Sermon: The Golden Rule

During our Sunday morning worship service, an Elder leads the congregation in prayer.

“Living Together in Truth and Love 2 John February 2, 2025 Pastor John Choi  Sermon Application [file] ----more---- 1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ,  does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. 12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.     Being united with the Father and the Son, Christians are called to obedience by living together in truth and love so that our joy may be complete.           I.  Truth and love defines Christian identity and activity (1-6)          II.  Truth and love reveals Christian community (7-11)         III.  Truth and love completes Christian felicity (12-13)

During our Sunday morning worship service, an Elder leads the congregation in prayer.

“He Took Our Illnesses” Matthew 8:1-17 January 26, 2025 Pastor Tony Felich  Sermon Application [file]  ----more---- Matthew 8:1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. [2] And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” [3] And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [4] And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” [5] When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, [6] “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” [7] And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” [8] But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. [9] For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” [10] When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. [11] I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, [12] while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [13] And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. [14] And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. [15] He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. [16] That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. [17] This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”   Jesus healing those who are physically sick is an outward demonstration of His authority over sin and ability to forgive it.           •  Healing a leper (1-4)            •  Healing a servant (5-13)            •  Healing a woman (14-17)

“A Timeless Lesson at Mara”  Exodus 15:22 - 27 January 19, 2025 Pastor Tony Felich    ----more---- Exodus 15:22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. [23] When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. [24] And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” [25] And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, [26] saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.” [27] Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water. God uses the wilderness to teach us to trust in Him.      • A difficult wilderness test/trial (22-23)            • A faithless response (24)           • A Response of faith (25)           • A ripe moment for learning (26)           • More Grace (27)

During our Sunday morning worship service, an Elder leads the congregation in prayer.

“Founded on the Rock” Matthew 7:24-29 January 19, 2025 Pastor Tony Felich  Sermon Application [file]    ----more---- Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. [25] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded  on the rock. [26] And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. [27] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall   of it. [28] And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, [29] for he was teaching them as one  who had authority, and not as their scribes.      Blessed is the person who builds their life upon the Rock, who is Jesus Christ.          •  The foolish way to build your life (26-27)          •  The wise way to build your life (24-25, 28-29)

During our Sunday morning worship service, an Elder leads the congregation in prayer.

“Two Ways, Two Prophets” Matthew 7:13-23 January 5, 2025 Pastor Tony Felich  Sermon Application [file]   ----more---- Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. [15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. [16] You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. [18] A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. [21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Jesus challenges us to honestly assess what path are we on and who are we following?           • The narrow gate vs The wide gate (13-14)           • False Prophets vs The True Prophet (15-20)           • Don’t be surprised! (21-23)

During our Sunday morning worship service, an Elder leads the congregation in prayer.