Illuminate Community Church

8/27/23 - The Failure of Religion and Moralism - Romans 2 - Pastor Jason Fritz

For the last couple of weeks we’ve been reading from Romans chapter one. The apostle Paul paints a bleak but realistic portrait of what happens when people reject God. There is a very predictable trajectory that leads to dark places and practices including idolatry and sexual perversion. However, in chapter two he makes an abrupt, unexpected, and shocking turn. It only makes sense if you understand what he’s written at the end of chapter one... 
 
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32

Paul understands his letter is going to be read in front of the entire congregation. So you can imagine many in the church shaking their heads saying, “Those pitiful, awful idolaters, sexual perverts and wicked sinners - May God have mercy on them!” Paul confronts these people in the very next verse by saying, “You who sit there and pass judgment on others, you are also guilty.”

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another, you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. Romans 2:1

Paul has everyone’s attention now. It is human nature to look down on others. This is a result of our own insecurities and deep desire to perceive ourselves as better than the people around us. Church-goers tend to be especially competent at this. It’s as if Paul says, “Hey, you religious people, you Bible-believing, Bible-obeying folks, looking at all these awful pagans out there rolling in the streets together in their drunkenness and their orgies, you’re feeling superior to them but guess what - You’re doing the same thing!”

Now you might ask, “How is this possible? Religious folks are not actually bowing down to man-made idols and indulging in orgies.” No, they may not be doing that, but you must understand that rebellion takes many different forms. Jesus tells a story about two prodigal sons. Both use their father, but in very different ways. The younger tells dad, “I want my inheritance now!” Which is another way of saying, “I wish you were dead.” Remarkably, the father does it. He gives the son his share. The boy goes off and spends it all, living wildly. Eventually, he is face down in the mud with pigs. Not where good Jewish boys ought to be. He comes to his senses and goes back to his father. Dad welcomes him and all is forgiven with a huge party to follow. Meanwhile, the older son is watching and growing angry. You think he would be happy but in fact, the nature of his heart is revealed. He says to dad, “You never gave me a party and I’ve been with you this whole time!” Both boys were using their father, one by being bad...the other by being good. Dad was gracious to these young men and yet both took advantage of his kindness. Paul comments on the kindness of God as a corrective influence in our own lives...
 
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4
 
To presume on God’s kindness is the Christian who willfully and knowingly chooses to sin and in the back of his or her mind is thinking, “I can always come back to God.”  God’s kindness should not be leading you toward sin, it should be leading you away from it.

8/20/23 - The Progress of Unbelief - Romans 1:24-32 - Pastor Jason Fritz

Three times in this passage Paul uses the phrase, “God gave them up”. So what does this mean? Simply put: God will allow men and women to go as far down the path of destruction as they desire. If one continues to deny God then what follows is all kinds of perversion. For example, one of the most popular genres of porn today is incest. Paul tells us there are consequences to depravity. These reverberations reveal God’s truth. We reap what we sow. In 2022 the top five infectious diseases amongst teenagers were: Cold, flu, strep throat, mono, gonorrhea and syphilis. According to the CDC there are 20 million new cases of STDs diagnosed each year, and half of those are among teens and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24.

Now let me be quick to say that everything Paul has mentioned in the text is not a sickness but a sin. And sin can be overcome. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, the same author writes this: 
 
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
 
Paul speaks of what he knows. He calls himself, “the worst of sinners.” He sought to kill Christians before becoming one. God’s grace washed Paul clean.

There is one further dimension of decline that Paul speaks of in verse 32.
 
"Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1:32

The final ending point of a culture that has ignored God is this: People give approval, encourage and even celebrate sin. 
 
These are perhaps even more degraded than the one doing the actual sin. I’ll give you an example from Paul’s own time. Which is worse? The Emperor who puts the slave in the Roman colosseum to be devoured by lions or the crowd who keeps cheering the emperor on by screaming, “More!” Those committing the depravity were supremely guilty but perhaps those who were watching, applauding and encouraging were even more wretched.

Does this not describe our own society? Celebrating and encouraging sin is, according to the Bible, the ultimate form of darkness within the human mind and heart.

Christians, we are not immune from this. What are you going along with? What are you laughing at? What are you viewing? What is it that you think you would never do? Your defenses are down. Be careful and remember you have an adversary who knows your temptations well. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He is the one who washes and sanctifies.

8/13/23 - Not Ashamed! - Romans 1:8-23 - Pastor Jason Fritz

The apostle Paul minces no words in proclaiming his attitude toward the work of Jesus on the cross…

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16

Can you say the same?

There is power in the gospel because it brings salvation to all who believe. And yet, many don’t believe. In fact, some don’t believe there is a creator God. 
 
How does this happen? Paul explains...

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 8:21

Rejecting God ends in idolatry. Notice the progression…"They knew God but they did not honor him as God…” One of the ways we stop honoring God is to withhold giving thanks to Him. When you stop acknowledging God you become futile in your thoughts. You begin to say things like, “We evolved from nothing!" You begin to act like there is no one there to hold you accountable for your self-centered and destructive actions; so you do whatever you feel. The light, that is the goodness potential of your heart, goes dark when you dismiss God. The sad thing is when you attempt to close the vast gap between you and God you fool no one but yourself. You think you’ve got it all figured out. 

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Romans 1:22-23

Rather than worship God, they worshiped something else. This is because we were made to worship. They began with idols that look like humans, but then things digress into birds and animals and then eventually they end up worshiping slithery things. The end result is that man places himself under the authority of lizards and snakes. (Interesting that Satan appears in the garden as a snake.) It will always be man’s tendency to close the vast space between God and himself. Any attempt to do this apart from Jesus leads to some form of foolish idolatry. Remember, idolatry is the elevation of anything or anyone to the place of ultimate worth above God. Even good things can become idols. So beware.

Have you been suppressing the truth about God because of your sinful actions? If so, you will be under God’s wrath. But his wrath (unlike human anger) is measured and controlled and balanced with love. This is why Paul is eager to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ because it has the power to save!

8/7/23 - Paul Reveals His Identity - Romans 1:1-7 - Pastor Jason Fritz

It is with great excitement that I write this update to you! Beginning this Sunday, we start a new verse by verse study in the book of Romans. This is one of the most life-changing letters in the entire Bible. We will be swimming in the deep end of the spiritual pool. If you come each week I promise you will understand God more and your faith will significantly increase. 

It was Romans that brought about the conversion of Augustine in 386 AD. Many years later in 1515 it was Romans that brought Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, to a proper understanding of what it means to be in a right relationship with God. He stated, “This letter is the chief book of the New Testament, the purest Gospel. It deserves not only to be known word for word by every Christian, but to be the subject of his meditation day by day, the daily bread of his soul." Theologian John Calvin said, "When anyone understands this letter, he has a passage opened to him to the understandings of the whole scriptures.” More than any other book in the Bible, Romans is used to explain who man is, who God is and what a proper relationship between the two looks like. Biblical scholars are virtually unanimous on the towering significance and contribution of this writing.

One of the major themes is grace. We are going to hear the apostle Paul use this word a lot. Let’s understand what it means…grace is God’s unmerited favor toward you. In other words, God did not choose you to be on his team because he saw something special in you. He didn’t say, “Because you are so likable, I’ll assign you to be on my side." There was nothing in us that caused God to draw us to himself. Rather, just as God did with Paul, he chose to call us in the midst of our rebellion.

When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair pay for his or her time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for the performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for long service or high achievements, that is an award. But when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize, and deserves no award—yet receives such a gift anyway—that is a good picture of God’s unmerited favor. This is what we mean when we talk about the grace of God in Jesus Christ. 

Paul was a saint just like you. According to the Bible, a saint is one who has placed his or her faith in Christ. This has big implications because we function based on how we identify. Paul explains, in chapter 1 and verse 5 “...we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith.” Notice the identity of sainthood brings about the function of obedience to Jesus. This is our true identity brothers and sisters, so let’s walk accordingly!

7/30/23 - Preparing for Heaven - Matthew 6:19-21 - Pastor Jason Fritz

This Sunday we bring our series on heaven and hell to a close. Perhaps the best way to do this is to hear from Jesus as he tells us what we can do here and now in order to prepare ourselves for the day we see Him face to face. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says this...

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

In the words of an old pastor, ‘You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.’

Notice the reason for storing up these treasures in heaven: they last. These are things no one can take from you. I have had valuables lost and stolen. I have had things taken from my car and my home. This never happens with what is kept in heaven. Additionally, by thinking eternally with what we have been entrusted temporally, the things of this earth remain in their proper place.

A funny thing happens in life…

The more things we have, the more our things seem to have us. We start to organize our lives around possessions and spend time and money to protect and maintain them because we fear their loss. Hoarding is a form of idolatry too. It puts something other than God at the center of our lives.

We should recognize that storing up treasures in heaven is not limited to our finances. For example, Jesus said this in Matthew 10:42…"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” 
 
We serve Jesus by serving the body of Christ and as a result, we gain what we cannot lose. Even seemingly small acts of service when done with the right motive do not go unnoticed by God. If you serve coffee, put away chairs, give a sandwich to the homeless, empty the trash, introduce yourself to someone new, invite a friend or teach a child you are filling the hands of God with what will be returned one hundredfold.

Jesus assumes that our hearts will place value on whatever we find. His point is that our hearts must treasure the right things and keep them in their proper place because what we treasure most matters in eternity.

7/23/23 - Satan Practices Self Love - Ephesians 6:12; Isaiah 14:12-14; 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 - Pastor Jason Fritz

This Sunday we’ll discover a person and a force that is entirely devoted to keeping people from entering heaven. If you paid attention in World History class you remember that as Hitler’s appetite for power and territory grew, his army began to march across Europe. In some cases, the fight could hardly be called a battle. The German army rapidly advanced, with its tanks and technologically advanced weapons. In some of the underdeveloped nations, their armies made a futile effort to resist the aggression, fighting back with spears and even rocks. It was no contest at all, because these nations were not equipped for the battle.

The same could be said of many Christians. They are totally unprepared or even unaware of the spiritual battle that goes on around them and the eternal consequences of these battles. Our fight is against Satan and the powers of darkness, or other fallen angels, which he controls. Many of Satan’s victims do not even know there is a war going on and because of this, they make easy prey. 

One of my mentors often said, “One of the most disbelieved verses in all of Scripture is found in Ephesians 6:12.” I think he’s right.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” 

These forces have been at work since God created man and woman. In the opening pages of the Bible it is apparent that Satan is the enemy of God, and that he actively seeks to oppose God, his purposes, and his people. However, we have been equipped by God to fight this enemy and win. I’m reminded of William Wallace (Mel Gibson) from the movie Braveheart who stood tall and stoic as the enemy rapidly advanced directly toward him and his men. Calmly, then forcefully he said, “Steady, hold, hold, hold, NOOOOOW!!!!” At that moment the Scotts picked up hidden weapons and immediately began to take down their English opposition. Or perhaps you remember the words of Maximus from the movie Gladiator when he told his General, “On my command, unleash hell.” We have something far more powerful than hell. We have the power of God’s throne in heaven. On God’s command, we unleash heaven!

Three distinct weapons are in your arsenal Christian. Are you using them?

1. Prayer - prayer engages God’s power against Satan.
2. Worship - when we worship we do the exact opposite of what Satan did. He practiced self-love and had thoughts of exaltation fueled by pride. He wanted to be on God’s throne; we bow down before it.
3. God’s Word - The Bible is described as a sword that cuts through the lies and replaces them with truth. Satan is allergic to the truth and this is why he left Jesus alone after He kept breathing the Scriptures into Satan’s face.

7/16/23 - Well Done Good and Faithful Servant! - Matthew 25:13-30 - Pastor Jason Fritz

We are nearing the end of our series on eternity (eternity lasts forever and this series will not) so this Sunday we read a remarkable parable from Jesus. Think of a parable as a short story that leaves a profound impact. It’s found in Matthew chapter 25 and it reveals the goal for every Christian. The goal is hearing Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master (the one who rules and owns everything)!” So how exactly do we receive this welcome? 

 

We receive it by making the most of every opportunity.

 

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

 

The author Daniel Pink wrote a book about regrets. He conducted a worldwide survey and discovered that regrets of omission outnumbered regrets of commission 3 to 1. In other words, most regrets occur because people did not take action when they had the opportunity. They did not travel, pursue a career change or a new relationship and now the opportunities are gone and they are left with remorse.

 

The parable in Matthew 25 is also about missed opportunities. It comes in response to a question the disciples have been asking Jesus, "When are you coming again?”He gives them a few signs but he does not give them a specific date. Why doesn’t he give them what they ask for? Because he wants his followers to live in anticipation of his coming so that they are in a constant state of readiness.

 

While we wait, we work.

 

The parable contains three servants. Two are proven faithful and get busy with what they have been given. They are not idle. The third (one talent servant) is lazy. He kicks a hole in the ground burying what he’s been given. With responsibility comes accountability. The owner returns and each receives according to the opportunities taken or wasted.

 

In all of history, perhaps the man who wasted the greatest opportunity was Judas. Remember him? He lived with Jesus and the other disciples for three years and yet his life is a sobering reminder that one can be so near yet so far. Are there people in church like this? Well, Judas lived with Jesus and do you know what his job was? He was the treasurer and…he was stealing. His heart was that of the one talent servant.

 

What do you do with what you have been given? Have you given the Lord a whole life of service in return for that? What would it take for you to hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master.”

7/9/23 - Resurrected Bodies - 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 - Pastor Hudson Garcia

“There is a preacher of the old school but he speaks as boldly as ever. He is not popular, though the world is his parish and he travels every part of the globe and speaks in every language. He visits the poor, calls upon the rich, preaches to people of every religion and no religion, and the subject of his sermon is always the same. He is an eloquent preacher, often stirring feelings which no other preacher could, and bringing tears to eyes that never weep. His arguments none are able to refute, nor is there any heart that has remained unmoved by the force of his appeals. He shatters life with his message. Most people hate him; everyone fears him. His name? Death. Every tombstone is his pulpit, every newspaper prints his text, and someday every one of you will be his sermon.” -Unknown Author
 
In fifth grade, my teacher loved to remind us as 10-year-olds that you only have to do two things in life, pay your taxes and die. I’m not sure why she felt the need to repeat this day after day, but she was right. 
 
Death is inevitable, and trying to explain or draw meaning from death is the point of every worldview and religion. However, it is only in Christianity that the Gospel of Jesus Christ confronts death head-on in the middle of history. 
 
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul states that it is the resurrection of Jesus that gives us hope in the face of death. He goes on to make the claim that because Jesus has resurrected from the dead, we can have faith that someday we will be resurrected with him. 
 
Paul directly links his boldness for Christ in this life with his hope in the resurrection in the life to come. It is important to note that for Paul, an eternal existence for a human being is an embodied one. 
 
We will be specifically looking at 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, where Paul describes what these resurrected bodies will be like. For now, we will leave it at; our resurrected bodies will be superior to our earthly bodies in every way.

7/2/23 - The Bema Seat and Eternal Crowns - 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 - Pastor Steve Johnson

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." 
(Ephesians 2:10)
 
 
You are the crown of God’s creation! He has taken great care in uniquely designing you. And the way in which God has crafted you determines what He intends for you to do. You have been created in Jesus with purpose and significance in His Kingdom, to do good works every day for His glory.
 
And this Sunday, we will see that Scripture tells us those everyday good works have consequences in the kingdom to come. What we do, how we do it, and why we do it are all going to be considered by God on a day when we, as Christians, will stand before Him. 
 
The New Testament is clear that a day is coming when you and me and all believers must all appear before the “Bema” – what many call the “judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor 5:10). In New Testament times, the bema was a raised platform used by the judges in the Greek games. Athletes would “appear” before the bema after completing their events, where the judges would ensure they competed according to the rules and then award the prizes for winning.  
 
The issue at the Bema of Christ will not be our eternal destiny. That’s been settled by the death of Jesus on the cross for your sins. As Paul says in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Again, in Ephesians 1, he makes it clear that, “In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” This is not a judgment which will determine whether we get into heaven or not.
 
So, what’s at stake? The good works we have done as Christians. It will be an assessment (not a judgment in the way we normally think) of our stewardship for Jesus. When we stand before the Bema of Christ, our faithful service to Him will be evaluated and rewarded. Jesus will assess our every thought, motive, and action. And then He will reward us for all that we have done for His glory.
 
Most likely, you’ve never heard of the Bema of Jesus. The thought of being “judged” certainly seems unsettling. On Sunday, we’ll unpack it and see that it’s really more like the celebration at a graduation, complete with rewards.
 
 
Until then, be the light so others will see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in heaven!

6/28/23 - Your Forever Home - Revelation 21-22 - Pastor Jason Fritz

Our eternal residence is described as having streets paved with gold, gates of pearl, life without pain, sorrow, temptation or loss. Hard to imagine that kind of existence. However, that’s not the best part. The beautiful and peaceful environment is secondary to the person because we will be in the very presence of God almighty. Let me give you an illustration to help you understand what this means. Suppose that someone you love is a prisoner of war, held captive for many years. You know this person (your husband, wife, son, daughter or best friend) is alive and you hope to see them again. Finally, after many false hopes and setbacks, an agreement was negotiated with the enemy and the release of your loved one is at hand. The government has made arrangements for you to meet your beloved in Hawaii, where you would be with them for two weeks before returning home. Hawaii is a beautiful place and I am sure most of us would love to go there right now. But for you in that moment of reunion, the place is secondary to the person. If you were to meet in Gila Bend, it would be no disappointment to you whatsoever. While the place of heaven is unimaginably beautiful, the presence of God will be our greatest joy.
 
So what does our eternal home mean for our current and temporary realities? Paul explains in Romans chapter 8. 

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18 

There is no greater glory than God himself. Fix your mind and heart on this my friend and always remember - whatever pain you face today will one day be alleviated forever, therefore we live accordingly...
 
"Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness." 2 Peter 3:11000