Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: Easter week #5

Hello incredible Antioch people. We had an incredible time last night as we looked at one of Jesus' post resurrection appearances. One of the things I'm thankful for is seeing what Jesus does when He interacts with His friends: Eat, talk, sit, enjoy a fire, drink, forgive, love, & talk theology. Once again the Kingdom isn't about doing super-spiritual things as much as it is seeing the Kingdom within the things we find so normal.

In the 5th week of Easter, we focus on the transformation of our lives. First, we read of Jesus' appearance to Saul "as to one untimely born." Saul is heading in one direction, but when confronted by the Risen Christ, he is radically changed & sent in the opposite direction. Later he explains to the Ephesian church that we all must take off the "old self," & be clothed with the "new self," which is being ever created into the image of Christ. How does this work? It's a mystery for sure, but Jesus says the answer lies in staying connected to Him, the true Vine.

Here's the scriptures for this week:
Acts 9:1-22 The dramatic conversion of Saul. Your own conversion might not be as dramatic as Saul, but let this story prompt reflection on ways Gos has intersected your life, turning  you around & sending you in new directions.
Ephesians 4 Paul (his new name for his new identity) makes theology practical in this section of scripture. All of this points to imitating Christ & allowing our daily devotion to Him to transform us into His image; a lifelong adventure for sure. 

A prayer worth praying: "Jesus, thank you for choosing me & changing me, even as you chose & changed your servant Paul; continue your transforming work in me this day & this week as I seek to stay close to you, my source of love & joy. Amen.

Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: Easter #3

So we are officially in the season of Easter. Last night we spoke about "practicing Resurrection," living the life Jesus lived before He died. As followers of Jesus we have become professionals at helping people get "reborn" & helping them understand the after life, but it's the in between part that is difficult for us. How do we live a life of devotion here & now? How did Jesus do it? How did the disciples live so passionately for the one they loved? Thankfully, Jesus left them with an incredible example & although we aren't to replicate it exactly, we are to take notice of the rhythms of his life & do what He still invites so many to do: "Follow Me."

Last night we all took a card & put one or two spiritual practices from the list below we are going to practice throughout the week. Make space to practice; & remember, learning how to do something isn't easy, yet in the end the reward is well worth the effort; this is "a long obedience in the same direction." Be patient.
Below is the sheet I handed out.

Learning from Jesus by practicing

Habits that Place You before God

Key Verse

Jeremiah 6:16 

¹⁶ This is what the LORD says:

   “Stand at the crossroads and look;
   ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
   and you will find rest for your souls.
   But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Thoughts

We long to see our lives whole, to know they matter. We wonder whether our many

activities might ever come together in a way of life that is good for ourselves and

others. Lacking a vision of a life-giving way of life, we turn from one task to another,

doing as well as we can, but increasingly uncertain about what doing things well would

look like. We yearn for a deeper understanding of how to order human life in accord

with what is true and good.

Craig Dystra and Dorothy Bass, “Practicing Our Faith” p.146

Spiritual Practices:

 “The main task is, by engaging in ways of using the body differently, to disrupt and

conquer habits of thought, feeling, and action that govern our lives as if we or someone

other than God were God and as if his kingdom were irrelevant or inaccessible to us…

Appropriate disciplines for developing new habits, kingdom habits, are practiced. A

further help in understanding what spiritual disciplines are for the disciples of Jesus is to

recognize them as simply a matter of following him into his own practices, appropriately

modified to suit our own condition.” (Dallas Willard, Divine Conspiracy)

Some Disciplines of Abstinence:

Solitude, Silence, Study, Worship,

Fasting, Frugality, Chastity, Secrecy, Prayer

Some Disciplines of Engagement:

Service, Celebration, Fellowship,

Sacrifice, Confession, Submission, Extra Giving.

My Spiritual Interests (check three or four you are most interested in)

CONNECT: You were formed for God and His family

I would like to live more of my life by faith _________

I would like my relationship with Christ to grow stronger _________

I would like to love people more deeply _________

I would like to resolve conflict constructively and learn to forgive _________

GROW: You were created to become like Christ

I would like to read the Bible more and know how to talk to God _________

I would like to become more like Jesus Christ in my character _________

I would like to be free of addictive behaviors _________

I would like to be free of the love of money and live generously _________

SERVE: You were shaped for serving God

I would like to develop my unique God-given shape for ministry _________

I would like God to open up opportunities to serve Him _________

I would like my home to be a place where I serve God and know his love _________

I would like to know how to help someone else become a follower of Christ _________

SHARE: You were made for a mission

I would like to build relationships with non-Christians and share God’s love _________

I would like to invite unchurched or unconnected friends into my community _________

I would like to reach out to people across cultural barriers _________

I would like to make my workplace a place of service and ministry _________

WORSHIP: You were planned for God's pleasure

I would like to experience more of the presence and power of God in my everyday life _________

I would like to please God by surrendering to Him every area of my life _________

I would like to accept the things I cannot change and become more grateful for all God

has given me _________

I would like to spend more time telling God how great and wonderful He is! _________

How can you live out the things you’ve marked this week at work, school, relationships, home, or in other areas of your life?

What simple ways is God asking you to live these passions out this week?

Spiritual Practices

List a series of activities you already do with some regularity that feed your spirit with God’s life. Think large, across all the fabric of your life in developing this list, not just of the ‘devotional’ exercises and tools. Please list up to 10 of them under these two headings, and in this order:

A list of 10 things in your life that bless you, esp. including ‘fun things’

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A list of 10 ‘spiritual tools’ or devotional habits that bless you. (i.e. prayer, service, worship, study, silence, etc.)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Commit to practice at least one spiritual practice from each list each day this week.

Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: The Journey of Lent

“A journey, a pilgrimage! Yet, as we begin it, as we make the first step into the ‘bright sadness’ of Lent, we see—far, far away—the destination. It is the joy of Easter, it is the entrance into the glory of the Kingdom.” Alexander Schmemann

This Wed. we will join millions of brothers & sisters around the world as we begin the season of Lent in Santa Cruz. After nine weeks of Epiphany, where we were able to see some of the significant events in the life of Jesus, we now start down the road that leads to the crucifixion. Yet, as we travail down this road, knowing Jesus willingly gives Himself for us, for mankind, we have far away the joy of Easter where Jesus brings the ultimate blow to sin & death: He is Risen! Yet for now we allow ourselves to enter into the despair, betrayal, & evil intent of creation as it rebels against its creator.

Lent is 40 days long, & it starts this Wed. March 9. During this time we will enter into a season of fasting. Fasting is an ancient tradition where individuals & entire communities remove something from their lives, which is close to their heart, in order to draw close to God & allow Him the place in our hearts all He desires. Fasting helps to remind us of what we do & don’t “need.” Too, as we remove certain things from our lives we also add things such as: Prayer, Solitude, Meditation, Fellowship, Study, & Service. All of these spiritual exercises help to strengthen our souls as we journey with each other & Jesus.

Here are some examples of what some of us are fasting:
Laben: No beer or movies.
Sean: No coffee & no meat on Fridays.
Rachel: No sugar or coffee. One day she won’t eat any food until night time when she will take communion, after which she will eat.

Pray & see what God would have you fast during Lent. Remember 40 days is a long time; however, as we take things out of our life, fasting reveals to us the riches we have in God; we are created from Him it is in Him that our souls find ultimate rest. Fasting helps to focus our souls on God. What will you fast?
Each Monday I will post on this blog the scriptures we will be looking at on the following Sunday at Antioch Church. For example we will use the scriptures below during our worship time March 13. The reason I’m doing this is so during each week, as you spend time with God, you will be able to read, study, & meditate upon God’s word as an individual before we gather as a community. As we meditate upon God’s word & let our roots grow deep into Him, we are sure to find strength & understanding. Most importantly we will find Him.




This week’s scripture as we focus on Jesus' 40days in the desert:
Matthew 4: 1-11
Genesis 3-4
Mark 8:31-38

As you read some questions you can ask yourself are: What is God speaking to me? What stands out to me? What does this tell me about God or my journey with Him? What does this mean for my day or week in Santa Cruz? What does this mean for our church community in Santa Cruz?

Over the next 40 days we will journey with Jesus as He allows Himself to be betrayed, tortured, & killed. This is the good news. He takes our shame, sin, & death, putting it into Himself rising on the third day after His burial so “we might become the righteousness of God.” Lent is a journey of sorrow leading to God’s ultimate historical triumph.

Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: The Liturgical Year

This year in Santa Cruz we have been going through the liturgical calendar. After the season of Advent, & Christmas (which is a season not just a day), we now find ourselves in the season of Epiphany. During this season we are exploring the life of Jesus, or rather those events that give us an Epiphany about who Jesus is.

Each week we explore a moment in the life of Jesus that reveals who He claimed to be: The Son of God. Starting with the worshiping Magi, we turn each week to another revealing example of Jesus' humanity & divinity. Every week proves to be an eyeopening discovery as we see Jesus as God intended for us to see Him; as the unique expresion of the Triune God.

This week we are going to look at Jesus' amazing declaration about himself in John 8 where he says, "I am the Light of the World."

Consider joining us 6pm at 543 Center St, as we worship & explore the life of Jesus here in Santa Cruz.

Check out our webpage at: www.antiochsantacruz.com

Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: A Fresh Perspective

Four years ago a group of seven people came to Santa Cruz California to start a new church. We were sent out from the Vineyard Church in Redding California. Our desire has been to create a community of people seeking to experience new & refreshing ways of living out the Christian life. Each week we gather to worship & discover who God is & who we are in his incredible Kingdom.

Consider joining us 6pm at 543 Center St, as we worship & explore the life of Jesus here in Santa Cruz.

Check out our webpage at: www.antiochsantacruz.com