Antioch Waco

Throughout Scripture, we consistently see the importance and value that God places upon women and their role in His Kingdom. On this Mother's Day, Jeff Abshire took us through a tour of four key truths the Bible makes evident about women. First, women are created by God on purpose and for a purpose. Second, Jesus values women. Third, the Holy Spirit has gifted women. And last, we as a Church need women. To all of our moms, daughters, spiritual moms, foster moms, pet moms and plant moms—thank you for how you say yes to Jesus and fulfill His identity for you.

In 1 Corinthians 15, we see Paul coaching the Corinthians in giving a generous donation to a church in another city. How can we glean biblical practices that translate to our 21st century life? Paul answers 4 basic questions that apply even in 2022: who, when, what and how? Who—everyone can give. When—frequently and soon after we receive income. What—amounts proportional to your income. How—to a trusted organization or friend. Lord, let us give willingly out of the overflow of what You have given to us!

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." These verses in Philippians 2 perfectly encompass the essence of Christian love, which we read more about in 1 Corinthians 13. Holy Spirit, convict us to love how you love! Like Jesus said of His crucifiers as He hanged on the cross, let our hearts say of our enemies, "Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do."

Happy Easter! In Jimmy's sermon this week, we traveled through the life of Peter. What a roller coaster! Peter's life and obedience to Jesus was erratic and mistake-filled. And yet, Peter's faithfulness to repent and keep choosing Jesus resulted in him being a founding father of the Church. No mistake we make is ever too much for Jesus to redeem. Like Peter, after we mess up, let us respond: "Yes Lord, You know I love You."

As Mick shared with us yesterday, Palm Sunday was quite possibly a disappointing shock to the Israelites who lived it. When they expected King Jesus upon His arrival in Jerusalem to clear the palace of its Roman oppressors, instead He cleared the temple of its Israelite hypocrites. Jesus calls us to do the same—when the culture of our day seduces us into complacency and selfishness, let us respond in the opposite spirit and represent Jesus to our world. Beware of the crowd.

In 1 Corinthians 11, we see Paul rebuking the Corinthian church for taking communion in an unworthy manner. They were guilty of prioritizing the Greek culture in which they were comfortable and trying to fit the gospel in as an afterthought, at the expense of the weak and powerless in their midst. When we take communion, let us make sure we do not commit the same sin. Let us examine our hearts—not in our own strength and introspection—but through fixing our eyes on Jesus so that we may become like Him; it's His body and blood that redeem us.

Like all of God's gifts to us, the gift of tongues is a good and perfect gift that comes down from the Father of Lights. Throughout the Bible, we see the gift of tongues uplifting the people of God and inviting the lost into His Kingdom. Tongues is a miraculous gift for individuals to worship God and be encouraged; tongues is a boon that allows us to intercede when we have no words to express our hearts; tongues is a witness to the lost; and tongues is useful for building up and edification of the Church. As God commands us in Scripture—let us eagerly desire the spiritual gifts.

Discernment of spirits, one of the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10, refers to the revelation gift from God that allows us to recognize and distinguish between spirits that are human, demonic or angelic or the Holy Spirit. We need this gift so we can expose darkness and reveal truth, set people free from the bondage of the enemy and glorify God and reveal His power and authority to the world. Lord, teach us not only to discern between right and wrong, but to discern between right and almost right, so we can please Your heart.

Matthew 9:36 says, “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” This phrase—“he had compassion on them”—follows Jesus throughout His travels in Scripture. When He observed people who were lost in their sin, His response was to fight for their salvation. For the past many weeks, we’ve studied the gifts the Holy Spirit has given the Church. These gifts are unfulfilled if reserved only for the Church Body; let us be moved, like Jesus, to have compassion on the lost and share the gifts of the Spirit with them.

1 Corinthians 12:13 says that every believer has been baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body, and we have all been given one Spirit to drink. We are commanded to be drenched in and encompassed by the Holy Spirit as well as filled up and saturated in Him. It is only when we jump fully into His presence and fill ourselves with His Spirit that we can enjoy true unity with the body of believers—let's claim that today.

1 Corinthians 2:4 speaks of a message and preaching that are "not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power." This is a power that God is calling each and every one of us to adopt! This week, we'd like to celebrate the power that is freely at work in our Latino community and that is flowing out from Latino believers around the world to transform the nations of the earth. God is doing a mighty work in and through our Latino brothers and sisters, and we want to be part of it!

Like all spiritual gifts, instances of miraculous healings are "kisses of love from God—the compassion of God to care for His people." (Thanks for the quote, Pastor Jimmy!) Whether healing comes instantaneously, through a process of months or years, or when our bodies are fully restored and we meet Jesus face-to-face, every time we seek God for healing, we receive grace. And whether we receive healing in a moment or on the day we enter heaven, both are God's plan of compassion to give us His best for each and every one of our lives.

Wisdom and knowledge are both virtues God has given us through which to live with honor and integrity. 1 Corinthians 12, however, speaks of a different element of wisdom and knowledge—as manifest gifts of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. Words of wisdom are a result of hearing God's supernatural wisdom for specific situations. A word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation from God about someone or something apart from having learned it. God uses words of wisdom and knowledge to intervene in people's lives and show His love. Lord, make us vessels of your wisdom and knowledge!

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul exhorts the Church to eagerly desire the spiritual gifts, but especially to desire prophecy. Prophecy reveals the love of God for the Body of Christ; edifies, exhorts and comforts—or strengthens—the Church; and stirs up the Church to be what God has called us to be. Let’s eagerly desire to prophesy so that we can usher the kingdom of God into our world.

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised that it was for the Church's good that He leave so that the Holy Spirit could come. When we walk in the Holy Spirit, we see His power in our lives through the gifts He gives: motivational gifts—ingrained compulsions God puts in each of us that steer toward His kingdom; gifts of ministry—callings God gave each of us to steward faithfully; and manifestations of the Spirit, or the "now" gifts of God—miraculous ways in which Jesus shows His glory in our daily lives. Allow the Holy Spirit to reassure you of your identity so that you can freely receive and then freely give the gifts of the Spirit, that the Church may be built up.