As we finish up chapter one of our study through 2 Peter, Peter gives his reason for writing and the title of our series--he is writing to "stir them up"; to remind them of the things they already should know. Peter exhorts his readers that what they have heard of the gospel is not a fabricated story or myth, but that the prophecy and writings of God's Word validates its divine origin--that it is trustworthy because of all the prophecies that have come to pass.
Oct 26, 2014•42 min
Pastor Steve began a new series looking at the brief epistle--or letter--of the apostle Peter. In these first few verses of chapter one, we are reminded of the "great and precious promises" that God has provided--giving us "everything we need for life and godliness" so that we can escape the corruption of the present world. Given that faith is our starting point, what are you adding to it, and "making every effort" to do so?
Oct 19, 2014•53 min
Bob Donnelly shares with us his testimony and an update on Noah since the accident at the CCF building site one year ago.
Oct 12, 2014•50 min
In the final chapter of John we get some closing details as Jesus appears a third time to the disciples after a night of unproductive fishing. He performs a miracle that makes the disciples realize it is him, and Peter jumps in and swims 100 yards to shore! Most importantly, we are told of Jesus restoring Peter and charging him to "feed my sheep".
Oct 05, 2014•48 min
Have you ever met a skeptic? A skeptic who embraces faith becomes a powerful witness--take C.S. Lewis or Josh McDowell for example. Thomas, one of the disciples--and the only one who missed out when Jesus appears to them the first time--said that he "would not" believe until he saw the wounds and put his fingers there. When Jesus appeared to them again and Thomas was present, Jesus approaches Him and Thomas falls down and confesses: "My Lord and my God!" Historically we are told that Thomas went...
Sep 28, 2014•41 min
As we enter John chapter 20, after a "quiet" Saturday (from the lack of Bible commentary on Saturday), we join in with John's account of early Sunday morning, while it is still dark. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb to properly handle the body of Jesus, finding the tomb empty! She is told to tell the disciples, and Peter and John then run to the tomb to investigate. At the end of this section Jesus appears to the disciples in person to prove that He truly has come back to life!
Sep 21, 2014•38 min
Today's message from Pastor Steve completes the powerful story of the suffering of Jesus the Messiah on the cross for our sins--continuing to see prophecies fulfilled even as he hangs on a cross. We sometimes take sin too lightly, but looking at what he endured brings it back into focus what He had to suffer because of our disobedience. A sobering reminder of the "cost" of our sin, and hopefully an encouragement to live in the light by His strength!
Sep 14, 2014•44 min
As we continue our study in John 19, after Pilate's decision to hand Jesus over to be crucified, He is led away, convicted specifically of being "The King of the Jews"--the very thing that He was! Even on the cross Jesus continues fulfilling Old Testament prophecy as the soldiers divide His garments and cast lots for his special priestly garment.
Sep 07, 2014•34 min
As we enter John 19, the trial of Jesus continues with Pilate trying desperately to find a way to free Jesus, even sending him to Herod at one point, before Herod too finds him not guilty. But the religious leaders will have nothing to do with this and demand that Jesus be crucified, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Our study today culminates with Pilate making the dreaded decision to commit Jesus to be crucified.
Aug 31, 2014•46 min
The trial moves to the Sanhedrin and then on to the Praetorium by daybreak as the Jewish leaders quickly try and move Jesus towards condemnation and hanging at the hands of the Romans--since they have no power to kill Him under their own authority. This is the most important trial in history as The Truth is on trial, and although Pilate tries to wash his hands of Jesus, the Jews will have nothing of it. Listen in as Pastor Steve finishes up the rest of John chapter 18 as we move closer to the cr...
Aug 24, 2014•45 min
What causes us to be filled with courage in one moment, but then cower in fearfulness of others in the next? Looking at Peter from his ear-slicing moment in the garden, to his betrayal of Jesus--three times!--in the courtyard of Annas, we may be tempted to mock Peter and his inability to stand strong. But, instead, if we think carefully we may find that we look a lot like Peter in our own lives. Pastor Steve gave us a challenging message from John 18, looking at ourselves and our own lack of bol...
Aug 17, 2014•38 min
As we have finished the prayer of Jesus in John 17, Pastor Steve revisits the scene with the additional details from Matthew 26--the disciples unable to stay awake and pray as Jesus agonizes, but with full humility and submission to the Father's will. Entering John 18, the pace quickens as the soldiers and mob arrive to arrest Jesus and we follow along as John retells the story.
Aug 10, 2014•39 min
Warren McIvor, elder and assistant pastor at CCF, concludes the prayer of Jesus in John 17, as He prays for *us*--those that will believe the message of Jesus Christ passed down across the generations. Jesus continues to pray for the unity of believers and for us to know God's love as we stand in His strength in a world that is against God.
Aug 03, 2014•30 min
Pastor Steve continues to walk us through Jesus' prayer in John 17 as he prays for himself and the disciples who will be left in the world when He returns to the Father. He prays for their protection and their unity, and not just for them, but in the next section will pray for future believers, including ourselves! How much we need God's protecting hand from the evil one and the systems of this world and temptations--so that we can stand strong and be unified as believers, sharing the truth with...
Jul 27, 2014•45 min
As we start John 17, Jesus begins the longest recorded prayer of His, praying for His disciples as well as for future believers--just hours before He is betrayed in the garden. In this prayer we see His desire to bring glory to God as He has done all that God has asked of Him in His earthly ministry. Pastor Steve took us to Philippians 2 as well to look at the humility of God the Son, who was God, but took on the form of a servant and thought of others before Himself; He came to serve not to be ...
Jul 20, 2014•30 min
The end of John chapter 16 reflects the last recorded teachings of Jesus on the night He was betrayed; in chapter 17 Jesus will pray for the disciples, and then he will be arrested in the garden. In these final moments he continues to remind them of His love for them, reassuring them that they will see Him again, and reminding them that they can go directly to the Father in prayer. Jesus closes this teaching with a wonderful promise: "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,...
Jul 13, 2014•41 min
Pastor Steve returned and brought us back into our study through the gospel of John. Today we started chapter 16, where Jesus gives the disciples the plain facts--that after He leaves, the hatred of the those in the world and under the sway of the world system will turn towards them. They can expect to be hated, kicked out of the synagogues, and possibly even killed! But God wants to work through them by the Spirit to convict the world of "sin, righteousness, and judgement" We have a role to pla...
Jul 06, 2014•41 min
Pastor Marv Fisher from CC Farmville taught through Daniel's national prayer of confession towards the end of the time of captivity. Pastor Marv noted his humility and openness before God in pouring out and interceding on behalf of the people of Israel, even though in many ways Daniel had nothing to do with the sins of his ancestors that got them all into captivity.
Jun 29, 2014•46 min
Walter Maeder, one of our elders, led us through an encouraging study of the first section of the first letter of the Apostle John, discussing love, forgiveness, sin, and the kind of love for one another that John is encouraging among the body.
Jun 22, 2014•50 min
Kishor Pandagade, Indian missionary and pastor, now South Asia Desk Director at Advancing Native Missions, returned to CCF to share a challenging message about our obligation and (expected) desire to share the good news of the Gospel, based on Romans 1 and Paul's own obligation and great desire to share God's message of hope!
Jun 15, 2014•37 min
Finishing up John chapter 15, Pastor Steve took us through the difficult words of Jesus that, if the world hated him, then it would also hate them--preparing them for what was ahead as they would be His witnesses throughout the world.
Jun 08, 2014•41 min
Continuing our study through the gospel of John, Pastor Steve covered verses 9-17 of chapter 15, as Jesus continues his final teaching to the disciples--encouraging them to stay in the love of God and keep His commandments.
Jun 01, 2014•33 min
How do you live a fruitful Christian life? Jesus says only by being connected to Him, the true vine, can we ever bear fruit--in fact, "apart from Me you can do nothing"! Now that's a strong statement.. of course we can "do things", but will they have value? Will they be fruitful in any eternal sense? No--not without abiding in Him, and being connected to the source of life will we, as branches, be truly fruitful!
May 25, 2014•41 min
What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? How does He bring peace in the midst of a storm? What role does the Holy Spirit play in teaching us and bringing to remembrance the Word of God when we need it? Warren, our associate pastor of outreach, continues through John 14 as Jesus teaches his disciples about this "Helper/Counselor" that will come when He returns to the Father.
May 18, 2014•42 min
As we continue in John 14, even though Jesus is physically going away from His time on the earth, the promise of God's life in us is a huge benefit, even greater than just having Jesus physically present, He now says he will come and make a *home* in our hearts! If Jesus, by the Spirit, will be living in us, what impact will this have in the way we live? We will do the things that He asks us to do! And with God in us, our lives will be totally transformed from what we used to be!
May 11, 2014•43 min
As Jesus continues to explain that He must go away, He expresses that they will do the works He has done, and in fact, will do *greater* works than He did! But how? He answers that next--if He goes away, someone else will come as their helper, counselor, someone to come along side. And that will be God's Spirit and the Spirit will leave in each believer! Through this multiplication of God's presence in every believer, these works will be greater, as the limitations of one man in one place is ove...
May 04, 2014•43 min
Following the Passover meal, John records several chapters of Jesus sharing with His disciples before the prayer in the garden and His arrest. Ending chapter 13, Jesus is explaining to them that He must leave provoking a strong response from Peter. When Jesus tells Peter that instead he will betray Him three times, you can imagine the confusion and anxiety building--and so verse 1 of chapter 14 Jesus says: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." The solution for...
Apr 27, 2014•44 min
We looked at 2 Corinthians chapter 5, where Paul shows the change that happens--because of God's love in dying for us!--that we no longer live for ourselves, but we are now a new creation. Now that we have been reconciled to God, we have that same ministry of reconciling others, as if God was "pleading through us", that others would come to understand His great love and gift of salvation!
Apr 20, 2014•42 min
John chapter 13 has us marching ever closer to the cross, and today's message from Pastor Steve walks through the events John records in the "upper room" where Jesus is spending the Passover meal with his disciples. In this section following the washing of His disciple's feet, Jesus notes that He will be betrayed by one of them as they recline to eat the meal. Judas goes out as Jesus tells Him that "what he must do, do quickly". As we finish this section, Jesus gives them a "new commandment": to...
Apr 13, 2014•38 min
As we enter chapter 13 of John's gospel, we are entering the final hours before Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and finally crucified the next day. However, there are several chapters before those events where Jesus shares his final teaching and encouragement to his disciples--beginning with the scene of the Last Supper in the upper room. In this moment, Jesus chooses to speak louder than words with actions, by washing his disciples feet; an example not just for them but for us as well about humili...
Mar 30, 2014•41 min
