The Heights Church

Urgent - Fulfillment

"Fulfillment" - Matthew 23:29-36

In this sermon series we have been working our way through the urgent words of Jesus in Matthew 23. Jesus has just pronounced judgment upon the religious leaders who have rejected His message. Seven times He said to them “Woe to you!” This is not the Nice Guy Jesus that so many proclaim. This is the Son of the eternal God calling all to repent and follow Him, and making it clear that those who refuse to do so will face the judgment of God. These religious leaders made it a practice to thump their self- righteous chests and declare their good deeds to all who would listen. Jesus has a clear message for them ... and for all of us. Self-righteous chest-thumping invites wrath, not grace.

Urgent - Judgment

"Judgment" - Matthew 23:13-28

We’ve been working our way throughMatthew 23 in a sermon series called“Urgent.” This chapter contains part of the last public sermon that Jesus preached, and His words have a deep sense of urgency. This morning we come to verse 13, and Jesus turns His focus to the religious leaders who have opposed His message. Seven times Jesus says to them, “Woe to you!” Jesus tells us that God judges religious behavior that celebrates looking good on the outside, while ignoring the filth on the inside. The message of Jesus in a nutshell is this: Religion kills. Jesus saves.

  

Urgent - Humility

"Humility" - Matthew 23:8-12

This morning we will continue oursermon series “Urgent” from Matthew23. Our text is a part of Jesus’ lastpublic sermon, and the words He speakshave a deep sense of urgency. Last week we saw that Jesus urged all who follow Him to live authentically. As Hecontinues His message we will see this morning that those who live on missionwith Him are to have an attitude of humility. Humility is the soil from whichdisciples grow. Humble people have soil that is rich, and what God producesthrough their life is truly amazing. What does a life of humility look like? Jesusspells it out for us.

  

Urgent - Authenticity

"Authenticity" - Matthew 23:1-7

This morning we’re starting a sermon series from Matthew 23 called “Urgent.” Jesus is teaching in the temple on Tuesday before His crucifixion on Friday. This is His last public sermon, and His words have a deep sense of urgency. Over the next few weeks, we will look at the message Jesus preached. What did he want the people who had gathered in the temple to hear? What does He want us to hear? As He begins His final sermon, Jesus urges us to live authentically - to make sure that our Monday living lines up with our Sunday talk. We learn from Jesus that authenticity is critical to living on mission.

Unique - Gospel Urgency

"Gospel Urgency" - John 10:7-18

For the last several weeks we have been talking about the things we value at The Heights ... the things that make our church unique. This morning we welcome Jon Burns back to the pulpit to talk about gospel urgency - perhaps the most important of our values. A look at today’s headlines will certainly tell us that it has never been more urgent that we share the good news of the gospel with those around us. We are taking personal risks to bring the gospel to every relationship. Let’s live like there isn’t much time left. We must share the gospel with a sense of urgency.

Unique - Contagious Generosity

"Contagious Generosity" - Luke 19:1-10

Contagious generosity is part of the DNA of our people here at The Heights. We understand the value of being generous with our money, our time, and our talents. And yet none of us has given everything we have to give. No one has maxed out on generosity. So if we value generosity, and we celebrate those who give their resources for the kingdom of God - why do we still struggle to be generous? This morning we’re going to look at the story of Zacchaeus, and how in the course of one day he became one of the most generous people in the first century. Through Zacchaeus we learn that Jesus desires contagious generosity, not just the change in your pocket.

Unique - Community Presence

"Where will you engage, not hide?" - John 17:15-19

The community around us is changing. If you walk through any office, or neighborhood, or school, or shopping mall you will see people of all ethnic backgrounds and belief systems represented. So how do we respond to this changing community? We may be tempted to withdraw and hang out only with people like us - people who look like us, and believe like us, and vote like us. But that’s not God’s plan forHis followers. God wants us to engage, and love, and serve those who need Him the most. This direction is given to us by Jesus Himself as He prays for His followers in John 17. As we listen to the words of Jesus, may we be haunted by this question- Where will you engage your community?

  

Unique - Relationship Driven

"Relationship Driven" - John 13:31-35

On this Mother’s Day, we are continuing to look at the things we value at The Heights. It is these core values that make The Heights unique. One of the things we care deeply about is relationships. We believe Jesus cares deeply about how we treat each other. He expects us to treat each other the way He treats us - with grace and forgiveness. On the night Jesus was betrayed, He gave His disciples a new commandment - to love one another. When we love people like Jesus did, we give them a glimpse of who Jesus is. We show people Jesus by the way we love them.

 

Unique - Biblical Truth

"Biblical Truth" - John 17:13-19

This morning we welcome Bill Bray to The Heights. Bill serves as Teaching Pastor at Charlottesville Community Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, and his passion is to teach the Word of God in such a way that people discover who Jesus really is. This morning Bill will kick off our new sermon series, “Unique.” At The Heights there are five things that we value ... things that are in our DNA. It is these things that make The Heights unique. At the top of our list of values is Biblical Truth. This morning Bill will look at John 17:13-19, and what we believe about biblical truth. In Jesus’ prayer for his disciples, He prayed that God would set them apart for His purposes with the Truth - His Word.

Family Forever wk3

"God's Strategy for Parents" - Mark 10:13-16

Parents - don’t you wish your kids came with a manual? Parenting would be so much easier if we had instructions to follow ... a step-by-step guide for every situation. Unfortunately there is no foolproof guide to parenting. But the good news is that God does have a strategy for us, and it came straight from Jesus. The Gospel of Mark records Jesus’ encounter with some parents and their children. And that brief encounter provides us with God’s strategy for parents. Mom and Dad - you must work together to ruthlessly remove barriers to a childlike faith.