Shallow Worship 3/20/16

For many people today Jesus is little more than an ideal. Jesus is liked because he offered good teachings, because he represented love. And then, when it comes down to it, Jesus is easily pushed to the side when convenient. Jesus said to do “this;” I want to do “that;” I push “this” aside and do “that.” We all do it. And so, let's be real enough to say, "I need to re-form my view of Jesus through listening to his words."

Scripture shares how Jesus entered Jerusalem being praised by people that honored him for his teachings, for his miracles, for his love. But they were only willing to call him a “prophet” (a God-chosen teacher). And then a week later these same people are found yelling, “Crucify him.”

Who you are willing to say Jesus is will decide how you can treat him. If Jesus is only a teacher filled with great insight for our lives, then you certainly can pick and choose what you want to hear. If you are interested in believing what Jesus said of himself—that he is God and so Lord of your life—then your only choice is to accept all of his words. Who is Jesus to you? Who is Jesus to the people around you today? How can you encourage yourself, and those around you, to accept Jesus as the ultimate authority (rather than simply a man full of good sayings)?

Peter, like all of us, learns this the hard way on more than one occasion. Once he was trying to be on Jesus’ side, to protect him even. Nevertheless, since Peter was picking and choosing what he wanted to accept Jesus put him in his place (big time!).

Matthew 16: 

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The only way you can move toward accepting Jesus for who he is will be hearing or reading and accepting the words that he spoke (open a Bible, find Mark or Matthew, and read).

In the message below I share on the importance of Scripture shaping, and re-shaping, both your life and the life of CPPC.

The Shaky Church 3/13/16

God must shake things up in order to make things right. When we welcome our participation in God’s action then things are going to change for the better.

In this message the concentration is upon Canoga Park Pres Church’s current shaking. We are a shaky church! This can be uncomfortable—for everyone. And at the same time we take comfort in the shaking as we know this is the evidence of God’s hand upon us. So let’s consider what it will mean to boldly welcome this shaking.

What's the Church's Vision? 3/6/16

Tethered to Jesus’ words you are the living vision of God. In this sense churches do not have a vision, but, rather, the church is the vision. 

Shadrack, Meshack & Abednego were faced with the option to stay tethered, to remain the living vision of God, no matter even if their lives depended on it. 

And us? And CPPC? And you? In this message we consider the vision of God we are together.

A Personal Relationship With God 2/28/16

In this message I (Jonathan) push us to consider the places of our lives that have dried up. For example, do you have an estranged relationship, unfinished business, lack of faith in God, etc.?

God's desire, spoken through the prophet Ezekiel, is for these dried up areas to once again find life. In this message I unpack the relationship that God initiates with you. Have you heard the Christian faith say, "It's about a relationship with God/Jesus." If that has seemed abstract to you in the past then this message will help you see how you can be in personal relationship with God

I Surrender 2/21/16

When we are willing to live one day surrendering to the way of the cross the world will be changed. In this message I (Jonathan) share several examples of people in our community of faith living the way of the cross, of acting without the thought of our personal profit. The result was touching the hurt lives of others. The result for you, in living the way of surrender, is nothing less that the fullness of God’s peace and hope.

The video ends with an original song performed live.