SERMON NOTES
Sunday, October 13, 2024
God's Word
Scriptures used:
Romans 3:28
28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Romans 3:28
II Chronicles 7:14
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
II Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
II Timothy 2:8-9
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Romans 5:3-4
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Joshua 1:9:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go"
Psalm 23:4: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want"
Psalm 94:19:
"When anxieties overwhelmed me, you comforted and soothed me"
1 Peter 5:7:
"Throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you"
Psalm 46:1:
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble. "
Zechariah 10:1-2
Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;
it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms.
He gives showers of rain to all people,
and plants of the field to everyone.
2 The idols speak deceitfully,
diviners see visions that lie;
they tell dreams that are false,
they give comfort in vain.
Deuteronomy 31:8-9
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
1 Thessalonians 1:9:
"When you came to faith in Jesus Christ, you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God"
Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
3 “My anger burns against the shepherds,
and I will punish the leaders;
for the Lord Almighty will care
for his flock, the people of Judah,
and make them like a proud horse in battle.
John 10:11-15
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Zechariah 10:4
4 From Judah will come the cornerstone,
from him the tent peg,
from him the battle bow,
from him every ruler.
Ephesians 2:20-22
"Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone"
Isaiah 28:16
"Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation"
Acts 4:11
"This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone"
John 8:31-32
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”.
Zechariah 10:5-6
5 Together they will be like warriors in battle
trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.
6 “I will strengthen Judah
and save the tribes of Joseph.
I will restore them
because I have compassion on them.
They will be as though
I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God
and I will answer them.
Colossians 3:3
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Zechariah 10:7
7 The Ephraimites will become like warriors,
and their hearts will be glad as with wine.
Their children will see it and be joyful;
their hearts will rejoice in the Lord.
John 15:11:
"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full"
Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice"
Nehemiah 8:10: "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength"
Psalm 30:5: "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning"
Zechairah 10:8
8 I will signal for them
and gather them in.
Surely I will redeem them;
they will be as numerous as before.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Zechariah 10:9
9 Though I scatter them among the peoples,
yet in distant lands they will remember me.
They and their children will survive,
and they will return.
Malachi 3:7
Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.
Zechariah 10:10
10 I will bring them back from Egypt
and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon,
and there will not be room enough for them.
Deuteronomy 30:4
4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.
Zechariah 10:11-12
11 They will pass through the sea of trouble;
the surging sea will be subdued
and all the depths of the Nile will dry up.
Assyria’s pride will be brought down
and Egypt’s scepter will pass away
12 I will strengthen them in the Lord
and in his name they will live securely,”
declares the Lord.
Exodus 15:2:
"The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him".
Psalm 28:7-8:
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me".
Psalm 73:26:
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever".
Psalm 118:14:
"The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation".
Psalm 121:1-3:
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth".
Romans 8:28-32
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Sunday, June 9
Promises of God: Anchor
Hebrews 6
Question to pray through and take to God all week:
What or Who are you anchored to?
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.
17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
“Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.” (Acts 27:29)
Ephesians 4:14-16
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Sunday, April 14, 2024
God's Faithfulness
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. (Psalm 36:5)
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it
is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)
God's Justice
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15)
The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:5)
(Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. (Isaiah 42:3-4)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
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Justice looks at the systemic barriers to thriving, at the misuse of power that exploits people’s lives, labor, and dignity. This means that justice is intricately tied to power and seeks to repair harm and inequities. Powerful people (that often includes all of us!) command society’s political and economic resources, and utilize them to maintain power.
Specifically, there were four main areas the first church was seen as supporting biblical justice:
They were sold out for racial justice.
They were deeply concerned about the poor and the marginalized.
They were committed to the idea that sex was designed by God
They spoke up for the powerless and vulnerable.
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Sunday, February 18, 2024
1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:
2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;
3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
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After Cain has killed his brother, God asks him where Able is and he responds:
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
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Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
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II Corinthians 4:18:
18 There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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Matthew 17:5-6
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
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Matthew 17:10-13
10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
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Sunday, December 24, 2023
Song referenced in sermon: "Your Peace Will Make Us One" - Words by Audrey Assad
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
You are speaking truth to power, you are laying down our swords
Replanting every vineyard 'til a brand new wine is poured
Your peace will make us one
I've seen you in our home fires burning with a quiet light
You are mothering and feeding in the wee hours of the night
Your gentle love is patient, you will never fade or tire
Your peace will make us one
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Your peace will make us one
In the beauty of the lilies, you were born across the sea
With a glory in your bosom that is still transfiguring
Dismantling our empires 'til each one of us is free
Your peace will make us one
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Your peace will make us one
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Your peace will make us one
CS Lewis quote:
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
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Sunday, September 3, 2023
The religious community, particularly the Pharisees, believed the Jewish people were to be God's instruments on earth, from whom the Messiah would come to institute that glorious age when Israel would be a great and free nation. Many others, especially the secular community and apparently some of the Sadducees, noted the present reality of the rule of Rome and determined that cooperation was the best policy. The tyrannical rule of Rome and the paganism of its religious and Hellenistic culture heightened the contrast between the situation at hand and the messianic hopes. This difference produced increasing fragmentation of the people, and several movements developed in response.
(https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/the-jewish-revolts)
Matthew 20:26:
26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant
Song mentioned:
https://youtu.be/VeWuavHf4oY?si=yOzEhojgN0Pn7te-