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Christ Covenant Church

Christ Covenant Church

De: Christ Covenant Church of Colorado
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This publication contains the weekly teaching from Christ Covenant Church in Lakewood, Colorado. For more information about Christ Covenant Church please visit our website (https://www.christcovenantcolorado.com).© 2025 Christ Covenant Church Cristianismo Espiritualidad Ministerio y Evangelismo
Episodios
  • Following Rabbi Jesus - Part 1

    Following Rabbi Jesus - Part 1
    Jun 1 2025
    In Matthew 16:24-27 Rabbi Jesus communicates what is necessary to possess Him as Savior. In so doing He also invites us to discover the key to securing its goal – eternity with Him in Paradise. 1. If you want Jesus to be your Savior then you must live the rest of your life rejecting the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/improve self-image or pleasure (24a).1.1. “come after Me” = Possess Me as Savior (for the purpose of salvation) (Isa 55:1-4 w/Mat 16:13-16). Notice it is conditional (“If anyone wishes to…”). IOW: wanting Him or salvation is not enough to possess Him or it (Luk 13:22-24) = Jesus by His mention of “many” not being “able” to “enter” confirms this man’s concern that there are “just a few who are being saved.” The reason however is not because the “many” do not desire it (“for many, I tell you will seek to enter”). Rather, it is due to the fact that though they want to be saved they refuse the pain and unpopular path (“Strive” [Grk., agonizomai; agonize] = Fight or compete [like an athlete] under great stress and strain; Joh 18:36; 1Ti 6:12; 1Co 9:25 [athlete – literally, agonizing one]; “narrow” [Grk., stenos; constrictive] = The gospel message that truly saves is the one that constricts [i.e., places necessary obligations/constraints on its recipients – e.g., obedience] rather than accommodates [i.e., places no such obligations/constraints – e.g., FAG; Mat 7:13-14 “borad” = accomodating]; e.g., most Americans wish they were independently wealthy, but few are willing to do what it takes to make it a reality). 1.2. “he must deny [reject] himself” = We must deny/reject the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those things which advance/improve my self-image or pleasure.“and take up his cross” = The jettisoning of this belief system must be permanent (until you die [cross was an execution device]). IOW: your life will now longer reflect this way of thinking/belief – which implies (also) daily practice (Luk 9:23). 1.3. Jesus’ demand for denial/rejection in this area is related to our identity as image-bearers. Because we are image-bearers, we are hard-wired to love and seek those things we believe to be the greatest value-add to image – either our image or the image of God. As a result, we will always love the most (or are most loyal to – or lost without), what we believe to be the thing(s) producing the most value (Mat 6:21 “treasure” = things believed to possess the most value; “heart” = what you love [are most loyal to or lost without]).1.4. What (then) Jesus is not talking about: becoming “the navy seal of ‘no’”. IOW: the key to getting to heaven is not growing in self-discipline (Col 2:23; 1Ti 4:8). It is instead about changing whose image we are attempting to advance from self to God – which means believing that the most valuable things in this life are those things that promote that – His image (not ours).2. Possessing Jesus as Savior will also mean adopting His belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/improve God’s image and pleasure (24b).2.1. “follow Me” = Language indicating a Rabbi – disciple relationship (the disciples of a Rabbi were said to follow him). As such, what is meant by this word “follow” is more than simply obey his teaching, but imitate his life. Hence the reason, Jewish disciples would often live with their rabbis (so they could imitate his life). The requirement therefore to “follow [Jesus]” is a call to see as most valuable in this life those things Jesus saw as most valuable – to adopt His view or belief in this respect. 2.2. And for Jesus, the things most valuable, were those that advanced/improved God’s image. As a result, this is what He was most passionate about – what He most loved. He was most loyal to (or lost without) the promotion of God’s image and pleasure (versus His own). Hence (Joh 8:29). This is confirmed also by Jesus’ rebuke of Peter in (vv21-23 “God’s interests” were the interests – the thing most valuable to Jesus).2.3. This (again) is what Jesus lived for and what we must live for if we are to follow (or imitate) Him as our Rabbi and get to heaven: we must see as the things most valuable in this life – and therefore most love (be loyal to or lost without), those things which advance or improve God’s image.2.4. Principles then not to miss: 1) Whatever you choose to believe are the most valuable things in this life will be what you most love (are loyal to or lost without). Again (Mat 6:21) = Love (what we feel loyalty to or are lost without) is always the result of what we chose to believe as most valuable. And…2) What you believe to be most valuable will always be determined by whose image you are attempting to advance or improve in this life: yours or God. These two things are at the heart of what Rabbi Jesus is teaching ...
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    1 h y 9 m
  • Following Rabbi Jesus - Part 2

    Following Rabbi Jesus - Part 2
    Jun 8 2025
    In Matthew 16:24 Rabbi Jesus communicates what is necessary to possess Him as Savior. In so doing He also invites us to discover the key to securing its goal – eternity with Him in Paradise.1. If you want Jesus to be your Savior then you must live the rest of your life rejecting the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/promote self-image or pleasure (24a).1.1. When Jesus says “Come after Me” He is alluding to OT Messianic texts such as (Isa 55:1-4) which means He is referring to possessing Him as Savior (or coming to Him to receive salvation).1.2. What Jesus means by “deny himself and take up his cross” is the making the choice to permanently reject the pursuit of my image (self-image) and those things which advance it as the most valuable things in this life. Even people who live for – or are infatuated with – or find most valuable, the lives of others and therefore try to imitate them are still people living for the advancement of their own self-image. The reason they associate with that person is because of what they believe it does to advance how they feel or look to others (e.g., fans [fanatics] of celebrities [sports, music, movies, social media etc.; devotion to a particular brand [sunglasses, shoes, etc.]). This same example can be multiplied many times over when one considers the number of things people will devote themselves to because they believe it will promote their self-image (meaning the image of themselves they want to promote) (e.g., growing a beard; tattoos; clothing, cosmetic or shoe brands; physical fitness; the kind of car they drive; their hobbies). 1.3. What (then) Jesus is not talking about: becoming “the navy seal of ‘no’”. IOW: the key to getting to heaven is not growing in self-discipline (Col 2:23; 1Ti 4:8). It is instead about changing whose image we are attempting to advance from self to God – which means believing that the most valuable things in this life are those things that promote that – His image (not ours).2. Possessing Jesus as Savior will also mean adopting His belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/promote God’s image and pleasure (24b).2.1. By “Follow Me” Rabbi Jesus means imitate Him. Not, “become a clone”, but “be the best Christ-version of yourself” – which ultimately means we live not for our own glory but the glory of the Father. That we – like Jesus, see as most valuable in this life those things that advance/promote God’s image (Joh 8:29). This then is what replaces our former life pursuit (the advancement/ promotion of my self-image or pleasure). We stop living for the glory of self and start living for the glory of God – which again means that the things we now see as the most-valuable are those that achieve that goal (i.e., those things in life which advance/promote God’s image or glory and not our own).2.2. The promotion of image is at the core of our design (Gen 1:26-28) = We were created as image-bearers (or image-promoters) which means this is our “modus operandi” – our hard-wired purpose in life (e.g., animals). As such every single person lives to promote either their image or the image of God- which means this is the test that determines where we spend eternity (Paradise or hell). On Judgment Day, our deeds will show whether we promoted our image or God’s image during our earthly life (Rev 20:11-15)2.3. Why will those who chose to live for self rather than promoting God’s image and glory go to hell instead of Paradise? 1) because you become what you do (i.e., you are permanently/eternally shaping the moral state of your spirit by your choices/who you choose to live for; 2Co 4:16-17 w/5:9-10; Eph 4:17-19; 2Pe 2:20). 2) those who chose to live for self are the destroyer of worlds (all this world’s problems and coming destruction is due to people living for self). 3) letting such people into Paradise would turn it into hell. 4) God is equitable and so will give to each person the world that best fits their spirit (the world they deserve/ordered based on their deeds) and not allow them to destroy the world that best fits the spirit of others. 2.4. By changing our focus/goal from promotion of self-image to the promotion God’s image and glory, our affections (love, loyalty and passion) will automatically change to align with our new-found focus/goal (Mat 6:21): this principle works both ways (self or God) – which is why you can always tell whose image a person is truly attempting to promote by simply looking at who/what they love, who/what they are loyal to and who/what they are passionate about. 2.5. That seeking to advance/improve/promote God’s image rather than our own is at the heart of Rabbi Jesus’ call to follow Him is confirmed in how He taught His disciples to pray (Mat 6:9-10) “Hallowed (i.e., glorified, advanced, promoted) be Your Name (i.e., Your Name/Image/Likeness [e.g. NIL])…[which means] ...
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    1 h y 10 m
  • Evangelism of Evan (Evangelical Christians)

    Evangelism of Evan (Evangelical Christians)
    May 25 2025
    Preliminary considerations:1. Most sincerely believe that their FAG (faith alone gospel) is derived solely from the Bible. These same people also sincerely believe they are - by their embrace the FAG, declaring the Bible to be God’s indispensable, infallible and incorruptible Word. Few however realize that by embracing what the FAG teaches, they are instead declaring the Bible – or God’s Word to be the opposite of those things. That portions of the Bible can be ignored (or dispensed of) when it comes to determining truth; that there are fundamental contradictions between the OT and NT; and that because of these things, God is now doing things that make Him unjust. 2. The reasons for this dichotomy: (2.1.) though many of their pastors and scholars are aware of this, they refuse to be open about it for fear of losing their jobs, families or friends (CCC has encountered this firsthand). (2.2.) bandwagon manipulation (ad populum) (2.3.) what passes for “deep biblical teaching” in most churches is emotionally driven (e.g., Evan likes to entertain), light on historical context or whole canon synthesis (e.g., Luther’s Law-Gospel Distinction) and heavy on redaction (i.e., contradictory texts are ignored).[1] 3. The result: The typical Evan will be immediately threatened by what we share and most likely respond with “more heat than light” (i.e., lots of feelings-based arguments, or condemnation based on their emotions versus intelligent discussion and inquiry).4. How Rabbi Jesus calls us to respond: (2Ti 2:24-26). 5. (In light of the aforementioned) Proposed approach: instead of attempting to convince them that their FAG is false, we need to genuinely ask for their help. As the old saying goes, “truth loves an appeal.” If what they possess is the truth, then they should be happy to help - and sufficiently competent, to answer our questions and resolve our concerns. Should they succeed, we will be forever in their debt – as those who loved us enough to “save our souls from death.” (Jam 5:19-20). This too, should be communicated as a motivation to help us. Another important piece worth communicating: we are not trying to be difficult or contrary, we however take seriously our commitment to Rabbi Jesus and His Word as the final authority on truth (especially the gospel) – which means if something contradicts it– or makes God contradict Himself in His Word, then we refuse to believe it – no matter how popular it is now – or has been in the past. Evangelicals should appreciate this more than anyone given what they believe didn’t exist until the 16th century. 1. If Evangelical Christianity is the truth, then why was it necessary for its founder to add words or dismiss NT books to validate his FAG invention?1.1. The Protestant (Evangelical) Reformation acknowledges the 16th century German monk Martin Luther as its father and founder since he is the one who invented its most precious possession, the FAG.1.2. What however is often kept out of the history books is the fact that Luther had to dismiss certain books of the NT in order to do so (James, Jude, Hebrews and Revelation). IOW: because teaching in those books proved his FAG false, Luther dismissed them questioning even their divine authority.[2] 1.3. Desperate to see his gospel invention thrive, Luther also added the word “alone” to Romans 3:28 (“We maintain that a man is justified by faith”) in his translation of the NT into German. This spurious addition remains to this day (e.g., 2017 Lutherbibel).[3]1.4. Evangelicals have attempted to dismiss Luther or his actions as foolish, claiming that his fears were unfounded. Luther however was no dummy. He was an expert in the original languages (Hebrew and Greek) and held a doctorate in theology. His actions of dismissal and addition therefore reflected what he knew to be true: if judged according to the whole of the NT canon, his FAG would stand condemned. 1.5. Why therefore would anyone who truly loves God and His Word ever trust the gospel of a man who had to add words or deny books of the NT in order to make it work? (Deu 4:2, 12:32; Gal 1:18). 2. If salvation is by faith alone then why does the only passage to use that phrase exist in the negative?2.1. (Jam 2:24) = This passage is the only place in the Bible where we find the phrase “faith alone” and James is using it to speak directly against the premise of the FAG (i.e., faith is the only instrument of our justification). Evangelicals attempt to get around this problem by claiming that James is instead teaching “works” as the result of our justification (versus - like faith, another instrument of justification). James however does not say we are justified by faith which results in works but rather we are justified by works and by faith (or “by works and not by faith alone”). 2.2. IOW: just as faith is instrumental to our justification so also are works. Both are necessary instruments of our ...
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    1 h y 30 m
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