Combined worship service, Renew Church with Connection Church, on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at the Connection Building.

Acts 2:42-47

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Romans 15:1-7

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Preached by pastor Jeff Patterson. Livestream on 5/18/25 at 10:00 AM.

For more on the Renew-Connection project toward unity, see Godrenews.us/renewconnection

Our next combined worship service will be on Sunday, June 15, 2025.

The Triumphal Entry on the first Palm Sunday

Gospel of Mark 11:1-11

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Already, Not Yet

Preached on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025 by pastor Jeff Patterson with Renew Church.

Livestream

Ninth and final message in Branches series on the fruit of the Spirit and union with Christ. After love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, we arrive at self-control.

Galatians 5:22-26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Proverbs 4:20-27

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Augustine prayed, “Lord, give me chastity and self control — but not yet.”

His honest confession gives a clue to the heart of it: we need the Lord Jesus to change our hearts. And we know it will not be easy, nor always pleasant. Yet the fruit of righteousness He produces in our lives is worth it, for the sake of God's honor and to help others.

We come to the completion of this teaching series on the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26), a primer for living in our union with Christ. Truly, we have just begun!

Jesus, the Self-Controlled One, offers us His life, and makes us like Him. The goal of the Fruit of the Spirit, and indeed what each virtue points to — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — is Christlikeness. Jesus has given us a way to become like Him, by God's Spirit.

What is self-control?

“To have power or dominion over all things and over oneself.”

Preached on Sunday, March 30, 2025 at Renew Church by Pastor Jeff Patterson

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