Category: Sermon Notes

SERIES:  Deck the Halls

TITLE:  The Person of Christmas

Scripture: Phil.2:5-11; Isaiah 9:6-7

I.   WHAT OTHERS SAY                                             

What did people of His day about Him?

1.     The Religious Leaders- “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” Luke 5:21

2.     The Civic Leaders- “I beheaded John, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” Luke 9:9

3.     The People in His hometown- “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at Him.” Mark 6:3

4.     His own students- “Who is this man that even the wind and waves obey Him?” Mk.4:35-41

II.  WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS           

1.     Jesus was God (in human flesh).  Phil.2:6-8 says, “…who did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form…”

“God has sent prophets many times, but now He would do something far more shocking. He would leave the throne of heaven-a king in disguise. The Lord of the universe in human scale. The Creator among His creatures.”  David Jeremiah

2.      Jesus is (right here with us). Is.9:6-7

1)     Wonderful Counselor

2)     Mighty God

3)     Everlasting Father

4)     Prince of Peace

NEXT WEEK:  Series: Deck the Halls!

Title: The Excitement of Christmas- Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38

SERIES:  The Church Alive!

TITLE:  Unforgettable

Scripture: Psalm 136

I.   THE WONDER OF CREATION   (1-9)    

“The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome.” Deut.10:17

What should be our approach toward creation?

1.     We should be (thankful) for it.

2.     We should (delight) in it.

3.     We should treat it (responsibly).

II.  THE WONDER OF SALVATION    (10-25)     

Check out Eph.2:1-5 (p.976)

III.  THE WONDER OF STEADFAST LOVE (26)

The phrase “His love endures forever” occurs 26 times. Each time it is a response to the 26 (affirmations) about God.

The Hebrew word used is hesed which means (covenant love).

“For His mercy endures forever. He has done all things from this motive; and because his mercy never ceases, he will continue multiplying deeds of love world without end. Let us with all our power of heart and tongue give thanks unto the holy name of Jehovah forever and ever.” Charles Spurgeon.

NEXT WEEK:  Series: Deck the Halls!

Title: The Person of Christmas- Phil.2:5-11; Is.9:6-7

SERIES:  The Church Alive!

TITLE:  Keeping Up

Scripture:  I Cor.9:19-23

I.   ELEMENTS OF CLARIFICATION                                              

“The church is to be in the world. But God help the church if the world get into it.” D.L.Moody.

Some terms to clarify:

1.     Contextualization- That which (surrounds) you.

2.     Pragmatism- “If it works, (let’s work it).” The end justifies the means.

3.     Consumerism- “Give the (customer) what he wants.”

Our first order of business is to (honor and glorify) God without compromise.

II.  ESSENTIALS FOR CARRYING ON             

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (ESV)  John 3:30

“He must become greater, but I must become less.” (NIV)

Three essentials:

1.     The Primacy of (Prayer).

“The faith to move mountains is the reward of those who have moved little hills.”

2.     Willingness to (become weak).

3.     The Necessity of (Celebration).

NEXT WEEK:  Freedom! Thanksgiving

Title: Unforgettable- Psalm 136

SERIES:  The Church Alive!

TITLE:  Chooses To Serve

Scripture:  Matthew 20:20-28

A church can choose to be either (inward) focused or (outward) focused. The choice will determine its outreach and ultimately, its future.

I.   THE FOUNDATION FOR SERVICE         

One of the Scriptures for our service is found in Phil.2:5-11 (p.980). The foundation for our service begins and ends with (Jesus).

The essence of the Christian is not that we (served Christ) but He (served us).

II.   OUR VISION            

Why do people serve?

1.     (Guilt).

2.     (Force).

3.     (Pride).

The ultimate goal for serving is Jesus, to make His name known, to show people the furious love He has for them.

We serve:

1.     At (home).

2.     In our (neighborhood).

3.     At our (workplace).

4.     At our (church).

NEXT WEEK:  The Church Alive!

Will & Teresa Reed here from “Serge!”

SERIES:  The Church Alive!

TITLE:  It’s Who We Are

Scripture:  Matthew 28:19-20; various other Scriptures

I.    OUR MISSION                          

“Without vision, there is rarely direction. Without direction, there are no goals. And without goals, there is no progress.”

Our mission is TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO JESUS.

Lessons from Matthew 28:19-20:

1. The word (Go).

2. We are told to (make disciples).

3. The expectation of baptism.

4. Teaching them to observe. Not just (convert) but to (teach).

II.   OUR VISION

Three markers we need to fulfill:

1. To be (passionate pursuers) of Jesus. Phil.3:7-10

2. To be models of (truth and love). John 8

3. To be involved in (our community).

NEXT WEEK: The Church Alive!

Chooses to Serve- Matthew 20:20-28

SERIES:  Freedom!   The Church Alive!

TITLE:  Vertical Vision

Scripture:  Exodus 34:5-14; Psalm 96:1-9

“Most middle class Americans tend to worship their work, to work at their play, and to play at their worship. As a result, their meanings and values are distorted. Their relationships disintegrate faster than they can keep them in repair, and their lifestyles resemble a cast of characters in search of a plot.” Gordon Dahl

I.   THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP                                           

What is worship? “Worship is honor and adoration directed to God.”

Ephesians 1:16-19

The highest and most powerful human experience is to express our love to the (most worthy object) of that affection. When we (elevate Christ), our joy is magnified. When we settle for less, when we take our adoration elsewhere, we are not just insulting God, we are losing out on delighting in God.

II.   THE EXPRESSION OF WORSHIP           

Several things to notice about Exodus 34:

1.     Moses is worshiping in (the beholding of all that God is).

2.     Authentic worship always begins (with God).

We become (what we behold). Authentic worship is not about me, it is about Him. It is acknowledging our unworthiness but His worth. It acknowledges our sinfulness, but His sinlessness. It acknowledges our destitution without Him, but His sufficiency.

“We are not producing worshipers in this country. Rather, we are producing a generation of spectators, religious onlookers lacking, in many cases, any memory of a true encounter with God, deprived of both the tangible sense of God’s presence and the supernatural relationship their inmost spirits crave.”

To keep in mind:

1)     Worship is internal, not simply external.

2)     Worship must be in spirit and truth. It is not just a matter of sincerity.

3)     Worship is not all mind. There must be spirit.

4)     Worship must be genuine, not fake or hyped.

5)     It must always and only be about Jesus.

NEXT WEEK:  The Church Alive!

It’s Who We Are! Matthew 28:19-20; various others

SERIES:  Freedom!   The Church Alive!

TITLE:  Seeing God’s Glory

Scripture:  Exodus 3; 33:12-23

Voltaire

Betelgeuse

Napoleon

I.   AN EXPLANATION OF TERMS                                          

Romans 1:20-23 (p.939) is very clear how we should view God.

Couple of terms we need to be familiar with:

1.     (Transcendence)- Acknowledge God as “wholly other.”

2.     Manifest presence- Literally means “He is always with us.”

“What have you done recently where if God is not in it you are sure to fail?

II.   AN EXPERIENCE OF GLORY          

God’s manifest presence should be the (consuming passion) of every weekly service from planning it to executing it.

Investigate Exodus 33.  Points of interest:

1)     Verse 12- Moses upset with God for such a divine responsibility with (so little help).

2)     Verse 14- The Hebrew word for presence is also used in Genesis 3:8 where Adam & Eve hid themselves from the presence of God.

3)     Moses wanted more than just a passing glance at God; he wants to see Him in depth. His desperate cry was “(Show me your glory!)”

4)     The result can be seen in Exodus 34:29

NEXT WEEK:  The Church Alive!

Vertical Vision- Exodus 34:5-14; Psalm 96:1-9

SERIES:  Freedom!   The Church Alive!

TITLE:  On Your Mark. . . Go!

Scripture:  Matthew 16:13-19; Acts 2:42

GI Generation (1904-1924)

Silent Generation (1925-1945)

Boomers (1946-1964)

Gen X (1965-1979)

Millennials (1980-2000)

The new kid in town are the (Plurals). Sometimes called (The Homeland Generation)

I.   ON YOUR MARK                                         

One of the things which can happen to a church is (erosion).

Matthew 16 significant points:

1.     Jesus us “I” which means He will be the (architect).

2.     There is a look of the future with (will).

3.     The word build suggests an (ongoing process).

4.     The word “My” suggests (ownership and authority).

5.     Jesus spoke about the (invincibility) of the church.

II.   GO!!!     

Three words need to see and grasp:

1)     (Dependence)- Find identity, security, or worth in someone else.

2)     (Independence)- Tries to live an isolated faith.

3)     (Interdependence)- Occurs when rely on each other.

4 essentials for gathering:

1.     Apostle’s teaching

2.     Fellowship

3.     Breaking of Bread

4.     Prayer.

“If the church is doing what it is supposed to be doing, people couldn’t stay out.” Ray Stedman

“The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice, a voice from God-not an echo of what other are doing and saying, but an authentic voice.” A.W.Tozer

NEXT WEEK:  Series: The Church Alive!

Seeing God’s Glory- Exodus 3: 33:12-23

SERIES:  Freedom

TITLE:  Deeper

Scripture:  Psalm 42:1-2; 63:1; 119 (various)

“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Gal.6:14

I.    FACING THE CHALLENGE       

“I saw Him, and I sought Him, and I had Him, and I wanted Him.”  Hudson Taylor

What is the challenge? Have a (desire for God). It is having a (passion) for Him.

Psalm 42:1-2- “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for the living God.”

Psalm 63:1- “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

II.   FULFILLING THE CHALLENGE         

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied.” Mt.5:6

How do we face this challenge?

1.     There has to be a hunger within us for a (deeper walk).

2.     A (lack of hunger) stands behind our failure to grow.

What are some practical things we can do to make this happen?

1)     Make a commitment to spend time (in the Bible).

2)     Make a commitment to worship with a (whole heart).

3)     Make a commitment to (prayer).

4)     Make a commitment to pass the (ultimate test).  Pr.8:13: “To fear the Lord is to hate evil.”

NEXT WEEK:  Series: The Church Alive!

“On your Mark…Go!  Matthew 16:13-19; Acts 2:42

SERIES:  Freedom

TITLE:  Paying the Piper

Scripture:  Galatians 6:6-16

I.    LESSONS FROM THE LAW OF THE HARVEST                                       

Down through the years people have tried to discount the Bible, especially the (moral law).

4 Laws of the harvest: (Chuck Swindoll)

Law #1: We Sow and Reap in (Like Kind).

Law #2: We Reap in a (Different Season) than We Sow.

Law #3: We Reap (More) than We Sow.

Law #4: We can Do (Nothing) about Past Harvest, but We Can Do (Something) about Future Harvests.

II.   LESSONS FROM THE LAW OF LEGALISM        

He exposes the Judaizers for they are: (pretenders). They were motivated by (spiritual pride).

How were they motivated by spiritual pride?

1.     They desired to make a (good impression).

2.     They wanted to avoid taking a (stand for the cross).

The word used in verse 14 carries the idea of (virtual impossibility).

“Boast” here carries the idea of “good glorying” or “rejoicing.”

Verse 16: The word “rule” in the Greek is (measuring rod)

NEXT WEEK:  Deeper- Psalm 42:1; 63:1; various from Psalm 119