Illuminate Community Church

12/24/2020 - Let Your Heart Be Light - Christmas at Illuminate

12/20/2020 - Advent Hope

As human beings, we need things in our future that give us excitement and optimism. I actually believe God implanted within each one of us this innate need. Of course the ultimate fulfillment of this is the hope of heaven. The Christmas story reminds us that heaven is attainable through faith in Jesus. Therefore hope and faith are inseparable. The author of Hebrews explains.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Additionally, we have hope in this life here and now. The Scriptures invite us to come to Jesus and confidently ask for help in our time of need. 

Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Things that leave us feeling powerless and hopeless come in many forms. With Christ’s strength you can overcome life's biggest obstacles, and faith in Jesus gives hope and help to overcome: 

“and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

Have you ever faced a giant in life only to think it's too big and you can't handle it?  We do not need some kind of "God supplement" to our own strength, rather, we need His strength in us to do what we need to do. And he always gives it. 

2 Corithians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Seeing our weakness as the entry point of God’s strength gives access to His power!

When we put our faith and hope in Jesus, it not only gives us help, strength, and power for today, but it also gives us hope for life after death. It is a confident expectation of the ultimate “tomorrow.” Have you been feeling hopeless? All you need to do is ask God for what he has already made possible.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

12/13/2020 - Advent Love

What's the most important thing? This question was put to Jesus. His answer seems rather simple - Love God and love people. 

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

Loving God and loving others are intertwined. In other words, you can't love God without loving those around you - especially your brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus explains the importance of this...

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

Christmas gives you the motivation because the birth of Jesus reveals God's love for you. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Illuminate, you have a done an amazing job of loving others. As your pastor, I am so very proud of you. This Sunday we celebrate all the love you've shown through your generosity and faithfulness in 2020!

12/6/2020 - Advent Rest - Matthew 11:28-30

Do you sometimes find it hard to fall asleep at night because of the things racing through your mind? Thoughts that are angry, fearful and anxious often accompany our last and first moments when our heads are on the pillow. Perhaps personal resentment is the biggest taker of mind space. What do you do with all this? Jesus reminds believers to make an exchange.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 
Matthew 11:28-30 

A yoke is an instrument used to attach two working animals together. Where one goes, so goes the other. Notice Jesus doesn't simply say, "Take off all your yokes." As if to say, "Be free!" Instead, he says, "Take off whatever it is that is currently leading you and exchange it for my leadership." In other words, we are all led by something that isn't giving us what we truly desire. Is this true for you Christian? Are you still wearing the yoke of social media's opinion of you? What about the yoke of the culture's demands? How about the yoke of salvation by works?

Give up your desire to live life on your terms and let Jesus lead you and you’ll find the rest you’ve been looking for. I know this sounds crazy in this modern world. Because we’re constantly being told, “Don’t give away your authority! Let no one control you!” Jesus says, if you want inner freedom then give up your freedom. If you want to find your life, lose it. Take my yoke, I will lead you. You don’t have to prove yourself, you don’t have to carry the burden of guilt, or pain alone.

11/29/2020 - Advent Peace - Luke 2:1-14

I was thinking about this Christmas season and its potential for greater impact than many others. The reason is simple - we are a world and a country that continues to be filled with anxiety. What is the cure? The cure came 2000 years ago but not in the way anyone anticipated. A world changer would be expected to come from behind palace walls and certainly from a family of great influence. Instead, Jesus was born in a lowly stable and placed in a manger and his parents were unwed and poor teenagers. The baby would grow to be a man and that man had the most significant impact of anyone who has ever walked the earth. Lest we forget - Christmas holds the word “Christ.”

Jesus came to bring what we want in this world and what we need right now. Soon you will be receiving Christmas cards and letters that have a peaceful theme and we will sing songs that speak of "peace on earth." But you know I’ve found that the concept of peace means different things to different people. We find ancient distractions to relieve ourselves of our modern pain. Spend money, have a few more drinks, go all out and indulge in something you know you'll really regret. Meanwhile, there is a peace that lasts...

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:13-14

The word 'multitude' describes a huge number...like hundreds of thousands. It seems each angel in heaven could not contain his enthusiasm. So as we enter this season, let's remind ourselves of where lasting peace is found. Look inside that lowly stable and stare into the worn-out manger in the little town of Bethlehem. Doesn't the simplicity of it all tell you something? Your peace has arrived.

11/22/2020 - Thankful for Harmony - 1 Peter 3:8-12

No other faith crosses more social, racial, ethnic, and geographic borders than Christianity. In all of our diversity there is a powerful thread of unity. Do you know what the word “university” means? It's a compound word meaning unity in diversity. The same idea is printed on American currency, E Pluribus Unum "out of the many, one." Now, let me ask you, what is the one thing that brings unity in the midst of diversity?

The Truth. 

Ironically, this is the one thing secular universities tend to deny. 

Peter says there ought to be harmony amongst believers because we have the truth. Jesus himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” His truth has us in the same band and his truth has us all marching in the same direction. How good is that? We have the main ingredient upon which harmony is built!

Having the truth is the foundation. But unity can be difficult to maintain. You've probably noticed that over the last six months. Peter gives us four action points to maintain the witness Jesus wants for his followers...and they are good ones. Sympathy, love, compassion and humility keep the unity flames burning. In so doing, we prove ourselves to be the people of God.

11/15/2020 - Thankful for Unity - Philippians 2:12-17

I think we all understand that obey is not a welcomed concept today. This four-letter word is rejected by most unless it’s the idea that one would obey only himself. Let’s face it – it’s cool to be rebellious. This is why many of us as teenagers disagreed with authority. I seriously doubt if anyone woke up this morning and said, “God teach me to obey. I pray that my boss would give me lots of things to obey.” Kids don’t wake up in the morning and say, “I can’t wait to be obedient to mom and dad!” You know what kind of conversation never happens? The one that goes like this – “What do you love?" "I love to obey! I’m such an obedient person and I just can’t wait to be told what to do. I study all the verses on obedience because they are my favorites!”
 

Now those who have taken a Bible class or two may be thinking – “I wonder what the word obey means in the Greek? It can’t simply mean do what you’re told!” They are right. It actually means to keep your mouth shut and do what you’re told…sorry about that. Pretty sure that's not what most want to hear. Indeed, this is a bitter pill for us all to swallow and here’s why – we think we are smarter than everyone else. We think we are better than everyone and we think we see ourselves more clearly than they see themselves. Social psychologists call this the “self-serving bias" and it states that we all walk around thinking that we are better than we really are. There are a number of humorous studies that expose this. For example, when asked, 85% of Americans think they are better looking than average. Now statistically speaking this is problematic. It gets better. When Americans are told about the self-serving bias, over 90% say that it’s true for other people, but not them.
 

This is the reason we need to listen to those who care for us in love. It starts with God's voice. His instruction gives direction. It’s also important to surround yourself with people who will tell you what’s happening in your life as they observe it. One of the negative impacts of quarantine is that some folks are no longer in community. When you’re not in community there’s no accountability in your life. We complain, argue and grumble because we lose sight of the things that are most important. Isn't it great that we always have a guide to get us where we need to be? The path forward is through obedience to God's Word.

11/8/2020 - Thankful for Eternity - 1 Peter 4:7-11

As I was preparing the message this Sunday, I was reminded of a meeting I had several years ago. I was asked to visit someone in the hospital. It was a friend of a friend and someone I did not know; a man in his mid-forties who had terminal cancer. As I entered the room I introduced myself and you know how you get the sense that people don’t want you around? That was me. The atmosphere turned cold. He did not want to talk about God or heaven or eternal things even though he was in the last few days of his life on earth. My heart really broke for this man. It's not uncommon to find this response in people simply because our entire lives are spent trying to avoid death and some never come to embrace its reality. It ought not to be this way for the believer in Jesus Christ. In fact, it should be the opposite. Life should be one concentrated effort to prepare for what awaits us. For this reason, I am thankful for eternity but until that day Christian, you and I have purpose and meaning here and now.
 
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter does not want us to be caught unaware having wasted our time, resources, and gifts. So because we are living on the edge of eternity we must be sober-minded and think and act according to God’s Word. This means that we persevere in our love for each other and one of the ways we demonstrate our love for each other is in showing hospitality. This involves giving ourselves away so that others can be blessed. And finally, in these last days, we are to use our gifts in serving one another. This is what it means to live today in light of eternity!

11/1/2020 - Thankful For Salvation - 1 Peter 1:1-12

In 1620, after a treacherous trip, the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower from England and dropped anchor near Cape Cod. Not long after their arrival they were greeted by Native Americans who taught them how to grow corn. Their first growing season was a success and in appreciation they invited the Native Americans to join them in a three-day long festival we now know as Thanksgiving. This marks our current season of gratitude and of all people, Christians have the most to be thankful for. One of Jesus’ early disciples explains why...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Wow! There's a lot here to unpack...

We have received God's mercy!
We have been born again!
We have hope through the resurrection of Jesus!
We have an eternal inheritance!
We are guarded by God!

Will you pray this with me? "Father, what can we say? You are the giver of all good things and it begins with the gift of your Son. We live and breathe in your goodness now even as we look forward to all that awaits us in the life to come. THANK YOU!"

10/25/2020 - I Pledge Allegiance to the Kingdom of God

I grew up saying the pledge of allegiance in elementary school. The word allegiance refers to one’s loyalty. Of course, a Christian’s ultimate loyalty is to Jesus and his example. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God through his life, death and resurrection, and God’s people are to be a picture and a taste of that heavenly kingdom. God’s kingdom has not been fully and finally established and won’t be until the return of Christ. So for now we wait for something more. Until then, God’s kingdom isn’t simply American or western. His kingdom is composed of people from all tribes, tongues and nations. One of the sweetest Christian experiences you can have is worshiping God alongside brothers and sisters who speak a different language than you. You are reminded that Jesus came to make all people everywhere foreigners in their own land and ambassadors of his kingdom. 

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:11

While God dwells with His people now by power and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are still waiting for the kingdom to be consummated when Jesus returns. Until then, we live as strangers in a foreign land. While we are certainly called to honor, obey and influence the laws of the land, America is not our home. It is not “the Promised Land,” but in more and more ways actually resembles the famed Babylon of old. Yet we do have many blessings in these United States. I read about a poor man from India who said that his dream was to live in America. When asked why, he said, “I want to live in a country where even the poorest people are overweight.” We have abundance but we are still living in exile. We are very much “east of Eden" and at the same time, we have a very direct mandate from the place to which we call our true home. Let’s read Peter’s words again and add the next verse...

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 
1 Peter 2:11-12

No matter who wins or loses in any election season, we have an allegiance to one who is far greater. We are the people of God. As your pastor, I'm going to ask you to commit to the ethics of God's kingdom. In this way, we will be presenting our good deeds for those who haven't yet been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.