Hillcrest Bible Church: Recent Episodes
Hillcrest Bible Church
Bible teaching from Hillcrest Bible Church in Oregon, WI. We are people helping people find life with Jesus, one life at a time.
Text: Nehemiah 13:1-31
Big Idea: As we end our series in Nehemiah, we have seen that following God in the face of opposition is never small - it’s part of a much greater ongoing story in our day to day experiences, and in this journey of life we navigate between two guard rails of confronting sin, and inviting others into grace and mercy, because God has shown us His merciful love.
- Not light on Sin
- Not light on Grace
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Text: Nehemiah 12:27-47
Big Idea: People are starved for happiness, and when God’s people celebrate His faithfulness, the world takes notice.
- Setting the Stage for Worship
- Filling the City with Worship
- Investing in Future Worship
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Text: Nehemiah 11/Romans 16
Big Idea: Nehemiah depicts the strategic repopulating of Jerusalem, and what is seemingly an unnecessary list of names actually holds significance, showing us what community is, what it looks like, and what it is based upon, that was true then and is true now.
- Unity in Diversity
- Unity in Core Convictions
- Unity in Victory
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Text: Nehemiah 9:38-10:39
Big Idea: God’s Word shapes and directs us to put Him first in all things —yet at times, we need to be confronted with the truth that we don’t.
- Commitment to God’s word
- Commitment to Family
- Commitment to Sabbath
- Commitment to Worship
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Text: Nehemiah 9:22-37
Big Idea: Reading Scripture leads to correct thinking about ourselves, correct thinking about God, and true confession. The endless cycle of sin and God showing mercy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Friend.
- We have an altered view of our personal history
- The Endless Cycle
- Application
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Text: John 20:24-29
Big Idea: AS John concludes his gospel, he leaves us where he started - with an invitation to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in His name - even in the face of our doubts
- The proof we all desire.
- Don’t live in doubt - live in trust.
- Moving towards greater confidence.
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Title: Empowered for Mission: The Relational Disciple-Maker
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-7
Big Idea: Help people, help people, treasure Jesus. The heart of seeking transformation.
- Be strengthened by Christ’s grace.
- Be strengthened by what Paul has said and done.
- Be strengthened in anticipation of facing difficulties.
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Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-16
Big Idea: The life of a disciple is a joy-filled journey, strengthened by grace, to go seek transformation in the lives of the yet-to-believe.
- The Heart of Seeking Transformation.
- The Invitation to Seek Transformation.
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Scripture: Hebrews 3:7-19
Big Idea: We actively build and invest in community as an essential means of growing and persevering in faith, knowing any of us can drift. What is the mission of the Church?
- Building Community is essential in our identity as a disciple-maker.
- Building Community is essential because anyone can drift
- Because we recognize anyone can drift, we take real, daily action
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Scripture: Ester 9-10. Romans 8:28
Big Idea:
- Is God responsible for this tragedy?
- If God is ultimately responsible, what is His point?
- How should we respond as God’s children
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Scripture: Esther 5-7
Big Idea: The “Joy to the World” is greater than joy of the world.
- Joy of the world doesn’t last
- The Joy to the World can’t be taken away.
- It’s a joy for tomorrow and a joy for today.
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Title: Peace for Such a Time as This
Scripture: Esther 2:1 - 4:17
Big Idea: True peace drives courageous action, even in uncertainty.
- True Peace with God
- True Peace is tested
- True Peace within
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Scripture: Esther 1:1-22
Big Idea: Regardless of powerful godless leaders, God is with us in the miraculous and the mundane, producing confidence in uncertainty and a way of hope in all things
- God is Sovereign. He Is in control of all things.
- People make a variety of decisions.
- Our decisions fit into God’s sovereign plan
- We grow in a confident expectation of good things to come.
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Scripture: Ezra 7:1-10
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Scripture: Ezra 6:13-22
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Scripture: Ezra 5:1-6:12
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Scripture: Ezra4:1-24
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Scripture: Ezra 3:1-13
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Scripture: Ezra 1:1-2:70
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Scripture: Psalm 90
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Scripture: Psalm 78
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Scripture: Psalm 46
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Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6
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Scripture: Titus 3:9-15
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Scripture: John 15:18-24
Big Idea This Week: As a healthy HUB, we lovingly stand within the current culture’s many obstacles, viewing them rather as opportunities to show God’s truth, grace, and immense love.
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Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30
Big Idea This Week: As everyday missionaries our greatest ambition is to
promote Jesus’ love, seizing every opportunity to be living proof of His love in our lives. The characteristic Paul draws out that marks us as a community is unbreakable Unity.
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Scripture: Titus 3:8-11
Big Idea This Week: Our loving others, doing good works, is the unmistakable, inevitable expression of our treasuring Jesus, of our experiencing the life giving, life transforming power of the love of God.
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Scripture: Titus 3:1-7
Big Idea This Week: Relationships Are Important
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Scripture: Titus 2:6-15
Big Idea This Week: We must live the truth and give the truth like it is the truth.
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Scripture: Titus 2:1-5
Big Idea This Week: Sound doctrine inspires Intentional Apprenticeship.
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Scripture: Titus 1:10-16
Big Idea This Week: When our beliefs are right, our faith stands strong against the wrong.
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Scripture: Titus 1:5-9
Big Idea This Week: Church leaders are not held to a higher standard. They are judged more strictly to our standard.
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Scripture: Titus 1:1-4
Big Idea This Week: True faith unlocks the promised hope of eternal life and overflows to a watching world.
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Scripture: Overview of Titus
Big Idea This Week: Paul encouraged Titus to “put what remained in order” in Crete. His letter will also inspire us, planted here in Dane County, to release everyday missionaries offering living water, scattering seeds, producing fruit, and becoming a healthy hub overflowing to a watching world.
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Scripture: Acts 2:42-47
Big Idea This Week: Having received an unmistakable commissioning to bring Jesus to the world and empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish this mission, the early church committed themselves to a simple, focused kingdom community centered around and dedicated to Jesus' glory and the good of others, producing profound joy.
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Scripture: Acts 2:14-41
Big Idea This Week: Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, BOLDLY urges others to follow Christ, producing increased confidence in King Jesus and conversion of the yet-to-believe.
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Scripture: Acts 1:12-2:13
Big Idea This Week: Jesus fulfilled his promise by sending the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, empowering his early followers to initiate the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. This is still our urgent mission today.
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Scripture: Acts 1:1-11
Big Idea This Week: Luke starts his second book by highlighting the power of Jesus' ascension, which continues through the witnesses empowered by His Spirit.
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Scripture: Luke 24:49-53
Big Idea This Week: Luke’s last words end where he began: good news of great joy for all the people. With this certainty, we must live with increasingly greater joy in Jesus.
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Scripture: Luke 24:36-49
Big Idea This Week: Jesus’ last words spark the beginning of going to the nations.
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Scripture: Luke 24:13-35
Big Idea This Week: Jesus completes the men’s journey to hope and demonstrates a model of discipleship with shared time, shared truth and supernatural conviction.
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Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Big Idea This Week: The evidence for Jesus’ bodily resurrection is compelling and compels us to trust and treasure Jesus as Savior and Lord.
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Scripture: Luke 24
Big Idea This Week: Why do you seek the living among the dead
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Scripture: Luke 22:39-62
Big Idea This Week: Luke continues to give us certainty of who Jesus really is, even as others do not believe.
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Scripture: Luke 22:39-62
Big Idea This Week: Jesus moves near the cross and accepts complete rejection so that sinners, through faith, experience His blood covering it all. Live like this is true.
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Scripture: Luke 22:31-38
Big Idea This Week: Luke still has our “certainty” in mind and wants it to increase. We leave everything to follow Jesus, but that doesn’t mean we won’t fall in our ongoing spiritual transformation. It’s how we get up when we fall, that makes all the difference.
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Scripture: Luke 22:1-30
Big Idea This Week: Jesus celebrates Passover and reveals the magnitude, the grandeur, the scope, of what he introduces to show the centrality of his approaching sacrifice that we celebrate every time we take communion.
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Scripture: Luke 21:34-38
Big Idea This Week: EVERYDAY, we maintain an eternal perspective so we won’t be surprised and trapped by upcoming events.
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Scripture: Luke 21:5-33
Big Idea This Week: Responding to a comment about the impressive temple, Jesus tells his listeners of events that were both near to his day and far off in the very distant future; instilling hope in His people to trust God’s righteous, sovereign hand.
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Scripture: Luke 20:41-21:4
Big Idea: Jesus goes on the offensive against the religious leaders in an effort to help us recognize who He is and worship Him appropriately -- then points us to be like a very unlikely candidate, a poor widow.
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Scripture: Luke 20:27-40
Big Idea: The story has been written and we’re part of the ultimate happy ending. God wins and Christ's followers join him in conquering death to live in the age to come.
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Scripture: Luke 20:19-26
Big Idea: In another attempt to trip up Jesus provides a clever response that silences His opponents.
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Scripture: Luke 19:45-20:19
Big Idea: Jesus demonstrates his authority, acting like a king to those who don’t recognize his crown. He reminds everyone who is in charge.
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Scripture: Luke 19:28-44
Big Idea: Celebration of the prophecy fulfilled but grief in the prophecy to come.
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Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17
Big Idea: Inspire multigenerational communities towards a life of FOLLOWING Jesus, BUILDING Community, and SEEKING Transformation of our homes, neighborhoods, and world.
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Scripture: Luke 19: 1-27
Big Idea: Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Luke recounts the story of a lost life radically transformed when seeing Jesus for who He is and imparts one last parable of faithfulness rewarded.
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Scripture: Luke 18:31-43
Big Idea: Having eyes to see Jesus is everything. Luke shows us how the blind man has nothing, and cannot see until he trusts Jesus. Then he has it all.
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Scripture: Luke 18:18-30
Big Idea: The rich young ruler has a misplaced confidence, but Jesus, through this conversation, points him to a new kind of peace found in God alone.
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Scripture: Luke 18:1-17
Big Idea: God rewards those who seek Him, filling us with hope that never diminishes; a hope that sustains us through all of life’s circumstances.
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Scripture: Luke 17
Big Idea: The Kingdom of God is right in front of us, and Jesus shows that there is more to come.
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Scripture: Luke 16:14-31
Big Idea: The love of your heart has eternal significance
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Scripture: Luke 16:1-13
Big Idea:
- A story of white-collar crime (Luke 16:1-8)
- An endorsement from the Messiah (Luke 16:8-9)
- An invitation to promotion (Luke 16:10-13)
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Scripture: Luke 15
Big Idea: Jesus corrects an inaccurate view embraced by people who claim to love God by showing the breadth of His grace and depth of His love for those who are LOST and the joy when they are FOUND.
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Scripture: Luke 14:25-35
Big Idea: With the narrow door still in view, Jesus addresses the great crowds following Him on His way to Jerusalem. Luke connects Jesus’ parable of the great banquet, and those distracted who will miss it, with this teaching that following Jesus is a whole-hearted pursuit.
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Scripture: Luke 14:1-24
Big Idea: With the narrow door still in view, Jesus reiterates the principles for pleasing God and responding to the call to follow Him. If we genuinely treasure Jesus, we follow his lead.
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Scripture: Luke 13:31-35
Big Idea: Luke exposes three different desires; expanding our awareness of Jesus’ care and love for us as a mother hen to deepen our trust in Him.
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Scripture: Luke 13:22-30
Big Idea: Many are interested in being included in Jesus’ kingdom, who even think they are part of Jesus’ kingdom; Jesus longs for all to come to repentance and prevent them from being bitterly disappointed when they find out that they are not.
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Scripture: John 4:1-42
Big Idea: Through one woman's encounter with Jesus, many came to believe and personally experience God.
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Scripture: John 10:1-21
Big Idea: This world is filled with competing voices. There is nothing sweeter than hearing and following the voice of Jesus overflowing through His children to draw others to Himself.
Sermon notes: HERE
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Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20
Big Idea: Jesus makes it clear: we ARE sent starting right where we are. This begins by thinking rightly about who we are and about those yet to treasure Jesus—Understanding our role in God's plan for the lost.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 13:18-21
Big Idea: The kingdom of God grows and Jesus uses two ordinary objects, mustard seeds and leaven, to picture the gradual process of growth so that we would fully enjoy His extraordinary Kingdom and anticipate its total presence.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: 13:10-17
Big Idea: Luke tells us the story of the interaction of three individuals to encourage us to practice more “mirror living” and reveals the compassion and sovereignty of God.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 13:1-9
Big Idea: We must all repent or we will perish, is Jesus’ message. To make sure we don’t perish we must understand what we must repent from, and then act on it.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 11:37-54
Big Idea: What sorrow awaits those whose heart doesn’t match their outward words and actions.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 11:29-36
Big Idea: Jesus is the LIGHT, but many people miss this, leaving them looking and longing for something else, and never satisfied.
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Scripture: Luke 11:14-13
Big Idea: Jesus depicts His healing as acts of freedom and the only appropriate response is to passionately follow Him. Some people cannot see it and Jesus warns us that not choosing to follow Him has disastrous consequences.
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Scripture: Luke 11:1-13
Big Idea: We ask, so that we get to know the Loving Father
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Scripture: Luke 10:38-42
Big Idea: A faithful heart takes time for rest.
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Scripture: Luke 10:25-37
Big Idea: The Good Samaritan is one of Jesus’ most well-known parables, don’t miss it.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 10:1-24
Big Idea: After we determine there is nothing better than following Jesus, the next step is clear to Luke; we are then sent by Jesus to be a part of his mission, proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 9:51-62
Big Idea: A mistaken view of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem can lead to a mistaken view of discipleship.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 9:28-36
Big Idea: No matter how long we’ve known Jesus, our faith has room to grow.
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Scripture: Luke 9:43-50
Big Idea: Jesus is aware of his future and faces it directly. The disciples illustrate what is true for all of us, they still need to listen and learn about God’s plan and the healing He desires to bring to our lives.
Sermon notes: HERE
Scripture: Luke 9:28-36
Big Idea: We all need a clearer vision of the glory of Christ and Jesus gives us the awe-inspiring brilliance of who He is.
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Scripture: Luke 9:10-27
Big Idea: Jesus models the kingdom life before the disciples and invites us into His mission with the same confidence & bold belief.
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Scripture: Luke 9:1-9
Big Idea: Jesus trusts others. He trusts us to speak and act on His behalf.
Sermon notes: HERE
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Luke 7:18-35
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Luke 6:27-36
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Luke 6:12-26
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Luke 3:21-38
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Luke 2:41-52
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Luke 2:22-40
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Luke 2:1-21
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Luke 1:38-56
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Luke 1:38-56
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Luke 1:38-56
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Luke 1:38-56
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Luke 1:26-38
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Luke 1:26-38
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Luke 1:26-38
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Luke 1:26-38
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Matthew 5:19-20; 13:44-46
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Matthew 20:1-6
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Matthew 4:26-29
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James 5:19-20
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James 5:13-18
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James 5:12
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James 5:7-12
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We took a break in our series in James to study Jesus this Easter season, His death and resurrection. We are now happy to return to James, the brother of Jesus, and his insight on faith, and it’s work in our lives. This is the fourth section of our four-part series.
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Luke 24:13-35
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John 12:12-26
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Matt. 5:1-12
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James 4:11-12
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James 4:1-10
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James 3:13-18
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James 3:5b-12
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James 3:1-5a
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Isaiah 8:22-9:7; Luke 2:8-20.
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Isaiah 9:6 & Philippians 4:6-9.
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Isaiah 8:22-9:7 & Matthew 1:18-21.
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James 1:12-15. Big idea: Steadfastness is a superpower. With it we endure trials with joy, resist temptation, and receive the crown of life.
1 Peter 5:8-9.
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1 Peter 2:6-8. Just as God gave us the living Word, He also gave us the Living Stone. Although the Living Stone was rejected by man, it was chosen by the Architect who is sovereign, and man’s choices cannot alter His plan.
1 Peter 1:22-25
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"Love one another" is such a tired and familiar phrase, so much so that its value is often overlooked. Peter repeats this well-known phrase in order to incre...
1 Peter 1:17-19.
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Peter commands those of us who are enjoying this incredible salvation of God to BE AFRAID. As recipients of God's infinite grace we are to BE AFRAID of living as though our actions and attitudes don't matter, we weren't ransomed from our old patterns of life, and that Jesus' blood is not precious.
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Through Jesus, we have the Hope of Deliverance.We believe deliverance will come to the people of God when the light arrives, freeing God’s people from their ultimate burdens. There are many reasons for hopelessness in darkness - fear, loneliness, oppression, depression, poverty or directionless lives are just a few. In the midst of it all, God brings the hope of deliverance through the Light entering the world.
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In our final week of this teaching series, we’ll examine the masks we wear to gain the approval of others. In this mindset, we fall into believing that our value is determined by the applause of people. The opinions of the people I respect and admire define me. When we approach life this way, disappointing people feels like death. In contrast, however, Jesus invites us to set aside the masks and discover ultimate approval in him. This approval gives lasting satisfaction and removes our need for constant affirmation from others.
Money and possessions are good gifts from God, but they also have the potential to control us. Our income and standard of living can quickly become ways of proving ourselves to the world. We can fall into using money to defend our dignity, or to show our status. But as Jesus invites us to live authentically before others, we’ll discover a better approach to finances that allows us to stop hiding behind our paycheck, and instead utilize our resources for God’s glory and the joy of others. Join us Sunday as we look more closely at this important topic!
As human beings, we have a tendency to hide. Instead of sharing our authentic self with others, we desire to portray a polished version of our selves. We fear being known; we fear our failures coming to the surface. But Jesus invites us into a new way of living. He invites us to take off the masks, as we find our ultimate security and worth in him.
As we continue in our series through 1 Peter, this week we'll hear the apostle call us to be holy, just as our Heavenly Father is holy. What does this call to holiness look like in every day life?
In our passage this week, Peter is going to teach us about hope. What do you typically hope in? What do you look forward to? Peter invites us to set our hope fully on the soul satisfying joy of Jesus awaiting us in the future. Join us as we learn how to properly anchor our hope in Jesus, and in him alone.
While in our lives we often suffer and feel insignificant, the truth is that those of us who love Jesus are the beneficiaries of God's infinite blessing. We are being saved. God's work of salvation in our lives is such a wonder that the prophets worked to get a glimpse of it, and even now the angels long to gaze at the eternal miracle being lived out in us. We have lives that the prophets and angels "envy".
The new identity in Jesus allows us to rejoice in the face of present suffering, knowing such suffering demonstrates the genuineness of our faith. In light of such rejoicing we obtain “the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls”.
Suffering robs us of joy. No doubt. But what Peter tells us today is that it doesn't have to be that way, in fact, suffering shouldn't steal joy from those of us who love Jesus. Peter writes to correct several misconceptions of suffering.
Peter tells us the key to experience maximum joy as we travel through this world is being awed by God. He gives us multiple reasons we ought to be in awe of God. He continues and develops that God is keeping our inheritance for us and He is keeping us safe.
Peter gives us this letter as a travel guide to make our lives count, to maximize our joy in our journey in this world. He provides some foundational truths in these first two verses that, if understood and embraced, will enable us to take full advantage of it. Buckle up.
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Following Jesus means finding Him more satisfying than anything else life has to offer. We believe it’s more than a one-time prayer or checking a box of consistent church attendance. It’s a heart-level posture that saturates every area of our lives. Join us as we focus on our first key value as a community, "Following Jesus".
Hillcrest Bible Church CCLI: 939857 CCLI Steaming License: 20116267 Social Media Links Instagram @hillcrestbiblechurchwi Facebook @hillcrestbiblechurch Websi...
Hillcrest Bible Church has a history worth highlighting, and a future worth getting excited about! This Sunday, we kick off a new vision series as we unveil a new Hillcrest logo, new vision and mission language, and consider each of our unique roles to help bring this vision into existence. Join us as we look back over our history, hear from former pastors, and look forward to all God has in store!
Hillcrest Bible Church CCLI: 939857 CCLI Steaming License: 20116267 Social Media Links Instagram @hillcrestbiblechurchwi Facebook @hillcrestbiblechurch Websi...
Do Christians still sin? Of course! But are we sinners? Welll..umm...good question. This week we continue our TENSIONS series by wrestling with the identity of Jesus followers--are we sinners, saints, a mix, or both? And what are the ramifications of such an identity for how we think about ourselves every day? Join us Sunday to find out!
Hillcrest Bible Church CCLI: 939857 CCLI Steaming License: 20116267 Social Media Links Instagram @hillcrestbiblechurchwi Facebook @hillcrestbiblechurch Websi...
The "problem of evil" is a common challenge for skeptics and Christians alike. One the one hand, we believe God is good and in complete control. On the other, we know that evil exists. But how can both these things co-exist? How can a good God possibly stand by while so many people suffer?
As we continue our TENSIONS series, in this sermon we wrestle with the question: how do we stand for God’s glory while also loving those who have different views? Jesus was perfectly holy, yet he was accused of being a drunk and a glutton because of who he spent time with. Let us consider how we can emulate Jesus’ example in our day to day lives.
We tend to caricature God as either a grandfatherly figure or a harsh judge, when in fact, his fatherhood and identity as judge work in harmony together to produce greater admiration in us as his children.
When we celebrate that God is eternal, separate and independent from his creation, and yet intimately involved in it, we begin to live with greater awareness in the mundane and confidence in the uncertain.
Because we live in a works-based culture, it is easy to miss God’s design for how faith AND works come together in our lives.
The Bible. It is an immense wonder we ought to sit in and live in light of; that the God of the universe has given us an inspired book containing the reality about Himself, His ways and His design for our lives.