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Fruitland Covenant Church

Fruitland Covenant Church

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Podcast for Fruitland Covenant ChurchFruitland Covenant Church Espiritualidad
Episodios
  • Living the Gospel

    Living the Gospel
    Feb 22 2026
    What does it truly mean to live a cross-shaped life? This takes us deep into Paul's letter to the Corinthians, revealing a counter-cultural pattern of discipleship that mirrors Christ himself. Drawing from Philippians 2, we encounter the master story of Jesus who, though being in very nature God, didn't cling to his divine privileges but instead emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. This isn't just ancient historyit's the blueprint for how we're called to live today. Paul demonstrates this radical way of life by giving up his right to financial support, becoming a tent maker instead, all for the sake of the gospel. The challenge before us is profound: Are we willing to set aside our rights, our freedoms, and our privileges to enter into others' worlds? This means truly listening, asking "tell me more," and understanding people's experienceswhether they've never stepped foot in a church or have been deeply hurt by religious communities. The call isn't to compromise truth but to contextualize it with love, becoming "all things to all people" so that some might be saved. While Olympic athletes sacrifice everything for a fading laurel wreath, we're invited to discipline ourselves for something eternal: helping others discover new life in Jesus. Paul compares sharing the gospel to athletic training that requires discipline and sacrifice. What specific disciplines or sacrifices might be required of us today to effectively share the good news with others? In Philippians 2, Jesus set aside his divine privileges to become human and die on a cross. What rights or privileges in your own life might God be calling you to set aside for the sake of others or the gospel? Paul became a tent maker rather than accepting financial support, believing it would help rather than hinder the gospel. How might our choices about money, career, or lifestyle either help or hinder our witness to others? The sermon emphasizes entering into others' worlds and truly understanding their experiences before sharing Jesus with them. Who in your life do you need to listen to more deeply, and what questions could you ask to better understand their story? Paul says he became all things to all people to win some to Christ. How do we balance contextualizing the gospel for different audiences while maintaining the integrity of the message itself? The pastor notes that many people today have never heard basic Bible stories or have experienced church hurt. How should this reality change the way we talk about faith with our neighbors, coworkers, or friends? What is the difference between compromising our faith and adapting our approach to meet people where they are? Where is the line between contextualization and compromise? The sermon suggests that sharing the gospel requires intentionality and cannot happen by accident. What intentional steps could you take this week to build relationships with people who do not know Jesus? Paul gave up his right to financial support because he believed it would hinder the gospel in Corinth. What seemingly good or justified things in our church culture today might actually be hindering the gospel from reaching certain people? The cross-shaped life means setting aside privileges for others, as Jesus did. In what practical ways can your small group, family, or church community embody this self-giving love toward those outside the faith?
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  • Love Over Rights

    Love Over Rights
    Feb 15 2026
    This exploration of 1 Corinthians 8 challenges us to examine the tension between theological correctness and loving action. The early church in Corinth faced a dilemma we might find strange today: whether to eat meat sacrificed to idols. While some believers rightly understood that idols are nothing and therefore the meat was harmless, others struggled with deep internal conflict, their consciences troubled by associations with their former lives of idol worship. The profound lesson here isn't about ancient dietary practices, but about how we wield our knowledge and rights. We learn that being theologically right doesn't automatically make our actions right. Knowledge can puff us up with pride, making us feel superior to those who struggle with issues we've resolved. But love builds up others, considering their spiritual wellbeing above our own freedoms. This passage invites us into uncomfortable self-examination: Are we more focused on asserting our rights or on loving others? Do we use our theological understanding as a weapon or as a bridge? The call is clearfollowing Jesus means sometimes voluntarily setting aside what we're entitled to for the sake of another's faith journey. It's a countercultural message, especially in a rights-focused society, but it's the very heart of Christ-like love. How might our modern emphasis on individual rights and freedoms conflict with Paul's teaching that love should take priority over our theological correctness or personal liberties? Can you identify a situation in your own life where you had the right to do something but chose not to for the sake of another person's faith or conscience? What is the difference between someone being merely offended or annoyed by our actions versus our actions actually causing them to stumble in their faith, and how can we discern between the two? In what ways does knowledge puff us up while love builds up, and how have you experienced this tension in your own spiritual journey or relationships with other believers? How do we balance holding firm theological convictions with the humility to recognize that we may not know everything about anything, as Paul suggests? What contemporary issues in the church today might parallel the meat sacrificed to idols controversy, where Christians have genuine disagreements in gray areas not explicitly addressed in Scripture? How does Paul's teaching challenge the American cultural value of asserting our rights, and what would it look like to adopt a more Christ-like posture of setting aside our rights for others? When have you witnessed or experienced someone using their theological knowledge or freedom in a way that harmed rather than built up another believer? How can we cultivate the mindset of Christ described in Philippians 2, who set aside his divine rights and made himself nothing for the sake of others? What practical steps can we take to ensure our actions are motivated by love that seeks the good of individuals and the community rather than by our desire to exercise our freedoms?
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  • Calling and Status

    Calling and Status
    Feb 8 2026
    This sermon explores Paul's pastoral and theological wisdom from 1 Corinthians 7 regarding marriage, singleness, and devotion to Christ. The central message emphasizes that both marriage and singleness are equally valuable gifts from God, neither superior to the other. Paul challenges the church's tendency to create hierarchies between married and single Christians, affirming that all life circumstances provide opportunities to serve Jesus. The sermon addresses how various aspects of liferelationships, possessions, careerscan become distractions from our primary calling to follow Christ with undivided devotion. Rather than prescribing one "right" path for everyone, Paul offers pastoral flexibility while maintaining the theological priority of wholehearted devotion to Jesus. The ultimate invitation is to examine our lives and minimize whatever distracts us from serving Christ fully, recognizing that Jesus is both the means and goal of our salvation. Key Points: Marriage is designed as a covenant between one man and one woman characterized by mutuality, not hierarchy or power dynamics Both singleness and marriage are gifts from God and should be equally honored in the church Single people are not incomplete Christians; they can serve God fully without marriage Marriage involves additional considerations and responsibilities that can divide attention from serving God Many things beyond relationships can distract uspossessions, careers, material goods, circumstances We can serve God faithfully in whatever life circumstances we find ourselves There is not always one "right" choice; God provides multiple good paths for serving Him Different life stages and situations require different expressions of service The most important principle is maintaining undivided devotion to Jesus We should actively work to minimize distractions that pull our attention away from Christ How does viewing both singleness and marriage as equal gifts from God challenge or affirm your current understanding of relationships in the church? In what ways have you experienced subtle or explicit pressure in Christian communities to be married, and how might recognizing singleness as a gift change those dynamics? What are the specific distractions in your current life circumstances that pull your attention away from devoted service to Jesus? How can married people serve God with undivided devotion while still honoring their commitment to spouse and family? What does it mean practically to live in your current circumstances rather than waiting for different circumstances to serve God more fully? How do you discern between multiple good options when making life decisions, especially when Scripture doesn't prescribe one right choice? In what ways might our possessions, careers, or hobbies function as distractions from devotion to Jesus similar to how relationships can? How does the concept of mutuality in marriage challenge traditional hierarchical views of husband and wife roles? What would change in our church community if single people were truly honored and valued as equals rather than viewed as incomplete or lacking? How can you evaluate whether a particular life choice will minimize distractions and maximize your ability to focus on following Jesus?
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