No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

Have you ever been asked to do something that you are really good at?  How does that make you feel?  Tonight we are going to continue our discussion in Colossians.  In Chapter 1, verse 25, Paul describes how he was commissioned by God.  We want to look at why he was comissioned, what that means and is there any hope of us being commissioned by God for something.

1) Paul is perfect for the job.

• Roman Citizen
• From the tribe of Benjamin

2) Paul labors to…

• Present the Gospel to the Gentiles
• Present the Gentiles to God

3) There is a difference between being “commissioned” and being “asked”

• Being asked is just thinking about it
• Being commissioned includes the idea of completion

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

Tolstoy said that art is useless unless it is used as a force for good.  That’s an amzing idea and one that is contrary to what most see is the purpose of art.  Instead, today it is used to ask questions, challenge authority and merely reflect current trends.  But art should be more.  It should in fact be a force for good and the first Artist gave us this model.  Our study of Colossians this semester brings us to chapter 1:15 tonight.  In this verse we see God’s endgame with creation and His Son which is supreme over it all.

1) God created us in His image

• Be fruitfull and multiply
• Rule and subdue the earth

2) Jesus is the “Second Adam”

• In the great commision we see that Jesus fulfills God’s command to Adam and Eve through us.
• “Make disciples” is multipying.
• “teaching them to obey” is subduing and ruling.

3) In Christ, the image of God, we find God’s plan for communitas

• Communitas is community.
• Communitas is co-mission.

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

Tonight we start exploring the book of Colossians.  In this letter to the Church of Colsae, Paul takes time to encourage them for the fruit they are producing, remind them that Christ is all they need and that they have been set free from human regulations.  Tonight we are going to look at one specific phrase that Paul uses not only in the greeting to this church, but in many of his other letters as well.

1) “In Christ”

• Colossians 1:2
• Romans 8:1-2
• Galatians 2:16

2) What does it mean?

• It denotes location
• It denotes possesion
• It denotes importance

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

Special Events

Beach Reach 2010

• March 13-19, South Padre Island
• Registration Emds Tonight!! See Ben afterward to sign-up.

FOCUS Superbowl Party

• Next Sunday
• (512)hp starts early at 4:45pm and ends at 5:15pm
• Afterwards we will all caravan to the Martin House for a watch party.
• Bring either a bag of chips or a 2 liter. 

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

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Tonight we continue our look at a special time in the life of the Israelites.  In 538 BC those that had survived the exile were allowed to return to Jerusalem.  This group, know in the Bible as The Remnant, experienced amazing revival as they moved forward learning how to be the people of God again.  but even before the Remnant returned, Isaiah prophesied about God’s plan for this group of people.

1) Through the Remnant of Israel

• God displays His mission
• God displays His faithfulness
• God displays His plan

2) God’s Mission: Isaiah 10:20-23

• A remnant returns…to the Mighty God
• Turning from trust in kings to The Lord
• God is intentional with His Mission

3) God’s Faithfulness: Isaiah 10:24-34

• Recalling God’s faithfulness is always an appeal to have faith in Him
• Recalling past faithfulness
• Describing present faithfulness

4) God’s Plan: Isaiah 11:1- 12:6

• A shoot from the stump… (vs. 1-3)
• A banner for all nations… (vs. 10-12)

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

Special Events

Beach Reach 2010

• March 13-19, South Padre Island
• Registration begins this week at http://www.focusaustin.com!

FOCUS Christmas Party: Kentucky Fried Christmas

• Friday, December 4th @ The Martin House
• 6:30-7:30pm @ Kentucky Fried Chicken on 54th // 7:30-10pm @ The Martin House
• Everyone come dressed in your best Hill-billy attire and join us for a White Elephant Gift Exchange.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

Tonight we continue our look at a special time in the life of the Israelites.  In 538 BC those that had survived the exile were allowed to return to Jerusalem.  This group, know in the Bible as The Remnant, experienced amazing revival as they moved forward learning how to be the people of God again.  Jeremiah was one man that God used in an amazing way, and his example is what we are examining tonight.

1) Historical Overview

• Where does Nehemiah’s story fall in the time line
• The key players

2) Nehemiah’s Prayer: What did he pray for and what was his heart behind the prayer?

• Interceding for the need
• Interceding for the people
• Interceding for the vision

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

Special Events

Beach Reach 2010

• March 13-19, South Padre Island
• Registration begins this week at http://www.focusaustin.com!

3rd Friday Fun Spot

• November 20 @ 6pm, HPBC
• Help us reach out to the families in the Hyde Park Neighborhood!  One way HPBC works to help build strong families is by providing inexpensive childcare to couples to get out and have a date on the 3rd Friday of the month.  In November we are trying to connect with families in the surrounding neighborhood and offer this service to them.  If you would like to help by hanging our with children for a few hours then email vsmith@hpbc.org.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

Do you want to add you own notes along with these?

Tonight we are beginning our look at a special time in the life of the Israelites.  In 538 BC those that had survived the exile were allowed to return to Jerusalem.  This group, know in the Bible as The Remnant, experienced amazing revival as they moved forward learning how to be the people of God again.  Over the next few weeks we will not only look at this to celebrate this amazing time in history, but also to examine what we can learn from them as well.

1) Historical Overview

• Order of multiple returns
• The key players

2) How did they move forward?

• The Alter was built before The Temple. Ezra 3:1-6
• Each generation had a different perspective on moving forward. Ezra 3:10-13
• Deep conviction spurred deep confession, which led to deep commitments. Ezra 10:1-6

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

Special Events

Beach Reach 2010

• March 13-19, South Padre Island
• Registration begins this week at http://www.focusaustin.com!

3rd Friday Fun Spot

• November 20 @ 6pm, HPBC
• Help us reach out to the families in the Hyde Park Neighborhood!  One way HPBC works to help build strong families is by providing inexpensive childcare to couples to get out and have a date on the 3rd Friday of the month.  In November we are trying to connect with families in the surrounding neighborhood and offer this service to them.  If you would like to help by hanging our with children for a few hours then email vsmith@hpbc.org.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we hope that (512)hp and the people here help you move forward in that each week.  Tonight we will celebrate what God has done in and through our lives, specifically giving thanks for the work that was accomplished by His son, Jesus, on the cross.  Through songs, testimonies and a message from the Bible we believe that God wants to speak to us all tonight and we are excited to have you with us!

Do you want to add you own notes along with these?  Click here to download an editable version.

Tonight we end our series in John 4 by seeing that the Samaritan woman Jesus met at Jacob’s Well comes to the realization that Jesus is more than he at first appeared to be.  Whether she is trying to distract Him from the sin in her life or truly interested, she immediately begins to question Him on a issue that has divided the Samaritans and Jews for generations.

1) “You have no part in this…” Ezra 4:1-5

• In 538 BC the Exiles return to Jerusalem.
• Samaritans are excluded from allowing to help in rebuilding the temple.
• Samaritan worship moves to Mt. Gerizim.

2) “worship in spirit…” John 4:23

• Spirit: pneuma means “wind or breath”
• Commonly used to describe things that existed in an immaterial form.
• “pnuema is the immaterial part of the inner person that can respond to God.”
• To worship in pnuema is…each individual responding directly to God…from the “inner-man” rather than through “another” man.

3) “…and in truth” John 4:23

• Aletheia means “truth; corresponding to reality”
• Combination of two words; the prefix “a” meaning opposite and “Lanthano” which means to be hidden,  or to keep secret.
• To worship in alethia is…worship that is authentic…and not withheld from public view.

4) “Worship in spirit & in truth” is…

• responding directly to God from your innermost being…
• …in an authentic and visible way.

Weekly Bible Studies

• Nine30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 9:30am in The Fellowship Hall
• Six30 Bible Study: Sundays @ 6:30pm in The Basement
• Mid-Week Community Groups: Click Here To Find One.

Special Events

Human Trafficing: Our Response & Why We Care

• November 3 & 4 in Hogg Auditorium, UT Campus
• Click here for more information.

3rd Friday Fun Spot

• November 20 @ 6pm, HPBC
• Help us reach out to the families in the Hyde Park Neighborhood!  One way HPBC works to help build strong families is by providing inexpensive childcare to couples to get out and have a date on the 3rd Friday of the month.  In November we are trying to connect with families in the surrounding neighborhood and offer this service to them.  If you would like to help by hanging our with children for a few hours then email vsmith@hpbc.org.

My God Story: Lorrel Hodgson from Ben Coleman on Vimeo.

So for week two in our series called Singled Out, I wanted to build off the previous week of destroying myths that are commonly perpetuated in the church.  The problem with so many of these myths is that they don’t give you any foundation to build on or direction in life while you are single.  So this week we looked at two people in the Bible who spent their single lives building godly characteristics that set them up for future success in their marriage.  The story of how Ruth and Boaz meet and fall in love is one of my favorites in the Old Testament and it provides us a look at what we can learn from these two.

Wholehearted: When we first meet Ruth we find her deciding to return with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to Israel.  It is here that we find her saying, “your people will be my people and your god will be my god.”  I’ve never seen a better example of someone that understood that when you find something better than what you currently have you chase after it with everything.  Ruth was putting her whole heart into this decision.  What about you?  When you find yourself at places where God reveals something better, do you wholeheartedly jump into it?  Or do you take baby-steps toward obedience to make sure that you won’t have to sacrifice too much to follow God?  If we can’t be wholehearted with God we can never be wholehearted with a spouse.

Gracious: I had a hard time nailing this next trait found Ruth down to just one word.  But I think the word “gracious” works if you look at both sides of this coin.  When Ruth arrives in Israel she is quickly directed by Naomi to go glean from Boaz’s fields.  Through this Boaz takes notice of Ruth and begins to act very kindly toward her.  Ruth in turn reacts in a gracious way.  The first side of this coin is the way she responded to the person trying to bless her.  She was very gracious in receiving the blessing in her life.  When Boaz went out of his way to bless Ruth, she did not respond by saying, “Are you sure you want to help me?  I don’t want to put you out or anything…I mean, I should be able to take care of myself.”  If she had said that, how would Boaz have responded?  I don’t think his attraction to her would have continued much past that.  The reality is that if you cannot learn to receive blessing from other people, you are robbing them of the blessing they receive from God for being obedient to bless you in His name!  In marriage you have to be able to receive blessing from your spouse.  If you can’t then they will forever feel incapable of blessing you.

The other side of being gracious is found in the way Ruth carried on the blessing.  She not only responded graciously to Boaz in thanks for the blessing, but she also shared the blessing with her mother-in-law Naomi.  A gracious person uses the blessings in their life to fuel their ability to bless others.

Transparent: Not only was Ruth wholehearted and gracious, but she was also transparent.  When Naomi saw that Boaz had taken notice of Ruth and instructed her on how to approach Boaz with an offer to move the relationship forward, Ruth was open and transparent with both of them.  She completely trusted Naomi and fully opened herself up to Boaz.  In today’s world we can best see if we are transparent by examining the games we play with the opposite sex.  The thought of playing games and attempting to manipulate situations to get what you want doesn’t even cross the mind of someone that is transparent.

There are three other characteristics we talked about on Sunday, found in the life of Boaz,  that I will blog about tomorrow.  For now, go read through the book of Ruth (it’s not long) and see if anything jumps out to you from Boaz’s life.  Is there anything there that you wish was in your life too?

This past Sunday we started a new series at (512)hp that is focusing on helping students and young adults build a better understanding of being single. We started week one by busting some of the myths you hear in church these days that just are not true and since we were not able to record the sermon and get our podcast up, I thought I would recap here for those of you that are asking for it. So here goes…

Myth #1: God says I’m not ready yet.
“I haven’t met my future spouse because God wants me to learn something first.” I hear Christian singles say this all the time. The reality is that I just cannot find anywhere in Scripture a time where God functions in this way. There is no place where God reveals a promise to someone and then withholds it as a form of discipline. I said a lot more about this on Sunday, but I think you get the idea. If you are frustrated that you are not only single, but also not in a relationship, don’t blame it on your need for spiritual growth!

Myth #2: “The One.”
“There is only one person God wants me to marry.” Every romantic comedy shares one line…”He/she’s the one!” The truth is that we, as the Church, are perpetuating several romantic concepts from the world that are not Biblical. For example, Romeo & Juliet (and most of Shakespeare) teaches a completely un-Biblical view of romance, but everyone still considers it the epitome of love. The concept that our life is moving us toward finding “The One”, falling in love with them and then binding ourselves to them in a relationship that will be forever blissful is actually more like the Bible’s teaching of how God pursues us! The reality is that the concept of “The One” is built out of a hope that if we marry the right person we will be happy. Which leads me to the next myth.

Myth #3: How to stay divorce-free
“If I find ‘The One’ and marry them, then I’ll be in the best relationship that won’t be in danger of divorce.” WRONG!!!! Let me explain this very clearly…whether or not you get divorced one day has nothing to do with the person you marry…it is all dependent on you. Divorce happens when people let their selfishness (and we are all selfish) keep them from learning the two most important skills/traits every married person must have…humility and the ability to reconcile. I have to sop writing on this one here or else this will be incredibly long.

Myth #4: Singles are Second-class Christians
“There are things about God I can’t know until I’m married.” There are not secret things about God taught in the Married Sunday School Classes that are kept from everyone else. But I actually had a pastor say to me once, “I can’t wait for you to get married so you learn all the things about God that you don’t know right now.” My internal reaction was, “So I’ve learned everything there is to know without being married?” But what about 2 Peter 1:3 that says we have been given everything we need for life in godliness…and no distinction is made between single or married people? According to this verse, my singleness is not keeping the Holy Spirit from continuing to work in my life. Not only that, but if there is a distinction between 1st and 2nd Class Christians (which there’s not) in 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 we learn that singles actually have the upper hand on married people. Paul tells us that single people are able to keep their attention on The Lord’s affairs and not worry about their focus being divided between their commitment to God and their commitment to their spouse.

So these were the myths that we hit on Sunday. But I’m curious what other myths you think we have in the Church about being single? Leave a comment and let me know