1 Peter Series message 12
Text: 1 Peter 2:9-10
Peter instructs us on two very important matters: who we are in Christ, and what our job is here on earth!
March 31, 2013: Jesus Christ, Our Risen Lord!
1 Peter Series message 11
Text: 1 Peter 2:4-8
Our text this week provides an insightful Resurrection Day theme. Peter reminds us that, while the Old Testament temple was made of brick and stone, now we are the living stones, which comprise the House of God. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are empowered to serve God in a meaningful way. After our worship service, we will baptize 11 people! HE IS RISEN!
March 24, 2013: Of Donkeys, Disappointments, and Delays
Text: Matthew 21:1-11
Special Guest Speaker (and awesome youth leader) Dave Neff
The crowd enthusiastically welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Hosannah!), but, within a week, their attitude on Him had soured (crucify Him!). God was obviously sovereign in all of this, but we can all relate to a pattern of periods of enthusiasm followed by periods of disappointment. Does Scripture offer any encouragement for staying enthusiastic about Christ?
March 17, 2013: Relationship Killers
1 Peter Series message 10
Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3
Peter gets very specific in telling us how to love one another, giving us five destructive habits to drop...NOW. Not surprisingly, he again points us to the Word. We are to passionately pursue Him through Scripture. To tie all these things together, we'll be hearing Ryan O'Neil's personal testimony on how Christians simply loving each other played a big part in his conversion.
March 10, 2013: Why We Love Others
1 Peter Series message 9
Text: 1 Peter 1:23-25
When in college, my faith grew by leaps and bounds as I immersed myself in God's Word. I was overwhelmed by the majesty of Scripture and its ability to speak directly to issues of the heart. This week Peter gives the reason we ought to love each other: our faith springs forth from God's Word, which is living and eternal. Our hope is inexpressible and our faith is rooted in God's written Truth, which has come to us via a most extraordinary path. We will focus on all of this on Sunday.
March 3, 2013: Fleshing Out Our Faith With Others
1 Peter Series message 8
Text: 1 Peter 1:22
Peter's direction to us thus far has been "be holy" and "reverence God", both of which have to do with our vertical relationship with God. Now, he addresses our horizontal relationships with each other. His emphasis corresponds exactly with John's in 1 John: A Christian is known by their obedience to God and love for others. We will close our service by marking Communion together.
February 24, 2013: No Surprises Here!
1 Peter Series message 7
Text: 1 Peter 1:20-21
Every Sunday when I step down from the pulpit I am already thinking about the following week's message. Peter's flow of thought builds with each verse and really prompts me to worship and trust Him more! Just as we were foreknown by God, so Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world as our Savior. Our catastrophic fall in Adam did not catch God off guard; before the world existed, He was working His plan to redeem for Himself a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (I Peter 2:9) With special participation from members of our high school group, The Edge, we will see how Christ was specifically called out as our Savior, beginning in Genesis and all throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. All this helps us put our hope in God every day, and in every way. Amen to that!
February 17, 2013: Weighing Your Worth
1 Peter Series message 6
Text: 1 Peter 1:17-19
Peter continues his emphasis on our responsibility as Christians. Last week he emphasized a battle-ready mind; this week, he'll focus on our everyday conduct (one flows from the other!). We'll be reminded that, though we are priviliged to call God our Father, we must never take for granted His holiness. And if you ever question your worth - how amazing that the Son of God suffered and died to make us His own!
February 10, 2013: ALL of Me
1 Peter Series message 5
Text: 1 Peter 1:13-16
Picture this first chapter as a door. Written on the outside of the door are all the wonderful details of our great salvation. The door opens on the "hinge", which is the first word in verse 13: therefore. In light of God's bountiful goodness, seen in our salvation, we now walk through the door into the Christian life. How do we live in light of eternity, knowing we are deeply loved by God? The key is our mindset: prepare our minds for action, be sober minded, and set our hope completely on Christ's return.
February 3, 2013: What Angels Long to See
1 Peter Series message 4
Text: 1 Peter 1:10-12
When was the last time you approached Scripture with this anticipation? Angels worship in God's very presence and are commissioned by Him for mighty acts. But they’ve never been redeemed. You and I were dead in our sins BUT GOD caused us to be born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! The celestial beings are intrigued by the inner workings of God's inseparable love for us! Peter has been hammering the Gospel from different angles, helping us see the majesty of God's works in such a way that it frames our perspective on EVERYTHING. After marking Communion together on Sunday, we will identify 5 truths about the Gospel and make practical application to our lives.
January 27, 2013: Who Stole My Joy?
1 Peter Series message 3
Text: 1 Peter1:6-9
We've seen that the Gospel is God's work in us, and by His mercy our life perspective is radically changed in keeping with our new identity. We know that God is not aloof in our trials but purposefully uses them to affirm the authenticity of our faith, which is of supreme value. When Peter ties together trials and Christian joy, the word he uses is seldom found in secular writing. Why is this? Our joy is not found in the here and now, but in our view of Jesus through faith. How do we nurture this joy? How is it that we often don’t experience it? We will examine this, using our experiences with our building process as the backdrop.
January 20, 2013: Game-Changer
1 Peter Series message 2
Text: 1 Peter 1:3-5
Last week we set the stage. Peter was an uneducated fisherman with many, and sometimes quite hilarious, personal weaknesses. We love him for that. God got ahold of him, filled him with His Spirit, chose him to testify boldly, and pen some of the most majestic passages in all Scripture. He sealed his life’s ministry by dying a martyr’s death. Peter uses arresting language to teach us about our inheritance. It is real, it is spectacular, and it is future... and impacts us now. And there is a GAME CHANGER that provided this for us. We will trace the chain of how everything is different, now that God has stepped in and changed the course of our eternal destiny. I mentioned last week that Peter provides a feast for our soul and our mind: pull up a chair, get settled in, and prepare to be blown away by the goodness of God. Peter's driving point is that the goodness of God should shape our perspective in life, as we'll see in the weeks to come. And it all begins with God's GAME CHANGER.
January 13, 2013: Character Development
1 Peter Series message 1
Text: 1 Peter 1:1-2
This Sunday we'll begin our series in I Peter. We'll cover the first two verses as well as gain an understanding of the one writing the letter. Often, what we read is more meaningful when we know a bit about the author. Peter rebuked the Lord, acted impulsively, put his foot in his mouth and denied Christ. So, who does God tap to preach the first recorded Gospel sermon? Peter. This gives me great hope regarding how God can use me! And Peter definitely does not ease into his letter when he writes: within the first two verses he takes up predestination and the Trinity! Peter's writing is a feast for our mind and soul; I am looking forward to unpacking the rich truths, affirming words, and eternal perspective found within this epistle.
January 6, 2013: The Power of Presence
Before we crack 1 Peter, there is a Christmas-themed phrase I want us to ponder for the entire year and not leave it in December; God with us. This Sunday we will develop four practical action items from this famous phrase and culminate it by observing the Lord's supper.
December 30, 2012: Bring a Team to the Fight!
Text: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
Special Guest Speaker Doug Hess.
December 23, 2012: Hope For The Weary
We've seen so far that spiritual warfare is a result of Satan's fury, because he knows his doom is sure and his time short. It is directed against the Person, work, and body of Christ. As the god of this age, he blinds unbelievers to the truth of the Gospel. On Sunday we will focus on how we fulfill our calling as overcomers and children of the Most High. God has not left us alone in the trials and tribulations of life, but has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. We will examine Biblical principles to help us stand strong and encouraged in the face of the challenges we experience. The centerpiece of all of this, of course, is celebrating a baby's birth whom we met in a manger some 2,000 years ago.
December 16, 2012: One Man's Experience with Spiritual Warfare
Is This You? Have you ever felt paralyzed by fear? Overwhelmed with guilt or shame? Finding yourself arguing with friends with whom you are normally on the same page? Do you settle one problem only to walk right into another one? Do you feel God could never use you and that you could hardly amount to anything?If only others knew the real me nobody struggles with my problem set. Have you ever walked in a fog, full of discouragement with your strength sapped? Have you ever overcome sin, only to cave later on and just want to throw in the towel? Do you question God's love for you or the truth of His Word? These can all be symptoms of spiritual warfare. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.(I Peter 5:8) Last week we saw that Satan opposes the work of Christ and the people of Christ; this week we'll examine a case study of spiritual warfare from Nehemiah. All in the context of rejoicing in the birth of our Savior, Christ our Lord.
The Battle That Rages 3: One Man's Experience with Spiritual Warfare
December 9, 2012: The Root of the Rage
We have hit a nerve with this month's sermon theme. I am grateful for the positive feedback you've given. Last week, we focused on the reality of spiritual warfare by examining the account of Gehazi and Elisha. This Sunday, we'll address the root of this unseen warfare from Revelation 12. Why do we feel the fury in Satan's attacks and what is he ultimately after? It is all about the Christmas drama, when the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.
December 2, 2012: The Battle That Rages
The foundation of this series will be the hope that we have in Christ: His complete victory over darkness at Calvary, and the joy and expectation of celebrating both His advent. A little baby, bringing so much hope and joy: "Immanuel",God with us.
November 25, 2011: Give Thanks!
In I John, love is referenced 44 times! It has certainly played a major part in our recent series. God's Word tells us to Give thanks to the LORD for a very compelling reason: for He is good; for His steadfast loves endures forever! No matter what time of year or season of life, God's goodness is a constant and His love is inexhaustible. We will develop this theme from I Chronicles 16:34.