Archives: Sermons

Living in the Spirit: Pentecost Sunday (Luke 24:49 & Acts 2:1) Luke 24:49 To emphasize the importance of the HS Jesus tells His disciple stay in the city until you receive the Holy Spirit, power from on high. • In this context Jesus is saying that the Great Commission is a Suicide mission without the...

Living in the Spirit: Keeping in Step with the Spirit (Gal 3:1; Gal 5-16-26) Gal 3:1 The context here is Paul is pointing out how some people had reverted back to the ways of the Law and Old Covenant thinking. Verse 2 We don’t get the Spirit by observing the Law. • If that were...

Living in the Spirit: The Ministry of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:1-18) Verse 3 This is an important ministry of the Spirit, to write on our hearts the testimony and grace of Jesus. • This is the perfect example of how things have now become internal. Verses 4-5 Paul is making the case that they...

Living in the Spirit: The Wisdom of the Spirit • John 14:25-26 Jesus says the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. • John 16:12 There was much more that Jesus wanted and needed to teach His disciples and us. • You can’t take all the wisdom of God and download it into human beings...

Living in the Spirit: Reject, Grieve, Quench (John 14:16; Eph 5:30; 1 Thes 5:19) • John 14:16-17 In the same context that Jesus promises the Spirit, He warns us that some will reject the spirit. • This makes sense since Jesus has already told His disciples that many would reject Him as the Messiah. •...

Living in the Spirit: Being Filled (Ehp 5:15 and Acts 8) Eph 5:18 The verb here in the NIV as “be filled” is a present passive imperative in the Greek. o There are three components to this grammar that we need to understand. • The first is the Greek Present tense. This basically means it...

Living in the Spirit: Who is the Spirit? First OT use: Gen 1:2 In the English it says the “Spirit of God.” • The word “Spirit” here in Hebrew is the word ruwach (roo-akh) o This word means: wind, breath, mind, spirit. Second use: Gen 2:7 The phrase here is “the breath of life” •...

Easter 2018 The Difference Easter Makes Living in the Spirit (Jer 31:31; John 14:15) • In the OT era the presence of God was confined largely to a geographic location. • When the Hebrews wandered in the wilderness for 40 years his presence was confined to the Tabernacle. • When they finally reached the promised...

Palm Sunday 2018 The Strength of Praise (Luke 19:42 & Matt 21) • During this time period the only way to atone for your sin was to make an animal sacrifice. • We see all of that imagery here in this scene. Jesus the sacrificial lamb in on His way to Jerusalem. Verse 30 Jesus’...

Preparing for Worship Preparing for Worship 2 Sam 24:18-25 • This story starts earlier in the chapter with David sinning against the Lord by taking a census of his army. o Then the Lord speaks through the prophet Gad and sends three options for judgement. • Then we see this scene of worship. What do...

Sorry for the poor audio quality Winning the War for Our Mind Part IV From Jesus’ Victory (Luke 4:4-14 Isa 61:1-3) • Luke 4:14 Jesus is saying that all these prophecies from Isaiah are now fulfilled in Him. o So, everything promised in this statement from Isa is now true in the person of Jesus....

Winning the War for Your Mind Pt III Temptations (1 Cor 10:13, Proverbs) 1Cor 10:13 Three things to see here. • First, Whatever temptation has come against us, it’s common to being human. • Second, God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.  Doesn’t mean we won’t fail and give...

Winning the War for Your Mind Pt II Scripture As Our Weapon (Psalm 23) • 2 Cor 10:6 In the natural realm Paul is reestablishing his authority as an Apostle and leader. • Paul talks about the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. o So, it would seem odd that...

Winning the War for Your Mind (2 Cor 10:1-5) Verses 1-2 Paul is addressing some in the Corinthian church who were questioning his authority. Verse 3 Paul realizes that this is a type of spiritual warfare. • They don’t have just cause for their complaints. Paul has been firmly established by God as an Apostle....

Making Disciples Step by Step Part II (Matt 9:9-13) (Review) Step one: Change our thinking Step two: Ask the Lord to open our eyes Step three: Seize the everyday opportunities Step four: Change our conversations Step Five: Think replication (reproducing) (Part II) Step six: Remember discipleship starts from the beginning • We don’t start at...

What Are You Attending to? Part III (Haggai 2:20-23) • 2:20 This is now the fourth and final oracle of the book. This word comes on the same day as the last one. • This word is addressed to the governor Zerubbabel. o And deals with national, governmental issues. • The Lord’s message is again...

What Are You Attending to? Part II Chapter 2:1 This begins the second oracle Verse 3 The Lord is asking if there is any one old enough to remember what the Temple used to look like. • But of course, it is nothing now because the people don’t have the resources they did with the...

What are You Attending to? (Haggai Chap 1) • The book of Haggai was written in what we call the postexilic era. o There had been a small and slow trickle of people coming back into the land of Israel. • By the time the events of this book take place the Jews had been...

Rejoice Always: A Prelude to Christmas (Philippians 4:4-7) • Context: Phil 3:18-21 Here Paul is comparing the ungodly, those whose god is their stomach. o To those who know that their citizenship is in heaven with Jesus. • It’s into this context Paul gives us this command to rejoice. • Verse 4 It’s an active...

Making Disciples Step by Step • Five Simple Steps: Practical steps for making disciples who make disciples. (A starting point) Step one: Change our thinking • Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and...

The Color of the Kingdom Part II (Acts 1:8; 10:1-35) • Acts 1:8 These are Jesus’ last words and instructions to His disciples. • Jesus is of course promising the coming of the Holy Spirit. o Jesus is telling us that we will not go in our own strength but empowered by the Holy Spirit....

Disciples making Disciples Part III (Luke 10:1-11) Verse 1 After those following Jesus counted the cost Jesus appoints 72 more disciples. • First, these are disciples who have been with Jesus for the last few days and they have heard Him talk about the cost. They have agreed to pay that price. • Second, they...

Disciples Making Disciple Part II (Luke 5:1-11) Verse 1 He has already begun the discipleship process with the people He is meeting. • It says He is teaching them the word of God, which would have been the OT. o He is of course using the Old Testament to point to Himself. Verse 2 Jesus...

Disciples Making Disciples (Matt 28:16-20) Verse 16 This is of course after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Verse 17 The word ‘worship’ here means to bow down, to fall down or kneel, in response to another. • Despite seeing the risen Lord, some still doubt, even in this incredible moment, doubt is still present. • Two...

Do Not Worry: Seek First (Matt 6:25-34) Verse 30 Jesus continues His analogy but switches from, “wild flowers” to “grass of the field.” • Something seemingly as worthless as straw, so mattered to God that he took special care to clothe it. o The grass wasn’t just an afterthought, God took care in creating it,...

Do Not Worry: Consider Closely…. (Matt 6:25-34) Verse 25 In the previous brief section Jesus tells three very short parables. • Don’t store up treasures on earth, guard the condition of our soul, you can’t serve two masters. o It is into this context that Jesus begins this message. “Therefore” • Jesus asks some rhetorical...

The Mission in a nutshell 1. House of Prayer for all Nations (Mark 11:17; Rev 5:9) a. Prayer, presence, power b. Every, tribe, tongue, people, and nation c. Worship 2. Empowering God’s people (Ehp 4:12; 1 Cor 12:1-11) a. Growing in Spiritual gifts b. Discipleship c. Heart level serving 3. Advancing the Kingdom of God...

The Cost of Following Jesus Part II (Fruitful Longevity) Luke 14 Verse 25 Large crowds are following Jesus, but He begins to instruct them in the cost of following Him. Verse 26 This of course would have been a very striking and shocking comment to His audience. • But of course, He does not mean...

The Cost of Following Jesus (The Price is Right) Luke 9 • The chapter starts with Jesus sending out the 12 disciples for the first time on their own. o In verses 1-6. Jesus has a commissioning service and gives them authority to drive out all demons. o Jesus also tells them to take nothing...

Baptism The word Baptize There are two basic forms of the word baptize in the NT • One, which is used less frequently means “to dip” or “to dye” We see both of those images in baptism. • The Other form which is used far more frequently refers to the Jewish cleansing practices. o If...

What About Him? (John 21:15-23) • Today let’s focus in on two questions in this passage. Jesus’s questions to Peter, and Peter’s question to Jesus. • Jesus asks the first question, “Do you truly love me?” (NIV) o Many translations render it “Do you love me more than these?”  In the Greek the word...

The Color of the Kingdom (Rev 5:8) • At the beginning of chap 4 John is taken up into heaven in the spirit. o He then begins to describe what he sees, what heaven looks like. • At first John weeps because no one was found worthy to open the scroll. o The scroll contains...

Given to What? 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 Paul starts this chapter by talking about salvation. • He talks about the resurrection of Christ from the dead, how Jesus fulfilled the OT scriptures. • Paul also says that you must hold to these truths otherwise you have believed in vein. Verses 12-19 Paul makes the case that...

Serving As Evangelism (1 Thes 2:1-13) Verse 2 Paul reminds His readers that they had suffered and been insulted in the city of Philippi. • Yet despite the insults and strong opposition they still preached the Gospel. • Today we seem to have lost sight of the idea that preaching the Gospel is going to...

The Heart of Serving • John 13:1-17 We normally only look at this passage on Good Friday. Verse 3 This verse is so important because it shows Jesus knew His identity. • What He was about to do was a very menial task, something the lowest of the slaves or servants would do. o But...

Clothed with Power (Pentecost Sunday) Luke 24:37 & Acts 2:1 The Promise Throughout Jesus’ ministry He promised the Holy Spirit. Luke 24:37 This is the scene after Jesus’ death and resurrection when He appears to His disciples. • He appears to them when they are all in disbelief, trying to figure out what just happened...

Following More Than Words • 1Thessalonians 1:2-10 Verse 2 In these first few verses we see Paul remembering and praying for the people of Thessalonica. Verse 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, • NLT We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you...

A Life Worth Following 1 Cor 11:1 NIV Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ MEV Follow me as I follow Christ. Three key issues here: First, the quality of Paul’s life, the worthiness to be followed. Second, there is an invitation. “Follow me” Third, it is Christ we are following and...

Fasting (Matt 6:16-18) Old Testament: In the Old Testament, it was a regular part of their religious life. o The Day of Atonement was the only required fast. • The Prophet Joel called the people to a fast of repentance. Joel 2:12-13 • In 2 Chronicles King Jehoshaphat calls the whole nation to a fast...

Being People of His Presence Exodus 33:11 Moses already has an incredible relationship with God. • But for Moses even this wasn’t enough, he knew that he wanted and needed more. Verse 12 Moses recognizes that he can’t lead the people by himself, on his own. • So, he’s asking God who’s going to help...

Prayer: Don’t Pray Safe, Pray Big John 14:12-14; John 15:7-8 John 15:16 16; John 16:23-24 John14:12 12 The context here is Jesus has been telling Phillip that He and the Father are one. o Then Jesus goes on to basically say that we will be one in Him and the Father through faith. • Jesus...

Prayer: What Gets in the Way Daniel 10:10 Presumably the angel that touches Daniel here is Gabriel as mentioned earlier in Dan 9:21 Verse 12 But then he says that from the moment you began to pray your prayers were heard. • This should be very comforting for us, even when it doesn’t feel like...

Prayer: Why is it So Hard? (Matt 26:36-45) • What was Jesus asking them to do? o Verse 40 says He was asking them to pray for one hour. Is this realistic? • What was he asking them to pray? o Verse 41 He was asking them to pray against temptation. “What temptation”? • What...

Be Deliberate: Worship • John 4:23 Jesus gives the command to worship in spirit and truth. • First, we have to start with getting somewhat of a working definition of what worship is. • Matt 2:10 This is in the birth narrative of Jesus. • It says they were overjoyed. Then offered gifts, and expensive...

Be Deliberate: Community (Hebrews 10:19-25) • Community: a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. • In the NIV the word Community is used 83 times. All but one of them are in the OT • The whole Jewish nation was known as and functioned as a...

Be Deliberate: Holy Spirit Luke 11 The chapter starts with the Disciples asking Jesus, “teach us to pray.” • After teaching the Lord’s Prayer, He tells them a parable. o Jesus ends the parable in verse 8 with a powerful and even shocking statement. o The word translated here in the NIV as “boldness” means...

Be Deliberate: Prayer (Mark 1:21-39) We are Friends of God: John 15:13-17 Prayer is essentially talking to our friend Jesus. • Notice Jesus says He calls us friends because He has told us told us His father’s business. o Prayer is listening to our friend give us the wisdom we need for life. Mark 1:21-39...

Be Deliberate: One God and His Word (Deuteronomy 6) Verse 2 Moses reminds the people that if they follow God’s ways and fear Him, things will go well for them. Verse 3 Here Moses introduces another concept, a land flowing with milk and honey. o This is both a blessing and a temptation. Verse 4...

The Nature of God: Creator and Super Natural • Gen 1:1-25 The Bible starts in verse one by telling us God is creator • It’s the first thing scripture tells us about God. It tells us He is creator and He is super natural. o Notice also it keeps saying that “God said” God does...