At the Movies - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Finding the unique value of our singular life here on Earth, as found in Jumanji!
This past Sunday was our opening week for our new series At the Movies! Throughout this series, we hope to draw out biblical ideas from popular movies that we all know and love; this past Gathering, Pastor Robbie focused on the newest version of Jumanji! If you were not able to make it to our Gathering this past Sunday, know that we missed you! Unfortunately, due to some copyright concerns, we will not be able to have recorded sermons for this series. Be sure to continue to check back in at Legacy City’s Blog going forward in this series!
For those of us who are not familiar with the plot of Jumanji, we see that ‘Four high school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game's jungle setting, literally becoming the adult avatars they chose. What they discover is that you don't just play Jumanji - you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they'll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives…’ - isn’t that a crazy situation?! But what is very clear, is the focus on survival we see outright; the players in the story are now in a situation where their one life is in grave danger, not just in-game, but in real life! Ps. Robbie focused heavily on this, ‘The big idea today is ONE. You have one shot at this thing called life. I’m talking about making this one life that God has blessed you with something extraordinary.’
Looking at Ephesians 4:4-7 we see, ‘There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.’ Scripture reinforces this idea that we are born and we live a single life which we will either wield for God’s glory and honor or selfishly waste for our own desires! Ps. Robbie emphasizes this with ‘So if you just get one life, why wouldn’t you make it extraordinary, make it powerful, live on point with purpose? God has blessed you with today, one day, one life, you live one decision at a time, so be smart about your life.’
We have distinct purpose in our lives as believers, you are not an accident or a mistake in the eyes of God - Scripture declares this! But often times it can be confusing with questions lingering like ‘What is God’s calling on my life?’; ‘What purpose does the Lord have for me going forward?’. We see this very clearly in Jumnaji also ‘In the movie, they were told that their goal was return a stolen gem stone to a jaguar shaped mountain in Jumanji, they had a vision for the end game, but didn’t exactly know what the journey was going to look like.’ God has a personalized vision for your life, and it all starts with a commission that Jesus himself gave to his disciples and applies to each and every one of us as believers, ‘Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of Lord (Matthew 28:19-20)- can it be that simple? YES! Share the good news, disciple others.’ You’ve got one life to live - Scripture tells us we are to be empowered with purpose towards the forwarding of the Gospel to a lost and dying world! There are no resets or extra lives in this game of life, make your choice and work hard at progressing forward!
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle - its an awesome movie, go check it out!
Your life is imbued with unique purpose (Ephesians 4:4-7).
Tapping into God’s unique purpose for your life begins and ends with your trust in Him with everything in your life (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Sometimes the path God has for you isn’t as specific as we would like it, but Jesus has already given us some very important steps that should be present in all of our lives (Matthew 28:19-20).
You don’t need a platform or an ‘important position’ to make an impact for the Gospel - we are called to be servants above all!
Unfortunately, due to copyright concerns we will not be able to record audio sermons for this series - but if you would like to explore what sermons we do have recorded, visit here.
To keep up to date with Legacy City Church and everything that God is doing in our community, please follow us on social media:
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Join us next Sunday as we jump into our next installment of At the Movies! We are so excited to be back in this series - We’re saving you a seat, and know that You Are Loved!
Summer Scripture Series - Once Useless, Now Useful
Pastor Robbie concludes Philemon and our Summer Scripture series!
We have now concluded our Summer Scripture Series, hopefully you enjoyed walking through Colossians and Philemon verse by verse! If you were not able to make it to our Gathering this past Sunday, know that we missed you! Don’t worry, you can still hear the full message here at Legacy City’s Podcast. Pastor Robbie concluded Philemon from verse 7 until the end and did he ever come prepared to preach this past Sunday – be sure to join us this upcoming Sunday for the beginning of our new series At The Movies!
The core of Philemon (v8-22), surrounds Paul addressing Philemon concerning a past runaway slave of his (Onesimus) that has come to know the Lord and has been attending to Paul’s needs. Ps. Robbie gave us an overview of what Paul was essentially saying, ‘So… Philemon, while you lounge around in your luxurious house, with servants… I, an old man, am here in prison for the gospel. I’ve led Onesimus to Christ, and he really feels a call toward ministry, and I could really use his help right now… but if you really want to take him back, I guess you can.’ The Gospel changes our motivations and the way that we address those around us, not through a position forcefulness or authority, but of humble love and adoration (v8-10). Paul could have used his influence and spiritual authority to demand that Onesimus stay with him – but he doesn’t, and respects Philemon’s position.
There has been some unfortunate history to surround Philemon, a history of oppression and slander against people that God created in his image. The record has been set straight, ‘In Christ, masters and servants become brothers and sisters. The ground is level at the foot of the cross church: one RACE: Human. One CLASS: Sinner. One HOPE: JESUS. One FUTURE: Resurrection. One FORTUNE: the Eternal Riches of Christ.’
Onesimus was no longer useless in his sinfulness, but useful in the body of Christ in service to an apostle and his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! Martin Luther once wrote, “Even as Christ did for us with God the Father, thus Paul also does for Onesimus with Philemon.” Ps. Robbie stated, ‘We are Onesimus, the runaway slave, the rebellious one, the one who is no longer useful because of our sinfulness. But Christ says that we are useful, not because of anything we’ve done to deserve being taken back, but because of Christ’s own reputation!
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Passage: Philemon 1:8-22
The Gospel should radically change your life and the way you relate to others.
The Gospel produces gracious, self-sacrificial Love for others.
You are called to give value to brother and sisters in Christ and anyone else in your life!
You are Useful in Christ, don’t continue treating others as if they are Useless!
If this topic piques your interest or if you would enjoy listening to this sermon in more depth, please head over to Legacy City’s Podcast here.
To keep up to date with Legacy City Church and everything that God is doing in our community, please follow us on social media:
Facebook: LegacyCityGWD
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Join us next Sunday as we jump into our new series At the Movies! We are so excited to be able to bring this series back - We’re saving you a seat, and know that You Are Loved!
Summer Scripture Series - We're All One Big Kingdom Family
Pastor Brandon Henson brings Encouragements from the first 7 Verses of Philemon.
We’re now in the final stretch of our Summer Scripture Series – our good friend Pastor Brandon Henson spoke such an incredibly encouraging sermon this past week! We covered the first 7 verses of Philemon and there was so much to unpack! We were so glad to see you on Sunday, if you weren’t able to join us, be sure to catch the conclusion to Philemon this coming week when Pastor Robbie will be finishing up our series.
As Ps Brandon suggested during the gathering, there are probably far too few of us who have never taken the time to study one of the shortest books of the Bible – Philemon. This letter may only have 25 verses, but what we encountered this first week of our study was certainly full of rich and convicting qualities! Overall, ‘We’re all one, big, Kingdom Family’!
Paul’s letters overall serve distinct purposes in Scripture; they are intimate and personal letters to different churches that desire to enrich God’s Kingdom. But if we look at our world today, are our churches and communities joining together as a broad corporate Body, or are we more concerned with individual growth and status? What about our relationship with fellow believers in our own church communities – are we empowering our brothers and sisters in Christ as citizens of the Kingdom should?
The first 7 verses of Philemon serve an equally distinct purpose, with a unique and untypical Pauline introduction. Instead of qualifying his position, as an Apostle, he declares himself ‘a prisoner for Christ Jesus’ (ESV) – a position many of us here in the US are used to associating ourselves with Ps Brandon commented. Regardless, Paul is unashamed in his willingness to be in whatever position God places him, if it is for His Kingdom. Are you oriented towards a ‘Kingdom Mindset’? Are you working towards genuine fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ – building them up and ‘calling out the Gold in them’?
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Passage: Philemon 1:1-7
Remember, It’s All About the Kingdom! (v1-3)
See the Gold in Others (v4-5)
Desire what’s Best for Fellow Believers (v6)
Trust the Results of Love: Joy and Comfort (v7)
If this topic piques your interest, or you would enjoy listening to this sermon in more depth, please head over to Legacy City’s Podcast here.
To keep up to date with Legacy City Church and everything that God is doing in our community, please follow us on social media:
Facebook: LegacyCityGWD
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Join us next Sunday as we finish our Summer Scripture Series. We’re saving you a seat, and know that You Are Loved!
Summer Scripture Series - With a Little Help from My Friends
Pastor Robbie returned to conclude the first book of our Summer Scripture Series by wrapping up Colossians.
This past Sunday was so awesome; thank you all for joining us in worship of the One True God. If you weren’t able to make it, we missed you so much! Don’t worry, though, we are saving you a seat for next week. Following up on our Guest Speaker and dear friend, Pastor Joshua Chiles from last week, Pastor Robbie returned to conclude the first book of our Summer Scripture Series by wrapping up Colossians.
Several people shared that they had never heard a message preached on the closing remarks of Paul’s letter, and certainly not the end of Colossians where Paul just names off some of the various people who assisted him in his ministry. As Ps Robbie said Sunday morning, ”As he wraps up the letter to the Colossians, Paul is giving us a group picture of his supporters during his Roman imprisonment. The list of names shows that the support of others is important in living out our faith.”
Paul included people from all walks of life on his ministry team – Jew and Gentile alike; from a doctor (Luke) to those who didn’t always have the best reputations in their community (Mark & Demas). Everybody in the Church is not meant to be the ‘up-front, in the spotlight’ type, but we are all meant to serve in the capacity in which God has called us. The passage highlights the people in Paul’s life and ministry that Paul himself valued and believed was glorifying Christ in whatever role they willingly found themselves!
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Passage: Colossians 4:7-18
There is greatness even in the smallest things done for Christ.
Momentary things done for Christ are eternal.
God is still in the life-changing business today.
If you are full of Christ, you will forgive like him.
If this topic piques your interest, or would enjoy listening to this sermon in more depth, please head over to Legacy City’s Podcast here.
To keep up to date with Legacy City Church and everything that God is doing in our community, please follow us on social media:
Facebook: LegacyCityGWD
Instagram: LegacyCityGWD
Twitter: LegacyCityGWD
Join us next Sunday as we begin our second book in our Summer Scripture Series, Philemon! We’re saving you a seat, and know that You Are Loved!