covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.” Wayne Grudem — Christian Ethics “It is important to realize that the author of Hebrews is not saying that some old covenant laws are no longer binding on Christians (such as sacrificial laws or purity laws, for example), but that the oldcovenant itself, that entire system of laws that defined the relationship with God and his people, is no longer in eﬀect.” Thomas Schreiner — (40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law) “Paul argues that the entirety of the law has been set aside now that Christ has come. To say that the ‘moral’ elements of the law continue to be authoritative blunts the truth that the entire Mosaic covenant is no longer in force for believers.” Romans 6:14 NLT “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” 2. Grace Alone, Joshua, brings you into your inheritance. Joshua 1:2 NLT “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.” Numbers 13:16 “These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea (salvation) son of Nun, Joshua.” (Jehovah Is Salvation) 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (AMP) “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] 'Yes.’ So through Him we say our ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.” The law can bring you to the border, but only Jesus can bring you in. The way he brings you in, is not by handing you a map of the promised land.It's by joining you to himself. He is the destination. He is the reward. John 14:20 NLT “When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you..” Union has obtained you. You don't obtain it. Hebrews 4:1-2 NLT “God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest— has been announced to us just as it was to them.” Hebrews 4:8-10 KJV “For if Jesus (Joshua) had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Romans 4:4-5 “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,” Two systems: WORKS: “I do → God owes.” GRACE: “God has done → I believe.” Grace and performance can't be mixed. Righteousness is wages, God is my employer. Righteousness is grace, God is my Father.Sonship is received. You don't perform your way into the family. You can work for a wage, but you can only receive an inheritance. You can earn a position, but you cannot earn a birth. John 1:12 “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” Grace is not a spiritual motivational speech telling you to try harder. Grace is God's initiative, God's provision, God's power, and God's gift in Jesus Christ. The Law says, "This is the righteous standard." Grace says, "Look at what God has done in His Son." We have to STOP living at the border staring at our inheritance from a distance. Live from the grace, relationship, and rest that are yours in union with Christ. Galatians 4:6-7 “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” The Spirit creates the confidence and consciousness of sonship within us. You're not a slave trying to get close to God. You're a son who has been brought home. The Spirit awakens that reality in you. And the cry “Abba” is the spontaneous expression of that sonship. Grace changes the source of transformation from trying to earn God's acceptance to living out of God's acceptance. Sonship is not the prize at the end of your performance. Sonship is the gift from which your whole life begins.
Oct 11

Thanksgiving: Living a Life of Gratitude

Thanksgiving: Living a Life of Gratitude Thanksgiving Sunday 2026 | Impact Church London Key Scripture: Psalm 100:4–5 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Thanksgiving is more than a holiday or a moment of appreciation. It is a lifestyle of recognizing God's goodness, acknowledging His grace, and expressing gratitude in every area of our lives. We don't give thanks simply because everything is going well. We give thanks because God is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His faithfulness never changes. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 reminds us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in every circumstance. Thanksgiving is an act of worship. It is something we express through our words, our actions, and the way we live. 1. Thanksgiving Begins Where the Sense of Entitlement Ends Gratitude and entitlement cannot occupy the same place in our hearts. Entitlement focuses on what we believe we deserve or what we think is missing. Thanksgiving shifts our attention toward what God has already provided. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were surrounded by God's goodness, yet their attention was drawn toward the one thing they were told not to have. Romans 1:21 warns us about knowing God without honouring Him or giving Him thanks. Scripture also challenges us to guard against complaining and grumbling. Supporting Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 10:10–11 Philippians 2:14 1 Peter 4:9 Proverbs 30:15 Instead of allowing dissatisfaction to shape our perspective, we can choose to remember God's faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us that His mercies are new every morning and His compassion never fails. Key Thought: Gratitude begins when we stop focusing on what we think we deserve and start recognizing what God has graciously given. 2. Thanksgiving Is Never Invisible True thanksgiving is more than an internal feeling. It is something we express. The biblical language of thanksgiving includes eucharistia, associated with gratitude and giving thanks, and towdah, associated with expressions of praise and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is meant to be demonstrated through our words, worship, and actions. Luke 6:45 says: “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” What fills our hearts will eventually be expressed through our lives. Gratitude should be visible in how we speak to others, how we worship God, and how we respond to His goodness. Proverbs 17:22 also reminds us of the value of a joyful heart. Key Thought: Thanksgiving isn't just something we feel. It's something we give. 3. Thanksgiving Increases Favour and Creates Opportunities A thankful heart helps position us to recognize God's goodness and respond faithfully, even in difficult circumstances. Consider Joseph's journey: From the pit, to Potiphar's house, to prison, to the palace. Joseph experienced betrayal, injustice, and disappointment, yet God's purpose continued to unfold throughout his life. Jesus also demonstrated thanksgiving in His ministry. In John 6:11, Jesus gave thanks before distributing the bread to the multitude. In John 11:40–43, Jesus thanked the Father before calling Lazarus from the tomb. And in Daniel 6:10, Daniel continued his practice of praying and giving thanks to God, even when doing so placed him in danger. These examples remind us that thanksgiving is not dependent on perfect circumstances. Key Thought: Gratitude positions our hearts to recognize God's goodness and remain faithful through every season. 4. Thanksgiving Builds Up Relationships What we appreciate, appreciates. What we fail to appreciate can depreciate. Gratitude strengthens relationships because it communicates that people are seen, valued, and appreciated. In Luke 17:15–16, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to glorify God and give Him thanks. The one who returned recognized more than the miracle. He recognized the One who had made him whole. We are grateful for the Giver, not just the gift. Thanksgiving doesn't simply recognize what someone has done. It recognizes the person who did it. Sometimes the most meaningful words we can offer are: “Thank you. I noticed what you did. It mattered to me.” Imagine what our families, friendships, workplaces, and church community could look like if we intentionally expressed appreciation more often. Key Thought: Gratitude builds relationships by reminding people that they matter. 5. Make Thanksgiving Your Default Thanksgiving should not be reserved for special occasions. It should become our natural response to God's goodness. Colossians 3:17 teaches us that whatever we do, in word or deed, we should do it in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Paul modelled this attitude in his relationships. Philippians 1:3 (NLT) says: “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” In Romans 1:8, Paul also expresses gratitude to God for the believers in Rome. What would our relationships look like if they were saturated in thanksgiving? What would our Impact Church community look like if gratitude became our default response? Thanksgiving changes how we see our circumstances, how we treat others, and how we experience the goodness of God. Key Thought: Thanksgiving doesn't change the goodness of God; it changes how we experience, recognize, and participate in the goodness that is already ours in Christ. Putting Thanksgiving Into Practice This week, challenge yourself to make gratitude intentional. Thank God daily. Take time to recognize His goodness, faithfulness, and grace. Replace complaining with thanksgiving. Choose to focus on what God has done rather than only on what seems to be missing. Express appreciation. Tell someone specifically why you are grateful for them. Give thanks in every season. Even when circumstances are difficult, remember that God's character remains unchanged. Make gratitude a lifestyle. Let thanksgiving become part of your everyday conversations, relationships, and worship. Final Encouragement Thanksgiving is not about convincing God to be good to us. He has already demonstrated His goodness and grace through Jesus Christ. Our thanksgiving is a response to who He is and what He has already done. Start — Giving Thanks.Keep On — Giving Thanks.Don't Stop — Giving Thanks.
Sep 29

VISION SUNDAY

Vision Sunday 2026 | Participation in Transformation Bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to London and beyond. At Impact Church, our vision is simple: Transforming Lives to Impact Their World. Vision Sunday is about recognizing that transformation isn't something we simply watch happen. God invites us to participate in what He is doing in our city, our region, and beyond. Participation Jesus didn't call His disciples to simply observe what He was doing. He invited them to participate. In Luke 9:13, Jesus tells His disciples: “You give them something to eat.” The disciples were being taught to move from watching Jesus work to participating in His work. The miracle of the loaves wasn't only about feeding a crowd—it was part of their training. Later, Mark 6:51–52 tells us that the disciples still hadn't fully understood what Jesus was showing them through the loaves. Working Faith Luke 8 records Jesus telling the disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” They launched out because Jesus had spoken. But adversity came along the way. The message challenges us to recognize that the enemy sends winds of adversity and wants to block our assignment. The enemy recognizes that the word spoken over us is powerful—but the question is: Do we? Faith doesn't mean there won't be resistance. Faith continues moving toward what Jesus has spoken even when resistance comes. Authority Over Territory When Jesus and the disciples arrived in the region of the Gadarenes, they encountered a man who had been tormented for years. Luke 8 describes him as living among the tombs, bound by chains and driven into the wilderness. When Jesus confronted the spirits tormenting the man, they identified themselves as “Legion.” The message emphasizes that they didn't want to surrender territory. This encounter represents a progression in what the disciples were learning: The training is over. You have authority over creation. You have authority over storms. You have authority over territory. These Are People Jesus Loves Our city is filled with people experiencing addiction, anxiety, loneliness, despair, fear, disease, pain and abuse. But these aren't simply problems or projects to address. These are people Jesus loves. The message of Vision Sunday reminds us: Darkness doesn't own a territory. It only occupies territory until light arrives. The battle isn't only about an individual—it is also about influence. Jesus came into a region where darkness had established influence and began reclaiming it. As Impact Church, we believe we've also been assigned a region. Our calling is to bring the light and Good News of Jesus into it. Purpose Restored The man Jesus delivered wasn't simply rescued from his past—his purpose was restored. Jesus told him in Mark 5:19–20 to return home and tell his friends what the Lord had done for him and how He had shown him compassion. The man went throughout Decapolis proclaiming what Jesus had done, and people marvelled. The person who had once been tormented in that region became someone carrying the testimony of Jesus throughout that same region. This is regional transformation: a region that had been harassed by darkness becoming a region flooded with light. Participation Changes Regions Later, Jesus returned to the Decapolis, and Mark 7 records people bringing someone who was deaf and had difficulty speaking to Him. Something had changed. The testimony had travelled. People who once encountered darkness were now bringing people to Jesus. This is what happens when transformed people participate in transformation. What Do You Have to Give? John 6 tells the story of a boy with five barley loaves and two fish. He didn't have enough to meet the need of the entire crowd—but he gave Jesus what he had. Jesus took it, gave thanks and multiplied it. Participation doesn't begin with having everything necessary to accomplish the vision. It begins with being willing to give what we have. Vision Sunday is an invitation for each of us to ask: What can I give? Where can I serve? How can I participate? What has God placed in my hands? We aren't called to simply observe transformation. We are called to participate in it. Together, we're believing for transformed lives, restored purpose and a region increasingly filled with the light and Good News of Jesus Christ. Impact Church — Transforming Lives to Impact Their World.
Sep 20

Small Groups Sunday

SMALL GROUP SUNDAY: LETT … US! There is a study done by a global software company that specializes in helping organizations collaborate, surveyed thousands of teams (who are a part of the Fortune 500) and found that 93% of executives say cross-functional collaboration is more important than ever. (Cross-functional collaboration simply means people from different areas, with different skills or responsibilities, working together toward the same goal.) It also found that 40% of knowledge workers' direct collaborators work in a different job function. Starting at the beginning of Genesis, God is creating the world all of these miracles of light and dark, God said it was good, separating land from water and sky, God said it was good, then he get to man, creates man and says it is VERY good. Steps back from everything…. Looks at all He’s created, analyzing it and the very FIRST aspect in which He remarks in… ‘NOT GOOD” found in… Genesis 2:18 “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone I will make him a helper comparable to him.ʼ” helper:— (ezer) strong help comparable:— (kenegdo) as in front of him; perfect match, same nature. The first thing God said was "not good" wasn't sin—it was isolation. God’s decision to create a helper for the human that is “comparable to him” recognizes a primal human need for companionship… For over 75 years, Harvard's Grant and Glueck study has tracked the physical and emotional well-being of two populations: 456 poor men growing up in Boston from 1939 to 2014 (the Grant Study), and 268 male graduates from Harvard's classes of 1939-1944 (the Glueck study). The conclusion? According to Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, onething surpasses all the rest in terms of importance: "The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period." IT’S NOT JUST THE BIBLE STATING THAT COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL… IT’S SCIENCE! LOVE WHEN SCIENCE COMES TO THE SAME CONCLUSION AS TRUTH! Many people think that Christianity is a belief system, but it’s really a belong system. John 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by our love for one another. If a disciple traveled alone, they could talk about our love for one another but could not demonstrate it. By traveling together, the disciples SHOWED the world a living, breathing model of reconciled community in action. Community is the message. Actions speak louder than words… 59 One Another Commands In New Testament. 21 Involve “Love.” 1 Peter 3:8 “Love one another deeply, from the heart.” John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” When we look at the life of Jesus on the earth, he practically never sent anyone out alone. Every time He explicitly commanded His followers to go out and interact with the world (part one of together… going out not remaining inward) He structurally baked community and teamwork directly into the mission. Mark 6:7 When Jesus sent out the 12 Apostles… Luke 10:1 When He expanded to the mission to a much larger group of followers… He sent them out two by two… African Proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.” Dr Dean Ornish — Ornish Lifestyle Medicine “Love and intimacy — our ability to connect with ourselves and others, is at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, … People who feel lonely and isolated have a 300-500 percent greater risk of premature death due to physical illness.” You cannot fulfill the purpose for God outside of community. You can know God without community and get to heaven without community, but you can’t manifest God’s fullness. YOU CAN NOT manifest God’s FULNESS WITHOUT COMMUNITY! The language of the book of Hebrews is not ‘me and God.’ It is ‘we and God.’” Hebrews 10:21-25 NLT 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Connecting Is Mandatory!.... Let US, see what we are accomplishing together… 1.Together We Approach Hebrews 10:22 “…LET US GO RIGHT IN TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD…” Heaven is not a collection of isolated believers. It is a family gathered around the throne. If eternity looks like people together, why would we try to live Christianity alone? Revelation 5:9 “…your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Think about the picture of eternity. Heaven is not a crowd of disconnected believers who just happen to be in the same location at the same time. The picture Scripture gives us is a family gathered around a throne. People together. Worshipping together. Celebrating together. Hebrews establishes that Jesus is our great High Priest. The presence of God was kept behind that veil, and only once a year….. a priest could go in… Under the Old Covenant, access to God's presence was restricted. But Jesus has opened the wayand the gospel isn't simply: Jesus died so I can have my personal spiritual experience with God. Jesus didn't just open the door so that you could walk through it alone. He opened the door so that everyone could approach the throne! Ephesians 2:19 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household.” AND THIS IS WHERE HEBREWS GETS REALLY BEAUTIFUL… Because Hebrews doesn't just tell us that Jesus gives us access. It tells us that we are joining a story that started long before us. Hebrews 12:1 12 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it…!” The literary context, Hebrews chapter 11, runs through some of the veterans that are in the same family as we are… Hebrews 11 is essentially a hall of faith.Pioneers.Veterans.People who went before us. The ‘TOGETHER’ earlier on the timeline… “5By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him..” “7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, prepared an ark for the saving of his household…” “8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going…” By faith, Pastor Cheryl has become the first female Apostle in the worldwide Apostolic movement birthed out of the Welsh Revival—pioneering a path of leadership, courage, and faith for generations to come. This isn’t about select people accomplishing noteworthy historical events and moments. This is about documentation, a snapshot account of believers who are apart of an entire body. YOU are apart of that! We all play a significant role in eternities scale, together we are moving along on this part of the timeline fulfilling God’s purpose on the earth, and how He wants to deliver it through you specifically! F1- ANALOGY A Formula 1 car doesn't win a race because of the driver alone…. An individual can be highly visible while the outcome depends on an enormous, interconnected team… A good pit-stop could be the one element that leads a team to a top of the podium finish; a poorly executed one, more often than not, leads to the driver losing quite a few places and facing an insurmountable challenge for the rest of the race. The pit crew is vital to an F1 team alongside the driver and car, forming the "F1 Trinity," with some stops becoming legendary for their success or failure, raising the question of what these crews actually do during a stop. Different people have different responsibilities. For example: • Race engineer communicates directly with the driver and helps interpret what's happening during the race. • Strategy teams calculate race strategy, tire choices, pit windows and responses to changing circumstances. • Aerodynamicists work on airflow and aerodynamic performance. When a race car crosses the finish line, it is not just the driver that crosses that line, it is the whole TEAM that approaches that line together. In life, we are not just created to move about solo, without thinking or considering anyone else. Approaching life narrow minded, “I am on my own journey, doing what I need to need to do and end comfortably…” The world is missing out on an aspect of God through you! You reflect and aspect of God that no one else does! QUESTION • What is one practical step I can take this week to move from spectator to participant? 2.Together We Stand Hebrews 10:23 “LET US HOLD TIGHTLY WITHOUT WAVERING TO THE HOPE WE AFFIRM,” Holding on is a group activity!!! Hold on to each other as we hold on to the promises. The writer doesn't say, “You hold on to your faith, and I'll hold on to mine.” Galatians 6:2 — We carry one another “Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Notice: Your burden becomes my burden.My strength can become your strength. That's community = Isolation magnifies problems… Community shrinks them. The strongest beli
Sep 6

SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS | ORIGEN

SERIES: “Blockbusters” SERMON: “Origen” A blockbuster asks one question: Can the Avengers save the world? Will they Save Private Ryan? Will Dorthy and Toto make it home? Genesis 1-3 Asks: “Who Am I?” “Why Am I Here?” The Truman Show — Interesting Movie To understand the reason you are here, you have to understand the story you are in. Psalm 139:14 “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” If Genesis 1–3 is merely the story of human failure, we'll spend our lives trying to fix ourselves. If Genesis 1–3 is the story of God's relentless purpose fulfilled in Christ, then we discover why we're here. Genesis 1:1-3 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [ ] The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.’” Karl Barth (Gen. 1/2) “The Nothingness”- is a malignant resistance to God’s grace. It is the origin of sin, chaos, and evil. At the cross, in Jesus death, He absorbs the full weight of the darkness, chaos. His resurrection is the divine negation, the decisive conquering of Genesis 1:2. 1. THE PLACE God Created for Communion. God didn't create out of need. God created out of overflow. Before there was: Sin - Death - Failure - Brokenness There was Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Perfect love. Perfect joy. Perfect fellowship. Creation wasn't God's attempt to get something. Creation was God's desire to share something. God’s first desire was for relationship not obedience. The Bible begins with party not with a problem. Not with distance but with communion. 2. THE PEOPLE The universe begins with community. The Trinity is not lonely. The Trinity is love. Then God creates humanity and says: "Come join the dance." Adam and Eve are not merely workers. They're image-bearers. Royal representatives. Beloved children. Before Adam ever accomplished anything, he was already accepted. Identity preceded responsibility. Sonship came before stewardship. 3. THE PURPOSE God gives humanity a mission. Fill the earth. Cultivate the earth. Guard the garden. Adam wasn't just a gardener. He was a priest of creation. Creation was designed to become a living temple filled with God's glory. Mankind wasn't created merely to get to heaven someday. Mankind was created to bring heaven everywhere. Starting with His first assignment. Eden 4. THE PROBLEM The Tree Of Life and a forbidden tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The issue was never fruit it was trust. Will God alone be my source OR will I take life in my own hands? REACHING instead of RESTING God did give man boundaries. Genesis 2:16 “… you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” God also gave man the agency of choice. The Darkness creeps into the garden. The serpent has a competing narrative. Serpent: "Did God really say?" The serpent doesn't attack Eve first. He attacks God's character. Every temptation begins with suspicion. He’s holding out on you. Shared knowledge builds authoritative voices in your head. “You’re not enough.” “God is disappointed.” “You’re still distant.” “Try harder.” The battle is not about behaviour. It’s about your conscience, what you’ve come to accept as truth. Your conscience (Shared Knowledge) doesn’t create truth, It reflects the light it’s been exposed to. If it’s shaped by: Fear — God looks distant Shame — you feel unworthy Religion — you feel never enough Genesis 3:11 “Who told you that?” It was a question of conscience. Adam chose to embrace shared knowledge from the serpent. From that moment humanity lived from shared knowledge with the lie. Shame, fear, and separation became the new normal. The single most important question you may ever answer is: Who told you that? Your life is framed by shared knowledge. SIN:— ”We want life without limits. Instead of living a life in submission to God, we want to take the place of God.” Sin begins when we stop trusting the heart of the Father. Sin is questioning you own identity. Genesis 3:13 (YLT) “And Jehovah God saith to the woman, `What [is] this thou hast done?' and the woman saith, `The serpent hath caused me to forget -- and I do eat.' Living out of Adam cannot reveal to you the things of God. You need to be re-fathered. The blood of Jesus does that. You are re-fathered through the blood of Jesus and given a pure conscience. You can now walk in the shared knowledge of the Godhead. Hebrews 9:14 “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” 5. THE PROVISION Grace Was Already Waiting. The fall is not the climax of this story. God's rich provision of GRACE is the big takeaway! Adam hides. God seeks. Adam covers himself. God clothes him. Adam runs. God pursues. Genesis 3:15 (Protoevangelium) “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” Redemption reveals something greater. Adam knew innocence. We know redemption. Adam knew God walking beside him. We know Christ living within us. Adam lived in a garden. We are the dwelling place of God. “O happy fault that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer.” Ambrose of Milan felix culpa (Happy Fault) The covenant that the Father made with His Son took me from from sinful to SONFUL!!! Revelation 13:8 “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Before there was a fall — there was already a Lamb. God didn’t just solve sin—He outplanned it. “The death of Christ was not an afterthought. It was the centerpiece of God’s eternal plan.” John Piper Before God ever said, “Let there be light” — There was already a conversation about the cross. Jesus is the lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. Redemption through His Blood was always His eternal plan! 1Peter 1:20 “… he was chosen and destined for this before the foundation of the earth was laid, but he has been made manifest in these last days for you.” 1 Corinthians 15:22 (NKJV) “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” Genesis 1–3 is not about the triumph of sin. It is the revelation of a God whose grace is greater than humanity's failure. The garden reveals God's intention. The Cross reveals God's heart. The resurrection reveals humanity's destiny. The story is not about how far humanity fell. The story is about how far God would go. What voices have shaped my identity more than the voice of God? Have I reduced Christianity to forgiveness of sins, or have I embraced union with Christ? Am I living from the Tree of Life—dependence on Christ—or from the tree of self-reliance? What part of my story needs to be reinterpreted through the lens of grace rather than shame? Romans 8:19 “For [even the whole] creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God’s sons to be made known [waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship].”
Aug 30

SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS | BORN IDENTITY

SERIES: “Blockbusters” SERMON: “Born Identity” A blockbuster asks one question: Can the Avengers save the world? Will they Save Private Ryan? Will Dorthy and Toto make it home? Joshua 14 Asks: “Will Caleb Secure His Inheritance?” Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s oﬀense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth (A MAN LIKE YOU AND I WAS SMEARED WITH GOD TYPE ABILITY AND POWER!!!) with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Anointing:-- The person and power of Holy Spirit working through humanity to accomplish the or a divine purpose. The unction to function. Inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth power for performing miracles, moral power and excellence of soul the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth, power and resources arising from numbers, power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts Power:-- {dunamis} inherent power, explosive. Power to produce 5 things: 1. Miracles 2. Morality 3. Money 4. Multiplication 5. Movement 1 John 2:20, 27 “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” “But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you;” This life is ours legally because of the blood and vitally because of our relationship with Holy Spirit. John 14:12 “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.” We are anointed! The world needs what is in us to get upon us so that they can see the evidence of the superior kingdom that we operate in. The anointing is how we establish the flora of heaven on earth. You can’t be more or less anointed but you can have more revelation on the benefits of the anointing. You can also position yourself to be more eﬀective in the flow and operation of the anointing … be more intentional. Numbers 14:24 (KJV) “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” The ten spies interpreted the promise through the problem. Numbers 13:31,33 "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." "We were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." Caleb interpreted the problem through the promise. Number 13:30 “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.’”Joshua 14:6-15 “Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: ‘You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.’ And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.” Anointing Captures Your Sight (7) “the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out (SEE get a vision) the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.” Anointing Quickens Revelation (9) “Moses swore...be an inheritance to you...” I have the title deed to this. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (AMP) “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” Anointing Arouses Passion (12) “Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day” Proverbs 10:24 “...what the righteous desire will be granted.” Desire:-- of the father. What possesses you fathers your desire. Anointing Instills Patience (11) “I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.” Stayed fit. Unshakable Expectation. Anointing Secures Results (14) “So Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb...” God never works anything independently of you that concerns your life. Yonggi Cho Under the New Covenant, the Spirit has been poured out on all believers. What made Caleb exceptional is now available to every Christian through union with Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Caleb's diﬀerent spirit was not merely courage. It was agreement with God. Ten spies interpreted God through the giants. Caleb interpreted the giants through God’s promise. Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Don’t let anyone steal your stuﬀ!

Transforming Lives to Impact their World

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Impact Church
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2014 - 2026
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252
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