FRESH START | Acts 2:42-47

``When we know god, when we're walking with god, when we're reading his word, when we're singing his praises, when we're praying in communion with him, when our sins are forgiven and we are with him with no guilt and no shame, man, that's when my life begins to change. When I know there's a relationship to be excited about. [00:41:14] (20 seconds)  #LifeBeginsWithGod

See, my Jesus hung on a cross for you. My Jesus poured out all of his blood for you and my Jesus walked out of a grave three days later for you. And listen, we're not always a fair representation of that Jesus but on this side of heaven, we're what you got. And and I wanna invite you to begin a process of healing. [01:12:41] (27 seconds)  #JesusSavedYou

See, life did not change when I started going to church. Going to church did not change my life. In fact, going to church and I was raised in church. Like, I've been going to church since I was two weeks old. Going to church did not change my life. It complicated my life because people are complicated and the church is full of people and so, like going to church, not once can I say like, it is going to church that changed my life? Instead, what changed my life was having a relationship with god. That's what changed my life. [00:39:51] (38 seconds)  #RelationshipNotRoutine

If we're just trying to get through and just punch our ticket, if we're just trying to go to church because we hope if there's a heaven, they'll let us in. Like if we're just if we're just playing this game because it's all that we know, guys, it's not worth it because it's not gonna change anything about your life. It's only gonna add burden to your life. This is the story of the Pharisees in the New Testament. Instead, what we see is that our lives are changed in the context not of a church but in the context of a relationship with god. [00:40:39] (35 seconds)  #DontJustPunchYourTicket

So here's what happened. When I get into a relationship with God, that changed my life. But what sustained the life change, and may I even say propelled the life change, was the church. The context of a relationship with God and with God's people. See, God's people didn't change my life, but they sure do propel the life change forward. [00:41:33] (26 seconds)  #RelationshipThenChurch

And sometimes in the grace of God, the church can be what the church was supposed to be. And it's not always gonna be perfect, but man, when the church is being who we were made to be, there is nothing in the world that can compete with the church of Jesus Christ. I'm talking about when it is propelled by the love of Jesus Christ that gave up his life on a cross and walked victorious out of a grave. [01:00:03] (27 seconds)  #ChurchAtItsBest

In fact, it was his own people, the Jewish people, that yelled, crucify him and put him to death. And it was while he was on the cross that he didn't say, forget you people. I'll go find another group of people to bring salvation to. Now, was while on the cross he said, father, forgive them. Forgive them. They don't understand what they're doing. [00:46:50] (26 seconds)  #ForgiveLikeJesus

Teach the Bible to one another. Colossians three sixteen, first Thessalonians five eleven, there are more. That's not just to pastors. That means that every believer should be reading their bible and helping somebody else understand what they read in their bible. Show god's love to one another. First Thessalonians five fifteen, first Peter four ten, Galatians six two. Like, how are you gonna show god's love to other people if you're not with his people? [00:45:36] (25 seconds)  #TeachEachOtherBible