Christ Community Church - Zion, IL: Recent Episodes
Christ Community Church
The purpose of Christ Community Church is to Glorify God in obedience to the Great Commission and the Great Commandments.
"Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and - good-bye, friend!" Proverbs 17:9 (The Message)
"Above all, love each other deeply, because lover covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." (Proverbs 3:11-12)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest."
(Proverbs 14:4)
"I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life." (Philippians 4:2-3)
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I pressed on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."(Philippians 3:12)"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ... that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:7-9)
"Welcome him in the Lord and honor men like him because he almost died for the work of Christ" (Philippians 2:29)
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)"By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear." (Isaiah 45:23)
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life," (Philippians 2:14-16)
"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." (John 17:22-23)
"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27)
"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel." (Philippians 1:12)
"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry... But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached, and because of this I rejoice." (Philippians 1:15,18)
"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy..." (Philippians 1:3-4)
"I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."
(Psalm 121:1-2)
"Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The women living there said, 'Naomi has a son.' And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David." (Ruth 4:16-17)
'Who are you?' Boaz asked. 'I am your servant Ruth,' she said. 'Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.' (Ruth 3:9)
Boaz replied, 'I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband - how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.' (Ruth 2:11-12)
"But Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.'" (Ruth 1:16)
'I am the true wine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.' (John 15:1-2)
'I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart form me you can do nothing.'
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, 'Who is it you want?' 'Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'I am he,' Jesus said... When Jesus said, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell on the ground. (John 18:4-6)
'I told you that I am he,' Jesus answered. 'If you are looking for me, then let these men go.' (John 18:8)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14)
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:25-26)"Jesus said, 'This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it... Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?'" (John 11:4,40)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11)
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John1:1)
"I am the light of light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
"In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4-5)
"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" (John 6:35)
"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:8)
"We continually remember before God our Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 1:3)"Now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)
"Through God's mercy we have this ministry." (2 Corinthians 4:1)
"We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)
In Nehemiah 8 we see that... The desire of God's people is to hear the word of the Lord. The task of God's servants is to exposit the word of the Lord. The fruit of this ministry is that God's people and God's servants serve with the joy of the Lord.
Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift; We have hard work to do and loads to lift; Shun not the struggle—face it; ‘tis God’s gift.Be strong! Say not “The days are evil. Who’s to blame?” And fold the hands and acquiesce—oh shame! Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God’s name.Be strong! It matters not how deep intrenched the wrong. How hard the battle goes, the day how long. Faint not—fight on! Tomorrow comes the song. (by Maltie Babcock, writer of the hymn “This is My Father’s World”)
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him." (Psalm 62:1)
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him." (Psalm 62:5)
"The Lord is my shepherd." (Psalm 23:1)
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life." (Psalm 23:6)
"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!" (Psalm 84:1)
"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere." (Psalm 84:10)
"The earth is the Lord's." (Psalm 24:1)
"The earth he has given to man." (Psalm 115:16)
"My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you." (Psalm 42:6)
"Put your hope in God." (Psalm 42:5)
"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Put your hope in God. For I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42:5)
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for you, O God."
(Psalm 42:1)
"If it is as natural for us to long for God as it is for the animal to thirst, then it is well with our souls, no matter how painful our feelings."
(Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore." (Psalm 125:2)
We can expect God to deal justly with those who rebel against him and mercifully with those who take refuge in him. (Psalm 5)
Sermon “Crumbs” Notice the artistry of Psalm 9’s structure. The poem has five stanzas: verses 1-3 / 4-6 / 5-8 / 9-10 / 11-12, with focus alternating be-tween God and us (stanzas 1, 3, and 5) and God and the bad guys (stanzas 2 and 4). God is the unifying personage in the whole poem, looming large in all five stanzas. Also note that Psalms 3 and 5 are morning prayers, Psalms 4 and 6 evening prayers.
"God is not in the least threatened or thrown by the rebellion of the wicked. Neither are those who take refuge in him."
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. " (John Adams)
"The Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1:6)
"Meditation is an activity of calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling on, and applying to oneself the things one knows about the works and ways and purpose and promises of God. Its purpose is to clear one's mental and spiritual vision of God and to let his truth make its full and proper impact on one's mind and heart."
-J.I. Packer
"It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves." (Psalm 100:3)
"Act like men, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)
Manhood and Womanhood defined: More, of course, could be said, but Pastor Ken thinks these sentences from John Piper get at the essence: "At the heart of mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for and protect women in ways appropriate to a man's differing relationships. At the heart of mature femininity is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive, and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men in ways appropriate to a woman's differing relationships."
“Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator
made them male and female?”
(Jesus in Matthew 19:4)
Sermon ‘crumbs’ from this Sunday Time does not permit us to explore Scriptureoutside of Genesis. If it did, we’d look at First Corinthians 11:3-16, First Timothy 2:8-15, and numerous places where men are expected to lead, provide, and protect.
Talking to your children about transgender issuesYou don’t have to understand everything about transgenderism to communicatethese simple truths:- God made humans male and female.- God’s design is good.- Individuals are born either male or female.- Some people get hurt and confused and don’t like the way God madethem.- As a result, some people wish they were the opposite sex.- Nobody can really change from one sex to another.
"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8)"Resist him, standing firm in the faith" (1 Peter 5:9)
“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you . . .”(1 Peter 4:12)“. . . but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ.”(1 Peter 4:13)
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
(1 Peter 1:3)
“Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of al-ways expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants in-stead of being tyrannized by what you want.
You’ve already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good. Of course, your old friends don’t understand why you don’t join in with the old gang anymore. But you don’t have to give an account to them. They’re the ones who will be called on the carpet—and before God himself.
Listen to the Message. It was preached to those believers who are now dead, and yet even though they died (just as all people must), they will still get in on the life that God has given in Jesus.”
"Jesus Christ has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him". - 1 Peter 3:22
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.(James 5:14-15)
"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:12
"I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:11-12
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Peter 1:3)
Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 1:12)
Additional Scripture references.
Today’s sermon will touch on Matthew 13:17; Daniel 12; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:14; Luke 15:7; Mark 13:32
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Peter 1:3)
You are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:9)
Watch Word (ONE LAST TIME) for 2022 Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ. “Have you read Revelation 22 Lately? Watching the rerun of our team coming from behind to win an exciting game does not change the ending of the game, but it does change us.” (from Mike Woodruff)
May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 5:23)
Watch Word for 2022: Christian Courage is Holding on an Hour Longer as We Watch for the Return of Christ. “Perhaps it’s the people I hang with, but I’m hearing more concern over the world we’re leaving to our grandchildren. On the one hand, I get it. There are several trends that seem ominous. But let me remind you: (1) People have always been worried for the next generation. (2) Sin has an expiration date. There may be storms ahead, but God wins. His future rule and reign are certain. Embrace hope.”
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
You will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. ( 2 Thessalonians 1:5)
This is a recording of the Joint ABF discussing Interpretive Challenges in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
(1 Thessalonians 5:2)
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Sermon crumbs “A thief in the night.” Jesus used this image in Matthew 24:43 and Luke 12:39. Peter borrowed it in 2 Peter 3:10,
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
(1 Thessalonians 4:14)
May the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
Watch Word for 2022 “Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ.” Off and on all year, Pastor Langley has stressed the need for Christians to exercise courage in the days to come. Now, as the end of the year draws near, we focus our Advent and Christmas worship on the return of the King. Each Sunday morning we’ll hear from 1 and 2 Thessalonians on the second Advent. You might get more out of it if you take fifteen minutes to read 1 and 2 Thessalonians this week.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. (1 Peter 4:10)
To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7)
“He Came, He’s Coming Again” That’s the title for our Advent series starting next Sunday. You’ll get more out of it if you take fifteen minutes to read 1 and 2 Thessalonians this week. And keep in mind our 2022 Watch Word: “Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ.”
Respect those who are over you in the Lord. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
(1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)
*Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.
They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.*
(Hebrews 13:17)
Watch Word for 2022 “Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ.” Courage is like a muscle. The more we exercise it, the stronger it gets. I sometimes worry that our collective courage is growing weaker from disuse. We don't demand it from our leaders, and our leaders don't demand it from us. The courage deficit is both our problem and our fault. As a result, too many leaders in the public and private sectors lack the courage necessary to honor their obligations to others and to uphold the essential values of leadership. U.S. Senator John McCain
“Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast— as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Watch Word for 2022 “Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ.” “Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take / the clouds you so much dread / are big with mercy, and shall break / with blessing on your head.” (from the hymn God Moves in a Mysterious Way)
Our Scripture text is 1 Peter 5:1-4. Here we see that “elder,” “overseer,” and “pastor” are used interchangeably to depict church leadership, and that leadership is plural.
Watch Word for 2022 “Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ.” “The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him – his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure.” (from the hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God)
We have resumed our series on the church with a topical sermon on the “one another” texts of the New Testament.
Sermon text for this morning:
Galatians 5:13 - You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Romans 12:10 - Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Ephesians 4:25 - Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Colossians 3:16 - Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Romans 15:14 - I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
John 13:34-35 - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (35) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, (25) 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.
When you were dead in your sins . . . God made you alive with Christ. (Colossians 2:13)
He forgave us all our sins. (Colossians 2:13)
Our guest speaker:
Dr. Dennis Phelps is Pastor of Coronado Baptist Church in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. His most recent ministry prior to his current pastorate was Professor of Preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has written for numerous publications, spoken widely at conferences and lectureships, and is a past President of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He’s visiting with his wife Robbin.
The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
(Acts 2:47)
Let us not give up meeting together... but let us encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:25)
Watch Word for 2022:
"Christian courage is holding on an hour longer as we watch for the return of Christ." The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - f whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27)
Come and see what God has done, His awesome works in man's behalf. Psalm 66:5
Come and listen, all you who fear God. Psalm 66:16
From 9-25-2022 "Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf." Psalm 66:5
This worship service is the beginning of convocation, a week-long celebration of what God has done
"Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live" Isaiah 55:3
"This is what God is calling us to. To incline our ears, to lean in close, to turn towards God’s Word and give our full attention… Being in the audience is not enough. Having ears is not enough. Listening is not enough. Receiving Christ’s Word goes beyond the mere reception of sound waves, or the understanding of doctrine.”
-Evangelist Glen Scrivener, Reading Between the Lines
From September 11
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish." Matthew 13:47
As you excel in faith, in love, see that you excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8:7
From August 14, 2022
“You must be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44)
“Looking for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13
From August 7, 2022
“Your sins are forgiven.” (Jesus, in Luke 7)
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Jesus, in Luke 7)
From July 31, 2022
This is what the kingdom of God is like: A man scatters seed on the ground. (Jesus, in Mark 4:26)
Neither he who plants not he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3:6)
From July 24, 2022
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. (Jesus, in Matthew 25:40)
Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Jesus, in Matthew 25:13)
From July 17, 2022
A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Jesus, in Luke 12:15)
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Jesus, in Mark 7:20)
From July 10, 2022
He taught them many things by parables. (Mark 4:2)
What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. (Jesus, in Mark 7:20)
From July 3, 2022
Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 8:11)
Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
From June 26, 2022
Their rock is not like our Rock. (Deuteronomy 32:31)
What other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws? (Deuteronomy 4:8)
From June 19, 2022
Choose life, so that you and your children may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. (Deuteronomy 4:9)
From June 12, 2022
Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness… in order to know what was in your heart, (Deuteronomy 8:2)
…man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3)
From June 5, 2022
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
From May 29, 2022
Serve the Lord with gladness. (Psalm 100:1)
Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. (Deuteronomy 28:47&48)
From May 22, 2022
Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3)
From May 15, 2022
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever. (Deuteronomy 29:29)
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. (Psalm 131:1)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
These commandments that I give you this day are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Today we begin a ten-week series on one of Pastor Ken’s favorite books in the Bible, Deuteronomy.
Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! (Deuteronomy 5:29)
FIRE! The word appears in Deuteronomy twenty-six times, seven times in today’s text. “The Lord is a consuming fire” says Moses in chapter 4, a claim repeated in Hebrews 12.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)
You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)
From April 10, 2022
Palm Sunday
Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Matthew 21:9)
This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
From April 3, 2022 If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Today we conclude our series “New Life in Christ.” Our text is Romans 8:31-39, a rhetorical masterpiece that sums up this whole middle section of “the greatest letter ever written.”
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
From March 27, 2022 We do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit intercedes for us. (Romans 8:26) The Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:27)
From March 20, 2022
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:25)
From March 13, 2022
The Spirit himself testifies that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:16)
If we are children, then we are heirs. (Romans 8:17)
From March 6, 2022
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation . . . (Romans 8:12)
From February 27, 2022
Through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.(Romans 8:2)
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)
From February 20, 2022
What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch’. (Jesus in Mark 13:36)
From February 13, 2022
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)
From February 6, 2022
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)
From January 30, 2022
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1-2)
But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. (Galatians 5:5)
From January 23, 2022
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
From January 16, 2022
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (Galatians 5:17)
What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 7:25)
From January 9, 2022
“A righteousness apart from the law has been made known.” (Romans 3:21)
“Not what these hands have done Can save this guilty soul; Not what this toiling flesh has borne Can make my spirit whole. Thy work alone, O Christ, Can ease this weight of sin; They blood alone, O Lamb of God, Can give me peace within.” (Horatius Bonar)
From January 2, 2022
“Justified by Faith” - In Romans 5 we learned that we’re free from condemnation We hear from Romans 1:1-17; 3:10-12, 20-23; 5:1-8
Sermon part 1 – Romans 5 recap
“United with Christ” - In Romans 6 we learned that we’re free from sin’s dominion We hear from Romans 6:1-14
Sermon part 2 – Romans 6 recap
“Freedom from Law” - In Romans 7 we learn that we’re free from the law We hear from Romans 7:1-6
Sermon part 3 – “Free from the Law”
“Free from the law, O happy condition, Jesus has bled, and there is remission. Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall, Christ has redeemed us, once for all.”
From December 26, 2021
“So Christmas comes and Christmas goes, and the world the holy child is born to rests, as ever, full of dark so deep that all the Norman bishops in the land with all their candles aren’t enough to drive it back an inch.” (Frederick Buechner, Godric)
“In Bethlehem’s home was there found no room for thy holy nativity. There is room in my heart for thee."
From December 19, 2021
“He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all.”
“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity.”
From December 12, 2021
“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:18)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
From December 5, 2021
“Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11)
From November 28, 2021 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” (Luke 1:68-69)
From November 21, 2021 “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4) “God is beautiful, and so worship of God is a matter of beauty.”
From November 14, 2021 International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12)
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jesus in John 16:33)
From November 7, 2021
“We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:2) “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
From October 31, 2021
“Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us all in trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many people in the right.” (Romans 5:18, 19. The Message)
“That one single misdeed should be answered by judgment, this is perfectly understandable; that the accumulated sins and guilt of all the ages should be answered by God’s free gift, this is the miracle of miracles, utterly beyond human comprehension.” (Cranfield, The Epistle to the Romans, 286)
From October 24, 2021 “God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
From October 17, 2021 “Hope does not disappoint us.” (Romans 5:5) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
From October 10, 2021
This sermon we begin a series, “New Life in Christ,” based on Romans 5-8. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that He did not come to do away with the law. In Romans, Paul says that the law was not an end in itself but served to bring us to Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stresses the importance of obedience. In Romans, Paul stresses that we are not made right with God by our obedience. These two parts of Scripture are not contradictory; God knows that we need both emphases. So as we shift from a study of “The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached” to “The Greatest Letter Ever Written,” let’s ask God’s help in living a balanced theology.
From October 3, 2021 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16)
From September 26, 2021
I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16
This worship service is the beginning of Convocation, a week-long celebration of what God has done in proclaiming the message of the Gospel in our community and around the world.
From September 19, 2021
This sermon concludes a series, “Christian Counter-Culture,” on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
“Whoever hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
(Jesus, in Matthew 7:24)
“The crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority.”
(Matthew 7:28-29)
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Jesus, in Matthew 7:21)
“So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19:19)
“Ask and it will be given to you.” (Matthew 7:7) “You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2)
Additional Bible Texts for Today’s Topic Ken will cite several “Yes, but” passages in his sermon. Check them out for yourself for a balanced Scriptural view on prayer: 1 John 3:22; James 4:3; 1 John 5:14. See also Romans 8:26.
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. (Jesus, in Matthew 6:34)
From August 8, 2021
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. (Jesus, in Matthew 6:20) You cannot serve both God and Money. (Jesus, in Matthew 6:24
From August 1, 2021
Everyone should be slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
Additional Scripture for today’s sermon includes Psalms 2:5, 7:11; Proverbs 14:17, 15:18, 19:19, 22:23, 29:11; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 15:1-9, chapter 23; Mark 3:5; John 2:12-17; Ephesians 4:26,31; James 1:19-20.
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:33-37
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven.” (Jesus, in Matthew 5:44-45)
Everyone should be quick to listen . . . and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20)
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Jesus, in Matthew 5:30)
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Jesus, in Matthew 6:15)
“This, then, is how you should pray: ” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ‘
Matthew 6:9-13
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)
What’s lost is nothing to what’s found, and all the death that ever was would scarcely fill a cup. (Frederick Buechner)
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 5:1-4)
Give legalism a try? An interesting thought from Pastor Mike Woodruff: “Legalism is an ugly thing, but I wish everyone would give it a try. Why? Because only those who have tried really hard to be really good know how really bad they are. Many think we sin because we’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. No. We sin because we are sinners. It’s important to understand what we are up against, otherwise we might think we can be rescued by a coach or an example instead of a Savior. Think I am wrong? Give legalism a try.”
Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
(Jesus, in Matthew 5:20)
“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.”
Matthew 5:13-16
The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known of the teaching of Jesus. It is the nearest thing to a manifesto that he ever uttered. No two words sum up its intention better than the expression ‘Christian counter-culture.’ (John Stott)
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:1-12
“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Jesus, in Matthew 7:24)