Heritage Community Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Heritage Community Church
The Heritage Community Church Sermon Podcast is intended to acquaint the curious with the missional essence of the HCC Soul Family. Furthermore, the podcast is used by those attending HCC to deepen the sermon impact and follow Dr. Hall’s preaching ministry.
How Sweet the Sound [Part 3] It is Well
Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 73:21-28 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
I. Send an SOS to God – vv. 1-3, 7-9
Psalm 77:1-3 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress (trouble), I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint (tired).
Psalm 77:7-9 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
II. Choose to redirect your thoughts – vv. 4-5, 10-12
Psalm 77:4-5 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago.
Psalm 77:10-12 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
III. Magnify God to diminish your problems – v. 13-20
Psalm 77:13-20 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Romans 5:1–5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
How Sweet The Sound [Part 2] Ill Fly Away
1) The Return
John 14:1-4 14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
2) The Rapture
Matthew 24:36-44 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
3) The Reunion
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
How Sweet the Sound [Part 1] What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out— Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
I. Jesus Was A Man Of Action… Not Just Words
II. Jesus Didn’t Leave Anyone Out
III. Jesus Always Had Something Important To Say
IV. Jesus Could Relate With The Common Man
V. Jesus Was A Man Of Compassion
Matthew 9:35 – 36 “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
VI. Jesus Offered People Something That No One Else Could Offer Them
Matthew 20:20-28 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
I. She Had Great Consecration For Her Children
II. She Had Great Anticipation For Her Children
III. She Had Great Expectations For Her Children
More
2 Timothy 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
2 Timothy 1:7 …for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,
2 Timothy 1:4 …greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy,
2 Timothy 1:5 …when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt
1 Corinthians 13 1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Matthew 17:26-27 “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
There’s something that happens when we understand that God has called us to love like we’ve never been hurt.
Forgiveness is not an emotion, it’s a choice.
Romans 5:6-11 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
1) You have to be open to it
Forgiveness is not about keeping score, it’s about losing count.
2) That God allowed all of that stuff to happen so that we could have a happy ending.
Luke 6:38 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3) Matthew 6:15
Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
The Valley of Baca
Psalm 84:1-8 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.
A. THE PILGRIM ONLY PASSES THROUGH THE VALLEY.
Psalm 84:6a As they pass through the Valley of Baka…
Ruth 1:20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.
Job 6:8-13 “Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut off my life! Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. “What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze? Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me?
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
B. THE PILGRIM FINDS REST IN THE VALLEY OF BACA.
Psalm 84:6b …they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
C. THE PILGRIM INCREASES IN STRENGTH IN THE VALLEY OF BACA.
Psalm 84:7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
Don’t forget, while you are in the valley…
1) You are only passing through
2) You can find rest
3) You can find strength
Road to Emmaus
Matthew 20:18-19 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Luke 24:13-35 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
Luke 24:13-35 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was (past tense) a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. (past tense) And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So, he went in to stay with them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
1) BROKEN HEARTS
2) BURNING HEARTS
3) BUOYANT HEARTS
Empty Promises – An Easter Sunday Message
Luke 24:1-12 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
A. The Empty Cross
Because the cross was empty, we have the promise that our sins have been forgiven.
B. The Empty Tomb
What fear is there when we have the promise that one day we will live forever with Jesus in Heaven?
C. The Empty Clothes
Luke 24:12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Romans 10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
John 20:6-7 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
John 20:6-7 (NKJV) Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the [a]handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
Hebrews 10:35-36 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Blind Bartimaeus [A Palm Sunday Message]
Luke 19:28-44
2 Peter 3:9
Matthew 20:29-34
Matthew 20:30
Matthew 20:31
Matthew 20:32-34
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How would I respond to Jesus’ question: “What do you want me to do for you?”
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What would my relationships look like if I lived with that same concern for others and asked them the same question?
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Would I be willing to let people see the real me if there was something that I desperately needed?
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Our calling as Christians – being salt (v.13a)
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- What if we lose our saltiness? (v.13b)
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- You are the Light (v.14-16)
John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
A. Light Exposes Darkness
Ephesians 5:8-13 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
B. Light serves as a guide
C. Light causes us to know Him more
John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Revelation 2:1, 5 “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands…
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stands from its place unless you repent?”
Guarding The Gates – Part 5 [The Mouth Gate – Pt 2]
1) The tongue is disproportionately powerful
James 3:1-2, James 3:3, James 1:26, James 3:4-5a, James 3:5b-6
2) The Tongue is bad from Birth
Proverbs 12:18
A. Lying
Proverbs 6:16-19
B. Strife
Proverbs 17:14, Proverbs 16:15, Matt 22:37-39, Isaiah 29:13
C. Gossip
Proverbs 20:19, Proverbs 16:28
D. Slander
Proverbs 10:18b
E. Talebearing – Breaking Confidences
Proverbs 11:13
F. Contentious Speech
Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 26:21
G. Cursing
Ephesians 4:29
3) The Tongue is Humanly Untamable
James 3:7-8, Exodus 4:10-12, Proverbs 21:23, Proverbs 10:19, Isaiah 6:1-4, Isaiah 6:5, Isaiah 6:6-7, Isaiah 6:8
4) The Tongue can be Contrastingly Productive
James 3:9-12
5) Speak Life
Guarding the Gates – Part 5 [The Mouth Gate]1) Building Bridges with Your WordsGenesis 1:26-27 “Then God said (words), “Let us make man in Our (trinity) image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish and the sea, over the birds in the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”So how can we connect to God through our words?A. Through your praisePsalm 100 Psalm 150 B. Through your prayerProverbs 18:20-22 Ephesians 5:25-26 2) Are my words free?“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” – Dorothy NevillPsalms 141:3 A) Words CostProverbs 15:4 (NIV) Psalm 10:7 (NIV) Psalm 34:13 (NIV) B) Words HurtProverbs 26:19 “Out of the abundance of your heart, the mouth speaks”C) Bad Words LastJames 3:5-10 D) Good Words Last TooTake time to invest in people with wordsTake time to heal with wordsUse your words for good and not for evilA lot of us need to WAIT before we speak… Here is what WAIT stands for: Why Am I Talking? Just wait and think before you say something.
Guarding The Gates – Part 4 [The Mind Gate 3]
1) We are vulnerable to think we have to be perfect.
2) When we’re critical of ourselves, it makes us critical of others.
Isaiah 54:4 “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
The New Living Translation says it like this…Isaiah 54:4 “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Acts 13:39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
Romans 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Don’t live by what the world knows about you… live by who He says you are. This is what I was… it’s no longer who I am. You are set free from your shame.
I’m no longer a slave to what I did… rather I am free because Jesus died for me!
Luke 5:1-9 King James Version
5 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken
Guarding the Gates – Part 3 [The Mind Gate 2]
Jeremiah 17 says the heart is deceitful… The only way to live in the truth is to expose the evil… and I am tired of waiting behind a mask wondering if it’s ok to come out again… It’s time to unveil the mask… and live in what Christ has already given us…
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
1) My God is always for me.
Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? We do not live our lives chasing the approval of God. We live our lives as an overflow from what we already have.
Hebrews 10:22-25 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
2) My God always helps me.
Hebrews 13:5b-6 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
3) My God is still working in me.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
The Heart of God Luke 6:45 (NLT) A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Bottom line: if you want to know what God is like look closely at Jesus
Verses 2-3 For you have given him [that is Jesus speaking of Himself] authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
Verse 6 “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Verse 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
ginosko – “to know” in the present tense, active voice- meaning it implies a continual action
John 14:6 Isaiah 43:11 (NASB) 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV) John 10: 18 (NIV) 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV) Romans 3:23 Romans 3:23-24 (NLT) John 16:33 (NIV) 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
1) You may want to talk to your friends.
Mark 14:32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Mark 14:33-34 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
2) You can talk to GOD
Mark 14:35-36 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
3) You talk to your emotions
Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Vision Sunday - Power of UnityPsalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
HCC definition of unity: “yoU aNd I working Together towards our whY”
What is our why?
Heritage Community Church is a community of Christians devoted to nurturing love for God, love for self and love for others. Matthew 22:34-40
- Through Worship
- Through Fellowship
- Through Discipleship
- Through Ministry
- Through Evangelism
How do we get there?
We develop a culture of:
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Honor
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Accountability
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Trust
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T – Truth
- R – Respect
- U – Understanding
- S – Safety
- T – Transparency
Romans 15:5-7 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
We desperately need each other.
The world will see God's love.
John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We can do infinitely more together than we can apart.
Acts 4:32-33 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all
2 Chronicles 7:14 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.
Here vs. ThereJoshua 3
3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a] between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’” 9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.
Let’s dive in. If you've been with us the last few weeks, we're in a message series called "The Gift," and we're looking at the three different gifts that the Wise Men gave to Jesus. You know the story… when Jesus was born of a virgin, there were Wise Men or Magi, very wealthy, educated Gentiles that traveled a long way to come and to worship Jesus. As you would expect, most people believe that there were 3 wise men… We only know that there were 3 gifts… there could have been many wise men, and most likely did have more than 3… There might have been dozens. But they traveled a very long way to worship Jesus. They gave him very unusual gifts, and we've been looking at those gifts in Matthew chapter two.
The Gift – Part 1 Matthew 2:10-11: When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Psalm 34:18: The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.
Matthew 15:21-28
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Exodus 4:2-4 “So the Lord said to him, What is in your hand? “And Moses said, A rod. 3 “And He said, Cast it on the ground. “So he cast it on the ground and it became a serpent.” “And Moses fled from it.” 4 “Then the Lord said to Moses, Reach down your hand and take it by the tail. “And he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became “a rod in his hand.”
Dangerous Prayers – Part 4 Jeremiah 8:18-22 18 You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me. 19 Listen to the cry of my people from a land far away: “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King no longer there?” “Why have they aroused my anger with their images, with their worthless fore …
Dangerous Prayers – Part 3 1 Samuel 3:10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:11-14 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of every …
Dangerous Prayers – Part 2 Acts 4:1-12 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
We're really going to start praying a few new prayers, and I want to warn you, these are not easy prayers. These are not safe prayers. These are not benign prayers. We're calling them dangerous prayers, but they're dangerous in a good way. In fact, just know going into them, when you pray these prayers, you're really asking God to do something that will often take you out of your comfort zone.
Sun Stand Still Joshua 10:7-14 7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” 9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, …
Worship and praise are key to the heart of every believer… It is what we were created to do… and today I want to take the thought on worship and apply it not just to what we do inside the church… but I want to make sure we know that this is what we do outside these walls… I want to encourage you to worship and praise while you are here… but it’s so much more than the building... It’s our lifestyle… So, this morning… I want to preach a message called “Stop Going to Church.”
Worship [Living a Life of Praise] 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.”
We are going to talk about 2 levels of praise this morning...See to me, it’s more than just worship… Worship is amazing… worship is great… worship to me is great because it allows me to just tune everything out around me and just concentrate on Him… but there is more to what we are supposed to do than just worship… we are to praise and worship. The Bible tells me in Psalm Chapter 22 that He inhabits the praises of His peoples… the word inhabit means to live in or to occupy. So, when the Bible tells me that He inhabits the PRAISES of His people… tells me that he wants to reside in or occupy… to live in a place that practices giving Him praise… So, if I want God to inhabit my life and live in me… my life must praise, even during the seasons when I don’t want to… if I want Him to inhabit the church… we must praise.
So in Chapter 1… “God, I don’t understand.” Chapter Two, he goes into what we would call a “season of waiting.” God says to him, “Be quiet and listen. I want to speak.” God says, “Take notes. Write this down, because that way, you can document what I’ve shown you. And then, wait and wait and wait and wait. And even though things on the outside aren’t getting any better, Habakkuk is waiting on God, and in Chapter Three, we are going to see something very beautiful and powerful and that is, even though the circumstances don’t change, (because remember, sometimes God’s answer is wait, or sometimes it’s no, and that’s hard to accept)… even though his circumstance doesn’t change, Habakkuk’s faith and worship of God goes to a new, what I call Chapter 3 level.
Today, if you are facing something and you say, “I don’t understand, God. You could do something about this. If I were You, I would, but you’re not doing anything. I don’t understand.” If that’s the way You feel about any situation today, or maybe one day, then I’m certain the book of Habakkuk will speak to you. The question we are going to wrestle with today is, “What do you do when you’re in this crisis of belief?” It’s called “the dip.” If you weren’t here last week, let me show you what the dip is. Actually, Seth Golden wrote a book called The Dip, and so it looks like this … The Dip. We looked last week at a beginning point, and let’s say this would be someone who does not yet know Christ. They are not in a relationship with God, but yet, someday, by the power of the Holy Spirit, God reveals Himself to someone and they call out on the forgiveness and the grace of Jesus, and spiritually, they are born anew and their whole world, it turns just upside down, or right side up, and they are forgiven. And there is this huge spiritual rush of adrenalin and excitement, and God starts answering prayers. And whenever they pull up to stop lights, all of the stoplights turn green, and God is just smiling upon them and everything’s incredible. It’s the high of the person who just met the grace of Christ. Then, unfortunately, life continues, and after a while, this on-fire, the excited believer may go through some more difficult times and end up right here. Maybe God didn’t answer a prayer, or maybe this person lost their job. Or, maybe they started to struggle with certain sins that came back and wouldn’t leave them alone, or maybe their kids started making bad decisions. Or, maybe there was something that they felt like God could do, that God should do, and everything would be okay, but God didn’t, and all of a sudden, they’re right here going, “Wait a minute, God, I thought You were going to be like this, but now,
You’re not doing what You could.” They enter into what Henry Blackabee calls a “crisis of belief.”
So, as we study the book of Habakkuk, we are going to find that he is asking questions like this, and you may say, since he is asking God and questioning God… “Well, it’s obvious he isn’t a real deep, committed believer like I am because he should never question God.” And what we need to understand… that actually, Habakkuk, the prophet, was incredibly in love with God. He had a very rich faith, but he, like so many people, he crashed head-on into his faith and the law, and the things that he saw didn’t line up with the things that he believed, and it was a very difficult season for him. Many of you may be able to relate.
Prayer literally brings us into the presence of God and it’s in His presence where real life change happens. You begin to desire the things that He desires, love the things that He loves and change the things that He wants you to change. The best types of prayers are honest, humble and transparent. God knows what we go through, but he wants us to want Him more than anything in this whole world. He knows we have it hard sometimes, but He wants us to depend on Him… and why is it that sometimes we have to hit rock bottom for us to realize that we can’t do this on our own.
When we are going through a hard time, we have to realize that he is not doing this TO us, but rather He is doing it FOR us! He is not doing this to HURT you, but rather he is doing this to HELP you! He takes us through a mess so we can have a message.
1) Be Sincere (verse 14-19)
a. Paul was sincere in his prayer.
b. He was not praying for them out of obligation or so he could be seen or heard.
c. He, in his heart, just really wanted the Ephesians to understand that they would be blessed through God.
2) Be Personal (verse 20-21)
a. Paul’s prayer was effective because it was 100% personal.
b. He did not get it from google or read it from a book.
c. It came from his heart.
3) Be Respectful (verse 20)
a. Paul wanted those in Ephesus to never forget how awesome and powerful God was.
b. Highlighting verse 20, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”
c. Paul is telling us that God won’t just do what we ask of Him, but He will do more.
4) Be Submissive (verse 14-21)
a. This may be the most challenging truth because we are “microwave” Christians… meaning we want things now versus being patient and allowing God to work.
b. Just because you pray for something to happen right now, doesn’t mean that it will happen now… It might take time. God will answer every prayer, but it will be in His timing.
HE LEFT THEM ‘A SACRED TRUST’
“He left His house…”
HE LEFT THEM ‘SACRED TOOLS’
“Gave authority to His servants”
HE LEFT ‘A SACRED TASK’
He “Gave….to every man his work”.
HE LEFT THEM ‘A SOLEMN WARNING’
“Commanded the porter to watch.”
“MET IN A UPPER ROOM”
“The up-stirs room where they met..”(NLT)
“…in the upper chamber” (KJ)
“ROOM FULL OF LIGHTS”
“….was lighted with many flickering lamps”(NLT)
“there were many lights” (NJ)
“SITTING ON THE WINDOWSILL”
“Eutychus, sitting in the windowsill” (NLT)
“FELL SOUND ASLEEP”
“….he fell sound asleep” (NLT)
“fallen into a deep sleep” (KJ)
“FELL DOWN TO LOWER LEVEL”
“…and dropped three stories” (NLT)
“fell down from the third loft” (KJ)
“PAUL WENT DOWN TO HIS LEVEL”
“….Paul went down” (NLT)
“PAUL TOOK HIM INTO HIS ARMS”
“…took him in his arms” (NLT)
“embracing him” (KJ)
“WENT BACK UP TO THE HIGHER LEVEL”
“…they all went back upstairs” (NLT)
“came up again” (KJ)
“RESTORED TO FELLOWSHIP”
“Shared the Lord’s Supper, and ate together” (NLT)
“had broken bread and eaten” (KJ)
“HIS NAME WAS “FORTUNATE”
People die every day for this book. People have gone through the most gruesome deaths defending its honor and claims. People around the world give up everything: homes, food, and even risk their own families just to be able to read or listen to a fraction of its contents. Why? I mean, after all, it is just a book, right? Why the Word?
The focus will be on resilience concerning the highs and lows of life. Finding the contentment mean. The through line moderating the highs and lows bringing balance to life.
The focus will be on resilience concerning the highs and lows of life. Finding the contentment mean. The through line moderating the highs and lows bringing balance to life.
A look into the life and work of Elijah as a type of the life and work Christians today are called to.
This series will be a study of Philippians 4 verse by verse. An expositional treatment of the annual memory verses 10-13 of Philippians 4.
A lesson on Philippians 4:13 and the offer of transcendent contentment. That living in a way that transcends worldly metrics of success is available to all who call themselves Christians and claim to live in the Kingdom of God. The secret of contentment is only a secret because of how few live it out. Contentment in Christ is in plain sight for all interested in repenting from the kingdom of the world metrics (status, power, comfort, convenience, pleasure) toward the kingdom of God metrics of faithfulness, holiness, honesty, love, joy, peace, patience, etc.
This series will be a study of Philippians 4 verse by verse. An expositional treatment of the annual memory verses 10-13 of Philippians 4.
A study of Philippians 4:11-13. An overview of Philippians and expositional treatment of the annual memory verse.
Christianity: The Happily Ever After Life…Pt. 4 The Holy Spirit. Romans 8, the life-giving Spirit. Inviting the life-giving Spirit into every aspect of our lives. Learn about contentment compound interest and how consistent regular practice of soul disciplines starts slow but builds over time and then takes off into a peace that passes all understanding and a soul that naturally does the will of God.
The Holy Spirit is the power source to do God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. Which is exactly how we were created to live. The Christian life is simply the life we were created for from the beginning. It’s only natural to surrender to God’s will.
Easter is life, and the Holy Spirit is the wellspring of this new life. Romans 8 is the crucial summary chapter on life in the Spirit. Pentecost – this is that – Acts 2 – where knowledge and experience converge into life more abundantly. And now available to all who want it. Do you want it?
Easter is a story of life overcoming death. It’s an offer to raise anyone who is dead in sin, to new life in Christ. You can’t get to contentment without starting with Christ. The cross is the key to unlocking the grave.
Evangelism: The Great Commandment of loving God [Mt. 22] is followed by the Great Commission [Mt. 28]. Which amounts to loving others enough to share the love of God with them. The Great Commandment demands the Great Commission. It’s non-negotiable! Not some Christians, but all Christians are to tell everyone, everywhere about Jesus because the Holy Spirit lives in you.
Everything is broken. Sin and its devastating effects on the world. Don’t let death kill your loved ones. Invite someone to come and see.
A character case study of three important lessons on contentment from the life of Paul; examining what things led him to learn this invaluable secret of contentment.
God has made a way through his Holy Spirit for us to be his Covenant Community. It is our honor in life to raise children of the covenant while living in a culture that does not reflect back Christian values. Children will never be people of the covenant if it does not start with us acting as the models of what it is like to be citizens of heaven.
A sermon about how we can posture ourselves regarding the war in Ukraine. How do Christians respond to the reality of a good God and a bad world? What is the Christian message to the world in light of the tragedy occurring in Europe?
An alert regarding the power of money in the life of the Christian and how we can mitigate the Monster's threat.
This sermon will identify the monster of money we’ve created. How we attach ourselves to money in a way that empowers money to terrorize us. The spirit of greed as lust.
Contentment and Shalom, these words embody the holistic nature of peace. Christ is the prince of peace, the supply of shalom, the secret is that this Prince of peace, this supply of shalom, lives in us. This should make a difference. Being born again is conceiving Christ in us. Gestating Christ in us, giving birth to Christ from within us into the world. This is the perpetual delivering or bearing Christ in the world. If Christ is the groom and the church is the bride, then the church is a type of “Mary” conceiving and bearing Christ into the world.
Best practices for cultivating the contented life are identified and learned, they just don't happen. Psalm 131, Phil. 4:8-9 are examples of contentment causing passages. Contentment works from the inside out. It’s an inside job before it's an outside reality. Christ cannot be thought, only loved, because Christ is not a principle but a person. We were created to be loving things, not thinking things. The Great Commandment…love. Contentment is cultivated slowly. Much like the principle of compound interest. Slow, steady, small investments over time reach a point of critical mass and simply take off (compounded) accelerating toward Christlikeness where living the way of Jesus is then your default lifestyle.
The Secret of Contentment – Part 4: Contentment, which is Christ in us, is learned according to Paul. Notice the “I have learned…” phrases in Philippians 4:11-13. The word “learned” means acquiring and learning by use and practice. The integration of knowledge and experience is the best method for an apprenticeship to Jesus' lifestyle. Practicing the presence of Christ in us and in every circumstance is the central discipline for an apprentice of Jesus.
If Christ is the secret of contentment, Christ must be enthroned and our will submitted to Christ’s authority. Christ will not compete with your will. Surrendering to Christ is becoming immersed in the slavery of serving Christ. Our will is the first to submit (Mt. 6:33); when this happens, all other things will fall into line in submission to Christ.
If Christ is the secret of our contentment because we can do all things through Christ, then the foundation of the contentment secret is that Christ is in us, Col. 1:27…Gal. 2:20…contentment is the ethos or essence of the ongoing incarnation – Christ in us and us in Christ…
We are awash in self-absorption and anxiety. Our culture inculcates discontentment. Consumerism promotes perpetual discontentment by the illusion that if we can just get what we don’t have, we will be content. Our Christ incarnates contentment. Christ is contentment.
As we begin a new year here in 2022 God really impressed me to exhort you, to encourage you, to hold onto the fact that God is still alive, still powerful, and still active in the business of making all things new because he is still reconciling all things together for your good and His glory. If you’re taking notes, we will be looking at God as doing something new as our Waymaker as it relates to our identity, and two factors that often blind and frustrate us in our ability to see the new things He might be calling us to, and those factors are addiction and apathy. So in the context of God as our Waymaker, doing something new, we will be looking at how that applies to our identity, addiction, and apathy.