SERIES: Danger: Toxic!

TITLE:   Root

TEXT: Heb.12:14-15 (p.1009); Gen.50:15-21 (p.44)

“Resentful souls draw the drapes and purposely block out the sunshine.”

I.    THE COST OF BITTERNESS

“Bitterness is like a cancer.  It eats upon the host.”  Maya Angelou

 I Cor.13- “love keeps no record of wrongs.”  The word for record is (to calculate or reckon).

 Resentment douses the flames of (life and love).  It enshrines (failure and evil), and it lets no one else forget.

 Scripture reference to I Kings 2 (p.280)

 Bitterness never draws us (closer to God).  “It is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”

II.   THE CURE FOR BITTERNESS

Several downfalls of resentment and bitterness:

1. It ties you to (the past) in a way that keeps you from living fully in (the present) or moving fully into (the future) God has for you.
2. Fill our minds with (junk).
3. It is direct (disobedience) to God’s Word.

What about Joseph?

1)     He kept an attitude of (forgiveness).

2)     He shows us forgiveness is a (strength), not a (weakness).

3)     He shows us we are all dependent on God’s (love, grace, and forgiveness).

4)     He shows us forgiveness is the way (out of the prison).  “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.”

NEXT WEEK:   Paralyzed- Psalm 27:1-14

SERIES: Danger: Toxic!

TITLE:   Words

TEXT: Prov.  18:21;  James 3:1-12

“A slip of the foot you my soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.”  Ben Franklin

I.   LETHAL LANGUAGE

Creative words (create). Destructive words (crush).

Hurtful words (tear down).  Helpful words (build up).

Toxic words (poison). Soothing words (heal).

Faith-filled words bring (life).  Faithless words bring (death).

“Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise.” Pr.12:18 (MSG)

“Gentle words are a tree of life, a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Pr.15:4 (NLT)

“Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Pr.16:24 (ESV)

II.   LIFE-GIVING LANGUAGE

“A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom; a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp. The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.” Pr.10:31-32

We cannot control what other say about us, but we can control what we believe.

Some simple steps concerning words:

1. (Choose life).
2. Talk to (yourself).
3. Speak to your (mountain).  “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.”  2 Tim.1:7

NEXT WEEK:   Root- Heb.12:14-15; Eph.4:31; Gen.50:15-21

SERIES: Danger: Toxic!

TITLE:   Hazardous Waste

TEXT: Prov.  4:23-27; 2:6-15

“God doesn’t seek for golden vessels, and does not ask for silver ones, but he must have clean ones.”  D.L. Moody

“The CEO who misleads others in public will eventually mislead himself in private.” Warren Buffet

I.   CHARACTER CREEP

Why the term Character Creep?

1.  Character creep slowly steals (integrity).

2.  Moment by moment we are building a life, a (reputation).

Old Chinese proverb: “He has too many lice to feel an itch.”

II.   COMING CLEAN

“A righteous man who yields to the wicked in like a muddied spring or a polluted well.”  Pr.25:26

Negative thoughts are (poisoning our soul), pouring lies into our system like a (toxin) in a water supply.

Unhealthy (thoughts) lead to unhealthy (words).  Turn to Matthew 15:17-20 (p.821)

Proverbs 2: 6-15 reference.

Two suggestions:

1)     Re-evaluate the (smallest areas) of your life, and if applicable, your business practices.

2)     Refrain from doing anything today we’d be uncomfortable reading about in the headlines tomorrow.

Turn to Psalm 51: 2, 7, 10, 12 (p.474)

NEXT WEEK:   Words- Pr.18:21; James 3:1-12

TITLE:   Metamorphosis

TEXT: Colossians 3:1-17

I. The Old Creation:

             A. The Original Design: God created people to exist in (fellowship) with Him.

                         –John Piper: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

-We were designed for (relational intimacy) with God!

B. The Exchange: Adam and Eve (and all people after them) disobeyed God, and in doing so (rejected) His design.

-We traded what was (valuable) for what is (worthless).

C. Our Fallen-ness: No one is innocent or free from guilt.

-We became (worthless) in the sense that we (failed) to do what we were created                           to do.

-Worthless BUT (Valuable): God didn’t throw us away. To Him we are worth fixing!

D. Reconciliation through Redemption: Jesus paid the price!

Reconcile: to restore, to make compatible, cause to (coexist in harmony)

Redemption: to save; literally to ‘buy back’ -> the action of regaining possession of                         something in exchange for payment

II. The New Creation:

             New Creatures have changed:

A. (Affections): Set your hearts on things above!

B. (Attitudes): Set your minds on things above!

C. (Actions): Rid yourself of wrong behavior, fill yourself with right words                                           and actions

Where do these changes come from? (The Holy Spirit) works in us to convict and change and lead us into a (deepening relationship with Jesus)!

NEXT WEEK:   Brett Eaton is preaching

TITLE:   Legacy

TEXT:  I Cor. 11:23-32 (p.958)

I.    REMEMBER OUR VETERANS

Stats of war death and wounded from Wikipedia:

Rev. War- (8000)               D & W total= 50,000

Civil War- (214,938)                              646,392

WWI- (116,516)                                     320,518

WWII- (405,399)                                    1,076,245

Korean- (36,574)                                    128,650

Vietnam- (58,209)                                  211,454

Afg-  (2031)                                            12,035

Iraq- (4487)                                             36,395

Terror- (6518)                                         48,430

Three things never forget:

1. We should never forget the (sacrifice of life).
2. We should never forget the (price of freedom).
3. We should never forget the (need for peace).

II.   REMEMBER OUR SAVIOR

Three things we should never forget;

1. We should never forget the (sacrifice of life).  “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend.”
2. We should never forget the (price of freedom).
3. We should never forget the (need for peace).   “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”  Rom.5;1 (NLT)

NEXT WEEK:   Ryan is preaching

SERIES:  Family Values Under Construction

TITLE:   Being Youth of Values

TEXT:  I Timothy 4:6-16 (p.992)

I.    CRUCIAL INSTRUCTIONS

To excel in anything requires more than just avoiding the (wrong).  It also involves doing (what is right).

Some crucial instructions EVERY young person needs to know:

1. Have nothing to do with (irreverent, silly myths).  [v.7a]   If you are not filling yourself with God’s truth, you will be filling it with something else.
2. Discipline yourself for (Godliness). [v.7b]  The word for discipline is the word that means to train.
3. Model a (Godly Lifestyle). [12-14]
4. Pay close attention to (yourself) and your (ministry).  [15-16]   Practice means (take pains).  Immerse yourself means (be absorbed). Keep a close watch means (pay close attention to).

II.   RYAN’S PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY (CRUCIAL DIRECTION)

The Goal: What the goal is NOT!

          (Behavior) Modification

          Church (Involvement)

          Higher (Attendance)

          GOAL: Genuine Spiritual (Transformation)

          The OBJECTIVE: To lead students to become steadfast, fully-devoted followers of Jesus in heart, soul, body and mind and to equip them to mature in faith, character and service for the glory of God.

The Philosophy: Three Core Values

1.) Youth Ministry should be (Christ-Centered) and rooted in Biblical Truth

2.) Youth Ministry is most successful within the context of (Relationships): Relational

3.) Youth Ministry is the responsibility of the entire (Church): Congregational

Direction: Where are we going?

          -Letting our Objective and Core-Values guide us, we will do the following:

                     -(Collectively) and intentionally reach-out to young people where they are.

                    -Model a real, authentic faith in Jesus.

                    -Invest in (relationships) with young people.

                    -Educate and disciple our children and young people.

                    -(Empower) our young people to own their faith.

NEXT WEEK:   Sermon: Legacy – I Peter 2:13-17; I Cor.11:23-32

SERIES:  Family Values Under Construction

TITLE:   Becoming Women of Values

TEXT:  Proverbs 31:10-31 (p.552)

 I.   WHAT DOES EVE BRING?

Woman is the (crown) of creation.  She bears within her the (image) of God.

Men- “Every man has a battle to fight; an adventure to live; and a beauty to rescue.”  How does that relate to the woman?

1)     She wants to be (sought after) with the whole heart of her pursuer.

2)     She wants to be (part of) the adventure.   The word “helper” or “helpmeet” is actually a combination of two words that means (lifesaver) or (counterpart).

3)     She has a beauty to (unveil).

Whereas the man is asking “Do I have what it takes?” the woman is asking (Am I lovely)?”

II.   WHAT VALUES DOES EVE BRING?

Some “stand alones” that were mentioned:

1. (Kindness)- Verse 20.
2. Grace and Truth/Boundaries/Right and Wrong.
3. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Those most often mentioned:

1. (Hard Work)- Good work ethic.  Included in this was the idea of (obedience).
2. Honesty & Transparency-  Teaching and showing this with (Unconditional Love).
3. (Following Jesus)- Seen in Fear of God, Devotion to God #1. Faith.

NEXT WEEK:   Sermon Series: Family Values Under Construction

Sermon: Becoming Youth of Values- I Timothy 4:6-16  (Pastors Bill and Ryan will both be preaching)

SERIES:  Family Values Under Construction

TITLE:  Becoming Men of Values

TEXT:   I Tim.3:1-7 (p.992)

I. THE SWORDS WE WIELD

“Every man has a battle to fight; an adventure to live; and a beauty to rescue.”  John Eldredge in Wild at Heart

• Men who will live with (passion)
• Men who will live by (faith).
• Men who will not accept the (status quo) about women.

There is a question that haunts every man: (Do I have what it takes?)

Two swords of value for every man:

1. The silver-handled sword is a man’s (positional power).
2. The gold-handled sword is a man’s (personal power).

II. THE SPECIFICS WE HOLD

“A man has total control over his household and a good wife will obey him, as will the children.”   Say what?

Eph.5:21: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Key thoughts from I Timothy 3;

1. Above (reproach).  Means “not able to be held.”
2. Husband of one wife.  Phrase literally means “one woman man.”
3. Sober-minded.  “temperate” Means having (clarity of mind)
4. Self-controlled.  “Prudent”
5. Respectable.  “to be well-ordered and balanced” and came to mean “well-mannered and honorable.
6. Hospitable. “to love strangers”
7. Able to teach.  We need to “man up” in this area.
8. Some negatives to avoid.

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him.”  2 Chron.16:9

NEXT WEEK:   Sermon Series: Family Values Under Construction

Sermon: Becoming Women of Values- Prov.31:10-31

SERIES:  Family Values Under Construction

TITLE:   A Family of Values

TEXT:  Deut. 6:4-9 (various others)

I.   THE VALUES OF THE ANCIENTS

“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding is it established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”  Pr.24:3-4

Story of Eli & his sons in I Samuel 2: 12-36

1. Eli was preoccupied with his (profession) to the exclusion of his family’s needs.
2. He refused to face the severity of his son’s (lifestyle).
3. He refused to respond correctly to the (warnings) of others.
4. He became (part of the problem).

II.  THE VALUES NEEDED FOR TODAY

Verse 4 was known as the (Shema).  This became the basic statement of faith in Judaism.

Four words come into play:

1. (Hear) the truth (continually).  V.4
2. (Love) the Lord (fervently).  Vv.5-6
3. (Teach) the young (diligently).  Vv.7-9
4. (Fear) the Lord (greatly).  Vv.10-15

NEXT WEEK:   Sermon Series: Family Values Under Construction

Sermon: Being a Man of Values- I Tim.3:1-7

SERIES:  Reclaimed

TITLE:   Turnaround

TEXT:  Acts 8:1-3 (p.916); 2 Timothy 4:1-8

I. A ROUGH BEGINNING

First picture we have of Saul is not a baby in his mother’s arms, or a Jewish lad running through the streets with his buddies seeing what kind of mischief they can get into.  It is as one giving consent to a (murder).

Turn to Acts 22:2-3

Saul was a (Pharisee), the party most tied to (Jewish nationalism) and strictness to the law of Moses. He sat under the teaching of (Gamaliel).

Turn to Philippians 3:2-6 (p.981)

II. A SMOOTH ENDING

Paul’s life not smooth sailing:

1. 2 Cor.6:3-10 [Read from Phillips paraphrase]
2. 2 Cor.11:23-33.

In Acts 26 Paul uses an interesting phrase: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”   What is a goad?

God had been working on Saul for years.  Why did he continue kicking back?

Any final words Paul?  [2 Tim.4:6-7]

NEXT WEEK:   New Sermon Series: Family Values Under Construction

Sermon: A Family of Values-  Deut.6:4-9; various others