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CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH MEMPHIS

CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH MEMPHIS

By: CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH MEMPHIS
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 At Christ Community Church (C3 Memphis) we are seeking to form followers in the way of Jesus so the fame and deeds of God are repeated in our time. We meet on Sunday mornings at 10:15AM. For more information you can go to c3memphis.orgCopyright 2017 . All rights reserved. Spirituality
Episodes
  • He is Good | When Jesus Disagrees with You | Mark 11:27-33 | Coleton Segars

    He is Good | When Jesus Disagrees with You | Mark 11:27-33 | Coleton Segars
    Oct 13 2025
    Coleton began with a piercing question: “How much do you think Jesus agrees with the way you live your life?” He invited listeners to imagine Jesus observing everything—how they spend time and money, how they treat people, what they watch, post, and prioritize. Would Jesus agree with most of it, or would He find much to challenge and correct? Coleton quoted author Anne Lamott: “You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” Then he adapted it: “You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God agrees with everything you do.” He reminded the congregation that Jesus does disagree with us—and that it’s not a mark of rejection but of love. Since He is infinite, holy, and perfect, and we are finite and sinful, it only makes sense that His view of our lives will often clash with ours. “Jesus’ disagreement with sin in our lives led to the most loving act anyone could do for another person—to lay down His life for them.” Coleton emphasized that in our culture, disagreement is often seen as unloving—but Scripture teaches the opposite. Jesus loves us enough to confront what destroys us. The key question, then, becomes: “What is your response when Jesus disagrees with you?” From Mark 11:27–33, Coleton showed three wrong ways to respond when Jesus disagrees with us—and one right one. 1. Questioning Jesus’ Authority (vv. 27–28) “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” The religious leaders asked Jesus this because He had just cleansed the temple and publicly called them out as a “den of robbers.” They weren’t questioning because they were curious—they were questioning because He disagreed with them. Coleton said: “If Jesus had agreed, they wouldn’t have questioned. They would have used Him to prove their points.” And we do the same. When a verse affirms our views or lifestyle, we post it, memorize it, and celebrate it. But when Scripture disagrees with us—when it calls out sin, pride, greed, gossip, or unforgiveness—we tend to ignore it, reinterpret it, or go silent. “We question His authority by avoiding the verses that disagree with us.” Coleton illustrated this with historical examples of people literally cutting parts out of the Bible: Thomas Jefferson’s Bible, which removed miracles and Jesus’ divinity. The “Slave Bible,” edited by slave owners to remove verses about freedom and equality. The Nazi Bible, which stripped out all Jewish references and messages of mercy. “They didn’t argue that the verses were untrue—they just silenced them.” Then he asked a haunting question: “If a Bible were written based on your life, what would it include—and what would it exclude?” He called this the “MPT”—My Personal Translation—the version of the Bible where “Jesus agrees with every decision I make.” Reflection We may not use scissors like Jefferson, but we do it subtly in our hearts—ignoring passages like: “Forgive as you’ve been forgiven.” “Love your enemies.” “Give sacrificially.” “Do not gossip.” “Live at peace with everyone.” Coleton challenged listeners to ask: “Where do you question Jesus by simply silencing verses that disagree with you?” 2. Seeking to Discredit Jesus (v. 28) Coleton explained that the religious leaders’ question wasn’t sincere—it was a trap. “They don’t actually want to know. They’re trying to find a reason not to listen.” William Lane, in his commentary, observes: “Whatever answer Jesus gives, the conclusion is the same: He must be arrested. If He attests that His authority is from God, the charge is blasphemy. If He claims secular authority, the charge is insurrection.” Their goal wasn’t truth—it was to discredit Jesus so they wouldn’t have to change. “They knew they couldn’t disprove Him, so they tried to discredit Him.” Coleton drew a parallel to how we do the same today—finding reasons why Jesus’ words don’t apply to us: The Feels – “That doesn’t feel right.” Your Truth – “That might be true for you, but not for me.” The Snowflake Situation – “My situation is different.” The Cultural Argument – “That was for a different time.” Proof-texting – Quoting a verse out of context to justify sin. Minimizing – “It’s not a big deal; God will forgive me.” Justifying – “They made me do it. I deserve this.” Comparison – “At least I’m not as bad as that person.” Calling the Bible Outdated – “That doesn’t fit in the modern world.” He quoted Tim Keller: “Society makes judgments through what C.S. Lewis called ‘chronological snobbery,’ assuming that whatever has gone out of date is discredited.” Coleton said: “All of these are ways we say, ‘I don’t have to do that because…’” And every time we do, ...
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    42 mins
  • The Imago Dei | Genesis 1:26, Romans 12:6 | Rainey Segars

    The Imago Dei | Genesis 1:26, Romans 12:6 | Rainey Segars
    Oct 6 2025
    Introduction – When People Don’t Approve of You Rainey began her message with a story from her college years — a painful and funny one about rejection. She told how she dated a grad student named Noah who was brilliant, popular, and part of an elite, intellectual friend group. When she went to dinner to meet his friends, she knew she was being evaluated — an “audition dinner.” When asked about Kant’s Critique of Judgment, all she could say was, “I think Kant is really good. Art also, very good. So to sum up, I am pro.” It didn’t go well. Shortly after, Noah broke up with her, saying she “wasn’t smart enough” and that she’d be more comfortable with someone “her speed.” It was humiliating. She had been evaluated and found lacking. Rainey then drew the connection: this kind of rejection happens to all of us. We don’t always fit in. Sometimes we’re not chosen, we’re overlooked, or we’re compared unfavorably to others — the sibling the parents brag about, the colleague the students prefer, the church that people leave for. She said, “There’s no use pretending everyone will love you. That’s not true. The Gospel has to be good news even when people don’t like us.” If our sense of worth depends on impressing others, we become weak, reactive, and easily crushed. To show how dangerous this is, Rainey turned to Scripture. ⸻ 1. The Danger of Insecurity (Matthew 14:1–11) She read the story of Herod and John the Baptist: “Herod was greatly distressed, but because of his oath and his dinner guests, he ordered that John be beheaded…” (Matthew 14:9) Rainey highlighted that Herod didn’t kill John out of hatred. He killed him out of insecurity. He wanted to look strong in front of his guests. He cared more about their approval than what was right. She said, “If Herod hadn’t been so desperate for them to think he was strong, he’d have been free to ask, ‘What is right?’ Instead, he asked, ‘What do they want to see?’” That’s what insecurity does. When we tie our worth to others’ opinions, we become unable to do what’s right. We can only do what others want to see. It’s a position of terrible weakness. Then she brought it home: “If I link my worth to your approval, I can’t be a person who obeys God. I can only be a person who performs for you.” That’s why we need good news for the insecure heart. ⸻ 2. Imago Dei – You Are Made in the Image of God Rainey’s first idea for finding freedom from insecurity is the biblical truth of the Imago Dei — that every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). She described how all beauty and goodness in creation point to God: “The heavens declare the glory of God; day after day they pour forth speech.” – Psalm 19:1–2 Mountains, oceans, sunsets — they all reflect something of His glory. But humans are unique because we don’t just reflect His glory — we resemble Him. She said, “God used His own fingers to carve the lines of your face. He held your cheeks and said, ‘Yes, that’s just right.’” We are designed to show the world something of what God is like — each of us in a slightly different way. To despise yourself or wish to be someone else is to insult the Artist who made you. “The one who carved your bones is not wishing you were more like your sister.” It’s beneath your dignity, Rainey said, to let your worth swing back and forth with every opinion. Your worth is not determined by the crowd — it’s anchored in the Creator. Then she turned to the Third Commandment, often translated “Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.” She explained that the Hebrew verb nasa means “to carry.” So the command really says: “Do not carry the name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) In other words: “You carry My name. Represent Me well.” If we treat people as though they don’t matter, we misrepresent the God who made them. When we devalue others, we carry His name badly — we show the world a false picture of Him. So, what are we called to show the world? Rainey told the story of Hagar in Genesis 16 — an abused, pregnant, runaway slave who meets God in the desert. God sees her, comforts her, and promises a future. In response, she names Him: “You are El Roi — the God Who Sees Me.” And Rainey said, “That’s who He still is. To people no one else sees, He is the God who sees.” That’s our calling as image bearers: not to impress others, but to see others as He does. The highest calling is not to be admired — it’s to notice the forgotten, to look into someone’s eyes and say with our presence, ‘God has not forgotten you.’ When we do that — whether as a doctor, teacher, parent, or neighbor — we reveal the God who sees. That’s the stable foundation of our worth: not impressing people, but bearing His image. ⸻ 3. The Gospel According to You Rainey’s second major idea was that God isn’t wishing you were more ...
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    47 mins
  • He is Good | Power in Prayer | Mark 11:20-25 | Coleton Segars

    He is Good | Power in Prayer | Mark 11:20-25 | Coleton Segars
    Sep 28 2025

    Coleton began with a story about accidentally cutting himself with his dad’s pocketknife. Just like with the knife, he wants to handle this text carefully because it’s often misunderstood—either leading people to miss out on what Jesus promises or to become disillusioned when prayer doesn’t seem to work. ⸻ 1. What Is Jesus Actually Saying? • Jesus says: “Truly I tell you…” — a phrase He uses in other places where the words were fulfilled literally (Peter’s denial, eternal life, heaven and earth passing away). • Therefore, we should not reinterpret His words about prayer and mountains to mean something symbolic. • Jesus also says “anyone” and “whatever you ask,” which expands the promise beyond just the disciples. • The phrase “moving mountains” was a common Jewish saying about impossible tasks, showing Jesus meant bold prayers that seem impossible. Quote: • “Moving mountains” became a figure of speech for a task that was considered virtually impossible. — Background Commentary ⸻ 2. How Did the Disciples Respond? • The disciples didn’t reinterpret Jesus—they prayed boldly in Acts. • They spoke directly to mountains (sickness, persecution, demons, even death) and God responded powerfully. • Examples: Acts 3 (healing), Acts 9 (raising Tabitha), Acts 16 (casting out spirits), James 5 (prayer of faith heals the sick). • The evidence shows they took Jesus at His word and practiced it literally. ⸻ 3. Why Don’t We Experience This Today? • Many don’t expect God to act powerfully anymore because: • Lack of faith (James 4:2) • Selfish motives (James 4:3) • Broken relationships (1 Peter 3:7) • Cherishing sin (Psalm 66:18–19) • Lack of persistence (Luke 18) • We’ve been taught to reinterpret Jesus, so our expectation for prayer is low. • Doubt is a major barrier: doubting that prayer works, that God hears us, or that He will act. Quote: • “Two thousand years of exegesis have successfully explained away texts like these… They have awkwardly suppressed the fact that the Bible clearly presents healing and miracles as something Jesus and the early church practiced and expected…” — Ulrich Luz, paraphrased by Frederick Dale Bruner ⸻ 4. How Do We Grow in Faith for Prayer? • Fight doubt by deepening trust in God’s character through Scripture and prayer. • Ask God to increase your faith. • Surround yourself with people of strong faith. • Read accounts of powerful prayer in history. (Great book: E.M. Bounds —On Prayer) • Seek God’s will for what you’re praying—He will reveal it. ⸻ 5. Don’t Settle for Less • Jesus gave His life to give us access to God in prayer—why would He do this if our prayers were powerless? • Don’t reinterpret Jesus’ words to fit your experience. Instead, pursue the experience Jesus promised. • There is real power in prayer when we remove hindrances, pray in faith, and seek God’s will. Discussion Questions: 1. What stood out to you from Sundays message? 2. How does looking at the way the disciples prayed in the book of Acts shape your confidence in Jesus’ words about prayer? 3. Of the hindrances to prayer which do you most relate to? Why? 4. Do you think doubt is a bigger struggle with God’s ability or His willingness? 5. Who in your life strengthens your faith when you struggle with doubt?
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    49 mins
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