In this message, we looked into the 3 days of the Resurrection:

Friday was the day of Jesus' death. After he had been beaten, whipped, spat upon, crowned with a crown of thorns and then led to the top of Golgotha, he was placed on a cross where three nails were driven through his body to hold him on the wooden cross. Jesus had been going around saying in three days I will rise. Friday, the 1st day, was the day Christ died.

Saturday, day 2, people are realizing he is dead and there is this gloominess all around and Pastor Rick explains many of us get into this day of gloominess. We've gone through something and we can't find a way out of it or we don't know the answer and so we are left wondering. Saturday was a day where we don't know whether or not there is light coming. Pastor Rick makes the statement that, "if you don't have an answer for the grave you will be stuck on the Saturday state of mind. With the gospel of jesus christ we can look forward to sunday and face every other day with a glimmer of hope." We know what came after Saturday. We know that we have something to look forward to.

Sunday, the third day, there is hope in the name of Jesus because he defeated death through death itself. In the end, we can look forward to our upcoming Sunday in hope of everlasting life.

In this message, Pastor Rick digs into understanding the cross and how we must understand two characteristics of God's nature. The first characteristic is the Holy nature of God. This tells us that God is something completely different from us. He is above that which he created. There are many verses of Scripture that describe the holiness of God and God's power over us which I have posted below:

Isaiah 55:8
1 John 1:5
Habbakkuk 1:13
Psalm 95:10
Revelation 3:15-16

The second characteristic in the Loving nature of God. God's love for us, even though we are filled with wickedness, rebellion and sin (Exodus 34:6-7), God remains slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. In the darkest hour, Jesus was burying our sins and God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for the sinners. The ultimate sacrifice has been paid for the sin of the world. This is the loving nature of God.

This week, Pastor Rick reaches outside of your walk, your friends and your church, but reaches out to your city. There were a few questions Pastor Rick discussed. First, Does God care about cities? We see the compassion and love God had for the city of Jerusalem. Scripture reads, "He will wipe every tear from their yes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…" If He didn't care about the cities, why would this be written? Jerusalem is known as the City of God and he cared for that city. However, Babylon was known as the City of Satan. A few chapters back, Revelation 18, it reads, "Never again will the sound of music be heard there…there will be no industry of any kind…there will be no happy voices of brides and grooms…" We can see that God cares for His cities or else He wouldn't have said these things. Rick gives steps to becoming "fully engaged" in my city. The following is the sermon outline handed out in service:

1. Develop a heart for my city.
2. See the city as people.
3. Use the weapons of spiritual warfare.
    -The Ministry of the Word (Story of Ezra)
    -The Ministry of Deed (Story of Nehemiah)
    -The Ministry of Work (Story of Esther)
    -The Ministry of Community (Story of Jeremiah)

Pastor Rick dug into the question "What does it mean to be fully engaged in my church?" He began this week with the question, " What is the church?" There are so many different definitions to the church. He broke it down even further into, "What is the church according to the world/culture?" and "What is the church according to the Bible?" This week you'll hear a lot of mathematical equations and one of them defines the church. The church equals the Holy Spirit plus the believers of God. Pastor Rick doesn't define the church as the building where the congregation meets because it is just a building. The church is the body of believers filled with the Holy Spirit "whose hearts are fully committed to Him", according to 2 Chronicles 16:9. We dig into John 17 verse 6-8, 21 and 26; Romans 10:9-14 and 1 Corinthians 1:18 and find what the church's mission is according to Scripture. Pastor Rick ends with the Next Steps portion of the message:

How Do I become fully engaged in the church?

1. Become a part of the community

  -come early and/or stay late

  -be a part of a Growth Group

  -go out to lunch or have coffee with others

2. Commit to spiritual-growth in your own life.

  -a church is only as spiritually mature as the people that make it up.

  -become a "self-feeder"

3. Plug in a ministry

  -begin by thinking in terms of 1 hour per week

  -join a greeters team

  -look for your unique ministry shape based upon your gifting, life experiences, and concerns

4. Take up the challenge of tithing

5. Develop friendships with people who do not yet know Christ 

  -pray for 1-3 people who do not yet know Christ

  -intentionally develop friendships

  -invite to church and/or initiate spiritual conversations. If you need a goal to motivate you, think: 1 per month