Paul Moon delivers a sermon about integrity, which means to live out our private and public lives in the same, consistent way. We want to have lives marked by love, compassion, mercy, justice, and honoring God and submitting to Him. Any kind of hypocrisy can be so damaging to our witness; we can neglect our own hearts. If our hearts aren't full of integrity, we can't witness with any credibility. Due to our sinful nature, it's impossible to live a life full of Biblical integrity apart from God's presence. Paul explores different scriptures to give us a fuller picture of what integrity entails, as well as some practical things we can do in our lives to pursue Biblical integrity.
Bloom: Courageous
Delving deeply into the story from Numbers 13-14 about the Israelites' reactions to scoping out the land of Canaan (which had been promised to them by God), Pastor Scott delivers a powerful exhortation to stir us to be people of courage. God wants to give us abundance, and pour out His power and presence; He wants us to be fruitful, and to dream in sync with His dreams. While most of the Israelites saw only the fearful obstacles in the way, Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua heard God's voice and promises. God uses weak and ordinary people in the battlefield; He is our courage and our strength, and He promises to be with us.
Bloom: Hungry
We want to have a burning affection for God, a hunger and thirst for Christ, as an attribute for our lives. The level of our hunger doesn't always match what He deserves. We can develop a dullness of heart, and the world can draw us away, and we can find ourselves in a kind of spiritual apathy. Pastor Scott exhorts us to come back to the simplicity of just being with Jesus for the sake of being with Him; we were created to know God and enjoy Him forever. Scott also offers some practical tips about different things that can either dampen or deepen our hunger for Christ.
Bloom: Missional
We are called to proclaim the excellencies of Christ; we want to be compelling, wise, faithful, and "salty" messengers of the gospel in the world around us. Blooming in evangelism means our words and our lives impact people for Jesus. Does our presence in the world make other people hungry and thirsty for God? We are called to present the person of Christ, and it flows out of our relationship with Him. Pastor Scott explores some of the problems we'll inevitably encounter, and some practical tips to help us be steadfast in prayer, overflowing in the Spirit, and bold in our mission.
Bloom: Hospitable
Hospitality means more than opening up our homes and hosting events. It's a lifestyle – a state of the heart – and how we think about and relate to other people. The church should be the hub of hospitality and grace. It means being warm, welcoming, gracious, full of love, and making others feel welcome, no matter who they are. Pastor Scott urges us to be more aware of the people around us, and step out and take risks by talking to people we don't know, or who are unlike us. Our sharing conversation and taking risks can change the course of a person's life, by stepping out in faith and love for Jesus.
Bloom: Sacrifical
God wants us to bloom in the aspect of being sacrificial in the way we live. If we meditate on what Jesus gave for us, so that we might live, it naturally makes us want to give back to Him. Pastor Scott exhorts us not to devalue sacrifice, and to develop hearts that burn to do something costly to honor God. He offers up several practical ways we can give to God through our time, money, attitudes, and actions.
Standalone Sermons: To Such Belongs the Kingdom
Our children are being swept away by world systems of unbelief. The majority of children raised in the Church fall away from faith. Most young people are not interested in serving the Lord. Instead, they are caught up in the current of the world. The Bible clearly states that the Kingdom of God is for children; God can move in their lives and transform them. Pastor Scott preaches a message about what God wants to do in the upcoming generation, and our role in our families and communities.
Standalone Sermons: Where is Ellyn Now?
On Wednesday, May 25, the Renaissance Church community tragically lost a beloved member in a terrible accident. At times like this, we can't help but ask God, "Why?" We may never be able to answer that question to our satisfaction, but Pastor Scott delivers a heartfelt and powerful message about grief, loss, and hope.
Bloom: Pure
The Bible isn't silent about sexual purity. It can be difficult to talk about purity in a culture so desensitized to sexuality. How can we bloom in purity, in a sex-saturated society? We must agree with God's view of what is right and wrong, and treat God and His Word as if He really is God. Pastor Scott offers up scriptural references and a strong exhortation to fear God, and to flee immorality. He gives some practical applications to the biblical commands, to help us stay pure.
Bloom: Steadfast
The scriptural quality of steadfastness that God wants to nurture in us means being firm, sure, unwavering, firmly rooted and fixed in Christ. When trouble comes, God wants constancy in our walk with Him. Suffering is promised to us, and we are called to be steadfast in the middle of trials. It is easy to get frustrated, complain, or withdraw from God and people when we are faced with different kinds of troubles. Pastor Scott explores the concept of being steadfast, and offers up practical ways that we can respond to the trials in our lives that God uses to mold our character.