TRUTH OR NONSENSE

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”

Either this amazing claim is true or Christianity is nonsense. Jesus left no room for compromise.  There is no middle ground. Through the centuries, millions of people from all over the planet have, when they weighed the evidence, placed their trust in Jesus and believed His Gospel message. But most, for one reason or another, have not. Now the time has come.  It’s your turn to consider Jesus’ claims and to stand with Him or against Him.  It’s time for you to get off the fence. It’s time for you to stop playing games.

Whatever you think about Jesus right now – whoever you say He is – you are welcome at Stony Point Church.  Come worship Jesus with us on Sunday mornings. Hear what the Bible has to say about His life, death, resurrection and what it all means for you. See how following Jesus has transformed the lives of people who really trust Him. Visit a group to study Christian doctrines and life, pray, and care for one another. Develop some Christian friendships. Use your time and talents to serve others in the church. See if your faith in Jesus grows. Go with one of our teams to serve the poor in Jesus’ name.  See how Jesus works through us and in us to accomplish good and great things.  Maybe you will see Jesus in us.  Maybe, just maybe, you will find that He is working in you – showing you His way, teaching you the truth, slowly bringing you to life. What do you have to lose?  What do you have to gain?

COME

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

On Sunday mornings, Christians from every race, IQ, nationality, and socio-economic status gather together to worship Jesus, their living God. They thank Him for the way He is blessing them. They praise Him for His goodness and greatness. They seek to know Him better, to trust Him deeper, to learn from Him, and to find rest for their souls. They are reminded that Jesus is more perfect and pure than they had feared or imagined. He is holy. And they are surprised to discover that He is much more merciful and gracious with us than they had dared to hope. He is love.

If you are weary of living on your own, with God in the suburbs of our life or not even in the same town, come worship with us. If you are burdened by the guilt, shame, and pain of mistakes you have been making or really bad choices you have made, come worship with us.  Seek the rest that many of us have found in Jesus. Find rest for your soul. If you think that now is the right time to turn your life around, worship is a very good place to begin. At Stony Point Church, we worship together every Sunday morning beginning at 8:30 and again at 11:00. Come worship with us.

GROW

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

It’s pretty clear that Jesus expects something of those who claim to follow Him. He expects that they will stay connected to Him, drawing life and power from Him like a branch draws life and the power to bear fruit from a vine. He expects that they will grow and bear much fruit. He expects that they will ask Him for help.

Throughout the week, in homes all over Richmond and at SPC, Christians meet together to talk about how Jesus, through the power of His Spirit, is changing them from the inside out, growing their faith, and bearing fruit in their lives. They talk together about their struggles and their successes. Living the Christian life is never easy. So they pray together, asking God to help them stand firm, to overcome challenges, to grow, and to bear much fruit. There is work to be done to keep our church going.  So they serve together in teams – teaching, leading, preparing meals, cleaning up, and a hundred other ways – to demonstrate their faith through love.

Whether you have been a Christian since yesterday or all of your life, Jesus expects that you will be making and deepening friendships with other Christians.  He expects that you will put your time and talents to use serving others. At Stony Point Church, we grow as we fellowship in groups and serve on ministry teams. If you are ready to grow, maybe it’s time to join a group or ministry team. Contact the church office or check out the website for opportunities. Grow in Jesus.

GO

Jesus said, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

The life cycle of Christian faith reaches maturity – its natural end – not in a sanctuary, or a prayer closet, or Bible study classroom, but in common places – the ones you’d least expect: at home, in the workplace, on the ball field, and in the produce department at the grocery store. When a Christian husband humbly loves his unbelieving wife well, when a Christian employee does her work with selfless integrity, when a Christian student sits down at lunch with the new, friendless kid, when a Christian businessman, to his own disadvantage, reveals some overlooked details in an upcoming deal, when a Christian co-ed says no to the Big Man on Campus – that’s when skeptics take note.  That’s when doubters, seeing how Jesus is changing us, wonder if there might just be something to following Jesus, after all. When our families, co-workers, fellow students, and neighbors see the peace, hope, and joy that is growing in us as we follow Jesus, they may want some of it for themselves.  They may finally accept our invitation to come with us to worship. They may hear the Gospel and believe.

At Stony Point Church, we try to let our light shine – doing good deeds and telling people about Jesus’ rescuing love – by organizing ourselves in service to unbelievers in and around Richmond, as well as all over the world. But our most significant and challenging witness to the transforming power of Jesus’ Gospel is right where we live – everyday in our families, schools, companies, and communities.

THE DILEMMA

So, here’s the dilemma. Are you a skeptic, a doubter, or a seeker? Are you a person who’s not sure you’re a Christian – not even sure you want to be one? Commit yourself to coming to worship and thoroughly investigating the claims and promises of God in the Bible.  Get to know some real Christians. Peek behind their masks. Don’t make the mistake of expecting perfection or purity.  But do expect to find change –moral and psychological improvement – over time. Give it some time. Dig deep. Be real.

Are you finding that you are slowly beginning to believe what the Bible teaches about what’s real: about creation, about you, about Jesus? Are you ready to plant some roots, make some real friendships, and see some real change? Do you want to dig deeper into the truth, learn how to pray, or start to serve God with your time and talents? Commit yourself to a group or ministry team and grow.

Are you willing and ready to let your light shine? Join a Mission Team. Love your neighbors. Invite an unbelieving friend to worship with you. Watch Jesus transform you, the people you know and love, your city and your world. Go with the Gospel.

Come. Grow. Go.