Mountainside Community Church Reno

A heretic recently predicted the rapture. The only problem with that is Jesus' words in Matthew 24:36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." The Bible never asks us to figure out the timing of the rapture but it does ask us to be faithful in our day to day lives until it does happen.

Matthew 9:36 "When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

If the end result is us vs. them then we've missed the point.

In Matthew 5:43-44, Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy'. But I say to you, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'"

The Old Testament never commanded people to hate their enemies. So, when Jesus says, "you have heard it was said...", He is not correcting the Old Testament. He is, however, correcting misinterpretations of the Old Testament.

Therefore, the command to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" is not a random change or new teaching by Jesus. Love for enemies was established by God many centuries earlier.

How has God the Father loved His enemies? According to John 3:16 He sent His only Son to die for them. Yes, us. We were enemies of God (Ephesians 2). So, what would it look like for you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you? Try it. I promise you that it will not only be honoring to God but it will unlock your own soul and the anger that so quickly destroys us.

- Pastor Dawson

Jesus was asked about some innocent people who were murdered by Pilate. His answer can be found in Luke 13:1-5. His point is to show compassion towards those who lost their lives (they were not any worse than other sinners), and He also pointed people back to their own lives (unless you repent). We could summarize this answer with the words: Grace & Truth.

Grace towards people. People matter. They are loved by Jesus just as any creator would love His creation.

Truth towards those who are alive. Our lives often get off track and repentance of personal sin is the best path forward.
In this moment you would be wise to follow Jesus' words:

1. Be gracious towards people. Look for ways to show compassion and mercy. You might even consider showing grace and mercy towards your enemies (Jesus: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you).

2. Be truthful towards yourself. You can't fix America, you can't fix your enemies, and you can't even fix your friends. But you can fix yourself. You can take stock of your life today, repent of sin, and turn to Christ.

America won't become better because America is an inanimate object. America will be the sum total of each and every decision that we each make. Choose grace and truth today and even if America isn't what you want it to be, you can be the person you need to be.

-Pastor Dawson Lange

Followers of Jesus should be in mourning for the loss of a Christian brother tonight. If we turn this into "us" vs "them" then we have missed the point. The point is this: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Charlie Kirk was clear about his personal relationship with Jesus and made it a point to tell people about Him. May we do the same.

Sunday's sermon "You Asked For It" is up!

"You Asked For It" (Dawson Lange) "You Asked For It" is a yearly sermon where Pastor Dawson takes time to answer the congregations biblical questions. This year we have questions about:1. Th...

The sermon from Sunday is up. Join us as we teach through 2 Corinthians.

The Book of 2 Corinthians, "Jars Of Clay", 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (Dawson Lange) In 2 Corinthians 4:1-6, Paul explained the great light of the gospel and it's importance. Now, he is going to explain that the treasure of the gospel is held...

Looking for a church? Join us this morning at Mountainside for either our 9am or 10:30am service.

We have a prayer team waiting to pray for you. Take a moment and let us know how we can pray.

Women of Mountainside, Devoted is coming on Wednesday, August 27th @ 6:30pm. This is a great place to meet new people and be encouraged in your faith.

Women’s Ministry Devoted is our all women’s gathering and a great place to start if you are new. A few times a year we rearrange the foyer into a living room setting for dinner and a biblical lesson led by ou…