Am I In Christ? |Pt.1| Pastor Ronnie Bevill

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Each episode features insightful sermons that aim to strengthen your faith and provide spiritual nourishment. We hope these messages will not only uplift you but also inspire you to share God's love with others.

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Church On The Rock Nashville (COTRN) Podcast

Date: April 13, 2025

Title: Am I In Christ?

Host: Pastor Ronnie Bevill

Opening Prayer 

• Pastor Ronnie leads a heartfelt prayer, thanking God for the day and the worship.
• He prays for softened hearts and open minds to receive the message.
• A specific prayer for himself to be used by God.
• A prayer for the message to reach a heart in need of eternal change.
• A final request for everyone to leave ready to share the message of eternity.

Ice Cream Encounter & Testimony (1:03 - 4:00)

• Pastor Ronnie shares a story about a recent dinner with Brad and Donna Sullivan.
• Describes an encounter at Dairy Queen in Texarkana with a man who recognized his COTRN hat.
• The man's powerful testimony:
  • Former prisoner and drug addict.
  • Out of rehab and living in a halfway house.
  • Working at Chicken Express and enjoying his job.
  • Clean since July 23rd of the previous year.
  • Feeling healthier and enjoying life.
  • Identifies as a child of God.
  • Strong desire to return to prisons to share his testimony and offer hope.
  • Taking classes and praying for the opportunity to help others.
• Pastor Ronnie's encouragement from this encounter – Jesus happening in an unexpected place.
• Reflection on how often we keep our faith within the church walls.

Message Title Introduction: Am I In Christ? (4:00 - 4:30)

• Transition to the morning's message.
• Title: "Am I In Christ?"

Matthew 7:21-23 - The Haunting Verse (4:30 - 6:55)

• Reading of Matthew 7:21-23 (Jesus speaking about those who call him "Lord, Lord" but are not known by Him and are called "workers of lawlessness").
• Pastor Ronnie shares how this verse has always been on his mind.
• Ponders how those involved in church activities can be unknown by Jesus.
• Explains that individually, each person in that group would claim their actions were done in Jesus' name.
• The underlying issue: They were focused on their own efforts to earn something from God.

Ephesians 2:8-10 - Grace Through Faith (6:55 - 8:20)

• Reading of Ephesians 2:8-10 (Salvation by grace through faith, a gift of God, resulting in good works that God prepared beforehand).
• Explains that if we are truly in Christ, good works will naturally follow as an extension of our identity in Him.
• Contrasts this with those in Matthew 7 who believed their works saved them, trusting their own efforts more than Christ's power.
• Warns against this imbalance.

The Test: Examining Ourselves (8:20 - 9:10)