Grace Chapel Church Podcast | Franklin, TN

Over the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at the “I AM” statements of Jesus found throughout John’s gospel. In Part 4 of our series, Pastor Rob covers Jesus' statement – I am the door (John 10:7-10). We look at three specific areas that relate to this claim Jesus makes about Himself: 1) The Religious Opposition, 2) The "Exclusive" Objection, and 3) The Open Invitation.

Pastor Rob continues the Son section of Encounter(ing) God with statements that Jesus makes about Himself. In Part 3, we specifically look at His statement, I Am the Light of the World. Pastor Rob details the power of light, the person of light, and the people of light. Because of Jesus, we are to be people that bring hope and life into every relationship, every interaction, every environment, every community, every workplace, and every conversation.

In Part 2, Pastor Rob dives into the statement Jesus makes about Himself – I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. We look at The Claim, The Call, and The Cost with the questions: What are you trading in the Son of God for? What are you looking to be your bread?

In the introduction to the Son segment of Encounter(ing) God, Pastor Steve looks at the first of 8 “I Am” statements that Jesus made in the book of John. Jesus is One with the Father, He is the Word, revelation, and voice of God to us. Every wonderful, miraculous, compassionate deed Jesus did, He did because the Father showed Him to do it.

For Easter 2019, Pastor Steve delivers a salvation message around some of the things Jesus promises: No rejection - Acceptance, No Darkness - Light of Life, Rest - Not Stress, Peace - Not Panic, Freedom - Not Captivity, Satisfaction - Not Searching, Abundant Life - Not Devilish Destruction, and No Abandonment - Eternal Acceptance.

Finishing up the Father portion of Encounter(ing) God, Pastor Steve speaks on Mi’chal’s (David's wife) response in 2 Samuel 6 to King David's passionate worship to God’s Presence. The overarching idea is that this same religious spirit is still prevalent in today's Church where it seeks to condemn others in their passionate worship of God, perhaps even cloaked in Christian "compassion," care, or concern. This religious spirit does not birth the fruit of the Spirit, develop the character of God in us, or expand the Kingdom of Jesus.

In Part 12, Pastor Steve continues to unpack different responses to encountering God and this week we look specifically at how passionate worship produces blessing. Our response to God’s Presence must be personal and Biblical. It must be for an audience of One and we can’t be concerned about other people’s opinions, approvals, or objections.

Pastor Steve felt led to stay on the issue of worship and responding to the Presence of God, so in Part 11 of Encounter(ing) God // Father, we talk about how an irreverent familiarity with the Presence of God can actually keep us from experiencing intimacy with God’s Presence.

In the final part of the Father portion of our Encounter(ing) God series, Pastor Rob speaks on worship, as that was the response Moses had upon seeing the glory of God in Exodus 34. The world isn’t divided up into those who worship and those that don’t. The world is divided up into those who worship the only One who is worthy of it and those that worship lesser things.

Continuing through the characteristics God reveals about Himself to Moses in Exodus 34, Pastor Dave teaches on God as the Just Judge, with particular attention paid to generational sin. There is a freedom pathway through Jesus to turn the Generational Tide through repentance, receiving, resisting, and replacing lies with the Truth.

In Part 8, Pastor Dave teaches on sin, transgression, and iniquity, and defines and details the differences between the three in the scripture. The big take home is that God's forgiveness is available for all sin – it is only unavailable to the one who chooses not to ask for it.

Pastor Steve takes an interesting and unique approach to Encounter(ing) God // Father - Part 7, as he acts out six different situations in the Bible where the mercy of God was extended to seemingly hopeless situations. In each of these stories, we can find elements that relate to our own life situations that need the mercy of God. Know that whatever you are facing, God kept some mercy for you.

In Part 6, Pastor Steve expounds on God's abundant goodness and truth, attributes God says about Himself when Moses asks God to show His glory. The abounding goodness and truth of God prepares us for our encounter with Him and defines His dealings with us, they provide atonement for our sins, salvation from our enemies, and preservation unto eternal life!

In Part 5, Pastor Steve speaks on the long-suffering/patient nature of God. He defines God's long-suffering, speaks on what it does, and then cautions us on ways we may take advantage of this attribute of God. Is today your day to acknowledge and accept God’s long-suffering so you can repent and be saved?

Pastor Steve begins to unpack the character of God, focusing specifically on mercy and grace. Both of these attributes of God are closely related and often mentioned together, as in the case today's text out of Exodus 34. Have you encountered the mercy and grace of God? If so, there should be an internal transformation and an external generosity.