Luke 15:11-24
With all my heart I believe that grace is better understood in the context of a relationship than it is as a classroom topic. Grace is experienced. This morning we will take a look at the parable of the lost son, his return to the Father, and the very messy ways that believers love/hate the grace of God.- Feb 4, 2018A Tale of Two Brothers
Feb 4, 2018A Tale of Two BrothersBy: Ben CookSeries: A Space for Grace
Luke 15:11-24
With all my heart I believe that grace is better understood in the context of a relationship than it is as a classroom topic. Grace is experienced. This morning we will take a look at the parable of the lost son, his return to the Father, and the very messy ways that believers love/hate the grace of God. - Jan 28, 2018Grace Has a Name
Jan 28, 2018Grace Has a NameBy: Ben CookSeries: A Space for Grace
John 1:14-17
Grace abounds in the New Testament. It's given lots of air time all over the epistles, but the idea of God's grace - His favor towards mankind - is really captured in Jesus. Jesus' mission on earth was the central act of grace. God taking action on our behalf, God sacrificing of himself, God in the flesh; grace has a name - it's Jesus.
- Jan 21, 2018God’s Character
Jan 21, 2018God’s CharacterBy: Ben CookSeries: A Space for Grace
Psalm 103:1-14
In many circles, Grace is only a doctrine. An object with a specific function in our salvation - so we parse the word and dissect it. We teach at length about how to obtain grace, the function of grace, and even the great peril of living without grace. In many cases, we can discuss the role of motor oil in much the same ways we talk about grace, but grace is not merely and object or a thing. It is a necessary, core part of the character of God. Grace is the goodness of God that reaches us in tangible ways.
- Jan 14, 2018Redemption And Freedom
Jan 14, 2018Redemption And FreedomBy: Ben CookSeries: A Space for Grace
Ephesians 2:8-10
Welcome to our 2018 theme. This year we will explore the arc of grace. There are two parts: First, and perhaps most well understood, there is God's grace to us. He loves us enough to overlook our mistakes and shortcomings. He loves us enough to make up the difference for those by sending His son! We are saved by the grace of God, through the blood of Jesus on the cross. The arc of God's grace doesn't end with what I receive from God. The second incarnation of grace is what we do with it. Grace transforms our treatment of others, it transforms our view of others, and it transforms the church. Not just a place where grace is received; but a place where grace is given. Join us this year as we continue to make Lakeview a Space for Grace. - Jan 7, 2018Face to Face
Jan 7, 2018Face to FaceBy: Ben CookSeries: A Space for Grace
Hebrews 10:23-25
It's probably impossible to live without experiencing loneliness at time. Statistically, loneliness, isolation, and depression are growing problems, especially in the heart of our biggest cities. Experts agree that this generation is the loneliest generation ever recorded, despite being the most connected generation ever. While loneliness may be the experience of the average American, it should not ever be the experience of the church. Regardless of your race, income, or social standing; you will find that the church is a place for you to belong. If it's not that place for you, we need to lean harder into each other as a community. This happens - it only truly happens - face to face. - Dec 17, 2017Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?
Dec 17, 2017Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?By: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
This year I've had 4 different people ask this question. As you can imagine, some believe with great conviction that the answer is no while others don't even know that there's a question to ask. There are good reasons why many believers abstain completely from this holiday, and likewise, many reasons why families participate with their neighborhoods. There are also good reasons why we, as a church, actually put on a Trunk or Treat. Tonight we will open our Bibles and take a good, Biblical, look at this together. Some of this may even spill over to how we think about Christmas and yoga.
- Dec 17, 2017Careless Worship
Dec 17, 2017Careless WorshipBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Malachi 1:6-8
Every relationship in your life requires an investment from you, including your relationship with God. It is important for us to develop habits of spiritual discipline - reading, fasting, praying, and assembling; habits. By themselves, these activities become hollow and meaningless. Malachi brings our attention directly to this problem in ancient Israel: people who worshiped God but didn't actually care about God. He surely has something to say to us today in the busy, frenetic pace of the Holiday season.
- Dec 3, 2017He Saw the Wind
Dec 3, 2017He Saw the WindBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Matthew 14:22-33
What shifted inside Peter? Only a few lines separate his request for Jesus to call him out of the boat, from his fixation on the wind. His swing from great faith to great doubt should break a record in anyone's book. Maybe it gives us comfort to know that this happens. Too often we believe that faith is a linear thing - it just builds and never looks back, but there are many things that can shake our faith. The truth is we often swing - wildly - from faith to doubt, and at every turn, Jesus is still there to lift us up. He is faithful even in your doubt. - Nov 5, 2017Each One Serves
Nov 5, 2017Each One ServesBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Cardiac Arrest is the medical definition but you and I know it as a heart attack. It's weird that you and I have a part of our body that we don't see, we don't think about, we don't actively direct, and, until modern medical science, we knew very little about. Yet this hidden, unknown body part silently faithfully plods along. When it doesn't, the body has a big problem. Paul uses this metaphor of the body to describe the church, and yes, the church has many members who are very visible, well known, and understood. They are no more important than the hidden ones. This morning we will talk about how God supplies all the parts in the body to contribute to it's function, including you. Let's build a healthy church together.
- Oct 22, 2017The Lens of Grace
Oct 22, 2017The Lens of GraceBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Romans 5:15-16
As agents of God's reconciliation, it's important that we see people through God's eyes. Last week we looked at how our neighbors are the objects of God's love and as a result, they are the mission. This week we will look at how we view each other in the church. We are not righteous because we have earned it, we are not righteous because we live it, and more than anything, we need to view each other through the lens of God's grace. - Oct 15, 2017A Shifting Perspective
Oct 15, 2017A Shifting PerspectiveBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:14-16
"From now on we regard no one according to the flesh" Paul says, but too often we do exactly that. We live in a performance-based culture. We are a driven people, as such, we praise success but starve out defeat. We find it nearly impossible to see people the way that God does, but God loves the world. He loves the redeemed and the reprobate. He loves you if you're successful, or crushed in spirit. If we are successful in serving as ministers of reconciliation, we've got to see people like God does. - Oct 1, 2017The Bottom Line
Oct 1, 2017The Bottom LineBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Colossians 1:17-23
Believers have been given a tremendous task. Paul refers to it, somewhat cryptically, as the ministry of reconciliation. This ministry is not a gift, it is a task, a work, an effort but more importantly, it's not actually about you. The ministry of reconciliation - this task that we have been given - it begins with Christ and it ends with Christ. If we realize that reconciliation is a work of Christ, it will probably help the way our culture relentlessly, doggedly argues about everything. This Sunday we will kick off a 3-part series on the Ministry of Reconciliation. - Sep 17, 2017The Man and The Man
Sep 17, 2017The Man and The ManBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Genesis 4:3-10
This, the final relationship we will explore in Genesis, is the one between us. What was Cain's problem? We almost think it's too obvious, murder; but there's more going on here than murder. Instead of helping his brother know God, or at least enjoying his brother's success, Cain was consumed with jealousy and hate, and ultimately killed Abel. When confronted by God, he dismissed the whole episode with Am I my brother's keeper? The answer, of course, is a resounding YES. We will explore this more together. - Sep 10, 2017I’m Ashamed They’re Not Ashamed
Sep 10, 2017I’m Ashamed They’re Not AshamedBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Genesis 3:7
You can't miss it - in Genesis, there's a lot of skin in the story. What gives? It's like the Bible goes out of the way to talk about when Adam and Eve were naked, and when they were clothed. Why does God spend so much time addressing this aspect of Genesis? - Sep 10, 2017The Man and The Creator
Sep 10, 2017The Man and The CreatorBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Genesis 3:1-7
There's a phrase we use, the forbidden fruit to refer to the original sin of Adam and Eve. What that sin represents is something bigger than a dinner choice. God created everything and he says that life is lived to it's fullest in a certain way, but will we believe him? - Sep 3, 2017The Man and Woman
Sep 3, 2017The Man and WomanBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Genesis 2:18-23
Last week, we took a look at the first of four relationships in the creation account: The relationship between man and creation. This week we will continue in Genesis, and look at the second keystone relationship: man and woman. This relationship has been the keystone of human civilization since before recorded history. Communities, neighborhoods, and even nations have been leveraged through fundamental relationship. Even now, as our national culture grows to resent it; the relationship between a man and woman has been a foundation of who we are as human beings. We will explore this together this morning. - Aug 27, 2017The Man and Creation
Aug 27, 2017The Man and CreationBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Genesis 2:7-9
Genesis 1-4 contains some of the most profound observations about the nature of mankind. The first 4 chapters of Genesis outline 4 pillar relationships central to the identity of mankind. In many ways, it's a foundation for our identity as human beings - because who we are is often defined by who we are in a relationship with. This Sunday, we are going to look at what the Bible says about the relationship between man and the land. - Aug 20, 2017He is my King
Aug 20, 2017He is my KingBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Matthew 27:37
Jesus is Lord, but it was hard to tell in Charlottesville last week. It wasn't just the violence or the ugliness of white supremacy, it's that there were Christians who believed that their citizenship in the kingdom of God could take a back seat to their concerns about the direction of our country. As long as we believe this, the idolatry of nationalism will always make us hypocrites. Jesus cannot be Lord of your life... right behind the needs of this country - Jun 25, 2017Worship: Enhanced with Entertainment
Jun 25, 2017Worship: Enhanced with EntertainmentBy: Ben CookSeries: Our Identity in Christ
Hebrews 13:1-3
The Bible tells us that we should pursue entertainment. In fact, hospitality, (entertaining strangers) is consistently mentioned in the Bible (both old and new testament). It's a requirement of elders. It's a command for every member and yet, we often dismiss these ideas by saying not everyone is an extrovert/has a big house/has extra money for it. If we get this down - learning hospitality - it will affect everything about how we connect as a church and it will transform Sunday mornings. A church committed to hospitality will make transform worship into sweet time of reunion and belonging. Yes! Your worship needs a little entertainment.