Catch The Fire Church Raleigh Catch The Fire Church - Raleigh

Check out this week’s message from our Lead Pastor, Jess Ninaber: "Who Is The Holy Spirit?". As believers, it is so important to understand the multifaceted nature and character of the Holy Spirit, desiring the fullness of His presence. In John 14:12-18;26 Jesus reveals to the disciples how the Spirit empowers, comforts, and guides believers. The Holy Spirit is necessary to our Christian walk and it is only by His power and wisdom and revelation that we experience transformation in our lives.

This week Pastor Aaron kicked off our new sermon series, Pneuma. His sermon, “The Necessity of the Holy Spirit” highlights the indispensable role of the Holy Spirit in every believer. In John 16, we see the kindness of Jesus to reassure His disciples that though he had to leave this earth, it was necessary so that the Helper could come. For the Spirit to descend, the Son must ascend. Holy Spirit is not merely a presence, but a person, a close friend who understands us deeply. He was sent for you and I as the body of Christ, but also for us as individuals to guide us, empower us, and reveal truth. The friendship of the Holy Spirit is necessary to our faith, and we have an open invitation to encounter Him throughout our every day lives.

This week, Jess concluded the last moments of Jesus’ time on earth before his ascension to heaven. Reading from John 21, we see Jesus standing on the shore, calling out to Peter and the six other disciples to come and have breakfast with Him. It’s a powerful story of Jesus seeking out Peter who has returned to what he’s always known and restoring him back into fellowship, forgiving him, and calling out purpose and destiny in Peter. God uses the lowest moments of our lives to reveal His greatest love for us. Despite the letdowns and shame that we carry, God wants to call us back into fellowship with Him and remind us that there is destiny after the disappointment.

This week, Aaron Ninaber, our Lead Pastor, delivered a powerful sermon journeying through the post-resurrection encounters of Jesus found in John 20. Jesus meets us in our moments of weakness, doubt, and disillusionment, breaking through our self-imposed barriers with a message of peace and assurance. Our struggles and questions don’t disqualify us from being used by God, but instead, Jesus has a way of turning our weakest moments into moments of commissioning. Be encouraged to invite Jesus into your locked rooms and watch Him bring you a message of Peace and lift up your head to the world around you.

Pastor Jess Ninaber preaches from Luke 24:13-35 leading us through the story of The Road To Emmaus. After Jesus’ resurrection, two disciples are left disillusioned and disappointed by Jesus' death. Despite walking alongside Jesus, they fail to recognize him, blinded by their own preconceived notions of who Jesus should be and how he should fulfill his role as the Messiah. When Jesus broke the bread at the table with them, their eyes were opened to who he truly was. We can often be on similar journeys where we need to set aside our own expectations of how we thought our situations should be and embrace the paradoxical nature of Jesus' kingdom, where strength is found in weakness and victory in sacrifice, then our eyes will be opened to who he really is.

On Easter Sunday, we were blessed with an inspiring message from our Senior Leader, Duncan Smith, titled "Victory in the Resurrection." This sermon beautifully underscores how Jesus supplanted our human endeavors with His unparalleled sacrifice. True Christianity revolves around God's selfless act of sacrifice on our behalf. Through Jesus' resurrection, we are intricately united with Him, embarking on a transformative journey. Easter epitomizes God's boundless love, exemplified by His incarnation to offer us salvation. Embracing Jesus enables us to transcend our former selves, discovering newfound joy and righteousness in Him. It's time to rejoice in our renewed life with Jesus and shift our gaze from past shortcomings to spiritual rejuvenation.