Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning December 18, 2016.
Matthew 1:18-25
Joseph's fiancé is with child, and he has a decision to make. In times of confusion we find that things don't always go as planned. We feel pressure to make the right decision, or pressure for the sake of what others make think of us.
Let's look to the text, specifically Joseph's life in Matthew 1, to help find God's peace in the midst of confusing times.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning December 11, 2016.
If Jesus were standing face to face with you, and asked, WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? How would you respond, in this season of celebrating His birth? Let’s turn our attention to God’s Word and be renewed in our knowledge and passion for Jesus through the Bible’s description of the nature, character and attributes of Jesus…
The Bible is filled with many references to who Jesus is, His life, His Lordship, and what He came to do. Here’s just some of those descriptions, titles, and verses from God’s Word.
As we read through, we can’t help but give Him thanks and praise, Our Savior and Lord who sets us free…
50 Names and Titles of Jesus:
1. Almighty One – “…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev. 1:8
2. Alpha and Omega – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Rev. 22:13
3. Advocate – “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” 1 John 2:1
4. Author and Perfecter of Our Faith – “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2
5. Authority – “Jesus said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Matt. 28:18
6. Bread of Life – “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” John 6:35
7. Beloved Son of God – “And behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:17
8. Bridegroom – “And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matt. 9:15
9. Chief Cornerstone – “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.” Ps. 118:22
10. Deliverer – “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thess.1:10
11. Faithful and True – “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.” Rev.19:11
12. Good Shepherd - “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
13. Great High Priest – “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Heb. 4:14
14. Head of the Church – “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.” Eph. 1:22
15. Holy Servant – “…and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." Acts 4:29-30
16. I Am – “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58
17. Immanuel – “…She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel, which means 'God with us.’” Is. 7:14
18. Indescribable Gift – “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” 2 Cor. 9:15
19. Judge – “…he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.” Acts 10:42
20. King of Kings – “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” Rev. 17:14
21. Lamb of God – “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
22. Light of the World – "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
23. Lion of the Tribe of Judah – “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Rev. 5:5
24. Lord of All – “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:9-11
25. Mediator – “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 2:5
26. Messiah – “We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).” John 1:41
27. Mighty One – “Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Is. 60:16
28. One Who Sets Free – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
29. Our Hope – “…Christ Jesus our hope.” 1 Tim. 1:1
30. Peace – “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,” Eph. 2:14
31. Prophet – “And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” Mark 6:4
32. Redeemer – “And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Job 19:25
33. Risen Lord – “…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15:3-4
34. Rock – “For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10:4
35. Sacrifice for Our Sins – “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10
36. Savior – “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
37. Son of Man – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10
38. Son of the Most High – “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.” Luke 1:32
39. Supreme Creator Over All – “By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.…” Col. 1:16-17
40. Resurrection and the Life – “Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” John 11:25
41. The Door – “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9
42. The Way – “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
43. The Word – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
44. True Vine - "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1
45. Truth – “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
46. Victorious One – “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Rev. 3:21
47. – 50. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Is. 9:6
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning November 27, 2016.
A Thankful Heart:
A heart where Christ's peace is in control.
A heart where Christ's word is overflowing,
A heart where Christ is lifted up.
Colossians 3:15-17
Notes from Sunday Morning:
Christ's Peace is in control:
Colossians 3:15
▸ LET: to allow to happen (to join)
▸ PEACE:
▸ 1. Internal - a hope, calm within
▸ 2. External - unity with others
▸ 3. Eternal - reconciliation with God
▸ RULE: (As an umpire) to judge between (paths)
▸ BE THANKFUL - Where there is peace,
gratitude flourishes.
Christ's word is overflowing:
Colossians 3:16
▸ “message of Christ”: how He came, what
He did, why He did all that He did, how He
responded to others, His world view
▸ DWELL (RICHLY): to be intertwined, mixed
fully, present and purposed (Ps 1:2-3)
▸ This truth should express itself outwardly
in all our words with gratitude
Christ is lifted up:
Colossians 3:17
▸ When we truly realize who we are(were)
without Christ’s and fully know what
Christ did to restore us to Father, our
hearts should burst with overwhelming
gratitude. Then, every word, every action,
will reveal Christ and our love for God
and others.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning November 20, 2016.
Jesus paid it all. This Thanksgiving, we couldn’t be more thankful for anything than we are of the gift of Jesus Christ through his death on a cross. We thank God that we have a savior that knows us, has paid our sin debt and given us new life by His Spirit!
Audio from Associate Pastor Josh Carpenter on Sunday morning November 13, 2016.
Orphan Sunday is a day that thousands of churches all across our globe raise awareness, raise funds, raise up families and raise up prayer on behalf of the vulnerable children.
The numbers are staggering: 150 million vulnerable children worldwide, over 400k here in the US.
This is a call to all of God's people to get involved!
Is there a closer parallel to God's redemption work, than when an orphan child is given a room in his father's house? Adoption has always been the plan for humanity.
Download our PDF printout on how to take a small step into this global crisis.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning November 6, 2016.
The fullness of God reaches through time and connects to the heart of man. The only word we can use to describe this action, is love. God’s love endures forever. Psalm 136
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning October 30, 2016.
For your personal study:
This week, choose a Psalm from the 5th Book (of the five divisions). Psalm 106-150
1. Choose a Psalm each day this week, starting today. (From 106-150) - Don't forget to get keep notes...
2. Pray for fresh insight and knowledge.
3. Read it, then re-read the chosen passage.
4. Who is writing the Psalm?
5. Can it be tied to a story? If so, read the story
6. What is the human condition (problem)? The deep emotional need being expressed.
7, What is the prayer or praise?
8. How is God revealed?
9. What is the underlying theme of the Psalm?
10. Can you identify with the problem or praise? If so, join in with the Psalmist in your own prayer and time of worship.
Audio from church Elder Spencer Barron on Sunday morning October 23, 2016.
Throughout October we have discussed, on a weekly basis, the fall feasts of the Jewish calendar and their place in our Christian heritage. The culmination of these fall feasts is the Feast of Sukkot, an intense time of celebration. Jesus attends this feast in John 7:37-38 and makes a powerful claim about “living water”.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning October 16, 2016.
Why are these Psalms so special?
They don’t really tell a story like the rest of the Bible, (Our God loves relating to us in story - 70% of the Bible is in narrative form.) but revealing the powerful emotions of those in the narrative, those in the story. They touch us deeply in our emotions, in our need… they put words to our hope with praise and thanksgiving to God, They also put words to our feelings of hopelessness and fear.
For your personal study:
This week, choose a Psalm from the 4th Book (of the five divisions). Psalm 90-106
1. Choose a Psalm each day this week, starting today. (From 90-106) - Don't forget to get keep notes...
2. Pray for fresh insight and knowledge.
3. Read it, then re-read the chosen passage.
4. Who is writing the Psalm?
5. Can it be tied to a story? If so, read the story
6. What is the human condition (problem)? The deep emotional need being expressed.
7, What is the prayer or praise?
8. How is God revealed?
9. What is the underlying theme of the Psalm?
10. Can you identify with the problem or praise? If so, join in with the Psalmist in your own prayer and time of worship.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning October 9, 2016.
The Psalms have been the prayer book of Israel for the past 3,000 years and the prayer book of the church for the past 2,000 years. The Psalms explore every possible response we can have to problems, despair, fear, anger… every emotion known to man and they also reveal who God is and how we are to answer our situation. From the highest awe to the deepest love, from the darkest despair to icy anger Psalms is a powerful revelation of those who are being transparent and sincere in their expression of love and fear, strength and weakness, rejoicing and lamenting.
For your personal study:
THIS WEEK, choose a Psalm from the 3rd Book (of the five divisions). Psalm 73-89
1. Choose a Psalm each day this week, starting today. (From 73-89) - Don't forget to get keep notes...
2. Pray for fresh insight and knowledge.
3. Read it, then re-read the chosen passage.
4. Who is writing the Psalm?
5. Can it be tied to a story? If so, read the story
6. What is the human condition (problem)? The deep emotional need being expressed.
7, What is the prayer or praise?
8. How is God revealed?
9. What is the underlying theme of the Psalm?
10. Can you identify with the problem or praise? If so, join in with the Psalmist in your own prayer and time of worship.
Digging deep and using the Psalms in your daily life of worship and prayer is a worthwhile experience. And once you’ve read a few of them, you’ll see why so many Christians incorporate them into worship services, daily devotions, and personal prayer.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning October 2, 2016.
God is our Deliverer, our Good Shepherd, our Rock - unmovable, solid, and strong. Bless God for His love for us and His precious gift of life through His son - Jesus. Jesus is our JOY giver, our Peacemaker, our Savior. He not only conquered the grave, He conquered our grave.
Because of the cross, the death, His burial, His resurrection, we find, we know and can be confident in God’s love for us. No matter how bad the problem, how big the challenge, how hard the walk… Jesus is our Savior, our King, our Deliverer.
For your personal study:
This week, choose a Psalm from the second book (of the five divisions). Psalm 42-72
1. Choose a Psalm each day this week, starting today. (From 42-72) - Don't forget to get keep notes...
2. Pray for fresh insight and knowledge.
3. Read it, then re-read the chosen passage.
4. Who is writing the Psalm?
5. Can it be tied to a story? If so, read the story
6. What is the human condition (problem)? The deep emotional need being expressed.
7, What is the prayer or praise?
8. How is God revealed?
9. What is the underlying theme of the Psalm?
10. Can you identify with the problem or praise? If so, join in with the Psalmist in your own prayer and time of worship.
Digging deep and using the Psalms in your daily life of worship and prayer is a worthwhile experience. And once you’ve read a few of them, you’ll see why so many Christians incorporate them into worship services, daily devotions, and personal prayer.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning September 25, 2016.
Why are these Psalms so special?
They don’t really tell a story like the rest of the Bible, (Our God loves relating to us in story - 70% of the Bible is in narrative form.) but revealing the powerful emotions of those in the narrative, those in the story.
They touch us deeply in our emotions, in our need… they put words to our hope with praise and thanksgiving to God, They also put words to our feelings of hopelessness and fear.
They meet us in times of crisis and fill us with the testimony of those who have been where we are, feeling what we feel…and from those who find love and comfort in God. They touch our deep emotional need and fill us with life.
In your personal study:
This week, choose a Psalm from the first book (of the five divisions). Psalm 1-41
1. Choose a Psalm each day this week, starting today. (From 1-41) - Don't forget to get a notebook and keep notes...
2. Pray for fresh insight and knowledge.
3. Read it, then re-read the chosen passage.
4. Who is writing the Psalm?
5. Can it be tied to a story? If so, read the story (Example: Psalm 3 is connected to 2 Sam.15 - Read about David and Absalom)
6. What is the human condition (problem)? The deep emotional expression.
7, What is the prayer or praise?
8. How is God revealed?
9. What is the underlying theme of the Psalm?
10. Can you identify with the problem or praise? If so, join in with the Psalmist in your own prayer or time of worship today.
Digging deep and using the Psalms in your daily life of worship and prayer is a worthwhile experience. And once you’ve read a few of them, you’ll see why so many Christians incorporate them into worship services, daily devotions, and personal prayer.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning September 18, 2016.
In Joshua 1:8 God tells Joshua to 'meditate' on His word day and night. The Hebrew word used here is 'Hagah'. Our western idea of meditation, as quite inward reflection, greatly misses the flavor of Hagah.
This Hebrew word may also be translated as 'growl' (see Isa. 31:4). Hagah is described as the sound a lion makes before digging into its prey. God has told Joshua to feed on His word with the same passion as a hungry lion feasting on a fresh kill.
Are we reading God's word just to complete a to-do list, or are we truly feeding on His text? Let's Hagah the word together!
Young lions 'Hagah'.
Audio from Associate Pastor Josh Carpenter on Sunday morning September 4, 2016.
We're wrapping up our 4 week study on God's redeeming work in our life, with the last message: Living a Compelled Life.
What does the transformation look like when we go from readers of the Word to doers of the Word? A life compelled by Christ reveals itself in several ways: putting down our old ways, life changes that last, a desire for good works, relationships with God and people and sharing this good news.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning August 28, 2016.
We continue our study in 2 Corinthians 5 by looking at how our lives are changed by the love of Christ. A redeemed life will grow in God's purposes, become passionate for His ways, will pray for a deeper understanding of His word and how we live our lives by it, will be ready at all times to join in God's mission and spur one another on to good works.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning August 21, 2016.
In 2 Corinthians 5 we read that Christ has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. The love of God and his works in our life will compel us to bring this hope of reconciliation to others. We see this evidence in Paul’s ministry. Despite constant persecution, Paul persevered and was moved to preach the gospel, because of the love of Christ.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning August 14, 2016.
Since Genesis Chapter 3, God has been at work redeeming fallen man. What does that mean for our lives today? As we study God’s word in 2 Corinthians 5 we see that God is doing more than just saving our souls for eternity. Every aspect of our lives will be touched by God’s redeeming work, including our worldview and our thinking.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning July 31, 2016.
In John Chapter 6 Jesus performs a great miracle: He feeds 5000 with five small barley loaves and two fish. We can link this event of provision with Deuteronomy 1:30-31, the Lord carried the children of Israel through the wilderness as a father carries a son, by meeting their daily needs.
Jesus carried and sustained the people's need for nourishment on a hillside by the sea of Galilee. This same Lord carries and sustains our daily needs, not just for food and drink - but the hope of help in the wilderness, a purpose for this life and an eternal hope in His Kingdom.
Audio from Senior Pastor Vaughn Drawdy on Sunday morning July 24, 2016
God is never late with His provision. As the Israelite community is being led out of Egypt and into the wilderness (Exodus 16), they come to the end of their strength. With little food left, God meets their needs with a well-timed help: Manna.
Looking to the text we will find that as the people of God, we cannot live by just the works of our human hands. Every day, God will provide His people with the bread (provision) of today.
Audio from former Joy pastor Lauren Helveston on Founders' Day morning July 17, 2016.
Former JOY pastor Lauren Helveston ('89-'93) and his family, join us for Founders' Day 2016. Today we celebrate and remember God's faithfulness and goodness to the Church of Joy.
For 37 years God has been exalted, worshiped and praised by a group of people who are hungry and passionate for His Word.
As we remember the great things God has done, his Word teaches us that we have been given everything we need to serve Him in our daily lives and as a Joy family for 37 years. God's faithfulness will endure for the years to come!