Welcome to Central Christian Church

1
Welcome! to Central Christian Church

• First-time guests - Please stop by the Guest
  Services table on the patio as you leave and
  pick up a information packet
• Everyone - Please fill out a Connecting Card
  and place it in the offering plate later in
  the service.

2
LIVING
in an
UPSIDE-DOWN
Kingdom
Looking at Jesus in Matthew's Gospel
3
LIVING
in an
UPSIDE-DOWN
Kingdom
Looking at Jesus in Matthew's Gospel
4
It Only Takes a Touch or a Word
Matthew 81-34 page 686
5
Jesus healed the marginalized He broke down
barriers purity ethnic gender
6
Jesus had . . . 1. Willingness to touch the
untouchable
When he came down from the mountainside, large
crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and
knelt before him and said, Lord, if you are
willing, you can make me clean. Jesus reached
out his hand and touched the man. I am willing,
he said. Be clean! Immediately he was cured of
his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, See that
you dont tell anyone. But go, show yourself to
the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as
a testimony to them. Matthew 81-4
7
Jesus had . . . 1. Willingness to touch the
untouchable
8
Jesus had . . . 1. Willingness to touch the
untouchable The power of a touch
9
Jesus had . . . 1. Willingness to touch the
untouchable
10
Jesus had . . . 1. Willingness to touch the
untouchable
Then Jesus said to him, See that you dont tell
anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and
offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to
them.
Matthew 84
11
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion
came to him, asking for help. Lord, he said,
my servant lies at home paralyzed and in
terrible suffering. Jesus said to him, I will
go and heal him. The centurion replied, Lord,
I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
But just say the word, and my servant will be
healed. For I myself am a man under authority,
with soldiers under me. I tell this one, Go,
and he goes and that one, Come, and he comes.
I say to my servant, Do this, and he does it.
Matthew 85-13
12
When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and
said to those following him, I tell you the
truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with
such great faith. I say to you that many will
come from the east and the west, and will take
their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects
of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the
darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth. Then Jesus said to the
centurion, Go! It will be done just as you
believed it would. And his servant was healed at
that very hour. Matthew
85-13
13
Jesus had . . . 2. Desire to heal those on the
fringe
Just say the word
14
Jesus had . . . 3. Compassion for the
hurting Jesus fulfills prophecy
When Jesus came into Peters house, he saw
Peters mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
He touched her hand and the fever left her, and
she got up and began to wait on him. When
evening came, many who were demon-possessed were
brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with
a word and healed all the sick. This was to
fulfill what was spoken through the prophet
Isaiah He took up our infirmities and carried
our diseases. Matthew 814-17
15
Jesus had . . . 4. Challenge for pretenders
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave
orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
Then a teacher of the law came to him and said,
Teacher, I will follow you wherever you
go. Jesus replied, Foxes have holes and birds
of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no
place to lay his head. Another disciple said
to him, Lord, first let me go and bury my
father. But Jesus told him, Follow me, and let
the dead bury their own dead. Matthew 818-22
16
Jesus had . . . 4. Challenge for pretenders
Cost of following Jesus is great, but
the healing is always free
Foxes have holes and birds of the air have
nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his
head. Matthew 820
17
Jesus had . . . 5. Ability to control nature
Then he got into the boat and his disciples
followed him. Without warning, a furious storm
came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over
the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples
went and woke him, saying, Lord, save us! Were
going to drown! He replied, You of little
faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up
and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was
completely calm. The men were amazed and asked,
What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the
waves obey him! Matthew
823-27
18
Jesus had . . . 5. Ability to control nature
What kind of man is this?
19
Jesus had . . . 6. Power over Satan
When he arrived at the other side in the region
of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming
from the tombs met him. They were so violent
that no one could pass that way. Matthew 828-34
20
What do you want with us, Son of God? they
shouted. Have you come here to torture us before
the appointed time? Some distance from them a
large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons
begged Jesus, If you drive us out, send us into
the herd of pigs. He said to them, Go! So
they came out and went into the pigs, and the
whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the
lake and died in the water. Those tending the
pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all
this, including what had happened to the
demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went
out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they
pleaded with him to leave their region.
Matthew
828-34
21
Jesus had . . . 6. Power over Satan The cost
of freedom
22
Five Miracles of Grace 1. Lepers faith
2. Roman officers faith
B
A
From an idea by Frederick Dale Bruner
23
Five Miracles of Grace 1. Roman officers faith
2. Lepers faith
A
B
From an idea by Frederick Dale Bruner
24
Five Miracles of Grace 1. Roman officers faith
2. Lepers faith 3. Peters
mother-in-laws faith 4. Disciples faith in
the storm 5. Demon-possessed men Jesus
gave to all A grace
A
B
C
D
F
25
(No Transcript)
26
It Only Takes a Touch or a Word
27
This is your opportunity to have a prayer team
member pray for you

• Share briefly any prayer need or praise
• Share your decision to follow Jesus
• Share your decision to return to Jesus
• Share your decision to be a part of
  this church family

28
We share communion each Sunday as an important
part of our worship together. Bread and grape
juice remind us of Jesus love in dying on the
cross for us. The bread represents the body of
Christ the juice represents the blood of
Christ.
29
All who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are
welcome to participate. Please place your
empty cup in the pew rack holder. If you prefer
not to participate, please pass the trays to the
next person.
30
Offering is one way to worship God. Trays are
passed for your giving convenience. Guests,
please feel no obligation to give.
Everyone, please place your Connecting card in
the tray
Each man should give what he has decided in his
heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 97 see that you also
excel in this grace of giving. 2
Corinthians 87 Whoever sows sparingly will
also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously
will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 96
31
Connecting
Opportunities
32
April 6-10 This one-hour spiritual experience
will help you relax, decompress, let go, and
rekindle your faith.
Mon, Wed, Fri 9-noon 5-9 pm
Tues, Thurs 5-9 pm
Dont miss this opportunity to connect with God!
Appointments are required and can be made at the
Labyrinth table on the patio today
33
SERVICE April 10 700 pm
SERVICES
April 12 900 1045
34
Bring flowers April 12
Help us decorate a floral cross for Easter
35
Growing
Opportunities
36
Adult Sunday Classes Begin April 19
Purpose Driven Life Class Take a 40-day spiritual
journey that will transform your life and
answer some of lifes most important questions!
Class led by Mike McCuan and Richard
Rock. Making the Gospel Real to others is an
important part of the Christian life. This
5-week class will give you tools for sharing your
faith, and help you present the Gospel of Jesus
in a clear and understandable way. Led by Philip
Joseph and Robert Schmidt.
37
LIFE Path Seminars
Sunday, April 26, 400 730 pm
Connecting 101
Connecting with JesusTake One Giant Step Forward
Connecting 102
Belonging to the BodyTaking the Step of
Membership
Serving 101
Sign up at the Growing table on the patio
Knowing your ShapeFind your spiritual gifts
38
Got LIFE . . . Group?
Central's chief method of growingis through LIFE
Groups
See the brochure on the Growing Table on the
patio to find which group God wants for you
39
Serving
Opportunities
40
Sharing
Opportunities
41
The Hunt_at_ Gardner School
Saturday, April 11
We will need 100 helpers and candy prizes to
fill 7,000 eggs
sign-up TODAY
Thanks to all who supplied candy and helped fill
eggs
42
Feed the Crew
Return your food items TODAY!
Thank you for generously supporting our youth
mission trip to Mexico
We greatly value your prayer support overthe
next two weeks!
43
mexico Trip
April 11-18
Pray for safety traveling and in Mexico Ask the
Lord to use our youth to impactthe lives they
touch for the Kingdom!
Team members Nicole Adams, Sarah Bamberger,
Jenny Buss, Chelsea Chida, Matt Coate, Kevin
Conrad, Brendon Cooper, Chelsea Costanza, Devin
Hansen, Stephanie McCain, Laura McCuan, Sara
McCuan, Ian McMillan, Bryan Ruiz, Natalie
Sanchez, Chris Sharpe, Kim Sharpe, David Siler,
Janai Spain, Kevin Valko, and Elizabeth Vidal.
Adults Rosie Adams, Jeff Conrad, Tom Shari
Daggett, Lon Hansen, Mike Annette McCuan, and
Leslie Sharpe