Point of Grace Online Worship - September 28, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 9.28.25      “You are Invited … into His beautiful Kingdom” Pt. 4

Part 4 – God’s Kingdom Community – The Beauty of Belonging

We all know what it feels like to “Belong” … to fit in … to have our presence legitimized.

We also know times when we didn’t “belong” … didn’t fit in … our presence was not wanted.

“the other”

God responds to a broken divided world with “philoxenia”!

Literally “love for the stranger” – hospitality!

Exodus 22:21  “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

Leviticus 19:33-34  “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

We all began our human existence as “strangers” in need of unconditional welcome!

“Loving the Stranger” is the way of Jesus … it is the way of the community that bears His Name!

“The entire ministry of Jesus is appropriately captured in the phrase ‘divine hospitality to the stranger and sinner’  Jesus’ ministry was the rescuing love and welcome of God on display.  Jesus posture was one of inclusion and embrace.  He created a portal of heavens welcome for those who had been pushed out and shunned.” The Beautiful Resistance

1 Peter 2:10  10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Ephesians 2:14-22   14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, … His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.  18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

What a dream for His Kingdom community – a place of “belonging” for all people.

We all were in “the other” group at one time …

but by the power of the ministry, cross and resurrection of Jesus

what was “the other” can now become “one another”.

1 John 4:11-12
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 
12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Can you imagine a “one another” community of people

committed to the “life” and “lifestyle” of philoxenia in Jesus name!

It would be a place of belonging!

Point of Grace Online Worship - September 21, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 9.21.25      “You are Invited … into His beautiful Kingdom” Pt. 3

Part 3 – God’s Kingdom Rescue from Worry and Anxiety

Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

“… Your heavenly Father knows you need them…”

Jesus shifts our focus from “worry over ‘real needs’ being met” to the Presence and Promises of the Father!

Jesus is loving us in these words by legitimizing our needs while shifting our focus onto the role the Father has in meeting our needs.  And His loving willingness to do so.

“ 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Jesus gives us a clear command for all of life but especially when worry and anxiety rise up. 
He says to “first” … “seek His Kingdom”. 
Both as a life priority and as a “go to” reality “seeking His Kingdom” is first! 
Sometimes when we are anxious, being told the “first” thing to do is such a rescue.

Focus on the promises in order to fulfill the command.

“34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Prayer and “Seeking His Kingdom Reign”

Helpful prayer phrases to start with:

- “Jesus” ……….” “I need You!” …….. “Help me Jesus!”

- “Your Kingdom Come…over me and my worry about …”

“6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, 
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 
Philippians 4:6-7

Focus on the Father’s Presence and Promises   

- I can come with “anything” and “everything”!

- “the Peace of God …  will guard Your heart and mind in Christ Jesus”

Seek His Kingdom    

- Prayer              (talk it over – name the anxieties)
- Petition            (What is my “ask” … What do I think I need?”      
- Thanksgiving  (Give thanks to God for His goodness in the situation.)

Receive His Peace  

“Jesus, I receive You and Your peace in this situation!”      

Point of Grace Online Worship - September 14, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 9.14.25      “You are Invited … into His beautiful Kingdom” Pt. 2 

Part 1 - The King of the Kingdom –
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened … for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – Jesus (Matthew 11)

Part 2 – Life in the Kingdom
Colossians 1:13-14 “13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Two Beautiful Kingdom Realties that Rescue Us

Love and Forgiveness

“… into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:13-14

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.  1 John 4

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1John 4

7 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  2 Cor. 5

12 And forgive us our (sin) debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…….
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  Matthew 6

The Beautiful Rescue

God’s Love and Forgiveness gives me identity, that I receive by faith,
as a “Beloved and Forgiven Son/Daughter” of God. 

By faith,

-        I am Loved by my Father in Heaven

-        I am Forgiven, Redeemed and Restored in my relationship with my Father through Jesus,

-        I am empowered by the Holy Spirit in me to take refuge in the Love and Forgiveness of God renouncing all Kingdom of Darkness temptations to hate, belittle, be bitter, take offense, hold on to unforgiveness and justify the same.

-        “I forgive everyone and everything” in the name of Jesus.

Point of Grace Online Worship - September 7, 2025

Point of Grace Worship 9.7.25        “You are Invited … into His beautiful Kingdom” Pt. 1

The King of the Kingdom

Mark 1:14-18
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 
15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Why the urgency?

Colossians 1:13-14 “13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

“From God’s perspective there are only two kingdoms, or “countries”, in this universe…
There is God’s Kingdom or satan’s.  That’s it.  Those are Your choices.
I think this will be somewhat of an epiphany for most of you.”
John Eldridge - Experience Jesus. Really.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Phillipians 2:5-8
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

“The beauty of the incarnation is exuding with humility.  If the incarnation is the masterpiece, radical humility is the ethos.  One cannot look at this piece of art, read this story, listen to its beautiful tune and not smell taste hear and see humility.  This is a profound and progressive step down into greater lowliness.  He is God, but did not grasp at this, so He came as man… but not just as a man (like a rock star arriving to be worshipped) but as a bond-servant.  And not just a servant but one that would …. well … be obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.”
(Zach Meerkreebs, Lower)

Just gaze at the stunning beauty of Christ’s humility.
His “gentle and humble” heart in action. 
His heart is the safest place in the universe.