Go Into All The World | The Power of the Gospel

Go Into All The World | The Power of the Gospel

THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL Scripture: Romans 1:1 Runtime: ~5 min How do you introduce yourself? Most of us lead with what we do — our job, our role, our title. Paul opens the book of Romans with a three-part introduction that has nothing to do with his resume: servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. This week we're slowing down in Romans 1 to see the gospel with fresh eyes — bigger, richer, and more powerful than we've let ourselves believe. In this episode: * The three identity markers Paul leads with — and what it would sound like to describe yourself the same way * The word doulos (slave/servant): a term of both humility and honor — and why being a slave of Christ carries far more dignity than it might sound * What it means to be called as an apostle — not just for Paul, but for every follower of Jesus who has been sent into the world * Why the gospel is bigger than most of us have realized — and what it would mean to truly live "set apart" for it Reflection: How do you typically introduce yourself? What would shift in how you move through the world if you genuinely saw yourself as a servant of Jesus Christ, sent as his representative? Hear the message for this week's devotional on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney] Get the written devotional at: https://cfhome.org/EGD [https://cfhome.org/EGD] If you are in the North Dallas area and would like to join us for services each week, you can find all the information at https://cfhome.org. [https://cfhome.org]

Go Into All The World | The Holy Spirit at Work

THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK Scripture: Acts 10:44–48 Runtime: ~3 min Peter was still mid-sentence when it happened. The Holy Spirit fell on everyone in the room. The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished — this wasn't supposed to happen to Gentiles. But God doesn't ask permission before he moves. That's the moment the gospel crossed a wall it had never crossed before. In this episode: * The Spirit's arrival at Cornelius's house — and why it shocked the Jewish believers who witnessed it * Baptism following immediately: Peter's instinct was not to gatekeep but to ask, "Who could possibly stand in the way?" * Cornelius as a picture of the believing father who leads by going first — trusting, being baptized, setting the example * The summer challenge: how might God use you to gather your family and friends around the gospel this year? Live It Out: Think of one family member or friend who doesn't yet know Jesus. This week, pray for them by name every day. Then take one small step toward them — a text, a phone call, an invitation to something. You don't have to have a plan. Just move toward them the way Cornelius moved toward Peter: expectantly. Tell the Story: Peter summarized the gospel in a room full of strangers and the Spirit showed up. Practice telling your own version of Peter's message — who Jesus is, what he did, and what it means — in under two minutes. Share it with someone this week, even just to practice. Confidence comes from repetition. Hear the message for this week's devotional on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney] Get the written devotional at: https://cfhome.org/EGD [https://cfhome.org/EGD] If you are in the North Dallas area and would like to join us for services each week, you can find all the information at https://cfhome.org. [https://cfhome.org]

Go Into All The World | The Good News of Peace

THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE Scripture: Acts 10:34–43 Runtime: ~4 min Peter walked into a room full of Gentiles — people he had been raised to consider off-limits — and opened his mouth with this: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism." Then he told them everything. This is what the gospel sounds like when it's freed from cultural gatekeeping. In this episode: * Peter's summary of the gospel: Jesus was anointed by the Spirit, went around doing good, was killed on a cross, and raised from the dead on the third day — witnessed by hundreds * The central offer: peace. Peace with God, peace in your soul — available to everyone who believes, from every nation * The World Cup connection: God loves every nation competing on that field. And he sends us to bring this news to all of them * A personal question worth sitting with: have you believed in Jesus and received God's forgiveness? If not, you can do that right now. Reflection: How would you explain the gospel to a family member or friend in your own words? Who in your life — perhaps someone from another country or background — needs to hear the good news of peace? Hear the message for this week's devotional on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney] Get the written devotional at: https://cfhome.org/EGD [https://cfhome.org/EGD] If you are in the North Dallas area and would like to join us for services each week, you can find all the information at https://cfhome.org. [https://cfhome.org]

Go Into All The World | Gather the Family to Listen

GATHER THE FAMILY TO LISTEN Scripture: Acts 10:23–33 Runtime: ~5 min Before Peter even arrived, Cornelius had already done something remarkable. He called together his relatives and close friends. He didn't wait to see if the meeting would be worth it. He gathered people around an expectation that God was going to say something worth hearing. That's leadership. In this episode: * Cornelius as a model of spiritual initiative: a father who didn't wait for the right moment but created it * Peter's declaration — "God has shown me I should not call anyone impure or unclean" — and what it cost a devout Jewish man to say that out loud * The diversity angle: Collin County is changing, and the World Cup is bringing the world to our doorstep. What prejudices might still be operating quietly in our hearts? * Cornelius's stunning posture when Peter arrived: "We are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us" Reflection: How could you gather your family or friends around something spiritually significant this summer? A church service, a worship night, a conversation over dinner — what might that look like for you? Hear the message for this week's devotional on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney] Get the written devotional at: https://cfhome.org/EGD [https://cfhome.org/EGD] If you are in the North Dallas area and would like to join us for services each week, you can find all the information at https://cfhome.org. [https://cfhome.org]

Go Into All The World | A Sheet Full of Surprises

A SHEET FULL OF SURPRISES Scripture: Acts 10:9–23 Runtime: ~4 min While Cornelius's men were on their way to Joppa, God was busy rearranging Peter's assumptions. A vision of a sheet full of unclean animals — and a voice telling him to eat — wasn't really about food. It was about people. And it was about to change everything. In this episode: * What the vision of the sheet meant: God dismantling the religious boundaries that had kept Jewish believers from eating with — and therefore truly engaging with — Gentiles * Why Peter's hesitation ("Surely not, Lord!") is more relatable than we might want to admit * The Spirit's direct instruction: "Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them" * An honest question: are there religious rules or unexamined assumptions that keep you from meaningfully connecting with people who don't yet follow Jesus? Reflection: Is there someone in your life the Spirit has been nudging you toward — someone you've hesitated to engage? What would it look like to go without hesitation? Hear the message for this week's devotional on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristFellowshipMcKinney] Get the written devotional at: https://cfhome.org/EGD [https://cfhome.org/EGD] If you are in the North Dallas area and would like to join us for services each week, you can find all the information at https://cfhome.org. [https://cfhome.org]